Thursday Thirteen

7/18/13
Things I'm Grateful For Today

1. My overall health. I'm not in great shape--corn has officially pollinated and brought with it all the best worst of my summer allergies. But, I'll survive. I don't have rapid-onset visual migraines, life-stopping vertigo, West Nile, flu, or anything worse.
2. Medications that assist
3. Air-conditioning. It's brutal outside this week. When I go outside, my glasses fog up. It's just normal July weather, but between the heat and the corn pollen, being outside is not something I'm enjoying right now.
4. Family. I have good family. Both extended and local. Sure, there are some nuts, but they are good people.
5. Friends. I have some outstanding friends, probably more than I'm usually aware of. This is a huge blessing, as I found out today when I suggested to a coworker that she call a friend and she replied, "It will take too long for [name] to get here." So, she has one friend. Uhm....no more whining from my side of the table.
6. Spotify. Music in general. Talented people making good music, even if they aren't making money on it, even if it's a hobby. Thank you if you're one of them.
7. I'm grateful that I didn't have to fly anywhere yesterday or today. There were a few hours yesterday that I thought I was going to have to fly to a certain city that hit the news today, though for unrelated-to-the-news reasons. Beast was in a hotel near that city's main airport feeling absolutely as sick as a dog for the third day in a row. We weren't sure he would be able to drive home, or even to the nearest Urgent Care--within two miles of his hotel. I'm grateful that he did make it about halfway back home today, even if that took him about 3 times the amount of time it should have to make that trip.
8. I have a great job. It's not always perfect, but the people (staff and members of the public) there never fail to make me laugh even on the worst days. It's good to have a sense of the absurd because otherwise I'd be taking handfuls of antidepressants, or possibly dead.
9. "Criminal Minds" and specifically Shemar Moore, Kirsten Vangsness, Matthew Gray Gubler, A.J. Cook, and Paget Brewster. Smart, nice, funny, not-totally-Hollywood in looks (though clearly, Shemar Moore IS totally gorgeous)...they're pretty real, which is unusual on TV. Mostly the bad guys lose, sometimes they don't, so it's not always pat story lines.
10. Babies. There'll be a new one in my family facing the world by the end of the month. I'll be there when it happens. This makes me nearly weep with happiness. And babies in general are simply full of Teh Awesome.
11. DQ S'mores Blizzards. There are no words.
12. Leonardo da Vinci. I'm working my way very slowly through a book on an exhibit at the National Gallery and it's really fascinating. That man had more talent in his fingernails than I have anywhere. And he was far from perfect: probably ADHD, didn't finish many of his paintings, was a dilettante and a dabbler...and still managed to kick ass.
13. The internet. Research, work, fun, communication...it's my lifeline.