Ah yes, Thanksgiving – that American holiday where the Butterball Turkey hotline is jammed up for hours, food coma is a given, and people start gearing up for Black Friday (post on that coming early in the morn, tomorrow) and the inevitable march towards the holiday season.
Whether you’re a geek or not, celebrating Thanksgiving is a way to remind yourself that there are things such as family or that failing, those you are close to, that you can fall back on when times are tough. Even though you could say that a geek stereotype is that we are hermits who disdain popular culture, the fact of the matter is that the dawn of technology and the ability for people to connect with one another without ever meeting makes Thanksgiving possible for everyone.
I’m fortunate to have what amounts to a regular readership (something that I never would have thought would be appealing to a fair amount of people), as well as those who love and support me through my various, geek-fueled endeavors. I’m thankful that we have the opportunity to connect in this way, and that I have a place where I can make a small, yet hopefully meaningful impact through perpetual optimism. I’m also thankful that geekery, more than ever, is in the public eye and that tech, games, the internet, and more are more widely accepted by a popular culture which used to shun or scratch their head at things like Facebook and Twitter.
Of course, all of this is made much easier by the fact that no matter who you are, good food will always be satisfying. Whether you chow down on a turkey, a tofurkey, or your favorite Thanksgiving staples, being fortunate enough to have such things, and keeping those who don’t in your hearts is never a bad thing.
So Happy Thanksgiving to all of you celebrating today, and remember – any holiday where you can take White Castle hamburgers and create stuffing for a turkey is a damn good holiday:
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Happy Thanksgiving!