Talking Turkey

Hi readers,

How are you doing? Did you have a good Thanksgiving? Did your elastic waistbands serve you well? Were your conversations relatively politics-free? Do tell.

As you know, last week I was in Utah, where I've been spending a fair amount of time. As much as I've been going there, you would think I'd have figured out how to dress for its weather by now. But if you'd think that, you would be wrong. Trip before last, I showed up sockless and in flats, which I instantly regretted because it was damned cold. This trip, I course corrected and showed up in thick socks and lined boots, and it was springlike there until the last day of my visit. I cannot explain why looking at the weather before I travel to Salt Lake City is truly pointless, but it is. At least on this trip, the Starbucks that is the source of my ire got my coffee order right each time I went.

It's the little things. Many thanks to my dear reader friend who subsidized those drinks. Without your generosity, I'm sure I would have wound up with a Venti whipped cream with some sort of flavored drizzle.

Anyway, I came back home, where I understand the weather, and prepared to host Friendsgiving yesterday. I haven't hosted anything that requires anything resembling planning in a good long while, and it would be a stretch to say anything that happened at my house yesterday was well-planned in any sense. But food was out (except for one dessert I forgot in the fridge), friends were there (and for them I am so grateful. I really do have the most wonderful friends), and plates were filled and eaten and filled again. I am very, very thankful for so damn much. One of those things is that all of you have been hanging with me weekly for these little letters that are never the same, and come together in about as much of a chaotic way as Friendsgiving at my house did. Thank you for being here, and for reaching out when you do, and for giving me feedback. It means so much to me.

Shifting gears, why did I name this letter "Talking Turkey" today? One was for the obvious ties to yesterday's holiday. But it's also because it's a saying that means "talking plainly or getting straight to the point" (which is something I may not be doing very well in this letter because of the tryptophan in my system). According to various sources, the origin of this term dates back to colonial times, when settlers and indigenous people used to barter for wild turkeys. There's an old piece of folklore about it, dating back to 1837, that was published in the Niles Weekly Register:

“An Indian and a white man went shooting in partnership and a wild turkey and a crow were all the results of the day's toil. The white man, in the usual style of making a bargain with the Indian proposed a division of the spoils in this way: "Now Wampum, you may have your choice: you take the crow, and I'll take the turkey; or, if you'd rather, I'll take the turkey and you take the crow." Wampum reflected a moment on the generous alternative thus offered, and replied - "Ugh! You no talk turkey to me a bit."

Obviously, settlers are shady people, which is why it's important to get them to talk turkey, and not this crow nonsense. Here's hoping that indigenous man made him eat crow in the end.

Writing prompt: Eating crow means "to admit one's defeats or mistakes." Talk about a time when you were forced to eat crow. What were the circumstances and who forced you to do the eating? What did you learn about yourself once the eating was done?

Quote

Be a loner. That gives you time to wonder, to search for the truth. Have holy curiosity. Make your life worth living.

-- Albert Einstein

Endnotes

What I'm reading: Honestly, I've got a million books in different states of being read right now. What I need to do is buckle down and finish them, one at a time. One of them is Malcolm Gladwell's "Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About The People We Don't Know." I picked it up in the Salt Lake City Airport last week, and it is an interesting look at how we make sense of people and how the tools and strategies we use to do it aren't always adequate.

What I'll be watching: "Beatles '64" debuts today on Disney+. Produced by Martin Scorsese, the documentary recounts the story of the band's U.S. debut, and their rise to superstardom after performing on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Yeah, I know we know this story, but I think it's a good time to watch something fun and hopeful.

What I'm proud of: Atlanta United's postseason run. No one – AND I MEAN NO ONE – thought they could make it as far as they did this season, but they fought their way to the conference semifinal last weekend, only to fall 1-0 to Orlando City. Interim head coach Rob Valentino deserves a ton of credit for bringing the team that far, and truly deserved to be moved out of interim status and into real live actual head coach for life status afterwards. Alas (and truly, unfortunately), it was not to be. Even so, I can't wait to see what the 2025 season brings.

Where I hope you'll donate this week: The Make A Wish Foundation creates unforgettable experiences for critically ill kids based on their hopes and dreams. It's a good time of year to give a little so that a kid can have an experience that will ultimately mean a lot, and give him or her the strength to fight against whatever illness they face.