what I'm thankful for.

I'm thankful for my family of friends that has come together in my time in New Zealand, and that when I make it back to America the friends that I've abandoned still, more often than not, have time for me, let me invade their houses, and have continued to be people that I respect, admire, and care for deeply.

I'm thankful for everyone who helped me make JAKE, and is now helping to finish make JAKE, and I promise that I will do my best to make sure that everyone gets to see it next year.

I'm thankful I have work coming up, so that I can finish paying for JAKE.

I'm thankful for the power of music - something that is suddenly prominent in my life right now, having been reunited with my collection of records and CDs and my accordion all at once, while suddenly apparently starting a band. About which, more as it comes.

I'm thankful for the existence of TROLL 2, LADY TERMINATOR, MAD FOXES, PIECES, TRIBULATION 99, and HAUSU. For Richard Ford, George Saunders, Jonathan Franzen, and Richard Powers. For Sharon Jones, The Fall, The New Pornographers, Max Richter, Come, and Superchunk. And countless others.

But especially Superchunk.

I'm thankful I didn't have to hear Bono dedicate a song to the Pike River mine disaster tonight.

And I'm thankful for my family, without whose support I have no idea where I would be today, and who somehow put up with me, despite it all.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.