Thanksgiving is six days away. I can't believe it. After the turkey is carved, the family is fed and the Dallas Cowboys' game is over, it will be less than a month until Hanukkah, winter solstice and Christmas.

I can't believe the year is almost over.

So, I took a few seconds to reflect on things for which I am thankful.

First, of course, is my family. My wonderful wife, Tammy, and two daughters, Allyson and Kaitlyn, and our extended clan as well.

Second — my job. I'm lucky to have one in this economy.

Third — friends. They make the hard times bearable and the good times great.

Fourth — music. I LOVE MUSIC, and that pretty much sums up my feelings about that topic.

Fifth — Coldplay, which is finally playing in Salt Lake City (see the listing in the concert calendar at link above).

I wrote a wish list a few years ago and hoped Chris Martin and the boys would eventually play a concert anywhere in Utah.

Well, I got my wish, and it comes on one of the biggest days of the year — the Utah/Brigham Young University game day. But that's another story.

I'm just happy I'll get to see Coldplay live. I already have my tickets and am looking forward to the set. I do hope the band plays "Speed of Sound." That's a great running song. And it's my favorite.

But I'll be happy with pretty much anything. While I liked "X & Y," I was pleasantly surprised with this year's follow-up release "Viva la Vida."

To me all the songs are stand-alone songs. Each is strong in its own way, and when I listen to the CD, I have to listen to it from start to finish. "X & Y," even though I gave it a three-and-a-half star rating (out of four), I find that I have my favorites and skip to them first.

At any rate, I'm thankful that Coldplay is playing in Salt Lake City Saturday.

E-mail: scott@desnews.com