Career Capers - Final Chapter
Flying in to LAX
The last segment of my career before I got married and then pregnant shortly thereafter can only be described as entertaining, partly because I was working for a magazine in the movie business, but also because I had a crazy boss.
To start at the beginning, the job interview went well until the publisher, my would-be boss, asked if I could type. I had actually taught myself touch typing while I was between jobs but I said yes a bit nervously because I wasn’t exactly going to win any speed contests.
The woman I was to replace gave me a short test. “How did she do?” asked the publisher.
“Well she knows where the delete key is,” was the reply.
Computers were a few years in the future when I was in the work force!
At any rate I got the job. Later my boss told me he had liked the outfit I was wearing to the interview! (Very non-pc I know.)
Perhaps eccentric is a nicer word to describe my employer than crazy. He was extremely chatty and social and loved to take us out for long lunches. He travelled regularly to Los Angeles, always first class, to schmooze with the studio execs. And since he preferred not to travel alone, once in a while I was invited along.
On one of those occasions he informed me that I would be interviewing the actress Barbara Hershey. I was mortified because I had no time to do any research, nor did I have a tape recorder. Lucky for me she was extremely kind and I managed to come up with some half decent questions and hastily scribble notes.
For a short time after my marriage I continued in this job, and when we bought our first house and moved out of the city I sent in assignments. But this was before computers and cell phones and eventually it became impractical. I wanted to stay home and raise my children myself and I was fortunate to be able to do so.
Italian authors I have enjoyed.
Even once the kids were older, I never did return to full time work, so that was the end of my illustrious career. Stints at volunteer positions, and Italian and French classes have kept me busy and I don’t remember ever being bored. And now I’m happy that my somewhat rusty editing and writing skills have once again been called on to create this blog!
