How did everyone fair for Thanksgiving? Hopefully the holiday was divided between comfortable family time spent overeating and relaxed good times with friends overdrinking. I went to Oregon with The Italian to meet his family (nervous stomach and gnashing of the teeth start here). My qualms were quickly put to rest when we arrived and discovered we'd be staying with his little sister in her college dwelling - a six-bedroom rambler complete with kegerator and FULLY STOCKED BAR. I've seen actual bars that don't carry the selection of booze, wine, port and beer that this house had. It was hard not to just lie on the floor with the keg tap in my mouth, but I managed to abstain. Turkey Day was filled with many delicious courses of homemade dishes. Something else I managed not to do this year: Eat pie before dinner was over and unbutton my pants. I admit I held it together for the company I was in, which is rare. Lemon Drops were served, followed by a few different bottles of wine, and then we launched into stories of our youth and what the youth today considers music. A 17-year-old friend of the family told me with a straight face that The Beatles were alternative rock. I aspirated my wine. Amazing how these young babes take claim of everything.

Confession: I gained five pounds in four days. Now that's good food, and I will punch you if you call me Miss Piggy.

Strange and cool observations

Fat Boy Slim, whom I've always regarded as pretty cool, is tied into Nordstrom. He's remixing a Go Go's song for an online video campaign by the staid high-end chain store. I don't know why that rubs me the wrong way, but it does. Not to say that I don't like the clothes promo'd in the video, I do. It features some of Gwen Stefani's line L.A.M.B. That's all good, but I think the energy she's putting into her clothing line is sucking energy out of her musical talent. Need I say she's gone b-a-n-a-n-a-s? Oh, and her tour caravan passed us on the highway in Oregon: four motor coaches, one with her name in 10-foot tall letters.

James Hume sold another of his masterful paintings that had been displayed in the window at King's Books on St. Helens, increasing the number of homes and businesses that proudly own his paintings. If you haven't seen Hume's work make a point to check it.

We are getting close to the end of the year, and that means it's time for the Top 10 of 2005. Send your memories to Gingerknoxx@yahoo.com. My memory's not so good. Hiccup!

Saturday, Dec. 3

I defy

Longtime Tacoma punk rock outfit I DEFY has seen fit to pull the original members back together for a string of shows. There's no telling if this will be a permanent thing or just a one-off or two. I had heard the first show was to be in January from band members, but then low and behold, Hells Kitchen's Web site shows they are playing Dec. 3 at 10 p.m. Members of the band could not be reached for comment, so I'll paraphrase a couple of past conversations I have had with them. Singer Jason McKibbin describes the band's reuniting as "something that had to happen. It's good to get back together and do this. We've missed this lineup, and it's gonna be awesome. Make sure you come." Guitarist Carl tells me the band has never had so much fun playing together, often spending hours at practice enjoying every song. Drummer Ben shares, "It's good to be playing with Nigel again. Too much time went by without him." Check these guys out for no other reason than to witness how much they love sharing a stage together and the honest to god talent they possess playing new and old stuff. With the Dwarves with Go Like Hell and The Blackout Kings. 10 p.m.,  21+, $8 at www.ticketweb.com, $10 door, 10 p.m., Hell's Kitchen, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma.