44 Years Ago

I am "only" 65 years old, but this makes me feel old:

Today (Sept. 24, 2026), I am celebrating the FORTY-FOURTH (44th) anniversary of my FIRST published article in a newspaper. This solidified myself as a journalist and became the launching pad for a fascinating journalistic journey over several decades.

(I retired from journalism at the end of the day on March 31, 2017, due to medical issues.)

Here is my review of The Who’s 1982 album “It’s Hard,” which appeared in the September 24, 1982, issue of The Villanovan, the weekly newspaper of Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Click/Tap on it to enlarge it. I also wrote a review of The Who concert I attended a month or two later.

After two-and-a-half years in the pre-med program at Villanova, I changed my major to communications with a minor in the French language, graduating in December 1984. I then graduated with a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia in May 1988.

My positions over the years include reporter, writer, rewriter, reviewer, proofreader, page designer, photographer, researcher, and many types of editors for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, books, statistical reports, white papers, news websites, and a wire service.

Here is a link to four of my articles on a website that I made. Just click/tap on the pages to enlarge them.

https://williamsantoswritingsamples.blogspot.com/?m=1

As for me now, I am (still) in the midst of writing an autobiographical novel, and I am (still) in the preliminary stages of self-publishing a book of self-penned poetry. I also maintain a personal blog and a YouTube channel.

Here is the link to my YouTube channel. Please subscribe. It's free.

https://youtube.com/@billsantospianomore678