Giving Thanks

Looking back on my Facebook posts this week, I have been thankful for a variety of things: libraries, my work family, where I live, and our nation's veterans.

I am incredibly lucky to get to do what I love. I know this, especially after spending quite a few years doing things that I didn't love and searching for that just right fit. Getting to work in a library and do what I love is such a gift. And then, getting to do what I love with people I love, well, it is something I am truly thankful for. I work with a group of smart, funny, hard-working, and wonderful people. Diverse, and yet we all complement each other.

Then, I am so thankful for where I live. Beautiful Iowa. Seriously. For those of you not in the Midwest, you think of the middle of the country as that abyss to fly over between the coasts.

You couldn't be further from the truth! My part of Iowa is truly beautiful. Green, lush, and hilly. A more urban area that still has the beauty of a rural area. And the glory of 4 distinct season. And lots and LOTS of wildlife. Including beautiful deer that wander the neighborhood in broad daylight. Plus, my little part of Iowa is very progressive. We're that lone blue county in a sea of red. HA

On this Veterans' Day, I also have to say a THANK YOU to all our Veterans, past and present, who have served our country. No matter what you do in your branch of the Armed Forces, what you do matters to our country. And keeps us safe, and keeps our freedoms safe.

More Thankfulness

This weekend, I'm thankful for the weekend and the time with my darling girl. Saturday was pretty lazy, and other than a trip to Walmart and The Co-op, we just hung out at home. Gillian cleaned her room (Hooray!).

But today, Sunday, is one of my favorite days of the year. Yep, I am a geek. I LOVE the day we return to Standard Time! It's amazing how one little hour can make the day feel so wonderfully long. Plus, I can sleep in and still get up early(ish)! And now it will be light in the morning again!

I still don't understand this need to keep extending Daylight Savings Time. I do understand changing the time during the summer months - in the summer we have about 15 hours of daylight, so it is nice to shift time so we can have it lighter longer in the evening. And the sun is rising at 6am or earlier, anyway.

But pushing the return to standard time further and further into Fall is ridiculous to me. "They" (those crazy politicians) think it saves energy, but aren't we really just borrowing from Peter to pay Paul? Maybe it's lighter for a little longer in the evening, but it stays dark in the morning that much longer, so everyone has their lights on at home then! There are going to be only so many hours of daylight, no matter what time you impose on the clock.

Plus, it messes up the cows.

Day 3 and 4 of Thankful Month

I missed posting my Day 3 Thankful. I was still moping over the elections yesterday. The results REALLY put my in a funk. It seems that most people have very short memories, and forgot what administration (a Republican one) got us into this economic mess. So, after two short years, Republicans took over the House, and now we are stuck with John Boehner as the new Speaker of the House. Excuse me while I go barf. I know, I know, harsh, but I have a real problem with a guy whose top priority as a congressman is to make Obama a one-term President. Hmmmm. Shouldn't his top priority as a congressman be to serve his constituents - his EMPLOYERS? Yes, that's right. Those senators and representatives are OUR EMPLOYEES. We pay their salary, we pay their fantastic health care plan and their pension. I have a real problem with someone whose main goal seems to be to make someone look bad, namely, our President, who is just trying to clean up Dubya's mess.

Ok, Elaine, but what does this have to do with what you were thankful for on Day 3? I'm getting to that. So, I was on CNN.com yesterday, looking at the election results. I found a map of Iowa, showing how the state voted in the senate race here. The counties in Iowa that voted for Grassley were shaded in red (Republican). The counties that voted for his challenger, Conlin, were shaded in blue (democrat).

And my county, Johnson County, was the ONLY blue county in the state. Yesterday, I was thankful for living in blessed Johnson County, Iowa.

TODAY --- Day 4 of Thankful Month.

Today I am thankful to two wonderful teens, Matt and Bob, who helped me jump start my van when I discovered the battery was dead. Gillian and I went out to the van after work, got in, and I put the key in the ignition and turned it. And not much happened. Dead battery. Went back into the library to see if anyone had jumper cables. No one did, but Matt offered to run home and grab some, he did, and jumped the van. It started up and got us home. Not sure what will happen in the morning, but we are home now, and I am thankful.

Day 2 of Thankful Month - Voting

Today, Election Day, I am thankful that I have the right, and the privilege, to cast my vote for who I think will be the best leaders for my state and for my country.

Voting is a right, because the U.S. Constitution says so, and since 1920, I have that right as a woman. But I also think voting is a privilege. There are many people, in other countries, especially women, who can't vote. They either don't have the right, or the leaders of their countries make it so difficult for citizens to vote that people don't even try. So, when I go to the polls on Election Day and cast my ballot, I also do it with those people in mind. And I realize that it IS a privilege. We are extraordinarily lucky to live in the U.S.

I also think about my grandmothers on Election Day. My Grandma Bickerdike was a suffragette in England, and she rallied for women to have the right to vote. My Grandma Hayes came of age when women were fighting for the right to vote in the U.S., and she was 17 the year women won their fight. She just had to wait 4 years to exercise her right. In all the years I knew her, she always voted.

So today I am thankful that I CAN vote. That I can cast my ballot and have my choice counted. It matters.

A Month of Thankfulness

While perusing Facebook this morning, I noticed that a friend of mine has taken up a "thankfulness challenge" for the month. Every day, share something you are thankful for. And so, I thought, what a great challenge for myself! In addition to posting on Facebook, I will post a thankfulness blog every day this month!

For November 1, I am incredibly thankful for my wonderful family. My darling daughter, my parents, my sister, my nieces and nephews, my former husband and his partner, who will always be my family. I also need to include my "work" family here, too. The people I work with are a family, too, and all very important to me.

What are you thankful for?