Indulge me a bit if you will. I know I've been writing novels on here lately, but with not having to work another day between now and January 3rd, I have some time on my hands, and a nasty bit of insomnia. Paid vacation days rule.

I'm feeling pretty damn good right now. Not because I am hammered after my test, though it feels good to be done with econ professor, Dr. Evil.

No....today I am feeling thankful. Ash is asleep right now upstairs, and I am a little high on caffiene and adrenalin from the final, so I'm still up.

I'm feeling thankful because three years ago today, I took a my best friend out to dinner in Omaha and as we walked around the central park mall Christmas lights, I asked her to marry me. It was probably not the dream proposal she had imagined, as it was clumsy, teary, and a little corny (then again, I AM clumsy, and a little corny so it had to be expected), but I don't think the words I said or where I said them really mattered.

I won't bore you with romance and cheesyness that will either make you go eww or roll your eyes, but I'm a pretty lucky geek. I don't deserve her or the life I have with her. I'm just a tool that happened to get lucky.

I've gained more respect for that girl every day since that night, and she continues to amaze me with her drive, compassion, heart, integrity, respect and all the other adjectives I woudl add if I were actually wide awake.

One of my closer friends was telling me the other day that he envied me, because I am really just a tool, yet I have it all. Now, I don't really think I have it all, but I do have wonderful friends, a great family, and what I can only image are perfectly normal (and not the usual crazy) in-laws. My cousin Matt's inlwas are horrible....

So I guess that alone makes me feel pretty darn wealthy. To some people, that may not be worth a hill of beans -- but this is my hill, and these are my beans.

Wealth is not about shares of Microsoft, a high paycheck or how many bathrooms your house has. Wealth is not the type of car you drive or the clothes you wear.

And as I sit in our basement, with the cat curled up at my feet as I type, I feel tremendous good forture. Thanks to that lady upstairs, this is as good as it could ever get.

Well... I'm driving her up to Omaha on Thursday night for dinner at that same restaurant and a walk through that same park. And then walking across the street to see U2 rock the Qwest center will be Ok too.