week 14: Hannah Pulley

Ah yes, Thanksgiving. The time of the year when you can hear “is there chicken or vegetable broth in this?” at least three times an hour. I’m finally over the post-Halloween self-hate fest when I’m subjected to two extremely high-calorie and labor-intensive family dinners, one with my mom and the father of my half-sister on Tuesday night, if they’re on speaking terms, and then the next with my dad and stepfamily to be on Saturday.

I’m trying to get past this part. The upside is the people I get to see and the pretense of having time to relax, the end of the semester in sight. On a good year, it is a stock photo Thanksgiving, just times two. Then again, this changes from one year to the next. I’m perfectly happy with Chinese takeout and movies one night with my uncle, who drove all the way from Washington DC, and waking up to a dusting of snow to make breakfast with my aunt. Breakfast is usually derby pie. I’m thankful for good music and good friends. We have our own black Friday that starts Thursday evening, and usually involves Skype calls until noon on Friday. It’s not conventional, per se, but I still have so many people around me, despite all the changes.