I was part of the first generation of home video game owners. I was in middle school when my parents bought me a small home system on which I could play an electronic tennis game that involved hitting a white ball back and forth with two white lines. Fun times! I can actually remember when video games didn't exist, but I would bet that no 20 or 30-something can.

The generation that grew up playing video games is now making them. What video game enthusiast hasn't dreamed of one day designing games himself or herself? While there aren't many entry-level video game design jobs, there are other jobs available for people just starting out in this field. The video game industry is booming. Those who are interested in working in the video game industry can consider careers in programming, audio engineering and animation. There are also business-oriented jobs, for those who want to work on that end of things.

Read: Video Game Careers

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Is there a better time to write about becoming a wedding planner than the week before Valentine's Day, the single most romantic day of the year? It seems a lot of people want to be wedding planners, if the number of questions I get about this career is any indication. I can understand why. It seems like a glamorous and fun job. The key word there is "seems." Anyone who has ever planned a wedding can tell you how hard it is to get everything right. You want the perfect location and the best caterer you can afford. There are invitations to design and order (not to mention address). There is a band or DJ to hire, as well as a photographer. Planning your own wedding is one thing, but imagine planning weddings for other people. If you can imagine that, maybe a career as a wedding planner is for you.

To be a wedding planner you should enjoy planning big parties and be good at negotiating and networking. You must also be a problem solver who responds calmly to stressful situations. Want to know more about a career as a wedding planner? Read Here Comes the ... Wedding Planner and take the quiz, Should You Be a Wedding Planner?. Then take a look at Becoming a Wedding Planner

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"Breaking up is hard to do," or so sang Neil Sedaka in a song he made popular back in the 1970s. If you've ever been through a romantic breakup, you know those words are true. It's hard enough to go through the end of a relationship, but imagine having to see your lost love as you pass by his/her desk everyday. Then imagine how you'll feel when you overhear phone calls between him/her and someone new, or worse what if that someone new is another co-worker? Yikes! There are so many reasons to avoid an office romance, but this seems like one of the most painful. Office romances, even successful ones, can have a negative effect on co-workers, supervisors and the employer itself. Careers can be damaged, sometimes irreparably. Before you get taken in by the idea that sharing a workplace with your partner could be fun, think about the possible ramifications. Read Five Reasons to Avoid an Office Romance.

Of course when it comes to love (or lust), people aren't always influenced by logic. If we were, more people would avoid being in toxic relationships, don't you think? Unfortunately knowing that an office romance can be career-altering may not be enough to stop you from becoming involved, or should I say embroiled, in one. But, there is a chance you, and your career, can come out of it unscathed ... as long as you follow these Rules for Office Romances.

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"A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline." Wise words ... and to think they came out of a fortune cookie! It's nice to have dreams, but it's much more practical to have goals. We can, and probably should, have goals for most areas of our lives, but it is most important for career planning. This is an area that affects all others. Just think about it. Your choice of career, and your success in it, affects your emotional well being. If you aren't happy with your job, your days will be pretty bleak. After all, look at the number of hours you work everyday. Your career choice also affects how you live your life, from the type of home you live in to the kinds of vacations you can take. So, it's clearly worth spending time setting some goals.

A goal begins life as a dream. For example, you may dream of being a doctor, owning your own business or winning a Grammy. Unless these dreams meet certain criteria, they will remain dreams and you may achieve them, but your chances aren't good. However, if you convert your dreams into goals, you will increase the probability of them becoming a reality. How do you turn your dreams into goals? Is it as simple as the fortune suggested — just give them a plan and a deadline? That's just part of how to make sure you are able to meet your goals. Want to know more? Read Goal Setting and the Career Planning Process.

Additional Reading:

• Planning for the Future
• Career Action Plan: A Road Map to Your Future