0170B: A Day For Giving Thanks

Turkey Ham!

The 4th Thursday of November is Thanksgiving over in the US. And when you work in the BPO world, it's certainly a holiday that you find yourself noticing a bit more. For some it means that they get to enjoy a long weekend just like folks in the US. For others, it's just another working day, but one with very little email.

Guess which one I am.

But I'm not complaining - it's a normal part of the job and I've gotten used to weird, confusing holiday-related thinking around days like today.

And while it's not a holiday around here, the thought behind Thanksgiving is a laudable one and certainly something worth remembering. And here I'm referring to the bit about giving thanks to people and not the whole stealing a country from the Native Americans or something.

So I wanted to devote this blog to taking time to remember things that I'm thankful for in life and making sure I don't forget to say it. Or in this case, write it down and see how long the internet remembers that these words came together in this blog.

First, I'm thankful for our dog Yoshi. He's such a blessing and represents so many good things in my life right now. He's an adorable bundle of joy with such a strong, charming personality. And he's quite an amazing companion to have. My family has always been big on pets so I'm comfortable around cats, dogs, birds and fish. But there's just something about the loyalty and companionship that a dog offers that is hard to describe. It just makes the stressful days go by a lot easier having a dog around.

I'm thankful for my job - because it's a pretty great job indeed. Beyond the challenge that the work presents, I'm especially thankful for the people that I work with and the way the company makes me feel valued. I know, it sounds like a cheesy marketing line, but given my over 10 year stay with VXI so far, I have to admit that I really do mean that. Sure there have been less than ideal moments, but my faith in the company has been rewarded in the long run and I'm proud to be an employee of a company with so much potential. The sky's the limit at this point and I'm excited to see where the next few years will take us.

I'm thankful for my family and the fact that I haven't entirely lost touch despite my reclusive nature and the fact that we're scattered all over the place. We find a way to make things work and have certainly learned how to leverage technology to keep in touch. At the end of the day I know I can count on their support when things get rough in the same way that I tend to come running when they say they need me.

I'm thankful for our gaming groups - because let's face it, gaming is awesome. But more than that these are the people that I feel closest to at times given they're the friends that we get to see on a regular basis. We spend many a weekend rolling dice and building stories together in a bonding experience that no modern console can ever fully replace.

I'm thankful for our O Bar family and the unique circle of friends that the bar has opened our lives to. I've been to a number of bars and while some may seem fancier or somehow more appealing from a social status sort of perspective, no bar has ever made me feel at home the same way O Bar does. I suppose it helps that I don't exactly go out to find guys and thus would want to constantly find new hunting grounds or things of that nature. When I do  go clubbing, it's to be with friends and de-stress and just have a good time. O Bar always manages to do that for me with the great company and the fabulous drag shows.

But most of all, I'm thankful for Tobie, who remains to be my number one supporter and more importantly the love of my life. He makes me feel safe and I feel he brings out the best in me each and every day. Since we've gotten together, he's done so much to support my creative side, celebrate my geeky interests and introduce me to new experiences that I never imagined getting into. Tobie, like any partner, has changed my life, and for that I am forever grateful.

So what are you thankful for? Come on - it won't hurt you to say something. Whether there's a holiday dedicated to it or not, one must always take the time to appreciate what you have and show gratitude to those who have helped you along the way.