The days just start to get away with you and before you know it…the holiday is already here, so I’m going to put together the rest of my list…
Giving Thanks from C to Z….
C- Charlie. Little brothers, no matter where in the world they are, are always important. Charlie is deployed overseas right now. He just left Afghanistan. Who knows where he is now. I am thankful I’ve had such a supportive brother. He’s stood by my side through thick and thin because he believes in me. I’m thankful for him. {A little sneak peek into next month’s feature…I’m putting together his military Xmas package.}
D- Dorothy. She’s one of my closest friends. One thing she said to me that left a strong impact on me was: “Your family is not normal.” When she said that, I had to take a step back and look at my family from outside of the box. She’s right. This family is completely dysfunctional, so why do I even care if I don’t agree with the values they are choosing to embrace? She introduced me to her family & made me a part of it. From them, I’ve learned what it means to be a family. Before her mother died, her mother was teaching me how to raise children. I’ll never forget her for that. I’m just thankful Dorothy came into my life when she did. She showed up when I needed someone like her the most. She showed me what a family was.
E- Ethel. She’s a new friend, but she is constantly making me think of ways to be more creative. Whether it’s a DIY project or a home cooked meal, we are constantly looking for ways to make our projects more amazing. It helps that she’s a foodie just like me. It makes for a lot of interesting conversations.
F- Friends. I’ve been blessed with some great friends. They’ve made me part of their families. They’ve taught me many things about love, laughter, friendship and families. At this age, it’s about going through life together.
G- God. Through him all things are possible. He’s a father. He’s a best friend. He’s a companion. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me.
H- Hannibal. If it weren’t for the TV show, this site would probably not exist. Hannibal awakened my fascination into the beauty of perfectionism. There is something to learning more about culture, music and becoming a culinary artist. These days I can pick out a classical tune in 3 notes thanks to the world of Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Of all the things this man does, it’s the perfectionist in him that draws me in.
I- Inside Hockey. I’ve been with IH for 7 years now. They weren’t the first publication I wrote for, but they were the first to push me into the press box. That moment made me go down in the NHL history books as the first 100% internet based website to be credentialed into the NHL. IH has given me so many amazing opportunities over the years. For the first few years, I was the one that was traveling all over the world to cover the game. Now, I’m trying to focus on less, but more qualitative work. I have a team of people I work with now. Before, it was just me. Now, instead of covering every single game, I’m focusing on just feature stories, which ironically requires much more work and research. It’s harder work, but it’s more of who I am now.
I’m also thankful for Itty Bittys. They’re Matthew’s favorite toy. Instead of chewing on me at 3AM, I hand him his Itty Bitty and he starts chomping away. My hands thank whoever makes Itty Bittys.
J- Joseph Delaney. If there is one name that is repeated again and again on my books I’ve read this year list, it’s Joseph Delaney. His Spook series (“The Last Apprentice”) has kept me entertained all year long. I’ve read every single one of his books. I just can’t get enough.
K- KitchenAid Mixer. Who knew that this old school mixer would not just be the most beautiful thing in my kitchen but also the most important appliance?
L- Love. There is no greater thing in the universe. When you love and feel loved, it is everything.
M- Matthew Lucifer. The latest edition to my family may be the cutest little guy on the face of the earth, but he can also be Lucifer himself reincarnated into a cat. Either way, as much money as this Maine Coon has cost me over the last 3 months, he has been worth every single penny. He’s learning to tame his Lucifer side as the days go by. He has been a little godsend because he makes me laugh. He’s still a little kid inside, and that’s what makes him so much fun.
N- New York City. God, I love this place. I have enjoyed every single second here. NYC is not a place I regret. It’s a place I fall in love with every single day.
O- Oprah. While this may be funny to some, Oprah (and her magazine “O”) has really made me think a lot about life. She puts out there thoughts to consider on how to live your best life possible. She’s found the secret to happiness and she’s trying to help the world discover it for themselves. While I know what that secret is, I’ve learned that there is so much more to learn and understand. Life is more fulfilling when you realize what the secret to happiness is and how to make it grow. Oprah is constantly pointing us in that direction. I always love hearing from the people she’s found. Knowledge is a wonderful thing. I’m thankful for the knowledge she is sharing with all of us.
P- Pinterest. Pinterest is a wonderful place. It’s filled with so many ideas, so much food, and it pushes me in the direction of discovering a new blogger that I may enjoy. I love sharing pins with friends and even trying out a few pins here and there. It’s become my filing system for recipes galore. Gotta love it.
Q- Queens. You either love it or you hate it. Queens hosts Flushing, NY, my favorite Chinatown. I hate going there because people are so rude, but it has what I need and the food there is AMAZING. The food outweighs the bad behavior.
R- Red Basil. This is my favorite Thai restaurant. What makes me love the restaurant so much is that the food tastes just like Mom’s home cooking. But it’s not just the food there, it’s the people.
S- Surita. My other cat in my life. She’s been with me for 14 years. She is the one that loves me most. I can’t imagine going to bed without her by my side. Sure, she’s been mad at me for bringing home a Maine Coon, but I think she likes him. She just doesn’t like to share me. She’s still boss. She never let’s any of us forget that.
T- Todd English’s Ca Va. This is my favorite restaurant in all of NYC. They make food the way I love food…with flavors that just burst on your tongue with every single bite you take. Before my surgery, I was a regular there. Post-op, not so much because my taste buds weren’t there. In 2015, I plan on going back to my weekly haunt. Why? Because they treat me so well there. I’m thankful to them for making food just the way I love it.
U- The Universe. The Universe is a wonderful thing. When you learn how to tap into what the universe can offer, you’re in for one amazing ride in life.
V- Vinegar. Vinegar is a wonderful thing. You can add it to your food when you need something a little tart. It is your cure all for cleaning in a non-toxic way. That heat stain on my brand new black table? Applied vinegar onto it, soaked a towel in vinegar and put it over it (reapplied)…heat stain is gone in a couple of days. Vinegar is my miracle juice.
W- Willy Wonka. Everyone has their favorite childhood candies. Mine come in the form of Willy Wonka. From Nerds to Laffy Taffy to the good ole pixie sticks. Willy Wonka has been providing me with my sugar highs for the majority of my life. Where would I be without him?
X- X-Men. Because who knew you could look so hot in your mid-40s? Hugh Jackman’s definition of what he does for his character Wolverine can put anyone’s diet and workout regimen to shame. That is dedication. I’m thankful for X-Men for making Hugh Jackman work so hard at being hot.
Y- Yoga. I’m thankful for yoga because it has helped me in so many ways, including rolling out those aches I get in my lower back.
Z- Zen. Being ‘zen’ is probably the biggest challenge for everyone on this planet, but it’s a meditative thought process we should all learn to achieve. Knowledge is power. Applying those principles to our daily lives is the challenge. Once it ceases to be a challenge, you are an enlightened being. I am thankful that there are principles like these out there to help human beings evolve into better human beings.
All in all the thing I’m most thankful for is this amazing life. I’ve been very fortunate over the years to have a good job, good friends, a dream career, amazing health insurance, more than enough, and an amazing adventure. It’s the adventure I’m on that I’m most thankful for. I thank God for giving me the amazing adventure in life every single day. It’s a charmed life. It’s not luck. It’s about being on your path in life. When you’re on your path in life everything works out more magically than you can ever imagine your life to be. If you’re not on your path, nothing works out. I’m just thankful that life, the good and the bad, happened the way it happened. If it hadn’t, it wouldn’t have made me who I am today. I’ve enjoyed the ride.
