Thursday, November 22, 2012

Things I'm Thankful For

One of the most prolific themes I've seen on Facebook lately is 30 Days of Thankful, in which people make a daily mention of something they are thankful for throughout November.  And since I didn't jump on the bandwagon, I decided that I would make my list all at once, from the big, obvious things, to the small things

There is no order to this list, though I did frontload a few big ones!
  1. Nosy, involved, LOVING family.  My parents and sister are never hesitant to voice their opinions.  And we often communicate our love via phone arguments.  But they're there because they love me, and they care because they love me, in ways no one else can.  I've also got a passel of amazing aunts, uncles, cousins, and beyond who truly
  2. Senile, loud, skin-and-bones, 16-year-old cat, Cally.
  3. Boyfriend, affectionately known here as Duke Silver, who brings me balance.  No one else can pull me out of my own head/anxiety/funk the way that Duke can.  Even though he tries to feed me vegetables, he is a major positive in my life.  And he drives me anywhere I want to go, because I hate driving.
  4. My friends are awesome.  There are a few small groups out there in particular who, no matter how long we go without seeing each other, no matter how far away we spend our lives, are always there.  When we do get together, it's super fun and feels like we were never apart.  And they put up with me and me incessant talking!  You know who you are, rockstars.  Party on.
  5. Work.  I am so fortunate to have found the company and position that are such a good fit for my talents and personality.  I am fascinated by what I learn, excited about what I do, and surrounded by people who really support me.  I can honestly say this is the first time in my life I've felt real job satisfaction, because I have the freedom and autonomy to push myself!
  6. The United States Army gave me the leadership experience and maturity I needed to be successful as an adult in the 'real world', no unhealthy sense of entitlement or inability to get my hands dirty and work hard.  It made me really appreciate 8-hour work days, but unafraid of all-nighters when necessary.  It made me tougher.  I'm proud to be a veteran, and continued supporter of our troops.
  7. West Point was probably one of the tougher experiences in my life, but man, did it pay off!  This year was really the first that I realized the weight of that school and degree, and how it would help take care of me (if properly leveraged and appreciated!) for the rest of my life.  I'm so thankful.
  8. iPhone.  Yes, I am thankful for it.  I actually have two of them, one personal and one work.  And they keep me sane.  From how they seamlessly talk to my MacBook/iPad/Outlook, to how they are dependable to change clocks for Daylight Savings so my alarm goes off at the right time, I'm hooked.  I do spend too much time on my phone, but the calendar alone is my lifeline, and it's all magically backed up on the iCloud with my contacts.  Sigh.  Thank you, Steve Jobs.
  9. Franklin, Tennessee.  Who'd have imagined I'd end up living here?  But I really feel like this was meant to be... it's just right for this new chapter in my life, and I like everything about it.
  10. Serving up Thanksgiving in Iraq, 2010
  11. Pumpkin pie.  This time of year, you're overwhelmed (and surely sick of) all things pumpkin.  Well, I can't say that about pumpkin pie.  You see, somewhere in my youth and childhood, I devoured half of a pumpkin pie at a family function.  This tickled my Grandma, who made the amazing pies, and she started to make two pies every time I was around, one for the group and one for me.  Sure, there were times that I was sick of eating that pie.  But now, a year after losing Grandma, making a pumpkin pie, or having a family member think to make it for me, makes me tear up.
  12. The people who clean my apartment, Trinity Cleaning Care.  A lot of people gave me a hard time when I hired someone to clean my 2BR/2BA apartment twice a month, but it's the best money I've spent on myself in a long time.  It just gives me such peace of mind, allows me time to do things for myself, makes me feel good when I come home after a business trip.  I neglected my housekeeping duties before, and now I feel like I'm doing a better job at life... all because of a little investment.  Opportunity cost!
  13. These are the people who never let me down...
    Judging from the
  14. Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Publix.  I was living in a bit of a food desert in Georgia, and now having very close proximity to these amazing stores, I feel transformed!  There's more fresh stuff in my kitchen than ever, and I'm trying a ton of new things.
  15. Boots.  Boots with skinny jeans.  Boots with dresses.  Boots in summer.  Boots in winter.  I love them.  Best shoes ever!
  16. I have a short commute.  I love living within 3 miles of the office.  I love popping into the apartment to have lunch at home and sit on the sofa with Cally.  And even in rush hour, it doesn't take me more than 15-20 minutes to get home, which is such a relief.  I love getting the gift of time back, and not having to fill up my gas tank very often at all!
  17. I adore apartment living.  I can walk to the gym or the pool, have maintenance fix things that don't work, and the reduced amount of space is PERFECT for me.  I use pretty much every inch of that place, whereas I didn't use half of my house.  Whoever tried to convince me buying a place is smarter because with rent you're throwing money away... you didn't factor in the peace of mind.  I'm thankful to live in a great community where I feel safe and at home, more so than when I owned a place!
  18. I'm a Facebook addict.  This is a major distraction to me, but I'm thankful for it.  It helps me stay in touch with people, have meaningful debates and conversations, watch babies grow up from a long distance away... things you didn't always get before technology allowed it. Sure, it's stalkerish at times.  But I appreciate it for what it is, and It's been in my life for nearly a decade now.  I dig it.
  19. Online shopping is another addiction I have, but I am thankful for it anyways.  Thankful I don't have to lug purchases up my stares, that I can get INCREDIBLE deals with a combination of coupon codes and whatnot, best variety and options, and great convenience.  It's just so easy, and I never thought I'd be into it because it lacks the retailer experience... but it's just so economical and exciting.
  20. I'm thankful for music, especially my favorite artists like Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.  Music makes me happier, and I love to sing (terribly) whenever I can.  I also love to dance!
  21. My compulsion to be organized is something that has come in handy.  I really like order and aesthetics, and I'm glad that I'm the kind of person who enjoys putting things where they are supposed to go!
  22. I'm glad I have my Roku, because I can avoid cable TV and only watch the Hulu/Netflix/Amazon Prime videos I want, with fewer commercials.  It costs way less, and it keeps me from watching entirely too much TV and ups the quality of what I choose.  Winning.  Internet TV is the future.
  23. I'm glad I have no car payment.  And I'm glad I never have.  I drive my old reliable Toyota Corolla, which I paid for in full back in college, and that I don't have an additional financial burden because of it.  Who needs fancy wheels?  Not me!
  24. Travel is one of my passions, and I'm glad I now have the freedom to go places and do what I want to do!  I can't wait to see more of the U.S. and world!  (Passport therapy is the best.)  I want to go to France for my 30th birthday, and Duke and I are dreaming of Peru.  Let's see if we can get there.
  25. I'm glad for forgiveness.  I make a lot of mistakes, and I'm a chatterbox who always says too much.
  26. Chai lattes (and Starbucks Refreshers) are awesome, because they no longer make me look pathetic when I'm at a coffee shop with people and force me to order hot chocolate like a kid.  I don't drink coffee, and I used to be so intimidated by these places!  Glad my friend CG introduced me to chai.
  27. My ability to laugh at myself has saved me in so many situations.  I recently slipped and fell onto my butt at an airport, and I got up nearly crying with laughter.  I'm self-conscious to an extent, but I know when I'm being ridiculous.  I get embarrassed much less frequently than when  I was younger, and I sweat the small stuff a whole lot less.
  28. ...then and now!
  29. I love the diversity of people in my life.  While getting through election season was a challenge, I was struck by just how different my friends are, from race to sexual preference to education to political views to religion to even the languages they speak.  I live in such an open-minded world, and my relationships reflect that.  I'm glad I don't have friends who are clones of one another.
  30. My Kitchenaid stand mixer is gorgeous, useful, and helps me feel like the Barefoot Contessa.
  31. My imagination got me in trouble as a kid, but now I'm glad I have it.  My dreams are vivid, I love colors and creative pursuits, and I envision so many futures and possibilities.  Thank you, brain.
  32. Bloomington, Indiana was a fantastic place to grow up.  I didn't appreciate it enough when I was younger, but now I relish every visit back home.  I'm glad I can claim it has my hometown, and I wear my Hoosier gear proudly, even though I didn't go to IU.
  33. Are you still reading?  Seriously?  I wish I had time to write out 100 more.  But I am thankful for YOU.  Thankful that there are people out there who come to this blog to read my ramblings, which I always just thrust out into the internet with no rhyme or reason.  This is cathartic, to say the least, and I'd do it even if no one was reading.  But it makes me feel warm inside to know that people care, whether they know me in "real life" or not.
Judging from the above, I'm a seriously lucky girl.

1 comment:

  1. Happy Thanksgiving! It's been a pleasure to see how awesomely 2012 has unfolded for you! :)

    ReplyDelete

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