being thankful (not talking turkey, for once): one year later

Dearest Readers,

One of my first blog posts (about Thanksgiving) is below.

It’s been a little over a year since my friend Laurie McLachlan suggested I give blogging a try. I’d done feature writing before, but most of my freelancing life up until that point had been spent working for corporate clients. Writing for the sheer pleasure of it, for the discipline and craft of writing, had fallen aside since I started out, an irony that jabbed at me, especially when I sat fidgeting in airless conference rooms. When you write for other people, there’s no byline. You can’t have much of an ego, because lawyers and marketing people often make you re-write much of your work. You’ve got to be able to let it go, baby.

So, blogging has been pretty liberating for me. It’s become my art, my voice, my connection to people all over the world. Blogging gives me the freedom to write what I want to write about—what matters to me and the people I love. And ironically enough, speaking my mind through this blog has also gotten me a ton of work, so hooray for artistic expression. This freedom is precious to me. I’m particularly thankful to live in a country where I can write what I want, without fear of being harassed or thrown in jail or worse, a fate that too many other writers and artists suffer in other parts of the world.

I’m also thankful to you, dear readers, for reading and subscribing and commenting. I look forward to another year with you!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Jennifer

XO

From November 24, 2010:

It’s been quite a year.

I’m feeling pretty damn grateful these days.

I love my family. My man is wonderful.

I adore my friends.

I enjoy where and how I live.

I’m passionate about what I do for a living.

My son is passionate about pizza. If it was up to him (and a certain turkey who sacrificed its life for us), we’d have pizza for Thanksgiving.

My grandparents were vegetarians for years. When they hosted Thanksgiving, ravioli were our main course. Yes, it totally sucked.

But pizza for Thanksgiving could be an option. It would definitely simplify things.

Or: maybe a turkey calzone? I’m thinking ground turkey in a Bolognese sauce with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, but you could go the traditional route and throw roast turkey, stuffing and a bit of brown gravy in there instead.  That could be delicious, too.

Whatever you’re having for Thanksgiving, and whomever you’ve having it with, God bless!