Sunday, November 27, 2005
Being Thankful
I am thankful for a great many things this holiday season. Yes, everyone says that. We're a society with a lot to be thankful for, even if Shrub will still be in office until Jan 2009. So here's my list....and following that, my "turkey" list.
1. God and my faith in him. I know you're thinking "But EY, you're so liberal and don't really strike me as a religious person". Yep, I know. I take the whole "pray in your closet at home, not in the streets, loudly like the Pharisees" verse seriously. It's still a very important part of my life that I don't do it "for show".
2. Family. Although that has been in danger of slipping a few points. Having a few of them around for a long weekend really made an impression. And not always a good one. I didn't realize how much F talked until this weekend. He talks non-stop. About not much. I've gotten quite adept at tuning him out, but it was still taxing to me. And DH doesn't do the "tune out what you don't like" trick very well, so he was in dire need of a break by Day 2. My poor SIL from The Big City has probably endured worse than dealing with F's joking, but I don't think she should HAVE to while on vacation. I'll be writing to apologize for that tomorrow. M should have been born a few hundred years ago so that she could work for the Spanish Inquisition. In one 5 minute span, she asked 5 questions. I think I hurt her feelings when I told her "Do not ask me another question for 30 minutes". Geez. If this is what having a 2 year old is like, I'll (still) pass. And while I'm glad she's enthusiastic about EVERYTHING, it still really comes off as insincere most of the time. Yes, I'm a decent cook, but a roast in the crockpot isn't a dinner at The French Laundry, so please don't gush as if it were. As usual, DH's family was normal, polite, and a joy to have over. And my fam wonders why I'd rather spend time with them. Doesn't mean they get much copy in the old blog, but truly, love them.
2A. DH. I love him. And he's been doing lots of nice things to get "DH Gold Stars" lately. Fixing a leaky faucet, not killing my family when they're intolerable, cleaning out the garage so that my car can fit in. And the whole love thing. (Sorry folks, I'm not getting mushy here in blogland.)
3. Friends. Not that I've seen any of mine since the fam invaded, but they're great and I love them. Quirky as all get out, nearly every one, but maybe I attract the odd ducks because it's my "natural environment" (see above). Saturday will be a lovely Christmas party with one group. There will be enough food to feed a small army....I should start fasting now, but I have too many leftovers.
4. Job/Country/etc. Even though the Big Faceless Corp is a bit of a mess and the land is ruled by Rethuglicans, the first is still paying the bills pretty well and the other is an OK place to be. I'm very blessed materially and while I should cut back a bit, I'm very appreciative of my stuff (hey, I've been thankful for all the people first).
5. Other cultures. That's right....even the folks who don't like us. I'm thankful for the different views on the world you get from other people. No matter who they are.
6. NFL football. As I watch KC and NE, not even teams I like, I'm happy. I so dread February thru August. My Sunday afternoons will suck.
Turkey List
1. The usual suspects on a liberal's list: GWB, Karl Rove, TO; everyone who thinks evolution and global warming are fake; people who don't believe the Holocaust happened (or that we're so much more advanced that it can't happen again, sadly); the thought that environmental protections are "too expensive" or not needed (we only get one planet, folks); Sony and their "people don't care if we put cloaked software on their PC's and leave them exposed to hackers if they remove it"; Target, you're supposed to be the ANTI- WalMart....remember?
I'm thankful for more than that and have more turkeys, but I need to clean up after the guests, iron and otherwise get ready for the week....oh, and my battery is down too.
1. God and my faith in him. I know you're thinking "But EY, you're so liberal and don't really strike me as a religious person". Yep, I know. I take the whole "pray in your closet at home, not in the streets, loudly like the Pharisees" verse seriously. It's still a very important part of my life that I don't do it "for show".
2. Family. Although that has been in danger of slipping a few points. Having a few of them around for a long weekend really made an impression. And not always a good one. I didn't realize how much F talked until this weekend. He talks non-stop. About not much. I've gotten quite adept at tuning him out, but it was still taxing to me. And DH doesn't do the "tune out what you don't like" trick very well, so he was in dire need of a break by Day 2. My poor SIL from The Big City has probably endured worse than dealing with F's joking, but I don't think she should HAVE to while on vacation. I'll be writing to apologize for that tomorrow. M should have been born a few hundred years ago so that she could work for the Spanish Inquisition. In one 5 minute span, she asked 5 questions. I think I hurt her feelings when I told her "Do not ask me another question for 30 minutes". Geez. If this is what having a 2 year old is like, I'll (still) pass. And while I'm glad she's enthusiastic about EVERYTHING, it still really comes off as insincere most of the time. Yes, I'm a decent cook, but a roast in the crockpot isn't a dinner at The French Laundry, so please don't gush as if it were. As usual, DH's family was normal, polite, and a joy to have over. And my fam wonders why I'd rather spend time with them. Doesn't mean they get much copy in the old blog, but truly, love them.
2A. DH. I love him. And he's been doing lots of nice things to get "DH Gold Stars" lately. Fixing a leaky faucet, not killing my family when they're intolerable, cleaning out the garage so that my car can fit in. And the whole love thing. (Sorry folks, I'm not getting mushy here in blogland.)
3. Friends. Not that I've seen any of mine since the fam invaded, but they're great and I love them. Quirky as all get out, nearly every one, but maybe I attract the odd ducks because it's my "natural environment" (see above). Saturday will be a lovely Christmas party with one group. There will be enough food to feed a small army....I should start fasting now, but I have too many leftovers.
4. Job/Country/etc. Even though the Big Faceless Corp is a bit of a mess and the land is ruled by Rethuglicans, the first is still paying the bills pretty well and the other is an OK place to be. I'm very blessed materially and while I should cut back a bit, I'm very appreciative of my stuff (hey, I've been thankful for all the people first).
5. Other cultures. That's right....even the folks who don't like us. I'm thankful for the different views on the world you get from other people. No matter who they are.
6. NFL football. As I watch KC and NE, not even teams I like, I'm happy. I so dread February thru August. My Sunday afternoons will suck.
Turkey List
1. The usual suspects on a liberal's list: GWB, Karl Rove, TO; everyone who thinks evolution and global warming are fake; people who don't believe the Holocaust happened (or that we're so much more advanced that it can't happen again, sadly); the thought that environmental protections are "too expensive" or not needed (we only get one planet, folks); Sony and their "people don't care if we put cloaked software on their PC's and leave them exposed to hackers if they remove it"; Target, you're supposed to be the ANTI- WalMart....remember?
I'm thankful for more than that and have more turkeys, but I need to clean up after the guests, iron and otherwise get ready for the week....oh, and my battery is down too.
