I'm Thankful by Jenny Gardiner

I loved that Barbara decided to launch this blog with a theme devoted to thankfulness. There is so very much for which to be grateful in life, and sometimes we get so wrapped up in the mundane complaints, we lose sight of the bigger picture.

So for starters, the many things for which I am thankful. My wonderful family. My kids who despite being teens are great fun to spend time with. My many pets, as long as they aren’t barking too much, or snapping my digits off with a powerful beak. My home, which, although it is in permanent need of all sorts of repairs and a good overall scrubbing and organizing, is home. Delightful, cozy, a place I always look forward to returning to (and hoping it’s not gotten too out of control messy while I was gone).

My career. While so far, writing hasn’t proven itself to be particularly remunerative, I hope that in time this will follow. In the meantime, what a treat to be able to write for a living (and how lucky I am that my husband can earn enough to allow me the time to try to actually earn a living as a writer). It sure beats a lot of other low-paying jobs out there. And provides a great outlet for creativity and a chance to work in sweats.

For good friends, who make the fun times even better and who are there to soften the blow during trying times.

For good health, which we always forget to appreciate when we have it, but which I am often acutely aware of being grateful for, having had bouts of medical issues with my family that caused great angst and distress.

For a glorious blue sky and the hint of spring in the air on a January day. For people who are willing to do the really hard jobs in the world, so that we don’t have to. For the ability to have at our fingertips whatever food, whatever drink, and pretty much anything we want. So many people in the world go without as a matter of course. Certainly in our country we are indulged with privilege to a far greater degree.

I’m grateful that cigarettes can’t be smoked in most public buildings. I’m thankful that we no longer live in a city with burdensome traffic that creates added stress in life. I’m grateful that even though my dishes are pretty dirty, piled up as they are on my kitchen counter, well, hey, we have dishes. That’s a good thing! I’m thankful that my city is rich with generous people who contribute not just their money but their time to help others less well-off.

I’m thankful for soldiers who selflessly give of themselves in defense of the rest of us. I’m thankful for the many people who devote their lives to improving the health and welfare of the world.

And even though I get frustrated that I can’t get rid of that extra weight, believe it or not, I’m grateful I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to have gained it, rather than wondering from where my next meal might come.

Life is good. Life isn’t perfect, but then again, it never will be. But life is, to a certain extent, what you make of it and how you look at it. And I try to see it at its best.

Thanks for having me, Barb!


Jenny Gardiner’s work has been found in Ladies Home Journal, the Washington Post and on NPR’s Day to Day. She likes to say she honed her fiction writing skills while working as a publicist for a US Senator. Other jobs have included: an orthodontic assistant (learning quite readily that she was not cut out for a career in polyester), a waitress (probably her highest-paying job), a TV reporter, a pre-obituary writer, and a photographer (claim to fame: being hired to shoot Prince Charles–with a camera, silly!). She lives in Virginia with her husband, three kids, two dogs, one cat and a gregarious parrot. In her free time she studies Italian, dreams of traveling to exotic locales, and feels very guilty for rarely attempting to clean the house. Her novel, Sleeping with Ward Cleaver, was the winner of Dorchester Publishing/RT's American Title III contest.

Hooray for New Media by Barbara Quinn

I received a check for three stories, for their audio and digital rights recently. I’m grateful I was able to make those sales. If you write you spend a lot of time being rejected and that stinks. You do get used rejection and learn to slough it off. Sure it’s true that rejection toughens you up and makes you more determined to succeed. But after many rejections it becomes difficult to think positively about your work, difficult to keep on sending it out to different places. When you keep getting slammed it’s hard not to duck and cover, or assume an attitude of waiting for the next blow. You have to learn to steel yourself for those rejections. Sometimes I put off sending out revisions, or making changes that were asked for, simply because I’m not ready to have someone say, thanks, but it’s still not right for us. It’s a delicate balancing act we do to keep our egos whole.

That’s why I’m grateful for the place that bought my stories. The work will be out there for people to buy. Selling those stories makes me feel good about my writing and gives me a boost. I’m working on my latest novel with more focus and energy. A a book called The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield deals with this artistic problem of winning your creative battles. It helps to know that others also struggle with this fear of moving forward.

The beauty of living in these times of many available media is that there are so many more outlets for writers to sell their work. It’s confusing and hard to keep up with the new outlets, but it’s definitely better for writers now, than in the past. Computers, iPods, and iPhones provide markets for stories and books. Ebooks are growing in popularity. There are markets for two minute stories that go over the phone lines. In Japan there’s a robust cell phone novel market. Having lots more places to submit to is a good thing. And being accepted by one of them, well, it doesn’t get better than that.