During our orientation "activities" our Dean and others continuously stressed that... WE MUST MAINTAIN A SOCIAL LIFE during law school. They urged us not to have a bunker mentality (*adios folks, I'm going to law school, I'll see you in May*). And, to aid us in all this, they hosted SEVERAL social events. But, I'm starting to feel more burdened with social events then homework. The day before orientation there was a "bar thing" - the first day of orientation there was a mini-gathering during orientation and then another "bar thing" (nothing like getting drunk with classmates before you even know their names)... day two of orientation there was a bbq and then there was a "beer thing" hosted by the school itself - (i posted this before too) - kegs of watered down beer, right on campus (and free)! And then there was the Harbor Cruise (aka - Booze Cruise - with free drink tickets!).... and then we had a Section Social and today we have the "welcome back social" hosted by the dean (no alcohol but free food and a big picnic basically). (And tonight is dinner with my advisor - though I guess thats not necessarily considered part of the "Social Activities" it is social nonetheless).
Day by day, I get more and more nervous about finals. I mean, everyone says first year is killer... so, it must be the finals that kill you right?!?!?!?!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
If you ever want to serenade a lady
Thanks to my cousin Selina, I am absolutely in love with the song Bella Luna by Jason Mraz. In fact, my day isn't complete until I've heard it at least once!
But, the one problem is, the first few times I heard it, my cousin sang it... and, I like her version/voice...and now, I wish I had a recording of HER singing it instead :(
Anyway, for those who haven't heard the song, I highly recommend you someone get your hands on it (uh, I don't endorse illegal activities... or at least I don't endorse it publicly!)
Mystery the moon
A hole in the sky
A supernatural nightlight
So full but often right
A pair of eyes a closing one
A chosen child in golden sun
A marble dog that chases cars
To farthest reaches of the beach and far beyond into the swimming sea of stars
The cosmic fish they love to kiss
They're giving birth to constellations
No riffs and oh no reservation
If they should fall you get a wish or dedication
May I suggest you get the best
For nothing less than you and I
Let's take a chance as this romance is rising over before we lose the lighting
Oh bella bella please
Bella you beautiful luna
Oh bella do what you do
Do do do do do
You are an illuminating anchor
Of leagues to infinite number
Of crashing waves and breaking thunder
Tiding the ebb and flows of hunger
You're dancing naked there for me
You expose all memory
You make the most of boundary
You're the ghost of royalty imposing love
You are the queen and king combining everything
Intertwining like a ring around the finger, of a girl
I'm just a singer, you're the world
All I can bring ya
Is the language of a lover
Bella luna, my beautiful beautiful moon
How you swoon me like no other
May I suggest you get the best
Of your wish may I insist
That no contest for little you or smaller I
A larger chance set, but all them may lie
On the rise, on the brink of our lives
Bella please
Bella you beautiful luna
Oh bella do what you do
Bella luna
My beautiful beautiful moon
How you swoon me like no other, oh oh oh
But, the one problem is, the first few times I heard it, my cousin sang it... and, I like her version/voice...and now, I wish I had a recording of HER singing it instead :(
Anyway, for those who haven't heard the song, I highly recommend you someone get your hands on it (uh, I don't endorse illegal activities... or at least I don't endorse it publicly!)
Mystery the moon
A hole in the sky
A supernatural nightlight
So full but often right
A pair of eyes a closing one
A chosen child in golden sun
A marble dog that chases cars
To farthest reaches of the beach and far beyond into the swimming sea of stars
The cosmic fish they love to kiss
They're giving birth to constellations
No riffs and oh no reservation
If they should fall you get a wish or dedication
May I suggest you get the best
For nothing less than you and I
Let's take a chance as this romance is rising over before we lose the lighting
Oh bella bella please
Bella you beautiful luna
Oh bella do what you do
Do do do do do
You are an illuminating anchor
Of leagues to infinite number
Of crashing waves and breaking thunder
Tiding the ebb and flows of hunger
You're dancing naked there for me
You expose all memory
You make the most of boundary
You're the ghost of royalty imposing love
You are the queen and king combining everything
Intertwining like a ring around the finger, of a girl
I'm just a singer, you're the world
All I can bring ya
Is the language of a lover
Bella luna, my beautiful beautiful moon
How you swoon me like no other
May I suggest you get the best
Of your wish may I insist
That no contest for little you or smaller I
A larger chance set, but all them may lie
On the rise, on the brink of our lives
Bella please
Bella you beautiful luna
Oh bella do what you do
Bella luna
My beautiful beautiful moon
How you swoon me like no other, oh oh oh
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Life
I'm not sure how many of you read Time Magazine. In the most recent issue, I found an article that really caught my interest... and though its those mushy ones that I usually don't read, it turned out to be a great bit! I recommend you all take the time to read it (click here) - it will take you 10-15 minutes (oh no, what a waste of life!)
(and if this isn't your cup of tea, check out Anna's baby's daddy problem...)
Here are some choice excerpts:
"[His son and daughter] Skyler and Olivia had no adult notions of loss or judgments about helping me. Not long ago I had tied their shoes. Now they were tying mine. I had patched up their cuts and scrapes; now they were changing my dressings. Their sweetness permeated the house. Before Iraq, I had thought of parenting as another job--a lot of work with little payoff. Now it was a love affair. Skyler and I picked up our running chess game. Olivia helped me cook dinners--"one-handed spaghetti" was our specialty."
"A blizzard plowed into Washington one day in late January. We packed into Victor's car and went sledding. I stood at the bottom of the hill and watched. The sun sparkled on their snowsuits like tiny stars. They laughed and called out: "Watch this, Dad." "Did you see me, Daddy?" I waved and wept at these beautiful sounds, realizing how close I had come to never hearing them again.
Why did I risk it? I had scrutinized my motivation for picking up a grenade, but not the reason I had put myself in range of it. My rationale for going to Iraq as a career milestone no longer struck me as truthful. I already had scrapbooks full of big stories and enough money in the bank. I realized that something else had driven me, an old problem of self-worth: I was good because of what I did, not because of who I was. I had important roles as father, brother, lover and son. But without achieving in some material way, I felt empty and unseen. Journalism had provided a regular opportunity to reinvent myself. I had gone to Iraq for another fix.
Like any junkie, I thought only of myself, taking on a dangerous mission as if others didn't deserve a say, as if the chance of success for me was more important than the certainty of fatherhood for my kids. I didn't weigh the risk to them until I lay bleeding in the bed of a humvee, too late to spare them the fright.
It had taken a major loss for me to understand what I meant to others. Relationships rescued me. They got me out of Baghdad, into Walter Reed and back home. I received that help not because of a grade I had earned, a story written, or lives saved; it was for being me. I resolved to return the love by being less self-absorbed. I promised my kids I would stay out of war zones. My brother-in-law, Michael Flesch, came for a three-day visit, the longest time we had spent alone together in years. We hung out at Walter Reed by day and frequented Washington haunts by night.
And then there was Rebekah. I had finally realized why the divorce flap was so upsetting [he hadn't mentioned to Rebekah, his gf, that he wasn't divorced yet]. Relationships meant everything to her, and I had shortchanged her on candor. The open heart she had brought to Walter Reed deserved better. I apologized in a couple of long phone calls to California, promising full disclosure as the bedrock of our relationship from here on out."
"Lying awake that night, I was reminded of a conversation I'd had with Hal Wain, a psychologist at Walter Reed. I had sought him out a few months earlier to discuss why I had grabbed the grenade. Wain said I had one overriding objective: self-preservation. "That's what all heroes are made of," he said. "I have learned from guys coming back that the instinct to survive, the instinct to take care of oneself or others, is incredibly potent. I really don't care if you did it for your needs or for others; you did it. The end result would have been the same--you saved people's lives."
Wain defined heroism as quick response to a changing environment, like a driver who swerves into another lane for the purpose of avoiding an oncoming car and, in the process, saves the life of his passenger. "That wasn't his intent," he said. "But being flexible and shifting is a higher level of intelligence. The people who can't change die."
"I expressed my frustration that such a major ordeal had seemed to have so little effect on me--I was still the same impatient, competitive and self-critical person I'd always been. If I had acted so nobly, why didn't I feel more content? Wain's response struck me at the time as somewhat facile: the good deed, he said, had left me angry at myself. "You're thinking you could have done the same thing and didn't have to lose the hand. You love a perfect win and didn't get that perfect victory that you wanted and maybe deserved."
As I tossed and turned in the early hours of Independence Day, the simple truth of the psychologist's words hit me. It was true: I was mad at myself for failing to pull off a clean sweep. And it was that anger that was preventing me from savoring the achievement of a lifetime: saving my own skin and that of three others. My failure to get rid of the grenade before it exploded was only the first in a long list of wrongs I would have to pardon before I could finally put the ordeal behind me.
I had gone to Iraq for adventure and glory, discounting the interests of family and friends.
I had blithely ridden into danger with little to gain journalistically.
I had focused more on the loss of my hand than on the higher importance of preserving life.
The shortcomings were tough to swallow. But I was resolved to begin the process, keeping in mind Hal Wain's definition of heroism: self-preservation. By that standard, I had scored a perfect win after all.
The prize was the rest of my life."
(and if this isn't your cup of tea, check out Anna's baby's daddy problem...)
Here are some choice excerpts:
"[His son and daughter] Skyler and Olivia had no adult notions of loss or judgments about helping me. Not long ago I had tied their shoes. Now they were tying mine. I had patched up their cuts and scrapes; now they were changing my dressings. Their sweetness permeated the house. Before Iraq, I had thought of parenting as another job--a lot of work with little payoff. Now it was a love affair. Skyler and I picked up our running chess game. Olivia helped me cook dinners--"one-handed spaghetti" was our specialty."
"A blizzard plowed into Washington one day in late January. We packed into Victor's car and went sledding. I stood at the bottom of the hill and watched. The sun sparkled on their snowsuits like tiny stars. They laughed and called out: "Watch this, Dad." "Did you see me, Daddy?" I waved and wept at these beautiful sounds, realizing how close I had come to never hearing them again.
Why did I risk it? I had scrutinized my motivation for picking up a grenade, but not the reason I had put myself in range of it. My rationale for going to Iraq as a career milestone no longer struck me as truthful. I already had scrapbooks full of big stories and enough money in the bank. I realized that something else had driven me, an old problem of self-worth: I was good because of what I did, not because of who I was. I had important roles as father, brother, lover and son. But without achieving in some material way, I felt empty and unseen. Journalism had provided a regular opportunity to reinvent myself. I had gone to Iraq for another fix.
Like any junkie, I thought only of myself, taking on a dangerous mission as if others didn't deserve a say, as if the chance of success for me was more important than the certainty of fatherhood for my kids. I didn't weigh the risk to them until I lay bleeding in the bed of a humvee, too late to spare them the fright.
It had taken a major loss for me to understand what I meant to others. Relationships rescued me. They got me out of Baghdad, into Walter Reed and back home. I received that help not because of a grade I had earned, a story written, or lives saved; it was for being me. I resolved to return the love by being less self-absorbed. I promised my kids I would stay out of war zones. My brother-in-law, Michael Flesch, came for a three-day visit, the longest time we had spent alone together in years. We hung out at Walter Reed by day and frequented Washington haunts by night.
And then there was Rebekah. I had finally realized why the divorce flap was so upsetting [he hadn't mentioned to Rebekah, his gf, that he wasn't divorced yet]. Relationships meant everything to her, and I had shortchanged her on candor. The open heart she had brought to Walter Reed deserved better. I apologized in a couple of long phone calls to California, promising full disclosure as the bedrock of our relationship from here on out."
"Lying awake that night, I was reminded of a conversation I'd had with Hal Wain, a psychologist at Walter Reed. I had sought him out a few months earlier to discuss why I had grabbed the grenade. Wain said I had one overriding objective: self-preservation. "That's what all heroes are made of," he said. "I have learned from guys coming back that the instinct to survive, the instinct to take care of oneself or others, is incredibly potent. I really don't care if you did it for your needs or for others; you did it. The end result would have been the same--you saved people's lives."
Wain defined heroism as quick response to a changing environment, like a driver who swerves into another lane for the purpose of avoiding an oncoming car and, in the process, saves the life of his passenger. "That wasn't his intent," he said. "But being flexible and shifting is a higher level of intelligence. The people who can't change die."
"I expressed my frustration that such a major ordeal had seemed to have so little effect on me--I was still the same impatient, competitive and self-critical person I'd always been. If I had acted so nobly, why didn't I feel more content? Wain's response struck me at the time as somewhat facile: the good deed, he said, had left me angry at myself. "You're thinking you could have done the same thing and didn't have to lose the hand. You love a perfect win and didn't get that perfect victory that you wanted and maybe deserved."
As I tossed and turned in the early hours of Independence Day, the simple truth of the psychologist's words hit me. It was true: I was mad at myself for failing to pull off a clean sweep. And it was that anger that was preventing me from savoring the achievement of a lifetime: saving my own skin and that of three others. My failure to get rid of the grenade before it exploded was only the first in a long list of wrongs I would have to pardon before I could finally put the ordeal behind me.
I had gone to Iraq for adventure and glory, discounting the interests of family and friends.
I had blithely ridden into danger with little to gain journalistically.
I had focused more on the loss of my hand than on the higher importance of preserving life.
The shortcomings were tough to swallow. But I was resolved to begin the process, keeping in mind Hal Wain's definition of heroism: self-preservation. By that standard, I had scored a perfect win after all.
The prize was the rest of my life."
Monday, September 25, 2006
Happy Monday
Its Monday... and I'm not bitter. I don't hate Monday and I'm not dying for the weekend (but I guess its also only the third week of school...).
I had a redundant weekend - I learned that some things don't change. But, I always knew that some things don't change and I never expected them to. So, rather than saying I learned, its perhaps better to say, I validated my presumptions and assumptions...
I'm in a bit of a pickle... its an interesting pickle... but a pickle I created for myself so I guess I gotta deal with the pickle myself.
Other than that? I had a fantastic weekend. We did the bar thing, we did the bar/club thing and we did the club thing (and the late night munchies thing). Had some afternoon drinks, made some new friends, remet some old ones. All in all, it was very satisfying - perhaps thats why I'm not so bummed that its monday (or perhaps its because I finally got to sleep straight through the night!!!)
Have a fantastic week everyone :)
I had a redundant weekend - I learned that some things don't change. But, I always knew that some things don't change and I never expected them to. So, rather than saying I learned, its perhaps better to say, I validated my presumptions and assumptions...
I'm in a bit of a pickle... its an interesting pickle... but a pickle I created for myself so I guess I gotta deal with the pickle myself.
Other than that? I had a fantastic weekend. We did the bar thing, we did the bar/club thing and we did the club thing (and the late night munchies thing). Had some afternoon drinks, made some new friends, remet some old ones. All in all, it was very satisfying - perhaps thats why I'm not so bummed that its monday (or perhaps its because I finally got to sleep straight through the night!!!)
Have a fantastic week everyone :)
Friday, September 22, 2006
Charles Aznavour
After MONTHS of anticipation... I finally got to see Charles Aznavour last night live at the Boston Opera House. The evening started out with a nice dinner... a long walk (in the wrong direction)... a short taxi ride (in the right direction)... and of course, missing the first song of the show (damnit!).
First off - a sidenote - the opera house is gorgeous! just being in there was amazing. But, being in there to see such a well known, classy artist - probably for the last time ever - was great.
French is such a nice language to listen to. Moreover, the style of Aznavour's music is so romantic, you just want to get up and waltz/tango or just dance plain ole cheek to cheek. Charles was a great performer too - he'd translate his french songs, crack some jokes... (pretty energetic for an 82 year old man!) - oh, and he sang a song with his daughter!
(there was more, but seeing as how this is a public blog... i edited some out. check my other blog for more)
First off - a sidenote - the opera house is gorgeous! just being in there was amazing. But, being in there to see such a well known, classy artist - probably for the last time ever - was great.
French is such a nice language to listen to. Moreover, the style of Aznavour's music is so romantic, you just want to get up and waltz/tango or just dance plain ole cheek to cheek. Charles was a great performer too - he'd translate his french songs, crack some jokes... (pretty energetic for an 82 year old man!) - oh, and he sang a song with his daughter!
(there was more, but seeing as how this is a public blog... i edited some out. check my other blog for more)
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Why the Darwin theory is incorrect...
Had darwin been correct, this guy would have died long ago (then again, maybe the theory accounts for physical strength rather than intellect... who knows!)
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/20/chasingmoney.ap/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/20/chasingmoney.ap/index.html
Obesity? Say What?
Current mood: energetic
Okay, I've said it before and I'll say it again... who needs comics when you can just READ THE NEWS!
Today's interesting tidbit:
Researchers report that in the typical high school gym class, students are active for an average of just 16 minutes. The report, by Cornell University researchers also found that adding 200 minutes more of physical education time per week had little effect. "What's actually going on in gym classes? Is it a joke?" asked John Cawley, lead author of the study and a professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell.
Yep folks... you read it right... 16 minutes a day - and adding 40 minutes a day to the actual class really doesn't help increase activity either.
I'm sure most of you already knew this because of your experiences in "Physical Education/Gym" classes - and I'm sure there are many of you out there who loathed PE and looked for every excuse to miss out on class (teacher, i broke my toe nail and I can't put my pe shoes on!)
But put now look at it from an adult (and parent) perspective. We are entrusting our kids to the school system for 6+ hours a day. During that time, you're hoping that your kid gets the nutrition, exercise and education that he/she needs. Even now as an adult, as much as you may hate the gym... look back on your school experience. Are you really proud of yourself for skipping out on all your laps? Don't you wish you used that "youthful energy" to be a little more healthy and active? If we just start our kids on an active path when they are young... I'm almost certain that they won't be moaning and groaning when they have to run 3 laps in high school.
You can't wait until someone is 40 to undo their lifestyle habits. You can't wait until someone is obese before you change their eating and exercise habits. Once you have diabetes, you can only try to control it... prevention is out of the question.
So everyone, stop blaming McDonalds for your problems.javascript:void(0)
Publish I read Fast Food Nation - i hate the chain corps more than most of you... but the truth of the matter is, we only have ourselves to blame. Lets start expecting more from our schools and our parents and less from the greedy corporations (that have already shown us they have little concern for our well being! unless, that is, we demand it!).
Cheers.
Okay, I've said it before and I'll say it again... who needs comics when you can just READ THE NEWS!
Today's interesting tidbit:
Researchers report that in the typical high school gym class, students are active for an average of just 16 minutes. The report, by Cornell University researchers also found that adding 200 minutes more of physical education time per week had little effect. "What's actually going on in gym classes? Is it a joke?" asked John Cawley, lead author of the study and a professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell.
Yep folks... you read it right... 16 minutes a day - and adding 40 minutes a day to the actual class really doesn't help increase activity either.
I'm sure most of you already knew this because of your experiences in "Physical Education/Gym" classes - and I'm sure there are many of you out there who loathed PE and looked for every excuse to miss out on class (teacher, i broke my toe nail and I can't put my pe shoes on!)
But put now look at it from an adult (and parent) perspective. We are entrusting our kids to the school system for 6+ hours a day. During that time, you're hoping that your kid gets the nutrition, exercise and education that he/she needs. Even now as an adult, as much as you may hate the gym... look back on your school experience. Are you really proud of yourself for skipping out on all your laps? Don't you wish you used that "youthful energy" to be a little more healthy and active? If we just start our kids on an active path when they are young... I'm almost certain that they won't be moaning and groaning when they have to run 3 laps in high school.
You can't wait until someone is 40 to undo their lifestyle habits. You can't wait until someone is obese before you change their eating and exercise habits. Once you have diabetes, you can only try to control it... prevention is out of the question.
So everyone, stop blaming McDonalds for your problems.javascript:void(0)
Publish I read Fast Food Nation - i hate the chain corps more than most of you... but the truth of the matter is, we only have ourselves to blame. Lets start expecting more from our schools and our parents and less from the greedy corporations (that have already shown us they have little concern for our well being! unless, that is, we demand it!).
Cheers.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS
I swear, I read TWO freakin pages and then it all starts to sound japanese unless I allow myself to be distracted. If I do something else for even a minute and go back to my reading, it all makes sense again. So, the pattern goes something like this....
read read read (flip the page) read read read read (flip the page) read... read (slowing down here) read... "AH! fine, I'll check my email" (AGAIN)
So, instead of succumbing to surveys (give me a few more months, I'll get there) I thought I'd blog. Each thought will be another "distraction moment"
(read, flip page, blog) Notes on Regional Advertising:
I must say, I am absolutely amused by regional advertising. Bostonians (apparently) say wicked... and, as you all know they all have that Bahston accent. An ad for Bass reads: "Its wicked smooth. Just ask your Bahtender"
Of course, sometimes you don't get regional advertising - the other Bass ad I don't get (nor do I remember it at this point).
(read, flip, blog) IPODS....
are not a fad... they are a necessity in this city (or so it seems). Forget your ipod on the T one day and your ride to school will be long and tedious. It seems that there isn't a single person on there without an ipod (well, except for the few individuals who have some other sort of mp3 player). Even the mother with her two daughters was listening to her ipod (while her poor children stared around at all the blank faces staring back at them). If you bump into someone and try to apologize... well, you have no idea if they heard you (perhaps this is where lip reading comes in). And you'll catch a few people with their mouths open just staring at a wall (obviously lost in their music, oblivious to their surroundings). Hey, I guess it helps pass the time... it does, however, make the train a very unfriendly place at times (Ipods now take the place of socializing with your neighbor - although obnoxious people like myself will still try to strike up a conversation every so often)
(read, flip page, blog) T-Surfing!
T-surfing is far more difficult than you'd think by looking at it. T-surfing is the ART of balancing yourself on the train throughout your ride (including the start/stop). Now, once you got that down... add... you book bag (complete with 6lb laptop, lunch - ya im a dork - water bottle, yada yada yada) and your books (assume about 15 lbs each... give or take). AND when you really think you got it mastered, add some more t-surfers to the mix - one of them falls and its like a freaking domino rally! YA!
(on to Torts! YAY!....flip, blog) The Double Doors....
A lot of homes around here have two doors - and I don't mean like french double doors. I mean, you walk through the front door and the other front door is straight ahead! I'm sure its great for snowy weather (the first door doesnt' have a lock so you can walk in out of the rain or snow while you dig out your keys) but really, i was sorta confused at first (give me a break - it was 5 am - i hadn't slept - and i had no idea where my roomies had left the spare key... no worries, after a two hour nap i figured it out!)
Okay, time to go focus on this case from 1339 that's written in latin (what the relevance to today is... no idea...)
read read read (flip the page) read read read read (flip the page) read... read (slowing down here) read... "AH! fine, I'll check my email" (AGAIN)
So, instead of succumbing to surveys (give me a few more months, I'll get there) I thought I'd blog. Each thought will be another "distraction moment"
(read, flip page, blog) Notes on Regional Advertising:
I must say, I am absolutely amused by regional advertising. Bostonians (apparently) say wicked... and, as you all know they all have that Bahston accent. An ad for Bass reads: "Its wicked smooth. Just ask your Bahtender"
Of course, sometimes you don't get regional advertising - the other Bass ad I don't get (nor do I remember it at this point).
(read, flip, blog) IPODS....
are not a fad... they are a necessity in this city (or so it seems). Forget your ipod on the T one day and your ride to school will be long and tedious. It seems that there isn't a single person on there without an ipod (well, except for the few individuals who have some other sort of mp3 player). Even the mother with her two daughters was listening to her ipod (while her poor children stared around at all the blank faces staring back at them). If you bump into someone and try to apologize... well, you have no idea if they heard you (perhaps this is where lip reading comes in). And you'll catch a few people with their mouths open just staring at a wall (obviously lost in their music, oblivious to their surroundings). Hey, I guess it helps pass the time... it does, however, make the train a very unfriendly place at times (Ipods now take the place of socializing with your neighbor - although obnoxious people like myself will still try to strike up a conversation every so often)
(read, flip page, blog) T-Surfing!
T-surfing is far more difficult than you'd think by looking at it. T-surfing is the ART of balancing yourself on the train throughout your ride (including the start/stop). Now, once you got that down... add... you book bag (complete with 6lb laptop, lunch - ya im a dork - water bottle, yada yada yada) and your books (assume about 15 lbs each... give or take). AND when you really think you got it mastered, add some more t-surfers to the mix - one of them falls and its like a freaking domino rally! YA!
(on to Torts! YAY!....flip, blog) The Double Doors....
A lot of homes around here have two doors - and I don't mean like french double doors. I mean, you walk through the front door and the other front door is straight ahead! I'm sure its great for snowy weather (the first door doesnt' have a lock so you can walk in out of the rain or snow while you dig out your keys) but really, i was sorta confused at first (give me a break - it was 5 am - i hadn't slept - and i had no idea where my roomies had left the spare key... no worries, after a two hour nap i figured it out!)
Okay, time to go focus on this case from 1339 that's written in latin (what the relevance to today is... no idea...)
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Aging with grace
Each morning, I leave my house, walk down the street, around the corner and down the little hill to wait for the T (equivalent of the subway). Right on the corner there is an old vintage store and as I pass it, I always admire the very cute outfits it has – very classy dresses that remind me of something Jackie O might wear – or any classy first lady I guess.
This morning, I had an imaginary conversation in my head with a certain someone (male) – the convo went something like:
Me: "Don't you love that dress?"
Him: "Eh. I prefer them short and tight"
Me: "Silly, it's not for a club – its like a business/work outfit – or brunch with the family… It's what you'd want your wife to wear in her late 30's and 40's"
Him: "I'd want my wife to dress hot, even when she's 40. I want my wife to be a MILF"
Okay, so you all want your wives to be sexy – and we ladies all want to be that 40 year old woman that can still strut her stuff in a two piece bikini but, whatever happened to class? What happened to women aging gracefully and wearing things that are age appropriate?
I always express contempt for today's superficial society in which image and beauty supersede most other qualities in an individual. Of course, I believe this is more of a phenomenon in LA than other places. But it's very sad. A woman used to age gracefully – in your 20's it's the mini-skirts and itty bitty tops, in your 30's (and 40's) it's a little more conservative yet still trendy – slacks, longer skits, classy yet sexy dresses (a bit revealing but not too much)…. And then the 40's and 50's would be the classy clothes – the Jackie O type dresses – not always short and tight – sometimes curvy sometimes "poofy" (for lack of a better word - but I'm not referring to like 80's style poofy).
I think there are still plenty of women out there who will age with grace – accept that certain age groups are appropriate for certain behavior and attire (personally, I think I'll be the 30 year old lush so maybe I shouldn't talk about appropriate behavior!) but unfortunately, so many women are so eager to be 21 forever, they forget that being a grandma has its perks too…
This morning, I had an imaginary conversation in my head with a certain someone (male) – the convo went something like:
Me: "Don't you love that dress?"
Him: "Eh. I prefer them short and tight"
Me: "Silly, it's not for a club – its like a business/work outfit – or brunch with the family… It's what you'd want your wife to wear in her late 30's and 40's"
Him: "I'd want my wife to dress hot, even when she's 40. I want my wife to be a MILF"
Okay, so you all want your wives to be sexy – and we ladies all want to be that 40 year old woman that can still strut her stuff in a two piece bikini but, whatever happened to class? What happened to women aging gracefully and wearing things that are age appropriate?
I always express contempt for today's superficial society in which image and beauty supersede most other qualities in an individual. Of course, I believe this is more of a phenomenon in LA than other places. But it's very sad. A woman used to age gracefully – in your 20's it's the mini-skirts and itty bitty tops, in your 30's (and 40's) it's a little more conservative yet still trendy – slacks, longer skits, classy yet sexy dresses (a bit revealing but not too much)…. And then the 40's and 50's would be the classy clothes – the Jackie O type dresses – not always short and tight – sometimes curvy sometimes "poofy" (for lack of a better word - but I'm not referring to like 80's style poofy).
I think there are still plenty of women out there who will age with grace – accept that certain age groups are appropriate for certain behavior and attire (personally, I think I'll be the 30 year old lush so maybe I shouldn't talk about appropriate behavior!) but unfortunately, so many women are so eager to be 21 forever, they forget that being a grandma has its perks too…
Friday, September 08, 2006
Settling In...
(Don't forget to email me your contact info if you haven't - a.azizian@gmail.com and SUBSCRIBE to the BLOG!)
I FINALLY HAVE A BED!
Yay! For the first time since August 27th, I get to sleep in a bed! I'm so ecstatic! I didn't even remember what a bed felt like...
And of course this couldn't come at a better time since...
My *stuff* (that for some odd reason weighed 400 lbs) arrived today and I of course I decided to lift the boxes using my back rather than bending my knees so I'm in massive pain right now.
And I learned a few things in the past week or so-
-You CAN'T waive at the hot firemen in Brookline! I mean, no-one forbids it but they speed by so fast that you barely get a chance to catch a glimpse of them. (Such a shame, I know -I'm used to the slow(er) Glendale trucks). Oh, and, I'm worried that waiving might cause an accident.
-6 bags of groceries - as little as that may seem - is a nightmare to carry home.
-Our house isn't the only house with two front doors (I guess its a snow thing or something)
-Do not buy a carload of large, odd shaped and heavy things from bed, bath and beyond (and some stuff from staples) and try to carry it home - you WILL bump into, knock over, and hurt several people on the T (T=subway/metro/train - whatever you wanna call it)
-Mark Twain was onto something when he said, "If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes." It was so gorgeous and sunny the other day... and then it started raining randomly. Huh? (oh, then clear skies again).
-The people on the T don't always find it amusing when you're clumsy - but some are nice enough to help you out.
-Don't believe these New Englanders when they say, "we have it pretty bad here with housing prices" - seriously - 700,000 for a 2 story several bedroom house with a nice front and backyard in a "wealthy" part of town is... NOT BAD! (even if it is a fixer upper)
-Yes, Watertown is as Armenianed out as they say and....
-Fenway Franks are pretty good...
K, thats it for now :)
I FINALLY HAVE A BED!
Yay! For the first time since August 27th, I get to sleep in a bed! I'm so ecstatic! I didn't even remember what a bed felt like...
And of course this couldn't come at a better time since...
My *stuff* (that for some odd reason weighed 400 lbs) arrived today and I of course I decided to lift the boxes using my back rather than bending my knees so I'm in massive pain right now.
And I learned a few things in the past week or so-
-You CAN'T waive at the hot firemen in Brookline! I mean, no-one forbids it but they speed by so fast that you barely get a chance to catch a glimpse of them. (Such a shame, I know -I'm used to the slow(er) Glendale trucks). Oh, and, I'm worried that waiving might cause an accident.
-6 bags of groceries - as little as that may seem - is a nightmare to carry home.
-Our house isn't the only house with two front doors (I guess its a snow thing or something)
-Do not buy a carload of large, odd shaped and heavy things from bed, bath and beyond (and some stuff from staples) and try to carry it home - you WILL bump into, knock over, and hurt several people on the T (T=subway/metro/train - whatever you wanna call it)
-Mark Twain was onto something when he said, "If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes." It was so gorgeous and sunny the other day... and then it started raining randomly. Huh? (oh, then clear skies again).
-The people on the T don't always find it amusing when you're clumsy - but some are nice enough to help you out.
-Don't believe these New Englanders when they say, "we have it pretty bad here with housing prices" - seriously - 700,000 for a 2 story several bedroom house with a nice front and backyard in a "wealthy" part of town is... NOT BAD! (even if it is a fixer upper)
-Yes, Watertown is as Armenianed out as they say and....
-Fenway Franks are pretty good...
K, thats it for now :)
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Another Pointless Blog...
honestly, im sorry to keep posting these unnecessary and uninteresting posts. excessive posting = no one cares anymore. regardless, I had to share... I CONQUERED DAY ONE!!!!! So the first day of law school was really NOT THAT BAD and quite interesting. And, yay for my professors who said their assignments usually run less than 15 pages per night (I mean, the 15 pages do take a bit longer than if you were reading some john grisham or something but still!) I hope (*fingers crossed*) that the classes continue to be as interesting, entertaining and educational as they were today! And... i hope i learned my lesson not to walk home with six bags of groceries, my purse and my school purse (which unlike a backpack or something else doesnt go on the shoulder! ow!)
Monday, September 04, 2006
The Red Sox...
So, I enjoy sports... and I'm sure many of you know that about me. But I don't enjoy sitting at home alone and watching sports - I'm not that diehard. No, I tend to enjoy the comraderie of sports rather than the game itself... although the game is usually enjoyable as well (particularly the close ones).
Being in Boston, I HAD to go to a Red Sox game. I am determined to enjoy baseball... three years in this city as a non-baseball fan will be rough.... I'm sure there are great aspects of the game which I've missed and of course once you learn about the players and start to have expectations for the game outcome, it makes it that much more exciting.
So my first game? Well, it was rainy and wet... the game was delayed for quite some time... and I sat through the entire game though there was a semi-constant drizzle the entire time... but you know what? I saw a RED SOX game... and I'm friggin excited :) Even though we apparently SUCK this season, I'm looking forward to my next three years... get ready to see me with my Red Sox Sweats when I'm back in so cal...
anyway, luv ya'll and miss you too!
Being in Boston, I HAD to go to a Red Sox game. I am determined to enjoy baseball... three years in this city as a non-baseball fan will be rough.... I'm sure there are great aspects of the game which I've missed and of course once you learn about the players and start to have expectations for the game outcome, it makes it that much more exciting.
So my first game? Well, it was rainy and wet... the game was delayed for quite some time... and I sat through the entire game though there was a semi-constant drizzle the entire time... but you know what? I saw a RED SOX game... and I'm friggin excited :) Even though we apparently SUCK this season, I'm looking forward to my next three years... get ready to see me with my Red Sox Sweats when I'm back in so cal...
anyway, luv ya'll and miss you too!
Can anyone say... procrastination?
Today was probably the most beautiful day in Boston since I got here... not that I got to see it or anything.
I'm determined to conquer this law school stuff but first and foremost I must learn to conquer my study habits! I spent all day indoors today doing readings etc that I've had since Wednesday... and (to make it worse) I spent about 2 hours purging my outlook inbox, another 30 or 40 min on myspace, a few hours looking up recipes, reading the news, yada yada yada. Had I really stuck to just reading, I would have been done in a few short hours!
I'm proud of myself for reading and studying - i wasn't sure I really knew how to study (I've never done it). Its sorta new and exciting :) But, now I gotta learn to focus and do it on time! (I guess this means I must go to the library and forbid myself from using the internet).
Anyway, wish me luck.... tomorrow is day one! I hope we get to have lots of discussions in class because the reading thus far hasnt been too boring! Yay!
I'm determined to conquer this law school stuff but first and foremost I must learn to conquer my study habits! I spent all day indoors today doing readings etc that I've had since Wednesday... and (to make it worse) I spent about 2 hours purging my outlook inbox, another 30 or 40 min on myspace, a few hours looking up recipes, reading the news, yada yada yada. Had I really stuck to just reading, I would have been done in a few short hours!
I'm proud of myself for reading and studying - i wasn't sure I really knew how to study (I've never done it). Its sorta new and exciting :) But, now I gotta learn to focus and do it on time! (I guess this means I must go to the library and forbid myself from using the internet).
Anyway, wish me luck.... tomorrow is day one! I hope we get to have lots of discussions in class because the reading thus far hasnt been too boring! Yay!
Friday, September 01, 2006
Boston Weekend.... here I come
Tuesday was a pretty miserable day. I left my coat - ya, my one and only "warm" thing... in the taxi on the way to my new home. I got "home" and realized I didn't have a key, didn't remember where the girl had said she'd put the key and didn't think to put her number in my phone so i could have it handy...
Eventually I got in and took a nap on the couch but was woken up several times by the loud banging noises (from the girl who was moving out that same day). Woke up and walked around in, what seems to be, the most complicated city in the world, and became increasingly more convinced that I'd never get used to this place. Went home and found that all my roomies sleep at 9pm - or atleast they lock themselves in their rooms after 8/9pm.
I was bummed! And ready to come home...
Until...
WEDNESDAY!
Orientation was great... met lots of people - some cool, some dorks... whatever! I'm a dork too so this should work right? Hung out all day - got my ID card (and for once I don't look horrible in it!) Went home... went out... bought a few things I need (really I need EVERYTHING but I'm tooooooo broke to afford anything so really, I'll just wait on the furniture. Beer is more important than a mattress... or pillows for that matter).
Wed night was my first night out in Boston... went to some pub (oldest bar in town i guess) got a nice beer buzz... danced! (woohoo) then...
GOT LOST IN BOSTON. While everyone was snuggled in bed by 2 am... me and two 2L's (second year last students) were wandering the streets of brookline trying to find my house. I managed to sleep around 3:30/4 am and had to be up at 8.... second day of orientation was a nightmare (i was dozing through all of it) but the teachers were funny and awesome. Had some good laughs... met more people... headed home and then of course I had to...
Meet the ARMENIANS. I went to the Armenian center, had an armo dinner, met some armenians hung out with some parska hyes (had some tea)... yada yada (armenians are always good people to have around).
And today... did a little walking tour of boston (not the freedom trail)... had some clam chowder finally... and now? now i'm off to read my assignments for day 1... ya for law school.
Anyway, thats it... consider yourselves updated. This weekend includes a beer social tonight (free beer courtesy of the school... at school... getting drunk at school! how great is that???) then an armo bday party (yay!) and maybe a vegan bbq and a red sox game as well (saturday and sunday).
Three cheers for boston!
Eventually I got in and took a nap on the couch but was woken up several times by the loud banging noises (from the girl who was moving out that same day). Woke up and walked around in, what seems to be, the most complicated city in the world, and became increasingly more convinced that I'd never get used to this place. Went home and found that all my roomies sleep at 9pm - or atleast they lock themselves in their rooms after 8/9pm.
I was bummed! And ready to come home...
Until...
WEDNESDAY!
Orientation was great... met lots of people - some cool, some dorks... whatever! I'm a dork too so this should work right? Hung out all day - got my ID card (and for once I don't look horrible in it!) Went home... went out... bought a few things I need (really I need EVERYTHING but I'm tooooooo broke to afford anything so really, I'll just wait on the furniture. Beer is more important than a mattress... or pillows for that matter).
Wed night was my first night out in Boston... went to some pub (oldest bar in town i guess) got a nice beer buzz... danced! (woohoo) then...
GOT LOST IN BOSTON. While everyone was snuggled in bed by 2 am... me and two 2L's (second year last students) were wandering the streets of brookline trying to find my house. I managed to sleep around 3:30/4 am and had to be up at 8.... second day of orientation was a nightmare (i was dozing through all of it) but the teachers were funny and awesome. Had some good laughs... met more people... headed home and then of course I had to...
Meet the ARMENIANS. I went to the Armenian center, had an armo dinner, met some armenians hung out with some parska hyes (had some tea)... yada yada (armenians are always good people to have around).
And today... did a little walking tour of boston (not the freedom trail)... had some clam chowder finally... and now? now i'm off to read my assignments for day 1... ya for law school.
Anyway, thats it... consider yourselves updated. This weekend includes a beer social tonight (free beer courtesy of the school... at school... getting drunk at school! how great is that???) then an armo bday party (yay!) and maybe a vegan bbq and a red sox game as well (saturday and sunday).
Three cheers for boston!
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