Thankful

I realize that I'm often a lame blogger as I have admitted in my "Confessions of a lame blogger" post.  In all my lameness, I realized I had no Thanksgiving post ready today.  So, here's a list of things I'm thankful for today...as I sit here...and try to type this post in between customer interruptions and job responsibilities.

I'm thankful for the Thai massage last night.  I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy a masseuse digging into my back, shoulders, and neck with their elbows, knees, fingers, and toes.  Yes, I said toes.  I love it.  And, the stretching at the end is sheer bliss. 

I'm thankful for technology.  Sometimes, social media drives us all insane.  But, I'm thankful for all the ways to keep connected to friends and family.  This week - I used viber to text my mom in Texas and one of my bestest gal pals in Italy; I used skype to chat with my dad and stepmom; I received a picture of my nephew at his first varsity basketball game via email; I shared that pic with a couple of close friends via facebook messenger; and I look at all the Instagram pics of yummy Thanksgiving food and families.

I'm thankful for Ellen DeGeneres.  What Barack Obama had to say when Ellen received her Presidential Medal of Freedom had me in tears.  I was thinking of an aunt who came out to her parents (my grandparents) in the '70s.  There was no one like Ellen in the public eye.  Her positivity is infectious.  A friend of mine shared this on facebook:  Ellen shows "how normal we are. She didn't hide her sexuality or her life, she just talked about Life. and for years she sat on Daytime television just being herself. Being Funny, talking about the trials and tribulations of marriage. She got political, but never preachy. She epitomizes so much in how we can change hearts and minds not through yelling or anger, but through kindness and humor."

I'm thankful for this guy who has been dubbed the "Aussiest.  Interview.  Ever."  Seriously, if you like to watch video clips for a laugh, please watch this one.  Plus, he shares sound advice: "If you do good for your mates, they do good for you."  Or something like that.  I was crying with laughter, and I love the feeling of finding something so joyful and funny that you're crying and laughing at the same time.

I'm thankful for public libraries - free entertainment!  I'm thankful for book challenges (of course, the participants in my own Book Challenge by Erin hold a special place in my heart).  I'm thankful for Jana and  Steph hosting the "Show Us Your Books" link-up and all the book-lovin' bloggers that I get to book chat with each month.  I feel like the last few years, my love of reading has been rejuvenated, and the library, book challenges, and the link-up have all been full for that fire.

I'm thankful for my fur babies.  The unconditional love that they show with cuddles from the kitties and slobbery kisses from the doggies. 

I'm thankful for gift-giving.  Look, I ain't gonna lie, I enjoy receiving gifts too, but I really, really do like giving gifts.  I like shopping for them.  I like wrapping them.  I like giving them.  And, this time of year over any others, I get to give lots of gifts.

I'm thankful for these guys that I talked about in a 2014 Thanksgiving post.  I'm thankful to feel so much love from a family that it causes me to miss them so much, especially during holidays like this.

I'm thankful for my Australian family.  I feel loved.  I feel valued.  I feel challenged.  I feel appreciated.  I feel like I'm in an equal partnership with my husband.  Those are all feelings that I'm thankful for. 

And, thank you for spending some time with me in this little corner of my world.  I appreciate the interactions, the laughs, the lessons, and the stories that we share in the wacky world of blogland. 

Happy Thanksgiving!