Click on the title above for a brief but inspiring little tune!
My pre-academic career included a brief stint as a stage director and stage manager in the opera business, working backstage at Lyric Opera of Chicago and other big cultural institutions.
When I am not teaching or writing papers, you can sometimes find me singing in the choruses of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. I've been a member of both the Madison Savoyards, Ltd., and the University of Michigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society. I've been known to do vintage dancing as well. If you want to attend various amusing events with a strong historical flavor, or dress up and swank around like Mr. Darcy, check the links at Walter Nelson's site.
I am also a big fan of the works of P.G Wodehouse. There are many fine sites devoted to P.G. Wodehouse. Alekh Bhurke's (Gussie Fink-Nottle) has closed his page, alas, but there's also a very extensive site by Tom Kreitzburg, and the Wodehouse Society can be found here. Really, you want to read some Wodehouse first. And while you're at it, read some Sherlock Holmes, and some other good cozy British murder mysteries, such as Rumpole of the Bailey. But I do hope you've done your homework first.
A few more things to keep you away from the television:
the ukulele
Videos of me playing the banjolele:
Dismuke's Talking Machine (early recordings)
the works of Don Marquis (the creator of Archy and Mehitabel)
the 1920s-1930s cartoon Krazy Kat (a favorite of "Egghead" President Woodrow Wilson)
and of course a ukulele-playing aardvark from Cleveland (Elmo Aardvark, copyright Will Ryan productions, all rights reserved.)
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