Thanksgiving and Politics

[Roadvirus]

Lol...we’re hosting this year. So, my wife gives me a bowl of soup for dinner last night. I said, “What’s this?” She said, “the same thing you’re getting tomorrow.”

I look in the fridge, and it’s stuffed full. A big twenty-pound turkey is eating up space in the bottom. All sorts of goodies up top. She sees me scoping it out. “Touch any of that and die,” she says.

On the bright side, since you're the host, you get the bulk (if not all) of the leftovers.

Turkey leftovers + gravy heated in a big pan with a side of leftover mashed potatoes. That's what my parents do the day after X-mas (which they host).

 

[haymarket]

On the bright side, since you're the host, you get the bulk (if not all) of the leftovers.

Turkey leftovers + gravy heated in a big pan with a side of leftover mashed potatoes. That's what my parents do the day after X-mas (which they host).

Exactly!!!! Friday is perhaps even better than Thursday Thanksgiving when you host it ......... we almost always do. My wife makes a scalloped onion dish that is to die for. Put that on a plate with turkey and stuffing and mashed potatos and gravy and cranberries and its one of the best days of the year.

Until the next day.

 

[Cardinal]

If you have a family like mine, both biological and through marriage, you talk politics. And, almost no one agrees. But, these days, the old standard disagreements go viral. Feelings get hurt. People threaten to leave. Future visits are sworn off. Good stuff, especially when the booze flows.

So, how do these holidays play out on your end?

We don't talk politics. The thing about DP is that if I ever get annoyed I can just...stop discussing politics on DP, get off the computer, etc. There is no parallel IRL when you're trapped under the same roof with a bunch of people you disagree politically with and have now opened up a ****storm.

 

[calamity]

We don't talk politics. The thing about DP is that if I ever get annoyed I can just...stop discussing politics on DP, get off the computer, etc. There is no parallel IRL when you're trapped under the same roof with a bunch of people you disagree politically with and have now opened up a ****storm.

I vacuumed the whole house this morning. And my wife is in the kitchen with some of the women who arrived early. This will be an all female guest TG.

I should be good with the political stuff, since at least 4 of the 5 typically agree with my wife and I. The fifth swears she is apolitical, although she does have a membership at the local Eagles, which I know is redneck as hell.

The Texas sisters didn't make it up North this year. Which is a mixed blessing thing. I kind of like the one's husband. He's an Iraq medic vet, turned respiratory therapist who is now a financial adviser. The guy has a wide range of subjects that he likes to discuss.

New baby cousin arrives after dinner. The parents are stuck visiting at least four houses today. I remember those days.

 

[calamity]

Interesting observation, one which I may ask a little something about later: women over 40 who find themselves divorced or widowed, often do not remarry. That is the exact opposite of what I've seen in men. And, when it comes to me, I would probably remarry within a year if I found myself single again for some reason.

 

[gulfman]

After eating Thanksgiving dinner and farting up a storm,Obama's name might come up

 

[Bodi]

If you have a family like mine, both biological and through marriage, you talk politics. And, almost no one agrees. But, these days, the old standard disagreements go viral. Feelings get hurt. People threaten to leave. Future visits are sworn off. Good stuff, especially when the booze flows.

So, how do these holidays play out on your end?

Much of my family are rabid old school Republicans in Orange County... so my brother and I mess with them every year praising an Obama policy or Clinton or how Trump or Bush messed something up. There is instant back stiffening as my bro and I calmly talk about bad Republican policies calmly as if we have no idea that others are listening or getting annoyed with it. We drag it on until somebody wants to talk then we excuse ourselves for a second helping of food and come back and change the topic to football or sports... we then slowly start in again. Last time my aunt started arguing loudly and I love to just drag it on and keep making Straw Man arguments while my brother invariably starts in on religion. Funny as hell...

 

[SDET]

If you have a family like mine, both biological and through marriage, you talk politics. And, almost no one agrees. But, these days, the old standard disagreements go viral. Feelings get hurt. People threaten to leave. Future visits are sworn off. Good stuff, especially when the booze flows.

So, how do these holidays play out on your end?

I don't have a relationship with my biological family except for my children. My wife is politically to the right of me. We don't have that kind of problem. I wouldn't put it past my wife to mention Bolsonaro in the Thanksgiving blessing.

 

[SDET]

Interesting observation, one which I may ask a little something about later: women over 40 who find themselves divorced or widowed, often do not remarry. That is the exact opposite of what I've seen in men. And, when it comes to me, I would probably remarry within a year if I found myself single again for some reason.

I sure as hell wouldn't. Why risk half of your assets? I REALLY enjoy my wife's obedience. Training a woman is hard work. That's especially true giving that trainable women have a lazy streak. They obey to save themselves the trouble of thinking for themselves.

 

[calamity]

I sure as hell wouldn't. Why risk half of your assets? I REALLY enjoy my wife's obedience. Training a woman is hard work. That's especially true giving that trainable women have a lazy streak. They obey to save themselves the trouble of thinking for themselves.

For the most part, I am done, set and settled in to running out the schedule with the team I have. But, then someone twenty five years younger than me will begin to flirt, and I suddenly find myself wondering if maybe I should not consider reentering the draft.

Common sense usually prevails. But, if I was single, I'm 100% sure that I would fall for the pretty smile.

 

[SDET]

For the most part, I am done, set and settled in to running out the schedule with the team I have. But, then someone twenty five years younger than me will begin to flirt, and I suddenly find myself wondering if maybe I should not consider reentering the draft.

Common sense usually prevails. But, if I was single, I'm 100% sure that I would fall for the pretty smile.

If you do fall for that pretty smile, even if not single, don't let it happen withing driving distance of where you live. For about two weeks a cute young thing will put a spring in your step, after that they take years off your life.

 

[calamity]

If you do fall for that pretty smile, even if not single, don't let it happen withing driving distance of where you live. For about two weeks a cute young thing will put a spring in your step, after that they take years off your life.

lol...reminds me of what happened to one of the guys I work with. He hooked up with some twenty-something while we were out in Arizona. They had a nice week together. Well, for about a month thereafter, she blew up his phone.

 

[calamity]

The best dish, by far, is my wife's chocolate cheesecake, which I am finally going at right now. The filling (the "cheese") is creamy, like a mousse. She made it out of cashews, melted Ghiradelli chocolate and coconut butter, with a hint of coffee. Pecan crust and a hardened layer of dark chocolate, used as topping, made this thing absolutely to die for.

Other good things: My mother in-law's chopped kale and Brussels sprout salad, with walnuts and cranberries. Speaking of cranberries, someone ran a bag of them through a food processor. It's the first time I tried them that way. It was good, adding just enough tart to the plate. The wife's sister brought some gravy she made from bone broth and rendered turkey guts she froze from last year. TMI, in a way. But, man, it tasted great.

The wife's stuffing had Italian sausage in it. Needless to say, that stuff was out of this world. Our Turkey ended up a little dry, we had that bad boy up to 190 degrees, probably baked it a half an hour too long. But, the gravy and chopped cranberries took care of that issue. We also had a nice stir fry of greens: snow pees, broccoli and green beans which added more than enough moisture to the plate.

This was one of the first TGs I can recall when I left the table feeling good, and not over-stuffed. I credit that to no one bringing any mashed potatoes or bread. Also, holding off on the cheesecake until now paid dividends.

We didn't talk politics. Mostly we discussed family gossip. The babies from baby daddies no one could identify seemed to be at the top of the list. Someone asked for a DNA test that showed he was in the clear. That gave the other guy an idea. So, he did it too. Same result. Of course, the fact that he had already paid in for six years has to be a bit annoying. Well, all three babies--yes there are three--are now living with the one set of grandparents who did not want their son taking the test. Ignorance is bliss. And, from what I gather, those people are doing a fine job with those kids. The mother is in jail. But, chances are good that she will soon be let out and stuck in rehab.

Another family we used to see every TG has moved to AZ. I guess their oldest is also a new single mommy. Baby daddy decided to move in with another lady. She's living with her grandmother in Ohio, who has taken her in with the baby. The other daughter is not handling the move to AZ very well. She is threatening to move back to OH as well, once she turns 18. Woo hoo, grandma is about to have three mouths to feed.

One of our guests had recently divorced. She had a lot of stories to share. And, closer to home, a cousin on the wife's side said she went to a swingers club recently. :shock: Needless to say, with all that excitement to discuss, there was no need to talk about politics.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

This year it was just the wife and I and our two kids, so we talked about literally anything and everything, and laughed our butts off in the process.

In the past, even last year, when we went to Karen's sister's place for a big TG feast, politics came up but I stayed low key.
Surprisingly, the so called "conservatives" in the bunch were very reasonable, and three or four of them asked me questions!
They were impressed that I wasn't dreaming of marching down Wilshire Boulevard with a hammer and sickle flag or anything.

So it was okay. We didn't agree on some stuff but it still was okay anyway. We had a great time and yes, we've been invited back, it's just that this year Karen's sister's kids both had to work the holiday and Karen's sister was just vegging out and taking it easy.

The one I have difficulty with is my middle brother. You cannot talk politics with him, even if you're on the same side, it's just impossible. My oldest brother is very Right wing but you can talk politics with him easily. Besides, two of his three kids are liberals, so he's used to it. His oldest who is conservative, is a very reasonable fellow.

You cannot talk about RELIGION with my oldest brother.

 

[Abbazorkzog]

Nope. Never.

 

[NeverTrump]

If you have a family like mine, both biological and through marriage, you talk politics. And, almost no one agrees. But, these days, the old standard disagreements go viral. Feelings get hurt. People threaten to leave. Future visits are sworn off. Good stuff, especially when the booze flows.

So, how do these holidays play out on your end?

Trump was not on the menu. But the Catholic Church sex scandal was. That surprised me and everyone agreed it was a bad thing, but they are all still devout. We haven't discussed politics as a family since Christmas 2015.

 

[Lethargic Aptitude]

Obviously not enough booze was consumed if you guys can still talk.

 

[calamity]

Trump was not on the menu. But the Catholic Church sex scandal was. That surprised me and everyone agreed it was a bad thing, but they are all still devout. We haven't discussed politics as a family since Christmas 2015.

After 55-plus years of marriage, my dad finally convinced my mom to begin attending Lutheran services. The latest Catholic sex scandal apparently was her last straw. That or she just doesn’t like the new Pope. She was all in on the old guy from Poland. He could do no wrong.

 

[Logician Man]

After 55-plus years of marriage, my dad finally convinced my mom to begin attending Lutheran services. The latest Catholic sex scandal apparently was her last straw. That or she just doesn’t like the new Pope. She was all in on the old guy from Poland. He could do no wrong.

///// old guy from Poland ///// :lol:

 

[Xelor]

After 55-plus years of marriage, my dad finally convinced my mom to begin attending Lutheran services. The latest Catholic sex scandal apparently was her last straw. That or she just doesn’t like the new Pope. She was all in on the old guy from Poland. He could do no wrong.

How nice that your folks married young and have learned how to make a marriage work for the remainder of their lives. Far too few folks, IMO, bother to and achieve that end....Indeed, sometimes I wonder whether the institution of marriage isn't better served by the "Indian" model of arranged marriages whereby the spouses simply accept that they have to find a way to make it work and, in turn, do.

Off-Topic:
Not that I approve or disapprove, for it's not my place to form such an opinion, but why Lutheran instead of Episcopalian, Eastern Rite or even Eastern Orthodox?

To be sure, the bunch of them are more similar to Roman Catholicism (Latin Rite Catholicism) than they are different, both endogenously and exogenously with regard to themselves and other belief systems.

 

[noonereal]

WTF????

Why on earth would an educated family speak of religion or politics at a holiday table?

I just don't get it.

Well, another holiday with nothing but laughter and fond memories in the book.

No politics but honest, it would not have made a difference. No one would have argued. I or another family elder would have simply curtailed it with a smile and out of respect it would have been dropped.

 

[calamity]

How nice that your folks married young and have learned how to make a marriage work for the remainder of their lives. Far too few folks, IMO, bother to and achieve that end....Indeed, sometimes I wonder whether the institution of marriage isn't better served by the "Indian" model of arranged marriages whereby the spouses simply accept that they have to find a way to make it work and, in turn, do.

Off-Topic:
Not that I approve or disapprove, for it's not my place to form such an opinion, but why Lutheran instead of Episcopalian, Eastern Rite or even Eastern Orthodox?

To be sure, the bunch of them are more similar to Roman Catholicism (Latin Rite Catholicism) than they are different, both endogenously and exogenously with regard to themselves and other belief systems.

Dad is Lutheran, by baptism. So, I imagine they simply switched over to attending that church.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I discussed our potential options. Neither one of us is religious, but we would not mind finding some sort of "spiritual community." The closest thing I could find that might suit me is Unitarian. It's still a little to hocus pocus for me, but it's not ridiculously so. Maybe Jewish would work, come to think of it, but they require a bit more of a commitment than I would be willing to make.

My wife thinks we should just join a lodge, like the Oddfellows. :lol:

 

[Xelor]

Dad is Lutheran, by baptism. So, I imagine they simply switched over to attending that church.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I discussed our potential options. Neither one of us is religious, but we would not mind finding some sort of "spiritual community." The closest thing I could find that might suit me is Unitarian. It's still a little to hocus pocus for me, but it's not ridiculously so. Maybe Jewish would work, come to think of it, but they require a bit more of a commitment than I would be willing to make.

My wife thinks we should just join a lodge, like the Oddfellows. :lol:

FWIW, if you've got kids and are entertaining the notion of privately educating them, you may want to consider Episcopalianism if you aren't keen on Roman Catholicism. Your and your child's faith isn't as much a factor at the junior high and higher level, but it can be in faith-based schools' lower grades, save perhaps at Quaker schools. (There aren't enough Quakers (see also differences between Quakers and Mennonites) for Quakers to be fussy about such things.) I offer that input only on account of my experiences getting my own kids admitted to, and observing others do so, Episcopal grade school.

I say that because where I live, as well as nationally, Episcopal schools are among the best ones available, though so are Quaker schools (Quaker schools are often enough K-12, which is quite convenient). To wit:

• St. Albans (DC)
• Episcopal High School (NOVA)
• National Cathedral School (DC)
• Beauvoir (DC)
• Groton
• St. Paul's
• St. Mark's
• Chatham Hall
• Kent
• South Kent
• St. George
• St. Stephen's
• Sidwell Friends (DC)
• Oak Hill Academy (VA)

Absent a top ranked Episcopal or Quaker school, I'd suggest a Jesuit prep school. Naturall, there are too plenty of high quality secular private schools, and I dare say there's little reason not to avail oneself of them for though I and my siblings attended Episcopal schools, my kids and my nieces and nephews go to (attended) are enrolled variously at Episcopal, Catholic and secular schools.

So does being of "matched" faith matter in the main? No, but on the margin, it does. That is precisely what's alluded to in statements like this: "The expressed commitment of the family to provide positive and purposeful support for the policies, personnel, practices, and curricular goals of St. Albans." (That's not the Albans I attended. That passage in noted only indicate the subtlety used to communicate the relevance of one's religious affiliation.)

 

[Maccabee]

I voted yes in the poll but we didn't talk politics this Thanksgiving. My immediate family are all conservatives so even if we talk politicc, it's a whole lot less heated than how other people experience.