51 things to be thankful for at 51

My birthday. It’s an uneventful birthday, as most of my birthdays tend to be but I’m not complaining. At 51, I’ve decided to share 51 things I’m thankful for. Just because.

1. Long dog walks. With the arrival of our little dog, this couch potato embraced the long dog walk. I didn’t think it was possible. My body still aches and screams at times but the dog’s gotta pee.
2. Crispy thin crust pizza, the New York kind. It’s delicious. I want it. That’s all I have to say about that.
3. Art. Art is important. It inspires and challenges. Embrace it. It may teach you a thing or two.
4. Christmas ornaments. The weirder, the better. My last purchase was a small clay gyro ornament. It’s amazing.
5. Black sweaters and jeans. The black sweater and jeans ensemble is something I’m comfortable in and it’s one less thing to think about. Steve Jobs wore the same thing every day to reduce decision fatigue. It’s sort of like that. I also find color distracting when I’m having to design stuff, so black sweater and jeans it is.
6. Friends who know you better than you know yourself. This is pretty valuable. My friend B comes to mind. She reads my mind, tames my insecurities, and makes me a better creative being. I owe her lunch.
7. My pets. These are the family and friends you want around you all the time. Even if they shed all over you.
8. The Starbucks app. Ordering my coffee frap without having to talk to anyone? Fabulous.
9. David Sedaris. Love him. Learn about him here.
10. Good health. I never knew a good sinus rhythm would change my world.
11. Podcasts. I listen to a bunch and have a few favorites. Armchair Expert is great for dog walks. Kawfeehaus is a podcast I do with my friend D. We’re ridiculous and I love it.
12. Audiobooks. If it wasn’t for audio books I wouldn’t get a chance to read anything.
13. New iPhones. It’s a guilty pleasure. I can’t help myself and I love it.
14. Boundaries. There’s nothing better than a scheduled Do Not Disturb on the phone. It’s how I protect my sanity. After 8, you’re going to voicemail, my friend. And I rarely give those a listen.
15. Halloween.
16. Christmas Eve.
17. The ocean. I don’t get to see it very often but it’s incredibly relaxing to watch and listen to.
18. Scrub Daddy/Scrub Mommy. OBSESSED. I buy loads of these sponges and find myself at the kitchen sink doing some stress-relieving squeezes with various cleaning products. It’s OK to judge me.
19. Lavender Fabuloso. I may or may not have a gallon or two under the kitchen sink. It will all be gone in two weeks.
20. Jeff Goldblum.
21. Canceled plans. Plans always sound great when you’re planning them. Then the big day arrives and you’re exhausted from work and just want to be left alone. You need to cancel? Yes, it’s totally fine.
22. Travel photography.
23. Car tweezers. When you know, you know.
24. French burnt peanuts. My dad liked these and I find myself indulging in them often since he died. Amazon sells them by the pound.
25. Hospital socks. If you see them, steal them.
26. Digital coupons.
27. Andrew Zimmern. Chef, world traveler, author, social justice warrior.
28. Wicked thunderstorms. These are best enjoyed when you’re on the couch in sweats with a mug of coffee.
29. Burger King’s Whopper. Don’t ask. It’s delicious.
30. People-Watching at Starbucks.
31. Those leather recliners at movie theatres.
32. Anthony Bourdain. I miss this guy. I still get lost in his programs and books. CNN posts audio of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown and it makes me happy.
33. The Bronx Zoo.
34. Twitter. It’s my corner of the web where I bitch and wish gas pains on politicians. I always tell folks not to follow me there and they end up taking a glance at my profile. Go figure.
35. Pastaciutto. My favorite dish is at a restaurant called Fortina. Nothing beats a steaming bowl of fresh pasta, tomato, basil, and chili.
36. Autumn.
37. Reading the comments. Sometimes it’s depressing as hell but usually, it’s great to be reminded that I’m not batshit crazy like the folks in the comments.
38. Air conditioning.
39. Long dinners with great conversation. Dim lighting and a comfy booth too.
40. Star Wars. My son and I have watched every film, series, and whatnot over the years. It’s our thing. #TeamKyloRen
41. Snow storms. I loooove getting snowed in. The world shuts down for a bit and you’re given a chance to recharge your batteries. It doesn’t happen too much anymore.
42. Pickles. ALL THE PICKLES. Except for those sweet ones. Those are gross.
43. Chinese soup dumplings. Delicious soupy goodness, oh my God. And FYI, Trader Joe’s makes a decent one and it’s great for when you’re home and too lazy to put on pants to go get them. I’m too cheap for Uber Eats and all that stuff, by the way.
44. My Bissell vacuum. It’s the only thing that picks up my dog’s hair, which is everywhere.
45. Solitary car rides. With good music, of course. And maybe the dog.
46. Sleeping in. It doesn’t happen much since we got the dog but when it does…ahhhhh. I miss it.
47. Amazon. No reason to leave the house. Ever.
48. Stanley Tucci. Actor, filmmaker, world traveler, food guy. Basically, I like anyone who shows us the world and its tasty food.
49. Stew Leonard’s shortbread.
50. Book stores. I don’t have time to read books but I like to look at them…holding them, smelling them…ah. books.
51. Candy Crush. It’s an ASMR thing.