Happy Turksgiving everybody! I’m holed up at home shunning the crowds, but at some point will venture out to grab an Oregonian A& E. Today’s edition contains an article on fun stuff to do in Portland bars as the rains descend upon us . . . shuffleboard, skee-ball, and Triviology – check it out!

Here’s a fresh new way for you to be awesome all next week . . . bring canned foods or toys to any Triviology quiz. Shaver Elementary School has an annual food drive, and we’re helping them out this year. Any non-perishable foods are welcome, OR any toys, whether new or used, for elementary school aged kids. I’ll have a special award for the team that donates the most stuff during the week. Some of you teams have quite a trophy collection . . . in fact, I’d love to see pictures of any “display cases” which surely litter your team lairs. The Industrial Evolutionists (aka Genghis Khan, Motherfucker!) just added a cup to their growing collection, as they triumphed at the Stumptown Lowdown, with their wide and varied knowledge of Portland, Oregon.

I loved this quiz . . . largely because I love this town. Chances are good that I’ll make the Stumptown Lowdown an annual event. In case you missed it, here are a couple of samples from the picture ID round (no hints for picture #1, but #2 is a non-profit organization):

Folks, we have a rare opportunity to see humankind in space with the naked eye, while standing right here on Earth – The International Space Station will be visible from Portland early in the morning onDecember 6th, 7th & 8th! I also just saw it pass by in the south sky a few minutes ago from my front stoop. For some reason, David Bowie music was in my head, and though I was cold, I was imagining how much colder it is in space. Then a cop car drove down my one-way street the wrong way and brought me straight back to Earth.

The Contrabulous Fabtraption of Professor Horatio Hufnagel isn’t just the title of Troy McClure’s new film, it’s the name of the winning team from Simpsons Triviology night!

The crowd at Simpsons night was the most diverse I think I’ve ever had – kids as young as 10 at one table, and old fellas who must’ve been in their 70s at another. And there were donuts for all – I hadVoodoo Doughnut put together the most Homer-esque dozen possible! My favorite round was the picture ID round Michele made. Here are a couple of samples – can you identify the films which are being paid homage in these stills?

Tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 22nd at 6:00) at East Burn, I will host a quiz all about my favorite city – Portland, Oregon! The champion team wins a cheap trophy, and $25 gift certificate to East Burn. The Stumptown Lowdown will maintain a very similar format to standard Triviology (local geography, music, literature, culture, history, film &TV, etc.), complete with a picture ID round on the projector, in which you’ll name Portland landmarks. Try your hand at these, which I’ve already used at Peter’s 19th Hole:

Here are a few other items to mark in your calendar  . . . first of all, both of my Thursday Triviology venues will be closed on Thanksgiving, so you’ll have to settle for Trivial Pursuit with the family after dinner (hang on to any extra canned goods you have, though – next week I’m doing a food drive for a local elementary school). Then, since we are on the dawn of a new decade, Trivia Jock Scott will host a quiz all about the 1990s at Peter’s, on Saturday, Dec. 5th. And into 2010 – February 28th for the next annual Clash of the Trivia Titans, and March 7th for the Oscars quiz at East Burn right before a viewing party of the Academy Awards show.

Happy turkey day, everybody!