Giving Canadian Thanks

Tis Thanksgiving in Canada, and after seven years or so, we are finally embracing it, sort of. So, I thought I would give thanks now and then perhaps again in about six weeks.

1. I am glad that I don't have to drive for at least this one--we have long drives over the next three months for a Bat Mitzvah in Providence, American Turkey day in NJ (with my reunion in Philly a day later), and then the Winter holidays in the DC area
2. I apparently have the 3rd best job in the USA. The piece softens the hard edges--"you'll probably have to relocate" Ha! And to call competition for tenure-track jobs intense is still an understatement. But I do control my time, get to study what I want, got to travel to Paris, Berlin and London this past summer on someone else's dime, and will be doing the same down under next winter (well, their summer).
   
3. The McGill students once again are proving to be phenomenal. In my big Intro to IR class, they consistently ask sharp questions, reflecting that they have done the work and have thought about it.
   
4. I would be thankful for McGill's graduate students as they are a smart and interesting lot, but they are making me do way too much work these days.
5. I am very thankful for the support of the associate professors in my department, who consistently demonstrate not just wisdom but generosity of spirit that make the tougher days far more bearable.
   
6. I am grateful that Montreal has such a vast and fun ultimate frisbee community. I ended up playing way too much this summer since I was chauffering my daughter to a game each week in addition to three other games each week. It was nicely capped by the Grandmaster (over 40 only) tourney where I was lucky to get off the bench with such a deep team.
7. I am grateful that the skiing near Montreal is great, but am hopeing that the season is a short one (that is, a short winter).
8. I am thankful we finally had our dining/living room/bathrooms painted. The cleanup will not be fun, but the guys did a great job.
   
9. I am always grateful that I have a daughter who is as good at teasing me as she is in taking my teasing. She is more of a smartass than her camp counselor can possibly imagine. I am less thankful that my daughter has compelled me to make turkey today.
   
10. I am also always grateful that my wife tolerates me and my tendency to blather online.
11. Finally, I am thankful to my readers for their existence.
    

I hope the Canadian readers are having a great Thanksgiving and that the American ones are enjoying Italian food today, I guess (Columbus day and all).