Planning schmanning

The week of Thanksgiving is always one of my favorite weeks of the year – up until Sunday, at least. You always go into the break thinking, “Hell yeah, I finally have some time to just kick it back, watch a little TV, and generally being a parasite on the normally productive nature of mankind.” Or maybe you don’t think that. Actually, I don’t know anyone that would think that. *awkward pause*

Anyway, each day has its own ritual, at least in my world, which at first leads to a nice, relaxing break, and always turns into unmitigated terror. On Wednesday I get out of class (classes which SMU has forced upon me, since before going to college we always got off on Tuesday), go home and look for the Scooby Doo marathon. There is always a Scooby Doo marathon over Thanksgiving break. I can’t explain it, and I don’t question it. On Wednesday night everyone from out of town comes in, and we all go out and stay up way too late.

This, of course, leads to problems on Thursday. The Lions and the Cowboys beckon me to wake up, as does the 8 million pounds of food my mom cooks for three people. I have no cousins and very little extended family, so Thanksgiving Day is always just me and the parents, eating too much, watching the football games and overall taking a break from the normal frustrations of dealing with each other.

With Friday comes the classic Texas versus Texas A&M football game, which of course I always want A&M to win because Chris Simms is a waste; I always knew he would go to UT, ever since before I was born.

Friday night is the night to let loose and go out and do absolutely ridiculous things with all your friends you never get to see. Good stories always come from Friday. Take the year of the ice, when Friday night we all took out our bikes and tried to see who could ride on the ice the longest without breaking an arm. My wrist still hurts. Over time, this was replaced by rollerblades, then cars. Perhaps I should have left that part out.

By Saturday you’re starting to realize you are going to have to go back to school for two weeks, which is such a mental beatdown. You know you have work to do – there is always something do in those two days after Thanksgiving – but it doesn’t matter, because it’s Thanksgiving break, and you are going to do whatever you want to. This leads to disaster.

Sunday is full of panic. Have to write 70 pages? Good thing I have Sunday. Do not do this. I know this may seem like rather unneeded advice, but it is shocking how many people do this. One year I went against the cycle and did all my work on Wednesday. This, of course, lessened the fun of Wednesday, and made Sunday incredibly boring, because everyone had gone back where they came from to do their own work.

So I’m saying, everyone go home today, do your work and then the whole break can be good times with good people. I know there are Thanksgiving haters out there, and I’ve never quite understood why. At the very least, it is the last holiday before Christmas (or whichever holiday season festivity your personal tastes lead you toward) and that means a month of good times.

Have a good, safe Thanksgiving everybody. I know I will. Now, what channel is Cartoon Network?