The other day I consciously noticed an extremely pleasant yet surprising appreciation of the person at the cash register at Whole Foods (and to be fair, it doesn't only happen there; it was only where my enlightenment came to life)... I have been definitely recognizing it before, but it finally hit me strong enough that I had an 'OMG' and 'it seriously just happened again' moment. Imagine this: the person at the register THANKED ME for bagging MY OWN groceries. Ha!, I thought, only in America that is even close to possible!
As mentioned in Part 1, Thanksgiving is the all-American holiday, the ultimate feast and family celebration. It might be one of the very few holidays when, no matter what the religion, race, provenience, ethnicity, or other social or cultural aspects, the families gather around the dinner table to consume a big bird, mashed potatoes and other goodies.
Last week the entire America celebrated Thanksgiving Day. The all-American holiday, the ultimate feast and family celebration. It might be one of the very few holidays when, no matter what the religion, race, provenience, ethnicity, or other social or cultural aspects, the families gather around the dinner table to consume a big bird, mashed potatoes, pies and other wonderful goodies.
(Disclaimer: My experience is solely based on Sonoma County and San Francisco area habits. It doesn't cover any other parts of the country, be it similar or totally different)
Today is a very important day. It is an extremely important election. It doesn't just come down to the choice of the person or party. These candidates are very different. You can argue that their foreign policies are very alike and that it is especially disappointing when it comes to Obama (drone strikes killing innocents, including American citizens, massive deportations of illegal immigrants, almost unconditional support of Israel, lagging with ending once and for all the Afganistan and Iraq wars, inability to close Guantanamo, etc).
Only in America -- there is an Election Day Sale.
Now I'm really fearful about the outcome of this election... What if everybody goes shopping instead of voting, Macy's?
Or maybe, to be naively optimistic, it will remind people of the election and, while in town, after their shopping, they're going to be in a good enough mood to go vote?
And, on top of that, they will vote... wisely?
I was asked the other day what my reasons to come to the US were, and by my response ("Because of my better half!" :-)), I was asked if I would have come here if it wasn't for him... Why, I had this strong and deprived of all doubts feeling that: yes, I would have, no questions about that! (Had I not met him in France, I would have had to somehow find the way that lead to him anyway, non? :-)). If that is true, we will never find out, as I'm here (and not going anywhere else anytime soon).
Kolejny 13 piatek (trzeci w tym roku; dosc nas 2012 laskawie i hojnie potraktowal). Okazje sie, ze to nie ten kraj i nie ten przesad... Ze jednak 13 piatek jest w tym kraju pechowy, tak jak w wiekszosci cywilizacji zachodnich (Wlochy preferuja pecha w piatek 17go, a Grecy i mieszkancy krajow hiszpanskojezycznych we wtorek, szczegolnie 13go. Bierze sie to m.in. z... mitologii (kiedy nie ma ewidentnego winowajcy, zawsze mozna zrzucic wine na historie tudziez mitologie).
