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Give Thanks 2024
It's Thanksgiving week in the US, and longtime readers know just how I feel about that: "Bah humbug." Same goes for Christmas and Easter and all the rest of it.
I amused myself Sunday going through the archives to see how my Thanksgiving week previews evolved since 2017. Long story short, they became more abrasive over time, culminating in last year's overtly caustic obloquy.
"It's a short trading week in the US, where Americans will gather with family members and plus-ones to eat themselves i
One could almost envision a modern day Planes, Trains, & Automobiles featuring an illegal immigrant in place of Del, but the original was perfect and no one can top prime John Candy. I’ll likely have to rent that movie this year even though I have the DVD (no DVD player to go with it).
I’m currently reading a book about the battle for the American West and have been struck by the parallels between the removal of American Indians and the Israel/Palestine conflict. Some things never change…
Oh, and a hearty bah humbug to you! I’m personally looking forward to the football, but the Black Friday battle royale is not what it used to be. TVs used to be the big prize, but now they’re all so cheap anyway that the thrill is gone. Maybe Trump can jack up the prices enough via tariffs that we can bring back the barbarism of Black Fridays past.
The Planes, Trains & Automobiles reference reminded me of a two-and-a-half-day trip from hell from New Orleans to Portland Oregon 25 years ago that included being befriended by a horse stall mat salesman from the initial flight that I just couldn’t seem to lose. Good times
Anytime you want to write insights about your movie list, I personally think it will be a hit.
I can only assume you’ll be spending your Thanksgiving as you spend most other days: alone. Yet somehow, you’ve managed to create a motley family–a weird and eccentric crew of malcontents who all hang out in the comment section of your so-called “Report,” and that’s not a bad thing. Here’s an amusing thought exercise: pin your regular commenters to various stereotypes of the classic Thanksgiving Guest…
John L is that one person you’re always happy to see because they bring an amazing side dish and know just when to say, “Goodnight.”
Mr. Lucky is the elderly widower who everyone is glad to see made it another year.
rem and Fred are that Uncle who argues with everyone about everything, and the most annoying part is that sometimes they’re right.
TCOEary is the +1 your rebellious niece insists on bringing
SeaTurtle is the sweet aunt who always has little gifts for the kids and is the only one who can get the kids to behave and also brings a side dish that everyone likes and everyone kind of wonders how we’re related to someone that nice.
engineer is the cousin who everyone thought would be the next Bill Gates but instead he’s the smartest unemployed person you know
There’s a dozen more, and I regret that I can’t do justice to them all. Feel free to join in folks and tag yourself or anyone else.
As for me? I dunno. Probably that one relative who’s initially quiet but interesting, especially when it’s a topic they care about, but then has too much to drink and becomes an annoying know-it-all who gets his facts wrong and then doesn’t get the hint when it’s time to go.
I’ll see myself out.
Unemployed but by choice. Later in years, long on experience, therefore deserve a rest.
Haha. Pretty good comment.
I definitely appreciate this site for reasons beyond the obvious and main reason I read every single article/comment on The Heisenberg Report- which is H’s interesting, engaging and brilliant commentary.
During the period from about 2018-2023, I needed all of you more than you will ever realize.
And yes- I, too, consider myself part of this highly functional group of dysfunctionals- that have never met!
🙂
So I’ll make the really annoying suggestion, as a question: who and how many readers live in NYC area? and who wants to set a date, post-holidays (Jan/Feb?) to meet for some dinner and talk about how much we enjoy being in the Heisenberg-sphere?
Having given the first Thanksgiving some thought, and as someone who actually lives near where it likely occurred; I think it’s even less relevant than we imagine. Let’s say for example that the locals had just gone ahead and let the colonists starve, do you think that’s the end of the western expansion story for Europeans? Not likely, they were coming, just beginning to start coming, at that point. If those folks had died, there were batches queued up to replace them. The natives were always going to be decimated (first by plague, then by violence) and the story of Thanksgiving has little to do with the outcome.
Thanksgiving is also an amazing allegory for America and how Americans view America more generally. This holiday is imagined as this wonderful time for families to come together and be ‘thankful’ that they have each other. The reality is most often closer to how families really operate; old arguments rehashed anew, political differences gradually unwinding into full on screaming matches, kids wondering why the heck we do this in the first place. It’s Americana through and through, the lies we tell each other to make us feel as if we are somehow exceptional and not self-centered spoiled over-privileged people who would rather just not have to tolerate people that make us uncomfortable even though we share some sort of genetic lineage. So put on your smiley face family mask and chug a few drinks to pregame the real game, fighting, not football. Happy Turkey Day! 😉