Thanksgiving Leftovers

If your family is like our family, you’ve no doubt dined on Thanksgiving dinner for, oh, about five days. Nothing says “Thanksgiving” more than “leftovers.” It is in that spirit that I offer these remnants that somehow never were able to make a complete plate:

Why is it we always end up with more turkey than we started with (as in, a 21-pound turkey yields 25 pounds of leftovers)?

Will the Redskins ever beat Dallas on Thanksgiving?

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Bohemian Rhapsody (the story of the rock band Queen) was much more enjoyable than Jersey Boys (the story of the rock band The Four Seasons).

Speaking of movies, never sit in the front row, unless it’s for a dialog/soundtrack movie like Bohemian Rhapsody. If it were a fast-paced action-adventure, you may pass out. I learned that during a James Bond movie.

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I am thankful for Paul Worboys, who has shown a hack like me the joy of venturing down the rabbit hole of old newspapers. I also appreciate the audience of readers who enjoy those kinds of stories (and thank them for their kind words on those articles and columns).

I am thankful for Tim & Deb Smith for allowing me (and our readers) to live vicariously through their excellent adventures. I also appreciate the audience of readers who enjoy those kinds of stories (and thank them for the kind words they’ve offered for those articles).

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Is it true what my sister says that today’s young people don’t even know who Fred Flintstone is?

If that’s the case, what other classic cultural references are they missing?

For that matter, if they lack this knowledge, how in the world will they ever understand why The Simpsons (and most Mel Brooks movies) are so funny?

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Has anyone else noticed a dramatic reduction in the use of Facebook and Twitter over the past twelve months? Have you wondered why this might be so? Or doesn’t it matter?

If this is true, what will replace them?

And don’t say “Instagram,” because that’s just Facebook-Lite (Facebook bought the company to rid itself of a pesky competitor).

If social media dies, will this mean people will go back to having neighborhood parties, joining bowling leagues, and attending church functions?

Or will they simply congregate with their (virtual) friends on their trusty gaming system?

Speaking of on-line games, I’m witnessing – even as I write – the slow dissolution of the once vibrant community on one such game. Just like any media property, once games lose their “freshness” appeal, users move on.

If the gaming company is smart (i.e., Roxio’s Angry Birds), they’ll continue to develop, first, additional levels, then variations on the theme, and then, variations on some other popular game’s theme.

Now, I’m not a sociologist, but I think there might be some lessons to be learned in tracking the life cycle of a game community. These lessons could shed light on the population fluxes in real communities.

That said, there’s likely a “critical mass” inflection point where, short of something catastrophic, the community becomes large enough to sustain itself without the invisible hand of some all-powerful developer.

Facebook and Twitter once achieved this critical mass. It may be that something catastrophic (mostly self-induced) has occurred to the point we are now questioning whether these organizations can remain viable.

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(ooo, that riff was a particularly big leftover).

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Does anyone under the age of 65 still get their news from the television?

Will anyone under the age of 30 ever read a newspaper in their lifetime?

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When will they let Pluto back into the “Planet Club”? (Who’s with me on this?)

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How many rooms have TVs in your home?

How many do you still watch?

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Remember when Black Friday was a thing? The whole family would huddle around inserts from “the biggest newspaper of the year” and plot out a shopping strategy. What ruined it? Cyber shopping or the bricks & mortar dinosaurs opening up on Thanksgiving Day?

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Do you long for Clint Longley?

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Do you even know who Clint Longley is?

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Hint: He’s younger than Fred Flintstone.

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If you’re like me, by now you’re totally sick of Thanksgiving leftovers.