Thankfulness, 2012 Style

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, all over the world. Or at least here in my neck of the woods, and probably in the respective necks most of you out there call home as well. As such, I'm sure plenty of you are traveling today, heading to far-off locales, all to eat a native North American bird once promoted by Ben Franklin as a better symbol of America than the bald eagle. I have to admit, I kind of agree with ol' Ben in certain ways, but I have a feeling it would be a whole lot harder for Stephen Colbert to do comedic jingoism so very well if his intro had to feature a turkey.

As is customary this particular moment of most years, the news is a bit on the slow side. Plenty of holding patterns following the monster deal the Blue Jays and Marlins made, as teams head toward the Winter Meetings keeping their powder dry and their triggers, um, cocked? I think I screwed that metaphor up.

Anyhow, most years here at VEB we have a couple days of reflection around Thanksgiving. I had considered doing something else today -- I've been working on my personal top prospects list -- but the day before a holiday doesn't really feel like the time to roll out a big piece like that. So, I'll probably do that next week. I have my customary maudlin' Christmas post coming up soon, too, sure to piss off a pretty fair portion of the community, so look forward to that, everybody. Hell, before long it will be time for me to start up draft previews again for the very science-fictiony year of 2013. Funny how time slips away, isn't it?

But, today, we've got turkey to look forward to. I'll be having the same painfully dry, hemplike turkey my mother makes every year, which is both dreadful and somewhat comforting. I hope you all have something to look forward to.

So, tell me what you're thankful for this year. We had another great baseball season that stopped just ever so slightly short of perfection. That's thanksworthy, right? Or the people you love in your life, family and friends and mates. Or a new job. Or just the fact you woke up every day this year on the right side of the ground.

Have a really great holiday, everyone. Eat a bunch, watch some football, go shopping on Friday. Or do whatever it is you do to relax. Me, I'll be at the International Tap House getting drunk at noon, because I'm a late-stage alcoholic with expensive tastes and no shame. (They're having a Black Friday event; I don't always start my self-destruction so early in the day.)

Happy Thanksgiving, Viva El Birdos. I hope it's very good to you this year.