Robert Manners

That's Gratitude For Ya

So I started off this morning thinking about things to be grateful for...though I didn't do very well. I always wake up so groggy, even when I've gotten my sleep out, that clarity of thought and purpose are pretty much out of the question until I've been awake a couple of hours and had at least two cups of coffee. Especially when it's hot out, since the heat slows me down so much...not only does the heat in and of itself make me groggy, but the grogginess keeps me from exercising, so my blood-circulation goes down, and then I get even groggier...it's a vicious circle! But I've been trying to be positive rather than negative today, anyway.



Here's some things I thought about this morning, for which I am grateful:



1) Grandmother: I complain about her a lot, but I just don't know what I'd do without her steadying influence on my life. Not only does she exist on a sort of scheduled plane, a reality in which people eat breakfast and dinner at the table, in which chores happen at certain intervals...but she also gives me something outside of myself to think about, someone important and who needs help and to whom I have to pay attention. She also provides the whole room-and-board thing, without which my life would be considerably less comfortable.



2) Soft skin: I know that's a silly thing to enjoy, but I love having soft, silky-smooth skin. I like to touch myself, and not even just sexually...I just enjoy the hell out of running my hands over my arms or flanks or wherever there's no hair to get in the way.



3) My job: Another thing I complain about endlessly, but let's look at the bright side—

a) I was still in bed working on my Gratitude List at 10 am...and that's OK (I usually start work around 11)!

b) I'm sitting here on the internet at work...nobody looking over my shoulder, nobody monitoring my web activities...all the personal email I can handle, all the access I need.

c) Great coworkers. JB is one of my very best friends, and BB is great to work and play with; I get along okay with the Boss-Lady, now that I don't take her periodic attacks personally. I understand that not everyone is so lucky...not only do they have unfriendly coworkers, but they have lots more of them.

d) My office is in the basement of a Victorian house, where it is so fabulously and deliciously cool that I really don't want to go home on these hot days.

e) I won't be so crass as to say how much I get paid per hour, but after the usual withholding, I could buy a mid-priced restaurant meal every hour on the hour if I wanted to. Considering the comparatively minimal stress and work levels of this job, the salary is pretty good. So, I don't have group benefits...but that's just another part of the small-office thing.

4) Good health: Not great health, but good health. I'm seldom really sick, though I catch colds easily; I've never had any kind of disease, very few conditions, and only two surgeries in my entire life. No pills...you can't put a price on No Pills, let me tell you!



Well, that's all I really thought of this morning. I know I have lots of friends, for whom I am wildly grateful, as well as talents and possessions and abilities for which to be grateful, but let's all remember that I had just woken up.



When I got to the office, I tried to continue my positive attitude, and it has been a bit trying. But I managed to work through the difficulties, so I guess the positive attitude is working. And so I'm not going to talk about the people and objects and institutions that thwarted me today.



I'll talk about them tomorrow!

This is not what I looked like when I woke up....my blanket is tan and burgundy with roses.