A Day To Give Thanks

So here I am in my quiet home this morning tapping away at the keyboard trying to put into words some coherent thoughts on what I call American Thanksgiving. I am still used to Thanksgiving being the 2nd Monday in October as it is in Canada. I am supposed to be off today but I do have to check the order queues for the Canadian accounts as this is the busy season in our business. So the queues have been checked on my work laptop in the dining room and here I am blogging in my bedroom on my desktop.

H and I went out played trivia for the first time in month or so and didn't do too well. Most rounds we ended up with 7 or 8 questions right and missed out on some of the sound bite questions related to shows that were on TV in the last 20 years or so. Both H and I aren't really avid TV watchers. I think the only thing he watches is that AMC show "Walking Dead" or "Living Dead" or "Whatever The Eff Dead It Is" show. As for me, I watch baseball, some cooking shows, MSNBC in the evening at times and that pretty sums up my TV habits. I think I use the TV more as a sleep enhancer as I will often lay down on the couch on the TV and within 15-20 minutes I am off to the land of nod.

Suffice to say that H and I didn't exactly know many of the trivia questions related to TV. Last night they had a question on "Moonlighting" theme, a kids TV show "101 Dalmations" and Gena Lee Nolin. The theme sounded familiar as I think it was Al Jarreau singing. I remember the Disney classic from way, way back when called the "101 Dalmations". I had no idea there was a TV show called that also. As for G.L. Nolin. I had no idea who that is. I actually answered Baywatch and Dynasty. The first one was right and the second one was way off. It was Sheena. Not Sheena Easton. Just Sheena. Not sure when that show was on. Sounds like it may be related to George of the Jungle or something. I just googled Ms. Nolin. Well she was on several TV shows, she has been married three times and she is an attractive woman. I still don't know who she is. That's cool. She doesn't know who Marc Schlewing is so that makes us even in my books. Ha!

Anyways I should be talking about the blog title a bit shouldn't I? I guess the thing that I am most grateful for is how my son is turning out as he enters his early 20s and adulthood. Reflecting back on how I was at 21 makes me realize how fortunate that H has not chosen the path that I chose back then.

The best way to describe it is that I lost a decade due to some incredibly bad life choices I made back then that affected my family, my education, my career and my general well-being. Hitting a bottom that included being homeless and eating at soup kitchens and carrying all my worldly possessions in a large gym bag was my wake-up call.

I know that my son is way smarter than that in making his life choices. While we differ in opinions at times which I think is normal given that we look at life from different age perspectives; H more often than not makes the smart decision when making his choices. At 21 I didn't do that at all. His having a combined 3.72 GPA after 4 semesters at Greenville Tech along with three Dean's List and one President's List award is all a result of his hard work and dedication. The young man works part-time 30 hours or so a week and takes a full course load at school while being a pretty decent human being. He does take the time to enjoy life with his friends as 21 yr. olds should but at the same time seeing him open up his text books and working at the dining room table for a few hours on Friday or Saturday evening is something I never did or thought of doing.

So on this day after American Thanksgiving, I give thanks and gratitude on how well my son has turned out and how well he is doing. His Dad is super proud and thankful.