Throughout my decades working for various companies, I was one of those guys who occasionally took his kids to work. Usually it was just one kid at a time — the one who didn’t have school that day or was at loose ends for another reason.
During these visits, the kids would sometimes help with tasks around the office — sorting the mail for instance or making copies. The visits also were opportunities for me (and a few obliging colleagues) to explain what we did in our jobs. It was a way to introduce the children to my work life and the people I shared it with.
There also were times one or two of them would accompany me on business trips, mainly to New York, but also Chicago, Washington, Tucson, LA and other destinations.
Most often New York. Manhattan was like a second home professionally for much of my journalism career. It was and is, of course, the center of the media industry, especially for the legacy print publishing companies of books, magazines and newspapers.
On many of these trips, my kids would accompany me to The Nation’s office near Gramercy Park and sit in a corner reading or playing games while I participated in editorial board meetings. No other magazine has been in business longer in the U.S. — the first issue of The Nation came out in 1865.
Framed copies of some of those early issues hung on the walls in the board room, and they invariably drew my kids’ attention. My youngest son, in particular, always has been fascinated by history and on one of our visits 15 years ago, a fellow board member, the wonderful sociologist Norman Birnbaum, took notice of his interest.
Norman encouraged my son, then 11, to study history and later sent him a reading list of recommended books.
Sadly, Norman passed away a couple years back. Last month my son received his Master’s Degree in History. I believe Norman would be proud.
LINKS:
Revealed: more than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest provider are worthless, analysis shows (Guardian)
Parts of Greenland now hotter than at any time in the last 1,000 years, scientists say (WP)
Trump trounces DeSantis in potential GOP primary match-up, new poll finds (The Hill)
Trump 'Caught in Repeated Lies' During Deposition—Attorney (Newsweek)
Election conspiracies behind plot to shoot at Democrats’ homes in N.M., police say (WP)
As Debt Limit Threat Looms, Wall Street and Washington Have Only Rough Plans (NYT)
Job cuts in tech sector spread, Microsoft lays off 10,000 (AP)
Amazon set to begin new round of layoffs affecting more than 18,000 people (CNBC)
Twitter is auctioning off office supplies, including a pizza oven and neon bird sign (NPR)
Threats, advantages seen in China’s shrinking population (AP)
Millions of urban workers were on the move across China ahead of the expected Friday peak of its Lunar New Year mass migration. (Reuters)
The Sanctions on Russia Are Working (FP)
It’s a Business Free-for-All in a Russia Transformed by Sanctions (Bloomberg)
US preps another major Ukraine aid package but Kyiv pleads for tanks (CNN)
Heavy tanks — and a push from the U.S. — are key to Ukraine’s success
(Edit Bd/WP)
Deputy U.N. chief has talks in Afghanistan on women's rights (Reuters)
1 in 4 Americans considering putting off major life decisions out of fear of climate change: survey (The Hill)
How torrential downpours make it harder for California to save up water (Vox)
Water Is a Terrible Thing for California to Waste (WSJ)
How your first brush with COVID warps your immunity (Nature)
Lasers Are Mapping Scotland’s Mysterious Iron Age Passages (Wired)
New Nuclear Rocket Design to Send Missions to Mars in Just 45 Days (Universe Today)
Unearthing Prehistoric Predators: Giant Megaraptors Among Diverse Dinosaurs in Patagonia (SciTechDaily)
Parents across the country share their skepticism over sleepovers (WP)
“Nobody’s actually that naked in real life.” (The Onion)
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