Found my old business card in the archive. This was a great gig — and opportunity! Publisher Jay Levin encouraged me to write reviews and the occasional article for the paper.

A New York City transplant, Jay was a cool cat. I used to tease him about the pile of supplements on his desk — but hey, they must be working, because he’s still around.

He employed a stable of artist-and-musician freaks and, as a fellow literature aficionado, assigned me to curate the Poetry Corner. Learn by doing. Better than art school or university — which I had dropped out of in order to run away and join the punk rock circus.

The most valuable lesson? Having a deadline meant I could rise to the occasion — past my doubts, fears, and insecurities — and produce copy. I didn’t have to wait for the muse.

I suppose it’s called discipline. Not that I’m all that disciplined — I’ve never planned anything in my life, let alone a “career path” — but I have managed to accomplish some writing, including songs, poetry, fiction and non.