The almost-Thanksgiving “What I am Thankful For” post

25th November 2009

The almost-Thanksgiving “What I am Thankful For” post

posted in Other, Personal, Rachel, Television & Film, Vegetarianism |

Happy almost-Thanksgiving to all my American readers. This post is coming to you a day early because, like so many of my fellow countrymen, I’ll be taking tomorrow off to sleep in before gorging on some Tofurkey and pumpkin pie and then vegging out in a stupified food coma with my closest friends and family. When writing about Thanksgiving, I’m mindful that it’s traditional, especially for women, to dwell on one of these tried and true topics:

How to Prepare the Perfect Sumptuous Thanksgiving Bounty with All The Trimmings

How to Avoid Going Berserk and Attacking Your Annoying Relatives and In-Laws with a Carving Knife

How Not to Eat a Bazillion Calories and Subsequently Watch Your Ass Double in Size

Why, Two Decades After Second-Wave Feminism, Women Still Slave Away in the Kitchen While Men Get to Sit on Their Asses and Watch Football All Day

Or, the most popular of subjects: Feeling All Thankful and Shit

I’m generally not the kind of person to make a maudlin list of things I’m thankful for, but it does seem to be the obligatory Thanksgiving cliche, so I’ll bite. It goes without saying, of course, that I’m thankful for my friends and family, good (mental and physical) health and that I live in a country where I am free to make such sappy and mushy posts like this one. So, here goes a list of 10 random things I am thankful for:

1. A job

Considering all the layoffs this year, especially in my field of journalism, I am so grateful that I am still gainfully employed in a job that, for the most part, I love and doesn’t keep my ass confined in cubicle hell.

2. The Internet

I am so, so glad Al Gore invented this, because how else could I waste time when I should be working than by playing Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook? The Internet also gives me the power to work from home, the opportunity to pursue my passions and hobbies, a soapbox by which I can unleash all my innermost rants and raves and allows me to cheaply indulge my book-buying compulsions. But most of all, it’s allowed me to meet so many awesome people — not to mention, my husband — and to discover and read dozens of smart, witty bloggers. Thanks, Al!

3. My furbabies

The outpouring of support I received from you all here after my cat Grayson died indicates that I’m not the only sucker for a furry face. My kitties give me so much and all they ask for in return are food (preferably canned), shelter and the occasional rub behind the ears. I am so grateful for them, as well as the chance to open our home this year to two more unwanted kittens and one traumatized cat.

4. Morningstar Farms

Seriously, because I think we’d be reduced to eating peanut butter and jelly most days if not for its easy-to-fix line of faux meat products.

5. Dark chocolate, avocados, eggs, coffee, peanut butter, sunshine

And everything else “experts” warned us were harmful that have turned out to be good for us, after all.

6. My brother and sister-in-law’s poor planning

Their admitted carelessness means that I’ll be getting a new (and our family’s first) nephew in December! I am so very grateful for the chance to mold little Chase into a Bruce Cockburn-loving, tree-hugging, feminist, vegetarian, lefty Pittsburgh Steeler’s fan.

7. Having a great stylist on speed dial

My prematurely-bald husband simply doesn’t understand how a good or bad hair day can set the tone for the entire day. Yay for a stylist who knows how to cut short hair well!

8. Netflix and my DVR

I am grateful for Netflix for how else could I wile away the weekends catching up on the entire 11 seasons of Law & Order: SVU on demand? And to my DVR, for allowing me to mercifully fast forward through those god-awful Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem TV commercials.

9. Adderall (and a good prescription health care plan)

Since going on Adderall for ADD a couple years ago, I now no longer have to embark on a daily hunt for my car keys (and other misplaced items) and have managed to actually finish a few projects through to completion. Hurrah for legal amphetamines!

10. And last, but certainly not least… Readers of The-F-Word!

Because you all totally rock!

So, Americans and non-Americans alike… what are you thankful for?

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 4:16 pm and is filed under Other, Personal, Rachel, Television & Film, Vegetarianism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

1 On November 25th, 2009, Monica said:

DEFINITELY THE INTERNET. And the blogosphere, the fatosphere, The F Word in particular (as well as Shakesville and Shapely Prose and FWD/Forward). My family, and our economic situation, and our wonderful family therapist (without whom I really don’t think any of us would be talking to any of the others). My very best friend in all the world, and my other friends too. My college and its wonderful faculty, especially in my department. The fact that since high school I’ve gained 20 lbs. and gotten a new (much more fabulous) haircut, and have become somewhat of a fatshionista, and now nobody recognizes me and I don’t have to make awkward small talk. Pharmaceuticals, because even if I’m not responding as well as I’d like to the ones that I’m on, my quality of life is still much better than it would be without them at all. Knitting, and really nice yarns. Science. CHOCOLATE.

posted on November 25th, 2009 at 5:33 pm

2 On November 26th, 2009, SteveD said:

What a great List! Don’t forget “Snowblowers”. I feel Winter Act 3 will be here soon (last year 97″, year before 92″, Global Warming).

SteveD

posted on November 26th, 2009 at 2:20 pm

3 On November 26th, 2009, Twistie said:

I’m thankful for the fact that my brother who moved in for ‘a month or two’ while he got his act together is FINALLY moving out five and a half years later.

I’m thankful that before Christmas I will have a working clothes dryer (ours died about two years ago) and an actual gas stove. I hate cooking on electric, so I can’t wait!

I’m thankful for my furbaby Jake. He’s an incredibly loving kitty.

I’m thankful I’ve got such a great spouse. Mr. Twistie took me to a Melissa Etheridge concert for my birthday last year even though he has no use for her music. He knows how much her songs mean to me, so when the opportunity arose, he moved Heaven and Earth to get me there. I’m spoiled, but appreciative.

I’m thankful for this blog. I’ve learned a lot reading it, and met some wonderful people through it. Thanks, Rachel.

posted on November 26th, 2009 at 5:12 pm

4 On November 26th, 2009, ZaftigWendy said:

I’m SO with you on the Morningstar Farms thing! It saves our vegetarian butts regularly when we’re too tired/lazy/busy to cook.

posted on November 26th, 2009 at 6:11 pm

5 On November 27th, 2009, i-geek said:

I am grateful for many things:

My husband, parents, in-laws, so many family members and good friends. We lost my uncle (and godfather) a month ago and, while it was difficult, it was unbelievably comforting to see my huge family come together to send him off.

My grad fellowship and continued steady income. We’re in Michigan. Things are ugly. We know how fortunate we are and are grateful every day.

My own furbabies (cats). I’m not feeling well and they’ve taken turns this evening sitting on my lap to keep me warm.

The internet. I’ve gotten in touch with so many family members and friends on Facebook, have done so many lit searches on PubMed and Google Scholar, and currently shop for most of my shoes and tights online. An inventory of ongoing symptoms and recent dietary trends that correlate very well with bad symptom flare-ups (like tonight’s) has made me extremely thankful for all the celiac sites and gluten-free boards and web stores. And I feel like I’m finally getting over all the diet hang-ups and guilt thanks to sites like this.

My hairstylist. Since April, she’s been giving me the best haircuts I’ve had since, oh, a really long time. Oh, and bismuth-free mineral makeup. And Vitamin D supplements.

posted on November 27th, 2009 at 11:42 pm

6 On November 30th, 2009, SteveD said:

On DVR, don’t forget the Acne Cream ones too. I recorder everything.

I am thankful that everyone in the family is Healthy. Mom and Dad still kicking (75). Sister and Brother. Wife healthy and I am alive (ok not healthy).

I am very thankful for Netflix. I saw only one Movie at the Mall this year.

Gald for the opportunties I get volunteering (On Disability, SSA, CRDP, VA, last war something stupid happened).

Very busy this week. San today, Habitat Tomorrow and VA Nursing Home Trip, San that Night, Camera Club Wed.

http://www.spokaneaidsnetwork.org/
http://habitat-spokane.org/index.php – I take the Pics!
http://www.dva.wa.gov/spokane_home.html

I can highly recommend that if you need the urge to get out and do something for the community. Nursing Homes (Yes Depressing Places) need help. I go on the trips (Push Wheel Chairs).

But most thankful;

My Wife Marianne. I would not know what to do without here.

SteveD

posted on November 30th, 2009 at 12:30 pm

7 On December 2nd, 2009, Raina Whittekiend said:

It is after thanksgiving now, but I did not realize what was and is extremely important to me until I was sitting in the hospital looking at him. On Thanksgiving day, I was sitting next to my love Dave, while he and I both were surrounded by most of my family. I had dropped ham on the floor, drinken a nice amount of red wine, and was sitting at the table getting ready to endulge on my mom, sister, and I’s excellent cooking My mother asked us all to go around and say what we were thankful for. Dave told my whole family how thankful he was for having me in his life, and I got embarrassed and said the same but with less meaning and more jokes. Later into dinner Dave’s asthma started acting up really bad. So we quitely rushed home for him to take a nebulizer treatment. It didn’t work. So we called the ambulance and had to go to the hospital, for the 5th time in two months. His asthma has gotten really bad. This is our first year together and I am so thankful for all of the holidays we have spent together so far, the holidays to come, and I am especially thankful that my family loves him and that he loves my family. Family is the thing that I have come to realize since I moved out of my parents home that is the most important. Family and friendships are the most important parts of life for anyone. They are our support and what we feed off. Friends and family make holidays special. And most importantly they let you know its okay to go back for seconds and thirds when it comes to good home cooking on Thanksgiving. I love my family. And I love my moms amazing cooking.