November Days of Gratitude #10

I'm sitting here trying to get myself to focus on some work. But I don't really want to. I took last night off and nothing collapsed around me today, so it is sort of easy to justify doing it again. But I know I have more meetings tomorrow, which means less desk time to actually accomplish any actual shuffling of papers back and forth (or actually the attaching of files to emails).

But . . . while I might be grateful for either the wonders of the modern electronic office place, or I might feel gratitude toward the dawning realization that every night off doesn't spell doom . . . today I think I am grateful for seeing a challenge and then choosing to accept that challenge.

(Credit: freegreatpicture.com)

For, you see, today I tried eating an apple the "horse-approved" way. I pulled out the stem and just started eating. And when I was done, there was nothing left by a single solitary seed. It wasn't even hard (except for the part where my lunchmates were making me laugh and the fact that I'd already eaten lunch when the challenge was placed, so my stomach was already a bit full).

Experiencing this did make me think about the nature of the "core" of the apple, which I do believe is nothing more than psychology at this point. There was only a small bit of fibrous, stalky stuff as I ate through the middle of the fruit, and in combination with the (so-called) regular flesh of the apple, there was no discernible difference in taste.

While my witnesses acted horrified at what I was doing, it felt entirely normal. So, why is there some sort of psychological rejection of eating an apple this way? It must be only a state of mind, right? So I guess I just need to learn to take all of my preconceptions about the world and just throw them away, leave them behind, leave no trace of them . . . just like I left no trace of that apple by eating it like a horse.

Now, I know that I can do anything. Now I know that the world is my oyster. And when I eat that oyster, I might just eat the shell too.

November Days of Gratitude #9

The month of gratitude is rattling on toward the halfway point.
Are you running out of stuff to be thankful for?
Well, if you are . . . you'd better get your mind right and start thinking about what's really important.

Me? I can't swing a dead cat without hitting something to be thankful about. And today, that thing is that I'm thankful for my BBC-logo, navy blue, hoodie zip-up jacket.*
 

(Credit: me. And don't let this expression fool you. I'm gratful as all get out about this jacket.)

Why am I in love with this jacket? First of all, I look great in it. And it is comfortable. Whenever I'm cold around the house, I put this baby on and BAM . . . instant warmth. Most weekends, when I roll out of bed, I just go ahead and put it on right away. It's got convenient, easily accessible pockets for either my hands, my cell phone, or sometimes BOTH.

(And if you know me, you know that quick access to my cell phone is a life priority. you never know when I might need to post a picture of a well-cooked omelet on Tumblr, which will be simultaneously posted on Twitter and Facebook. . . . Also, you're welcome.)

But here's a secret. When I first got this jacket--a castoff from my wife, who got it as some job-related swag--I DIDN'T like it. But once I imposed my sartorial will upon it, I fell in love hard.

So, if you see me around the office or in the city sporting my new favorite threads, give me a sly wink, or maybe even a quick high-five if you're feeling like it. I'll know what its all about.

* Yeah, it DOES deserve that many adjectives. When you love something, you want to describe it to your friends.

November Days of Gratitude #8

I almost didn't write anything today. And for that, perhaps YOU are grateful?
But I came up with something . . . I just don't know how full of snark and sarcasm it is. (It's not. Sorry.)
Really, I am just tired and want to not think and not do work and zip up my jacket and sip some pumpkin-flavored tea.

And is that so wrong?

So, I'll link you to this story that John Green tweeted about earlier today. And I'll tell you that I am grateful for reading the story and for letting it make them think about how complex people truly are. And for how we all tend to default about what we think other people are like and how it is sad when we take action based on those assumptions. And how I wish we as a society could give others the opportunity to prove us wrong . . . if they were give the chance.

And now I'll stop typing and let someone else tell the story better than I.

(Click on the image to be taken to the story.)

November Days of Gratitude #7

Today, to put it simply, I'm grateful to learn that I've been eating fruit like a putz since . . . like, FOREVER!

If you've followed me for a while, you know that I'm always learning the proper way to eat fruit--even if it challenges everything that I know as a human being to be wrong and weird.

I first reported on this back in 2009 . . . so long ago that the original video is long dormant and probably hanging out with David Lightman's computer speaker. So I re-found it to remind you.

But what is today's remarkable discovery? How to eat an apple like a BOSS.

(Credit: Foodbeast TV via huffingtonpost.com)

Want to see it in action? Watch the mind-blowing video and ask the same question that I asked. Is it witchcraft?

  

I'm sort of afraid of what I'll discover next. But I'll surely be grateful when I discover it.

November Days of Gratitude #6

I've got some stuff going on today, so I've got to get my November gratitude moment in a bit early.
And in honor of last night's episode of Legend of Korra, in which we got to enjoy the "return"of some old school Aang-era friends, today I am grateful for Wang Fire.

Wang Fire is Sokka's embearded alter ego. His wise mentor. His better, more forceful self.

Just look at him. He's prominently displayed on my phone's lock screen.

He knows what's what and he knows what he likes. (And he'll signal his approval with a golf-appropriate clap that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.) 

But don't get Wang Fire angry! When he get's angry, he'll straighten you out something FIERCE!

But don't despair, because Wang Fire is a family man. He loves his kids with a burning as magnificent as his very strokable beard.

He's always available for a therapy session, to help smooth out the rough patches. Get to know him. You'll be glad that you did.