87.34% Snark-Free [B5 – 22 November 2006]

For the 30 days following this blog’s five-year anniversary, I am reposting some favorite, popular, or unique posts. Feel free to contact me to suggest some of your favorites. If you’d like to comment, click through to the original post.

This week I’m especially thankful for my friends. I was going to re-post the following on Thanksgiving Day, because that’s when I originally wrote it; but no. I’m going to re-post it now.

And I’m still thankful for everything on the list. And they’re all still in my life. Well, except for Smacky. I hope he’s chasing down his kill and feasting on the still-warm remains, out there, somewhere.

*****

  • Thanks to my family for reminding me where I come from and for always feeling like “home”.
  • Thanks to my sister’s in-laws for never even noticing that there’s a distinction.
  • Thanks to my friends for being the most honest, straight-forward, and ethical people I know. Plus, you’re all hilarious. Have I mentioned that lately?
  • Thanks to my coworkers for always trying to just fix it.
  • Thanks to Smacky for being about as “cat” as anyone can be.
  • Thanks to Apple for making such sexy sexy hardware and software.
  • Thanks to my negative voice. Without you I wouldn’t have a challenge to overcome.
  • Thanks to the netroots for finally becoming a progressive, political force.
  • Thanks to everyone who voted Democratic in the last election. I was so scared that… shudder… well, let’s not think about that.
  • Thanks to redheaded women, everywhere. Just thanks. Damn. Yes, even the crazy ones. Especially them.
  • Thanks to Brooks running shoes for making the perfect shoes for my feet.
  • Thanks to the framers of the Oregon Constitution for all the free speech protections. I appreciate and use them almost every day.
  • Thanks to the New Atheists, like Daniel Dennett and Richard Dawkins and James Randi. It may take another 500 years but ours will be the majority view someday. Or we’ll be dead and unable to care.
  • Thanks to the Iron Horse, Maya’s Tacqueria, Backspace, Twin Paradox, the Limelight, the Acropolis. It’s not just the food that keeps me coming back, although that’s excellent, too.
  • Thanks to all my favorite living authors, too many to mention, but here’s a few: Tim Powers, Bruce Sterling, Carl Hiaasen, Arthur Nersesian, Neil Gaiman… the list goes on and on and deserves it’s own post, if not it’s own site (but www.bookslut.com is already taken). You inspire me, amaze me, and fill me with envy and I would read every word you write. Fuck that – I would pay for every word you write.
  • Thanks to God, for not existing or showing any evidence of ever having existed, in spite of everyone looking for You. You’ve got everyone fooled, and boy, is everyone going to feel silly when they realize You’re not there. Then we’ll all have a good laugh and finally get around to that whole “world peace and love” thing people have been promising for centuries.
  • Last, but not least, thanks to each and every one of you who reads this, or anything else I’ve ever written. I do it for myself because I’m a selfish bastard, and I’m still amazed that anyone else even understands it, let alone enjoys it and wants more. I wouldn’t stop even if I could.

…I’m sure I’m missing people. I’m sure there are people out there who would prefer a specific mention rather than being included in a broad category. I’m sure that I will think of much much better/funnier things to say immediately after clicking “Publish Post”.

But I’m also sure that you’ll understand. Happy Thanksgiving.