Can you change your life? I did
Positive change. Moving forward. Radical transformation. All of these phrases represent the last six months of my life. I never would have believed then that I would be where I am now, behind a desk at the Greene County Daily World introducing myself to you. But here I am doing just that.
My name is Patti Danner, and lots of you know me as the ever-chipper clerk at one or other of the retail establishments in our city. I'm the one with the crazy colors in my hair and the smile on my face. Married for the last 12 years to local musician and all-around great guy John Danner, I am a native of Seattle Washington. My professional background has been retail-oriented, grocery and convenience stores in particular, and after roughly 25 years of that I was in need of a change. Journalism may have actually been the last thing I would have thought to pursue but then I saw the help wanted ad in this paper.
The newspaper had recently undergone some staffing changes and named a new editor, Sabrina Westfall. Sabrina and I had worked together a couple of times previously, and so I texted her with some questions about the position. After a lengthy dialogue I started to think that journalism may just be the thing I was looking for. A creative job with lots of people contact, a chance to learn and to express myself, a neato desk full of the office supplies I crave and deadlines to curb my tendency to procrastinate. It sounded like a dream come true and I went for it.
I recently obtained my HSE diploma from Turning Point Adult Education Center. I had always wanted to further my education, and since I had dropped out of high school in 1983 it had been in the back of my mind to complete that task. Through hard work and the skills of dedicated instructor Rena Stevens, I passed my test on the first try. The pride and feeling of accomplishment I felt gave me the courage and the confidence I needed to point my life in the direction its headed today.
I am very happy to be here and very excited to be writing this next chapter in my life, literally as well as figuratively. Many thanks to this newspaper for the opportunity, to my husband and friends for the encouragement, faith and support, and finally I thank me for taking action to change and believing in myself.
My desire is to be the best news reporter I can be and I am looking forward to every day I spend accomplishing that.
Patti is a staff writer at Greene County Daily World, and can be reached at pattippdanner@gmail.com or at 812-847-4487.
- -- Posted by ille de civitate on Sat, Jan 9, 2016, at 6:12 PM
- -- Posted by SisterGranny on Mon, Jan 11, 2016, at 10:01 AM
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