Happy Thanksgiving! As I write this in the early morning hours of Turkey Day, the one thing you have to do is think about the things for which you are thankful. Actually, I've been doing this for about a week now, as my life could be a whole lot worse than it is right now. I could be single. I could be homeless. I could not have anything to eat for holiday. I could have no way of earning an income. Although, in the big picture and on a global scale, my life is probably pretty fantastic. So, I'm thankful for a lot of little things, things that some might not consider something that's worth gratitude, but my life could be a lot worse.
I'm Thankful that I Don't Have Television
I did just write an article about the stupidity of World Television Day, but that's not why I don't have television. I don't have television because my fiance and I were ripping it off from the cable company, until the cable company came and disconnected everyone who was ripping it off. Ever since then, we haven't bothered, and that was almost two years ago now.
It's the holiday season again, and I don't have a television to remind me about Black Friday sales, the gift of giving, and all those commercials that essentially tell me that I need to buy people expensive stuff for Christmas. It's nice not to get bombarded. It was particularly nice during the 2012 election, when I didn't have to bother with any of the political ads. I'm thankful that I won't have to deal with political ads during the upcoming 2014 midterm elections also. Granted, it would be nice to have television so I can watch Survivor when it actually airs, or the live performances of The Voice when they are live. But, those are small prices to pay to avoid commercials and to waste less time getting caught up in new shows and reruns.
I'm Thankful for My Cat Because He Almost Died
About two weeks ago, my cat Flop-a-Set had a urinary tract blockage. He was howling on the top of his lungs, having trouble going to the bathroom, and throwing up his food. My fiance and I were going to take him to the vet first thing in the morning. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), the floodgates opened overnight and he peed in our bed. The next day, he was a completely different cat. He was no longer howling. He kept his food down. He didn't mind being pet. Although, he didn't continue to use the litter box regularly, and went in our bed the next night as well. So, we took him to the vet to figure out if he was still sick or not. My fiance and I were getting tired of the limbo, and it was clear that something was wrong and not entirely fixed.
After a vet visit, some antibiotics (which he does not like), and a new diet (which he eats, but doesn't like as much as the old food), Flop-a-Set is 100% again. He has used the litter box every time and has much more energy than ever before. He's louder. He plays a lot more and is more active when he does play. He runs around the apartment more often. He's on the new diet for life, and the antibiotics are almost done, so I am thankful that I still have a big fuzzy kitty.
I'm Thankful that I'm Never at Income Zero
Income zero is my term for not having any means of making money. Some people fall into that position and its a tough one to be in. I'm thankful that I'll never be in that position because as a freelancer and entrepreneur, I'll always have a source of income as long as I have one client paying on time. One client may not be able to pay the bills, but one client puts me in a position to get two clients. Having one client means that I'll have at least one good reference and recent work to vouch and to demonstrate my skills. Sure, my career choice is much tougher than most, as I don't make a much as I could if I got a normal job. Plus, I have to spend time marketing myself, doing my own accounting, covering business expenses, and make my own sales on top of the work that clients actually pay me to do. But, I'm thankful that I'm capable of doing all that and that I'm skilled enough in writing and marketing that people are willing to pay me to do it. I'm thankful that I am committed and courageous enough to be a freelancer.