I like to call it: holiday #1. As in #1 almost down, #2 and #3 to go. Can’t help it. When you’ve worked every holiday for most of your life, well, it tends to wear the shine off them.

But contrary to what people may believe, I do try to confront the silver lining of each dreadful holiday in my own special, all be it small, way. So this being the time to give thanks……

I’m thankful that I have the ability to pontificate every now and again on the Internet. That means I’m living a comfortable enough life to enjoy wireless internet, an iBook, and some feable coding skills. In 1600’s terms: I’m a fucking queen. We’re all fucking queens. And to top it all off, I make a living entirely off of food & circuses.

Sure, people have made a living off of wine for centuries. But now people can make a living talking about wine or wine “consulting” (whatever the fuck that means). We still may have bills to pay, but we spend our time talking about bottles of wine, some of which cost the equivalent of a third world worker’s weekly salary.

Am I harshing your mellow yet? Good. This Thanksgiving, I ask you to take your wine, your Heritage turkey, and that specialty food habit of yours, a lot less seriously. Even the $10 an hour line cook among us enjoys a quality and experience of life unequaled in human history.

So whatever alcohol you buy for the big day on Thursday…..I ask you to match that with a donation to America’s Second Harvest, be it a sixer of microbrew, a bottle of vodka, or a $50 Cabernet. No donation is too small. Survivors of New Orleans need your help this holiday season, so do many other Americans around the country. So feel the guilt and count yourself thankful for even being able to decide between Pacifico or Stella, let alone Chablis or Gruner Veltliner.