Thanksgiving

It’s just about here folks.

Thanksgiving.

A day to give thanks. So here’s a short list of things that I don’t need to hear about this holiday;

Vegans– The inherent cruelty of eating meat, or poultry, or fish. I’m a big believer in the food chain. Enjoy your tofurky.

The rampant commercialism of the holiday season. Don’t like it? Buy less. Start with the man in the mirror my friend.

Thank you for your invitation to have Thanksgiving dinner with your family. I actually sincerely appreciate the invitation. But having dinner with people I don’t know is not like being at home. I’ll be doing my own thing. That’s how I’m happiest. Really. I know, I’ll probably die alone. But I wasn’t planning on taking anyone with me anyway.

Apologists– How the pilgrims coming to America was the beginning of our abuse and degradation of the native population.  Got it. We were terrible. You can check that box. Now save up your bile for next Columbus Day.

But…I digress

So , what ARE you thankful for, Bob?

Glad you asked, universe.

Here, in no particular order, is a list of what I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving;

– Friends. Because lets face it folks, I am a terrible friend. I am around when I am comfortable being around, for as long as I am comfortable being around. I am an extroverted introvert. I can be the center of attention when I need to be, but I can also resemble a catatonic invalid in the wrong crowd. And ghosting? Look in the dictionary. If they don’t have a picture of me, it’s because I didn’t show up for the photo shoot. And yet I have people in my life who accept me, who even claim to like me, believe it or not. I have a hard time with it on occasion. But I appreciate them, and am thankful.

– My job. 14 years ago I had just come back from Japan, done a couple of small gigs, but I was a broke actor. How broke? I was “behind in my rent, IRS garnishing my paycheck, taking my truck” kinda broke. And still actively doing theater and planning new performing projects which weren’t going to pay me a thing, but would “satisfy my artistic soul”(smh, which means “Shakin my head” I love this one)  I took a part time contract gig at a supplement company which was looking for tour guides. It was going to keep me in money while I did these other gigs, after which I was going back to Japan to teach English. The rest, ie full time job which turned into a career, decent pay, benefits, traveling as a fitness presenter and trainer, all of it, has been a godsend. I’m not rich, but I’m caught up and able to keep my self-indulgent head above financial water. And maybe even help folks out on occasion. Though I sometimes bitch about corporate America, I am thankful.

– Junior’s Cheesecake. I am thankful.

– The 1975 & 1976 Cincinnati Reds. The  Big Red Machine. I am thankful.

– Every director who has had to put up with my opinionated, judgmental butt. I am Thankful.

– Women. I am Thankful.

– The 2020 election. I am hopeful. And Thankful.

– R&B , Soul, Blues, Rock, Classical, Broadway especially, and all music in general. I am Thankful.

– Performing arts. I am Thankful.

– My health. Have I made choices which have helped me to keep reasonably healthy. Yes, guilty as charged. But there are many people, around my age,  who have made the same type of choices but are dealing with health issues. Yeah, some of it is about making good choices. But there’s a big part of it that is a crap shoot. I’ve been lucky. I still get to run, climb, jump, teach classes etc at the cusp of 60. And that’s why I say that I’m going to keep doing this crazy sh&t until something stops me. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Run the race, go dancing, suggest something completely inappropriate to your significant other, or to a stranger if you don’t have a S.O.  For this, maybe more than anything else, I am thankful.

You know what? This was good. Maybe I need to do this more often.

Do this, just for fun.

Make a list.

What are you thankful for? Write it down. Be specific. Your family, your faith, your spouse & spouslings.

Why not? Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. It’s right there in the name.

And from me?

Enjoy whatever you’re doing and whomever you’re doing it with,

That’s my plan.

Talk later,

Bob