Loved this article, Chris, thanks for sharing. Really inspiring to me, as I am also attempting a new phase in my career as well. Keep up the great work!
As soon as I saw the photo of your name plate, I went back to 3rd grade, when my catholic grade school had a fundraiser and one could buy a nameplate for 3 dollars. I bought one for my dad, for Christmas...I was so happy to give him this little bit of recognition....so proud of my dad!
I totally get it. It's why the only Hollywood Artifact easily seen in my house (it's hanging on a living room wall) is the framed One Sheet for "The Terror Within."
It reminds me that William Goldman's Three Rules of Hollywood (Nobody. Knows. Anything.) applies to more than Hollywood. It reminds me that one can never predict the future, since this little "programmer" was done during the downtime of writing the screenplay Roger Corman and I (and everyone else) was convinced would the the Big Hit - which turned out to be the Big Failure while the Little Programmer became Roger's biggest hit ever, which people who have watched it this year - 35 years later - tell me is still good.
Most of all, it reminds me that the only thing anyone can do is their best at whatever thing they're doing, because you never know what's going to be The Big Deal.
I still have my magnetic nameplate from my days at the Library of Congress (20 years ago). I was given it when our contract there folded and put it up when I went back to my old job at DOJ. It was on a big old steel cabinet I had in my office and people always asked me about it. That contract changed hands after about 15 years and I decided to follow my husband into retirement (they didn't want an expensive old man like me). That nameplate is now on the side of my fridge at home & visitors still ask me about it. For me, it's a reminder of probably the best (and most interesting) place I ever worked. Folks, if you're ever in DC, pay a visit to the Library of Congress! TONS of cool history and right next door to the Supreme Court and right across the street from the Capitol.
So beautifully written, Chris! I happen to be reading your column this afternoon in my office... I love my job and I love my office ...probably the best arrangement I've ever had. But as I look around at all of the artwork on the walls, all of the chairs and lamps that I chose, all of the plants growing on the windowsill... I remind myself often, "Everything is on loan." Everything changes. And someday, it is inevitable that I will be going home with my name plate, too... and I will remember you.
In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing. Your work is important and informative, and means so much to so many. Thank you!
I get the significance of a name plate. It's a physical thing, permanent. Not a hand written sign on paper. My career path is less diverse than yours. I've been at my company for 40 years (40th anniversary this past June 1st). But, I was proud of my first name plate. Somewhere along the line my company changed the furniture, and so a new style of name plate was issued. I was proud of that one, too, but my first one came home to my home office. COVID displaced me to working at home (which I prefer, actually), and both name plates are proudly on display in my home office. Physically, they're small things, but I agree with you regarding what they represent.
Great article Chris. I've saved a few nameplates, too, from over the years and the jobs. Several of them are now sitting in my home office. Memories of the past, for sure, but also motivators for new accomplishments in the future, as it seems yours is. Then there are the job titles that sometimes appeared with the name. Mine were just that -- my job title. But one of the wittiest I saw was at a government agency in Washington. There, below the person's name, was his/her title -- "Expert." I've always marveled (and chuckled) at the hutzpah to put that up.
Keep at it, Chris! You’re completely right that none of us have *any* idea what our future actually holds for us.
I wanted to be a rock star, and spent much of my twenties pursuing that: bands in Hollywood, doing gigs at the legendary clubs like Madame Wong’s, the Roxy on the Sunset Strip, and many others. At one point, I shifted to songwriting and was right at the point of “breaking through”, as I’d co-written a couple of songs with the record producer (Bernadette Cooper of Klymaxx R&B fame…), for a breaking act’s 2nd album. Popped the champagne and everything. Then the “personalities” got in the way and the band broke up before that album was completed.
That extreme disappointment and questioning my future led to a career of selling high-technology software/hardware to the “Media & Entertainment” industry and that took me all over the world, to places that *very* few people get to see (like walking across the room in Panmunjom in the DMZ into North Korea; standing atop the hill on Iwo Jima that the flag was raised on; etc.), and led to having a family and a great life. I did well enough that I was able to retire comfortably last October and life’s got even more adventures in front of me!
Oh Man Chris, I also have those nostalgic tendencies, drives my wife crazy! I still have a baseball when I played with Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee against ’Oil Can Boyd’ (I singled up the middle against him Lol). Bill was actually playing 1st base for us and high fived me when I made a diving catch. I have trinkets from vacations which mean nothing, to no one, but me. I totally get the symbolism of inane stuff but isn’t that what makes our lives cool; we’re the only one on the planet affected by these items, I love it!
Thanks for sharing this. As much as I enjoy your political analysis and commentary (as I have ever since your WaPo days!), part of what I like best about your writing now is that you share these inner thoughts and personal reflections.
I have a similar name plate, that I got when I started work 20 years ago as a law clerk at the US Tax Court in DC. And, similarly, I felt like I had MADE IT professionally by getting that job. I've kept the name plate through some difficult professional changes, including some jobs that I left under both good circumstances and some under challenging circumstances. And, like yours, now my name plate sits on my desk at my own small business (in my case, a one-attorney law firm), where I never expected to be, but have found great personal freedom and professional fulfillment.
Loved this article, Chris, thanks for sharing. Really inspiring to me, as I am also attempting a new phase in my career as well. Keep up the great work!
You’ve come a long way!!
I do wish that we could see you on MSNBC, you would be a valuable contributor there. Really enjoying your substack….great journalism. Thank you.
As soon as I saw the photo of your name plate, I went back to 3rd grade, when my catholic grade school had a fundraiser and one could buy a nameplate for 3 dollars. I bought one for my dad, for Christmas...I was so happy to give him this little bit of recognition....so proud of my dad!
I totally get it. It's why the only Hollywood Artifact easily seen in my house (it's hanging on a living room wall) is the framed One Sheet for "The Terror Within."
It reminds me that William Goldman's Three Rules of Hollywood (Nobody. Knows. Anything.) applies to more than Hollywood. It reminds me that one can never predict the future, since this little "programmer" was done during the downtime of writing the screenplay Roger Corman and I (and everyone else) was convinced would the the Big Hit - which turned out to be the Big Failure while the Little Programmer became Roger's biggest hit ever, which people who have watched it this year - 35 years later - tell me is still good.
Most of all, it reminds me that the only thing anyone can do is their best at whatever thing they're doing, because you never know what's going to be The Big Deal.
I think you learned the same lesson, Chris.
I still have my magnetic nameplate from my days at the Library of Congress (20 years ago). I was given it when our contract there folded and put it up when I went back to my old job at DOJ. It was on a big old steel cabinet I had in my office and people always asked me about it. That contract changed hands after about 15 years and I decided to follow my husband into retirement (they didn't want an expensive old man like me). That nameplate is now on the side of my fridge at home & visitors still ask me about it. For me, it's a reminder of probably the best (and most interesting) place I ever worked. Folks, if you're ever in DC, pay a visit to the Library of Congress! TONS of cool history and right next door to the Supreme Court and right across the street from the Capitol.
So beautifully written, Chris! I happen to be reading your column this afternoon in my office... I love my job and I love my office ...probably the best arrangement I've ever had. But as I look around at all of the artwork on the walls, all of the chairs and lamps that I chose, all of the plants growing on the windowsill... I remind myself often, "Everything is on loan." Everything changes. And someday, it is inevitable that I will be going home with my name plate, too... and I will remember you.
In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing. Your work is important and informative, and means so much to so many. Thank you!
I get the significance of a name plate. It's a physical thing, permanent. Not a hand written sign on paper. My career path is less diverse than yours. I've been at my company for 40 years (40th anniversary this past June 1st). But, I was proud of my first name plate. Somewhere along the line my company changed the furniture, and so a new style of name plate was issued. I was proud of that one, too, but my first one came home to my home office. COVID displaced me to working at home (which I prefer, actually), and both name plates are proudly on display in my home office. Physically, they're small things, but I agree with you regarding what they represent.
Great article Chris. I've saved a few nameplates, too, from over the years and the jobs. Several of them are now sitting in my home office. Memories of the past, for sure, but also motivators for new accomplishments in the future, as it seems yours is. Then there are the job titles that sometimes appeared with the name. Mine were just that -- my job title. But one of the wittiest I saw was at a government agency in Washington. There, below the person's name, was his/her title -- "Expert." I've always marveled (and chuckled) at the hutzpah to put that up.
Keep at it, Chris! You’re completely right that none of us have *any* idea what our future actually holds for us.
I wanted to be a rock star, and spent much of my twenties pursuing that: bands in Hollywood, doing gigs at the legendary clubs like Madame Wong’s, the Roxy on the Sunset Strip, and many others. At one point, I shifted to songwriting and was right at the point of “breaking through”, as I’d co-written a couple of songs with the record producer (Bernadette Cooper of Klymaxx R&B fame…), for a breaking act’s 2nd album. Popped the champagne and everything. Then the “personalities” got in the way and the band broke up before that album was completed.
That extreme disappointment and questioning my future led to a career of selling high-technology software/hardware to the “Media & Entertainment” industry and that took me all over the world, to places that *very* few people get to see (like walking across the room in Panmunjom in the DMZ into North Korea; standing atop the hill on Iwo Jima that the flag was raised on; etc.), and led to having a family and a great life. I did well enough that I was able to retire comfortably last October and life’s got even more adventures in front of me!
Keep at it, Chris. Lots more good things to come!
Oh Man Chris, I also have those nostalgic tendencies, drives my wife crazy! I still have a baseball when I played with Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee against ’Oil Can Boyd’ (I singled up the middle against him Lol). Bill was actually playing 1st base for us and high fived me when I made a diving catch. I have trinkets from vacations which mean nothing, to no one, but me. I totally get the symbolism of inane stuff but isn’t that what makes our lives cool; we’re the only one on the planet affected by these items, I love it!
one of your very best posts 🔥🔥🔥
Once everybody at work had one except for me -- so my mother had a very nice one made up. I wish I could say my co-workers were jealous. 😍
Thanks for sharing this. As much as I enjoy your political analysis and commentary (as I have ever since your WaPo days!), part of what I like best about your writing now is that you share these inner thoughts and personal reflections.
I have a similar name plate, that I got when I started work 20 years ago as a law clerk at the US Tax Court in DC. And, similarly, I felt like I had MADE IT professionally by getting that job. I've kept the name plate through some difficult professional changes, including some jobs that I left under both good circumstances and some under challenging circumstances. And, like yours, now my name plate sits on my desk at my own small business (in my case, a one-attorney law firm), where I never expected to be, but have found great personal freedom and professional fulfillment.
This is awesome. Glad you’ve been reunited with your nameplate.
Excellent newsletter!…:)
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on your time at the Washington Post. I agree with @cathlynn…you should be back on TV. You have a lot to offer.
Keep going and keep the faith. Your talent and perseverance is your secret sauce.
LaCheeserie!