Chat, No Roulette

I'm thankful for our yesterday night's conversation with my friend Jack. Was good to catch up, to reminisce, to confess some things and to clear some things up... And I guess while I'm at it I also need to say thanks to MSN Messenger for even making this sweet chat possible, because long distance is not the most helpful thing when you want to talk to someone. So thanks!

What are YOU thankful for?
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Miami Reunions

Having just hosted one of our mini Miami Reunions here in Moscow two weeks ago, I was thinking how thankful I was for each such reunion, no matter how many people were able to make it to one place at one time. The Miami 2007 trip connected so many people from all over the world and even though each of us has their own busy life, it's amazing how we all share something special and stay in touch even to this day. Here's to the many more reunions!

Long Distance

As much as distance can make people grow apart, it can equally make their bond grow stronger. I can really say that some of my most valuable friendships wouldn't be possible if they didn't have to stand the test of long distance. Miles and kilometres between put a friendship to the truest test, helping you see another person under a whole new light. It takes some wholehearted dedication to keep such friendship alive, and if friends go all the way it sure means something.

I Miss You

It's not always easy to find something good about missing someone when you have no idea when you'll see this person again, or if you're going to see them at all. But as I have to find something to be thankful for and document it on a daily basis, I realize that very having someone to miss at all is a blessing in itself. After all, we only miss the good times, and having a person to miss I'm reminded that I'm the type who is able to have genuine feelings.

My (Web) Space

I'm thankful for all sorts of networking sites! Back when I still had my LiveJournal account I used to enjoy it a lot and have met some truly genuine people through it, some of whom we're still in touch with, like with the darling Sneha. I deleted my MySpace account about a month ago since I was no longer using it, but I'm thankful for having met some awesome people through it too - Mark, Jay, Jack, Ruben... (Jay, you are remembered and missed! RIP) We're no longer in touch with Frank, but I remember we used to talk a lot via ICQ. Facebook has been helping me stay connected with amazing friends I've made through traveling and connected me with new people too, like Didi and Patrick. And now that I have my blog on here, I realize I've been lucky enough to have come across some wonderful personalities already!

Today I'm going to give it up for Rachel. Somewhere along the way this fabulous mom of 3 (you would never tell!) started calling me "the thanksgiving girl", which is easy but somehow I've never came up with that on my own. From now on, however, that's what I'm going to use as my display name on here. When I just started the blog I had my full name visible, but due to certain things (it's not like I'm hiding), decided to do without the last name and came up with the "So Thankful" part, which I was never too happy about. So thank you, Rachel!

World Wide Web

I'm tremendously thankful for the internet! For this awesome thing that makes me such a world wide woman, and helps me keep in touch with people and dear friends from all over the globe. Some of my friendships that I value so much wouldn't be possible or would be so much harder to maintain without internet, and some of them would have never happened in the first place, even if it sounds pathetic to some. I'm honestly very very very thankful!..

To Mark

I am so thankful for your friendship. You're so unique in your very own way. You're so British in many things you do even without noticing it, yet I came to realize your Britishness never annoyed me as it used to happen with other English men I knew, instead it makes me smile and appreciate you more. Amazing how we've been friends for so long now - I coudn't ever imagine it lasting that long and us making it 5+ years when we first started talking! Amazing how we're so different yet we always have so many things to talk about... And boy, do we talk weird stuff sometimes! There are things I wouldn't even try discussing with someone else, as they seem quite narrowly specific, but I would rush to send you a quick message about (what's with all those home-made meals photos?)... We've grown to have our own chat topics and inside jokes, and at times it truly amazes me how so many years after we can still talk so much and can still discuss peanut butter :-) Somehow with you all those topics never get old, and I feel blessed to have realized how much our friendship means to me, and I'm glad you're here to hear me say all of these. Thank you for being a friend I can truly count on, Mark! With you I can be sure that no matter what I say or do you're not going to turn your back on me.

Happy Birthday, Marky!

P.S. Hey, I typed the word "quite" correctly!.. :p

For Didi

Hello, miserability. The day when it's harder to be thankful has come. And still I am thankful!

I'm thankful for having this beautiful person, Didi, in my life. Amazing how we're making this long-distance friendship thing work so well, and even more amazing how we don't even talk that much but seem to always know what's on the other one's mind. I don't have many close friends and especially female friends, but having Didi gives me hope, as I know she understands even without me having to explain much. Just like yesterday, when the miserability crept in, she was right there with the right words. Thank you, Didi.