Thanksgiving

Since this will be my first Thanksgiving away from home and my family I figured this was as good of time as any to begin a blog. I cannot tell you how many people have been concerned that I am spending Thanksgiving alone. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of Thanksgiving. I think turkey and stuffing are overrated (yes I know...so un-American). I understand that Thanksgiving now represents a day of spending time with family and being thankful. I just don't feel like I need a special day to be thankful for my family or to spend time with them. I am extremely close with my family and have talked to at least one member of my immediate family everyday since I've moved. And besides, let's honestly assess what we are celebrating...the pilgrims inviting the natives of this country to a wonderful feast and then proceeding to kill them off with disease and steal their land. I realize this is a critical view, but I just feel like Americans are so quick to accept things without critically thinking about what it means. And while I feel blessed to live in this country I feel like we need to recognize how we got where we are now and how far we still have to go. Now, I could spend an entire blog on that alone, but that is not the purpose of this blog.

I want to assure anyone who is concerned about me that I am just fine! I saw my parents last weekend when they visited and will be home for a couple of weeks in about a months time. I plan to spend my day working on my research proposal and presentation that is due next Tuesday, making my own "Thanksgiving" meal (which will consist of bacon-wrapped chicken breast, home-made mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and a biscuit...yum!), and then popping in a movie (Hancock...can't beat a Will Smith film!).

A Thanksgiving blog would not be complete without thanks-giving! I am so thankful for the wonderful people I have met in the Twin Cities. I had at least three people invite me to spend Thanksgiving with their family. I cannot tell you how much it meant for people to invite me into their homes for Thanksgiving and hope that no one is offended that instead I am staying home to get some work done and relax. It goes without saying that I am so thankful for my family and friends who have been so supportive as I left Kansas and moved up to Minnesota to pursue my dream of obtaining my PhD at the U of Minnesota. It has meant so much to have your love and support and I know that I would not have had the strength to do this without you. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!