So, today is the end of the world, or at least a really good excuse to go have some fun. There are lots of "End of the World" parties out there. It looks like most of the hip-hop parties are in Seattle; so if you are trying to stay close to home, hit the Stonegate. At 9 p.m., you can see Blue Nose Music, Awall A.K.A. 2-Piece, Shao Sosa, King Scrub, Dvious, K Dueski, and Beanz and Rize - some of the best local hip-hop one could hear. It's a good last show to experience.

Awall is gearing-up for 2013 by finishing up his Black and Mild and Courvoisier mixtape. Awall had a huge 2012. Look for Black and Mild and Courvoisier songs to be in full-effect this night. 2-Piece seems to be getting better and better every year. After having a slow last few months, look for Awall to be coming strong again when his new project drops.

Shao Sosa has fully made the transition to a stellar Tacoma artist. He has fully integrated himself into the scene, becoming one of the most valuable local staples our city has to offer.

Also, do not miss King Scrub. He is an awesome local famous guy. Scrub is true Tacoma - at home with the stoners, the metalheads and the G's.

Lastly, the real treat of this show is K Du. He is a skilled lyrical MC veteran who rarely gets his mic wet. I go to more shows than damn near anyone, and I have only caught one K Dueski set in 2012. He has the ability and skill to unite the cool hip-hop blogger cats and the diehard old school hip-hop purists. Not many could pull-off such a feat!

STONEGATE PIZZA, FRIDAY, DEC. 21, 9 P.M., 5421 S. TACOMA WAY, FACEBOOK

South Sound Sidekick series offers advice from experts living in the, well, South Sound. It posts every Friday. We had legal advice from Jim Foley regarding the legalization of marijuana, and we all know the law won't get straightened out for another year, so in the meantime, where and how do we get safe access to marijuana? Pot activist Jeremy Miller weighs in on the medical end of the weed spectrum.

Jeremy Miller writes,

High, my name is Jeremy Miller. I have been a local cannabis activist/lobbyist in the Olympia area for more than 20 years. In 2003, I decided to take my activism up a notch and started the Olympia Hempfest to help raise awareness of the social injustice of cannabis prohibition. In 2007, I opened a medical cannabis information center and worked with the Olympia police department to help educate and develop policies to protect medical cannabis patients. In 2010, I ran for state representative and started the world's first Cannabis Farmers Market. Let me just say that we have come quite a long way since. I'm glad to see so many seeds that were planted long ago - by myself and many others - sprouting so rapidly here in Washington.

Here are a few questions and answers regarding medical marijuana. 

Where can I find a doctor? Try CannaHealth with clinics in Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia, or 4Evergreen in Seattle, Tacoma and Kennewick.

What are some of the qualifying conditions? The conditions are cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy/seizures, chronic pain, spasticity disorder(s), cramping/muscle spasms, migraine headaches, hepatitis C, Crohn's disease, glaucoma, arthritis, nausea, anorexia, and asthma.

What documents will I need? Bring medical records that diagnose your condition.

How much will it cost? On average, it costs about $100 for a one-year authorization.

Where can I find a community of other medical users? Stop by the Cannabis Farmers Market at 1912 Center St. in Tacoma. It's the largest source of medical cannabis in the state. It is a great place to meet others.

I'm sure that everyone still has many questions. Unfortunately I can't predict the future and the Washington State Liquor Control Board has until Dec. 13, 2013 to finish the rule-making process. At that point I will be able to have more information for you to stay safe in this new world we find ourselves living in. I hope to see everyone down at the 10-year anniversary of the Olympia Hempfest July 27 and 28. Keep an eye on www.olympiahempfest.com.

LINK: Smoking marijuana in Washington state advice

LINK: How to harvest geoducks

LINK: Speeding ticket advice

LINK: DUI advice

LINK: Music business advice

LINK: First tattoo advice

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GET THE AFTERNOON DELIGHT NEWSLETTER

The Weekly Volcano’s Afternoon Delight newsletter features breaking news, stories, calendar picks and more sent directly to your inbox Monday-Friday. It’s completely free to subscribers, but costs $10,000 if you don't like it.   You will like it. It's sweet and sour and makes you pucker and swoon.  Sign up here:

SATURDAY, DEC. 22, 2012 >>>

1. Scoff if you will, but there was a time when the ukulele was the electric guitar of the musical world. Far more dangerous than the mandolin, and sexier than your great-grandmother's bob haircut, it was the instrument of choice for rowdy college party kids - at least the rowdy party kids that could afford raccoon coats. Fast forward 90 years, and you'll find a ukulele revival brewing in the South Sound. Leading the charge is the Monday Ukulele Ohana - a group of uke enthusiasts that meet every Monday night at the Asian Pacific Culture Center to jam. Tonight, 7-9 p.m., the MUO will perform holiday music on the Electric Salchow Stage at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink. It's beginning to look a lot like Don Ho baby!

2. To prepare yourself for tired artichoke dip and meatballs in mystery sauce - which defy beer to begin with, plus the fact that few people serve decent beer at parties - always follow one rule of thumb. BYOB. One to give, one to drink. If you practice safe beer, you'll be much happier. Wingman Brewers will be pouring winter beers Peppermint Milk Stout, Rye Barleywine, Maple scotch Ale and Belgian sour Blend - beginning at 6 p.m. The Tacoma brewer will also be selling 22-ounce filled bottles of White Betty (Tripel with Semillion wine grapes) and Black Widow (Dubbel with Tempranillo wine grapes). The best news, all the beers are available for growler fills to make the holiday party that much better.

3. There are many upsetting things about the Christmas and New Year's season - increased credit card debt, unresolved decades-long family pain, the spiritual vacuum at the core of our culture, trying to get into the spirit of things. ... At 7 p.m. the Redroom - Tacoma's all-ages club at 23^rd and Tacoma Avenue South - hosts a free Xmas Party featuring hardcore bands Oblivion, Cowardice, Sojourner, Crooks To Kings, Earth Mother and Safe & Sound. Todd "Snack Pants" Davis will be Skinhead Santa Claus and there will be a photo booth.

4. Ethan Tucker may only be in his early 20s, but he has already made a big name for himself in musical circles throughout the U.S. The Olympia singer-songwriter has been performing regularly since the age of 16 incorporates multiple genres such as jazz, blues, folk, and reggae in his sound. Catch Tucker at 9 p.m. inside Doyle's Public House.

5. Tonight at 9 p.m. inside Bob's Java Jive, DJs dAb, Chris Savenetti, The Suga Plum Fairy and Ninja Kat will spins '80s tunes including New Wave, electro and soul jams. What to wear? Wear lacey socks and a custom leather jacket. 

PLUS: Proctor Farmers Market, holiday stage shows and more in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: Saturday, Dec. 22 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

HOW TWEET IT IS >>>

Whether you've been on Twitter since its beginnings in 2006 or you're a Twitter neophyte, you know keeping up on important tweets can be overwhelming. If you follow everything and everyone that you find interesting, you can end up with hundreds and hundreds of Tweets showing up in your feed on a daily basis.

Don't despair. Every Saturday the Weekly Volcano shares important and pointless Tweets from South Sound Twitter accounts, and sometimes beyond, so you may catch up on snow and Slurpee incidents and the latest action on the streets.

twitpic.com/boa5u2 Pete and Lorraine won the kitchen pantry raffle for a jar of dilly beans

— Proctor Market (@ProctorFmMkt) December 22, 2012

@halleyrebecca Happy #Armaweddin! Glad the world survived long enough for you to tie the knot! :)

— Erik Hanberg (@erikhanberg) December 22, 2012

Tacoma News Tribune: In late 1929, Tacoma had no electricity; the USS Lexington brought the power bit.ly/UQVVK8 #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) December 22, 2012

Our customers keep spoiling us! #presents #holiday2012 #coffeeaddict #tacoma #hazelwoodroadespresso twitter.com/HaZeRdEspresso…

— Hazelwood Road (@HaZeRdEspresso) December 22, 2012

Holy Christmas! The Man In Red just made a pre-flight stop in the neighborhood. #Tacoma #ibelieve twitter.com/tacomabikeranc…

— Matt Newport (@tacomabikeranch) December 22, 2012

Nice shot! RT @graceyounviolin Ran outside to watch the sunset.I am lucky to be in such a beautiful place. #Tacoma twitter.com/graceyounvioli…

— Univ. of Puget Sound (@univpugetsound) December 22, 2012

Man I swear lastime I was on #hilltop #tacoma dressed in red. Today realized I was on the dressed in all blue w/ #chucks

— MakeMyOwnRules 20/3(@Acieto_Taddow) December 21, 2012

Stayed in tonight to plan my set for First Night (downtown tacoma nye festival). Thinking of infusing a substantial dose of spoken word.

— Zach Powers (@ZachPowers253) December 22, 2012

Amazing #Christmas dinner donation to the Tyler Street families of the @rescuemissionus from @chuckalsofficep #Tacomavia.me/-816fx8k

— Todd Corrigan (@CoachCorrigan) December 21, 2012

South Sound already seeing some snowflakes in the air. Do you? Let me know!! @komonews #weather #Olympia #Tacoma

— Seth Wayne (@SethonKOMO) December 21, 2012

Oh Washingtonians and their shorts in Winter.

— Kenny Coble (@kennycoble) December 21, 2012

Somebody actually jacked my lunch out of my car but not my iPod. Enjoy the banana and the half a sandwich ASSHOLE!!! #TACOMA

— Luke Rain (@LUKE_RAIN) December 21, 2012

Got my Dad the best #Tacoma Christmas present...A membership to @grandcinema Got myself one also so we can go to movies all year together!

— Meredith (@Mere253) December 21, 2012

#ArtBusBuddy@weeklyvolcano twitpic.com/bnrmzt

— Nicole Logan (@nicoleevents) December 21, 2012

Point Defiance Park Pagoda re-opening celebration will be Saturday January 12 from 2 to 5 pm. #Tacoma

— Tacoma Mama Intern(@TacMamaIntern) December 20, 2012

Some dude just threw a slurpee at me and said, "you got slurped, yo."

— Nathe Lawver (@NatheLawver) December 20, 2012

A kid at Stadium High school brought a homemade firework to school, planning to set it off. Their school was evacuated....smh #Tacoma #crazy

— Tasheeana Williamson (@yuupitstash) December 19, 2012

Tacoma News Tribune: Obama sets January deadline for gun proposals bit.ly/WqGE7P #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) December 19, 2012

Dear @dirtyoscars you are cool persons and worthy of honor. I like when you give me beer. I like your doors. You have nice teeth. Thanks.

— Daniel Rahe (@danrahe) December 19, 2012

I've been to more dance parties since moving to #Tacoma than I ever have before in my life. And I'm OK with that. #fb

— Nick Laparra (@nicklaparra) December 16, 2012

Whoa just payed 6 dollars for a cocktail! #tacoma #amazing! #cheap

— Nat Evans (@natevansmusic) December 16, 2012

Tacoma News Tribune: One dead, three others shot in Sumner bit.ly/ZzcIqX #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) December 16, 2012

Tacoma News Tribune: Blizzard warning in effect ... but not for Tacoma area bit.ly/WfQA3V #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) December 17, 2012

Hey #Tacoma - Help save The Blue Mouse theater! Donate here: kickstarter.com/projects/13558…

— Mallory Pernaa (@malmal113) December 17, 2012

@soundtransit wants your opinion on #Tacoma Link light rail expansion: bit.ly/VLFDkx

— weeklyvolcano (@weeklyvolcano) December 17, 2012

"@facthive: Monday is the least rainy day of the week." Clearly you've never been to Tacoma #tacoma

— Monica:) (@TurboMarieee253) December 17, 2012

Tacoma News Tribune: Teen charged with fatal shooting of Tacoma man arrested bit.ly/UDFBM7 #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) December 17, 2012

Tacoma News Tribune: Child Protective Services takes custody of beaten baby in Hilltop area bit.ly/ZvGHjq #tacoma

— The News Tribune (@tacomaupdates) December 15, 2012

Follow the Weekly Volcano on Twitter. Because otherwise we're coming to your house, and while we will bring wine, we will not, under any circumstances, take off our shoes.

GET THE AFTERNOON DELIGHT NEWSLETTER

The Weekly Volcano's Afternoon Delight newsletter features breaking news, stories, calendar picks and more sent directly to your inbox Monday-Friday. It’s completely free to subscribers, but costs $10,000 if you don't like it. You will like it. It's sweet and sour and makes you pucker and swoon. Sign up here:

BANDITO BETTY LOU WHO'S LEAP OF THE DAY >>>

Bandito Betty Lou Who isn't a huge fan of jingtinglers, floofloovers, trumtookas, blumbloopas and the other wack musical instruments her fellow Whos bang during the holiday season. Every two years she gets the hell out of Whoville and spends the holiday season in the South Sound.

She's back. The Weekly Volcano secretly attached a GPS device to her whocarnio. We're tracking her.

Apparently even Bandito Betty Lou Whos need to do some last minute shopping. We spotted her at the Market on Market waiting for it to open today for its Last Minute Gift Grab. From noon to 4 p.m. Caps 'N' Scraps, Singe Soy Candles, The One Spot, LollyGear, Fingerprint Confections, Paparazzi and others will sell locally sourced and made food and gifts. We managed to snap of her leaping before she ran out the door and into the YMCA. Don't fret. The Weekly Volcano is hot on her trail. Expect more Lou Who action tomorrow.

MARKET ON MARKET, 1122 MARKET ST., TACOMA

LINK: Bandito Betty Lou Who jumps archive

LINK: Weekly Volcano loves the holidays, cats and crafts, so we joined Pinterest.

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

C.I. Shenanigans Tacoma - Northend. KC Brakes presents pop folk rock night. All Ages. 7-10 pm. NC.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Ethan Tucker Band. 9:30 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. SweetKiss Momma and Folsom Prism. 8 pm. $6.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Innocent Bystander, Emily Randolph, Champagne Sunday, The Rallies. All Ages. 8 pm. $5.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Hot Roddin' Romeos, Hard Money Saints, The Repo Man. 9 pm. NC.

• The culture of rockabilly is such a peculiar one, to me. This is a group of people (kinda like those mod weirdos) who bond over a very specific aesthetic - this antiquated genre of music, which has grown over the years to morph slowly with punk, creating this style all its own. With song titles such as "Six Inch Heels and Dynamite" and "Kitten's a Tiger," you'd hardly need to listen to know that the perpetrators, Hot Roddin' Romeos, are pure rockabilly through and through. Their music is nothing but blistering, skittering rockabilly punk, complete with the requisite tattoos, stand-up bass, curled lips and generous amounts of pomade. Saturday, they'll be joined by fellow rockabilly devotees, Hard Money Saints, which should effectively turn O'Malley's into a case study in this very particular subculture. - Rev. Adam McKinney
  

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. Redroom Christmas Party, with Crooks To Kings, Cowardice, Sojourner, Earth Mother. All Ages. 7 pm.

Rocket Records Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. C.F.A. album and comic book release party. All Ages. 3 pm. NC.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Tatoosh Christmas Bash. 8 pm.

Tollefson Plaza Tacoma - Downtown. Electric Salchow Stage at Polar Plaza: Monday Ukulele Ohana's Holiday Show. All Ages. 7-9 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Tingstad & Rumbel. All Ages. 8 pm. $12-$18.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Anus Disease, Future Disorder, Kill Closet, American Wrecking Co., Murder Your Gods, Infernal Legion. 9 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

SUNDAY, DEC. 23 2012 >>>

1. From 4-9 p.m. at The Swiss, seven bands come together at a benefit show for a local woman, Nicole Skoog, a 31-year-old who suffers from a debilitating condition called occipital neuralgia. Blues Redemption, Crazy Texas Gypsies, Dean Reichert, Raphael Tranqilino, James King and the Southsiders, Rod Cook (Vicci Martinez Band) and Paul Green will rock the blues to help offset the costs of surgery and recovery that are not covered by insurance. Doug Skoog is Nicole's father, and is also a member of Blues Redemption and Crazy Texas Gypsies. He writes an explanation of Nicole's condition, "It is a rare congenital abnormality that causes numerous occipital and cranial nerves to run though the muscles below her scalp.  Several car accidents many years ago and a worker's comp injury has triggered severe muscle spasms that have limited the blood supply to these nerves, triggering the inflammatory process and producing scar tissue that further enhances her pain.  She suffers from chronic daily migraines every waking moment.  Her life the past 12 months has been taken away from her and she has been unable to do what she loves, which is working as an ER Trauma RN helping others." Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on this benefit in the Weekly Volcano's Music section.

2. The Lonely Night: Luminous Solo Dance Works presents four solo dance artists — Myrionymos Marionette, Mirror Milk, Douglas Ridings with Stephen Fadrich on piano and Bridget Scott with live musical accompaniment White Gourd at 6 p.m. inside the Midnight Sun Performance Space in downtown Olympia.

3. The Redroom in Tacoma hosts an all-ages rap show featuring Endgame, Knowthead, 100 Proof, J wise and Shane Mackinnon at 7 p.m.

4. Local comedians who have taken their shows to other states have returned home to make their families' holidays a littl ebit funnier. The Tacoma Comedy Club has convinced the comedians to drop by at 8 p.m. for a "Home For The Holidays" comedy show. Brilliant!

5. It has been 10 years since The Brotherhood morphed from the dank, labor bar into one of Olympia's beloved hotspots; 10 years of soul nights, dance parties and more bands than you can ever want to count. To celebrate that auspicious occasion The Brotherhood is throwing a 10-year bash featuring the highlights of the 2012 "Night of the Living Tribute Bands": The Cure and The Scorpions. Tying the event together will be the ever-raucous R&B tunes slapped down by the bar's longtime resident madman, DJ Wildman James. The cover charge benefits the Thurston County Food Bank. It all goes down at 9 p.m.

PLUS: Holiday stage performances in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: Sunday, Dec. 23 arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

BANDITO BETTY LOU WHO'S LEAP OF THE DAY >>>

Bandito Betty Lou Who isn't a huge fan of jingtinglers, floofloovers, trumtookas, blumbloopas and the other wack musical instruments her fellow Whos bang during the holiday season. Every two years she gets the hell out of Whoville and spends the holiday season in the South Sound.

She's back. The Weekly Volcano secretly attached a GPS device to her whocarnio. We're tracking her.

Bandito Betty Lou Who continues her quest to visit new Tacoma business that have opened in the past year, such as Dwelling — which use to be Dwell Home Decor in the Northend then moved to the Triangle District and became Dwelling. What hasn't changed is its focus on vintage inspired décor and furnishings with an European twist. It screams French, but the only screaming inside came from Bandito when she saw the vintage doorknobs. She jumped for joy, knocked over a few piles of stationary then left tout de suite. Don't fret. The Weekly Volcano is hot on her trail. Expect more Lou Who action tomorrow.

DWELLING, 626 ST. HELENS AVE., TACOMA, 253.761.1889

LINK: Bandito Betty Lou Who jumps archive

LINK: Weekly Volcano loves the holidays, cats and crafts, so we joined Pinterest.

MONDAY, DEC. 24, 2012 >>>

1. After 17 years of Stardust holiday schmaltz-fests, Harlequin Productions director Linda Whitney outsourced her holiday revue-writing to James Hindman and Ray Roderick of Miracle or 2 Productions, authors of 2003's A Christmas Survival Guide. From a critical standpoint, it's a welcome change, especially since this anthology's aimed squarely at cynical adults weary of the hustle, bustle, and rabid commercialism of 21st-century holidays. It plays to the Whitneys' principal strengths: live pop music, technical design and intelligence (in no particular order). It also introduces diminutive spitfire Amy Shephard, newly returned from grad school at Exeter, to the Harlequin stage, where she joins revue regulars Antonía Darlene and Christian Doyle. It hits the stage for a special Christmas Eve performance at 2 p.m. Read Christian Carvajal's full review of A Christmas Survival Guide in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

2. If you didn't get all the holiday adrenaline out of your system fighting for your life during the holiday shopping season, lace some jingle bells into your sneakers and make a run for it today at the Just For Fun, Jingle Bell Run at 1:30 p.m. in Wright Park. The 5k run or walk costs $10 to participate. Bring non-perishable food for the food bank or old running shoes for the mission. The first male/female finishers will win shoes from South Sound Running. WAIT! It's sold out! Well, go grab a coffee and listen to the bells bounce by.

3. As you know the Franciscan Polar Plaza outdoor ice skating rink in downtown Tacoma is open to those who want to travel in circles. What you might not know is it's open on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

4. At 4 and 6 p.m. Capital Christian's presents a "Come As You Are" Christmas Eve service at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Olympia. This celebration of Christmas is a free, fun-filled night of music and celebration for all ages.

5. Mosquito Hawk - after half the band rocked the Scorpions last night at the Brotherhood Lounges 10^th Anniversary Bash - will join Gunslinger at 9 p.m. inside the Le Voyeur in downtown Olympia.

LINK: Monday, Dec. 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

BREAK FROM CHRISTMAS CHAOS >>>

You know you're already humming "If I Were a Rich Man" in your head. If you aren't, I am.

Once again, Olympia's Capitol Theater screens the classic musical film Fiddler on the Roof Christmas day. But beyond simply watching, you will be immersed in the total If-I-Were-A-Rich-Man experience - you will have the chance to sing along.

Or at least you can move your lips to the words to pretend like you're singing along. That part is up to you.

If you've never seen the film before, it is an adaptation of a popular Broadway musical. The plot revolves around a 1905 village in the Ukraine ghetto of Anatevka and the rich and often humorous cast of characters who live there - including, of course, a dude who likes to play his fiddle on a roof.

But what is a show on Christmas without giving back? Along with enjoying the snazzy tunes and general revelry with your fellow show-goers, the Olympia Film Society and Temple Beth Hatfiloh ask you to bring warm coats and blankets to donate to the Emma Goldman Youth & Homeless Outreach Project, or EGYHOP. EGYHOP is a mission dedicated to delivering direct service items and resources to youth, homeless and those with low income in Olympia at absolutely no cost to recipients. Coats and blankets can be used, but must be clean and in good condition.

There will also be a costume contest, if you wish to join in. Wear your best Fiddler-related costumes. If you are an especially convincing Ukrainian peasant, you may even win a prize.

CAPITOL THEATER, TUESDAY, DEC. 25, 5 P.M., 206 FIFTH AVE. SE, OLYMPIA, 360.754.6670