Maybe I have a sixth sense (or maybe someone tipped me off, I'll never tell), but the voices told me that Java Jive has been prettied up and is currently getting inspected.

And, being the responsible reporter that I am, I asked Stacey Mulick (the reporter who's been covering JJ) if it's true. And it is! So the Jive could open verrrry soon.

I'll keep you posted.

So I got food poisoning the other day and I'm possibly delirious, which seems like as rad a time as any to blog. Who's with me? Eh, whatevs.

The point is: There's a group in France called the HeHe Association** that's gone around building personal light-rail vehicles. Surely among Tacoma's arty 22-year-olds, somebody's given this a shot with the Link. Anyone? Can we do something with papier-maché and old roller skates? Via BoingBoing.net.

Voila:

Not that I'm not down with traditional transit. See how cool Tacoma would look if we resurrected streetcars? Via Tacomastreetcar.org.

**Yeah, I thought it was a performance art thing, too, but these are "reverse cultural engineers." God, I love the French.

UPDATE: Cole points out, Exit 133 had it first. Told you I was delirious.

Eskimo may or may not have more words for snow than us, but do they have a word that describes a little pile that sticks around longer than any other, slowly increasing its ratio of grime to ice as it refuses to completely melt away?

One reader told me there's a pile downtown that's taking up part of a parking space. Now that's aggressive.

Here's the story:
"I was walking down the sidwalk back to the office and I heard this sharp 'bang'. I looked up to see a van sheepishly backing up, and thought I remembered it just starting to park (out of the corner of my eye). Then I noticed what spot it had tried to park in.

"Now, mind you, I've coveted this spot when running to and from the office throughout the day, as it's right in front of TMB North's St. Helen's side door … but then I spy the glacier (even when driving vans) and wander on my merry way."

Also, a co-worker sent me this photo taken Monday at North 45th and Huson.

Has anyone seen one bigger?

How's the Thriftway Glacier holding up?

The Tacoma Actors Guild now has a blog.

Also, 74 people have donated $100 to the Hit List (where you can even read their names and see who is generous). In case you're keeping track of who's naughty or nice, I offered my money under the alias Derek Young.

And while I've got a little theatercentric soliloquy going here, check out the Horatio Theater's upcoming shows, if you haven't already.

The You & Me page has officially upped the dating ante.

Turns out they're doing a Valentine's Day extravaganza that will involve actually setting you up on a date!

(So, naturally we weasled our way into being involved with it.)

Here is the link to the survey. Don't be scared by all the questions -- it just means there's a better chance we'll find you someone you're compatible with. And don't be scared by the part about full rights to publish. I'll make sure we don't, for example, put your mug shot on the front page with "single" stamped across your face.

We (GritCity and You&Me) will take your submissions and do our best to find you a good match. Then you can decide if you want to go on a date (without us). Promise.

Why are we doing his, you ask? I could rail on how Valentine's Day is a capitalistic invention to buouy candy sales in the post-holiday slump, and how this is our way of putting the focus on all that's good and nice in the world... but, as you can tell, I made that up. We just thought it sounded fun. And we want to see you happy!

I've been keeping an eye out for the last piles of snow around town, and there's still a small one in the parking lot here at the TNT.

Any other dirty little glaciers hanging on with their crusty frozen toenails?

We should track the last one, and have a party on it.

Update:
Here are two shots from WildCelticRose of the lingering iceberg in the Stadium Thriftway parking lot. I love our readers!

When Ed eats, people listen – and today it sounds like the last drips of a milkshake being sucked through a straw.

At noon, the 12th Street Diner was packed, and there was a 30-minute wait.

I'm happy my neighborhood drive-in is busy, but I hope it can get more efficient and people don't get scared away. One woman, who left without ordering and seemed frustrated by the new crowd, said, "I knew about it before (Ed) wrote about it!"

I guess the secret is out.

Still craving a tasty Tacoma burger, we ended up driving over to Herman's in the Target Business District.

If you have a favorite burger, go vote for it at Ed's Diner, and Ed will write about the winners in each category: Independent Drive-In, Chain Burger, Pub Burger, Restaurant Burger and Seattle Burger.

Last night was really fun -- thank you, dearest readers, for coming out to meet up with us and enjoy the community-building spirit of 100th Monkey.

Let's do that again sometime.

Now ... back to the dating discussion. A co-worker mentioned that many of her friends have been hooked up by a specific dating site (you know, the one with the commercials with the white-haired Dr.).

So, what's your feeling about using dating sites, posting on Craigslist or trolling MySpace? I don't have a feeling about it because I haven't done it.

Alright, folks. Here's the plan:

100th Monkey (at Pantages, 901 Broadway) from 8 to 10. Cole and I will be there, along with Mister and Kim, plus maybe Kelly K. and some others (Jeff, Mindi...). Come say hi to us, or just enjoy the event and mingle. (Part of the mission of 100th Monkey is that you meet three new people each time. So ... do it!)

Afterwards, we'll walk to Matador for a drink. And, if Cole gets his way, we'll then migrate to Tempest. Apparently this is so you can test your driving skills after one drink.

Just kidding. Driving under the influence is not funny. Seriously.

Parties, it seems, are a great motivating force.

Dandy Rough tells me that some Derby members have come to the aide of the Jive, and are currently helping fix the violations there.

Not that the DDD wouldn't fix the Jive out of the goodness of their hearts, but the real motivation is their Winter Pajama Party, which is planned for this Saturday night. Since this is all total hearsay, I don't know if things could be opened back up by then, but we can all cross our fingers and hold our breath.

If they do pull it off, however, I plan to attend the party and you should, too. Sometimes we just don't know what we've got 'til it's gone. Or something.

Update: A news story here says the violations are "serious."
An exerpt: Fire inspectors noted combustibles throughout the building, an improperly installed gas fireplace and unprotected kitchen fryer. A Tacoma Power inspector found exposed wiring. A building inspector noted problems with the plumbing, stairway heights and widths and acces to exits. In addition, Christmas lights that decorate the inside and outside of the bar as well as many extention cords need to go."

I got an e-mail this morning warning me of danger: "Today 1t 10:00 a crew of city officials will converge upon the Java Jive to investigate 'substandard building conditions.' The fire department responded to a false alarm earlier in the month, and afterwards contacted Building, and the Jive they got a letter saying today there will be an inspection."

And, just now, Dockyard Derby Dame Dandy Rough let me know the grim outcome: The Jive's been shut down.

Rumor has it, until and unless they can fix the violations (which, if you've been there, you might suspect there are a few), they're shut down.

Let us all now observe a moment of silence.

Funny we've been talking about dating, because the NYT ran a story a few days ago (that appears on the most e-mailed list today) about why there are so many single Americans. You can find it here (if you register and log in).

I snoozed through a lot of it, but here's an interesting graf:

Commitment-averse men in their 20’s and 30’s, it turns out, look the same whether or not they have a college degree. In surveys and focus groups, they fit depressingly well into the old stereotypes: they fear marriage means a loss of liberty; they worry a wife will want to change them. They don’t trust women to tell the truth about past relationships, or they are waiting for the soul mate who hasn’t appeared. With the rising frequency of cohabitation, they can get sex without marriage, and they might lose their hard-earned money in a divorce, so what’s the rush?

Awesome. So we're still on for tonight? Details to come.

Not sure of what to do with your life or yourself? Then you may be in limbo, the subject of a film of the same name made by four locals.

It'll show on Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. at The Grand and you can see it for a mere five bucks.

Go here for more information and previews.

Who knows? Maybe you can take your date -- the one you'll meet tomorrow night at the GritCity 100th Monkey meetup -- to the movie. Cheap dates are good, folks.

Yesterday was Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year.

I watched the lawn absorb the seeping remains of my snowman.

What made you sad?

I have nothing to blog about, I just didn't want that last headline to be on the homepage. Carry on.

Now that I've got your attention, I have a proposition. There's been a bit of dating discussion occurring in the post below (or two posts below), and it set off a lightbulb: Perhaps we should have a get-together.

So ... I thought this Wednesday evening's 100th Monkey art party, from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Pantages would be a good place to kick things off. After that, maybe we could meet up at a nearby bar for a drink.

Then one savvy reader pointed out that we need some way to identify others who are at the bar for the same reason. You'd hate to be the one to saunter up to the wrong table and try to strike up a conversation, no?

So ... what to do, what to do. Wear pink ribbons? Fake hillbilly teeth? I'm on deadline... talk amongst yourselves.

Comethowie writes:
The story goes that there was a Senior high school student who was almost barred entry from Tacoma's Junior Assembly Formal this weekend for wearing a barong (Filipino formalwear) rather than a tuxedo to the dance. Just thought that was an interesting bit of Tacoma goings-on. I hadn't thought of us as being a town that lacking in cultural diversity...

Anybody know the full story?

We're it.

So I guess it's our turn to pass it on. To all five of our readers.

Consider yourself tagged.

Derek at Exit133 provides a little "Satire-and-Spoof" this morning that hits close to home. The good news: It's fake, so I still have my job.

OK, apparently none of you have dated. Or at least not in Tacoma.

There are two reasons this could be so. 1. No one calls it dating anymore, everyone's just "hanging out." (Guilty.) 2. You really do need our help.

So, I'll solve the problem. First, "dating" is a broad term with meanings ranging from someone you made out with a few times to someone who lives with you. (Guilty. Guilty.) A date is any meeting -- however informal -- with someone you are or might be attracted to, interested in or, in extreme cases, merely tolerant of. (Guilty, guilty, not guilty.)

Now that we've cleared that up, it's time to answer two simple questions: Where do/did you find someone to date in this town? Where do you go (in Tacoma) on those first few dates, when you're actually trying.

I'll even start the ball rolling: Work. (I swear this is my first offense and was not my intention.) And we went to Java Jive, The Grand, a downtown store opening where everything was way too expensive, MLK Ballet's MOVE!, Tempest and Meconi's. That was all in a week, and I'm pretty sure I haven't been to that many bars since.

Cole, your turn. And you, readers. Do it. I don't air my laundry for free, folks.

Just a reminder:

Cabin Fever?
Only 4 shows left.
KULTURE LAB
608 S. Fawcett (Next to the Grand Cinema)
CENSORED ART & THE ART OF POLITICS
This Saturday 1/20 7-10pm Free
Wine, Beer & Edible Art
Edgy and provocative art by: Lynn Di Nino, Jesse Edwards, the Dead Artists and many more.
Art, Film, Music & much much more.

Tonight's a big night for our region. Tonight, Seattle will be ridiculed and humiliated for two prime time hours on American Idol.

Simon Cowell told USA Today, "[Seattle] had the worst bunch of miserable singers that I've ever met in my life. It was two days of total misery."

"And the weather was bad, as well."

And while some of you Tacomans may gleefully sit back and laugh as your neighbors to the north make utter fools of themselves -- I remind you that there are only six or seven American cities that hosted these preliminary audition rounds. This means not only is Seattle going to feel shame. You will feel shame. The entire Pacific and Inland Northwest will feel shame. Fortunately for most involved, Seattle will largely take the blame.

It is sure to be great television.

Personally, I'm desperately hoping Tacoma churns out a finalist; mostly because it will give me a reason to blog about this show which consumes my life for a good third of the year. I wouldn't call myself an American Idol fan, per se. More like an American Idol authority. I find myself disturbed and fascinated each season and have been hooked since the beginning. I can, and will, go on at length about each episode as they befall us and I make no apologies for my behavior.

A.J. Gil/AP

Anyway.

We haven't seen much T-Town representation on the show since A.J. Gil was a top 12 finalist (his official AI page lists his hometown as San Diego; his website bio lists Tacoma).
That was season 1! We're now entering season 6! So did any of you or your friends try out? Do you know anybody who made it to Hollywood? I hope for the sake of our collective dignity the answer is yes.

And for the sake of Paula Abdul's dignity, I give you this recent Fox Q13 interview that is making its way all OVER the Internet.

Update: Another great quote about tonight's show from an AP story on WSLS.com. Ken Warwick, an executive producer of Idol, said, "If you don't watch any other episode this year, watch Seattle. Seattle is just the funniest place we have ever been to in our lives: We are shocked and appalled and amazed and hysterical over it."

Our snowthunder forecast just turned into a big ol' dump.

I heard some rumbling, but it was probably just:

1. C-17s
2. Cars crashing
3. Demolition of First United Methodist
4. Our city's newly formed glacier calving

As my friend Alicia points out, at least we haven't had a snownado.

Which means that American Idol Kellie Pickler is performing live at Varsity Grill.

Don't ask. I'm speechless.

I just hope they don't serve her spinach, both because she once claimed to not know what spinach was and, well, after Ed's (one-star) review of VG and the recent spinach-related health scare ... I'll leave it at that.

We GritCity-ites were approached by the good people of the GO section earlier this week. The charge: Come up with some dating advice taylored to Tacomans for an upcoming issue.

The GO team has never dated one of our kind, or they may not have asked ... but, who can turn down the opportunity to shell out advice? Not us.

Consider this our research. If you've ever wondered, for example, whether you should bash or praise Seattle on a first date with a Tacoman, what to wear to a date at the Java Jive or the proper way to, in what seems like such a small town at all the wrong times, gracefully avoid making eye (or fist) contact with your girlfriend's ex-boyfriend, this is your chance to ask.

Or, if you consider yourself a Tacoma dating pro, give us your advice.

Is anybody else frightened yet curious about Andy Wappler's forecast on Page C8 of the newspaper today that calls for Thunder Snow on Wednesday?

Is it safe to play in that stuff?

Can I still eat it?

The people behind USA-Foreclosure.com plan to open three weekly newspapers, one each in Pierce, Snohomish and King counties. Collectively, the newspapers are called the Washington Legal Journal, and each paper will have an editorial staff of one, according to an e-mail in search of workers.

From the job description:

"People interested in business news, as well as general news that might impact the business community at both the state and county levels are the intended audience. … Specific tasks include assembling content from Reuters and Associated Press. … The successful applicant must be able to write short stories on local business, legal, real estate and finance news."

The editor/publisher gets 20 hours a week to do this: "Since we are interested in results, and not office hours, the job can be fit between classes."

It should be interesting to see what this produces.

In a couple of posts here and there, our food expert Ed got a huge response when he asked: "What kind of shopping or entertainment activities do you want in downtown Tacoma? Dinner and (fill in the blank)."

The problem is, I don't know what I want downtown. I like it how it is, even though I know it could be better.

Chain stores would bring more people, but is turning downtown into a vertical mall the best option? (That's what Spokane did.)

I feel as if rooting for a Restoration Hardware is the same as people in smaller towns cheering when an Olive Garden opens – as if it somehow validates them as a city. But at the same time, wouldn't that be a reassuring sign? And wouldn't it draw people out of their homes?

=> Read more!

In case you missed the post on Exit133, you must put on your Chuck Taylors and go stroll through this set of photographs of our fair city from the late 1970s and early 1980s by onetime Auburn resident and current University of Alaska professor Steve Cysewski.

He provided a bit of context for us in an e-mail to me:

I was raised, from Junior High on in the Auburn area. We used to go to Tacoma often. When ever we went I was fascinated with the old brick buildings, that would be in the fifties and sixties. I moved to Alaska after graduating from college in 1967. I have lived there ever since. I am currently a professor with the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. Before I started raising a family I would return to the Seattle and Tacoma area to visit family.

I started talking photographs on those trips and am sharing them now on my www.wanderinginseattle.com web site. I would usually stay in Seattle and take the Greyhound bus to come down to Tacoma.

My grandfather used to work in Tacoma and we also would come and visit my Great Grandmother, she lived in a rooming house near the city hall area. I also loved to see the Ruston area, the old smelter. My goal in photography is to learn about and share how I see, feel, and think.

Looking at these photos, I'm struck by how deserted downtown Tacoma once looked – even as we opine these days for more foot traffic for businesses on Pacific Ave. – yet still starkly beautiful in its own way. And what fun to guess which buildings got new lives through renovation – some in just the last couple of years. Look for the gritty savings & loan that once operated in the lower level of what is now the cloth-napkin realm of Pacific Grill.

I love this shot, especially. It looks like an old LIFE magazine cover.

Happy strolling.

Dean J. Koepfler/The News Tribune

Gray days like this, when the rain and wind and nastiness just won't quit, that's when the ol' seasonal affective disorder really kicks in.

Since a little full-spectrum light might be good for all of us, and there's a community push to permanently illuminate the Narrows bridge, it seems the logical conclusion would be to attach a few thousand therapy lamps to our new span.

Imagine the radiant glow of happiness cast in all directions.

Drivers would actually look forward to sitting in traffic, because the longer they wait, the more jolly they get.

Also, maybe fewer jumpers.