artykins

Well, it's that time of year again.  Thanksgiving is tomorrow, which is rapidly followed by Christmas in three weeks.  The season has taken on the full-fledged appearance and feel of something already in full swing.  It's quite wonderful really.

I thought, tomorrow being Thanksgiving and all, that I'd take a moment to list a few things I'm truly grateful for.  Several blogging friends are doing the same this week, so I will just be one of many in the flock.

1) God.  That's right.  He's been in control of all things since the time of my birth, but I'm just too stupid to realize and remember that in the heat of the moment.  In retrospect, I fully acknolwedge He was/is in control of things in my life.  Case and point being my wedding.  It's hard not to be angry at having to postpone happiness, but in the end His hand was in it all.

2) Matt.  The man whom I have agreed to share the rest of my life with.  I really don't deserve him.  There are moments often enough to remind me of how wonderful he is.  He is more level-headed than I am, especially since I tend to be ruled by a body of raging hormones sometimes.  Okay, most of the time.  He is the source of much happiness and laughter in my life, not to mention my support pillar that's there no matter how much distance we have/had between us.

3) The family.  Constant and true, these people are often my strength when I have none left to stand on my own.  I love them relentlessly and undeniably.  They have helped shape my character and taught me about life.  They still do those things.

4) Co-workers.  They make all the difference in the world here when most of the time my life is plagued by the boss.  They keep me laughing and on my toes.  And we do fun stuff together, such as staying late after work to play a few rounds of poker.

5) Icarus.  At least I'm thankful I freed myself of him.  Life is much better without him.

6) Friends.  Ant, DJ, Cat, Elana, Jason, Sarah...the list goes on and on.  These are the people I can talk to at any time.  Except DJ.  You can never find him anymore.  I think the lovely Cat has imprisoned him.

As if hearing Christmas songs being piped through every single store I've entered within the last three days wasn't enough, the house across the street has begun it's Christmas madness.  The wreaths are up in all their hideous glory.  The railings have been tarted up with greens and tinsel.  The sides of the house have had Santa effigies hung in all their tacky splendor.  I'm sure the lights will go on next and the power plant somewhere close by is going to have to flip that emergency switch to balance everything out.  

It all puts me in mind of a girl I once knew.

I'm glad I don't have windows that face that monstrosity.  

There once was a dog named Zorba. At least I named him Zorba.  I named him so because my grandmother told me a hilarious story about him.

You see, Uncle Arnie just recently bought a house and he's been getting it set up to his liking.  Well, his neighbors on one side are Greek.  They're wonderful people, whom I hope to meet tonight when I go over to see the place for the first time outside of pictures.  I say these people are wonderful because Sunday night, they fed Uncle Arnie and Doug (co-house-person and family friend) with homemade gyros with homemade tzatziki sauce.

Now, this is woonderful on many levels because she was born and raised in the 'old country' while he was born here, but spent years in Greece living and working there before they both moved here.  That said, I think I may have found someone that makes better gyros then me now.  I'm gonna have to learn a few things.

Anyway, said Greek neighbors have a dog, Zorba.

Zorba had to go to the vet recently and was left for a while before the owners returned.  When they came to get Zorba, the vet was beside himself and told the owner that 'this dog needs obedience school!'  The owner was puzzled by this and started giving the dog instructions, which it followed perfectly.

As it turns out, the owner was giving it instructions in Greek.  Go figure.  A dog who understands Greek, but not English.

I laughed heartily at this tale.

A smile measured in three bites of a chocolate chip cookie

Love counted in the music

Life assessed by the things we lose

A chance meeting without being able to look at one another

Romance blooming like a flower in the dark

Wills tested, tried and triumphant

A relationship measured by miscarriage and hate

Friendship broken

Choice made harder

It was too grown up for him

This chance to be a man

Forgotten

A marriage measured in placebo pills

Counted by a widget

Assessed by the things you don't know you'll face

This is who you are

A shattered, broken people

Unable to heal

You can't move forward

Hindrance is your best friend

Stuck in the past present

Still thinking of her

Cannot escape her visage

This phantasm of your misspent years

You should have made better friends with honesty

Cast away shadow

Lived close to light

Yet this is still your darkest hour

Lost the light

Retained the dark

Embraced nothing

Stood for nothing

Are nothing

And so you shall be remembered

The shell of who you should be

Living in abject, miserable poverty