So we’re in the middle of Disneyworld at about 9pm, waiting for the fireworks to start.  We have run into some friends who have a 2yr old of their own.  My girls find a way to entertain him by singing the ABC song. “ABCDEFG, HIJKLMNOP,QRS,TUV,W,X,Y,Z,now I know my ABC, next time won’t you sing with me!” “How cute is that!” says the mother of the 2yr old. They’re not done.  “ZYXWVUT, SRQPONM…”  There’s a pause as it dawns on this woman (and people around us) what the kids are singing.  “LKJIHGF, E, D, CBA…” “Who taught them *that*?” I shrug and look at my 6yr old.  “Do the Shakespeare, that’ll really freak them out.” Katherine looks at me and says, “I don’t remember it.” “Yes you do, you’re just shy.” “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day, thou art more lovely and…something.” The funny part?  Nobody even noticed that little trick.  I think it’s because adults in the wild can still recognize the alphabet backwards (with a little time to think about it), but the Shakespeare goes right past them. 🙂

http://splashnewsonline.celebuzz.com/2008/09/kenneth-branagh-to-be-a-marvel.html Ok, this is pretty cool.  We’re at a place in time when comic book movies are huge.  Iron Man, Spiderman, Batman.  And they pick Kenneth Branagh, he of Hamlet and Henry V, to do Thor?  That should be downright fascinating.

http://www.cracked.com/blog/2008/09/24/the-seven-ages-of-man-revised-edition/ Maybe a writer was pressed for ideas, but I like it.  The usual “Top N List” form of Cracked.com articles in this case breaks down Shakespeare’s seven ages of man from As You Like it.  And, of course, makes witty comments.

So I’m sitting here watching pro-wrestling as I tend to do on Monday nights, and during some silly skit they’re doing I’m reminded that Playboy magazine hosts a party every summer called A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Pictures are relatively safe (no nudity – Playboy don’t be giving it away for free, after all), but not exactly for the whole family. I can’t figure out if it ever had any Shakespeare connection, ever, or if they just liked the name.  But who cares!

http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/fanfare/ny-ffthe5847168sep21,0,6567319.story You a Mandy Patinkin fan?  Geeks have loved him ever since The Princess Bride, well before Criminal Minds and even Chicago Hope.  Bonus points if you remember him under the makeup in Alien Nation.  (I did NOT remember Dr. Jeffrey Geiger, his Chicago Hope character, doing a guest spot on Picket Fences???) Anyway, if you’re wondering what he’s been up to, he’s doing Prospero in New York.  The review of the production itself doesn’t seem very good, but the reviewer’s got love for Mr. Patinkin.  Apparently he sings, too.  I’m trying to remember when I first heard him sing.  I think that David Letterman used to get him to do something with the band whenever he was a guest on the late show.  He’s got an excellent voice for Broadway.