What I’m Thankful For 2022 Edition

This week we’re taking a break from our usually scheduled exposing of all the fuckery that neurodivergent people live with on a daily basis. Instead, I’m bringing back an old feature that I used to do every year around this time: a slightly snarky, somewhat ridiculous listicle of what I’m thankful for. It’s been a few years since I’ve done this shit–and I can’t for the life of me remember why I stopped–but I was thinking about how much I missed it. So, bam! Resurrected, motherfuckers.

What I’m Thankful For in 2022

• My neurodiversity _ It’s been a while since I did one of these ridiculous “thankfulness” posts and a lot of shit has changed in the interim. The most significant would be my autism diagnosis. It explained a lot and led me to embracing the odd way my brain works. I’m thankful because leaning into the weird has been very freeing and a fuck ton less tiring.
• YouTube _ I cut the cord a few years back and went all in on the streaming thing. As a result, I watch a lot of YouTube. I mean, a lot. Like, some days it’s all I watch, television-wise. The short form video format is tailor-fucking-made for my ADHD-riddled brain. It helps that several established shows, like The Late Show and Last Week Tonight, post excerpts from their broadcasts so I can watch the parts I like and dispense with all the bullshit.
• Coffee _ Coffee is amazing. I used to tell people it’s how I got through college and it’s pretty much true. Now, I tell people it’s how I cope with all the stupid shit I encounter at work. And, it’s still true. But, really, is there anything better than coffee?
• Naps _ Yes. Yes, there is and it’s a fucking nap. I mean, even a little 5-minute catnap can make you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. I am all about some goddamn naptime.
• James Fell, SciBabe, Father Nathan Monk, and others (that I can’t think of right now) _ If you’re not following these folks, you should remedy that. Fell and SciBabe share topics from their fields (history and science, respectively) with a funny, snarky, and sweary delivery that I find very appealing. They’re both the inspiration for what you find here. Father Nathan is less sweary and snarky but he seems to be an incredibly decent person. And, he irritates the conservative/religious types which is always a plus.
• The night shift employees at Waffle House _ Where the fuck would be without the intrepid souls who man the ramparts of these outposts in the thin places situated between the “normal” world and the alternate dimension that is a Waffle House after 11 pm? If you doubt that characterization, take a minute to check this story out. It’s a whole different fucking world and the night shift at Waffle House stands faithfully in the goddamn breach. Thank you, brave warriors.
• Hell, just Waffle House in general _ There are a lot of people who diss Waffle House on the fucking regular. And, those elitist doucheknuckles poor benighted souls can go eat a big bag of dicks have never partaken of the sheer wonder that is an order of hash browns scattered, smothered, and covered. And, I feel sorry for them.
• All the assholes _ I’m talking about the people who have shown me, in no uncertain terms, just who the fuck they are over the past couple of years. I’m not just talking about the ones I know personally, though. I’m including those idiotic shitweasels who fucked around on January 6th and are now finding out. And, fucking crying about it.

I Told You What I’m Thankful For and I Wasn’t a Total Dick. Yay, Me!

And, there you have it. Another list of ridiculous shit that I’m glad has fallen into my life this year. One year I said after completing this list that I should probably feel bad about contributing more trivial crap to the internet. Not this year. This year, I’m proud of that fact. I mean, I’ve written over 650 words and I haven’t been a total dick once. Okay, maybe once. Or twice. You know, I think I’m going to stop now before this gets any worse. Happy fucking holidays, y’all.