Thanksgiving

We brought some food with us from Indiana; mostly just cereal and extra juice for the kids and what not. We wound up taking them over to St. Joseph's Food Pantry here in Cheyenne today. Our freezer, fridge and cupboards are stocked with food, I paid $1.409 per gallon of gas today and after my "weekend" (Wednesdays and Thursdays), I'm actually looking forward to going back to work, and not because I can't stand being around the house but rather because I totally love my job now.

Yeah, we've got a LOT to be thankful for this year.

Last year, I worked in a job that made me miserable in a company which I didn't like (they gave to Planned Murderhood), producing a product that I've not believed in my entire professional career. When we got the word that many of us were going to be laid off at the end of April, I was actually somewhat relieved. I was going to start looking after one year anyway.

Easier said than done.

The job market in Indianapolis wasn't too different than the rest of the country. The problem with being in broadcasting in Indianapolis is that the market is tight even when the economy is good. People just hang onto their jobs there for good reason, and I can't fault my former colleagues for that. In the same situation, I'd be no different.

We tried everything we possibly could to stay there, and at my wits end, I called my uncle in Houston. I'd not spoken to him since I was about 10 years old. He gave me some of the best advice I'd ever been given.

I needed to move. I needed to leave everything I know and love behind.

That's not how he said it; my version reads a LOT harsher than that. But what it boiled down to was this: You have to go where the jobs are. You need to be able to rely on yourself, and if that means leaving everything you know behind, then it must be done. He made a lot of sense, although we weren't done exhausting all of our options so we thought. When those were exhausted, I started rifling out resumes all over the country. Six months of unemployment was far too long, and it was taking it's toll.

A few weeks later, I had an interview here in Cheyenne. A couple of weeks after the interview, I had an offer.

I'm grateful to my uncle for giving me the advice. TV people aren't supposed to grow complacent. We are drifters; drifting from market to market. Thirteen years in Indy was probably a little too long, to be honest with you. That said, I do hope that I can stay with my present company as long as I can. It's a top notch operation, I like all my co-workers, and Cheyenne and Wyoming have really grown on me. The only thing I would have done different is come out here about three years ago. Granted, this company does have a similar facility down in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, and I'd consider going there for the right position, but if I stay in Cheyenne for awhile, I'll be perfectly content to do so.

So, what am I thankful for this year? Having not just a job that I totally love but one that pays me more than I've ever made before, in a city that's cheaper to live in. I can go home on I-80 heading west, looking at the snow-capped mountains in the distance. The people are extremely friendly and easy going. I'm thankful that my friend Desmond and his wife put my wife and I up for a couple of nights in Denver while we drove up here to search for a place. They, too, were instrumental in making this a success. I'm thankful for my parents helping us out and taking the kids while we settled in. We couldn't have done it without them either. And I'm thankful that if nothing else happened this year, at least I got back in touch with my uncle.

Yeah. I have a lot to be thankful for indeed.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving this year.

FUN FACT ABOUT WYOMING: Not so much about Wyoming as it is about my three year old. When he says "Wyoming" it's not much different than when he says "Yao Ming".