1. Sorry for the lack of posts yesterday. Erica was busy writing a 2,000-word feature on incoming city council member Mike O'Brien , whose close relationship with Mayor-Elect Mike McGinn could create tensions with his new council colleagues on the second floor of City Hall.

2. If you're addicted to Morning Fizz, don't miss the afternoon version: PubliCalendar, Cola writer Chris Kissel's daily calendar of important civic meetings, weirdo art films, highfalutin lectures, and other noteworthy events.

Got an item for the PubliCalendar? Email Chris at [email protected].

And in an update from yesterday's PubliCalendar: City Attorney Elect Pete Holmes is now a definite for today's Metropolitan Democratic Club event: "A Panel Discussion on the Proposed Decriminalization of Marijuana, Drug Policy at Local Levels and the U.S. War on Drugs."

Holmes has told us he strongly opposes prosecuting for marijuana possession: “It’s not something that Seattle voters want, and it’s not justified under current policy,” Holmes said.

Be sure to catch Holmes—along with state Rep. Roger Goodman , Alison Holcomb, Drug Policy Director from the ACLU, and state Sen. Adam Kline—today at noon at the 2nd floor conference room of the Plaza 600 Building at 6th & Stewart.

3. Speaking of calendars, mark yours for 6:00 next Monday evening, when PubliCola will bring in representatives from both sides of this year's contentious mayoral election (including Joe Mallahan's indomitable spokeswoman Charla Neuman) for a panel discussion of what strategies (and ads) worked, what didn't, and what the candidates themselves did right and wrong in the days leading up to the general election.

C.R. Douglas of the Seattle Channel and PubliCola's Erica C. Barnett will moderate, asking the campaign brains themselves to analyze their two-month showdown.

Downtown location to be announced later today.

4. Former city council member Peter Steinbrueck, now doing a yearlong fellowship at Harvard, tipped us off to an event tomorrow night at Harvard's Kennedy school, featuring Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who (obviously) was defeated by a pair of political outsiders in the primary.

The all-too-appropriate topic? "Cities at a Crossroads."

This morning's Morning Fizz is brought to you by State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles.