There is a lot of course, when I stop to think about it.  I am thankful for my wonderful wife.  I am thankful for four beautiful, funny kids.  I am thankful for my parents, for my siblings and the love and joy that always fills my heart when I get to spend time with them.  I am thankful for a job I enjoy and for the friend that led me to it.  I am thankful for my recently completed degree.  I am thankful for the many opportunities that I have had to spend time on stage.  I was able to be in four productions this year (one of which opens on Saturday), and I was also able to perform with an improv troupe that I highly respect throughout the year.

I hope Thanksgiving was as good to you this year as it was to me.  I hope you all can find something to be thankful for.  Now if next year I can add being grateful that the Cubs won the World Series, then that would be the best.  Just sending that out to the universe.  Let's see what happens.

First.  Ah, the NBA is back, baby.  I love the NBA and I love the Utah Jazz.  So what will this season bring?  More disappointing road losses from the Jazz, as exhibited on their road opener in Denver.  Granted, Denver should be tough this year, but the 4th quarter collapse by the Jazz just brought back all the memories of Utah's poor road performances from last year.

The return of the NBA also means the return the dillhole in Cleveland and his stupid powder throwing antics.  I hate that the first highlight of the NBA season on Sports Center was King LeDouche throwing that crap in the air.  Is this professional wrestling?  No.  Of course, it is heartwarming to watch the Cavs start their season with 2 losses.  Let's see more of that, Bron Bron.

Second.  Was driving down the street a couple of days ago and there is a woman pushing her kid down the street, not in a stroller, but in a stolen shopping cart.  I guess you're a redneck if...

Third.  Being in two shows at once is hard.  Fun?  Sure.  Extra money?  Needed.  But I miss my family.

While reporting a story, the anchor says, "Let's see what the folks on Twitter are saying about this story."

Really?  Are you freaking kidding me?  How, by any stretch of the imagination, is this news?  If CNN is just going to spout off crap they find written by some anonymous yahoo on Twitter, then why the heck am I watching CNN.  I can just read Twitter commercial free.

As one daughter put it, "I mean, who puts onions in macaroni and cheese?"

"I do," my wife said.

"Oh, you made this?"  My daughter's mental wheels started to turn, but she was caught with no where to go, no turning back.

"What," I asked.  "Did you think it just fell out of the sky?"

"I thought maybe she bought it from someone."

I guess I will be enjoying the leftovers all by myself.

When I heard the news that John Hughes died earlier today of a heart attack while walking through Manhattan, I was sad.  I was surprised at how sad I was.  His movies hold a special place in my heart and childhood.  Ferris Bueller's Day Off - The Breakfast Club - Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Uncle Buck - Sixteen Candles - Pretty in Pink - Some Kind of Wonderful - She's Having a Baby.  I enjoy them all.  They were huge while growing up and I still quote them to this day.

So long, John Hughes.  And speaking of quotes:

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris: I'm not European. I don't plan on being European. So who gives a crap if they're socialists? They could be fascist anarchists, it still doesn't change the fact that I don't own a car.

Ferris: I asked for a car, I got a computer. How's that for being born under a bad sign?

Ferris: Not that I condone fascism, or any -ism for that matter. -Ism's in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me." Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. I'd still have to bum rides off people.

Sixteen Candles

Samantha: Donger's here for five hours, and he's got somebody. I live here my whole life, and I'm like a disease.

Samantha: I can't believe my grandmother actually felt me up.

The Geek: Can I borrow your underpants for 10 minutes?

Pretty In Pink

Duckie: His name is Blane? Oh! That's a major appliance, that's not a name!

Andie: Well, not nothing. I mean, I kissed him...
Iona: Anywhere interesting?

The Breakfast Club

Andrew: We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all.

John Bender: So it's sorta social, demented and sad, but social.

John Bender: I just wanna know how one becomes a janitor because Andrew here is very interested in pursuing a career in the custodial arts.

Planes, Trains, And Automobiles

Del: We'd have more luck playing pickup sticks with our butt-cheeks than we will getting a flight out of here before daybreak.

Neal: He says we're going the wrong way.
Del: Oh, he's drunk. How would he know where we're going?

Owen: Her first baby came out sideways, she didn't scream or nothin'.

Del: I've never seen a guy get picked up by his testicles before. Lucky thing for you that cop passed by when he did. Otherwise, you'd be lifting up your schnutz to tie you shoes.

Uncle Buck

Miles: Where's your wife?
Buck: Don't have one.
Miles: How come?
Buck: It's a long story.
Miles: You have kids?
Buck: No I don't.
Miles: How come?
Buck: It's an even longer story.

Buck: Take this quarter, go downtown, and have a rat gnaw that thing off your face! Good day to you, madam.

Coming home from school, making a chocolate milk and then settling down to watch Voltron and He-Man.  I would quickly flick the spoon back and forth just under the surface creating bubbles.  Then I would just eat the bubbles and prolong my chocolate milk experience.

Saturday morning cartoons.  You can get cartoons anytime now which cheapens the whole Saturday morning cartoon experience.  When you can roll out of the rack and see cartoons any time of the day, then there is no fun in getting up early on a Saturday to catch Scooby's All Star Laff-A-Lympics over a bowl of plain Cheerios.  Yeah, we couldn't have sugar cereal unless, you know, we were on vacation at Grandpa's house and he was the one buying the cereal.  It was at Grandpa's house in Tennessee that my love affair with Froot Loops began.

Staying up-to-date with all the new movies by actually seeing them in the theater and not on DVD a year after everyone else is done talking about them.

Our Atari 2600.  Pitfall, Adventure, Combat, Breakout, Missle Command, Defender... and I could never ever beat Raiders of the Lost Ark.

This young woman didn't spend her day at the aquatic center flirting with life guards, laying out or laughing with friends.  Instead she spent the day helping a young, handicapped girl who I assumed was her sister.  The young girl was obviously nervous with certain aspects of the different pools, but the beautiful young woman showed infinite love and patience has she helped her with hugs and smiles.  It was obvious the young sister had a great time.

Everything the beauty did that day was for her sister and that far and away made her more beautiful than all of her obvious physical assets combined.

A guy at works thinks it's very cool that I can use the line, "I got hurt in a sword fight."  He thinks the ladies would dig it, if I were in the market for the ladies.

This past rehearsal period has made me feel anything but cool and suave.  Even without the ankle injury, I would come home sore and aching.  A two hour round trip and a small yet demanding role meant I was spending more time in my car than on stage and the time on stage was beating me up.  It got to the point that hated going to rehearsal.  It wasn't fun.  The returns just weren't equaling my input.  And rehearsals are usually one of my favorite things about being in a show.

Now the show is open and here I sit, nursing a bum ankle and the returns still aren't here.

One positive to come from the ankle injury is I was able to attend the first rehearsal of the next show I am in.  Utahoma at the Off Broadway Theatre in Salt Lake City.  And I have to say, I had more fun in that one rehearsal than all of the Treasure Island rehearsals.  Now, to be fair, Utahoma is a completely different type of show and the venue is also completely different.  It's like comparing apples and oranges.  Also, Treasure Island is a great show.  The actors and set are incredible and if you have a chance to go see it, you will not be disappointed.  It's just...

Well, it's just that when I was feeling like theatre was getting to a point where the sacrifice might not be worth it anymore, I spent a couple of hours with very funny friends and I am excited again.

I hate LeBron James.

Earlier this week, we saw some of the greatest men to ever play the game voted into the Hall of Fame.  Jerry Sloan, David Robinson, John Stockton and Michael Jordan.  You know what, King James?  I have never seen any of these greats throw powder up into the air in a stupid pre-game ritual.  I have never seen any of them do stupid picture poses before every game or perform ridiculous, choreographed handshakes.

As long as James keeps doing this stupid, punk-a crap, he will never be on the same level as these NBA greats, no matter what his skill.

One of Buddha's chores is to dust his room.  The description on the card reads, "Use a rag and Pledge to dust all surfaces."  When Buddha first looked at the card he started laughing.  When asked why he was laughing, Buddha raised his right hand and said, "I pledge to dust all surfaces."

He thought it was very funny we were asking him to promise to dust all surfaces.