It's late November, and I'm less than a week away from turning 37. (For folks from the Hollywood animation studios, I mean, of course, 32).

My birthday's the day before Thanksgiving here in the States, and usually there's been at least some snowfall to speak of. But yesterday it was 65 degrees here in Wisconsin, and I went out and played some golf. Not really a late-November activity, I know, but having been on the road so long over the course of the summer, I'm trying to stretch out every last bit of autumn that I can. I'm just glad the weather is cooperating.

Speaking of pain and frustration -- sorry, I meant to say "golf" -- my football teams (the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers) are having incredibly mediocre seasons. Most years this would be the cause of much hand-wringing and grief. This year I'm trying not to care quite as much. It seems silly to invest a lot of time and emotion into events that mean as little as a football game, and that you have no influence over whatsoever.

So instead of staying around to watch the Pack play like a pick-up team, I took off to England for a week and a half. British Airways had return tickets for $250, and at that price it just seems churlish and rude to refuse. Unfortunately, I was out of e-mail contact the entire time, and I'm just starting to catch up on the backlog. I apologize to anyone I still owe a reply to.

Things I'm Geeking On

I've been heavily into some great, older CDs recently. Not sure what's been going on with new music, but I can't stop playing Miles Davis' "Sketches of Spain," the Cocteau Twins' "Heaven or Las Vegas," and the Who's "A Quick One" and "The Who Sell Out." (If anyone knows of some incredible new stuff, I'd love to hear about it. Ever since I stopped writing reviews for the State Journal, I've kinda lost touch with the new music scene, save for keeping up with Bob Mould, Neil Finn and Matthew Sweet).

"Lethargic Lad" by Greg Hyland and "Box Office Poison" by Alex Robinson. C'mon, folks! Support these great, independent comics.

"Dazed and Confused." Man, this movie seems to have gotten better with time. Just saw it for the second time, and was enthralled.

The fact that my pal Steve Marmel's HBO special is done, and his new cartoon, "The Dan Danger Show," aired on Nickelodeon. I was out of the country when it aired, but it's still an incredibly cool thing.

The fact that the New Yorker gave Tom Tomorrow ("This Modern World") two full pages!

My Pal John Urban and the Prom Committee. If anyone's in Madison this weekend, this comedy troupe's gonna be at the Barrymore Theater performing their greatest hits. I'll be in the crowd. You should be too.

The Prom Committee Recycled show at the Barrymore Theater on 2090 Atwood Avenue in Madison is on Saturday night, November 20th at 8pm. Admission is $12.50 in advance and $14.50 day of show. For ticket information, call The Barrymore at 608-241-8633, or stop by Barrymore ticket outlets. For more information contact Andy Wallman at 251-7070.