MULTIPLE CHANCES TO CATCH TAYLOR'S WORK >>>

Like its wandering father-and-son protagonists, the charming, locally-produced short Scamp is on the move. The film left its Tacoma birthplace and rode the boxcar north to Seattle's Central Cinema, where this Saturday (June 4) you can spot it at the Seattle True Independent Film Festival (details at www.facebook.com/ScampMovie). The rough and scruffy vagabonds in Scamp offset the crisp, clean visuals of downtown Tacoma photographed by Chris Joseph Taylor.

The cinematographer-editor has found himself juggling numerous projects in recent months. While seeking a bachelor's degree in Digital Filmmaking and Video Production from the Art Institute of Seattle, Taylor makes time to assist director Andrew Finnigan on color correcting his full-length Fantastic Confabulations (also shot by Taylor). And I caught him last week in the midst of editing his latest, entitled A Man, Buried, a quirky short with a wonderful premise - drunkard's family digs up a better version of him in the backyard.

With such a concept you know audiences will expect at least some visual tricks (i.e. seeing the same actor twice in one shot), but Taylor didn't consider the challenge too daunting. "(The effects) came out really well," he notes. "There's a shot where...they're playing chess with each other (a single actor photographed twice), and one reaches across and punches the other one." Taylor laughs. "It's pretty awesome."

Speaking of seeing double, in case you miss Scamp this weekend it plays later in the summer at the Columbia River Gorge Film Festival.

TACOMA'S BOYS OF SUMMER SLOG ON >>>

Every so often, one hears baseball players, managers, announcers and analysts talk about the long grind that is the baseball season. It's a hell of a haul, they'll say. A marathon, not a sprint. You have to be physically and mentally prepared for the grueling life of a baseball season.

Now, before this year I had a distinction reaction to these sentiments:

What a bunch of crybabies.

Stop bitching, will you? You guys have the coolest job in the world. Either you're out on the field playing catch or up in the press box scrutinizing the spin on a curveball. It's not a marathon. It's not a test of endurance. You want a marathon? Work for a couple years behind the counter at a fast food joint. Take orders from surly patrons all day. That's a marathon. That's endurance.

Then this year hit. My esteemed editor, Matt ‘I can still throw a 75 MPH fastball' Driscoll, asked if I had any interest in covering the Rainiers. Nothing serious, he said. Just some musings and random snippets about the team. Keep it light. Poke fun.

Oh, I don't know, Matt. I guess I can sit at home and listen to Rainiers games while sipping beer. I guess I can write a couple hundred words on the team. Sure, I can joke about Minor League ballplayers. The Rainiers still have that fish guy, right?

Then the season started. Right out of the gate I was feeling fresh. I was confident. I had dreams of the Rainiers Minute sparking a readership surge in the Weekly Volcano.  What's that, Matt? A raise for all of the hard baseball writing I've been doing? Well sure, but only if you think it's warranted.

How long did that good feeling last? How long before I realized writing about baseball, even in the cockeyed fashion like I do, is hard?

Fifty-two games.

It took fifty-two games before the shiny prestige of baseball writer wore off. Fifty-two games before I realized, "Damn, this stuff is hard." The games just keep coming. The wins and losses keep piling up. And unfortunately, one doesn't find many easy targets for humor transferred to the team midseason.

It took fifty-two out of 140-some-odd games before I realized this baseball stuff is a marathon. That long before I gained a newfound respect for the players like Mike Carp and Josh Bard and announcer Mike Curto.

Baseball's still nothing like cleaning the grease trap at Arby's; but a marathon nonetheless. 

Random thoughts ...

-The Rainiers (23-29) split a four game road series against the red-hot Las Vegas 51s. After losing the first two games, the Rainiers came thundering back, winning 10-6 and 8-5, respectively.

-We realize the irony of calling the 51s red-hot. But hey, they're damn good. Hot, too. Game time temperature for the first game in the series was ninety-one degrees.  

-The Rainiers' pitchers failed to find much luck down in the desert. Over four games, the team gave up thirty six runs. In the second game of the series, Rainiers' starter Chaz Roe went three and a third innings while giving up thirteen hits and nine earned runs. For those not too familiar with baseball, or how an ERA is calculated, be certain this was not a good outing.

-Dustin Ackley is really starting to perform. Blogger Jay Yencich named him last week's Rainier Hitter of the Week. This is great for the both Ackley and the team, but inevitably brings the up the question, "When will Ackley head to the M's?"

The Rainiers hope to continue the recent success at Cheney tonight against the Reno Aces. Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger will take the mound against Reno's Kevin Mulvey. And if there's anything to break me out of my damn-this-is-hard funk, it's a knuckleballer on the mound. Anything can happen.   

LINK: The Rainiers Minute collection

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Randy in response to our coverage of the Sasquatch Music Festival, which infested the Gorge at George for four days over the Memorial Day weekend. Ernest Jasmin covered Sasquatch in its entirety for the Volcano on SPEW.

Randy writes,

The Flaming Lips set Sunday night wasn't genius, it was just boring and awkward, especially with that ridiculous birthday cake which brought the whole set to a grinding halt. I was down in the pit waiting for Modest Mouse, and it seemed like even the Lips fans themselves weren't really feeling it.

LINK: More Sasquatch 2011 Coverage

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2011 >>>

1. Although we are not huge fans of mass-market American "beer" - there are times when drinking anything else would be wrong. And camping accounts for five of the top 10 times when it's absolutely correct to drink this swill. We doubt that will be a part of REI's 7 p.m. "Camping Basics" class, but you never know. What we do know is the class will cover camping gear, how to stay warm and comfortable, ideas for fun activities, and local areas for car camping. There were four spots open the last time we checked. RSVP here.

2. Glass breaks if it can't flow. Get it melting, you can conjure all manner of shapes and color-infused wonderments that will remain when cooled. Work it cold, there are sheets and shards, baubles and balls, for manipulating into leaded frames or arranging intricately sculpturewise.  Glass kicks ass, especially this week in Tacoma as the 2011 Glass Art Society (GAS) Annual Conference is in town. In celebration, the Museum of Glass (natch!) hosts a Day of Glass from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here for the schedule of events.

3. Olympia owns the Mahari style of Orissi dance, a legacy of the legendary temple dancers and Guru Pankaj Charan Das, thanks to Evergreen professor Ratna Roy and her many years promoting the dance. Roy is at it again, presenting Earth My Body: Invoking the Goddess - an evening of Orissi dance, music, poetry, film, and theater performances to invoke the feminine spirit - at 7 p.m. in the Recital Hall inside the Communications Lab Building at The Evergreen State College. 

4. Last year, readers of this fine rag voted the Top of Tacoma Bar and Cafe the best bar in Tacoma. This was due in no small part to their well drink Wednesdays. Check it: $1.50 well drinks after 7 p.m. Are you kidding? That's, like, riding the train to funkytown for only eight bucks. Yes, please.

5. Tacoma guitarist Jerry Miller, he of Moby Grape fame, hosts a jam session at 9 p.m. inside the Gruv Lounge and Nightclub. Groovy, man.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight in the South Sound

LINK: Happy hours!

LOCAL HIP HOP FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS IT >>>

Doughkain, one of the most respected artists on the streets, is back at us with Where The F*** Y'all At? You can get the new album free at reverbnation.com/doughkain. With production by BoomBox Massacre and a host of local up-and-comers, Doughkain's latest project features Tay, Blockrepper R A Dubb, a spirited appearance by Whikid Maticuless and a verse from Lebowski. On a side-note, Lebowski is a young MC from Tacoma who rapped his way onto a track on a Tech N9ne album. That's a big deal. Look for more from him in the future.

To read this week's full column by Josh Rizeberg click here.

THEY DO IT FOR THE KIDS >>>

Thing: Free wings, baby!

Place: Sparks Firehouse Deli

Located: Across from Sparks Stadium

In: Puyallup

Given to: Local high schools

In pursuit of: Fundraising

And: School spirit

Sparks also has: Awesome pizza

Goes with: $5 happy hour pitchers of beer

Which makes for: A cheap date

To read this week's full column, click here.

[Sparks Firehouse Deli, 621 Fifth St., Puyallup, 253.840.3354]