Hi there, readers
Yes, it's Thanksgiving in the United States: given how many of the people that follow me, or that I follow, are American, I think it's appropriate to wish all of you who celebrate Thanksgiving on this particular day a great time, whatever you're doing.
On the subject of followers, I should welcome two new ones, curiously both called Daniel:
- Daniel Jason Binks (Daniel's Life, posted almost daily, despite posts not appearing in my Blogger Dashboard)
- Daniel (Up and About)
Jay in VA's post today invited readers to consider their reasons to be thankful. I started to comment on it, but then I decided I had makings of a blog post of my own, so here goes...
Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Britain, of course, and my own view is that there is no-one to whom I should offer thanks, but nevertheless I think it's a good idea to pause once in a while and reflect on one's good fortune. As a particular example, I'm very glad to have found blog-land. In the last nine months, it has provided a focus and interest in my life that had been lacking for several years previously: it has been very good to look outward and think of others, instead of focusing on my own narrow circumstances. I have found a lot of people that I would like to consider as friends; it's a regret that so many live so far away from me (it would be nice to meet in person, as well as electronically), but it has also given me perspectives on life from other parts of the world that I would never otherwise have had. I hope that my own comments on others' blogs have returned the favour to some extent.
It is, I suppose, typical of the British frame of mind that I should next turn to something that I am not thankful for, and it should be the weather. The last few days have seen the very early, and largely unwelcome, arrival of winter: there's already snow in parts of Scotland and northern England, expected to head south over the next few days, and the rest of the country is enduring temperatures around freezing. No doubt many Canadian and US readers are wondering what I'm complaining about, but for Brits who would expect November daytime temperatures of at least 40F (5C), it's rather a shock to the system.
Anyway, I should probably post this while there's still something left of Thanksgiving, even over here in the UK.
Take care
Mark
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What a nice post :) I'm sure you have a lot more to be thankful for, but i haave to agree about blogger. It has this uncanny ability to draw people in, regardless of age, gender, sexuality, location ... the list is endless...
ReplyDeleteAs for the weather, i have to agree. I enjoy being cold, but there is a limmit. Once it gets below freezing, if there is no snow it is not worth it! Haha. Although, i would like to point out we got some snow today apparently (i was inside studying ... typical) So it is working its way south a lot faster than some anticipated lol.
Anyway, happy Thanksgiving and to the rest of you: happy thursday!!!
Jack xx
In sunny southern Calfornia, it's currently about 45 degrees outside and should drop to freezing or below before the sun rises. So, I can empathize with the complaints of cold weather.
ReplyDeleteI also concur on the notion of having nothing to give thanks to, so I tend to rephrase it as "appreciation"; Happy Appreciationgiving doesn't have the same ring, though.
Have a wonder weekend, celebratory or otherwise.
Oh yes we've got loads of things to be thankful for! I could start off all smarmy, Mark, and say I'm thankful that you commented on Daniel's blog and therefore I found you!
ReplyDeleteOh, er, hi! from the snowy Peak District of Derbyshire, btw!
You can click on my avatar if you want to know about Pete, me and the Former Bitch - or enjoy Kieran, or our model railway blog or wring out your heart on our jointly-run Surviving Child Abuse blog.
But I could be thankful for being able to be married to Pete and live together in an ordinary little town as an 'ordinary' couple and that we both go to Pete's office's Christmas dinner and stuff. We are a lot freer than many other gay guys - even in some so-called western democracies.
And yes- our blogging community is just amazing - particularly the way one can just go on and on meeting interesting and nice people!
And that bring me back to the beginning - Hi!
Glad to have provided some inspiration! I know that many of the blogs I read have provided many of the seeds I wind up writing about. I think we all need to stop and reflect once in a while, whether your thanks are to a Supreme Being, or just as a reminder that not everyone "has it so good".
ReplyDeleteAs for meeting, I'm badgering a friend with more Frequent Flyer miles than any single person could ever use to deport me to Heathrow, I just have to find the rest of the $$$$ to make it over again. So maybe one of these days...
I am so happy to have discovered the blogworld. It's hard to express how much it's meant to me over just the past few months, especially in terms of my mental state! Young, old, here, there, everywhere!
It was COLD Saturday at the football game! Cloudy, windy, COLD! But we won!
Peace <3
Jay
Nice thoughts :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd I realise my lack of posts is shocking :P But end of term madness and going home for Christmas has taken over my entire life, you know how it is.
I've wanted to blog, but whenever I sit down to do it, I can't think of anything to say, and I don't really believe in posting for the sake of posting. Ironically, when I did my most recent post (today) I found it I had loads to write about. Might even do another one!
Good to hear from you
Aidan xxx