Things I'm Thankful for...

In no particular order, and off the top of my head, a few of the things I'm thankful for:

• Tasty Tacos
• My DVR
• HD
• Having my dad show me all the old haunts in the hometown where he grew up
• Seeing that not much has changed in the Vermont town I grew up
• The Patriots throwback uniforms http://www.projo.com/a/2009/09/16/watson_0916.jpg
• Sheriff Buford T. Justice
• Guys movie night (for guys who like really silly movies)
• "Band of Brothers"
• Guinness at Cooney's Pub
• Wrigley Field, Fenway Park
• The new and improved Kauffman Stadium
• Guys weekend in Milwaukee (or Denver)
• Iowa starting 9-0
• Paul Rhoads replacing The Chiz
• Andy Fales' unique perspective
• Goody's Powder when I have a really bad headache
• My bosses at WHO TV encouraging and supporting a radio show
• The bosses at KXnO asking me to host a radio show (with Andy)
• The passion people in Iowa have for local sports
• Taking kids to a movie that grownups can enjoy too (e.g. "Up")
• Lolo Jones personality (and yes, the looks to match)
• "Ask Gary Dolphin"
• My parents health, and never ending support
• Special Olympics Iowa
• ipod, Blackberry, laptop. What did I do without these?
• Coldplay & Bruce Springsteen live at The Well
• Shawn Terrell's story on the Haluska brothers
• Thanksgiving football, dinner, nap, movie
• Twitter & Facebook. I think.
• An unexpected email or call from an old friend
• The steak sandwich at Noah's Ark
• Nachos at Library
• Sweet potato fries at Jethro's
• J. Benjamins restaurant
• Weekends at Clear Lake. Unless it's -20
• Liking everybody on the anchor desk
• Making sure you and all your friends have Gladiator nicknames (I'm "Old School", my wife is "Smash")
• Vacation in Mexico
• Trip to Florida ("trips" have kids)
• Tailgating with friends at Jack Trice Stadium
• The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown
• The Dan Patrick Show
• Reading the Des Moines Register and USA Today in the morning
• PTI
• The nice guy at Whylies who exchanged my glasses when I picked out welding goggles
• http://www.endless.com/ for great Adidas kicks, shipped overnight for free
• Raccoon Valley Little League
• Sunflower seeds
• Making a new friend, and knowing you'll remain friends for life
• Lip balm
• Pets who are potty trained
• Diet Pepsi, diet Sunkist lemonade, and sugar free energy drinks
• Grace Club for kids at Grace Methodist church
• The Des Moines Playhouse
• The Varsity Theater
• Deck parties with friends
• Tailgating at Iowa Speedway
• Good friends I love and enjoy
• BCS bowls
• Matinee movies
• Reading Entertainment Weekly and Sports Illustrated
• A trip to the book store with time to kill
• Our pleasantly worn Beaverdale home
• The Drake Relays
• Freedom of speech
• People who serve our country
• The proud look on the face of a soldier when you surprise him or her with a simple, "thank you"
• Laughter at work
• The Iowa Cubs at Principal Park, especially on a summer night
• Buc Beer Night at Buccaneer Arena
• The look on my sister's face when she got to hang out with the Dancing with the Stars cast
• People who enjoy their job, or start looking for another job
• Watching kids watch fireworks
• Sitting down for dinner with the family, no matter how busy we all are
• Tabasco sauce on popcorn
• Half Diet Pepsi/half 1% milk
• Saturday Night Live, The Mentalist, 30 Rock, The Office, The Middle, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, 30 for 30, Real Sports, Community, Rescue Me, Sunday Night Football, Friday Night Lights, Glee (I know, I can't believe it either.), and 24
• Val Kilmer in Tombstone
• The album "Van Morrison at the Movies"
• http://www.rottentomatoes.com/
• M&M's mixed with peanuts
• Salsa that's hot, but not tongue damaging hot
• Waiting until after Iowa's final drive at Michigan State to start the Gold Medal Gala
• Having a forum to indulge stream of conciousness
• My wife Jenny's art at Squiggles & Tandem Brick
• When B-Ross hits the DUHHHHHHH sound effect
• Bill Murray comedies
• Cousin Eddie in Christmas Vacation
• The Shawshank Redemption
• Roger Rosenblatt's book, "Rules for Aging"
• Viewers & listeners who make me re-think by using constructive criticism
• The Iowa Barnstormers III
• Hoosiers, The Natural, all the Rockys but V.
• The fact I got that boom boom pow
• And above all else, my wife and kids. Without them, nothing above matters. Except the Tabasco sauce on popcorn. That's good no matter what.

Scattershot Thoughts for November 12th

• My friend, Todd Roland, a former sportscaster and current good guy, was the officer shot in the hand Wednesday night. Get well soon, Todd. We're thinking of you.
• I love Christmas, but I'm not ready in early November. Christmas Carol will have to wait.
• Speaking of Christmas and waiting, not to mention my own hypocrisy from the above sentence, I took the kids to Bass Pro Shops Sunday to see Santa. The wait was four hours! No, we didn't wait. I can't shop for the outdoors that long.
• It's long been believed teenagers can't keep secrets. Meet Harrison Barnes. Mr. Barnes can keep a secret.
• I really like James Vandenberg. He looks like the high school kid who comes by and offers to mow the yard for $20, and his voice breaks like he's too young to be in his second year of college, but he's genuinely engaging without trying too hard. I think he'll play better Saturday than many people expect. Don't underestimate what a game plan designed with his inexperience in mind can do.
• The aforementioned game plan should include Tony Moeaki.
• Our Lincoln (high school) insider, B-Ross, says Adam Robinson is going to do everything he can to take the field in Columbus.
• How does a heavy underdog team with less talent and a back-up quarterback making his first start find a way to win on the road? Watch the Iowa State at Nebraska game.
• The Iowa State football seniors have played for three different head coaches. They deserve a nice send-off Saturday. Bowl eligible would be nice too.
• Best line on the Cyclones this season goes to Ryan in Clive: " Iowa State is a 6-6 team with 2-10 talent."
• I was listening to Jon Miller and Jim Zabel host WHO's radio Sound-Off (and they're a good team), and this one caller said, "and that's all I have to say". She then talked another 10 minutes before another, "and that's all I have to say". Five more minutes. Rinse and repeat.
• It's hard for me to see Bobby Bowden go out this way. He deserves better.
• I hate instant replay. I know once in a great while, video helps get a call right that impacts a game, but I can't stand what it does to the natural rhythms of a game. Now when a player catches a TD pass in the end zone, you don't fully celebrate, you wait for the inevitable replay, the painstaking delay, and the endless speculation about which way the call will go.
• Never trust a receiver who says he caught the ball. How many times does a receiver (or d-back) talk a coach into a challenge when he clearly trapped the ball?
• Steve Martin & Alec Baldwin hosting the Oscars?! I'm in.
• I'm not ready for basketball. Trying, but not ready.
• Killers Live at Royal Albert Hall is a great concert CD (and DVD).
• Did anyone rehabilitate his image more in recent months than A-Rod? Amazing what a little clutch hitting will. Penny Lane didn't hurt either.
• When did Sammy Sosa turn into Powder?
• Can't wait for Colts-Patriots.
• Power to the people! Nice job by Des Moines' Dan Cataldi. He and two friends started an online petition for the Chiefs to cut Larry Johnson before LJ became the Chiefs career rushing leader. 35,000 signatures later, it worked (or at least it didn't hurt).
• Demi Moore is 47? Favorite Demi movies: A Few Good Men, About Last Night, One Crazy Summer, St. Elmo's Fire.
• If Tom Brands is talking, I'm listening.
• My new favorite SoundOFF segment, "Ask Gary Dolphin". Funny.
• James Vandenberg says he's anti-Facebook. Interesting.
• You know what does suck about Facebook... when you request to be someone's friend, and you know that person, and you're not accepted. That sucks! Or at least that's what Andy told me.