For instance, I'm thankful that a race car driver, two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, is in the finals of Dancing With the Stars. I think it's pretty cool that a guy who's run 200-plus mph around the Brickyard can also perform a flawless foxtrot. You may scoff at this B-list celebrity dancefest. I'm just saying that I respect the skill and dedication it takes to do the things they do. Could a gearhead be taking over the dance world? Go figure.
I'm thankful that Van Halen was able to get David Lee Roth back in the fold and put on a rockin' show, even if they did leave Michael Anthony out of the festivities. Those of you who read my monthly scribbling (and I'm thankful for you) know that I'm a just a little hung up on the '80s, and although you can't go back in time, you can relive some good music and memories.
I've seen a lot of grenaded engines-and even taken pictures of some of them-over the past year, and I'm thankful that none of them have been mine. The corollary to that is that I'm thankful for the people I get to work with, the ones who make these stories possible: builders, tuners, and the aftermarket. They're the best, and they make my job possible. Of course, now I've probably put a jinx on the whole thing, but that's the risk I'll take while I'm feeling thankful.
Still on the subject, I'm thankful for the people I work with, the rest of the CHP team, who are also the best, even when I'm making their lives harder than they should be. Somehow, we all make it happen each month, and you guys keep reading, a fact that I'm also thankful for.
Last but not least, and maybe getting just a bit sappy, I'm thankful for the family and friends that believe in me and support me, come hell or high water. They make me thankful to be here, and thankful to be alive.