Mary Lou Quinlan - My Hero(ine)!

Speaking of magazines (as I did in my last post), one of my favorite columnists - and entrepreneurial businesswomen - is Mary Lou Quinlan. I love her monthly column in More Magazine. In the July/August 2007 edition, she posed the following: "At last you've achieved a long-dreamed-of career goal. Are you happy yet? Is your dream job everything you hoped it would be, or was the journey more fun than the reward? Now that you're playing for bigger stakes, what's your idea of winning? Write to marylou@justaskawoman.com."
So I did. This is what I said:

"Is that all there is?", to quote the song, would sum up how I felt about finally achieving my career goal: vice president of marketing for a large New York entertainment agency. See, I'm a gal without a college education whose first real job (not counting my brief stint selling chicken for The Colonel) was as a receptionist for a small real estate company near San Diego. So it was no small feat that I managed to go from there to, eventually, a position as a licensing executive at the Walt Disney Company in Burbank, and then on to this glamorous life in New York.
I flew first class, stayed at the finest hotels and dined at the finest restaurants, traveled to Europe, wore designer clothes, regularly met and mingled with celebrities, used a limo service to get almost anywhere - and (poor me!) I was tired all the time, stressed out every minute, paid way too much rent, and constantly fantasized about getting out of the big city and back to a simpler, less stressful life.
And I eventually did that. I left New York, moved back to my home town near Seattle, Washington, and thought I'd try my hand at something else. I told myself I didn't need to make much money, that it didn't really matter what I did - just that I enjoyed my work and still had time for a life.
But here's the catch: apparently I'm not happy unless I'm the boss. I don't like the additional stress and responsibility of being the boss, but - never having been much good at following - I apparently must lead.
So now I co-lead a $17 million dot-com company in Seattle, I ferry to and from my waterfront home on Vashon Island while complaining about the commute, and I constantly fantasize about having time - time to spend with my husband, family and friends, to putter around the house and in the garden, and to sing.
Hunh. Apparently, my career goal now is to not have a career at all....?!!"

And guess what?! Mary Lou Quinlan. . . my hero . . . WROTE BACK! . . . Here's what she said:
"Grace ...loved your answer. And hearing about your current job, I know that many women would say, "If only..." without realizing the price of such pressure. Will get back to you if the editors decide to go with a column on this subject...thanks and good luck on the never-ending journey of work/life/oh yes and sleep! my best, Mary Lou"

I'll let you know if I hear from her again.