Thankful

At dinner I wanted to ask everyone to say something they're thankful for- something besides "family and friends". That's too easy! Sadly, I was so busy stuffing my face that I didn't get a chance to get this conversation going. Here are a few things I might have said- feel free to add yours in the comments.

1. Halloumi cheese at Fresh Market. I no longer have to pay iGourmet exorbitant shipping costs if I want to enjoy my current favorite cheese.

2. Friday Night Lights. Seriously- spend $20 and buy season one on DVD. It's more than worth it. The writing and acting are amazing- I felt personally connected to just about every character by the time we were halfway through the first episode.

3. Scrabulous.com. Scrabble is much more fun when you're not playing it in person!

4. Cocktail Hour. It's nice to know that at least one night a week I will get to see adults other than my spouse and my coworkers. (Those of you with kids know how easy it can be to lose your social life.)

5. Microsoft Excel. At home or at work, I'd be lost without it.

6. The promise of 24-hour Noggin. Starting December 31, there will be cartoons showing around the clock on Noggin. I imagine there will be nights when this will help me out tremendously.

7. Living in America. I don't mean to sound like a dork, but I really am thankful to be an American. I know we have our troubles, but not once today was I worried I might get taken out by a roadside bomb. I also have running water and electricity. I'm not a big fan of our current government leaders, but in a little over a year this regime will be replaced peacefully rather than through a bloody coup. Sure there are things to complain about, but if you look at the big picture we've got it pretty good.

8. The internet. By reading and writing blogs, I've made wonderful friends. Through the magic of IM and email, I maintain close relationships with people who are around the corner and others who are hundreds of miles away. Thanks to Amazon, I won't be in line at JC Penny at 4:00 this morning. Also: my Yahoo Launchcast personalized radio station, TV spoilers and fan forums, BabyCenter emails, the current temperature is always displayed in my toolbar, fantasy sports through Yahoo, news- real and celebrity, takeout menus, sports blogs and news, Google Google Google!

9. Family and friends. You didn't think I was really going to leave them off the list, did you? Thanks for making not just Thanksgiving but all my days so great!