Four-Day/Three-Night, All-Inclusive

When I realized that I would not be able to make it home on Thanksgiving for another year, I felt that I had been beaten yet again. For the third year in a row, the Universe had conspired against me. I can find an affordable ticket home all year long, but this time of year is impossible. Hoping to make the best out of a potentially lonely holiday weekend, I found myself in the midst of an almost perfect paradise.

They always say that it usually comes to you when you're not expecting it. As a single boy, I found that hunk of wisdom as worthless as a starched shirt on a humid day. My faith in true love, however, was restored at the store when I met my magical girlfriend Beckett. We met up at the Fairway on 74th and Broadway ready to tackle the inevitable shopping experience that we'd otherwise face alone.

It was there that I made my way toward a time of true gratitude. All year, Daniel and I check the usually barren Entenmann's section for the ultimate holiday treat: a pecan pie. But, there it was, the night before Thanksgiving, waiting for me. I later learned that the pie was misdelivered to this location, alone among the pumpkin goodness. I tracked it down, which you can do on the Entenmann's website. I now have a date with the Food Emporium across from Kosher Marketplace on West 89th Street to pick up as many as I can fit into a cab!

Just before Shabbat, the holiday fairy drag queen performed yet another act of kindness for me. In a quick run to the local grocery store, my long-lived search for delicious, kosher, vegetarian stuffing was ended. I finally found a package that wasn't made of matzo-meal. That stuff isn't even edible at Passover, let alone the rest of the year. The happiness only increased when, after adding my own special touch, I ate it all over a hearty tofurkey that my special sista' brought over. The bliss was blossoming.

The best part of all was the solitude. I was afraid that I'd feel especially lonely this year, but I didn't. The City was emptier this weekend; it's a noticeable nicety of urban life. My roommates were gone. Dan was with the parents. I slept; I read. I ate; I read. I rolled around in my clean 600-thread-count sheets. I slept; I read. You get the point. Aside from being in Austin, I couldn't have asked for a more relaxing time away from the usual headache of schlepping through the City forever among its illustrious inhabitants.

Today, I finally had the energy to do my spring cleaning. It felt great. I'm almost ready for the week ahead. This'll be my last week with Daniel for a while. A few days into December, he'll be off to Arizona to work on some shhience shhtuff for an undetermined amount of time. We're guessing that he'll be away for at least a few weeks. It's sad; it's too much time away. he;s gone for all of Chanukah. This PhD better be worth it. He'll be missing all of the season's festivities. Grrr.

One of these days, I'll be able to derive pleasure by doing more than playing catch-up. Until then, I'm stuck with serendipitous nosh, one fabulous bed, and just enough national holidays to provide periodic pick-me-ups. I look forward to plunging into the work week as naturally as possible, with confidence and caffeine galore.