Some question the need for a second life when we have such rich first lives. Here in a town so small you have to allow 90 extra minutes for any outing because of all the people you run into, who needs to go online? In Homer, we call a Facebook Livefeed a trip to the post office.

Can't make it home to see family? If you've lived here long enough, odds are you've made more friends in a month than people in big cities make in a decade. Expand your social network like they did in the ancient days. Get out. Do stuff. Talk to people. Listen. Do a good deed. Smile. Soon enough, you'll have a big megaextended family, and you can run into them everywhere, like at these Best Bets:

BEST SWEET AS HONEY BET: Listen to Nedra Carroll sing, and you can hear where Jewel got some of her talent. Carroll has a voice like mead: sweet, mellow and intoxicating. Part of the Arva and Jay Carroll clan, Nedra was in Homer before statehood but has been gone for a few decades. She's back for the holiday, and gives Homer a concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Bunnell Street Arts Center. Admission is a suggested $15 donation. From 2-5 p.m. Friday, Carroll also presents a brainstorming and barnstorming workshop.

BEST Ms POWER BET: Meet the Mariner Girls basketball and show them some support with a fundraising banquet today from 7-10 p.m. today at the Homer Elks Lodge. Tickets are $20 from any team member or at the door. The boys show their skills at 6 p.m. Friday at the gym, with a dessert auction following. Watch the girls take on Nikiski at 3:30 p.m. Saturday here at home. The Mariner boys play at 5 p.m.

BEST AVATAR SCHMAVATAR BET: No need to put on your fancy avatar costume in Second Life. The real thing is just as much fun. We're talking the monthly square and contra dance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at West Homer Elementary School. Rich Kleinleder calls to music by the Tonga Family Band. Admission is $6; kids under 16 are free.

BEST SECOND CHANCE BET: Still smarting about not winning that Intertidal Idol contest last weekend? Show us what you've really got with Dax's Very Weird Karaoke night at 10 p.m. Saturday at the Down East Saloon.

BEST ONE MORE CHANCE BET: If you missed the Nutcracker Faire, shop for fine crafts from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Homer Senior Center or 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Ninilchik Fairgrounds. Don't forget your friendly local retailers from Old Town to Downtown.

Homer's Best Bets