There are times I despair of American popular culture--both  for what it is and that it wears the name American.  I support it, unwillingly, because I chat on the internet.  Here's what I'm supposed to consider of note this morning:

• Star Power: 25 celebs to be thankful for
• Black Friday Preview
• Does Turkey really make you sleepy?
• Why football is a T-Day (sic) tradition
• 12 Mysterious underground tours

I'm also invited to play Harvest Bejeweled, and reminded that the highlights on MSN are the five priciest houses, 5 surprising turkey facts, and FOX:  Vince Young's Small Error, while the most frequent searches on Bing are Roman Polanski's case, Worst Movies Ever, and NFL Schedule.
I haven't  clicked on any of them, and I won't.  The radio's off, and I'm drinking coffee and communing with Samuel Lane.  I don't remember how I met Samuel...through materials for one  of my courses is my best guess.  He flourished in  1793, and he flourishes in my memory now.  Each year I introduce him to my students, and I thought I time that I introduce him here.   Samuel is, I think, by nature thankful.  There was no "official" day for Thanks-giving in his era...no football, no Black Friday.  But Samuel Lane found a way to express his  thanks anyhow:

As I was Musing on my Bed being awake as Usual before Daylight; recollecting the Many Mercies and good things I enjoy for which I ought to be thankful this Day; some of which I have Noted after rising as follows viz:

The Life & health of myself and family, and also of so many of my Children, grand Children and great grand-children' also of my other Relations and friends & Neighbors, for Health peace and plenty amongst us

For my Bible and Many other good and Useful Books, Civil & Religious Priviledges, for the ordinances of the gospel; and for my Minister.

For my wearing Clothes to keep me warm, my Bed and Beding to rest upon

For my Land, House and Barn and other Buildings, & that they are preserv'd from fire & other accidents.

For my Cattle, Sheep, and Swine & other Creatures, for my support.

For my Corn, Wheat, Rye Grass and Hay; Wool, Flax, Syder, Apples. Pumpkins, Potatoes, Cabages, tirnips, Carrots, Beets, peaches and other fruits.

For my Clock and Watch to measure my passing time by Day and by Night

For Tea, Sugar, Rum, Wine, Gin, Molasses, peper, Spice and Money for to bye other Necessaries and to pay my Depts & Taxes &c

For my Lether, Lamp oyl & Candles, Husbandry Utensils, & other tools of very sort &c &c &c. 

Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Bless his holy Name. Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits, who Satisfieth thy mouth with good things, &c.

Samuel Lane, 1793
Samuel Lane would have made a good neighbor, I think.  (I have good neighbors now).  But I love how mundane his list is.  I love the sequence--health and peace among neighbors and family tops civil and religious priviledges, in fact, so do good and useful books.  I love it that avoiding disaster is enough reason to be thankful, and that that is high on the list.  There's more to love for what is in this account book of thankfulness, and for what's not in it.  No thanks for celebrities--No George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson.  Not a mention of the Constitution.
And I love it that he was thankful for his tools,  but after giving thanks for his rum, tea, wine and gin.
So I put Samuel Lane on my "I'm thankful for" list--along with a number of you here at TPM--you know who you are.