There's always plenty for which to be thankful

In addition to figuring out how to simplify the Thanksgiving Day preparations -- which never really happens -- I always try to use this annual event to consider what I need to be thankful for this year.

I'm thankful for the great people at our agency who have pulled together during a tough economic year and worked as a team to deliver great work for their clients.  This amazing group even voted for us as one of the best places to work both in Austin and in Boston during a year in which we could not do as much financially for our employees as they deserved.

I'm thankful for the clients who really have worked with us and been respectful of us during this economic downturn.  These are the ones who have stayed the course and made PR a priority when others in their organizations have tried to co-opt or cut their budgets.  The clients who could have taken advantage of tough times to be unreasonable, but instead treated us like valued partners.  The ones who recognized that it was the agency's great work on their behalf that helped them achieve the kind of value that attracted strategic acquisitions at large multiples and worked hard to make us part of their continued success.

I'm thankful for the fun and creativity that the advances in social media are bringing to our industry.

I'm thankful for the advances in mobile technology and connectivity that truly are making it irrelevant where you are doing your work.

I'm thankful that the economy seems to be stabilizing and that real improvements seem to be just ahead a piece for all of us, if we can all just hang on.

I'm particularly thankful that this upcoming holiday weekend gives all of us a great opportunity to relax, enjoy ourselves and recharge before the race to year-end and a much brighter New Year.

Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. friends!  If you would like to share what you are thankful for, I'd love to hear it.