Well, it is Thanksgiving week once again and time for another highly stressful cross-country drive and potentially divisive dinner-table dialogue with distantly related family members, with whom we have little in common. There is probably a reason why we only talk to these people once during the average year. I am just kidding, of course. I look forward to seeing extended family on those rare occasions that I get to do so. This holiday I am heading East to have Thanksgiving dinner with  my Daughter’s in-laws, and I am sure it will be lovely. But I am also sure it will be a long and tedious drive because there is a snow storm heading for Middle Earth, as we speak. The upshot of all this is that I will have to miss this week’s MacroTalkToo, much though I hate to do so. This is the first Thanksgiving that I have not done my regular Thursday Livestream, so you know I am trying.

I had actually written a short editorial piece about Thanksgiving, its origins and the tragic story of the indigenous peoples for whom the third Thursday of November is a day of mourning. But when it was written I sent it to a trusted friend to ask if he thought I should post it. He suggested that I not do so because he was afraid some readers may read the piece as an attack on a cherished part of our heritage. I did not really agree with him, but I wouldn’t have asked his opinion if I did not take his response seriously.

So after much handwringing, I took the safest path and decided against posting the piece as part of this blog. However, I still think that what I had to say on the subject was worth saying, so I will post the piece separately, and you can read it if you like. The article is very short and can be found by following this link - https://www.allanwallsphotography.com/blog/thanks

As I said, I will be spending my Thanksgiving in the car and I am sorry that I won’t get to be with you on Thursday, which is usually the day I talk about my favorite things of the last year. Instead I will do this on Tuesday’s Macro Talk. The link is right here -  https://youtube.com/live/Sw2qNPArFZg?feature=share

This is one of my favorite shows of the year, so I hope you can make it!

So, with no Thursday Livestream, the next thing I have on the schedule is Saturday’s AfterStack - this is episode 11 and I am going to do this one - the topic is the Custom Brush - how to make one and how to use it in macro photography. You will need an invitation to get in and here it is -

Allan Walls is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: AfterStack - Episode 11

Time: Nov 30, 2024 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6916802815?pwd=TS9tZi9ZL1NXeVUvOUF4eTg5YjdlZz09&omn=82640377544

Meeting ID: 691 680 2815

Passcode: 678122

That is everything I have for this week - Stay safe, have a great holiday and I hope to see you on Saturday for AfterStack! As a special bonus - here is an example of just how heinously the Photoshop Custom Brush can be abused, in the wrong hands…