WITFV30: This Exercise

This last day of November, I'm really thankful for the thankfulness project (thanks, Rachel!). I have really enjoyed thinking about all of the things that I'm thankful for in my life. It's been a good experience this month, forcing myself to post every day (although they may not have been released exactly on the day)

It was fun though...and it was the most regular posting that I have done on here in a really long time. As a review, here's the stuff I was thankful for this month:

Free Stuff, Days Off, Alli, My Company, Chili, Burritos, My Computer, DVR, Fall, TV Shows on DVD, My Music and my iPod, My Dog, Technology, Our House, JJ Abrams, Good Books, My Friends, My Family, "Friends" (the TV Show), The Chiefs, Freedom, My Church, Thanksgiving, Lazy Days, My Camera, Life, My City, and Alli (Take 2).

So the project is over...Alli had the idea to maybe do something for the month of December where I reviewed a new Christmas movie every day...I like the idea, I don't know if I could watch and post every day. Might be kind of difficult. I haven't decided if I'll give it a shot yet or not, but keep your eye on here...there's a possibility I might move this site soon. Stay tuned.

WITFV29: Alli

Now, I know I don't ever talk about my wife on here, but I have to close this month out by reiterating how lucky I am to have such an amazing wife.

Her business is starting to pick up and I'm very excited that she is doing exactly what she wants to do with her life. She's also beautiful and she's my best friend. I'm so thankful that I get to go through life with her.

WITFV28: My City

Technically, I live in a suburb of Kansas City - on the Kansas side, but I consider the Kansas City metropolitan area my home.

I lived in Iowa from the ages of 1 - 4 years old (and also during college, sort of), but outside of that, I have always lived in the KC area. When Alli and I got married, we moved into an apartment in the suburb of Lenexa, then got a house in 2001 in Olathe.

Suburban sprawl runs rampant in Kansas City. Unfortunately, the metro is so geographically large that it is difficult for the city leaders to develop an identity because everyone lives outside of Kansas City proper.

However, that suburban sprawl does not prevent a fierce loyalty to our sports teams, particularly the Chiefs. In addition, there is an intense movement to revive the downtown area right now and I am hopeful that it is successful because I would like to see Kansas City return to its status as one of the premier cities in the country.

One of the things that I have always loved about the city is that it has all the amenities of a large metropolis, but the attitudes of the people are significantly less harsh.

Not only that, but we also have WINTER.

I'm a big "changing seasons" kind of guy. I couldn't live on a coast where the weather is always the same. It snowed today in Kansas City and it was glorious.

So I'm thankful for where I live.

WITFV27: Life

I know.

It sounds corny. It's a corny thing to be thankful for. But this evening, I'm very thankful for it.

Tonight, we went to see RENT. I've been looking forward to this movie since I first saw the trailer, but as it approached the release date, I became more and more skeptical. Would a film be able to capture the incredible lyrics and music of the late Jonathan Larson?

Alli and I first saw the musical in 1998 (or was it '97?) in Des Moines at the Civic Center. The musical was touring and we had seen lots of advertisements for it in our small Iowa town where we were attending college. We had a couple of friends who had seen it and highly recommended it, so I got us tickets and we went to "the theater".

I was so taken by the story and the musical that I went out and bought the soundtrack. Alli got sick of me listening to it over and over again.

It's weird. I can't figure out what it is that makes me identify with this story so much. I've never been a starving artist like the characters in the movie and I've never been diagnosed, nor have I known anyone who was diagnosed with HIV. But this story rings true to me because the characters in it are real and they are dealing with real issues and real life. RENT captures the early '90s extremely well (as I remember them) even though the musical did not reach the stage until 1996.

What makes this story resonate so much is that the main characters create a family that is non-traditional, but functions as a support group and I think that everyone looks for something like that in their life. I'm fortunate enough to have that familial support in my life. Not only that, but I'm so thankful to have a life as blessed as mine is.

RENT is about finding life and love amidst the chaos of life and love. It's about struggling to find the one thing that makes everything worthwhile through it all. That thing may be different for others, but for me, it's love. And I am truly thankful for that.

WITFV26: My Camera

A couple of years back, I got a digital camera for my birthday. It's an amazing camera, a Canon EOS Digital Rebel, and I love using it.

I haven't been using it very much in the past couple months, but we've gotten a lot of use out of it recently. We have some great Thanksgiving photos, like this one of my brother doing a spinning jumping kick for no reason:


Or this one of two of my cousins, Hunter and Carly:


Or this one of everyone who was at my parents' house:


But what is especially great about digital cameras is that you can take random strange pictures, like the one below and you can keep them as long as you have room on your computer.


I took my family on a tour of my new building at work today and we brought the camera along to remember some of the best moments. Like this great picture of Alli and Ashley coming down the slide:


I love my camera and I really enjoy taking pictures. I wish I had more time to spend with photography because I think if I wasn't a graphic designer, I would like to probably do that for a living. I always thought that being an Associated Press photojournalist would be a totally sweet job.

For now, I will just be thankful that I have a nice camera to take day-to-day photos with.

WITFV25: Lazy Days

Today, I'm thankful for lazy days. Lazy days are the days in the fall when you can snuggle up on the couch, cover up with a blanket and watch as much TV as your eyes can handle. Alli and I did that this afternoon.

Her family is in town for the holiday weekend, but they were off at the car dealership all day with my sister-in-law picking up her new car (congratulations Ashley!). Since they were there much longer than they expected, Alli and I got to chill out and relax longer than we had planned.

And that was fine by me.

We caught up on The Apprentice episodes (bye bye Adam) that we missed last night, as well as Joey (Thanksgiving episode just not as funny without the rest of the Friends) and My Name is Earl (getting better as the season goes on, but still needs some work). Later, we watched 2 rented movies, Kingdom of Heaven (terrific flick) and Millions (odd British film that wasn't bad, it just wasn't great).

Overall...it was a great day of being lazy. That's what the day after Thanksgiving is all about...laziness.

WITFV24: Thanksgiving

It's not just about the food today.



Okay, that's a big part of it, but it really isn't why I'm thankful for this day. I'm thankful today because I get to spend the day with my family, including my dad, who has been overseas for the past 6 weeks on business.

I'm also looking forward to the after-meal time of fellowship, games, and laziness that always seems to accompany this holiday.

But I'm thankful for turkey, too.

WITFV23: My Church

When I was about 5 years old, our family began attending church in Olathe, KS, switching from the congregation we were going to in Mission. Being 5 years old, I don't remember it all that much, but I do know thatI still attend the same congregation today that I did 23 years ago.

When I was young, I forged friendships and relationships in that congregation that are still strong today and my family has been warmly accepted as a member of that church.

Alli and I had the opportunity to plan the Thanksgiving Eve service this evening and we were so thankful for the turnout and support that we received. It was a great experience for us in planning the service, but I really believe that the service was a good experience for all. I'm so thankful that we have a place where we can worship and that, in this country, we are free to worship as we feel best.

WITFV22: Freedom

OK, before this sounds like a complete cliche, I want to say that I am so thankful that I live in a country where views and opinions can be expressed so freely and that there is not outright persecution for beliefs (although it may seem that way sometimes).

Today, I'm thankful not only for the freedom that we are provided in this country, but those who fight for that freedom every day overseas. Turmoil surrounds us and we oftentimes forget that there are people all over the world that are in the center of that turmoil, struggling to make sure that our interests and our freedom is protected.

I'm also thankful that we have been so blessed as to allow Alli the freedom to pursue her dream as an artist. It's not always easy, but I have to say that it has been a blessing on both of us for her to be able to pursue her dream full time.

I'm thankful that we have that freedom and that she can do that.

WITFV21: The Chiefs

The game yesterday was a big relief. The Chiefs did exactly what they were supposed to do and spanked the terrible Houston Texans. Larry Johnson was huge and I expect to see him restructure his contract in the off-season when Priest decides to retire.

Trent Green looked good. Tony Gonzalez had almost 100 yards receiving. Even so, my home team has a really tough schedule until the end of the year. (Nothing like the Colts, which is almost a complete cakewalk except for the Seahawks and the Chargers... It's funny how the NFL makes schedules.)

I've been a Chiefs fan ever since I understood football. I remember the great Chiefs teams of the 1990's with Derrick Thomas, Neil Smith and the like. It's been a rough last few years and this might not even be the year for them, but they do have some great young players (Jared Allen, Larry Johnson) and I love watching them.

I tend to get pretty into the games, but that's only because I love them.

WITFV20: Friends

Not my friends, but the TV show, Friends. I don't care if that makes me sentimental, but I loved that show and I still love it. I just purchased Season 10, completing our set of all of the seasons. Here's a list of my top 5 episodes:

• The One with the Rumor (Brad Pitt Episode)
• The One with the Prom Video (I'm a softie for Ross and Rachel)
• The One Where No One is Ready
• The One Where Ross Says Rachel
• The One with the Embryos (Lightning Round)

Such a great show. I think that by the end, I was one of the only people who always wanted Ross and Rachel to be together. That whole thing with Joey...that was just lame.

But Friends represented a time of life to me. Alli and I always watched the show together (once we started dating) and it became a point of conversation. It was a cultural phenomenon, much like Seinfeld, except it was on TV longer and it had a point.

Great show. Good laughs. Good times.

WITFV19: My Family

I have a great family.

It's a rarity to have a fully-functioning family like I do, but I have been blessed and for that I am thankful. I have a hard-working father who has always strived to do nothing but provide the best for his family. I have an understanding and caring mother who really raised us well and has always been a great friend to me. And I have an awesome brother who would lie down in traffic for me or any of his friends, he's THAT LOYAL.

For a lot of people, this would be plenty to be thankful for, but not only do I have all this, but I also have incredible in-laws. And not only are they great, but Alli's family and mine GET ALONG, which is even more incredible.

During this time of year, there's nothing that I'm more thankful for than my family.

WITFV18: My Friends

I have been blessed with incredible friends throughout my life. Some of them I was born into because our parents were friends. Others I found along the way.

Oftentimes, men find it difficult to have really good friends. We all have "buddies", but sometimes true "friends" are a rarity because male-to-male relationships are so difficult. I don't know what it is about those that make them so difficult, but I have been blessed with great friendships.

When I was 3, we moved from Iowa back to Kansas and we shortly started attending church in Olathe, KS. One of the things that I loved about going to church back in the day was the friends that I had there. When we started attending, I had a bunch of built-in friends, a group of guys who were either my age or within one year of my age and that group was probably about 8 strong at the time. Over time, amazingly NO ONE moved away.

Our friendship grew and we became closer friends. It helped that our friendship was based in a church relationship and all of our parents became friends as well (if they weren't already). Almost none of us went to the same schools. But as we got older, our friendships got closer because we began to play on a club volleyball team together. While our team probably could have been better with other players outside of our group, the way we had it was the way we wanted it and what happened was remarkable. Almost all of us went off to the same college that all of our parents had attended and continued to play volleyball competitively.

After graduation (at different times), things seemed weird. We all still kept in close touch (some more than others), but our lives were changing as we made the adjustment into adulthood. One-by-one, we began getting married (standing in each other's weddings was fun) and settling down, not surprisingly in the same areas where we had all grown up.

As we have all gotten settled, our friendships have changed, but not for the worse, more for the better. All of us have spouses and they have been added to the mix. Our conversation subjects have gotten more grown up (sometimes) and we all seem much more responsible (at least most of the time).

The one thing that hasn't changed over time is that we can count on each other. Our friendship will last even if there are those of us that move away. I'm glad for that. These aren't really my friends, they are my extended family, and I'm thankful for all of them. You know who you are.

WITFV17: Good Books

I wish that I had more time to read.

There are a lot of really good books out there, some I've read, others I have not. Currently, I'm reading Ogilvy on Advertising, a funny take on the world of advertising as told by one of the true pioneers and geniuses of the industry, David Ogilvy, a founder of one of the largest advertising companies in the world.

OK, so here is a list of my desert-island top 5 books:

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy
The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

I get in reading moods. If I find a book that I like, I won't stop reading until I'm done. I read The Da Vinci Code in 3 days, I read Angels & Demons in 4...good page-turning books. When I was a sophomore in college, my family took a trip to Europe and since I can't sleep on planes, I read the whole time on the way over there. And on the train. And in our down time. And on the way back. By the time I returned to the U.S., I had finished 7 books. That's right, SEVEN. We were gone for just over 2 weeks.

So I'm thankful for good books.

WITFV16: JJ Abrams

Seriously, is there a better television show creator out there?

The networks are littered with derivative cop and lawyer shows (how many different CSI's and Law & Order's do we need?) save my two favorite shows on TV, LOST and Alias. The constant between the two shows: creator, Mr. J.J. Abrams.

Previously known only for his creation of the dramedy, Felicity, Abrams has been all over the news lately with the runaway success of Lost, which was easily last year's best show (others might argue that Desperate Housewives could vie for that title, but this is my blog). I was a big fan of Mr. Abrams when I was introduced to the show Alias a few years back. He has great vision for plot lines along long story arcs (did you know that Lost was originally pitched as an eight-year show?) and what makes his shows great is not their creepiness (Lost's numbers or Alias's creepy 500-year-old Italian prophets), but his ability to make all of his characters interesting. They have a realness (even if the actors playing them don't...cough cough Michelle Rodriguez.. cough cough) and the dialogue is so natural that even though the liklihood of there being a crazy creepy hatch on a deserted island, you believe that the characters are real and that is how they would respond in that situation.

The same goes for Alias. Now, obviously, I don't know much about covert operations of the CIA (they wouldn't be that covert if I did, would they?), but, I imagine that Sydney Bristow is an extremely believable character, even if some of the stuff that happens to her is ridiculous (season finale last year, hellOOOOO). I'm actually really looking forward to his take on Mission Impossible 3. I don't envy him for having to work with the Crazy Couch Jumper, but I am looking forward to the movie.

Most importantly, I think that the emergence of shows like Lost has allowed decent SCRIPTED shows to return to prominence on our TV screens. I do love The Apprentice, but reality TV in general is pretty tired. For that, I am eternally thankful.

WITFV15: Our House

Alli and I happened upon our house and this development by a freak accident. We were just driving around Olathe and found this random street at the back of a subdivision that was filled with new houses and lots. It was separate from the other subdivision and from what we could tell, the houses looked nice.

They were. It was really difficult for us to find any other house that gave us as much for the money as this one. We moved pretty quickly (maybe quicker than we should have, but we were only a year into our marriage...we didn't know much).

We were able to customize this house as much as we thought to at the time (but would have done more had we thought about it more) and we got a great house. I have two favorite parts of this house:

1. The master bedroom. It's HUGE. because our house is a front-to-back split, the master sits above the garage, which is nice since we have a really big garage. So our master suite gives us a lot of room and a great bathroom and closet.
2. The basement/movie room. This became our movie room once we bought our big screen TV (before we even had furniture to go in the room). We spend more waking time in this room than any other in the house and we love it. It's cozy and decorated with all sorts of movie posters and memorabilia. And it has comfy couches and a great TV.

Some might say we live out in the country and I agree...it is far, but we have very good highway access and we are only about 25 minutes from my work, give or take 5-7 minutes based on the Olathe lights.

We enjoy being in our house and we are very thankful to have a roof over our head.

WITFV14: Technology

I feel a little like Kip with this post.



*singing*
I...love technology. But not as much as you, you see. Still, I love technology....

I've already lauded the praises of my computer and my ipod. But I'm going to need to devote another post to the genius that is...TECHNOLOGY.

I'm a gadget geek. I got it from my dad...it's not just because of my generation. Each new thing that comes out, I want to try it, to have it. I don't really know why...I just have an appreciation for things that make life a little easier (although do they really do that, or are they just really cool?).

Scott Adams in his Dilbert Blog had a funny post about this the other day. I won't even try to summarize because I'm not nearly as funny as that guy, but I will say this:

I like software.
I like hardware.
I like to upgrade things that don't really need upgrading. I think

WITFV13: My Dog

Today, I'm thankful for my dog, Dreyfuss.



Dreyfuss is our almost-5-year-old mutt. He's a mix of labrador (or dane...we're not sure) and Husky (we think). His mom was a stray and there's a strong possibility that she "got around" while she was in heat because the puppies in that litter did not look very similar.

SIDENOTE: Did you know that a momma dog can have multiple fathers for her puppies in the same litter? I didn't know that until we got Dreyfuss.

We spoil this dog like a child, except we probably wouldn't continue to let a child sleep in our bed every night at 5 years old. But he smells just like a dog should smell...like corn chips.

When we first got him, he had problems, and a lot of them. First, they thought he had mange. Not so much. They tested him for every type of mange possible and they couldn't figure out why he was losing his hair. We even took him to a doggie dermatologist. Turns out, all he had was color dilution alopecia, something that we could do absolutely NOTHING about. That would have been nice to know before the hundreds of dollars in veterinary tests...

The Journal of Veterinary Science defines Color Dilution Alopecia as:

a relatively uncommon hereditary skin disease seen in "Blue" and other color-diluted dogs. This syndrome is associated with a color-dilution gene. The initial clinical signs are the gradual onset of a dry, dull and poor hair coat quality. Hair shafts and hair regrowth are poor, and follicular papules may develop and progress to frank comedones. Hair loss and comedo formation are usually most severe on the trunk, especially color-diluted area on the skin. Six cases of color-dilution alopecia are reported in 3 months to 10 years old dogs. The breeds of dogs are blue Doberman Pinscher, Miniature Pinscher, Dachshund, and Schnauzer. Grossly, extensive partial hair loss was seen on the skin. Histopathologically, the epidermis is relatively normal but may be hyperplastic. Hair follicles are characterized by atrophy and distortion. Heavily clumped melanin is present in the epidermis, dermis and hair follicles.

Dreyfuss also has allergies, which make this skin condition all the more uncomfortable for him. However, he never really complains and we treat him by giving him a rawhide bone EVERY NIGHT. Thank goodness we found that Sam's carries them in big bags for pretty cheap because our dog eats one per night. You might find that excessive, but you have to understand. This dog can be extremely destructive if he wants to be. Keeping him in rawhide makes sure that our things stay nice (there's a side story there about Dreyfuss and how he ate my digital camera, but that's for another time).

Anyway, he's a really funny dog. Any time that Alli and I are discussing something in a serious tone, he gets all worried and tries to stand between us. He's pretty smart, even if he eats his own poop.

Dreyfuss, even though you aren't reading my blog, I say this:

Good dog, buddy. Good. Dog.

WITFV11/12: Music and my iPod

I want to give thanks today (and yesterday) for music. Music is an important part of who I am. I don't know what I would do without it.

From the time I was very small, I've always loved music. I'm pretty sure that I inherited this from my parents, even if I didn't inherit the taste in music that they would have liked me to at the time. But now, I think that they like to know what I'm listening to because my tastes have certainly changed and matured over the last 28 years. Not only that, but I have a strong appreciation for where the music of today has evolved from and over time, I've come to appreciate the work of early musical pioneers.

I've extolled the virtues of Apple's products before, but I don't know if there's anything that has helped me to realize my adoration for music quite like my iPod. I can carry almost all of my music with me on my 20GB 1st generation iPod brick OR I can use complex algorithms to fill my ipod shuffle randomly and just see what comes up. Sometimes I really like that randomness. It's like I have my own radio station that only plays the songs that I like, but doesn't discriminate styles like a normal radio station would.

You see, I want a soundtrack to my life. Woudn't it be totally cool to have a soundtrack that played in your head and helped to indicate when you should be happy, sad, melancholy, scared, etc.? I would love that.

Soundtracks are important, particularly in movies. Sometimes, they can have a dramatic effect on whether I really like a movie or not. And when I love a movie, there's a high likelihood that I'll buy the soundtrack too, just to re-live those moments captured on film. One of the most poignant I can remember in recent years is from the movie Almost Famous when Billy Crudup's character gets back on the bus with his band and Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" comes over the bus radio. It serves as a cleansing reminder to those on the bus that life is too short to hold on to grudges or to harbor ill will. Such a great scene.

What's so great about music is that it can serve so many purposes. Not only can it entertain on its own, but it can further enhance an existing situation if the music fits the moment. That's what music is to me. It's a seasoning that further enhances the flavor of life.

And for that seasoning, I'm thankful.

WITFV10: TV Shows on DVD

This is something that is pretty inane to be thankful for, but let me tell you something: I never would have gotten into (nor would I have gotten Alli into) That '70s Show. But my brother bought Season One and Two and Alli and I have been working our way through them, episode by hilarious episode.

We actually own all 9 seasons of Friends that have been released thus far. And we own Seasons 1-3 of Alias (still haven't gotten Season 4 yet...trying to figure out when to make that purchase).

It's just that it is such a great way to watch TV...lots of episodes at a time, so if you have shows that have continuing storylines (like Alias), you aren't lost (by the way, how good is THAT show?).

WITFV9: Fall

The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling off (finally), and football is on TV. It just wouldn't be fall without Priest Holmes going on injured reserve (and possibly retiring from football forever). It's a good thing I don't have him on both of my fantasy football teams. Oh wait, that's right. I DO.

Bad football news aside, fall is such a great season. The anticipation of Christmas and the New Year; Thanksgiving; Football; Eating chili. What else can be said about this terrific time of year.

Oh yeah.

IT'S NOT 80 DEGREES ANYMORE. And I'm thankful for that.

WITFV8: DVR

Volume 8
This evening, I am extremely thankful for my DVR. I never thought that I would be thankful for anything that I would ever receive from Comcast (mostly because I think that they are very very evil), but I am thankful for that.

Tonight, I was able to help my mom (with the assistance of my brother) paint one of the rooms in their old house (which is on the market right now if you want to buy it!) and I didn't have to miss The Office.

DVR is awesome. Skipping commercials is the bomb diggity. Comcast is not.

WITFV7: My Computer

Volume 7

Today, I'm thankful for my computer. I have this beautiful 20" iMac sitting in front of me right now. It's such a terrific computer with a gorgeous display and it RUNS MAC OS X.

It was a Christmas present to me last year and I absolutely love it. I would like to build a better desk for it, but that is down the road, when I have some spare time to figure everything out since I have a strangely shaped room.

There's a couple of things that I love about this computer:

1. Its beautiful form factor. I don't know if there has been a slimmer, more attractive computer.
2. It runs Mac OS X. I know I mentioned this before, but this is a wonderful thing.
3. The Bluetooth option. I don't have the internal Bluetooth, but I have a USB Bluetooth key, which allows me to use this very nice wireless keyboard and mouse. What's genius about them is that I was able to haul my computer to a mini-showcase for Alli last weekend and run a slideshow of all her work on my screen on our table. It looked very nice and super professional, almost like a TV.
4. The nice big screen. Brilliant colors. 20" widescreen. You gotta love it.

Now, don't get me wrong. If somebody got me a companion iBook laptop to go with it, I wouldn't kick that computer out of bed for eating crackers, but it would most certainly be my traveling companion (emphasis on companion...I wouldn't even get MS Office for it...I'd just rock iWork on it). This gorgeous machine in front of me will be my primary computer for a long time.

(Unless of course I get into music or movie production or something insane like that where I might need to get one of those slick new Quad G5's.)

So thanks, Apple (and more importantly Mom and Dad). I really love my computer.

WITFV6: Burritos

Volume 6

Today, I'm thankful for burritos. And not really just any burritos, but Chipotle burritos.

I (heart) Chipotle. I've made this fact well known here on this little blog and I'm proud to say that I am a Chipotle-holic. What's not to love about Chipotle? Good, cheap grub. It doesn't get much better.

WITFV5: Chili

Volume 5

Today, I'm thankful for chili. Tonight is our big church Chili Cookoff and I'm excited. I love making chili. I'm not afraid to say that mine is really good. One of the best things about chili is that there's almost always leftovers. And leftover chili is as good, if not BETTER, than fresh chili. Plus, the fact that I can make chili means that it's fall. And I love fall. It's by far my second favorite season after winter.

So here's to you chili:

I salute you.

WITFV4: My Company

Volume 4

Today, I'm thankful to work in a company that is successful, stable and treats its employees right. I got to spend about 30 minutes today playing on a Segway, one of three that the executives bought us as a "house-warming gift" in our new state-of-the-art facility. Yeah, like the facility wasn't enough.

The facility has the following:

• A dodgeball court
• A fitness center
• A twisty slide
• An Xbox room
• About 20 plasma TVs
• Free Coca-Cola products (including Minute Maid juices and Dasani water)

Man, I work for a great company. We were named (for the second year in a row) one of the "Best Places to Work in Kansas City" by the Kansas City Business Journal.

Good times.

WITFV3: Alli

Volume 3

Today, I'm thankful for my wife, Alli. I am more thankful for her than anything in my life, but I would have REALLY been copying Rachel on this if I'd put her first.

But she is first.

#1.

Numero Uno.

I have a wife who is not only loving, caring, intelligent, TOTALLY HOT, and completely in love with me, but she's also this completely talented artist. SEE. I don't know what I would do without her. She's the first person I want to see when I wake up every morning and the last person I want to see when I close my eyes at night.

Did I mention that she's HOT?

WITFV2: Days Off

Volume 2

Today, I'm thankful for days off. Today was a good day. I took a long-needed day off from work. I've been pushing very hard lately with our company open house for our new building (which was last Friday and was totally sweet) so I rewarded myself with a day off (considering I have about 3 weeks built up...I needed to use it anyway).

Alli and I slept in, made breakfast, almost went to the Plaza, shopped for shoes, both bought a pair (her: brown boots; me: black slip-on work shoes), ate some food, watched some "That 70's Show" and just relaxed.

It was a great day and I'm thankful that not only I could have that day off, but that my wonderful wife has a flexible enough schedule to spend the day with me.

The Month of November - What I'm Thankful For, Vol. 1 (WITFV1)

OK, so I totally stole this from Rachel (who stole it from someone else, but that's besides the point...)

I'm going to write one post per day (yeah right, let's see how that goes!) and I'll list one thing that I'm thankful for.

So here goes:

Volume 1

Today, I'm thankful for free stuff. We got to see another free movie tonight...Shopgirl. I like free stuff. It's really cool. Mostly because it doesn't cost anything.