But, hey, it's Thanksgiving, and lists like these do serve a purpose beyond lightening the load for reporters during the holiday season. They remind us all to pause and count our blessings. They cause us to focus attention on the many wonderful things life has to offer. They allow newspeople, with their reputation as crass cynics, to reveal their gentler, human hearts to readers. Or at least that was the plan.
At the very least, we've given you a reason to stare at a screen for a few minutes and ignore your family.
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Some of the things in the list below demonstrate a touch of schadenfreude. Some appear to be blatant lies. And some staffers didn't choose to share. Columnist Jim Schutze said he didn't have anything he's thankful for in 2018, but being a pro, sent in his list anyway. Those of us who know Jim's wife, Mariana Greene, know that can't be true. As Jim's coworkers, we are extremely grateful to Mariana. Without her steady hand, he'd probably be in a Michigan militia group or something. Maybe jail.
Anyway, if you're having a little trouble scaring up some gratitude this year, take a look at what some of the Observer staff offered. Maybe you'll be inspired. At the very least, we've given you a reason to stare at a screen for a few minutes and ignore your family, without the need to muscle into a crowded movie theater this holiday.
Paige Skinner, Arts and Music Editor
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. They are the best in the league and they have their own show on CMT that is more entertaining than all the Housewives combined.
But we're also thankful for the Housewives. As nuts as they may be, they remind Dallas to not take itself so seriously.
Desperado's tacos from Desperado's on Greenville Avenue. Those, paired with a margarita, are enough motivation to get through the week.
NorthPark Center. If your mall has a Nordstrom and a Neiman Marcus, then it's a good mall.
Our readers. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. Whether you're mad or happy with something we've written, at least you're reading.
Wait I wanna trade one. I’m thankful for the reader who emailed me and called me a fat cunt. Most thankful for them.
Stephen Young, Staff Writer
Dallas' bumper crop of world-class athletes (Luka Doncic, Errol Spence, Jordan Spieth).
The Trinity Strand Trail.
Scooter wipeouts.
Increased voter turnout.
The beef guiso at Pepe's & Mito's.
Klyde Warren Park, at least until it gets mucked up by a jersey and ticket shop.
Beth Rankin, Food Editor
The fried chicken at Brick & Bones in Deep Ellum. This fried chicken could stop wars — but then again, I've never exactly eaten it while sober ...
The Van Buren (aka, cortado) at Davis Street Espresso. Picture this: Saturday morning, sunny, sweater weather. You curl up in a booth at Davis Street with a Van Buren and an avocado toast made with the best, freshest sourdough you've ever had. For the next hour, you watch Oak Cliff go by. Everything is perfect, everything is sweet, and after ordering two more, your eyes practically vibrate out of your skull, but it matters not. You've achieved Saturday morning perfection.
Lucia. I've eaten at hundreds of restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth, but I've yet to encounter a meal that can hold a candle to that cozy little spot in Bishop Arts. It really is as good as they say.
Female Dallas chefs. The reign of the middle-aged, white, male chef serving lackluster high-end food is over in Dallas, and thank God — the old guard had stopped trying a long time ago. Right now, young, female chefs — often of color — are reinventing the Dallas food scene, taking risks and serving more affordable eats to an increasingly diverse crowd of diners. From Misti Norris at Petra & the Beast to Reyna Duong at Sandwich Hag to Anastacia Quinones, Tiffany Derry, Angela Hernandez and Uno Immanivong, female chefs are shaking things up from top to bottom.
Caviar. Because sometimes, leaving the house just isn't an option, and Dallas restaurant owners say Caviar is the one food delivery service that's easy to work with and doesn't charge ludicrous fees to restaurants.
Nashwa Bawab, Editorial Fellow
Amazon’s HQ2 not wreaking havoc anywhere near here.
All the public information officers who get back to me before deadline.
Dallas friends who make the commute here a little easier.
The wonderful opportunity this fellowship with the Observer has given me to grow as a writer.
My skincare routine.
Chase Carter, Social Media Editor
I'm thankful for a paycheck from the Dallas Observer. In all seriousness, this team has been inviting and helpful for someone who had no idea what to expect in this new job.
I'm thankful for Reverie bakery in Richardson for ensuring, through their delicious baked treats, that I do not lose weight on a vegan diet.
I'm thankful for my cats, who are not human children and are therefore five times less stressful and costly.
I'm thankful for the constant traffic on Interstate 35. I wouldn't listen to as many podcasts as I do without your help.
And I'm genuinely thankful for all the readers and commenters who keep me company on social media every day. You make our whole operation possible.
Patrick Williams, Editor
My wife, the lovely Becky, who apparently unlike the spouses/significant others of other staffers, gives me reason to be thankful every day. (Golly, coworkers, sure hope this doesn't cause any awkwardness at your Thanksgiving table.)
The Observer staff. (All except one of them, but I'm not going to say who. Keep them guessing. They work harder that way.)
Our readers and commenters, especially when they're the same person. (Seriously commenters, before you let fly on Facebook, could you maybe just click on the link to the article first? You don't have to read it, but clicking on it makes us feel better and is good for business. That's not too much ask before you call us snowflakes, libtards, morons or genitalia, is it?)
Observer freelancers. They work hard, mostly, for little money because they have something to say. They are truly wonderful. If I were rich, I'd buy them all dictionaries and AP Stylebooks for Christmas. (Yeah, that's a snarky thing to say about these fine people, but they know me and would worry otherwise.)
Also cats. (Not original, but if you own cats you have to say this often. Otherwise, the furry little box-shitting demons will suck your soul out of your body while you sleep.)
Jim Schutze, Columnist
Woke up this morning.
Indoors.
Not in pen.
Not Melania.
Dogs.
