Interesting question regarding the career. I would say I'm a mix of both parents. My dad is a professional musician. I am not professional at all, but I play music as a hobby and it is one of the most important things in my life. My mom works retail in a clothing store at this point in her life. She didn't plan on doing this. In fact, she had many different jobs that never seemed to pan out for her (realtor, florist, banker, crossing guard, stay-at-home-mom, etc) When my parents divorced, she had to buckle down and pick something with good benefits because it was just her on her own, at 50 something years old. It was really hard for her to start a career at her age and I'm sure she resents it deeply. She hates her job. I'm similar to mom in that I am not crazy about my job and it is also retail (books). But it pays well enough and I'm one of only 6 people who work there regularly, so it's close and intimate, which I like, and I'm left to be responsible for myself without a boss breathing down my neck. I didn't go for a career that was soul-satisfying and expressive, like my dad. Instead I went for one that paid the bills, like mom.
If I had to do it over again, though, I would have gone into psychology and tried to get into research psychology. But that didn't work out...
As for habits, I am not sure. I like to travel, which my dad loves. I like to try new things and new foods, which my dad does. My dad has a generally positive outlook on life, carefree and easygoing and my mom is a complete pessimist stress ball. I'm somewhere in between. I try to be positive but every once in a while I feel angry and resentful, like everything in the world is a huge hassle and life sucks. But it's not everyday that I feel like that. I feel happy most of the time. I'd say that is more like Dad. My mom seems pretty miserable. She takes life very seriously. Dad has more fun. He makes a fair amount of money and he spends it as he gets it. He lives it up. He told me that when he dies, not to expect a big inheritance because he doesn't save. He has fun. I respect that. My mom is not like that at all. For one, she is pretty poor and must budget her money frugally. I actually make more money than my mom, which makes me sad. I hate seeing her struggle like this.
I'm losing track of my thoughts... to stay with the question, I'm more like my dad in terms of hobbies and having fun. I'm more like mom in terms of surrendering to authority. My dad fights authority. Just looking at cop and you can see the rage spark up in his eyes. He is ready to fight against the system at any moment, it's kind of freaky. But my mom is much more rule-oriented and wants to do things the "right" way. I would prefer to stay out of trouble myself, so I try not to break any laws or go against society's rules. Outwardly, that is. I'm not in your face about it. My dad is more likely to have a political bumper sticker or fight a ticket, whereas I would rather keep that stuff to myself and fight the battles privately.
He can be pretty rude to people, too. The other day we went out for breakfast and the restaurant wouldn't give him a cup of decaf coffee. He had to buy a carafe of it if he wanted decaf. He got so pissed and told them how ridiculous it was that he had to buy more coffee than he would have drank. "I can't get a cup of decaf?!?!?! This is ridiculous!!!" Then we all had to get up and leave to go somewhere else after we had already placed our order. ?? We all just went along with it and followed him out the door. It was so silly. Making a big deal over a cup of coffee. I would never do that. I would just accept it and not cause a scene. Not dad. He has to fight. Mom wouldn't have fought either. So in that case, I am more like her.
I worry that one dad my dad is going to fight with the wrong person....
well I gotta get back to work. interested to read other people's replies.