Thanks

Christmas, Easter, Dick Clark's Rockin Creepy New Years Eve, Bobina and the girls birthdays, the Sex Pistols song Holidays in the Sun and the Dead Kennedy's thoughtful tune Holiday in Cambodia; that where I rank the holidays. Thanksgiving has never really done much for me. Pumpkin pie and football are enough to make me be ok with the last Thursday in November but I'm not really a fan. I think the reason I am nondescript with the day is because parades, turkey, Arlo Guthrie's Alice's restaurant, and the obligatory here's what I'm thankful for lists from writers leave me cold. This year I will try to get into things but in my own way.

I am very content with my family. My parents and I get along well, they treat me like an equal and after a funny conversation with my dad yesterday about my Black Friday plans involving my teenage daughter, I realize he digs me a parent like I dig him. My wife gets more awesome with each day. She's patient with my crap. She loves me unconditionally. Her cooking is beyond description so today's meal will rock hard. My mother in law loves me. We talk like friends and that is rare. My sister in law and I are like sibling except we don't fight and she likes me giving her the business. My kids are beautiful, funny, smart, and in between bouts of insanity, joys to be around. I am proud to be their dad.

For the first time in my life, I am at peace and to those who know me, that's saying something. Orginally the pilgrims and the native americans got together to find common ground and give thanks to nature and fellowship. The least I can do is give Thanksgiving a break, devour the pumpkin pie, smile through Bobina's parade fandom, and make a turkey sandwich tonight and watch the Jets pound the Bengals.

I'll even participate in a list of what I'm thankful for beyond the things mentioned above, but give it a blogger/internet spin;

I'm thankful for bloggers. Blogs are easier to read than newspapers and more entertaining than magazines. There is some good writing on the internet and you can find some excellent aquaintences as a result. Thanks http://deadjournalist.com/ (your music knowledge and snobbery is appreciated and admired) , thanks http://theclashblog.com/ - you make reading about my favorite band a pleasure, thanks http://rowlandsoffice.wordpress.com/ and http://capitolavenueclub.com/ (following the Braves baseball team has never been funny and informative but you two guys make it that way) thanks http://janasthinkingplace.com/ , http://tinfoilmagnolia.blogspot.com/ , http://rachelintheoc.blogspot.com/, http://lilmissnyjet.blogspot.com/ , http://mylifewiththeviking.blogspot.com/ , SugarJonestv.com , Tara_R 's blog and Jenninflux's blog. You all shatter the myth of female bloggers being annoying and pointless. Thanks to @DxPepper, @fcardillo and the daddy bloggers like @SpinyNorman and @AlanKercinik. You guys provide a lot of entertainment and insight.

I'm thankful for @velvetverbosity 's http://velvetverbosity.com/ 's 100 word challenge and it's writer outreach community. It's expanded my creativity and made me love writing again. Same goes for http://nanowrimo.com/ even though I'm failing at it. The failure is teaching me some important lessons.

I'm thankful for sports fans especially Braves fans on twitter and the awesome Jets fans on twitter. You guys have reinvigorated my interest in following the teams and make me laugh hysterically even during losses and low points.

I'm thankful for my mom. Twitter and my blog have improved our relationship and found some mutal respect for each of us. I enjoy how we've become friends over the past two years as a result.

In a couple of hours my family and I will make some more memories, some of them ridiculous, some of them sublime, all of them memorable. I'm thankful for today opening my mind a bit. Now, where's my mother in law and that pumpkin pie.

Happy Thanksgiving