Leisure Time

"Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- the guy lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. I look forward to sitting on the porch." ~ George W. Bush, Sept 2, 2005

What with Trent resigning to make more money (before those pesky lobbying limits set in)... that's a lot more time on the front porch. Have fun, boys!

Confession

sometimes I fill out forms to relax

they make me feel smart (I know all the answers)

and in control

They were right?

You know that (what a quick google tells me is a Woody Allen) quote about 80% of success being showing up? Well, I had an interview today, which likely won't lead to a job, but this woman loved me. Unfortunately, the timing is off and they've made offers to people they (unbeknown to me) interviewed in August. But the reasons she listed as being impressed by me? I sent her a personalized cover letter, I followed up via email and, for a job with the federal defender, said I wanted to do criminal defense. This all pretty much amounts to "showing up," I think.
The last one, for me, this happens to be completely true but I had to ask, "what do the rest of them SAY?" That they're looking to experiment. Or gain experience. Come on people, it seems like rule one of applying for any job-- telling the job you want to do that job. Is this another case of law students being so impressed with themselves that they think they're qualified for whatever and so don't even have to express interest? Or is it another basic psychology/interpersonal skill that apparently isn't so basic? If I were applying to do, say, corporate tax litigation (Hi, Anwar, you wanted a mention on the blog, right?), which I am not, for the love of logic, I would tell my corporate tax litigation interviewer that I have wanted to do this since receiving my first W2 and all of my touchy feely people-work was somehow preparing me for this, my chosen career.
The best part of the whole experience, which was overall a great one, was talking to someone who really, truly and passionately loves her job and her work. This is a rare find in any field. I told her I was feeling envious while she talked, because that enthusiasm and passion is what I want in my job, no matter where I end up working and am sometimes afraid I won't find. Too often, especially in the legal realm, we're indoctrinated with this idea that life and work are separate and that intellectual challenge is the most one can expect. But sitting there, enjoying the soup she bought me, listening to her say she is intellectually and emotionally fulfilled by her job and the job makes it easier to get out of bed in the morning... well, it got me excited about the future. And how often in this day and age do we have experiences that make us excited about the future-- personally and communally? A good day in Milwaukee.

Internal Monolgue of Someone Who Feels Like Life is Out of Control

"I have to be there at 12. It takes an hour and a half to get there. I'll leave at 8."

I'm scared.

I am really, really anxious about the next 3-4 weeks. In three weeks 2 finals, a research presentation and a research paper will be done. And all at the same time, I am finding places for and placing hundreds and hundreds of law students in New Orleans and Mississippi. And I haven't started anything. Oh yeah, and maybe getting sued. Plain old bitching about this stuff is boring, but I feel almost paralyzed. Like I ran around all day trying to cover my bases, from class to group meeting to conference call with a break to get groceries since I had to eat the last of my lunch meat for breakfast this morning. And my apartment looks like the apartments they find old packrats dead in and marvel at how they kept 45 years of LIFE magazine.

So I'll be here, chugging along. With plenty of TJ's frozen pizza.

This American Life

We all know how much I love TAL. This was a repeat over the weekend. Sarah Vowell reads from her "The Partly Cloudy Patriot," about her parents visit from Montana to NYC for Thanksgiving. It's funny. Funny and poignant. Just how TAL likes it.

Our great-grandmother Ellen passed through here (Ellis Island) on her way from Sweden. We watch a video on the heath inspections given to immigrants, walk past oodles of photos of men in hats and women in shawls. Though no one says anything, I know my father and mother and sister are thinking what I'm thinking. They're thinking about when we moved away from Oklahoma to Montana, how unknown that was, how strange and lonesome. I read a letter in a display case that says, 'And I never saw my mother again,' and I think of my grandfather, how we just drove off, leaving him behind, waving to us in the rearview mirror. And here we are in New York, because here I am in New York, because ever since Ellen's father brought her here, every generation moves away from the one before other one.

It is curious that we Americans have a holiday, Thanksgiving, that's all about people who left their homes for a life of their own choosing, a life that was different from their parents' lives. And how do we celebrate it? By hanging out with our parents.

It's as if on the Fourth of July we honored our independence from the British by playing cricket and nibbling on crumpets.

The whole episode is here, she starts about 5 minutes in.

He's here! (in the world)

This Week

Two of my favorite beings, Kristina and Aberdeen, went under the knife for abdominal surgery. One surgery produced what I can only assume (I will see him ASAP) is a beautiful baby, the other one a plastic bag, toy rope, speaker wire and assorted other non-edibles. I'll leave it up to you to guess which was which. The good (best) news is that everyone and everything involved is doing well and recovering nicely. Except for the plastic bag, etc... we didn't bring that home from the vet. Although he offered...

Pavo

A little brown turkey will ready to come out of the oven tomorrow. Or be from his mother's womb untimely ripped. Whichever you prefer. I am looking forward to meeting the little nugget. And even more excited to teach him swear words.

Let me be the first to say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHAN!

I Would Prefer 5 Jaeger Bombs.

After about 10 am tomorrow, I will have had 5 shots (injections, not drinks, unfortunately) over two days. Or four in one day now, depending on which impresses you more. The allergy ones have been stepped up to 3 each week. And then flu. And tomorrow the last HPV one (so I can finally start being promiscuous, doncha know?) I would imagine that my health care professionals would not be pleased to know about all of this happening at once, but, like a lot of things, I'm not going to tell them. Plus I have to ride this whole "seeking medical care" form of procrastination as long as possible, way better (and somewhat more productive) than watching "Everybody Loves Raymond." But not "Law & Order."

Good Job

I've been getting weekly allergy shots for the past couple of months now. It hasn't made any noticeable difference so far, but supposedly after 35 weeks or something, I will be less of a sneezey loser. Anyway, they are very flattering and often act, when I have no allergic reaction to the shots, like I have really accomplished something. "Good job, looks great!" I know that my involuntary physical response to allergens (or lack thereof) is not something I should be either proud or ashamed of... but it seems like there is so little recognition sometimes, that I think I might just let it go to my head. Why, thank you.

A "huh" moment.

Not to be confused with an "ah-ha!" moment. A "huh" moment comes when one, for example, is trolling the internet and sees that the other member of one's last serious relationship is now "in a relationship" of his own. Huh. Of course, now much time has gone by, I was "in a relationship" first (and a good one. Wink, wink, babycakes.) And so forth. Anyway, it doesn't warrant much more an a "huh." But definitely produces one.


Huh.

Absentee Blogger

No excuses. I just came back from a week in our nation's capitol. I hemorrhaged money the whole time I was there. But it was awesome, lots of eating and drinking and making of new friends. And also museums and monuments. Oh yeah, and radical lawyering. And calling a spade a spade. And organizing law students for the best, most influential social justice law student organization. Or at least thats what they keep telling us, which feels nice. All in all, it was totally great and a great break and I even like DC more than I used to. Which doesn't even mean I like it, but I don't think I hate it anymore. Anyway, I am back in reality and possibly totally screwed. But... that's what's up.