Privileged & Thankful

From an article at nypost.com, edited by yours truly: The FDA has thrown a damper on those who seek pain relief in cannabis. The government agency warned that the ingredient said to relieve pain and anxiety without getting people high may cause liver damage, changes in mood, gastrointestinal distress and other ailments. If pain became a real issue in my life, I’d risk using the stuff.

Another NYP article cites the environmental damage done by emails. According to a study by an energy company in England, more than 64 million unnecessary emails are sent every day in the UK, contributing to 23,475 tons of carbon a year to its footprint. I don’t send a lot of emails, but even if I did I wouldn’t curtail my usage.

At this stage of my life every day is Thanksgiving. Since The focus is tomorrow, I’ll cite what I’m most grateful for.
1. I’m still among the living. So many friends, acquaintances and one younger relative no longer enjoy that privilege.
2. It’s all about quality of life, and my health is still good.
3. My aches and pains are minimal.
4. Except for an occasional lapse, my mind still seems sharp.
5. People buy books, even my own, from me on the street. I appreciate those who donate wares just as much as those who buy, and those who simply stop to chat.
6. Even if I should croak before my eleventh book is up and running, I feel I’ve completed my life’s work. I actually hope family and friends won’t read the new one.
7. I give thanks to all the brainiacs who come up with ways to make life better or simply more fascinating.
8. I thank President Trump for what I believe is sound policy, especially economically.
9. Each day human beings do and say things that make life so interesting, and create fantastic art.
10. I am so happy Hillary Clinton is not president.

I’m grateful my annual struggle with numbering pages in Microsoft Word is done. I finally figured it out last night — after a lot misfires. I hope the neighbors didn’t hear the expletives.

And the greatest thing for which to be thankful is the privilege of living in the USA, which politicians have not yet ruined despite doing their damnedest.

My thanks to Mother Nature, who held back the rain, allowing the floating book shop a full session; and to the young mom who bought two kids’ books for her little guy; and to the woman who went home with two cookbooks; and to the Vietnam vet who for the third straight date purchased a bunch of non-fiction, this time on grammar, hearing loss, dogs, Spanish-English translation, exercise and music. He beamed as he showed me pictures of his son, a pilot.

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