Grieving: Winter Bonfire , Jan 26th, free but must RSVP, for both children and adults who have lost a loved one.  Join along with other families experiencing your pain, remember those who've passed, and explore ways to cope with grief.  It's difficult, but being with others is still better than being alone.

Technology: WSA 13th Annual Industry Achievement Awards , Feb 7th, $230.  This is the big one of the year, a must-attend for schmoozing.  WSA hands out the awards for best technology, companies, innovators, and applications.  The big deal is Suzie Redier, YouTube's Director of Advertising, who is the keynote speaker.  This is something of a who's-who event for technology leaders, so you'll leave both smarter and more connected.

Party: Venice Is Sinking - Masquerade Ball , Feb 2nd, $80.  This is a mix of carnival, pre Mardi-Gras celebration, and Moulin Rouge packed together.  Some of the named Seattle musical talent is providing entertainment for the ear, and circus rejects performing their acrobatic feats providing entertainment for the eye.  This is a good party for those who are over 25 years old, but are still mentally at 25.  *  Also, FiSHing for a Cure , Jan 26th, $100, for another pre-Mardi Gras party with delicious food, dancing, and pretty dress.

Health: Yoga Marathon, Jan 27th, $5 donation.  You're doing your Sun Salutations, aren't you?  Well, then go do them in a group for the finale of this yoga marathon.  You get a flexible back, a flat stomach, and Madonna arms from yoga, so what's not to like?

Lectures: The Spontaneous Healing of Belief , Jan 26th, $30+.  Visit the land of woo-woo and learn about spontaneous healing of diseases, living to old-old age, and time travel, since it's only your pea-brain that's really limiting you.  *  Also, JRR Tolkien - The Storyteller's Story, Jan 22nd and other dates, $15.  The Lord of the Rings is practically junior high required reading, so learn how the story and the man all came together.  *  Also, the Trail Mix series of nature lectures, starting Jan 24th, $10+.  Discussions include Wild Mushrooms of the Pacific NW, Wings of Beauty, Dragonflies, Images of Owls, and Killer Whale Tales.  This works for both kids and adults.

Manners: Adult Fine Dining Etiquette Classes , starting Jan 28th, $69.  You may be a slob and not even know it.  Most people have the salad fork / dinner fork thing figured out, but get lost when it comes to those other small spoons and forks placed around the dinner plate.  Learn how to enjoy fine dining without embarrassment.

Housing: How to Select & Work with an Architect, Jan 26th, $15.  Considering the architect's impact, this event is a smart investment of time and money.  Before designing the building, know how to pick the architect who can implement your vision following your parameters.  *  Also, Home Design and Remodel Fair , Jan 27th, $6, lots of good presenters and vendors to get your own remodeling project in order.  After this, you might even be able to tackle that kitchen remodel, on-time and on-budget.

Fashion: Project Red Dress, Jan 26th, $50.  Twelve up-and-coming designers do their own iron-designer competition by putting together a red dress.  Deadlines can inspire creativity (believe us, we know!), so see what the aspiring designers put together.  Enjoy cocktails, appetizers, and a fashion show.

Wine: Woodinville Wine Diva , Jan 23rd, $40.  You'll never see so many sets of manicured nails in one night.  The ladies of the Eastside get together for another night to tell the story of what can happen when two women get together over a bottle of wine.  *  Also, Bags and Bottles , March 9th, $35.  Here's the deal: you bring a new or like-new purse for donation.  Everyone's purses are then placed up for auction, and you get to bid on someone else's primo cast-off, while sipping wine, of course.  *  Also, there's a good six-part wine educational series starting Jan 28th, including Beginners Guide to Washington Wines, Sight, Smell, Taste: Wine Tasting Primer, and Buying and Enjoying Wine Made Simple.

Woes Seattle Times
The decline of print newspapers has been discussed and forecast for the last decade.  As time proceeds, the economic conditions continues to become dire.  In application, here's what it means to the Times.

Pic of Frank Blethen's (Seattle Times publisher) new Porsche.

Deteriorating Market.  Turns out, if you want to learn about what's going on over at the Times, then you have to read the PI.  They reported on Mr. Blethen's holiday downer missive, outsourcing of jobs, and work force cuts.  These are all cuts for a declining circulation base, turning to the web for the free content (moochers). Actually, this is why we need two newspapers in this town, since Inside the Times conveniently skipped these topics.

Times Coverage: Media leech Crosscut has a good collection of articles covering the local newspaper scene, and their interests.  Right now, the Seattle Times takes up the bulk of the depressing news.  The column is an interesting snapshot of how papers are struggling when their old business model is being kicked out from underneath them.

Upcoming Free & Nimble Venues:  First, there's the implosion of print advertising revenue; the migration of classified advertising to Craig's List is an easy example.  Then, the blogging citizen journalists continue to rise as a force to be reckoned with.  Take, for example, say, society news where tidbits have short life spans and being the first to break news counts.  For instance, PI Blogger Eastside Uptown Girl scooped Seattle Time's Girl About Town on the Martha Stewart sighting.  And the Girl About Town's bit on the funky new restaurant name, How To Cook a Wolf, was already week-old news for readers of Cornichon.

Cool Video: Speaking of WSA, here's a clip on them: