Why I am Grateful

Alternate Title: Why I am Not at All Bitter that I am About to Get on My Crappy Bicycle to Ride Twenty Minutes in 98 Degree Heat to Eat Fried Rice by Myself on Thanksgiving

So, using whichever title you prefer, with arguably more fanfare than necessary, here is my list of things sparking my gratitude today:

- sort of high speed internet

- the opportunity to learn Thai

- that enough people speak English here that the fact that I am really not learning any Thai at all isn't too much of a problem

- 7-11

- the ability to inquire "have you eaten rice yet today?" to find out if someone is hungry

- that men here are confident enough in their sexuality to walk around wearing sarongs as skirts

- internet banking

- Hazel Taste Coffee Shop - complete with WIFI and vanilla lattes that you'd swear came from Starbucks

- the opportunity to learn to drive on the wrong side of the road

- that my new best friend is a cool Korean who was in the Special Forces training to defend an attack from North Korea by... hot air balloon

- the Apple corporation for creating the IPod

- http://www.people.com

- seeing a woman in a burqa talking to a painted-face Karen

- instant messenger and cell phones so I can talk to my far-away boy

- eating for 75 cents

- meat on a stick

- non-meat entities cooked, smushed up, re-formed and also cooked on a stick

- the Mae Sot donut man

- Thai rap - oh, wait, this is a grateful list. My bad...

In closing, I am even grateful for the scary dogs - because throwing rocks at them makes me feel empowered.