Today I listened to all four discs of the new Nirvana anthology, With the Lights Out. Excellent music at the hands of the last important rock band of the 20th century.

I couldn't help but feel depressed when I was done listening

Ever since Kurt Cobain commited suicide, there have been no signifigant entries into the log of rock history. For ten fucking years, the airwaves have been filled with bullshit pop music, and watered down fake-rock. For every true, honest rock band like Tool, there's been a dozen bland, uninteresting, benightedly unoriginal bands like the White Stripes.

Worst of all, one-third of teenagers today don't even recognize the name Nirvana.

I was too young to have experienced the first grunge movement, but this country is in desparate need of another. Fuck the RIAA. Fuck MTV. Fuck the whining emo bands. Fuck Blink 182, and Fuck all their clones. Fuck the divas. Fuck 'em all. Flush 'em all away. It's time to bring back the rock.

For the first time in my life, I'll be alone on Thanksgiving Day.

This shall not be a rant about how much that sucks. I've done enough ranting, and enough moping on the subject. So I'm phoning this one in, 1000 miles away from family on both coasts. There are worse fates.

I would like instead, to offer a meditation on this holiday of ours.

There's no feckless materialsim associated with Thanksgiving. Aside from the menu, there are no meaningless rituals. There is just good food, and good company.

On this day, freinds and family come together to share a meal. They cross hundreds of miles to be with their loved ones, often at great expense. On this day, we show one another how much we care.

We don't need an X on the calendar to do this

It is no secret that our country's corporations have created holidays in the name of consumerism.

Why can't we do the same?

Why can't we just decide to get together and celebrate life every now and again, without being confined to a day and a month?

I don't think that there is a good reason not to.