I read this post from one of my favorite blogs, Pink of Perfection, where Sarah talks about reading Little Women for the first time (one of my first book loves!) and how it led her to appreciate her Brooklyn life even post-Sandy. And it made me reflect on the many blessings I have in my life right now. And since Thanksgiving is next week, I figured I’d jump on the gratitude bandwagon. In no particular order, here are some blessings I’m counting:
1) Remember my little Bat Boy-inspired story I wrote for an online competition? I won! Wa hooo, I won! It’s the very first time I’d ever won anything literary, heck I hardly enter any competitions at all. But I feel like the Old Man in A Christmas Story when he won his leg lamp. I think I did the same jig. Needless to say I’m very encouraged and am penning more weird little stories that I hope to share with you soon. I’m so grateful for this little sign from the universe (otherwise known as LitReactor’s Taylor Houston) telling me to keep it up!
2) I’m thankful to be working on The Great Cover Up with both The Modeens and The Cordials. This is a Tucson musical tradition, an annual fundraiser where a bunch of local bands cover another well-known band. I LOVE this event because I dig challenges and there’s always a ton to learn when you immerse yourself in your musical heroes. I can’t tell you who either band is covering (they like to keep who’s covering who a secret until the day of the show), but I can say that in The Modeens, I’m relinquishing bass duty and moving back to electric guitar, which I haven’t even played since 2006 in Los Angeles (!) It was weird plugging in my dusty axe and playing those teeny tiny strings (compared to bass and even acoustic guitar strings) but it was also a blast and we’re gonna have a LOT of fun. If you’re in the Tucson area, please pencil in Friday, December 14th at Club Congress.
3) Massimo is loving the cooler (finally!) weather and has started curling up with us when Jamie and I are watching TV late at night. We set the scene by draping both our laps in a fleece blankie. Massi’s ears perk up and his eyes go wide. Then he jumps up on the couch, looking like a child on Christmas morning. “What? For me? All this velvety, warm, squishy softness for ME?” Then he chooses a lap – or sometimes he manages to hang across both of our laps, OR burrow down in between our laps, and slowly proceeds to melt into the blanket as we coo his name and rub his head and/or belly. And then we’re stuck there until he decides he’s had enough of being a puddle of fluff and slowly climbs down, fur all a-ruffled. It’s one of my favorite things in the world. Thank you, November!
4) It’s my dad’s birthday! Though it may be the day after by the time he reads this, I just have to give a shout out to the man who helped found my character on a passion for music, guitars, classic movies, reading, truth and beauty. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be a far different person with a far less interesting and fulfilling life. Cheers to you, Daddy, and thank you for teaching me not to worry about what other people think. And for teaching me to play guitar. And a whole bunch of other stuff too long to list. May you win all the guitars you bid for on eBay! Well, as long as Mami approves them ; )
5) The past several months in the Desert Southwest, we all bemoan the weather. Because it really does get dang tootin’ hot. But here we are in November and I just read the following from a local news stations’ Facebook status (oh how 21st century): Stuck in Beautiful Weather for Now. Apparently, we’re sandwiched between hot and cold fronts that are stabilizing our temperatures so it doesn’t get too cold or too hot for the next few weeks. So I feel blessed that with so much weather turbulence in our country (much love to the Northeast) and around the world, Tucson has a few weeks of bliss to call our own. I imagine no matter where you live, whether it’s rainy Seattle, frigid Alaska or swampy Louisiana, there will come that special time of year when your little spot on the globe is a little slice of heaven.
There’s so much more.
I have a happy home with Jamie and Massi, family and friends who love and respect me and more comforts than I ever imagined I’d have.
I have music and art and laughter in my life. I’m part of a creative community with amazing people who push and prod me to keep learning and growing as an artist and a person.
I’m alive and healthy (knock on wood). The people I love are doing well. And even though some of us are facing hardships, they’re not facing them alone.
And, for the most part, when my brain doesn’t get in the way with obsessions and obligations and shouldn’ts and shoulds, I have peace of mind.
I wish all of these things for all of you with all of my heart.
Have a lovely and loving Thanksgiving, yall.