This has been a great year, and I thought I would spend a little time writing some of the things that I have been thankful for. I have been working on the list for the past week and got a chance to pull together all my thoughts this morning.
I think that it is important to reflect on the year and what you are thankful for because you will be amazed at how many things there are. Some things are serious, others are silly, but all have been important to me this past year. Please note that the list is in no particular order.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you get to eat all your favorite dishes (and then some!)!
1. The World Cup – what other sporting event allows you to meet up with friends at 10:00AM and drink beer as you cheer on your country in a sport you barely know?
2. The US of A – I am so proud to be an American (and a Texan at that); what other country allows you to pursue you dreams with no more than an idea and a little money?
3. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – yes it is hokey, but where else can you see a giant Kermit balloon as you are typing a blog article!
4. My Health – fortunate to go, do, and see anything without fear
5. The Health of My Family – everyone is healthy and a lot of fun (and quite loud)
6. Cognitive Surplus by Clay Shirkey – this book really changed how I look at the world and the web this year
7. Texas Rangers Making the World Series – this was a treat for a person who has gone to a game with Pop for the past 18 years, seen Nolan get in the fight, the first game at the Ballpark of Arlington, and a countless number of losses
8. NIOSA/Cascarones – I can taste the antichucos with confetti now
9. Shiner Oktoberfest – by far the best beer of the Fall season; I’m glad Shiner threw their hat in the fray
10. Friends Near and Far – whether they are in San Antonio or in far off places, I am thankful for all the friendships that I have
11. My Teachers – after having to teach a little myself this year, I realize how hard it is and am thankful for their patience
12. Garage Door Openers – you only realize how awesome something is once it is gone…
13. Honey Crisp Apples – one of the sweetest and crispiest apples on the planet; the Sweet Tango Apple almost supplanted them, but I went back to my first love
14. Vanilla Coke Zero – had this for the first time this year; so sweet, so good, how do they do it?
15. Failing at a Business – maybe you think this is an ironic thing to be thankful for, but getting to go after my dreams and learning more about myself has been an experience I would never trade
16. Tequila – a good friend P Tom is always introducing me to new types; this year Tequila 1921 was a favorite
17. Volleyball Team – these guys and girls have turned into a tight group of friends here in San Antonio and I am so thankful that we all were randomly placed on the “scrub team”
18. Lula’s Chilaquiles After a Long Week – every Friday is the chilaquile breakfast special which also comes with coffee, beans, potatoes, and tortillas; so cheap, so tasty, and wonderful to see Lula greet you with a smile
19. City Scape Urban Challenge – an awesome Amazing Race type scavenger hunt that sent my team, Chupacabras de la Calle, all over the Alamo City!
20. Men and Women of the Military – so thankful for these folks who have served in the past and also on active duty for all they do both at home and abroad
21. Twitter – this has been a great year to connect with friends and meet new people like ohmypuddin and EatSATX in the food world and SnappyTouch in the dev world (in addition to plenty of others!)
22. That’s What She Said Jokes – I don’t care if 2007 called and wants the joke back, it is still fun; goes particularly well with #17
23. Roommates – Two Scoops and Joe Joe Beans always make coming home entertaining and are the first one there to celebrate a success or commiserate a low point
24. Post It Notes – since we don’t have a lock on the dishwasher, this is the only way to communicate with the roommates when the dishes are clean
25. Sesame Street You Tube Videos – in particular this one with Grover
26. Green Chiles – rivals my mom for the greatest export of New Mexico; used to make great queso, enchiladas, or anything under the sun
27. Chile Ristra – the string of red chiles that symbolize friendship and a hospitable home
28. Southwest Airlines – my gateway to traveling the country; love how easy it is to accumulate free flights
29. Graphic Artists – I am amazed and thankful at their skills, in particular that of Carla who designed the graphics for BarCards and SecondTake iPhone apps (among other ad hoc requests!)
30. Pilot G-2 10pt Pens – the best pen to jot all your thoughts down
31. Kickstarter – crowdsourcing funds to back some awesome products
32. Technical People – I don’t know how you do the magic you do, but thanks for keeping the internets up and running
33. Good Neighbors – so thankful for all my neighbors, Mike is always there to help with my lawn if he sees me struggling, Hippie Tom provides amazing advice on an array of subjects (trees, lawn, lights, garage door, garbage disposal, etc.), and Neighbor John .is there to help with technical advice on servers along with talking through some of the crazy ideas I have.
34. Waitstaff Who Are Friends – I love nothing more than to go to a restaurant where I know the servers, thanks to all the folks at Tito’s, Lula’s, El Jarro de Arturo, and Sip Coffee who are just awesome!
35. Words With Friends – this iPhone app has provided countless hours of entertainment while in boring meetings or lines
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