In any case, I hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving. I really hate driving that day because there are a lot of crazy people making stupid mistakes on the road. However, I did not have that problem because for me, there’s no place like home for the holidays. My wife and I made our own dinner, pigged out, and watched The Expendables 2 after the airing of Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving. I also managed to squeeze in Garfield’s Thanksgiving, which I own on DVD.

Perfect again!

Another thing I realized is that this month marks the three-year anniversary of this blog. WordPress sent me an alert with the info and I was surprised because it certainly does not feel like three years. I have slowed down with the blog posts but I think I was more active this past year than last. Sometimes things get in the way but ideas eventually find me and then the blog gets active. I especially like to give props to Thanksgiving, a holiday that seems to get lost in between Halloween and Christmas. That is a shame because it is certainly one of my favorites.

I don’t plan on ending my blog anytime soon and should definitely find more time to write. I still have several more Thanksgiving themed posts that I haven’t gotten to but I’ll just save them for next year. Screw it; I should just do another Feastmas since I wasn’t satisfied with this year’s. A good strategy I should follow is to write all the posts ahead of schedule in case of any unforeseen circumstances that may delay any articles.

If I do continue Feastmas next year, it should be an interesting one due to some possible changes. If all goes according to plan, I may do a major relocation from the East Coast to the Midwest. I don’t want to get into major details at the moment but if everything works out, I should have all kinds of new material for the Thanksgiving countdown.

Hopefully I don’t run into people like this.

So this ends Feastmas for this year. It didn’t turn out exactly the way I wanted, but I am satisfied. Maybe I missed out posting this on Thanksgiving, but it still is Thanksgiving weekend. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and get all your Christmas shopping finished early!

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I’ve wanted to write this post for a while but there’s not much themed apps that fit Thanksgiving. I also wanted to include apps that are more holiday specific than simple ones that lets you book airplane tickets. Something more entertaining while letting you know what specific holiday is presented. I’ve covered 5 apps and most of them are for both iPhone and Android phones.

Cookie Dozer Thanksgiving. (iPhone/Android)

This dozer app is similar to those arcade machines where you drop a quarter and if that coin lands in a spot where it pushes other coins off a small ledge, you earn tickets or sometimes more coins. However, instead of coins, you get cookies in the shape of leaves and you get points when you push other cookies off the front ledge.

Cookies that fall off the side ledges get zero points. Randomly, special items such as pies or turkeys appear and you can get bonus points if they fall off the proper ledge. This is a fun way to kill time and is impressive considering that it’s free.

Thanksgiving Solitaire. (iPhone/Android)

I think the title is self explanatory. You’re basically playing solitaire on your phone. It is pretty cool though because it has holiday colors of maroon and orange and also have themed images on some of the cards such as pumpkin pie or turkeys.

I started playing the game to review it and forgotten how fun and challenging the game can be when trying to complete a set. It’s been a few years and I’ve started figuring out advanced strategies I never thought of when I was younger. Give it a shot.

Thanksgiving Dinner Coach by CHOW (iPhone)

If anyone is cooking a Thanksgiving dinner for the first time, this app is an essential tool. It lets you choose what you want to serve, create a shopping list, and how to cook everything.

With this app, there is nothing you will forget to pick up and you’ll avoid ending up on a long line at the supermarket on Wednesday night for one damn can of cranberry sauce. Definitely check this one out.

Thanksgiving Mahjong. (iPhone/Android)

Just like the solitiare game, this is a free Mahjong game with a Thanksgiving theme. Unlike that game, I have never played this game before. I’ve been so busy and truthfully, I’ve included this because there aren’t many themed apps to be so picky about. It does seem like an interesting game and I do plan on learning how to play it at some point. Maybe I will learn in time to play the Christmas version offered by the same app company.

It would be interesting if more games adapted holiday themes in their games. I know Angry Birds has done it, which I love. I wonder what kind of missions would be in Grand Theft Auto and Thanksgiving. Stealing turkeys? Floatjacking at the Thanksgiving parade? The possibilities are endless.

Jive Turkey. (iPhone)

This is the only game that is solely available for iPhone but I wanted to include it because it is fun. It reminds me of Fruit Ninja in which items would quickly move in and out of the screen and instead of slicing the items, you have to tap the screen in order to shoot the targets.

There are turkeys of course and other power ups like timers to extend time and bullets to replenish your ammo, along with the dreaded skull which will end your game if shot. It is another simple yet fun time killer. You know, in case you hate to read books.

I’m sure as time goes on, there will be even more Thanksgiving apps since the popularity of mobile apps is still going very strong and doesn’t seem like they’re leaving anytime soon. Try these apps out and get into the holiday spirit!

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I’ve taken a picture of the corn and carrots in the can because I did not recognize the logos or brand names. The carrots brand name is Happy Harvest and the corn is from Foodtown. Foodtown does sound a bit familiar but I couldn’t place it. I did a search and Foodtown is the name of a supermarket, which is around certain areas of NYC, but not around me. Happy Harvest is a brand name from the Aldi supermarkets, which have several stores in the local New Jersey area.

It’s also hard to see in the picture but the turkey brand is Round Hill, a brand that can locally be found in Wegman’s supermarket, which are also located in New Jersey. After completing this small sleuthing, it occurred to me that this food was donated here from surrounding areas looking to help out people affected by Hurricane Sandy. I think it shows the goodness in people, which is something to be thankful for, whether or not you see the generosity up close and personal.

I now also see the eagerness of others wanting to help with my new job. There are people making food and serving it for free near where I work. It helps the neighborhood because there are still people in the immediate area without power. People I work with and others who are cleaning up the area get free lunch willingly from these awesome people.

I started this week as part of park and beach cleanup, which has fellow coworkers and I relocating sand due to extreme beach erosion. The job is pretty tough and our crew is slowly getting smaller, but my body is adjusting to the work and I really like what the primary goal is. For the past year, I have been running on the boardwalk and bike paths in this area, but can no longer do so due to the storm. It was quite depressing to see all the damage in the area and a complete sense of normalcy will not come until the park and beach reopens.

Sand from the beach on the nearby street.

It’s also the tiredness of my job that has made me miss a few days of posting for Feastmas, but I plan to post daily until Thanksgiving, one of my most favorite holidays ever. It’s only three more posts left until Feastmas is over and I really want to get a few more articles in. Nothing specific, but just to celebrate Thanksgiving my way.

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Snoopy

The balloon has made it’s first appearance in 1968 and has become a favorite ever since. It has become more prominent when Macy’s starting selling Snoopy plush dolls with the Macy’s logo on them. It is now at the 6th version and still going strong. Definitely a parade classic!

Pink Panther

Unfortunately this balloon is no longer featured at the parade because the show is rarely aired and the size of the balloon is larger than the newer size requirements. I remember the balloon appearing in many parades when I was a child and will always be a favorite.

Bart Simpson

The same year the Simpsons Thanksgiving episode aired, the Bart Simpson balloon made it’s first appearance in the parade. I was a huge Simpsons fan at the time and seeing the Bart balloon made me very excited.

Spider Man

I was always a fan of the web slinger and was always psyched to see him in the parade when I was younger because he wasn’t on TV as much as he’s been lately. Also, the balloon always had a cool action pose, which separated it from the other balloons.

Mickey Mouse

Mickey has been in the parade since 1934 and has been going strong ever since.  The fourth version was released in 2009 and is Captain Mickey, who is promoting the Disney Cruise line. I’m a big fan of Disney and especially the parks so seeing the mouse make an appearance is always great.

Pikachu

This is more because of my youngest brother. He was very young and into Pokemon. I took him to the parade at Times Square in 1999 and there was a huge poster of Pokemon the movie. We also talked about Pokemon all day. There was no Pikachu that year in the parade but everytime I see his balloon, I remember that day and what a fun time I had.

Kermit the Frog

Who doesn’t like Kermit the Frog or the Muppets? Again, I would like to see Kermit in the parade as a kid because I used to love the Muppet show and other movies like the Muppets Take Manhattan. Kermit gets more screen time due to Disney and their new movie so he’s now more relevant than ever. He also sang Rainbow Connection, possibly one of the best movie songs of all time.

Ronald McDonald

Every kid loves going to McDonalds. I would always get excited whenever the family car would pull into the parking lot and the same thing happens to my son. The only difference is that my son unfortunately doesn’t know about Grimace, the Hamburgler, or the Fry Guys. For shame.

Garfield

I’m a big fan of the lasagna eating cat and his primetime animated specials, which is why I like his balloon. I couldn’t tell you how many times I saw his Halloween or Christmas special. I discovered the Thanksgiving special a few years ago on DVD and I’ve grown to love that one too. You can’t go wrong with Garfield.

B. Boy

B. Boy or Balloon Boy debuted last year and was created by Tim Burton. It’s such a crazy balloon and is a weird fit for the parade so I became an instant fan. I love Tim Burton’s animated works so that’s another reason it’s on this list. I hope he becomes a regular.

Do you have any favorites that are not listed here? Post them in the comments below!

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I spent quite some time sitting in front of a blank screen thinking about how I’m going to start this blog post. How do I talk about a movie that’s very old yet very popular? What kind of perspective do I bring to a movie that practically everyone has seen and is aired every year. After pondering what to write, I guess eventually I came to this conclusion: I love this movie.

There are elements in this film that I do not like. For instance, I hate excessive singing. That is a reason why I don’t go to Broadway. But I don’t want to make a list of what I don’t like about it because it would be pointless. Anyone can make a nickpicky list about anything. This movie is entertaining and funny. I may have only watched one or two other movies with Laurel and Hardy, but this movie shows that they are great and play off each other very well. There is a lot of clever scheming when it comes to taking care of the mortgage. The movie turns to an action film when the Bogeymen show up with their rubber faces and puffy backs. This is a great movie that ages well.

Those wild and crazy guys!

I mention this movie because it has become a Thanksgiving Day tradition for many years of my life. I remember as a young boy that I used to flip the channels between the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and this movie every year. When I figured out how to use a VCR, I would tape the movie and watch the parade. When 12pm would hit, I would put on the movie. I had nothing to do since school was closed and I was too young to cook, so why not spend the day in front of the television? I used to do that lots of times.

The movie would air every Thanksgiving on W.P.I.X. 11 in New York City. That was the same channel where I discovered the Twilight Zone Marathon. Since I used to watch a lot of TV during the school summer break, it was also where I discovered the awesomeness of the Batman hour. Even though it was an hour long, the show would still say, “same bat time, same bat channel.” Television at it’s best.

It has actually been a few years since I’ve seen the movie on network television but it’s not because it hasn’t aired. I truly have no idea if it is still on at Thanksgiving. Some networks also air the movie on Christmas but many remember it playing on TV in November. I’m going to keep a look out for it this year and see if the tradition has been kept on TV. If not, I guess it’s another movie for my Blu-ray collection. Believe it or not, it has just been released for 3D Blu-ray. I have no idea how that looks, but I would give that a shot. I’m assuming that in 50 years from now, they’ll release the Holodeck version and that should be fun.

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Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become a holiday tradition for people around the world. It takes place in Manhattan and thousands are in attendance. It’s what most think of when you mention the Thanksgiving parade. But did you know the Macy’s parade isn’t the only one that takes place that day? There are several Thanksgiving parades taking place around the United States and I plan on focusing on four of them. It makes me think though because I’m from New York and never have seen any other Thanksgiving parades on television. Is the Macy’s parade and the other parades aired at the same time in their own respective cities? And if so, what’s the point? Obviously the Macy’s parade is the most popular so it will be the most flashy. So do others watch the other parades out of regional loyalty? Are people like, “screw New York. I’m gonna watch my home town’s parade.” Or even worse, do the cities who have their own parade keep the Macy’s parade off their local network channels in order to focus the local’s attention on their own parade? I can’t answer these questions but if anyone knows the answers, leave a comment below.

The 6abc Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia, PA

This year, their parade will host guests like All-4-One, the 90′s R&B group, an actress from General Hospital, Miss America, and a football player from the Eagles among others. Now, these smaller parades will not bring out the major celebrities like Macy’s and one has to keep that in mind when viewing these parades. The good thing about not having major celebrities is that the parade will have more floats to make up for it. Having Mickey Mouse in the full official costume is always a crowd pleaser.

McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago, IL

Now who can’t get behind a parade sponsored by the Big Mac and Ronald McDonald? This is a popular parade in the midwest and watching clips of it somewhat reminds me of the Macy’s parade. The guests are Ronald McDonald (of course), The Harlem Globetrotters, Santa and his wife, and CM Punk. I dunno, maybe CM Punk will wrestle Ronald for grand marshal. I have to give them props though because they have balloons like Mighty Mouse, Tom & Jerry, and Woody Woodpecker. School some kids on awesome throwback cartoons.

The above clip features the world famous Kilgore College Rangerettes. I’m guessing that it’s a Texas version of the Rockettes. Also, I know that whenever I hear the term “world famous” used for a group, it’s a safe bet that I’ve never heard of them.

America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, MI

I have to give it to this parade because it is looong. They have 3,000 clowns, 300 big head characters, tons of floats, and a bonus is that the following Saturday, you can get up close and personal with the floats. I don’t think you can do that with the Macy’s floats and I don’t think you would want to considering the population of NYC and Jersey. I mentioned last year that I went to the Macy’s balloon inflating the day before Thanksgiving and what ruined it was the insane amount of people that was there. I think the crowds would be significantly smaller in Detroit.

The Houston Holiday Parade in Houston, TX

Yes, this parade has floats, marching bands, and balloons, but their celebrities are lacking; probably the most from the parades I’ve covered. However, this parade has more of the local communities marching and it almost seems more like a party than a parade. You know you’re gonna have a good time when the parade starts off with cheerleaders dancing to a mix of classic Michael Jackson songs and then another group of cheerleaders dance to LMFAO. It truly feels like a celebration. If I lived there, I would go to the Houston parade every year and catch the Macy’s parade on DVR later.

Of course these parades will not be on par as the Macy’s parade, but I think they certainly hold their own. I know that I plan on visiting these parades eventually. It certainly would make an awesome road trip as well.

Forget it.

Most ways people get seating for the parade is if you work for the company and you’re lucky enough to be one of the few who gets tickets or if you’re a VIP, like a celebrity or in a position of power. Of course, like most situations in this country, money talks.

Most spectators line up along the parade at the police barriers and watch the performers and floats go by. However, the NBC broadcast shows performances in front of the Macy’s store on 34th st. Because of all the broadcast equipment everywhere at Herald Square, it’s best to avoid the area unless you have tickets for the seating area. If you do, you can see performances like this:

It seems like a sweet place to be. You can see the balloons up close, watch the marching bands play, and see musical performances from Broadway shows and see the Rockettes kick their toned legs. The only thing bad that sticks out is that most performances are done facing away from the seating, towards the camera.  It’s a minor hinderance though because it’s probably cool just to be there. Any sports game is way more interesting when you’re watching it in person, so being at the VIP seating must make the parade the highlight of the year.

Way more impressive in person.

There are two areas located at the parade where there’s seating. The most obvious spot is in front of Macy’s and where the performances are held. The second seating is right at the beginning of the parade, near the Museum of Natural History. If you watch the parade on TV, usually a celebrity seated there will be interviewed there by Al Roker. The people who sit there do not get to see the performances (I believe), but the parade is over for them by 10:30am EST so they can go home earlier or travel to wherever they have to go. They’re also able to see the kickoff. I guess whoever goes has to decide which option works best for them.

So, why even write about this when the tickets are for certain folks? Why tease the readers? Well, like I said, money talks. There are situations where people obtain tickets but know in advance that they’re not able to go. They sell the tickets online at prices that average around $1,000 a pop. That certainly is a high price, but it does make seating possible. I figured that if you saved $10 a week per ticket, you can attend the VIP section in about two years, Heheh. One could make it a Thanksgiving vacation in New York to make it worth it. I have attended the parade as a regular bystander and I did have fun, so I imagine that the seating area is much cooler. I think at some point in the future I’ll spend some cash and buy tickets at least once. If you have the money to spend, I’d say try it at least one time. It’s either that or spend several years working at Macy’s selling Cuisinart appliances.

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Free is the magic word, isn’t it? But like anything else, nothing is really free.

For the past several years I have not paid for my Thanksgiving turkey. Even though I have been running for a bit, I have not tried my luck at running out the supermarket with a turkey tucked into my arm and juking past security guards. Every year, several supermarkets in NY have deals where if you spend a minimum amount in an allotted time, you can get a free turkey. I’m sure other supermarkets outside of NY do this as well.

This year, if I spend $400 at the store, I can get a free ham or turkey. However, as soon as I saw this ad in the local circular, I immediately saw that the minimum spending limit was upped by $100. For several years now, the minimum was $300 and my jaw practically dropped when I saw the change, but I immediately knew why the price changed. It was because of the drought in several key areas around the U.S. The ruined crops raised the prices of all kinds of food. Believe me, my wallet has been crying all year. Crying with noises. Also, there are less supermarkets offering the deal, which means giving away the turkey has become a burden. That truly is a damn shame.

Of course, a proper business strategy is to be as inclusive as possible. This supermarket, Shoprite, has included substitutions for the turkey if that’s not your thing (heaven’s forbid).

They have chicken, ham, lasagna, or tofurkey. I’m not sure why someone would change the turkey for lasagna. Even Garfield ate turkey on Thanksgiving.

See. No lasagna.

I’m not sure if I’m going to get a turkey for free this year because I don’t think  I’m going to spend $400 in this store. I break up my shopping between Shoprite and the Pathmark, which is a few blocks away. I actually save tons of money doing this and I can get a turkey for half off at the Pathmark. Still, Shoprite does have good deals and they have the Can Can sale with the catchy tune on their commercial. That’s a big plus in my book.

It’s a shame that they upped the minimum spending limit because shopping at the store and then earning a turkey basically has become tradition. It’s almost like leveling up in a videogame and then reaping the rewards. It’s okay though. I like saving money even more.

EDIT: I found out today that because of Hurricane Sandy, Shoprite has lowered the spending minimum from $400 to $300 to ease the pain of New Yorkers, and probably New Jersey residents. I guess I will probably end up getting my free turkey. Nice!

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In all honesty, I did not watch this movie until I was an adult. Even though I was a child of the 80′s and remember a lot of the decade, there were a few classic movies of the 80′s that I missed. I have yet to see Pretty in Pink, Real Genius, or Making the Grade and and only recently seen other movies like St. Elmo’s Fire and 16 Candles for the first time. Now, I have seen most popular movies of that decade and movies like those I’ve just listed just didn’t seem interesting to me, which is strange because I have seen other Brat Pack movies when they were first released. It’s just one of those things.

Anyway, the premise of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles has two strangers who are trying to get back home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving but has their plane rerouted to Wichita Kansas. They then spend the rest of the movie trying to get home, even though luck is continuously not in their favor. It stars Steve Martin, John Candy, and is directed by the late, great John Hugues.

John Candy really brings the funny with his annoying personality that drives Steve Martin to the brink. Yet, Candy grows on you as you learn more about him. He’s a friendly guy who’s had trying times in his life.

However, I noticed something strange about the movie, especially since I love to make road trips. It took Martin and Candy 3 days to get from Kansas to Illinois. I checked Google Maps and the actual trip would take about 11 hours by car. Even in the age of no internet, my father used to make good time getting anywhere using folding maps. I could drive that in a day. Even when they rented the car in St. Louis, it took them over a day to complete a 5 hour drive. What took them so long? Were there tons of adult bookstores along the way?That distance flaw doesn’t hurt the movie though; I just thought it was a funny realization. I don’t have to be a nitpicky ass.

I think my favorite joke of the movie (and probably everyone else’s) is where they have to share a bed and then there’s the issue with 2 pillows. It’s scary and hilarious at the same time. I don’t want to spoil the joke for anyone who hasn’t seen the movie but I provided the clip below for anyone who wants a refresher on this uncomfortable situation.

I also found a clip that is a fan made trailer of the movie in the style of Brokeback Mountain, which shows a budding romance between Candy and Martin. It’s pretty funny albeit a bit long, and it would probably even be funnier if Brokeback Mountain was new. 

After recently watching this movie, I realized that the more I watch it, the more I enjoy it. There is always something I notice with every viewing and now I’m considering looking for it on Blu-ray. I definitely recommend it.

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Fried turkey has become popular in the media because of the foolishness of people who can’t follow directions and start fires. I have never had fried turkey before but I have heard of it many times on T.V. It does look pretty good and I do like fried chicken cutlets so I’m assuming I would enjoy this as well.

Probably the biggest reason why I never fried a turkey is because I currently live in an apartment. It is way too dangerous to try something like that indoors. However, if I ever wanted to commit arson,  I could play dumb and fry a turkey at someone else’s place (well, not anymore).

There are a lot of factors that are involved when frying a big turkey and I know I’ll forget something and burn down New York City. Fortunately, you can order a fried turkey and avoid the danger that comes with cooking it yourself. You can watch the video below and see what is involved. The guy fries a turkey while tailgating at a football stadium. I didn’t know you could do that. The turkey sharing requests must be a nightmare.

The danger with frying is the greasy oil hitting the open flame at the bottom. The oil can completely explode in flames and adding water to douse the flames only makes the fire worse. The trick is to make sure there isn’t too much oil in the pot so that it doesn’t overflow and touch the flames. .

That fire danger does make good video clips though. I have seen warnings about turkey grease fires on the news every November and they’ll usually have a fireman show what could happen if handled wrong. The video below is an example of what could go wrong and it stars William Shatner. Yeah, go figure. But if a major fire doesn’t make you sit up and take notice, maybe a Starfleet captain would.

I’ve also included videos showing a living room set go up in flames and a basketball hoop lighting up just to show how high the flames can go. Can there ever be enough videos with food explosions?

Watching these videos tempt me to get a frying kit just to purposely set it on fire. I remember when the Mentos and diet soda videos became big and I tried it out myself outside. When I dropped the candy into the soda, the fizz went as high as three stories. It was very much more impressive in person than watching it on YouTube and my cousin who wasn’t expecting such an significant effect immediately bought me more supplies to try it again. That’s why I think trying the turkey fryer fire would be incredible to watch. It really is dangerous though so I would really have to think about it. I do like having eyebrows.

But in all seriousness, if you do decide to fry a turkey, please be careful. Thanksgiving is a day of celebration and it would not be fun to have Thanksgiving dinner outside while your house is burnt to a crisp. The food would get cold.

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