Giving Thanks

Things I am thankful for...

A family that cooks and eats together on Thanksgiving. Each year my brother shows off another turkey cooking technique (this year it was brined overnight), my dad takes command of his famous pecan pie, and my mom and I reinvent classic sides (our gingered cranberry relish trumps canned cranberries any day). This year we were also joined with my beer-loving grandmother, my grandpa, and my uncle.

Technology, the boyfriend, and friends now scattered across the country. Thanks for the thanksgiving wishes via phone calls, text messages, instant messaging, and more. And thanks for all of the silly conversations, support after job rejections, and fun dinner parties throughout the year.

California Weather. Yesterday when I was in Santa Barbara, there was people at the beach in swimsuits playing volleyball. Today there is a 50 mph wind advisory in rainy DC. As much as I love DC, I am thankful to soak up a little sun and recharge for finals.

Law School. Even though I am in the middle of writing my take-home final, I am still thankful to be in law school. Reflecting back on what I have in my life, I realize how much this academic endeavor is such a big part of my life right now and how grateful I am for the opportunity. I could write a whole entry about this, but in short: incessant law school whiners really annoy me because there are a lot of people who wish they had the opportunity to go.

Public Transportation. After sitting through a great deal of Los Angeles traffic these past few days, I am even more thankful for the metro system in DC. Even if my little N8 bus is sometimes late, I thank cheap and stressfree transportation with generally friendly drivers.

Service men and women. Special thanks to the soldiers all around the world who are serving the country and cannot be home with their families for Thanksgiving.

Leftovers. Writing a higher education final tomorrow will be a little more bearable with leftover stuffing and turkey.