Work Friends

Five years ago this month I got a job completely by chance that I was not looking for, was not really qualified for, and did not even really know if I wanted. The owner of the brand new Durham Magazine called me up and asked to see me about working at his publication. Since I had just received the inaugural issue in the mail I was intrigued and went to see him.

I met Dan Shannon at his Chapel Hill Magazine office and we talked. As he was trying to figure out if I should work there and I was giving him the bottom line on me so he could back out on the idea before we both got in too deep. This is what I told him, “I’m a mother and I have a husband who travels a lot, so my child comes first, I am on a number of non-profit boards and they are my priority, I also take a lot of vacations, I am not looking for a job and I am a real bitch.”

I think it was the last line that made him insist that I work at the Magazine. So I started with the understanding that I was in line to be the Chair of the board of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina and when that happened I might not have time to work for him. So without wanting or needing a job I started as the Community and Events Editor of Durham Magazine, a title that he and I made up that day and one I have held ever since.

What I did not know then was that the best part of working for the magazine was going to be the friendships I made with my young co-workers. For my first issue I had to have my picture taken by the staff Photographer, Brianna Brough. Little did I know then that I would get to know and love her and have the privilege and fun of working on so many great stories with her.

Bri and I joke about the book of photos she has of me that would be called “Dana’s butt” since I often was holding her reflective disk so she could get the perfect shot of someone who was the subject of a story I was writing. It was Bri who came on the Colin Firth shoot we did when I got to interview him between takes in the movie Main Street. The movie may have been a flop, but the interview was a highlight of my magazine career.

Last year I got a new boss in editor Andrea Griffith Cash. She convinced me to come back to work while I was still board chair and write about people doing good works in Durham. Writing one column an issue was the perfect way to keep my hand in the magazine while not being taxing in any way.

Last month Andrea told me that I was being included in the Women’s issue as one of ten women featured in a story on Non-profits. I objected that it might appear self-serving for me to be a subject in a magazine I contributed to. Andrea told me to get over it. So today I had to go for my official photo shoot with Bri for my profile picture for the story.

Being a model is so much harder than being the person who holds the reflecting disk. I am thankful that Bri is such a talented photographer and great friend so I feel comfortable that she has taken at least one good shot.

At the end of the session I asked Bri and Andrea if they would do a selfie with me for the blog and so I could have a picture of myself with me two great young friends. It is the friendships I have made that make me keep working. Thanks to Andrea and Bri for all the fun.