In this season of Thanksgiving, we are encouraged to say out loud the things we are grateful for. And I do have a very long list: My family, friends, my pets, a warm place to live, plenty of food, my ability to see, hear, think, reason, and the list could cover many pages.
But there are some things I am just not thankful for. And I do want to mention them, so that if someone is thinking of re-doing all of creation anytime soon, they will have a handy list of things that they can edit out of the program next time.The first think I am not thankful for is mosquitoes. Mosquitoes kill so many people worldwide due to malaria that I think we could do without them. Yes, I know they are a main source of food for many birds, but I think that whole system needs an overhaul.
The urge to pee when one sneezes. Why the heck should that happen? That cause and effect thing could stop anytime and I wouldn't miss it.
Rap music. Sorry, I just don't get it.
McDonald's and Walmart. Too easy, too cheap, too hard on the community, and too addictive. My life would be better if Walmart and McDonald's had never existed. Most of the world would be better if they didn't exist.
Prejudice. It sucks.
Ok, so those are a few of my Unthankful things.
Now, there is one thing that I am very, very thankful for, and that is my ability to make pottery. I have a wheel, I have a kiln, and I have the skill. And I also love to make both ritual items and regular ware, so my giveaway for today the winner will have their choice of either the little porcelain bowl with 'So Mote It Be' on it, or the teapot ornament.
For a chance to win, leave me a comment of something you are NOT thankful for, and I will choose a commenter at random to win. If you win, I will ask which item you would rather have. Since I am late getting my blog up, I will take comments until noon tomorrow (Sunday).
BTW, Ya wanna know another thing I am thankful for? You!
24 comments:
Hi Antb! I am thankful for you!
I am not thankful for consumerism. I read and listened in horror at the shocking tragedies at the Walmart in New York and the other at a ToysRUs in Southern California. As I've traveled along lifes journey, I've realized I don't need things to make me happy. I enjoy simplicity, friendships and peaceful silence.
Thank you for your blogpost today!
Peace to you and your family.
Todd in Santa Fe
Hi AntB :)
I am "unthankful" for traffic! The way the city planners let people build more and more houses without greatly improving our road systems is awful. There is so much traffic and pollution from all of the cars and it is horrid for the environment.
Jadzeea (on Twitter & Etsy as well)
p.s. Your pottery is amazing :) I always love looking through your shop and flickr pix!
hiya:
not thankful for:
cancer, arthritis, and slugs.
thankful for:
dogs, cats, and family and friends.
I AM thankful for wonderful artisans like you.
I am NOT thankful for sweatshops in "developing" countries who exploit their workers for pennies.
Many blessings this holiday season to you and yours :)
Heidig@gmail.com
AntB,
I am very thankful for you. Your thoughtfulness, pottery skills and humor bring joy to so many.
As for what I'm Un-Thankful for...whatever it is that robs people of their normal thought processes, be it dementia, or mental illness. It's difficult for those afflicted and for those affected.
I'm hoping that research can come up with some answers, soon.
I'm wishing for peaceful, fulfilling holidays for you and your family.
Judy
At the top of my un-thankfulness list at the moment is not having healthcare insurance. I have an upper respiratory infection, and can't seem to shake it, but just can't afford to go to the doctor and get meds.
Obama seriously needs to get health care alternatives moving quickly.
Hi Antb
I am having so much fun going through your blog posts :) As for what I am un-thankful for... the first thing that comes to mind is the concept of Black Friday. I've never understood the draw of getting up that early to go stand in line with grouchy people aiming to buy whatever they can for the biggest discount. Gift giving should be thoughtful, personal, and preferably handmade! I'm with you on the mosquitoes though :)
Things I'm NOT thankful for:
1)Bills
2)Cleaning the cat box
3)Brussel Sprouts
4)Cold Sores (just got over one that took over my upper lip)
5)In-grown toenails.
Thank you for the giveaway!
OK, I deleted my other post because it only had things I was thankful for. I got all excited about the positive things, I forgot the things I'm UNthankful for. UGH.
Can I start with the good stuff?
I am thankful for my husband and daughter. They are the lights of my life.
I am also thankful for my sweet cats. I could not imagine life w/o them (though some days I'm tempted to consider it!). They bring me much joy and love.
I very thankful for artisans and creators of amazing things. In this crazy consumer/mass market world, it feels good to have a house full of hand made items that are full of positive and creative energy.
Ok and now the things I'm not thankful for:
I am not thankful that my father is gone. I miss him. A lot. More than I ever thought I would. It's been 1.5 years and it's not much easier. Daddy, I miss you.....
I'm not thankful for the rude people that come out of the woodwork during the holidays. They push, whack into you and don't even apologize. This is a season of joy and blessings, not evil rudeness. Go crawl back in your holes.
And, to make it even since I had 3 positive things, I'll add a third negative thing. Commercialism and the mass production of low quality items overseas. It's just wrong. Enough said.
Thank you. :-)
~Mars
Iam unthankful for people who are uncaring, shallow and close minded.
Iam thankful to live on this beautiful planet and to be surrounded by wonderful people.
I love the companionship of family and close friends. Love the inspiring friendships that etsy has to offer.
Love your blog and love that cute little teapot you are giving away.
Good evening, I am thankful for people with blogs like yours I love giveways - who doesn't; my patient husband for putting up with me when I am in pain; for my three cats; and for all the beauty I see every day on the earth and the generosity of those around me.
I am not thankful for my bad back, it isn't fun lying on your back when you're thinking of all you could or should be doing.
I am thankful for my daughter and my husband and people like you. When I hold your pottery, I think that in an age when everything is mass-produced and stamped on the bottom "Made in [Some Country That's Not Ours]" it's nice to help support people who are keeping the older ways of doing things alive.
I am not thankful for the insanity of the holidays' expectations---you "must" do this or you "must" have that to be "normal." I spent one Thanksgiving on bed-rest in the hospital trying to stay pregnant, and a Christmas in the NICU with my daughter. After that, I don't really think there's anything I "have" to do except be with the family and friends I love. All else is dross. :)
Thanks for your blog post today, and continued blessings to you and yours :)
Krista in San Diego (aka, Celtic Gemini on Etsy :))
AntB I am thankful for the opportunity and encouragement to post something un-thankful this holiday season.
I am un-thankful for war, specifically for the war in Iraq that has taken so many lives of our children and, for many of those who come home, has taken their peace of mind.
I am thankful for family, friends, community and especially for our son's anticipated return from Iraq in January.
Bright blessings to your and your family.
I am not thankful that over the past 8 years I have lost half my family, that the holidays no longer resemble my childhood. People no longer care about spending time with one another about being together - all it is - what too many people have allowed it to become is the season of the "gimme's".
People are litteraly dying over stupid materialistic greed and avarice that run rampant through our society like an infection instead of remembering that the most important part is spending time with your family and friends. Gifts are extraneous, extra, not mandatory, and not the point.
So I am most especially unthankful for all those greedy people who are litterally killing others so that their kid can have the hottest new thing, instead of spending real time with their children and showing them how much they are loved before they lose them.
Thank you! For making me realize I am not the only person who is unthankful - and that being unthankful for some things doesn't negate the things I *am* still thankful for.
I'm not thankful for fear ... in any of its incarnations.
great post, I am reading some of the other comments, and have to agree with many of them!
today I am unthankful for the bug that my daughter caught and caused us to miss a barbie theme party last night.
And I'm also unthankful for the fog that has settled in and may prevent my husband from flying home today.
I am not thankful that every time my little girl (she's nearly seven) watches tv, she says "I want that! I want that! I want that!". I feel like a bad parent when I let her watch some commercial tv, but I also feel that shielding her completely from it teaches her nothing. Ugh. I am not thankful for large, evil corporations that prey on children like that.
Ah... what I am NOT thankful for. The idea that it is sane, healthy, normal to NOT be the most optimistic, glass-is-half-full, life is good person you can be. Yes, I realize that bad things happen but do not deride me for taking pleasure in my world and dealing with the negatives when they occur instead of wallowing in them.
I have hundreds and thousands of things to be thankful for but pretty much the top of the list is my daughter, as usual.
I am not thankful that the vast majority of people truly do not know what a teacher does. I mean, most people I know think teachers walk in at 7:30am and walk out at 2:30pm and live a life of leisure. So, that is my biggest thing I am not thankful for because the truth is that most teachers work at least 12 hour days.
I am utterly unthankful for racial prejudice. I am thankful we have a black president for I believe that will help our country heal in untold ways (and I'm white, btw). I think we've looked for the bad in each race for so long, we forgot how to get along. Getting off my soapbox now - and no offense meant in any political sense, just a joyous thanks that we had such a momentous year.
Hi Antb... Here's mine:
Thankful for our wonderful Border Collie, Katie, who changed our lives when she joined our family.
Unthankful for how much Katie sheds that beautiful long hair of hers.
:)
Drats! I missed this one! Amazing pieces, as usual.
I'll go ahead and add my "unthankful" to the list, though, just for fun.
I am unthankful for the commercialization of Xmas. The hustle, the bustle, the greed, the striving to out do. I wish it were all simpler and more meaningful.
First of Antb I must say you know the meaning of christmas and that is the joy of giving.
Giving from the heart is so important this time of year.
It is a time of twinkling lights and the fresh smell of a pine tree that has magic memories hanging from each branch.
It is the joy of having yet another year with my mother of now 84. It is the blessings of good health for another year. It is family and friends.
This post has given me a gentle reminder of all those things.
Thank you and have a wonderful holiday season!
With much sincerity,
Teri from terraworks (;
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