I want to thank OTFR for providing a space for this discussion. Despite the bumps and bruises of petty arguments and the slings and arrows of personal insults, s/he perserveres when another might have given up long ago.

I want to thank the state of Florida for taking the burden of sorting through the election mess off my own state.

I want to thank my friends and family for standing by me during my recent illness, particularly my fiance, Jane, for giving me the space to deal with it on my own terms.

I want to thank John Lee Hooker for giving me music to listen to while I clean house.

I want to thank the discoverers of coffee and the inventors of espresso. Maybe they didn't make life worth living, but they sure make it easy to be awake while living it!

Who do YOU want to thank?

-- Tarzan the Ape Man (tarzan@swingingthroughthejunglewithotua.net), November 22, 2000

Answers

Off the top of my head, ditto re most of your list (except substitute The Band for John Lee Hooker, although he's pretty kewl -- and regular Colombian or kona coffee and/or hot chocolate, instead of espresso), and Jo Mathis, who wrote the article in my "The Empty Chair" Thanksgiving thread that I posted this morning, and that has sunk like a rock into oblivion, buried by all the political threads.

-- eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), November 22, 2000.

My son for just being alive and keeping me on my toes.

Whoever discovered you could eat chocolate, whoever made the first good red wine and whoever came up with thick cut pork chops with apple sauce.

My dogs and cats.

Chopin for his nocturnes, the Eagles for "Get Over It" -- especially the line, "...I want to find your inner child and kick its little ass", John Handy and Dan Penn for everything else.

Nature for yellow, orange and red trees in the fall.

LL Bean for my good coat and IBM for my computer.

-- Casey DeFranco (caseydefranco@mindpring.com), November 22, 2000.

I'd like to thank my SO for being there whether I need him or not.

I'd like to thank my family and friends for being the kind of people who you can turn to whether you're up or down.

I'll second (third!) the motion on OTFR.

I'd like to thank the posters on this board for giving and sharing so much of themselves, giving me so much to think about and allowing me to learn from them (whether they wanted to or not!). Even the ones with whom I vehemently disagree (hey, it's a mind exercise [g]).

I'll second the motions on John Lee Hooker and coffee/espresso.

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), November 22, 2000.

I'd like to thank God for everything.

I want to thank OTFR as well,again.

I want to thank all of you for such a FUN and engaging time.

I want to thank Apple computer.

I want to thank Jimmy Buffett for keeping me warm,at least mentaly,through yet another winter.

I want to thank all the brewers,vintners and distillers for all their concoctions.

I want to thank all the fine gardeners for adjusting my attitude so nicely; )

Thankya,thankya...thankyaverymuch.(in my best Elvis)

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), November 22, 2000.

I just wanted to sneak in here again to elaborate on my "ditto" above to say thanks to my boys, my dad, the rest of my family, and my friends, including my friends on the forum, for their love, kindness, support -- and getting me to smile and laugh even in the toughest times.

And a special thanks to "The Big Guy Upstairs" for allowing all these wonderful people to be a part of my life.

-- eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), November 22, 2000.

I'm thankful that my SO cares enough and trusts enough to allow me to live in HIS house while he goes to another state to make the mortgage payment.

I'm thankful that the laws have changed and I can pay for tuition and a monthly allowance out of my IRA funds with no penalty. I'll add that I'm thankful that my broker has modified my holdings so that these withdrawals won't result in a reduction in my IRA.

I'm thankful that I can peacefully discourse with folks who think exactly the opposite of my thinking.

I'm thankful that my kids turned out to have minds of their own, rejecting some of what I said to them, and some of what their father said to them.

I'm thankful that my mom is still alive, even if she DOES drive me nuts. I hope that when I reach her age my kids will feel the same way about me. I suspect they will, because they still visit her regularly, and she drives them nuts too.

I'm thankful that I live in these United States of America, which I STILL consider the greatest country in the world after having traveled to at least 20 countries outside these borders.

I'm thankful for the perspective of my family in Norway. We grow myopic without the input of outsiders looking in.

I'm thankful that I grew up to be a liberal. I can't imagine the pain involved with expecting others to think as I do.

I could be here all day giving thanks for my health, the earth, the times in which I was born, OTFR, etc., but I suspect you were soliciting a response more limited.

BTW, OTFR...thank you. I agree completely that you could have given up on this forum LONG ago, but you didn't, and for THAT I'm thankful.

Have a happy Thanksgiving Day Everyone!

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), November 22, 2000.

Thank God for love, for without it this life would be barren.

Thank God for my spiritual path, for without it this life would have been extinguished years ago.

Thank God for providing opportunities to learn and grow, for without them this life would be a meaningless exercise in marking time.

Thank God for my girls, for with them I have a daily reminder of the blessings of unconditional love.

Thanks to the many contributors to this forum who've given me pause for reflection, for the many ROTFLMAO's, for the friendships which have developed over the course of the year.

Thanks, OTFR, for providing a place for me to air my opinions, to vent my anger, to share my love – to be myself - uncensored.

Rich

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), November 22, 2000.

All seriousness aside..

I would like to thank Platex, for their eighteen hours of support.

I would like to thank Calgon, for taking me away.

I would like to thank Madge and Palmolive, for not letting my hands look like a lobster.

I would like to thank Maytag, for the lonely repair man.

I would like to thank Morton, for the salt that sticks.

I would like to thank Sunbeam, for no holes.

I would like to thank Wisk, for getting the ring out of my collar.

But most of all...I would like to thank Franco American, for the best invention since the napkin ____________ (fill in the blank).

Sincerely, your resident domestic engineer

;)

-- Peg (pegmcleod@mediaone.net), November 22, 2000.

Canadian Thanksgiving was the 2nd Monday in October, but what the heck I'll be thankful now for:

- my wonderfully patient and intelligent wife - my 2 lovely daughters (my raison d'etre) - my extended family - living in the greatest city in the world - living in a country where people can discuss, heatedly, their desire to separate / federate without shooting each other (when you grow up in Northern Ireland this is something to be really thankful for...) - the technology that allows such a far-flung group to discuss and share ideas so easily - Pat Quinn

JC

-- Johnny Canuck (j_canuck@hotmail.com), November 22, 2000.

Thank you Tarzan!

To those posters above, I have the following thanks to give:

TARZAN: I am so grateful you are still with us and sharing your thoughts and insights. You are an inspiration (even with the chemo!)

EVE: thank you for your continuing thoughfulness and sharing your honest experiences and perspectives. Sometimes you make me look at the nectarine from another angle.

CASEY: thank you for being here and for your ever present frankness- a breath of fresh air

PATRICIA: thank you for your upfront honesty and you being you- You know what I mean!

CAPN: thank you for your love of life in the moment and your sense of amusement (nice Elvis impersonation BTW)

ANITA: thank you for your straight forwardness and willingness to be you without fear of criticism. You are fearless, an admirable quality.

BINGO: thank you for your openess and willingness to share your beliefs and love to others-a rare gift indeed.

PEG: thank you for your easy friendliness and rare sense of down to earth humor, as well as your computer savvy-you are appreciated!

JOHNNY: thank you for your always candid thoughts

OTFR: thank you for listening to all our private rantings and keeping this place going!! Nice JOB!!

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), November 23, 2000.

AB,

Thank You!!! And thank *YOU* for your infectious laughter(I can still hear ya) and your insights that you have shared with me,thank you for bein' a great drinkin',runnin' buddy and the most excellent time we had in LV,you have no equal.

I would also like to make a special thank you to all who gathered in Vegas,it has really enriched my time on the board sinse meeting yaw'll and being able to put a face and personality to your text.It is one of the most rewarding things Iv'e done and I would encourage ALL to make the effort to make it to any future gatherings.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), November 23, 2000.

What capn said. I feel like I have some new really close friends. You can't put a price tag on that.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), November 23, 2000.