The day before US Thanksgiving doldrums

i ended up getting a western omelette.

Meanwhile UCI shuts down from Dec. 24th to Jan. 1, and as mentioned three of those days off have to be cashed in via vacation or comp. Unfun. But I've built up enough comp time to cash that in, which is allowing me to finish work on Dec. 19th with a half day and then actually use vacation time for vacation by flying up that afternoon to SF, so for the first time in a long time I can be at my sis's birthday directly on the 20th and then just hang around in the Bay Area and Carmel through the 28th. (I was tempted to add on a vacation day for Jan. 2 but I actually want to use that day just to catch up on all the Reserves requests that will have been hanging fire in the meantime...)

taking the Amtrak from Boston to New York tomorrow, for one of those classic NYC 9:00 PM Thanksgiving dinners...(why they eat so late?)

we work late

thanksgiving dinner should be at 2pm - im from boston i know these things - tomorrow i eat @ 5pm wtf

i'm eating at 530ish, which is way way early, cuz my parents are getting on an airplane the next day

This is the best holiday of the year! I now have two turkeys brining, in a mix of salt water and Southern Comfort. Tomorrow I will smoke these two beasts over hickory, and then play Rock Band 2 after dinner with my guests. I can't feel any doldrums over this.

no doldrums. i'm playing hooky from school, about to go to the gym and then out to my parents' house for food and wines.

J Shea you coming up here for 5 o'clock Thanksgiving? You can get a steakbomb!

Also I went to the supermarket a while ago and it wasn't too bad. Go now if you can cause it's only going to get worse!

no doldrums, just boozin' and jokin' and a fiddlin' and a canoein'

ok just the first two

o fuk the supermarket. Yeah, gotta do that.

wait: ILX is gonna be dead until Monday isn't it?

It's OK, we'll keep it going while you're away.

Signed The Rest of the World.

I don't really mind going to extended-family Thanksgivings -- I'm driving to my cousin's place in Peoria tomorrow -- but I have to say, I'm increasingly envious of friends who are either not particularly close to their families or whose families are so far away that it's not worth it and who therefore just have a big booze-fueled potluck instead.

We've lived very far from all extended family for so many years now that Thanksgiving has long-since become my family's holiday, rather than a holiday I spend with extended family (e.g. Christmas). For years we've made a tradition of inviting people over who have no place else to go---there are lots of these people in university towns. It's always a blast.

Nice. You're doing good work there!

I'm at a worksite; everyone emphasizes they're happy to have me here but they can't quite say what I'll be doing as part of this project. What the hell, as long as they sign off on my timesheet....

(And I would like to get to the store, even if it is going to be a madhouse.)

For years we've made a tradition of inviting people over who have no place else to go---there are lots of these people in university towns. It's always a blast.

^^this. the orphan thanksgivings with a bunch of friends and stuff are always my favorite.

J Shea you coming up here for 5 o'clock Thanksgiving? You can get a steakbomb!

― Lady Gorgorrand (ENBB), Wednesday, November 26, 2008 1:24 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

ha no my fam doesnt live in boston no more - im staying here - steakbomb would be amazing tho

Dead day today, just finishing up a grad school app and catching up with friends. Might head down to the Zen Center for the evening service. Gotta work tomorrow morning, hopefully get off early to hit the road for Mom's & a late afternoon Thanksgiving lunch & hopefully enough drinking to make me forget the arguments about Obama by morning. They're leaving town Black Friday morning and I've got the day off, so it's back up to ATX with another 36 hours to kill before work. Not sure what I'll do with it yet.

I am now treating myself to a pedicure bc I am pissed that I have to go to class tonight and there wasn't enough time to go home

haha whaaat http://i37.tinypic.com/2vdr9mr.jpg

I keep thinking y'all seem to have a fucktonne of public holiday weekends but then I rememver you only get 2 weeks a year annual leave with that, or something, rite?

lol after 3 years with current company i have amassed 1.5 weeks paid vacay

Holy fuckaduck! We get 4 weeks a year!

it depends on the company

there is no national law requiring vacation time. many people in the US get 4 weeks a year.

Yes sorry, didn't mean to suggest I was the standard.

Because my position is only good til may/June, I am benefit/paid holiday/vacationless. Sure I get thanksgiving off but I'm losing almost half a week's pay for it. Go me!

Right now I earn 12 hours paid vacation a month and about 8 hours sick leave, so whatever that adds up to.

looooooooove orphan holidays. one of the best xmas' ever was orphan-style

I have a part-time job (so far! I'm applying and interviewing for many others!) and requested time off for Thanksgiving, so I just have no work and no income this week. I am a little depressed that I can't go home for Christmas through New Year's like all of my roommates are doing, because they are mostly students and one person with a good job and tons of vacation. But I have the 30th & 31st off, so I can either invite people or head to NY for New Year's Eve, and that could be exciting.

HALF HOUR LEFT OF WORK!

test run of my sweet potato costume: doesn't look much like a sweet potato. looks pretty weird though.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/3063072652_ac3e17a610.jpg

This'll be one strange wedding.

i'm impressed, looks like you put some effort into it! i wonder how many vegetables vs. pilgrims and indians there will be. (and since it's a wedding, i really hope "smallpox blankets" cracks don't come out like they seem to at pilgrim/indian costume parties.) you should report back.

lol that hat!!!

good luck usa

i wasnt in the doldrums yesterday. i was hunky dory. today im not so good. shitty football on the tv, old friends from highschool calling me wanting to get together (i am avoiding them), and no thanksgiving dinner to boot. my dad had shoulder surgery yesterday and im sitting in his room right now keeping him company. he cant sleep and the pain is too intense, and he doesn't want to be alone. im so anxious i just tried to rearrange my parents cupboards and fridge. i just washed the butter dish and replaced it with a new fresh stick of butter. outside the sky is covered by a blanket of dirty grey.

i cant wait for tomorrow.

Best to your dad, Mandee -- hope he recovers soon -- and good thoughts to you all.

Bah,last day of long weekend.

i get these a little early sometimes

HMMMMM

the anticipation of a four day holiday weekend is usually better than the four day holiday weekend. i am enjoying life today, even though i am at work.

A few hours to go.

Work emails I needed to get written this week: about 100.
Work emails I wrote this week: 1.

whole day disrupted/no work accomplished, due to wife's dental emergency (thankfully resolved). fighting a cold too. but thanksgiving is my favorite holiday so fuck a doldrums.

Real doldrums doubtless being experienced by whoever is out there stuck in an airport. And I KNOW you're out there.

At home, sitting around reading ILX / a book and listening to music, kind of wish I was doing something more, but not really wanting to do much more.

Went through final inspection of my new house, but I don't close on it until Monday. I could spend the weekend organizing and sorting through my stuff, but why bother? I have a whole house to unpack it into.