On an average day, we allow ourselves the fiction that we own a piece of our workplace. That's part of what it takes to get the job done. Deeper down, we know it's all on loan.

The soul-sucking activity of TV-watching feels better when it is done with other souls.

Thanksgiving without tension is like a Thanksgiving without turkey. It can be done, but it is not the norm.

Don't waste time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.

Be nice to your siblings. They are your link to the past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Getting out of the house is the secret to staying alert through the droning hours leading up to the big meal, even if you don't go farther than 7-Eleven for another six-pack.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.