Thankful for Patch

Undoubtedly my biggest blessing in the past year has been this job in this neighbor hood.

I’m thankful for the people who have been kind enough to explain things to a non-Holly Springs native. I had no idea what I was coming into last November.

I moved here from Chattanooga without knowing a soul in Georgia. I’ve made friends, found a church (finally!) and started actually building a life in this sleepy little town.

And, I’m thankful it’s sleepy.

I was eased into hard news reporting Patch-style because there’s so little crime here.

I’m even thankful for the officials who gave me a hard time because it only makes you a better reporter.

I’m thankful for the parents who make their kids behave. If you haven’t noticed, spanking is pretty standard. In Chattanooga, all the kids were bad. They were scary bad. Here they all behave—at least in public.

Also, I’m thankful for my coworkers. My boss will hopelessly make fun of me for writing this because it looks like a suck up. But then again, I’d never live it down if I didn’t include them. Now he’s rolling his eyes because I’m the only person who would rationalize both sides like that. Rock and hard place, MJ. Rock and a hard place.

I’m thankful for the Woodstock and Canton editors who have put up with my level of neurotic for a year. That can’t be easy.

I’m thankful for our ad manager who is going to kill me when she sees the photo I’m attaching to this article.

Patch is full of patient people.

It’s been a crazy year. This will be my first holiday away from my family, but I’m OK with that. I belong