Turkey is out of the oven and cooling, and the sides are going in, so I thought I would stop and wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I figure I have lots to be thankful for, I’m healthy, my family (including the piglets) is healthy, and I’m just really lucky to have all the friends and good fortune I have stumbled upon. I’m not even remotely convinced that I deserve it.
At any rate, Happy Thanksgiving, and if you are or have just filled your face with turkey and all the fixings, maybe take a second and send a few bucks to help out some people who are in a lot worse shape than you. There are few places more worthy than Heifer International, or maybe you could just make a mental note to send some money to your local food kitchen.
Brian S
Happy Thanksgiving as well. And fuck Black Friday. There is no deal good enough to make me patronize a big box store tomorrow–or in some cases, 10:00 tonight. I’m a bit more sour than usual about it this year because my daughter is one of those Wal-Mart employees pulling the overnight tonight just so people can get their shop on.
suzanne
Happy Thanksgiving, John, and thanks for this wonderful place. Enjoy your holiday. We’re going to eat in about an hour, and it smells great. There’s much to be thankful for.
Driving over to my mother’s house today, smoke from the fire from the plane crash in the Superstitions was still visible. A reminder to keep space in our hearts for those who are suffering this year.
R-Jud
Happy Thanksgiving. We made room at our table for a few lonely student ex-pats and a good time was had by all.
I am never not brining a turkey again, BTW. I brined mine overnight and it was astonishingly good.
BGinCHI
I’m thankful for all you smart snarky bastards.
CaseyL
Thanks for dropping by, and a very Happy Thanksgiving back atcha!
I have just put in the miniature test version of the cherry oatmeal crisp, as I jiggered a bit with the proportions of the ingredients (on account of having way more cherries than the recipe calls for). I suspect that, even if it doesn’t come out as planned, it will still be yummy. I mean: cherries, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg, and some flour and oats to hold it all together? Even if it comes out mushy, it has to taste good. That’s my theory, anyway.
I also wonder if I’ll have any room left over for the actual meal, since I’m nibbling my way through the day so far.
Genine
Happy Thanksgiving, John and to all.
I have a lot to be thankful for. I have great friends, wonderful opportunities and my health. May everyone have the same and more.
Raven
Happy Thanksgiving. We had a nice dinner on the screened porch and now have to decide whether to hit the beach for sunset fishing or watch this game.
jafg
When are you gonna eat some crow Mr John Libya is wrong Cole?
Svensker
Isn’t it wonderful? Thanksgiving day, a turkey in the oven, football on the TV (and the Jets ain’t playing, yay) and loved ones safe and healthy. Also, too, the couch is soooooo comfy.
khead
We’re about to have a houseful of folks any second now, so I just wanted to stop in and say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at BJ. Dinner in an hour.
Mnemosyne
We’re getting ready to head up to my brother’s as soon as G gets done talking to his family on the phone. This year, I made sure to eat lunch first since my sister-in-law is a terrible cook. (You’d think that a full-time housewife would have time to learn to cook, but anyway …)
Right now, we are all very thankful for modern medicine, which has kept my father-in-law’s inoperable brain tumor at bay for 2 years while giving him a good quality of life. Not to mention the not as modern but still very useful dialysis that keeps my dad going even though his kidneys have all but given up the ghost. If you have high blood pressure, don’t ignore it!
MikeJ
@Svensker: Shit! I’ve got a turkey on the TV and a football in the oven. I better fix that.
Litlebritdifrnt2
The Black Forest Ham is in the rotisserie, the roast taters are done and being kept warm beneath it. The bread rolls are made and just waiting to go in the oven. Nothing else to do but make the gravy, will do that just before we eat at about 7pm. I am thankful for having a roof over my head that I can afford, having a job (that pisses me off sometimes but at least I have one), having a loving husband, wonderful family, and the bestest pets in the universe. I may be one of the 99% but I am a damn site better off than many others.
BTW watched the new season of “Whitechapel” this morning (first two eps anyway) it is bloody brilliant, and a stellar follow up to the “Ripper” first season.
BGinCHI
@Litlebritdifrnt2: Did you catch the David Hare movie (it was 2 hrs) with Bill Nighy called Page 8? Orig on BBC and then straight to PBS.
It was excellent.
I think Whitechapel is going to have more seasons. Not sure why they’re so short though….
ETA: Wait, there’s already a season after the “Ripper” season??
srv
Fried turkey is pretty hard to beat.
I’ll agree on Heifer, and throw in Kiva.org since I know some good people there.
Mike in NC
Happy Thanksgiving one and all. After working a few six-day weeks I’m absolutely savoring this loooonnng balmy four day weekend!
Svensker
@MikeJ:
I once mixed up a big load of cornbread, put it in the fridge and set the timer. When the timer went off, I looked in the fridge and said, “nope, not done yet.” It was about 30 seconds before realization kicked in. Well-known hippie substances may have been involved.
MikeJ
@Svensker: Last night I opened the microwave and found a monkey dish with (once) melted butter that was supposed to go in *something*.
robertdsc-PowerBook
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I’m headed out to my sister’s shortly to see the rest of the family over there.
FlipYrWhig
Also putting out a call for contributions: World O’Crap. They and Sadly, No! are, as far as I’m concerned, patient zero in spreading the contagion of liberal snark in the blogosphere. Um, that’s a compliment.
Raven
@MikeJ:
Live if you want to live
(Rastaman vibration, yeah! Positive!)
That’s what we got to give!
(I’n’I vibration yeah! Positive)
Got to have a good vibe!
(Iyaman Iration, yeah! Irie ites!)
Wo-wo-ooh!
(Positive vibration, yeah! Positive!)
becca
Our spawn’s new in-laws are on their way over. Only met them once before at the wedding.
They are both mortgage bankers. Should be fun fun fun.
Litlebritdifrnt2
@BGinCHI: Yeah it is about the Kray Twins (and no that is not a spoiler), two episodes so far on either BBC on demand or entertainment on demand depending on your area/provider.
sullyVan
@BGinCHI: Yeah, “a bunch of F-Sticks who come here looking to polish their school yard taunts, and Butt-Slap each other in the shower”, equals smart Snark.
Happy Something!
That’s what I heard anyway.
BGinCHI
@Litlebritdifrnt2: Big thanks for that. I’ll see if we have it.
Recently watched The Krays, which I hadn’t seen for many years. A bit dated, but still chilling.
Bonus if you know what band the actors who played them were in.
BGinCHI
@sullyVan: Dumbass says what?
Litlebritdifrnt2
@BGinCHI:
The Kemp Brothers from Spandau Ballet.
BGinCHI
@Litlebritdifrnt2: Never ceases to amaze me that they’re in that film.
CynDee
John Cole — you do deserve all the good things in your life, and none of the bad. Thanks for being you.
licensed to kill time
Happy Turkey Day, all you Juicers ;-)
I give thanks for the almighty B-J and for John Cole and DougJ and Anne Laurie and ABL and Kay and mistermix and Zandar and Dennis G and Tim F and Tom Levenson! and the beautiful art! and science! and most important of all, the goddamn funny, smart and insightful Commentariat of the Juice of Balloon. Really, you guys keep me sane.
Ok, I’ve had a few. So sue me.
(pasted from last thread cuz I really mean it)
(and that just a fucking grinch guy can go squeeze his heart down to 5 sizes too small and see if that satisfies… pobrecito)
PaminBB
Happy T-Day, John, to you, to the piglets and all the family. This dispatch from the NJ Turnpike, where we spend quality time every holiday.
Raven
@licensed to kill time: And the newly promoted soonergrunt! Can we pin his stripes?
barbara
Love your place. Thanks for inviting us in. Happy Thanksgiving!
Maude
Gabby Giffords served dinner at the base in AZ. She looks good. She was really smiling.
sullyVan
@licensed to kill time: pobrecito??
licensed to kill time
@Raven: oops – you’re right, I forgot! Soonergrunt, too!
@sullyVan: pobrecito means poor little thing. nicest thing I could think to say about it. since it’s Thanksgiving and all.
Phylllis
We’ve had dinner with his family; stuffed to the gills. Back at the hotel relaxing. No Black Friday shopping for us, either. There’s nothing I want that badly to put up with that concentration of fevered shoppers trying to snag one of six whatevers at the special price.
Thanks for this place, John. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving.
Maude
@licensed to kill time:
Happy Thanksgiving to you. Have a glass of wine for me. I don’t drink.
Soonergrunt
@jafg: When are you going to shoot yourself in the head over a stubbed toe? That’s about the same quality as your faulty logic.
Just because it was a success (and the jury’s still out on that) doesn’t mean it was right.
See: Iran, Mossadegh, CIA
@licensed to kill time: You like me! You REALLY like me! /Sally Field
sullyVan
@licensed to kill time: I knew it meant “poor”, little thing you might have added.
Drink on! T-Day tradition.
Tom Hilton
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone…and thanks to John (et al.) for this great community.
And on this special day, let’s not forget the entirely true story of the First Thanksgiving.
licensed to kill time
@Maude: Thank you. Igualmente (means ‘same to you’)
@Soonergrunt: Heh, I DO, I really DO!
@sullyVan: Nah, in Mexico they say pobrecito all the time in a pitying way, a kind of ‘bless his heart’ in Spanish. “Aw, the poor little thing”.
Pobre is poor. ‘cito is a diminutive.
sb
Happy Thanksgiving, John. One of the things I’m grateful is this site. Along with family and friends, of course.
Litlebritdifrnt2
@BGinCHI:
There aren’t that many acting twins, I suppose a couple of guitarists were the next best thing.
sullyVan
@licensed to kill time: Entiendo, thats straight from Google translate, I took German as a second Language, and “Dumbass”, per BG, “Wut?”
eric
Drawing turkeys with my near 7 yr old and her friend. Thankful for healthly peaceful and love filled holiday. Thoughts of happiness to you all.
Valdivia
happy thanksgiving to all! I lurk a lot nowadays but your comments make my day every day. And John runs the best blog ever. High on pain meds and wine! woo hoo.
piratedan
i’d like to give thanks to cleek’s pie filter which makes reading these threads a lot easier on my blood pressure.
sullyVan
@piratedan: Why, because 2 idiots saying a couple lines of crap is “So Infuriating, I might have a stroke”, Grow up. You sound like a Fox viewer spouting that.
licensed to kill time
@sullyVan: I was going to go into a whole Spanish lesson but jeez, how boring would that be. Anyway, I ‘entiendo’d’ your entiendo ;)
RossInDetroit
Still feeling virus-y today. Mrs, inDetroit and Doglius have decamped to dinner with her fam. I’m having a baked sweet potato for my dinner because my sore throat will tolerate it and I really like sweet potatoes.
After this I’ll probably lock up, knock myself out with some ‘tussin and see if I feel any better tomorrow. This was a lousy week to get sick, but that’s the breaks.
Thanks for the entertainment, and happy T-Day to all.
Ruckus
@Tom Hilton:
Those Adams folks throw a bash that looks a lot like our family get togethers from a few years back.
sullyVan
@licensed to kill time: Right On!
Schlemizel
Turkey and sweet potatoes came off the smoker & are resting, wild rice is almost ready, bread is out of the oven & making the house smell like home – these are the greatest minutes of the day.
licensed to kill time
@piratedan:
Quoted for truth. Really, who needs the grief?
All hail the Mighty cleek!
Svensker
Am I just a fogey or is “Ooh baby, I like it. Yeah, I like it.” repeated about 3000 times with a standard back beat simply really boring music?
Well, humph. If I had a lawn I’d want them off it.
Also, go Fins.
Yutsano
The turkey got turned down (it’s at temp now but there’s a pause while the ranch duties get attended to) and the smell in this house is nothing short of amazing. Halftime of the football game. And I don’t have to go home until Monday. Life doth not sucketh.
sullyVan
@licensed to kill time: That was fast.
From Civil to PIE Filter in 60 seconds.
Good Luck Alphonse!
xian
happy thanksgiving you caring bastards. ignore the turd or two in the punchbowl, and especially the turd-apologists.
The Ancient Randonneur
The Muslim turkey we just finished eating was excellent. OK, it wasn’t a Butterball, but we did ritually sacrifice it’s spirit to the FSM last night. Does that count?
JPL
Early today I made a brunch for one son and SO and now have a stuffed turkey breast in the oven for the other. Green beans, leftover fruit salad, leftover spinach pie and gravy and rolls. No potatoes..enough is enough.
What a nice day though.
George Gowen
Happy Thanksgiving to John and all. To wash away the taste of Nickelback, we could do worse than play a clip of Mary Gauthier’s great song, “Mercy Now”. An anthem for these
“interesting times” in which we live. That, and a bottle of good red wine might see us through.
licensed to kill time
@sullyVan: I’d had that jafg guy pie’d for a long time. Made the mistake of un-pieing it for a moment and it had directed some poo-flinging at me. I was civil in my response, but then…right back into the pie filter with him, matey!
Some commenters just aren’t worth it. I bet they know who they are.
Raven
@Svensker: Only when Smokey sings it.
smelter rat
@George #62…fuckin eh!
feebog
I have so many things to be thankful for it is hard to know where to start. First and largest thing is I’m thankful that my oldest grandson is almost out of drug and alcohol rehab and seems to have finally figured it out. Next, I’m glad that my 37 year old neice finally met someone and is getting married next April, looking forward to meeting the lucky guy tomorrow at our second Thanksgiving. I’m grateful that we adopted the best rescue dog ever, and promise to walk him more in the coming year. I’m very grateful that I have had the opportunity for a second career, one where I pretty much make my own schedule and answer to no one but myself. Grateful that both my parents, ages 88 and 90 are both still alive and in realatively good health. And finally, a big thank you John for this blog, and to all the contributors, who make me laugh almost every day, and even occasionally say something meaningful.
gnomedad
@The Ancient Randonneur:
Attention, Mr. Cole: Butterball Jihad Terror Turkeys deserve their own post, I think.
sullyVan
@licensed to kill time: If its outrageously stupid shit, “Obama to Fuck Donkeys” type shit, yeah. But Goddamn, the whole gist of the “We are the 99” is to give voice to ALL.
“Smrgle-Gargle” is not worthy, but this place leans a little to much to “Academia” snark. Not discussion, but “Snark”. And it wasn’t always so.
So, “Hear, Hear” to a not ABA(Bar) 3rd level voice of reason all the time.
Raven
@sullyVan: that’s deep
sullyVan
@Raven: And Snark isn’t?/s
Raven
@sullyVan: Some is, some isn’t.
sullyVan
@Raven: You been here awhile, am I wrong?
Cole used to engage a lot more, not now. It can’t be because of the money.
xian
@sullyVan: nope, what you have to say is still not interesting
JPL
@sullyVan: hope so..that would make me thankful…
noodler
The past few years, I have served the Thanksgiving meal to the troops at Walter Reed, a very rewarding experience. This year, WRAMC is closed and Bethesda Naval has taken on the role in the DC region, but I am deployed anyway. Had BJ up at C6F most of the day today. Managed to get in a sliver of pumpkin pie too. Much to be thankful for this year, the good and the bad. Capping off the night having a sambuca overlooking mt vesuvius in Naples. Looking forward to next year at home, where ever that may be. Still crazy after all these years.
sullyVan
@xian: On what level? Not about pumpkin pie? Or my fishing trip? Gimme a break, its a open thread, just talkin the same boring shit you ALL are.
I’m just not vetted to speak.
WereBear (itouch)
@CaseyL: Good luck on that prospect!
JPL
@sullyVan: hope so..that would make me thankful…
licensed to kill time
@sullyVan: All I can say is, once into the pie filter, much harder to escape, grasshopper.
sullyVan
@JPL: What do you want to snark on? Besides me?
xian
there’s a time and a thread for everything, fella. getting the tone wrong is a social faux pas, not the fault of thought police.
sullyVan
@licensed to kill time: I guess.
But it would be nice to see some actual discussion.
You all obviously have the chops.
Raven
@sullyVan: Yea, I think he has bigger flish to fly!
sullyVan
@xian: Thats why I’m saying it in a “Open Thread”.
sullyVan
@Raven: Bravo! You nailed me!
JPL
@sullyVan: It’s a day to give thanks.. In fact most days we should give thanks..
jafg
@licensed to kill time: Tell me more. I find all these stories from my little furry groupies who claim to pie filter me so interesting. The more I read about it the more I want to fling poo at all the idiots on this backwoods swamp sheit hole blog with 2 time Bush voter, Greenwald smypathizer, and part time libertarian Cole at the top of the a very big list.
Keith G
@jafg: You seem to be quite repetitive.
Svensker
@Raven:
Smokey never did a boring, pedestrian thing in his life. Mmmm, Smokey.
Lojasmo
What troll did jafg used to be? Cornerstone? The insipid tone is familiar.
DZ
It’s 1:15 am in the extreme SW of France where I live at this time of year. 7 other Americans (all of them at least 30 years younger than I am) and I had a great meal, wonderful company and even some football (through deception, etc., I have Directv here). Mostly, we ate, listened to blues, smoked controlled substances, drank some wine and just relaxed.
Best wishes to all of you.
Raven
@Lojasmo: No whining about the sorry ass cocks, can’t be CS.
MikeJ
@Lojasmo: derf.
Raven
@Svensker: If you don’t listen to the lyrics of Mickey’s Monkey.
MikeJ
I have just disenturkulated the oven, and am letting the bird and myself rest for a few before the rolls go on and the carrot juice gets reduced.
Joel
@sullyVan: Sophistication.
burnspbesq
Best Thanksgiving wishes to all who make this the best neighborhood bar on the intertubes.
Raven
Just facetimed the family, works great!
Lysana
We’re doing ham this year since the cook decided turkey was going to be too tough on him. It’s not a hardship, of course. I made a batch of my ancestral Quebecois meat dressing, there’s green bean casserole for onion lovers and haters alike, two kinds of tubers on the cook, and for dessert, pumpkin cream cheese pie.
Bmaccnm
@Lojasmo: I swear to gawd I don’t understand this bile-filled trollery. Nothing good on TV? Jacked off so much you’re raw? No pets to feed or bathroom to clean? When I’m going to be alone on a holiday, I sign up to work- extra money and good camraderie. Whose life is so angry and empty that he or she would troll Balloon Juice on Thanksgiving? The sprouts and I are going to a potluck in the People’s Republic of Portland. We’re taking a good Pinot, home-grown acorn squash in a shallot-cider reduction and shitake mushrooms and tempeh for the vegans among us. Lip smacking good, it’ll be. I wish happiness to everyone.
Raven
@burnspbesq: I never thought of it like that since I’ve been sober for so long but you are on to something there.
John Cole
It’s not that I am not engaged, it’s just that after ten years, I think I burned out a bit this summer and needed to step back for a while. I’m just lucky there are so many other good front pagers now.
I don’t think people understand the amount of time it takes to build a blog readership, even if it is fun.
catdevotee
This is the first Thanksgiving in the 30 years the DH and I have been together during which we have not had a celebratory something. This year, we’re both feeling under the weather, and all our family members are too far away to join us. So we’re just enjoying being at home undisturbed, sipping our preferred beverages and petting cats.
I truly appreciate this grumpy, silly and occasionally profound community – I visit every day, especially in the past year since I couldn’t tolerate the venom at DK anymore. John Cole, thank you for creating this and keeping it going. And by the way, none of us deserve anything, but the gods are gracious.
moonbat
Happy Thanksgiving to the Shock Troops! Hubby and I collaborated on a lovely dinner of smoked turkey, collared greens, rutabaga, mashy taters, and sweet potato pie. Yum.
Gave a turkey and a cash donation to the local food bank (PhilAbundance). We drive by one of their distribution points on the way to the grocery store and some days the line is blocks long. We aren’t doing that great here in the bat cave, but there are plenty people out there doing a lot worse. Give what you can.
Raven
@John Cole: A friend of mine had a very nice food blog for about five years and she just had to bail this summer. I don’t know if she’ll ever pick it back up so I think it’s great that you have found a way to keep this going.
Raven
I’m sure this will come up later but a turkey carcass is great for making a rich stock for gumbo. . .
AliceBlue
Happy Thanksgiving John, to you and yours and and everyone at BJ. We just got back from my mother’s; it’s her 90th Thanksgiving. She still lives by herself and insisted on doing most of the cooking. It was a quiet, lovely day with some good eats.
RossInDetroit
@Raven:
Sheer cussedness, my Grandma would say. And I heartily approve. It’s gonna be a long year and everyone needs a place to let it all hang out. I hesitate to call BJ an island of sanity… but it’s an island of something and I’m glad to have it.
JPL
@John Cole: Your Thanksgiving sounded great. Are the pups fat and happy on this day?
Raven
The Great Texas Divorce comin up.
lamh35
Damn BestBuy! Those damn $200 42′ tv at Best Buy! I just read the “fine print” and it said “Minimum 10 per store”
JPL
@Raven: What does that mean? Did you catch any fish?
Raven
@JPL: Texas vs Texas A&M for the last time. No fish today, I was worn out so I only fished until noon. I have to be at the boat @ 6:30 in the morning so I’m fired up!
Southern Beale
So, will the folks camping out with tents & sleeping bags in front of Best Buy get beaten & pepper sprayed by the cops tonight? Ya think?
Gromitt Gunn
Excellent day. Got to Skype with the nieces and nephews, and talk with the parents. Spent with day with my partner. And went to see The Muppets. And I have to say that everyone should go see The Muppets!
JPL
@Gromitt Gunn: 97% on rotten tomatoes. Not bad…
Old Dan and Little Ann
Happy Turkey day, all. My goddamn dog ran away again tonight for the 2nd time in 3 months. I should have warned my uncle to be careful around the front door. The only reason he came back last time was because the cops found him, his chip got zapped at the pound, and they called us. I hope he finds someone soon who looks after him.
Southern Beale
@lamh35:
I am sooo sick of fucking Black Friday crap. It’s like a Hallmark holiday for big box stores. No one I know ever participates. But last week I was at one of those Vietnamese sweat shop to get my nails done and all of the nail tech people were talking about Black Friday. It’s like we’re imparting the worst of capitalism on these new immigrants. One guy told me he goes just to go, to be a part of it, he actually buys all of his stuff on line. Said the deals are only for the first 10 people in line anyway.
I cannot imagine anything worse than camping out to buy something that will be cheaper a week before Christmas.
I hate our consumer culture, I really do. But that’s just me.
Raven
@Southern Beale: And those people doing your nails got on a goddamn junk and pushed off into the China Sea hoping to get here.
eta You ever been shopping on Tudo Street or Cholon?
JPL
@Southern Beale: You might be correct if you’re talking about blockbuster deals where there are only ten items but for the most part, people go out to shop just for the fun of it. Years ago I did merchandising in retail and the six o’clock folks were the best. They would arrive with their coffee and donuts shopping with their coupons and best friends. A few years back I went with my son’s SO and we met him for breakfast by ten. It was fun. Not fun enough to every year but fun none the less.
Never go at ten am though because the grouches arrive.
gogol's wife
@burnspbesq:
My husband always says it’s my church, but I know that would offend a lot of people here. I give thanks for BJ whatever it is. Happy Thanksgiving!
Raven
@JPL: I’ll be on the boat.
fleeting expletive
My big Thanksgiving day casualty was my beloved Oster blender. The motor burned out, I guess. I bought it on e-bay probably 15 years ago, the boxy style with the glass container. My daughter was whipping up pumpkin and stuff for 3 vegan pumpkin cheesecakes and it just stopped and spewing out vile-smelling smoke. It’s still sitting outside on the step.
I guess I’ll hit Goodwill/SA in the next couple of days, try to find a replacement. The thing that endeared me to it was all the buttons-that thing could FRAPPE! like a champ.
JPL
@Raven: Sounds good.
James E. Powell
@Southern Beale:
It’s not just you and it’s not just you and me and the DFHs. But it is so pervasive, so much the fabric of this American life, that most people that hate it don’t realize that the consumer culture is what they really hate.
JPL
@Raven: Decades ago when we lived in Dallas, my neighbors had graduated from Texas Tech but the Dad was a big A&M fan. Terry worked for his dad but I had no idea what his dad did. His dad did pay A&M players to work for him, sorta I guess, and A&M didn’t get the death penalty for some reason. We lived in Roswell when all that came down and I was reading in the NYTimes about it but it said that Terry’s dad was a slum lord lord. Terry’s dad was banned from games and they lost scholarships and stuff but it was probably worse than SMU. My ex didn’t know about the A&M connection but did know the business. Moral of the story is my ex was never a football fan.
Raven
@JPL: I knew you had some deep Texas pigskin roots!
Raven
@James E. Powell: You can drive yourself to an early grave worrying about it.
suzanne
@Southern Beale: I hate Black Friday, too. Absolutely hate it. I don’t even want to get out of bed. Large crowds of people + shopping + anger… pretty much my idea of hell. I can’t imagine wanting any consumer good badly enough to put up with that quantity of humanity engaged in the kind of orgiastic activity I find reprehensible and disgusting. I have a couple of friends who do that shit. I don’t get it.
The thing of it is, Christmas is actually supposed to be about delayed gratification. Grace is coming, but it isn’t here yet. And I love gift-giving. But I hate the vulgar consumption of crap.
Raven
@JPL: Also too, most players at major programs had summer jobs where they made good dough.
cynn
Could you please address the fate of Generation Jones, born born 1954 to 1965? We are cut out of the righties economic overhaul by being axed from benefits we paid for, but I estimate we are the primary economic generators going forward. It sucks. I weep for my daughter, who will have it worse, but the fact that the fatcats rule is sick. I also paid for Thanksgiving this year, because nobody below or above (hello food banks) my demographic can seem to afford it. Thanks
JPL
@Raven: Yeah but in Texas they do it bigger and better. GT is under investigation for sneakers while in TX they do fancy cars and apartments.
Jamey
Is Black Friday a black thing, like macaroni and cheese?
Raven
@cynn:
Something’s happening but you don’t know what it is
do you Mr Jones?
Comrade Mary
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! We did turkey up here weeks ago, but there’s more coming in December. I do have to start baking tourtiere soon, though.
JPL
@Raven: Another neighbor was Judy Hitch whose husband turned down a job at OSU to stay at SMU to clean up the program… That didn’t work out so well. You have to remember that Athletic directors were not paid what they are now. I have two brothers in TX and their children went to UT..
suzanne
Might I just say that seeing photos of Gabby Giffords serving Thanksgiving at DM filled me with happiness? What a great lady. Much to be thankful for.
cynn
OK raven, I don’t know what it is. Sorry to be a sad. And Gabby is outstanding.
Steeplejack
Got home about 8:00, pleasantly full but not too stuffed. The meal was at the brother’s house, and we ended up eating about 3:00. Really good food. And my brother made a mincemeat pie! I was too full to have any, but I carved a giant piece to bring home.
After the meal we talked, mingled and scritched the hounds, with football on TV in the background. People kept drifting away–“Uh, I just remembered I need to go [mumble, mumble, mumble, something, take a nap].” I manfully maintained consciousness and kept up the conversation, but when the first shift of nappers showed no sign of coming back even as the second shift was abandoning the ranks I decided to pack it in and come home. Some of them were jetlagged, a couple were overstressed and decompensating from the pressures of hosting, and the rest are just boozy idlers. But a good time was had by all.
I’ve got a nice evening and a long morning in front of me, and then I need to sack up for the Black Friday evening shift at the store. Shouldn’t be too awful, but on the whole I’d rather be in Philadelphia, as W.C. Fields (supposedly) said.
Happy Thanksgiving to all you Juicers! As others have said, this is the best little port on the Interwebs, and I am happy to call it home.
ETA: Just realized the DVR is recording a new episode of Person of Interest. Neato.
Raven
@cynn: I dunno, I was born in 49. Doesn’t look all that different from here except we don’t have kids. (I assume you know that was from The Ballad of a Thin Man?)
Redshift
Let me just add to the chorus of those who are thankful for all of my snarky friends here. Thanks for helping to keep me sane in insane times, and for what many are doing to make them less insane!
Mary G
I just got home from a gathering of wonderful people I have known since the 1960s. They are all highly-educated ardent Democrats – two even live in San Francisco and have Nancy “Smash” Pelosi as their congressperson.
I am very shy and usually don’t talk much, but they got into the super-committee’s failure and all, all, every single one of them, not one exception, said it was as much the Democrats’ fault as the Republicans. And I blew my top and gave a long lecture on why that is NOT TRUE, with examples.
Probably failed to convince anyone, but feels good to come home and log on here where at least some of you people agree with me.
I’m also grateful to Balloon Juice because it is the only place where anyone knows who Little Feat are and still listen to their music like me.
Soonergrunt
Balloon-juice has been my bloghome since the 2008 primaries. I love it here. Even when I’m catching shit from somebody. Especially when I might deserve that shit.
Raven
@Mary G:
Well my telephone was ringing
And they told me it was Chairman Mao
Well my telephone was ringing
And they told me it was Chairman Mao
You can tell him anything
‘Cause I just don’t wanna talk to him now
Steeplejack
@Steeplejack:
Bummer. Not a new episode. I forgot I set the DVR to record all episodes because I think I missed the first one or two. Person of Interest started off a little shaky, but it has been getting better rapidly. It has filled the hole left by Human Target.
FlipYrWhig
Now that someone mentioned it… Whatever happened to Corner Stone?
Schlemizel
SOMEBODY HELP ME! I just finished a wonderful turkey dinner & all of a sudden I have an uncontrollable urge to go on the Hajj.
It must have been a Muslim turkey – HELP!
Steeplejack
@Mary G:
Way to go, girl! Part of the process is educating people on our side who unthinkingly accept the conventional wisdom. I bet you made an impression on at least some of them.
wasabi gasp
I think I was more thankful a couple of days ago, but it’s pretty close.
Steeplejack
@FlipYrWhig:
I asked that a week or so ago and got no definitive answer. Ditto for Just Some Fuckhead.
JPL
@Steeplejack: I miss Laura’s and JSF’s tiffs..
Kitten has disappeared also, too………
PurpleGirl
Happy Holiday to everyone. Dinner at my friend’s Aunt’s went very well. It was a smaller crowd than the dinner I went to 5 years ago, but there was good food and conversation. Turkey, stuffing, sweet potato, mashed potato, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and pumpkin pie, apple pie, and Nantucket cranberry tort. Got home and took a nap. The day was good.
ETA: JC, many thanks to you for hosting this place. Its community is really fantastic.
huckster
@Steeplejack: Yes… whither fuckhead?
Raven
@FlipYrWhig: He took gas when my Dawgs edged his cocks for the SEC East!
Hill Dweller
@Mary G: I guarantee that if the cat food committee has passed some of the crazy shit the Dems were offering, the very same people would be complaining about them caving and/or selling out.
Raven
@Litlebritdifrnt2: Depends on the genre, know what I mean?
Steeplejack
@huckster:
Isn’t that a line from a T.S. Eliot poem? The Waste Land, maybe.
burnspbesq
@JPL:
IIRC, SamKitten is now two, and two-year-olds can be a double handful.
Whoever said “You spend two years waiting for them to walk and talk, and the twenty after that wishing they’d sit down and shut up” was onto something.
Violet
Just got home from Thanksgiving with friends and family. A good time had by all, although some of the older folks are starting to show their years. I’m very thankful they’re still here to celebrate with us. Treasuring every day with them.
Was putting leftovers in the fridge and thought the motor sounded a bit funny. Decided maybe I should vacuum the vent in front, as that had a lot of dust on it and it might be making the motor work too hard. Turns out the part I could see was just a plastic cover and it came right off and UGH what was behind was disgusting. Coils covered in dust and grime. So I spent fifteen minutes or so vacuuming them. Seems like I barely got the dust and grime to move, but they look a bit better. I think I need a specialized brush or something.
So while that wasn’t how I expected to spend my Thanksgiving evening, perhaps it will save some electricity in the future. And I’m very thankful to have a refrigerator. I’ve lived without one and living with one is much better.
Raven
@Steeplejack: The Who
Raven
@Violet: Here ya go.
Soonergrunt
@burnspbesq:
I love my children with all my heart. But one of them is 17 going on 13, and the other is 13 going on 30.
Raven
A&M is tankin.
burnspbesq
@Soonergrunt:
I’ve lost count of the conversations I’ve had in the last year that ended with “Dude, I shouldn’t have to say it three times.”
David Koch
Damn, the Ravens look good.
And I didn’t know they picked up Ricky Williams. That’s a quality back up.
suzanne
@burnspbesq: Mine is, “I’m gonna count to :::insert number here:::. DO I HAVE TO COUNT?” Maybe that’s why my almost-eight-year-old hates math.
Gravenstone
@Lojasmo: Pretty sure it’s Fred/Derf version 4.0
Southern Beale
Oh yeah, America still makes something! For some reason I thought this shit was all made in China.
Lojasmo
@MikeJ:
Ah. Derf. Of course.
JPK
Happy Thanksgiving all! I’m grateful for the fun and interaction of Balloon Juice even when I’m (usually) too late to threads to comment. Lurking works too!
wasabi gasp
I am thankful I have none of the children people with their noise faces near my ears.
Suffern ACE
@burnspbesq: Yo. I got it the first time.
Southern Beale
@Violet:
Does the motor sound better?
Whatever you do, do NOT pull the fridge away from the wall unless you have about an hour to spend cleaning out the crud behind it!
Southern Beale
So, the Star-Tribune tells that kid who launched the petition that got OVER 190,000 SIGNATURES against Target’s expanded Black Friday hours to “stop whining” and just be glad he has a job….
Thank you, Twin Cities newspapers, for doing your part to keep capitalism (and your ad revenue) solid! Good patriots!
Garbo
Happy Thanksgiving to all the B-Jers here on the Group W bench.
John O
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
My big one is Saturday, so everyone can do their in-law thing on Thursday, but I always make a day of it anyway.
Hope nobody got into any family feuds.
Violet
@Raven:
Thank you. I think that’s exactly what I need. Maybe I’ll pick one up at Home depot tomorrow.
@Southern Beale:
I think it sounds a bit better, but maybe I’m just being hopeful. It’s got a funny sound, sort of a rattle, but that’s not really any different than it has sounded for quite some time.
I can’t imagine how bad it is behind the fridge. It must be awful.
Steeplejack
@Garbo:
Father-stabber here. The mother-rapers kind of scare me. And don’t even mention the father-rapers.
Suzanne Holland
Thanks for the best bar around….I’ve lurked for a long time….you guys teach me something everyday…and best, you always make me laugh! Thank you all and Happy thanksgiving.
Ben Cisco (mobile)
I ate, but not to excess. No football, played with the grand-nephew until he fell asleep.
__
Grateful for family, friends, and you lot. This blog has become my political home, a respite from the unadulterated lunacy of right wing politics and a compliant/complicit Ferengi-based media. Many thanks, and may the Prophets guide your path.
S. cerevisiae
Punkin Chunkin is the reason for the season. Seriously though, I’ve always wanted a trebuchet.
Odie Hugh Manatee
Happy Turkey Day to those who participate in another excuse for Americans to stuff their faces until comatose.
Me too. :)
Yutsano
@Odie Hugh Manatee: Hey I’ll take the excuse to not work for five days and get paid for three of them. I’m thinking this might just turn into my annual vacation thing. :)
Ben Cisco (mobile)
The first hour of Samurai Jack is Cartoon Network’s finest hour.
moonbat
@Ben Cisco (mobile): Word.
Ruckus
You guys are evil. Had the jones for it so I made a small batch of mac and cheese appetizer a while ago. Now it’s time for dinner.
Garbo
@Steeplejack: It’s the litterers you have to watch out for.
Steeplejack
@Garbo:
True dat.
burnspbesq
@Yutsano:
Dude, Monday holidays are the key to happiness as a Gubmint worker bee. Take Friday and Tuesday off. Five days off for the price of two. Even better if you can do it using credit hours instead of vacation.
4jkb4ia
@Raven:
The first I saw that analogy was Jeralyn at TalkLeft: “being like a neighborhood bar is one of the things that independent blogs can still do.”
Yutsano
@burnspbesq:
I don’t have any earned yet, but that will be changing soon. The National Agreement limits the number to 24 hours but that’s three days of free leave that I can bank up in pretty much no time along with my regular leave allotments. Plus since it’s just past my first year my QSI reward is a leave bonus. I’m aiming for the step increase come next evaluation period. I’m already running right on schedule for that. :)
Michael D.
I will give a largish donation to Farm Sanctuary to hopefully offset some of the donations you all are giving to Heifer International.
How about we teach people that they don’t need to kill shit and that it is cheaper, healthier, and much easier to raise vegetables for nutrition?
henqiguai
@Michael D. (#192): I suspect you and I are the only ones on this thread, ’cause I’m just chillin’ out while the rest of the household sleeps, and I’m not yet ready to start studying.
On your comment
Don’t have any links, but I have seen studies purporting to show that we cannot currently produce enough consumables for the world’s population to live as vegetarians. For that matter, we couldn’t feed the current US population on a purely vegetarian diet. The whole arable land, water, nutrient mix thing. And that’s before you get to trying to re-educate peoples’ palates; and the fact that as a species we evolved as omnivores, with brains (most of us) imposing an energy budget not easily met with a purely vegetarian diet.
gravie
Thanks for the reminder about Heifer International. It’s one of my favorite charities, and I just threw $50 their way, using your link. Hope the remainder of your holiday weekend is wonderful! I appreciate being able to check in to Balloon Juice every day for intelligent and humane (mostly) conversation.