This is an email I got today from a buddy and I liked it enough to post here (instead of forwarding it to people who wont ready it anyway….)

I am Thankful :

FOR THE WIFE
WHO SAYS IT’S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME,
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND
WHO IS ON THE SOFA
BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS HE IS AT HOME,
NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM EMPLOYED.

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE
BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS
WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH..

FOR THE PARKING SPOT
I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM WARM.

FOR T HE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS
I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES
AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN
CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE
FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

Lets start with last night. I work at the restaraunt for 11 hours because my dish tank broke, so I worked harder and longer than I should have. My brother Dan works there with me and we were talking, he said, “You know Grandma is having surgery Tues., right?” Yes I know she is having a historectomi. What I DIDN’T know is its from a cancerous lump in which she has to take Khemo for!! No one in my family apparently thinks she is making it through that, according to Dan.

F’ing GREAT

Then, I wake up this morning and apparently my wife has some sort of stomache bug, so I have to get up and get Skylar to day care. Ok, no problem, I’m just really tired from last nights events. It took me 10 minutes to find her shoes (they were in Robbi’s car) but thank God Sky was cooperative. So I’m a little late to work, oh well.

Ok, now at work, lets just try to shake all that off and have a good day. NOPE!!! I get a call from the doctor’s and BIOGEN IS VOLUNTARILY CANCELLING MARKETING OF TYSABRI!!! WTF!! www.tysabri.com has the details. Apparently, the Tysabri clinical trials in combination with Avonex is still ongoing. Well, one dude died and the other got a fatal demylination disease. I’m not going to be taking it in combination with Avonex, I’m trying to get rid of the shots!!! Whatever, safety first I guess.

Can my day get worse?

Ok, over christmas I wrote this “memo” to my family members, and figured I’d share part of it with you all. This is kind of how I was feeling over the hollidays, but the individual parts about my family have been cut out because no one understands it but us, so tell me what you think….

per·spec·tive

n.

A mental view or outlook: “It is useful occasionally to look at the past to gain a perspective on the present”

My name isn’t Webster, but if I was, here is what my definition would say. Perspective is having a child and understanding when you go to Best Buy, you don’t automatically run to the video game or computer section anymore, you now walk straight to the children DVDs and not realize you do it. Perspective is getting married and all of a sudden, every woman on Earth now looks “just normal” and your wife becomes the supermodel. Perspective is being diagnosed with a chronic life-altering disease, and all of a sudden, life falls into place what really is important to you; not computers, not design, not games, but family and time.

Perspective

Perspective is realizing that there are no such things as “dreams”, they now become goals. Dreams belong in fairytales, goals are obtainable. Perspective is flying to Las Vegas just to see if there is a slight chance you could get signed to a record label, and never wondering “what-if.” Perspective is setting a goal to retire at 30, and not resting until you do. Goals are, and will, be obtained if you push for it. I’m not one to remember dreams when I wake up anyway. Perspective is knowing no matter where you work, or what you do, you work 120% when you are there because tomorrow, you may not be able to. Perspective is loving and taking pride in proving someone wrong when they tell you “you can’t” or “it’s just a dream.”

Perspective

Perspective is, most importantly, living today for today. I wake up everyday, and when I can reach down and pick up my daughter, it’s the greatest day in the world. I may not be able to do that one day. I have no choice but to live my life thinking this way, because, for me, it’s true. It has made me such a better person for it. “Love others as you do yourself. If not for the rest of your life, then just today. Never take for granted what you have and what you are all able to accomplish. Find and follow your own perspective, and NEVER put it off till tomorrow.”