That Thankfulness Thing 2014 - First of Three Bite-size Pieces

Remember a couple of years ago, when a lot of people spent the month of November sharing via social media one thing per day for which they were thankful?  And remember how I did all 30 of mine at once, via blog post, in 2012, and again (a day late) in 2013?  No?  That's okay.  I don't remember what song my iPod finished playing 22 seconds ago.

Anyway, those posts were way too long for today's short attention spans, so-- hey?  HEY! OVER HERE! (snaps fingers)... Geez.  I'm trying to help!  This year, I'll post my list in three MUCH more reasonably-sized parts, so that you, dear reader, can get back to your pintstergram and skype-chat and whatever this year's Candy Crush is.  See - aren't I nice?  Well, sure I am.  You have a bad attitude, today.  Wait - I didn't mean that.  You're very busy - I know. 

So let's do this!  This year, I find myself especially thankful for...

1.  Hypnotoad.  All glory to the Hypnotoad... And to everyone involved in any aspect of the production of "Futurama."  It was a most skillfully-crafted show, and it was unapologetically nerdy - even before that was trendy. 

All Glory to the Hypnotoad...

2.  Robin Williams.  Versatile, fun, gifted, and flawed - just like the rest of us, only more so.

3.  Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye, and Carl Sagan - bridging the gap between us and science.  Dr. Sagan is irreplaceable, of course, but Nye and Tyson are engaging and smart and witty, and they're doing an admirable job, despite the astonishing power of the willful ignorance that stands in their way.

4.  Two words:  Red Stapler.
 

5.  The fact that, as she did in November 2012, my old (snow) car surprised me and the DMV by once again passing her emissions test.

6.  Beach webcams.  Especially THIS ONE.

7.  Game Sevens - especially when the yankees and braves are not involved.  In the sports world, it doesn't get much more dramatic than a game seven.  Unless, of course, it's a best-of-nine series, in which case WOWEE GAME NINE!!

8.  Lizards.  They HATE me, but I still think they're groovy.

9.  My office (cubicle) toy corner...

Oh, the personal history on that shelf.

10.  The Internet Arcade!  Free, old-timey (1980s is old-timey) arcade machine emulator software you can run right in your browser.  I'm wallowing in nostalgia, here!


And with that, Bite #1 is complete.  Will Lionel trains finally make the list, this year?  Tune in on the 20th for Part Two, to find out!  Seriously.  Tune in.  Don't make me beg.  I'll be thankful for not having to beg, maybe...