PoMo Golightly

Happy Thanksgiving!

Spent some time this morning walking in the woods with a pack of dogs and some friends.  Now on to making butternut squash soup and bread pudding.  First though, a moment to wrap up Thankful Thursdays with today's list:

• I'm thankful for the health of my loved ones.  There have been some scares this year, but all seems to be well right now.  
• I'm thankful for my friends. All of you.  The ones I've known since childhood, the ones I've made as an adult, the ones I've reconnected with via Facebook, the ones I've met online.  Old and new, in person and online.  You all enrich my life so, so much.
• I'm thankful for a day set aside to enjoy a beautiful meal and reflect on the goodness of life.  

How about you?  What are you most thankful for today (if it is dessert, give me extra details, please!)?

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

Thankful Thursday

If you've been reading for a while, you'll recall that I spent most of the summer and part of the fall of 2009 without a kitchen as Neal ripped every bit of what had been out, pushed back counters, made new walls, built cabinets, and created my dream kitchen.  I am still astounded that I showed my clever husband an old sugar bowl, said "I want the kitchen to look like this," and he did it.

And thankful.  I am thankful for my husband's ability to use his skills and imagination to make our little yellow ranch with the orange door an adorable, sweet place to live.

I'm thankful for an abundance of food.  I remember all too clearly times of living close to the financial edge, times of having one egg a day, some cereal, maybe.  You probably know how that goes, too.  Sometimes when I make a meal I can savor or spoil myself with an exotic piece of fruit, I stop and think what a treat this would have been in those days of struggle, and the food tastes even better.

Lately I've been thinking about my gratitude for my colleagues.  Academic departments are notoriously political, and as a non-tenure faculty member, it would be easy to feel on the fringe of the department. I'm fortunate to have several colleagues who are excited to share ideas.  Our job, like most, can be frustrating, can feel thankless.  In those moments, it is great to have colleagues who have become friends, who can encourage, commiserate.  It is nice to know that if I'm writing a new assignment or determining what to do about a plagiarism case, my colleagues are there to consult.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

The university is closed today for Veteran's day, but as I usually work from home on Thursdays, it would be easy to miss commemorating the day.  I'm glad I have Thankful Thursday to remind me of those things and people for which I am grateful.

1.  Veterans.  I deeply appreciate the men and women who have (and do) served our country.  I respect the sacrifices and admire the selflessness.

2.  Freedom.  I can say what I want to say without fear.  I can go where I want to go without fear.  I can do what I want to do without fear.  I feel fear so rarely; too many women in the world so rarely have a day in which they do not feel fear.  

3.  My little family. There is not much as sweet as being outside with the dogs when Neal gets home from work.  Tails wag, bounding ensues, and no matter how rough a day either of us has had, we laugh.

What has you grateful today?

Thankful Thursday

After reading about this on Carole's blog, I realized it would be good for my soul to share my thankfulness.

• I'm thankful for a peaceful mind.  I've had monkey mind a lot this fall, and yesterday I stayed home sick with a headache.  I spent the time thinking, writing, and creating, and I sent that monkey packing.
• I'm thankful for my job.  I'm fortunate to do something I enjoy.  I get worked up about grading papers, but that comes from wanting to make a difference to my students' writing and worrying that my feedback won't be adequate.  I work with 18-22 year olds who make me laugh, give me hope, frustrate me at times, but ultimately make the job a blast. Every day is different at my job, which suits my easily-bored mind perfectly.
• I'm thankful for November.  Today it is chilly and rainy.  I enjoy the sunshine and warmth of summer, but the hunker-down weather is vital to recharge, too.

How about you?  Right now, as you read this, what is making your heart sing with gratitude?