With the presence of Thanksgiving here (my favorite holiday), I thought it would be nice to look past the food, the days off work, and the food in order to take a moment and think about what I'm thankful for. I am thankful for the following:

-my boyfriend-- He has always been there for me when I've needed him. He loves me despite my shortcomings and is all around the best.

-my family-- Within the last year, I've acquired two nephews and I love them more than anything. They are the best little boys, and I can't wait to have fun with them as they get older. My parents continue to provide support to me and, on occasion, money. They do a lot for myself as well as my siblings and it's important for me to remember that on a daily basis.

-my friends-- All of my friends give me different things that make up a fulfilling existence for me.

-my cats-- I know it seems silly to have so much emotion invested into an animal, but I do anyway. I love my cats and they love me.

-my freedom-- It's usually only when I observe certain situations in the world (i.e. Katrina, Communism, the war in Iraq, 9/11, etc.) that I stop and realize that my life is one of prosperity, rights, and security. As much as I bitch about everyday hassles and disgruntlement, I have a fucking fabulous life when I look at how some of the rest of the world has it. And that's enough to shut me up when I'm complaining about how I don't have enough money to buy the 2nd season of 'Curb your Enthusiasm.' But you know me....I'll still complain :P

So those are just a few things that I am thankful for that don't involve Marc Jacobs or cell phones (though I am thankful for those as well).

What are you thankful for?

My friend Missy was telling me tonight that since her husband has been out of town, she's been sleeping on the couch in her living room. When I asked why, she indicated that she's nervous being back in the bedroom and not being able to hear if any shady business were to occur (i.e. someone breaking in her house). She also indicated that she doesn't feel all that safe being in her house alone.

I was able to sympathize with her, and if you've ever met me, you know why. I don't even feel that safe when my roommate's sleeping in the next room. And it's sad and lame, but there have been times when I've actually and literally been frightened by my own shadow. I guess it's a good thing that Kate's friend Jacob got me a stun gun...though if you've ever talked to Kate, *she's* not all that thrilled about it. Oh but she will be when I save her ass and electrocute the person breaking into the apt. Hooha.