Giving of thanks

I have a friend who wants to change today's holiday to "Genocide Celebration Day" -- and while I think that's more historically accurate -- I'm going to indulge the Hallmark faction of the public by declaring the things for which I'm thankful. After all, isn't it in our country's genes to take an awful event and turn it into something good?

So anyway, here goes:

- I'm thankful for my health. I've had ups & downs with my back since 2002, but I feel that overall I don't fall into the victim trap -- It's hard work, but because of that I've stayed pretty darn healthy.

- I'm thankful that so many of my friends have found love as Tyler & I have, and I'm thankful for all of the new babies -- recently born and some still on the way! I think all my friends are "pretty awesome," and I'm glad that most of them have found "equally awesome" spouses. Hooray us! for creating super-couples and populating the Earth with our super-babies.

- I'm thankful for the 2008 election, for re-igniting the passion for political and social involvement that lay dormant within me since college.

- I'm thankful for discovering all of the great writers and bloggers out there that continue to educate me and challenge me everyday in areas of politics, religion, economics, and all things interesting.

- I'm thankful for friends and family that challenge my own beliefs so that I may more fully form and understand what those beliefs are.

- I'm thankful for reconnecting to old friends from high school & college.

- I'm thankful for my dog, Daisy, for being so freaking awesome.

- I'm thankful Obama won.

- I'm thankful for the Olympics. I don't know why, but I LOVE the Olympics.

- I'm thankful that my car's "extensive oil leak problem," potentially costing thousands of dollars to fix, WAS covered under my Car Max warranty. It will only cost $50 to fix.

- I'm thankful that, despite my brother moving thousands of miles overseas, we've grown even closer & have stayed in far better contact......I guess I should be thankful to Google Chat for that one.

-I'm thankful for HBO & AMC for giving me great TV options (Mad Men, True Blood) until Lost returns in January. (Hooray!)

- I'm thankful for Mike Smith, Arthur Blank, and Thomas Dimitroff for drafting the best rookie class in NFL history.

- I'm thankful for Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White, John Abraham, Jerious Norwood, Harry Douglass, Curtis Lofton, Chauncey Davis, Keith Brooking, Harvey Dahl, Sam Baker, Chevis Jackson, Chris Houston, Michael Jenkins, Brian Finneran, Michael Boley, Jonathan Babineaux, Jason Elam, Michael Koenen, Ovie Mughelli, Todd McClure....and I'm sure I forgot someone, but you get the point. (If you don't, watch the video 2 posts below.)

- I'm thankful for good health insurance; I know how rare that is in this day and age.

- I'm truly thankful for Tyler's job. He searched for months in 2007 for a position with a commercial real estate developer and was not sure if he should take his job with Steel Inc when offered. (Because it wasn't on his 'career plan') Something told us to accept the Steel Inc job, and I can only thank 'divine intervention' for that because I don't know what else to thank. Commercial development in Atlanta tanked this year due to the economy and credit crisis, and as a result developers laid off employees right & left. Steel Inc., on the other hand, is thriving; and we're doing A-OK as a result.

I guess I have quite a bit to be thankful for. I know 2008 has been a tough year for so many people, and I recognize how lucky we really are. Thank you for letting me indulge my sentimental side and lay this all out on my blog. I guess my final "thank you" would be to those of you who do read this thing & stay on me to keep posting.

Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Genocide Celebration Day. And Thank You.

Hold onto your seat

According to Gawker, Alan Colmes is leaving Hannity & Colmes on Fox News.


What was that sound you just a heard? An earthquake?


No....I just clumsily ran into my desk again. Carry on. Nothing to see here.



UPDATE: Andrew Sullivan has the same story....different font.

Riding the Hope Train

As someone said earlier this year, "This thing is the biggest fairytale I've ever seen." And like a fairy tale that story had a 'happily ever after.' I'm hoping for another with this story.

Posts to resume shortly

In the meantime, here's a quote that I should have posted last week:

"The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults," - Alexis de Tocqueville.

Oh yeah...."I've Been Tagged"

I've been tagged by my fellow blogger, comoprozac, with a "chain blog request." I promised I'd accept the tag & post ten random things as requested:

The rules are: Once you have been tagged, you write a blog with 10 random things, facts, or habits about yourself. At the end you chose 10 people to be tagged, list their names and why you chose them. Don't forget to leave them a comment saying "you have been tagged" and tell them to read your latest blog. It sucks I know but what else ya got to do to people??? Isn't this gonna be fun? Now SHUT UP AND DO IT

Here goes:

1. I'm only doing this because there's nothing good on TV on Monday nights.

2. Not only have I slacked on my blogging duties, but I also failed to buy both my dad and my mom presents for their respective birthdays this month (Oct 5th & 20th) . I told them the presents would come late. Well, guess what? They'll come real late because they don't exist yet. Heh heh. Oops.

3. My right foot and my right hand get abnormally cold -- FRIGID -- during cold months & while using the computer due to freaky nerve problems. I know....I'm weird, but seriously....they're ice cubes right now. It's call Reynaud's, and it's a real thing. And it's really funny to "surprise" my husband with the cold foot in bed. I'm weird AND I'm evil.

4. I like liquids. Lots of them....coffee, juice, beer, wine, hot apple cider from Starbucks, more coffee, more beer, etc. I could probably do without food, if I could just drink liquids all day.

5. I'm a full-blown indie yuppie. I like all of the above liquids. I'm voting Obama. I have an iPod loaded up with tons of obsure stuff. I wear Vans slip-ons. I shop Whole Foods. I have a tattoo. I've been to music festivals. I have a blog. I own a small-ish/renovated house in a gentrifying, young, urban neighborhood. I've taken yoga classes and drunk FAR MORE than my fair share of PBR, Miller Hi Life, and small craft beers. And I drive a Saab hatchback....with an Obama bumper sticker and a Paste magazine sampler CD from 2007 in the stereo. Color me a stereotype.

6. I hope to get preggers next year. Surprise Mom & Dad! Hehe.....you'll have to hang on. It's not happening yet.

7. I've been tested numerous times for Multiple Sclerosis since my car accident back in 2002 (in which I suffered a spinal cord injury). They always come back negative. I know I don't have it, but negative diagnoses with continued symptoms give little comfort.

8. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I'm not sure it's what I'm doing now.

9. I'm a really, really, really loud football fan. I feel sorry for the people that watch Falcons' games with me.

10. I absolutely hate the telephone. The only people I like to talk to on the phone are my husband, my parents, my grandma and my brother. If you're not included in that list, you probably have not received a call from me. I did a summer of telemarketing in college, and it scarred me for life. That being said, though, I love getting phonecalls from friends and family. So selfish, I know. Or maybe just psychotic. Or both.

Well, that's it....10 random facts to "Better Know a Blogger." (Sorry Colbert...was that trademarked?)

I don't think I know 10 other personal bloggers that I can tag in this process. Como's already done his. My brother would never take me up on it. Top Guy/Gal already have a format that won't be conducive to this type of post, and John D. probably spilled Jack Daniels on his laptop & eliminated his ability to post to his blog. Maybe Carrie over at her Silver Turtle blog, though? We'll see.