Thursday, November 23, 2006

Turkey Day!!!


So today is the 23rd of November. Today, in the States, one of my favorite holidays is celebrated. There is none of that having to by presents bullshit, just family getting together to watch the Macy's Parade, eat a fabulous meal, gorge on desserts and fall asleep to the football game on the T.V. In the United States, certain kinds of food are traditionally served at Thanksgiving meals. First and foremost, turkey is usually the featured item on any Thanksgiving feast table (so much so that Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as “Turkey Day”). Stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans and random other fall veggies...as well as pumpkin pie are part of the tradition. I personally will eat a piece of Pumpkin Pie and then a piece of custard pie. YUMMY!!!



The actual tradition of Thanksgiving comes from the meal held in 1621 in Plymouth Massachusetts with the Wampanoag. The Pilgrims were thankful to Squanto, a aboriginal, who taught them to grow corn, catch eel and was an interpreter for them (he learned English on a trip to Europe.) Without his help, the Pilgrims would probably not have survived the harsh winter in the colony. So they set apart a day to celebrate after their first harvest in Plymouth in 1621. Harvest festivals (what the US calls Thanksgiving) was already a part of English and Wampanoag tradition anyway so Thanksgiving is not strictly a US thing :) A " true" Thansgiving celebration was not really held until 1623 after a really harsh growing season - there was a drought..and then prayers for rain and an rain shower. Sooooo..it became a way of saying Thanks to the big Kahuna upstairs for getting them through. Anywho, President Washington delcared (after a recommendation by both Houses of Congress) that the first National Thanksgiving Day was November 26, 1789. It was then declared by presidents after him, but there was no official day yet. Since 1863, Thanksgiving has been observed annually in the United States. And incase you cared: In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that Thanksgiving would be the next-to-last Thursday of November rather than the last. So that is why Thanksgiving falls on a different date each year...but ALWAYS a Thursday.




...end of History lesson...on to my family traditions...






The men in my family, after dinner and dessert (and before the game) , would step outside no matter what the temperature and smoke a big fat cigar while debating who would win the gridiron match about to start. Friendly wagers and boasting would ensue. Meanwhile, not being partial to cigars or swaggering/boasting about sports, I would relax contentedly with my Grams and talk about all sorts of things. Mainly I would listen to her reminise about how it was when she was a younger (having moved from Ireland to the US as a young woman) or when she and my Gramps (may he rest in peace) were trying to feed their 7 children and relatives on the meager salary my Grandfather made working 2 jobs - postal carrier by day and supermarket stock man by night. They didn't have much, but my big Irish step-family gave thanks for their togetherness, health and the love of family. It has stayed that way in my family...and this year...well, I miss them. We may not be all blood realatives, but we are a family. They are my step family...well since forever they have been my step family, but no one uses the word "step" at all. My Grams says I am Irish (even though there isn't a drop of Irish blood running in my veins), and ya know what? If my Grams says I am Irish..then I am Irish.



My papa and I have a tradition on this day. I don't know why, but it is just my papa and me who do this in my family. There are 36 people (yes, I have a HUGE family) who all cram into the house to have dinner and be together. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, etc. As a result of this garganutan brood decending on one house, my parents usually use the ovens in both kitchens (yes we have two) to prepare 2 of the 3 giant turkeys that will be consumed (one of my many aunts brings the 3rd). When they are pulled from the ovens and set too cool a bit (can't cut a really hot turkey..the meat falls apart), my papa and I will frequently go and tear a piece of skin off and sneak it into our mouths. When the time comes for the turkey to be cut, my papa does the honours. However, we always share the first piece he cuts together. No one else. It is our little taste test...and I will really miss that this year.






So, without getting all weepy, Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Tough Choices

No, it isn't an election choice. No, it isn't an activist choice. No, it isn't a choice of what holiday to take. For those of you who don't know, I decided at 31 to get my first tatoo. I had always wanted one. I decided on a pattern and it means something to me. It wasn't a decision I took lightly (knowing that it would be on my body until I die). The design was not anything "silly" and it represents an ideal and bond that is so dear to me. The indepth explination takes too long and involves me asking a very important question of you, the reader, and then going through an entire exchange of dialogue that only 4 people can actually do properly, and they know who they are. The tattoo also represents a bond to 2 other people that were involved in the evening I actually had it done (yay Leb and Sug!), but for entirely different reasons. Some people think tattoos are nasty. Some people think they are great. I think of my tattoo as a reminder of many things. It is an homage to an ideal and commitment and it is important to me. The design is celtic to remind me that family doesn't necessarily have to be biological in my case, and complex to remind me of the complexity and beauty of life, love and relationships and that:

Friendship is Love with Wings

Anywhoo, it is on my body and in a place where you will see it if I decide to show it to you. And I don't even have to compromise my virtues by showing it to anyone. I knew after I got it that I wanted another one.

So now to the choices...what to get and where to put it......

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Happy Thursday


Okay..so I get the news a bit later here (time difference and I have to sleep SOMETIME). I was biting my nails all day yesterday with Senate controll hanging in the balance. Woke up this morning tired and cranky..and then I read the news. I am a happy woman right now.


Some history making things as a result of this election:



  • 1st Female Speaker of the House in US history: go kick some ass Pelosi


  • 1st Congressman of Muslim faith: Rock on Minnesota's Keith Ellison


  • 1st Socialist Senator: Vermont's Bernie Sanders and he is an Independent!!


  • 1st record number of female Senators: 16!!!!


  • 1st Black Governor of Massachusetts in its 218 year history: Deval Patrick - a man who ran a campaign that refused to run smear ads or use dirty tactics


  • All 6 female Senators up for re-election WON

On a happy note as well... Adios to Donald Rumsfeld.



All of this jumping up and down on my part is my intial reaction to the election. Going forward now I just hope the Dems and Independents can actually get some stuff done without looking like mean winners. What the Democratic Party does now will greatly influence the 2008 elections. Let's just hope the Dems accomplish something or at least try to accomplish something..

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

One word..




HOTTIE!!




Even if you didn't like her music, the experience you got at her concert in Helsinki on the 30th was fucking insane. I think I wanna marry her....