It's Coming....

Thanksgiving Survival Tips

Yep, the holidays are fast upon us.  The Thanksgiving feast with the carved beast, too many fixin's, family stress and probably too much alcohol.  Pre-Black Friday deals, the oversaturated Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday.  Ugh.  Yeah, you can score some great deals as long as your willing to give up your free time to camp out and shop 'til you drop among thousands of other idiots.  I am proud to say that I won't indulge in any of that crap.  I pretty much have all I need.  Besides, what I really want is not for sale.  And that's okay.  At least for now that is....

I have a love/hate relationship with the holidays.  It's just not what it used to be. Nor is it what I expected it to be at this stage in my life.   I love my family and enjoy my time with them, but it has never been the same since my brother died.  No big surprise there.  I think that's a rather normal existence in any family that has suffered some kind of loss.  Regardless, I will make the best of it with what I hope to be a positive attitude and understanding.  I might need to pray about that a little bit more.  

I just watched a documentary about the band R.E.M.  Man, I used to listen to them a lot. "Life's Rich Pageant" was always my 'go to' for long car trips.  I still have the cassette somewhere. (and the CD, duh!)  They really were good together not to mention starting up the whole 'college radio' genre.  And quite by accident.  They just wanted to play at some college parties and drink beer.  Little did they know what was in their future.  What I really admire about them as a band is their 'brotherhood' if you will.  They were a band who treated each member with equality especially when it came to song writing.  Nobody took complete credit for any one song, as they all contributed to what they wrote.  Therefore, no arguments about who gets credit for what songs they wrote because in their mentality that is why bands break up.  Arguing over songs.  I think that's pretty cool.  Who does that these days?  I need to revisit those albums...maybe even buy their last one recorded.  A girl's got to have her music ya know?

Aside from the snarky quote above, I hope that you have a good Thanksgiving no matter how you choose to celebrate.  I have a lot to be thankful for and I don't forget about it either.  I wish I could give back in more ways than I do at this stage in my life but I hope that the thought and will to give more will be enough.  I'm a firm believer in 'what goes around, comes around'.  There are so many that are struggling and /or alone.  Nobody should have to live that way, but I know it happens which makes me pretty sad sometimes.  In the meantime, may your plates be full, your table surrounded with loved ones and your ears filled with laughter.  Happy Thanksgiving!  elizinashe