Don't let the uptick in tinsel and decorated trees outside shopping malls fool you: this week is Thanksgiving. For the sixth year in a row (yes, sixth) I present by annual "thanks" and "no thanks" lists, acknowledging the positive and negative aspects that dictate my daily life with minimal context. There are so many things in life we often take for granted like food and shelter that may seem like a luxury to some, but there are also the little things that boost our morale and give us a reason to wake up in the morning. Without being too perfunctory, I want to take this opportunity --like I have every November since 2005-- to focus on the minutiae.Thanks: long-form improv, the triumphant return of Conan O'Brien, my continued success in football pick'um, a Blackhawks Stanley Cup, the Chicago Bears' inexplicable 7-3 record, the necessity of living on a budget, and most importantly, the support of my classmates, friends and family during trying times.
No Thanks: underemployment, office politics, the slow death knell of non-biased reporting in cable news, the never-ending hubris of my state government, trading half of the aforementioned Stanley Cup roster, Brett Favre, and still not being able to afford grad school or an apartment.
Finally, in the wake of yesterday's invasion please keep the people of South Korea in your thoughts and prayers. Illinois State University is "sister schools" with the Dong Ah Broadcasting College outside Seoul, and I have several friends that study and teach ESL there. One must hope that North Korea's attack does not snowball into something far worse.
Next Week: my love-hate relationship with Christmas music.
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ReplyDeleteHappy Turkey Day, Stu. Hope to hear about your Turkey Day meal. I've been reading food spreads online and people have some vastly different food items (I hadn't even heard of green bean casserole until last year). All I need is roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, crescent rolls & tons of gravy. Mmmmmm.
ReplyDeleteSounds delicious. For the third year in a row, my family went to a restaurant for Turkey Day. I had veal cutlet, potato dumplings, beef barley soup, rye bread, and of course gravy. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good Turkey Day. Leftovers actually were bland so I added hot sauce to everything, that actually was pretty good.
ReplyDeleteOur meal was pretty bland in general:
roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, crescent rolls, corn, candied yams, celery / olives / pickles tray, pineapple cream cheese Jellomold, fresh cranberry sauce with orange & pumpkin pie. No rutabaga this year (tho not that I would bother with that).