Why I Love Barristas and Other Things I'm Thankful For...

So on my way to WholeFoods in crazy-go-nuts amounts of traffic that made it seem like Christmas was tomorrow instead of Thanksgiving, I decided I absolutely had to stop at Barnes and Noble and get a vanilla soy latte. Because what else would I do? Clearly.

I go inside and get in line and Joe, my favorite barrista who has promised to hand sell every single customer my future published book starts making my usual and announces to the other barrista, "You are looking at the next Stephenie Meyer!"

The second barrista who has made me many a latte but doesn't know my whole story like Joe smiles and says, "Oh wow, I had no idea. That's great."

And Joe's like, "Oh yeah! She wrote a book! I'm going to be in it!"

"Well he'll be in my acknowledgements section," I clarify, "for keeping me going with lots of espresso., and making my latte anyway I want without grumbling." (He was a little perturbed just before that I switched from my usual venti iced to a grande hot-and I thought I'd remind him of how he's getting into my book.)


"That's right!" Joe said.

I laughed and was about to say something else when this man, who was like 6 feet tall and had crazy mad scientist hair comes right up behind me and asks, "Did he just say you're the next Stephenie Meyer?"

"Yeah..." I said, shooting Joe a look.

"Congratulations," said the crazy haired man. I should note that he spoke with NO emotion at all.

"Um...thanks..." I said.

"Actually," crazy hair said, "I hope you're not!

I don't quite know what my reaction was...I think there was some mouth opening and a perplexed look in my eyes.

And then totally deadpan he says, "Because she's a terrible writer! I hope you're a better writer. Are you a better writer than her?"

To which I shoot Joe another look and say, "Um I don't know, I'm not really published yet and that's not really what Joe meant...he just means I'll be as successful as Stephenie Meyer, not that I know I will, that's just Joe, and...ummm oh look my drink!"

Seriously, where else can you have moments like these?

I thought so!

Ok so I thought about making a big list of all the things I'm thankful for and that list is LOOOOOOONG! I am so grateful for many many things in my life.

Especially this package I got in the mail from Shannon today! OMG you're a sweetheart! She sent me a signed copy of Laini Taylor's Dreamdark and ok I sort of won it in a contest, but I don't care, a present in the mail is a present and she wrote me the sweetest card (btw Shannon has Perfect handwriting, I'm in awe) and all this cool author swag! LOVE her!

THANK YOU, SHANNON!!!

And Heather for this!

THANK YOU, HEATHER!

So while I am thankful for my family and vegan whipped cream and my friends and my car, and soy lattes and my critique group, and my parents and having a place to live, and ok I know this list is sort of random, what I'm really thankful for are those little moments like above, when you connect with people either in person or online (I love everyone who comments on my blog, you make my day) Thank you.

I'm thankful for all of the little things, the experiences, the quirks in my life and personality that have made me who I am today and led me to this exact place and time, because even though I'm still striving to reach my goal of a finished, revised, amazing WIP and need to query agents and stop working 100 jobs and want to fall in love and have my own family, I feel 100% positive that I am exactly where I am supposed to be in my life. That at this moment, though I can see the cracks and there are things I'd like to change, I am perfect as I am now. Life is perfect. And for that feeling alone, I'm full of gratitude.

So I hope everyone can and does at some point feel this way, that wherever you are in the journey, you're perfect just where you are. You're on your own journey, it doesn't matter at what point. And I hope everyone has a wonderful, happy Thanksgiving.

Also, don't hate on the Tofurkey. The end.