Hello folks, welcome back to the internet. Absent blogging from yours truly, I know it sometimes feels as if it doesn't exist. Sorry about that.
Honestly, I've had plenty of great Album of the Week ideas - I think I've been listening to a lot of good music lately. This Avett Brothers album is freaking me right out. I even went to the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, two weeks in a row!
Some of you may recall that for the past, oh, eight months, I've been wearing a blue, orange, and black friendship bracelet thing on my right wrist. I'm somewhat disheartened to announce that tonight, of all nights, it finally fell off. In a most ignominious fashion too - in line at the Roseville McDonalds, waiting to buy coffee. Don't judge, do not judge - their coffee isn't all that bad. I feel as if I have the authority to make this determination, given the volume of coffee I consume weekly.
I had aspired for it to last until June, but alas, that is not to be. I was asked a few weeks ago what it meant - why I would keep such a tattered, raggedy thing on my person 24/7 for so long. I really didn't have a good answer. I suppose I wore it as a reminder. Like so many things though, you don't need a bracelet to remind you of bus trips and playing music.
I do think I need a new one though. Invitation to treat, anyone?
Anyways, to describe life as hectic as of late would be an understatement. Such is what you get though, when you agree to work two jobs while in law school, while spending a good six to seven hours a week honing one's int'l arbitration skills, while trying to not lose all your friends by being too busy, and while attempting desperately to finagle the ins and outs of a new relationship. And of course, who can forget the musical force that is the Minneapolis Trombone Choir. Needless to say, things are busy, and one always feels as if they might be on the brink of, just like an old bracelet, of falling off.
It's okay to be busy though.
I'm managing though, nay thriving. Although it's been hard to sync up, I've kept friends so far. Trombone choir, though perpetually awkward (as one would hope/expect/cherish), is going very well as of late. We had our best Vis practice yet tonight, and my (real!) int'l arbitration job is panning out quite alright. It's a bit unnerving to think that out of potentially <5 millions euros at stake, some tiny portion of that is riding on my nearly quarter century old brain and horn-rimmed glasses...
I won't complain though, and can't. I have a job(s) that I like, and successful homebrew at my side. Spring training has officially started, and although I can't go to Ft. Myers this year, I think it's going to be another fun summer. I like the way the team is shaping up. I have the fortuitous good luck of spending time with a girl that I like. I actually fancy her quite a bit. And to top off, I even got my trombone slide to stop sticking and making that annoying crunchy noise last week! I even got a new sack of cheesecloth to clear out the tubing with!
The world is certainly on a string...
23 February 2011
13 February 2011
Hope
People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. - Rogers Hornsby
I concur. In the gloriously short span of 4 days, pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers, and life will again be in equilibrium. The thing about baseball, the Minnesota Twins in particular, is that after 4 months of frigid temperatures, dome-busting blizzards, and slippery roads, we're all in the mood for a carefree, warm afternoon day in the sun.
From my perspective, as much as I love winter, it is to a certain extent, an endurance contest. One wonders how masochistic he must be to live in Minnesota in January. We escape the cold by streaming through a maze of skyways, skittering like rodents in a blind search for food pellets; we try to convince ourselves it's no big deal; we (I) ache from shoveling sidewalks and driveways. Undoubtedly, there must be some degree of collective insanity to subject oneself to such harsh elements, year after year. It's really quite incredible this entire state hasn't become delusional.
However friends, there is hope. It arrives with the anticipation of a 3-2 count, the crack of a bat, the collective attempt of 40,000 people trying to will a ball within the foul pole. The oft-ridiculed pride at seeing a St. Paul boy play for the hometown nine. It arrives with the patience of nine innings, preferably aided by a Summit and a polish. It arrives with sun - sometimes rain, but that's okay too. It arrives with family, friends, and memories, some that even span lifetimes. Most importantly, it arrives with the simple belief that no matter how tough the Yankees are, this is definitely going to be our year.
Yes friends, spring training can't come soon enough.
08 February 2011
Luck and Timing
Folks, as my academic career slowly winds to a close, I've increasingly been made aware that maybe the best quality I've cultivated in my 6 and 1/2 years of higher education is sheer luck. Dumb luck and good timing.
There's really not much more to say. I was lucky to get on this international arbitration team, and dumb enough to think that local attorneys who practice in the field would want to sit down and have lunch with me. As it just may happen, one of those lucky meetings occurred at just the right time, and I might have a new job coming up quick. I say "might," because you never know how one's luck may change...
Funny enough, through yet another set of stupidly fortuitous circumstances, I met a smart, pretty, somewhat arrogant, young woman the other month, and now find myself in what one might consider an almost-adult relationship. It's a very positive development, and that's all I'll say since this is blog is short on personal details and my mom reads it.
If anything, what 2011 has taught me so far, is that there is no risk to being a bit brazen. I attended a brunch with the MN Supreme Court last week, and one of the justices advised us that the worst phrases we could teach ourselves were "I can't" and "I won't." For the longest time, I told myself I would never do anything with tax law, because I hated it. After that brunch, I decided I could probably do tax if asked, if the timing was right.
It's been a long road so far, and I've worked real hard. Whenever I get together with old friends, we always remind ourselves that even though we did a lot of dumb things 1% of the time, we worked hard the other 99%. I don't think it diminishes that tradition to think about luck and timing, because it's that grunt work that puts you in the position to take advantage of fortuitous circumstances.
Anyways, this was a far too serious post. I'll also probably get in trouble for certain disclosures (ahem). That's okay though. Get ready folks, I have a plethora of Albums of the Week to unleash in the coming month - so get ready! And even, I daresay, prepare for new content on the MN Brew Blog!
There's really not much more to say. I was lucky to get on this international arbitration team, and dumb enough to think that local attorneys who practice in the field would want to sit down and have lunch with me. As it just may happen, one of those lucky meetings occurred at just the right time, and I might have a new job coming up quick. I say "might," because you never know how one's luck may change...
Funny enough, through yet another set of stupidly fortuitous circumstances, I met a smart, pretty, somewhat arrogant, young woman the other month, and now find myself in what one might consider an almost-adult relationship. It's a very positive development, and that's all I'll say since this is blog is short on personal details and my mom reads it.
If anything, what 2011 has taught me so far, is that there is no risk to being a bit brazen. I attended a brunch with the MN Supreme Court last week, and one of the justices advised us that the worst phrases we could teach ourselves were "I can't" and "I won't." For the longest time, I told myself I would never do anything with tax law, because I hated it. After that brunch, I decided I could probably do tax if asked, if the timing was right.
It's been a long road so far, and I've worked real hard. Whenever I get together with old friends, we always remind ourselves that even though we did a lot of dumb things 1% of the time, we worked hard the other 99%. I don't think it diminishes that tradition to think about luck and timing, because it's that grunt work that puts you in the position to take advantage of fortuitous circumstances.
Anyways, this was a far too serious post. I'll also probably get in trouble for certain disclosures (ahem). That's okay though. Get ready folks, I have a plethora of Albums of the Week to unleash in the coming month - so get ready! And even, I daresay, prepare for new content on the MN Brew Blog!
01 February 2011
Arguments
Well hello internet, apologies once again for the shameless lack of content. I fear this may be something you may need to get used to though, as rudely enough, school, arbitration, friends, etc. seem to constantly get in the way. It really is quite impolite, when you sit and think about it. In an ideal world, all I would do is sit on some type of throne and e-pontificate about all the injustices I suffer, all the wisdom I could impart, all the things I deem important, etc.
That would get real boring, real quick. Maybe it's a good thing I get distracted...
In any event, for those frequent readers who were undoubtedly waiting with bated breath for my reaction to the Timberwolves (Timberwolves?!) game I went to, I'm actually surprised to say that it was quite a good time. Sign my T-Wolves confession, slice my hand in blood, do whatever it is you need to do, I'll freely admit it - I had fun at a Timberwolves game. Unlike the last time, they did not lose by 50 points, they only lost by 1. I appreciated that.
Anyways, on to current events. Some of you might be following my continuing adventures in international commercial arbitration, either by (a) desire, or more likely (b) force. I think this is understandable though, the UNCITRAL Model Law only remains so exciting to so many people for so long. But I'm pretty much required to stay interested in it, and in fact am still interested in it, which is a very good thing.
One would imagine that after being held captive for a total of two weeks in a series of small glass rooms editing memorandums, the brunt of the pain would be over. That, however, is not the case. I was gifted with being a writer - I was not, however, not intrinsically gifted with the ability to persuade. Well, that's a misnomer. I was maybe not given a silver tongue, perhaps that's more accurate.
I think the inherent difficulty in argument, as someone who finds himself in many, is framing it in such a way that you are both easy to understand and convincing. In order to convince people, one merely must have knowledge and mastery of facts - that's not the difficult part. To frame something, or to organize it in a coherent way, now that is a task. As my admittedly (and proudly) liberal views tend to conflict with those of my more conservative counterparts, this is always the issue I face. It's the same issue I'll face in Hong Kong.
Moral of the story, this shit is hard, and there's a lot of work to be done. It's going to get done though, and come April, some folks will be impressed. Not least of whom being myself.
That would get real boring, real quick. Maybe it's a good thing I get distracted...
In any event, for those frequent readers who were undoubtedly waiting with bated breath for my reaction to the Timberwolves (Timberwolves?!) game I went to, I'm actually surprised to say that it was quite a good time. Sign my T-Wolves confession, slice my hand in blood, do whatever it is you need to do, I'll freely admit it - I had fun at a Timberwolves game. Unlike the last time, they did not lose by 50 points, they only lost by 1. I appreciated that.
Anyways, on to current events. Some of you might be following my continuing adventures in international commercial arbitration, either by (a) desire, or more likely (b) force. I think this is understandable though, the UNCITRAL Model Law only remains so exciting to so many people for so long. But I'm pretty much required to stay interested in it, and in fact am still interested in it, which is a very good thing.
One would imagine that after being held captive for a total of two weeks in a series of small glass rooms editing memorandums, the brunt of the pain would be over. That, however, is not the case. I was gifted with being a writer - I was not, however, not intrinsically gifted with the ability to persuade. Well, that's a misnomer. I was maybe not given a silver tongue, perhaps that's more accurate.
I think the inherent difficulty in argument, as someone who finds himself in many, is framing it in such a way that you are both easy to understand and convincing. In order to convince people, one merely must have knowledge and mastery of facts - that's not the difficult part. To frame something, or to organize it in a coherent way, now that is a task. As my admittedly (and proudly) liberal views tend to conflict with those of my more conservative counterparts, this is always the issue I face. It's the same issue I'll face in Hong Kong.
Moral of the story, this shit is hard, and there's a lot of work to be done. It's going to get done though, and come April, some folks will be impressed. Not least of whom being myself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)