Takoma Park Five: What I'm Thankful For

Thanksgiving is less than a week away and here at Takoma Park Patch, I'm taking the opportunity to use the Friday wildcard category to let residents know what I am thankful for.

My list tends toward the material side, but these things have enriched my life beyond just the object represented. Please send an e-mail or comment to let us know what you are thankful for, and we'll try to run a list based on that as well. 

1. Books - What would I do without books? I always have a stack of books by my nightstand, and I'm always reading two or three at a time. If it weren't for my father and mother pushing me to read at a young age, I probably would never have become a writer. I am especially thankful for Norman Mailer, Philip Roth, Eugene O'Neill, Raymond Chandler and John Cheever.

2. My Job - This one isn't meant to please the big wigs in New York. I'm serious. Last year, I was one of the many journalists who was laid off. To do something you love and get paid for it is one of the greatest things. And to be able to do it in a profession that has struggled in the last few years is even more rewarding. 

3. My Family - My mother, my father, my sister, and my grandfather are the most important people in the world to me. Contrary to the prevailing trend of people whining about their childhoods and how their younger years screwed them up for life, I, in fact, had a wonderful childhood in suburban New Jersey. So if I fall down, I have no one to blame but myself. 

4. Tweed - Yes, I'm serious. But let me broaden the scope for you. I like to dress like I'm still in college. Tweeds, button-down oxfords, rep ties, khakis and buckskin shoes. It keeps me youthful, oddly enough, since most people tell me I look like an aging English professor. Plus, tweed and the prep esthetic is classic. Brooks Brothers has never and will never go out of style.

5. My Loyal Patch Readers - For the six people reading this (seven if you include my mom), I appreciate you taking the time to be part of the Patch community. Now spread the word.