Question of the Day | 01/08/2009 11:00 pm

'When I grow up ... ' When did you decide upon your career?

Whoopi Goldberg | 01/08/2009 11:00 pm

Whoopi Goldberg Was Born in the Spotlight

Emerging from my mother. At my birth, I looked up, saw the lights in the operating room and said, "This is for me."

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Joan Ganz Cooney | 01/08/2009 11:00 pm

How Joan Ganz Cooney Paved Her Way to 'Sesame Street'

I was working as a publicist for the TV drama series "The U.S. Steel Hour," and had lunch one day with the line producer of the series who told me he was leaving to go to work for the educational station in Boston. This was before public television as a system existed, and I remember my head exploding and saying, "I had no idea there was such a thing as educational television." I knew instantly that whatever it was, it was for me. In fact, there was no educational station in New York. Channel 13 was a commercial station and, as it turned out, a court battle over its future was in progress, as a non-profit group fought and won the battle to have it turned into an educational station. I followed the case as it wound its way through the courts and when I read that the challengers had won, I finagled a meeting with the station manager and talked him into giving me a job as a producer of news and public affairs. A few years later, I fell in love with the idea of turning the tube into a real educator to benefit young children.

5 Comments

Liz Smith | 01/08/2009 11:00 pm

Liz Smith: Journalism Was Plan B

When I was in the University of Texas drama department and realized I had no talent, it seemed logical to go for a Journalism major.

Click here on this text to read my New York Post column.

4 Comments

Mary Wells | 01/09/2009 2:25 pm

The Road to Love? Not Always Direct, by Mary Wells

I had been a child actress and had attended the Neighborhood Playhouse and Carnegie Tech’s drama school and it was assumed by my family that I would continue in the theater.

But while waiting for my husband to graduate I needed to earn a living, and the woman running the advertising department of a retail store in Youngstown, OH, figured that a theater background with the love of writing that had won me a number of awards should add up to a good copywriter in her department – and hired me.

It was love at first sight, meant to be, destiny, all that stuff. I never looked back.

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Great Blog! It invokes the peace and serenity you were setting out to present. Kudos to you. The song is beautiful. Do you know who Jana Stanfield is? That song and style of music is very reminiscent of her (only male I guess :-) She has many songs that I find inspirational. Funny, you and I share in the belief that music can inspire, encourage and lift our spirits. That’s a good thing. Thank you for your words of support and encouragement. I think, no, I believe you are right. This is the time for me to finally take that step and pursue my career dreams. The fact that I am single with no children truly is a plus for me. It was something that has been a little bug in my ear for awhile now, but maybe this conversation thread was a “ah ha” moment for me? Yes, I think I will start the ball rolling and see what will come of a job search and move to D.C. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Belinda Joy

By Belinda Joy on 01/09/2009 1:01 pm

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Belinda: Lily gives good advice and I agree with her one hundred percent. DO IT!!!!! On the matter of men and marriage: For all the men that are dishonest there are as many who are not. Some of us on this site have good men and stable, if not, really wonderful marriages and some of us have had to go through divorces and problematic situations to get what we got. Most couples I would think would want their marriage to last, but there are a plethora of reasons why they don’t and many of those reasons are valid. I think it would be terrible and so wrong to stay in a marriage when its killing you in small increments. Since I am not a deist I make my own decisions based on reason and reason has served me well. I sincerely hope you find someone with whom you can share a life with––one of those “good men” that are out there––somewhere.

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 01/09/2009 1:00 pm

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P.S. I should add here that passion went along with the reasoning. It’s a fine combination if balanced––.

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 01/09/2009 5:25 pm

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I’m a good man. I mean, I sin like all humans. But I would never cheat on a woman. All men are different; the saying that men are all the same is utterly preposterous. I know a lot of scumbags, and also some wonderful gents. ‘Twas ever thus.

By James the Game on 01/10/2009 8:21 am

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Belinda, A marraige is an energy shared between two people in the eyes of this universe. When that energy has left the union, does a piece of paper yeh or nay, in the physical law of man really decisive in the eyes of God? My grandfather deserted my grandmother in 1928, left her pregnant with two small children and never returned. She never remarried, sharing the same beliefs that you do, knowing the possibility that somewhere in this world, she still had a husband. When she reached her upper years, she found out all those years he was gone, he had divoriced her and raised another family in the Northwest. Yet she lived 61 more years of her life, promised under God. Be free in this life, be happy, and follow your dreams, whoever is suppose to be there in your creation will be. I hope you do make it to DC, if that is what you choose. Sometimes you just have to jump off that cloud and take the chance of flying. Blessings, Linda

By Linda Myers on 01/09/2009 1:49 pm

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Linda, It’s important that I clarify my point of view in regard to marriage, because you equate my belief to that of your grandmother, and we are not similar at all (Bless her heart). Your grandfather deserted her and as you said she remained single and unattached with the belief that “somewhere in this world, she still had a husband.” This scenario is in my mind a legitimate reason to divorce and definitely move on with your life. It breaks my heart when I hear of women such as your grandmother. So many wasted years. So many missed opportunities of love, passion, bonding and happiness as one half of a couple. I believe people should enter into marriage for life. But I do indeed recognize that every marriage is not destined for that. Even with all I had to say about most of our clients, there are those that definitely need to be divorced. When you have truly tried, done all that you can to resolve issues in your relationship, exhausted every avenue and still find yourself hopeless and unfulfilled in your marriage….divorce is your last and only option. Again, for me it is the couples who view marriage lightly that I object to. I don’t want to ever marry, but only because I am fiercely independent. I don’t want to share a bed, house, bank account or be accountable to anyone. I don’t have children by choice, not chance. I never wanted to be responsible for raising a child. I always preferred my freedom over the thrill of being a mother. However even though I am independent, I know that I will be in a committed relationship again. I may come across as a mild version of a ‘man basher” but I’m really not. I love men in all aspects. I’m just hyper discerning now in terms of who I’ll date and what I will and will not accept from him in terms of commitment. Thanks for the pep talk about D.C., I really am excited about this idea of pursuing my dream.

By Belinda Joy on 01/09/2009 9:55 pm

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Belinda, You are a strong affirmed woman. I always felt maybe my grandmother’s life could have been different, she was really a beautiful lady, inside and out. One of my best friends in this life, and many of our life experiences paralled each other. I really hope you take the leap and go to DC. The more strong women there during this time, the better. What we can do for ourselves always, is make our own choices. Blessings, Linda

By Linda Myers on 01/09/2009 11:37 pm

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Just a thought… often it’s the so-called “little things” that ruin the marriage and the cheating is just a last ditch effort to get out when the person can’t figure out a better, more adult way to do so.

By DeBúrca obj on 01/10/2009 8:27 pm

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Good for you, Belinda~You go, woman. I know very little about this, save for what people have told me directly, but the Walk to Erasmus, a retreat, was a huge help for people wanting to change their jobs/careers! I do know that many churches sponsor this retreat. Keep us informed - we’ll help!

By C jay on 01/11/2009 4:55 am

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Even to this day, I do not think that there is not enough truly good career counseling — that should be part and parcel of an education, giving us more opportunities to be able to make good choices of professions out there. I did not even know that oceanography was a field of choice - did you? I might have taken it!!!!! We did not know that in the field of journalism we could branch off into subjects that interested us, like science for instance. There is still a great lack of GREAT guidance and knowledge of paths that we never have known existed. And I find it so important to not just like - but love what you are doing - for then you don’t think of it as work. Oh — to find your own niche is not that easy for most. Business Administration seemed a broad field for me - who felt like I was still a child well into my twenties - and marketing was in its infancy and full of promise. It was also full of men with ambition whose footsteps you could follow on our way up. No regrets there - none at all - and fun as a young person to be working on the Wall Street of my city with its hustle and bustle and people with the look of success all over them. But that was happenstance. I see so many young people with such high potential who have no idea in the world what opportunities would be a good fit for them. . . and the roads they could travel and how to get there. I am beginning to think I would make a good guidance counselor. Hmmm, maybe I will go after that next … if I ever can get rid of the “travel bug” and be home long enough :-)

By joan larsen on 01/09/2009 6:42 am

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You are right Joan, the career counseling is very important and not always there. I have to add that we can’t all be doctors and lawyers, we still need the plumbers and electricians etc… In Belgium they have many choices of career schools such as carpentry, building etc…. My friend is a principal in a school for challenged kids. They all learn a trade, they do not leave the system until they have a trade, even if they end up at 25. Also the money of each child follows the child not the school district. So parents always shop for the better schools and the schools are obligated then to offer the best. If they don’t they’ll be closed in no time.

By Jeannot Kensinger on 01/09/2009 8:03 am

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Joan: In many middle and high schools they have what is known as “Career Day” where people from all walks of fields come and give talks , films, and advise the kids. For anyone interested in science, as my youngest son was, the field of oceanography was explored. But I think you’re correct in stating that we perhaps need better career counseling.

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 01/09/2009 8:51 am

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Joan, Years ago, when I was in my 30’s, a family counselor suggested I look into a career aptitude test, Myers Briggs Test, given at UCI University. As I remember, they only give these tests out about four times a year. Anyway, I went. The room was filled with mosty women, a couple of men. As I recall, the test was comprised of a four part series of questions, which took about three our four hours to go through. The questions went from your personality type to likes and dislikes, such as: At a party, do you prefer to mingle or grab a drink and plant yourself on the sofa all night; Do you prefer gardening outdoors, or sanding and staining a chair indoors. On and on. A week or two after you take these tests, you receive in the mail, a personality profile, and a list of about ten or twelve occupations that you would supposedly be good at, and be happy doing. And I must say, my list was spot on. If this series of tests would be administered to all students in high school, and then again at college, wouldn’t that help with the overall physical and psychological health of our citizens. I have got to think it would be of great benefit. One more thing. Backing up. Right before the exam started, the person administering the Myers Briggs exam told us a story. There was a young woman who became an attorney. She loved the law, was very analytical. She worked in a law firm in a high rise building in downtown LA. She did not have a corner window, could not see out, etc. This woman came in and took the test. To get to the point, this woman, who also loved hiking, backpacking, being outdoors - today she has a job as a lawyer - but instead of being stuck in a building, she works for some outdoor environmental company, as their attorney, and she loves her job. Have a pleasant day, enjoy your posts.

By N P on 01/09/2009 8:57 am

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I am sooooo glad to see your scent back on this page! Yesterday I asked Marta if she knew how you faired on your trip? and that I was concerned because you had said that if we didn’t hear from you after January 1st we should send a posse down to B.A. I am very curious as to what ensued down there in tropical paradise. Tell us the tale! Re: those aptitude tests––I’ve taken quite a few and they all come out saying the same thing––lean toward serial killing OR surgery. I’m kidding, of course, although I did read somewhere that the two had similar skills; no, mine always leaned toward some kind of interaction with people––social work, etc. I think these tests are still given in high schools and colleges.

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 01/09/2009 9:17 am

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Hi Phyllis, Thank you for your kind words! I actually wrote to you last night, when I came across the post you wrote to Marta. Perhaps I didn’t hit the “send” button? I’ll have to check yesterday’s thread myself now. In that post, I wrote a brief report of my experiences in Buenos Aires. . . serial killing or surgery . . you’re too much. Interaction with people - oh yes, I can see that’s a fit! Well, I’ll see if my post to you of yesterday shows up.

By N P on 01/09/2009 9:53 am