I've been greeted with shock in the last 24 hours over my lack of...well...horror...over the death of Heath Ledger. A 28 year old man who had made it big in Hollywood. A man my age, who died in some unknown fashion. A man who had every resource, every outlet, every ability to reach out and get help for whatever demons he was dealing with.
I can't bring myself to apologize for this lack of response right now. I have a hard time watching young Hollywood drink themselves/drug themselves/overindulge themselves to death, all the while having the American public expressing more shock and horror over every emerging celebrity downfall with more emotion than they show toward the emerging situation in say...Darfur. Or Somalia. Or Iraq, to name a few.
What makes it even more difficult to feel great empathy in this situation is the fact that I have 2.5 months to figure how to be an advocate for someone who actually needs empathy and attention. That person being my client. Who fled from Rwanda. Whose entire family was slaughtered. Who is looking to me to help her remain in a country where her life is no longer in danger. Who does not have any other options other than law students fighting tooth and nail for her asylum.
I do feel sadness for the family of Heath Ledger. And for the passing of someone who is as young as he was. But frankly, I cannot emote the same sadness and despair for this person as I do for the 276 people (yes, that's a real number) and their families who were killed, captured or wounded in Iraq in the past three days, or the estimated 500 people killed in Darfur every day, or the 750,000+ people killed in Rwanda in three short months between April and July of 1994.
Does that make me insensitive, perhaps. But I will not apologize for that.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
This is Disturbing
So, if anyone follows the gossip blogs as much as I do, then you'll be familiar with the slow morph of Katie Holmes' from cute, nice, Dawsons Creek girl to creepy, zombie like wife of Tom Cruise. I mean, you kind of wonder how anyone has the much power over anyone else, but it's fairly clear she has become some sort of dazed Stepford wife.
But that's not what is truly disturbing. THIS is. It's the Tom Cruise Scientology video that has apparently caused quite a stir, and you can kind of see why. For the majority of the video, and certainly in the first minute or so, he's not even speaking in coherent sentences. Almost like he's possessed.
If you have 8 minutes or so, I highly recommend it. If you've ever wondered where cults start, this is a good place to begin the investigation...
But that's not what is truly disturbing. THIS is. It's the Tom Cruise Scientology video that has apparently caused quite a stir, and you can kind of see why. For the majority of the video, and certainly in the first minute or so, he's not even speaking in coherent sentences. Almost like he's possessed.
If you have 8 minutes or so, I highly recommend it. If you've ever wondered where cults start, this is a good place to begin the investigation...
Monday, January 14, 2008
Bravery
While today is the first day of classes for the semester, I feel like I have been immersed in school much longer because of my clinic, which is not a bad thing. I feel, for the first time in a long time, that I am doing work that I really love and that is truly gratifying--and while my shiny new day planner is already crammed with meetings, appointments, interviews and deadlines, I feel a certain lightness that has been absent for some time.
The last 6 days has been centered around learning about the client and her background, and getting to know my partner with whom I'll be traveling down this path with all semester. The clinic pairs people completely randomly--and with full disclosure of the randomness--and emphasizes that one of the main aspects of this clinic, aside from advocacy, is interpersonal relationship building and management. The director and fellows make no promises that the pairs will become best friends, or have similar personalities or complimentary ones, and they make no apologies in advance for issues that arise in the working relationship. They do stress the necessity of working through, in an honest manner, issues that arise as they arise, all as part of the learning process.
One of the things I admire about this clinic is their openness with the students. They work from a methodology of problem solving, teamwork, creativity and support--a methodology that is not found in most typical law school classes, and one that is not meant to exist. For the first time since beginning law school, there is no competition among groups or individuals--we have a common goal, and that is to achieve the best possible outcome for all of our clients while fulfilling personal goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the semester. It's unique, and I love it.
My teammate, who I will most likely talk about a lot on here, and I have spent a lot of time together in the past 6 days. We have spent time not only getting to know each other, but getting to know our client and her background through the papers and research we have done. I could not ask for a more fantastic person to work with.
My teammate asked me, a few days ago, "what is bravery". What a question. One of the things I love about her is that we have the same philosophical personalities--we question what is put before us in an innocent and probing manner.
Bravery. It's such a concept, I think. Can any of us begin to understand the gravity of what it means to watch a family, our family, be slaughtered? Can we understand the meaning in fighting to keep our father's and mother's and sister's persecutors in jail? Can we ever begin to feel the weight that is the death of our family?
I gain strength and ambition and true passion from my family. And we are meant to effect some sort of empathy. It's remarkably difficult....and it's our job.
Our client is brave. She is brave beyond remarks. There is stoicism and grace in this world--and to see a woman embrace, on paper those things is humbling. I hope to learn volumes from her, and I think I will..
The last 6 days has been centered around learning about the client and her background, and getting to know my partner with whom I'll be traveling down this path with all semester. The clinic pairs people completely randomly--and with full disclosure of the randomness--and emphasizes that one of the main aspects of this clinic, aside from advocacy, is interpersonal relationship building and management. The director and fellows make no promises that the pairs will become best friends, or have similar personalities or complimentary ones, and they make no apologies in advance for issues that arise in the working relationship. They do stress the necessity of working through, in an honest manner, issues that arise as they arise, all as part of the learning process.
One of the things I admire about this clinic is their openness with the students. They work from a methodology of problem solving, teamwork, creativity and support--a methodology that is not found in most typical law school classes, and one that is not meant to exist. For the first time since beginning law school, there is no competition among groups or individuals--we have a common goal, and that is to achieve the best possible outcome for all of our clients while fulfilling personal goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the semester. It's unique, and I love it.
My teammate, who I will most likely talk about a lot on here, and I have spent a lot of time together in the past 6 days. We have spent time not only getting to know each other, but getting to know our client and her background through the papers and research we have done. I could not ask for a more fantastic person to work with.
My teammate asked me, a few days ago, "what is bravery". What a question. One of the things I love about her is that we have the same philosophical personalities--we question what is put before us in an innocent and probing manner.
Bravery. It's such a concept, I think. Can any of us begin to understand the gravity of what it means to watch a family, our family, be slaughtered? Can we understand the meaning in fighting to keep our father's and mother's and sister's persecutors in jail? Can we ever begin to feel the weight that is the death of our family?
I gain strength and ambition and true passion from my family. And we are meant to effect some sort of empathy. It's remarkably difficult....and it's our job.
Our client is brave. She is brave beyond remarks. There is stoicism and grace in this world--and to see a woman embrace, on paper those things is humbling. I hope to learn volumes from her, and I think I will..
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Fear
This is the first of many subsequent posts that will focus on the work I am doing this semester in representing my first client, a female asylum seeker from Rwanda. First of all, I assure every reader that what I say in these postings is completely legal--I will not give away any identifying information of my client and these posts will, I expect, focus more on my experiences rather than the gory details of my client. But at times, those might play a part as well. Just wanted to assuage any concerns that I am acting in an unethical manner talking about this. I assure you, I am not, so here we go...
Fear. What is fear? I mean, we can all define it for ourselves. I'm afraid of spiders and heights, and we all have our own individual definitions of what fear is for ourselves. But what does it mean to really fear something? Is every fear equal to every other, simply because it is such an individual emotion? Are there some fears that are fundamental to all of us, that are shared, and thus possibly more weighty than others?
The immediate answer is OF COURSE. My fear of spiders does not equal in weight to someone who is battling cancer to their fear of death. Or to a seeker of asylum who has witnessed atrocities you and I cannot imagine, but that are so indelible in their minds that the mere mention of sex, or rape, or torture or siblings can illicit an emotional response. And if you add to that a continued terrorizing for more than a decade, fear can take on a whole different meaning.
I learned, while in Dadaab, that fear often manifests itself in desperation--desperation to alleviate themselves of the acts that evoke such an emotion. Desperation, in turn, results in doing anything they can to remove themselves from the environment that is the catalyst of such emotion. Doing anything results, often, but not always, in fabrication of details. Fear is a tricky thing, indeed.
I reviewed my client's case file for the first time tonight. The interviews with the Asylum Officer (AO) who denied her asylum claim initially, leading to her placement in my hands. I looked at this initial file, which was thin and which will become thicker and more compelling as the semester moves forward, with a remarkable amount of fear. Here it is, sitting before me, page after page, a client's life. A person's life. A woman's fear. And the true knowledge of the responsibility that has been given to me has begun to sink in.
We all (I hope. Oh good God I hope) know what happened in Rwanda. And if you're sketchy on the details, I encourage you to read "We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families" by Philip Gourevitch--because it is a history that we should all be aware of. Entire families, entire villages being slaughtered. In homes, in town squares. In churches where people looked to their God, their Christian God, for protection. Children who watched their parents and siblings murdered in the most basic and gruesome ways. Governments who sat back and allowed this to happen. Who continue to allow this to happen. This is the history of my client. This is the fear she possesses.
You'd think, on first glance, that this case should be a slam dunk. I mean come on, it's RWANDA for god's sake. But the laws of asylum are complex and they are not friendly, or in favor of those seeking refuge. It's been 13 years since the end of the official genocide, but the fear persists, and for good reason. As we have all seen with the case of Kenya recently, governments are fragile, particularly those that have had a history of adversity. Rwanda is no exception, and the killing and torture and persecution have not ended.
I think fear can be healthy, in certain situations. I think the fear that I have about my upcoming endeavor is absolutely essential, acting as an impetus for me to perform every task to my absolute best ability. So I am not ashamed of it. And it's important to respect fear--while recognizing the many faces it can take.
This will be a battle...but one that I am ready to take on. Because as cheesy as this may sound, for every fear there is truth, it's just a matter of finding it.
Fear. What is fear? I mean, we can all define it for ourselves. I'm afraid of spiders and heights, and we all have our own individual definitions of what fear is for ourselves. But what does it mean to really fear something? Is every fear equal to every other, simply because it is such an individual emotion? Are there some fears that are fundamental to all of us, that are shared, and thus possibly more weighty than others?
The immediate answer is OF COURSE. My fear of spiders does not equal in weight to someone who is battling cancer to their fear of death. Or to a seeker of asylum who has witnessed atrocities you and I cannot imagine, but that are so indelible in their minds that the mere mention of sex, or rape, or torture or siblings can illicit an emotional response. And if you add to that a continued terrorizing for more than a decade, fear can take on a whole different meaning.
I learned, while in Dadaab, that fear often manifests itself in desperation--desperation to alleviate themselves of the acts that evoke such an emotion. Desperation, in turn, results in doing anything they can to remove themselves from the environment that is the catalyst of such emotion. Doing anything results, often, but not always, in fabrication of details. Fear is a tricky thing, indeed.
I reviewed my client's case file for the first time tonight. The interviews with the Asylum Officer (AO) who denied her asylum claim initially, leading to her placement in my hands. I looked at this initial file, which was thin and which will become thicker and more compelling as the semester moves forward, with a remarkable amount of fear. Here it is, sitting before me, page after page, a client's life. A person's life. A woman's fear. And the true knowledge of the responsibility that has been given to me has begun to sink in.
We all (I hope. Oh good God I hope) know what happened in Rwanda. And if you're sketchy on the details, I encourage you to read "We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families" by Philip Gourevitch--because it is a history that we should all be aware of. Entire families, entire villages being slaughtered. In homes, in town squares. In churches where people looked to their God, their Christian God, for protection. Children who watched their parents and siblings murdered in the most basic and gruesome ways. Governments who sat back and allowed this to happen. Who continue to allow this to happen. This is the history of my client. This is the fear she possesses.
You'd think, on first glance, that this case should be a slam dunk. I mean come on, it's RWANDA for god's sake. But the laws of asylum are complex and they are not friendly, or in favor of those seeking refuge. It's been 13 years since the end of the official genocide, but the fear persists, and for good reason. As we have all seen with the case of Kenya recently, governments are fragile, particularly those that have had a history of adversity. Rwanda is no exception, and the killing and torture and persecution have not ended.
I think fear can be healthy, in certain situations. I think the fear that I have about my upcoming endeavor is absolutely essential, acting as an impetus for me to perform every task to my absolute best ability. So I am not ashamed of it. And it's important to respect fear--while recognizing the many faces it can take.
This will be a battle...but one that I am ready to take on. Because as cheesy as this may sound, for every fear there is truth, it's just a matter of finding it.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
WOOHOO!!!
I got assigned my first client today! A woman from Rwanda..
Everything is starting and I'm wonderfully excited!
Everything is starting and I'm wonderfully excited!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
The Beginning of the End...YAY
I have posted, over the past year and a half, many posts disclosing my reservations about my time in law school. I often wonder how I got into a school as prestigious as my l'il law school. And I often wonder if I deserve to be here. But the bottom line is that I am here, I have tried to make the most of it (in my non-overachiever way). I have kept my eye on the reason why my law school was #1 on my list. Today, I get the chance to begin to represent a client seeking asylum in the US. Their last effort. I am their last chance. This is what it comes down to, in my last 4 months. And I could not be more ecstatic.
I start my final semester tomorrow with my 10 credit clinic orientation. It is a moment that I have worked for fatefully since my parents exposed me to the first instance in realizing the value of humanity. It is a moment of realization of what comes full circle--the work I did in Somalia that has defined who I am as an advocate. It is the moment that I realized I had a calling that does not involve, at least for eternity, reviewing documents in a law firm. It is the moment that I realized I have the ability to impact a life, lives, for a lifetime.
I have struggled with my place in this life--this firm life. And I think I have finally found a place to be. I get to represent an asylum seeker in their last gasp. Their last effort. And I am their advocate.
I learned from my remarkable father the joy that comes from being a champion of people who can't be their own. And it's a quality he's instilled in me since early childhood. We are not meant to judge based on what those less fortunate can afford--we are meant to judge on what is fantastic and significant in all of us. And we do it in an eye that is compassionate.
In a year where I have questioned so much, this is my opportunity to do something great. Wish me luck. The only thing, I've learned, that defines all of us is ourselves. We can strive to be better, prettier, more successful than the rest. But at the end of the day, the only person we answer to is ourselves. I think there is great struggle in that. For the first time in a long time, I am not succumbing to that. And it is liberating.
My mama asked me if I was, at some point, destined for Sudan--based on all of my last exploits. She asked me this in a tenuous and painful voice. In a mother's voice. I looked at her, candidly, and said "of course". I don't want to make her cry, but I know sometimes I do, and I also know that I am the most supported gal in the world. And that is priceless. How much does Sudan and representing my unknown client have in common? Who knows, but what I do know is that this coming semester will be amazing. And I have to people to thank for that.
I start my final semester tomorrow with my 10 credit clinic orientation. It is a moment that I have worked for fatefully since my parents exposed me to the first instance in realizing the value of humanity. It is a moment of realization of what comes full circle--the work I did in Somalia that has defined who I am as an advocate. It is the moment that I realized I had a calling that does not involve, at least for eternity, reviewing documents in a law firm. It is the moment that I realized I have the ability to impact a life, lives, for a lifetime.
I have struggled with my place in this life--this firm life. And I think I have finally found a place to be. I get to represent an asylum seeker in their last gasp. Their last effort. And I am their advocate.
I learned from my remarkable father the joy that comes from being a champion of people who can't be their own. And it's a quality he's instilled in me since early childhood. We are not meant to judge based on what those less fortunate can afford--we are meant to judge on what is fantastic and significant in all of us. And we do it in an eye that is compassionate.
In a year where I have questioned so much, this is my opportunity to do something great. Wish me luck. The only thing, I've learned, that defines all of us is ourselves. We can strive to be better, prettier, more successful than the rest. But at the end of the day, the only person we answer to is ourselves. I think there is great struggle in that. For the first time in a long time, I am not succumbing to that. And it is liberating.
My mama asked me if I was, at some point, destined for Sudan--based on all of my last exploits. She asked me this in a tenuous and painful voice. In a mother's voice. I looked at her, candidly, and said "of course". I don't want to make her cry, but I know sometimes I do, and I also know that I am the most supported gal in the world. And that is priceless. How much does Sudan and representing my unknown client have in common? Who knows, but what I do know is that this coming semester will be amazing. And I have to people to thank for that.
I live from my father's example, and my parent's support. And I cannot wait to see what this semester brings. Wish me luck...
Sunday, January 06, 2008
New Favorite for 2008
I've become completely obsessed, in the last few weeks, with the FoodNetword--as mentioned earlier in this blog. I got into a conversation this evening with my friend M about my love for Bobby Flay (I find him strangely attractive) and her equally as passionate hatred for him. So as I was researching (note: stalking) BF online I stumbled upon one of the most amusing blogs I've discovered thus far: Veiled Conceit.
It's hilarious. And while I understand that some people might not feel as comfortable pointing and laughing at other people's wedding announcements in the NY Times, as a single 28 year old woman who at times needs tools of procrastination, I personally have no problem with it.
Hope the first week of 2008 has been good to everyone!
It's hilarious. And while I understand that some people might not feel as comfortable pointing and laughing at other people's wedding announcements in the NY Times, as a single 28 year old woman who at times needs tools of procrastination, I personally have no problem with it.
Hope the first week of 2008 has been good to everyone!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Reflections...Again
Vermont is a good place to think. It's quiet and peaceful. On snowy days, like those we've had the past week, it's easy to become enveloped in the silent blanket of white that falls for hours. Over glasses of wine, wrapped in a balnket on the couch after everyone has gone to bed, in the days just before the current year wraps its way to a close, the time is ripe for contemplation.
Most recently I've found my mind wandering back to Somalia. For those who may not have stumbled upon this humble blog until recently, it began as a journal of my days in a refugee camp on the border of Somalia--merely a way to keep people informed about my whereabouts, thoughts, struggles and successes of the work that I did while I was there. Now, almost 18 months later, I find myself wandering back to that experience and thinking about the country that left such a profound impact on me, even without stepping foot within its borders.
Somalia has been called recently the "other Darfur" by Time magazine. Somalia topped their list of 2007's most unreported newstories. Am I surprised? No. I would have been blown off my seat if, after 17+ years, Somalia had suddenly shot to the top of the list. But what's been interesting has been the slowly creeping importance of Somalia in the outer pages of the news we read most--stories topping the Washington Post and NYT's Africa sections dealing with Somalia, a story recognizing a region of Somalia, Somaliland, as a possibly independent government, and a fucntioning one at that by the Pentagon. Recognition of the refugee crisis that is ensconcing villages, towns, cities, generations of this country's people. The reminder in November of this year of the United States' failed campaign there in 1993 when 2 Ethiopian soldiers were dragged through the streets, much in the same way American soldiers were more than a decade before.
Somalia is not easily forgotten, as it has never truly been recognized. We, being those outside of E. Africa, have easily ignored the vast refugee surge into Kenya that has created over 1 million refugees since 1991. Somalia has lacked a functioning government since the same time, yet has retained a seat in the UN regardless of the indecencies it has inflicted on its people since the conflict began. It is lawless and frightening, a breeding ground for the terrorists that the US, with GWB at its helm, has sought to combat.
And through all of this hopelessness, the country lingers at the forefront of my mind. In D.C., my life tends to be...a blur. A complex mix of classes, work, journal, friends, life, self searching while remaining fabulous STUFF that inhibits my ability to really think about the things that mean something to me. I listened to an interview with Huckabee this morning (God help all of us if he gains the Republican nomination) where he spoke about valuing ALL humans as equals, every life valued, regardless of race, religion, national origin etc equally. I could not help thinking what a maddening and audacious statement this was. I wondered if he had thought, before making this statement, about the people outside of the US who we have allowed to descend into a place of hopelessness and despair for the fundamental reason he declared we should value each and every person.
In two weeks I begin my last semester of law school. Typically the semester where 3Ls throw caution to the wind, take late day classes, celebrate for 4 months at night the culmination of their studies, and, for me, the semester where I get the chance to represent my first client: an asylum seeker who is looking to me to advocate their very last chance to remain in this country based on past and potentially future persecution in the country from which they came should they return. I necessarily think of the experience on the border of Somalia, the current state there, the people I met. And I hope, with extreme and unrestrained audacity, that others think of it too.
On my parent's porch in Vermont, sipping wine and watching the snow fall, this is what I'm thinking about. Maybe not the most uplifting way to ring in the New Year, but perhaps not the worst way either.
Most recently I've found my mind wandering back to Somalia. For those who may not have stumbled upon this humble blog until recently, it began as a journal of my days in a refugee camp on the border of Somalia--merely a way to keep people informed about my whereabouts, thoughts, struggles and successes of the work that I did while I was there. Now, almost 18 months later, I find myself wandering back to that experience and thinking about the country that left such a profound impact on me, even without stepping foot within its borders.
Somalia has been called recently the "other Darfur" by Time magazine. Somalia topped their list of 2007's most unreported newstories. Am I surprised? No. I would have been blown off my seat if, after 17+ years, Somalia had suddenly shot to the top of the list. But what's been interesting has been the slowly creeping importance of Somalia in the outer pages of the news we read most--stories topping the Washington Post and NYT's Africa sections dealing with Somalia, a story recognizing a region of Somalia, Somaliland, as a possibly independent government, and a fucntioning one at that by the Pentagon. Recognition of the refugee crisis that is ensconcing villages, towns, cities, generations of this country's people. The reminder in November of this year of the United States' failed campaign there in 1993 when 2 Ethiopian soldiers were dragged through the streets, much in the same way American soldiers were more than a decade before.
Somalia is not easily forgotten, as it has never truly been recognized. We, being those outside of E. Africa, have easily ignored the vast refugee surge into Kenya that has created over 1 million refugees since 1991. Somalia has lacked a functioning government since the same time, yet has retained a seat in the UN regardless of the indecencies it has inflicted on its people since the conflict began. It is lawless and frightening, a breeding ground for the terrorists that the US, with GWB at its helm, has sought to combat.
And through all of this hopelessness, the country lingers at the forefront of my mind. In D.C., my life tends to be...a blur. A complex mix of classes, work, journal, friends, life, self searching while remaining fabulous STUFF that inhibits my ability to really think about the things that mean something to me. I listened to an interview with Huckabee this morning (God help all of us if he gains the Republican nomination) where he spoke about valuing ALL humans as equals, every life valued, regardless of race, religion, national origin etc equally. I could not help thinking what a maddening and audacious statement this was. I wondered if he had thought, before making this statement, about the people outside of the US who we have allowed to descend into a place of hopelessness and despair for the fundamental reason he declared we should value each and every person.
In two weeks I begin my last semester of law school. Typically the semester where 3Ls throw caution to the wind, take late day classes, celebrate for 4 months at night the culmination of their studies, and, for me, the semester where I get the chance to represent my first client: an asylum seeker who is looking to me to advocate their very last chance to remain in this country based on past and potentially future persecution in the country from which they came should they return. I necessarily think of the experience on the border of Somalia, the current state there, the people I met. And I hope, with extreme and unrestrained audacity, that others think of it too.
On my parent's porch in Vermont, sipping wine and watching the snow fall, this is what I'm thinking about. Maybe not the most uplifting way to ring in the New Year, but perhaps not the worst way either.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Relief
My semester has ended, finally, and I've made it to the land of milk and honey (or snow and salt, whichever the case may be). And I realized I have ONE MORE EXAM to take before I graduate. Which is kinda kick ass.
It's great to be home, and I am looking forward to 10 days of relaxing--I would like to read 2 full books while I'm home (any suggestions????), frolick in the snow with Phoebe the Dog, maybe go sledding in the 2 feet of snow we have, hang out with my entire family who will be home together in the first time since before I left for Mali in 2002 (and yes, I am once again the only single person. Sweet).
I think it's going to be great. Except for having to go to the dentist while I'm home for a tooth issue. Other than that, it's definitely going to be great.
Happy holidays everyone--I hope the warmth of the season finds everyone who reads this in the same wonderful way it has found me.
It's great to be home, and I am looking forward to 10 days of relaxing--I would like to read 2 full books while I'm home (any suggestions????), frolick in the snow with Phoebe the Dog, maybe go sledding in the 2 feet of snow we have, hang out with my entire family who will be home together in the first time since before I left for Mali in 2002 (and yes, I am once again the only single person. Sweet).
I think it's going to be great. Except for having to go to the dentist while I'm home for a tooth issue. Other than that, it's definitely going to be great.
Happy holidays everyone--I hope the warmth of the season finds everyone who reads this in the same wonderful way it has found me.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Dear Blog Friends...
Please write something on your blogs so I have something to read. It's v. lonely without scintillating stories I can procrastinate with (In my studying stupor that sounded kinda dirty. heh). But you know what I mean.
I'll be all of your best friend.
Love,
DLS
I'll be all of your best friend.
Love,
DLS
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Ho Ho Ho
This is one of the greatest things this holiday season. I'll post the one of my sis and her hubby as an example. But go Elf someone you love at: www.elfyourself.com.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Had To Do It
Am I procrastinating from listening to the third hour of the corporations lecture? Yes.
Have a lot of people already seen this? Yes.
Is it still funny (at least to people who are still taking exams)? Yes.
Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_RSQSYgGB4
Have a lot of people already seen this? Yes.
Is it still funny (at least to people who are still taking exams)? Yes.
Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_RSQSYgGB4
The Small Things Make It All Better
So, exams suck. It goes without saying. And the thing that makes them a little more bearable are the flurry of emails that go around every now and then with some sort of amusing tidbit that acts as a distraction from the hell that we are all experiencing in solidarity.
One of the many ways that people review for exams, and one of the "aids" that law schools provide are review courses that are put on video through a company called BarBri. BarBri is also the company that most law students pay excessive amounts of money for upon graduation to use as their Bar review course, essentially teaching you all of law school in 7 weeks. Every day a video (or live professor, depending on the location/state bar you're taking) gives a 4-5 hour lecture on a certain subject. Corporations, Torts, Contracts, Civil Procedure, Tax, Securities Regulation and so many more are all covered. It's the same at the end of the semesters in law school. A schedule goes out showing where and which courses will be shown at law schools around the city, and anyone who's a member of BarBri can go and watch the video with a group of folks all taking the same class. The videos are general--since there are a bazillion different text books created for every class, the videos are meant to give you a skeletal outline of the major points of the course, regardless where you take it.
My first year a group of 5 of us went to most of these sessions--generally at Catholic Law school and sometimes at American--and we would role in with our coffees, hook up internet, get into a chat room for the next 8 hours and watch this video. There are a couple of gems out there--Professor Epstein teaching Contracts (I think) was one--the man looks like the crazy pelican from the Little Mermaid and consumed close to a 12 pack of Coca Cola over the 8 hour review video. He often lunged out of frame when he was trying to make a point, and occasionally colided with the plant in back of him. And the best part is, they film these videos in empty studios, decorated to make it look like they're in a classroom full of students, and the professors PRETEND there are students to whom they're lecturing, which adds to how hysterical these videos are. By the end of 1L year my video posse and I would go to the classes just to see which professor would win the prize for absolutely most hysterical (It was Epstein. Ep, as he's now lovingly referred to).
This week I'm studying for Corporations. My last exam, 4 hours, closed book. I mean, I'm taking it pass/fail, but we've been conditioned to freak out and cram regardless of whether we were taking these exams for a grade ever. I decided to do a search and see if there were any upcoming corporations BarBri reviews, knowing that if not, I could always go to their offices downtown and podcast any of the subjects. When I put "BarBri" into Google THIS popped up, and it is seriously one of the best spoofs I've seen in a long time. While I understand that some non-law/non-barbri folks might not appreciate the full hilariousness that this is, I assure you, the actual BarBri videos are, in fact, often this ridiculous.
This video almost made me laugh as much as the flashcards from last semester. It really is the small things that make all the difference....
One of the many ways that people review for exams, and one of the "aids" that law schools provide are review courses that are put on video through a company called BarBri. BarBri is also the company that most law students pay excessive amounts of money for upon graduation to use as their Bar review course, essentially teaching you all of law school in 7 weeks. Every day a video (or live professor, depending on the location/state bar you're taking) gives a 4-5 hour lecture on a certain subject. Corporations, Torts, Contracts, Civil Procedure, Tax, Securities Regulation and so many more are all covered. It's the same at the end of the semesters in law school. A schedule goes out showing where and which courses will be shown at law schools around the city, and anyone who's a member of BarBri can go and watch the video with a group of folks all taking the same class. The videos are general--since there are a bazillion different text books created for every class, the videos are meant to give you a skeletal outline of the major points of the course, regardless where you take it.
My first year a group of 5 of us went to most of these sessions--generally at Catholic Law school and sometimes at American--and we would role in with our coffees, hook up internet, get into a chat room for the next 8 hours and watch this video. There are a couple of gems out there--Professor Epstein teaching Contracts (I think) was one--the man looks like the crazy pelican from the Little Mermaid and consumed close to a 12 pack of Coca Cola over the 8 hour review video. He often lunged out of frame when he was trying to make a point, and occasionally colided with the plant in back of him. And the best part is, they film these videos in empty studios, decorated to make it look like they're in a classroom full of students, and the professors PRETEND there are students to whom they're lecturing, which adds to how hysterical these videos are. By the end of 1L year my video posse and I would go to the classes just to see which professor would win the prize for absolutely most hysterical (It was Epstein. Ep, as he's now lovingly referred to).
This week I'm studying for Corporations. My last exam, 4 hours, closed book. I mean, I'm taking it pass/fail, but we've been conditioned to freak out and cram regardless of whether we were taking these exams for a grade ever. I decided to do a search and see if there were any upcoming corporations BarBri reviews, knowing that if not, I could always go to their offices downtown and podcast any of the subjects. When I put "BarBri" into Google THIS popped up, and it is seriously one of the best spoofs I've seen in a long time. While I understand that some non-law/non-barbri folks might not appreciate the full hilariousness that this is, I assure you, the actual BarBri videos are, in fact, often this ridiculous.
This video almost made me laugh as much as the flashcards from last semester. It really is the small things that make all the difference....
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Things to be Thankful For
I wrote a post last night that I have since removed, I thought it too personal about someone other than me. But my mama and sis read it, and I'm glad they did, because it was about my sister who I love more than any gal on earth and who I am more proud of than anyone--and her recent struggles as a mentor, teacher, humanitarian, savior and friend have made me think about the things we all can be thankful for.
This month has proved to be a challenging one for many people who I am closest to. My sister who is struggling with the decisions she makes about her students--what is right, what her role in their lives is, the power that she wields. And she has made nothing but the best, right and most difficult choices. My great and unwavering friend H, whose 34 year old boss has just been diagnosed with a cancer that is rare, and progressive. And terrifying. She has been thrust into a role at work that is overwhelming and often lonely. He has been thrust into a fight for his life that will change everything. And that will give all of us pause. And finally my great friend M, whose mama is battling another cancer, which is the greatest fear I think any child can imagine. And she faces it with honesty and pause and grace.
The three gals are three of the strongest I know. And I love them all, and know that my role in each of their individual struggles is, in it self, individual. But it has made me think of all the things, this holiday season, I am thankful for. I am thankful for the fact I have these relationships and that they mean so much to all of us. And that we all have shoulders to lean on. I am more grateful than anything about the family in which I was raised, that has allowed the development of strength and hope in the person that I am. And I love that I can look at my friends and see the amazing women they are--cultivated through family, love, hardship, and friendship.
Storms rage around us on a daily basis. I am thankful that within the eye of the worst, there are refuges for all of us. And I hope, more than anything, that I can act as a small one for my closest folks. There is joy in the air, amidst the struggle. And that is what we need to inhale deeply while pushing through the rest.
This month has proved to be a challenging one for many people who I am closest to. My sister who is struggling with the decisions she makes about her students--what is right, what her role in their lives is, the power that she wields. And she has made nothing but the best, right and most difficult choices. My great and unwavering friend H, whose 34 year old boss has just been diagnosed with a cancer that is rare, and progressive. And terrifying. She has been thrust into a role at work that is overwhelming and often lonely. He has been thrust into a fight for his life that will change everything. And that will give all of us pause. And finally my great friend M, whose mama is battling another cancer, which is the greatest fear I think any child can imagine. And she faces it with honesty and pause and grace.
The three gals are three of the strongest I know. And I love them all, and know that my role in each of their individual struggles is, in it self, individual. But it has made me think of all the things, this holiday season, I am thankful for. I am thankful for the fact I have these relationships and that they mean so much to all of us. And that we all have shoulders to lean on. I am more grateful than anything about the family in which I was raised, that has allowed the development of strength and hope in the person that I am. And I love that I can look at my friends and see the amazing women they are--cultivated through family, love, hardship, and friendship.
Storms rage around us on a daily basis. I am thankful that within the eye of the worst, there are refuges for all of us. And I hope, more than anything, that I can act as a small one for my closest folks. There is joy in the air, amidst the struggle. And that is what we need to inhale deeply while pushing through the rest.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
"I Mean, I Only Pyschoanalyzed Her a Little, Not Extensively, But This is What I've Decided"
I've been chastised by EA for not posting anything on here since it snowed. There's no more snow in DC. Apparently that means it's been a while.
But to be honest, I don't have much to say smack in the middle of exams. I get up, trek to school, sit in the same place for 13-15 hours, trek home, sit on the couch and continue to study while the food network is on (Unless it's Rachael Ray. Or Giada _____. They both smile so much they kinda look like they're on drugs. Ok, in reality, I only like the Iron Chef. But I've only just started getting into the food network, so I have a lot to learn) and then I go to bed. And repeat. Sometimes an exam breaks up the sitting in the same place.
God, that last paragraph kind of bored ME! Go watch this--my posse in the journal office and I have been watching it continuously since it's just so amusing.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=we9_CdNPuJg
I'll try to be back this weekend when I have some time to, I don't know, rediscover the outside world.
But to be honest, I don't have much to say smack in the middle of exams. I get up, trek to school, sit in the same place for 13-15 hours, trek home, sit on the couch and continue to study while the food network is on (Unless it's Rachael Ray. Or Giada _____. They both smile so much they kinda look like they're on drugs. Ok, in reality, I only like the Iron Chef. But I've only just started getting into the food network, so I have a lot to learn) and then I go to bed. And repeat. Sometimes an exam breaks up the sitting in the same place.
God, that last paragraph kind of bored ME! Go watch this--my posse in the journal office and I have been watching it continuously since it's just so amusing.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=we9_CdNPuJg
I'll try to be back this weekend when I have some time to, I don't know, rediscover the outside world.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Slip Sliding Away
As it did for much of the Northeast this week, the weather turned on our fair Capitol yesterday and delivered 12 straight hours of light snow. 12 hours of snow anywhere else would most likely result in at least...7 or so inches. Not so in DC. We only had about 2 inches, but it was lovely nonetheless.
I love snowy days, and I especially love them in the city. A normally loud and crowded area becomes peacefully quiet, where people move more slowly and everything takes on a more welcoming feel with the buildings and cars and trees and parks enveloped in this new blanket. Even though it snows every single winter in DC, at least a couple of times, no one knows how to deal with the snow any better each time it falls, city authorities being the worst. So people just stay close to home, which is nice.
I went for a walk around 8:15pm last night--the snow had slowed and the flakes that were falling were the billowy large flakes. Not many people were around, no sidewalks had been shoveled. Walking down past the row houses with the Christmas trees all lit up and the snow falling and the quiet was a lovely way to wind down a busy day holed up studying for exams.
When I left the house this morning I was reminded of why snow in DC is nice during the period of time that it is falling, and that's about it--there are no city wide mechanisms for clearing snow. In Vermont, you can go to bed with snow falling to beat the band and by morning a foot or more of snow has been plowed off most major (and not so major) roads, sidewalks, driveways etc. In DC, the snow sits there and freezes into an ice skating rink the size of...well...the city. I walked to the metro this morning, normally a brisk 8-10 minute walk--it took about 25 today. As I teetered in my snow/ice-inappropriate Pumas calculating each step while watching cars slide and skid to stops at lights and stop signs the only thing I could think was "omgomgomg please don't let me fall and break my laptop!!!! It's almost EXAMS". Having had a hard drive crash 2x now in exam periods, I am highly protective of my little machine. 4x in about 7 blocks a foot went out from under me, but using my cat-like (HA!) reflexes I saved myself each time.
I think I might deposit a shovel and bag of ice on each of my neighbor's doorsteps for the holidays with an instructional note on how easy it is to clear the paths in front of their homes...or maybe I'll just get a better pair of shoes...I'm thinking crampons..
I love snowy days, and I especially love them in the city. A normally loud and crowded area becomes peacefully quiet, where people move more slowly and everything takes on a more welcoming feel with the buildings and cars and trees and parks enveloped in this new blanket. Even though it snows every single winter in DC, at least a couple of times, no one knows how to deal with the snow any better each time it falls, city authorities being the worst. So people just stay close to home, which is nice.
I went for a walk around 8:15pm last night--the snow had slowed and the flakes that were falling were the billowy large flakes. Not many people were around, no sidewalks had been shoveled. Walking down past the row houses with the Christmas trees all lit up and the snow falling and the quiet was a lovely way to wind down a busy day holed up studying for exams.
When I left the house this morning I was reminded of why snow in DC is nice during the period of time that it is falling, and that's about it--there are no city wide mechanisms for clearing snow. In Vermont, you can go to bed with snow falling to beat the band and by morning a foot or more of snow has been plowed off most major (and not so major) roads, sidewalks, driveways etc. In DC, the snow sits there and freezes into an ice skating rink the size of...well...the city. I walked to the metro this morning, normally a brisk 8-10 minute walk--it took about 25 today. As I teetered in my snow/ice-inappropriate Pumas calculating each step while watching cars slide and skid to stops at lights and stop signs the only thing I could think was "omgomgomg please don't let me fall and break my laptop!!!! It's almost EXAMS". Having had a hard drive crash 2x now in exam periods, I am highly protective of my little machine. 4x in about 7 blocks a foot went out from under me, but using my cat-like (HA!) reflexes I saved myself each time.
I think I might deposit a shovel and bag of ice on each of my neighbor's doorsteps for the holidays with an instructional note on how easy it is to clear the paths in front of their homes...or maybe I'll just get a better pair of shoes...I'm thinking crampons..
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Random Bouts of Being a Moron
Law exams have the tendency to make people a little crazy. Add to exam time the "thrill" of trying to get an issue of Journal to the presses and crazy turns into downright...insane.
For example: My editor-in-chief (EIC) and I have spent countless days and nights at the office working on the final proofs to the articles being sent to the printer. Being our first issue, the last month or so has been an exercise in patience working with the authors, editors and 2Ls who are all integral to finalizing and perfecting the articles that are going to print. EIC and I have tweaked things somewhat from last year's process. For example, by the time article come to us, there is a certain expectation that there will be minimal errors since each article has gone through multiple edits, has been seen by NUMEROUS people, and has been read and re-read (theoretically) by people at least 4 times. Changes should be minimal. This year, EIC and I have decided that if the work that has been done below is incorrect/incomplete, we will send it back down to the 2Ls/editors to fix within 24 hours. That's worked well. What we did not expect was for articles to come to us in a state of such disrepair that we would be spending multiple hours re-bluebooking the citations, highlighting the sources, and editing/adding footnotes to the text. As a result of this, EIC and I have gone a little nutty and now have the "who has found the most egregious mistake" game that keeps us amused for hours. So far, I'm ahead, having found a citation within the text that had been overlooked by at least 4 sets of eyes, and a short form of the citation as that (I recognize this is not going to make sense to most readers. But trust me, it's bad). What used to be annoyance on EIC's part and mine has now turned to absolute hilarity scaring editors and 2Ls in the office whenever we come across one of these...slip-ups.
Another fun result of exam time is the pervasive feeling of being pulled in 67 directions at once (and with all the journal fun from above, it's more like 89 directions), while trying to make sure that everything is being paid on time, studied completely, noted diligently, and generally taken care of. I had the lovely reminder that this is not as easy as I would like to believe when I emailed my landlord this afternoon making sure my rent check had arrived safely--I was concerned since it has not been deposited as of this afternoon. Here's our exchange:
Hi L, I wanted to touch base and make sure you received my rent that was sent on Friday, November 30, 2007 since I had not seen it deposited. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving, DLS.
Response: Hi DLS--I did receive the check (Oops!!! Sorry for not letting you know!!!) but have not deposited it yet because you neglected to sign it.
Right. Awesome. My new morning checklist will now go something like this:
Laptop, check. Power cord, check. Keys, wallet, cellphone, check. Ability to fill out 4 lines on a check that is no larger than 3x7 inches so I can continue to inhabit my lovely apartment? Let's f*cking hope so.
At least the Starbucks folks have started giving me my free daily exam-time coffee to help counteract my moments of idiocy...I'll let you know if it helps..
For example: My editor-in-chief (EIC) and I have spent countless days and nights at the office working on the final proofs to the articles being sent to the printer. Being our first issue, the last month or so has been an exercise in patience working with the authors, editors and 2Ls who are all integral to finalizing and perfecting the articles that are going to print. EIC and I have tweaked things somewhat from last year's process. For example, by the time article come to us, there is a certain expectation that there will be minimal errors since each article has gone through multiple edits, has been seen by NUMEROUS people, and has been read and re-read (theoretically) by people at least 4 times. Changes should be minimal. This year, EIC and I have decided that if the work that has been done below is incorrect/incomplete, we will send it back down to the 2Ls/editors to fix within 24 hours. That's worked well. What we did not expect was for articles to come to us in a state of such disrepair that we would be spending multiple hours re-bluebooking the citations, highlighting the sources, and editing/adding footnotes to the text. As a result of this, EIC and I have gone a little nutty and now have the "who has found the most egregious mistake" game that keeps us amused for hours. So far, I'm ahead, having found a citation within the text that had been overlooked by at least 4 sets of eyes, and a short form of the citation as that (I recognize this is not going to make sense to most readers. But trust me, it's bad). What used to be annoyance on EIC's part and mine has now turned to absolute hilarity scaring editors and 2Ls in the office whenever we come across one of these...slip-ups.
Another fun result of exam time is the pervasive feeling of being pulled in 67 directions at once (and with all the journal fun from above, it's more like 89 directions), while trying to make sure that everything is being paid on time, studied completely, noted diligently, and generally taken care of. I had the lovely reminder that this is not as easy as I would like to believe when I emailed my landlord this afternoon making sure my rent check had arrived safely--I was concerned since it has not been deposited as of this afternoon. Here's our exchange:
Hi L, I wanted to touch base and make sure you received my rent that was sent on Friday, November 30, 2007 since I had not seen it deposited. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving, DLS.
Response: Hi DLS--I did receive the check (Oops!!! Sorry for not letting you know!!!) but have not deposited it yet because you neglected to sign it.
Right. Awesome. My new morning checklist will now go something like this:
Laptop, check. Power cord, check. Keys, wallet, cellphone, check. Ability to fill out 4 lines on a check that is no larger than 3x7 inches so I can continue to inhabit my lovely apartment? Let's f*cking hope so.
At least the Starbucks folks have started giving me my free daily exam-time coffee to help counteract my moments of idiocy...I'll let you know if it helps..
Friday, November 30, 2007
Things That Make Me Smile
Everyone says that the third year of law school is supposed to be a breeze: a lot of people have jobs (thankfully I do--but I'm now working part time at The Firm over the semester), you're winding down on the resume building activities (I should have remembered to do that before deciding to accept the position of managing editor of my journal), you can take the fluffy law classes since most of the bar classes would have been taken 2L year (oops..I did that the other way around. No wonder I enjoyed last year so much..). Anyway, point being, I generally have just enough time/inclination in the morning when I'm getting ready to leave the house to grab a pair of yoga pants and tennis shoes and run out of the house. I wear a shirt too, equally as whatever. To make my appearance even MORE attractive, while I was reading an article in my Self mag that J gets me a subscription to every year (and I put it to really good use: browsing through the exercises I think 'huh, those look like they would work' just before putting it down to continue reading Con Law) I came across this article on how you know if you need a new hairstyle: answer 5 questions. If you answer 3 or more "Yes", then it's time for a new haristyle. I answered all 5 of them Yes. My favorite being:
"Do you throw your hair into a bun or ponytail every morning before leaving the house even if you're not going to the grocery store/yoga class/gym?".
Ummmm.
Anyway, as sad as it might make some folks (mom), I put very little effort into how I look on a day to day law school existence basis (but I know she loves me any way I look!). I'm ok with that. I am sure the man of my dreams will like me equally as well in yoga pants as all dolled up. I hope.
So a couple of Saturdays ago when A's wedding rolled around, H and I decided it might be fun to make ourselves pretty (and by "make" I mean pay someone to do it for us). Pedicure for the first time since August (I know! Blasphemous!): check! Haircut/blowout for the first time since....April (?): check! Pretty new dresses and shoes and accessories: check! We figured it would be a long long time until either of us got to attend another wedding at the National Cathedral, so we could justify the splurge (not that we generally need that much justification).
H looked AMAZING in a floor length gown with her hair completely straight (anyone who knows her knows just how curly her hair is. I looked, I thought, fairly passable (we're all our own greatest critics). As we were standing on the side of the road trying to hail a cab at 3:15pm dressed like this, I assumed that we probably stuck out a little bit. And then my phone rang. It was my friend Ian who had passed us and just wanted to say that he thought "we looked absolutely stunning". Aww. Ian can always be counted on for a remarkably kind word for his ladies.
The wedding came and went, it was fantastic. Today, sitting at work, hair in a bun, wearing no make up (only the best for The Firm! At least I'm not in yoga pants...) one of my favorite associates was walking by. AO is a 7th year associate, he's remarkably put together, fills rooms with his presence. He's an Immigration attorney so I've gotten to know him well this fall sitting across from most the Immigration folks in my cube. He stopped when he got to my desk and did the following:
"Ms. DLS--where do you live"
"Umm. 17th and T. Why?"
"Well, a couple of Saturdays ago I was right on 17th and U walking to a hair cut and I could have sworn I saw you--but I don't know if it was you since you didn't say anything to me"
"Well, AO, did you say anything to ME?"
" No honey, I didn't. And let me tell you why" (AO is slightly...flamboyant. Which I love). " You were standing there, and I know it's you now for sure looking at your eyes right now, but you were standing there trying to hail a cab, dressed to the nines with those EYES. I don't know what you did to them, but you should do that more often!" (Note: it's called makeup).
" Aww, thanks AO--I was headed to a wedding"
"Well, you looked incredible! So striking so striking" (this part was said as he zipped away from my desk).
The exchange was hilarious (to me) but one of those super fun, unexpected, exchanges that kinda made me smile. While I may look like sh*t 97% of time, it's nice to know I can still pull it off when it counts, or at least some people think so. ;)
"Do you throw your hair into a bun or ponytail every morning before leaving the house even if you're not going to the grocery store/yoga class/gym?".
Ummmm.
Anyway, as sad as it might make some folks (mom), I put very little effort into how I look on a day to day law school existence basis (but I know she loves me any way I look!). I'm ok with that. I am sure the man of my dreams will like me equally as well in yoga pants as all dolled up. I hope.
So a couple of Saturdays ago when A's wedding rolled around, H and I decided it might be fun to make ourselves pretty (and by "make" I mean pay someone to do it for us). Pedicure for the first time since August (I know! Blasphemous!): check! Haircut/blowout for the first time since....April (?): check! Pretty new dresses and shoes and accessories: check! We figured it would be a long long time until either of us got to attend another wedding at the National Cathedral, so we could justify the splurge (not that we generally need that much justification).
H looked AMAZING in a floor length gown with her hair completely straight (anyone who knows her knows just how curly her hair is. I looked, I thought, fairly passable (we're all our own greatest critics). As we were standing on the side of the road trying to hail a cab at 3:15pm dressed like this, I assumed that we probably stuck out a little bit. And then my phone rang. It was my friend Ian who had passed us and just wanted to say that he thought "we looked absolutely stunning". Aww. Ian can always be counted on for a remarkably kind word for his ladies.
The wedding came and went, it was fantastic. Today, sitting at work, hair in a bun, wearing no make up (only the best for The Firm! At least I'm not in yoga pants...) one of my favorite associates was walking by. AO is a 7th year associate, he's remarkably put together, fills rooms with his presence. He's an Immigration attorney so I've gotten to know him well this fall sitting across from most the Immigration folks in my cube. He stopped when he got to my desk and did the following:
"Ms. DLS--where do you live"
"Umm. 17th and T. Why?"
"Well, a couple of Saturdays ago I was right on 17th and U walking to a hair cut and I could have sworn I saw you--but I don't know if it was you since you didn't say anything to me"
"Well, AO, did you say anything to ME?"
" No honey, I didn't. And let me tell you why" (AO is slightly...flamboyant. Which I love). " You were standing there, and I know it's you now for sure looking at your eyes right now, but you were standing there trying to hail a cab, dressed to the nines with those EYES. I don't know what you did to them, but you should do that more often!" (Note: it's called makeup).
" Aww, thanks AO--I was headed to a wedding"
"Well, you looked incredible! So striking so striking" (this part was said as he zipped away from my desk).
The exchange was hilarious (to me) but one of those super fun, unexpected, exchanges that kinda made me smile. While I may look like sh*t 97% of time, it's nice to know I can still pull it off when it counts, or at least some people think so. ;)
Thursday, November 29, 2007
**Clarification**
My post about Scalia, and how great it was to have him come to speak to us is not the following:
"Now that DLS has been graced with a S.C. Justice's presence in a class means that DLS agrees with everything Scalia says, thinks and does from the bench or from the podium in the front of the classroom".
No no, dear readers. It is simply a recitation and recognition from a lowly law student that it's admittedly kinda cool to have one of The Nine chatting with us.
I retain my liberal, sometimes irrational, always present views on many things and while the 75 minute visit was fantastic, it did not send me running across the aisle into the arms of the conservative viewpoints.
Carry on...
"Now that DLS has been graced with a S.C. Justice's presence in a class means that DLS agrees with everything Scalia says, thinks and does from the bench or from the podium in the front of the classroom".
No no, dear readers. It is simply a recitation and recognition from a lowly law student that it's admittedly kinda cool to have one of The Nine chatting with us.
I retain my liberal, sometimes irrational, always present views on many things and while the 75 minute visit was fantastic, it did not send me running across the aisle into the arms of the conservative viewpoints.
Carry on...
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
I've done it...
Thanks to GT's post and my DC friends browbeating me into it...I've joined facebook...
AND I'M ADDICTED. No one can hide from me!
AND I'M ADDICTED. No one can hide from me!
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