I'll be honest: ordinarily there are few subjects I'm less excited about covering than job fairs. I've been to a few bloated, résumé-tossing cattle calls in my time, and I find them utterly soul-crushing. But the Olympia Volunteer Center sent the cluttered, taco-scented Weekly Volcano head office a pitch that seems laser-targeted at the ray-shielded thermal exhaust port of my heart. The press release is formatted in the flat pastel colors of a Shepard Fairey Obama poster, and I like that, so here's me paying attention. Then it drags out the big guns; in that all too familiar 1977 typeface, the flyer screams, "The Economy Strikes Back!" OK, that's just dorky enough to be appealing. "Now it's your turn to strike back at the economy, at ... THE ECONOMIC SURVIVAL FAIR!" Then there's the Rosie the Riveter "We Can Do It!" image, only with Carrie Fisher's Cinnabon'd coiffure instead of Rosie's usual bandana, plus the Rebel signet and a head shot of famed Tosche Station enthusiast Luke Skywalker. The Volunteer Center has my number.

Wait, is the Volunteer Center implying we devoted fans of the Holy Trilogy can't get a job? Er ... to be fair, I am chronically underemployed, so perhaps they're onto something. Here's me printing copies of my résumé.

The Economic Survival Fair goes up at the Olympia Center Saturday, Feb. 5. It boasts a variety of skilled counselors to assist struggling workers in difficult times. This includes advice on how to stretch thinning resources and prepare a more enticing résumé, tax tips including qualification for the Earned Income Tax Credit and tips on how to cook on a budget. Attendees will learn how and why to register for aid from the Department of Social and Health Services, which offers "family support services and health care options." Does that include free HIV testing and counseling? Hey, why not? Couldn't hurt. On a less ominous note, the Economic Survival Fair will also throw in a DIY craft corner, plus a bunch more cool freebies including haircuts. Show up between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and the Volunteer Center will even hand out income tax preparation gratis. Dare we say the Force is strong with the Economic Survival Fair? Indeed, dare we do.

So just for a minute, let's ignore reality and pretend I'm not a raging Lucas nerd who's attracted to ‘70s space opera iconography. What does the Economic Survival Fair offer a coldhearted pragmatist like me, meaning the fictional me who isn't geeking out about Empire on Blu-ray? I talked to Tammie, a volunteer at the Center, who's looking forward to attending for reasons of her own. She's especially interested in the free haircuts, and when I consider the exorbitant amount I pay that nice lady at the mall to cut my vanishing hair, I don't blame her. Tammie agrees the fair is much needed, even now that the economy is struggling to break out of recession. "It's to help people get more information for themselves and their kids, with everything from medical assistance to fun activities," she concludes. Details are still coming together, so Tammie was unable to inform us whether the fair would offer Wookiee cookies and/or blue milk.

Your mission is clear! Potential employers will be on hand, so tart yourself up, get your CV in order and head on over Saturday to give the Volunteer Center a chance to help you. Your future awaits. And dream big! If the Rebel Alliance can turn some whiny farm boy with an over-clocked T-16 into an X-wing ace in one PowerPoint presentation, anything is possible.

[The Olympia Center, Economic Survival Fair, Saturday, Feb. 5, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., free, 222 Columbia St. N.W., 360.741.2622]