Illiterati

Niche Interview

Over at Niche, an exciting new litmag, I did an interview on the perennial MFA question.   Check it out here.

Overheard in the UP: Why are We Embarassed?

Last night I went to bed early to read some student stories.  When I unexpectedly came downstairs to put my papers in my school bag, I find Brando (who is more tone-deaf than Liam Gallagher on a coke bender) on the living-room sofa with the Rock Band microphone in his hand, looking up sheepishly. 

Me: Oh, my God.  It's like I caught you with your hand down your pants.

B (turning off the game): No, it's worse.

Overheard in the UP: You Want Fries with That?

Me, looking at today's headlines: "Oh, my God, Nancy Grace had twins.  And she's forty-eight.  Okay, I don't feel so old now."

B, giving me a disgusted look: "That seems like a lot of effort just so she can eat them."

Overheard in Iowa: At Four a.m.

Me (after our lovely new weather radio, purchased after the tornado tore through our neighborhood, went off at 3:45 in the morning for a winter storm warning): You'd think the National Weather Service would realize some snow and ice aren't worth scaring the crap out of people in the middle of the night.

Brando: Yeah, there should be special settings--one for Nuisance and another for Imminent Death.

Overheard in Iowa: Pillow Talk

TLB, after editing yet another piece of poorly written fiction: Why do so many people think they can write a book?  No one thinks they can do brain surgery without knowing something about it first.

Brando: I don't know.  It's really frustrating.

TLB: I mean, what other endeavor do people undertake without really knowing how?

Brando: Uh, nation-building?

Overheard in Iowa

Today we bring you a new feature at Illiterati: Overheard in Iowa.

In it, you will find snippets of wisdom, biting wit, bits of old string, and the occasional piece of belly lint. 

To whit:

Circle Jerker (ogling advertising girl on menu of mall-type restaurant; think Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oy Oy Oy): This girl looks so familiar to me.

Illiterati (looking over his shoulder):  That's because she's generic.

Circle Jerker:  See, this is what you should put on your blog.