Top Ten Things I'm Thankful for This Year

Top Ten Tuesdays are hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish. This week is a Thanksgiving themed freebie. I'm listing 10 things I'm thankful for this year, but they are not necessarily book-related. This is a rare personal post so, um, enjoy it?

This year I'm thankful for:

1. Finally going to Russia. I've been wanting to go for about 20 years and it was amazing. I already want to go back.

2. Getting a dog, maybe. The jury is still out on whether I'm feeling thankful for the dog or regretting my poor life choice, but it's such a huge big deal that it would be weird not to mention on any list of things about my life this year. I haven't posted about the dog because she is incredibly difficult and we weren't sure that we'd be able to keep her. But right now she's away at an intense board and train program and we actually miss her a little. Presumably she'll come back better-behaved and we will all live happily ever after. The end.

Dog with elk antler

3. My job. I've now been there for over 4 years, which for me is nothing short of miraculous, and I still like it. I'm at the exact level of management that I prefer and things are going pretty well.

4. Stitch Fix. It has changed my life. I hate shopping for clothes, and I am so grateful I can pay someone to chose them for me and I don't need to go anywhere or talk to anyone.

5. Plated. I don't really like cooking but I really dislike is the planning. Every weekend when sitting down to plan meals for the week I would ask myself "What have I been eating for the last 20 years?" and just couldn't come up with ideas that were both tasty and easy. The food we've gotten so far has been quite tasty and pretty easy to prepare. (In summary, I heart subscription boxes.) I'm sure we won't do this forever, but I kind of love it for right now.

6. The wisdom and strength to get rid of my to-read list. I am actually considering bringing it back, but if so I will be more responsible with it. It's enough to know that I can do away with it if needed. (I sound like an addict, right? I can stop at any time!)

7. Having a gym really close by. That's the only way I'd ever join one, and I'm very happy to have one that is nearby, cheap, and super friendly. Even if I don't always go consistently.

8. That my community read committee picked Americanah, one of the best books I've read in the past few years. We wanted to pick something on race and I'm so glad it's not some lukewarm written-by-a-white-lady Oprah book (as much as I liked The Invention of Wings.) I'm happy that we picked a modern-day book that tackles race and immigration and is a very well-written story. The decision was a little contentious, but in the end wonderfulness prevailed and I am very excited about our choice!

9. The few people who I actually hang out with and the really great people I work with, plus all the great librarians I have befriended. I have a ton of acquaintances, but few close friends, and I don't go out a whole lot. I am tired and lazy and introverted and just want to read all the time, but somehow I've managed to fill my life with a ton of really awesome people. I suppose I am even grateful for my husband because who else would put up with my desire to just be left alone to read, and do so much of the cooking and, like, all of the dog-walking.

10. Books! They are so good! I even like the ones that are terrible because they are still fun to talk about and make fun of. Sometimes I think there are too many books and that stresses me out, but too many books is a pretty great problem to have.

What are you thankful for this year?