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Nancy Roth's avatar

If money were not kin the mix, citizen activist in my mind is the most honorable (you wanted honorable, right?) occupation. The citizen who is driven only by the urge to fix something that is not right, or to improve what is not already excellent, rather than the expectation of monetary reward or other acclaim.

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Dan Perry's avatar

Sounds like a great choice to me

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Nancy C Rice's avatar

easy… teacher is most versatile

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Jonathan Warmflash's avatar

Wonderful story. Amazing really. First Bernstein, then Pete Rose! You were a pretty cool kid!

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Anthony Napoli's avatar

A charming story, honest and funny, worth telling and re-telling. Interviews for journalists are like politicians pursuing campaign donors. A somewhat essentially awkward if necessary part of the profession, where one hopes not to end up empty handed.

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JaKsaa's avatar

Such an amusing read…I paused at your line,

“tree-lined surroundings named after the coolest of English criminals.” haha

An unusual profession (that I think I would of liked to be is a Luthier - does that seem weird?

Around 2009, I met my older brother in NYC (he flew into Manhattan from PA, I flew in from WA) to do photos for the five interviews he had scheduled with jazz musicians.

I agree with you Dan that the music in the 60’s and 70’s was the best!

My brother’s interviews consisted of 1 hot swing band, 2 solo jazz guitarists, a guitar store (Rudy’s in SoHo) and a Luthier. I can’t remember his name now, but his upstairs studio/workshop was awesome. His wall of tools, the machine that bent his inventory of woods, the varnishes and drill equipment…all to make guitars. I’ll never forget that afternoon.

Thanks for sharing your story about Leonard Bernstein, it was so much better than the Bradley Cooper film. And your younger-interview-self did ask great questions, it sounds like your memory was “rewarding”.

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