Simple. Impartial. Me.

I finally got the chance to watch the State of the Union address today and I have to say, the one overarching theme that I am always amazed by, and am grateful for, is our national pride. Regardless of partisan politics, regardless of how bleak things might be, we Americans can count on a strong feeling of national pride. Watching the State of the Union left me feeling inspired. President Obama laid out a challenge to all Americans to work together for a better future. He didn’t paint an overly rosy picture, he called out failures along with successes, opportunities to improve and outright failures. He involved the American public in his speech, thanking the countless number of individuals who have the courage to stand up for what must be done to secure our future, be they military personnel, professional business people, legislative representatives, or teachers. While I know that all of this is intended to get people excited, it was admitted that not much will be accomplished this election year. The promise of a better future came with a list of demands–demands for sacrifice, for innovation, for improvements, and for accountability. Through it all, ups and downs, I’m proud to be an American.

Today, I’m thankful that I have a boss who listens. He doesn’t always agree, but he does allow me to voice my concerns and encourages healthy discussion. I know that there are a lot of bosses who just tell their teams what to do and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be an independent thinker.

Contrary to popular belief, staying in bed all day is not as much fun as it sounds. In fact, the allure wears off around hour 3. Sick as a dog, unable to breathe and run down as all heck, I am thankful for my family taking care of me and letting me rest.

I had the opportunity to go to a LEGO Club event this morning with my son and his friend (Thanks for inviting us, Todd!). While the boys were building their Ninjago stuff, I overheard one of the LEGO store employees mention that Lord of the Rings will be coming this summer. Um…geek heaven! ^_^