"What Thanksgiving Means To Me"

 

By Penny Shuftan (Deaflegacy), 

 

So what does Thanksgiving mean to us? Looking online, this is what I read: 

 

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the U.S. celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November to give thanks for the year's blessings and harvest. It commemorates a 1621 harvest feast shared by English colonists (Pilgrims) and the Wampanoag people, though modern celebrations are largely a secular tradition of gathering with family for a large meal, often featuring turkey. The holiday also marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.  

Thanksgiving is on a Thursday because it became a fixed federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November after being proclaimed as a national day of thanks by Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln set the precedent of celebrating on the last Thursday, and the date was later codified by Congress and President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 to end confusion, especially after he tried to move it earlier for the 1939 Christmas shopping season. 

But what does it mean to people? I would ask three I ran into. The first was Rita Mariner.

 

Penny Shuftan (deaflegacy): What's your favorite part of Thanksgiving?

 

Rita Mariner: Family, I only have my sister left, so nice to see her occassionaly, she brings me my turkey dinner.
 

Penny Shuftan (deaflegacy): I'm happy for both of you, Rita. What's your favorite part of the Thanksgiving dinner?
 

Rita Mariner: The turkey, I like the leftovers, makes great sandwiches.
 

Penny Shuftan (deaflegacy): Alright, is there any meaning behind Thanksgiving for you?

 

Rita Mariner: Nothing official, just a nice time when family got together and had a nice time sharing a meal together. Today I just spend my Thanksgiving, on the internet and hopefully friends on Second Life.
 

Penny Shuftan (deaflegacy): Is Thanksgiving a very special time of the year?
 

Rita Mariner: It was when I had a RL family to share it with. It is still nice when I can share it with my 
friends on Second Life.
 

 Penny Shuftan (deaflegacy): Okay, thank you so much again, Rita (smile).

 

I would also ask the Newser's editor and head reporter, Bixyl Shuftan

 

Penny Shuftan (deaflegacy): What does Thanksgiving mean to you?

 

Bixyl Shuftan: To me, it's reflecting on and being thankful for friends, family, and what you have. It often means a Thanksgiving dinner with family and sometimes friends. Mother and I used to cook with, and have dinner with her next door neighbors.  

 

Last but not least, I would ask my neighbor, Denise Unicorn Toonie.

 

Penny Shuftan (DeafLegacy Resident): Denise, what does Thanksgiving means to you?

 

DeniseUnicorn Toonie: Hmmmm.... Let's see.. On Thanksgiving, you get to visit and meet with your family. And eat some turkey as an added bonus. (smile) At least for the ones that do have a family in good standing... not everyone has that.

And there you have it. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Penny Shuftan 

 

Editors Note: Penny has been facing some medical difficulties in real life, which interfere with her writing. So this article was late in coming in. 

 

Bits of SL Life And Times

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

Here's a selection of pictures and happenings that didn't make it in earlier, for various reasons.  

 

I posted some about Halloween, but this detailed avie from Kitacelia I thought deserved a mention. 

 

 Quite detailed, I hadn't seen anything like it. The pumpkin added to it. 

 

 This shirt worn by Charlee Harmony was certainly worth a chuckle.

 

 Ever see someone in Second Life whom everything rezzed but their head? I was thinking of both that and a few sci-fi tales in which the brain of a dying supervillain gets transferred to a nutrient jar with this look by Shockwave Yarreach. 

 

*  *  *  *  * 

 

In October, I wanted to get a picture of a Belleseria Fairgrounds party, but was in something of a mild hurry, and didn't want to disappoint anyone who wanted a long chat. So I sent one of my alts over, Droppa MaPants. So logging on him, I went to the party location, and greeted the people there. 

 

 [12:25] Waifu Ghoul: Hi Droppa, Hi KaL
[12:25] Now playing: Hexenkraft - The Thing [Synthwave Remix]
[12:25] Droppa MaPants (DroppaMaPants Resident): hey :3
[12:26] BM - Dirty Spanker: Lillyth Waydelich dreams of kissing Sondra Le Stoop's ass
[12:26] KaL (Kalegthepsionicist Resident): drop ma pants what aname LMAO
[12:26] KaL (Kalegthepsionicist Resident): xD
[12:26] Waifu Ghoul: haha
[12:26] Droppa MaPants (DroppaMaPants Resident): *chuckles*
[12:26] Elfi Stoker: lol
[12:26] Chucky Ghoul: Hi KaL, Hi Droppa
[12:26] Droppa MaPants (DroppaMaPants Resident): Got the name from a Zelany novel
[12:27] KaL (Kalegthepsionicist Resident): ah sex novel?
[12:27] KaL (Kalegthepsionicist Resident): xD
[12:27] KaL (Kalegthepsionicist Resident): jk
[12:27] Droppa MaPants (DroppaMaPants Resident): *chuckles* No, Fantasy
[12:27] Sondra Le Stoop (Distel Stoop): haha
[12:28] Droppa MaPants (DroppaMaPants Resident): one of the characters was named that
[12:28] KaL (Kalegthepsionicist Resident): okay
[12:28] Elfi Stoker: O.O
[12:29] Droppa MaPants (DroppaMaPants Resident): thought it would be a good name for me :3

 

And so was this latest reaction of people to one of my alts. 

 

*  *  *  *  * 

 

 On Sunday November 2 at Noon SL time, I went to the grand opening of something called AI Land, showing artwork done completely by AI. Pooky Amsterdam, who I hadn't chatted with in a while, told me about it. Longtime residents will remember her for "The 1st Question" game show. Since then, she's occasionally been involved with something. And now it was this show about AI. 

 

 Sometimes it's hard to tell when art is done by AI, to me. 

 

 There was certainly quite a light show. 

 

 

 But what I remember the most was seeing Pooky again. 

 

*  *  *  *  * 

 

 

 It's been *years* since I last wrote about wrestling. But on November 17 came another chance to. Merryjest Starchild's been noted for his stage performances and his singing. But that day came a new one: Wrestling. He'd gotten a slot for a "Dark Match" on Monday Nov 17, and invited people to drop by, "come early if you want to see me either succeed or fail spectacularly XD."  It was at United Furry Wrestling. So it was my first time watching a furry wrestling match.

 

 Merryjest put up a good fight against his opponent, him getting in a few body slams.

 

 "Go Merrryyyyyy!"

 

 But sadly for the Cheshire Cat of the stage, it didn't end with a grin. His opponent eventually got the better of him, and after the "one, two, three" was declared the winner. Merryjest's reaction wasn't being dispirited, but exhaustion, "That was kind of nerve wracking, the lag is for real tonight." 

 

As it turned out, Merryjest had good reason not to feel down. Several days later, he announced, "I just got news, I passed my Dark Match and I'm now part of the main roster at UFW O_O" 

 

So it seems Second Life's colorful opera singer will be adding the wrestling ring to his talents. 

 

*  *  *  *  * 

 

Then there's this gem from Bellisseria chat. People get alts for all kinds of reasons, but this one is a new one to me. 

 

 [10:31] Dreamer Pixelmaid: Poor calts, they keep getting send to "safe" hubs lol
[10:33] Kialaya (Kialaya Shilova): I know what alts are, but calts?
[10:33] Dreamer Pixelmaid: The alts I have because of cats for especial birthdays etc lol
[10:33] Kialaya (Kialaya Shilova): x-D LOL ooook
[10:34] Dreamer Pixelmaid: I should have sent them in before posting the notice lol
[10:36] Kialaya (Kialaya Shilova): yeah, hahaha poor babes
[10:38] Bixyl Shuftan: Heh, you made an alt just to get a one per customer kitty?
[10:41] Dreamer Pixelmaid: One per account kitty :P
[10:42] Emily Abbot: I thought it was about the houses?  hehehe

 

One of those "only in Second Life moments. 

 

*  *  *  *  * 

 

 And finally, there's the funeral for Crim Mip that I covered in early October. What I should have done was post a few pictures the following week. But I thought that it wouldn't take me long to have the whole thing done. I had forgotten how busy I can be sometimes, especially in October with Burn2, then Halloween. And by the time I've finished writing about those, here comes Christmas. 

 

 (click here if the video does not load)

 

I'll finish it up, soon. For now here's a picture and the video. 

 

Well, that's all for now. A few bits of my Second Life that were better late than never.

 

Bixyl Shuftan