Thankful

As it's Thanksgiving here in the states, I figured I'd take a few moments and list some things I'm thankful for, by category:

Warm and fuzzy:

• My wife: We've been married for only about 4 years and a couple for only about 8 (okay, almost exactly 8; the 8-year anniversary of our first date was just a few days ago) but I'm not sure what I'd do without her sometimes. She is a dear, sweet woman, funny, talented, and kindhearted. I am privileged and blessed to have her in my life.

• My family: I come from a clan of warm, loving, good-hearted people who accepted my wife with joy and open arms when we got married.

• My in-laws: I married into a clan of fun, laid-back people who are a blast to hang out with. They welcomed me into their family, too, and I enjoy their company.

• My friends: I don't have a lot of them, but I'm pleased to say that I make up for in quality what I "lack" in quantity. I have known a few of them for a very long time indeed.

• My cat: My wife, when we got married, wanted a little companion to keep her company during the times when she was alone in the house and picked up the cute lil' bundle of fluff we call Storm from a local animal shelter. That little creature has completely revised my opinion of cats.

Fun and practical:

• My job: I'm certainly not getting rich working at the bookstore, but it's stable, relatively secure, usually pleasant, and Barnes & Noble treats us pretty well. I have 3 weeks of paid vacation, good medical insurance, and a host of other benefits.

• My coworkers: With very few exceptions, (none of them my peers or superiors!) I work with a very nice, fun, and hardworking group of people. Being let down at work is very infrequent, and being stabbed in the back is unheard of.
  

• My hobbies: As a gamer, I have managed to find untold hours of fun and enjoyment out of a few dice, some sheets of paper, some books, and the company of some friends. Now that's what I call a fun pastime. I also feel very grateful to live in a society where I can be such a raging geek and the worst I have to face for it is a few eye rolls now and then.

Sobering and profound:

• My country: In spite of my dismay over the results of the last election, we had an election. This country has been, and for the time being, remains, the greatest bastion of individual liberty the world has ever seen. It is also prosperous and safe. My wife and I aren't wealthy by American standards, but by comparison to the rest of the world, we live like kings.

• The U.S. Military: I am privileged to know and call friend a few of the brave people who make up the fists and shield of liberty, and it is humbling indeed. These are some of the most profoundly decent, courageous, and honorable military personnel in human history. We are blessed indeed to have them standing in our defense.

• My salvation: As a Christian, it is very comforting to know that, through the sacrifice of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that I do not face Hell when I die. To any militant atheists who read this far and just now rolled their eyes: the evidence isn't as clear as you'd like to believe it is.

Drat!

I discovered the National Novel Writering Month or NaNoWriMo about three weeks too late this year, but it sounds like a blast for next year. I've already given myself a calendar reminder in one of my email addresses for mid-October of 2009 so I have plenty of time to get a plot outline together, etc.

My current thought would be to write a story about one of my home-brewed RPG setting worlds, but we'll see how I'm feeling next fall. Regardless, congrats to all of you out there who are participating. I wish all of you the best.

Change, whether we want it or not

And I'm not just talking about the election.

My wife's job is probably going out of business, and she's probably quitting in either case to go into business for herself.

My dad is quitting his job and going back to school to pursue medical imaging certification.

I have an appointment with a career councilor this Wednesday to discuss possible options for the future.

My brother-in-law's business is starting to get really slow from the sound of things.

This next year is going to be really interesting.

Why do I do this to myself?

My brain, it seems, is incapable of formulating anything but nightmare scenarios. My parents just sent me a very excited-sounding email that promises a free dinner and some news they're obviously eager to share about the new year, and the first thought through my head is "I hope they're okay." Of course they're okay! If it was something bad, the email would have been different and probably much more detailed. Maybe at some point in my second thirty-year block I'll learn to shake that reflex.

Maybe.

Sigh.

VOTE!

Get to a polling place and vote! It's election day.

This goes double if you're a conservative. We really can't afford to hand this country over to the Commu- I mean Democrat party in an unopposed fashion.