November 24th

I was tempted many times to post the things that I am thankful for this year as a facebook status, but resisted, feeling that I would probably think of several thousand more things I was even more thankful for and thus have several thousand facebook updates today. However, I have had all of thanksgiving to think about it, and I came up with a list of the things that this year, I am the happiest to have.

- I am thankful that I did not have to work this thanksgiving, and that I was given enough time off to make it from Philly to Maine and spend the day with my giant family.

-I am thankful for my huge family that all gets together this time of year for thanksgiving and black friday shopping. I feel like it's sort of a rarity that families are able to get together, even for the holidays, and I guess I am just one of those amazingly lucky people that gets to have their family together at the holidays

-I am thankful for all of my amazing friends. I am happy that I am able to keep in touch with all of the people that really matter, in spite of the distance between some of us.

-I am thankful for my tiny apartment in Philadelphia, and my comfortable side of the bed and my kitchen table and my really small sink, and my kitty that wakes me every morning, and my boyfriend that lives there with me and takes care of me and always wakes up to hold me when I have a bad dream.

I could go on and on and on, there are so many little things that I am happy to have in my life! My grandmother remarked today that I seemed really happy. And I am really happy. And that's great.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Thanks-WINNING!!!

Here they are, this week's WINNERS!!! I was going to look for two more to make it a perfect five, but with wins that are this awesome, I think these three can hold their own.

3) Jason Segel talks Muppets and focus groups. Hilarity ensues.

2) animals that drive has always been a dream/nightmare of mine...

1) Finally, a thanksgiving movie the entire family can enjoy!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING MONDAY!! :)

Oh---Jesus.

Ben and I had a chopped salad for dinner. I had actually never heard of a chopped salad until a couple of weeks ago, when Ben suggested one while we were doing laundry. At first I was skeptical- I'm rather partial to salads where the lettuce is big and leafy and there are big hunks of tomato and nice slices of cucumber and satisfying morsels of everything else- but upon reflection I have found the chopped salad to be a rather genius idea- you can get a little bit of everything onto your fork and then into your mouth! No wonder so many people like them!

You can relax though, because I have no intention about discussing chopped salads any more. The fact that we were cutting some vegetables in the kitchen is really all you need to know. Ben had just cut the top off of a red pepper and removed all the seeds and the strange little parasitic pepper thing that you sometimes find inside the big juicy ones. I snatched the orange-green blob up off the cutting board. "Look," I joked, "it's the baby Jesus."

This lead to an amusing talk of Jesus-es past- the grilled cheese Jesus, the cheetoh Cheesus, the monologue in Lonely Planet where Carl is telling Jody an anecdote about a washer-woman who sees the face of Jesus and/or satan in the plate that she is washing, which reminds me now that I know someone for whom that monologue might be good.

I learned later, while I was making cookies, that Jesus has been pretty busy this week. A man in Maine has alleged that Jesus told him it was okay to squat in someone else's home while they were on vacation (read all about it right HERE). There was no hesitation, of course, because the opinion was seconded by the man's dog. If that weren't enough for him to be certain that he was making the right decision, there was also the promise that he would meet Taylor Swift in the house, and proceed to marry her in the back yard. I'm not sure if it was the dog or Jesus who told him that one, but he's been charged with theft and criminal trespassing. And while I didn't think that I would say this, Jesus may have inadvertently been onto something with this poor guy, who is probably homeless and hungry. Perhaps if he could get a little jail time he'd be able to avoid spending much of the harsh Maine winter outside, and that would be a good thing.

oh, and on a completely un-related note, I have become obsessed with THIS. Maybe it's a maternal motherly woman thing. Maybe it's my love of dogs. Maybe it's just plain awesome. But that dog can feel free to babysit any children I may have.

Swordfish.

Today I learned that a good friend of mine from high school has passed away. I'm not going to say any more about it, because it isn't my place and I feel like it would be tacky. What I will say is that I will miss him and think of him often, and that the news of his death did something to my perception today. I was suddenly in love with everything- every little thing that I could see and feel and that could make me feel alive- it makes me sad to know that this friend will not be able to experience these things anymore- no more autumn days and crunchy leaves, no more hugs, just empty space and silence. But today the leaves changing colors on the trees, the giant pretzel statue in pretzel park, Doretha bringing me an extra wild cherry capri sun, the pair of four year old twins that must give me hugs once they see me, the intensity of how much I loved all of these little things was overwhelming and wonderful. At least a shred of happiness came from today.

That's all for now.

Perhaps later this week I'll give details of my exploits as mouse-hunter. Just not today.