In Defense of Thanksgiving
Mostly we eat gluttonously, watch football, perhaps play football if we're the outdoorsy type, and scrutinize Black Friday circulars for the best price on a gift for the in-laws. Some of us pray (yes, even progressives), most of us give thanks, at least to ourselves, for the important things in life: family, health, meaning.  That's American Thanksgiving today. In grammar school I was taught about the Myles Standish, about the big party at Plymouth Rock.  Yes, Abrahahm Lincoln first set aside this last Thursday in November for our nation to observe as a day of "thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in Heaven."   My parents taught me about Pilgrim

In gratitude
I don't know about you, but this year I'm grateful for many things.  I'm still working on my contribution to this year's afternoon feast, sweet potato crumble and fresh bread.  I'm timing it so that the bread will be cooling as we drive over to my brother's. Once again, it's been another wild year.  What about you? Gratitude and ingratitude lists after the fold... Gratitude Family ... my wife, Elizabeth, and the newest addition to our family, my daughter Cecelia.  I'm also grateful that when my Dad died this spring, everything that I needed to say had been said.  While peanut is a li'l short on Grandpas, she's got two guardian angels k

Timmy's Happy Trails, Thanksgiving Day
-  Since I might be about the only person posting here today, what with everyone else having lives and all, I wish I had something of note to report. But pseudo-Gov. Tim Pawlenty isn't cooperating;  he's doing the holiday thing, too. -  Interesting Hubbard News (KSTP) would even mention issues with TPaw's travel schedule.

Thissen holding live web chat, picks up superdelegate
Gubernatorial candidate Paul Thissen is holding a live web chat right now -- join in if you can. He's sitting down with State Director Dan Weinand, who officially endorsed Thissen at the opening of the session -- the Superdelegate Tracker has been updated accordingly.

Timmy's Happy Trails 11/25/09
-  Gov. Tim Pawlenty doesn't seem to be making any trails, happy or otherwise, through the holiday weekend.  If you really wanna know (why?), well, he might get in some hockey, he says, here.   Hopefully he's right, in the same article, to the effect that the legislature doesn't intend to let his brutal, vindictive unallotment pass without a murmur.   (That second link, by State Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley) is a righteous read.  Unfo