--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where my dad taught me everything about…" description: "\"Where my dad taught me everything about writing, Graham Paterson, who gave me my first job at The Times, taught me everything about journalism, which i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/giles-coren-11329_big-deal_where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about_2943540.jpg" --- # Where my dad taught me everything about writing, Graham… ![“Where my dad taught me everything about writing, Graham Paterson, who gave me my first job at The Times, taught me everything about journalism, which is that it's no big deal, and it's more important to have a glass of wine.” quote by Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/giles-coren-11329_big-deal_where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about_2943540.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/giles-coren-11329_big-deal_where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about_2943540.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/giles-coren-11329_big-deal_where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about_2943540.jpg) > “Where my dad taught me everything about writing, Graham Paterson, who gave me my first job at The Times, taught me everything about journalism, which is that it's no big deal, and it's more important to have a glass of wine.” [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on his father’s and mentor’s teachings, noting that journalism is modest and best enjoyed with a relaxed attitude. **In simple terms:** Journalism is modest, enjoy it with wine. Key Takeaway Stay humble, enjoy the process. Themes journalism humility mentorship Mood thoughtful lighthearted Type reflective humorous When to use this quote - newsroom - writing - career advice - work-life balance Key Concepts career guidance work culture Questions to Reflect On - What does “no big deal” mean to you? - How does wine symbolize relaxation? A Different Perspective Industry pressures can conflict with relaxed mindset. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-deal/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Dad Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad-taught-317062/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [First job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-job/) [Graham Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graham-paterson-4400685/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Taught Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-journalism-600945/) [Times Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-taught-2541864/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-graham-4400686/) ## Related quotes > [At different times I taught humanities, social sciences and pre-vocational education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-different-times-i-taught-humanities-social-sciences-and-pre/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The media is fully fine and hunky-dory with the idea that they may destroy somebody, and they think that's part of the job description.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-media-is-fully-fine-and-hunky-dory-with-the-idea-that-they-may/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We are inflicting opinion in our newscasts like never before. That was never done and never taught in our journalism classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-earhardt/we-are-inflicting-opinion-in-our-newscasts-like-never-before-that-was/) [Ainsley Earhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-earhardt/) > [Stories, as we're taught in journalism school early on, are told through people. Those stories make our documentaries powerful. You can explore someone's culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/stories-as-we-re-taught-in-journalism-school-early-on-are-told/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [My dad taught me my faith, and I believe what he taught me. The man never lied to me in his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/my-dad-taught-me-my-faith-and-i-believe-what-he-taught-me-the-man/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [My mom and dad taught me a lot. They kept me out of trouble and told me to go a better route. They taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-pierre-paul/my-mom-and-dad-taught-me-a-lot-they-kept-me-out-of-trouble-and-told/) [Jason Pierre-Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-pierre-paul/) > [My dad always taught me discipline and to do everything with my best effort, to always do things on time and be respectful in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-g-anunoby/my-dad-always-taught-me-discipline-and-to-do-everything-with-my-best/) [O. G. Anunoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-g-anunoby/) > [My dad taught me never to be afraid of what's on the other side of the mountain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-massenet/my-dad-taught-me-never-to-be-afraid-of-what-s-on-the-other-side-of/) [Natalie Massenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-massenet/) > [My mom and dad taught me to never take anything for granted, and to give what you are to your community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-crenn/my-mom-and-dad-taught-me-to-never-take-anything-for-granted-and-to/) [Dominique Crenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-crenn/) > [My dad's always taught me how to do stuff on my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooklyn-beckham/my-dad-s-always-taught-me-how-to-do-stuff-on-my-own/) [Brooklyn Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooklyn-beckham/) > [Despite the gender stereotypes in the '80s, my race-car-driving dad taught me that I could do whatever my brother could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-de-cadenet/despite-the-gender-stereotypes-in-the-80s-my-race-car-driving-dad/) [Amanda de Cadenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-de-cadenet/) > [My dad taught not only tolerance but appreciation for every human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howland/my-dad-taught-not-only-tolerance-but-appreciation-for-every-human/) [Ben Howland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howland/) > [Rich dad has taught me "You can't do it" doesn't necessarily mean "you can't". It more often means "they can't".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/rich-dad-has-taught-me-you-can-t-do-it-doesn-t-necessarily-mean-you/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [As a teenager, my dad taught me about the idea of unintended consequences, and I've had the experience, and how to deal with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-feld/as-a-teenager-my-dad-taught-me-about-the-idea-of-unintended/) [Brad Feld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-feld/) > [Dad taught me everything I know. Unfortunately, he didn't teach me everything he knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-unser/dad-taught-me-everything-i-know-unfortunately-he-didn-t-teach-me/) [Al Unser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-unser/) ## More by Giles Coren > [My dad was undeniably famous when I was a kid - he was on Wogan and Clive James and the radio every week, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/my-dad-was-undeniably-famous-when-i-was-a-kid-he-was-on-wogan-and/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [Gradually, I developed opinions about food, and my French friends taught me that you have to complain in a restaurant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/gradually-i-developed-opinions-about-food-and-my-french-friends/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [A man of strong opinions is one thing. But a man whose strong opinions depend entirely on how he is feeling in that instant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/a-man-of-strong-opinions-is-one-thing-but-a-man-whose-strong-opinions/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [As a broadly left-wing, environmentally aware urban believer in anthropogenic global warming, I am all for a total ban on motor vehicles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/as-a-broadly-left-wing-environmentally-aware-urban-believer-in/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [Not since Ancient Greece have cities been thought of as the ideal living environment for humans. And that was so long ago it predates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/not-since-ancient-greece-have-cities-been-thought-of-as-the-ideal/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [In the beginning, we huddled in cities for our own protection. We built walls around them with slits through which to fire arrows at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/in-the-beginning-we-huddled-in-cities-for-our-own-protection-we-built/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [It was fine for my Polish Ashkenazi forebears to live on dumplings and potatoes, because they laboured in the fields. But that diet is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/it-was-fine-for-my-polish-ashkenazi-forebears-to-live-on-dumplings/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [I was 41 when I became a dad. I try to be as much fun as my father was, but I'm at home more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/i-was-41-when-i-became-a-dad-i-try-to-be-as-much-fun-as-my-father-was/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [Instant gratification is bringing this planet to its knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/instant-gratification-is-bringing-this-planet-to-its-knees/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [People think you get paid millions by the BBC if you're famous, but me? Me, I'm in the Premier Inn in Gillingham.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/people-think-you-get-paid-millions-by-the-bbc-if-you-re-famous-but-me/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [All I care about is that people who like me think I'm funny. I get on with writing pretty straight-down the line, old-fashioned stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/all-i-care-about-is-that-people-who-like-me-think-i-m-funny-i-get-on/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [Gentile smoked salmon is all... muscular and smells of smoke. It's not very fatty. They don't understand - smoked salmon should be almost spreadable!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/gentile-smoked-salmon-is-all-muscular-and-smells-of-smoke-it-s-not/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [I tried to leave the city once, for one of those other places. And, my God, the silence. I could hear myself think, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/i-tried-to-leave-the-city-once-for-one-of-those-other-places-and-my/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [As drivers desert the city I find myself clinging more and more to my father's belief that a man without a car is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/as-drivers-desert-the-city-i-find-myself-clinging-more-and-more-to-my/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [I let the other reviewers eat the bad meals, so that I didn't have to, and my wife and I went out only for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/i-let-the-other-reviewers-eat-the-bad-meals-so-that-i-didn-t-have-to/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) [Explore all 60 Giles Coren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) ## More Big deal quotes > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [“But in the parent department, he had won the lottery. So, he'd always known that when he finally told them, they'd make him feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corey-whaley/but-in-the-parent-department-he-had-won-the-lottery-so-he-d-always/) [John Corey Whaley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corey-whaley/) > [“Perspective is everything. If your “why” is big enough, you can deal with almost any “what.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-searcy/perspective-is-everything-if-your-why-is-big-enough-you-can-deal-with/) [Nelson Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-searcy/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [“You weren't out there that long, were you? I can't bear to think that no one found you right away." Noah shook his head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-weren-t-out-there-that-long-were-you-i-can-t-bear-to-think-that/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Everyone's just laughing at me. I hate it. Big breasts, big ass, big deal, Can't I be anything else ? Gee, how long can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/everyone-s-just-laughing-at-me-i-hate-it-big-breasts-big-ass-big-deal/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [“Eventually, Edgard said, “She doesn’t know anything about me. Not even that we were roping partners. Not that we were…” He looked at Trevor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorelei-james/eventually-edgard-said-she-doesn-t-know-anything-about-me-not-even/) [Lorelei James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorelei-james/) > [Humility simply means that you do a great job at everything and it isn't really a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/humility-simply-means-that-you-do-a-great-job-at-everything-and-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Being responsible for someone’s childhood is a big deal. We not only create our own memories, but we create our child’s memories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-macy-stafford/being-responsible-for-someone-s-childhood-is-a-big-deal-we-not-only/) [Rachel Macy Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-macy-stafford/) > [I've never been truly closeted on the air; it's just something I never really made a big deal out of because I never felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-duran/i-ve-never-been-truly-closeted-on-the-air-it-s-just-something-i-never/) [Elvis Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-duran/) > [Tom Stafford was an odd character, you know - a brilliant guy. He looked weird and I think he took a really defensive attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-fritts/tom-stafford-was-an-odd-character-you-know-a-brilliant-guy-he-looked/) [Donnie Fritts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-fritts/) > [When you're standing around for an hour doing stand up it's no big deal but when you're standing around watching a show for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/when-you-re-standing-around-for-an-hour-doing-stand-up-it-s-no-big/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [People make such a big deal about how people in bands look, especially if you're a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/people-make-such-a-big-deal-about-how-people-in-bands-look-especially/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [“What’s wrong with you?” John asks suspiciously. I give him a ‘what chu talkin’ ‘bout Willis?’ look and he explains. “You just woke up.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/what-s-wrong-with-you-john-asks-suspiciously-i-give-him-a-what-chu/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [I never said Kristen ruined my wedding. At the time, when a million other things had fallen apart that day, I felt like she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/i-never-said-kristen-ruined-my-wedding-at-the-time-when-a-million/) [Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/) [Browse all 1,273 Big deal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-deal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Where my dad taught me everything about writing, Graham Paterson, who gave me my first job at The Times, taught me everything about journalism, which is that it's no big deal, and it's more important to have a glass of wine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Giles Coren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about-writing-graham-paterson-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big deal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about-writing-graham-paterson-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/giles-coren-11329_big-deal_where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about_2943540.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/giles-coren-11329_big-deal_where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about_2943540.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/giles-coren-11329_big-deal_where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about_2943540.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Where my dad taught me everything about writing, Graham Paterson, who gave me my first job at The Times…” — Giles Coren", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Giles Coren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Where my dad taught me everything...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about-writing-graham-paterson-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/where-my-dad-taught-me-everything-about-writing-graham-paterson-who/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```