Thanksgiving 2012

It’s been an amazing year. This year I’m thankful for:

• Family - Even though they can be annoying sometimes, they are the reason I still exist today. I cannot put into words how grateful I am for them.
• Friends - These are the people that keep me going, even if I don’t want to go any farther. Props to everyone that is there for me when I need them, as well as those that just enjoy talking to me. That makes an immesurable difference.
• The school I go to - I do know sleepless nights are not the most fun, but I still love the school itself. Over the last four years, my life has changed dramatically: I gained dozens of new friends (albeit sometimes at the cost of old ones), met some extremely smart people, and of course the teachers are incredible. I have never had a community support me to the level this one does. And of course, I also get to do what I love: practice my wizardry on technology.
• Employers - I do like to make money. However, that is not the reason why I am thankful for them. The reason is that these people embrace my skills, as well as constantly challenge me with new opportunities. As such, I strive to exploit every opportunity, no matter how challenging, so that I can become better than my current self. I want to be ahead of the curve.
• Technology (and the Internet) - It would be a crime for me not to include this. Technology drives me, and so I am grateful for it. From Android to XMPP, I am forever-thankful for the service that these patterns of electrons provide. This means I am thankful for all the people behind this: the founders of the latest startups to the sysadmins at the Google datacenter. Everyone plays a part in keeping the progress bar moving.
• The world we live in - While there are wars raging, one must remember all the good in this world and how far we have come. Let us not forget the past, but instead use it as a guiding light into the future.

Today has been another wonderful Thanksgiving, and I hope yours has been the same. Now I ask, what are you thankful for?

Wishing you all the best,

Eric Tendian
(follow me on twitter @erict15)