Give Thanks!

Not gonna lie: I love getting emails from "President Barack Obama." Just got one today that wished me a happy Thanksgiving and expressed gratitude at his listserv. That's something I can appreciate! And before all you lovely radical leftists (with whom I generally agree!) attack me for supporting the American president, cut me a little slack: I'm abroad and a wee bit homesick for my birth country. I even miss its insane politics and worse politicians. And I owe Barack Obama a lot on a personal scale: his presidency has given the US a whole lot of international goodwill, and it would be callous to not recognize that as a temporary expat.

In the spirit of the holiday, here are 20 1/2 things I'm grateful for (one for every year of life and in no real order).

20. This semester abroad.
19. Posse.
18. Having a kickass model for my photojournalism assignment, Benazir-- a former fashion model who is leaving her current teaching job to paint full-time in India.

17. Getting to see an elementary school acquaintance, Caroline, perform in the Royal Danish Ballet's "Napoli" tonight-- on a comp'd ticket!

16.  Pie.

15.  Avoiding swine flu thus far (KNOCK ON WOOD)-- but can't I just express gratitude without jinxing myself?!

14.  My friends, for sending me letters and postcards while here (Monica, Niki, and Nora especially!)

13 1/2.  The people who read this blog.

13. The people who comment on this blog so that I know there exist readers out there.

12.  My roommate, Mira, for humoring me.

11.  Anyone who has ever in their life given me a compliment.

10.  Actually, anyone who regularly gives compliments to anyone at all.  Pay that forward, people.

9.  Music!

8.  That old cities still stand so that we can see history and feel viscerally that it shouldn't be repeated (and this shouldn't just be in Europe; wars make a mess of things everywhere)

7.  HUMOR.

6.  Personal heroes

5.  Independent bookstores

4.  Books in general

3.  My planned trip to London this weekend (Thursday afternoon-Sunday night)

2.  Books ABOUT London!

1.  The ridiculously loving and supportive family I come from-- sure, it precludes one from being a crazed genius, as apparently only abuse and neglect inspire literary masterpieces, but I'm pretty sure I get a better life overall, thanks to them.