(Sunday Paper, Year IV, Issue 48)

I sometimes feel like a broken record in my annual Thanksgiving post.

I always tell you how very much I love Thanksgiving…

The food, the football, the family, the weather, the ushering in of the Christmas season….

And then I go on about the things I probably should have done on Thanksgiving but didn’t.

Well, this year, I’m pleased to tell you, I actually did one of those things.

I haven’t gone back to check, but I’m pretty sure I’ve written about how every year we’re in Massachusetts for Thanksgiving, I lament the fact that we didn’t sign up for the Turkey Trot in time, and I rue the fact that I didn't begin my Thanksgiving with a little road race. (The last time I did was probably something like 2007 - a four-miler in Somerville.) This has been the theme of the last few Thanksgivings, which for some reason were all in Massachusetts, since we missed a turn in traveling to New York somehow.

And every time we’re in New York for Thanksgiving we talk about going to the parade, but end up finding a reason not to.

Well, this year, we were in New York for Thanksgiving…and even though there was a reason not to go (the threat of winds shutting down the parading of some of the giant balloons), we went to the parade.

My family, my sister’s family, and my dad had the opportunity to watch the parade from the warmth of a building along the parade route on 6th Avenue. I don’t know what about this I am allowed to disclose but it may or may not have had something to do with the fact that I am a well-respected and well-known comedian. (It had nothing to do with the fact that I am a well-respected and well-known comedian.) (Also, I am not a well-respected and well-known comedian.)

You might think this scenario would remove us from the rude, pushing children you might find down on the ground watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade, but those kids managed to find their way into this building and push their way to the window.

And other than that it was a really great experience.

For the first time all three of my daughters enjoyed the parade in person. (The older two had been once before, nine years ago.)

We packed the most into Thanksgiving from the moment we woke up…we were back in Queens in time for kickoff of the first football game, and we enjoyed the rest of the day together.

I haven’t had a bad Thanksgiving in a while. (There have been a couple where I was quite sick but that’s about the only thing that could keep me from having a very good Thanksgiving.)

This one, as per usual, was pretty great.

I sure do like Thanksgiving.

Maybe next year I’ll remember to sign up for the Turkey Trot.

Writing

*Not a whole lot of writing work happening lately. This time of year everything always gets turned on its head, but hopefully the first few weeks of December will be productive.

Comedy

*I was all set to go to a show in Brooklyn on Wednesday night and I just didn’t. For no other reason than I was happy being around my family. I should have gone, there was no real reason I needed to stay in, but I didn’t go. That’s how it goes sometimes. I really have to motivate myself to get out…and I just didn’t do it this week.

*Also, it should be pointed out, seeing as how this is the first Sunday in December and all, we are fast approaching the second Saturday in December, which of course is the December edition of Comedy Night at Exhibit ‘A’. Tickets can be purchased here.

What I’ve Been Enjoying

*We watched ‘Home Alone 2’ on Thursday night. I had never really watched it front to back in its entirety before (truth be told we missed the first few minutes and I ducked out for a bit towards the end, so I guess I still haven’t…but I plan on catching it again this holiday season), and it is very good. For some reason I didn’t think it was as good as the first one, but it’s a good, fun movie.

Thoughts on Dog Ownership

*Since I have a little more of a lull in my work schedule than I had before I’ve been able to consistently take Tate on walks, something that hasn’t happened enough because 1) we haven’t rightfully made the time, and 2) it became quite an ordeal and time commitment because she did puppy things like give up on a walk midway through. But now we’re in a good walking rhythm and it’s a really enjoyable experience and I’m looking forward to the days when we can really walk for miles together.

Notes

*The indoor parade experience certainly has its benefits - it was warm and not windy - but I would like to experience the parade outdoors again sometime. It’s a little bit funny to watch the parade without the soundtrack, but mostly I would like to hear the bands and the music and the crowds and all.

*There were two noticeable wind mishaps on Thursday - one is that the Ronald McDonald balloon apparently ripped, and it was taken off the parade route right where we were watching, so that was fun to see. (According to Twitter the TV version of the parade didn’t show a damaged balloon, instead showing video of the balloon from past years.) Secondly, the Olaf balloon was blown slightly off course in front of us and that was a little chaotic and since it was harmless and everything turned out OK that was fun to watch.

*Satellite radio strikes again: Driving back from New York Friday night we listened to one of the Christmas music stations on Sirius, and right off the bat we heard Stevie Wonder’s “That’s What Christmas Means To Me”, which every year I complain to Kathy we don’t hear enough on the regular radio that plays all of the Christmas music. So that was a win, and then I was thinking it would be cool if we heard Tom Petty’s “It’s Christmas All Over Again”, and that came on before the end of the ride. So, still not sure I’m going to subscribe…but I sure am glad I have it through the Christmas season.

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*I should have gone for a run Saturday morning, when the weather was still above freezing and the roads were still snow-free. But after the late Friday night drive home I just wasn’t feeling it…and I also might be coming down with something (it always seems like I get sick over Thanksgiving weekend). It’s too early to be worrying about snow-covered streets, but I guess if I’m running through the winter I might as well deal with it sooner rather than later. (This assumes we’re getting hit with the snow I’m being told we’re going to get hit with on Sunday evening.)

*I did accomplish something on Saturday: I got the Christmas decorations up. I’ll be telling you more about that next week.