Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For
A meme from the Broke and the Bookish.
Today’s topic: Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For (could be bookish or not — up to you)
I decided to go not bookish…
1. My parents – My parents are the best parents you can imagine, friends are constantly jealous but my parents don’t mind being shared. They have sent care packages to my friends in the past. They supported me in all of my career goals regardless of how they changed. They supported me through 7 year of higher education. They helped me buy a house and make it a home. My house has much less sprayed ceiling than it began with thanks almost entirely to my mother’s very sore arms. My dad worked so hard we were worried we were going to have to lock them out so they’d stay home. For having faith in me.
2. My family – Some people say this and mean their immediate family. On my father’s side at least I can name all of my second cousins and some of their children. I don’t know the maternal side as well but we are a tight group. I can’t imagine not seeing my cousins. My cousin did a sweet favor for my niece recently. And my immediate family is pretty impressive too. My sister who made me the nerd I am today and her husband who is her perfect match. My nephew who will be spoiled rotten. My niece who is so smart that it is surreal.
3. Bear – Yes, I have declared an official internet identity for my boyfriend against his will. It’s harder to refer to myself as Squirrel all the time. I am fully aware that it takes a patient man to deal with me so it is good that I found one of the most patient in the world. My brother in law might have him beat though, I’m pretty sure a hurricane doesn’t move that man. He buys me pretty things, not flowers, but video games and books and yummy food. He lets me get glimpses of all that super intelligence hiding in his brain. He doesn’t even get angry when he feels sick and I bounce on the bed… not that it ever happens.
4. My house – Yep, I’m selfish. Sure, now I have to do my own upkeep but I can do what I want. I can plan built ins for my office. Having my own place has always been important to me and now I can work on things without feeling like it will all be pointless soon. I can truly daydream about kitchen remodels. I can dream about a fence and someday having a dog of my own again. I can meet the neighbors and go to neighborhood meetings. We are here to stay.
5. My friends – Let me tell you that people thought I was crazy when I said we were buying a house and that my best friend was going to move in with us, and oh her dog and her boyfriend too. The general consensus was that with 4 of us in the house… someone would die. As of this post we’ll have had the house for a little over 3 months. The last of us officially moving in just a month ago. No one is dead. We have a fridge stocked with sweet tea, a wagging tail to greet us, good company all the time and a wonderful sense of stability.
6. My job – Once upon a time I wanted to work in theatre, then libraries. I never received a wealth of experience in either, even less in more “traditional” jobs. So the fact that I have a state job with good benefits, normal hours and decent pay is a more wonderful thing than I sometimes give it credit for. There is also the perk that I really do enjoy all of the people that I work with.
7. Puppies – Levi lives with my parents. We had dogs before him but he will always be my puppy even though he is a little old man now. There is also the not quite as old little old lady who lives with me now, named Treva. She is my best friend’s baby. Then there are all the “puppies” I get to visit every time we go and see Ben’s parents. Sometimes it is mostly adult dogs other times there are puppies of varying ages but every time it makes me filled with joy and maybe someday I will get to take one home with me.
8. Education – I have benefited from a plethora of education. I have had wonderful teachers for pretty much my entire life. Preschool, elementary, middle, high, undergrad, and grad… I have spent over 20 years in school. I have met so many people, studied so many things. Someone in my office is taking the first LIS course and I love discussing it with her because I miss talking about things just for the sake of it. I wish I’d finished my second major in English, not because it would help me but because it was an excuse to take more classes.
9. Tamora Pierce – Okay I had to throw something bookish in there! She truly is my favorite author. If I could only read one author for the rest of my life it would be her, it does help that she is prolific. She taught me to accept myself. She made me want to tell my own stories. So many people admire her and I am somewhat glad that The Song of the Lioness never actually became a single adult novel. Really of course I am thankful for all the authors that inspire me.
10. My hair – Everybody always says nobody likes their hair. Honestly I do like my hair. Sometimes I get bored with it. Without being willing to do a lot of work every morning there are only so many things that I can do with it. I did just get a trim. Ben says it isn’t short enough and I’m still contemplating taking the leap and getting bangs, but I do love my natural curl.
