People have been doing this on social media for several years, but I’ve always avoided it. Don’t misunderstand…I am quite thankful for many things. It’s not even the idea of posting something new on a daily basis. I’ve been doing a Song of the Day for the past two years, which has been fun, and anyone that follows me on Instagram knows I’m the Master of Memes. I suppose it’s more that I find this particular task both fascinating & challenging and believe it deserves a more thoughtful approach than flippant Facebook posts. Citizens of The Manoverse are familiar with my occasional verbosity, and I don’t want to blow up anyone’s timeline in such a manner. Why have a blog if it isn’t going to be used for stuff like this, right?? At any rate, I’ve decided to break things down in increments for the sake of readability, so non-sports fans of this space can rejoice…you’ll be getting something else other than football picks over the next couple of weeks. 

1 What smell are you grateful for today??

Unlike most guys I’m really into nice smells. I have multiple wax warmers in my apartment & enjoy keeping the ol’ Bachelor Palace fresh & cozy. I tend to prefer seasonal scents. Eucalyptus & lemon in the sunnier months. Pumpkin-ish aromas in the fall. Anything food related, so my humble abode smells like I just baked cookies or muffins or pie. Vanilla is a go to year round. I enjoy buying soap & body wash that smells nice, and I’ll usually throw on just enough cologne (there is such a thing as too much). I’m not an expert, but am protective of my smoldering machismo, so I try not to smell like flowers or anything too girly. I know that’s a pretty broad & verbose answer to the question, but now you know why I didn’t do this on Facebook.

2 What technology are you grateful for??

I’m not old enough to be one of those geezers that whines & complains about how much simpler life was before machines took over, but I have witnessed the rise of a plethora of amazing technological advances in my lifetime. I am not a tech guru, but neither am I intimidated by it. My mother has been gone for over two decades, and occasionally I ponder what she would think about some of the things we’ve become accustomed to in that time. Social media. Smart phones. Streaming television. I appreciate much of what has come down the pike thru the years, but a couple of things come to mind. First, I really love having a decent camera built into my phone. I’ve been around long enough to remember flash bulbs & film. You’d drop your film off at the drug store, be forced to wait a few days to see the finished product, and ultimately the photos weren’t that great. Digital cameras were cool, but the cell phone cameras we have nowadays are incredible. Secondly, I have seen a lot of music tech come & go. I vaguely recall 8-tracks. I owned vinyl when I was a boy. Then cassettes came along. CDs were awesome. But now?? I love having an app on my phone where I can find almost any song that pops into my mind and listen to it immediately. Music has become very important to me. I find it therapeutic, and occasionally will spend hours just chillin’ with my favorite tunes. Doing that very thing has helped me navigate some rather choppy waters in recent years, which would’ve been alot more challenging with a boom box or the sweet rack system stereo I saved my birthday & Christmas money to buy when I was 14 years old.

3 What color are you grateful for??

I’ve never pondered the idea of being grateful for a color. Perhaps I’m not approaching the query from the correct angle. Anyway, I’ll just say that my two favorite colors are blue & purple. I don’t know why. There is no particular reason or meaningful story to tell. I just really like blue & purple. Perhaps a therapist could discover some profound reason for that.

4 What food are you most grateful for??

Wow. Okay. This is a difficult choice. First, let me say that I am thankful for food in general. I am well aware that, despite the whining & complaining all of us do sometimes, most of us here in America (especially if you’re reading this, which means you have internet access) are extremely fortunate and have so much more than many do in impoverished areas of the world. Of course even here there are some that may struggle for their next meal. I’ve been rather blessed in my life & have rarely lacked food & drink. Having said that, I have dealt with medical issues & stayed in some unpleasant places where the food was…substandard (I’m being kind). Therefore, I am very thankful to be in my own place eating food that I choose & enjoy. As far as something that I specifically appreciate, I have to say chocolate. I know it’s bad for me, but I do have some level of self-control & enjoy my favorite candy, pastries, & assorted treats in moderation. 

5 What sound are you most grateful for today??

In 1964 Simon & Garfunkel released one of their biggest hits, a song called The Sound of Silence. I am somewhat of an introvert, which means that I’ll happily attend a party, ball game, concert, or any kind of public gathering. I can be a fun dude!! However, there always comes that point in the festivities when I’m done. I’m over it…I need to go home & be by myself. I don’t mind dealing with inane “conversation” or incoherent babbling for a short time, but inevitably the moment arrives when I simply want the person annoying me to shut up & go away. I require a certain amount of peace & quiet. Poet May Sarton opined that “loneliness is the poverty of self, while solitude is the richness of self”. I experience both on a regular basis, and solitude is preferable. I wish I was more outdoorsy, because I could really get into the whole communing with nature thing. Since I’m more of a inside cat, sometimes I really just enjoy turning off the TV, closing my eyes, & basking in the glow of noiseless tranquility. 

I think that’s enough for today. Stay tuned!!