SAT 9/29: Day Cheapness

If you're in the mood for some spontaneous philanthropy, you could give a few bucks to a very good friend's home-building trip to Haiti with Habitat for Humanity.

-------------------------------

SAT 9/29

Various Times
National Public Lands Day
at Various Locations in USA
** Your time and effort

I doubt anyone would be turned away if you wanted to help beautify one of the dozen or so nearby public spaces that are participating in National Public Lands Day.

Or you could pick up some litter and put in a bin every day.

SAT 9/29

Various Times
Smithsonian Museum Day
at Various Locations
FREE w/ Registration

Our nation's museum offers a freebie annually to those who can't visit DC, where anyone can choose from a long list of museums in the USA and print a free pass for two...

It's an easy process to basically enter your name, address, and email -- then you print an "admission card" for you and a guest. Some of the participating institutions include:

- Places that I think everyone should visit (Museum of Fine Arts, Mapparium at Mary Baker Eddy Library)

- Others that are pretty darn cool (Harvard Art & Natural History Museums, Museum of African American History, Nichols House Museum)

- Houses & sites that are interesting to see (JFK National Historic Site, Lyman Estate Greenhouses, Gropius House, Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House)

- Locations that I'm happy to visit without paying admission: (Old South Meeting House, Otis House, Shirley-Eustis House, Armenian Library & Museum)

If you're outside of town or feel like a ride, one might go to Battleship Cove, Beauport, or the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

You might get on museum mailing lists, but it hasn't been too bad over the past couple years...

SAT 9/29

10am to 7pm
Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo
at Lesley University Hall, 1815 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE

For 3 years, MICE is has been a daylong reminder that comics are more than superheroes and bubble gum jokes. There's nothing wrong with those bits, but over 150 artists from the area show us some of the local variety.

There are workshops and discussions from Noon to 5pm such as "Injury Prevention for Cartoonists" or "R. Sikoryak: Classics and Career".

SAT 9/29

Noon to 6pm
Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival
at Columbus Avenue (between Mass Avenue & Burke Street), Boston (South End)
FREE

Strolling up and down the street at any time will provide some wonderful music. Some of my highlights for the afternoon include: Jason Palmer & Willy Rodriguez Group (Noon), Marcus Santos & Bloco AfroBrazil (1pm), Paula Cole feat. Kevin Barry (2:15 pm), Hailey Niswanger Quartet (3:30pm), Terri Lyne Carrington's Mosaic (3:30pm), Ralph Peterson Sextet (4:45pm).

SAT 9/29

3pm to 7pm
"What the Fluff?" Festival
at Union Sq Plaza, Somerville (nexus of Somerville Ave, Washington St, Bow St)
FREE

Feat: Hot Molasses, The Burlies, Hornography

Can you imagine Somerville's Archibald Query selling his marshmallow invention from door to door? That's fluffed up... Almost a century later, that weird white edible goo is the centerpiece of an annual street fest.

Fluff Fest might be more fun if you like eating the stuff, but I do enjoy looking at the silly Fluff combinations and the Fluff-related fun.

Besides the live music and the old-school Flufferettes, I enjoy everyone else having a good time -- and I can drink at The Indo and still feel I'm in the middle of the fun. The Boston Derby Dames are going to compete in a 'fluffernutter relay'.

Expect a 'Space' theme since astronaut Rick Linnehan will be on hand.

SAT 9/29

3pm to 6pm
MassMouth Story Slam: "Labels"
at Rosebud Bar & Grill (behind Diner), 381 Summer St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$8 advance / $10 door

Hmm, I'm guessing a story about buying a can on minestrone then finding clam chowder inside might not be a winning story. The official tips on the theme say:

Have you ever mislabeled something? Ever been mislabeled? Did you clarify, to great and/or disastrous effect? We want to hear about it.

Special guest Cacky Mellor of The Label Project will likely talk about stereotypes and those sorts of labels.

SAT 9/29

7pm
An Evening of Recent Films by The Quay Brothers
at Institute for Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave, Boston (South Boston/Seaport)
$10 / $8 students

Feat: "Through the Weeping Glass: On the Consolations of Life Everlasting", "Mask"

The Brothers Quay created "Institute Benjamenta", which stands out as one of the strangest movies I've ever seen, and I like to think I've seen quite a few peculiar films. Their most recent shorts include a visit to Philadelphia's bizarre Mütter Museum and a fictional robot story.