Thanksgiving thanks .......... giving.

As is customary this time of year, we give thanks for the things we're grateful for. And for the things that didn't kill us over the last 12 months.

So here goes nothing.

First and foremost, and to nobody's surprise, I am thankful for my beautiful little girl Caitlyn. How she managed to make it into this world is pure amazement every time I think about it. I tend to have a pretty firm grasp on the how's and why's of human existence (a much deeper, long winded conversation I assure you), but there's something about a living thing producing another living thing from scratch that just boggles the mind. There are many ways to describe it: visually, scientifically, spiritually ... but there are no words to truly capture the unexplainable idea that is life.

Secondly, my loving wife Crystal. What can I say, I'm not always the easiest person to be around. Sure, I'm funny from time to time, but when you're around it 24 hours a day, wit and sarcasm can become more of an annoyance. Add to that a schedule of working and performing that has me away from home 16 hours a day on busy weeks. When I am home, my attention is often split between three things:

1. Doing those things that we love to do together: Eating, watching The Office and several other shows you should not be missing, discussion (the nice way to say arguing), raising a child, and our married life which is always more good than bad.


2. Doing those things that I love to do: Playing video games, wasting my virtual life away playing World of Warcraft, carefully honing my blogging abilities on JRTW, and general Internet entertainment (regular and adult).


3. Sleeping.

So needless to say, I could always stand to pay more attention to my wife. As with many husbands and marriages, I tend to take her for granted when in reality, her contribution to my well being merits her being my number one priority. But rest assured when it's all said and done, that underneath it all lies a love for her that, when realized, brings tears to my eyes so easily that I have to purposely avoid thinking about it.

Ok, with those two out of the way, I can abandon heartfelt seriousness for something more palatable for the rest of you.

Thanks to NBC, for filling my TiVo™ every Thursday night with some really great TV shows. My Name is Earl is totally back on track this season after falling a bit off course last year. The Office is continually outstanding, and Kath and Kim is easily the best new comedy anywhere dude. Add to that some 30 Rock goodness, and you're so happy you won't even care about fast forwarding through the commercials.

Thanks to Elwood over at Untitled: Story of my Life for his blog, which is really a treat and should never be missed. It was CJ_ATC (fatherhood in progress) who first pointed me over to the blog and I haven't looked back since. Truth be told, it was my inspiration for starting JRTW, and I'm glad to be a part of his list of distractions. Thanks for making me believe that I could do it too.

Thanks to all of the following cheese flavored snacks: Cheez-it™, Pringles™, Bugles™, Chee-tos™, Chex Mix™, and Pepperidge Farm Goldfish™

Thanks to ALT 0153 for making my trademark references legitimate.

Thanks to my friends for reading my blog, you know who you are. I enjoy that it gives me a chance to talk to you. The years pass quickly and we don't get too many opportunities to visit in person, and as a result it becomes important to find new ways let you all know that your place in our hearts always remains. You're all always in our thoughts here in the LC.

Thanks and no thanks to Facebook and Myspace for both reconnecting and disconnecting my friendships at the same time. Reconnecting me with old friends, some of which I haven't heard from in over a decade, and disconnecting me with friends I would otherwise take the time to visit. Just funny how that all works, and I'm sure it will all make a good book someday.

Thanks of course to other obvious things, like my family, my health, enough to eat, and a roof over our heads. Those are a given for just about anybody who has them.

Everything else ......

Thanks to FOX's continued support of primetime animation, Seth Green and all the things he does. Gracias to Black Friday, Newegg.com, Cornell West, the ongoing war between evolution, intelligent design, and creationism (here's the spoiler, none of them truly know how life began on this planet). Also to John Stewart, Steven Colbert, Bill Maher, Keith Olbermann, and other pundits who don't really tell the news but somehow make more sense than those that do. Thanks to Solace, steak, root beer, cheap gas, funny commercials, Shiner Bock, sequels as good as I want them to be, Google, $5 footlongs, a good scratch, free shipping, toilet reading, bonus vending machine drops, cold when I'm hot, hot when I'm cold, a good gin and tonic, memories of friends lost, Rock Band, The Soup, back rubs, and finding money I had forgotten about.

And I thank whatever higher power makes you feel safe and gives you that special feeling you can't find anywhere else. I don't know that we'll ever truly know what that is, and I'm never 100% sure I believe it's there, but I want to.

Enjoy the weekend and be safe.

Much Love,
Jimmy

A Week in the Life - Thanksgiving and Opera

Well, loyal viewers, again apologies for less frequent postings. I'll try to keep up more using whatever free time I can squeeze in.

This week I'll be playing La Traviata with the Juarez Symphony Orchestra. The third most popular opera in North America, it tells the story of a famous courtesan who falls for the son of a nobleman, after first resisting. At his father's behest she shuns her love so as not to disgrace his family name. In the end of course, love prevails, but it is quickly met with sadness as the courtesan's tuberculosis spells her end. Nothing like love and disease to spice up the holiday weekend, all that and Mexico too!

In addition, I will be playing garbage disposal for a one night only engagement at several houses on Thursday. I've already let the seams out on my pants, and crocheted the elastic from my undergarments into the load bearing portions of my shirts. My wallet is stuffed with carefully folded gallon size freezer bags, and I've blown the dust off of my extra-wide-super-durable cranberry sauce straw. Nothing says Thanksgiving like the puppy-love-makeout sounds you can only get sucking cranberry sauce through a straw.

Caitlyn is doing fine, albeit a bit restless when she doesn't get what she wants (clearly one of her mother's best traits). She is growing every day, but we're fortunate enough to not notice because we're around her all the time. I'd give my Dad skills about an 8.25 out of 10. I'm picking up my fair share of housework, and making sure the wife is fed and watered. But I have dropped the ball a few times in the consideration department. The other day I succeeded in cooking dinner and serving the plates, but while Crystal ate with one hand (baby in the other) I munched away with both hands, only to excuse myself after I had finished, effectively failing to offer to hold the baby so Crystal could enjoy her food.

My bad, lesson learned.

Otherwise it's business as usual this week. Working, performing, eating, and some tireless computer time in between.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I will have the pleasure of seeing some of you over the weekend, and I must say I am definitely looking forward to it. By all means drop me a line and I'll speed over your way, baby and all. If I don't get to see you, be safe and cherish the time you have with the one's you love.

Feed me,

Jimmy