(Marianas Variety) — Thanksgiving in the Marianas! What is there not to like? Here, we all pretend the turkey is the star of the meal when everyone knows kelaguen gets the first scoop. For their part, family members volunteer to cook one dish — and somehow we still end up with six trays of pancit.
But who’s complaining? That’s for next year’s Election Day. Today, we’re focused on gratitude, full plates, and that annual family-and-friends roll call where half the invitees are “on the way” but don’t actually show up until dessert.
Here then is the 31st edition of Marianas Variety’s fantabulous annual Thanksgiving list, presented in no particular order. Go on, take a peek — who knows? You could be in.
1) CHCC and its hardworking staff, especially Dr. Stephen Vargo
2) modern medicine
3) CUC, electricity, vehicles, gas stations
4) James Sablan: “I’m thankful for my wife Dana (we’re currently on our honeymoon), my family — sister, brother-in-law, nephew, niece, and mom — my ‘inom’ crew, my friends, the sports community for continuing to trust me in sharing their stories, and to Marianas Variety for continuing on standing on their two feet despite these challenging times. Thank you all for making me the man that I am today. Happy Thanksgiving!”
5) Emmanuel “Arnold” Edriano: “I thank my late mother, Montserrat Torres Erediano and my late father, Manuel P. Erediano; my wife Jeanette and my children, John Gabriel, John Baron, John Yuri, Kennedy John, Manuelito John and Johana Elizabeth, and grandson Remiel John Dimitri.”
6) “I thank also my late grandmother Segundina P. Erediano, and my siblings Manuel Jr., Alma, Mayette and Arlynn, in-laws Dick Sillitoe, Kirk, nephews and nieces, my sister-in-law Myra and her husband Daniel Brum, and best friends Edgar Gares and Dennis Jay Santos.”
7) “Thanks a lot, Variety family: Zaldy and family Che, Zoe and Miguel, Boss Amier, Ma’am Jen and kids; and the entire Variety family.”
8) “Thanks to my kumpares and kumares: Uly Sabuco, Irene Holl, Glenna Palacios, former Sen. Pete P. Reyes, former Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan, Haidee Eugenio, Maryann Borja, and ninong Wendel Posadas and ninang Paula Bermudes.”
9) “Thank you, Marianas High School, Kuya Arnel Gruspe, Principal Melanie Sablan Rdiall and vice principal Romolo Orsini; Green Meadows School family, Ma’am Mila, Sir Ador, Sir Glen, 10) “Ma’am Bona, the Grade VI faculty, parents and students.”
11) “Thank you to my good friends, Doris and Jose Bermudes, Eusebio Manglona, John Paul Reyes, Frances Joan Kaipat, Chanelle Borja, Ma’am Becky Cruz, Joe Palacios, Andrew Estepa, Doyi Kim, Mr. Kim, Mountain Joo, Candy and Lex, Allan of 99 Cents, Joselito Espino, Myla, Grace Christian Assembly family, Steve Jang, Rep. Danny Aquino and Joann Aquino, the Chairlady Cui Lie Jie and Mr. Chi, Ms. Lyn.”
12) “Thank you, McDonald’s Saipan, Jose Ayuyu, Maria Ayuyu, Joe Jr., Mable, Gold Ribbon Restaurant, Plumeria Restaurant, $6 Restaurant, Elegance, Smoke House Restaurant, Great Harvest Bakery, Bank of Guam, First Hawaiian Bank, Triple J Motors, Discover, Sunleader Corp., Franco, American Red Cross-NMI, John Hirsh; friends in politics, Gov. Arnold Palacios, Gov. David Apatang, former Senate President Edith, CPA board of directors, Claudio Norita, Sen. Paul Manglona, Legislature, Jessica Tomokane, Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan, NMI Democrats, AD Team, Republicans, and businesses — Kinpachi, Misako San and Sonia, Kuya Gary of Sunny Side, Mr. Kim, Triple J., Mobil Oil, Twins Market, Rotary Club, M2 Fitness, Mary Grace, NMIFA, Andrew Orsini, Judge Lizama, Kagman Health Center, CHCC, CEO Esther Muna, CPA, Kim Hinds, Chris Tenorio, CCC, Ruth Sakisat, San Antonio Church, Center for Messianic Learning, Father Arman Hagos, Nikon, Star Carwash, Eco Laundry, Mr. Kim, Mr. Jonathan Joo, One Stop Laundry, Joe-ten, Town House, National Office Supply, I Love Saipan, Bourbon Bar, Eden, Ewon Restaurant, Lohas Massage, San Jose Mart.”
13) Bryan Manabat: “A Heart Full of Thanks in 2025! As another year draws to a close, I find my heart overflowing with gratitude for the blessings, big and small, in my life here on Saipan.”
14) “Family: My Anchor and My Joy. Thank you to my wife Serrine for being my steady anchor and unwavering partner through thick and thin.”
15) “Our children, Riannalyn, Maria, Sebastien, Brandon, Isabel, Keziah, Alejandra, and RJ — you are all my pride and joy.”
16) “My grandchildren, Amaiyah and Adrian Jorray Faisao, and Ha’Ani (Honey), I love you guys to the moon and back.”
17) “To my parents, Mateo my late father (for his wisdom and patience) and Elvira my mother (for her endless carr) thank you for everything. To my siblings, Gomer, Keziah, and Chris: despite the distance, your support and helpfulness are constant blessings.”
18) “Finally, I am thankful for the general good health of my entire family — a true gift.”
19) “The Marianas Variety Family. I am deeply thankful to the Marianas Variety family for giving me the opportunity to serve the CNMI community. My sincere thanks go to our boss, Amier Younis and his wife, Jenny. To Zaldy Dandan, our editor, thank you for your sharp eye in catching errors, polishing my work, and for the valuable tips and coverage assignments that challenge me. To my fellow MV staffers and the Friday night sessions crew — Bino, Steven, Julius, Mike, and Edmund — thank you for the camaraderie and support.”
20) “Above all, I am profoundly thankful to live in this beautiful community, the CNMI, and call Saipan my home.”
21) Gold’s Gym
22) Joeten stores
23) XO Market, LJ’s, Happy Market
24) The Coming Conflict with China (1997) by Richard Bernstein & Ross H. Munro; About Face: A History of America’s Curious Relationship with China, from Nixon to Clinton (2000) by James Mann; Nixon and Mao: The Week That Changed the World (2008) by Margaret MacMillan; On China (2012) by Henry Kissinger; The Epic Split: Why “Made in China” is Going Out of Style (2020) by Johan Nylander; Frank Dikotter’s: The Tragedy of Liberation (2013), Mao’s Great Famine (2010), The Cultural Revolution (2016) and China After Mao: The Rise of a Superpower (2022); The World Turned Upside Down (2016) by Yang Jisheng; Mao: The Unknown Story (2005) by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday; Mao: The Real Story (2007) by Alexander V. Pantsov and Steven I. Levine; The Private Life of Chairman Mao (1994) by Dr. Li Zhisui; Deng Xiaoping’s Long War (2015) by Zhang Xiaoming; One Child (2015) by Mei Fong;
Private Revolutions: Four Women Face China’s New Social Order (2024) by Yuan Yang;
The Class of ’77 (2022), the memoir of Jaime A. FlorCruz, the Philippine’s current ambassador to China; Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie; Granta 169: China
25) amazon.com
26) eBay
27) telecommunications
28) capitalism
29) free trade
30) entrepreneurs
31) Bruce Mailman & Maya Kara as well as the Mailman & Kara, LLC staff
32) Brenda & Fred
33) Jim & Grace Belyea
34) liberal democracy
35) YouTube
36) Spotify
37) Homeland, The Americans, The Diplomat, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, A Complete Unknown, Bob’s Burgers, Jim Gaffigan specials, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
38) Pacific Island Times
39) Mar-Vic, Joe and family
40) zd is thankful to Chéché, Miguel, Zoe and Bob the cat
41) cat food, cat treats, cat litter and the local stores that sell them
42) John and Gloria Sablan
43) JG Sablan Ice & Water
44) Kindle
45) Kim King-Hinds and family
46) Galvin, Velma and their children
47) NMC
48) PSS
49) Mount Carmel School
50) Courtney’s Plaza, Torres Refrigeration, Dante & Josie
51) Mike Ernest & family
52) B&R Auto Repair
53) Steve Nutting & family
54) Judge Ken Govendo & family
55) Judge Joe Camacho & family
56) Arin Greenwood
57) Nick Pichay
58) Ate Carol, Kuya Danny, Gio, Vince & family
59) Tita Merci Molina and Kuya Abel
60) Kuya Bill, Ate Teré & family
61) Rita and Frank Sablan
62) Sonnie Sablan and Inas’ Kitchen
63) Walt FJ Goodridge
64) JKPL and staff
65) Jeff Schorr and family
66) Charles P. Reyes Jr., Esq.
67) Daisy, George and Jordan
68) Matthew Deleon Guerrero and family
69) Kevin Bautista & family
70) Ayn Rand
71) Thomas Sowell
72) Cato Institute
73) Foundation for Economic Education
74) American Institute for Economic Research
75) The Wall Street Journal
76) National Review
77) The Spectator World
78) Ludwig von Mises
79) F.A. Hayek
80) Milton Friedman
81) Frédéric Bastiat
82) Henry Hazzlit
83) The CNMI Society of Professional Journalists, led by the dynamic Thomas A. Manglona II, its other officers and members
84) Saipan Chamber of Commerce
85) Vir, Alice and Josh
86) Pale Ike Ayuyu
87) To old friends and former colleagues: Raffy A., Ferdie, Rick A., Jojo, Gemma, Haidee, Rene, Moneth, Choobs, Lyn, K-Andrea, Jon P., Alexie Z., Jacq, Aggie, Jude, Junhan, Racquel B., Richelle, Fil Olimpo, Flor Pamintuan, Rhony Laigo, Dong Camacho, Eileen Oreiro, Chau Nguyen, Chris Nelson, Carlotta Leon Guerrero, Glenn Wakai, Bob Coldeen, Tammy Doty, Sophia Perez, Andrew Roberto
88) Thank you MV editorial/digital team: Arnold, Bryan, James Sablan and Romel
89) Thank you pareng Makoy, Jess G. & family, Sally, Osang, Lisa Cruz & family, Tekya, Prof, Talits, Loids, Ariel & Khalil, Vino & family, Tere & family, Arsen & family, Mama Gaya, Lala, Jayden, Rey, Niño and family, George M. & family, Jeanette & daughter Joanna, Bob Schwalbach, Joy, Ella, Bhadjoe
90) former Congressman Kilili and family
91) Gloria Hunter and family
92) Donna Cruz and family
93) Pete P. Reyes and family
94) Diego & Vicky Benavente
95) Ralph DLG Torres and family
96) MV’s proofreaders Virgie Avendaño-Woodruff and Joyce McClure, contributing writer Candy Feliciano, contributing editor Jayvee Vallejera, poetry contributor Joey Connolly, who is about to publish his first book of poems
97) The CNMI and its people
98) U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
99) PMC and Dr. Ahmad A. Al-Alou
100) zd says thank you so much Abed, Paz, Amier, Jenny, Laila, Lawrence, Banny, Farah, Suaad and Salam.
101) Thank you ever so much to the hardworking people of MV’s editorial, art, administration, sales, production, accounting and circulation departments.
102) Thank you Ulysses Torres Sabuco — the man, the legend…
103) MVA and its new Marianas campaign
104) tourism industry
105) local businesses
106) the poetry of Wisława Szymborska and Pablo Neruda
107) Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain
108) The Elusive Quest for Growth by William Easterly & Russell Roberts’ The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protection
109) Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and Lenin in Zurich
110) Roberto Bolaño’s The Savage Detectives and 2666
111) Mark Taimanov’s I was a Victim of Bobby Fischer
112) The CNMI Economic Recovery Study: Marianas Economic Roadmap
113) The Duffy Sessions, Sienna Hart, Paul van der Feen’s cover of Everywhere; Conor Albert, Maya Delilah’s I Think You Should Know; Lenny Kravitz’s Honey; Steely Dan’s Jack of Speed; Dire Straits’ Your Latest Trick; Jaheim’s Just in Case; Level 42’s Take a Look, Running in the Family, Children Say (unplugged) and Something About You (acoustic); Acantha Lang’s It’s Gonna be Alright; Jim Photoglo’s Fool in Love with You; Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording); Gordon Lightfoot’s Sundown; Wire Train’s Chamber of Hellos; Chad Lawson’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desire; Ralph Tresvant’s Money Can’ Buy You Love; Bluey’s Life Between the Notes; Sade’s Paradise/Nothing Can Come Between Us, live 2011; Vince Guaraldi’s The Great Pumpkin Waltz; Tevin Campbell’s Back to the World; U2’s Bad; Dennis Edwards, Siedah Garrett’s Don’t Look Any Further; Propaganda’s Duel; The Manhattan Transfer’s Birdland; Ali & Alanah’s cover of So Into You; Eagles’ In the City; The Emotions’ Don’t Ask My Neighbors; After 7’s I Want You; What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life by Stacey Kent
114) Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant!
115) MV readers, contributors, advertisers, and you, of course!
