Holiday Advertisements and What I'm Actually Thankful For

It's that time of year, singletons! Yes, that few months stretch that starts after Halloween and goes until Valentine's Day. You know what I'm talking about. Retail's way of telling us we don't matter. I know you think I'm probably being a cynical, cranky bitch of late, but seriously! From now until V-Day, we will be seeing TV commercials and hearing radio spots that throw it in our faces that we are single, and if we WERE in a couple, the only way to show how much we are loved is with an engagement ring. Guys, don't think you're off the hook either. Your pressure comes from having to make a very public, creative and especially romantic proposal or else: Epic Fail! During this time of year I have my remote handy so I can mute all the commercials. It used to not phase me so much but Satan dumped me right before holiday season last year and so these stupid spots are somehow more poignantly painful.
So in protest, and as a means of positive reinforcement, I'm going to name the things I am grateful for and make me happy. Screw Robbins Brothers! I'm going to bust out of my grumpiness come Hell or high water. Without further ado, here's the list:
1. My besties: Red, JT, SB and Boy Wonder. (Shouts to my co-workers who have to deal with my crankiness on a daily basis and never stop being the awesome positive people that they are! Weez, BPuppy, LR, KL, DN and ChulaBella)
2. My family. Even though my mom and sister drive me nuts and we don't talk all the time, I know they love me. Especially my dad, who totally understands me without me having to try and explain myself. Probably because we have the exact same type-A, Alpha personality.
3. My two cats, Nyx and Nelli. For some reason no matter how upset I am, all it takes is for one of them to jump in my lap and give me some affection to make me feel better.
4. The fact that much as I bitch about not being married and having kids, I've been to more countries and states, and had more adventures on my own than the women in my family that are my age and saddled with kids and a husband. i.e. I've jumped out of a plane at 13,000 feet, I went on vacation to a foreign country alone for 2 weeks, I've kissed a man in each country I've gone on vacation (ha!), I've been on a boat ride on Loch Ness, I've sunbathed topless on a cruise, I duckcrawled through a medieval dungeon in Ireland, I hiked through Blair Witch-type woods alone to find a 200 year old family cemetery in MA, I'm one of only 2 out of 6 grandkids that actually learned to ice skate which is a family sport.
5. Things that make me happy: coffee in the morning after I've slept in, laying on my deck on a warm sunny day, traveling to countries I've never been before, Greek and Italian food, creme brulee, my two little twin cousins Skylar and Sydnee and my nephew Mikey, the way Kern Valley smells as the sun is rising on a hot day and I'm driving to the mountains (smells like fresh cut grass), the smell of burning "turf" in an old pub in Ireland and I'm drinking a Guinness, a hug from a good friend,  and cracking open a new book.

So there you have it. My way of catharsis. It's a bit wordy and makes no sense to anyone but me, but maybe it will lead you all to think about what you're grateful for too. I'm making a pledge to myself to stop being a pity-partying woe is me moron. Yeah, there are things about me that suck, but there are others that totally kick ass. I don't think they're the same all the time though.
What makes YOU happy?