Tortfeasance

Ya'll Should Come Visit

2009-01-26T21:46:00.007-06:00

Ok, so once again I let too much time lapse since my last post. So much has happened - Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, the Sugar Bowl (woot - woot!), the inauguration etc., and yet things with me are so much the same. Still looking for a job with not much to show for it. I did decide to make a fresh start with the new year and try to make the best of my current situation. So far mixed results. Part of the problem has been the cold. See illustration above - click on second picture. That's right, your eyes do not deceive you, it says -22 and feels like -38. What does -38 feel like? Effing cold. Real effing cold. Why the hell did I (or anyone else) ever come to live in this god foresaken place cold. We started having car trouble (car not starting after sitting overnight in the cold) just before Christmas. I replaced our battery but the problem persisted. I took the car to the shop and told them "Just figure out what the problem is and fix it." Essentially handing the mechanic a blank check and an invitation to take me to the cleaners. After extensive testing which included leaving our car overnight so they could "simulate the conditions" they concluded that there was nothing wrong with our car. Still the problem persisted. The car wouldn't start until the temperature got into the double digits above zero. This was one thing when the car not starting in the morning ment a delay of a few hours, but a completely different matter when the temperature was not going to get to the crucial range for a period of days. We saw the problem coming and knew that once it wouldn't start we would either have to get it towed to the shop where they could then start it in the warmth of the garage and tell us nothing is wrong with our car or we could wait carless for five or six days for the temperature to move back into the low single digits above zero. Neither of those options seemed feasible so we opted for choice C - me getting up in the middle of the night to start the car and warm the engine. It was a long week.
I don't think I can face another winter like this without a garage. I may not want to face another winter like this period. I have looked into waiving into the bar in other states. So far I found out that I did well enough on the bar exam that I can waive into the Washington D.C. bar. As of tomorrow I will expand my job search to include D.C. I am even considering taking another bar exam in July. The economy sucks everywhere but some places are better than others. Utah is still home and ultimately probably where we'll end up. I'm just grateful that thanks to Patty's job, deferment options and interest only payments on my students loans I haven't been forced to take a job at my local Mc'Donalds...yet.

But seriously, ya'll should come visit. There's really nothing like a Minnesota winter.

Things I Hate

2008-11-21T13:29:00.007-06:00

1. That bitch on the bus.

2. Wind Chill.

3. BYU Football.

I am super excited/anxious for the big game tomorrow. I openly admit that I am way more emotionally invested in this game than I or anyone else has any business in being. I blame too much free time on my hands. I spend a lot of time job searching but I still have a lot of free time, and rather than using it for something constructive, say getting my learn on, or working out, I just find things to distract me. First it was the election and this week it has been the Utah - BYU football game. I have read every article and most of the comments to those articles in both the Deseret News and the Salt Lake Tribune. However the best article about the rivalry was from today's Denver Post. And no, I don't typically read the Denver post - I don't have that much free time on my hands - I came across it in the comment section of a SL Trib article. I could probably add to that list of things I hate the Mtn. television network. I am just thankful that I found a place that carries the station here in Minnesota. A rivalry match-up between two top twenty teams should not be found exclusively on some dinky hard to get station - this is ridiculous. After the game tomorrow I will have to come up with a new fixation. Any suggestions? Maybe I'll just double up on the finding employment fixation. I've joked about going into bankruptcy law - but that joke is becoming less and less funny as the economy continues to tank. Hmmm...

In other news - from the something you don't see everyday department, I saw something crazy the other day. I was walking the four blocks home from the local Caribou Coffee, when I glanced across the street and saw a large bird. Large birds are not unusual in are neighborhood - we see a lot of ducks and geese and a fair number of hurons. This however was a large bird of prey. Some type of hawk if you want to be specific. I crossed the street to get a better look. It was just chillin on the grass about ten feet from the street. It had killed something and was enjoying a late afternoon snack. At first I assumed it was a squirrel but as I got closer I could see that it had actually killed and was snacking on some type of bird. It was not too bothered by me and I was actually able to get within about six feet of it. I tried to take a picture with my phone, but unfortunately my phone is not really state of the art. Here is what I got:

Sorry if you have to squint to see it - it's the best I could do.

And last but not least here is your Friday music video:

Have a good weekend.

That was quick

2008-11-18T20:19:00.004-06:00

Boy - time flies! I wish I had more to show for the time since I last blogged. I have applied for a couple of jobs, no interviews...yet. We also went and saw Amos Lee last week - it was a great show.
This is not from the concert we were at but it gives you the general idea.

Other than that not much going on. So I guess I'll have to do what we do here in Minnesota when we don't have anything to talk about - which is most of the time - and talk about the weather.

Last week was the transition to winter. The are few things in life as depressing as the start of a Minnesota winter. At least we are easing our way into it. Although you know something is wrong when it is 25 degrees when you walk outside in the morning, and you think to yourself, "hmmm...not too bad." The cold is starting to creep in but no serious snow yet. I think we are going to have to take a trip someplace warm this winter. Damn, I really need to find a job.

Friday Roundup

2008-11-07T11:50:00.005-06:00

1. HOW BOUT THEM UTES?

Last night Patty and I met up with a couple of other alums/fans and managed to watch the game. What a game! There was a large portion of luck that went into winning this one (two missed field goals in the 4th quarter by TCU) but, as the saying goes, "I am a big believer in luck, and I have found that the harder I work the more of it I have." TCU was a great team and came to play. It took everything Utah had, including home field advantage, the blackout and intensity of the crowd to get the win, but the Utes deserve credit for hanging in there and pulling out the win. That last drive was clutch!

Four years ago when the Urban took the Utes BCS busting there was talk that it was a "once in a lifetime" season. While this year's team isn't as dominant as that 2004 team they keep on winning. I'm really looking forward to Nov. 22nd against the team down south. Now I just need to figure out how I'm going to watch it.

2. Back by popular demand. Well actually nobody demanded it or even really reads this stuff, (besides my wife that is), but here it is none the less - your Friday morning music video. In honor of President-elect Obama, and everyone who rejected the politics of fear and smear to help take our country back:

Have a great weekend!

Breaking News

2008-11-06T09:12:00.005-06:00

Continuing with the political theme, from "America's Finest News Source," The Onion:

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

More:

Nation Finally Shitty Enough To Make Social Progress

Failure to Blow Election Stuns Democrats

Click link for full story

The Morning After

2008-11-05T10:28:00.009-06:00

Wow what a night!

I was up until very late watching the returns - to no avail. The Franken and Coleman race looks like it's headed for an automatic recount - Coleman having apparently won by a mere 727 votes out of almost 3 million casts, - about .03% of the vote! The Oregon and Alaska races were also unresolved. Overall, it was a great night, but there were also a few significant disappointments.

Here in Minnesota, in addition to Obama not being able to carry Franken to a win, Michele "Joseph McCarthy" Bachmann of Hardball fame was actually reelected. Pretty embarrassing, but thankfully she is not my representative. My representative is Keith Elison - a black Muslim, which tells you how liberal Minneapolis is.

It's looking like Senator Stevens is going to be reelected in Alaska - probably the first time a convicted felon has been reelected to the United States Senate (although I haven't checked).

By far however, the most disappointing result of the night was the approval of prop. 8 in California. That a state which overwhelmingly favored the election of the first African American POTUS, choose to deny a group of people important rights and privileges enjoyed by the rest of society based on an inherent condition is disappointing to say the least. I have yet to hear a coherent argument that explains how allowing same sex couples to have the same rights and privileges granted to my wife and I would threaten or demean my marriage. On a night in which all Americans can celebrate how far we have come we were reminded that we still have a ways to go.

Indeed, one of the thing that I find most striking about the debate over same sex marriage we have been having in this country over the past few election cycles is how closely it mirrors the debate we had in this country fifty years ago over interracial marriage. On one side there were those arguing that people should not be denied the basic civil right of marriage based on the color of their skin. On the other side were those trying to protect "traditional marriage." They argued that god had created and segregated the races and it was essentially a sin to allow interracial marriage. Then, as now, my church, the LDS Church, was an active participant in the debate. For example, here is an excerpt from a speech given by Mark E. Peterson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in August of 1954 at a Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College Level at BYU:

"Now we are generous with the Negro. We are willing that the Negro have the highest education. I would be willing to let every Negro drive a Cadillac if they could afford it. I would be willing that they have all the advantages they can get out of life in the world. But let them enjoy those things among themselves. I think the Lord segregated the Negro and who is man to change that segregation? It reminds me of the scripture on marriage, "what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Only here we have the reverse of the thing -- what God hath separated, let not man bring together again."

Eventually, the issue of the legality of interracial marriage was resolved in 1967, by the landmark Supreme Court case of Loving v. Virginia. The case involved a black woman and white man who had married in Washington D.C. but were living in Virginia. At the time there were statutes in Virginia (and other states) that prohibited marriage between whites and blacks (usually anyone either 1/8, 1/16 or more). Here is a quote from that case,

"Marriage is one of the 'basic civil rights of man,' fundamental to our very existence and survival...To deny this fundamental freedom on so unsupportable a basis as the racial classifications embodied in these statutes, classifications so directly subversive of the principle of equality at the heart of the Fourteenth Amendment, is surely to deprive all the State's citizens of liberty without the due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment requires that the freedom of choice to marry not be restricted by invidious racial discrimination. Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State."

One of the most under-reported aspects of yesterday's presidential election was the Supreme Court. McCain had committed to appointing Justices like Alito and Roberts, which would have produced a dramatic and tragic shift from the current center-right Court to an extreme right Court. While it is always preferable that people simply not use religion to excuse bigotry, I am thankful that our system of government, especially our judicial system is designed to protect the rights of minorities - ethnic and otherwise. I look forward to the day when bans on same sex marriage are viewed the same way the vast majority of Americans would now view a ban on interracial marriage.

Two months after Loving v. Virginia was decided, Barack Obama, the child of an interracial marriage, turned six years old. Last night he was elected 44th President of the United States. While the passage of prop. 8 in California was disappointing, there is hope.

President Elect Obama!!!

2008-11-04T21:41:00.004-06:00

It's not official (yet) but there is no way Mccain is going to win this!!!

UPDATE!!!

WEST COAST JUST CAME IN - IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

TEARS OF JOY ARE BEING SHED IN THE DAY HOUSE TONIGHT!!!

About Damn Time

2008-11-04T19:45:00.008-06:00

So I will try this whole blogging thing one more time. Hopefully the third time's the charm.

So, since I last wrote a lot has happened. I graduated from law school, took and passed the bar, and was sworn in as a lawyer. I've also spent a lot of time looking for a job and some time campaigning. I've been pretty anxious today - we voted this morning - went off without a hitch - basically no line. I then went and knocked some doors to try and drag some people to the polls. It helped passed the time - the waiting for results is killing me! I'll try some live blogging.

More later!

UPDATE

Just called Minnesota for Obama! Woo-Hoo!

We were supposed to be more of a swing state this year but I don't think it will be that close. The Senate Race with Al Franken and Norm Coleman may be very close. I'm not a huge Franken fan, but I want the Dems to have as large a majority as possible. I predict the Dems will have 57-58 seats in the senate - and I would say there is at least a 50% chance Liberman will no longer cacaus with the democrats.

Obama needs to flip a red state!

Where are you Virginia? I think Colorado will come through - but I don't want to wait for it.

UPDATE

IT"S OVER!

Obama just won Ohio!!!

I think he's going to take Florida as well.

As shitty as it was in 2004 to go and campaign in Colorado only to see Kerry loose despite the exit polls - this makes up for everything!

I am happy and proud beyond words!

UPDATE

The best news yet - Obama is up in Utah - pay no attention to the 0% reporting - even if its very temporary, I can feel like my people are not a bunch of ignoramuses.

Click on the above graphic for a larger version.

Friday = Blog Time

2008-04-25T09:16:00.005-05:00

So, it's been a while - almost a month. A rough and difficult month that has left me pretty much limping to the finish line of this horrible adventure called law school. I am so excited to be done - even though the shit is going to hit the fan with my last series of final exams the first two weeks of May - and the fact that I haven't yet found a job with which to begin "servicing" my $140K + in student loans is a little scary. If I haven't found anything by November I may have to switch to that other profession where you charge by the hour and screw your clients - better start hitting the gym so I can at least go the high class route! Speaking of jobs - turns out most lawyers hate the ones the get out of law school and don't end up sticking around too long. Here is an ABA Journal article about it:

Why Associates Leave is Clear, But What Would Lure Them to Stay?
Posted Apr 21, 2008, 12:41 pm CDT By Martha Neil
Associates are leaving in ever-increasing numbers because of grueling hours, boring work and a poisonous law firm culture, experts say. But it isn't as clear what can be done to lure many to stay on after their first four to five years in practice.
In 2000, not quite 60 percent of associates surveyed by NALP left their firms within about five years. By 2005, the Hildebrandt International Inc. legal consulting firm found that associate attrition in the first five years had risen to nearly 80 percent, according to the Maryland Daily Record, a legal and business publication.
"Every time an associate leaves, it can cost a firm up to $350,000 to hire and train someone new," the Daily Record wrote.
However, there's no consensus about exactly what law firms need to do to stop the associate outflow. Randi Lewis, the director of diversity and professional development at Miles & Stockbridge, says family-friendly scheduling and leave policies advocated by the firm's women’s committee have boosted its retention of female associates. Contrary to the stereotype that women lawyers may have difficulty finding time to have children, Miles has female attorneys with two, three and even four children, she says.

My favorite part? The whole question about - "but what would lure them to stay?" Gee, I don't know dipshits - maybe addressing the issues of grueling hours, boring work, and poisonous law firm culture? Perhaps that would also help lower the 70% divorce rate within three years of graduating from law school. Seriously - of people who are married going into law school - 70% percent are divorced within three years of graduation. My property professor thought it was hilarious to have the married students raise their hands and then remind us of this statistic - he did it at least once a week. Ahh - good times!

In case you, like me, missed it - here is a clip of probably the best ten minutes of television this year, and maybe ever. It was recommended to me by one of the head attorneys in the Exxon Valdez oil spill case mentioned in the clip. It is sooooo fake - but its points - especially the criticism of the Court, the US Corporatocracy, and the death penalty are spot on!

I can't believe that was on ABC!

And last but not least - check out these pics I took this morning with my cell phone:

Apparently there is a wild turkey wondering around outside the law school today. The second pic is the turkey on the ledge of the building just outside the window of my fourth story study room. I only wish I could have seen it fly up here.

Have a great weekend!

April on the Tundra

2008-04-01T17:14:00.004-05:00

I wish that this was an April Fools joke but sadly it is not. I took the three following pictures this morning with my cell phone. If I haven't wished you a happy spring just yet - this is why. This is spring in Minnesota:

The first two photos were taken from my back porch, the third is of downtown Minneapolis, taken as I crossed the Mississippi. On the far right of the photo you can see the on-going construction of the new I-35 bridge to replace the one that collapsed last August.

The snow will all be gone in a couple of days. But it will still be a few weeks before things start to bud and bloom.

Getting Older

2008-03-16T14:42:00.003-05:00

I know that I turn 30 this year but this is a little ridiculous. The following brochure came in the mail the other day addressed to yours truly. The saddest part? I kind of wish I could get one.

The Blower's Daughter

2008-03-14T13:27:00.004-05:00

It's Friday, that means it's time for the weekly music video. In honor of St. Patrick's Day on Monday, here is something Irish.

Enjoy.

Update from the WTF!? Department

2008-03-13T18:33:00.002-05:00

This is seriously crazy! 2 YEARS!

Dejame Vivir (Let Me Live)

2008-03-07T07:09:00.004-06:00

I know. I know - two Friday video posts in a row. I'm sorry. I've been really busy. I'll make it up some how. Please don't cry. Please. I promise I'll be better. Things have just been so crazy with school - my moot court competition, seminars, the clinic, and classes. And on top of all that I have the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) tomorrow. Things will get better soon - I promise. I'll make it up to you somehow.

Today's video is for those of you who need some warmth. As I write it is -8 degrees outside with a windchill of -24. Too cold; here is a nice warm video. Enjoy.

Chicago

2008-02-29T13:40:00.002-06:00

In honor of last weekend's trip to the WIndy City, this week's video: Sufjan Stevens's Chicago. This was the best video I could find for this song. The album version is also worth a listen. Enjoy.

Part II: How We Came to the Gran Via

2008-02-26T10:10:00.006-06:00

Today - part two of my "moving" trilogy.

or

"From Tundra to Playa."

For those of you asking, “Why is he writing this?” The answer is - I don’t know. Maybe just because it was a big even in my life and I want to remember it. Perhaps I am working through the trauma in preparation of moving again this summer. I promise I will try to refrain from turning my blog into a one year delayed journal of 2007. Although that might be interesting.

After the first half of our move, everything except the 100 pounds we were taking with us in our suitcases was stored away here in Minnesota. We arrived in Barcelona and began the second part of the move - finding a place to live in what has to be one of the most over-crowded cities in Europe.

Those first few days in Barcelona were some of the more adventuresome we had in our six month stint in Europe. We had no idea what we were doing. I came very close to going down to the front desk at the hotel we stayed at the first night, and embarrassing myself by asking, "how do we turn the lights on?" Turns out you had to slide your room-card-key into a slot in the wall to activate the electricity in the room. Getting around was a major hassle. We were not aware of how affordable the taxis in Barcelona are so we hauled our stuff around Barcelona on the public transport system, which was great, albeit crowded.

We spent the first night at a cozy but nice hotel. I liked it. It had the nicest bathroom I ever saw in Spain.

Next we moved to a hostel near the Plaza Catalunya in the heart of the city. It was difficult to even know where to begin. Being completely lost, I went and spoke with a very helpful woman at the University about finding a place to live. She called a guy she knew who rents apartments to see if he had anything available. He did. It wasn’t much but was better and cheaper than the “Backpacker’s House” hostel we were staying in. At the time, we were pretty appalled at the hostel. Looking back, it wasn’t that bad. It's funny how travel can change one's perspective. At the time we were desperate to leave the hostel and even though it meant another across town trip with our 100 pounds of luggage on the public transportation system, we were thrilled to have found a temporary apartment. This first apartment in Spain was called “El Chiquito.” For those of you who don’t “hablo espanol”, that means, the Chiquito. Sorry, bad unoriginal joke – just couldn’t help it. Here are some pics:

Perhaps you can see why it’s called “el chiquito.” The above photos are of the bedroom, living room kitchen, and water heater.

We loved the neighborhood, and enjoyed the time we spent there but, but it was just a wee bit small, had no windows, and just wouldn't work to try and live in for six months. We looked hard for another apartment; with little luck. Fortunately, the extremely helpful woman from the University who helped us find el chiquito was also looking. She found an add in the Spanish equivalent of Craig’s list and forwarded it.

That’s how we ended up finding our place on the Gran Via de les Cortes Catalanes. The street was as big and as important as its name indicates. Our apartment was great. It had a small cave-like bedroom, and a combined kitchen and living room. The kitchen part of the room was pretty limited. It did not include water – for that we had to go to the bathroom, which came equipped with a small dishwasher. The terrace overlooking the Gran Via more than made up for the no water however. Ahhh, I could wax nostalgic about it for hours but won’t - for now. Check the photos:

It doesn't look like much, and indeed it wasn't, yet it was perfect, and it taught us how little we really need. We're currently going through an ongoing process of down sizing our current lives and the amount of stuff we have. Hopefully our next move will be much easier than the last.

Coming Soon: The final installment of the moving trilogy – “Moving on Up: Our Current Abode.”

Anyone Else Think This is Awesome?

2008-02-22T11:29:00.007-06:00

First, check out this.

Wow. I guess it's just my inner nerd, but that story is awesome! Something you may not know about me is that if I could go back and start college over again, there's a pretty good chance I would become an archeologists. I've felt that way ever since reading Jared Diamond's Collapse.

Fight Outta You

2008-02-22T09:34:00.002-06:00

Here is this week's music video. It's a song I listen to on a regular basis for inspiration when law school's kicking my ass. Cheesy? Yes. Do I care? No.

Enjoy.

It Was Terrible, But So Worth It.

2008-02-21T22:34:00.005-06:00

Since my return to the blogosphere there has been a lot I have wanted to write about but just didn’t have the time. I still don’t have the time, but I realized that if I let that keep me from blogging, I will never blog. It will be torfeasance 2007 all over agian. All I would ever manage is the weekly music video which, while cool, is not quite what I want this blog to be. So, I've got some catching up to do.

The first thing I wanted to write about but didn’t was the one year anniversary of our move to Barcelona. It was a year ago Jan. 26th that we did the big move out of our apartment. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. Moving at all in Minnesota during January is nuts. But moving extremely large and heavy furniture that, seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time-cause-you-got-an-employee-discount, but has been a major pain in the ass the four times you’ve had to move it in the last four years, that's jsut bat-shit insane. Oh and I can't forget to mention the ninety-seven boxes of books. And the boxes of stuff that we moved from Utah but never took out of the moving box in a year and a half of living in Minnesota. Obviously that’s some real crucial stuff.

First we strapped the piano into the trailer to be taken to the in-laws in Marshall. Thank goodness for them and their help. Had we not been able to send the piano with them we would have been really screwed. Next we proceeded to move everything we owned to the vacant small upstairs bedroom at the house of a guy Patty knows through her work. I’m not sure if he knew what he was getting himself into, but he’s a great guy and we lucked out in being able to store our stuff at his place for a very reasonable rate. The scary thing during the move was that we didn’t know how much would fit in the upstairs bedroom. As it turns out most of our stuff, and even some of our furniture, made it in. The room was packed floor to ceiling and wall to wall with boxes, boxes and more boxes – it was pretty crazy. The big furniture took up a pretty sizable space in his garage, and Jay took the couch. All in all it was an exhausting and as I mentioned above, traumatic, experience. I never want to move again. Seriously. Unfortunately, I’m beginning to get a strange hunch that we may be moving again soon. I graduate in May and who knows where we’ll end up?

So, the move was crazy. I wish I had pictures. As bad as it was though, it would have been a whole lot worse if not for our friends and family. And, as bad as it was, it could have been so much worse. We got lucky with the weather. The weekend we moved, coincided with a January thaw here in Minnesota. The daytime high was something around a balmy thirty five-degrees. One week later it was so cold there was talk of cancelling some of the festivities at the Winter Carnival in St. Paul. When it’s so cold there’s talk of cancelling the annual celebration of the snow, cold and ice, that’s pretty bad. It really hit home this year how lucky we got moving last year. We’ve had plenty of well below zero temps with wind-chills down to negative forty. That’s just scary cold. This morning it was five degrees. I walked outside and commented on how warm it was. Only in Minnesota! Tomorrow – the flip side of the move – Barcelona, el chiquito, and El Gran Via de les Cortes Catalanes! (with photos.)

For My Valentine

2008-02-14T23:59:00.004-06:00

I went a week without blogging but there is a torrent about to be released here at tortfeasance. First, however, here is this week's music video. In honor of Valentine's day and dedicated to mi media naranja. Enjoy.

For those of you (of the four people that might read this) that aren't familiar with Mr. Manu Chao, you should check him out. He's different but definitely awesome. On a personal note, I believe that Manu Chao is the embodiment of Barcelona. This may just be because it was in Barcelona that I became reacquainted with his music. I think its more than that however. Listening to his music, in a very real sense is to experience life in Barcelona. This got me wondering if there are any other musicians who embody or personify places. This goes beyond mere association, like Seattle with Grunge (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, etc.) to something more. You tell me folks - are there any musicians, singers, or bands that personify a place for you?

Think About It

2008-02-08T11:51:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday! Here is this weeks music video. Enjoy.

February Is For Lovers

2008-02-06T22:18:00.000-06:00

This has been a hard week for me. I am hoping that Feb 1 – 14 will be the hardest two weeks of the semester (although I’m sure finals won’t be a walk in the park). I can not possibly do everything I have to for school this week. I won’t go into all the details, but trust me – it’s way too much. All that school work and the accompanying stress makes it hard to focus on or think about anything else. The balanced life I so desperately want and strive for once again merely falls by the way side. No time for exercise, no time for adequate sleep, no time for friends, no time for hobbies or interest, no time for art, books, news or anything else outside of law school. I really shouldn't be writting this blog right now. In addition to all of that fun, I am conducting an on-going job-search in a flooded market - just as the country plunges into recession. On top of that my grandma died on Tuesday and I can’t afford, in terms of either money or time, to go to Utah for the funeral tomorrow. Tough times to say the least.

Even though things are extremely difficult right now I take consolation in the fact that I have a lot of good things in my life. I have great friends, who always welcome me back despite my complete inability to keep in touch. Overall, I am in pretty good health, even if law-school is taking its toll. I have a treasure trove of happy memories to fall back on during tough times. Most importantly I have a wonderful wife who is my rock and anchor throughout everything. She reminds me that life is so much more than the current crisis I feel is about to swallow me whole. We have been through a lot in the last year. Challenges and adventures of all kinds. One of the most important things I learned last year was that together Patty and I are greater than the sum of our parts. Life happens but by relying on each other and remembering what we really want out of life we get through it. Next week will be the four year anniversary of our engagement. Tonight as I grapple with doubts about whether or not I'm going to make it through the next eight days I am so glad I made that decision to ask Patty to marry me – and so glad that she said yes.

BLOG REVIVAL

2008-01-23T09:57:00.000-06:00

Winter can't be far

2006-11-04T17:59:00.000-06:00

(Click for larger version)

Today was a great day. Waffles for breakfast, first in line at the box office when Damien Rice tickets went on sale for his concert next month, and other good stuff. This afternoon we went and walked and played in the park with Harper. I also took the above photo. It was suprisingly warm. By which I mean 55 degrees. A beautiful fall day. When you live in Minnesota, you have to savor days like today. You never know what day is going to be the last nice day of the year. It wasn't today - it's supposed to be nice again tomorrow. I enjoyed taking a few photos and later began playing with photo shop.

Today in Evidence Class

2006-10-19T21:10:00.000-05:00

The following actually happened - it is a verbatim exchange that took place today in my evidence class.

After reading an example problem from the casebook where a plaintiff testifies in a defamation case about an incident where the defendant, in a public setting, made a statement that the plaintiff was a cheat.

Evidence Professor: Is this hearsay?

2L Student: Yes!

Evidence Professor: Why?

2L Student: Uhhh...All I care about is that my answer is authoritative.

P.S. If you're wondering if our 2L was both authoritative and correct - sadly, he was not. And no, the 2L mentioned above was not me - but I wish it had been.

The City I Live In...The City of Lakes

2006-10-10T18:56:00.000-05:00

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In 1818 Duncan Graham, a fur trader for the Hudson’s Bay Company, remarked, “I have given the place where I am the name of Hell on Earth as I can find no other name more becoming.” The place where he was? Today, it’s known as Minneapolis.

Located in the Southeast portion of the state of Minnesota, Minneapolis sits along the banks of the Mississippi River. The official nickname is actually not “Hell on Earth,” but rather “City of Lakes.” If you want to know why, try scheduling a flight into Minneapolis at sunset. Its name, “Minneapolis” was taken from the Dakota word for water – Minne, and the Greek word for city – polis. Even though its official nickname is "City of Lakes," it is often referred to as Mill City. For more about that you should visit this place.

Anyways, this place is really growing on me – it’s “not too bad” as many Minneapolitans (I’m serious, that’s what they’re called) like to say. I think everyone should come for a visit. But beware, the winters are a wee bit on the cold side. Of all U.S. major metropolitan cities the Twin Cities metro area has the coldest annual mean temperature of 45.46 F. There are definitely four distinct seasons. For more facinating info click here.

In my next post: After the first snow fall of the year tomorrow morning and an over-night low in the 20s tonight, I'll complain incessantly and wonder why I didn't attend law school in Arizona.

2 Years Ago Today.

2006-07-21T19:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Anniversary and Thank You to my wonderful wife! I love you Bombic.

When They're Ripe We'll Pick Them and Eat Them

2006-07-20T23:01:00.000-05:00

Here's Hoping the Bar Never Finds This Blog!

2006-07-19T15:18:00.000-05:00

I'm angry because I should have started this blog a year ago - maybe then I would have something to show for my first year of law school. Here are the rules:

1. Don't take anything said here too seriously.
2. This is a censor free zone. Those easily offended may not want to read.
3. It's a celebration bitches, Enjoy Yourself!