Being Thankful For What We Do Have

As I have blown past my personal deadline for wrapping up house projects for the year (although not past the last possible deadline, yet) I have put my laptop into storage mode to keep it free of the construction dust - which now covers everything not protected in my living room, dinning area, and kitchen. As a result I am pecking this out on my phone, can't really call this typing (and I'm not ready to wrestle with Dragon Diction again, yet.)

Sometimes it's really hard to remember to be thankful for what we have. It's especially hard when what we have is old, needs work, and feels like so much more of a burden than something that may be newer, bigger/smaller, or not used by someone prior.

A Special Thank You to Frugal Girls

Gosh, it must have been forever ago now, but it was probably September, Frugal Girls, told me I was the winner of their $100 Kohl's gift card giveaway.  Maybe I should back up though.  I've been following Frugal Girls for over a year.  Since we obviously reside in different parts of the United States, I frequently miss out on cool deals they post, because besides the fact that I, personally, live in a void of shopping, I've barely heard of many of the stores they mention.  But, I think they are a cool group of gals and I'm very glad that they offer giveaways and craft blog hops and a variety of other things for when their deals don't reach my local area.  I also only sign up for a giveaway if I can use it, OR as in this case, I know exactly what I will do if I win. Most of the time, I can think of something silly, but I never actually expect to win.  So I was very surprised to see my name on the winners post.

11 (1011) Ways to See Another Binary Day In Your Lifetime

So, the last "Binary Day" we will see in our lifetime (11-11-11) has come and gone. Binary Day, you know, when the date uses only 1's and 0's. The year 2011 has seen several of them. These same 1's and 0's are used by computers and electronic devices at their very basic operating level. For most people this is a quaint little thing, but for geeks its a fun day to celebrate. Geeks will use any excuse to have a party, so ignore the fact that the year starts with a 2, we are just looking at the last two digits here.

The next binary day will come along in January 1st, 2100... 88 years from now. That's just to far away for most people alive today to see (baring those who are exceptionally healthy of course). Most of us will be dead before then, unless you take charge of your own destiny.

What is a Geek to do when they are told something is out of their reach? Why apply creativity and science to make it happen, that's what. So, here are my top 11 (1011) ideas for...

Thankful November: Day 7

I know it's really cliche, but I am so very thankful for my children.  Oh sure, they are expensive, always wanting and needing stuff, and lets not talk about the food they consume.... but they are also a true joy.  They're brilliant minds playing in the world with their bright shinning eyes.  I'm so immensely thankful for every time they hug me.  For all the time they want to be with me.  My life would be so much emptier, even if I did have time for more of my hobbies, without them.

(I wanted to write a lot more about this, and maybe I'll come back to it when I get to an associated thankfulness, but right now I am simply too tired from being needed as mom to my sick little boy.)

Thankful November: Day 6

I'm thankful for my weird dreams that give me things to think about and movies to enjoy in my sleep.  In fact, on Saturday I had a dream about ovens (must have been feeling better if I wanted to bake) and woke up thinking of sponge cake in eggnog syrup.  It was very good!

Thankful November: Day 5

I'm thankful that I took the day to sleep and heal and hang out with my family and watch Sarah Jane Chronicles which is a favorite in our house.  And thanks to the extra hour we let the kids watch an extra episode and stay up late!  Always great for an excuse to stay up snuggled together on the couch.  (even though I personally think the idea of Daylight Savings time is stupid)

Thankful November: Day 4

Let's see today's Thankfulness..... I'm thankful for my pillow.  Almost 2 years ago I spent a lot of time in the hospital.  Even when I came home I couldn't sleep in my own bed, I couldn't lay down flat.  I had a hard miserable hospital bed and stuck on my back.  And through a mix-up I still didn't have my pillow, but just a random pillow from the house, it smelled more familiar, but it still wasn't mine.  Now admittedly, my pillow is getting pretty beat up, but it's my pillow, and it smells right, it feels right, and it can get just comfortable enough.  Having been so happy to have my pillow back that I've cried, I can in all honesty say, that I am thankful for my pillow.

Thankful November: Day 3

First off I am NOT thankful for the cold that has kept me from doing anything but sleep today.  I am however, very thankful that even though I don't have sick leave, I can stay home in my bed knowing my husband can look after my children (some of whom are sick as well) and that my job will still be there tomorrow.  When hopefully, I can be thankful to be functioning again......... I hope!

Thankful November: Day 2

Instead of systematically naming all the people and objects that are indespensible to my daily life, I thought I'd really challenge myself to trying to think of things about myself I am thankful for as well.  So today I will take on that challenge.

I really am thankful that I have the ability to pick up new skills and do a vast variety of things.  Sometimes I think my inability to specialize and be exceptionally good at any one thing is annoying and limiting.  I was never that good at music, I could play technically alright, and I could put some emotion into it, but I was never that good and I just couldn't get any better.  I feel that way about a lot of the things I do, draw, house projects, programming.  However, I am very thankful, that I can do that many different things.  It does let me have a lot more options for things I can do, even if I'm not the best at any of them.  I like that I know I can do just about everything, as long as it interests me.

Thankful November: Day 1

Ok, I've been dwelling on this for a couple days.  I'm not going to be doing NaNoWriMo because I have too many work and life commitments right now, and while I'd like to take some extra time to finish my short story, it too may have to wait.  I have some content here I want to write up here, I think I will still do this in between.

Every year many people take the November Thankfulness challenge.  Where they are thankful for something each day in November and they share it with their internet friends and family.  Well I think I will try to do this here (and maybe cross-posting, I'm still undecided on that).  These all will probably not be full blog posts and may not be more than a paragraph or two.  Since I've got all this set up, I'll start day 1 after the jump.