Is your brain operating at optimal levels? Are you making the most of your brain? Would you describe your brain as a "genius" brain?

If you answered "no" to any of the above questions, I have a solution for you, my friend: Nothing makes a brain smarter than proximity to other smart brains. Which is to say, if a sub-genius brain were to hump a genius brain, some of that genius is sure to rub off.

But! Geniuses are unpredictable creatures. They are not on every city bus or eating in every teriyaki joint. You might see five or six geniuses for a moment at dusk, dancing around a maypole in a park before they bolt into the safety of the wilderness, and then go for many months without spotting a genius anywhere. How do you get your brain in contact with a genius brain?

At the 10th Annual Stranger Genius Awards, that's where! So many Geniuses are guaranteed to attend this party that your brain should be getting wet just thinking about it. For starters, there are three shortlisters in every Genius category, which triples your chances of encountering genius. (If you're really in need of some genius, let me explain: That's nearly THREE TIMES as many chances!) In addition, there will be performances from Seattle Rock Orchestra and Velocity Dance, and presentations by many past Geniuses. Plus: Booze, which is guaranteed to make you do smart things, too.

You can get your tickets right here. The VIP tickets let you in to a special pre-party reception that is all-but-guaranteed to raise your IQ by a fifth, but the general admission tickets will make you smarter, too. We care about the health of your brain and its surrounding organs. We would like you to come and be brainy with us, please. Do it for your brain. Do it for Seattle's brain. Do it for rational thought.

(And! If you need contact with genius immediately due to decaying motor function and a sharp political turn to the right, remember that tonight, all three literature Genius shortlisters will be reading at the Hugo House, with a group Q&A to follow. It will be fun, too, and a nice preview of the braininess to come next week.)