Thursday, November 26, 2009
Life Today I Am Thankful For...
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 2:00 PM
...mass transit. Terry had to head over to his mom's place to start cooking at 9:30 this morning. If Spokane didn't have a bus system DJ and I would've had to go with him. But Spokane has a bus system so the two of us were able to stay at the hotel, sleep in a bit, take a swim in the pool, watch part of a bad Ashton Kutcher sex comedy on TV (is there any other kind of AK sex comedy?), and take a walk along the river that runs through downtown Spokane before jumping on a bus and heading off to grammy and poppy's house for Thanksgiving dinner—which starts at 2 PM, which seems early to me but that's how they do it here in Spokane. I think it's good for a kid to 1. take mass transit generally and 2. get around strange cities on mass transit to see that it can be done and 3. not be bored out of his mind while adults cook and talk so he'll be 4. happy to see everyone when he arrives and excited to sit down to eat and not restless and grumpy and unpleasant half the day... so thanks, Spokane, for your relatively efficient bus system!
I'm also thankful for my family, an early start to snowboarding season, my awesome co-workers and co-Sloggers at the Stranger, sparkling wine, pumpkin cheesecake, and bad Ashton Kutcher sex comedies.
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1
Happy thanksgiving Dan! Hope you and your family have a great night.
I'm Canadian, so my thanksgiving was over a month ago -- but today, I'm thankful for the people in my life. And all of the things Slog has taught me. I now use "Christian bigot" on a semi-regular basis. Who knew?
I'm Canadian, so my thanksgiving was over a month ago -- but today, I'm thankful for the people in my life. And all of the things Slog has taught me. I now use "Christian bigot" on a semi-regular basis. Who knew?
2
Are you thankful being a self-absorbed twat? You're a shit parent, shit writer, shit editor, and a shit lover. Do you teach your kid that you can skate by life without gaining a meaningful education?
4
I'm thankful Slog went to a registration system, so that the anonymous bores can easily be screened out.
I'm thankful that we have Dan to agitate people. The Seattle "gay community" was quite dreary before he came along and punctured a few of the sacred cows.
I'm thankful for cheap Safeway turkeys, Jello molds and Green Bean casserole - and that the people who are coming to dinner aren't foodies.
I'm thankful for my 85 year old mother, who can always talk me down from my gravy anxiety (My father's side of the family made absolutely dreadful gravy, and I'm always afraid I inherited that gene. Mom, on the other hand, makes excellent gravy)
I'm thankful for my job, my dogs, The Colonel, Chez Vel-DuRay, and for my life in general. I never thought I'd make it to this age with so few regrets.
I'm thankful that we have Dan to agitate people. The Seattle "gay community" was quite dreary before he came along and punctured a few of the sacred cows.
I'm thankful for cheap Safeway turkeys, Jello molds and Green Bean casserole - and that the people who are coming to dinner aren't foodies.
I'm thankful for my 85 year old mother, who can always talk me down from my gravy anxiety (My father's side of the family made absolutely dreadful gravy, and I'm always afraid I inherited that gene. Mom, on the other hand, makes excellent gravy)
I'm thankful for my job, my dogs, The Colonel, Chez Vel-DuRay, and for my life in general. I never thought I'd make it to this age with so few regrets.
5
Here's a useful mnemonic for remembering the name of the river that runs through downtown Spokane: It's the Spokane River.
Did you stop by to feed the trash-eating goat sculpture? That makes all of Riverfront Park worthwhile, for me.
Did you stop by to feed the trash-eating goat sculpture? That makes all of Riverfront Park worthwhile, for me.
10
I'm grateful for all the hard work you've done for gay rights and family relations. Gay nightspots used to be refuges for a lot of angst on Thanksgiving night in the old days. Now a lot of us show up in the mood to celebrate having had family days that were pretty cool, and I appreciate that you've helped make that happen.
11
I'm thankful for Dan and his writings and various output (podcasts, editorials, personal and TV appearances).
Dan, in no small way, inspired/prompted me to take the life changing step of moving across country and start living life on my own terms - even though I've never written to his column nor spoken to him (and I was too timid to say 'hi' at the last Slog Happy).
Because of Dan, I found Slog.
I am thankful for the Slog community, the Stranger, my family, friends, job, and co-workers.
Have a great Thanksgiving, or if you don't celebrate but your workplace does, have a great day off.
Dan, in no small way, inspired/prompted me to take the life changing step of moving across country and start living life on my own terms - even though I've never written to his column nor spoken to him (and I was too timid to say 'hi' at the last Slog Happy).
Because of Dan, I found Slog.
I am thankful for the Slog community, the Stranger, my family, friends, job, and co-workers.
Have a great Thanksgiving, or if you don't celebrate but your workplace does, have a great day off.
12
Hope you and your family have a great holiday. Thank you for all the great work you do and giving us all "food" for thought on a regular basis. Whether someone agrees or disagrees with your articles and/or opinions, the old left brain, right brain gets a good work out.
Take good care!
Take good care!
13
I am wicked grateful to have found the online version of Savage Love, with the archives. I am continually surprised at the depth of answers that you give, Dan, and sometimes with folks who comment. I love mass transit in general (which isn't great in my part of CT, near the casinos) and am glad more cities are looking into systems like monorails. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Dan!
14
I'm thankful that five years ago, full of fear and despair, I found a website with others who felt like me. Someone on that site posted The Stranger's essay "Urban Archipelago." I'd never even heard of The Stranger or Dan Savage before that day.
That essay brought a tiny bit of hope and sanity back to my life. For the next four bleak years, every time I talked with others who felt like me, I'd mention that essay and send them the link. I quoted from it. Hell, I formed a little philosophy around it.
I also began reading Dan Savage, and quite a bit about my personal life improved because of it.
So thanks, Dan. And thank you to all of The Stranger staff. Happy Thanksgiving.
That essay brought a tiny bit of hope and sanity back to my life. For the next four bleak years, every time I talked with others who felt like me, I'd mention that essay and send them the link. I quoted from it. Hell, I formed a little philosophy around it.
I also began reading Dan Savage, and quite a bit about my personal life improved because of it.
So thanks, Dan. And thank you to all of The Stranger staff. Happy Thanksgiving.
15
I'm thankful for my wonderful family, awesome friends, adorable kittehs, free internet porn, and that the Colts are 10-0.
17
You were in spokane and didn't come down to see Palin in the turkey trot this morning? I at LEAST hope you're coming in Sunday for her booksigning at the Richland Hastings from noon to 2. *I* would go if I could see you there! And it's on the way home ... sort of.
20
For grown-up rich people like you there is this service called a "cab". Talk to your hotel's concierge; I'm sure he can arrange one.
21
Cabs are nasty and the cab drivers here drive like old women. Besides, Dan probably doesn't want his son to be a pampered little snot who says "Why do we have to take the bus? I wanna take a caaaaaaaaaaaab."
Also the bus drivers in Spokane are surprisingly badass.
Also the bus drivers in Spokane are surprisingly badass.
22
Thanks for the great work, Dan, and all the other Sloggers - hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving.
23
Aww. It's weird to hear that Dan Savage is in my hometown while I'm all the way across the ocean. Happy Thanksgiving Dan, and I want to second the recommendation to visit the trash-eating goat statue. Other notable Spokane Things include Niko's (a wonderful Greek-ish restaurant right across from River Park Square) and the Rocket Cafe.
24
Aww, I love that the requisite homeless guy with his trash bag is in the picture. Isn't public transit fun?
My most pungent public transit memory was being stuck on the 40 minute leg of my commute to work with a homeless guy who had obviously pissed-and-shit his pants in the night and was standing in front of me. The good thing was that the bus was full so there were no seats for him to sit on and hence soak. The bad thing was attempting to hold my breath for 40 minutes.
My most pungent public transit memory was being stuck on the 40 minute leg of my commute to work with a homeless guy who had obviously pissed-and-shit his pants in the night and was standing in front of me. The good thing was that the bus was full so there were no seats for him to sit on and hence soak. The bad thing was attempting to hold my breath for 40 minutes.
25
Dan, were you aware that Playgirl centerfold/porn star/American Gigolo Gene Carrier aka Johnny Harden claims to be the father of Ashton Kutcher, Josh Hartnett, gay porn star Brent Corrigan and the Onassis heiress?
http://vintagegogo.blogspot.com/2009/04/…
I'm thankful for odd, obscure gossip...
http://vintagegogo.blogspot.com/2009/04/…
I'm thankful for odd, obscure gossip...
26
This is an incredible thing to hear from you, Dan, since you come to mind often during the 1-2 times a week I ride STA buses. Smelly, gross, slow, and filled only with people who have no other option.
But they do a pretty good job of keeping them clean-ish and on time, at least. Unlike Metro, I have never sat down in a puddle of urine here before.
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
But they do a pretty good job of keeping them clean-ish and on time, at least. Unlike Metro, I have never sat down in a puddle of urine here before.
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
27
Even though I always get in line to call Dan on his shit, I genuinely am thankful for his presence in my life. For 14 years, through the magic of the internet (which, yeah, I'm also thankful for, although it's pretty stupid sometimes), he's continually reminded me that it's OK to be a freak. The value of that is immeasurable.
Oh, and I'm also thankful to have spent my first Thanksgiving with a significant other since '06. :)
Oh, and I'm also thankful to have spent my first Thanksgiving with a significant other since '06. :)
28
I am thankful for vasectomies!
Whew. I couldn't say that at Grandma's Thanksgiving table, so I've been holding it in. I'm also truly thankful for Dan and all that he's done to make talking about sex (and demanding better sex) easier for so many of us.
Whew. I couldn't say that at Grandma's Thanksgiving table, so I've been holding it in. I'm also truly thankful for Dan and all that he's done to make talking about sex (and demanding better sex) easier for so many of us.
29
I'm thankful that you've shown your true colors as bigot, you filthy STD infested cum dumpster FAGGOT! I'd be more thankful for an apology about calling people tards, but you only stand up for the gay community. Resign, you're fucking incompetent you stupid fag.
30
I'm thankful for mental health workers and medication that can help people, (such as the poor person who made the last comment). Thank you Stranger staff for broadening my world. Dan you have helped so many of us navigate some hard stuff, with self, friends, lovers and kids. I thank you.
31
@29.
Again (god, how many times do I have to say this).
If you're going to be an ignorant homophobe, at LEAST change your username. F*ck Bigots? For the millionth time, slightly hypocritical. By this time, you're just another idiot. Yes, Savage has called people t*rds. And you have just called someone a f*g, as if being gay made him say it. Ignoring the fact, that you are supposedly on the bias watch.
What the f*ck?
Because of course, Savage being gay is the source of all the world's ills.
At least insult him for the thing you actually care about...
Oh wait!
Again (god, how many times do I have to say this).
If you're going to be an ignorant homophobe, at LEAST change your username. F*ck Bigots? For the millionth time, slightly hypocritical. By this time, you're just another idiot. Yes, Savage has called people t*rds. And you have just called someone a f*g, as if being gay made him say it. Ignoring the fact, that you are supposedly on the bias watch.
What the f*ck?
Because of course, Savage being gay is the source of all the world's ills.
At least insult him for the thing you actually care about...
Oh wait!
32
Oh, forgot this. 29, I have a great song recommendation for you, it's by Lily Allen. Called "F*ck You." I suggest you listen to it, from me to you, and all else sh!tty homophobes in the world.
Have a nice day ;)
Have a nice day ;)
33
I'm thankful someone is grateful for the product of many years of my mother's service on the Spokane Transit Authority board. She certainly didn't get many thanks from her fellow residents during her tenure. RIP, mom.
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