Thursday we celebrate Thanksgiving. While we don’t have the same survival interests the founders of this feast did, we have much to be thankful for.
At The Minnesota Daily we’re grateful for carpet with duct tape on it, the techies in IT, copy desk editors and other night staff, generic Twinkies, columnists (both sane and not), the future Miten Alboms in sports, the readers’ rep, Dr. Date, the pop and other culture gods in A&E, HR, everyone upstairs and up front, 50-cent sodas and the newsroom, whose stories facilitate many editorials.
On campus, we appreciate the Board of Regents giving us a break on tuition, only looking to hike it 5.5 percent. We also thank The Onion for bringing its special brand of fun to campus in hard copy, making the tuition hikes easier to tolerate. A sporting thanks goes out to the women’s hockey, basketball and volleyball teams; the men’s hockey team and an actual men’s basketball team (“team” being the welcome change this winter). The football Gophers were fun, if disappointing. On that note, we’d also like to thank Penn State’s football team.
After the crazy election season, we’re grateful for the few voices of reason that still exist. Thanks to Sen.-elect Barak Obama, D-Ill.; Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and John Stewart. If we inadvertantly missed any other Johns, we apologize. That said, the intellect and antics of Alan Keyes’ antics have their own special appeal.
Other reasons for thanks include (in no particular order): “The Simpsons” reruns with mac and cheese, Miles Davis when you have the blues, fall weddings, First Avenue, the words of Will Shakespeare, the music of Wilco, Saul Alinsky, baby animals (most of all puppies), Fun Bobby, Optimus Prime, chemistry goggles, the “O.C.’s” second season, a new Harry Potter DVD (J.K. – where’s a new book?), Jeb Bartlett and, finally, denial.
There are also some who deserve special gratitude: those who protect and serve, those who rush in when others run out and all our service men and women, many of whom will not be with their loved ones this weekend.
Before we sign off, there are a few standbys that deserve repetition: family, friends, mashed potatoes and turkey sandwiches.
