Still Lawyering.....

In said class as i type. On call today, so blogging may not be such a fine idea, but right....

So, A and I are engaged in a blogging discussion, wherein she simply does not understand the utility of a Big Mac. I mean with all that special sauce, she must be blind to miss this. A alleges that fast food is making children fat and malnourished. I can't seem to agree. Personally, I find this position as illogical as blaming Playboy for the large number of blind young men out there. Or we could sue Nintendo for the kick ass hand eye coordination I now possess and exercise my Ninja skilz on random people on the street.

I mean fast food is tasty, its inexpensive, and has at least some nutritional value. Granted, its chock full of preservatives and low-grade, highly processed food products, but people have been eating those since man discovered the fire. Probably before.

Yes, I have seen Fast Food Nation. There, a libelous hippie, organic gnawing granola nut goes on a McDonalds bings. I mean this guy didn't get a fry after school every day, he got a Big Mac, a Fry, and Apple Pie, maybe a shake and hell, why not, another cheeseburger. Did he got to football practice afterward? Hell no, he went back to his cubicle and languished away with the rest of corporate america. I think that points out the problem very well. Its not the fault purley of what they eat, but the fact that kids don't get out and play as much anymore. When I was a youngster, every time my parents drove by a McDonald's, I would pitch a fit and scream ARCHES!!! ARECHES!! ARCHES!! I WANNA GO TO THE ARCHES!! I never got fat till I got to college and started drinking beer. Why? because I always had a damn shovel in my hand or a hammer or something and I was building shit. Daming up the creek, building tree-houses, building forts, something, anything. I was active. I mowed acres and acres of grass, kayaked, backpacked, and just generally got out the house. There's your problem. Its not the fault of the people who provide me my tasty Filet-O-Fish, its the people who sit on their ass after eating two or three of them.

It & It Finally Happened

Today was big. In several ways. I finally began my third, and what I hope will be my final year as a law student. I had one class. It started at 8:30. At least if forces me out of bed. We are learning about the "Law of Lawyering," which I think should be titled the "Law of Lawyers." I love how this particular instution loves the them "Lawyering." Exactly what is lawyering anyways? I can think of Laboring, which implies sweating profusely as you turn human pack animal and ferry bricks across some sun-soaked construction site, covered in dirt and smelling like a burro, or maybe Accounting, where you look at numbers in 8 point font on a ledger size piece of paper till you eyes cross and you fingers are bloody from ten-key reclaculations. Or maybe Plumbing, where you run pipes under a house that practically sits directly on the ground or squeeze your entire arm into some dark recess trying to glue some pipes together... But I thought the act of being a lawyer was called 'Practicing" I didn't know you could lawyer as you practice, know as "Lawyering" here atop Coleman hill. Who knew? You do learn something every day.

In other "Big Day" news (i'm into the quotes today, can you tell?) WE GOT SOME DAMN DOORS UP IN HERE!! Yes, my bedroom may actually have a door sometime in, oh, the next six weeks. Its is very exciting. I purchased doors in the original style of the house and am planning on reusing the little crystal knobs b/c I think they are cool, but otherwise, they aren't warped, they have nice, smooth working hinges, and they are pre-hung, which means I may be able to install more than one door a month. This is very exciting news.

A Poem

Enjoy the pictures while you can,
Things may have not gone exactly to plan,
Cadleized is however, an industrious man.

But let this be a warning,
Because you discover one morning:

You may in fact have a couch,
You may in fact have a house.

But do not yet develop any roots--
Robert lives but down the street,
And is fastidiously muddying up his boots.

(credit to Robert, the author. MUDDY BOOTS!)

The Great Thing About Law School

Is the aboslute inefficient use of time that is allowing me to write this post. At this fabulous instution, we are afforded the opportunity to learn all about Alternative Dispute Resolution. Its is absolutely fascinating. While I have actually learned something with this course, it meets from 10-12, then from 2-4. Talk about chewing up the better part of the day and spitting it out. Minimal nutritional value to say the least. Unfortunately, as 3L's, we don't get any sort of priority (with parking or anything else) so this is the only time classrooms were available for such good learning and quality education. So, I'm sitting here making this post. Good times.

Let the Games Begin!

Well wifey has left for the beach (for 4 days!!) with her mother and Dora and I are home alone. It was my last day of work at Firm2 and here I sit on the couch, full of tasty mexican (well, moderately tasty as the new El Sombrero on Forsyth ain't much to brag about. The one downtown is tasty but this one sucks ass as my chicken fajhitas were rubbery and nothing was necessarily tasty.)

I started this lovely day at work, finished it up on the golf course, and well, now the couch. I must say I am a disgrace to home-alone celebration husbands everywhere as I have now settled in with some tasty heinekin and, you guessed it, a chick flick. Maybe even worse, North Country, that speaks of women's rights and sexual discrimination in traditionally male-dominated industry. Lets just say this is amazing. (frankly if you don't want to read my ramblings on life and politics, just stop here).

Anyways, I took labor law and am really quite liberal when it comes to equal rights. Its amazing how this movie has portrayed, in what I think is a realistic and reasonable way. Its just my sheltered mind and liberal, hippie parents never taught me how to think like this. I understand women and men are different. I don't beleive women and men are truly equal. There's just no way due to the fact that there are certain biological differences that make us just that, different. That being said, I do think most women can do the jobs of most men and that, intellecutally at least were are on equal footing. I beleive the studies that say most women are calmer and more rational men.. i think b/c I know some pretty hot-headed women, but regardless, women and men often think differently and I think we all have our own gifts.

So, its amazing to see the sexism and denigration of women portrayed in such a vivid and, what I beleive would be an accurate, if not tame, manner. In my labor law class we read some cases that illustrated this point. But the real life portrayal (at least on the big screne) is harsh and just damn. Amazing. I just can't beleive how people can think. I've seen this in the racial context in real life, but not so much in the sexual arena. I'm amazed. What a moving movie.

So, what else can a man say sitting on his couch at home alone on a Wednesday night?

GO GIRL POWER!!! If you think you can do it, go for it. Just don't ask me to birth a kid, cause I can't do it.

ADDENDUM: Just to prove what a dumb-ass I am, I will leave the above discussion posted, but would like to let it be know I wrote that b/f the court-room scene and should, from now on wait to post my thoughts on movies. Wifey says I have a strange way of prediciting plots and I guess I just did that subconciously with my bit of sarcasm above. If you haven't seen the movie, the you don't know how I just stuck my foot in my mouth and you should still watch it as its very moving and worthwhile.

Its going Around

Every once in awhile, especially when I'm procrastinating, I do love a good survey. Here is one that actually made me think.

Ten years ago I: (1996) Was returning from Virginia where I spent the summer as a white water raft guide for a boy scout camp. Tanned and having spent eight weeks of freedom in the hills of West Virginia taking young boys down the New River Gorge, I was returning to the Boro for my second year at East Georgia College. Though I would miss the kayaking adventures on a class IV river after dark, the group of hot Explorer Scouts (yes, they were girls) who came through out program (only to return the next year as counselors, very nice), and some really great friends, I was looking forward to furthering my education because I had finally been released from the hell of high school and was looking forward to much bigger and better things. Finally being of age, 18, I was also allowed the privilege of holding an EMT license which meant I could drive fast and cut cars apart and poke people with needles and give drugs. On my return I began working for the local ambulance service, which I started purely for reasons of going to medical school. Little did I know how much that experience would change the way I look at things for good or how I most certainly wouldn't end up in medical school. (I woulda made one helluva plastic surgeon though).

Five years ago I was: (2001) Returning from Norway, where I had suckered some nice folks from Rotary to send me for the summer on their dime. What a great trip, touring the museums of Oslo, spending most afternoons on the beaches, drinking Norwegian beer till the wee hours, sleeping through (I mean I went and put my head down right on my desk) class, and generally watching the women. Man that country is full of beautiful women. Riding the T-banne to the Ski Jump from some prior Olympics, drinking more beer, meeting new people, (my roommate from Kosovo, who was Albanian and like to have some really hot smelly sex with this girl from Italy in our tiny dorm room (gross)), and just generally lacking in most all responsibility. Returning to Georgia, getting paid $400 to stay an extra night by Norwegian Air (gotta love that), and buying a Grayco paint sprayer so I could make some mulah before returning to Athens and finishing my last year in the Macc program at UGA.

Two Years Ago I was: (2004) A new homeowner. We had gutted the thing, started re-wiring it and I was about to start law school. I think august was spent fighting with the electrical inspector. For the interim, Wifey and I had rented a home on Vineville, where the train kept us up to the wee hours and our carpenter slept in a spare bedroom and was generally nasty to all. He coined the term, "rich people pepper" (anything in a grinder), which lives on in our household to this day. The rental was a step up for me, I live without hot water or A/C for the past 2 months. Wifey was stepping down from our apartment in Atlanta and this mismatch of expectations made the living there rather tenuous. Back at our new home, I was sweating getting the sheetrock in, not knowing I would have to put a new roof on the place or replace all the hardwood floors. I was hopeful that I would be finished soon, and unwittingly naive about this whole remodeling situation. Yes, I can do each task, no, I didn't know it would take this damn long. Nor did I know law school and life would consume as much of my time as it has or that I would be getting old and just plain crazy.

One year ago I was: (2005) Clerking at a law firm, starting back to school, and you guess it, still working on this house.

Yesterday I was: Still working on the house. However, there is an apartment upstairs, there are actually stairs, and we have a wonderful tenant who helps pay the mortgage. Specifically, I was fighting with her ice-maker, which in my opinion is the bane of all appliances to install because they are a huge pain in the ass. I cooked a fabulous dinner for some friends. Probably the best lamb I have done to-date, and the company was wonderful.

Today I was: Still working on the house. (you'd have never guessed? Would you?) I installed some drip irrigation on the back portch, painted a cabinet, hung some faux wood blinds and made many a trip to Lowes. None of this would have been possible without the wonderful hot ham and cheese crossant I had this morning from the Bagelry, (which isn't as good as it once was), but was still perfect this morning as the wine drenched lamb was leaving me in need of some solid breakfast food. Now, I've had a wonderful dinner from the Steak-n-Shake am typing this blog (and noticing that the leisure has left my summers) and will be heading out to see the new movie, Talladega Nights. Don't hold your breath for a review, I'm not into that. (I bet I eat my words on this.)

An Exercise in Fraud

A friend recently told me that my summer was boring and I should write him an email that makes my summer sound interesting. Hence, I concocted the following:

(The names of the innocent have been changed, and the details are incredible distortions of any grain of truth that never existed.)

Robert,

I tried to call, but straight to voice mail. My life has been very interesting so far this summer. I have lied and cheated and cost poor, likely deserving people out of thousands and thousands, possibly millions of dollars. Wifey and I have been fighting and the last episode resulted in a stainless-steel all-clad pot flying through the kitchen window and into the new neighbor’s car. I told them to file it on their homeowner’s insurance. Screw’em.

Work is going well. I am having an affair with the managing partner’s daughter who is also married and the mother of 2. She isn’t that bad looking for a 45yr old. The partner found out and I told him to kiss my ass and that I would be taking over both his family and the firm. I plan to convert it to a torts firm in the near future.

In social news, George threw LeeAnne out the back window of her apartment upstairs where she was mauled by Dora, who is no longer self shaming, but out for blood. Dean Williams, or should I say Mary, has been coming over for mad, drunken dinner parties and I think she is next on my married women to sleep with list. I think she and Justin are actually having a torid affair, but hey, he’s almost single. Tim’s girlfriend has either drown or is MIS on some river floating trip after drinking too many segram’s cooler drinks. They are hoping to have some news by next week, but the search teams are being hampered by the massive mosquito attacks we have been having. Whoever was scared of the killer bees never even considered this. The entire city goes through intermittent periods of lockdown.

So, as woefully middle class as it may be, you can see I have been VERY BUSY!

I hope you are well.

PS – really really liked the Nobu Now Cookbook book. Call and we will discuss.

An Ankle Update

Well, the ankle has finally begun to recover. I guess I just need to accept these things no longer heal in a day or two. Several rounds of anit-inflamatories, icing it, and elevation apparently actually do work. There is a nice bruise that is just begining to form where it was most painful on the night I did the damage, so I hope that is a sign of deep, intense healing that will allow me to enjoy my 3-L year with my classmates who will be on the golf course and everywhere but at school celebrating their last year before entering (or in my case, re-entering) the real world of daily duties at something people seem to call a JOB. Seriously.

Come to think of it, my tour at two, well-respected, super-high quality firms has almost come to an end. Someone asked me what the difference between the two was, and in all honesty its difficult to define. Both firms have very intelligent people, a partnership of all ages, hard workers, and diverse practices. Both focus on law with a corporate bent, but neither are truly "corporate" firms (think office-space). The difference really lies in the people and their personalitites. Both focus on quality legal work and servicing their clients. Both focus on billable hours and keeping track of how their resources are use. Both have fun social events. I would really be honored to work, on a more full-time basis, at either of them.

So, how are they different. One had a research program I prefer, the other made more limited use of it. One allowed us access at all hours, the other didn't. One had Natalia's crabcakes, the other didn't. One had the secretaries bring breakfast on fridays, the other didn't. One had group lunch outings on a regular basis, the other didn't. So, in those ways, yes, the firms were different. But seriously, are those really differences?

I took my first job at a place where I was certain I would quit after 2 years. I knew my days were limited so I chose somewhere I could get in and get out and not make anyone angry. They did the big dinners, the fancy parties, the ridiculous Christmas extravaganza, offered "rotations" to exotic destinations (to do accounting none-the-less), and really doted on their recruits. Frankly, I hated it. I don't intend to make that same mistake again. In seeking my start for my second, and hopefully, God willing, last career. I am looking for somewhere to settle into. Somewhere I can work my ass off and be rewarded for it. Somewhere I am proud to call my place of employment and somewhere I can make people proud the chose to employ me. And though they are different, I would gladly start my legal career at either one. Let's all pray someone thinks enough of me to say, "You're hired."