Infinite Corridor

In the previous post on the Sonic situation in Northern NJ, I mentioned the late author David Foster Wallace, who was known for his well-reviewed (but, I suspect, infrequently-read) door stopper Infinite Jest, and for his copious use of footnotes in his writing¹. Somewhat coincidentally, yesterday I received an e-mail from Joshua Persky, the subject of this post from last December, "Infinite Connections or Infinite Jest?".

Persky, you may recall, was the MIT alumnus and former investment banker who gained national attention for his unorthodox job searching method: handing out resumes while wearing a sandwich board in Midtown Manhattan. In that post last December, I noted that Persky had found a new job with an accounting firm, but Persky informs me that he left that job a couple of months ago, and is currently open to job or business opportunities in "writing, inspirational speaking, career counseling, valuations and business development consulting". If you are aware of any such opportunities, and would like to contact him, below is Mr. Persky's website and contact info:

917 650 8700

joshua.persky@sloan.mit.edu

www.JoshuaPersky.com

In that post last December, I also questioned the value of MIT's alumni network (the school's alumni organization is called "Infinite Connections"; hence the post title) given the challenges of Mr. Persky's job search. In our e-mail correspondence, Persky seemed to agree, writing,

MIT's alumni network has not been as helpful as it could be. Unfortunately, although the education is wonderful and rigorous, the school lacks in social connectivity. It's pretty much up to each student to find his/her own way. I imagine that the other ivy league^[2] schools are a bit better at networking. However, MIT is trying and encourages alumni to be in touch and mentor each other.

Persky also was able to shed some light on the origin of the name of MIT's alumni organization, mentioning that the main hallway at MIT is called the "Infinite Corridor".


¹The Onion once hilariously mocked Wallace's tendency to write door stoppers and his use of footnotes, "Girlfriend Stops Reading David Foster Wallace Breakup Letter At Page 20". Excerpt:

BLOOMINGTON, IL—Claire Thompson, author David Foster Wallace's girlfriend of two years, stopped reading his 67-page breakup letter at page 20, she admitted Monday.

"It was pretty good, I guess, but I just couldn't get all the way through," said Thompson, 32, who was given the seven-chapter, heavily footnoted "Dear John" missive on Feb. 3. "I always meant to pick it up again, but then I got busy and, oh, I don't know. He's talented, but his letters can sometimes get a little self-indulgent."

^[2]Although MIT is more prestigious than some Ivy League universities, and is located close to Harvard geographically, it is actually not part of the Ivy League.

Chipotle

Hat tip to Cheryl for this from the Onion, Breaking News: "Chipotle Employee Just Gave Guy In Front Of You More Rice". Excerpt:

Your meek body language and resigned facial expression also suggest a high probability of inaction on your part, possibly owing to your fear of "causing a scene" in front of a bunch of strangers whom you will never see again and who would undoubtedly side with you had they seen the uneven rice distribution. A mental catalog of past Chipotle experiences currently racing through your head—including that time the woman gave you spicy salsa when you specifically asked for mild—likewise supports the belief that you are going to get screwed yet again.

"Peppers and onions?" the employee has asked, your burrito moving irrevocably further from the rice station.

As the opportunities for additional rice become bleaker, you have resorted to communicating your displeasure in a number of passive-aggressive ways. These include glaring at the employee when he looks away and providing somewhat curt burrito-filling instructions, such as "Chicken" and "Yes, pinto beans," in an apparent hope that your cold tone of voice will make him realize that a terrible mistake has been committed.

On a serious note, Chipotle is an impressive business. Compared to two other national Mexican fast casual restaurant chains with outposts around here, Baja Fresh and Qdoba, the food quality at Chipotle is better (perhaps because Chipotle's founder, Steve Ells, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America). Also, compared to those two competitors, Chipotle is a more efficient operation. Burritos and tacos get filled, assembly line style, versus Baja Fresh or Qdoba, both of which give customers buzzers and make them wait five or ten minutes for their orders. That efficiency enables Chipotle to serve a large lunchtime crowd. I've stood in a line winding out the door at the Chipotle in New York's financial district and been surprised at how quickly the line moved.

Incidentally, at one point, Chipotle, Baja Fresh, and Qdoba were each owned by burger chains: Chipotle by McDonald's, Baja Fresh by Wendy's, and Qdoba by Jack in the Box. Qdoba is, I believe, still owned by Jack in the Box.

A trivial coincidence: According to Wikipedia, the father of Chipotle founder Steve Ells was a pharmaceutical executive; the current CEO of Pfizer, Jeff Kindler, was once the president of the McDonald's operating unit that included Chipotle.

The photo above is from the Onion.