Best gift any writer can get

I know that, in general, Thanksgiving is the holiday where everyone is thankful for something. However, let me take a moment this holiday season to thank all of you, the readers.
I didn’t get into journalism for the money. I did it because I love writing, and I love how a newspaper can keep everyone informed and entertained, no matter what your personal preferences or biases might be.
Let me take this opportunity to thank all of our readers on behalf of the The Observer writing staff. There is no better feeling than getting feedback from our readers. Any response, whether it is thanking us for covering a story or telling us how we can do our jobs better, is appreciated.
I’ve been reading The Observer since I was a youngster growing up in Kearny, and part of the reason I wanted to write for the Observer was the response that people gave back. People talk specifically about subjects that are included in this paper, and that fact alone is warming for a young writer.
I’ve mentioned this in previous articles but it bears repeating. I am a 22-year-old fresh out of college writer who had searched far and wide for a job coming out of school. I couldn’t be happier finding a position in my own hometown at a place where the news really matters to people. Even after my first weeks here, I had already received responses from readers who recognized my name from years ago, without me saying a word that I was hired here.
So with all that in mind, from the writing staff and myself, I just wanted to thank all the readers for the best Christmas gift that any writer can get – the ability to write for a paper with a readership that cares so deeply about the material within.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

—Anthony J. Machcinski

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