Happy Thanksgiving

Ah, so here I am, in the midst of my first four day weekend since I started my new job. And what happens? On Tuesday, I come down with a cold. I had tentative plans for traveling upstate for Thanksgiving dinner, which I canceled. It's fine - lying around in a warm apartment with my computer & DVDs and knitting is what I need right now. I'm somewhat of a grinch when it comes to this particular holiday. I think it stems from my first five years after college, working retail, which killed much of the holiday spirit. Thanksgiving was the day off between a busy work day, and an even busier one. (Don't let anyone sell you the old wives' tale that the Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the season; it's a sudden spike in a steady increase that peaks the Saturday and Sunday before Christmas, and Christmas Eve.) I also worked at that world famous store that invited its employees to march in its world famous parade, so Thanksgiving also became a "ROAD TRIP!" We boarded a bus at 3 am in the parking lot of our upstate branch and rode down to "the city," to don clown makeup and prance down Broadway long enough to collapse in exhaustion on the bus home. Thanksgiving food was mimosas and donuts on the way down, and a thruway rest stop on the way home.

I doped myself up on cold medicine in order to go see "Rent" yesterday. I'm not sure what to think. I don't usually like musicals. Musical movies are even less appealing. But a friend took me to see Rent on Broadway back in its first year, and I fell in love. I went back twice more with other friends and family. I listened to the soundtrack constantly. Every time I've seen the trailers in the past few months I was jumping out of my seat with anticipation. But... I don't know. Maybe it was the cold medicine. Maybe I need to see it another time. But it didn't quite work for me. I still loved the music. Loved Jesse L. Martin. But the magic didn't really translate to the screen. I think I would have preferred just a film of the stage production - the added sets and locations didn't expand the story, but seemed to underscore how artificial it was. It's the old, "Why is that man riding down the street on his bicycle and... singing?"

My office is closed today, but here I am, 6 am, wide awake. Took some nighttime cold medicine and hope to pass out shortly. It's 22 degrees out, and I'm looking forward to not leaving the apartment at all.