Thank You

I have been blessed with wonderful readers. I mean YOU. And I just wanted to take a moment to say "Thank You!"

This has been a year of great transition for me. After being let go at my job of 20+ years, where I was a voice talent/producer/editor/musical director/all-around schmuck, I've been scrambling to piece together freelance opportunities in writing and related fields. This change in career paths was chosen because I previously had some small success in selling my writing on a casual basis. Also, my confidence in my abilities in the aforementioned fields was fairly much shot to hell when I was let go. With no disrespect aimed at my former associates, I considered myself the best on-staff at a couple of the duties I performed. And I was the longest-tenured employee in the place. To be the only person jettisoned when the company changed hands was a shock and a severe blow to my ego. And ego is essential to an artist, which is what I considered myself (and my colleagues) in all regards.

So, I set out to establish myself as a writer. A small bit of good fortune was immediately obvious. The story of my firing had a wonderful twist to it. When I called to initiate my unemployment claim, I was greeted by recorded messages that I had personally produced for my former employer. Although it was truly disheartening, and brought me as near to a mental breakdown as anything in the whole affair, it made for a funny tale in the abstract. I wrote it up and was able to sell it to the good folks at the Boston Herald (for whom I am also extremely thankful, as they've bought about 50% of the pieces I've sold thus far.)

I was blessed to have an ongoing friendship with a fellow blogger who is also an editor. I'll leave his name out of this, as I believe that's what he would desire, but his contribution to whatever success I've thus far achieved has been substantial. Without his help in setting me up in a writing-related field for additional income, my earnings this year would be roughly half of what they are.

I've had my writing appear, for pay, in a few different places aside from the Herald. Funny Times, Discover magazine, and the Boston Globe, have been kind enough to print my stuff on their pages. Discover thrilled me no end by featuring a couple of my pieces on their cover.

Anyway, the point of this was to let YOU know how much I appreciate you. You were here for me long before any of this went down. Your kind words and encouragement gave me the idea that I might actually have the talent to pull off this career change. While I'm hardly getting rich, I am bringing in enough to keep at least the sickly and aged wolves from the door. With your continued support, and a bit more blessing, perhaps I'll be able to kick the healthy ones off the doorstep in the coming years.

I wish you a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving. When we sit down to our meal this Thursday, I'll remain mindful of the blessings you, and others mentioned here, have provided me. In so many different ways, you have contributed to my feast. May God's blessings be abundantly obvious to you and yours.

Soon, with more better stuff.

P.S. I'm sure she knows this, but making it a public declaration is certainly worthwhile. MY WIFE has been a rock throughout. She has endlessly encouraged me, rooted for me, shared both my triumphs and my defeats, and otherwise been the perfect partner. Without her... well, I could fill in this blank, but I'm only a writer. Words are not enough.