TUESDAY, OCT. 8

In recent times, Frank Herbert has been getting a lot of attention in Tacoma for being the most accomplished local boy who nobody knows is from Tacoma. There's a movement afoot to get the Dune writer his own Tacoma park, which has once again shone the spotlight on Herbert. Tuesday, Tacoma's well-received new cocktail lounge Hilltop Kitchen will celebrate the science fiction author's birthday by creating six craft cocktails based on Herbert's work.

A joint production of Hilltop Kitchen, Post Defiance, Erik Hanberg (the man who has been pushing for Herbert's park) and King's Books, the event dubbed "Cocktails Through a Stillsuit: A Toast to Frank Herbert" will feature cocktails with names such as Duncan Idaho, Golden Path, and Orange Catholic. If any of those names ring a bell in your nerdy ears, it might behoove you to get a drink through a stillsuit. There will also be copies of Herbert's works available, in case all those names are meaningless to you. May as well pick up a copy of Dune and get caught up.

FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF TIME

As I write this, it's been twenty-four hours since one of the greatest television shows of all time ended its triumphant run of unrivaled quality after five seasons. I speak, of course, of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

Seriously, though, if you want to avoid spoilers about the finale of Breaking Bad - like, how CRAZY was it that Jesse was an alien the whole time? - now's the time to stop reading. Or, if you're one of those people who seems to take some sick pride in having never seen an episode of Breaking Bad, but still like to read recaps so you can keep track of this cultural phenomenon and make little snide remarks to your friends, I will NEVER understand you, and I would love for you stop reading, as well.

Is there any other way it could have gone? Jesse's free. Walt's money is going to an unwilling Flynn. Hank will have the opportunity to get a proper burial. Todd's dead as a doornail (he was also a Groucho Marx fan, if his ringtone is to be believed. Walt died like Jesse James. He will always be Heisenberg - a larger-than-life master criminal, a man who never made one false move.

It was a brilliant finale, a finale that strived unabashedly to please the fans. Not to bring anyone down, but you know that road that Jesse speeds away on to certain freedom? Is that same road that the cops sped in on?

You don't think ... Nah. Let's stick with the Mega Happy Ending.

Note: Pinkman died on the way back to his home planet.

LINK: Nerd Alert columns