Brain Reveals What He Is Thankful For in 2021

Well folks, here we are. My favorite holiday and time of the year. Thanksgiving is finally here, and I'm already planning on which pair of loose-fitting pants to wear to our family dinner. I love this holiday. I love the food, the family, the football, the multiple naps that no doubt will take place. It all feels...like home. So in honor of Thanksgiving, I thought I would take a few minutes to give thanks for another year.

Giving thanks can be hard sometimes, especially when times are tough. This year has been one of the toughest I've faced. But because of that adversity, I feel even more thankful to be where I'm at right now. So let's run down my list of things I'm thankful for in 2021.

• My Job. After working on the KHAK morning show now for 22 years I can honestly still say that I have fun at my job. I'm blessed to work with a wonderful group of people who are just as passionate about this businesses as I am. Radio is still fun. It is different every single day. New topics to talk about, and great listeners we have the privilege of interacting with. How long will my body allow me to get up at 3:20 a.m.? I honestly don't know. But right now, there is nothing I'd rather be doing than morning radio!
• My Health. I did something this year that I hadn't done in a long time. I got a physical. A complete checkup with bloodwork included. I turned 47 this fall and I didn't want anything to sneak up and surprise me. Fortunately for me, the results were overwhelmingly positive. Yes, I'm still figuring out how to deal with my sleep apnea, and yes, my uric acid levels are high which leads to occasional gout. But my cholesterol and blood pressure levels are normal and there were no other red flags that popped up.
• My Friends. As you grow older, you find out that sometimes friends that you've known for a while leave your life for a bit. But you also find out that life has room for new friends too. I'm blessed with friends I've known since high school and more recent additions that have also become close. I keep my friend's circle fairly small, so to all of you, and you know who you are, thank you for being there.

Finally, I want to talk about family. This year has been rough on mine. But the main thing I take away from that is we are still here. I treasure the bonds I have with my family more than anything on earth, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to ensure those bonds stay strong. I'm sure you feel the same way about your family. This Thanksgiving, I'm am especially thankful for my wife Holly, my three amazing kids, Chase, Carly, and Cayleigh, my brother Adam and his family, my brother-in-law Chaz, my parents in Anamosa, and my in-laws in Marion. These are the people that matter most. And for you, I am thankful.