Over the course of my career as a writer, I have written so many columns, articles, press releases, announcements and stories that I have lost count. In fact, the mere task of writing has become so second nature to me that, if necessary – I could drum up a completed work in a matter of minutes. But despite the fact that I have written countless works over the years and developed an almost subconscious writing ability – there is one thing that I do write that is always enjoyable to me. The one piece of writing I do that is not required, but desired, not necessary, but therapeutic, not fiction, but fact – and not my job, but my life – my pennies.

From my very first thought, which was about my father, this column was an open forum for me to discuss my feelings, speak my mind, tell a few stories, air my dirty laundry – and get my point across. As the column progressed, so did I. As each thought was published, my life was published. What started as an editorial column became my very public personal diary which was left open on the table for all to see. Whenever a major event occurred in my life, a problem arose, an issue peaked my curiosity, or thought entered my mind – it found its way into this column.

But of all the places that the column has been during its incredible four year journey – from The Brooklyn Baron to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle to the Marketeer to my own website – I feel that only now after these last one hundred pennies that it is where I want it to be.

They say that the only person that is ever truly unhappy with a piece of work is the one who creates it. While I was never unhappy with my column, I always felt that it still needed to be a little more polished. It’s no secret that I am not the writer that I was four years ago – but it wasn’t just the writing that needed a little work – it was the author.

The first one hundred columns took three years to complete and saw me in a variety of different jobs, different relationships – and different places in my life. There were times when my columns were few and far between – and there was even three occasions when I went months without writing a column at all. Looking back, the reason for this was because my life was all over the place and, quite frankly – it was hard to write a column about a life that was not complete. Now, through dedication, a strong work ethic – and some Divine guidance – my life is exactly where I want it to be – and as a result – so is my column.

While some people think I should not write about such personal things – I disagree. From that very first column, I received letters from readers telling me that they were inspired by what I wrote. People wrote in and told me stories of how they lost a relative, and after reading my words – they were able to put some of that sadness aside and move on. Even now, I still get letters like that. So if my writing is inspirational to someone else, if the words that I put on paper give even one person the ability to make a difference in their own lives – then may I write this column until the day I die.

I must confess that when I began this column, I never thought it would become my living autobiography. I just thought it would be my way of telling my readers a few stories about myself. But this column has become so much more. It has evolved into a chronological listing of the events in my life, following the personal and professional growth I have gone through over the last three years – but in my opinion, it is the last one hundred pennies that have followed my life most closely, because while it took me three years to write the first hundred pennies – I wrote the last one hundred pennies in one year.

Over the last one hundred pennies, I have – amongst other things – reminisced, spoke my mind about the issues of the time, discovered a new hate for the media, got my stuff back, gained some weight, lost my summer and joined the World Champion New York Yankees as they made their way down the Canyon of Heroes. As I look back and read those pennies myself, I remember where I was in my life at that time and remember how I felt when I wrote those words. To me, my pennies are like a snapshot in time, capturing how my life was at that exact moment and entombing it in the form of a written expression of my thoughts for all to read – for all time.

If I could describe this column, it’s like a book that even the author does not know the ending to – and writes chapter by chapter only after experiencing them. I know that when I write my three hundredth penny, my life will not be exactly what it is now. But whatever is to come, whatever awaits me in the future – I know it will make for some great reading.