postponed thanksgiving

So I have been feeling sorry for myself, because I'm not going to that fun-looking Winchestercon this weekend, and because work has been absolute living hell. OMG! I forgot how much work lecture-writing is. Writing two hours a week of new lecture is killing me -- how on earth did I manage when I was writing five new hours a week?

But today I was reminded of a number of things for which I am very, very grateful.

1. My parents, who are visiting me even now. And especially my dad, who helped me deal with a bunch of evil car-related stuff this morning The fact that my car now starts and it's legal for me to drive it? Totally his doing. My parents are the best. Seriously. And I love the fact that he's going to send a letter to the president of Wal-Mart complaining about their poor customer service to me, even though he knows they don't care.

1a. Also, because my parents are the best, we'll be going out to dinner tomorrow night for my dad's birthday. I may make it home in time for SPN, or I may not. Don't spoil me unless ( this one totally unlikely thing happens )

1b. Also, I gave my parents my DVDs of Firefly -- so far they've seen the opening two-part episode, and they're really enjoying it. It's so sweet! And I got to see the tail end of Serenity-the-episode with them. Oh, Wash. And Mal. My mom thinks Mal is cute. I told her that there's a moment of brilliant homage to Gone With the Wind later on, and she's started to recast the characters -- right now she thinks that Simon is Ashley Wilkes, Mal is Rhett (well, duh) and Kaylee is Melanie. She's not sure who Scarlett is, though. My guess is that it's Serenity.

2. My colleagues, who have my back. Seriously. Our Dean (henceforth known as Umbridge, because the likeness is remarkable) was slightly critical of me, in a continuation of her attempt to make me miserable and paranoid. I decided not to pay any attention, but I thought our department chair was going to have a stroke, he was so mad. My colleagues are a strange bunch, but I can count on them.

2a. Also, my job which is pretty damn fun, even though my lecture today fell completely flat, because I had a Powerpoint-related failure. Grr. Technology!

3. killabeez has made a John vid. That probably would have kept me from being able to lecture coherently, anyway. I never download at work, but I downloaded this, and then I had to sit in my office and try not to cry. Yeah.

3a. On a slightly happier note, there are 106 prompts for the Get John Laid challenge. As a porn-impaired writer, I'm really looking forward to seeing some stories off this.

Let me say that again. 106 Get John Laid prompts.

3b. And really, I am so grateful for fandom, even though at the moment I don't have time to watch much tv or read much fic. I'm glad you're all out there, even when you're all at cons I don't have time to attend.

3c. Go watch Killa's vid and give her feedback. I'm going to go watch it, and cry a little, and then go leave her some more feedback.

4. Alcohol. Of which I have partaken this evening. And soon I will make myself a hot toddy and take to my bed in an attempt to avoid coming down with a cold.

5. And finally, I am glad that this very, very long day is soon going to come to an end. Oh, god. What a day.