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Editor’s Pick
APRIL 18, 2012 9:49AM

Knowing the Password


Last week my eleven-year-old son’s yahoo mail account was hacked.  Ben’s on Facebook and doesn’t e-mail very much, so fortunately his list of contacts was small.  Because he doesn’t have any bank accounts or credit cards, I guess I’ve procrastinated explaining
Read full post »

Editor’s Pick
DECEMBER 3, 2011 3:26PM

Long Dead Grocer Offers Job

George Bowers Grocery, Staunton, Viriginia, 1881

My story begins in New York City and begins again in a rural mountain town in Virginia.

My brilliant second career came courtesy of a long-dead grocer.

George Bowers was a New Yorker who died at the turn of last century. I knew nothing about George back in 2007. At theRead full post »
Editor’s Pick
NOVEMBER 29, 2011 1:25AM

Out But Not Down--Engineering My Own Business

I wasn't surprised when I lost my job in November 2009. I was an electronic engineer working at a large design consulting firm, if “working” could describe my activity those final months. Aside from searching online for articles useful to my employer, I had little to do. As with so many… Read full post »

Editor’s Pick
NOVEMBER 20, 2011 9:48AM

Out of the Frying Pan - Into the Fire

My journey from Research Engineer to Firefighter

Fire_Family
 
First a caveat:  My move to a new career was not motivated by the Great Recession.  I wasn’t lucky - or alternatively, skilled - enough to last until our economy turned south.  By that time I had largely completedRead full post »
Editor’s Pick
NOVEMBER 12, 2011 5:10PM

From Jingles to Journalism

FC

Before anyone occupied Wall Street, even before the crash of 2008, I found myself scratching my head and wondering, "What now?"

I had spent 15 years in advertising as a staff copywriter around New York City. In 1995, I went freelance to stay home and take care of my baby… Read full post »

Editor’s Pick
NOVEMBER 12, 2011 11:57AM

From Being Shot At To Giving Shots

       My friends used to tell me I had an easy job...just show up at the event, write a story, go home. Fashion shows, school meetings, grand openings It worked out that way at first, then I got bored. I hooked onto freelancing and stringing for asso… Read full post »

Editor’s Pick
NOVEMBER 11, 2011 9:05PM

Making Our Own Picture Puzzle

I had a very satisfying career in fundraising.  For years I planned events, cajoled volunteers, plucked the pockets of willing donors and raised much needed funds for AIDS research.  I was respected.  I liked those I worked with and I was proud of what we were all contributing. &nRead full post »

Editor’s Pick
NOVEMBER 10, 2011 9:07AM

Losing the Day Job

The day I was laid off from a six-figure corporate job, my car was stolen from the Mobile station on the Merritt Parkway. I was driving back from my morning meeting with my boss in New York City, where he told me that my position was eliminated. I'd pulled off the… Read full post »

Editor’s Pick
NOVEMBER 9, 2011 4:57AM

Bronx teacher--brilliant second career--not bad

My brilliant second career came around just in the nick of time. I was accepted by NYC Teaching Fellows when my son was five. Not a moment too soon as I was kind of a career-changer without a career. I used my sort of zigzag path to nowhere to write anRead full post »

Editor’s Pick
NOVEMBER 6, 2011 6:12PM

Career? Maybe. Brilliant? Absolutely!

Ever since I was the editor of a literary magazine in college, I wanted to be not just a writer, but also a publisher of some sort. However, I never really tried to land a job in publishing. Instead I taught college classes when I could get them and worked as… Read full post »
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Personal essays: Your brilliant second career

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