I'm a cellist amongst other things. In my experience, a 4x6 low platform would be on the small side of reasonable for an acoustic performance (no mics, speakers, amps, etc.) of a solo musician. 5x5 would be even better.

Is this space supposed to host the musician and all his/her kit (cases, coats, etc.)? If so, make it as big as you can. Also, make a ramp to get on the stage. Some instruments are heavy and valuable and negotiating high steps is tricky. Is your venue rather dark? Put your stage near an outlet so your musician can have a small light.

They are called the The Rolling Stones and they are awesome! I just asked one of the band members and they don't have any shows planned in Seattle any time soon...

Touch of Gray--Grateful Dead
Old Friends--Simon and Garfunkel
When I'm Sixty-Four--Beatles
While You See A Chance--Steve Winwood
Glory Days--Bruce Springsteen
Cherry Bomb--John Mellencamp
Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes--Jimmy Buffett
We May Never Pass This Way Again--Seals & Crofts
Against The Wind--Bob Seger
Life'll Kill Ya--Warren Zevon
Knockin' on Heaven's Door--take your pick, who hasn't covered this one?
Old and In The Way--Old And In The Way
I've Got A Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old--Cat Stevens
End Of The Line--Travelling Wilburys

It's not hard to tell from this list that it's been quite a while since I saw 30. Maybe that's the reason that a lot what came to my mind aren't songs so much indulging the self-pitying melodrama, as you put it, as taking a more philosophical look at the good and the bad sides of getting older. But hey, maybe you'll decide to include a few from that point of view, too.

Several months ago, an asshole underage patron of the art walk was arrested for DUI and fessed up where she got the booze. (I call her an asshole for ruining nice things for those of us who are 21+ for no other reason than selfishness, in drinking free wine underage and driving while drunk.)

Since then, the authorities have stepped in and demanded that galleries follow the proper law in serving alcohol to the public. They're supposed to get proper training and certification (or whatever they call it) for any servers of booze at the art walk. The costs involved for doing that are prohibitive, especially since they'd previously been offering wine for free, so I personally don't know of any galleries that have gone through those steps and are now serving wine again.

In general, there is nothing great about a stadium concert, except for the amount of money they make per show. Compared to an arena show, the sound quality tends to suffer and it's harder to see the stage.

There are bands who have gone to great lengths to make stadium shows look and sound great, so it is possible to do this right. For the most part, this exception applies to ancient rock acts, such as Pink Floyd and the Grateful Dead. Two things these bands have in common: superbly engineered sound systems, and they don't move around much on stage so there's nothing to see there anyway. I'm guessing that Madonna will not fall into this category.

The vera gallery is all volunteer run. Depending on what you're interested in learning what to do they're always interested in help. I think knowing what you want to get from the experience is key. Do you want to deal with the art handling and hanging or are you more interested in the selling of work? If the latter they wouldn't be good since they are not sales oriented if the business side of it is what you want you should target for profit galleries but if you want to learn how to do cards and work with poster designers then they would still be a good choice.

What is your background? Do you make work yourself (if so it's a great eye opener) I know that the call for new work went out recently so if you were interested in the process of going through applications and deciding a years worth of shows it would be an excellent opportunity since you wouldn't have that kind of experience at most galleries and it's fun to look through all the images and try to group together artists that normally wouldn't show together.
If you have an interest in non profits theyre a good choice too since you would get a bit of exposure to working within budgets and possibly grant writing (a terrific skill to learn if you're interested in working in the arts long term.) some of the skillls you learn for free there could land you paying work elsewhere in the future if it clicks with you.

The vera project aside I think figuring out what you want from the experience is key and then going to galleries where you consistently like the work they show is key.

I don't think this is a problem. It describes the stitch for you right there.

I try to stick to the methods in the pattern (I'm not expert enough to pick my own styles of decreasing/increasing). (I've used that stitch before myself too!) The knitter may have personal preferences, or thinks a particular method looks good. So I just trust the pattern and learn new stuff :)

That all said! Check this out:

http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/decreases

My first answer said they're the same, but reading more carefully, the SKP entry says k1, not k2. Your decrease is for 2 stitches, not 1, yes?

What is your budget?

What is your current guitar (brand name)? And how is it broken? It could be that what you need to do is have it "set up." This involves making sure the neck has the right amount of "relief" (which is the bend in the neck), checking the saddle that the strings go over so it's not so high and the slots in the nut (where the strings go through to the tuners).

This would probably be all of your budget but you would enjoy playing much better. It's a big reason beginners quit

If it's truly broken, I would go to a larger retailer (Guitar Center or American Music). They should have a few guitars at about $99. Epiphone or Yamaha usually are pretty good bets for a beginner. Try them out...because you are looking for how it feels on your fingers (the set up).

Once you find one you like, try another of the exact same one (they'll have a few in stock). One might feel better than the other.

Buy it and replace the strings...dirty strings are another reason why beginning guitarists quit because they hurt.

I hope this helps.

Not too many Americans are familiar with Gary Numan, but he has an impressive track record. His current sound is much more industrial/gothic than his 80s stuff. I would recommed "Pure" and "Jagged".

This depends a great deal on what capabilities your camera has for defined operation, but use these guidelines. This is written assuming you are using a digital camera.

Set your camera so that it is prefocused for the distance you are going to be from your cat. Sometimes a focusing range can be selected ahead of time or you may need to focus an automatically focusing camera and hold the setting by keeping the shutter button halfway pressed while waiting for the desired action to occur.

Use a shutter speed that is 1/125 of a second or faster - the faster the shutter speed the less distance your cat will be moving in that slice of time.
Faster shutter speeds will mean that you will need more light available for proper exposure. You may be able to set sensitivity of the camera by selecting a higher ISO setting but this can also make the image more grainy and possibly introduce more 'noise' in the results.

Using the electronic flash will ensure the camera is using a fast shutter speed. However, your results will be affected by the possible reflections and shadows created by the bright light. Flash can also flatten the image into a more two dimensional appearance because other light sources are not as prominent to give depth to the objects in the field of view. Using the flash to stop action and having bright available light may give you the best results

Lastly, practice. Take lots of photos and see what the effects are. This will also get your cat used to the presence and sound of the camera as well as the burst of light from the flash. Have someone else play with the cat using a wand with a feather on it or other point of attractive motion. Try to catch the cat in mid-air as it jumps and leaps.

As Finger Games mentioned, all Seattle art walks are free. Some are family friendly, most are not dog friendly.

I think you're thinking of the Olympic Sculpture Park. It's open year round, free, family friendly, and since it's outside, relatively dog friendly. It has concerts on Thursdays in the summer, too. There are actually quite a few events at OSP - check out the events calendar for more info.

Enjoy!

Man, I don't think the thrift stores even take them any more. You used to be able to buy shoeboxes full of the things off eBay for basically the cost of shipping, but now it seems like even those are expensive, especially if it's anything you would actually want to listen to.

I saw one of the coolest things ever at a car show once. They used to make these adapters that were shaped like an 8-track tape, but would accept a cassette. Since the cassettes are so much smaller, the adapter is mostly empty space, so this guy took one apart, hardwired a cassette adapter and stuck an iPod Shuffle in it loaded with Fleetwood Mac-era rock separated into 8-track long albums. So it was like a magic 8-track tape that could be anything you wanted it to be. It didn't quite capture the tempo weirdness of an actual 8-track, but otherwise it sounded just like the genuine article.

I would go to Etsy.com and find a shop that makes clothing, and if you like what you see, just ask for a 'custom request' item. I have a shop and have gotten a lot of business through custom items. Hope that helps!

You might want to test out different kinds. Have you tried Prismacolor pens? They are great, although expensive. Sometimes getting a set is cheaper than buying them individually though. I also sometimes use Sharpies believe it or not. They have various size tips for sharpies from very tiny to super huge. It is kinda cool!

Here is something I did with pens, crayons, paper, glue, etc.

http://kristinbell.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/hansendogs.jpg

Well, it's a giant field full of people picknicking and many do bring kids (as youngsters get free admission, I think). So they will be around. But that being said, it's still a venue that I really enjoy and I think you will, too. It's a chance to sit in a lovely field.

If being up close is important to you, getting there the earlier the better is helpful. Yes, members get early admittance, but there is still lots of room after they're seated. As with all field concert seating (The Gorge, Bumbershoot, etc) you can generally weave your way through the crowds and find a space to sit between already seated folks, ya know? Especially as you are just a solo person, this should be easier. While I don't think bringing a chair is necessary, I think you will be MUCH more comfortable if you bring a blanket to sit upon, and maybe a pillow to help cushion your seat...as you really are just sitting on the ground. Also, bringing a blanket will help you CLAIM YOUR SPACE. Others will respect the boundaries of your blanket, but if it's just you sitting on the ground, other groups may end up squeezing right up next to you. So stake your claim with some fabric. *smile* AND, your later seating should allow you to better scope out potential neighbors.

While there tend to be lots of children around, I've found that everyone is generally respectful and quiets their conversations once the acts begin (not always true for the opening act, but for the main performer, people tend to quiet down). We've asked, politely, once or twice, for our neighbors to curtail their chatting, and they've always complied.

We tend to sit towards the back, and in my observations, it's seemed that families with kids tend to sit towards the front and the sides (that way folks send their kids to run around on the edges of the crowd)...so maybe the front-center will give you a better seat with less likelihood of frolicking nearby. Honestly, the field isn't that large, so even sitting towards the back you're not too far from the stage.

I respect that you're not really interested in the picnic/drinking scene, but I'd encourage you to at least pack some snacks, if not your dinner. Sometimes other people eating bothers me (MOUTH NOISES!!) but if I'm chewing on my own food, it doesn't irk me so much. So maybe some trail mix or something? *shrug*

I think you'll have fun. Lucinda should be great (I'm going too!!). It's a pretty casual venue, and it's family friendly. The volume levels are not AS high as other concerts, because zoo staff are trying to strike a balance between the concerts and animal discomfort.

Also, IF you are interested in chatting with strangers, it's the type of event where people often will talk to their blanket-neighbors. But it's also Seattle, so folks should totally leave you alone, if you prefer.

Good luck! There will be some vendor booths around the field with free samples, information, and then some food options, too, if you'd like to purchase something (your blanket also helps here, to save your spot while you can wander around). And, worst case, if you end up with crappy concert neighbors, you can generally move without too much trouble (once we were next to some 40-somethings HEAVILY drinking the wine and talking loudly who were crazy rude, so we just picked up our blanket and found a new place to sit).

Rain City Cigar in Georgetown is a wholesaler with a retail storefront. They have the best prices and selection in town on all thing cigar related. They give empty cigar boxes away for free and sell fancy wooden humidors.

The ones on the GZA's solo albums.

It depends on your circumstances. Do you just practice and jam with friends, or are you playing out? If you're just practicing and not playing shows, you only need to change them when they break. Beat 'em into the ground - no harm done.

If you're playing regularly in front of people, you'll want to change them more often. Fresh heads have a much livelier sound than dead, beaten down heads. If you play one show per week and practice twice per week, I'd suggest changing them every 2 months or so. By then they'll be pretty dull. If you're touring, change them before the tour and then every 2 weeks or so. And for rock, the snare should be changed more often because you're beating the crap out of it all the time.

This all depends on how you like them to sound. I like mine better after a few days worth of playing as they ring a bit less but are still bright. Also, dead sounds different (and worse) than muffled.

Hmmm...there is a wide variety of archival photo-safe glue sticks and other adhesives out there. Any decently-sized office supply, stationery, or scrapbooking store should be able to recommend some specific products/brands. (Personally, I'd try the main University Bookstore and ask them, as Stylus Paper & Pen (nee Sabtec) is out of business now). http://www.bookstore.washington.edu

But I'm a bit confused by your description. Are you hoping that, some time in the future, you can un-peel/un-layer the collage and have those bits of photo that had bits of other photos glued on top of them to be undamaged? Because that I've not really heard of. I know of lots of items that will glue to a wall or backing well, but if you want to be able to remove them later, that might be harder. In that case you may want to look into a hard laminate over each photo first. *shrug*

(You may already have thought of this, but rather than adhere them directly to the wall or board surface, I think it'll be easier if you get some sturdy posterboard in the same size as the photo display board. Then you can assemble the collage on the poster board on a flat surface. Once it's finished, you can transer the whole project to the wall). Good luck.

It's a weird little house that hosts shows.
It's address is:
2307 Simmons Rd NW Olympia, WA

Pacific Fabrics has a lingerie class coming up in about a month at their store in Everett.

http://www.pacificfabrics.com/shop/product/ooh-la-la-lingerie/

I haven't taken a class from this instructor, but the classes that I've taken from Pacific Fabrics in the past have been informative and well-done.

For this sort of sewing, you'll need to have solid garment-construction skills. If you've never sewn before, this is NOT the place to start. I would start with a few basic sewing classes - skirt, pajama pants, etc, and then doing some sewing on your own before you attempt lingerie sewing. The nice thing about doing it yourself is that you can pick nice fabrics - silk rather than the polyester crap they sell at Victoria's Secret, etc - and you can make sure that it fits the way you want it to rather than settling for ready-made stuff.

In my experience, sewing my own clothing (and clothing for my daughter) is not cheaper than buying clothing in stores, especially when you consider the time you have to spend doing it. It might start to come close to parity or economy if you're sewing REALLY high-end, couture-level stuff that would be astronomically expensive to purchase. It takes time and effort to develop those skills, too, so my recommendation would be to pursue sewing only if the activity itself is something that you think you will enjoy and are interested in. If you're just trying to save money, this is probably not the best way to do it.

I discovered Annette Hanshaw's music from the 1930's through Nina Paley's film Sita Sings the Blues, and I love it! Try "Moanin' Low," "Who's That Knockin' at My Door," and "The Song Is Ended."

Also, and this is kind of a weird one, but an artists called the Freelance Hairdresser took an Eminem track and set to scratchy old ragtime piano. It's a hoot. Look for "Marshall Got Snookered."

Although we initially tried to scale down the fest, this year has more artists (over 90) than ever before! So many artists and venues wanted to be involved we couldn't say no!

This year's line-up has the most amount of Portland headliners ever- notice the following Portland artists that will trek up I-5 for us -Soft Metals (@ The Underground Events Center -Fri June 10), Loch Lomond (Columbia City Theater- Sat June 11), Drew Grow and the Pastors' Wives (Chop Suey -Thurs June 9)Builders and Butchers (The Tractor -Friday June 11), Kelli Schaefer (Conor Byrne-Sat June 11) and the Seattle debut of Ramona Falls (Vera -Sunday June 12).

This is also the first year we have an entire weekend (Friday June 10& Saturday June 11) at the Underground Events Center in Belltown (Punk Rock Flea Market Space). One evening is electronic/dance/punk and the other is HEAVY HEAVY with Akimbo headlining- Seattle ROck Guy (nik C) is co-producing this show with us, and it's his birthday party!

We also added a few new venues this year. One is the Columbia City Theater (Saturday June 12) and this event with Loch Lomond, Goldfinch, Big Sur and The Horse & The Harem will be co-produced by Sound on the Sound Music Blog; The other is a Cha Cha show on Sunday June 12. Also we have our first karaoke night at the Crescent on Wed June 8!

Every year is a bit different as every year we pick a different Seattle charity -This year it's Real Change!
http://www.realchangenews.org/

Hope you can check out our full schedule at
http://wwww.noisefortheneedy.org
where you can buy tickets to most of our shows
Mamma

http://jdownloader.org/download/index

Free, and works the best out of all options.

I'm pretty sure that this is NOT the one you're thinking of, but it's one of the more stunning recent acquisitions at SAM.

http://www.gregkucera.com/_images/webb/webb_shroud-Left_web.jpg

This is a piece by Dan Webb, a local artist. I last saw it during the Picasso show in the same room as Some/One, I think, but I haven't been to the museum in a while.

The other piece is I think the one you're referring to -- a darker stained sculpture of a woman staring straight ahead. She had an intense look on her face, and veil that draped simply over her head down to her shoulders. Sadly, I can't remember the name of the piece, but I want to say that the last time I saw it, it was in the room on the second floor that has the blue sky/clouds Georgia O'Keefe painting and the modern firescreen.

The piece is definitely still in the museum's collection -- they move things around all the time. Only a fraction of the collection is on display at any given time. If you want to track down the piece seriously, get in touch with the SAM library. They're mostly open only during the week, but they will have books with pictures/descriptions of all of the works in the collection.

http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/Learn/Library/default.asp

Dusty Strings and Trading Musican are excellent places to check out for a mandolin.

You should get in touch with Greg Ruby (http://gregrubyguitar.com/). He founded Hot Club Sandwich, played with Pearl Django, and teaches lessons locally. Plus, in general, a really nice guy.

For community theater stuff, about $25 per rehearsal and $50 per performance. Terrible.

It's not too late. The legislative session still has something like two weeks left in it, and things are happening behind the scenes. Dow Constantine's office is pushing hard to see that 4Culture remains funded, and the killed house bill (1997) is at this moment being negotiated as part of the budget process.

Definitely join the coalition of supporters. Numbers matter. And also -- it's a way to stay informed. The folks at Advocate4Culture will send updates and calls to action when they need you (and you can of course choose whether you want to participate at any point).

On the Advocate4Culture blog (http://www.advocate4culture.org/), there's also a call to post simple comments on news stories around the web in order to help sound off against the vast dumbness of naysaying anonymous commenters who basically just hate all art and all taxes.

So there is actually plenty to do!

For 80's, Neighbours on Thursdays for their 80's (with a bit of 90's thrown in) Rock Lobster night is the place to be. Longest running 80's night in the US apparently, been going solidly for about 15 years...

Also worth checking out are the various 80's nights at Noc Noc downtown (Lesser-known 80s on Tues, industrial on fri, more commercial on Sat).