Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 27

Today I'm really thankful for good teachers. Sometimes it seems they are hard to come across and truth be told, they probably are.

 

At the beginning of the semester I wasn't too sure about one of my teachers. But as the semester went on, my opinion completely changed. My teacher has shown to be supportive, responsive, insightful, and encouraging. I received two very kind emails from him today which totally made me feel reassured that I am a good student and that it doesn't go unnoticed. So today, I'm really thankful for the teachers like him that make going to school enjoyable.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 26

As we near the end of the month, you would think that it would become harder to find things to be thankful for. But I'm finding through this challenge that it's becoming easier. I'm thinking more often about the things I'm thankful for rather than the things I'm not thankful for. That's one thing I can definitely be thankful for. But that is not what today's key point is. Today's thought, I'm really thankful for my education and (for now) the path I have taken with it.

 

Right now I'm studying Sociology, and to narrow that down, I'm taking a Race and Ethnicity course. I wasn't really sure what to expect out of this class but now that it's almost over I can honestly say that I've gotten so much out of it. This class has really opened my eyes to the reality of racial issues and to different cultures. I thought I knew before what was really going on and really I was so ignorant and blind by what's really going on, it actually made me sad. But then I realized I should be thankful ... I am thankful that I am seeing more clearly now the history of the races in America and around the globe. There are feelings of disappointment and disgust in learning about it, but I'm also seeing real human courage and strength to get what is rightfully theirs because we each have the right to have a good, prosperous, fruitful life. The stories of the people who have stood up to the face of racism are encouraging and bring hope that change is possible.

 

One of the books I read for this class is called Race Matters, by Cornel West. In all honesty, this was not the book I wanted to read. I was kind of left scrambling for a book and this was the only one the bookstore had. So I bought it with a cringe. After reading it and being a little confused by some of it and reading my text book I feel almost enlightened. My opinions on racial issues are growing. I can't say they are changing because I don't think I really had any to begin with, at least not educated ones. The book is not that easy to read, I had to keep a dictionary up online so I could quickly look up words I didn't know, but when I understood the context, the thoughts of the issues and what needs to be done or what can be done rushed in.

 

Even though there are so many social issues in this country, we are so lucky here that we are trying to move forward to a position of mankind equality where we see each other on an equal playing field. I can only hope that in my lifetime we are closer to this dream than ever before.

 

I am genuinely thankful I have the opportunity to expand my mind in areas like this so I'm not just another ignorant person and that maybe one day I can be a part of the change.

 

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 25

ONE MONTH UNTIL CHRISTMAS! WOO HOO! Okay, I'm really not that excited but I thought my readers my be. Today I want to say I am so utterly thankful for Barnes and Nobles having a "reserve your book" option online. This option allows you to search their store, see what store has the book, show the closest location, and then say "yes, please hold that for me." I was so happy about this because I had to get another book for school today and it was so nice to look it up online, see that it was at my local B&N, go down there, purchase it, and be home within a half an hour. This saved me so much time today and the headache of having to run around looking for it or even just calling some stores for it. Thank you B&N for being technologically savvy and having stuff like this for those of us who don't always have time to piddle paddle with the flow of life.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 24

Wow, only a few more days of November. I need like one more week added to this month to accomplish all the stuff I need to get done. But since that won't happen, I'll just have to spend every waking hour that I'm not at work, in class, or ... well just those two things, doing homework in order to get it all done. I did get my book report done today and I'm so happy about that. That was two full days of reading and writing that sucker and now it's submitted. Only a few more big projects and tests to do ... plus multiple assignments.

 

Anyway, back to what I'm thankful for. I slept in today. Yes, that's right ... I slept in very late today. I needed it. And you know who slept next to me the entire time? My pain in the ass, super beautiful, and loving Ava. I'm thankful for my cats. They definitely drive me crazy and some days I just want to be rid of them. But truthfully, days like today when I was in bed and she was cuddling makes me want to figure out what her problem is so I can just love her. And Taj too. They are so funny. Taj was following me around a little bit earlier today which made me laugh because he was almost acting like a small dog. And then Ava has been really affectionate all day. She even came to sit on my lap while I studied. She doesn't normally do that so to have her be loving really means a lot. She is so soft and getting so fat, and I love it. Yep, today I'm really thankful that I have two pain in the rear, absolutely adorable, semi-psychotic cats.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 23

Okay, so this week, as you can tell, I keep posting later than I should be. Sorry about that. But I'm still posting which is good. Sticking with the commitment.

 

Yesterday was seriously a very long day. From the moment I got up, I started studying. I studied for nearly 12 hours straight yesterday. My brain is definitely on overdrive right now. And you know, for yesterday being so boring, I can think of one thing I really love and that I'm thankful for. I love science! Without science, so much wouldn't be possible and so much wouldn't be understood. What got me to that thought, well I've had the thought hundreds of times, but for yesterday, it was when I was doing my Natural Disasters homework. I was reading about wildfires. I'm not really a pyromaniac but reading about how a wildfire starts to when it goes out and what it provides to this earth was pretty cool. Although wildfires seem horrible, and they totally put people in danger, they are part of the earth's cycle, the earth's way of creating nutrients and allowing other forms of life to thrive. Yeah, I love science and I will just say it...Science is COOL!

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 22

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Today was really a good day. Rob was being silly almost the whole day which was awesome. We ate like we had never had good food before. And our dear Moose was feeling better today. He played with Babe (my inlaws new, beautiful puppy) for hours and was totally wore out on the way home. They seem to love each other now.

 

You know, there were a few years in there that I hated the holidays. They made me realize what I wanted in a family and what I was missing. This year has been different. This particular year there have been so many changes and I feel my life coming together quite nicely. I wasn't dreading Thanksgiving. I wasn't super excited either. But you know it was a good day. It was easy, everything flowed how it was supposed to.

 

I'm genuinely thankful that I've had the chance to start my family this year. I truly believe that Rob and I will come up with some wonderful traditions in our family that will be passed down for generations. Like him drinking a ton of cofee first thing, playing video games for an hour, and then just being happy the rest of the day. Okay, that's not a true tradition, he does that all the time, but I guess it could be. Our lives wouldn't be the same if he didn't do that stuff. I can say that getting married to him was probably the best thing to happen to me. Sure, there are times he drives me crazy and I'd like to do more than ring his neck (like drag him out back and knock him out), but when I look at the big picture I can't see anyone else being there. We have been through so much in the near five years of our relationship and nothing seems to tear us apart. At the end of the day we look at each other and say I love you and that feeling of true love, appreciation, happiness, wholeness, and family is there.

 

I'm thankful that he was and is so patient with me. That he knows my moods now and works through them. When I'm down, he tries to fix it. When I'm angry, depending what it's about, he either tries to talk to me or he knows to give me my space. When I'm happy, he wants to be happy with me. When I'm being lazy, he lets me be lazy and tells me to not feel guilty about it. It's nice to have someone there that lets me be me without resenting me or being disgusted with me. Not that I'm disgusting, but I can definitely be a very difficult person. Shoot, when I don't know what I want I can be the biggest asshole even though I'm not trying to be that way. And here comes this man who is like, that's fine, be an ass, I'll be here until you figure it out. And he has been.

 

I'm thankful for the silly things he does too. Like one time this summer he put the milk in closet instead of the fridge. I guess he was still half asleep when he filled up his bowl of cereal and thought that was where it went. I discovered the milk several hours later when I went to make lunch and laughed so hard. It's silly and wonderful. He laughed too. I love when he laughs so hard, he doesn't make a real laughing noise, he gets kind of quiet and then his eyes tear up. That kills me because it's like, if you're laughing that hard, then you gotta be feeling joy. I love how he talks about Moose. Anyone who knows us and knows Moose knows what I'm talking about. He says Moose is noble. Moose is all-knowing. Moose is not a dog. He cracks me up. But truth be told, Moose is probably the best dog on the planet. I've never met anyone who has been that way with their pet either. He treats him so good and Moose reciprocates the love.

 

I have so much to be thankful for today. And the one thing that I feel needed to be shared was that this start to my family has been wonderful. I'm so glad it's finally happening to me. This is exactly where I want to be in my life.  

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 21

AWE Today I got off work super early. I was so happy about this because I came home and did tons of homework. I realized how much more I have to do before the semester ends and got a little stressed but getting a jump start on it was a good idea. Today will be a short post. I am thankful that I was allowed to leave work early, without losing pay, and was able to come home and get a lot of homework done. YAY! I love days like that.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 20

Tuesday, November 20th...It was so beautiful this morning. It was so pretty that I took a picture from work. I must say that it's nice to work up on the mountain where I get such a great view of the valley. I'm thankful that I live in such a beautiful place and I get to see the world as a painting. It is an incredible blessing to live and experience such eloquent beauty on a daily basis here.

 

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 19

You know, today I really just want to say I really, really, really am thankful for a nice, cold alcoholic beverage. After a day that dragged and the tiredness that I feel, it's so nice to be able to sit down, crack a can open and relax. I'm still going to do a little homework, but geez this is really nice.

Short but sweet post. I am thankful for my adult beverages.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 18

Wow! It's November 18th! Can you believe that? I just can't accept that this month is nearly over. Thanksgiving is around the corner, within days, and I'm not prepared. I just keeping thinking about all the homework I need to get done and how far behind I feel. Geez. I know somehow and someway I'll get it all done. But not without stress.

 

Today I'm really thankful for quiet days. Today really was so quiet at home. I got quite a bit of homework done, got the dishes done, got the sheets washed, went grocery shopping, and was able to get a few other small things done. I think if today had been like some other days I wouldn't have gotten so much done. And it feels nice to have a sense of accomplishment. I feel like I can go into the new week with some stuff done and a good start to get a lot more done the rest of the week. Quiet days really need to happen more often.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 17

Today I just want to say I am so so so very thankful that Rob has the patience of someone with the wisdom of a thousand years that knows some things just aren't worth getting angry over.

 

Today we discovered yet again there was cat urine in our living room, on the carpet, in at least 2 different places. Now if I had been the one to discover this insanity and annoyance I would have flipped out. I'm already at my wits ends about this crap with the cat, but seriously we just shampooed the carpets! And honestly, when Rob told me what he found, I tried to remain calm but I was shaking I was so upset. Ugh, cats! Love them and hate them....they're like the true test of a person's character.

 

Anyway, my dear Rob was so calm about it. He just got the cleaning stuff and went to town. Now he did his best to clean it all, spent no less than an hour scrubbing the carpets and vacuuming and doing everything he could to get the urine out of the carpet. He was so nice about all of it. Today I really needed that calmness about everything.

 

I am so thankful he is able to keep his cool over the little things. Always has been this and probably always will. Thank heavens.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 16

Once a month I get together with some of my favorite girls to play bunco. I've been playing for nearly 4 years now and I still look forward to this night. It's such a great reason to get together with girls I don't talk to all the time and catch up. They have such great personalities and are really able to just be good friends.

Tonight is bunco and I'm so ready for it. I've been stressing a lot lately about little things and honestly, it's getting to me. I was bitching today about getting my oil changed and doing my registration renewal on my car. Pretty sure I got ripped off. I think I actually got too upset over this and after cooling off (which took about an hour), I realized I got to emotionally upset over something I couldn't change. Bunco is really needed tonight. This is a night where I can put all my frustrations aside and just chill out. Starting tomorrow, I'm back on the school / study hard horse and not looking forward to it. I need to really bust my butt to get everything done so I can pass my classes this semester.

In closing, this bunco group has been there for me for a really long time and while I've gone through so much. I'm so thankful that I know these women and that they are committed to playing no matter what comes up. We all need to let loose sometimes and who better to let loose with than with some fun damn girls. BUNCO!  

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 15

Okay, so I'm a day late. Truthfully, after I got my math test back yesterday, I was so frustrated that I couldn't think to post anything. I did horrible on the test and I fear I may fail this class. This means, after bunco tonight I am not doing anything fun, no social activities until this god forsaken class is over. I have to pass, failing is not an option.

 

One thing I really was thankful for yesterday was the mahi mahi tuna fish I had for lunch. Oh My Gosh Becky...look at her...

Oh wait, back on track. Seriously though, my lunch was damn good.

 

I was also really thankful I was able to continue working on the financial project I have been working on yesterday and the fact that my managers are so flexible and willing to let me work on very important projects. They are awesome and I'm very lucky to work with them. I look forward to learning how to analyze financial statements more in depth with my manager next week. I think this is a big deal and I seriously think it will help me in the long run.

 

I know I've already been thankful for food and the people I work with, but I have to reiterate how much these two things really influence my day. I was also thankful for my warm pajamas...but who wants to hear about that?

 

 

 

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 14

I can't believe this month is half way over. Can you? I can't believe that we are almost to the year 2013 either. Where does the time go? I have spent the last 2 1/2 years working hard at work and at school and time has really flown by.

Today I am really thankful that I have managers that are so willing to give me tasks that allow me to 1) work at my own pace, 2) use my abilities fully, 3) help me grow and learn new things. For the last few days I have been working on some financial data at work. I really enjoy this type of work because it clicks in my brain for some unknown reason. And today one of my managers gave me some additional work for this project. I don't think he expected me to keep working on it and try to figure it out. When he came over to see how I was doing he was so surprised and so happy that I had started one of the tougher parts of the project and I was getting it. I was happy to see his appreciation and excitement that I just took the reigns and went with it.

I feel I am very lucky to have managers that let me do this. They aren't standing over my shoulder constantly, nor are they preventing me from doing more because they simply want to keep all the tough projects to themselves. I really do work with some great people and I'm very thankful I'm apart of their team.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 13

Today was such a weird day. I was running a little late for work today and ended up being about 15 minutes late. Which is fine, but gosh I don't like being late for work. At work, I was very productive...I got tons of work done today actually. After work, I had my god-awful math test that I don't feel confident about at all. Rob's calculator died on me in the first 5 minutes. I was forced to do the best I could with the tools I had. Cringe...I really hope I pass this class.

Now that I'm home and I've eaten Panda Express and drank a Dr. Pepper, I'm starting to feel better. My headache is subsiding and I feel like I can relax. I hate days like today normally because they just take all of the energy I can muster up right out of me. What a drag.

You know though, I was craving broccoli and cheese soup for the last week. I wanted this soup so bad and the cafeteria at work didn't have it. Finally today when my manager came back from her ice break, she told me they had broccoli and cheddar soup in the cafeteria. You know what, this was such a delight for me. This is probably one of my most favorite soups and getting that today really was awesome. You know what else rocked...my Panda Express. It was so good and seriously, I usually have left overs, but this time I ate it all!!!!

So today, I'm really thankful for food and comfort food. It is amazing what food does for us and how much better a person can feel after eating something they love. I can't imagine a life of eating bugs and dirt, we are blessed to have such wonderful things to eat.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 12

Howdy everyone! Today was just a normal get up and go day. Work until it's done, then come home and study my buns off for my test. It's hard to think of something I'm thankful for today simply because the day seemed so ordinary. Nothing really stood out to me. But since I have committed to this challenge I'll choose....Trax. I'm thankful that we have a great public transportation system in this city.

I take Trax a few times a week to work and I must say, although it takes longer (total commute time to work: 1.5 hours, to home: 1.5 hours, total commute time 3 hours), it really is nice to not have to deal with the traffic. Yes, you heard me correctly, I travel 3 hours a day to go to work and come home. This totally sucks because by Friday, that is 15 hours spent traveling that path if I take the Train every day of the work week. The upside, my moods are more relaxed because I wasn't dealing with jack holes on the road and I do get some studying done on the train too. I definitely appreciate this, in my opinion, it's somewhat of a gift to me in my life.

 

Addition to my thankful for today post

I just want to add...I LOVE MY SOREL SNOW BOOTS!!! Today when I was walking through the snow they were fantastic! My feet never got cold and stayed so dry. Seriously the best snow boots ever!

Okay...just wanted to add that.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 11

Today was a great day. I was busy the whole day and didn't get as much done as I wanted to, but overall I can't complain. I spent the majority of my day taking pictures for friends and family...and let me tell you what, I'm thinking that my true passion and desire to do this as a career is coming back. I had so much fun. I think I had more fun spending the time with everyone than taking the pictures. But the pictures looked great too.

 

When I got home, I copied all the pictures onto the computer and flipped through them. I'm pleased. I think my photography is improving, which makes me very happy.

 

So today I am genuinely thankful that these folks trusted me enough to help create memories with them and that I was able to capture them forever so they have something to cherish. It was such an honor to be asked and I had so much fun being a part of it.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 10

Okay, so yes, I am posting this a day later than I should be, but hey I am posting it.

 

Yesterday I was really thankful that some girls in my math class wanted to get together to study for our math test. We met at the college for 2 hours and went through the review. I learned more in this 2 hour session than I have in class all semester. This was seriously helpful and I'm so thankful these ladies were willing to take time from their busy schedules to study for an upcoming test.

 

I look forward to studying with them for the final.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 9

26 years ago today my little brother was born. It's hard to believe that just 2 short months later he would be taken from this world faster than he was welcomed into it. I remember this day every single year and a sad, empty feeling comes over me. I feel this loss that I never had the opportunity to grow up with a little brother, another sibling, another person who was raised in the same household as me that could relate to me and share stories about our memories as a family.

 

I tried my very best today to remain positive and be happy. And it seems that no matter how hard I try, there are certain influences that make me really struggle with my feelings. Sometimes I just want to break down and cry and well, break things.

 

There was one thing about today that really made me happy though. Today it snowed like crazy and I was so sure that when I got home from work I was going to have to shovel. I hate shoveling; shoot, I don't really like snow. And the thought of me shoveling made me cringe with annoyance. For once it would be nice to come home and be surprised.

 

Well, to my ignorance, when I arrived home after a long commute, I found that the driveway and the sidewalks were shoveled. My husband shoveled for us and didn't tell me; I think he knew how happy it would make me for it to just be done. And all I could think was that I have the best husband in the world. It was something so simple that meant the world to me. It totally helped me feel better and I feel so blessed to have him. I'm so thankful he shoveled today on his own accord. It was so small but to me it was huge. What a great thing to get home too.

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 8

Howdy y'all! I hope you're Thursday is going honky-tonk wonderful! I am so looking forward to the weekend!

 

Today I am thankful for mindless comedy TV shows. I got home from school tonight and did not feel like doing anything. I cooked me up some left over food and grabbed a cold beer. I turned on Gossip Girl and then watched The New Girl. Although I'm exhausted, I feel happy and relax. Without senselss humor like this, I might be a little stress ball ready to snap. Okay, not that bad, but life wouldn't be what it is.

 

Yay for entertaining television!

 

 

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 7

Getting up for work today at 4 AM just sucked. I don't ever wake up that early unless I'm going to the airport. I'm glad to be home. Today it's a little bit harder to be thankful for something. I'm tired, I'm a bit moody, I'm disappointed in the election results. But I guess I should scrounge one thing up. So here it goes.

 

I'm thankful for missingmoney.com where I found out I had unclaimed property with the state of Utah. I submitted my claim about a week ago and received my check today for $90. I don't know what it's from but getting that extra cash is awesome. I'm putting all of it towards Rob's Christmas present. It's always nice getting money that you weren't expecting.

 

If you want to check it out to see if you have any money hanging in the hands of the state, go to missingmoney.com and enter your information. If you think that site is B.S., then go to the State's website and look for unclaimed property. You can search for yourself there. It's totally legit and not a scam, I promise.

 

With that, I'm out! I have a ton of homework to do tonight and need to get started on it now. :( Boo!

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 6

Well, today was a good day for me but at the same time it was stressful. I have been dealing with traffic and anxious people for most the day and it's been wearing on me. But seeing how I'm committed to being thankful for something every day throughout this month I will have to suck up the exhaustion and just do it.

 

Today I want to say I am so thankful we have the option to vote. Very fitting for this Election day. Think about it, in other countries throughout the world they don't have the same opportunity as we do to select some of their public leaders. Even if my vote doesn't make a difference for the president, it makes it difference for the local representatives in our area. I get to say yay or nay to people I think will best represent my beliefs and values. This sense of voice means so much. I don't have to be a victim of opinion prison like so many people in other parts of the world do. With that, these votes do make a difference because these people will guide our society in directions necessary to go in order to progress, or regress. Either way, it's important and we are very lucky to have this right in our country.

 

Even though I don't always agree with politics and a lot of the time I'm disappointed, I'm glad that I get to have a say. I can't imagine how suffocating it must feel to not be able to do anything, absolutely nothing about who represents me. I can confidently say that I will support the people who are up for the job, that will display integrity and determination to do the right thing. Who knows, maybe one day I could be asking for your votes for me to represent you. I think I could potentially be a great candidate for this society. Time will tell....

 

 

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 5

Good evening!

 

Today I really want to say that I am so thankful that I'm healthy and I have the physical capabilities to do so much. I saw a man this morning crossing a very wide row  (7 lanes) with arm braces, I don't know what they're called, but they're like crutches attached to your lower arms. You know what I'm talking about I hope. I've seen him before and he tries to get across the road as fast as he can before the light turns and it breaks my heart. Kudos to him for making do with what he has but at the same time, I can't imagine what life is truly like for him. Many people have disabilities that we just don't think about on a normal basis. And yet, I think sometimes I take for granted all the things I can do.

 

I feel so fortunate today that I can walk, I can run, I can swim, I can dance, I can do so many things to keep myself in good health. Being capable is truly a blessing in this life.

 

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 4

Good morning fine people of the Internet world! I cannot believe I am up this early on a Sunday. But I'm not complaining. This morning I prepared a pot roast and now it's in the slow cooker. I'm hoping that it will taste YUUUUUMMMMY! We will see in a few hours.

 

I am thankful for having a home, a roof over my head and having the ability to sleep in or get up early. I get to wake up at my leisure on the weekends and do as I wish, like this morning, getting up early and making a pot roast.

 

I am sitting here watching "Once Upon a Time" drinking coffee and reflecting on how fortunate I am to have so much. There are many people out there who don't have what I have. They go without, they get up daily to work, to fight for life, and here I am...I don't go without. A lot of that is because I have the world's best husband, but a lot of it is because I work hard too. I am lucky. Home is the best place to relax, rejuvenate, reflect, and to realize all the blessings you have...all while making memories too. I am so thankful I have a place to call home with my best friend.

 

Today's thanks go to having a home. I find my comfort, my rest, my happiness, my life at home. Now let's hope my pot roast looks and tastes this good today!

 

Thanksgiving throughout November - Day 3 (Skipping Day 1 and 2)

Oh I cannot believe this year is nearly over! It's hard to believe it. This has been such a wonderful year for me. So many changes have happened from getting married to switching jobs and so much in between. I am happy and it's not just a facade, I am genuinely happy about life.

 

This first post is being thankful to be alive. The last few years of my life have been hard. I've gone through so much and have struggled to stay on a good path. There have been times I wanted to take the dark road and give up, but I didn't. Some of my friends haven't faltered in giving me the support that I needed and they believed in me that I could make it through. And now I feel I have made it through the shadows and I'm looking up and see nothing but sunshine.

 

I can say now that as I look back over the last few years and see where I came from, I am proud of myself. I overcome so much and tried to remain true to myself by working on positivity, being a good person, a good friend, and trying to constantly grow into an amazing adult. There have been times it was difficult but I feel I've made huge leaps towards the person I know I can be.

 

This year I am so thankful that I am still alive. I am thankful that I didn't give up (thanks to many of my friends and some family) and that I'm here standing on top of the old pile of shit and looking at nothing but an exciting and wonderful future ahead of me. I am married now to someone who knows me and can tolerate my moods and lazy behavior. I lucked out there. I have a new job that I can see the endless possibilities of opportunity. I am almost done with school at the community college which is a huge goal for me. I am working towards having my very own family. I see in myself a truly good person, not someone who pretends things are okay and lets people walk all over me. I stand up for myself now. I am constantly thinking about my energy and if I'm staying positive.

 

Things in life are better than they've ever been and I see them getting better. I can't wait to look back at this moment in 5 years and see how much more joy I feel. I've learned that life is totally what we make of it. Life is good.