Tropical Storming

While everyone was freaking out about Tropic Storm Hanna, I think my roommate and I were eager to spend the day lazing around the apartment--especially since my journal postposted training due to the weather. I watched My Super Sweet 16 episodes and college football with my roommate, cooked enough food to last me all week (no exaggeration), finished cover letters, and did a whole bunch of stuff for school. Being on lockdown aint so bad; it actually makes me productive.

I realized that I love rainy days, so long as I do not have to go outside (it helps that our building has its own gym, business center, and tunnel to the grocery store). Even though Hanna was not as bad as many people predicted, I think we'll be prepared in case a real tropical storm or hurricane hits--especially since my roommate got me a scrabble board for my birthday. That's hours of entertainment right there.

Live like a Lawyer

Throughout law school everyone tells you to think like a lawyer. When I got to clinic this year, the professors told us to act like a lawyer. Now I realize that you just should live like one; at least a good lawyer. At their worst, lawyers are seen as argumentative and arrogant bullies. But at their best, lawyers as advocates for a cause and the most just outcome.

The past two days I have been dealing with resolving a dispute about my summer sublet deposit, trying to get Dell to fix my computer, and negotiating the price of seven layer bean dip for one of my events (they tried to charge me $45 for bean dip for 8 people!)

Normally I would find the quickest solution possible because I hate confrontation and negotiation . . . yeah, do not ask me why I decided to become a lawyer. But I fought, and used some "lawyering skills," which are common sense for many people but not intuitive for non-confrontational people like me. Clearly articulating what I want, keeping records of everything, staying poised, not getting emotional and feel bad for people even if they are in the wrong, not backing down, not taking attacks personally, getting your ducks all lined up before entering into the ring, etc.

And I got exactly what I wanted in two of the three situations (there is nothing I can do about my computer because they need to reship my part). Let's just hope I can apply the skills I used to fend off a bratty undergraduate girl to helping my own clients. Anyway, I feel like a huge weight is off my shoulders so I can enjoy the rest of my weekend. Yay!

Conventional Wisdom

Me: Did you watch last night.
Jessie: Yeah, Giuliani was just horrible.
Me: Oh, I meant Top Model.

Unlike millions of Americans, I did not tune into the Republican Convention last night, or any night actually. It is not that I do not like listening to the other point of view; I actually do. I am just not a masochist.

Conventions are not about policy or anything substantive. They are about rallying the base with hyperbolic statements and partisan attacks. They are about getting the side angry, which is exactly how I react so I had no desire to ruin my good mood. So instead I went to the gym, watched the 2 hour premiere of Top Model and Project Runway. That's quality tv.

Rage of the Machines

Law School Laptop Casualty Count:

• My computer won't charge because my mother board died
• My roommate's motherboard died
• CS's motherboard died
• MH's harddrive died
• JH's harddrive died
• VC's laptop got sent to the shop for diagnosis

These are just the people I know off the top of my head who have experienced computer woes within the first two weeks of school.

I think our computers are rebelling against us, despite all the time we spend with them. They're telling us that they're overworked and they're not ready to go back to school.

I will take this moment to make a public service announcement though: back up your files and extend your computer warranty, especially if you are in law school.

"Hot Babe" VP?

I could write a lot about the Republican pick for Vice President, Governor Sarah Palin. About public versus private life, about how unimpressive I find her, about what this says about McCain's judgment or lack thereof, about what this says about the different factions of the Republican party, about how this is historical, etc. But alas, it's only the second week of class and I already feel swamped with work.

So I'll just comment on one thing that really bothers me more than anything. People calling Palin a "hot babe" (in particular good ole Rush Limbaugh) or people I know using the term VPILF (think MILF). I would not be so bothered if this was just a few shock jocks using these terms for ratings; no, this is from people I actually know.

Call her attractive, because yes, she is a good looking woman. Call her principled, dedicated, a reformer, etc-- if you think that's who she is. But those other terms or phrases, it makes me want to throw-up. It's not funny, it's chauvinistic and annoying.

A hot babe or VPILF, yes, that's what we really want girls aspiring to be when they grow up.

So it begins . . .

Getting up at 4am to drive to the flyaway bus to go the airport, to take plane to Cleveland, to take a plane to Baltimore, to take a bus to the Amtrak station, to take the Amtrak to Union Station, to get picked up by Alex to bring me home to see the UCLA game was all worth the hours and modes of transportation because . . .

WE WON!

Upsetting Tennessee (#18) in front of a packed Rosebowl with our third string quarterback, who recovered after throwing four interceptions in the first quarter. Not a bad way to start the season, especially when you have really low expectations. Here's to hoping for some more upsets and victories under our new coach.

[Photo courtesy of LAT]

Saris and Sword Arches

My friend once joked that if God did not intend for there to be interracial marriages, He would not make children with mixed racial backgrounds so cute. Along that same logic, God must certainly approve of multicultural weddings because they are beautiful.

As I mentioned yesterday, I attended the wedding of two friends from high school. The bride is Sri Lankan and Catholic. The groom is an officer in the Navy. Put that together and you get an eye-catching, fun wedding filled with many traditions.

Here are some pictures from the day, with the rest on my flickr account.

Sword arch, what Natasha has been looking forward to since she got engaged.

Cutest flowergirl and ringbearer.

High School Girls

First Dance

Sari number two, and the new family

Reunited

Today I attended my first wedding of a high school friend, which meant seeing many friends from high school that I have not seen in years. My best friend Megan and I teared up as we saw our good friend Natasha, gorgeous as ever, walk down the aisle. It felt like only yesterday when Natasha was a head shorter than us in junior high and had these huge, thick, pink plastic glasses. Now she's all grown up, marrying another one our friends from high school.

I think the most fun part of the night was the dancing. I am a horrible dancer, but there is something about being out there with good high school friends along with some songs from that era (we specially requested Bye, Bye, Bye to embarrass Natasha because she used to have a huge crush on Justin Timberlake) that makes you not care.

Today felt like a mini high school reunion, but a good one because it was only people you actually wanted to see. We dished about who got married and who has kids, caught up on what everyone was doing, and felt bad that we all did not keep in touch. It is hard to see one another since everyone left Santa Clarita to go to college and many of our parents moved away. Hopefully we will not have to wait until another wedding our the official 10 year reunion to see each other again.