thankful

What I am thankful for this holiday:

1. Friends who are willing to include a lone single girl to celebrate Turkey Day with their family.
2. Crisp, cool autumn-winter air and leaves that crunch walking through them.
3. Phone calls to my best friend when I need to hear a familiar voice.
4. A job that I love. No matter how long the hours, or the fact that I have to fly with students, no matter what else is going on in my life; it still makes me happy when those wheels lift off the ground and I can leave my problems earthbound while I play on the wind.
5. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is not quite as magical as I remember, but it holds great childhood memories.
6. Then men and women in our nation's military who gave up their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to protect it for those who cannot or choose not to.
7. The freedom of speech and this medium in which we can all have an equal voice to be heard.
8. My health, not to be cliche.
9. My family that is just a phone call or plane ride away.
10. My faith that is a comfort, driving force, and guiding light that never steers me wrong or lets me down, even when I do myself.

The Pre-Meal Thanksgiving Safety Demonstration from Throwing Things

Welcome to this Thanksgiving meal, with non-stop service from passive aggression to outright yelling. This afternoon's meal will last approximately two hours and 14 minutes. At this time, please direct your attention to the head of the table for the pre-meal safety demonstration.

Emergency exits are located at the door into the kitchen and through the living room into the front hall. Please take a moment to locate the exit nearest you.

When the meal begins to take off, you must fasten your lips shut. To do so, insert an alcoholic beverage into a glass, and pull it to your lips for a long swig. We suggest that you keep your beverage glass full throughout the meal, as we may experience turbulence.

In the event of a sudden pressurization of the dining room's atmosphere, various members of the family may drop insults that they don't actually mean. Remain calm. Pull the defensive psychological mask that you have constructed over your face and breathe normally. Insults will continue to flow even after the mask is in place.

In the event of water flowing from eyelids, please remember that your Walgreen's Thanksgiving print paper napkin can be used as a tear-soaking device.

This is a non-smoking meal. Tampering with, disabling, or destroying the smoke detectors located in the bathroom is an offense punishable by substantial yelling and cursing.

At this time we ask that you turn off all cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices. Please make sure that you have stowed away all painful memories and disappointments in preparation for the meal.

For complete information on meal safety procedures, please review the email provided to you by your cousin Joe detailing which family members are not talking to which other family members and which subjects are prohibited.

Thank you for choosing this side of the family for your Thanksgiving meal. At this time, you may sit back, relax, and enjoy the fight.

Here's what Michelle Malkin thinks journalists should be thankful for this year.

The very wise La Shawn Barber has the right perspective this Thanksgiving: Christ. I am thankful for Him too!

Thanksgiving wishes from Blackfive.

Charlie from OPFOR who is deployed has this to say:

For me, deployment is a comfortable disconnection from the reality of life. Everything is simpler in the Army world. You wear the same uniform, eat at the same place, do the same job, and live with the same people all day, every day. Thanksgiving is just another day, another report filed, and another small victory when everyone comes back in the wire safe.

Lest I get you down during this festive season, I remain thankful. I'’m thankful for my great country. As I've said before, when this deployment ends, I'’ll get to go home. The people here won'’t, and so it is my job to keep them safe while I'’m here.

And from Richard:

Our lives are utopian, yet most Americans never stop to think about the hundreds of thousands –- millions - – of brave young men and women who are standing at the gates, guarding our nation: the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who are fighting, bleeding and dying in foreign lands so that we may remain free.
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Let us not forget the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom; and let us all take a moment to remember the mothers, fathers, wives, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters of these heroes. Let us all mourn their losses.

Happy Thanksgiving,
~chicpilot