Skip to main content

Surprise Donuts and other things for which to be Grateful!


Dear Members and Constituents,
On this Thanksgiving eve (and yes, I do realize it is not Friday), I thought I would share with you the top ten list of things for which I’m grateful.
  1. Lack of control. If everything happened the way I would like, there would never be any pleasant surprises.
  2. Celebrities. They serve as a reminder of all the ways my life could go astray if only I had everything I want.
  3. Clouds. I love the fanciful shapes which set my imagination free and the twilight metamorphosis of color which transforms their daylight monochrome personas into impressionistic paintings.
  4. Touch. This underrated sense enhances my experiential tapestry giving me the ability to sense the warmth of a cheek or the smoothness of a caress. The prick of a thorn or the squishiness of play dough.
  5. Minor infirmities. It’s so easy to take so much for granted. There is nothing like a twisted ankle to help us appreciate mobility. If it weren’t for headaches, how could I appreciate the lack of one? (I can’t even think of a word to describe the headache-less state in which I find myself).
  6. Family. I admit to being spoiled in this front. Enough said.
  7. Mortality. How much less do you think would get done if folks felt like they had all the time in the world to do it? There is nothing like the ultimate deadline to motivate me into action.
  8. Friends and colleagues. I have the fortune to be surrounded by great people. People who make going into work each morning a delight and attending social gatherings something to anticipate.
  9. JRR Tolkien. His books (and the movies based upon them) can take me on an exotic vacation on a moment’s notice (at the perfect price).
  10. Coffee and Surprise Donuts. If you are one of the few folks in the office and have the former, there are a couple dozen Krispy Kremes at my desk so you too can enjoy this perfect combination.
Having constrained the list to ten, I left-out a plethora of other things such as my guitar, having a passion, the smell of jasmine and that first bite into a mix of mangoes with whipped cream. Then again, there’s always next Thanksgiving.
Happy Wednesday!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Donut Doodle Dandy

Dear Members and Constituents, In trying to figure-out Wednesday’s cool-looking Google Doodle ( Jorge Luis Borges’ 112 th birthday ), I stumbled across a list of Google Doodles you’ll never see. This, and a Rockies game later that day, were sufficient inspiration to get my head spinning around what other doodles Google might never noodle? I’m sure you’ll probably have a few ideas of your own, but I was able to come-up with a couple. How about a former Colorado Rockies player whose unfortunate encounter with a moth put him in the news this week? The Matt Holliday doodle might look something like this… Another item which, surprisingly enough, has not been made into a doodle are donuts. Although I was slightly taken aback to find this delicious pastry has not been featured, after the initial disappointment, I decided to take matters into my own hands and take a stab at one (perhaps Google can use it next year for national donut day )… or to celebrate Greek police having “ blown a ho

Donut Hole Alignment

Friends, My predawn attempts to watch the planetary alignment have thus far been met with cloudy skies. The weather forecast through the end of the cosmic event suggests I shall not witness it. And yet, my futile attempts have been rewarded in other ways. The chorus of birds, frogs and insects singing in anticipation of the sun’s glorious rising complement the river’s steady churning. The crisp, fresh air in a desolate town whose citizens are still bidding Morpheus “adieu” caresses my skin while the sweet aroma of petrichor fills my lounges. Deep shadows of centenarian eucalyptus trees slowly recede and give way to the imperceptible progress of the brightening skies. Sure, witnessing those tiny bright spots lined-up in the sky would be pretty cool —like sprinkles on a donut. Speaking of donuts, if you’re ever in Cuenca around the feast of Corpus Christi (which ended yesterday) you need to try the Huevos Chilenos (Chilean Eggs) —think of them as less sweet donut holes. And, if like me t

Donuts Without Borders

Friends, I believe going anywhere in the world (so long as you abide by the local laws) should be a human right. People should be allowed to wander freely (or vote with their feet whenever a government alienates them). In this, I fully support Doctors Without Borders’ decision to no longer accept funding from the EU due to their immigration policies. Good for them! That said borders can be useful. Take, for instance national sports teams. If there were no borders, events like the summer and winter Olympiads would not exist. Closer to home, those of you who follow soccer are probably tuning-in to the hundredth edition of Copa America , currently under way. Last night the quarter final opener featured both of the teams for which I've been rooting. Who do you cheer for when you know only one of your teams will advance? You can't root for both or you risk becoming a dispassionate observer, so, you either pick one or choose to narrate the game in English (i.e. no 100 MPH narra