this is a little overdue but, i must say, when this year started, i was losing faith that each year was going to be better than the last. i have serious thanks that i give in my mind to all the serious things, and:

i'm thankful for the time i toppled over in yoga class because it means that i'm not complacent in my practice.  i'm thankful for best friends who endure my complaints about cold showers while traipsing across Costa Rica sans navigation system or map. i'm thankful for the dancing, for the sore feet and joints for that means we gorged on delicious tandas while we could. i'm thankful for the sweat that i also so abhor, which means i'm working hard and healthy. i'm thankful for guys who re-rack their weights in the weight room so that i can bench the measly bar. i'm thankful for the ocean in its various forms, both too treacherous to surf and too beautiful to breach. i'm thankful for getting muddy at dog parks. i'm thankful for losing weight, because it's the only good side effect of sadness. i'm thankful for gaining weight, because it means i am happy and have more than enough to eat. i'm thankful for football season, because it means i have a good excuse to eat jalapeno chips and nachos.i'm thankful for butter biscuits from Specs, and also Crown from Specs. i'm thankful for hip hop music and line dances, i'm thankful for the electric slide and the wobble. i'm thankful for soy substitutes. i'm thankful for the ability to pursue my dreams. i'm thankful for the existential crises because it means that i've reached a point where many of my goals have been reached and i simply need to reach further. i'm thankful for the long nights that give way to growing up and learning more. i'm thankful for having the luxury of doing nothing and anything. i'm thankful for my Christmas gift last year, a Kindle, because even though i thought i'd never succumb to e-Readers, the Kindle has single-handedly helped me find my way back to reading. i'm thankful for reconnection. i'm thankful for having things i feel passionate about. i'm thankful for being able to finally eat meals on my own, and having enjoyed it so much that i even look for reasons and times to eat alone. i'm thankful for dark knights. i'm thankful for being able to fall asleep. i'm thankful for the nightmares that make waking up to real life seem like a fairy tale.