Saturday, April 30, 2005

Yesterday, Last Night & Today

Briefly though.

YESTERDAY:

Met up with The Ex and 2 good friends (Captain Kate of the 5th Armed Bucket Brigade and her fiancee). Had lunch then saw the Hitchhiker's movie. A full review is in order though I don't have time for it right this instant. Look for a review later tonight or tomorrow. As for yesterday itself, was okay. I'm very glad my friends were there to lend support, conversation and viewpoints. I owe them. As for The Ex, well, I don't want to air her recent personal tragedy here. Let's just say she was a bit down (understatement) but didn't bring us down and was generally pleasant. However, I did realize that I have absolutely no interest in hanging out with her. At all. Period.

LAST NIGHT:

I was playing my game (World of Warcraft, WoW) as usual. I've been trying to get this one item (the Lightforge Breastplate) for a looooooong time now, something on the order of a month, maybe more. It's the last piece I need(ed) in the Lightforge set. Last night, on a UBRS (Upper Blackrock Spire) raid, I GOT MY LF BP!!!! *angels singing* ::me doing my happy dance:: I'm the second person in my guild (The Enclave) to put together an entire class set. (First one was Elidor, a mage.)

Also, a few guildmates and I have started planning on an Onyxia raid Wed. next week. Hopefully we can get enough people and make this thing work. Would be awesome if we could form a set, weekly Onyxia raid. Maybe then expand to a Molten Core one too. We'll have to see.

TODAY:

I'm currently sitting in my Fed Tax Review. Just question & answer. I'm here for the osmosis principle. After this, I call up The Girl and we're gonna catch The Hitchhiker's movie. (My 2nd viewing.) Probably hang out afterwards too.

Yesterday, when I realized that I have no interest in hanging with The Ex, I also realized that I enjoy hanging out with The Girl. Naturally, that begged the questions - "Why? What's different here?" This leads into a consideration of the breakup (to be fair, she dumped me) between The Ex and myself and why, in retrospect, I'm glad we're not still going out. (The short, dirty version is that I don't think The Ex is necessarily a nice, considerate person at heart. In retrospect, I could see this manifested in a few ways. No more details forthcoming here.) In contrast, The Girl is quite nice and shares a bit more with me. Shares as in love of movies, movie preferences, humor and general attitude. I feel like we get each other. Plus she's considerate, very much like I think (hope?) I am. (Much like I aspire to be, perhaps.) I'm not sure if I'd say we 'grok' each other but it's heading towards that (I think).

So today should be infinitely more *fun* than yesterday. I'm looking forward to it.

I'm starting to freak out now over the things I need to do within the next 2 weeks or so. 'Course I did this to myself, as always, so I really don't have a position from which to complain. (And I honestly try my best not to complain, at all.) I'll have to start working with the "pick 'em up, put 'em down" theory and push through the work. (Theory derived from Stephen King's novella "The Long Walk.") It's about time.

Friday, April 29, 2005

"Six pints of bitter," said Ford Prefect... "And quickly please, the world's about to end."

REJOICE! THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY MOVIE COMES OUT TODAY!

[Singing of 'Hallelujah.' Angels part the clouds hanging overhead and look down in supreme wonderment and amusement.]

Seriously, I've been waiting for this movie for over a decade. I first learned of THHGTTG (or H2G2) in old AOL Bingo Parlors. When '42' showed up, everyone typed it in. It was a tribute to the 5-book trilogy and its author, the inimitable, and unfortunately late, Douglas (Noel) Adams. I first received the book about a month or so after my 13th birthday when I was given it as a present for having reached the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts. Little did I know at the time that the series would have such a far-reaching effect on me. Even to this day, Douglas Adams remains one of my favorite authors and THHGTTG as one of my favorite books/series. I've read all 5 books at least 5 times and it gets better every single time.

I am quite excited for the movie and *will* see it this afternoon.

Now the counterpoint. I am going to see it this afternoon, not by myself but with another person or two or three. And who might these people be? Let's start with The Ex (the one from 1 year ago, a law student) and throw in a sometimes-friend into the mix. I anticipate that today's dynamics, amongst us, will be incredibly bizarre and not a little odd or strange. So I'm happy to see the movie and a little bit scared for the people with whom I shall see the movie. The one way the dynamics could be improved, only slightly that is, is if the friend, Monty, brings her 'new' boyfriend along too. Might throw things on an even keel. But then it might resemble a double-date and good lord that ain't right. ::sigh::

And if any of the people speak during the movie, I will kill them. Succinctly and without much noise. Talking during this movie is or will be sacreligious and punishable by instant, red-hot (quiet) death. No questions asked, no exceptions allowed. You have been warned.

Oh yeah, in other news, I'm going to see this movie AGAIN tomorrow afternoon with The Girl. Que interesante. At least that viewing will definitely be easygoing and light. Fun.

So, in summary.. GO SEE THE HITCHHIKER'S MOVIE. NOW. (GO!!!!!!) And I may see you at subsequent screenings of it. I am positive that I shall see this movie no less than 3 times in the theater, possibly more. IT'S HITCHHIKER'S!!!

[Cheering, jumping around, bouncing on the couch.]

Thursday, April 28, 2005

An Accident

Today was my last day of law school classes. However, that's not what this post is about.

For dinner today, a friend & I went to Braza for their special - ribs & a beer for $7. This post is not about that either.

After dinner, I walked back to my apt. As I approached the Farmington Ave. / Sherman St. intersection, I saw that traffic was at a standstill. Looking to the right, towards the Northwest corner, I saw a few people gathered, a car stopped and a police car in the right lane (near the curb) with its lights flashing. Apparently a car hit some guy, as he was crossing the street I imagine. The "guy" in question was around my age and laying prone, on his stomach, near the curb. As I passed on the opposite side of the street, I heard sirens approaching. An ambulance arrived and subsequently a fire truck as well. The fire truck audaciously stopped, lights flashing, in the middle of the intersection, blocking all traffic from moving anywhere. As for me, I carefully crossed Farmington Ave. and returned to my apt.

I'm not sure precisely why I relate this to you. Be careful crossing the street? Look both ways? Where clean underwear when you go out? Connecticut city drivers are maniacs? Farmington Ave. is at a standstill right now? I hope the person who was injured is okay? I saw this on my walk back and it serves as an interesting and mildly notable observance? All of these are "reasons" though I can't put my finger on the exact one that incited this post.

In the end, the accident serves as an interesting counterpoint to something. I'm not sure what but I know it's a counterpoint. Maybe to life, the universe and everything. Any ideas?

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

"Did he just say..."

Pure instantaneous terror. Have you ever had a point in your life where pure, instantaneous terror set in? I had one of those moments this morning.

Picture this.

It's the last class for my Right to Privacy Seminar. The professor, whom I have mentioned elsewhere on this blog, is wrapping up. It's been a terrific semester. Great class. Etc. It seems like he's honestly happy with how the course went and with us. (Yay for us.) By this point, I've exited Microsoft Word on my computer and am prepared, once he's finished, to power it down and pack my things up.

The prof. then says something to the effect of "I want to mention a website I found this semester that you should look at." A few more words and he starts writing on the board. At this juncture I've perked up a little, thinking: "Okay, a website on privacy law. Cool. Let me open up my class notes and jot it down." I try to predict the website as he's writing it on the board. I see an "s" -- hmmm.. Secretary of something? I don't know. The next letter is an "e". Followed by an "a", "s", "o", and "n".

And my stomach bottoms out as I realize what he's writing. "Season of Mists." Oh my G-d. Did he just write my blog's title on the board in front of the whole class? Oh my G-d! At this point, I'm just stunned and trying desperately not to smile too noticeably or turn a heretofor unseen bright shade of red. The prof.'s comments on the "website" are nothing but complimentary and encouraging. I remember the word "insightful" was used at one point. Oh my G-d. He wrote my blog's title on the board. My mind just raced in circles, trying to comprehend or, failing that, catch up.

I'm not sure if I'm happy or upset with this turn of events. I have to thank the prof. for his kind words. I was completely shocked and taken back. It's one of those things that I would never have anticipated in a million years. Just beyond my predictive abilities, completely. I know that at least a few if not most or all of the students in the class will make it to this blog now. It's the kind of thing where I write these posts and throw them out into the ether without expecting them to boomerang back to me in the real world. I've had it happen once before, in the Fall a 1L complimented me on the blog at a meeting. But wholesale advertisement to a small group of students by a third party professor?!?!? Wow.

So, to those UConn Law students from my Right to Privacy Seminar who are reading this, Hello! Hope you find the site to your liking!

To my prof. who so skillfully (he never hinted that the "website" was the blog of a student sitting in the class, nor did he provide any explicit or detailed description of the website's content) and kindly advertised this blog's presence, thank you. I appreciate your thoughts and thank you in kind for an excellent seminar!

And to all those who meet neither of the above, thanks for stopping by! I hope your stay is a pleasant one! Cheers!

The Afterlife According to Buffy

This morning I was watching a rerun of an early Season 6 Episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ("Buffy" or "BTVS"). At the end of Season 5, Buffy dies due to supernatural forces. At the beginning of Season 6, Willow, die Uber-Witch, brings Buffy back to life, pulling her back to "this" existence from the afterlife. The big revelation that comes about a few episodes later in Season 6 is that Buffy was in Heaven, not some horrible Hell dimension as Willow et al. supposed her to be. This causes some personal and psychological problems for Buffy since she was perfectly content in the afterlife. She'd saved her friends, done her job as the Slayer and a good person. "It was [her] time."

I provide this story by way of introduction. Let us suppose there is an afterlife. (That is, let us *not* discuss whether or not there is an afterlife or whether or not you personally believe in an afterlife.) What do you suppose the afterlife is like?

Jean-Paul Sartre said "Hell is other people." Do you suppose there is a dichotomy, a Heaven and a Hell?

I rather like Buffy's description of where she was before Willow pulled her back to the tv-show dimension. She was content. At ease. Peaceful. Serene. What if Heaven isn't so much a place as a state of mind? What if the reward for leading a "good" or "just" life, "admission" to Heaven, is really admission to a sense of peace? That would be pretty cool, no?

As for Hell, well, I'd like to think I've read a little on suggested interpretations. Not Dante's Inferno but other things like Neil Gaiman's Sandman and others. IMO, Hell could take one of two forms: physical and lesser mental punishment OR harsh mental punishment. The former is the usual, customary vision of Hell is torturing its inhabitants. The latter would be more serious, fraternity-hazing-like activities. If Heaven is a sense of peace, then Hell could be the opposite of that - an unending sense of discomfort or terror. Find something the person cares about and exploit that fear to forever punsih the person. True torture, less emphasis on physical pain. A bit dark but terribly effective.

Personally and outside of the framing of the issue, I'm not sure whether I believe there is an afterlife or not. It's one of those big questions to which I never formed a succinct opinion or viewpoint. The question also doesn't bother me really. One of those things over which I have absolutely no control and, barring actual evidence, over which I cannot informedly opine.

In any case, some random musings from Buffy-watching.

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Question

(As I sit in the class..) Can anyone tell me why I signed up for Federal Income Tax?

By the way, I am a firm believer in learning by osmosis. At this point, it's either that or dumb luck. (I find the latter to be a fickle mistress indeed.)

"Who Are the Top 20 Legal Thinkers in America?"

Legal Affairs Article.

Note the clear absence of anyone whose first name is Alan. (I DEMAND A RECOUNT! DEMAND I SAY!)

(Courtesy of the [non]billable hour.)

Favorite Words & Phrases 'o Mine

..that I so rarely (get to) use.
schadenfreude

grok

wampeters

foma

granfaloons

detritus

loquacious

All Your Base Are Belong To Us (AYB)

schattenjager

Garbage's New Album: Bleed Like Me

Garbage (the band, not the refuse) very recently released their fourth album (the first three being: Garbage [self-titled], Version 2.0, and Beautiful Garbage). Me being a *big* Garbage fan, I picked up the album last week for my weekend trip. I also listened to it quite a few times and have hence formed a conclusion on/of it.

If you like Garbage's music in general, chances are you'll like this album. It doesn't have the original rock/punk edge of their first album. It doesn;t have the techno-like feel of their second album. It doesn't have the weird pseudo-rock of the third album. Rather it has elements of all of them and more. To me it feels like more of a return to the roots of their music, more like the first album than any other since. Even so, the new songs are quite unique and different stylistically.

I must say that the songs tend to carry what I will call the "soulful" elements of Garbage's music. Unabashedly disturbing at times and always very honest and heartfelt. I have to say that this particular aspect is what continually pulls me back to their music. The lyrics are so interesting and often poignant that I find the mix of music and words is truly engaging. A rarity in today's music world.

My favorite song thus far is the title song of the album, Bleed Like Me. Here's a link to the lyrics for that song. I encourage you to check them out. The song itself I find to be soulful and deep. It discusses various.. I'm not even sure how to categorize all of them. Various activities? That fails to do them justice. Various (usually) self-inflicted, negative activities perhaps. The category is comprised of: anorexia, gender confusion, cutting, therapy, and drinking. A very interesting song and quite melodic to boot.

Anyways, if you like Garbage's other albums, check this one out.

The Beginning of the End

Today marks the beginning of my last week of law school. 4 more classes (not counting review sessions) and I'll be finished! To be honest, it hasn't quite sunk in yet which is fine by me. I've got too much left to do to be happy about this. 4 papers (only 1 rough draft completed) and 2 exams to go. Even though I should probably be scared shitless, I'm not too worried. I tend to take things in 'baby steps,' as What About Bob? put it. Today I'm sending out my NY Bar Exam Application and attending 2 classes. Tomorrow it's 1 class and then working on a paper or two, maybe some tennis. Etc. One step at a time, no panicking, no incoherent mumbling of 'ohshitohshitohshit...' followed by binge drinking. Nope. Just cool, calm, even-handed, methodical thinking coupled with action.

(But secretly inside I scream.) (A lot.)

Saturday, April 23, 2005

In Passing / Happy Passover!

Just a quick note so you know I'm still alive.

Happy Passover!

I leave for my grandparents sometime relatively soonish. I return equally soonish.

Got a phone call from The Girl last night. Spoke with her for ~1.5 hours. Next week should be interesting. More on that when I return.

Gotta run. Time flies when you're trying to get on the road.

Sunday, April 17, 2005

Hurrah!

Today I'm going to Six Flags Great Adventure with a few friends! I've never been to this particular Six Flags (the one in Springfield, MA). Growing up, whenever we went it was to the one in New Jersey. I guess it was closer? In any case, *completely* unlike any other day, as opposed to doing anything productive, today I shall do something fun. Hurrah!

Saturday, April 16, 2005

After The Day

As hinted at before, here may be found your drunk post of the evening. I must apologize for not being quite as drunk as planned or intended. The drinks were a little weak at The Fling and try as I might, even after 4.5 of them I wasn't quite so drunk as possible or hoped.

A hearty thank you to the friends that came to dinner and those that made it to The Fling afterwards! 'Twas a good time and a happy birthday. Thank you much!

I suppose my head is throbbing a bit if that's anything.

And my head keeps hitting the keyboard. Time for it to hit a pillow.

Friday, April 15, 2005

A Day of Days

Today should be a rather interesting, if not fun, day.

It's my last full day of work. I'm going in once more next week but that's for the monthly lunch presentation and I don't get paid for that. (Sucker that I am...)

It's Income Tax Day.

It was Easter Sunday in 1979. (The import of this shall be apparent shortly.)

Tonight is the second and final of my law school's semi-annual semi-formals. The Spring Fling! I rather enjoy these things and I'm looking forward to this one.

Best of all, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! (Etc.)

Before the Spring Fling, I'm going out to dinner with a bunch of friends. Then most of us are proceeding on to the Spring Fling. I sort of coopted most of said friends that are going into going. (I was offered the option of a normal party but I want to go to the Spring Fling. Hence, they shall suffer drunkenly if not cheerfully.) Tonight should be one protracted alcohol-laden affair. There's really not much more you can ask for. If I can (if I have sufficient wits about me and remember), I'll put up a drunken post when I return from the soiree.

Off to work I go! The work part won't be fun today. But the dinner, drinking and dancing that follows it.. well, that will be a good time.

Cheers!

ADDENDUM: Check out Google's main page for a new Google Holiday Logo celebrating Leonardo da Vinci's birthday (1452).

Other famous people sharing my birthday (source) include: Leonhard Euler (1707, Mathematician), Henry James (1843, Author), and Jeffrey Archer (1940, Author &c.). Happy Birthday to them!

Famous people who died on my birthday (source) include: Abraham Lincoln (1865), John Singer Sargent (1925), Jean-Paul Sartre (1980), and Greta Garbo (1990).

Here is Horoscope.com's take on today. Apparently Emma Thompson and Emma Watson also share my birthday. I like Today's Motivational Quote: "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. -- Abraham Lincoln." I find it terribly ironic that they chose a Lincoln quote for the birthdays of the day on which he died (though I suppose "killed" is slightly more accurate).

I think my Onion Horoscope is infinitely more amusing, however. I'd also like to note that it's nice to see that The Onion is as irreverent as ever. (Note the Pope-related stories in their April 13, 2005 issue, Vol. 41 Issue 15.)

That issue of The Onion also has advice on Preparing a Living Will. It's an excellent piece! I have to quote one of their nuggets of wisdom:
If, in the event of a catastrophic brain injury, you wish to be taken off life support and kept out of the guardianship of your overprotective Catholic parents, underline those directives over and over with a thick red pen and then highlight them in bright yellow.
Think Schiavo and thank The Onion.

Enough additional musings for now. I would have put all or some of this in separate, additional posts only I want my birthday post to stay at the top of the page until at least late tonight when I hope to supplant its position with a drunken post. (That is, a post while drunk not a drunk post itself since we all know those posts are light-weights.) Yeah, yeah, I'm a bit gamey right now. But it's my birthday so deal! [11:43 AM]

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Musings of a Post-Apocalyptic Nature (Among Other Things)

Long stretch of classes for me this week. Usually I have 3 classes "in a row" so to speak (one is a morning class that takes place the day after my evening class). This week I also have a 4th make-up class to being with. Ugh. At least the make-up class was for an *excellent* course and I enjoyed it, notwithstanding the 9am start.

In other news, the ex (from last year) has reinitiated contact. Chances are I'll go with her to see the new Hitchhiker's movie when it comes out at the end of April. I think I'm at least somewhat masochistic. A good friend of mine merely said I wasnt vindictive but I'm betting masochism plays into this as well. How can it not?

Though, for the record, I think I'm also a little sadistic. I don't know that it balances, probably masochism wins out. Still, the sadistic side rears its head occasionally to excellent effect.

As the title intimates, I had thoughts of a post-apocalyptic nature recently. I just finished watching (again) the movie Reign of Fire. There, we have Christian Bale & Matthew McConaughey in a dragon-infested, post-apocalyptic world. Plus, last night's Family Guy episode on Comedy Central was the Y2k one where Peter founds New Quahog after Y2k destroys life as they know it. Both had me thinking..

Were you to be in charge of organizing and setting up a new, post-apocalyptic society, how would you go about it? What would you do?

Me? I would establish a (my, possibly) leadership. Then you pick a direction, a goal. Chances are we'd need to get our hands on some guns for protection. We'd also need to establish some reasonable expectations of labor and progress along with some notions of punishment. Some form of control though one unlike or, at least, less policing intensive than what we have nowadays. I'd also make knowledge a strongly stressed subject. Library books, expertise, knowledgeable persons, those assets are the greatest of all. With knowledge, almost anything can be accomplished, even rebuilding and reconstruction. It'd be tricky, for sure. However, with a few guiding lights, it would be possible and at least moderately (at least temporarily) successful.

Other movies and television series spring to mind. Jeremiah (series). The Terminator movies (especially Terminator 3). Stephen King's The Langoliers (made-for-tv movie). Battlestar Galactica (series). Road Warrior & Mad Max. I know there are others but they're not coming to mind as yet.

Anyways, 'tis a fun gedanken experimenten.

Top Ten Laws I Want To See Enacted

10. Free coffee before 10am for law students.

9. Law school siesta from 3pm to 5pm. Free beer supplied on-campus during this time.

8. Free coffee after 10am for law students.

7. As an option to the coffee, Peach Diet Snapple will also be available.

6. All paper requirements for graduation and courses shall be null and void.

5. The temperature shall remain a steady 60 degrees Fahrenheit with light, if any, wind. The sun shall shine as well.

4. World of Warcraft shall be deemed an addictive stimulant, though legal. However, smoking is illegal if undertaken within 50 feet of my person.

3. There shall be established a new law school course. The course requirement is to attend a different movie every week in the movie theaters. There is no discussion requirement, paper requirement or final exam. Mere attendance shall suffice. This is a seminar and, hence, will not carry the B-median.

2. The Federal Tax course is now null and void.

1. Third year students expecting to graduate shortly shall be exempt from everything.

Friday, April 08, 2005

"Live fast, [love hard], and leave a beautiful corpse."

I substitute [love hard] for "die young" since the latter never seemed all that appealing to me.

First, the genesis of this post. As may happen, I was searching for a post topic. (You think these things just write themselves?!?!?) Be that as it may, I returned a phone call to The Girl. See last night, while I was otherwise indisposed *cough*playingmygame*cough* The Girl called and left me a voicemail, inquiring about a movie-theater-watching tonight. When I spoke with her today, she told me her grandfather had died last night. T'was a very brief coversation but the short and dirty version is she's now busy so (obviously) no movie & maybe I'll hear from her in a week or so. Sounds about right. Hence, my thoughts turn to more morbid musings.

As I posted here long ago, my personal experience on this front is with my dad, who died a little over 4 years ago. I remember all of that time very well, as I expect I shall for the rest of my life. Being Jewish, the funeral was 2 days after he died, friends & family etc. No wake. Sitting shiva for the following week.

Two things 'bothered' me about the whole thing. First, one week is a long time to publicly grieve and be grieving. At some point you just want that part to end and things to go on as normal as they can. Second, I highly disliked the phrases and words people offered. I know it was all meant to be supportive and as 'helpful' as possible but I found them to be more disconcerting than anything else. Lots of apologies, since there's really not much you can say. "I'm sorry..." But the words don't really mesh with the sentiment. You're sorry he's dead, ok fine, but don't 'faux-apologize' to me. For my part, I refused to 'thank' anyone for their words. When they offered them, I nodded or said something noncommittal. Never "thank you" because I didn't want to thank them for my dad's death. I know it's very odd logic (or perhaps an odd lack thereof) but that was my view and I stick to it.

In response to my latter view, the words I offer are rather limited. "I'm sorry to hear that" or the like. "My deepest condolences." also works. And I don't poke or prod too much about it. And I myself feel a bit disconcerted in having to deal with other people's grief. I never quite know how they feel or what sort of reaction is their preferred one so I play it neutral and calm, somewhat dispassionate but hopefully not cold or insensitive. I don't think I'm all that squemish about death but it's just I don't know how much "coddling" others want (or don't want) and what exactly my role in that should be. ::shrug::

My last thought for this post -- If you were to die now, would you have any regrets and would you care if you did? Me, I don't think I'd have any. I'm pretty satisfied, thus far, with what I've done and where I've been. I haven't done anything truly amazing though I've had a great number of memorable and interesting experiences. Where I am is fine and I haven't done anything I'm truly ashamed of (I think..). Personally, I think it's important to live life as you wish to, within the confines and limits you accept, so that you are content and have no serious regrets. Sure there are things I would like to do and experience but I learned long ago that you don't always get what you'd like. It's a bit fatalistic but you get what you get or you get what you've earned for yourself. Varying definitions in here but the sentiment is the same. And I don't have any qualms as far as I can delineate.

So please pardon the morbidness of this post. For my part, I don't feel particular morbid at the moment and I honestly don't consider this post to be all that morbid. (How many times can I use the base "morbid" in one paragraph?)

I can remember one particular night as a kid, somewhere between ages 7 and 12, where I "realized" we all die and I ran downstairs to my parents. I cried for a bit before going back up to bed. Sometime after that, I think I got used to the idea. I don't think Death frightens me per se or that I truly fear it. That's not to say that I don't want to live if at all possible and will try to continue living. No, rather just that the concept doesn't do all that much for me.

It's there, somewhere in the future, for all of us, but if that's all we know then why let it bother us at all? Hey, at least it'll have been a good run. What more can you ask for?

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

"Oh What A Beautiful Morning!"

"Oh what a beautiful day..."

I absolutely love these mornings. You step outside into the soft, early light. It's a bit chilly, Spring on the air, yet you know that the day will warm up and become oh so nice by mid-day, early-afternoon. Birds sing their hearts out, the various songs lightly floating on the air. The sun shines down, soft still in the morning, poking through and around what few puffy clouds roam the skies. The day itself is lazy but not Summer-lazy, Spring-lazy with a hint of anticipation. Everyone is happy that Winter is over and the snow is gone for at least another 6 months. Yet the year is renewing itself and Summer, the supreme break of every year, is still on the way, still in the future.

These are the days.

Coffee Smugglers 'R Us

Anyone else feel even slightly bad or 'evil' for smuggling coffee into the library in a Dunkin' Donuts non-spill-proof container?

No?

Me neither.

Monday, April 04, 2005

Another Brick in the Wall

Well, I just gave two weeks notice to the firm for which i intern. The school year is winding down (or up in terms of work load) and if the firm isn't going to make me an offer (which they ostensibly will not), there's little reason for me to stay on any longer.

Very short backstory. There were two of us interns, both of whom had worked for the firm for approximately 1.5-1.75 years. The firm made an offer to the other intern who turned them down to work for another firm that had a department for the intern's preferred specialty. The firm did not make me an offer, as noted earlier here on this blog.

Today I did inquire why I was not extended an offer. The reason given was my background. They made an offer to the other intern due to the intern's bio-chem background. At the moment, the firm is seeking an experienced EE (Electrical Engineer) and doesn't have the time (or apparently the desire) to train anyone (namely me). One might argue that I'm actually a decent bargain considering I would take a lower salary and, by virtue of my two years with the firm, have already received a good amount of practical training. My learning curve would be much shallower than an equally unexperienced law school graduate. But nevermind that. Obviously my theory is fundamentally flawed in some nonobvious manner. Obviously.

No, no, my B.A. in Physics and soon-J.D. are not enough for me to get a job with the firm with whom I have worked interned for two years. Nope. I do need to pass the Patent Bar, without question, but it's difficult for me to believe that I'm non-credentialed to work for the firm with whom I've been an intern. There's just something counterintuitive to that. Something ill-fitting or misplaced.

Also, I've never given two weeks notice before. Only once before did I leave a job before circumstances forced me to (e.g. school, end of summer, end of break). That one time I was temping for a hotel in Stamford. My job was to sit at a desk and look busy while not being caught surfing the web and not reading a (my) book. After 1-3 hours of this, I decided that my time, although otherwise unutilized, was worth more than being paid to do nothing. I called up the Temp Agency and told them I wasn't going back the next day. I'd rather be paid less to actually do something rather than be paid a little more to do nothing and look busy while I do it.

Anyways, in 16 days I am done with the firm. I've learned a great deal. I can research like it's my job, which it will probably be at some point. I know a good deal about various aspects of intellectual property law and feel confident that I am capable of profficiently working in the field. Too bad the firm disagrees with me.

I suppose I'll have to find a firm or law office that doesn't disagree with me. Then I would have a job. And that would probably be a good thing. Because then I could probably afford a new computer. And maybe a new car next year. And I should probably consider paying back my law school loans. And I have some credit card bills that merit attention if not payments. And there's also the BarBri and PMBR fees. Yeah, a job would be a good thing. Probably.

O-klahoma!

Last night The Girl & I saw Oklahoma! at the Schubert in New Haven. She'd gotten the tickets about 2 months ago when, I believe at that time, she'd still been together with her ex-fiancee-of-twice. Prior to the show, we had dinner at Hot Tomato's nearby. Good eatin'.

The musical was fantastic! Very well done & very enjoyable! I hadn't seen Oklahoma! before so the plot, characters, etc. were all new to me. Separately, the plot and characters themselves were okay. A bit black & white for my tastes but otherwise good. I mean after all, it's Rogers & Hammerstein so how could it be bad??? If you get a chance to see this production of Oklahoma!, I strongly encourage you to do so.

As for The Girl, I came to a conclusion last night. Namely, I have decided not to pursue things with her. Although a friend of mine, upon hearing my decision, was quick to point out some of the practical reasons this is a good idea, none of those influenced my resolution. Rather it was one thing and one thing only. [And btw, I wasn't going to include the reason here & now but I think I will, no matter that she might read this someday. I feel like I owe you, what few readers I have, the truth or some substantial portion thereof.] Basically, I don't think I'm attracted to her. We get along famously and have a number of common interests. With her I can just go off on one of my many tangents or just shut up and stay quiet. It doesn't matter. And I can entertain her as she can me. But I just don't think it'd work and I'm not one to pursue something merely because I can as opposed to because I want to. That's just not me.

There are other reasons beyond that big one. Things like me graduating (hopefully) in 7 weeks. Bar exam studying thereafter. Post-Bar(s) job TBD. The Girl's dubious history when it comes to relationships (ex-fiancee-of-twice for starters). Again though, those didn't weigh in to my decision or at least not much if at all. And from last night, it felt to me as though were I to pursue something, she would not be nonreceptive. Gotta love the double negatives.

For some reason, I'm not terribly settled at the moment. Either in that decision and/or in the amount of schoolwork I have left to do. I almost had a repeat of my sleepless Friday night last night. Almost just couldn't get to sleep. I think that if I don't start accomplishing things, I'm on my way to a nervous breakdown. I only hope I can do what I need to in order to graduate. I'm fairly sure I can, I have confidence in my abilities. I'm just not sure that I have the requisite self-discipline right now. At this point, I just want things to be over and done with so I don't have to worry any more. But I don't want to do what I must in order to reach that point. Odd dichotomy there. Makes me rather depressed, really. But hey, so it goes.

ADDENDUM: I was going to ask The Girl to the Spring Fling/Carnivale (the law school's Spring semiformal) on April 15 (my birthday nonetheless) but since I have opted not to pursue, I will not be inviting.

It is interesting (a wonderful euphemism for so many things) to recall, and not without some small measure of fondness, the previous two years' Spring semiformals.

First year we had two of them, Carnivale and Spring Fling, in that order. Both were fun though the latter bears a specific mention. It was at that year's Spring Fling that, for the first and only time in my life, I acted as a "wingman" for a friend. I managed to "distract" a friend's female date's attention so that the friend could dally with another maiden that day broken from her previous relationship. When the subject of this female date occasionally arises in conversation with said friend and his now-girlfriend, I cannot help but gloat and beam with pride at my short-lived, though satisfying, career as a wingman.

Second year's Spring Fling/Carnivale (an event with one name, Carnivale, and one connotation, Spring Fling) saw me meet a 1L woman (for in no way could she be called a "girl"). She and I struck up a conversation that lasted from the event, onto the bus and all the way to me walking her home. (Side note: Upon returning to my apt., I found a friend too drunk to drive waiting for me so that he might avail himself of my couch until he and sobriety could reencounter each other, allowing him to drive home.) The then-1L and I went out the following Friday, initiating a 5-7 week relationship which culminated with her ending it. She was the one who was my date for a friend's wedding last October, as mentioned in previous posts. That was the second time in my life that I was in a relationship. Although it was relatively short-lived, I feel as though I learned quite a bit from it and am a little more knowledgeable, if not stronger, for the experience. After the disastrous wedding date, she and I had not communicated until about a week ago when we spoke for 5 minutes in the hall. Believe me when I say there is no desire on my part to even think of reinitiating things with that ex. None at all.

Given the previous years' Spring semiformals, I can only hope that this year's is just as lively and interesting. After all, not only is it the 7th semiformal of my law school career but also my last. ::sniff sniff:: [12:16 PM]

Friday, April 01, 2005

The Past 24 Hours Or So..

..have been odder than usual.

But not much.

I routinely go to sleep late, often between 1 and 2 am or so, rarely before midnight. Last night I tried to go to bed around 2am or so. Only I couldn't fall asleep. For some reason, somehow, and even though I've never had this happen like this before, I couldn't fall asleep. I lay awake in bed for over 1.5 hours. I suspect that I eventually fell asleep for an hour or two (at most) before I woke at 7:30am.

I was supposed to go into work today. Needless to say, I did not. I could not. I know my body moderately well if not very well. I was going to crash. Crash I did, on the sofa, from 10am to 2pm. Out like a light. And back to a 'normal' schedule now, or so I hope. So I hope.

I played my computer game until 5:30pm. During that time I got a phone call. A good phone call. One from The Girl. And as a result, I shall be seeing the musical Oklahoma with her on Sunday. And getting dinner. [time lapse] And I just got off the phone after speaking with her tonight for an hour.

Also, earlier tonight I saw Sin City at the movie theater. I'll post a review tomorrow. Suffice to say I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. If the preview(s) appeals to you, go see it. It's very gritty and very comic book-like but nicely done. More on that tomorrow.

Also, the Battlestar Galactica Season Finale was tonight. It was okay. The requisite surprise ending of course, but otherwise like usual. Nothing too great or too shocking.

Enough for now. More tomorrow I hope. Unless I get to doing school work. Or playing my game. Or long phone conversations with The Girl. Then all promises are off. Except I haven't made any promises so I wouldn't break them to y'all. Hah. Suck on that! Or don't.