Christmas Song of the Week: "I Want a Hippotamus for Christmas"

An updated version of a classic Christmas novelty song.

Things I'm Thankful For

1. My mother. She has been very supportive of me during the last few years and I'm glad to see that she is still hanging in there and in good health.
2. My siblings, who have been more patient with me this past few years than perhaps they should be.
3. My current mejor amiga, who has been more patient with me this year than I would have been in her place.
4. My health. (Never a thing to take for granted at my age.)
5. My job. (Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a job this time of year.)
6. My co-workers.
7. My late sister's children, who are doing their best to make their mother proud.
8. My relatives in Michigan, California and other states, who continue to inspire me far more than they will ever know.

Things I'm Thankful For

1. My mother. She has been very helpful to me these past few years and I'm glad to see that she is still hanging in there and in good health.
2. My siblings, who have been more patient with me this year than perhaps they should be.
3. My current mejor amiga, who has been more patient with me this year than I would have been in her place.
4. My health. (Never a thing to take for granted at my age.)
5. My job. (Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a job this time of year.)
6. My co-workers.
7. My late sister's children, who are doing their best to make their mother proud.
8. My relatives in Michigan, California and other states, who continue to inspire me far more than they will ever know.

Things I'm Thankful For

1. My mother. She is a bit older than I would like her to be but that beats the alternative.
2. My siblings, who have been more patient with me this year than I would be in their place.
3. My bosses and co-workers on my current job who have also been very patient with me.
4. My favorite surviving amiga who manages to cheer me up quite often despite her own problems.
5. My doctors who help keep me in good health.
6. My health. (Never a thing to take for granted at my age.)
7. My job. (Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a job this time of year.)
8. My online friends who influence me for the good more than they know.
9. My relatives outside of Texas, who as always, continue to inspire me far more than they will ever know.

Quote of the Week

Every gift which is given, even though is be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection.
--Pindar

The Best Gift I Ever Received

The best gift I ever received was the gift of life.

I received it not on Christmas or my birthday but in August of 2004 when my best friend talked me into calling a doctor about a rapidly worsening medical condition and then called an ambulance for me when it became obvious that my medical condition was even worse than she had thought it was. She rode with me in the ambulance en route to the hospital, she called my mother so that she could meet us at the emergency room -- in short, she was there for me at a time when even I wasn't there for me.

If I hadn't been such a stubborn fool about my health, I could have avoided the whole thing, but hey, hindsight is always 20/20 in this regard. And yes, the time I spent in the hospital that August was the same time I encountered this week's Ad of the Week.

Anyway, in the end, I lived. And every day since has been lagniappe.

Things I'm Thankful For

1. My mother. She hasn't had a good year, and I'm grateful that she is still hanging in there and in good health.
2. My girlfriend and bride-to-be. (No, they aren't two different people.)
3. My siblings, who have been more patient with me this year than perhaps they should be.
4. Mi mejor amiga, who has been more patient with me this year than I would have been in her place.
5. My health. (Never a thing to take for granted at my age.)
6. My job. (Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a job this time of year.)
7. My co-workers. (Especially mi amiga M____, the old movie buff who patiently has allowed me to bend her ear regarding various personal problems. And mis amigas D_____ and J____, who have given me lots of valuable advice in regard to women. Or is that vice versa?)
8. My sister's daughter, who has taken to my bride-to-be with a warmth and affection I would not have thought possible had I not seen it with my own eyes. Already, my bride-to-be is an aunt as far as my sister's daughter is concerned, and I'm not about to disagree with her.
9. My relatives in Detroit, California and Washington, D.C., who as always, continue to inspire me far more than they will ever know.

My Love, She Gives Me Presents...

She also baked me cookies too. With Nutrasweet.

She is most definitely a woman...