Some disconnected Thanksgiving thoughts

I know the usual parlance for this is "random thoughts," but if all the thoughts come from me, then they are pretty much the opposite of random, so unless I'm trying to be ironic, it's just wrong.

First a couple of holiday links. Here's coverage of the Thanksgiving Day Parade Eve balloon inflation event that "real" New Yorkers prefer to the parad itself. Then, having nothing to do with Thanksgiving, some interesting social commentary, or is it?

Oh, and before I forget, make sure to be thankful on Friday, Saturday and Sunday too. All of the good fortune you celebrate on Thanksgiving day is yours every day, and if you don't spend at least a moment savoring it, you're depriving yourself and others.

Since the announcement of the "word of the year," which is inexplicably 'GIF," which is neither a word nor in any way new, we've been discussing the most overused word or phrase that we wish to rid ourselves of. There was some discussion of store clerks' annoying "Are you sure?" when you say you don't want to put your purchase in a plastic bag. But the hands down winner (a phrase I assume has card game roots) is "Honestly...," or it's more loquacious cousin, "To be honest with you..."

This was alarming to me because I then became aware of how often I used that verbal tic. I wouldn't get too caught up in the implication that I'm not being honest the rest of the time, though I suppose that might be true for some people. I just don't like using phrases as catch-alls, both because it's an excuse not to think and when overused it becomes meaningless.

What's more interesting to contemplate is why that particular phrase at this particular time. I mentioned an article from the New York Times titled "How To Live Without Irony" which I found as interesting as an article dependent on stereotyping can be. Is there a general sense that people and institutions are normally less than honest? Is that a healthy thing?

For all the noise about certain politicians undermining Traditional American Values, the seasonal example being the so-called "War on Christmas" (which actually not about Christmas at all but whether you use the phrase 'Merry Christmas' or the more generic 'Happy Holidays'), the real undermining of TAV is being done by stores like Walmart, Target, etc. that are opening on Thanksgiving evening. What connection is there between being thankful for what you have and buying stuff? I don't get it.

Okay, time to start getting ready for my family's traditional Thanksgiving dinner, which this year is Breakfast For Dinner. None of us like turkey and whenever we're in a diner we all order breakfast stuff, no matter what time of day it is. So we can do any kind of breakfast items, as long as there's no turkey in them. Challah french toast, blueberry pancakes, fritatta, bacon, home fries, biscuits. Yum! Next year we're going to do Thanksgiving as our ancestors would have done after getting through Ellis Island- kashe varniskes, pot roast, latkes, blintzes. I can hardly wait.