The Wild World of TB!

“When our perils are past, shall our gratitude sleep? No—here’s to the pilot that weathered the storm.” –George Canning

So I sat and pondered today on this day that while it is quite the commerical holidy is supposed to be a day of giving thanks for the things you have and the people in your life. Now in my personal life I have friends and family, and I have a good job, however I will not be thanking them here. That is done in the provacy of my home and other places to be sure. Just because I don't bring them up here doesn't mean I am any less thankful, just I pick and choose where I put my thanks.

So what am I thankful for this year? Well as most of you might now, late last year my team experienced some major issues with several team mates. They decided it was best that they left and start a new team. Others left later for much different reasons but based on what has happened this year, reasons that weren't as simple as they have given. And finally other people who I thought were my friends have done more to hurt me in so many ways that I won't go into here (yet). And in the end, it has all made me and my friends who remained stronger.

So what I am thankful most this year for, is the people who had the forttude to stick by me when no one else would. When the 'community' decided that I was not welcome and some people decided to ostracize me, there were others who stood by me and said that was not the right thing to do. While some people decided to take the 'high road' in public and back door deal and politic, these people stayed on the upfront and defended me and my team. I thank you all for that!

I am thankful for the other teams who want me to remain in paintball and regardless of their like or dislike, enjoy competing against me and want to do so more often. I am thankful for the fields and promoters who decided not to listen to the rest of the 'community' when they decided to kick me to the curb. I am thank ful for the people who see beyond the smear campaign instituted again by former 'friends'.

I am thankful for people in the past I may not have gotten along with, seeing that while we may not see eye to eye if you treat people fairly then you will be rewarded. And for others who are attacked on my behalf as people do all they can to minimize me and my 'contribution' to the game and genre.

But most of all I am thankful for my team mates. These guys and gal have stood by me, some through the sins of the past and others have for the sins of the future. It will be a hard road that these people have put us on, but not one we haven't walked down before. 2009 is almost over, we have done well this year and 2010 will be even better. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving, even you arrogant and un-thankful pricks who want to see me and mine fail.

I leave you with a few Thanksgiving quotes:

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” –John F. Kennedy

“Ambition breaks the ties of blood, and forgets the obligations of gratitude.” –Sallust

“What soon grows old? Gratitude.” –Aristotle

“There are minds so impatient of inferiority that their gratitude is a species of revenge, and they return benefits, not because recompense is a pleasure for them, but because obligation is a pain.” –Samuel Johnson

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” –W.T. Purkiser