I'm Thankful

I thought it fitting to list some of the things I am thankful for this year and as I break break with loved ones tomorrow I will be considering them in the true spirit of Thanksgiving.

1) My Remote Control: While channel surfing last night I landed on ABC a few times. The first time was when Lindsey Lohan was "performing" a song..I don't say sing because they amped up the choir and the guitars around her so you could barely hear her. When I did though my ears started bleeding and I was overcome with nausia! Good Lord, who let a mike come within ten feet of that girl. Luckily my trusty remote in hand I went to FOX where I watched my current favorite show "House". During commercials however I bravely turned back to ABC in time to see Cyndi Lauper and Sarah MCLachlan performing "Time After Time". This inspired performance was a treat and redemed my faith that there are still musicians in the mainstream with talent.

2) 105.7 FM: All Christmas music all the time! This radio station in the Lansing area switches over to this programing the whole month of December. Love it!

3) Friends: I am talking about people who keep the door open and always have an extra seat at their table. The ones who gratiously let you rant on their blue couch about the very subjects I obsess over in this blog and give you a fresh perspective. They encourage you when you are against the impossible and offer a quick witted comeback when you are being impossible. They make you laugh till it hurts (Aaron) and share an unhealthy obsession for 80s music (Jessie). Those two kindred souls I have in mind prove to me that family is not just defined by relation.

4) Health: I pray for the two family members are battling canser and fight everyday in hopes of beating the odds. I also pray for those who aren't sick or struggling with disease. May they realize and be grateful for the abilities they have because our bodies are fragile and health can be fleeting.

5) Snow: I'm perhaps the only person in a twenty mile radius who loves the snow today. It makes everything appear clean and no one can resist pausing for a moment to watch it dance to the ground. I also get a kick out of watching this poor guy on his snowblower just outside my window compete with the road plows. Everytime he finishes the sidewalk, a street plow comes by and covers up his work. This is not a job for a prefectionist, but he is out there again working just as hard. He's probably just jazzed he gets to use his plow. For a small thing it certainly kicks up a lot of powder.

Well all for now. Perhaps if I get a minute this weekend I'll let you in on the massive chaos that is holiday gatherings in my family. For now I am bundling up and hitting the road. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

The Best Thanksgiving Quote Ever

"I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old fashion way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land."

The Kalamazoo Promise - Investing in the Future

The story broke late last night just before Kalamazoo's school board meeting . A group of anonymous donors is underwriting a program that pays the college tuition for highschool graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools. To see the press release and details of this program, check out the school's website: www.kalamazoopublicschools.com.

This kind of measure is unprecedented in our nation but I believe is long over due. I would like to extend a thank you to these donors who are teaching us that a community should be more invested in its public education system and strive to ensure the success of it's young residents. For a district whose drop out rate is near 11 percent, taking away the financial barrier of pursuing higher education will definitely strengthen the schools. Other benifits will be prevelent in the housing market, jobs and industry. An investment in public education is an investment in the future.

Zen and the Art of Garbage Truck Driving

On my daily commute today, I was behind a garbage truck. It was rusty with a really bad brown paint job. This is nothing special, but what surprized me was in huge block letters about half way up the rig. It read, "Friends are like money. They are easy to get and hard to keep." Not only did I find it funny because it is not a quote I would associate with garbage but this garbage man behind the wheel proceed to cut off two cars as he was weaving around traffic. Very Bazaar!

Now I could be prejudging a very insightful person, I mean it's a good quote. Why would you choose that one for a garbage truck? What about something involving the environment or nature? Here is one I like: "In every walk with nature, one recieves far more than he seeks"-John Muir. If you prefer the less sophisticated for your trash collection try, "One man's trash is another man's treasure; thanks for contributing to my collection.", "I break for garbage...and for running down the recycling truck!", or "If you can read this you are about to be compacted."