Okay. Holidays, Folks -



Hope you had a good Thanksgiving thing. I just realized it’s sort of a soul palate preparer for the rest of the holidays. It gets your heart and mind into the spirit of vigilance and tolerance necessary for the next round later this month. I don’t mean to be cynical but dealing with family is always a bit jarring for better or worse. Obviously it can be wonderful but sometimes it takes some effort to get to wonderful.



I ended going really low key for Thanksgiving. I went somewhere where I knew virtually no one. I went with my friend Duncan to his friend’s place. They were willing to take in a single stragler. I had other invites but for one reason or another they didn’t work out. Some because of me, some for other reasons. I didn’t want to be around too many couples at a small thing or at a family thing that was unfamiliar. So, I went to a pretty large gathering and just got lost in the mix and ate compulsively for an hour. I wasn’t completely lost. When the food was coming out of the oven there was a mild panic in the room. It seemed that no one had the know how or confidence to cut into the bird. There’s a bit of stage fright involved in stepping up to the Turkey. I volunteered. I can take apart a bird pretty effectively. I didn’t know anyone in the room except my pal and they placed the main attraction in my hands. I was nervous but I just focused in with some dull knives and plattered the thing. It worked out. It was about me for just the right amount of time and I provided a service. I was happy to do it. I’m a giver. It was no easy thing. Folks, if you have knives, sharpen them. Nothing is worse than a dull blade for food or murder and you never know what you’ll need it for given your situation.



In other news, I called my dad. I hadn’t talked to him in months. It had been since the TV show aired. He was mad at me for the way I portrayed him which I thought was kind and endearing. In my mind he got off easy. He was upset though and I didn’t feel like I owed him an explanation or an apology. So, I just didn’t call him for a while. It was his birthday the other day, so I just called him and wished him a happy birthday and we talked to him for a while. He told me he was upset and that it was hard for him to take. I said he’ll be okay and I go easier on him this season. I’m glad I called. We’re too old to have tension. On some level I won. I think sometimes that’s all it’s about. You just want to beat your dad once. Now that’s behind me we’ll see who wins the life race, the final event.



This week I talk to Lou Barlow from Sebadoh and Dinosaur Jr. Love talking to that guy and hearing him play and sing. It was great. On Thursday one of many of the members of The State and many other shows, like Party Down and Eastbound and Down, Ken Marino is in the garage. There are only a few more members of The State left for me to talk to. I’ll get them.



Enjoy.



Boomer lives!







Love,

Maron