The First Annual Second Read Thankful List

I started today intending to write a piece about the whole teachers not being designated as professional thing. But, after I started writing it, I realized that I needed more time in the spirt of what this site is intended to be. It would've been a hot take rather than something worthy of a second read. So, I decided to go with something infinitely more positive and much more important.

Even during uncertain--some call it crazy--times, it is important to stop and give thanks. And, we can give thanks to all of the important things and all of the silly things as well. They are the happy; they are the reason we keep hope. So, the professional article can wait (for now) while I try to put some gratitude in the world.

Really Important Things I Am Grateful For

My Wife.

My wife came along at a time when I thought I would be alone forever. I was content with that. I had my daughter, a my family, friends, a job I loved, and I was writing regularly towards a book deal. Then, I met her. Everything changed. Everything was better. I realized I was waiting all of this time for her; everything that happened in my life, led me to her.

There is a line in Rocky when he says, "She fills gaps. I have gaps, she has gaps, together, we fill gaps." That only scratches the surface of how I feel about her. Since day one, it has been the best time of my life, even when life gets hard. How many people can say that they fell in love and are loved by their fantasy woman, partner in crime, best Sunday-Funday partner, best person to sit next to at a bar, best travel partner, best beach person, best person to split a meal with, best spontaneous adventure partner, best person to do absolutely nothing with, and best friend?

I am lucky; I am grateful.

My daughter.

To say that I am proud of those soon-to-be college student would be an understatement. Since the day she was born, I found my purpose and a strength that I never knew that I had. I was meant to be this kid's Dad. While I still see the little girl running towards me saying "Dada!!!", I am in awe of the person she has become. She is kind, funny, mature, informed, worldly, creative, and focused. She knows what she wants to do in life and I have no doubt that her writing will change the world.

I am so incredibly grateful for her every single day. I am so lucky that this young woman will still choose to get pizza and ice cream with her me, that she will text me random things, ask a million questions, run writing ideas by me, genuinely talk to me about her life. She'll be off to college in eight months and I will miss her. But, I know that she will make a difference and make her mark on the world.

I am lucky; I am grateful.

My Family.

I am so grateful to be the son of two parents who gave their everything to raise their three kids. They constantly put themselves second, making sure that the three of us were taken care of. They still do. They were never the parents to yell at their kids or make us feel small. They disciplined, but always led with love. Because of that, we grew up with confidence and with the knowledge that Mom and Dad had our back no matter what.

At 50 years old, I am incredibly lucky to be able to not only call them both my hero, but to still be able to tell them that. They are the first ones to cheer me on, bail me out, and talk to about anything. I am lucky that they always pick up the phone every time I call. The core of me and what I try to do every day is because of them.

Because of them, I have this family--brother, sister, nieces, aunts, uncles, and cousins--that can not only have a good time, but will always be there, no matter what. Like every family, we aren't perfect and have our moments, but there is no doubt that if I called anyone for help, they would come running. I would do the same. That's because we all learned that from Dad and Mom.

I am lucky; I am grateful.

My Career.

I've been a teacher for 28 years. I've met incredible kids. I get to share a classroom with them and learn just as much from them as they do from me. I get to work alongside some incredible educators too. It is easy to get lost in the politics of it all, but I am so lucky to say that I am an educator; I teach and learn from kids every day. How awesome is that?

My daughter goes to the same school that I work in. I met my wife here.

"Everything I have, I owe to this job. This stupid, wonderful, boring, amazing job."~Jim Halpert

The Not So Important Things I Am Grateful For

Pizza: No matter what mood I am in, pizza makes it better. I wish I could eat it every single day.

Peanut M&M's: See Pizza

The Office: I have lost count of how many times I have rewatched, but few things make me laugh like The Office. Many times, my work life seems like an episode. Also, good "that's what she said" moment is one to be cherished.

TikTok: I admit it; I am an addict. But, give me a good 30 minute run on Tik Tok to watch people falling, old sports clips, Mama jokes, a standing desk advertisement that makes me want to buy it, bad independent movie clips, WWE highlights, fart jokes, sentimental wife and daughter quotes, dogs doing dumb things, Office clips, and any other thing that hits the algorithm and I am a happy man.

My Hokas: Easily the best sneakers I have ever owned.

The Fact That My Parents Buy Me Hokas For The First Day of School: Priceless.

My MacBook: I wrote my book and most everything else on this. The keyboard just feels right.

The Macallan: No matter what happens during a day, if it ends with a Macallan on the rocks, the world is ok.

Baseball: It has provided me with so many life lessons on the field as a player and coach. My father taught me to play, coach, and appreciate it all. Off the field, I was able to see Mattingly, Griffey, and Clemens. The game is always there to get lost in.

Bar Seats: Give me a dinner and drinks with my wife at the bar over any table. The bar is always better.

Ted Lasso: Not quite The Office, but I will always make time for some Ted.

My Playstation 5: I don't get to play it as often as I would like, but when I do, I feel like a kid again.

Sunkist Zero: Best soda ever.

7-11: Literally, the store that has everything. Great coffee, best gas prices, and sneaky good snacks. If I lived in New Jersey, Wawa wins, but everywhere else, 7-11.

"Her Sister Was A Witch...": By far my favorite TikTok ever. Feels like any debate my brother and I had growing up.

Billy Joel Music: The Office may be a portrayal of my work life, but his music is definitely the soundtrack of my life.

There is so much more. But, I'll let it end here. We shouldn't need a holiday to make us pause to acknowledge our "good things", but many of us do. We are surrounded by it every day, even on those days when the world makes zero sense.