Fighting Artichokes!

Like many UCLA fans last night, I nervously watched the last minutes of the UCLA game praying that UCLA would not blow their commanding lead against Western Kentucky University. In addition to the embarrassment of losing to a 12th seeded team, we would have to live with the fact that we lost to a school who's mascot is an amorphous blob named "Big Red."

I am not sure if Big Red is better or worse than Banana Slugs (UC Santa Cruz), Anteaters (UC Irvine), Trees (Stanford's unofficial mascot), Fighting Artichokes (Scottsdale Community College), Horned Frogs (Texas Christian University), Fighting Okra (Delta State University), etc. [Weird University Mascots]

But yes, we won. And tomorrow, we will be playing the Xavier Musketeers in the Elite 8. Guess what their secondary mascot is: Blue Blob.

I hate to sound cocky, especially after barely winning last night, but I seriously feel like we are playing against Sesame Street characters.

Anyway, go Bruins! Beat Blue Blob.

Veggie Tales

When my brother and I were kids, we pretended to be gourmands. We thought we were so sophisticated making creme brulee or steamed artichokes. So one day we bought brussels sprouts. I remember taking one bite and thinking that it was the most awful bitter taste ever. I was so disgusted that I immediately inhaled a small handful of garlic salt to get rid of the taste.

I was afraid to eat brussels sprouts again until I made this Martha Stewart's Roasted-Vegetable Salad for Christmas last year. This salad (see below) turned out to be one of my favorite in an elaborate Christmas spread, and renewed my faith in brussels sprouts.
So this week I have been experimenting with brussels sprouts that I purchased at Trader Joe's. I am still perfecting a recipe, but I highly recommend 1) cutting brussels sprouts in half and microwaving them for 3 minutes until soft, 2) marinating the brussels sprouts in balsamic vinegar to get rid of the bitterness, and 3) pan searing the cooked brussels sprouds in a touch of butter and garlic to get a little crunchiness on the outside.

Just takes a little work to make one of the world's healthiest foods tasty.

Hot off the Presses

Today, the delivery man brought about ten boxes of the newest edition of the Administrative Law Review to the office. I was especially excited because this edition contains my Comment on No Child Left Behind waivers and will be circulated to some 17,000 subscribers (I think). Here are some pictures:

Do not worry Mom and Dad, I will send you a copy when I have time to get to the post office. As for everyone else, I will have some extra copies but you can also find it online. I am not sure how long it takes, but my Comment will be on LexisNexis or Westlaw soon: Comment, No Child Left Behind Waivers: A Lesson in Federal Flexibility or Regulatory Failure? 60 Admin. L. Rev. 211 (2008). I am a citation and search-able, a law student's dream come true!

Anyway, apologies for the excessive bragging today. I do not expect to be published again for a long long time, so let me have my moment.

Time Flies . . .

Though 'fun' would not be the first word many people* would use to describe law school, something makes the time fly here.

Today I told one of my friends that I was volunteering at admitted students day. She told me that she was going to follow me around and ask annoying questions, just for fun. I told her that she told me she was going to do the same exact thing last year. Wait, that was one year ago?

It got me to thinking. Today I helped some panicked 1Ls who were trying to turn in their Appellate Briefs when a year ago I was turning in my own. This week I am grading write-on submissions and reviewing Dean's Fellow applications, whereas last year I turned in my write-on paper and DF application. Oh how quickly the table turns.

So to my 1L friends and incoming law students, enjoy the fun moments (yes they do exist) because law school goes by much faster than anyone thinks.

*I am one of those freaks who do think that law school is fun.

Professorial Wisdom

On the list of my dream jobs is law school professor. Most professors really seem to love their fields and teaching, the job pays well, and the schedule is conducive towards work/life balance and having a family. However, this week taught me that being a professor is not as easy as it looks.

Professor Responsibilities
Someone told me that the Wall Street Journals ranked professors as one of the highest paying jobs in relation to hours worked. We believed it. They teach, what, 4-6 hours a week. Sit in their offices for students to come. Write a few papers. How hard could it be?

Yet, attending last week's conference on curricular innovation showed me that many professors are resistant to curricular change is because they are already overburdened. More than one professor mentioned the pressure on professors to crank out article, get hits on SSRN (the social science research network), sit on committees, and speak at conferences. Basically, "the academy" grants tenure for, and the ever-hated US News rankings rewards, articles published rather than focus on the quality of teaching.

Dealing with "Problem Children"
Last week I also heard horror stories of one of my 'kids.' This particular student is probably much older than me, but he is in the section I supervise. From the stories of how he has been inside and outside of class, I give tremendous respect to professors who have been able to control him.

He frustrates me and I do not have to deal with him shooting up his hand for every question, being rude to other students (even for a law student), and saying inappropriate things in class. I went on a mini-mission to try to figure out if there was anything that I could do to help, but after a heart-to-heart with one of my favorite professors, who also had him, I realized that there was little I could do.

Grading, Grading, and more Grading
For my law journal, I have to grade thirty ten-page short write-on submissions. Grading is not easy, and I could not imagine grading for a class of 90-100 students who write papers much longer than this.

Moreover, I want these students to succeed and I have nothing to do with their writing ability. As I go through the papers, I have been yelling out "no, not the passive voice again!" or "come on, that is what id. is for!" I could only guess what it feels like to be a professor, who actually tried to teach the students information, grading poor examinations.

And worst of all, my enchiladas I packed for dinner leaked in my insulated lunch bag, which amazingly leaked out into my tote bag where I was carrying some of these papers. I felt so bad that 2 of my papers were drenched in enchilada sauce. I fail at being a professor.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone!

Today I enjoyed the absolutely gorgeous spring weather, went to afternoon mass at the National Cathedral, had a scrumptious Easter feast cooked by some friends in Virginia with Alex (thanks David and Mitch!), and of course . . . had some sweets. Despite being so tempted for so long, I was quite satisfied--and actually a little sugar overloaded-- after two pieces of chocolate.

Speaking of sweets, be sure to check out the Washington Post's 2nd Annual "Peep Show." Though I think Peeps are actually gross, they do make for great dioramas. Here is this year's winner:

NCAA Tree

The UCLA Football tree brought us luck last year, and we beat USC.

This year, we decorated the tree just in time to bring a little luck to our basketball team for its nervously close game against Texas A & M. In addition to UCLA swag, we also put on a player picture from Newsweek of my roommate's Business Associations professor, Perry Wallace, the first African American player to play in the SEC and member of the Tennessee Hall of Fame.

There was also American paraphernalia on the tree in honor of American's first bid to the tournament. Unfortunately it was a little too late for the Eagles.

We will see if the tree will get us through the Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final Four, and Championship.