Happy Thanksgiving! We had an intimate family holiday this year because we're new to the area and we're establishing some traditions in our new home. The major addition? Danny and I made a turkey for the first time in the nearly 10 Thanksgivings we've had together. We were nervous because turkeys are notoriously difficult to cook but we stuck by the recipe and we had a succulent and delicious bird at the end of the day. I was proud of our teamwork.
We also made some delicious sides: skillet sweet potatoes and red and yellow potatoes; seared salt and pepper green beans; classic stuffing; and cranberry sauce. For dessert, I made oatmeal and dark chocolate and white chocolate chip cookies and a no-bake pumpkin and white chocolate cheesecake. Next year, we hope to host some guests who may not usually have a Thanksgiving dinner or are unable to travel out of town for it. We have tons of leftovers, so we'll eat like kings for the rest of the week.
We had the last three days off as a family and it was relaxing and fun. The warm and cozy time was important because it's the start of finals season at UC Berkeley. During the break, I couldn't stop thinking about a beautiful quote from Frantz Fanon's Black Skin, White Masks, which we read in Rhetoric class:
"I am not a prisoner of History. I must not look for the meaning of my destiny in that direction. I must constantly remind myself that the real leap consists of introducing invention into life. In the world I am heading for, I am endlessly creating myself."
Finals, I see you. Let's do this.
