August 23, 2004
Actuary-in-training
Actuary-in-training
My son has become a worrier. He is the oldest child and feels a large amount of responsibility just about everything. He's also one to ponder all sorts of situations and I never know what kind of question will come out of him next.
Recently though, he's become obsessed with "safe jobs". No longer does he want to be a fireman, policeman or soldier when he grows up. He found out that they sometimes die and he wants no part of that. So we'll be driving along and I'll hear, "How could you die if you were a lawyer/store clerk/vet/carpenter/etc. ?"
Every time, I want to cuddle him up and remind him that his time to worry about such things is far away. While something could happen at any time, worrying about it at the tender age of four doesn't help and I try to remind him that his current job is to figure out what he loves to do and that some how from that he'll probably be able to figure out what he wants to do -- in about 18 years.
Still he worries, considers and discards new professions daily, and I do wonder if he needs to consider a job as an actuary. That way he'd get the answers to compare the mortality rates of everything else -- plus I somehow doubt the mortality rate of actuaries is all that high.
The mortality rate for actuaries is 100%, just like everybody else. :-)
It's actually the FRIENDS of actuaries that have the higher mortality rates. They keep getting bored to death.
I've got a million of 'em, I tell ya!
Hey!?!
Maybe THAT'S why you made it so hard for me to leave comments ...
Posted by: LittleA at August 23, 2004 04:34 PMis your son picture book age? kevin henke has a sweet book about worry - i believe it is called "wemberly worried". i was a worrier as a child, and i saw myself when i read this one.
Posted by: amy at August 23, 2004 05:29 PMT thought you were supposed to be busy, LittleA.:)
Posted by: Janis Gore at August 23, 2004 05:31 PMWe love Kevin Henkes' books -- especially the ones about Lily, but we've read Wemberly Worried before. I'll have to check that one out again.
Posted by: Jordana at August 23, 2004 06:17 PMBeing "retired" from a reinsurance company, for years I was surrounded by actuaries. I even called on actuaries during my stint as a salesperson. They are a different breed, but the best are smart, funny and interesting. I suppose that is true of most professionals.
Jordana, I wish my one son would think a little more about a safe career, as he has decided to join the Armed Services. I am both proud (of his reasons for this decision) and frightened (as a mother).
Posted by: Earth Girl at August 23, 2004 10:54 PMI work in the same department with actuaries, and the only one who was ever slightly friendly was let go. I'm glad SOMEone has positive experiences with them! Analysts are fun (after all, I am!) and we get to be sarcastic all the time. Now THERE's a goal to shoot for!
Posted by: Lenise at August 24, 2004 08:16 AMTell your son to join the exciting world of the archivist! Fun with historical documents! Wild & crazy patrons looking for the time of their birth! (true, actually. Thankfully, I don't keep medical records here)
Pay's lousy, but half the time nobody knows I'm here, so it's pretty safe. I suppose a box could fall on you, but...
Posted by: skinnydan at August 24, 2004 08:23 AMYou know, I went to college to become an actuary. One math degree and 4.5 years later, B-O-R-I-N-G. So I ended up as an accountant at an insurance company. Ugh. DOUBLE BORING!!! I shoulda kept the actuary goal. Calculators are our friends!
I think LittleA commented earlier on actuaries being bored to death. I must agree. So it's not as safe as one might think....
Jordana Adams, Chief Pontificator