what do i do?

In case you're wondering what I'm doing these days, I'm doing legal research and writing for a federal judge in . I'm not getting paid, but I'm learning how to write. The judge I'm working for is great. He's personable and accessible and his clerks are patient and give great feedback on my work. I also work as a deputy in the court, assisting in case management and scheduling. Sorry, I can't say much more than that.


This is the building I would normally work in, but it's being remodelled right now.

first day

The people are nice, but the highlight of my first day at work was seeing a film crew shooting "Law and Order" on my way into work. You know the after-trial meeting on the steps of the courthouse? They were shooting that. I saw Sam Waterson and he looks younger in person.

Fusion

So we're here in NY... safe and warm.

Last night we ate at a fusion place, Chinese Cuban. It was interesting, I had a oxtail stew + black beans and yellow rice. The Wife had fried chicken with fried plantains and we shared yucca fries. It was definitely more Cuban than Chinese, but still a little bit asian and little latino... sorta like Stef Sun's future kids.



Earlier in the day we ducked into a tiny dive of a restaurant in Chinatown, Mei La Wah for 70 cent baos and tea. It had the greatest signs posted on the wall. "No Spitting," "Not Responsible for Personal Property," and our personal favorite, "CPR Kit Available at the Counter." The guy behind us obviously didn't read the no spitting sign.

i could almost hear him laugh

The Wife and I are in full-on panic mode right now. Actually, I'm completely fine. She's in panic mode, so I have to pretend that I'm panicking so she feels better. We're cleaning, we're packing, we're stressing. It's ironic that people clean the hardest before they leave a place. I can't remember when our house has been more organized.

Last night I got together with some old friends to eat, play board games and watch Smallville. Kristie was nice enough to host it, and Garrett and Siobhan brought me a Transformers t-shirt. Yay for good friends We also played a new game by the cranium people which was pretty fun and brought out the old school Balderdash. The funny thing about Balderdash is that you don't ever learn the real meaning of the word... you only remember the fake definitions. Dowitcher... Avuncular... Phillumenist.

I had a meeting with an attorney downtown (I'm helping with a website) before the potluck so I was a little dressed up. And on the way to Kristie's I stopped by to see Dennis' grave. (I'm still have to force myself to type it... I tried, "place", "plot" and some other euphemisms.) After three months the ground is still a little torn up. There is still a patch of dirt, but the grass is starting to grow back. You can see the brackets left from the funeral and the sod still has telltale marks of being recently replaced. [Insert your own analogy here]

There isn't a permanent stone yet, just two yellow, potted chrysanthemums and a small glass marker with a name and dates. It was a little freaky being in the cemetary as the sun was going down. It was starting to rain and nobody else was there except for a whole murder of crows. Anyways I knelt down to wipe accumulated mud off the marker so I could take a picture for an out-of-town friend... and I got pooped on by a bird.

I muttered, "crap" and could almost hear Dennis laughing at me. The beat-down laugh.

Sigh of relief

Winter 2007 finals finished
ten hours of finals in two days, twenty-three pages typed.
Equal Protection, four hours, eight pages.
White Collar Crime, three and a half hours, six pages.
Employment Discrimination, three hours, nine pages.

I think law school is like an eating disorder where you binge and purge. You spend ten weeks cramming stuff into your brain and then four hours spitting it all back out and hope it makes sense.

:: stomach roll call ::

We went to Takohatchi's for dinner to celebrate. I swear that place is getting too popular for its own good. The food there sucks people, don't bother eating there. (wink)

finals!

11 hours. Constitutional Law --> Equal Protection.
I've got my 20-page outline and my list of cases.

mios dios!

Hacia fuera me tensionan. Tengo finales el venir para arriba, uno el lunes y dos el martes. Entonces después que tengo embalar y trasladarse a Nueva York por tres meses. Tengo una maleta, yo espero que sea bastante.

Caden Joshua

My Nephew
20.5 inches
7 lbs
March 7, 2007 10:23 am


baby... yum.


black bean baby... yum.