Nope. This isn’t about religious faith.
It’s about the song.
When my older boy was a baby, he loved the George Harrison song I Got My Mind Set On You. All I had to do was hum that song and he would giggle. That was back in the day when MTV still played videos and was on my TV during most waking hours. As soon as that video would come on, he would stop chewing on his hands and laugh out loud. It was beyond adorable.
My baby boy? Holy shit. She Said by The Cramps would send him into a full body freak out. He was no more than 4 or 5 months old when he fell in love with that song. As soon as he would hear it start, his little body would tense up like he was a wound up spring and as soon as it would get to the ‘ew ee ah ah’ part, he would laugh and throw his arms and legs out to the beat. He looked like a little starfish. We played that song a lot back then.
Yesterday, driving in to work, I heard Faith by George Michael on the radio. I don’t hate the song, but it’s never been on my radar. My sister in law, however, told me once that her older boy loved that song when he was a baby. It was the song that made him happy as an infant. I adore Randy’s sister (even though she torments me mercilessly). I turned the radio up and sang along because that song meant so much to her baby boy (who now has a son of his own). Since the song means something to them, then it means something to me.
The song made me contemplate things for which I am grateful. This seems to be the week for these thoughts, right?
I am curmudgeonly when publicly expressing thankfulness. Facebook is nearly intolerable in the month of November. To me, all those 30 days of thankfulness posts seem to be nothing more than a license to brag about shit you have. Maybe not all of them. For instance, if you are participating in the 30 days of thankfulness on Facebook, then it’s not your posts I’m talking about. It’s those other guys.
Still, it is the week of Thanksgiving, so here are the ways I am thankful:
- I am thankful that after this Friday, I will never have to hear my current boss walking around and clapping his hands ever again.
- I am grateful that my anxiety over starting a new job has calmed down to where I don’t feel like puking all day and all night. Eating is still an issue. This will be a problem today. Anxiety and I need to have a talk.
- I am grateful that I’ve had Priscilla, Queen of the Cubicle to keep me company all these years. I’m seriously mourning leaving her behind.
- I am grateful for memory foam mattresses.
- I am thankful for the people in my life that I feel comfortable around. It takes years for that to happen, but when it does, they feel like the coziest, softest blanket in the nursery.
- I am happy that I’m accepting who I am and who I have become over the years. It’s good to feel like I don’t suck.
- I’m glad that Randy still makes me laugh. When he’s not on my last fucking nerve.
- I’m thankful that I don’t have to make Thanksgiving dinner this year. No way I could get my head around that.
- I am so very grateful for everyone who reads my blog and supports my writing efforts. You guys will never know how big a part you’ve played in helping me see myself in a different way.
- And as always, I am thankful for Middle Sister’s chocolate chip cookies.
Okay, any mushier than that and I will vomit. That’s all the gratefulness I can muster right now.
I hope for those of you who celebrate, that your Thanksgiving is warm and fun and drama free. I also hope that you get a slice of your favorite pie and that you don’t have to spend too much time cleaning up after everyone.
Yay, memory foam!
I am grateful for funny, poignant posts that start my day off with a laugh and snort.
Me too!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Thanks for writing this, Michelle. I’m grateful that you write so much good stuff and I know everything is going to be cool at your new job. And your old boss claps? WTF?!? Now I’m grateful because I’m going to ask you about that when I start working on a thing about bosses, and I’ll tell you what the thing is when I start work on the thing. Bet you’re not grateful for that sentence!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Randy!
I actually followed that sentence just fine and I can’t wait for you to ask me about bosses when you start working on that thing that you’re going to start working on!
Too funny which songs resonate with little kids. My daughter used to belt out “Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?” in the grocery store. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you!! Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!!!
Thinking of you as you start your new job!
Thank you so much!!
I always loved that Got My Mind Set on You video. And I am thankful that YouTube exists so I can still watch it decades later.
Oh I am too! I love watching the old videos!!!
I had no idea that was George Harrison doing that song. MY LIFE IS A LIE. Because, confession, I don’t really like the Beatles. Cherry picked songs, yes, but as a sweeping generalization? I can live without the Beatles.
Yep…That is George. I adore the Beatles..but they have some songs I don’t like at all. Same with a lot of bands, though. I LOVE Queen and I despise Bohemian Rhapsody
I’m definitely grateful for you–your blog and your support of mine. I love reading your stories. Wishing you the best as you start your new job. I can’t wait to hear about it. xoxo
Thank you gorgeous. I’m looking forward to writing a post about my new job. I just can’t wait for it to start so I can stop wondering how it will be. I’m driving myself insane.
Happy Thursday
I’m glad you have so many lovely things to be thankful for. I hope you got pie 🙂
I did! I did get pie! I got coconut cream pie which is my favorite..but I was stuffed and I only ate a little pie. I’m still uncomfortable.
I’m going to miss your stories about Priscilla Queen of the Cubicle – I hope you guys will still be in contact once you have left.
YAY for all the thankfuls. I posted a Happy Thanksgiving post to all the special people in the USA and I got a “Love you too Mom” back so that made me happy !!!
Have a great long weekend and sending heaps of hugs for you starting your new job !!!
Me xox
Oh we will stay in contact. I have no doubt of that. And thank you!
My son’s was Commander Cody’s – Hot Rod Lincoln!
And I am grateful for your blog. Just sayin!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I can see that! That one gets me going as well
I’m Canadian so I don’t get to feel thankful today, we did that last month, but I do NOT know how I did not know about that Cramps song… lol… it’s awesome. I’d never heard it before… so thanks for that (oh, damn, there I go being thankful off schedule).
🙂
Jackie
Ha!! Dammit…stay on track, Jackie!!! Glad you liked the Cramps song!
I loved (and still do) anything by Robert Palmer. I think I blocked out the really heinous disco shit my mom played when I was young. I remember The Beatles “When I’m 64” being a favorite.
I’m thankful for my girlfriend, Kate, who I’ve been dating for 7 months now.
I’m thankful for my job which I absolutely love.
I’m thankful for the “Unfollow” button on Facebook.
I’m thankful for my parents who help me out and support me.
Happy Thanksgiving.
That is a lovely list!!! I hope your Thanksgiving was good..
I don’t do the 30 days of thankful and I only have one friend who does. She doesn’t brag about the stuff she has – each day she talks about a memory from her childhood or teenage years. Something that she is thankful for that made her the person she is today. She has done this for the last three years and it has given me (and her other friends) an opportunity to know a part of her that we might not have known otherwise. Because face it, as adults, we get together and bitch about what happened yesterday – we seldom talk about life on the farm when we were eight! Reading her posts of “thankfulness”, I really realized why we are friends. Because on the surface, we are worlds apart – but it turns out that our roots are pretty similar. Those kind of “thankful” posts, I will happily read all year. Unfortunately, most people are a bit more shallow than that. I like your list – it’s made of the stuff that really REALLY counts.
Okay..those are just nice..I like the memory ones.
Hey, I sent an email to your AOL account, did you get it?
Nope – nothin there.
Dammit. I sent it again. I don’t know what is going on. Are you on FB or twitter? (if we already connected there and I talk to you all the time, please forgive me…I don’t always make the connection because I’m old and my brain is mushy)
I’m glad you got your “Thankfuls” ad nauseum out of the way hahaha! My hubby swears his name is Patrick getting-on-my-last-fucking-nerve McDaniel! They must be related!
HAHAHAHA
For my nephew it was Queen’s We Will Rock You…instant happy baby!
I’m glad to hear the anxiety is dying down and am looking forward to updates on the new job!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Karen 🙂
All these songs have a common thread..there’s a hard prominent beat going through them, that must be what attracts the baby brain.
And thank you!
I am grateful that there’s a Round Table Pizza in Oakland open tonight, and that my friend Rob is driving Briana there before they close.
Hey girl I love this. You want to hear something weird. Today I was grateful for good roads. I know, weird. But I’ve been watching a lot of Naked and Afraid lately where they’re, well, naked and afraid in a jungle or desert or somewhere with no food or water and a bunch of venomous Fur de Lance snakes and all I could think, driving up to Santa Barbara, was how grateful I am for roads. So there it is. xo
I don’t think that’s weird..that’s just practical right there. I would like to add that I’m grateful to not be on a show called Naked And Afraid.
I did one thankful post because my husband insisted. It lacked balance (I’m a libra). So I added alongside it the things that pissed me off too. Can I still be your friend?
HAHAHA…I TOLD you…it was those other guys.
I have so much to be thankful for as well. Love your post and the heart smiles as I imagined your son dancing to the songs as they came on the radio.
It’s such a lovely memory. Thank you!
I hope your Thanksgiving was splendid, Michelle.
Thank you Scott..I hope yours was as well.
Hahahahaha, so you finally caved and did the Thankful list. Not that I’m judging you. (Okay, I am, but just a little bit.) I took a different tact, but that’s not really the same as taking the higher road, is it?
http://www.andbythatimean.com/#!My-grumpy-Thanksgiving-List/cmbz/09D596A2-8BAD-4DC8-950D-4413D7EFF788
Hahha..Grumpy thanksgiving list. I LOVE IT. Heading there now.
I’m terribly grateful to know you, Michelle. You are probably one of the funniest people I have ever known and you are honest and real, two qualities I admire greatly. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for and I’m especially grateful to be at a place in my life where the good most definitely trumps the bad.
I knew you had a little mushy in you somewhere! But don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone….
HAHAHA…yeah, don’t tell. Priscilla berates me horribly if I get too mushy..I have her to keep me in check.
And thank you so much..I can’t tell you how much all that means to me. 🙂
Hahahaha! I’m SO glad you weren’t talking about MY posts where I’ve been listing all the things I’ve been grateful for this month!!!! Sometimes I wonder about my own sanity when I take on these challenges. And truthfully, I will BE GRATEFUL when I can stop listing all the things I’m grateful for each and every day!!!!!! (3 to go!) But hey, as an eternal optimist I am also really happy to say this has been an incredible month for me and I think a lot of it has to do with doing the “challenge”. I think we all need to get over the idea that talking about the good things in our lives is less interesting, (or bragging!) than all the crap. I hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving and congratulations on your new job! ~Kathy
Hahah..I’m sure it was all those other people I was talking about! And thank you so much! I hope yours was good as well.
I’m thankful for coming across your blog. It’s been a joy to read! Also, I have always loved FAITH by George Michael. Especially when it appeared as part of that short-lived, but very witty tv show Eli Stone. Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much!!! I had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I hope yours was good as well!!
Your choice of bullet points was fantastic! I, too, know the feeling of leaving an irritating boss behind. Feeling? I think I mean the “euphoria!” Good for you. Turns out, I’m also talking about moving on today!
He’s the reason I’m leaving. I’d stay if it weren’t for him. I like the job and the people I support…but I’ve tolerated this bullshit for YEARS longer than I should have. Still..feeling bittersweet today. I’m going to miss some people terribly.
I am ungrateful to now have that song stuck in my head. LOL! Great post otherwise…. I hear ya on all those Facebook posts.
HAHHA..I gave you an ear worm? MY WORK IS DONE!!!
So THANKFUL that even though I have all but abandoned Twitter, every time I check in you are still there on my feed. And today, I did not clock the biyatch at the library… but thankfully made it home, and while posting a quote about faith – that pesky religious sort of kind – I also could mention my ol’ friend Michelle and tell her about my library adventure. Again, I am thankful I am not in a jail cell right now. I zipped my lip and now laugh with an ol’ pal!! Have a great holiday and yay on the new job!!
Oh… and I am thankful that you told me not to pursue an IT program unless I really loved it because I decided to wait and the whole school closed across the nation a few months later. I would have been stuck like chuck with more student loans, no way to finish and no transferable credit!!
So thank you!!
YAY!!! Thank you for letting me know that! XO