I wish I was in the UK.

Oh my goodness!  It's Diet Coke NAIL POLISH.  Seriously, I may have just died and gone to heaven.  Of course, it's only available in the UK.  Which is just absolutely ridiculous.  I might have to take a trip to London.  I wonder if I could write it off as a business expense.  Probably not.

Probably just as well. 

What I Am Thankful For...

So let's just flip yesterday's post on its head, shall we?

I am grateful and thankful for the many blessings in my life, like:
1) good parking places at crowded shopping areas (I'm looking at you Publix)
2) folks who comment on my palmetto tree sticker or say "Go Gamecocks!" when walking past my car
3) the fact that the state of Florida charges so much for a divorce
4) new technology to play with
5) a steady hand when applying nail polish
6) a boss who brings Starbucks (almost) every Tuesday
7) my family who understands - usually without me having to fully explain
8) cold weather that makes it actually feel like Thanksgiving
9) Auto Tune the News (yes, seriously)
10) my ticket for New Moon this afternoon
11) great foodie blogs that make my mouth water and inspire my culinary exploits
12) the Leon County Library where you can check out text books from the CIA (no, the other one)
12) rain checks for free 12-packs of Diet Coke
13) catalogs from places where I will never shop
14) imagination that doesn't stop
15) Pandora.com and friends who share new music
16) more than one keyboard
17) people who make me laugh
18) kids who - by still believing in Santa - light up their parents' eyes in the depths of the toy department at Target
19) hair color and industrial strength conditioner
20) the $1 fountain Diet Cokes at McDonalds
21) the fact that I can *still* make this list

I'm thankful for my home, my car, my family -- all those "typical" things. I'm glad I'm healthy. I'm glad I find the humor in frugality. Heck, I'm glad I find the humor in most things, even though I might need an FBI detector and a flashlight.

I am grateful that I have a relationship with my God, and that it gives me something sort of like strength and peace combined.

I will be heading to New Moon this evening - and then prepping for a small Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday (and a much larger one on Friday). I hope you have a very thankful holiday - be safe.

What I Am NOT Thankful For...

In a few days, everyone will be gathering around tables groaning under the weight of plenty. And they'll hold hands (or maybe not in Swine Flu Season), and they'll gaze lovingly at their family and friends and share the many blessings that deserve their thankfulness.

And while I'm sure I will also profess my blessings on Thursday (and Friday), I'd like to take a moment at M&MD to also share what I am NOT thankful for.

I am NOT thankful for the following:
1) sacrificing pedicures
2) having a spouse who thinks working less than 20 hours a week is enough
3) the extra tire around my middle that seems to think it's in a monster truck rally
4) my pitiful collection of business casual clothing
5) weird hormones that think the drop in temperatures is justification for frequent hot flashes
6) not having the ability to spend Thanksgiving with my family
7) the state of Florida charges far too much to dissolve a marriage
8) no one has figured out a way to ingest the greatness of Diet Coke intravenously
9) lack of direction in Afghanistan (c'mon - let's figure out what we're doing)
10) Charlie Crist (and see, Mark Sanford would be on a list of those I am thankful for)

Before you get your panties in a wad (dear me, did I just write that?), I am thankful for many, many things. In the depths of winter and all that. But today? Today I am definetly NOT thankful for a few things. It can't be good without the bad, right?

Ahhh, thank goodness I've kept my sense of humor.

She must get me.

I don't know this blogger - I only subscribe to her lovely blog, Bakerella. You probably should as well.

Even though we've never met, I can't help but think she'd get me.

I wonder if this whole grace thing isn't some elaborate ploy to develop a daily blogging habit. Hence why I wish I could figure out a way to keep it on the side nav. Regardless, I had a wonderful thing happen to me: around 1 pm when I swung by McD's to purchase my first diet coke of the day (large, light ice) I realized how grateful I was in all the elements that made it possible - a short line, money, a car (you can't walk through the drive thru), the gift of literacy and sight and a body that can handle the intake of one diet coke a day. Yes, I'm down to ONE.

I'm glad I had that moment - and not just at night when I try to write this list. Yeah! Already the habit is rubbing off...
1. Beating K. at Wii Bowling. Still have a lot to learn about boxing.
2. Living in a place where flip flops are not just tolerated, but encouraged.
3. Refund checks that appear out of the blue.
4. New OPI for Sephora (metro chic) nail polish, sort of cross between gray flannel and lavender.
5. Pictures from NYE where I look fantastic instead of fat (and I don't feel bad about saying that, as I am only a few days away from getting closer to thirty, sort of).