20 Things I’m Thankful For in 2025

Thanksgiving has arrived, though you wouldn’t know it by the temperature outside. I’m writing this column in shorts and a short sleeve shirt. But traditions don’t wait for proper weather, so here’s my annual list of gratitude.

I’m thankful for the rise of artificial intelligence. So many in our society lack any form of intelligence, so it’s nice to see the tech world coming out to help our less perspicacious friends.

I’m thankful Bill Clinton’s exploits are in the news again. The jokes just write themselves when Bubba is in the picture.

I’m thankful for coffee. Not just for existing, but for being socially acceptable to drink at any hour of the day. Nobody judges you for a 3 p.m. coffee. Try drinking a margarita at the same time and suddenly you’re “making poor choices.”

I’m thankful I live in a house where the dog doesn’t bark, but the children do.

I’m thankful for heat waves in November. It really helps get me into the holiday spirit when the weather outside is like a sauna. Nothing says “let’s cook a 20-pound bird in a 350-degree oven” quite like it already being 70 degrees in the shade.

I’m thankful for restaurant rolls and bread that magically appear the moment you sit down. This is the pinnacle of human civilization and I will hear no arguments otherwise.

I’m thankful my car has reached the age where I no longer care about door dings in parking lots. There’s a certain freedom that comes with driving a vehicle that’s already seen better days.

I’m thankful my groceries for the month now cost as much as my mortgage. I didn’t need that extra money anyway, and it helps me feel connected to my relatives who lived through the Great Depression.

I’m thankful for my child’s selective hearing abilities. They can detect the rustle of a chip bag from another zip code but cannot hear direct instructions delivered at normal volume from five feet away.

I’m thankful that “let me Google that” has become an acceptable response to questions I should probably know the answer to.

I’m thankful for people who write “per my last email” in professional correspondence. It’s the corporate equivalent of “bless your heart” and we all know exactly what it means.

I’m thankful I no longer have to rewind VHS tapes or burn CDs. Kids today will never know the satisfaction of a perfectly timed mixtape or the rage of someone returning Blockbuster rentals without rewinding.

I’m thankful my dog believes every time I leave the house might be forever, making my return the greatest event in world history. That kind of enthusiasm is infectious.

I’m thankful for whoever normalized working from home in pajama pants. You’ve made video calls significantly more comfortable, even if we’re all pretending to be fully dressed.

I’m thankful that Georgia’s “business-friendly” stature will allow big business owners and fat cats to feast like kings this Thanksgiving while the rest of us are having to trim down the number of people we invite because we can barely afford groceries, let alone a feast. I applaud our state leaders for taking care of the wealthy and freeing the working class up to eat bologna and spam for Thanksgiving dinner.

I’m thankful I can blame my memory lapses on “too many browser tabs open in my brain” and people nod knowingly instead of suggesting I see a doctor.
I’m thankful for my oldest child’s ability to remember every conversation we’ve ever had, especially when I’ve apparently agreed to things I have no recollection of agreeing to. It’s like living with a court stenographer who moonlights as a district attorney.

I’m thankful for our great military who have been willing to put their lives on the line for 250 years so that we could have a first class ballroom on the White House grounds to entertain wealthy donors and foreign dignitaries.

I’m thankful that for one day a year, eating until you can’t move is not only acceptable but expected.

I’m thankful that my children learned to play the recorder and the violin this year. I twas a real treat listening to them practice and knowing that they are picking up some new talents.

And on a rare serious note, I am thankful for my mother. Spending the last eight months without her has made me realize how lucky I was to have known her and to have gotten to spend 46 years of my life with her in it. Thanks for the memories, Mom.