In the next grocery aisle over I could hear what sounded like a singing toy of some sort, sweetly voiced. Usually singing toys and greeting cards and wall decorations and the like really really irritate me. But this I had to see for myself.

I found a young man in his mid twenties or so gazing intently at the fluffy white stuffed animal in his arms. I've no clue what type of critter it was. Pouring forth from this toy wonder was this actually quite touching love song, the lyrics even sounded thoughful and romantic, I found myself moved nearly to tears by the sight and sound. Okay, okay, you had to be there.

Read more

I regularly scan through local blogs and am always on the look out for new to me blogs to add to my list. Today I'm on the watch for local posts specifically for Martin Luther King, Jr. day.

Here are two:

• MLK Day - A Day of Service from Farnsworth on his One Pissed Off Veteran blog
• The Importance of Laughing at Black People from Allie D. on her Memoirs of a Gouda blog.

Their respective comment threads are open. Enjoy.

We'll be meeting at Traditions Cafe this coming Saturday at 10:00am.  It's a great time to get out of the cold, relax and enjoy some good conversation with fellow OlyBloggers!  Hope to see you there!  =)

 (Just ignore the "end time" - there is no set "end time" so I just stuck something in there!)

The South Sound Storytelling Guild presents Hear One! Tell One! Resolutions and Promises That Changed a Life. Open and welcoming to the public, share your stories and take part in those of your neighbors. Follow this link for more information about the SSSG.

Born in Spokane, Thomas Aslin (who lives in Seattle) has lived nearly all of his life in the Northwest. Aslin holds a B.A. from the University of Washington and an M.F.A. from the University of Montana where he studied with Madeline DeFrees and the late Richard Hugo. His poems have appeared in Natural Bridge, INTRO 12, and Artful Dodge, among others. Recently (2006) Red Wing Press published his chapbook Sweet Smoke, and in the fall of 2007 Clark City Press (Livingston, Montana) will bring out a full-length collection entitled A Moon over Wings & Other Poems.

As per the norm the first hour of the evening will be an Open Mic for those so inclined.

Did anyone else notice the way that the frost formed last night? It looked as if the plants (and cars, trees, or anything else that was standing still) had grown sparkly thorns.

2 south sound radical folk concerts with riotfolk! - 1/22 & 1/25

Members of riotfolk!, a radical folk collective, are on tour and are making two stops in the south sound.  join them to help make folk a threat again!

Riot Folk! is a collective of awesome radical folk musicians. Riot-Folk was founded as and remains an anti-profit music collective working from the principles of anti-oppression and anti-capitalism.  To download their music for free, visit riotfolk.org.

+ Monday, Jan 22 2007 in Tacoma +
1/22 @ 7:30pm
in the Rotunda (round room) of the Wheelock Student Center
University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, WA
hosted by Tacoma Students for a Democratic Society

The student center is on N 15th and N Alder
for maps and directions to UPS, see:
http://www.ups.edu/campusmap.xml
http://www.ups.edu/directions.xml


+ Thursday, Jan 25 2007 in Olympia +
1/25 @ 8-11pm
in the HCC (Housing Community Center) at The Evergreen State College
Olympia, WA
hosted by Evergreen Political Information Center

For directions and maps, see:
http://www.evergreen.edu/maps/gethere.htm
http://www.evergreen.edu/tour/map.htm
http://www.evergreen.edu/tour/docs/evergreenmap.pdf

I didn't add this to the OlyBlog calendar on account of it taking place in Seattle. However, as it seems like a relevant and interesting event/topic I'm posting a brief description and a link to the website if anyone would like to sign up. If you are able to make it you should check out Ridester prior to making the I-5 drive by your lonesome.

Thursday, 01-18-2007

Global Classroom: Exploring and Experiencing Deliberation--The U.S. Role in the World

Is respectful and rigorous public deliberation possible in an age of talk-show tantrums and self-indulgent political posturing? Are citizens capable of civil discourse, and if so, what can teachers do to promote it?

The World Affairs Council and Washington State Capitol Forum invite you to a forum that grapples with these questions. A keynote address will be given by University of Washington professor Dr. Walter Parker, who is well-known for his work in social studies curriculum. He directs an annual institute on the facilitation of classroom discussion and has written numerous books on the issue of civic education. Dr. Parker believes schools can be a crucial site for rigorous discussion of important issues, and his address will offer practical strategies for engaging students in the deliberative process.

More information and event sign-up details.