My three Thanksgivings

It’s Thanksgiving Day morning 2019 as I write this.  This day finds me relaxing and recuperating from what’s been a busy week at my work assignment, not to mention what will be a busy month to come.  Without divulging any details of the company where I’m currently assigned (due to privacy and all), I’ll say that this company has clients from across the country, and that December is always their busiest time of year.  Hopefully for my sake, such a busy time will spill well into January, if not February.  If not, hopefully a new line of work, from a staffing agency or otherwise, will be lined up for me by the time I leave this assignment.

This Thanksgiving also finds me at home, just relaxing, perhaps doing some laundry, and not paying too much attention to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade unlike more recent years.  I have no plans to go anywhere, other than maybe a walk around the neighborhood to get in some much-needed exercise.  Speaking of which, I was tempted to participate in a 10K run that is staged in Madison every year on Thanksgiving, but it’s kind of hard to run in a heavy winter coat.  No, we don’t have snow here in Madison at the moment, but the chilly temperatures would dampen any enjoyable run.

You’re also wondering why I’m not with family today.  Well, our brood already had our Thanksgiving two Saturdays ago.  As I’ve mentioned in passing previously, our extended family has gotten to the point that we do our own things on the actual holiday.  So it is with both of my sisters having plans with their own families on this day, as well as Mom working her job.  It’ll be the same deal for us on Christmas, with our gift giving and dinner the Saturday prior.

But you’ve probably noticed the title of this post and wondering how I’m celebrating Thanksgiving three times.  Well, there’s today, there’s the dinner I had with my family earlier this month… and there was a little thing that OutReach, the LGBT+ community center here in Madison, had this past Sunday night.

Every November (or so I want to think), OutReach throws a Thanksgiving potluck banquet.  For the low, low price of free (with a suggested monetary donation), attendees could dig into turkey, ham, stuffing, pies, the whole nine yards.  They could also converse with friends and acquaintances old and new.  Which, really, is the best thing about an event such as this, and especially for our broad LGBT+ community.

If you’re asking… yes, I did bring some desert to the potluck.  You see those bags of (gluten-free) chips in the background, or that bowl full of (gluten-free… and powder-free) Cheetos?  Those were my contributions to the festivities.  I didn’t want to arrive empty handed, nor did I want to splurge on anything major.  So, on my way to OutReach, I stopped off at the supermarket and bought chips.  Sure, chips may not on par with the pumpkin pie you see in the foreground.  But if you’ve ever watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, know that it’s the thought, and the camaraderie, that counts ahead of the calories.

You’re also asking, “Gee, Allison, did you dress up for the occasion?”  Well, is turkey served on Thanksgiving?

Yes, that’s yours truly just as the potluck was about to be served, sporting a long-sleeved fitted dress from the Divided line at H&M.  This dress has been in my closet for a short while, and I was wondering if or when I could wear it for a special occasion.  Well, banquet + supportive friends + someplace other than my apartment = special occasion, in my book.  The dress has a long-sleeve fitted design, is adorned in lots of foil dots, has silver threads, and…

…an open section in back, with the sleeves and shoulders connected just below the neck (you can’t see that connection here since my hair is in the way).  Such a big opening allows me to slide into this dress with relative ease.  And needless to say, the combination of glittery effects and bare back turns more than a few heads.  Needless to say, too, that I received more than a few compliments at the potluck dinner (e.g. “I really love your dress, Allison”).  The way I see it, if it’s a unique (for you) occasion, and you have an item of clothing you want to show off, why not put it on and make a statement?

But more than the turning heads and warm compliments, what I enjoyed most about the potluck was the welcoming atmosphere and conversing with friends I know and those I don’t know yet.  Oh, and the acceptance of my female side by others.  No matter who you are, how you identify, how you’re celebrating, or especially what you’re wearing, here’s hoping that you are just as accepted by your own acquaintances on this Thanksgiving and the holiday season upcoming.  Have a happy day!