Hm. I think this is kind of bad.

In the February 13 & 20, 2006 issue of the New Yorker, there's a two-page ad on p. 26-27. It's for AT&T communication services, and it features some guy named "Roger." It seems like maybe we're supposed to know who Roger is, but I don't. Some tagline in the ad says, "The World According to Roger: find your passion first, job second." This is "written" on a piece of music paper that overlays the bottom right corner of the ad. The main body of the ad is a large picture of Roger sitting on a swanky couch in a nice library-type room. Does it sound like a bad ad? It's a bad ad.

Anyway, I'm scanning this bad ad for cues to who this "Roger" guy is, and thinking things like:

• If Roger's so cool, why does he have a cheapass Dell laptop?
• Hm. But I like Roger's coffee table. It's cool.
• What's with the portable record player?

And then finally:

• Wait--why does Roger have "Examples & Explanations: Civil Procedure" on his bookshelf?
• Wow--is that the Torts one too?
• I wonder if Roger would let me borrow that?

I don't know who's more pathetic--me or "Roger." (Hint: me.)