[Dutch Lock Down Day Two Hundred Fifty Two]
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Liberia, and the sub-national entities Leiden, Norfolk Island, and the inhabited territories of the United States. It began as a day of giving thanks and sacrifice for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year.
This year it’s celebrated today in the United States and Brazil and as a nod to it, I’m giving thanks for a few things today.
But first the news:
- Coronavirus accounted for one in three deaths in parts of Brabant
- Covid-19 vaccination will likely only start next year: Public Health institute
- CPB: Coronavirus vaccines lead to positive economic outlook for 2021
I do humbly give thanks for my patient, beautiful, supportive partner who listens to my troubles and encourages my experiments. And I’m so thankful for our three amazing minions who show us the beauty in patience and bring new definition to both literal and figurative support.
I am thankful for chocolate. Especially fancy bon bons from local chocolate / coffee / wine stores. In little boxes. With little bows. And tiny calories. If you eat them with your eyes shut.
I am so very thankful for effective hormone therapy, finally stabilising riotous and horrid perimenopause, bringing serenity and peace to my poor addled brain.
I am thankful for Dr. Kristin Neff who wrote Self Compassion, an extraordinary book that offers exercises and action plans for dealing with every emotionally debilitating struggle, be it parenting, weight loss, or any of the numerous trials of everyday living.
I am thankful to live in the Netherlands where the cultural norm is to tell you in no uncertain terms exactly what one thinks. And it’s okay to not be okay. And it can’t rain all the time. But it will rain a lot and this means that when the sun comes out, it’s the most beautiful sun in the entire universe and stop everything to praise the exquisite shining sun.
All Praise and Thanks Be to the life coach and the personal trainer and the boss and the warriors who make up Team Rain. I’m listening. I’m doing. I appreciate you SO VERY MUCH. Now, how can I return the favour?
I am thankful for my fancy standing desk. Especially with my older wiser back that does NOT like sitting for longer periods of time. Standing and leaning and dancing during meetings may be different, but it’s delightful and strange and I’m absolutely here for it.
I am thankful for laughter and snuggles and play. For warmth and food and shelter and clean air. For layers of clothes when it’s cold and a blow up pool when it’s miserable hot. For good books on audible for long walks outside. And for progress, advancement, and exploration.
I’m SO thankful for escape rooms online and in boxes that I can do on my own or over a stream. For an opportunity to explore my old passion in a new way.
I am thankful for seventy four subscribers on YouTube, twenty four followers on Twitch, twelve hundred thirty two friends on Facebook, five hundred plus connections on LinkedIn, and two thousand fifty one followers on Twitter. I am so thankful that you’re here for my various projects – your support, banter, inspiration, and dialogue is beyond priceless. Thank you.
I am beyond thankful for Equinix Metal, for the DevRel group, and especially for my incredible, inspirational, astounding, creative, beautiful colleagues. I am beyond words for how supportive you are around my identity, my passions, and my struggles. I love how much you appreciate me as I appreciate you. I love how human we are. And how much we kickass.
And I’m most thankful for the US thanksgiving holiday today as it gives the unique opportunity to reflect on what we’re thankful for, even if we’re living abroad in another country. I’m so very thankful for so many things.
And you? What are you thankful for this year?