Thanksgiving thoughts

Turkey day is upon us.  That means football, gluttony, and napping.  Three of my favorite things.  I thought I would give you a list of things to be thankful for.

1. Black Friday.  Not because of the door buster deals or a good stampede to get a 100 dollar computer, but because it takes all of the shoppers out of the non-shoppers hair for a day.  It's like a door buster deal for people who hate to shop.  You know exactly who will not be bothering you for a day and where to avoid.  I do most of my holiday shopping online anyway.  Takes the hassle out of it.  (By the way is there anything more American than jamming all of your best consumer deals into one 18 hour period?  I think not.)  As a former retail employee myself, enjoy your shopping, but please be understanding.  Most of the people at the stores you are shopping at work long hours for little money.  Be nice to them as long as they are nice to you.

2.  Netflix online streaming.  Nothing can take the sting out of an 838 mile trip through the wilds of Texas like non stop episodes of Rescue Me.  Thanks to a Verizon Mi-Fi card and a killer iPhone app, I was able to drown out good stretches of that trip.  Although a word to Northwest Texas-please set up a few more cell towers in your area.  Nothing is worse than getting right to the end of an episode and it being interrupted by bad cell service.  Thanks.

3.   Jason Garrett.  The Cowboys interim coach has made a season that was about to get really boring and anti-climactic much more interesting and discussion worthy.   Are the Cowboys going to the playoffs now?  No.  But at least it's not the same story every week with Coach Confused. 

4. There's going to be a Green Lantern movie.  No real reason to expound here, I am just happy about it.  And Blake Lively is in it.  She's a winner. 

See what I mean.  I am glad that she is going mainstream.  I am not watching Gossip Girl.

5.  The Big 12 in it's final year as a 12 team league is really intriguing.  You mean someone other than Texas or OU can win it?  Texas might not be going to a bowl game?  Everyone hates Nebraska?  Baylor and A&M are relevant? OK St has been the best team so far?  Color me interested.  Sorry Texas and OU fans, but your dominance of the league the last 10 years has made things a little bit predictable.

6.  The Vikings are falling apart.  The Cowboys have successfully passed this curse on to Minnesota.  Brad Childress is out.  Brett Favre is wrapping up his final season.  Maybe there will be some normalcy to this NFL offseason.  Oh wait, never mind.  There is going to be a lockout.  Great.  Now I'll long for the annual Brett Favre retirement dance.  Dang.

7.  The League.  Easily one of the funnier shows on TV.  If you haven't seen it check it out.  I believe Season 1 is available through Netflix.  Season 2 has been even better.

8.  The Miami Heat's struggles.  Sometimes you can have too many captains and not enough sailors.  Thanks for teaching us this lesson.  Apologies to Erik Spoelstra, but you are going to get fired soon.  Not your fault really.  But Pat Riley is going to see this team as a potential Justice League.  And at 8-6 you are making them look like the Care Bears.  A change is afoot.

9.   Turkey!!!  Need I say more.  I will.  You can also be thankful for mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce and whatever else you want on Thanksgiving.  Man I love this holiday.  So much so that it is one of the very few official "Paulidays."  Other Paulidays include Super Bowl Sunday, MLB Opening Day, Labor Day, St. Patrick's and Arbor Day.  Why Arbor Day?  Why not?  What days aren't Paulidays?  Valentines Day, Secretaries' Day, Boxing Day, and Groundhog Day.   

Happy Thanksgiving!! That is all.