Cloister Commentary, Day 251: Turkey Day Top Ten

My Top 10 Favorite Things about Thanksgiving 2020, in random order:

1. We played a lot of records! A LOT!
2. Nicole’s Lasagnazilla was better than any turkey’s turkey.
3. I received well wishes from a varied group of former students, plus expert libation advice (Rado, Ryan, Theo, stand up and be counted!).
4. The sun was out most of the day, and it was bracingly chilly (my favorite chilly).
5. We meditated and walked the neighborhood.
6. We Zoomed with our besties the Wright family.
7. I edged ever closer to the finale of James Lee Burke’s thrilling yet deep The New Iberia Blues.
8. We did not turn on the TV.
9. I learned that Harlan Howard wrote both “God May Forgive You (But I Won’t)” AND “How Far Down Can I Go?” DAMN.
10. Nicole did not beat me in chess (it helped that we did not play).

Only bad thing was we couldn’t be with our fam in anything but spirit. But spirit counts.

Streaming for Strivers (and for my friend the Wild Yankee Rover):

One of rap’s best kept secrets.