As we get closer to Thanksgiving, I, like a lot of other people, begin to take inventory of all for which I am thankful.

I was looking through the TV listings — well, that scrolling thing on the television that tells you the television schedule — and I noticed that now, one week before Thanksgiving, the Christmas shows and movies have begun to appear. 

In an effort to be a more transparent journalist, I am informing the readers of this column that it was written about five minutes after I ate some hazelnut almond biscotti ice cream directly from the container. 

It's no big secret that I am not a North Carolina native. I've lived here for almost 10 years. I wasn't one of those folks who move from a northern place to North Carolina and try to make it like it was back home. I came here to get away from all that nonsense, so you don't have to worry about me being one of the transplants who moves here only to complain that life was so much better back home. 

When our younger daughter moved back home a few months ago, we knew it was going to be a bit of an adjustment having her in the house when we had just gotten used to her being out on her own. 

A few years ago, I was out to lunch with a couple of guys I worked with and we went to a deli. The deli was one of the traditional kind, with all kinds of meats and stuff hanging around and corned beef sandwiches you could eat for eight days and still have leftovers. 

My wife says I am obsessed with time. Keep in mind, this is coming from someone who does not wear a wristwatch, but sets alarms on her phone for everything under the sun. 

I get bored pretty easily. When I do, I have a few go-to things that I do when I get bored. 

There was a time when I enjoyed grocery shopping. My wife and I always went together and we always had a good time. I know that sounds weird, but we did in fact have a good time at the grocery store.  I mean, it wasn't like nightclub on the Vegas strip exciting, but we always managed to have a little fun. 

I was reading one of the big news websites this morning and came across an article about what the latest goofy thing the city of San Francisco is doing. Keep in mind, this is the city that all but gave an invitation to people to use the city sidewalks as a restroom.