24 Comments
User's avatar
Paul Phaneuf's avatar

Great stuff. Didn't know you were Swedish Hospital’s star baby cuddler!

Expand full comment
Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Haha. This was actually pre pandemic. I like the immediacy of present tense. 😃

Expand full comment
Alexander Ipfelkofer's avatar

First off congrats, and second kudos! That Wayne's World tho... such nervous dizziness.

Expand full comment
Anna Rosenblum Palmer's avatar

I am going to tell the “try not to be so Jewish” story to my friend the film-maker at our Seder tomorrow. Also the only thing better than volunteer cuddled is professional cuddled. Hmm that sounds sketchy.

Expand full comment
Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Happy Passover. ❤️🙏

Expand full comment
Sandra Ann Miller's avatar

I think the best part about being GenX is that we were born with a limited amount of f**ks to give (not a super limited supply; we also grew up with Woodsy the Owl and Iron Eye Cody -- even if that turned out to be problematic -- we certainly had many sh!ts to give, and still do ethically/environmentally/politically...just not so many personally), and by the time we cross 50, we are at a negative integer of f**ks to give. Yes, I still get the jitters before an interview, but then I realize, "Who cares?!" If it's mine, it's mine; meant to be is meant to be." And you were meant to cuddles those babies. Congrats, Carissa! Give them an extra squeeze for me. xo (PS: Hollywood is full of sick you-know-what's, and the lower down the food chain they go, the more twisted they are.)

Expand full comment
Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Love the limited amount of F—ks to give and the negative integer. Haha. I actually cuddled pre pandemic. I like writing in present tense. Can you tell? I stopped cuddling when Covid was super scary. I have an auto immune disease and bowed out. Age definitely helps soften nerves.

Expand full comment
Sandra Ann Miller's avatar

I totally understand. I'm autoimmune as well (I think I gave you the list) and am happy to be a NOVID (and intend to stay that way). Love that you volunteered for that, and especially the reason why. And, yes, I think we just get tired and can only raise a certain finger to specific things, as we get older. xo

Expand full comment
appleton king's avatar

"Every year is the height of female exploitation" that came naturally enough. Will only be worried here when Molly Bloom's interior monologue written by a man comes under fire. Believe we are safe there tho.....

Love how you finessed the flashback in context and congrats on the new gig. No doubt it will spawn another reach of imaginative exposition and immune from "rejection" of any kind if you don't count getting spit up on.

Expand full comment
Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Thx! 🥰

Expand full comment
Donna McArthur's avatar

It was a small, independent bar in Alberta in the 80's. It lasted quite a long time but isn't in business any more.

Expand full comment
Wendy Parciak's avatar

cello

Expand full comment
Joelle Steefel's avatar

Beautiful picture! What an apt job for a warm, loving person.

Expand full comment
Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Thank you.

Expand full comment
Jenny Johnson's avatar

Awe! I want to be a baby cuddler.

I remember watching "Point of No Return" over and over when I was a kid. I think we had it on tape. As soon as you mentioned it, I had a mental image of Bridget Fonda looking back over her shoulder, holding that huge gun. I remember thinking it was a cinematic masterpiece, probably because I was way too young to be watching it and easily impressed by the adult content.

Expand full comment
appleton king's avatar

loved the movie she did with Nic Cage as cop and Rosie Perez as his greedy wife...the scene in Yankee stadium was totally romantic. "Whatever Happened to Bridget Fonda" could be a bestseller but may have to be peddled to a soft market. Just sayin' (i'm trying to bring back that expression but have no other social media than this so...)

Expand full comment
Jenny Johnson's avatar

That was a great movie!!

Expand full comment
Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

There was a recent picture of Bridget Fonda that went viral that I think was fake. Hope she’s happy and healthy.

Expand full comment
Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

That's so funny. The Hollywood version was a remake of Luc Besson's La Femme Nakita, which was fabulous.

Expand full comment
Jenny Johnson's avatar

Huh....I’ll have to check that out!

Expand full comment
Wendy Parciak's avatar

Great story! Takes me right back to all those college music auditions.

Expand full comment
Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Singing or instrument?

Expand full comment
Donna McArthur's avatar

Yay! Congrats on getting through the interview and becoming a baby cuddler, our world needs more of those!

Here's my interview story:

I moved from a small city to a larger city to go to college when I was 18. Walking across the parking lot of a grocery store I was stopped by a man who asked me if I wanted a job in a new bar that was opening. I did want that job!

The interview was in a hotel room (not kidding).

Given that this was the 80's and I was 18 years old, I thought nothing of this strange location...off I went a couple days later to the interview. I told no one and I didn't question it. Yep, I'm pretty smart but I've had my moments!

Here's the thing...it was actually a real interview in a hotel room. They had tables set up and I sat behind one and he was behind the other and I got the job.

Moving on to the exploitation of women...same job...a few months later and it's Halloween. All the serving staff had been hand picked based on (a teensy bit of) experience but mostly how they looked. We were required to wear...wait for it...Playboy Bunny Suits to serve at Halloween. WTH?!

I was very uncomfortable.

At that time, cute young girl in big city, I did not get it.

I knew I did not want to wear that thing, but I also loved the job.

So, after a couple of shots and glasses (or likely a bottle) of cheap, sparkly Spumante I made it through the night with nary a nasty incident and carried on. It wasn't until much later that realized how very, very wrong the WHOLE thing was!

I am fortunate that the owners (even with their unconventional hiring style of being spotted in the parking lot) and staff were amazing and it all worked out to be a fantastic experience with some good learning thrown in! Note to self...do not go to a job interview in a hotel room. Ever.

Thanks for your great post!

Expand full comment
Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

What restaurant? (You don't have to out them.) Spying cute girls in the parking lot? So pervie.

Expand full comment