We're Still Here

...and that's something to be thankful for.

I totally dropped the ball on my Thanksgiving advent posts, didn't I? It's not that I ran out of things to be thankful for--far from it. One thing I'm over-the-moon grateful about is the fact that my business is picking up. But that's keeping me pretty busy. I've also still been doing NaNoWriMo, although I've fallen about 12,000 words behind where I should be by now, mainly because in addition to being busy with work I've also been sick. Nothing major, just a lingering chest crud with a low-grade fever and a scratchy throat that never wants to become full-fledged sore. Not that I'm complaining about that. It's not bad enough to knock me out of commission, but it is slowing me down and keeping me from having a lot of energy.

But the good news re: NaNo is that I finished Dominion of the Damned! So if I don't make up the word count on another project, it will still be a win in my book.

The other thing keeping me busy and distracted has to do with the earthquakes. Did you know we had earthquakes in Oklahoma? Well, apparently we do now. The fact that they're increasing in both quantity and intensity made us think that it would be a good idea to make sure we're prepared if a major one ever happens here. We also started our winter preps, making sure we have enough food, water and warmth to get us through a major ice storm. And then it all kind of snowballed from there into an obsessive survivalist quest to be fully prepared for The End Of The World As We Know It. Or, zombies. At any rate, that's triggering my obsessive tendencies and taking up a lot of my mental energy these days.

It's not helping (or maybe it is--depends on how you look at it) that we've been watching all these survival shows on Netflix. We've gone through all there is to date of Bear Grylls, Survivorman, Man Woman Wild and Dual Survival, and now I feel pretty certain that if I ever get lost in some God-forsaken wilderness/desert/jungle/frozen wasteland that I'll be able to build a shelter and start a fire and feed and hydrate myself. I think the biggest lesson these shows have taught me is never go anywhere without carrying a lighter, a bottle of water and some gorram Balance Bars--all of which items have recently taken up permanent residence in my purse.

Actually, the biggest lesson these shows have taught me is that as long as you have shelter, water, food and warmth, everything else is gravy. And if on top of those things you also have comfort and security, then you are richly blessed. It's helping me realize that only when you have those things in abundance do you have the luxury of thinking that things like not having the latest gadgets or not having a home that looks like it belongs in Better Homes & Gardens are things to get depressed about.

Matt and I are richly blessed. And today, as every day, I'm grateful for that, and for our health, and the health and safety of our loved ones, and that we've managed to avert major disaster for yet another day.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.