LS: What do you think your strengths are?
VS: It’s mostly being able to recognize and then take advantage of opportunities when they come along. The recognizing part is hard. Over the years I have turned down certain opportunities, and looking back I think, wow, my instincts were right. I’m sure I could be making a lot more money right now if I weren’t in journalism, but I can’t leave it. I can’t do something I don’t feel incredibly passionate about. I just can’t do it. I don’t care how much they pay. How do you wake up in the morning and feel motivated?
LS: You and your husband and two kids were living in Washington when you got the job at the New York Times. And you didn’t move your family to New York. Why not?
VS: My family was so settled. I’d just uprooted the family to move from Atlanta. The kids had their friends, we had our friends, we loved our house. My husband and I discussed it: Why should the entire family suffer? Let me be the one, I’m going to be working so hard anyway. Are you going to uproot the entire family when you’re getting home every night at 8 or 9 o’clock? It didn’t make any sense. So for two and a half years, I commuted weekly. My husband is a saint. I could not have had this career if he weren’t, certainly could not have had a family if he weren’t so supportive.
LS: He can deal with your earning more money?
VS: Yes. He loves it. He’s like, can you earn more? He’s has zero insecurity about that whatsoever.
LS: No guilt on your part?
VS: Oh god, should I feel guilty? My kids give me some guilt sometimes—I’ll say, “I didn’t know you were doing that” and they’ll say, “well, that’s because you weren’t there when I told Daddy about it.” I get that. They love to do that.
LS: But you haven’t suffered pangs?
VS: I know I should, but I don’t. I went back to work with both kids after six weeks. I like to work, what can I tell you?
