Thankful

In honor of Thanksgiving, 26 things I am truly thankful for (one for each day in the month leading up to the best feast of the year!):


1. An almost-five-year-old who sleeps like an angel, and always has.

2. So You Think You Can Dance... especially Mia Michaels' inspired routines.

3. Parmesan cheese.

4. Peet's Coffee, and Peppermint Mocha Coffeemate.

5. My health, and the health of my loved ones.

6. That we bought this house when we did and get to live in this neighborhood, complete with its parades, block parties, and amazing neighbors.

7. My parents, who are there for us- and our kids- in every imaginable way.

8. Target.

9. The Original Pancake House's glorious, melt-in-your-mouth buttermilk pancakes.

10. My ability to overcome the emotional roadblocks and insecurities that might have taken a serious toll on my happiness, had I not tackled them.

11. Aroma Cafe's heart-shaped blueberry scone.

12. That I took a job choreographing for a high school five years ago.

13. That my high school sweetheart introduced me to the Beatles when I was 17, and thus opened up my heart to a world of music.

14. James Taylor.

15. The day I hear the first Christmas song on the radio.

16. Friends who stand up for what is right.

17. People who have forgiven me.

18. One amazing architect, who has given us the house of our dreams... and one miraculous mom, who deserves that amazing architect.

19. My friends... many of whom feel like family.

20. My family... most of whom feel like friends... and how miraculous is that?!

21. A husband who makes my insides go all gooey just by laying a gentle hand on my head.

22. That I listened to a deeper calling within me, and decided to have kids.

23. Addie and Tucker, the lights of my life.

24. A good shower.

25. A great pizza.

26. A fantastic... well, let's just say if I'm lucky it comes right before the shower and the pizza.


And, because with every yin there comes a yang, 26 things I truly dislike:


1. That we still haven't sleep-trained our nine-month old, and I have the bleary eyes to prove it.

2. Tyce Diorio.

3. Fruit Roll-Ups.

4. Gristle.

5. That certain people I know are sick, suffering, or scared.

6. That when somebody says something mean, I think of the perfect comeback... three hours later.

7. People who cut in line, or cut me off; people with entitlement issues in general.

8. People who call me up, and then answer their own call-waiting a minute later.

9. Scientology, and similar cult-ish groups.

10. Fear, worry, and sleepless nights.

11. Katherine Heigl. Come to think of it, Grey's Anatomy. But still, I watch. What is wrong with me?

12. That I will probably never be able to stop picking at my fingers.

13. Being misunderstood, or misrepresented.

14. My own impatience.

15. Clutter.

16. My allergies.

17. Ultra-low-rise jeans. Why do these exist? Nobody looks good in them. If I accidentally grab them to try on, I look like I'm wearing my son's pants.

18. People whose way of connecting to others is by commiserating in negativity and mean-spiritedness.

19. When people don't train their dogs, say pit bulls aren't dangerous, or put the comfort of their animals above that of humans.

20. The existence of evil on earth in any form.

21. Earthquakes.

20. Blind hatred of any kind.

21. People who use weddings, pregnancies, and other joyous family events to make it all about them, what they need, and how they can find ways to be offended or otherwise unhelpful.

22. Undercooked chicken.

23. Halitosis, or other unsavory body smells.

24. The phrases "It's all good", "Everything happens for a reason", and "Whatever".

25. Lack of common sense.

26. People in charge who don't know what they're doing.