(Yeah, it’s a rerun of a rerun.  Bite Sue me, mkay?  I’m busy cooking. )
I first penned (penned?) this screed (g) on 11/17/01.  I thought it appropriate, it being Thanksgiving and all, to jot down a list of those things for which I was thankful.  This year, the tradition continues, below the fold, again with only a few minor tweaks:
First of all, let me once again apologize for not blogging as much as I wish I could.  Ideally, I’d be cranking out two or three posts a day.  There’s certainly that much going on in the world, and it tears at my gut to be missing the opportunities to write about these things.  Pains me even more to think that you, the Denizens, are missing out on my great wisdom.  (rolling eyes, grin, chuckle)
The fact is that I simply have not had time to do one of the things that I enjoy more than I ever thought I would – writing.  I never for a moment, sitting in my first ever English Composition college class twenty-five years ago, taught by a guy I believed to be an idiot, thought that I would ever come to the point that I actually got a kick out of slapping thoughts on page.
Amazing how things change.
But, I digress.  There’s not been enough time.  There’s never  been enough time, but that’s beside the point.  I’ve been swamped at work, and that’s when I’m not trying to renew a certification.  This is taking me away from the chores I need to be doing – keeping the house clean, doing the laundry in a timely fashion, cleaning the kitchen, picking up dog crap off the carpet, those sorts of things.  And when I do finally get around to those things, they keep me from doing stuff I like to do – like surfing the Web and writing these columns.
Which brings me around to the topic at hand.  Thanksgiving’s today, and it’s a good time to kick back and tick off the things for which your obdt.  svt.  (a little Blackie Sherrod lingo, there) is thankful:
God.  The God of the Bible.  The God of Abraham, Issac, Jacob, David and Solomon.  That  God.  Not Allah, not Muhammad, not Cthulu, not crystals and/or chakras and/or trees.  God.
His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the work He performed on the cross that allowed me to receive His salvation.  (An aside:  Yeah, in case anyone didn’t know – I’m a Christian.  Not anywhere close to being the best example thereof, to be sure, but I’m still being worked on, and you’re just gonna have to be patient.)
Being an American, and free to worship as I choose.
My current home – a two-bedroom jobber I share with a chow/terrier, a huge lump of muscle & energy in the shape of a collie/sheltie mix, and a huge yellow lump that masquerades as a cat (since deceased).  Not the cozy cottage in Forney, but at least I have an office again from which to pen (pen?) these screeds.
My son – Stephen Geoffrey “Skip” Crager, Jr.  (although his doublewide-assed mother insists on calling him “Geoffrey”).  Even though I haven’t seen you in three years, Skip, I still love you.  Always remember that.
Friends & family, some more than others.  Even the ones who are diametrically opposed to me in their beliefs.
Employment.  Specifically, mine as a desktop technician, where I get to play with computers all day long – in effect, getting paid to practice my hobby.
(Thankfully, I’ve had a full-time gig since April, for a company known to me and only to me – since I know pussies like Cianderella Tierney, who bitched long and loud about me being a NetKKKop before having his ass exposed as a lying skank that doesn’t work at EDS, would love to find out where I work and try to get me fired…)
Okay, where was I…?
MP3s.  The ability to take all my all-time favorite songs, regardless of format, and transfer them to something I can listen to in my car.  Fuck you,  Hilary Rosen.
Turkey.  Lots of it, preferably drumsticks.
Leftovers.  Turkey sammiches with lots of mustard.  YEAH!
(Well, hold the bread on that.  I have got to-got to-got to start paying more attention to Atkins.)
An American President who, though he is still not completely trustworthy in my eye, is at least giving the impression that he is, at least, trying – which is a damn sight better than what we could have had, hm?  And at least this guy understands that the Presidency isn’t just one big frat party.
The military which he commands.  Peepz, these men & women do a helluva job protecting you and yours and the freedoms you enjoy, and they do it for pretty much next to nothing.  Next time you see one, take a moment to say, “Thank you”.  (Another aside:  When I first posted this, I left out one very important group of guys:  the Coast Guard.  Unconscionable, since one of my readers served in that very branch.  Mr. Slagle, my apologies – and my thanks.)
My car:  A 2005 Chevy Cavalier.  Quick, cozy, and twice the gas mileage of my old truck.  In this day and age, that’s important.  For $10 more per month, I get all that, plus a 5/50 warranty.  Good stuff, that.
A seafood restaurant chain here locally by the name of “Ole Whiskers”.  Catfish, chicken, ribs, stuffed crab, onion rings, and a host of other great stuff.  Catfish topped with Tabasco© sauce has become a staple.
My current box – a Pentium 2.66-GHz with 2 gigs (yeah – gigs) of DDR RAM.  Two 21″ monitors so that I don’t have to squint anymore when I write these things.  (Well, not much, anyway – at 1280×1024, things are still awfully small.)
The aforementioned crap-on-the-carpet dogs – she’s still a precious little lapdog, and she captures the heart of anyone that meets her.  The aforementioned collie mix – a whirling dervish that tears everything up, but he has an infectious personality.  Even my brother’s little min-pin, Mindy – one of the most affectionate dogs you’ll ever see.
Ham.  Not as much as a turkey drumstick, but leftover ham does go good with eggs.
Any college football team that severely thrashes the Texas A&M Aggies.
Any college football team that severely thrashes Nebraska.
Any college football team that severely thrashes Miami.
Any college football team that severely thrashes Arkansas.
Any college football team that severely thrashes Texas.  (Unless it’s Arkansas.)
TCU’s Horned Frogs.  Good job this year, Gary Patterson.  Well, except for going oh-fer against the state of Utah, but as long as you thrash SMUT in the Armed Forces Bowl, all will be forgiven.  Again.
Which reminds me:  Any college football team that severely thrashes SMUT.
Any pro football team that kicks the crap out of Donna McNabb and the Philthydelphia Beagles – something the Cowboys will do this year in Dallas.  Pity McNabb won’t be around to suffer it. (snicker)
Tony Romo.  There’s the future of the Cowboys, Denizens.
Jerry Jones – for signing that extension for Romo. (grin)
Southern Baptist churches that aren’t afraid to call themselves “Baptist”
An occasional road trip – maybe to go fishing, or even if it’s work-related.  I love staying in hotels where I can crank up the AC at night, and not have to worry about the electric bill (grin).
Microsoft.  No, all you morons at the federal judiciary – Bill Gates does not run a monopoly, and you damned well know it.  What he does do is run an extremely successful company, one that you bastards tried to shake down for $$$$, and failed.  It’s not a secret that the tech sector crashed simultaneously with Janet El Reño’s baseless attack against Microsoft.
Spanish-language television channels.  You will not find a better-looking collection of major babes anywhere on Planet Earth.  And they don’t mind letting people know that they’re women either, dammit.  Take that, NOW.  🙂
Mashed potatoes.  With a ton of gravy.  (Atkins be damned on this one.  (grin))
Ranch-style beans™.
Sweet tea – even though, being a Type II diabetic, I can no longer drink the stuff (make mine Sweet ‘n Low, 3 packets per 40 ounces, please).
Hooters’ hot wings.  Scenery’s not bad, either. 
Dueling-piano bars.  Picture two baby-grands.  Picture two players with crass senses of humor.  Picture some of the raunchiest lyrics ever conceived – sometimes on the fly.  Picture yourself laughing your ass off.  Try it sometime.
Rush Limbaugh.  Sean Hannity.  Glenn Beck.  Michael Savage.  Michael Reagan – and, in case I’ve not mentioned it before…his dad, too.
Ann Coulter.  Michelle Malkin.  Laura Ingraham.
The Blogosphere™.  Specifically, Misha and Alan Henderson – for getting me into this blogging thing.
My new hairstylist.  In all my lifetime, I’ve only found three people who could fully understand what I wanted done to my hair, and do it right in a minimum of time:  one retired about 15 years ago.  This one’s just as good as her predecessor – and she’s a major babe, too.  (grin)
Broadband.  Forney didn’t get it on a widespread basis – but I have my old Comcast cable modem back, and I rock yet again. (grin)
And finally (though this list is by no means complete) – you Denizens who keep coming back to the site in hopes that I’ve updated it.  Without you guys, why am I doing this?  Thanks very much for being here.
And Happy Thanksgiving.  Remember from Whom the blessings come…
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Happy Thanksgiving Spats!
Happy Thanksgiving, Spats! May God bless you and yours.
Don’t eat too much, and don’t forget to get in some target practice!