Thursday, March 03, 2005

Beware of darkness

Barnstorm,
the University of Wisconsin Press' new volume of short Wisconsin fiction, has a story by Lorrie Moore called "The Jewish Hunter," in which two people visit a touristy cave that's a lightly fictionalized version of the Cave of the Mounds in Blue Mounds, Wis. The story got me to thinking: what are other famous caves in literature? There is, of course, Plato's cave, beloved by cinematic theorists everywhere. There's also Tom and Becky's cave in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and there's A Passage to India's famous Marabar cave, in which a colonialist biddy loses her mind.

Others?
Live and learn

The "Straight Dope" column in today's Isthmus mentions that Congress passed legislation in the 1950s banning refrigerator doors that latch closed, and now they're kept shut by magnets. Would you believe this comes as news to me? But a quick experiment with a paper clip and our reliable GE reveals: yep, there's magnets in there. Who knew? Isn't that bad for milk or something?
Busy busy

Look y'all, I've got four pieces in this week's edition of Madison's Isthmus newspaper: the cover story, on a new volume of short Wisconsin fiction; a review of the UW-Madison's production of George Bernard Shaw's Misalliance; an article about the Chicago band the Reputation; and a short review of Cursed, the Christina Ricci film.

So you Madisonians, go and pick up a copy. Don't cost nothin'.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Raise me up

When it was announced on Sunday's Oscar telecast that Beyonce and Josh Groban would sing a duet, I immediately launched into my best imitation of Groban's soaring, quasi-operatic baritone. A moment later, during the pair's number, Ereck commented that it was the first time he had ever heard a celebrity impersonation and then, seconds later, heard for the first time the celebrity in question. Remarkable.

Ereck tells me that my Groban impression is very good.

Any cabarets out there looking for a Josh Groban tribute? I'm your servant.

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Whoopsie

A few days ago I wrote that the World's Greatest Lovers are playing with th' Legendary Shack*Shakers at the High Noon Saloon on a day and date that, a reader reminded me, do not coincide on any calendar. I've corrected the entry, but just so's you know: the show is next Wednesday, March 9.
Another dispatch from the front

Recently I mentioned that I lost my wallet. I did get it back, but for safety's sake, I decided to get new credit cards, and a new ATM card. And I subsequently learned something startling: did you know that instead of using an ATM, you can go to a bank and take money out of your account? And that--this is the most startling part--you can do so while interacting pleasantly with someone?

Creeps me out. Hope my card comes soon.
Dispatch from the front

Lately I've been spending a lot of time on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, for reasons I'll explain anon, but for now I just want to ask: why don't I own anything velour?
Reading is fun

At Eastgate cinema in Madison, a megabookstore located nearby displays a rotating selection of books with ties to movies in current release. At the moment the display holds copies of the Hellblazer graphic novels, apropos of the Keanu Reeves film Constantine, and also a small collection related to Diary of a Mad Black Woman: Bridget Jones' Diary, Chuck Palahniuk's Diary: A Novel--and The Diary of Anne Frank.

Monday, February 28, 2005

Good word

"Although the writing of the play in general has it's [sic] faults, Misalliance is still enjoyable."

--Mollie Levison, reviewing a University of Wisconsin production of George Bernard Shaw's Misalliance
My Oscar review

What's the deal with old guys and giant glasses?

Sunday, February 27, 2005

This just in

On Wednesday, March 9 at the High Noon Saloon come see my honkytonk band the World's Greatest Lovers open for the terrific Nashville rockabilly kings th' Legendary Shack*Shakers. Showtime is 9:00 p.m., and cover is $8. Th' Shack*Shakers are not to be missed.