Things I am thankful for in 2021

This Thanksgiving, I really wanted to reflect on all the things I am grateful for. This year has been a serious ride - I was able to move past some major obstacles, and I came to understand the real value and meaning of things.

I am grateful that I was able to get my health issues sorted, or at least controlled and managed better. Last November, it seems like my doctors finally figured out what was broken, and a flurry of appointments and a surgery later, I feel much better than I have in a long time, and I can breathe much better. It makes a massive difference.

I am thankful for my friends, Shelby, Travis, Mark, Johnny, Bill - very encouraging to be around, and nice of them to keep me accountable, and to keep me company along the way.

I am also thankful to the FOSS community, not the least of which the Central Ohio Python group (COhPy) - Harlan, Mike, Greg, Joey, and the gang (as well as Andrew, Russ, Eric, and Jim) have been a great source of commraderie.

Also, the Joplin, Zettlr, FreeBSD, and neovim projects have been a great help. I am thankful that, in general, there are still enough crazy madlads out there willing to make technlogy open and accessible.

I am thankful for my family - at least the part of my family that still wants to be family - for keeping in touch and keeping connected. It makes a huge difference.

I really appreciate everyone out there that continues to share information on what they know - good, quality information on how to get computers to do what you need them to, or how to install a bidet, or good ways to take notes, or good ways to cook fish - so much is posted online and is freely (or almost freely) accessible. For my part, I endeavour to also share more of what I am getting into so as to put back in what I took out, so to speak. That there are people out there who still make an effort to feed the commons is a big deal.

Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope that the holidays are festive and not stressful for you.