Time to be thankful

I'm not going to do the usual "what I'm thankful for" post. This has been a hard year for me. I've faced a lot of adversity, some I'm still working through, and so, I want to see the positive side of these hardships I've been through this year.

And first off, I'm going to say to my Facebook peeps, this does not mean I'm back on Facebook. This automatically loads to Facebook from blogger. I don't even have to go there. In case you were going to accuse me of being weak and coming back. :)

1. Parent illness/aging: I still have my parents. I know a lot of people my age have had one or both of their parents already pass. And I do think about that. All the time, really. I actually do. I'm lucky. I know this. I can only think of one other friend that has both her parents. So, though we've seen some hard times this year, I'm so thankful they are still around.
2. Break ups: I had a hard break up earlier this year. It caught me by surprise;
   
   truly, I wasn't expecting it. I'm thankful that it happened though, because he was awesome. That time also made me reflect on myself, because since my divorce, I'd not been broken up with. It made me remember that I'm fallible and maybe it was time to regroup and focus on things other than dating.
3. School problems: My daughter's school pissed me this year. There were emails passed back and forth, meetings. I'm still not entirely pleased with the situation, but if I want it changed, I need to take action, which I'm going to do. But for the most part, I'm thankful for both my daughter's education. We are lucky to have the resources we do in the United States. Those resources may not be perfect, but I'm thankful my children have access to them in order to learn and grow as little human beings and to choose what they want to do with their futures.
4. Children: They face challenges through their lives. They challenge you. They
   
   cause trouble, drama, stress. Children make messes, cost money, don't contribute. So many reasons to dislike the wretched little things. Yet I am so thankful for these little souls I've brought into the world. They're my light. My life. I live for them. Without them, I would be nothing.
5. Friendships: I've lost one. For now at least. I've learned a few things along the path from this fall out. About me and about her.  I'm thankful for that. I also know now that I have things to reevaluate, and that will be a good thing. It doesn't matter how much time passes before our lives come back together, if they do. I will take that time to take control of some things in my life and reel them back in. I think the break in this friendship will be good for me.
6. Health: I've been tired, achy, I've had a swollen eye for most the year. I've had
   
   to sleep, I've not been able to exercise, or keep a clean house, or a nice yard or garden...but I'm grateful to have a diagnosis. To have a goal finally. To finally see if this can go away.
7. Things I can't talk about: Let's say they're stressful and can be ugly. But the ugly things in life, they educate you, they make you strong. They mold you. It's the hardest things that make you who you are. I don't dislike me. I need some work to be sure, as I'm sure most people do. I've gone through some hard stuff these last few years, but the person that has come out the other end...she's not so bad.

So, that's most of it. These are the things I've struggled with and the positive side of them. I don't want to dwell on the past or beat myself up about things. It's time to move forward. Get healthy, get control. I'd like to write, work, play, in a healthy, atmosphere that is conducive to they way I want to live life - with passion, adventure and wisdom...and maybe just a tiny bit of chaos.

I started last night, reaching out to people I've not talked to in a while, at least some of them, by text, wishing them a Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to you too! Enjoy your friends and family see the positive in the negative and the light in the dark. Start the next year off on the right foot.

Done being thankful

Thankful or taking a poop?

It's not that I have nothing left to be thankful for, but my cousin Natalie made a good point on Facebook the other day. She said this"

"Not to be mean but I could really live without peoples thankfulness after the 15th. I could care less about their thankfulness of coffee, blankets,sunshine,a strangers smile,cars,water and just being a human on a everyday basis. If your posting something stupid about being thankful just stop! No one is gonna say" hey Debbie what happened to your thankful List from the 20th to the 30th" just do yourself a favor and live thankfulness..."

Haha, she's funny and I got tired of trying to think of stupid things to be thankful for. So thank you Natalie for pointing that out. I'll just be thankful every day I wake up because it means I'm still alive.

I will be nowhere near a place like this on Black Friday

I would like to say this about being thankful: If you're one of those batshit crazy kind. Be polite. And most importantly, try not to trample anyone to death.
people that go shopping on Black Friday - I am not, as I loathe the mall, crowds, people in general, shopping and I'm a broke bitch - please remember all the things that your were thankful for just the day before.  Be

One more thing, in honor of Black Friday, the kindle version of my new book Dissected with be free on Amazon this Friday.

Yes I said FREE. One day only.

I ask one thing of you. If you download it, read it and like it, I would love if you would review it for me on Amazon. It really does help sell more books.

If you don't like it, feel free to review it as well, that helps too, but I won't like those reviews as well. Just sayin'.

30 days of thanks: day 13

I'm thankful for my readers. I thank everyone that showed up at my Dissected launch party last night. I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I know there were others that wanted to be there but had to work, or were sick, but I know they were there in spirit.

I was so nervous, there was so much I forgot that I wanted to say. I wanted to say, that writing what I write, the hard stuff, the people with flaws, with issues...I write it because I'm drawn to it, because it resonates with me. The people in my books - I know them. In many ways I am them.

I also wanted to tell them that if you read the book and if you like the book, consider taking the time to review it on Amazon. Not just my book, but any book of any author that maybe someone hasn't heard of, because it does help. If we get a number of reviews, Amazon might move us to a certain list, or section that might give us a little more promotion.

Also, if you like it, tell a friend.

Okay enough about that and back to my readers. I started writing because I love to do it. It's a form of therapy, a copying mechanism, not unlike my characters Sydney's decision to cut. But since getting published, I realize how important my readers are to me. To inspire them or to give them a story or character to connect with, that makes me feel good.

Here are just a couple tidbits of messages I've received from people who've read my work:

"...i felt like i had a sense of enlightenment and it made me want to be a better person..."

"My younger daughter died of osteosarcoma (a bone cancer) in Dec 2007; she was sixteen.  She would have had so much in common with Austin.  Her courage continues to inspire me and while I will never get over her loss, I have made it through.  Thank you for giving teens with cancer a voice."

"...Never Eighteen changed my entire outlook on life. Thank you so much for writing this wonderful book. ...Thank you again for this amazing contribution to the literature world!"

Just a few, but you get the point. Messages like these make me feel amazing and want me to keep doing what I'm doing.

So, thank you readers for inspiring me and motivating me to keep going.

Happy Wednesday!