50 Things

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd go all out with the thankful list this year.
If I just listed people or individual things, I would easily get over 50, so I'm going to group them up. So don't feel bad if I don't list you individually.

1. My parents. Always been there for me, always willing to help me out and wanting the best for me.
2. My siblings. I couldn't have chosen better people to be my first friends in this life.
3. My ward family. I can always count on you for a good time, regardless of the time of day – or day, for that matter.
4. My high school friends. Most of my high school life would have been boring and uneventful if I didn't have you guys to help me find things to do.
5. My roommates, past and present. Having such similar interests makes living together easier, knowing that there's rarely any awkward moments at home.
6. My Divine Comedy family, and Divine Comedy itself. It's one of the few things that's kept me sane over the last year and a half, and it's a chance for me to perform while having a good time the whole time doing it. Working with you guys is the best, and I'd gladly do it for years and years.
7. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know where I would be without a guiding set of rules and commandments that I know are for my benefit. Living is easier knowing that there's a reason for everything I do, and that there are blessings that come from living righteously.
8. The scriptures – the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Having these scriptures and studying them regularly brings peace of mind and teaches so much when they're properly understood.
9. Modern-day prophets. Men who are called of God and give us instructions from Him on a regular basis are amazing, and getting to listen to them in person brings a feeling that's unmatched.
10. Religious freedom. I love the fact that live in a country where I'm allowed to worship however I desire, and understanding the religious background of others is almost always an enjoyable experience.
11. My mission in Brazil. I'm sure I would have been grateful for wherever I ended up being called, so the location isn't the important part here. Getting to help others for two years straight was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything.
12. Temples. They're always a place of peace and refuge that I can count on regardless of how turbulent my life feels.
13. The talent to play music. It's a chance for me to express myself at times when words just don't cut it.
14. Music itself. A lot of songs carry a significant meaning for me, and again help me express things that I'm feeling when I don't quite know how to do it myself.
15. Video games. A seemingly trivial thing, but they've been there for me for years and never disappoint. If I need something to do, I can always count on them to help me pass the time.
16. YouTube. It's another thing that helps pass the time, and millions of people (if not a couple billion now) use it as a source of entertainment, both for watching and providing that entertainment.
17. Google. I don't mean the overall company necessarily, though it does provide us with multiple products that are helpful to anyone who chooses to use them. (Including the previous entry.) I mean the original search engine that has ended up turing into its own verb – a feat not easily done in our day in age.
18. The internet. The capability of connecting people worldwide in a matter of seconds for relatively cheap is a feat that would have been considered impossible just a few decades ago.
19. Legos. Some of my first toys, and I still have almost all of them to this day. As was their slogan at some point, "the possibilities are endless."
20. Laptops. Computers are one thing, but mobility is a HUGE plus. As I'm typing this, I'm currently on a laptop in my living room while watching a movie. It might not be as powerful as a desktop, but for my comfort level it's preferred.
21. Hot Pockets. Yeah, there's the jokes that have been made about them in the past, but in all honesty they're a great college food and perfect for making when in a rush.
22. Movies. The chance to tell a story and enthrall audiences for a couple hours is our generation's equivalent of radio, and while there are the occasional remakes, there are so many unique stories and characters to relate to that are worth our time.
23. Sports, both playing and watching them. I don't claim to be great at any sport, but I almost always enjoy playing a game of football, soccer, volleyball, etc. with friends and creating that feeling of success through teamwork. Just watching some sports as well is also fun, and can be another great bonding experience.
24. My apartment. It's not luxurious by any means but it's comfortable for my needs and feels... well, like my home for now. Especially considering that before the place that I'm currently living in I didn't stay anywhere for more than a few months, it's nice to have this place to come back to and relax.
25. Police officers. As much as I hear complaints about them around here, for the most part they aren't too bad. And considering the fact that without them we would have crime run amok... Well, it's better to have them than to not.
26. Medicine. Even basic medicine like Tylenol is something that I'm grateful for, whenever I've got headaches or other pains. I don't abuse medicines, knowing what could happen from overdosing, but having the opportunity to get better from a couple pills is a comfort I'm definitely grateful for.
27. Surgeries. I haven't had too much done in my own life, just a wisdom tooth removal and some stitches, but I know others – including members of my own family – whose lives have been preserved because of surgeries done efficiently and precisely.
28. iDevices... or, I guess the connectivity of technology these days. So, as an example, I've got a phone that can connect wirelessly to my computer, or other computers, and through Bluetooth it can connect to sound systems, and now game consoles can utilize them as well... Yeah. It's amazing what's possible.
29. Books. Fiction, non-fiction, reference, comic, manuals, whatever shape or size they come in, they're always going to be around.
30. Shoes. I don't even know how many I went through on my mission, but getting a new pair was always refreshing. And, in the immortal words of Forrest Gump, "you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes, where they go, where they've been."
31. Vacuum cleaners. Seemingly random, but they're so useful. And the one that I own is one that I hope to use for years to come.
32. Comedy. I love laughing, and whatever the medium is that ends up making me laugh, I always get put in a good mood for a while.
33. Swimming. Like most sports, I'm not great at it, but I'm comfortable doing it and the feeling of being essentially weightless is one that I love every time.
34. Hot tubs. Different from swimming because... well, you don't swim. You just relax. I could stay in one for an hour or more and just detach from the rest of the world.
35. Jeans. I wear them most every day, and find them incredibly comfy. And they go with almost anything.
36. Traveling. I always enjoy it, just the thrill of going from one place to experience another. Depending on how long the trip is, it can be a great memory, especially if you've got great company with you.
37. Dreams. Day or night, consciously controlling them or not, it's incredible to think about how our mind can come up with scenarios and situations that might be impossible in the real world.
38. Campouts. Disconnecting from society for a few days is an experience I think everyone should have a couple times a year.
39. Crazy people. Not like, people who have disorders or things like that. But people who just act in such a way that's so weird that I actually feel normal every once in a while. 
40. Decorations. As I talked about my apartment earlier, one of the things that makes it so homey is that it's got things that personalize it and make it... mine. Not that all of the decorations are mine, but coming back to them day after day helps give that impression of home.
41. Tools. Utilizing resources is one thing, but manipulating them so that they can become something completely new gives a great feeling of accomplishment.
42. Deep conversations. While they might not always end in a solution (if it's a discussion about an issue), it's always good to talk with someone and understand their point of view after thoroughly talking about how they got there.
43. Puns. I'll refrain from making any here, but the simple laugh I get from making them just makes my day.
44. Agency. The power to choose my actions on a day-to-day basis. Learning for myself what decisions are the best.
45. Sleep. Going to bed at night or even taking naps throughout the day is one of my favorite ways to rejuvenate.
46. Cars and vehicles in general. While on my mission, we didn't use cars or even bikes, so whenever we got a ride from someone or took a bus it was something I came to really appreciate. Getting to drive myself around now is something I no longer take for granted.
47. Mountains. While my time in the St. Louis area wasn't bad, one of the things I did miss fairly regularly was having mountains close by. I don't even know how far I would have had to go to reach real mountains instead of hills.
48. Social networks. I mostly use Facebook, but there are a few I use that help me stay connected with people, and it was a genius idea to utilize the internet for it.
49. Superman. Everyone's got to have an idol, right?
50. Turkey wrapped in bacon.
    
    I think this one needs no further explanation.