Otto's Night Watch: 'Day of the Magnolia Blossom' ... Flashback Friday

Just like when Otto penned this column some 50 years ago, finding the proper balance between work and personal family life is a delicate balancing act that's constantly in flux. And — especially with the advent of today's smart phones that keep us connected to our jobs 24/7 — the stress caused by struggling to separate and compartmentalize the demands of our professional lives from those of our personal lives is something that can easily make us feel like we're going crazy.

Day of the Magnolia Blossom

I was back in New Orleans, at the bend of the Mississippi near Thalia Street, looking for a banana boat to take me to Veracruz, where the beaches are wonderful and the water is warm and clear. As I turned a corner, I decided to drop in on Speedy Smith to let him know that I hadn’t starved, as he predicted I would. I had worked for him some 15 years ago.