Thanksgiving is once again at our throats, which means the stress and antics of the holidays have started. As an adult, I have to admit I’ve grown to be not such a huge fan of the holiday season. I kind of wish we had it every other year. Didn’t we just do all this shit?

Really, once all the “Black Friday” bullshit subsides and I have a little time to think about the holidays, I guess they are OK in my book. I just wish they were a bit more relaxing.

Still, while I am not a huge fan of Thanksgiving food, even as a non-religious person I appreciate the sentiment of Thanksgiving. You don’t have to be thankful to “someone upstairs.” It’s just a time to be aware of the good things.

So here it is — my list of people, phenomena, and ephemera to be thankful for…

• I am thankful there is something rather than nothing.
• I am thankful that an asteroid hasn’t destroyed civilization (yet).
• I am thankful for skateboarding.
• I am thankful for Aikido.
• I am thankful for my lovely and intelligent wife, who makes life worth living and lights every day.
• I am thankful for my family.
• I am thankful for my friends.
• I am thankful for my job, which allows me to make a modest living while helping others.
• I am thankful for my health, and the health of my family and friends. It can’t last, but is good while it is there.
• I am thankful especially for my nieces and nephews, who are the stars in my sky.
• I am thankful for the internet.
• I am thankful for my education and relative intelligence, and thus far my adaptability.
• I am thankful for smart people, but even more, for good people.
• I am thankful for the Strong and Weak nuclear forces, Gravity, and the Electro-magnetic force, and their strengths relative to each other. Wouldn’t be here without them.
• I am thankful for the phenomenon of consciousness, even if it is an illusion of some kind.
• I am thankful for our cats.
• I am thankful for creativity, without which life would indeed be a bore.
• I am thankful for literacy.
• I am thankful for funny people.
• I am thankful to have a President who gives a damn.
• I am thankful for peaceful transitions of power.
• I am thankful that humans can experience pleasure.
• I am thankful for the Law of Identity. A → A