--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I bought a tape recorder and some stuff…" description: "\"I bought a tape recorder and some stuff and went to Europe for three months when I was 18. The puppeteering was only there as a hobby. I wanted to be a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/frank-oz-13874_about_i-bought-a-tape-recorder-and-some-stuff_1448051.jpg" --- # I bought a tape recorder and some stuff and went to Europe… ![“I bought a tape recorder and some stuff and went to Europe for three months when I was 18. The puppeteering was only there as a hobby. I wanted to be a journalist. When I was 19, and after I had spent about a year in college, Jim Henson asked me to come out and try puppeteering for awhile.” quote by Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/frank-oz-13874_about_i-bought-a-tape-recorder-and-some-stuff_1448051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/frank-oz-13874_about_i-bought-a-tape-recorder-and-some-stuff_1448051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ed/frank-oz-13874_about_i-bought-a-tape-recorder-and-some-stuff_1448051.jpg) > “I bought a tape recorder and some stuff and went to Europe for three months when I was 18. The puppeteering was only there as a hobby. I wanted to be a journalist. When I was 19, and after I had spent about a year in college, Jim Henson asked me to come out and try puppeteering for awhile.” [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early passion for puppeteering and journalism led to a chance meeting with Jim Henson, opening a career path. **In simple terms:** Early hobbies and chance encounters shaped career. Key Takeaway Embrace opportunities and follow creative passions. Themes career creativity chance mentorship growth Mood reflective inspirational Type biographical motivational When to use this quote - journalism - puppet arts - networking - career pivots Key Concepts Storytelling career development Questions to Reflect On - How did you prepare for unexpected opportunities? - What role did mentorship play? A Different Perspective Luck alone isn’t enough; skill and perseverance matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [After](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after/) [Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked/) [Awhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awhile/) [Bought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bought/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/henson-993109/) [Henson Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/henson-asked-5199418/) [Hobby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hobby/) [Jim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jim/) [Jim Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jim-henson/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Puppeteering Awhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puppeteering-awhile-5199417/) [Puppeteering Hobby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puppeteering-hobby-5199416/) [Recorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recorder/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Spent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spent/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Tape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tape/) [Tape recorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tape-recorder/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Three months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-months/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year/) ## Related quotes > [Jim (Henson) should have \*\*\*\*in¿ fired me several times...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/jim-henson-should-have-in-fired-me-several-times/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [“Here we are sitting at the Waldorf in a conference room... and in comes someone with long hair and wearing an outfit dripping leather.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-davis/here-we-are-sitting-at-the-waldorf-in-a-conference-room-and-in-comes/) [Michael Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-davis/) > [I was a great fan of Jim Henson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-windling/i-was-a-great-fan-of-jim-henson/) [Terri Windling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-windling/) > [Jim Henson was an absolute genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-brigstocke/jim-henson-was-an-absolute-genius/) [Marcus Brigstocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-brigstocke/) > [Jim Henson once allowed me to visit the Muppets on set and spent an entire day showing me how he and the other puppeteers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/jim-henson-once-allowed-me-to-visit-the-muppets-on-set-and-spent-an/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [We wanted to premiere it in New York, because New York is sort of the home of the Jim Henson Company and it's sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/we-wanted-to-premiere-it-in-new-york-because-new-york-is-sort-of-the/) [Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/) > [“Jim Henson's body was gone, and yet that powerful presence-that undefinable 'something' that compelled men to seek his appreciation and approval, and that women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jay-jones/jim-henson-s-body-was-gone-and-yet-that-powerful-presence-that/) [Brian Jay Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jay-jones/) > [“I don't know where the ideas come from. It's just a matter of us figuring out how to receive the ideas waiting to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-kay/i-don-t-know-where-the-ideas-come-from-it-s-just-a-matter-of-us/) [Patricia Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-kay/) > [Jim Henson was the only piece of fan mail I ever wrote when I was a little kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/jim-henson-was-the-only-piece-of-fan-mail-i-ever-wrote-when-i-was-a/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [ No one employed \[ chaos\] better than Jim Henson, by the way, on The Muppets. He had all these chicken Muppets that just brought… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/no-one-employed-chaos-better-than-jim-henson-by-the-way-on-the/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [I have always been a fan of Jim Henson, and I love his Creature Shop creations, the skill of the puppets and the characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honeysuckle-weeks/i-have-always-been-a-fan-of-jim-henson-and-i-love-his-creature-shop/) [Honeysuckle Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honeysuckle-weeks/) > [I have fond memories of all things Henson. I grew up on the stuff. My mom's a massive fan and made sure it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-leth/i-have-fond-memories-of-all-things-henson-i-grew-up-on-the-stuff-my/) [Kate Leth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-leth/) > [I was in heaven when I saw Taraji P. Henson wearing Moschino!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scott/i-was-in-heaven-when-i-saw-taraji-p-henson-wearing-moschino/) [Jeremy Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scott/) > [ “\[Henson:\] I didn’t call him a frog. \[Interviewer:\] Right, he was just Kermit the thing. \[Henson:\] Yeah, all the characters in those days were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/henson-i-didn-t-call-him-a-frog-interviewer-right-he-was-just-kermit/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [I think I've lost a lot of my gay fans to Gavin Henson. It's a shame because I really love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/i-think-i-ve-lost-a-lot-of-my-gay-fans-to-gavin-henson-it-s-a-shame/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) ## More by Frank Oz > [I make a deal with the audience every time I direct a movie. The deal always is this: I'm showing you this world in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-make-a-deal-with-the-audience-every-time-i-direct-a-movie-the-deal/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I look back on my work and I think, 'Oh, why didn't I do that differently?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-look-back-on-my-work-and-i-think-oh-why-didn-t-i-do-that-differently/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [When I did Yoda, me and three other people worked our asses off, and I was sweating every single day, it was tough as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/when-i-did-yoda-me-and-three-other-people-worked-our-asses-off-and-i/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I want to get into the theater. I really wanted to be a theater director, but I turned out to be a movie director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-want-to-get-into-the-theater-i-really-wanted-to-be-a-theater/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [There's a few movies I wanted to do, and I didn't get to do them partly because they wanted me to be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/there-s-a-few-movies-i-wanted-to-do-and-i-didn-t-get-to-do-them/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I was born in Hereford, England, in 1944. We moved when they had an opportunity to get a visa, about 1950. My dad always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-was-born-in-hereford-england-in-1944-we-moved-when-they-had-an/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I never wanted to be a puppeteer. I stopped puppeteering when I was about 18. I puppeteered when I was eleven years old to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-puppeteer-i-stopped-puppeteering-when-i-was/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I was a weird kid. I shouldve been gay because I listened to a lot of Broadway musicals. I dont know why Im not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-was-a-weird-kid-i-shouldve-been-gay-because-i-listened-to-a-lot-of/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I have no idea what a British sensibility or a British sense of humor is. I have no concept of what that is. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-have-no-idea-what-a-british-sensibility-or-a-british-sense-of-humor/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I was a weird kid. I should've been gay because I listened to a lot of Broadway musicals. I don't know why I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-was-a-weird-kid-i-should-ve-been-gay-because-i-listened-to-a-lot-of/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I wouldn't like to be that famous, I value my privacy. Mind you, Miss Piggy enjoys every moment of it. If it were not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-wouldn-t-like-to-be-that-famous-i-value-my-privacy-mind-you-miss/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I don't like to have these words banded about, like "British sense of humor," "American sense of humor," though I'll be damned if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-don-t-like-to-have-these-words-banded-about-like-british-sense-of/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [First impression is unfair, because a first impression of somebody is guarded, and you don't know the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/first-impression-is-unfair-because-a-first-impression-of-somebody-is/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [I don't look back, I just go forward. I'm just proud of the fact that my parents were immigrants and we had nearly nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/i-don-t-look-back-i-just-go-forward-i-m-just-proud-of-the-fact-that/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) > [In order to be a star performer you have to have someone to play against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oz/in-order-to-be-a-star-performer-you-have-to-have-someone-to-play/) [Frank Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) [Explore all 49 Frank Oz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oz/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I bought a tape recorder and some stuff and went to Europe for three months when I was 18. The puppeteering was only there as a hobby. I wanted to be a journalist. 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