So this week is Thanksgiving here in America; and simply, the third week in November everywhere else. This year, for probably the first time ever, we aren’t going anywhere for Thanksgiving. Originally, we were asked to go to a friend’s house for the “festivities”, but a new job has put them working on this fake holiday. So, we are without plans, other than the typical, “get drunk and think about X”. While a part of me is relieved that I don’t have to worry about all of that food, and the typical turkey-induced coma that comes post feast, another part of me is left pondering the very existence of this “holiday”.
What are we really giving thanks for? Things are pretty shitty right now for the economy, we aren’t doing well with international relations, and we, as a nation, continue to marginalize ourselves; both from the rest of the world, as well as our “unwashed masses”. I guess we could give thanks for being able to eat, breathe, live, etc… but it really makes me think about how far away from the sense of “survival”, and the meaning of Thanksgiving in the first place. Are we really thankful for what we have anymore?
I hope that everyone does have a great couple of days off, and that you all enjoy your T-day festivities. This is in no way, meant to be a downer post… it is more of a reflective/duane-thinking-too-much-about-everything-in-the-world post if anything.
In other news… I have been playing Super Mario Galaxy, and it may be the #1 reason to get a Wii… it’s fantastic. I also got my “Christmas” presents yesterday; a bright and shiny new Nintendo DS with a couple of games. I am sure that James will hook me up with a couple more “little” things closer to the actual “holiday”, but this is pretty much my big ticket item. I am going to get his stuff probably this week too… there’s no need to wait when he will be out of town on the actual day, now is there? Perhaps the fact that I am becoming a Nintendo fanboy is reason enough to be thankful this week, eh?
Seems to me the number one reason to be thankful is Black Friday!
Hey Duane,
Y’know you have a point–gas is expensive, we’re running out of water, we have dim hopes for our future elected leaders… but you and your bf live in a home together, and that alone is a LOT to celebrate.
I’m having dinner with some cool friends (gay and straight) in Midtown and I know they’d love to have you join us (we’re a group of about 8 in our 30s with all sorts of backgrounds… and we love to drink). Please join us.
Dean
I’m passing on the T-day crap too. Other than a few days off and time to just do what I want for a change – just another day. I give thanks everyday for having a day to enjoy and being free to do whatever I want.
As for the DS – man you will love it. Get Brain Age 1 and 2 and Big Brain Academy – they are fun and you can see how start you are. You can hook up and play against each other too.
Re: Nintendo DS
My Mom got me one for my birthday. It is awesome! She gave me Brain Age as a gift, but.. I’ve been binging on “real” games. Super Mario, Yoshi’s Island. I’m on Zelda Phantom HourGlass now – very very addicting.
Honestly, if it takes *one* freaking day to remind people to count their blessings, then I’m all for it. People don’t even realize how good they’ve got it.
If you get bored on Thanksgiving, let me know. I’ll probably be sitting around doing nothing…. or playing disgaea
i’m thankful for the double-quotes key on the keyboard.
The economy has been fairly strong, especially the job market. Though I do expect the stock market to take a pounding next year due to the mortgage crisis.
The surge in Iraq has been working and saving American and Iraqi lives. Many are reporting that Bush’s new strategy has dealt Al Qaeda in Iraq a serious blow. Therefore, all of those nations who opposed us at the expense of supporting the terrorists have (so far, based on the most recent info) been proven WRONG. They are the ones who need to accept reality and admit their misguided policies concerning the WOT. Those nations, and those Americans, should apologize for the HARM they have done to this nation and Iraq.
Michael Vick is in jail, so finally a jock got what he deserved.
Duane- wait until you start nursing school. After caring for the sick, mentally ill, homeless, and dying, you won’t believe how grateful you become for just having your health or a loving and caring social support network.
Oh, and it’s not a fake holiday. It’s current date was approved by an act of Congress.
Thanksgiving is a fake holiday? How about you do something to legitimize it? Why don’t you go down to the local soup kitchen and help feed the homeless this Thanksgiving instead of getting drunk with James?
Good idea. Hosea Feeds the Hungry still needs volunteers. It’s really easy and fun:
http://www.hoseafeedthehungry.com/default.php
AHHHHHHHHHHHahahahahaha!!…I didn’t even think of that. And to think of all those 500,000 starving people in Atlanta, while all these caring souls do nothing.
Sorry to say that in the past, that Hosea thing was filled with people who drove up in cars for a freebie. It’s not exactly the desperate and homeless crowd you’d expect.
Speaking of which….the old “empty gas can” trick is coming back. In the last few months, I’ve been hit up by two different people with a gas can walking around in the exact same place (Midtown Promenade) saying they are out of gas and need money to fill up. I haven’t seen this trick in years, when I was at GSU. I’d see the same people every day for weeks walking around with a can asking for gas money.
Dave, are you going to meet me there? I may or may not go to a soup kitchen, but I will definitely be giving money to feed the homeless this year; I do every year.
you’re right, bugboy – because of the smaller group that takes advantage of goodwill, we should just stop bothering. good logic there.
i haven’t yet been hit with the empty gas can yet, although the “i need money for marta” has always been quite popular. of course they hate it when i offer a marta pass instead of cash (which is why i volunteer – can’t exactly just write a check, especially working in nonprofit for so many years).
duane, sorry, I’ll be in Memphis spending Thanksgiving with loved ones and being thankful I have the ability to do so. You’ll have to let me know how it goes.
“you’re right, bugboy – because of the smaller group that takes advantage of goodwill, we should just stop bothering. good logic there.”
From the news report on the matter I saw, it was not a smaller group that took advantage. The majority of “patrons” drove up in cars and were reasonably well-dressed.
Your assumption otherwise, based on nothing apparently, was itself not good logic.
the “news report?” ok, that totally clears it up!
As opposed to your totally imagined source? Hahaha.