The two television shows from my early years that have stuck with me and, looking back, really directed my career choices were the Mary Tyler Moore Show, which aired from 1970 to 1977 on CBS and That Girl, which aired on ABC from 1966 to 1971.  The premise of the Mary Tyler Moore show was a single working woman who truly was on her own and dependent on her own devices.  See some of the seasons of the Mary Tyler Moore Show at http://www.hulu.com/the-mary-tyler-moore-show. Unlike That Girl’s Ann Marie, Mary Tyler Moore’s Mary Richards was truly an independent single woman.  In her 30s, Mary Richards arrived in Minneapolis straight out of a four year relationship which she broke off to forge her career path.  She had no father to help her, no boyfriend (i.e., Ted Baxter) to lean on.  The years of watching The Mary Tyler Moore Show and That Girl incredibly directed two of my career choices — my first, a desire to be an actress, and my second, my later decision to work in television news. I so much wanted to be like Mary Richards and Ann Marie and strike out on my own and make a career and a living for myself. Did you have the courage to strike out on your own and follow your passion or did the realities of real life cut your dreams short?  Please write back and let me know cause I really am curious, because that’s Evie’s Way, Baby!