Figuring out what to do with yourself in Madison isn't a matter of finding stuff to do. It's a matter of winnowing the many choices down to one. Here, we offer seven offbeat options for things to do in town that are unmistakably Madison:

1. Wis-Kino (wis-kino.com) hosts monthly film parties every month at Escape Java Joint, 916 Williamson St. The filmmaking collective invites anyone to make and bring a short film inspired by the month's theme. Past themes include "love/sex," "things that don't exist" and "drip." The resulting five-minute (or shorter) films are usually a hodgepodge mix of experimental and narrative. Once a year, Wis-Kino throws down a challenge to participants to create a film in 48 hours. This year's 48-hour festival is Nov. 21-23, and the next monthly meet-up is on Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. The theme is "Dios Mio!" ("My God!").

2. Karaoke is for amateurs. "Rock Star Gomeroke," on the other hand, will turn you into a rock god with Madison's hardest-working band playing behind you. The Gomers know more than 2,000 songs, so if the urge hits to belt out some Van Halen after four beers, they're ready. Find Rock Star Gomeroke every Tuesday at the High Noon Saloon, 701 E. Washington Ave., at 9 p.m. They also play occasional "Happyoke" at 5 p.m. on Fridays -- next on Sept. 5 -- with two-for-one rail drinks and select taps.

3. Singer/songwriter Pat McCurdy is another must for a Tuesday night in Madison. "Patheads" throng to his 9:30 p.m. show at the Regent Street Retreat, 1206 Regent St., week after week for personalized birthday songs, rap lyrics sung in a country twang and sing-a-longs about "sex and beer." Think you're too cool for such stupidity? Try as hard as you as you want to avoid it, but McCurdy's infectious wit and stage presence will win you over eventually.

4. The Parthenon-Gyros Restaurant, 316 State St., isn't only the definitive place to wolf down heaping mounds of delicious shaved meat covered in onions and yogurt sauce. It also has an amazing entertainment factor: Greek music videos play on TV screens all day long and into the night. Remember those painfully cheesy '80s music videos from the likes of Modern Talking? Yeah, it's kind of like that, but in Greek and with bigger and better wind-blown hair.

5. Don't be fooled into thinking that the UW-Madison Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St., is just for students. Technically, it is open just to students and Wisconsin Union members but, in practice, all of Madison gathers on the lakeside terrace for beer, picnics, bands and movies; sees top-notch performances in the Wisconsin Union Theater and eats Babcock Hall ice cream. The union calls itself "the heart and soul of UW-Madison," but it could just be the heart and soul of the whole city. Check www.union.wisc.edu for daily event listings.

6. Also, take advantage of the free film series at Cinematheque, another campus institution. As the screening facility of the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research, the Cinematheque shows old and rare film prints from around the world every Friday and Saturday night during the school year in 4070 Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave. The programming runs the gamut from seminal classics to bizarre curios. On Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m., it celebrates 10 years of Cinematheque with a kick-off party and screening of "Singin' in the Rain."

7. Madison just hosted the 2008 National Poetry Slam earlier this month, and local spoken word artists say it's inspired them to write lots of new material. See them in action at the Urban Spoken Word Poetry Slam on the third Saturday of every month from 7 to 9 p.m. at Genna's Lounge, 105 W. Main St.