Springing forth

It is a testament to my restraint that I didn’t make a stupid law related pun about springing executory interests. But I wouldn’t want to devolve further into Jargon. So, one month left for this semester of school. I have noticed the telltale signs of burnout, and I have carefully avoided working too hard to not suffer that fate. Now, however, I am beginning to really get into the classes. Recently I learned that three out of four of my classes will have closed book finals (recall that every grade in law school is entirely based on the final examination grade), which makes me happy because I memorize things well.

Finally, the weather is warming up and the first signs of spring are present. Our only snow left after three consecutive days in the fifties is the occasional dirty pile left around, and larger drifts in permanent shadows. More encouragingly, Lake Phalen is beginning to display large fissures and cracks running through the ice, and although the ice cap is still inches thick, I can begin to speculate as to when ice out will happen. Current guess is April 12, which I hope is overcautious considering we are planning to go camping on the 19th. The week prior I am going trout fishing in the south with Jeron. Trout tastes good.

Nappy dugout?

This article about the pranks that baseball (and some other sports) players submit each other to is quite amusing.

[T]hose were real cops who were persuaded to interrupt an AHL Hamilton Bulldogs practice, informing bruising wing Georges Laraque (now with Edmonton) that the only way to avoid jail time for speeding tickets was to dance the hokey pokey. In uniform. His performance, caught on camera, aired on the 6 o'clock news.

How do Afghan terrorists know how to commit Jihad? "I learned it by watching YOU!" Blowback, indeed.


Are you threatening me? I miss Dan Quayle, and so does the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, who was allegedly menaced by our former Veep.

Unasked Advice

Happy birthday to me, late. I turned 27 on Tuesday (not too late to send cash, people) and I STILL don’t feel old. At some point, I know I’ll think of myself as a Grown Up, but for now I don’t. A common joking question among people my age is to ask what you’re going to do when you grow up. Most of us aren’t yet doing what we would regard as career work; most still just work at jobs and have put off long term thinking for the present time. I can’t really argue with taking time off from school or whatever, considering that for four years I worked in the Real World with some success, pulling in a salary close to national average and doing certain things that signify that one is a real unit of commerce (buying a house, buying a car, etc.). Yet, at some point, those questions about what to do mature into a crisis of “I am NOT going to be doing ______when I’m 40” and then you either go to school or start a business or do some real work. This point illuminates my first lesson I’ve learned about life, which is

1. You are never really happy earning a living while you are doing something you don’t want to do.
I went to law school because I was tired of clock watching and slacking on company time. BOOOORing.

Other lessons are much more succinct.

2. People who don’t signal their turns really irritate those that do.
3. Owning is better than renting.
4. Insurance is very, very good.
5. A loyal dog is a great companion.

And just because I’ve left it to the end doesn’t make this the least important item.

6. Finding someone you love and know and value and making that relationship work is a great joy.

Stupid links

More annoying than entertaining? You make the call.


Illuminating: a guy documented the various dates in history that religions have predicted would be the end of the world. A must.


Do not die without learning about the excesses and evils of the funeral home industry. Educate yourselves!

Too much law

After six months of law school, I am beginning to note that the law is beginning to consume my brain. Krista (my sister in law) mentioned this to me a couple of weeks ago, when she said "yeah, I tried to go visit your blog but it was jargon mcJargony and I ignored it." Too bad, right? Posting stuff here used to be about me logging what I found that was interesting and otherwise writing about stuff I was intrigued by. Yet, with the law version of the Alien implanted on my figurative face, it's tough to think about anything but legal arguments.

That being said, it is not likely to get much better. I watch Judge Judy with Maggie and I'm always signposting the arguments with "she's now exploring the elements of his battery" or "she's now moving from the defunct tort to the quasi-contractual claim" or whatever. I think I'm going to write a law review article about the common law of Judge Judy.

For everyone I've ever blown off on the web, sorry.

Not about the law

I think that Charles Barkley is one of the most entertaining and candid figures in sports history.

Mullets are the all-time most funny hairstyle.

Come play against me on Jeopardy! online. I'm norm_1142, and I will beat you.