Forget the small talk.  Let's jump right in to last week's Weekly Volcano 200th issue party:

Saturday, Sept. 10

Holy crap! The Weekly Volcano Party was the bomb. Tommy Carson is such a badass dresser. I loved his zoot suit. Pappi Swarner and Lady S made quite the darling pair. DJ Jomama spun cool tracks while everyone arrived. Johnny Appleseed revved it up a bit before The Envy rocked my face off. They are my new, old fav. I've fallen in love with them again. Ben from Fear Train was on fire, and Jude Bowerman, who really dug The Envy too, was amazing. Jazzbones was packed. I'd never seen so many people crammed into the balcony. Literally every seat everywhere was full. People were packed in like little fishies. Zach put out such a fine mix of sound that night. It's never sounded better. Bartenders Denise and Jeff got their butts handed to them for hours upstairs, while Taylor worked her skirt off manning the main bar. Her smile never left her face though. Matt D. was in the house. Sexy Candice and girlfriends swung by to wish us well before heading to the next party. After six plus hours of fun, fun, fun, I begged off.

And now for Saturday's after party ...

The P party was quite a hoot. Bria Knievel and Lost Kitty followed me there, but before we arrived, there was the necessary AM/PM stop for cigs and beer. Mohammed, the horny cashier who always asks for our IDs and then asks where our husbands are, threatened to lock up the store and come to the party with us. As we were leaving he came tearing out the front doors, locked them and ran for Bria's car. Holy hilarious! I got us to Ebony's block and just parked in the middle. I figured we'd follow the noise when a guy dressed as a goat or a sheep came strolling along and got in his car, which was parked across from mine. I asked where Eb's house was and he said, "It's bahhhhhhhhck there." We died laughing and headed over. The party was still going strong when we walked in just after 2 a.m. This tall, thin, blonde girl was standing there, and I was immediately envious of her lithe legs. As she turned around, I started shaking my head. There was Murphy in a matching yellow swimsuit cover up (tiny sarong and baby tee) and rabbit fur coat. Giving him a hug, I just said to myself, "of course it's Murphy, of course." I loved it. The living room was full of people dancing to Darin Sugar Jones DJ'ing. Outside there were boys kissing girls for cigarettes, boys dressed as girls, girls wielding riding crops, something that looks like a Molotov cocktail à la Captain Morgan's bottle (turned out to be a g-string) and boys in wigs. Was that a member of The Forgery? So much fun and to think I almost didn't go.

I'll be spending my weekend in Lake Chelan for the Model Squad/Birthday Girl Retreat. E-mail me and tell me what I missed. Cheers!

friday

watermelon sugar

Listening to Watermelon Sugar makes me think of the months I spent floating around the country in a Volkswagen Bus with other kids that ditched out on college in exchange for a summer that never ended. Come on ya'll. Do the hippy shuffle at Tugboat Annie's. 9 p.m., 210 4th Avenue East, Olympia.

saturday

andy omdahl

Andy Omdahl is a jazz guy. He plays jazz trumpet, but not the regular kind. What do you mean, Ginger, you're thinking. I mean the way he plays reaches in and grabs your soul with a tight grip. The music stays with you. It's killer jazz and overboard-strong cocktails. Nice. 8 p.m., free, Spar Bar & Café. 114 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia.