Today I give thanks for...

• My husband. As exasperated as I get with him at times -- well, let's face it, he flat pisses off me off at least twice a week (and I'm sure I return the favor) -- he is still the best friend I ever had. It's a deep comfort to know he's always on my side. I love you, honey. Now pick up that mess you left in the living room.
  
  
• My family. Ditto the exasperation part, but since the driving motivation behind the most recent cross-country move (besides that desperate need to leave the Office From Hell) was to be closer to my parents and sibs, I'm quite happy to live across town from my mother and in the same county as my sister. Now if we could only convince my brother (read: his wife) to abandon Arkansas for Alabama...
  
  
• My job. In an economy where jobs disappear faster than the ice cream in my freezer, I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for a well-paying job with a federal agency that may be the ONLY agency in entire US government guaranteed NOT to be axed. This gives spouse and me the kind of economic stability many people only wish they could find -- not only today while I'm working but in the future for our retirement -- and makes us very very lucky indeed.
  
  
• Our furry children. Back to that exasperation bit again, but again they provide us with so much love and amusement and joy that they're worth every bit of the expense and mess and .... dammit, Chloe, you peed in the hallway again!
  
  
• Friends. Yes, that means you out there in cyberspace, as well as the friends I've made in real life and kept over the years. Whether I've met you in person or know you only as pixels on my computer screen is less important than the dimension and perspective each of you adds to my world view. Thank you for listening to me, even when all I did was whine and gripe and moan and complain. Thank you for sharing wisdom and other pieces of yourselves with me. Thank you for rapping my knuckles when necessary. Just, thank you. You have helped make me the person I am today. I appreciate you.
  
  
• Technology. I'm typing this on a computer smaller than one of the textbooks I had in school. It's connected to a wonderful thing called the Internet which gives me access to each of YOU as well as virtually unlimited information. I carry a telephone in my pocket that allows me to call anyone in the entire world by touching a screen. Said telephone is also connected to that wonderful thing called the Internet. I have nothing further to say.
  
  
• Vacation. I am free from the office for the next twelve days. And I get paid for it. Another perquisite of that job mentioned above.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day, those of you who celebrate. May your turkey and dressing be moist and tender, your pie crusts flaky, your family cordial, and may we all fall asleep on the couch before the halftime show.