Black Friday

November 28th, 2008

I was wondering where the name Black Friday came from so I did what all of us do now whenever we want to find the answers to any of life’s important questions; I Googled it.

What a tool we have at our disposal. What an amazing engine. Yes, that’s what it is referred to as, an engine. A search engine. Pretty cool I guess.

Wikipedia, an equally important tool for all of us in the know, says that the name Black Friday can be traced back to the 1960s. It apparently originated in Philadelphia and was used to describe the terrible traffic on the day after Thanksgiving. I wonder if perhaps we should go ahead and make it an official holiday. It has come to represent the insane consumerism that is so important to the survival of the American economy.

I watched President-elect Obama on TV the other night and saw how he tip-toed around Barbara Walter’s question regarding their family Christmas. He had to make sure that he did not sound as though a big Christmas was easy for his family, given the problems many Americans are facing and at the same time sound an optimistic note in an effort to inspire confidence in the whole system. I thought he did well. At least he didn’t just tell us to “go buy things”, like our current Chief Executive so crudely put it.

The good news for me and my wife is that we are not even thinking about going out to participate in the madness. The weather here is a little bleak anyway, what with winds and rain, but even if the sun was shining we have no desire to get involved. We are perfectly happy to sit this one out.

By now of course, we have all heard about the Wal-Mart employee who was trampled to death after a crowd of bloodthirsty consumers stormed the doors of the business in an effort to get the things they felt entitled to. I am trying very hard to imagine what any Wal-Mart in this country could contain that would mean that much to me. Do these people ever sit quietly and read books? Does the advertising on TV fill them with meaning and give them purpose in their never ending quest for more stuff? Pick up a Bible or almost any book, friend. Take a deep breath and come up with an alternative to crushing someone alive.

Our Thanksgiving Meal

Yesterday MP and I had a nice quiet Thanksgiving in our traditional non-traditional manner. I have included photos. We spoke with most of our family on the phone and in the evening I watched an old Alfred Hitchcock movie while my wife attempted to absorb it by osmosis as she slept on the couch. I really don’t know who enjoyed it more.

One of the other great things about the internet is that in addition to finding out all of the answers to our important questions, it is a great way to shop. Books, clothes, food, furniture, hardware supplies, and in fact, almost everything can be purchased online and shipped to your home without the messiness of crushing people to death. We think it’s a great option.

I guess I must sound rather pessimistic. All this talk of people dying and unbridled greed for stuff, but I don’t really mean to be that way. One of the fun things I did this week was get back to baking pies again. I have mentioned on this site before about my recent struggles with my recipe for pie dough. My mom got in touch and offered her usual words of encouragement and after listening to her and re-reading my Julia Child instructions I am happy to report that I seem to have reacquired my touch. Thanks Mom.

Three Pumpkin Pies

Last week I made five pumpkin and two pecan pies and I don’t mind saying that they were pretty good. Next week I am going to try some more. I also want to point out that I sent three of those pies to my wife’s office Thanksgiving lunch and gave two to our great neighbors next door. I can’t imagine what eating all of those pies by ourselves would have looked like. Actually the problem is that I really CAN imagine what that would be like and therefore I am always looking for people to give pies to. Any volunteers out there?

Two Pecan Pies

I also want to share a website I have found with all of you pie lovers out there. Check out www.pie-off.blogspot.com. This is where I got the recipe I used for my pecan pies and they were very good. You will find a lot of interesting pie stuff there and when they have their annual pie-off competition next year I hope to travel to Portland to compete.

If you must travel in the next couple of days, please be polite to those around you and be safe.

Oh, and of course since Turkey Day is past us now, Merry Christmas.

Entry Filed under: A Piece of Pie, Doing the Dishes, General, What's Eating Bob?