Two

I've had two 'I Remember' columns published in 'The Globe and Mail' in just a couple of months.  I am quite pleased about that because it's not easy to get into that publication.  Here I proudly offer my contributions:

I don't know anyone else who's had even one.  I also wonder about the people I've worked with over the years -- especially at the Canada Revenue Agency, where I was not the most popular with other women, for some reason -- think?  A couple of female bosses spent their entire careers in CRA, the big moments coming when they finally made it out of a TC counter or TSO clerking to HQs.  On the other hand, I was lucky and my talent allowed me a varied career in both the private and public sectors; it was my writing skill that always gave me the edge.

 

(Note:  I remember one appraisal I got from M J-K, which I am sure she regretted having written, after digesting my "comments".  They ran for two articulate pages and were essentially a truthful, but damning, appraisal of her incompetence.  All but one of my managers couldn't have been bothered to read my CV.  The one who did, SW, nosily only quizzed me on my personal life and why I had been "Nancy Russell" for early jobs and "Nancy Marley-Clarke" for later positions.  She didn't give a toss about my experience.  I've listed my career path in "They used to all be hippies", Oct. 26/22) 

I especially loved working with Blanche van Ginkel because, as I write above, she was a pioneer feminist.  B sent the articles to his daughter (my stepdaughter, who I raised, by the way) and she couldn't bring herself to congratulate me -- couldn't even thank him for sending them along.  That's real dedication to envy!  I have no clue what happened to her, but we are completely estranged.  Her choice.  She's gone to the dark side.