Instrumental rock/jazz. Drumming. Gourmet cooking. Stinky wines. Riding bicycles. Racing cyclocross. Rowing. Backpacking. Kayaking. Canoeing. TV. YouTube. Driveways in Wisconsin. The Cliffs at Palos Verdes. The Belmont Shore. Sculling at night in Marine Stadium. The Long Beach Off-Leash Dog Beach. Dogs. People.
Music
Life is music. I don't care what my writer friends say. And I like everything, all forms, but this stuff I come back to over and over: Dixie Dregs, Zappa, Eric Johnson, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Hermann Szobel (maybe the greatest unknown musical genius ever), Chick Corea, Steve Vai, Wayne Krantz, Alex Skolnick, Oz Noy, King Missile, Laurie Anderson, Little Jack Melody and His Young Turks, Harry Partch, Allan Holdsworth, Bela Fleck, the Police, Journey, OHM, The Aquarium Rescue Unit....and J.S. Bach...and Dolly Parton (serious bluegrass shit: wow!)...and lots of other stuff, even, GASP!, Debbie Gibson.
Movies
Night of the Living Dead. Almost all Westerns, Spaghetti especially. The Dirty Dozen. Kelly's Heroes. Tora, Tora, Tora. Patton. The Lord of the Rings. The Godfather. The Godfather II. The Gods Must Be Crazy. The Life Aquatic. Scrapple. Animal House. Caddyshack. Flushed Away. Napoleon Dynamite. Patti Rocks. Eraserhead. Far North. 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Sideways. About Schmidt. Runaway Train. Angel Heart. The World According to Garp. Barfly. Planet of the Apes.
Television
The Sopranos. The Shield. CNN. AMC. ESPN. The Weather Channel. Cosmos. The Ascent of Man. Lonesome Dove. Homicide: Life on the Streets. Molto Mario. Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello. Nigella Express. The Dog Whisperer. Master Blasters. Namaste Yoga. America's Funniest Home Videos. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. Cow and Chicken. I Am Weasel.
Books
A few books I couldn't live without: The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Ariel by Sylvia Plath. Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor. Slaughterhouse-five by Kurt Vonnegut. The Dream Songs by John Berryman. Bats out of Hell by Barry Hannah. Typical by Padgett Powell. Bliss by Peter Carey. Bitter Honeymoon by Alberto Moravia. A Feast of Snakes by Harry Crews. Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar. The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien. Stories and Texts for Nothing by Samuel Beckett. The Riverside Shakespeare. Unknown Man #89 by Elmore Leonard. A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms by Richard A. Lanham.
Heroes
My daughters: Anne Frances (13) and Helen Marie (9).
University Of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI
Graduated: 1989
Student status: Alumni
Major: English
Minor: Anthropology
Clubs: NOTA (None of the Above) where, at the monthly open readings, beer was sold.
About me: I'm forty-six years old and a writer, author of four books: The Right Man for the Job: a novel (HarperCollins, 1997); The Fire Gospels: a novel (HarperCollins, 1998); Lummox: The Evolution of a Man (HarperCollins, 2002): and Heft on Wheels: A Field Guide to Doing a 180 (Harmony, 2004). I've also written articles and stories for Bicycling and Backpacker and Esquire and GQ other publications. Lately, I'm trying my hand at screenwriting. Wish me luck!
http://mikemagnuson.blogspot.com
I kind of scare myself when I sit down to write since my breakup. I go into a trance and the words are fighting each other for who gets the page first.
I was riding my bike home the other night and some bitch clipped my rear tire with her mini van and umpteen slobbering children in back. I thought you should know.
Wow-you're in California_Congrats! I guess I'm not going to register for any more of your classes next semester then ;)By the way thank you- you were more than generous and I am grateful for your understanding-Best wishes, Good Luck and All of my Love to you in California :)
MAG-the rock star, Playing drums or some such thing in California? I miss missing your motivational speeches when you were here. But I think you must be in your element there and that makes me happy...I'll look up at the stars tonight and remember your glowing pink aura. haha Shine on you crazy diamond. Crystal
So I walked into my 492 poetry workshop today; and this really pretentious girl who pretends to know a lot more than she does is going on and on, saying stuff like "It's better for the students and the program and the university and for him that he's gone. He was so unprofessional." I waited for a break in the conversation she was having with someone else and said, "Are you talking about Magnuson?" And, of course, she said yes, to which I responded "I fucking love Magnuson." I think she felt like she was busted. I just thought you might find that a little bit funny. Hope shit is going well in California. Take it easy. cbb
Glad you are feeling high about California. I remember driviing through the deserts when I moved to California from St Louis....I felt exactly the same way as you described in your blog. Hey, I finally posted my songs with the live drummer. I figured, as a drummer yourself, you might appreciate the before and after. This kid was amazing, he's a second generation drummer, now on tour.
Long Beach, California? Dude. I'm so behind. I didn't know you weren't still in Carbondale. Who will the undergrads navigate the labyrinth halls of Faner to see now? :)
Mike! Thanks for the add. I have to tell you I just finished Heft on wheels and wanted to let you know how inspiring it was to me. Thanks man. You got me so much more excited about cycling and life! Best of luck to you.
You are moving west? Best of luck to you. You inspired me to take my writing by the bullhorns. I am now getting paid to both write and teach writing. I hope you will still be willing to help me when I feel my stories are done and ready. I could use your candid advice and wisdom. ---Mindy
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