Giving thanks

For everyone hitting the road today - please drive safely and get to the airports early. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Most of my extended and my immediate family live in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I'll be in DC tomorrow because I decided to splurge my accrued vacation days on the Christmas holiday instead.

While my aunts and uncles, first cousins and their spouses, brothers, grandparents and parents join together for what is sure to be a sumptuous meal of turkey and traditional Portuguese fare, I'll be chatting with them on the phone while I make my rounds here.

Far from what one thinks of when Thanksgiving pops to mind - I'll be arriving to a brunch armed with mimosas and eager to watch the Macy's Parade; then riding the metro to Bethesda for a Thanksgiving lunch of Chinese delicacies; wrapping the day by meeting some friends from NYC out for drinks. Far from traditional, but guaranteed to provide the requisite holiday cheer.

It can't compare with joining my brothers in cheering my cousin on as he leads his team to football victory tomorrow morning. Or helping my grandmother make her famous turkey stuffing. Or setting a dining room table with the *good China*. Or sitting beside my grandfather on the couch, stroking his hand as he recounts stories of growing up in Portugal.

But it will be special.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Remembering a birthday

John F. Kennedy, Jr. would have celebrated his 43rd birthday today. Tonight I'll toast his memory with a glass of scotch.

An alternate reality might find the heir to Camelot celebrating over a quiet dinner with family, or perhaps, hosting a campaign fundraiser, raising money for his Presidential campaign. After all, his dad was 43 when sworn in as the 35th President of the United States.

Meanwhile, this past weekend, thousands of people commemorated JFK's assassination by gathering where his motorcade wound through downtown Dallas 40 years ago. What is it about those Kennedy's that still stirs so much interest?

For me - the answer is simple. Teddy has been my Senator my entire life (until I recently relinquished my cherished Mass. State license for its DC counterpart). Growing up in Massachusetts, the family always fascinated me.... a kind of morbid mystique.

Just for fun, out of curiosity, do you think John John would be running as a democratic hopeful? How would that have changed the face of the campaign - if at all?

Hitting the pavement

Unemployment is not a funny business. Daily, I listen to reports on improved consumer confidence, decreased unemployment, a new-and-improved economy.

What do you think about that?

I have a temporary position available in my department that pays about $10.00/hour. The individual that fills this opening needs to be proficient in Photoshop and various graphic arts/database computer programs. It's an administrative position.

I've interviewed three people this morning. One woman, graduated from an Ivy League school the year I did, has an advanced degree, and is interviewing for a data entry temp. job?

Most of my friends and family are employed. Some aren't thrilled about the positions they're in and the lack of mobility in their areas, but the paycheck comes in every Friday. I also know people who have been unemployed for over a year, and not for lack of trying to find a job.

I wonder which is more true - the statistical reports touting a revived economy or the pile of resumes from candidates overqualified for the position available.