Be Thankful For...

• Chicken fresh off the grill, sliced thin for club sandwiches, and seasoned with West Town Tavern's proprietary barbecue rub
• Checks for invoices that come in when you absolutely need them
• Running unexpectedly into friends at the most unlikely of places, shopping for ties while you look for a KitchenAid mixer
• A dog that never begs too much for table scraps
• Fresh tomatoes and basil
• Football season
• A mother who understands, even when you know she's lying
• The seventeen-ounce margaritas at this place Sue and I found the other night on Blue Island after grocery shopping
• Bridgeport Coffee House's "Stockyard Blend"
• Starting to get the hang of pitching story idea to editors
• Running into friends on Myspace you never thought you'd see again
• The free contraband delicacy at a restaurant I'll be reviewing on Chicagoist later this month
• Homemade grilled sweet corn and mango salsa
• Chilaquiles al Gualjilo.
• Stupid lists. I'd never get anything done without them.