Jenny McCarthy and I go way back.

Before I get started, let me admit this is one of those Hollywood yarns in which I know a great deal about a given celebrity, who in turn remembers squat-point-nothing about me. That's the thing about all my celebrity stories: they were the most famous people I met that day, while I was the least important person they met all year. I gain no value from the name-dropping, other than semi-entertaining stories about years in the trenches. I'm still me, a nonentity, so who am I to make fun of anyone who's achieved what I could not? Fair enough. I agree with those points. Still...

When I was an undergrad in 1993, a friend bought me a year's subscription to Playboy. (Subscribing to Playboy was a thing college dudes did back then.) The Playmate of the Year was Jenny McCarthy, so I got to know her quite well. As David Mamet once wrote, I could draw her from memory. Then MTV gave her a dating show, Singled Out, and I thought, good for her! She's actually spinning a career from her year between the staples. I finished grad school, moved back to L.A., and started work as a background extra in movies and TV. In the meantime, McCarthy earned an MTV sketch show, which then netted her a sitcom, Jenny, on NBC.

I got booked for a day's work on Jenny. Upon arrival, I learned they wanted me as more of a day-player actor. That almost never happens, so I remember it fondly. Also memorable was the fact that they expected me to play an acting coach, the kind who emphasizes animal traits via body movements. I chose to evoke a silverback gorilla, partly because I'm a stout guy but mostly because I thought it'd be funny. It was. McCarthy spent the morning prowling the set and announcing, "Vagina!" After about two dozen such pronouncements, she approached to learn her blocking. She watched me a few minutes, then came over and said hi. "You're a really good actor," she told me. It was one of the nicest things anyone said to me in the entertainment business-which, I grant you, sets the bar low. In any case, the show was canceled two weeks later so, to the best of my knowledge, the episode never aired.

I then booked two weeks on BASEketball, the Trey Parker/Matt Stone vehicle in which McCarthy played a trophy widow. I watched her work (having nothing better to do on one of the dreariest on-set experiences of my life) and thought, hey, look at this woman. She might actually stick it out. The movie was quickly relegated to Blockbuster bargain bins, but Jenny McCarthy was not. Long after I threw in the towel and moved to Oklahoma, she was still plugging away. Even her three, count 'em, three Razzie "wins" for Dirty Love in 2006 didn't deter her. Nor did her year on The View, during which time she established herself as our leading false authority on vaccination vis-à-vis autism. Thanks for the measles outbreak, Jenny!

Say what you will, Jenny McCarthy is a survivor. I respect that. Now she's hitting Little Creek Casino with a lineup of raunchy comedians. Does she know a damn thing about standup? You be the judge.

JENNY MCCARTHY: DIRTY SEXY FUNNY, 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, Little Creek Casino, 91 W. State Rd. 108, Shelton, $20-$40, 800.667.7711

In the Army, each soldier has been told "no one left behind." This can be applied to every aspect of the service.

One area several soldiers tend to forget about is the home front. As much as I am sent on deployments, training missions or school courses, I still struggle with doing my job and not forgetting to help my family.

This brought me to the question of "merge or overtake?" Do I keep trying to make all the decisions miles to continents away or work with her?

My wife keeps the day-to-day operations of raising our children, paying bills, managing the vehicles, keeping the house clean, cooking food and taking care of anything situation upon my departure. She has first-hand knowledge that time and life don't get put on hold, but sometimes surge forward faster than expected. She can get so busy with appointments, events, tasks and trying to find time to Skype or call me that she becomes overwhelmed and sometimes feels under or unappreciated.

One experience was shortly after I got married when I left for three months for a reclassification course eight hours from her. I tried to adapt and help with every issue or problem she faced. Instead of helping her, majority of the time ended up more difficult for my wife.

This led to my spouse playing catch-up with all the decisions that I made when trying to help. After having this experience, I told myself I needed to not overstep any boundaries and help where I could. This caused me to drift more and more toward doing less and less until she was giving me updates and me not making any decisions.

I am guilty of this on more than one occasion. I went from one extreme to the other; now when I am away from my spouse, I tend to make fewer decisions about situations back home and focus on myself. This is dangerous because thinking only about myself when away causes my better half to feel alone in decisions.

I am pretty good about being perceptive and realizing something is bothering my wife, but I am completely oblivious to when what is bothering my wife is me. When she tells me how she's feeling, it sinks in, and I realize I have not been doing what I promised her in our vows.

During my last deployment, I thought I had found the balance of knowing what to make a decision on and what to let her do. Unfortunately, after noticing she was getting stressed out again, she told me I had been making it harder by making the decisions in the areas I had no control in.

As much as I knew that she had stuff she had to do, in the back of my mind was the thought that everything would wait for me until I returned home. I knew better, but was extremely difficult and hit me hard watching my first son grow up on Skype without me there. For example, I was fortunate enough to see him stand up on his own and take his first three steps on Skype. I was so proud I wanted to pick him up, but then realized I couldn't and was depressed. It happened repeatedly before that seeing the pictures of his teeth coming in, eating hard food, playing with toys, laughing, but hit me hard when he started to walk.

We are told to be patient and realize life has continued to go on without us back home, but hard to keep a grasp of when you don't want to miss a single moment. I remember being told throughout the deployment to be patient and understand my family has their own lives and schedule in place, and not be discouraged if they don't have time to talk. My wife was told the same thing about me when she attended briefings from the Family Readiness Group and other unit officials. After she was done with the meetings, she would tell me what was said and show me some brochures or pamphlets about how to help her with me. This makes me think more emphasis is placed on preparing the family for the Soldier but just as much should be placed on preparing the Soldier for the family.

If it weren't for my family, I would not have the drive and motivation for accomplishing the mission and strive to succeed in classes. For example, when I was single, I was content in my career, still trying to progress through the ranks, but no real push to become a pilot. After I married my wife, I realized being content was not the best thing for my wife and family. I suddenly had more intent and drive to accomplish more. She kept telling me not to be scared to try and accomplish my dreams and I could do whatever I wanted. With that push and support, I started to move forward with the career progression that I had wanted to for years but didn't because I was afraid.

I could build a house. With the support of my family, I could build a skyscraper. What I am asking you is when you leave for school, training or deployment, don't forget about the home front. It is the best thing going for you so do not take them for granted and they will stay by your side. Make sure you do your best to help with whatever they need, be there for them, and make them feel they are not alone.

Remember, no one left behind, this applies to your better half. They can be the most powerful thing you have in your arsenal. So when you are not home, ask yourself "Merge or Overtake?"

Sgt. Daniel Schroeder is with the 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

SATURDAY, JAN. 24 2015 >>>

1. Skates is a band formed almost on a whim, formed from the ashes of the recently defunct Redwood Plan. Frontwoman Lesli Wood made a move basically akin to Queen vowing to not use synthesizers on their album, or like Joe Jackson nonchalantly making the decision to not include any guitars on an album, except to the most extreme degree: Wood ended one band and formed another in one month, based on just one name alone. Where The Redwood Plan was a jittery fury of dance-punk, Skates finds its comfort zone with surfy pop-punk, almost in the same vein as fellow Seattleites Tacocat. Gone are the squirrelly synthesizers and panicked vibes, now replaced with Skates' analog surf-pop. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Skates in the Music & Culture section, then catch the band with Hot Cops, Deep Creep and Wimps at 9 p.m. in the 4th Ave Tavern in downtown Olympia.

2. Explore Tacoma Nature Center during a seasonal naturalist-led family walk from 1-2 p.m. Discover the plants and animals that live in the park and how they adapt in the different seasons.

3. Members of the Olympia hip-hop community, and beyond, join together for the Hip-Hop 4 the Homeless benefit at 5 p.m. in the Olympia Ballroom. Originally founded in Vancouver, B.C., in 2002, HH4H moved to Olympia in 2007. This year performing are Afrok, The Staxx Brothers, AKA, Free Ya Mind, The Zulu Nation (206 and 25Z60), VintageDOPE, Formula Boogie and others, as well as the 6th Annual 25360 Awards presentation. 

4. George Handel's magical opera Alcina, based on the epic Italian poem Orlando Furioso, features back-to-back solos littered with cadenzas, lots of cross-dressing and heavy use of castratos - from the time when castration was the quickest route to success for aspiring opera singers. PLU Opera presents the three-act play that tells the story of a Circe-like sorceress who loses her powers when she falls in love with one of her captives, Ruggiero. Meanwhile, Ruggiero's fiancée, Bradamante, comes disguised as a man to rescue him, like Leonore in Beethoven's Fidelio, and like Leonore she attracts the attention of another young woman, Alcina's sister Morgana. The play can be both ravishing and heart-rending, given the way both Alcina and Ruggiero are in a perpetual state of inner conflict. (Handel was clearly more touched by the complicated villainess than by the goody-good guys.) James L. Brown will conduct the chamber orchestra in Italian with English supertitles, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Eastvold Auditorium.

5. Considering how abrasive and corrosive solvents can be, the band Solvents may as well be a swimming pool filled with fluffy teddy bears. The Port Townsend duo are a master of controlled intensity, blending guitar and violin in ways that can attack as much as they soothe. The interplay between Jarrod Paul Bramson and Emily Madden is what draws you into the world of Solvents, where everything skirts the line of dusty Americana and introspective pop. catch the band with Teach Me Equals, Dweller on the Hill and RedRumsey at 8 p.m. in Bob's Java Jive.

LINK: Saturday, Jan. 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

The Westside Tavern is a West Olympia favorite hangout among college kids, bikers, working folks and people who enjoy good food. Winner of last year's Tournament of Burgers, voted on by the Weekly Volcano readers, the joint celebrates its third anniversary tonight. It went through some serious transformation during 2011. Gone is the tattered blue paint on the outside of the building, video games and greasy spoon bar food. The Westside now serves homemade upscale menu items, such as pork belly nachos, bacon jalapeno mac and cheese and award-winning burgers. Owners Dean and Lisa Damitio celebrate their third of being the coolest bar on the Westside by offering a live rockabilly set by The Echo Devils, plus food and drink specials.

WESTSIDE TAVERN, 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, 1815 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia, 360.915.7839

SUNDAY, JAN. 25 2015 >>>

1. Actor Danny Glover hosts an evening tribute to the famed Buffalo Soldiers - African Heritage soldiers who served with unimpeachable distinction for a country that rarely appreciated their valor and sacrifice, presented by the Buffalo Soldiers Museum in Tacoma. Glover starred in the 1997 film Buffalo Soldiers, chronicling the regiment's battles with Native Americans in 19^th century New Mexico and the complicated racial tensions and realities that existed between the sides. Glover has been an actor for more than 25 years, earning numerous awards and accolades for roles in films such as Lethal Weapon and The Color Purple. He is also a renowned activist, currently serving as a UNICEF ambassador. Glover takes the Pantages Theater stage at 7:30 p.m.

2. Erivan and Helga Haub donated 295 Western American works of art from their private collection to the Tacoma Art Museum, along with endowment funds for the future care and educational opportunities related to the collection. The collection spans 200 years, from famed early artists/explorers to notable present day masters. Read Alec Clayton's full story on the Haub Family Collection wing at the Tacoma Art Museum in the Music & Culture Section, then see the exhibit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. In 1983, unemployed Mike McMenamin bought the former Fat Little Rooster tavern in Portland and renamed it the Barley Mill. Brian McMenamin soon joined in and today they own threescore pubs, taverns, clubs, hotels, dance halls and a village called Edgefield. The McMenamins have the golden touch - to convert desuetude into quirky, funky, artful joints to gather and drink. One of the early McMenamins beers, the Hammerhead Ale, celebrates its 29th birthday. It's a classic Northwest pale ale and McMenamins top selling beer. The beer's signature Cascade hop nose and intense hopped flavor blend nicely with the caramel tones from the crystal malt. McMenamins Spar Café (114 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia) toasts the Hammerhead's old age by offering $3 pints of the 5.93 percent ABV ale all day.

4. The Tacoma Symphony Orchestra opens its Mini Maestros family series at 2:30 p.m. with a performance of Peter and the Wolf at the Rialto Theater in downtown Tacoma. Conducted by Music Director Sarah Ioannides, the performance will feature the famous piece by Sergei Prokofiev that has introduced generations of children to symphonic music.

5. The Nearsighted Narwhal book store hosts its Tacoma Creatives Showcase featuring novelist/playwright Nick Stokes, children's book author/poet/illustrator Jennifer Chushcoff, artist Angela Jossy and modern day troubadours Band of Lovers. Hosted by Michael Haeflinger, the talent hit the stage at 6 p.m. 

LINK: Sunday, Jan. 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, JAN. 26 2015 >>>

1. Monday, that most put-upon of weekdays, has gotten a bad rap. Yeah, going back to the office stinks, but the first day of the week also happens to be the best one for letting loose. Think about it: You're still fresh from your weekend, and you haven't yet had your joie de vivre trounced by the working week. Dean Reichert knows it. A year ago the blues guitarist played a Monday night at The Swiss Restaurant and Pub. He returns, spreading his down-home rhythm and testifying punch of gospel-based R&B through the many rooms of the downtown Tacoma joint, beginning at 8 p.m. Experience his snarl of the blues, his mournful rumination of honky-tonk, his sultry jazz and his up-front sexuality of funk. The show is free and pretty damn cool, if you ask the Weekly Volcano (and really, by reading this, you are asking us).

2. There are those among us who can make their trip to a hair stylist the most riveting story you've heard all week. People whose stories never trail off into "it was really cool. ..." Envy them. They are not like you. Not only do they have great success at parties, they have a future with Creative Colloquy. See what all the storytelling fuss is about at 7 p.m. inside B Sharp Coffee House when scribes Chelsea Vitone, Alec Clayton, Melissa Thayer and Tacoma Poet Laureate Lucas Smiraldo share their latest work, followed by an open mic. If you can stand a 5-minute hairdo story, just imagine how riveted you'll be by something with an actual plot.

3. Transport yourself to Baroque times - when Handel and Bach were society's rock stars, and creating bold and riveting music that wowed the courtly crowds. Anna Marsh, Jeffrey Cohan and Jonathan Oddie will perform sonatas for baroque flute, bassoon and harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach, Handel, Hotteterre (from the court of Louis XIV), Quantz (from the court of Friedrick the Great), Platti and a solo bassoon sonata by Boismortier in an intimate and diverse program of baroque chamber music for winds on period instruments at 7 p.m. in Trinity Lutheran Church.

4. Founding member of the "swampabilly" band Junkyard Jane, Leanne Trevalyan has been a fixture in the Northwest music scene for over two decades. "Her voice reminds me of the smoothness, texture and taste of sweet honey as it drips from a spoon onto a fresh biscuit," quotes Roy Brown for Victory Review. "Leanne has a sultry, alto voice capable of rendering both bluesy and country tunes with bare-boned honesty," writes Les Reynolds for Indie Music Review. Catch her at 7:30 p.m. in Smoke + Cedar.

5. Formed in 2011 and nominated for 2012 Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Award for NW Alternative Jazz Group, the Sam Boshnack Quintet features all-original compositions by Boshnack. The quintet thrashes and bounds through tightly woven twists, tunnels and cliffs with the deftness and precision of a chamber ensemble and weight of a rock band. Catch them at 8 p.m. in Rhythm & Rye.

LINK: Monday, Jan. 26 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Now with reinflated balls, this is Nerd Alert, the Weekly Volcano's recurring events calendar devoted to all things nerdy. I myself am a Star Wars fan, mathlete, and spelling bee champion of long standing, so trust me: I grok whereof I speak.

THURSDAY, JAN. 29

The last time Cirque du Soleil came through Seattle, I described their Tempest-inspired tent show Amaluna as "unforgettable showmanship ... like watching superheroes before your very eyes." I also said Amaluna was "more than a circus. It's a life event, superhuman in scale and achievement." I stand by every word. Two years later, I remember each moment of that show perfectly. So yes, when Cirque announced last year it was sending a new show to Marymoor Park, you can bet your rubber clown nose I pounced on the opportunity to review it. This new show, Kurios, is set in a steampunk world of whimsical illusions and magical machines. I'm beyond stoked. My family and I are seeing it Saturday, so expect a full and, I have every reason to believe, enraptured review next week.

KURIOS: CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, 8 p.m. through March 22, Marymoor Park, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway NE, Redmond, $35-$156, 877.924.7783

Thursday marks your first chance to catch HBO's Game of Thrones in IMAX, as the final two episodes of season 4 are projected in giganto-vision along with a trailer for season 5. (It runs through Feb. 5.) In "The Watchers on the Wall," the Night Watch has to beat back the Wildings and defend Castle Black in one of TV's most epic battle scenes of all time. In season finale "The Children," Tyrion Lannister pays some serious debts. I don't have HBO, so I have yet to see either episode. Let me guess: gratuitous nudity? Swirly crotch demons? Hodor sings?

FRIDAY, JAN. 30

For my money, there's simply no funnier standup comedian working right now than Patton Oswalt. As evidence, I submit to you his extended riff on the copiously-portioned offerings at Black Angus Steakhouse, his characterization of KFC's latest entrée as "a failure pile in a sadness bowl," and his bittersweet desire to go back in time and murder George Lucas. His description of a news story in which a senior citizen bore a baby made me laugh so hard it probably contributed to my recent hernia. I slumped a few weeks ago when he was too busy to honor his ritual of live-tweeting Downton Abbey, and for the love of sweet Abigail Mae, what does that say about my life? He has an uncanny knack for wangling his way onto shows he enjoys, so don't be surprised if he moves on from Mr. Show with Bob and David, Reno 911!, Reaper, Community, Caprica, Justified, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and one truly epic pop-culture soliloquy on Parks & Rec to hang out with Lord and Lady Grantham. I bought my tickets back in October, and man, I hope you did, too, 'cause this baby's sold to the rafters. How the hell does he find time to tour? Are there really Patton Oswalt clones like on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?

PATTON OSWALT, 8 p.m., Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, (sold out), 253.591.5894

SATURDAY, JAN. 31

After a lavish debut party Fright night, the EMP's Science Fiction Museum in Seattle opens its Star Wars and the Power of Costume exhibit (running through Oct. 4) to us Padawan learners. Exhibits include Vader's helmeted breath mask, Threepio's golden carapace, and yes, Princess Leia's bronze bikini. I encourage you to view these splendid costumes in Machete Order.

SUNDAY, FEB. 1

Apparently there's some sort of game on Sunday. Did you hear about this? Alternatively, you could watch Puppy Bowl XI on Animal Planet, Kitten Bowl II on Hallmark, Fish Bowl II on Nat Geo Wild, or Toddler Bowl on, of all things, The Learning Channel. I'll be busy watching the real thing, but ... y'know, if adult competitors actually were bowling with toddlers, I might be tempted to DVR that shizz. Speaking of DVRs, you do have yours set for the premiere of AMC's Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul a week from Sunday, right? Just checking.

Anyway, between Kurios, Patton Oswalt, and what promises to be the Super Bowl of the decade against those double-crossing Patriots, this is shaping up to one of my favorite weekends ever. Call a historian, folks. This is one for the Holocron.

Until next week, may the Force be with you, may the odds be ever in your favor, and Hodor.

TUESDAY, JAN. 27 2015 >>>

1. She's Beautiful When She's Angry tells the story of the brilliant, often outrageous women who founded the feminist movement from 1966 to 1971. They said, "the personal is political" and made a revolution: in the bedroom, in the workplace, in all spheres of life. Called "threatening" by the FBI, yet ignored in many histories, these women changed the world. Since the '60s, when a generation of activists and critics dared to argue that women should be allowed to make decisions and hold jobs of note and be paid worth a damn and not get raped, feminism has fundamentally changed most aspects of our lives today. The Grand Cinema will screen Mary Dore's documentary as part of its Tuesday Film Series at 1:45 and 6:30 p.m.

2. Bates Technical College's Culinary Arts crew threw their hat into the ring during November's 2014 World Food Championships in Las Vegas and came out on top with their Snooty Chef Burger. This behemoth earned them fourth out of 50 of those competing, advancing them to the final round where they placed in the top 10. From 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the citizens of the South Sound may dig into this championship burger at Bates Technical College's café for a cool $9.95 (price includes tax and fries).

3. Join King's Books as they celebrate the release of Fairest, the latest inThe Lunar Chronicles, by Tacoma's own Marissa Meyer. Fairest is a prequel to the other books in the series and tells the backstory of the dreaded Queen Levana. At the event you can hear Marissa read an excerpt, ask her questions, participate in fun activities, and, of course, buy books. Expect a large crowd. At 4 p.m., book signing tickets will be available and at 5 the doors will open. 

4. Some 20 years ago, Manny Chao was the first employee at Mac and Jack's Brewery. With Chao's help, Mac and Jack's amber ale became the third best selling craft brew in the state. Five years later, Chao left Mac and Jack's and by 2002, he and his housemate, Roger Bialous, homebrewed their first beer - Manny's Pale Ale. In 2003, Chao was the number one employee at his Georgetown Brewing Company located in Seattle's Georgetown district. In 2013, Chao and Bialous produced 52,300 barrels of beer - the second highest in the state behind Red Hook. Meet Chao at the Georgetown Brewing Brewer's Night from 5-7 p.m. at Pint Defiance, drink his Manny's Pale, Lovely Rieda Imperial IPA, Lucille IPA and Barrel-aged Chopper's Red Ale, learn the stories behind the beer names and maybe win a raffle prize. Over at Puget Sound Pizza, Hop Valley Brewing will unleash their Operation Vacation Extra Pale Ale and IPAs from 6-9 p.m.

4. The University of Puget Sound welcomes travel guru Rick Steves to its Schneebeck Concert Hall for a "Israelis and Palenstinians Today" chat at 7 p.m. Steves - book author, travel expert, pot smoker, global wanderer, TV host - has spent four months each year overseas for the last 30 years — including Israel and Palestine. According to pre-event hype, "Steves will share his impressions of the beauty of the Holy Land and explore legacies of the region's long history of conflicts, including the disputed settlements in the West Bank, the security wall built by the Israelis, and the long-lingering Palestinian refugee camps."

LINK: Tuesday, Jan. 27 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

In the event of a school-based emergency or crisis, preparedness, effectiveness and fast action are critical. For schools in rural areas, these concepts take on even more importance due to geographic location and other important factors.

However, with appropriate readiness, training and key partnerships, school administrators, rural law enforcement and other emergency responders will be at the ready to react and manage the emergency situation at hand.

The Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium (RDPC), which is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Training and Education Division (NTED), partnership of academic institutions, is bringing an instructor-led, Department of Homeland Security-Certified Course to our region for just this very purpose.

The course, AWR 148 Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents: Partnering Rural Law Enforcement and the Local School Systems, will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Gig Harbor Civic Center Training Room, 3510 Grandview St., Gig Harbor. This course will provide participants a groundwork of knowledge and skills to establish a school-based emergency response plan along with a crisis management team. Key learning and skill building will be accomplished through information sharing and training.

In addition to school administrators, other stakeholders, such as those who work in the fields of emergency management, emergency medical services, fire services, governmental administrative, law enforcement, public safety communications and public works are also encouraged to join and attend this course.

In order to participate and attend this class, registration is required. Convenient online registration is available here. All interested parties must be registered by the registration deadline date at 5 p.m. Feb. 6.

There is no charge to attend the course.

The mission and vision of the RDPC is to create an environment where rural communities across America will have the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to enhance the safety, security and quality of life for their citizens.

The RDPC also provides a robust selection of self-paced online training programs, resources, helpful links and much more.

To learn more about the RDPC organization and for more information about their educational and informational offerings or to request training, visit them at www.ruraltraining.org or contact The Center for Rural Development at 606.677.6000.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28 2015 >>>

1. For those outside the ska scene, it can be a little bit of a struggle to keep the various "waves" in check. Are we up to 20 waves, by now? In any case, there's no denying the influence that The Toasters had on the ska scene through their developing of third wave ska, which added punk elements into the well-defined skiffle and brass of the ska sound. Now more than 30 years into their career, The Toasters stand tall as godfathers of what would come to dominate the skanking dance floors of the '90s. Their performance at 8 p.m. in the Deadbeat Olympia record store is one that cannot be missed. The Fun Police and Skablin will also perform.

2. Two new exhibitions have open at Kittredge Gallery on the campus of the University of Puget Sound that center on drawing, the creation of imagined or ideal spaces, and the act of perception. The Large Gallery features an exhibition of graphite drawings by Michael Schall selected from several different bodies of work. Formerly based in Seattle, and now living and working in Brooklyn, Schall uses his tightly controlled, graphite drawing style to analyze and comment on the intersection of the natural and man-made. The exhibition in the Small Gallery, Parlor Games: Parallax, is a new participatory installation by Timea Tihanyi exploring the nature of the creative process by drawing together ideas from art, science, and philosophy. Check out both exhibits from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. The "BARE: A Boudoir Exhibition" at B2 Fine Art Gallery features sketches and drawings by Northwest Mystics artist Guy Anderson, a photography collection by Paul Dahlquist combined with a variety of contemporary works by artists Alex Clayton, Marsha Glaziere, Marianne Hanson, Nina Mikhailenko, Ron Schmitt and Ric Hall from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4. Portland artist James Allen finds inspiration in the ephemera of the common objects we encounter everyday altering objects such as books, magazines, photos, and postcards to create new experiences through existing media. He earned a BFA in 2000 from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and was featured in the book, Art Made from Books: Altered, Sculpted, Carved, Transformed. Listen to explain his "Book Excavations" process at 6:30 p.m. in the Collins Memorial Library at the University of Puget Sound.

5. Narrows Brewing Co. has a new website design. Let's celebrate by attending Luke Stanton's "Singer/Song Writer Showcase" from 6-8:30 p.m. inside the brewery's taproom. Beautiful view, beautiful music and beautiful beers.

LINK: Wednesday, Jan. 28 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area