Willamette Geek: The Week in Geek

Ready, Set, Game: The Mountain Witch and Ocean
[GAMING] Portland roleplaying group Ready, Set, Game hosts one-off RPGs (as opposed to that 15-year game you've been playing with your brother). For this event, the group will be playing The Mountain Witch, about samurai in medieval Japan, and Ocean, set in an underwater research station. Guardian Games, 303 SE 3rd Ave. 5 pm. Free.

Albina History Night
[EDUTAINMENT] Get some history (and some beer) up in ya. Portland writer and tour guide Joe Streckert will talk about the history of Portland's African American Community, focussing on what was once the town of Albina (now basically the neighborhoods of Eliot, Boise, King, Humboldt, Overlook, Irvington, and Piedmont). Jack London Bar, 529 SW 4th Ave. 7:30 pm. Free. 21+.


Wednesday, Aug 15

Jenny Lawson Reading
[BOOKS, BLOGS] Jenny Lawson, aka the Bloggess, aka one of the most popular mom bloggers on the 'tubes, will read from her mega-selling debut "mostly true memoir" (is there really a gradient for memoirs? Surely it's either true or it isn't), Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. Lawson's style is an acquired taste, but if you've acquired it, a trip to Beaverton is on the cards. Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. 7 pm. Free.


Thursday, Aug 16

Beer, Pizza and Game Night with Finn Doxie
[GAMING, MUSIC] This month's beer and pizza gaming night at Guardian Games will also have live music: Duet Finn Doxie, which plays "modern alternative hits...accented by Celtic harp." They promise to mix in some Jonathon Coulton and Felicia Day songs (I sniggered, and then realized "Still Alive" would sound awesome with a harp. Snigger retracted). Guardian Games, 303 SE 3rd Ave. 6 pm. $10. 21+.


Friday, Aug 17

SModcast Live
[PODCAST] There are two kinds of people in this world: People who like Kevin Smith films and people who love absolutely everything Kevin Smith has ever been involved in (and Kevin Smith is involved in a lot). For those in the latter category, Smith (and cohost Scott Mosier) is recording his Smodcast podcast live from the Aladdin Theater—probably the only podcast on Earth with its own sneaker. Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. 8 pm. $32.50-$50. tickets here. Apparently WW's promo department is also giving away tickets, so you can try your luck here.


Saturday, Aug 18

Lots of things outdoors
[THEATER, FILM] It's summer: get out of that basement and get some fresh air and vitamin D. Trek in the Park starts at 5 pm (Cathedral Park Ampitheatre, N Edison St. and Pittsburg Ave.), J.J. Abrams' Super 8 is playing at Alberta Park (NE 22nd Ave. and Killingsworth St.) at 6:30 pm for Summer Movies in the Park, and then Back to the Future is playing outside Burnside Brewing (701 E. Burnside Ave.) at 10 pm, raising money for the Hollywood Theater. All are free. 

WordCamp Portland
[TECH] WordPress users of Portland assemble. This year's convention will be a mix of unconference sessions and scheduled speakers, with topics including "WordPress + E-Commerce = $$$," "How to Write A Basic Plugin," and "How to Blog Once a Day." Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th Ave. 8 am-5 pm. $20. Register here. 


Sunday, Aug 19

Micropalooza
[MUSIC] Portland's annual chiptune festival, featuring the city's finest NES-based musicians. We have a sizeable story about this in tomorrow's paper—I wrote it, so it's a must-read—so I won't go on about it, but after spending the past few weeks getting to know these people and their music, I will say that they're lovely folks making good tunes and hacking technology in impressive ways. And it'll only cost you $5 to check it out. Micropalooza begins at Backspace, 115 NW 5th Ave., with McFiredrill, Daddy Long Legs, Electric Children and Plain Flavored. 5 pm. $5. All ages. It continues at Ground Kontrol, 511 NW Couch St., with Mechlo, Operation Mission, Andreas and Producer Snafu. 7 pm. $5. 21+

Molly Lewis and the Doubleclicks
[MUSIC] Internet-famous musician Molly Lewis (aka sweetafton23) brings her geeky, ukelele-fueled songs to Bridge City Comics. Here she is playing "Still Alive." Nah, I'd still rather hear it on harp. Joining her will be Portland's premier nerd-folk duo, the Doubleclicks. Both parties will be soon hitting the road together for a tour that seems to be both called #mollyclicks and Ladies of Ragnarok (I prefer the latter, because there are about 5,000 super dorky things it could be referencing and I can't work out which). They need money for that tour, so if you maybe want to help them you can look here. Bridge City Comics, 3725 N. Mississippi Ave. 6 pm. $5 suggested donation.