A Very Short List

Today is Thanksgiving, a day in which we are all supposed to do a little math and count our blessings. What the holiday has REALLY turned into, is a giant buffet with family members we don't see very often (sometimes for good reasons) and a precursor to the busiest shopping day of the year. In a world that is filled with tragedy, doom & gloom, cynicism, self-serving greed, and Rosie O'Donnell, there are still MANY, MANY things for which to be thankful. Here's a start of my list of reasons why I still enjoy waking up every morning, mornings which, in the future, I might just start off reading this blog.

1. My beautiful wife and ALL that she is and ALL that she does.
2. Passionate kisses (hmmmmm, what made me think of that?)
3. My wonderful children who bring so much joy and frustration, but mostly joy.
4. Gentle kisses on foreheads and soft, supple cheeks.
5. Holding hands--big and little.
   
6. Being able to teach mathematics to motivated students.
7. The ability to run on my own two feet, knees, and legs.
8. .mp3 players, without which, running on my own two feet, knees, and legs would really be a drag.
9. Dancing with my daughter.
10. Good books
11. Good music
12. Writing
13. Strong, black, robust, hot coffee.
14. Cold weather
15. Soothing Hot Tubs
16. Chiropractors
17. The chance to be on television, or on a stage, or making a fool of myself to get some laughs.
18. Breakfast tacos and chimichangas
19. The majestic mountains and untainted wilderness
20. Inside jokes
21. Crew Cab trucks (or any other form of reliable transportation)
22. Hope
23. Mechanical pencils with really good erasers
24. Cashews,Pop Tarts, and Skittles
    
25. The soothing hum of a well-balanced, powerful table saw
26. cordless drills
27. Any show with Richard Dean Anderson
28. The internet
29. The new "duck quack" sound my daughter likes to make
30. The gentle kindness and thoughtfulness of my son
31. Large, random, anonymous deposits into my bank account
32. P.J. O'Rourke, Gerry Spence, Scott Adams, and Dave Barry
33. Bon Jovi, Morrissey, SRV, and Progressive Metal
34. The voice of Andrea Bocelli
35. Watching sports with my Dad
36. The smell of burning cedar on a cool morning
37. Sunday morning tennis matches
38. crossword puzzles
39. Nice people
40. Advil
    
41. ESPN Sportcenter
42. Our dedicated troops and service men
43. A loyal dog
44. Opposable thumbs
    
45. Ghost Hunters
46. Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Jesus
47. Swimming in other people's swimming pools
48. People with great abs
49. Pearl-snap shirts
50. comfortable shoes
51. An ice-cold Coke when you haven't had one in a while
52. Dark chocolate
53. The History Channel, Sci-Fi Network, and A&E
54. My mom's great recipes
55. Waterless cookware
56. My wife's "magic" roast
57. Looking at the stars through binoculars
58. Talented musicians
59. The poetry of Ogden Nash and Shel Silverstein
60. A slice of deep dish supreme pizza
61. Mountain Dew (the drink AND the precipitate)
62. Quiet moments of solitude
63. Wal-Mart Supercenters
64. Small towns with a Dairy Queen
65. The smell of kid's shampoo laying next to me
66. Sauerkraut and Sausage
67. Good beer
68. Karaoke and Community Theater
69. Trivial Pursuit
70. Watching other people laugh
71. Drives with the family through Texas Hill Country
72. Watching my kids play
73. Prancing in the rain
74. Driving tractors
75. Taking a walk with the family
76. Friday nights when the grandparents keep the kids
77. Clean bedsheets.
78. Cold, purified drinking water
79. The smell of leather
80. Sweating from exercise or labor
81. Air conditioning
82. Driving standard transmission
83. Larry Bird and Brett Favre
84. Digital Cameras
85. Rice Krispie Treats
86. Freshly baked glazed donuts
87. High-thrill roller coasters
88. Buffalo Wings
89. Large hard drives and fast processors
90. Throwing a football
91. Making funny faces
92. Summer trips to the Coast
93. Construction projects
94. Clean bathrooms
95. Free access to beautiful parks
96. Climbing trees
97. Sir Richard Branson's awesomeness
98. Cornfield mazes
99. A sweet, crisp, cored apple
100. Making my wife smile
101. High School Football
102. My few close friends
103. Learning, Loving, Laughing

I'm sure I missed thousands more, but this is a great start. What are YOU thankful for?