13 Things For Which I am Thankful:
1. Working with some terrific people: In an economy that has battered many industries including broadcasting, having a job is important enough--but working with a good staff at a great place is even better.
2. Family: My mother and father have been there for me in every way since day one. There are a lot of people I admire, but none more than them.
3. Friends: Like the family, they are not close by, but if you’ve got good friends, distance is a minor thing.
4. My iphone 4: I’m not a big fan of spending on foolishness, but felt compelled to get this smartphone.
It’s by far the best investment in foolishness, I’ve ever made. I like the Apps, service and social media access.
5. Sports: Being a New Englander at heart, you can guess the teams I grew up watching.
That said, I’m a fan of the games and sports in general. I’ll throw a “thankful” for WNY’s football team winning two straight. Nice job Bills.
6. The fact newspapers are not dead…yet: circulation for many may be down, and soon I’ll be forced to pay for more content once the New York Times goes to some form of pay wall a la the Wall Street Journal.
That won’t be fun, but thankfully, despite declining readership, I can still snag a copy of either, or the D&C any day. I’ll miss hard copy papers once they die.
7. Not living in Rochester…Minnesota: Temperatures are low and significant snow has already hit much of the region. Yes, it will be here too, but I’m fine with letting more time pass before that happens.
8. Man on the street interviewees who say yes: Dozens of people are approached every week on the street, in a mall, you name it. None woke up in the morning thinking they would be on television. Whether it’s kindness, interest in the limelight or simply being off-guard—I greatly appreciate all that give their consent for interviews. Often times, these people become the centerpieces of solid stories that truly resonate with others.
9. Safety: This is national, but hits everyone the same way. We’ve had plenty of scares of terrorism since September 11th 2001, but nothing reaching that magnitude. Good luck, strong intelligence, whatever the case is…I’ll take it.
10. Economic recovery: With millions out of work, I can’t rave about our economy, but it was worse and indicators seem to be pointing toward growth, albeit slow. I’m hopeful that private businesses ramp up hiring and the government makes the right calls.
11. Decent roommates: Having heard horror stories from others, I can’t really complain about my roommates. There are small issues for sure, but I found my current apartment on Craigslist and don’t have any horror stories of my own. It’s quiet, clean and I usually have the house to myself.
12. Mentors: When it comes to forging a career, you need people who’ve been there to lean on.
Several television and radio veterans have done just that for me.
13. A distaste for Black Friday: Deals are great, sleep is better.
