Because this seems like the cool blogging thing to do...

15 years ago I:

1) Was 9 years old

2) Had Mrs. Kroha as a teacher, who let us do all sorts of exciting things in school because she was still a pretty new teacher and was not bitter towards new teaching ideas yet.

3) Played baseball, basketball, soccer and took swim lessons. Also was a girl scout and a 4-Her. I was a "scheduled activity" kind of kid.

4) Had made pretty much all of my close friends from school: Kari, Brian, Nastke and Jay Berlin. Some others came and went, but these guys were pretty much around forever.

5) Was class president and figured out how much I liked being in charge of things (also figured out how networking and marketing worked, which is a little weird, but explains a lot about me...)

Ten years ago I:

1) Was 14 years old

2) Was a freshman in high school and had figured out that I was one of the "smart" people. I had known that for a while, but it was kinda obvious in high school when I had every class with the same people.

3) Made the softball and volleyball teams again, was captain of the JV team, quit basketball (which was a first for me, since I almost never quit anything) and learned how to ski.

4) Found the absolute joy of Biology through a wonderful teacher whose influence on me sent me on my way to a genetics degree from Cornell.

5) Was sometimes so unhappy I scared myself.

Five years ago I:

1) Was 19 years old

2) Was in a sorority, and scarily loved it.

3) Realized that I was not stupid, and that I was capable of doing well in my classes, but that it sometimes required more work then I was willing to put in. Also figured out that I really liked biology enough to change colleges to be a straight Biology major instead of being in Human Ecology (something I'll always wonder if I made the right decision about.)

4) Fell madly and truly in love with a wonderful guy who I would end up dating all the way through school, was firmly convinced I would marry, only to lose him shortly after we graduated. He changed everything about Cornell for me, even though we fought constantly and we lived 7 hours apart when we were at school.

5) Learned that sometimes things beyond our control can screw up a friendship, and that you sometimes have to work hard to keep a friend you really care for.

Two years ago I:

1) Was 22 years old

2) Was living in Alaska, working on a fishing boat as a marine biologist. Loved the job more then any sane human being should. Learned how to deal with all kinds of people, since fishermen are quite a unique group of peoples.

3) Spent a lot of time thinking about life and getting my head on straight after losing Matt. Don't know if I ever really succeeded in this mission.

4) Made some really cool new friends, the observers. Learned that there is more to life then getting good grades and working in the most competitive job. Figured out that I should learn to relax a bit more at times, and just enjoy life.

5) Applied for law school and took my LSATs, neither of which was all that fun.


One Year ago I:

1) Went to Law School at BU.

2) Figured out once again that I really cannot take a test to save my life. Once again I am the scholastically lacking one in my group of friends. Notice once again that when I mention this, people note that I am not dumb, I am just not good at exams, and that I am smart. Which always leaves me with the thought that if I am so smart, why can't I figure out a way to do well on my exams?

3) Made yet another group of friends, all of whom are law students, and almost all of whom are in relationships. Being the single one in the land of couples is a strange thing.

4) Figured out that sometimes calling home is a good way to make everything all better.

5) Learned that sometimes you just can't live with people, not matter how hard you try.

Yesterday I:

1) Was woken up at 6 am in a hospital, had blood taken for 4 hours and watched tv.

2) Found out that not sleeping for an entire week is something that I cannot do anymore.

3) Took a 4 hour nap, and was insanely tired when I woke up.

4) My brother visited me, and made my little chunk of Boston much better

5) Slept more, because I really really needed it.

Today I:

1) Was woken up at 9:30 am by Joe.

2) Had a yummy jewish breakfast.

3) Went to a wine tasting, and tried about 100 wines, some of which were really really good (others...not so much.)

4) Had dinner with Heather and Ben

5) typed this blog entry.

Tomorrow I will:

1) study

2) Type a paper

3) Do some research

4) drink some caffiene

5) stress about everything I have not done, and realize I missed watching the super bowl cuz I was studying

I've decided that trademark law is rather interesting. I'm not sure why I think this. It could be because most of our cases have companies and products that I have heard of (i.e. Washington Redskins, L'Oreal, etc.) Or it could be because Bob Bone is one of the best professors I have had in my entire life. I have probably talked about him before, but I actually look forward to his classes. He is animated and interesting to listen to. He LOVES this stuff. I think that is what makes him such a great teacher. He loves the law, but he knows how to explain it to us. And that is a tough skill to master. I know I had a number of professors in college who were just brilliant people, and knew SO much, but couldn't explain it to the peons in their classes (myself being one of those peons...) And you can't fake a love of your subject. Everyone has had that teacher who really didn't like what they were teaching, or couldn't have cared less about the topic. Like the teacher who was forced to teach the intro class, when you know they would rather teach advanced PChem. **shudder** PChem. ewwwww.... Needless to say, IP has become one of the highlights of my academic week. And once again I realized that I am a big dork, since I like my classes. Ah, if only dorkiness was attractive to guys, I would have swarms to deal with. bleh.

Ever had a headache all day? Makes the day just draaaaaaag on, right? Ever had one for 2 days? By the end of the second day, things that used to be funny just be come annoying? Ever had a headache for a week? How about 2? I was running on my THIRD week of headache fun before I went to the doctor (and all of you who know me well must have figured out that my friends here had to convince me to go even then.) But it is amazing to me just how tortuous law school is with a three week headache. I think the first three weeks were some of the worse I have had in my academic career. I had this burning desire to just tear into people, for practically no reason at all. And not just annoying people, but my friends and family as well. It was like my whole body had just gone insane, and every system gave up at once. Trying to think? NO! Try to eat? NO! Try to be cheerful? NO NO AND NO!!!!!

So I went to the health center, and thankfully they sent me to a neurologist. He's a cool guy, and he gave me codiene, which I liked for about a day. But man, trying to function all day in classes and meeting on codiene....woooooo...let me tell you I am glad I warned people in advance, because I was spacing out. This weekend I essentially hibernated in my room, with no human contact and as little movement as possible. And, thankfully, the virus that was beating on me seems to have taken a beating itself, as I am feeling quite a bit better. Granted, I am still on 2 different drugs, and I have not field tested myself (that fun shall be tomorrow, when I am back in school) but at least for now I can think without pain, read without my eyes tearing, and eating without puking. Man, it's good to be pseudo healthy. :-)

Ivy Jokes

In recent days, I have been forwarded/seen a bunch of Ivy Jokes. And they just make me laugh. But since most of my friends here did not have the "joy" of being an Ivy Joke, I figured I would post them here so all my Ivy dork friends can laugh with me.

Ivy League mornings:

Penn: give Bob the Bum a dime, check on transfer papers.
Brown: smoke breakfast, say prayer for no grade system.
Columbia: deep breath of smog, take taxi to class.
Dartmouth: gargle moonshine, chop wood for heating.
Princeton: yawn, feel like a geek, dress the part.
Yale: floss, snort coke, come out of closet.
Harvard: wake up, bathe in glow of undeserved rep.
Cornell: roll over, sober up...cry.


Ivy League Lightbulb Jokes

How many Princeton students does it take to change a lightbulb?
Two---one to mix the martinis and one to call the electrician.
How many Brown students does it take to change a lightbulb?
Eleven---one to change the lightbulb and ten to share the experience.

How many Dartmouth students does it take to change a lightbulb?
None---Hanover doesn't have electricity.

How many Cornell students does it take to change a lightbulb?
Two---One to change the lightbulb and one to crack under the pressure.

How many Penn students does it take to change a lightbulb?
Only one, but he gets six credits for it.

How many Columbia students does it take to change a lightbulb?
Seventy-six---one to change the lightbulb, fifty to protest the lightbulb'sright to not change, and twenty-five to hold a counter-protest.

How many Yale students does it take to change a lightbulb?
None---New Haven looks better in the dark.

How many Harvard students does it take to change a lightbulb?
One---he holds the bulb and the world revolves around him.


Marketing The Ivies

It was clear that one day the Ivy League would grow desperate. The year was 2020, the average tuition (per year) for each institution was $84,242 and they just weren't getting enough applicants. So they decided, in a rash, unprecendented move, to take out advertising in the middle of Sesame Street episodes, to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Read on for their masterful slogans...

BROWN: Hey kids! Is half of your head shaved? Do you have a nose ring?Are you terribly progressive and do you have a lot of empathy? Are yousick and tired of silly things like grades and majors? COME TO BROWN!!!


COLUMBIA: Hey kids! Do you like Harlem? Do you like commuters? Are youplanning on transferring to another Ivy school after your freshman year?COME TO COLUMBIA!!!


HARVARD: Hey kids! Do you hate teachers? I mean really hate them? Do younever want to have another teacher again? And what about a social life? Doyou hate that, too? COME TO HARVARD!!!


PRINCETON: Hey kids! Do you have any idea what an eating club is?Are you pompous? Can you learn to be? Are you the smartest person you know?How many clubs were you in in high school? Have you always dreamed of living in the great state of New Jersey? COME TO PRINCETON!!!


PENN: Hey kids! Did you like high school a lot? How about four more years of the same? Are you dying to visit scenic West Philadelphia? Does the concept of rigorous academics scare you? COME TO PENN!!!

CORNELL: Hey kids! Do you hate intimacy? Are you interested in jumping off high places? Have you ever wanted to converse with future hotel managers? Do you like bureaucracy? Do you like archaic forms and the chance to stand in lines with the best and brightest? COME TO CORNELL -- The Big Red Tape!!!


YALE: Hey kids! Do you want to get shot? COME TO YALE!!!


DARTMOUTH: Hey kids! Do you hate civilization? Looking to get away from stuff like culture and people? Do you like to drink? Do you like to drink some more? Do you like to continue to drink? And what's your feeling on drinking? COME TO DARTMOUTH!!!

As most of you know, it's cold out here. Supposedly it reached -45 in some places in boston. Coming from someone who has spent time out in open winds at -20, I cannot imagine how cold -45 must feel like. Sadly, my apartment is also freezing. I walk around in a sweat shirt and thermal pants. I wear socks. I am usually found wrapped in a blanket in my chair. ME, eskimo girl. Needless to say, it is cold. I am contemplating not leaving my bed until spring, but then I realize this will go away eventually, and it will be 20 or so, and I shall be happy again.

BTW, I am adding Judge Goldberg, of the 5th cir. court of appeals to my list of favorite judges. His opinion in Zatarain’s, Inc. v. Oak Grove Smokehouse, Inc. was one of the best I have read all year. I was actually INTERESTED in what he had to say. And I am never interested in my law school readings...

Ever had one of those days where you are just not enjoying life? Not that anything is particularly bad, but nothing is good? Well, that's how my week feels thus far. That's all I got. Screw you law school. Screw you petty people. Screw you cold. I'm going to bed.

In the due course of my reading today (monday being my new marathon reading day,) I realized there are certain judges opinions that I really really look forward to reading. It is not that I necessarily agree with them. Far from it at times, some I completely disagree with. But yet, when I see their names on one of my cases, I often find myself grinning, in spite of myself. These men and women just have something special about their opinions that I actually WANT to read what they say. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Justice Antonin Scalia - the highly conservative, highly opinionated, potentially next cheif justice of the Supreme Court. While I almost NEVER agree with what he says, he writes very persuasive arguements. At least he has some sort of laws that back up his arguements. Something that the more "liberal" members, whom I often agree with, seem to lack. Really folks, the pneumbra of privacy was something that was made up by the court in the first place. Let's not pretend it is in the damn Constitution. Make your clerks work harder and find something in the Constitution that actually justifies what you want to happen, or get an amendment that lets you do it.

2. Judge Alex Kozinski - ringmaster of the circus that is the 9th circuit, Kozinski is notorious for his wry wit in his opinions. Case in point: In his opinion on Mattel's suit against Aqua for their song "Barbie Girl" Kozinski noted that the 1950s barbie looked like a "German street walker" and stated "The parties are advised to chill." Yah gotta love opinions like that...

3. Judge Benjamin Cardozo - one of the great common law judges, Cardozo is known to first year law students for writing the opinion to Murphy v. Steeplechase Amusement Co, otherwise known as "The Flopper" case. In a bit of sarcasm about the healthy young man who broke his arm on the ride that made him fall, he noted "The timorous should stay at home." A judge using logic. Who knew?

4. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg - a good friend of Scalia, Ginsburg often writes clear and logical opinions. "Here is why I am writing my opinion. Are you listening lower courts? Don't try to pretend I wrote something else. This is what I mean." Granted, it leaves little leeway for lower courts to mess with, but I am pretty much ok with that.

5. Judge Learned Hand - ok, the guy's name is Learned Hand. That alone makes him interesting. But his theory of economics in the law (specifically torts), while annoying at times, made a hell of a lot of sense, and was one of the first real concepts I grasped in law school. The Hand law was applied to EVERYTHING we did in Torts, and made a pretty good model to work off of.


Any others that people like better? Or maybe people don't think of such things, and I am just a dork. **sigh**

As a bonus, a joke only Cornellians would prolly find funny:

Ezra Cornell: "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study."
Man: "But Ezra, then everyone will want to go there! It would be too many people!"
Ezra: "Wait until you see where I put it."

As a method of combating near zero temperatures, I have been watching movies. I was given some new movies for Christmas, and I bought some on my own. Granted, my roomies HATE when I do this, since it then requires I listen to the soundtrack of my favorites for the next 2 weeks, but I suppose they are glad I am not listening to Christmas music anymore.

I finally got to see Pirates of the Caribbean. I rather liked it. It was not nearly as stupid as the previews suggested. Depp and Bloom were great, although I kept expecting Bloom to say "As you wish." And I still love Knightley's line "You like pain?" **SMACK** "Try wearing a corsett." Dry wit with a british accent is just wonderful.

Speaking of British accents, my newest movie/soundtrack obsession is Bend it like Beckham. I cannot say enough good things about this movie. It is funny as hell, in a way that only british movies seem to be. Nagra and Knightley are wonderful as football buddies, each trying to find their own way, and dealing with parents who don't quite get it. And Meyers is hot, straight up, but entertaining to watch as well. The movie, quite frankly, is bloody brilliant, and I love the soundtrack! Granted, there are former spice girls on it, but we shall overlook that fact. The movie and soundtrack are fast paced, and energetic. It even got me hyped to do some functional work (scary, coming from me.)

In my wanderings on the web, I found this poem written by the great Justice Story. I think it is kinda neat, as it the judge reminding all us legal people about what we SHOULD be doing in court, and not what we often see lawyers doing on TV. Although this really also shows what a dork I am, as I seem to actually like law poems. Oh well.

Btw, a big thanks to Project Gutenberg for giving people the access to great classical literature like this poem.

ADVICE TO A YOUNG LAWYER
by
Judge Story

Whene'er you speak, remember every cause
Stands not on eloquence, but stands on laws--
Pregnant in matter, in expression brief,
Let every sentence stand with bold relief;
On trifling points nor time nor talents waste,
A sad offence to learning and to taste;
Nor deal with pompous phrase, nor e'er suppose
Poetic flights belong to reasoning prose.

Loose declamation may deceive the crowd,
And seem more striking as it grows more loud;
But sober sense rejects it with disdain,
As nought but empty noise, and weak as vain.

The froth of words, the schoolboy's vain parade,
Of books and cases--all his stock in trade--
The pert conceits, the cunning tricks and play
Of low attorneys, strung in long array,
The unseemly jest, the petulant reply,
That chatters on, and cares not how, or why,
Strictly avoid--unworthy themes to scan,
They sink the speaker and disgrace the man,
Like the false lights, by flying shadows cast,
Scarce seen when present and forgot when past.

Begin with dignity; expound with grace
Each ground of reasoning in its time and place;
Let order reign throughout--each topic touch,
Nor urge its power too little, nor too much;
Give each strong thought its most attractive view,
In diction clear and yet severely true,
And as the arguments in splendour grow,
Let each reflect its light on all below;
When to the close arrived, make no delays
By petty flourishes, or verbal plays,
But sum the whole in one deep solemn strain,
Like a strong current hastening to the main.

So I'm back in Boston, which means back to my blog! Hopefully everyone had great holidays, I know I did. Classes have already started, which is not as bad as I thought. My classes are all pretty cool. I have my old Civ Pro professor for Intellectual Property, which is great because he is an AWESOME prof. He runs around, and he gets really into it. My environmental law prof is a younger guy who seems to really like teaching, and is very cool to talk to. And of course, my clinic is still cool. I'll be getting a new client next week. Hopefully I won't do another divorce, since divorces are not much fun. I think I'd like to do something like a housing case or an employment case.

Oh! I got into my scuba diving class!! I am soooooo psyched! Woo hoo! ...sorry, just wanted to share my excitement. :-D