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This coming Thursday (19 April 2018) will be the first day since my 13th birthday that I have been officially unemployed.
I'm one of 6,000 people being made redundant (such a terrible word - rhymes with pungent!) from National Australia Bank over the next few years. So I figured that right here, right now was a good time to make a list of 100 things in my life that I am grateful for:-
A loving and amazingly patient wife
A funny, handsome son
A gorgeous, cheeky daughter
A relatively nice home
Access to clean water
An abundance of fresh & good quality foods (probably too much!)
An awesome climate
A stable, harmonious society
My book collection; and
Having reasonable enough eyesight to actually read my books
Relatively good health; and
Access to a great health system when I do get sick
My Mum
Electricity
Clean Air
ABC RN (yes, I am a nerd!)
My swimming pool
My chocolate labrador - Milo
My car (even though it's nearly 12 years old)
Being present at the birth of both of my children
Seeing James Taylor perform live (twice)
Visiting Loch Ness
Being in the studio audience of the taping of "The Drew Carey Show" in LA
Noosa
Seeing "The Lion King" in London's West End
I've seen the Mona Lisa at The Louvre
Attending the Boxing Day Test Cricket in Melbourne
Riding in a Ferrari
Taking a surfing lesson
Ice cream
Holding my two old dogs (Seth and Toby) as they passed away
The music of Eva Cassidy
Being lucky enough to attend Oaks Day at Flemington Race Course
Riding the London Eye
Flying a fighter jet & 747 in a Flight Simulator
Attending an Andrea Bocelli concert
I've seen & handled $1M in cash
Attending Oktoberfest in Munich
I've flown on a private, chartered jet
Serotonin & Dopamine
Riding a segway
Attending the ballet (just once) - Swan Lake
A week on the island of Rhodes (Greece)
I've milked a cow
Travelled on The Queenslander (train)
Attended a State of Origin
Seeing Harry Connick Jr Live in concert
Attending a Carols by Candlelight in the Melbourne Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Bandaids
Completing a private tour of the Port of Melbourne
Hearing & seeing Fleetwood Mac in concert (twice)
I've participated in a Flash Mob
Our walk-in shower
I've had two short stories published in The Australian newspaper
I've had a Long Island Ice Tea (and survived!)
BBQs
Poetry - particular Rudyard Kipling
Cinema (especially Gold Class)
Air travel
The sound of birds chirping in the morning
Good neighbours
Air conditioning
'The Australian' newspaper
Netflix & Stan
Being a passenger in a huge Sikorsky helicopter
Not having hay fever anymore
The family cat - Rocks
My garden
Microsoft Excel
Living in a democracy
Yatala Pie's French Vanilla Slice
Flushable wipes... (for the kids!)
GOMA - Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art
Music & all the ways to enjoy it today
Yoghurt
Traffic Lights
Spending nearly 12 months living in the Lake District of England
Melbourne Trams
Spending a night at the Grand Canyon
Seeing the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
Comedy & laughter
"Conversations" with Richard Fidler & Sara Kanowski
"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
Pizza
A comfortable, king size bed
That I was born in Australia
Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell
Brisbane coffee - Merlo & Di Bella
reddit.com
Some wonderful, loyal friends
Lego
The memories of my Dad
Parks with swings
Medium-hot curry
No-sugar creaming soda
Steve Martin movies
Seat belts
Carrot Cake
My bike
All the people I've worked with and met over the last 21+ years who have taught me, befriended me, guided me and supported me
I'm looking forward to the next phase of life and taking the path that Mother Nature lays down for me. Take care of yourself and I hope that each day ahead is one of the Top Five days of your life, so far!