My interest in whales...

I have a few observations regarding The Whale's controversial and hotly debated claim that "Part of being interesting is being interested" (by the way, we all agree that his name should be written "The Whale," rather than "the Whale," right? It's not just me?).

First of all, I don't understand why The Whale doesn't think that he has interests. I have spoken with him at length since I have known him -- when we got into a fight at Camp Michigania as 12-year-olds -- and he has always seemed to have things that he is interested in, although he has also generally been drawn to suggestions that he does not have any interests. What is up with that? Care to comment, The Whale?

Second, in the last few months, I have had the opportunity to hang out with a few people who I could imagine becoming my close friends, and in doing so, I got the feeling that I was flexing muscles--friend making muscles--that I had not flexed since probably my junior year of college. What is up with that? I am not really sure, actually. I think that a part of the problem is that I am kind of a snob about people, and particularly friends. There aren't a lot of people that I find truly interesting. But more importantly, I have very high standards for friends. I was extremely lucky to grow up with a pretty amazing group of guys, and I don't find myself able or willing to settle for less in my friends -- I want people with bizarre and hilarious senses of humor, who are extremely smart and interesting, and who I believe that I can absolutely count on to be there for me. There aren't alot of people like that in the world.