In Which the Staff of insideARM.com is VERY Thankful

“This will humanize us,” I explained to my colleagues when I asked them to send me some thoughts about Thanksgiving and what they’re thankful for. “Why? What have you heard?” the alien living inside of Michael Klozotsky asked. “We’re just as human as anyone else. Maybe more!” (Or, as my friend Justin asked: “Do you ever wonder who would hire these people if your office didn’t?” Every single day, Justin. Every. Single. Day.)

We here at insideARM.com — all eight of us — wanted to take a moment to share our Thanks with you for being faithful readers. You help us keep the lights on and our minds sharp as we attempt to bring you the important news and information affecting the accounts receivable management industry. And if, after reading through the list, you feel moved to share your own feelings of thanks and gratitude, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.

From our staff to you, we wish you all a safe, happy, delicious, and contemplative Thanksgiving. There is much to be grateful for; and there’s so little time to appreicate it all.

Stephanie Eidelman
President & Publisher

• The health of my family, friends, and colleagues.
• My staff who are all so terrific at what they do, as well as totally fun to be with!
• My husband for being so caring, such a great friend to so many, and such a great dad to our kids.
• My neighbors in our new community who have been so welcoming.
• Our readers for being so loyal.
• Our clients for making it all possible!

[Editor’s Note: I’m thankful for Steph. I’m thankful for her friendship. I’m thankful for her patience and her ability to let each of us be exactly who we need to be. I’m thankful for the job she gave me, and her belief in me. I could go overboard and say that in many ways this job feels like home — but that’s too much. I will say that Steph and these other nutjobs feel like family, though, and that’s sometimes the same thing.]

Michael Klozotsky
Chief Content Officer
This year I’m thankful for great clients and good friends in the ARM and healthcare industries; I’m thankful to work at insideARM & insidePateintFinance with the most talented, funny, and hardworking group of ragtag, super-smart individuals I’ve ever known; I’m thankful for my family, and especially my sister who’s about to give birth to twin girls–grateful that it’s her and not me (since I’d look awful in a maternity dress) [Editor’s Note: Kloz does have the wide, child-bearing hips necessary though]; I’m thankful for a handful of conversations I had with collection industry legend Raymond Bell in Chicago (about the golden age of Westerns) this fall, and who is, though I can’t explain it, a second incarnation of my college mentor, The Leopard, who taught me pretty much everything I know that matters; I’m thankful for Martin McDonagh, writer and director whose Seven Psychopaths is the best film I’ve seen so far in 2012; I’m thankful for the increasingly rare taste of a perfectly crafted brandy old fashioned; I’m thankful for my friends; I’m thankful for my dogs–Flannery, Pembry, and Enzo Ravioli; I’m thankful for my cats–Vegas and Vixen; I’m thankful for Carl the Carnival Goldfish; I’m thankful for Abbie.

And I’m thankful for the Drive-by Truckers, who wrote us all a little song to get us through tomorrow, “The Thanksgiving Filter.”

[Editor’s Note: I’m thankful for Kloz. He’s my heterosexual soul mate. He’s willing to, at a moment’s notice, drop everything and talk about “Law & Order: SVU” with me — especially those episodes where Eliot and Olivia have to pretend to be married ::swooning sigh::. He trusts my judgment, especially at those moments where I feel like I don’t have any judgment to trust. And he bought me a First American Printing of my favorite Victorian novel. The word “love” isn’t really big enough to encompass the thanks I feel.]

Patrick Lunsford
Editor
I’m thankful that my grandmother has found some peace and started a new life in the past year without my grandfather. I’m also thankful that the largest medical emergency my kids faced over the past year was resolved with five relatively painless stitches and some ice cream.

[Editor’s Note: I’m thankful for Patrick, even though he has children. I’m thankful for our shared love of “30 Rock.” I’m thankful that someone else in this office has Awful Family Stories to rival mine. (There’s a particularly rich one he tells that involves someone breaking into a cell phone that is the most beautiful story I’ve ever heard in MY ENTIRE LIFE and I want to curl up in that story and SLEEP FOR DAYS.) But mostly, I’m grateful that he arrives at the office before I do so that the coffee is usually ready by the time I stumble in.]

Jennifer Szumiesz
Client Marketing Specialist
I am thankful for our clients, readers, and contributors, whom drive us to perform to our fullest day-in-and-out. And for my great co-workers who always make me smile and are willing to offer a helping hand – it is a wonderful team! I am also truly thankful for my consistently supportive husband, 2 fun-loving dogs (Molly & Boomer), family, and friends…and for being let out early today (hint, hint!) so that I can make the long drive up to CT to see many of them.

[Editor’s Note: I’m thankful for Jenn. I’m thankful for our shared appreciation of this Very Important Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk3LHHOlm6o. I’m thankful that I can look across my desk at her while I’m rolling my eyes on the phone and she just GETS me, you know? I’m especially grateful and thankful for Jenn at Happy Hours because she brings her husband, Steve, and he is VERY funny. I’m also thankful that the Jenn I know is more subversive than the Jenn you know. She’s wonderful.]

Jeff Hearn
Web Developer
I’m thankful for the Mars rover, eating its fill of alien microbes and chatting about its meal over long distance. I’m also thankful for all the stuff Hydrogen gets up to given enough time.

[Editor’s Note: I’m thankful for Jeff. I’m thankful for him because of the things he’s thankful for, because they’re never the things boring ol’ regular people would be thankful for, and it’s important to expand one’s horizons. I’m grateful that Jeff took me to see Kimbra at the 9:30 Club in D.C. in the nighttime because it made me feel hip and cool even after someone thought I was someone else’s dad. I’m grateful that he’s young enough to be my go-to guy for any tech questions (“And this turns on…how?”) while also being polite enough to never say anything about my limited technical skills. He’s a treasure. Your office doesn’t run as well as it could because we have Jeff.]

Evan Albright
Contributing Editor, insidePatientFinance.com
I am thankful that despite the challenges of the past year, be they personal, economic, or even natural disasters such as hurricanes, my family and friends have not only survived, they have thrived. Provided the world does not end as the Maya calendar runs out on Dec. 21, 2012, I’m optimistic for the same in 2013.

[Editor’s Note: I’m thankful for Evan because… Well, see, he. No — it’s totally going to come to me. He’s clearly vital. I mean, sure, he’s essentially wrong about everything, from grammar to punctuation to politics. He’s in a blues band. Hm. I guess I’m grateful for how he challenges my expectations.]

Sara Koslow
Marketing/Sales support
I’m thankful for good health. Not just for myself and my immediate family, but for all of my extended family and friends. I’m especially thankful to have two healthy and happy parents.

[Editor’s Note: I’m thankful for Sara. I’m thankful because she’s new and doesn’t know that I’m probably The Worst in the office. I’m thankful for the DISGUSTING story she told about how her house is filled with rats and they tried to carry her baby away and then she hid in a basement. (I may have misheard some of this story.)]

Mike Bevel
British Adventuress
I’m thankful for brackets and parentheticals. I’m thankful for Zach, whom I don’t deserve, and cats, whom I do deserve. I’m thankful for books and pies and readers and thinkers and you and you and you. But mostly: you.

What are you thankful for?