Walking briskly through the cold Olympia night, past the tattoo shop, you take a turn inside.  The red glow attracts you. Le Tigre plays on the jukebox. A group of women, all big enough to thoroughly beat your ass, sit near a vending machine packed with American Spirits. Luckily, tonight their anger is focused toward Olympia’s City Council, which you can tell by their heated discussion. Behind the bar a sign reads “Prescriptions.” You order a drink. The hipsters beside you argue about Deerhoof. The jukebox goes from Le Tigre to The Beatles. You move toward the back of the room and tuck yourself between a group of Greeners talking Chomsky while playing half-ass shuffleboard and four or five haggard mechanics. In the distance someone name-drops Calvin Johnson.   
Ah, the Brotherhood. The Bro Ho. I love you so. Life in Olympia would be empty without you.

Tonight, the Brotherhood Lounge is throwing a birthday party for itself, and you’re invited. Spider and the Webs, The Vibrarians and DJ James will all take the stage, and free pizza will be brought in from Old School to fill your stomach. â€" Matt Driscoll

[The Brotherhood Lounge, 9 p.m., 21+, no cover, 119 Capitol Way N., Olympia, 360.352.4153]

Ken Swarner, co-publisher of this blog, as well as the Fort Lewis Ranger, Northwest Airlifter, Northwest Veteran, Fronteras and the world-famous Weekly Volcano, is featured in today's Soundlife section of the Trib.  Swarner had a couple stories accepted in the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul book: “Chicken Soup for the Working Mom’s Soul." â€" Brad Allen

FILM
"The Golden Compass"
A darker, deeper fantasy epic than the "Rings" trilogy, "The Chronicles of Narnia" or the Potter films, offering more complex villains and posing more intriguing questions. As a visual experience, superb. As an escapist fantasy, challenging. With gifted newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, a 12-year-old who won the role in competition with 10,000 others. Also starring Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman, Sam Elliott. Rated PG-13. Four stars. â€" Roger Ebert

[AMC Narrows Plaza 8: 2:30, 3:10, 5:05, 5:50, 8:05, 8:35; Century Olympia: 12:10, 1:05, 2, 2:55, 3:50, 4:50, 5:40, 6:35, 7;30, 8:25, 9:20, 10:10; Lakewood Cinema 15: 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:4, 2:15, 3:30, 4:30, 5, 6:45, 7:15, 7:45, 9:30, 10, 10:30; Lakewood Towne Center 12: 2, 2:45, 4:30, 5:15, 7, 7:45, 9:30, 10:15; Longston Place 14: noon, 12:30, 1, 2:40, 3:30, 4:25, 5:20, 7, 7:30, 8, 9:35, 10:10, 10:40; Regal Gig Harbor 3: 4:40, 7:20; Regal Martin Village 16: 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:45, 2:15, 3:30, 4:30, 5, 6:45, 7:15, 7:45, 9:30, 10, 10:30; Yelm Cinemas @ Prairie Park: 11:40 a.m., 12:10, 2:05, 2:35, 4:30, 5, 7:05, 7:25, 9:30, 9:50]

MORE FILM: Playing on local screens.

MUSIC
Rockaraoke
If you give Tacoma a microphone it knows what to do with. That much is proven night in and night out at karaoke joints all over town. Now, give Tacoma a microphone and a live band, and you have Rockaraoke at Jazzbones every Monday night. Fun is always had by all, and booze is consumed at an alarming pace. The $1 High Life pints and $4 Jäger bombs might have something to do with it.  Fun. â€" Suzy Stump

[Jazzbones, 9 p.m., no cover, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

MORE MUSIC: In the clubs tonight.

When we were first introduced to Northwest singer/songwriter Michael ONeill we heard a stunning resemblance to Nelson, Cash and Kristofferson as he too has the ability to transform stories into songs with deep conviction and stunningly tender compassion.  ONeill is a well schooled musician with a lot of history who spent 10 years touring with the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan and collaborating with Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and famed Booker T. and The MG’s guitarist Steve Cropper. 

ONeill has written a Christmas song with his friend Jimmy Baldwin titled "Beer Can Christmas Tree." It's hilarious.  ONeill encourages everyone to send him a snapshot of your beer can Christmas tree. â€" Brad Allen

Affairs Peppermint cookie

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, it was a relief to finally step into the doors of Affairs Café and Bakery in University Place.  This place swallows you in warm Christmas spirit.  Knowing that the treats you are about to savor are made there on location, the café feeling, the hometown feeling, the hospitality, it all just makes me want to explode with holiday happiness.

OK, just take a look at this cookie and tell me you don’t feel peppermint-y all over.  It has everything you could ask for.  Chocolate, icing, peppermint candies on top and best yet: RED filling.  Beat THAT Nabisco!  Wait, they did do that, didn’t they?  Crap.

Let me just say it’s a treat you have to try.  Slow down, take a break from shopping, and head over to Affairs for a little lunch, a little sweetness, and some hometown warmth for the holidays.

Dang I’m feeling sensitive today, aren’t I?  Someone hand me a beer! Pronto! â€" Steph DeRosa

[Affairs Cafe and Bakery, 2811 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, 253.565.8604]

MORE COOKIES: See what's already in our cookie jar.

Even the fat guy in the red suit needs help from time to time. Santa! Stop hanging around with short, pointy-eared freaks! Head down Tacoma's Sixth Avenue for a little noshing and sipping. There's a chance you could corner a hottie beneath the mistletoe at one of the clubs. 

Since the street is loaded with shops, you can tell Mrs. Claus it's research.  Start here. â€" Brad Allen

MUSEUM
“Art of the Stamp"
“Art of the Stamp,” a stamp art exhibition at the Washington State History Museum, is a mind-boggling example of the ways in which a miniaturist’s vision can evolve into a life’s work. More than 55 artists, who, I believe, painted with tiny tiny brushes on tiny tiny canvases, exhibit 100 small works of original art at the downtown Tacoma museum.  â€" Suzy Stump

[Washington State History Museum, Dec. 8-March 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., open until 8 p.m. Thursday, $6-$8. 1911 Pacific Ave., downtown Tacoma, 253.798.5877]

THE PLANTS
Ready, poinsettia, go
According to Mexican folklore, a girl put a handful of weeds on the altar before baby Jesus, and he turned them into a poinsettia. Then, in 1919, a toddler supposedly ingested some red leaves and died. That’s how the plant earned its creepy reputation. Thousands of tests later, the Society of American Florists insists that poinsettias are nontoxic. We’re not taking any chances at the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, where its December exhibit hosts exotic amaryllis and poinsettias. â€" SS

[W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, month of December, 316 South G St., (in Wright Park), Tacoma, 253.591.5330]

FILM
"The Golden Compass"
A darker, deeper fantasy epic than the "Rings" trilogy, "The Chronicles of Narnia" or the Potter films, offering more complex villains and posing more intriguing questions. As a visual experience, superb. As an escapist fantasy, challenging. With gifted newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, a 12-year-old who won the role in competition with 10,000 others. Also starring Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman, Sam Elliott. Rated PG-13. Four stars. â€" Roger Ebert

[AMC Narrows Plaza 8: 2:30, 3:10, 5:05, 5:50, 8:05, 8:35; Century Olympia: 12:10, 1:05, 2, 2:55, 3:50, 4:50, 5:40, 6:35, 7;30, 8:25, 9:20, 10:10; Lakewood Cinema 15: 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:4, 2:15, 3:30, 4:30, 5, 6:45, 7:15, 7:45, 9:30, 10, 10:30; Lakewood Towne Center 12: 2, 2:45, 4:30, 5:15, 7, 7:45, 9:30, 10:15; Longston Place 14: noon, 12:30, 1, 2:40, 3:30, 4:25, 5:20, 7, 7:30, 8, 9:35, 10:10, 10:40; Regal Gig Harbor 3: 4:40, 7:20; Regal Martin Village 16: 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:45, 2:15, 3:30, 4:30, 5, 6:45, 7:15, 7:45, 9:30, 10, 10:30; Yelm Cinemas @ Prairie Park: 11:40 a.m., 12:10, 2:05, 2:35, 4:30, 5, 7:05, 7:25, 9:30, 9:50]

THE DAILY WORD
Learn it, use it, spell it

Slugabed \SLUHG-uh-bed\, noun:

One who stays in bed until a late hour; a sluggard.

USAGE EXAMPLE: Weekly Volcano music columnist Matt Driscoll may, perhaps, be the most dedicated slugabed Bobble Tiki has ever met. Somehow, through marriage and the birth of his first child, Driscoll has managed to sleep into AM’s double digits 75 percent of the time. While many people disapprove of Driscoll’s late sleeping ways (just apparently not his wife), Bobble Tiki admires his perseverance. Most people would grow up and stop being lazy. Not Driscoll. He’s a fighter.

THE MORNING NEWS

TACOMA: Council says stop the noise!

CHEHALIS: How to help flood victims.

NEW YORK: One hundred million pennies for your thoughts.

SPACE SHUTTLE: Giant spider stops launch.

HUSTLER OF CULTURE
You can stand atop the mountain and scream your naked desires to the universe or shed that synapse epilepsy and hug the South Sound today with your fellow man:

MUSIC: Bobble Tiki must admit he’s a little jealous of the aforementioned Matt Driscoll right now. That’s why he’s dedicated Breakfast to him. Not only has Driscoll managed to create a life where he can sleep until 10 a.m. if he wants, but at last week’s Volcano Christmas party Driscoll was cheered as the most controversial and edited writer on the Volcano’s staff. That s*** f***ing makes Bobble Tiki mad … and motivated. Bobble Tiki will, from this day forward, do his best to give Driscoll a run for his money. Tomorrow, Three Dead Whores will play Maggie O’Toole’s in Lakewood. Bobble Tiki isn’t sure what to expect. Google-ing “Three Dead Whores” isn’t exactly the best idea. These deceased ho’s could be anything. All Tiki knows is the more times he writes “Three Dead Whores” the better.

MORE MUSIC: In the clubs tonight.

NOSHING: You gotta eat.

Breakfast with Bobble Tiki runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  Deal with it.

Pioneer Bakery part deux
Pioneer Bakery in Puyallup was the only other place besides Wagner’s in Olympia that had gingerbread men (That I could find without a city detective, anyway.) But along with the gingerbread man came more Christmas cookie variety than I could handle.

They have a modest selection and variety for all you Santa fans. I limited myself to picking out two more cookies for my taste buds. One was a shortbread type crescent half moon boomerang thingy covered in chocolate drizzle and some colored sprinkles. That would be the scientific term for it. Being the unprofessional journalist I am, I asked the bakers what the name of the cookie was, yet neglected to write it down. They seemed kind of in a hurry to be finished helping me, and more intrigued with the man they would rather be helping who was standing behind me. There were no smiles behind the counter at this bakery.

The other cookie I indulged in was a lump of white baked dough. Sounds good, huh? It was sort of good; don’t be fooled by my description. But like I said before, I asked the name and then took off before Ebenezer came out from behind the back kitchen. I think I tasted a bit of tiny chopped-up nuts in this cookie. It kind of matched the film of sugar it left in my mouth after I took a bite.

I certainly hope this search for the ultimate Christmas cookie gets better than this. In my next letter to Santa I’m asking for some Christmas cookies with originality and taste. â€" Steph DeRosa

[Pioneer Bakery, 120 S. Meridian, Puyallup, 253.845.8336]

MORE COOKIES: See what's already in our cookie jar.

THE CONCERT
Handel’s “Messiah”
What: Tacoma Symphony Orchestra presents “Handel’s “Messiah.”
Why: It just wouldn’t be a happy holiday without some singing about God.
When: Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Charles Borromeo Church, Tacoma.

THE FILM
“The Red Balloon”
What: Children’;s class film “The Red Balloon” screens at The Grand Cinema.
Why: Every kid should experience the sadness when the balloon deflates.
When: Dec. 13-15 2:30 p.m.
Where: The Grand Cinema, Tacoma.

THE HOLIDAYS
The Christmas Revels
What: Puget Sound Revels annual holiday celebration offering dance, drama and storytelling rooted in ancient seasonal ritual and traditions that features the Vagabond Opera.
Why: Nothing says "the holidays are here" like a romping, roaring evening of pagan-inspired celebration.
When: Dec. 15 2 and 7:30 p.m., Dec. 16 1 and 5:30 p.m., Dec. 18 7:30 p.m., Dec. 19 7:30 p.m.
Where: Rialto Theater, downtown Tacoma.

THE ART
Skateboards and hot dogs
What: Drawings to win one-of-a-kind Canadian maple skateboards with custom artwork.
Why: It’s easy to feel adrift in a sea of testosterone when hanging out at skate parks or backyard ramps.  It’s time to appreciate the artwork behind the sport â€" and take them home.
When: Wednesday, Dec. 19, 7-9 p.m.
Where: The Red Hot, Tacoma.