However, there is also nothing more annoying than whiners which is probably why we set aside at least one day of the year for appreciation: the ability to be thankful for the fact that even though the glass is empty, we still have the glass. As my favorite former British PM, Disraeli, once said, “I feel a very unusual sensation — if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude.”
Here’s the Variety’s 17th annual Thanksgiving honor roll whose items, as usual, are not listed in any particular order. Gobble ‘till you wobble!
1) the private sector
2) employers
3) jobs
4) Junhan says “thanks to the guitar, harmonica, flute and piano. Special thanks to the Professional Reporters Organization proNEWS.”
5) Raquel says thank you to: my family — you’re all that matters to me; newsroom dudes and dudettes whom I share the daily deadlines, the noise from the blaring radio, ringing phones, banging keyboards, and the freezer-cold atmosphere everyday — Zaldy (stories and budgets please!), June, Junhan, Arnold, Christian, Tammy, and BC; Alexie, Andrew and “forbidden” buddies (you know who you are) for the midnight and dawn coffees, meals and sidewalk ice cream — thicker waistline yumyum! Last trippers Chris, Jeanette, Chito, Vino, and Ariel for the night company; Salam for the patience in delivering my parcels and mails; “Rumit” Jimboy for the morning coffees, for tagging along when the whim to shoot hits me at ungodly hours of the night, for the non-dwindling supply of patience when I have PMS and PTSD and other versions of “topak”; Nanay and Tatay for unofficially adopting us two and constantly supplying us with “ulam”; MVariety family — boss Laila and the Younis family; news sources from far and near, Sunstar family, Tony Ajero, Romy Mahinay for the daily text messages, Now-I-see-you-now-I-don’t buddies Fe, Allen, Philip, Rey B. RV, Susan Manuel, Chell Funtanar and Tinian Dynasty chums; Eric G. for the timers, hash pains and Miller Lites (counting!) Flickr, Pbase, and Facebook fans and friends who are quick to press “LIKE” whenever I post something (even if they don’t); scammers for the lessons, on and off island shutter connections Bernie Mabalot, Roal, Eric, Jing B., Tony Cabrera, Jojie and Rhon; Dirk Spennemann for the giant push, for discreetly bullying me with a ‘you-can-do-it’ challenge all the way from OZ and sent me spiraling to FlickrWorld, my impish Spanish tutor Saint-Jose from Madrid- gracias muchas!; Alan for rocking my globe, for the triple doses of “Szalwinski latte” (when can I ever get the spelling right at first attempt?) straight from Colorado and for the daily adrenalin rush — more coffee please!; Robert for the memories, and for things and places that makes life on island tick everyday — Facebook, Yahoo Messenger, Google, e-bay, Kindle, cellphones, Hollywood Theater, cable TV, internet, TFC, Madam Ana, iConnect, MV commenters who kept our blood pressures up and down, Thai girls for my twice-a-month Swedish massage, and for everything and everyone who believes that coffee makes the world go round. I couldn’t imagine life without you. Thank You!
6) Andrew would like “to thank the community for giving MV tips/documents, keep it coming! Thanks to my/our [overt/covert] sources from CNMI government/agencies, and federal government/agencies! I would like to eternally thank Patricia for loaning her scooter, for providing/extending a place for my transition, and for being my best friend! I would like to thank Saipan Hash House Harriers family for keeping afloat my ‘half-mind.’ Thank you Dad for watching over us, I miss you! Thank you my ever dearest Mom (please visit) and dear siblings for being there! Thank you Lord for giving me a family, different sets of friends, MV family, and bless us all! Thanks to my ever dearest daughter Andie for making us, your family, so proud!”
7) Emmanuel a.k.a. Arnold says “thanks to all the accommodating news sources on Capital Hill — members and staffers of the Legislature, the governor and the lt. governor, administration staffers, some department heads and cabinet members. Thanks to Younis family and the Marianas Variety management. Thanks to whoever invented beer.”
8) Acting Gov. Eloy S. Inos wants to “thank the Public School System family and all the students. I wish you all the best! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!”
9) Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan says, “Thanks to all those in the PSS management. I also would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of our partners in public education here in the commonwealth. Thank you so much.”
10) zd is thankful for Che, Zoe and Miguel
11) Angels Apartment neighbors
12) Gold’s Gym
13) Laundromats
14) Pampers and wipes
15) Dora the Explorer
16) SpongeBob SquarePants
17) Similac Baby Formula
18) sleep
19) waking up
20) Gin Martinis
21) Saturdays
22) Brenda & Fred
23) Bruce & Maya
24) Steve Nutting
25) American Red Cross-NMI chapter
26) Cinta M. Kaipat
27) The Cranky Club: Brad R., Angelo V., Mike E., Bruce B., Brad D., Ken P.
28) AirCard
29) BlackBerry
30) Jeff & Cynthia
31) Zhen, Galvin & Velma
32) Whispering Palms School
33) Mt. Carmel School
34) Wayne & Boni
35) Uly, Joy, Ella, Bhadjoe, Dom, Paul, Dexter, Dan, Bernard, Dheng & Kaysie, Emz & Patz, Rod & Vera, Kamote Voie aka James, Helen
36) Newt Gingrich for telling the people of the OWS to take a bath and get a job
37) credit cards
38) Joeten-Kiyu Public Library
39) National Review
40) Ayn Rand
41) the bumper sticker that says: “Annoy Liberals — Work Hard and be Happy.”
42) liberals
43) Charles Krauthammer, George F. Will, David Brooks, Michael Gerson, Thomas Sowell, John Stossel
44) The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Telegraph of London
45) The poetry of Thomas Hardy
46) Henry James’ “The Wings of the Dove” and “The Golden Bowl”
47) Norah Jones, Melody Gardot
48) Chris Nelson and KSPN 2
49) Jeff Schorr
50) Miguel’s grandparents
51) Alivera, Flame Tree Terrace
52) Mar-Vic & Jason
53) Wendy Doromal, Rabby Syed
54) Ron Hodges
55) Bill Weiss
56) Ed & Daisy
57) Ivan & Juanita
58) Saipan wordsmith Joe Race
59) Tina S. & Glen H.
60) Gloria Hunter & Donna Cruz
61) hard-working CNMI government officials and employees
62) zd wants to take his only “bigatin” son for being such an awesome “kuya”
63) Charles P. Reyes Jr.
64) Jigz Barber Shop
65) Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan
66) Congressman Kilili
67) Tim Thornburgh
68) Rep. Stanley T. Torres
69) Rep. Froilan C. Tenorio
70) Perry & Kim T.
71) former Governor Teno
72) Judge Ken Govendo
73) Lewy Tenorio
74) Joeten stores
75) KFC-Taco Bell
76) McDonald’s
77) 99 Cents Supermarket/Payless Supermarket
78) John T. & Beret S.
79) Greg Cruz
80) Robert & Karens Myers and their three wonderful kids
81) Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant”
82) Jim & Grace Belyea
83) chess
84) the rosary
85) Sherman Alexie’s “The Diary of a Part-Time Indian”
86) EV-DO Hi-Speed — quoteunquote — Internet
87) batteries
88) laptops
89) tablets
90) anything that’s wireless
91) the delete button
92) Miguel would like to thank Uncle Tom W., Aunt Rebekah, Carol & Joe Auther, Isabelle Hardt, all his friends that make him laugh: Danny Auther, Tommy Choi, Aaron Lee, Jennifer Tan, Gabi Race, Minori Yoshida, Nicole Arenovski, Victoria Chentsova
93) Jacq, Aggie, Jude & Bob
94) zd says thank you to the Younis family/MV management’s vision, dedication and foresight. He also appreciates his comrades (Ta)Mudra, Arnold, Andrew, Raquel, Junhan, Chris C., Chris S.G., Tammy, BC, Chito, Loida, Tekya, Janet, sister Noemi, Lisa, Lynn, Talitz Navidad, pareng Makoy, pareng Bino, pareng Sally, Ariel, Betong, Jonathan Logtu, Norma, Carlos, Jacob, Noli, Ka Ed, Arsen, George, Tere, Manang Kris, Juneh and our MV junior reporters and contributors.
95) Tammy appreciates the “gracious help of my new peers at MV; awesome support of my husband, son and friends during my first crazy month of reporting; sunshine for the holiday season; a few bucks in my bank account and a 1/4 tank of gas; and a general sense of joy that I seem to have inherited. Anymore and I’d be bragging.”
96) Janet would like to thank “God for all the blessings, my family and the additions to our family, relatives and friends and FB friends, the Younis family, Mr. Elizabeth, My Cityville and Empire and Allies neighbors. Happy Thanksgiving!”
97) Chris Cruz is “pretty much thankful for each day that I wake up in. I’m thankful for my family and having them in my life. I’m thankful for my good health, my friends, and everything else that makes me happy.”
98) Alexie “would like to thank my Variety family for such a warm welcome this year. I feel like I never left. I am grateful to Laila Boyer and Zaldy for making my return possible; special thank you goes to the Variety staffers for being very cooperative and for their steadfast resolve to serve the paper for so many years. You guys are the best anyone could ever work with; To my fellow reporters, thank you for your unrelenting commitment to our profession; my sincerest gratitude also goes to my former employers and co-workers; to my family, close friends [aside from those on facebook heheh and those who would like to remain on my list] and loved one [you know who you are] — I love you! To all the people I have worked with, those who obliged to be interviewed, the sources, thank you. Si yu’us ma’ase and olomwaay to the staffers and officials of the Commonwealth Development Authority, Marianas Public Land Trust, Commonwealth Ports Authority, Northern Marianas Housing Corp., Retirement Fund, the Humanities Council, and USCIS. To the people of the CNMI, my sincerest thank you!”
99) Che wants to thank Anna, Mike & Ernest Licop, Ate Josie & Dante Sabado, Ka Frankie, Abet & George
100) MV readers, advertisers, online commentators and you.
