David Rakoff, Dead at 47

David Rakoff, essayist and humorist and regular contributor to This American Life died earlier this week.  I  was lucky to see him read and dance at a This American Life Live event earlier this year, and it was a real treat.  I've enjoyed his stories for years.  RIP, David.

Re: For This, We are Grateful

This is a re-post with some italicized augmentations. I'm thankful for so many of the same things that I'm recycling. Yay, recycling!

in no particular order: a strong, fun marriage * a smart, helpful, cute, supportive, funny husby who I looooooooooove * generous and loving family, near and far * Olive * Herb * Rachels! Tovah! * new friends * reconnecting with old friends * decent, hassle-free (knock on wood) health insurance * Dan Savage * new adventures * Mother Jones * Smart Wool * chickens * our local bookstore, local whole foods stores, and local gift shops * Obama * The Stranger (they gave me this idea and I used and/or changed some of their thanks) * a job that sort of lets me come and go as i please * Purity's cinnamon ice cream * our own (well, not OWN own) little house * access to fair trade and direct trade coffee * Rachel Maddow, Anderson Cooper, David Pakman * NPR * so long, DADT * reliable transportation * Wegmans * Nutella * access to local meats, eggs, cheeses, butter * Roku box and NetFlix * my new super-cute and fast puter *Google * chiropractics * close proximity to Ithaca * only one more semester * Joel and Ethan Coen * smart phones * our mostly good health and that of our family and friends * everyoneisgay.com * learning to make the best of things (still working on this one) * 30 Rock * Apples to Apples * farmers markets * things that used to be disposable but now are compostable! * This American Life * Cook's Illustrated * turbo-fast internet * kefir * (getting close to?) finding my niche * extra, extra, extra sharp cheddar * kombucha * AVG * smoosh-faced dogs * too many other things to list

Unsolicited Advice That, If Taken, May Culminate in a Great Laugh

Please. Don't ask questions. Just do what I say: Go listen to 361: Fear of Sleep on This American Life. Act One is especially notable. Jesse thinks the storyteller, hilarious Michael Birbiglia, might, in fact, be me; that aside, his story is hilarious. I've had a particularly complicated/exhausting/disappointing few days and I can't make my body stop feeling like absolute shit; I keep listening to Birbiglia's story because it makes me laugh and at least something does.

Additionally, the pity party, although (hopefully) winding down, continues still. I would be remiss not to advise you to take that under consideration before getting involved with me right now.