It Ain't Cool Being No Jive Turkey So Close To Thanksgiving

Hello, I am back. Sorry about the delay, but two jobs have been keeping a brother busy these days. I hope that does not sound like a complaint, because I LOVE my job at HC. It has probably been the most rewarding thing I have ever done, and I can only hope my students understand how important the are to me. I guess that is the first thing that I am thankful for in what has been a truly wonderful year for me.

I have so many things to be thankful for this year, I am not sure I will be able to think of them all. Of course number one is my little Marilyn. Although we all know that I have a strange way of showing affection, or not showing it as some would argue, I am pretty sure you all know how much I care for her. I know that everyone wants to see us finally tie the knot, but rest assured that it will happen sooner rather than later. Even when it seems like the world is against us, I know I can count on her to make me smile.Anyways, everyday that we wake up together is a good one, so for that I am thankful.

Next on the list would have to be my family. I am thankful for their constant support and always putting up with my complaints and whining, just like Mar. Now, I will argue that my definition of whining is different than theirs, but that is a debate for another day.

Now, on to the people I refer to as friends. I am not sure what I did to deserve such a great group of comrades, but I could not dream of running with another crew. Not a day goes by that I wonder how I became so lucky to have so many close friends that I care about dearly.

In order to not make this too long, I will now write a list with a short description of why I am thankful this year:

• Student Teaching- What an eye opening experience. Working in Chicago was a total revelation. I loved my students and do not have the time to explain the whole situation (perhaps I will revisit this topic in a future post). Although my heart was constantly broken, this opportunity opened my eyes to situations that I have never experienced an made me a better person.
  
• Graduation- This goes without saying. It was a long time coming, but totally worth the effort. We had a great time in Bloomington/Normal, despite my early grievances, and miss it more with each passing day.
• New Jobs- Let me say that I LOVE my new job. And by love I mean I cannot imagine enjoying anything more than my current gig. I have great coworkers and my students are truly an inspiration. The genuine appreciation that I see in my students faces makes even this young curmudgeon smile. I would rather do nothing else.
• My New Coworkers- This goes hand in hand with my previous item, but I work with truly wonderful people. They have pushed me to do my best and I hope that I am meeting the challenge. I learn more and more everyday and hope to continue learning from these great teachers.
  
• Wrigley, Gracie & Murphy- I don't care how much you gutless dog supporters try to talk me into getting a mongrel, I will always be a cat person. These three little rays of sunshine give me unconditional love, which is not always the easiest thing.
  
• The Chicago Cubs Playoff Run- This was a great year, even if they constantly gave me anxiety attacks while watching the games. That gem against the Reds on Sept. 17 was unbelievable. It was one of the top five games that I have ever been to, which is saying quite a bit. To think we almost left the game early so I could get home and beat the traffic. When Aramis hit that triple in the bottom of the ninth, Wrigley was up for grabs and I was in ecstasy.
• Battlestar Galactica- Go ahead and make fun of me, but everyone NEEDS to start watching this show. It is beyond excellent and will appeal to you even if you are not a fan of sci-fi.
• Nintendo Wii- Ever since I froze my ass waiting in line for this ingenious piece of technology to come out, I have been having a blast. It has brought me many nights of fun and provided great fun for me and my friends.
• Notre Dames Football Record- For no other reason than providing me ammo to rib a certain Orlando native.
• Children of Men/Pan's Labyrinth- This combo of films made by Mexican directors were wonders to behold. The dystopian future that Children painted was jarring and great to watch. It's testimony about today's society and the immigration issues that face us was quite daunting, and regrettably, not to far fetched. On the hand, Pan's was a beautiful fantasy about escaping the horrors of war. I have never experienced war first hand, but this movie showed how the terror of war can impact a young person who uses her mind to get way from her horrible reality. Both movies are must sees and I highly recommend them.
• Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury- I may be a little late to catch this train, but it was a hell of a ride. Like Children of Men, this superb novel paints a scary future that could one day be reality. I am not saying that we will soon be burning all of our books, but the idea that we are facing a world of censorship and mindlessness is a distinct possibility.
• Devin Hester- Boy has he provided us lowly Bears fans with a spark of hope. His returns are amazing, and I can only hope his legs will take us to the playoffs.

Well, that's about it. Thanks for hearing me out and I hope that you have reasons to be thankful during this holiday season. Now, I will return to the black hearted, lump of coal, thin skinned, callous, sarcastic, intelligent smart ass that you all have come to know and love.