Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. It's my favorite holiday. Sure, we Americans could be (rightly) accused of consuming a bit too much, but it isn't as over-commodified and hyper-materialized as most holidays. Here are some reasons I like it so much:

It's fall. I love fall.

My Granny makes excellent turkey. And gravy, and, well, pretty much everything else.

There's usually a cribbage tournament.

I spend my Thanksgivings 30 minutes outside of Morenci, and since you've never heard of Morenci, that's saying something. No internet, forget your cell phone at home, and just relax.

Pumpkin pie. Or, really, whatever pie is in front of me.

Sometime right around Thanksgiving is the only football game a year I watch -- ASU vs. U of A. I watch it with my Granddad and my uncles, eat Cheetos, and drink a Roy Rogers.

The air near my grandparents' place starts smelling faintly of burning cedar, juniper, and pine. It's not as out of control as Flagstaff's controlled burns or Phoenix's dirty and needless fireplaces.

The Morenci bowling alley, believe it or not, has the best Mexican food anywhere I've ever been.

I get to play guitar with all of my musically talented family members.

I put up Granny and Granddad's Christmas lights for them. They're nice -- they put up a big star on top of their hill you can see for miles. Adding to the excitement is the rats' appetite for electrical wiring -- you plug them in, get a quick whiff of ozone, and run.

Enjoy your long weekends, everyone.