Happy Thanksgiving, I Guess

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: I don’t like Thanksgiving. The holidays I enjoy include gifts, fireworks and/or costumes. Turkey, overeating and football are not on my list. Also, I don’t need a single Thursday in November dedicated to gratitude when I feel deeply thankful on a daily basis, resulting in my irritating overuse of “at least” in conversation. (Every time I find myself complaining about something, I feel compelled to point out how at least it’s not worse.)

Click this Brandes/Brando Photoshop masterpiece to read my 2008 gratitude list.

Today, at least, I’ll be able to indulge in cranberry sauce from the can (I like the way the ridges stay imprinted in the can-shaped sauce). I’ll also be entertained by the merriment of my new niece, Sabrina Berry.

At least Sabrina is having a good time!

And, while peeps are watching football, I’ll have time to set up the Black Friday sale on my website. The prices of all the jewelry already in my sale section will be further reduced. Don’t miss out. Remember, even if your jeans feel too tight tomorrow, at least your Wendy Brandes earrings will always fit just right!

UPDATED TO ADD: One of my favorite “at least” moments of 2012 came from my father, who was able to find a benefit to my having an arthritic pinkie.

UPDATED AGAIN TO ADD: How could I forget? There’s one thing I love about Thanksgiving: listening to all 18 1/2 minutes of Arlo Guthrie’s 1967 monologue/song, “Alice’s Restaurant.”

The real Alice Brock, who served up the “Thanksgiving dinner that couldn’t be beat” in 1965, now sells her original artwork on her website. In the 1980s, Brock wrote and illustrated a funny book called How to Massage Your Cat. I think I need to own this book. I can’t resist a befuddled orange cat.

Click to purchase.

Alice had some cameos in the 1969 Alice’s Restaurant movie, though another actress played “Alice Brock.” The movie didn’t live up to the song that inspired it, or so I’ve read. However, I just found out that “Officer Obie” — the cop who arrested Arlo Guthrie for littering and, by doing so, ultimately saved Arlo from the draft — played himself in the movie. Reportedly, “Obie” said he’d rather make himself look like a fool than have someone else do it for him. That back-story makes the movie a must-see for me.