What Made you Smile/What Ticked you off Today?

[dsheinem]

Smile: I had a nice four days at an academic conference in DC. I got to talk about zombies in video games, among other things.

Frown: My liver was bigger than my brain. Oh the hangovers.

Smile: My PS4 and (soon to procure) Xbox One are now grant-funded consoles

Frown: impending 4-5 day in-law invasion...

[Stark]

Smile: My PS4 and (soon to procure) Xbox One are now grant-funded consoles.

Nice!!!

[Luke]

Frown: impending 4-5 day in-law invasion...

At least you'll have a warm Thanksgiving dinner. Or a Thanksgiving dinner period.

I found out that my in-laws are having a dozen people over, including "someone new at church", so there will be a stranger too! So Grandma in law is bringing the cold turkey, and even with six people there's not enough to eat. Tie in the fact that my brother in law always takes the lions share of anything that tastes decent I'll be lucky to get a sweet potato and cranberries. Luckily I'm making the cranberries so we'll actually have cranberries and not something from a can or a cranberry salad.

And another thing! Unfortunately not understanding portions runs in her family as I had to pick up two more bags of cranberries. I bet you anything they'll have one twelve pack of Yuengling for twelve people, and one bottle of wine, again, for twelve people. I'm also certain that someone will say "Oh! Heavens to Betsy, look at all that food!" giving me the chance to say "Yeah, everyone grab a teaspoon of everything!".

And another thing! "No Television on Holidays" blows goats. So instead of enjoying the greatness that is Thanksgiving Day Football we all sit around with not enough seats in a ninety degree house with everyone looking bored as shit and no one has anything to talk about other than if my wife and I have found a church.

And another thing! What will be doing on Friday? Jack squat. That said, doing jack squat beats having my Father in law spending two hours trying to find a parking spot at one of Raleigh's sucky shopping centers. There are dozens of awesome Asian markets, polish delis, niche hobby stores in Raleigh, but noooooooo...Crabtree Mall it is. Ugh. I hate that dump of a mall.

And one more thing! I get treated like a recluse if I leave the living room to do something fun, like play my GBA or toss around a football. "Why don't you stay in here with everyone else?". Because all you guys do is sit around, half the people are falling asleep, and all you talk about is church and yourselves. The height of interesting conversation EVER at her parent's house was that everyone but me passed a kidney stone at some time and they shared their stories.

One last thing! Since there will be a dozen (maybe more) people showing up, there will be three separate tables for seating. That means there will be the inevitable "Kids table" and I have a strong feeling Churchy McStranger will be sitting with us (which has happened before, and it sucks).

The good part about all of this is my parents will be hosting next year.

[dsheinem]

Frown: impending 4-5 day in-law invasion...

At least you'll have a warm Thanksgiving dinner. Or a Thanksgiving dinner period.

I found out that my in-laws are having a dozen people over, including "someone new at church", so there will be a stranger too! So Grandma in law is bringing the cold turkey, and even with six people there's not enough to eat. Tie in the fact that my brother in law always takes the lions share of anything that tastes decent I'll be lucky to get a sweet potato and cranberries. Luckily I'm making the cranberries so we'll actually have cranberries and not something from a can or a cranberry salad.

And another thing! Unfortunately not understanding portions runs in her family as I had to pick up two more bags of cranberries. I bet you anything they'll have one twelve pack of Yuengling for twelve people, and one bottle of wine, again, for twelve people. I'm also certain that someone will say "Oh! Heavens to Betsy, look at all that food!" giving me the chance to say "Yeah, everyone grab a teaspoon of everything!".

And another thing! "No Television on Holidays" blows goats. So instead of enjoying the greatness that is Thanksgiving Day Football we all sit around with not enough seats in a ninety degree house with everyone looking bored as shit and no one has anything to talk about other than if my wife and I have found a church.

And another thing! What will be doing on Friday? Jack squat. That said, doing jack squat beats having my Father in law spending two hours trying to find a parking spot at one of Raleigh's sucky shopping centers. There are dozens of awesome Asian markets, polish delis, niche hobby stores in Raleigh, but noooooooo...Crabtree Mall it is. Ugh. I hate that dump of a mall.

And one more thing! I get treated like a recluse if I leave the living room to do something fun, like play my GBA or toss around a football. "Why don't you stay in here with everyone else?". Because all you guys do is sit around, half the people are falling asleep, and all you talk about is church and yourselves. The height of interesting conversation EVER at her parent's house was that everyone but me passed a kidney stone at some time and they shared their stories.

One last thing! Since there will be a dozen (maybe more) people showing up, there will be three separate tables for seating. That means there will be the inevitable "Kids table" and I have a strong feeling Churchy McStranger will be sitting with us (which has happened before, and it sucks).

The good part about all of this is my parents will be hosting next year.

my condolences....but so much hilarity here.

Thanksgiving is about food, family, and football, since those are just about the three things I am most thankful for in this world. The first question I get asked every year by whoever is hosting is "what time is the Cowboys game?" because they KNOW they must schedule dinner around it if they want me to be there (I'm a Dallas fan).

If you can't do football at all, one thing we do that is fun is a "Chinese Auction" (is that racist?) where everyone brings cheap/small gifts and does a mystery exchange. Maybe suggest that? Bring Satan-inspired gifts for extra fun.

That said, I have to think the people who fall asleep in the current mess have already figured out the secret to getting through it with a modicum of sanity. If all else fails, just do that.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Luke that sounds awful but I laughed.

We're having good family friends over to Thanksgiving so it will be a total of 9 people which is a lot for us, since usually we keep it at just ourselves which makes 3. On the plus side, we will have plenty of food and there will be TV and video games (my WiiU will finally get some local multiplayer action). You're invited if you want to join.

[prfsnl_gmr]

And another thing! What will be doing on Friday? Jack squat. That said, doing jack squat beats having my Father in law spending two hours trying to find a parking spot at one of Raleigh's sucky shopping centers. There are dozens of awesome Asian markets, polish delis, niche hobby stores in Raleigh, but noooooooo...Crabtree Mall it is. Ugh. I hate that dump of a mall.

I'm sorry...That sucks. (I agree with everyone else, however, that it is nonetheless hilarious.)

My brother and I will probably uphold our annual tradition of going people watching at Wal-Mart on Friday morning...

[Luke]

my condolences....but so much hilarity here.

That said, I have to think the people who fall asleep in the current mess have already figured out the secret to getting through it with a modicum of sanity. If all else fails, just do that.

This is the kind of stuff I like to talk about onstage.

I think my wife's cousins feign sleep to get by but even if I did that I'd still be awake, and it looks awkward when I twiddle my thumb.

Ryan, I wish I could make it.

My brother and I will probably uphold our annual tradition of going people watching at Wal-Mart on Friday morning...

You gave me an idea that is silly but could make some clams...Get a bunch of my friends to park in the front spaces of Wal-Mart/Best Buy/Retail store on Turkey Day Eve, carpool them in a Suburban early Black Friday Morning, and then pull out a chair and hold a sign stating "$20.00 Premium Parking".

[Jmustang1968]

Sucks Luke that sounds miserable. No tv or football on thanksgiving leaves me saying thanks but no thanks. I would just stay at home. Actually I do that for most of my thanksgivings. I stay at home and enjoy my time off and just be lazy. Watch football, play games, read etc...

[flex wood]

And another thing! What will be doing on Friday? Jack squat. That said, doing jack squat beats having my Father in law spending two hours trying to find a parking spot at one of Raleigh's sucky shopping centers. There are dozens of awesome Asian markets, polish delis, niche hobby stores in Raleigh, but noooooooo...Crabtree Mall it is. Ugh. I hate that dump of a mall.

South point mall is where its at. You know now that I think about it all the malls down there suck. I'm glad I live in the civilized world again where the mall I go to has a roller coaster.

[mjmjr25]

Sounds like you're going in thinking it will be terrible - that isn't like you, Luke. Chin up and hope for the best. You have a charming personality and are a natural leader - no reason you can't at least try and coax some fun into the group.

Also - my mother often invites random strangers or new members from her church to family events. This time above all others is to count our personal blessings and try to bestow them onto others.

We're going to my mother-in-law's in Rochester (MN) this year. Will be a small group...literally my family and my mother-in-law. She would drive up and spend the day with us, or with us over at my mothers', but the reality is, she always has to travel now to us or her other children dispersed across the US and we (my wife and I) know that she really loves cooking the meal and using her settings, so it's worth it for us and for her to drive down at least once every other year or so.