-Read (that is, was vaguely aware of) the guides to dealing with the proverbial conservative uncle.
-Read the Internetfolk pointing out that actually (is this where #actually is needed?) it's kind of condescending as well as ungrateful to approach Thanksgiving in this way, and also, not everyone is a young urban-dweller with conservative small-town family. And remarked (privately? aloud? who even remembers?) that each of the people making this point seemed to think they were either the first or, at the very least, going against the current. Which had shifted, and which is now distinctly pointing towards announcing that one will graciously attend one's conservative uncle's do. Which, why do I even know this? It's a busy time of the semester here, and between teaching and other work, I'd forgotten it even was Thanksgiving. (But also - isn't the whole issue here the difference between being a sanctimonious liberal, and being, say, LGBT, and facing actual, personal backlash from your family?)
-Went to the 7-11 for a Kit Kat and a diet Coke, and once again received the upsell speech about how there's a special on kebabs.
Don't Canadians have their own Thanksgiving? I know because one my PhD classmates wanted to return home for it but was fretting about asking permission to miss class, and I suggested that she tell her professors that "next Thursday is a sacred day for my people." Guaranteed winner in Berkeley.
ReplyDeleteThere is a Canadian Thanksgiving! It's a Monday in October. Which, for those who never teach or have meetings on Mondays anyway, went by unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteGoodd reading
ReplyDelete