Appreciating the Past

Hello, Faithful PDD Readers.

Today is my birthday; I always find, perhaps because of its proximity to the New Year, that my birthday brings all sorts of reflection and contemplation.

Sometimes that leads me to make resolutions early.  Sometimes those resolutions are realistic, and sometimes they are not (although they are always made with earnest intention).

So this year I decided to reflect instead on what was good about the year I have just completed.  Like all of you, I appreciate my family and friends; my warm house on this very cold day (it's about 5 degrees here in Chicago); my current job, which I have held for fifteen years and from which I have learned much; my pets, all five of them, who bring joy each day.

I'm also grateful for, in no particular order:

--chocolate
--puppies and kittens on YouTube
--the magical Internet
--libraries
--books, print and electronic
--authors, living and dead
--my ancestors
--the homelands of my parents and grandparents
--fuzzy slippers
--my car
--music, all kinds
--my cd player (no, I have not yet graduated to an Ipod)
--exercise (even though I don't appreciate it ENOUGH, if you know what I mean)
--my new agent!
--Shakespeare
--the birds at my feeder (and the squirrels, the bunny, and the mouse)
--money--I don't have a lot, but I'm glad I have some
--memories
--babies (especially mine, but all babies)
--remembered birthdays past (48 of them)
--my parents
--my town
--snail mail
--e-mail
--good movies
--Cary Grant
--Hugh Grant
--MY FELLOW DEADLY DAUGHTERS!!

Happy New Year to you all!  May you pursue your wildest dreams.