Nancy Danahy, 18 OCT 2004
Everyone,
If you attended the reunion, then you saw me buzzing around making sure
things were running smoothly, and then finally, have a grand old time
dancing. I think I had my first drink of the evening just before I got up
and watusied with Robin Anderson. I know there were supposed to be four
food stations, but I only had eyes for the seafood...and not enough time
to taste it all. I vote we have it again, next time!!
As for my update, here it is. After graduating from Syracuse University
with a BFA in Advertising Design, I started my career in publishing at E P
Dutton in the Children's Book Department. After three years there, I
started working at a design studio that specialized in servicing
publishers, and stayed there for over 14 years getting experience in every
kind of book published. When I left there in 1989, I was married and my
son was three years old, but I wanted to work on the wild side...freelance
around and get even wider experience in the design industry. My husband
had started a small publishing company just before our son was born, and I
had supported us while he got it off the ground. Now, I wanted to take
chances that I couldn't take before. I landed at Sony Music just after CBS
sold it. They still thought of themselves as CBS Records, and were still
in Black Rock on 6th Ave. I was subbing for a friend on maternity leave,
and when that was done, I was asked to stay on. I was flattered and
decided that being exposed to the great designers working there at the
time would be better than anything else, so I ended up staying for another
four years.
HI POINT: My daughter was born while I was there in 1991. When the offices
moved to 550 Madison Avenue, I got my own office.
LOW POINT: My boss developed AIDS. By 1993 his illness progressed to the
point that most of his job was taken over by other people. He had been my
supporter, but with his absence I stopped receiving the high priority work
that I had in the past. I had had enough of the office politics and knew
it was time to leave.
My husband wanted to leave NYC, so we started to make plans. It took us a
year to decide where we would move. Finally, we picked Atlanta, Georgia,
and were happy to find out that one of my brothers and his wife had just
been transferred there. We finally moved in January 1995.
HI POINT: The area was growing and caught up in hosting the 1996 Summer
Olympics. I felt that it was very much like Rockland County in the early
60s. You'd drive by an open field, and two weeks later a housing
development or shopping center was going up in the same field.
LOW POINT: I broke my foot in a diving board accident (no, not associated
with the Olympics) over Fourth of July weekend, and while I was having
surgery, my husband met someone, began an affair, and left me about a year
later.
Late 1996, I divorced and moved back to New York with our children. My
father opened his home to us, and my children have been attending the same
Clarkstown schools as I did (with the exception of going to South High
School). I found a great job at a college textbook publisher in NYC. I
manage the cover designers (the best part of the book to design), and have
been here for seven years. While here, I've seen our parent company
acquire
and develop other educational publishers to the point that we, Pearson
Education, are now the largest educational publisher in the world. Yet, my
imprint, Longman, has stayed small and personal. I like that I can start a
conversation with the president in the elevator...that he knows my name,
what my job is, and how many children I have.
My son Jack graduated from South this past Spring, and after a decision to
join the Marines didn't pan out, he is commuting to the College of
Westchester. My daughter, Emily, is in 8th grade. She was on the track
team last Spring, and is on the volleyball team this Fall.
Around the time of the 30th reunion, I knew there still had to be some
classmates in the area, and sure enough, I found that I was riding the bus
to the city everyday with Jack Purtill; Adele Horton was running her own
insurance brokerage company in Nyack; Bob Strong was working for a optical
manufacturer in Suffern; Dodie Carbone was married and quietly living in
Congers after a few years of making a lot of noise as an on-air radio
personality; Hallie Coletta was working as a scenic designer and living in
her family home in New City. Steve's great job of getting that reunion
together inspired me to get involved in the 35th one. While we've been
informally meeting since 1999, the committee's real work on it only began
about a year ago. Now that's only a great memory, I have some time to
finish up a few projects around my home, and maybe my son will finally get
enough road practice to get his driver's license! Soon enough, it will be
time to have a dinner with everyone again, and start planning the 40th.
Are you up for it, guys?
Nancy