802 Online

I'm back at my desk at Seven Days, drinking coffee, sifting through piles of newspapers from 2004 as I try to decide what to send in for the Vermont Press Association  Awards (follow the link to the non-existent website). I would link to a bunch of choices and ask for your input, but, um, I can't. The Seven Days online archive starts with the first issue from 2005.

Thankfully, we're finally putting the other 9 years online. The editors hired someone to do this mindless data entry this summer. Sam Horowitz, Assistant Editor Ruth's son, got the job. A stunning display of nepotism? Or proof that it's the most boring, tedious job in the world? You decide.

17-year-old Sam has claimed a table next to my desk for the summer. "You can refer to me as "The Esteemed Reverand Samuel Horowitz," he says, noting that he's a certified minister through the Universal Life Church . In addition to endlessly cutting and pasting, he likes to spin around in his swivel chair, toss the office nerf basketball into the hoop, and listen to Cream and Cake — "it's two different bands," he explains ungrammatically. I think we'll get along fine.

Thanks to 7D calendar writer Meghan Dewald for filling in for me while I was gone. Even though, like the cat who came back, I just couldn't stay away.

Lastly, an unrelated link — I just received this fun spoofof online social networks from The Onion. "Friend-matching websiteslike Friendster are gaining in popularity," it says. "What's theappeal?" It offers a few observations, like "online friends easier tocut loose than people in your building." Etc. A couple years too late,sure, but still really funny.