and now it's time for a little pre-holiday gratitude

[phinnia]

I'm grateful for the fact that Portland has an excellent bus system in the city proper, and the fact that they're adding more service to one of the buses near our house. (We live within four blocks of three bus lines and within about six blocks of another).
I'm grateful for cheap movie theaters. Garden State is showing at the cheapo theater. Maybe we can get someone to watch the boy next week?
I'm grateful for the fact that the kid likes the same music I do. We are presently grooving to Fear of Pop, volume 1.
I'm grateful that my apartment is small. This sounds counterintuitive, but it's big enough for us, and located in a good neighborhood within walking distance of a good school (with ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN), and it means we have less to clean. There are no scary bugs here or overly horrible neighbors, really.
I'm grateful that Verizon didn't screw up Chris's invoice this time.
I'm grateful that I have so many friends (although I wish I had a matter transporter.)
I'm grateful that I'm self-aware enough to manage my anxiety, and that I have a doctor that's not going to laugh in my face about chemical sensitivity, but is actually willing to help me treat it.
I'm grateful for my chosen family (see above comment about matter transporter.)
I'm grateful for the progress my son is making. Last year at this time he'd barely learned to walk and wouldn't eat half the stuff he does now. He still has delays, but he's in a good program and they're being addressed.
I'm grateful that I don't have snow, because I really hate falling and killing myself on snow and ice.
I'm grateful I'm going back to school at a good university.
I'm grateful that I have a creative outlet and that people enjoy the things I write.
I'm grateful for chocolate cookies in the kitchen.
I'm grateful for good coffee and good coffeepots.
I'm grateful that my indifferent family and my insane mother in law are many, many miles away from me.
I'm grateful for my geeky husband and my great kiddo.
I'm grateful that I wasn't underneath that falling bag of laundry the upstairs neighbors just threw off their patio.

That's about it for now, anyway. Banana? Cookie?