Things I'm Grateful For, 2009

This list is in no particular order.

• Onions, and whoever decided growing them would be a Good Idea.
• Tom Stern, for introducing me to bread machines.
• Kathleen Willems, for turning me on to Montreal food seasonings.
• Tom Eiland, for proving that healthy is not synonymous with boring.
• Tom Whitmore, for sharing the tradition of phoning people I'm thankful for on Thanksgiving. For being someone with whom I never, but never, have to turn on the inner censor.
• Glenn Glazer, whose sense of humor is rivaled only by God's. (And whose sense of humor is far more palatable than God's.)
• Lydia Marano and Art Cover. I don't think I could ever begin to express how deeply Dangerous Visions is rooted in who I am.
• The patio of my grandparents' house, where I watched hummingbirds drink, hydrangeas flourish, and listened to Vin Scully's sportscasts of Dodger games.
• Garbo and Cellophane, for sharing my life for 16 years (and counting).
• Curtis Salgado, whose music saved my life. No joke.
• Tyler Sperry, who knows me so well it's scary. For introducing me to NLP.
• Martina Baker, the coolest and bestest sister in the universe.
• The inventor of the VCR.
• The guy who repaired my car when I was 19. I had nothing to put down but my word, and he took it.
• John Hertz, dance teacher and conversationalist extraordinaire. For teaching me patience; that anything worth doing is worth doing badly at first; for teaching me about learning, standards, and patience. Oh, and did I mention patience?
• Brad Linaweaver. It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. The pendulum swings. Ten lifetimes of friendship wouldn't be enough.
• Bill Ritch's glorious voice and incomparable presence.
• Anthony Bourdain. There's no better travel show. Or food show. And what a great voice.
• Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. I love my Mac.
• St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, for walking alongside me when my path coincided with theirs.
• Waterfront Foursquare Church, for being the oasis after long wandering in the desert.