STEPH DEROSA: KTHXBYE >>>

One of the girls within my dive bar crew had a relentless obsession with her cell phone on this day. Not so much receiving phone calls and being on the phone, it was more about the text messaging. Oh,don't worry, I'm not about to deny my love for the unlimited texting service in my mobile phone contract¬" but at least I keep it respectable and civilized. Not my friend, unfortunately. That girl was texting almost the entire time we were together. It was rude and extremely disrespectful. As we ordered, at the table, during lunch, it was impossible to have a conversation with her. Her priorities were obviously elsewhere, and she was more focused on whom she was texting than whom she was with. I told her to get the hell away from me with that damn phone and all her texting or I was going to throw it in the rainy, flooded Sumner street.

I sat on Captain Jack's crapper that day and thought about texting. Check out my thoughts on the Weekly Volcano Web site.

ROXANNE MURPHY: THANKSGIVING ON HILLTOP TACOMA >>>

Those of you who know me understand how I walk around this planet with my heart on my sleeve, which is why I'm going to share some intimate details about the upcoming Thanksgiving.

Turkey day is quite tough for me (as I'm sure it also is for several of you out there).

I no longer have family, which makes the holiday season difficult to get through.

People and families are always so kind in inviting me to their homes for Thanksgiving, but what they don't understand is that it's actually more emotionally challenging to spend time with someone else's happy family or even friends when you no longer have a family of your own. And the mere thought of tasting home-cooked turkey with all the fixins sends such painful memories through my heart and soul of the mother that I lost several years ago.

However, those of you really know me also understand that I refuse to be a Debbie Downer about life, which is why I want to share something about this Thanksgiving that brought such a big smile to my face, because I now have plans that I'm truly looking forward to.

I was so amazed to discover that Quickie Too will be offering a vegan Thanksgiving from 3 to 7 p.m. on the big day, which will be $20 per person, kids will get in for half price and babies are free!

If you swing by Quickie Too before Thanksgiving, you can sign up for their e-mail list which will hook you up with all of the details on the sure-to-please yummies that will be served.

This unconventional Thanksgiving is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Thank you, Quickie Too.

LINK: Sandee Glib's unorthodox Thanksgiving in today's Weekly Volcano

LINK: Meatless in Tacoma

SUZY STUMP: HEAD OUT TONIGHT >>>

How about a Thursday date night? Just sit back and relax, and I'll throw together the entire evening for you, because I'm a romantic at heart.

Your theme: Grit City baby!

Part one: It's Third Thursday Art Walk. Duh. Artist Laura Hanan has taken photographs of the grittiest of the gritty and turned them into beautiful abstract paintings. Drop by her Brick & Mortar Gallery tonight (811 Pacific Ave., Tacoma).

Part two: Grab a burger and shoot pool at Malarkey's Pool & Brew. Their happy hour runs until 8 p.m. It's located next to the Grand Cinema at 455 Tacoma Ave. S.

Part three: End the end with Northwest rock legends The Fabulous Wailers at The Swiss. These guys bleed grit. Show starts at 8 p.m. Check it at 1904 S. Jefferson.

LINK: South Sound live music and DJs tonight

JAKE DE PAUL: PLUS â€" INSIDE TODAY'S WEEKLY VOLCANO >>>

Spice Bay, the new buffet at Muckleshoot Casino, opens today. The massive, 500-seat restaurant houses seven “live-action stations” featuring Asian, Italian, Americana, Mid-West barbecue and the Pacific Northwest cuisine. I’ll head up there soon for a review.

Noshing and sipping in today’s Weekly Volcano

Neighborhood bars
Where to go find solace with pink slip in hand by Steve Dunkelberger

That’s Italian
New eatery marks evolution of Nisqually-Lacey by Jake and Jason de Paul

Unorthodox Thanksgiving
Family, friends and noodles by Sandee Glib

Riverside Pub and Eatery
I saw a man puking outside this sumner joint by Steph DeRosa

Tacoma Taco Tour
Between me and a hard shell by Natasha Gorbachev

Bite us
Vinum, Iron Chef Tacoma and other tidbits by the Volcano staff

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

MICHAEL SWAN: IT'S ON THE STREETS AND INTERWEB TODAY >>>

The green issue
How green is Tacoma? by Erik Hanberg

Time to join the club
Tacoma Police and club owners need to work together to solve problems by Michael Swan

Leader of the resistance
The Pierce County Council's Tim Farrell has a challenge on his hands by Matt Driscoll

Whole lotta nuts
Local nutcracker performances by Tyler Hemstreet

American Troubadour
Tyler Hentschel's Insomniac Folklore hits Le Voyeur by Matt Driscoll

The right stuff... for 1990
Right or wrong, the New Kids on the Block are back by Bobble Tiki

Art Slam
Plus art walk, belly dancing and ugly sweaters by Suzy Stump

Trouble with DeRosa
McCann motors feels DeRosa's wrath by Steph DeRosa

Link: Weekly Volcano online

TONY ENGELHART: LEGENDARY ROCK 'N' ROLLERS AT THE SWISS >>>

I was privileged to grow up around some of the legends of Northwest rock and roll. However, by the time I was old enough to realize the immense impact they made on the music scene as a whole I was well into my twenties. At Bumbershoot in 1984, the promoters brought them all together for an oldies show. On the bill were the Ventures, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Merrile Rush, Tiny Tony, and Little Bill and the Wailers. Without hesitation, I must admit that the Fabulous Wailers were my favorite act on that show. With Kent Morrill on keys and vocals, Buck Ormsby on bass and Rich Dangel on guitar, the band tore through classics such as “Tall Cool One” and “Road Runner” like they were playing them for the very first time. There is no question that this band laid the groundwork for what rock and roll was to become.

Tonight, the Fabulous Wailers will play the Swiss in Tacoma. Now you know.

[The Swiss, 8 p.m., $10, 1904 S. Jefferson Ave, Tacoma, 253.527.2821]