SUNDAY, JAN. 19 2014 >>>

1. Nolan Garrett has been playing guitar since the age of 8. Not finding much interest in sports, his mother suggested he try music. His reluctant guitar lessons at Ted Brown Music and subsequent passion for music have not only transformed Garret into a guitar maniac, but also a soulful singer and excellent songwriter. At 6:30 p.m. Garret will perform with his full band Raymond Hayden, Paul Sawtelle, Eddie Mendoza and Joe Hendershot, each an accomplishes musician, as the headliner for an all-ages show at Louie G's Pizza in Fife.

2. Do you know the story of The Magic Flute? Mozart's famous 1791 opera tells the tale of four hopeless romantics who triumph over adversity - including giant serpents, a ruthless queen and evil sorcerers - to find true love. By Victorian standards, The Magic Flute was considered risqué because it candidly reveals male attitudes about love and sex - kind of like an 18th-century version of The Man Show. Sorry, guys, no jugs at this film. Yup, nope, just an immensely likeable score, jokes then transcend time and language and the Queen of the Night's big arias bringing down the house from the Salzburg Festival, August 2012. Catch the film at 2 p.m. in the Washington Center.

3. A Martin Luther King, Jr. Redeeming the Prophetic Vision interfaith service and event featuring a new theatrical creation from C. Rosalind Bell, spoken word, African drumming and group singing of civil rights-era songs will be held from 2:30-4 p.m. at Urban Grace Church in Tacoma.

4. You may have heard there's a big football game on the tube this afternoon. Any bar or lounge with a TV will have the Hawks game on. Click here for a list of South Sound bars.

5. Saxophonist Kareem Kandi's sound is virtually unrelated to the roomy traditions of soul saxes, honking saxes or deep-chested boudoir ballad saxes. It derives from the classic, free, often enthusiastic tradition of Joshua Redman as filtered through Dexter Gordon and Sonny Stitt, all of whose shadows can be traced-Redman in Kandi's funky organicism, Gordon in his dynamic harmonics, Stitt in the intensity that coats his every note with a Gritty City finish. The Kareem Kandi will be joined by bassist Osama Afifi and drummer Andre Thomas at 6 p.m. in the Cliff House Restaurant.

LINK: Sunday, Jan. 19 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, JAN. 18 2014 >>>

1. Looks like the Bettie Brigade, Dockyard Derby Dames have competition for the title of Fastest Wheels in the South Sound tonight. The National Speed Skating Circuit (NSC) holds its first event of the year at 7 p.m. in the Tacoma Armory.  Inline skaters will race around a wooden track at speeds of up to 30 mph, in both sprints and endurance challenges.

2. Let's Play! will fill the Tacoma Dome with more than 40 different local sports and fitness organizations from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Each fitness outfit on tap will offer up demonstrations or hands-on experiences so you can try your hand at everything from martial arts to lacrosse to ZUMBA to rock climbing. The event aims to get adults, families and especially local kids interested in being active. After all, how can you know if you love fencing or canoeing if you've never tried it?  

3. Do you know what Shodo is? How about Sumi-e? Tako? Ikebana? Well, you have to know origami - don't you? OK, quickly, in reverse order, they are: paper-folding, flower-arranging, kite-making, ink-painting and calligraphy. Confused? Excellent. Now you can go to the Oshogatsu in Olympia: Japanese New Year Celebration to get yourself straightened out. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Olympia Center, you cannot only learn the difference between all of these delicate arts, you can experience firsthand Japanese dance and music, taiko drumming, aikido and vocal performances. You'll walk away culturally educated and suddenly able to kill hours at work by folding all of your memos into little cranes and flowers. Oh, how you'll Odori it.

4. If you're a fan of Downton Abbey, and have craved receiving a fancy engraved invitation that reads, "Lord and Lady Hinklebottom request your company for dinner at Hinklebottom Manor in East Thrappingstock," then this is your lucky day. OK, "Hinklebottom Manor" is actually the Key Center Pierce County Library and "East Thrappingstock" is Lakebay, but it's still a fancy event. Food Historian Tames Alan discusses various aspects of British upper-class dining as it would've been eaten "upstairs" at Downton Abbey prior to the outbreak of World War I at 2 p.m. Manners, menu and accouterments of a full 12-course meal are on the table (figuratively speaking. They are not, we repeat not actually serving a full, 12-course meal). 

5. Waylon Jennings sang like he meant business. He didn't get fancy, and he didn't send his voice on missions it could not complete, but there was an urgency in his best songs that pounded them home. When he sang something, it stayed sung. The Outlaws will mosey on into Doyle's at 9 p.m. for a Jennings tribute. Pro tip: Find a parking spot early on St. Helens before the dusty pick-up trucks cranking AM radio arrive.

LINK: Saturday, Jan. 18 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Here is what we know about the National Guard:

The National Guard was formed in the 17th century as the militia of the colonists in North America.

National Guard soldiers have fought in every U.S. war since 1637.

Other reserve groups have no affiliation with the National Guard, such as the Army Reserve.

Each U.S. state and Washington D.C. has its own National Guard.

The National Guard takes an oath to perform state or federal missions and can be deployed for either. A governor can call up troops to assist in national disasters or the president can order troops to foreign nations on federal missions.

In times of peace, the National Guard trains one weekend a month and two weeks during the year.

The National Guard, well at least the Washington National Guard, are huge Seahawks fans, and are not shy, according to another batch of photos out of Camp Murray.

(If the Seahawks beat the 49ers Sunday, we suspect the Washington National Guard will send us 49 photos of them cheering on the Hawks. These people are crazy fans.)

Ready for some football this weekend? The USO Northwest is ... and its also ready to host a Seattle Seahawks viewing party for Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldiers, airmen and families who want to watch the local team take on the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC Championship.

"We have a great relationship with the Seattle Seahawks, you could say we're each other's 12th Man. The USO Northwest is proud to cheer them on in this playoff game and we look forward to sharing our 12th Man spirit with those who come to our viewing party," said Meaghan Cox, USONW Communications and IT lead.

Admission is free and there will be food and drinks available throughout the game at no cost. The Seahawks and 49ers rivalry will be showcased on all three large televisions and there will also be a raffle each quarter, giving away prizes like iTunes gift cards, Halo Reach games for XBOX 360 and other DVDs.

The party will start 30 minutes before kick off at 3 p.m. Sunday in The Shali Center, which is in Building 1183, next to the passenger terminal, on McChord Field.

IT'S ON >>>

The Broncoes are playing the Chargers, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord is hosting a gathering to watch the game.

The leadership at JBLM has arranged for the Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) Real Warriors Campaign and the four former NFL players mentioned above to hang out at Nelsen Rec during today's playoff game. JBLM leadership and the former players will discuss common reintegration challenges facing service members as well as the resources available to help ease the transition from deployment to homecoming ... before everyone huddles around the television to watch the Broncos and Charges battle it out.

Get over there!

FLY AWAY! >>>

You'll be the first to admit you're a total movie snob. It's a rare breed that chooses to hang out at a museum and discuss aviation films rather than watch the Seahawks playoff game.

What's tougher to admit, though, is the fact that your girlfriend is so not one of those people. Maybe you should have screened her better before you went and got all emotionally attached and sentimental.

Read more...

It's been a question on everyone's mind since the very first NFL playoff game when the Chicago Bears faced off with the Portsmouth Spartans in 1932. Who's tougher? An Army soldier or an NFL football player? One is paid millions of dollars to play a game with tons of rules and safety equipment built into the sport. The other is trained to close, engage, and destroy all enemies under any circumstances without rest, food, relief ... and for substantially less money.

When former NFL players Damon Huard, George Wrighster, Samie Parker and Ricardo McDonald walk into Nelson Recreation Center Sunday, you bet a few soldiers, airmen and their families will ponder such a question.

The thought process will only last a few seconds because IT'S NFL PLAYOFF TIME AND THE NFL IS IN THE HOUSE!

The leadership at Joint Base Lewis-McChord has arranged for the Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) Real Warriors Campaign and the four former NFL players mentioned above to hang out at Nelsen Rec during Sunday's Denver Bronco vs San Diego Chargers NFL playoff game. Beginning at 12:30 p.m. JBLM leadership and the former players will discuss common reintegration challenges facing service members as well as the resources available to help ease the transition from deployment to homecoming ... before everyone huddles around the television to watch the Broncos and Charges battle it out.

According to an official JBLM release ...

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has partnered with the DCoE Real Warriors Campaign to show service members and veterans that its members appreciate warriors' service to our country and care about their psychological health and wellness.

The Real Warriors Campaign and the NFL Players Association encourage all warriors who are experiencing psychological health concerns to reach out for care and support and to access available resources.

There's more information about the awesome Real Warrior Campaign after the jump.

Read more...

The Washington National Guard showed its 12th Man support of the Seattle Seahawks today on top a M1A1 Chaffee in front of the Washington National Guard Museum at Camp Murray.

Go Hawks!

Ed. note: Brian Lepley is a journalist with the U.S. Army Recruiting Command.

Future NCAA and NFL players weren't the only stars at the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Saturday.

Senior general officers, the U.S. Army Field Band, the Old Guard Drill Team, Medal of Honor recipients and the Golden Knights were all part of the Army's biggest marketing and outreach event, staged each January in San Antonio.

The West team beat the East 28-6 in the high school senior national all-star game  Jan. 4 in the Alamodome. The game, however, concludes a week of activity that publicizes the Army's recruiting efforts.

Read more...

THURSDAY, JAN. 2 2014 >>>

1. Every Thursday night at Puget Sound Pizza, the Volcano's music critic Rev. Adam McKinney hosts a karaoke session showcasing a Tarantino-like mix of downtown denizens seriously singing Bill Withers and glasses-wearing gals squawking out punk rawk, plus appearances by local rock stars. McKinney, always looking dapper in his sportcoat, has a mellifluous singing voice, perfect for "Disco 2000" by Pulp, "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" by Tom Lehrer, "Little Green Bag" by the George Baker Selection, "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)" by Squeeze and his standard closing song, "Bottle of Wine" by the Fireballs. Get in on the party beginning at 9 p.m.

Read more...