regeneration

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven’t updated much. I’ve actually been thinking of giving up on this blog entirely, but we’ll see.

I suppose today is when we’re supposed to think and talk about all we’re thankful for. At the moment, I’m thankful for a piece of Edwards Key Lime pie, decaf coffee, and a singer singing ‘O Holy Night’ in the background as the Great Tree is lit at Lenox Square in Atlanta.

Today I’m thankful that I get to spend time with my family. I’m thankful for my wife and our two wonderful daughters.

I’m grateful that most of our extended family lives with us here in Atlanta. It’s a little hectic going to three places, but we don’t have to fly anywhere or drive long distances.

I’m thankful for good friends like Jerry and Jim, who are always willing to give me good advice when I have a sucky job or things around me turn sour. There are other great people around me, some of whom I know through blogging, some through forums, and some through Twitter, but all of you are valuable to me. Jenn, Matt, Nikmis…thanks.

I’m glad I’m typing on a new Lenovo laptop right now. Granted, it’s my work laptop, and it’s the on-call laptop, so I have to give it up after this weekend, but it’s still friggin’ sweet. I’m using Portable Firefox on a USB drive to keep my personal stuff to myself.

I’m so glad I have a new job. The company is great. They treat their employees well–like friends, as opposed to disposable chess pawns. Whereas I feared for my job daily for five bitterly long years at my old job, here I don’t have that problem. I feel like I’m a part of a team that is genuinely accomplishing something, making a difference for the users we support. It’s a place I can win, and I’m so, so glad for it. This job is a Godsend.

I’m grateful for Twitter, and thankful that they’re much more reliable now than they were in months past. I was glad for Sandy and sad that her virtual desk will be vacant in December.

I’m thankful for the Japanese language. I love kanji, the thousands of ideograms that mean so much to me. My favorite so far is:

飛 ‘fly’

I’m grateful to Khatzumoto, whose site, All Japanese All The Time, encouraged me to pursue my lifelong dream of learning the language. Other folks have come along like Paul and Igor through blogs. I also have some made some good friends through Mixi.

Good night, folks, and God bless you.