Essay
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Letter from a childless cat lady
In this month’s essay, Rebecca Jamieson declares “I’m a childless cat lady who cares about our future.” Read more
What’s the rush?
“Listening to slow talkers can indeed be exasperating. Fast talkers sometimes try to finish our sentences, occasionally helpful when a word is hard to recall, but also annoying.” Read more
Sep 12, 2024
There once was a tree that lived on top of the factory
“Garver Feed Mill wasn’t always a nice spot to take your family or get some work done. It was once an abandoned building, but one that teemed with life, a playground for those brave enough to enter.” Read more
Aug 7, 2024
Teacher’s lounge
“That’s when I decided that the teachers’ lounge is like a cruise ship where, once you get into international waters, you can do anything you want.” Read more
Jun 11, 2024
Climbing the rock
“Hidden from sight, I was on my own. Standing on the relatively flat base of the rock, I gazed at the ocean, the endless surge of water so lonely and awe-inspiring.” Read more
May 8, 2024
The blood-stained wedding dress
Our friends came over for a costume party — we still had a basement full of liquor from our wedding to get rid of—and we proudly showed off our costumes, including the bloodstains.’ Read more
Apr 13, 2024
Walk this way
‘The isolation I’d sought near the edge of town began to feel a bit too isolating. I chafed at the need to hop in my car nearly any time I wanted to meet up with friends.’ Read more
Mar 13, 2024
8:00 AM
Anxious in the liquor store
“It wasn’t that hard, but it stopped being fun at some point. Soon I noticed the smell of wine on my mom’s breath when she would lament to me about ‘being too sick to do anything.’ I was young, not stupid.” Read more
Feb 6, 2024
8:00 AM
Warm blanket
”My presence at the desk was, in fact, both an affirmative action initiative and a desperate ploy to address dwindling enrollment.” Read more
Jan 10, 2024
8:00 AM
Tiny Tiger, big love
“When I met No. 72631, he sat on the far edge of a desk in a meeting room and stared at me. Slowly, he inched closer. Closer. I offered him Easy Cheese on the tip of my finger. It was the first time I’d felt the warm, rough tongue of a cat.” Read more
Dec 12, 2023
8:00 AM
A bowl of many parts
"At our house, my son Hollis, 10, is responsible for taking out the recycling. He’s not super into it. But when we started wondering whether we could make cool stuff out of our own plastic waste, the job got more interesting." Read more
Nov 10, 2023
8:00 AM
52 decibels
“It’s a simple fact that humans create noise, both naturally and via technology. As I write this I’m listening to a Bach violin concerto (52 decibels). It’s a pleasant noise, but noise nonetheless.” Read more
Oct 11, 2023
8:00 AM
In the October issue
Can Monona help solve Madison’s housing crisis?
Monona may be landlocked but it isn’t airlocked. City leaders are looking upward for how one small suburb can do its part — and, maybe, much more — to help address the Madison area’s housing needs. Read more
They put the Wisco in the Wisconsin Book Festival
Memoirs, essays, poems, micro-histories and more shine the spotlight on the Badger State and those who write about it. Read more
A generation of art lovers
Youth programming at the Overture Center for the Arts includes the OnStage field trip program, Kids in the Rotunda, the Jerry Awards and Jerry Ensemble. Read more
The dean of Wisconsin pollsters
Charles Franklin launched the Marquette Law School poll in 2012, one of the most accurate in the nation. He is a respected national pollster and in-demand source for journalists. Read more
Open to all
Madison’s longest-running, all-ages open mic is also noteworthy for its inclusivity of genre, welcoming dance, visual art, stand-up and spoken word. Read more
