VOL. 115 - NO. 46 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 18, 2011 $.30 A COPY THANKSGIVING: So Much to be Thankful For by Bryan Golden Thanksgiving is much pects of your life. Take noth- better if you had them. If only more than a big meal with ing for granted. Every morn- you had more money, more family and friends. It’s a ing, recharge your apprecia- time, a bigger house, a dif- time to reflect on, and be tion. Be happy for everything ferent car, a different job, a thankful for, all of the good there is, not upset over what different boss, had picked a The Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving things you have. Even with you feel is missing. different career, etc. by Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959 all of the uncertainty and Dreams of the future Once your attitude be- It may be I am getting old and like too much to dwell turmoil in the world, you shouldn’t diminish apprecia- comes one of deficiency Upon the days of bygone years, the days I loved so well; have so much to be thank- tion for the present. If all you instead of abundance and But thinking of them now I wish somehow that I could know ful for. It’s important to be do is concentrate on what appreciation, you can be- A simple old Thanksgiving Day, like those of long ago, grateful, not just on Thanks- you want, you won’t enjoy come overwhelmed by feel- When all the family gathered round a table richly spread, With little Jamie at the foot and grandpa at the head, giving, but each and every today. Don’t be jealous of oth- ings of frustration and feel The youngest of us all to greet the oldest with a smile, day. Rather than lamenting ers; what they do or have like a victim. As this hap- With mother running in and out and laughing all the while. what you feel is lacking in has no bearing on you. pens, a consuming vicious It may be I’m old-fashioned, but it seems to me today your life, begin each new day You can feel bitter or cycle starts. We’re too much bent on having fun to take the time to pray; by developing an attitude of resentful for a variety of Being bitter or resentful Each little family grows up with fashions of its own; gratitude. Take inventory of reasons. Perhaps you feel blows situations out of pro- It lives within a world itself and wants to be alone. It has its special pleasures, its circle, too, of friends; your blessings and you will something is missing from portion. People who are bit- There are no get-together days; each one his journey wends, be surprised at just how your life, things aren’t go- ter frequently find that their Pursuing what he likes the best in his particular way, much you have to be thank- ing your way, or you have situations deteriorate and Letting the others do the same upon Thanksgiving Day. ful for. been treated unfairly. You their mental and physical I like the olden way the best, when relatives were glad If you have enough to eat, may wonder, “Why do these health decays. To meet the way they used to do when I was but a lad; a place to live, a way to get things always happen to It’s difficult, if not impos- The old home was a rendezvous for all our kith and kin, around, people who care me?” sible, to achieve your goals And whether living far or near they all came trooping in With shouts of “Hello, daddy!” as they fairly stormed the place about you, or people you care Life’s problems tend to while you are bitter or And made a rush for mother, who would stop to wipe her face about, then you are wealthy. dominate your thoughts, resentful. Regardless of what Upon her gingham apron before she kissed them all, If you lack any of these ele- turning your focus to what challenges might befall Hugging them proudly to her breast, the grownups and the small. ments, you must still be you feel is wrong. You may you, bitterness makes find- Then laughter rang throughout the home, and, Oh, the jokes they told; grateful for what you do start to resent those who ing solutions much more From Boston, Frank brought new ones, but father sprang the old; have, while striving to obtain appear to be better off. You’re elusive. All afternoon we chatted, telling what we hoped to do, The struggles we were making and the hardships whatever is absent. apt to dwell on things you we’d gone through; Focus on all positive as- think would make your life (Continued on Page 10) We gathered round the fi reside. How fast the hours would fl y— It seemed before we’d settled down ‘twas time to say good-bye. Those were the glad Thanksgivings, Mayor’s Column the old-time families knew When relatives could still be friends and by Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, City of Boston every heart was true. Thanksgiving arrives next week and two free hours of metered parking “Black Friday” marks the official start throughout the city’s commercial dis- of the holiday shopping season. As you tricts, including downtown, starting on make your holiday shopping lists, I urge “Black Friday,” November 25 and con- News Briefs you to skip the midnight lines and mall tinuing on five consecutive Saturdays traffic and explore Boston’s neighborhood through December 24. While meters will by Sal Giarratani retailers. Our Main Streets districts of- be free on these days, a two-hour time fer a variety of shops and restaurants limit will be enforced by the Boston where you can find unique gifts close to Transportation Department to accom- home. The Mayor’s Holiday Special is a modate as many visitors as possible in OCCUPY (Your Town Here) is not shopping districts. Robin Hood and His Band of Merry Men great resource for finding deals on holi- day events and shopping in Boston. If you do get a ticket, remember that Lately, this ragtag movement itself has been We are also continuing the annual you can redeem it with a toy donation attaching Robin Hood to its mantra. However, Holidays on Main Streets campaign, a through the city’s “Toys for Tickets” pro- Occupy Boston reportedly is now holding on to small business initiative designed to gram. The program will allow any driver more than $300,000 in the bank. Aren’t you sur- highlight the many festive events tak- that is issued a non-public safety park- prised they’ve found a bank for themselves at all? ing place in and around the 20 Main ing ticket on Boston’s streets between Dare I ask where the money is flowing in from? Streets districts through the end of December 5 and December 9 to resolve Perhaps, it stems from the SEIU, AFL-CIO and December. Businesses are getting into their ticket by providing a non-violent, other like-minded liberal unions as well as bil- the holiday spirit by participating in our wrapped toy of equal or greater value lionaire George Soros maybe? district-wide contest for the best dressed than the fine on the ticket. Toys will be What is wrong with these liberal big city mayors storefront window, offering shopping accepted from December 8 through like Michael Bloomberg from New York, Antonio deals, and hosting fun family events in- December 16 between the hours of Villaraigosa from Los Angeles and our own Tommy cluding holiday strolls and tree lightings. 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM on the second floor Menino? Feeding into this well-financed mob Visit www.mayorsholidayspecial.com of Boston City Hall. To participate in the rule? Menino lets them destroy part of the Rose to find events, deals, and discounts in “Toys for Tickets” program, drivers must Kennedy Greenway, Bloomberg lets them con- your neighborhood. bring the parking ticket and a receipt tinue on as a big nuisance to the surrounding We’re even offering free holiday park- for the toy. Last year the “Toys for working-class neighborhood that they pretend to ing hours in commercial shopping Tickets” campaign contributed over represent and Villaraigosa hands out free ponchos districts, making it even easier for $3,000 in toys to brighten Christmas for the incoming rainy season. shoppers to access their neighborhood morning for many children. retailers on weekends. As is tradition (Continued on Page 15) in Boston, weekend shoppers will enjoy (Continued on Page 14) THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PMPM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, NOVEMBER 18, 2011 Res Publica by David Trumbull HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS In our home, perhaps in yours HADRIAN'S VILLA AT TIVOLI too, Thanksgiving Day festivities History is still uncertain Germany, and Britain. A few copies of fine buildings, foun- begin with tuning the television about Hadrian's formal edu- years later he put down tains, and lush gardens that set to the Macy’s Thanksgiving cation and training. Some an insurrection in Pales- were originally designed by Day Parade which we half watch reports credit him with being tine, and then visited Syria some of the best known fig- and half just have in the back- an architect and others on his return trip to Rome.