LECTURE
Daniel Pink
In Japan, you won’t find a businessman who doesn’t read a little manga on his morning commute from time to time, and let me tell you, some of that shit is really weird! You’ve seen the pictures: superhero cats with no ears and magic pockets, sentient teddy bears, tentacle sex!

Daniel Pink, author of the New York Times and Business Week bestseller A Whole New Mind, takes the Japanese manga comic genre and twists it even more into a business book for western audience â€" The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need. Bunko, a kid in a dead-end job with the weight of the business world crushing him, finds solace from an office sprite who shows him the six core rules of maneuvering the job market without compromising his skills. It’s basically What Color Is You Parachute in a whack form for a Generation Y audience. â€" Suzy Stump
[The Mandolin Café, Monday, April 14, 7 p.m., free, 3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma, 253.761.3482]

LINK: Jerry Miller and other in the clubs tonight.
LINK: Let’s eat Chinese.

RON SWARNER: SEE YOUR FUTURE. BE YOUR FUTURE >>>

TACOMA SHOP TALK: Meet other Tacoma businesses, exchange ideas, get drunk on sake.
Tuesday, April 15,  4:30-6:30 p.m., Twokoi Japanese Restaurant, downtown Tacoma.

TOGETHER THURSDAY: Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber business afterhours networking social.
Thursday, April 17, 5-7 p.m., Three Chicks Catering, 3822 S. Union Ave., Tacoma, RSVP to 253.627.2175.

LUNCH 'N' LEARN: Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber marketing strategies for small to mid-size businesses lunch.
Monday, April 21, noon, free for members, $20 for outsiders, Tacoma Community College, RSVP to 253.627.2175.

BOBBLE TIKI: BREAKFAST WITH BOBBLE TIKI >>>

THE DAILY WORD
Pin money \pin money\, noun:
1. An allowance of money given by a husband to his wife for private and personal expenditures.
2. Money for incidental expenses.
3. A trivial sum.

USAGE EXAMPLE: At the dinner table, Bobble Tiki brought up the idea of giving Mrs. Tiki some pin money. It didn’t take long for Mrs. Tiki to remind Bobble that she makes twice as much as he does.

MORNING NEWS

TACOMA: Pierce County overdoses

OLYMPIA: Top 2 primary

SEATTLE: Last stand

UNITED STATES:The Clintons

THINGS TO DO TODAY
FILM LISTINGS: Look here
MUSIC LISTINGS: Here’s what’s happening

message in a bottle., originally uploaded by agnisflugen.

agnisflugen posted this on the Tacoma Art Museum Flickr Group.

LINK: Weekly Volcano's Photo Hot Spot.

BOBBLE TIKI: LIKES IT WET >>>

Of all the things Bobble Tiki has seen in his life, an over 50 wet T-shirt contest is not one of them. Perhaps Bobble Tiki has simply never been a the right place at the right time, or perhaps over 50 wet T-shirt contests simply don’t happen that often.

While Bobble Tiki expects livestock, elephant ears and ShamWows from the Puyallup Spring Fair, he doesn’t expect wet T-shirt contests designed for women over 50. In fact, Bobble Tiki never expects a wet T-shirt contest for women over 50.

Thanks to the Red Hat Society, a 10-year-old organization with a mission of connecting “like-minded women around the world and to encourage them to have fun together.  We are a vivacious society of women who celebrate life.  Along the way, we develop strong bonds and caring friendships â€" at the same time raising the respect and visibility of women who are entering their next stage in life,” this year’s Puyallup Spring Fair will mark Bobble Tiki’s first ever chance to catch a wet T-shirt contest for women “entering their next stage of life.”

But hold your horses. This isn’t the type of wet T-shirt contest you’re accustomed to. The members of the Red Hat Society, referred to as Red Hatters, are known for wearing red hats, purple dresses, and celebrating all that is frivolous and fun about being an aging women. Apparently, at least in Bobble Tiki’s observation, many women do such things before dying. Men, on the other hand, simply start peeing a whole bunch and wearing their pants at belly button level. Bobble Tiki thinks women are on to something.

The Red Hatter wet T-shirt contest, which will happen Friday morning at the Puyallup Spring Fair, is designed to see which Red Hatter has the best arm â€" not best rack. Soaking wet T-shirts will be on hand for Red Hatters to throw, and prizes will be awarded to those who throw them the farthest. The Red Hatter wet T-shirt contest will happen at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, near the Garden Show Stage.

Hot damn. Oh the frivolity.

For more info on the Puyallup Spring Fair go here.

TONY ENGELHART: STEP BACK TO THE FUTURE >>>

Moby Grape was one of the most versatile San Francisco rock bands to emerge out of the summer of love.  While they were rooted in psychedelia, they injected elements of folk, blues and country. Unlike the jam bands of the time, Grape possessed a meticulously unique sound by way of multilayered triple guitar arrangements.  Sadly, through a combination of inner turmoil and bad management decisions, the mighty Moby Grape broke up in 1969.   However, their debut album is still considered one of the best of all time by many critics, in part because of the nimble fingers of guitarist Jerry Miller.

Miller was named one of the top 100 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone above Eddie Van Halen, Johnny Winter and Randy Rhoads.  The Tacoma native has enjoyed a rich career sharing the stage with countless musicians including members of the Doobie Brothers and more recently Carlos Santana. 

Miller now performs with his trio, the Jerry Miller Band. Together, the impressive ensemble performs a mix of blues, jazz, rock and a selection of Moby Grape tunes. Check Miller out tonight. â€" Tony Engelhart

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

SUZY STUMP: PERSONAL BEST >>>

"Chubby, Smart, Blonde, SWF 5'4" seeks opportunity to fall in love, decide not to get married or have children, reveal all closeted skeletons, become truly intimate, build intense mutual appreciation, decide we need more than the other person can give, part amicably, and booty call each other for the next three years. Or not. What do you want?"

What you just read is professional storyteller Elizabeth Lord’s personal ad. 

Hmmm.

Wait, it’s not what you and I think, I think. Lord will present a one-woman original storytelling show titled Personal Ad. She’ll discuss the ins and outs of love relationships in the modern world. Think Spalding Gray meets Margaret Cho meets … a gray Swiss ball?

[The Midnight Sun Performance Space,  May 1-4, 8 p.m., $7-$15, 113 N. Columbia St., Olympia, 360.250.2721]

MUSEUM
It’s a rail thing
We should all pay more attention to train enthusiasts. No, listen, stop laughing. They embody both the history (choo-choo trains, cow catchers, waving handkerchiefs from the platform) and the future (mass transit, commuter rails, park and ride) of transportation. Further study of their beliefs and practices is encouraged â€" try, for example The West the Railroads Made, the Washington State History Museum’s salute to the tracks and equipment from the Great Northern, Northern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads beginning in the 1840s. You (should you follow my advice) will learn how this one form of transportation reshaped the West (I don’t know what to say, but my style called for another parentheses). â€" Suzy Stump
[Washington State History Museum, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $6-$8, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.9747]

FILM
The Band’s Visit
The Alexandria (Egypt) Ceremonial Police Orchestra arrives on the wrong bus in the wrong small Israeli town, and is stranded overnight.  The bandleader (Sasson Gabai) stiffly approaches Dina, the owner of the cafe (Ronit Elkabetz) and what begins is a long, tender night of shared loneliness.  An exquisite film that also functions quietly as a comedy. (PG-13) Four stars â€" Roger Ebert
[The Grand Cinema, 4:15 6:20 p.m., $4.40-$8, 606 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.593.4474]

LINK: Extreme Noise Terror and others in the clubs tonight.
LINK: Two dollar wells, beers and tacos tonight at Hell’s Kitchen.
LINK: Let’s eat at a bistro today.

BOBBLE TIKI: BREAKFAST WITH BOBBLE TIKI >>>

THE DAILY WORD

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 seventy-five 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.

MORNING NEWS

TACOMA: Rough crowd

OLYMPIA: Port deal

SEATTLE: Schultz is pissed

UNITED STATES: Campaign phone tricks

THINGS TO DO TODAY
FILM LISTINGS: Look here
MUSIC LISTINGS: Here’s what’s happening

DOYLE'S SECOND ANNIVERSARY >>>

 As our super fantastic Saturday night of running into assholes had ended, my group and I mutually agreed that the comfort of Doyle's Public House was in order.

It was like a sigh of relief as we entered. People bustled about, the smell of warm food wafted through the air, and friendly familiar faces acknowledged us immediately. Without any hesitation, Brian and Mike greeted us by name, made some smart-ass remarks, and served up our beer requests - all within minutes. I stalked a couple about to leave, and with my slick-like ways I snagged their table.

It was BanditoBetty, The KAke, Jenny Fab, Mr.DeRosa and I. We all ordered our dinners without even glancing at a menu. It was at that point we sat and looked at each other, realizing the ease and comfort that is Doyle's. It was like walking into an old friend's house. After the night we had just had (Dinner with DeRosa last week), Doyle's let us relax and just enjoy ourselves. Without the bullshit. And for this, I thank you, Doyle's Public House. Happy second birthday!

I made my way back to the girls' potty, smiling at many faces on my way. It was nice taking a break from the social scene for a simple, brief moment. I was the only one in the room and although it was silent around me, I could still hear the distant sound of music and voices.

I heard House of Pain begin with "Jump Around." Hmmmm, I thought, How random is that song in an Irish bar? Although Doyle's has an Irish feel about it, the music played for the beer masses doesn't necessarily reflect that of an Irish tone. But you know what? That's OK.

What the music at Doyle's does is make you feel good and help you have a good time. I'm not sure my friends and I could sit and talk for hours on end if all we were listening to was some Irish shit. (Calling all Irish music lovers: flame away in the comment section.)

This made me reflect on a pseudo-conversation "el" and I had via our blog's comment section consisting of our liking and disliking of Death Cab for Cutie. I think they're as boring as all hell, and "el" loves them. Why do people have different tastes in music? Is it upbringing? Is it environment? Is it Superman? And most importantly, why is there so much shitty music still surviving out there?

In order to answer these questions, I polled a highly intelligent and world- renowned group of music enthusiasts known as "My Friends."

What I gathered from my test survey is that music is a symbol of your soul. And every soul is dissimilar.

But from all of "My Friends" I heard the same answer across the board, put in different ways. Music is about how it makes your spirit sway, what chords it hits in your heart, what memories it can bring back, and how it makes you feel deep in your core as you close your eyes and just listen. Music is going to affect everyone differently, thus creating diversity in musical tastes.

I also learned from this survey that one of "My Friends" actually has no soul and another wants to have Ben Gibbard's babies.

A quote from one of "My Friends" Tuan, who has recently served this country overseas:

"Music makes me escape - it can be my escape for any situation, and I can honestly say that it's saved my life on more than one occasion! I've been in places where all I've had was my music, a pen and a pad and a couple photos to help get me by, and believe me when those batteries run out you do all you can to find more or make your own music."