Jun
Posted on 17th June 2010
I’ve never been a “math person,” which is to say someone with a great interest in math and is good at it and stuff without using a calculator or anything and can also maybe solve crimes using unorthodox methods we never saw coming. I did have one flicker of being sort of good at math during my sophomore year in high school, the year I decided I was going to try to get good grades and see what that felt like (For the record, it worked. I got first honors, realized it wasn’t that big of a thrill, and went back to being a slightly above average student for the rest of my academic career). That year, geometry was the form of math they were thrusting upon us. My teacher was a young guy just out of college who reminded me a lot of Pee-wee Herman. As I was (and still am) obsessed with Pee-wee Herman, I decided I would just pretend that Pee-wee Herman was teaching me geometry. It totally worked- I did well and at times was even interested in the subject. And as long as we’re on the topic- how awesome would it be to have Pee-wee Herman teach you in high school?
Ever since my one shining year in academia, I haven’t given that much thought to math unless it was absolutely necessary. Until now that is! This is the segueway part of this entry. Anyway, what I mean to say is that I just started reading Alex Bellos’ excellent new book “Here’s Looking at Euclid: A Surprising Excursion Through the Astonishing World of Math,” which studies math from the point of view of a roving journalist who is totally into math (as hinted at in the title). It’s super fun reading- Bellos goes to Amazon, Bengal, Vegas, Manhattan and beyond and pretty much blows my mind with all the cool shit he finds out about numbers and stuff. It’s really enjoyable reading and you actually learn something that you could bring up at a party and then some chick will totally want to make out with you because you are a dark and complex figure who knows stuff about math and probably some other stuff too if she would just give you a chance. You can get “Here’s Looking at Euclid” right here and also probably in a book store or something. Buy it or I will stab you.
In other news, a few months ago, during one of my routine visits to Los Angeles, Home of the Stars, I had the honor of taking part in a video made by my hilarious friend Chris Schneider and Dave Lombard along with Eliza Skinner, three great people as far as I am concerned. And- as I was saying- I am totally in it too. Watch it now and then send it to everyone you have ever known ever as they will really get a kick out of it and will probably want to get a sandwich with you or something.
And finally, speaking of sophisticated things, I am in the July/August issue of the classy Penthouse Magazine as part of their 4th Annual Badass Issue. This is because I am a badass or something. There is a picture of me and everything and I talk about going to prison. I am both honored and troubled by all of this. The issue just came to my house yesterday. I have been reading the articles mostly.
Dave Hill
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