Gratitude. 2016 edition.

Just three of the things I am thankful for.

2016 has been a tough year all around. And I'll be honest, it doesn't look like it's getting any better, even with just a little over a month left in it. The general consensus around these parts is the quicker we show 2016 the exit, the better.

But I am still thankful for much, even amidst the dark eddies that swirl all about right now.

My wife, family, friends, cats, acquaintances, readers I either know or who I've never met, writers I've never met yet admired, writers who touched me by either making me happy or angry or both or really just made me feel, cute animal GIFs, inside jokes, kick ass box sets of either music or images or moving images or all of the above, Chicagoist, Bloom County, all the music both good and bad I listened to that proved that so many people are still striving to create and forward their art, friends getting their books published or albums released or art shown, clarity, hope, optimism, faith that people really do want a better future for all our kids even if we can't always agree on what that looks like or how we get there, finding a new pair of Doc Martens I love when I was worried that would never happen after the company retired the model of boots I depended on for 15 years or so, getting promoted at the 9-to-5, no traffic at all when coming back from the suburbs after Thanksgiving with my family, did I mention my cats (oh yeah, I did)—this woefully inadequate list only hints at all the things I have to be thankful for. I am full of gratitude for so much in my life.