SAT 1/28: Day Cheapness

Hey, it's a sunny day... Not too cold... Have a good time!

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SAT 1/28

Noon to 3pm
Fix-it Clinic: XVIII
at Edgerton Center, Bldg 4, 182 Memorial Drive (Rear), Cambridge (MIT campus)
FREE

No one is going to guarantee that your toaster or computer or the original Rock'em Sock'em Robots can be fixed.

On the other hands, the Fix-it types love a challenge. They want to help you help yourself by figuring out what can be done. There will be space to work and tools and a helping hand.

Bring:
1) your broken or non-working thing (carry-in only: no oversize items)
2) any tools you already own that might be helpful (e.g. phillips head screwdriver)
3) a digital camera to document the disassembly and what we find inside
4) boxes, bags and/or small containers to organize (and carry away) parts.

Wouldn't it be nice to fix something instead of throwing it away?

SAT 1/28

1pm to 3pm
Heidi Reynolds, "Rolling Gallery": Roll-in Workshop
at The Distillery Gallery, 516 East Second St, South Boston
FREE

If you do want to get rid of some stuff, it can be in the service of art.

Heidi Reynolds encourages you to bring "works of art, objects, and personal mementos" or whatever to join her giant ball o' art. She said:

The ball is a manifestation of letting go and re-imagining. How can letting go of objects from the past encourage us to re-envision the present?

The Rolling Gallery is at the Distillery for about another week, then it'll be seen again in May at Union Square.

SAT 1/28

1pm to 2pm
Harvard Square Chocolate Sampling
at Deguglielmo Plaza, about 25 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

Most people won't -- and shouldn't -- go out of their way for some free tastes of chocolate from various nearby shops & restaurants. If you're nearby, you should swing by. What the heck?

And you can pick up a 'Chocolate Treasure Hunt' (11am to 2pm) map for $1. It could be a vaguely fun way to walk around for an hour or so. Who knows what happens while you're doing it. Maybe more chocolate?

Your dollar go to support the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter, which is different than the pit...

SAT 1/28

1pm until 4pm
2nd Annual Winterfest Quidditch Tournament
at Nickerson Field, 285 Babcock St, Boston (BU campus)
FREE

Here is more evidence that nerds can be athletic.

Sure, they're pretending to fly around on brooms like Harry Potter... At least there's a ball and running -- like a real sport. Okay, the competition between the teams from different schools is real.

Muggles are quidditchers too...?

SAT 1/28

1pm
Australia Day Party
at The Asgard, 350 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Central Sq & MIT)
$10

Like last year, most Aussie ex-pats in the area congregate at a faux-Irish pub to drink beer (like Coopers), eat meat pies, and have a Peter Garrett dance contest (watch some tips). There will also be raffles, auctions, and giveaways.

Over the course of many hours, you'll probably forget that you paid a cover to get in.

In celebration of the first ship full of English convicts arriving in Sydney, you might as well give people the "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" chant.

SAT 1/28

7pm
34th Annual Science Fiction Marathon
at Room 100, Bldg 26, 60 Vassar St, Cambridge (MIT campus)
$8 / $5 after midnight

7pm -- "Cowboys & Aliens"
9:30pm -- "Inception"
12:20am -- pizza break
1am -- "Terminator 2: Judgment Day"
4am -- "The Thing"

It wasn't a great film, but "Cowboys & Aliens" had some moments. Consider that you're paying $2 to see it along with a really clever subconscious-caper, Schwarzenegger in his prime, and the original "The Thing" -- which would be cooler if you'd leave with a bunch of snow outside.

I'm sure you don't have to sneak in candy. Pizza can be ordered before "Inception" to be delivered after midnight.