THIS WEEK'S FREEBIES OCT. 31-NOV.6 >>>

Bobble Tiki loves lists. Before Bobble Tiki passes out, he makes a list of what he'd like to accomplish the next day. Sure, list keeping helps Bobble Tiki stay organized and on task (like those things even matter), but there are even greater benefits: First, Bobble Tiki feels infinitely superior to everyone who hasn't caught on to this list thing. Second, he gets to align himself with a great dead figure like Bobby Kennedy, who was a notorious keeper of lists. And third, he has a printed record of what he has been up to should Eric H. Holder, Jr. ever want to know. Bobble Tiki is, in fact, so manic about his list-keeping that if he does something that isn't on the list he'll write it down just so he can cross it off. He earned it; he went out of his way. He went "off list." Do you have any idea how fricking hard that is? Do you?

For this week's Freeloaders list of free things to do this coming week, Bobble Tiki will focus on transformation, just like you'll make to be more organized ... by keeping lists.

MONDAY, OCT. 31: The Tacoma Cult Movie Club will gather at The Acme Grub Cage for a special session of cult films in keeping with the situation - Halloween. Rev. Colin will screen classic horror films, the kind where normal Joe's transform into monsters beneath a full moon. With an earlier 5 p.m. start time comes a potluck. Don't just bring candy. As always there's no admission fee, and there'll be plenty of raffles prizes and booze, which could induce a number of transformations within the crowd.

TUESDAY, NOV. 1: Ezra F. Vogel, Harvard professor emeritus, has published dozens of articles, reviews, and conference papers, major books on China, Japan, and American-East Asian relations, and organized scholarly and policy conferences on many topics. Vogel will give a free lecture on his book, Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China, at 4 p.m. inside the Trimble Hall Forum on the University of Puget Sound campus.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 2: Marijuana has transformed California. No longer relegated to the underground, pot in California these days props up local economies, mints millionaires and feeds a thriving industry of startups designed to grow, market and distribute the drug. If passed, Washington state's I-502 will legalize, regulate and tax marijuana with revenue earmarked for substance-abuse prevention education and healthcare. New Approach Washington will rally in favor of I-502 at 6 p.m. inside the Mandolin Café in Tacoma.

THURSDAY, NOV. 3: Back in the spring of 2007, Broadway Center Executive Director David Fischer announced a 14-page strategic plan broken into five main categories to transform the Tacoma arts organization into a viable business, as well as a medium to unite the community. Hello success. Fischer will be awarded the Arts Leadership Award during the Tacoma Art at Work Month opening party from 6-8:30 p.m. inside the Museum of Glass. At the free party, the Tacoma Arts Commission will also honor the other 2011 AMOCAT Award recipients: The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, D.A.S.H. Center for the Arts, and Stella Haioulani, as well as recognize the 2011 Tacoma Arts Commission funding recipients. That's all good, but Bobble Tiki is more stoked about the free desserts.

FRIDAY, NOV. 4: For the first time in 500 years, the Salvadoran government is serving the poor, excluded majority. Come hear an FMLN youth leader of El Salvador's left party discuss: how youth are stepping up to win justice and dignity for all Salvadorans; what's at stake in the 1st elections since the 2009 victory; how you can be a part of El Salvador's transformation! Cristina Cornejo, the FMLN Political Commission & Substitute Legislative Assemble deputy, will give a free talk from 7-9 p.m. inside Last Word Books in Olympia.

SATURDAY, NOV. 5: Bobble Tiki thinks it would be cool to hang with a young writer before he or she transforms into someone famous. Then Bobble Tiki could say he saw them when, and annoy absolutely every one he knows in the process. That's why Bobble Tiki will check out Stages on Pages at 4 p.m. Stages on Pages is a touring group of young adult writers who write about the arts. Stasia Kehoe, Tara Kelly, Jessica Martinez and Louise Spiegler will be reading and discussing their novels, as well as talking about the connections between dance, drama, music and literature. The free event will be held at Orca Books in Olympia. Bobble Tiki will grab all four autographs because you never know. Wait. Are they already famous?! Crap.

SUNDAY, NOV. 6: The Tacoma Buddhist Temple hosts a free Fall Food & Crafts Bazaar from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (food costs vary). Bobble Tiki loves the sound of that and was all set to go, until he discovered that Buddhism helps you wake up and find your true self.  Bobble Tiki has made a career of being both unconscious and shallow, so maybe this event isn't for him.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

THIS WEEK'S BEST FREEBIES OCT. 24-30 >>>

Bobble Tiki loves all holidays - or most of them anyway. Bobble Tiki loves Christmas because he loves getting presents. Bobble Tiki loves Thanksgiving because he loves stuffing his face. And Bobble Tiki loves Halloween because he loves dressing up like a damn fool.

While Halloween falls on a Monday this year, and that may be enough to curb some people's enthusiasm on the 31st, not Bobble Tiki.

Bobble Tiki's a gamer. He gives 110 percent every holiday, whether it's convenient or not. Sure, it'd be a lot easier if Halloween was on a Friday or Saturday, and you could get all liquored up without worrying about work in the morning, but it didn't work out like that.

Halloween's on Monday this year. Pros will deal with it. It can either ruin things for you or inspire you to lift your Halloween game to a whole new level.

Bobble Tiki's inspired. He wants it more. He's celebrating all things scary everyday until Oct. 31 - the cheap way.

MONDAY, OCT. 24: The Tacoma Cult Movie Club presents another free night of movies and popcorn from 7-10 p.m. inside the Acme Grub Cage. Monday's theme is cocked and loaded with flicks involving "Girls With Gun." Scary. Weekly Volcano scribe Rev. Adam McKinney has the inside scoop on the TCMC here.

TUESDAY, OCT.  25: "Each year the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere," Linus explains to Sally as they wait together on Halloween night in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. "He's got to pick this one - he's got to! I don't see how a pumpkin patch could be more sincere than this one," Linus continues. In the end, though, the Great Pumpkin chooses not to grace the Peanuts' pumpkin patch, and a disappointed Linus is forced to wait another year while an irate Sally laments her lost "tricks or treats." Alas, the stench of Lucy's hypocrisy must have been too strong. Let that be a lesson to any of you hipsters out there thinking of dropping by the W.W. Seymour Conservatory to partake in Pumpkin Patch Photos: Come correct or don't come at all. Bobble Tiki doesn't need any snickering from pumpkin haters ruining his chances of seeing the Great Pumpkin. True believers are invited to bring the family and greet the fall with a search for the perfect jack-o'-lantern in the park's fecund pumpkin patch. Snap photos of your young and old ghouls and goblins - a little pumpkin patch will be set up from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday through Oct. 30. Admission is by donations.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 26: Bobble Tiki's shack lies within the city limits of Tacoma and, therefore, Bobble Tiki can join the other Tacoma residents at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium's Tacoma Resident Free Day Wednesday. In keeping with this week's Freeloaders theme, Bobble Tiki will concentrate his zoo visit on the scarier creatures such as the raven, blind cave fish, bats, owls and the 16-foot-long Burmese python.

THURSDAY, OCT. 27: Grave Concerns Association member and author Kris Anderson Reisinger reads from her book, Cemeteries of Tacoma, at 7 p.m. inside King's Books. The really spooky part, Reisinger will share personal stories of invisible companions in the graveyard. Yikes!

FRIDAY, OCT. 28: (This Event Has Been Moved To Monday, Oct. 31) MONDAY, OCT. 31 - While Halloween typically represents candy, haunted houses and costume parties, the Castle Megastore in Tacoma hasn't forgotten Bobble Tiki's favorite reason: an excuse for girls to dress like sluts. The warehouse-sized building is loaded with whips, stripper heels, handcuffs and lingerie - you name it. Bobble Tiki has the perfect spot for the ladies in lingerie. E & J Bar and Grill in Lakewood hosts a '90s "Holloween" House Party Friday at 9 p.m., concentrating on its typical hip-hop and R&B tunes. Those in their "pajamas" will receive free entry. Those not will have to pony up $5.

SATURDAY, OCT. 29: Video games have seeped out of Bobble Tiki's computer and become enmeshed in his life. Apparently, video games have also penetrated Halloween. Dorky's Arcade will host a Halloween Show Saturday night featuring the pulsating dance beats and synths meet jagged, buzzsaw guitars and ass-shaking bass lines of Tacoma dance-pink trio Death By Stars. The 8 p.m. free show also includes bands The Hyper-space Sludge Junkies, The Autonomics and the Dirty Words. Throw on your 8-bit punk costumes and party it up at the downtown Tacoma arcade. This show is for those 21 and older.

SUNDAY, OCT. 30: Tacoma Art Museum has partnered with Centro Latino and Proyecto MoLÉ once again to celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) culminating with a free community festival Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Now in its seventh year, the free festival will feature music, live performances, food and several hands-on art-making activities.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

THIS WEEK'S BEST FREEBIES OCT. 17-23 >>>

Let's think about this. Dia de los Muertos goes down Nov. 1-2 and everyone will have Day of the Dead stories on Nov. 3. Some will be wild; some will be amusing, and - depending on what sort of crowd you run with - many could be incoherent. Yours should be different. Because, you know, everybody should be different. You celebrate Day of the Dead starting Monday all the way through Nov. 2. You call it 17 Days of the Dead. Here are a few suggestions that should knock you dead. You're welcome.

MONDAY, OCT. 17: You know the story: Ebenezer Scrooge is a miser who couldn't give a fig about his fellow man. He's dismissive toward his nephew, his only remaining family member; abusive toward his impoverished employee, Bob Cratchit; and just a miserable wretch in general. In the days leading up to Christmas 1843, Scrooge is haunted by his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley. This is not a social call. Marley - doomed to forever walk the earth alone, in death as he did in life - warns Scrooge that he has one chance to mend his wicked ways, and so Scrooge will be visited by three ghosts who will teach him the lessons of Christmas. You were born to play Marley. Give the Tacoma Little Theatre a call right now at 253.272.2281 and sign up for Monday's night's auditions for A Christmas Carol.

TUESDAY, OCT. 18: The My Lai massacre, which took place on the morning of March 16, 1968, was a watershed in the history of modern American combat, and a turning point in the public perception of the Vietnam War. Investigative journalist Seymour M. Hersh is best known for exposing the cover-up of the My Lai massacre, as well as the recent series he wrote on the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in The New Yorker. Hersh will lecture on his career at 7 p.m. in the University of Washington-Tacoma's Philip Hall. It's free to attend, but advance registration is required.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19: Are microplastics floating in the ocean killing organisms when ingested? What happens when microplastics enter the food chain? Dr. Joel Baker, science director at Center for Urban Waters in Tacoma, will share the answers, for free, in a 7 p.m. lecture at the WET Science Center in Olympia.

THURSDAY, OCT. 20: You've always had a fascination with the Grim Reaper and art. Why not combine the two? Once again the Tacoma Art Museum is partnering with Centro Latino and Proyecto MoLÉ once again to celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which includes the annual construction of altars or ofrendas (offerings) dedicated to the spirits of the deceased. During Third Thursday Artwalk - with free admission to TAM from 5-8 p.m. - the altar artist will discuss their works from 6-7 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 21: OK, you have "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi down pat in front of your mirror. It's time to go all the way - a live karaoke band. At 8:30 p.m. every Friday night at the Varsity Grill, the Rock-Bot band backs karaoke singers on more than 450 songs. Who knows, maybe you'll knock 'em dead. Or die on stage.

SATURDAY, OCT. 22: The Fireside Story League will tell spooky stories about the dead the whole family will enjoy at 2 p.m. inside the Bonney Lake Pierce County Library.

SUNDAY, OCT. 23: Tacoma's favorite Victorian-style glass conservatory offers a botanical montage of madness, paralysis and death Tuesday through Sunday. The exhibit Wicked Plants: An Exhibit of the Deliciously Dark Side of the Plant Kingdom features deadly flora that would please a homicidal 19th-century botanist. The W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory exhibit is inspired by Amy Stewart's bestseller Wicked Plants: The Weed that Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities, a much-needed compendium of plants that rack up body counts. Go see it from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., if you dare.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

THIS WEEK'S BEST FREEBIES OCT. 10-16 >>>

If we had an alter ego, we would be sporty. Very sporty. Extreme-sports sporty. We'd snowboard. We'd parasail. We'd skydive. Hell, We'd be able to just play a game of softball without shrieking like a schoolgirl whenever the ball came near us. Best of all, though, we'd be very, very sporty while wearing four-inch Manolos, and after winning the game, we'd walk away with only a sexy muss to our perfectly coiffed hair.

OK, so we want to be a Charlie's Angel.

Who would your alter ego be?

MONDAY, OCT. 10: Would your alter ego be Jack the Ripper? If so, hang out with the Graphic Novel Book Club as the dismember From Hell by Alan MooreandEddie Campbell,the story of Jack the Ripper. Legendary comics writer Alan Moore and artist Eddie Campbell have created a modern masterpiece of crime noir and historical fiction with scratchy lines and heavy doses of ink. The geeky book group will gather at 7 p.m. inside King's Books in Tacoma.

TUESDAY, OCT. 11: Would your alter ego be Doctor Dolittle? It might be a good idea, especially since the neighbors called the cops on you four times this summer for shooting crows of your back balcony. Yes, the crows are hella loud in the morning. But crows have feelings too. It's time to better understand the winged nuisances, free of charge. And if you think your relationship with the crows needs to go beyond the basics of understanding, attend Tuesday's Tacoma Science Café from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at The Swiss. Yup, the popular lecture series moved a larger venue. And Prof. John Marzluff, Ph.D., he of the School of Forest Resources, will discuss the curious behavior of these loud birds.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12: Would your alter ego be a fashion designer? Five dollars, a trip to the hardware store and an imagination will separate the truly hip from the un-hip. Duct tape accessories, and even clothes, have become a trend and it's really not all that surprising. When you think about the plastic (that's polyester, girls) content in everyday attire, it's no wonder people would be drawn to a raw engineered form of it. The look you get from duct tape is edgy and playful. You don't need to be Goth or punk. Just lose your inhibitions and get crafty with the myriad of colors duct tape is now manufactured in. It comes in pink, blue, red, gold and the traditional gunmetal grey, among others. Need a little duct tape tutorial for inspiration? The Tillicum Pierce County Library hosts a duct tape creations class Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. No, we're serious.

THURSDAY, OCT. 13: Would your alter ego be Robin Hood? You're pissed off that people long accustomed to the comforts of middle-class life are now relying on public assistance for the first time in their lives - potentially for years to come - while the rich become richer. You've decided to become a modern day Robin Hood. But, as the movies have shown, you need mad archery skills. You're in luck! Every Thursday Skookum Archers in Puyallup hosts public instruction in its private clubhouse range. Show up at 6:15 p.m. to sign in, go through a brief safety orientation the first time and then you get to play archery under instruction till 7:45. Best part, freeloaders? You first visit is free.

FRIDAY, OCT. 14: Would your alter ego be a poet? We just read the most irritating book in the world. It's called Jeremy Thrane, and while parts of it were fun, the main character had this extraordinarily annoying habit of, in moments of great stress, reciting poetry. And not his own, but stuff by Yeats, Stevens and other dead people. We think that if you're a writer and you find yourself quoting other people's work because their words express your thoughts better than you can maybe you ought to seriously think about what that means. If, however, you'd like to take a stab at writing your own stuff, jog on over to King's Books for its Distinguished Writers Series. After featured poet Ed Harkness goes off at 7 p.m., stand up and read your stuff during the open mic session. And for fun, why not wear a beret?

SATURDAY, OCT. 15: Would your alter ego be U.S. Women's Soccer Team defender Stephanie Cox? While the chances of you kicking it around with Hope Solo, Abby Wambach and Heather O'Reilly remains scant, you may just lose your proverbial women's soccer cherry this Saturday by hanging with Cox at Skansie Brothers Park. The Gig Harbor resident will talk about her experience and soccer background, sign autographs and then kick the ball around from 1:30-3:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, OCT. 16: Would your alter ego be a tango dancer? Run, run we tell you, to the florist for roses, because you're going to need it Sunday night. You'll be clutching it between your teeth as you dance the romantic and mysterious tango at the Abbey Ballroom Dance and Pilates Center in Tacoma. Milonga Tango Dance includes free beginners lesson at 5 p.m., followed by a dance ($8). Adelante!

LINK: Arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

HEY KIDS! DO YOU LIKE FREE THINGS? >>>

As the old proverb suggest, the only thing better than a community arts festival boasting more than 75 awesome events and activities for the entire family is a completely FREE community arts festival boasting more than 75 awesome events and activities for the entire family. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner. This weekend's Fall Free For All offers all of the above and the proverbial bag of chips. If you have yet to introduce yourself with Tacoma's awesome Theatre District, now's your chance. Wristbands, free but required for entry to Fall Free For All events, are available through the Broadway Center's box office by calling 253.591.5894. Be sure to check out the performance by Drew Grow and The Pastors Wives Saturday night.

Music from across the country:
Portland Cello Project
The Tacoma Round
Horse Feathers
Pearly Gate Music
Drew Grow & the Pastors' Wives
Kelli Schaefer
CityHall
Sacred Harp
Laura Gibson
Paul Rucker
Port St. Willow
The Local Strangers
Concours d'Elegance
and more and more and more...

Activities will include:

- The Broadway Center original production 11 Days in the Life of Dr. King
- The world premiere of Voices of the City, presented by the Broadway Center and EnJoy Productions
- Short plays by local authors sponsored by Northwest Playwrights Alliance
- Films from The Grand Cinema
- Tacoma Philharmonic Kids Concert: Trains & Tunes in the New World
- Diverse work from many cultures, from traditional forms to hip hop
- Hands-on activities for children
- A screening of U2: Rattle and Hum
- Dance (MOVE!NG Company, Fab5, Koncrete, and more)
- Plus local bands, buskers, magicians, and much more!

RSVP and get up-to-date information on Facebook.

Full schedule here.

To get your FREE wristband pass, call the Box Office at 253.591.5894. Wristbands will be available for pick-up at Will Call only. Register online here.

[Theater District, Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., free, broadwaycenter.org, Tacoma, 253.591.5894]

THIS WEEK'S BEST FREEBIES OCT. 3-9 >>>

Rent is due on Monday, which means unless you're some type of money-saving wizard, you're probably a little short on cash this week. Don't worry, though: There is a ton of stuff to do this coming week for free, including Broadway Center's Fall Free For All community arts festival, which all on its own can take up your entire weekend. But if you're not into giant puppets and Vaud Rats, there's plenty to choose from this coming week.

MONDAY 10-3: Saxophonist Steve Munger and his quartet fill Olympia's Royal Lounge with soulful jazz every Monday from 7-9 p.m. without a cover charge.

TUESDAY 10-4 It's honestly not every day that an award-winning writer the likes of Sherman Alexie comes to Puyallup. It's not even every-other day. But Tuesday, as part of Banned Books Week, Alexie will appear at the Pioneer Park Pavilion in P-town, delivering a free talk focused on issues of censorship and intellectual freedom. Alexie's acclaimed novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, has been widely censored for it content - just one of many truths that makes Alexie's inclusion in this event so fitting. The event seats only 400, so those interested in attending are advised to arrive early.

WEDNESDAY 10-5: J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is an indisputable classic of English literature. It's also freakin' 1,240 pages long, depending on the edition. Who the hell has time to read that many pages? Dr. John West had time. He'll be speaking and leading a discussion of the spiritual meaning of this book at 7 p.m. as part of a free Wednesday series on "Great Truths from the Great Books" in the South Chapel of First Presbyterian Church of Tacoma. Dr. West is editor of Celebrating Middle-Earth: The Lord of the Rings as a Defense of Western Civilization. He has some idea what he's discussing. Plan to be awake when he utters this line: "I will serve the master of the Precious. Good master, good Sméagol, gollum, gollum!' Suddenly he began to weep and bite at his ankle again." Just remember: Frodo lives!

THURSDAY 10-6: While environmental groups often get stereotyped as elitist, Prius driving, granola munching, tree hugging, sandal wearing wackos, it's a misconception that could use debunking. Especially these days, environmentalists are everywhere and are everyone - and thank goodness for it. Somebody has to look out for Mother Earth. If you need proof that environmentalists are just like you and me, consider this: Environmentalists like to drink. It's true. Not only do they like to drink, but also in Tacoma they get together and do it regularly. It's called Tacoma Green Drinks, and the group meets Thursday at 5:30 p.m. inside the Harmon Brewery and Eatery to hear the latest from the Puget Creek Restoration Society. Admission is free. You're totally invited - unless you insist on driving that 1974 Plymouth Duster. Tacoma Green Drinks suggest you take the bus or ride a bike.

FRIDAY 10-7: Beginning at noon, Downtown On the Go hosts it second free Tacoma fall walking tour of the season, this time flooding your eyes and noggin with all that is the Brewery District. Tacoma City Councilman and architect David Boe will discuss the rich architectural history of this area. This hour-long walk starts in front of the Swiss Building. No RSVP is necessary.

SATURDAY 10-8: Holy shit! Tacoma's Broadway Center will stages 75 performances and musical acts over two days for free under the umbrella title "Fall Free for All." And the acts are solid, quality performance, and not some grandma performing hand shadow puppetry while grandpa bangs on a coffee can. Nope. We're talking Professor Humbug's Flea Circus, Fab-5 break dancing, folkie Laura Gibson, Portland Cello project, YES YOU MAY show, Drew Grow & The Pastors' Wives, Tacoma Round featuring Noah Gunderson, Kris Doty and Nick Principe, Concours d'Elegance and many more musical acts, theater performance, lectures and films. Check out the schedule here. And reserve your free wristband here.

SUNDAY 10-9: Tain't nothing like a gallon or so of fresh cider to clear the constitution.  The folks at Lattin's Country Cider Mill and Farm host their annual Apple Harvest Festival Sunday offering apples in every way and fashion, plus tractor rides, a corn maze and pick you own pumpkins. The free festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound