on thanksgiving...

i may be willing to say that thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. if not my favorite, it's at a very close second to christmas. a very close second.

i spent this thanksgiving in johnstown, with schoss's family. she and nick were in from L.A. for the holiday and invited me to come along. i see my college friends far too infrequently not to accept the invitation. one of my other college friends, with whom i was talking a few days prior to my johnstown turkey day, asked, "are you and nick going to fight the entire time?" (nick, schoss's husband, is also one of my college friends.) my response was, "probably, but that's just how nick and i get along." the truth is that i enjoyed nick's company more over this holiday than i ever have. and he and schoss and i decided to start the inaugural group of NAAQOT (national association against the quartering of troops), after an overcaffeinated breakfast conversation about the third amendment. or something. this is ridiculous. all of it.

anyway, johnstown was a delight. i have returned home happy, well-fed, and with a brand new t-shirt from the haven, one of j-town's finest watering holes. there was a reunion of schoss's bridesmaids, except for jessie, who really should have been with schoss and alison and me at the haven. none of us had to wear orange this time, though.

and it's got me thinking about thanksgivings past that i've spent with friends. what happens when you live far from family during the holidays is that you get to have the great turkey feast with friends. last year it was a bunch of law students up at michael and steph's. the year before dad and linda came to pittsburgh. in college i spent thanksgiving with the zulichs my freshman year, at tony & carlo's my junior year, with the griffiths (one of my fave thanksgivings) my senior year. after college i thanksgivinged with the cohens one year, with groups of friends the other years. and they've all been lovely, every year -- how can you have a bad time when you're with friends and lots of food?

another thanksgiving comes and goes, another holiday season begins. there is much to be thankful for.