Drew's blog

E-mail conversation today

nobody@vox.com(werd7) — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 22:55:53 -0700

Me: Hello Stella, do you know much about linear and nonlinear regression?

Stella: no :( and is this some kind of mathematical question or a philosophical one?

Me: It's a mathmatical/statistical one. If you gave me a philosophical answer to the question, it could be very interesting.

Stella: all i know is that philosphers found the notion of infinite regerssion very depressing and chose theories that would disfavor it, such as the existance of god.

Me: Using that logic, can I say that god will save the company from steadily declining sales?

Stella: i don't know if god can save the declining sales, but you can certainly blame him for it :)

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QotD: I wish I could...

nobody@vox.com(werd7) — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:12:15 -0700

Play any instrument or speak any language, which do you choose?
Question submitted by cruftbox.vox.com.

I would go for instrument. As far as what instrument and genre, it's a toss up between being a rock guitarist or a jazz drummer.

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QotD: Sugar, Sugar

nobody@vox.com(werd7) — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 01:20:56 -0700

What was your favorite candy when you were a kid?

I wasn't allowed to eat candy when I was a kid. My mom made up a lie that if I ate candy, I would suffer from explosive diarrhea.

How does that compare to now?

Things are a lot better now.

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QotD: Weekend Wrap-up

nobody@vox.com(werd7) — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:31:55 -0700

What was the highlight of this past weekend?

I am not a clean person. I like a clean apartment, but I don't like being the one maintaining its cleanliness. But this week end, cat hair in the corners, clothes on the ground, and trash strewn about left me no choice. It was a dark path I chose on Saturday. One of paper towels, trash bags, Windex, and vacuuming. There was no enjoyment in sight. That is until I looked at my dollar store mop and said to myself, "Fuck this! Fuck this shitty mop with no ringer that will create puddles of black water."

This called for an emergency trip to Target where I met my flavor of the week; the Swifter Wet Jet. This mofo has a motorized spritzer that take four AA batteries. That's right, you could get a decent spritz with one AA battery, but this spritzer is hard core. Two cups of coffee and many supercharged spritzes later, the kitchen was mopped, so was the living room, so was the computer room, and so was the hallway.

I walked into my apartment last night after seeing a movie. Did my place smell like cats? No. Did it smell like my dog? I don't think so. Did it smell like the Swifter Wet Jet carved "I wuz here" into the odor hierarchy of my apartment? I think you know the answer to that.

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QotD: It's hot in here...

nobody@vox.com(werd7) — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 15:35:46 -0700

What's the most extreme weather you've been in? A memorable storm? Heat wave? Or something else?

When I was 21, a girl I would talk to online asked me to go to Hookahville with her. Hookahville is a three day music festival held in Ohio every summer. I had met this girl twice before at a Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie concert. For those concerts, we went with our own friends and just said hello for a few mintues. I remembered her being super cute. But when I picked her up in Pottstown, PA on our way to Hookahville, my memory must have failed me or time must have failed her.

As I drove through PA to OH, we had a great time, singing as loud as we could to the stereo. However, by the time we arrived, we had our fill of eachother. For the duration of the festival, we went our separate ways and did our own thing. Both of us had an enjoyable time.

Monday morning came and we met up again to drive back to PA for her and NJ for me. That morning, the rain appraoched like darkness on a winter night. The girl met one of her high school alumni from Pottsville and asked me to drive him home. He was quick to tell me that he had no money for gas. I figured since I was already going to his town, there was no harm in him tagging along as an act of charity.

Driving through the parking lot, my NJ plates were a beacon for drenched hippies trying to find a way home. I sensed the disapproving stares of my passengers as I rejected muddy hippy after muddy hippy. As we left the parking lot, the rain played an unfair game with my windshield wipers. The wipers didn't stand a chance.

No gas money man complained about the no smoking rule in my car. The girl just sat there silent. The rain followed us the entire way, remaining as a blind fold for my car and setting the mood for the drive. I should have stopped and joined the other cars sitting on the shoulder. But I was trying to minimize my time with the brooding hippies.

The trip included 8 hours of driving into a wall of rain and one gas stop where no gas money man bought potato chips, beef jerky, candy, and a soda. And no, he didn't offer me a potato chip. But no amount of potato chips would have made the ride any better making this my most memorable storm.

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QotD: Shaken not stirred

nobody@vox.com(werd7) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:23:54 -0700

What's your favorite drink or cocktail? What's in it?
Question submitted by charm.vox.com

My favorite drink is a gin and tonic. What's in it? I'll never tell!

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QotD: Midway Through

nobody@vox.com(werd7) — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 11:17:17 -0700

What's one thing that you hope to do or accomplish before the end of this year?

My New Year's resolution to climb a 5.12 sport route is one thing I better do before the end of the year.

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QotD: Summer Music

nobody@vox.com(werd7) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 11:02:26 -0700

What's the one CD that will totally remind you of the Summer of 2006?

Smile!

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QotD: The one that got away

nobody@vox.com(werd7) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 10:51:12 -0700

Tell us a little something about your first girlfriend/boyfriend.

My first girlfriend was a Finnish exchange student I met my junior year of high school. She was very Finnish with blond hair and blue eyes. Being Jewish in a high school full of Jewish girls, her shiksappeal was off the charts. Needless to say, I fell hard.

She was in the circus back in Finland and was a damn good juggler. I had some meager juggling skills myself, so I used that to get my foot in the door. Juggling doesn't sound like the most romantic way to meet someone, but it worked. We were together for 6.5 months until she had to return to Finland at the end of the school year. In that time, my juggling skills surpassed hers, we went to the junior prom, and I fell in love for the first time.

We talked every Sunday for 2 years after she left. I was supposed to visit her in Finland after my Freshman year in college. I called to tell her my flight info and she told me not to come. I took that as a hint and finally moved on. I got a new girlfriend who will probably come up in another QoD. A few months later, my Finnish ex called to tell me she was in America. I was still a little burned from my cancelled trip to Finland and I had my new girlfriend, so things weren't too good between us. I remember the last time I saw her, I told her that we'd probably never talk again and gave her a big hug. She told me that I was wrong.

We haven't talked since that day. Back then, it was by choice. Now, it's not a possibility. I have no clue where she is or what she is doing. I wish her well.

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