Happy Thanksgiving people!

I know, I know.

What have we possibly got to be thankful for in this weird, wacky year, Bob?

Election chaos.

Social injustice controversies.

C-O to the VID.

I know. I feel you.

But like someone once said, you gotta have an, umm….

Well, I was gonna say “attitude of gratitude”, but I don’t want to give myself that much latitude in  platitude, for fear my “chat”-i-tude may fall flat….

….i- tude.

But I digress…

I’m not going to try to speak for you, for give you a big ole “rah-rah” speech. But, here, in no particular;ar order, are the things that I am grateful for in the world in which I live.

Those of you who know me also know that I drew my last paycheck sometime in late August.

And this is a happy thing, Bob?

Honestly, yes. First off, I still have a comfortable roof over my head, plenty  (sometimes too much) food in my fridge and the freedom to do what i want to, within reason. And this time has given me an opportunity to reassess. What I’m doing, where I’m going, what’s important to me. Have I got it all figured out, 3 months down the line? Nope, but I’m working on some cool stuff. I’ve done more writing, running and singing than I’ve been able to do in a long time, and my stress level has dropped. A lot. For all of that, I’m thankful.

Another thing that I’m thankful for is the opportunity to do some volunteer work and help other people. Maybe I could have done more, but I also could have done less.

I went running this morning. Again. At 60 years of age. And running, for lack of a better term, is dumb. It beats the heck out of your knees, ankles, hips, feet. Eventually, most runners get stopped by injury, one way or another. I am thankful that at an age where many people can’t engage in physical activity, I can still roll out my front door and put some miles in, breathe the air, see the sights ( no, not JUST girls who run, not just..) and ponder life’s mysteries, which running is great for. Yup. Thankful for that.

Friends and family. Folks, I’m a lousy friend and an even worse family member. I don’t answer phone calls & texts. I commit to come to parties or dinners, etc., and then find a reason to not show up. My friends know that the words ” maybe I’ll stop by”: mean “no way in hell will I stop by”. And yet I have friends who persist in keeping that door open. I am very thankful for their friendship.

COVID? Well, in regard to the corona virus, I’m thankful that I, in general, make healthy choices most of the time. I didn’t say always. I said most of the time. Choices in what I put in my body and activity that I engage in. Because I think keeping healthy habits is at least as important as masks, distancing, etc. And, yeah, I know. This is me harping on a subject I’ve addressed before. But I believe that it’s not getting the attention it should get. I don’t see or hear any of the talking heads on the networks talking about it. And I really think they should and that it’s important.

I’ll leave it there.

But, yeah, I’m thankful that my lifestyle helps support my wellness.

OK, that’s me. I’m writing this on the day before Thanksgiving. I’ve got Latin pop music on, I’m boiling potatoes ( it’s the Irishman in me) for potato salad, because store-bought potato salad is crap. I’m making green bean casserole for the first time. I’m going to my favorite neighborhood bar / restaurant to pick up their ribs for tomorrow ( shout out to Brian’s Beer & Billiards in Placentia!!). I’m meeting up with some friends tomorrow.

Are there challenges in my world? Hells to the yes! Do I know if the projects I’m working on are going to turn into something that will support the low-rent lifestyle to which I am accustomed? Nope. Might I wake up, in spite of everything, with a cough and a temperature tomorrow? Sure I could.

My teeth still aren’t perfect and my dentist wants a small fortune to make them white & straight.

But I’m going to choose to be thankful and enjoy what I can the year 2020.

But I’m keeping an eye out.

There’s 5 more weeks, and who knows what this biotch of a year has in store…

Talk later,

Bob