1. Nicole – I mean, obviously, but still, I don’t think I can express how much joy she brings into my life. Even my old invisible friends weren’t so closely attuned to my peculiar wavelength. She’s also a good deal more beautiful than my imaginary friends. Turns out, she’s better than I could ever have imagined, and I’ll do everything within my considerable power to make sure she never has to doubt how much I love her.
Oh, and we can cook together. Never underestimate the importance of being able to share a kitchen.
2. My family – Again, this seems like a given, but I’m constantly amazed by how fortunate I am in this regard. My parents, my aunts, my cousins, and most especially my sisters have given me so much, so much more than I was aware of growing up, that I simply wouldn’t be who and what I am today without them.
3. My friends – The ones nearby, the ones who are distant, and even (though you’ll seldom hear me admit it) the people I get to work with. You know who you are. Yes, you. Thank you.
4. The pets – The cats, Tricksie, Winjamin Failclaw, Red Velvet (sorta) and the snails, Dazzle, McKenzie, and the Professor. When I first moved to Austin and I was flying solo, one of the worst things was coming home from work in the dark, opening the front door, and being greeted with silence. Of course, I don’t have the problem now, but having a menagerie like this make the home so much home-ier.
5. The RNG of life -I have it pretty damned good. I worked hard, and I’m pretty bright, but neither of those things guarantee anything. I’ve had opportunities and I’ve dodged some bullets and I’ve had a whole lot of help. My life is good and which is pretty much all I can ask. My grandmother always said she’d rather be lucky than good (she was both, at least when she was playing poker) and I think she was on to something.