--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was working at the 'New York Times,'…" description: "\"I was working at the 'New York Times,' ruing every second of my life, thinking how was I ever going to get out of here, and thinking that one could onl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/michael-wolf-34114_always_i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruin_1979335.jpg" --- # I was working at the 'New York Times,' ruing every second… ![“I was working at the 'New York Times,' ruing every second of my life, thinking how was I ever going to get out of here, and thinking that one could only do it the way newspaper people have always done it. I needed a scoop, and I would go out and I would dream upon coming upon fires or the sky…” quote by Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/michael-wolf-34114_always_i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruin_1979335.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/michael-wolf-34114_always_i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruin_1979335.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/michael-wolf-34114_always_i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruin_1979335.jpg) > “I was working at the 'New York Times,' ruing every second of my life, thinking how was I ever going to get out of here, and thinking that one could only do it the way newspaper people have always done it. I needed a scoop, and I would go out and I would dream upon coming upon fires or the sky falling in front of me or anything.” [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative stagnation can arise from rigid industry traditions, prompting a desire for dramatic, news‑worthy experiences. **In simple terms:** Stuck in routine, seeking exciting stories. Key Takeaway Break routine to find fresh perspectives. Themes career creativity media journalism Mood reflective ambitious Type career creative When to use this quote - investigative reporting - field assignments - career pivots Key Concepts innovation risk‑taking storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to seek extraordinary stories? - How can you balance risk with journalistic integrity? A Different Perspective Risk of sensationalism over substance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-coming-288625/) [Ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ever/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Every second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-second/) [Falling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling/) [Fires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fires/) [Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/front/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/here/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [My life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-life/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [New york times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york-times/) [Newspaper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspaper/) [Newspaper People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspaper-people-865828/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Scoop Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scoop-dream-3371008/) [Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times/) [Times Ruing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-ruing-3371007/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york/) [York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-times/) ## Related quotes > [When I was younger I used to make wallets and purses out of newspaper and I would give them out to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-the-drag-queen/when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-make-wallets-and-purses-out-of-newspaper/) [Bob the Drag Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-the-drag-queen/) > [“In dealing with newspaper people, whether they are white or black, there is no way of getting their sympathy and support like that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/in-dealing-with-newspaper-people-whether-they-are-white-or-black/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [Newspaper people, once celebrated as founts of ribald humor and uncouth fun, have of late lost all their gaiety, and small wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/newspaper-people-once-celebrated-as-founts-of-ribald-humor-and/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [When I was an undergrad at Stanford, there was a girl named Jennie Kim who worked for the school newspaper. Sometimes people would come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-zhang/when-i-was-an-undergrad-at-stanford-there-was-a-girl-named-jennie-kim/) [Jenny Zhang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-zhang/) > [... people in the newspaper industry saw the web as a newspaper. People in TV saw the web as TV, and people in book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ford/people-in-the-newspaper-industry-saw-the-web-as-a-newspaper-people-in/) [Paul Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ford/) > [Newspaper people have a habit of putting you in the front pages to sell their papers, and then after they've sold their papers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/newspaper-people-have-a-habit-of-putting-you-in-the-front-pages-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Our great American writers were all newspaper people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gould/our-great-american-writers-were-all-newspaper-people/) [John Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gould/) > [What could I have possibly learned except the really most important thing, which is that I did not want to work at the 'New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/what-could-i-have-possibly-learned-except-the-really-most-important/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [I care not how worldly you may be: there are times when all distinctions seem like dust, and when at the graves of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-g-mitchell/i-care-not-how-worldly-you-may-be-there-are-times-when-all/) [Donald G. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-g-mitchell/) > [It's been a journey. For women of color, for my family. It's one dream coming true after another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/it-s-been-a-journey-for-women-of-color-for-my-family-it-s-one-dream/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [Look, I'm an immigrant, so I know what it is like to dream about coming to America and then to get here and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/look-i-m-an-immigrant-so-i-know-what-it-is-like-to-dream-about-coming/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [Everywhere around the world They're coming to America Everytime that flags unfurled They're coming to America Got a dream to take them there They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/everywhere-around-the-world-they-re-coming-to-america-everytime-that/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [Death call us all days , but what ?? we dont know that all personne who s here have dream , have gool ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beljilali-mohamed/death-call-us-all-days-but-what-we-dont-know-that-all-personne-who-s/) [Beljilali Mohamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beljilali-mohamed/) > [Chrysta Bell looks like a dream and Chrysta Bell sings like a dream. And the dream is coming true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/chrysta-bell-looks-like-a-dream-and-chrysta-bell-sings-like-a-dream/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) ## More by Michael Wolf > [I produced some very good work at 'New York' magazine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/i-produced-some-very-good-work-at-new-york-magazine/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [While we can all access articles and information in so many places now - across blogs, in newspapers, on video - there is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/while-we-can-all-access-articles-and-information-in-so-many-places/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [“I baked a cake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/i-baked-a-cake/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [If you tweet for me, I'll tweet for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/if-you-tweet-for-me-i-ll-tweet-for-you/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [Everybody is someone else's instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/everybody-is-someone-else-s-instrument/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [Everybody is promoting something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/everybody-is-promoting-something/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [“several old movies where the boy tossed pebbles at the girl’s window. So I planned to use that approach. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/several-old-movies-where-the-boy-tossed-pebbles-at-the-girl-s-window/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [One thing I can say right off the bat is that creating great editorial is a huge challenge, and you can't help but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/one-thing-i-can-say-right-off-the-bat-is-that-creating-great/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [One of the things about having worked at certain places is that it becomes very hard after you stop working at them to continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/one-of-the-things-about-having-worked-at-certain-places-is-that-it/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [I think there is a real value in an editorial point-of-view and in editorial curation, and in putting together an entire narrative around a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/i-think-there-is-a-real-value-in-an-editorial-point-of-view-and-in/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [What could I have possibly learned except the really most important thing, which is that I did not want to work at the 'New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/what-could-i-have-possibly-learned-except-the-really-most-important/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [“that window and to the right. I’d seen several old movies where the boy tossed pebbles at the girl’s window. So I planned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/that-window-and-to-the-right-i-d-seen-several-old-movies-where-the/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [I think one of the best jobs in the universe must be being the editor of 'The New Yorker', but there are a number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/i-think-one-of-the-best-jobs-in-the-universe-must-be-being-the-editor/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) [Explore all 14 Michael Wolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was working at the 'New York Times,' ruing every second of my life, thinking how was I ever going to get out of here, and thinking that one could only do it the way newspaper people have always done it. I needed a scoop, and I would go out and I would dream upon coming upon fires or the sky falling in front of me or anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Wolf" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruing-every-second-of-my-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruing-every-second-of-my-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/michael-wolf-34114_always_i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruin_1979335.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/michael-wolf-34114_always_i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruin_1979335.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3da/michael-wolf-34114_always_i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruin_1979335.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was working at the 'New York Times,' ruing every second of my life, thinking how was I ever going to get…” — Michael Wolf", "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": "Michael Wolf", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was working at the 'New...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruing-every-second-of-my-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/i-was-working-at-the-new-york-times-ruing-every-second-of-my-life/#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 } } ] } ```