Every October Archie McPhee's sponsors a blood drive and I've always wanted to participate. The part of me that is drawn to Elvis impersonators en masse is also drawn to the idea of receiving a gargoyle in exchange for a pint of my A-Pos. More on my obsession with donating blood later, in the meantime Archie McPhee's 14th? Annual Blood Drive is this Friday, October 19th from 12-2 and 3-6 p.m.

Archie McPhee's is at 2428 NW Market Street.

In the spirit of activism I am also compelled to share the fact that the League of Women Voters (even my dad is a 45 year member) and Sunset Hill Community Association are co-sponsoring their annual Candidate's Night on Wednesday, October 17th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the clubhouse located at 3003 NW 66th. They expect to host the candidates for the four open City Council positions and the two Port Commissioner positions.

On Friday night the focus at SHCA is on roof-raising instead as they host a Beer and Bites Fundraiser. The building needs a new roof and the beer tasting event will be just one fundraiser on the road to raising the necessary funds. Between the beers (Hale's Ales and Scuttlebutt Breweries) and foods (Smoking Pete's, Snoose Junction, India Bistro, The Balmar, Tall Grass Bakery...) it sounds tasty. Advance tickets are $20 or they are $25 at the door on Friday, October 19th. Event is from 6-9 p.m.

My mom always used to say, 'a pint's a pound the world round.' How better to regain the lost pound from the blood drive than by replenishing with another kind of pint? No, forget the beer, it might go right to your head -that's not what they mean when they tell you to drink extra fluids. Eat lots of bites.

Finally I had word about Country Joe McDonald performing his Woody Guthrie Tribute at Egan's Ballard Jam House on October 24th, but no sooner had I heard about it than it was sold out. The email I received said, "you remember Country Joe from Woodstock." I qualify as a Baby Boomer, but I don't remember Woodstock. I had other concerns in third grade.