bliss list.

abbot kinney boulevard, venice beach, 2008

it always bothers me when people call thanksgiving 'turkey day'. like we don't have the opportunity to eat turkey all year long? 'turkey day' could have been last tuesday, if i really wanted turkey that bad. and really, it takes a lot away from the real meaning of the holiday, which is to give thanks for what we have and realize how lucky we are to have it. but then again, shouldn't we be doing that all year also? makes you think.

here's what i'm thankful for:

- my family, especially my little sister. she is my best friend, and even though she is the golden child, she never rubs it in. my dad still pretends to love me equally, which i appreciate. and i can always count on my mom to answer my phone calls and listen to me cry and rant for hours. my family is nothing if not dysfunctional, but who's isn't? they keep me entertained.

- my girlfriends. they put up with all my antics, and laugh at (most of) my jokes. whether i'm up or down, they support and stand by me. i don't know where i'd be without them. oh wait, yeah i do. i'd be completely alone, surrounded by the giant brick walls i tend to put up around myself. and i'd be miserable. they are a giant part of my life, and their belief in me keeps me going.

- my dog. even though she's a bit of a "free spirit" ie. not always coming when i call, or eating my birth control pills, or occasionally pooping on the floor, she's brought so much fun and happiness to my life. it's been exactly two years since i adopted her, and i love her more every day. she's also the sole reason that i ever go jogging.

- food to eat and a roof over my head. it kind of goes without saying. even though i took some major hits this year, i'm still thankful that i've had somewhere to go, food to eat, and enough money in my pocket to get by. there are so many people less fortunate than i am, and i can't thank God enough for providing me with everything i need, no matter what the situation.

- my temperpedic mattress.

- my clothes and shoes. as much as i complain about having nothing to wear, i really am blessed to have very many options, and the talent to create a new look from something old.

- coffee.

- my health. i can see, i can hear, i can walk, i can breathe.

- books, magazines, blogs -- words in general.

- the beatles.

- the opportunity to put my feet on the floor, every day, even when i took life for granted. when the sky is falling, and my world seems upside down, i can still take solace in the fact that i'm alive -- which means i get another chance to try again.

mood music: radiohead - all i need