Je Ne Comprends Pas

Dynamism

2012-01-26T22:06:00.002-06:00

People, I have had a yearlong case of blogger's block. For the life of me, I can't quite figure out what to write about.

Let me just say, that although I very much appreciate the lack of homework, working full time is also sort of consuming my fun time. That might be false, actually - I consume my fun time by doing things that perhaps only I would find fun. Coaching high school mock trial, hanging out at Hamline discussing the applicability of the New York Convention, etc. I have, begrudgingly at first, and now with arms wide open, become a Minnesota Timberwolves basketball fan - something I would never expect occurring in a billion years. But yet, here I am.

I've decided that 2012 is going to be a year of dynamism - a year to live a rounded, well balanced life, in as many aspects as I can. I'm helping my old high school, I joined the church council, I'm trying to go to the gym three times a week, and if I'm lucky here, I'll get my trombone out and play. As a result, the past few weeks, I've barely spent any time at home, but that's alright.

Anyways, that's really all I have. Maybe one of these days, my year of dynamism will reach these pages...

MLK Day

2012-01-16T12:58:00.000-06:00

Should be required viewing today.

Sporting Life

2011-12-04T19:10:00.008-06:00

Folks, I've had a rather sporting week. Last Monday, thanks to the generosity of a friend and his dad, I had the opportunity to go to a Minnesota Wild hockey game, in the club level no less. Although I can't claim to be much of a hockey fan, it was a great game, and the Wild came away with a win.

Today, I went with a few of my friends from law school to watch the Vikings play the Broncos at the Metrodome. I haven't gone to an NFL game since I was in 9th grade, and frankly, I haven't been much of a football fan since Gary Anderson missed that field goal in the NFC Championship Game back in 1998. However, I do feel loyalty toward the Vikings, and I've been watching them this year - perhaps after the disastrous Twins season, I needed something to fill my unconscious desire for sporting futility.

Truly though, I was especially excited to see the Vikings for this reason. Through the miracle of modern technology, I can show you the following photographs.

You'll notice the fellow in the hat and scarf - that's Hubert H. Humphrey, who is maybe Minnesota's most famous politician. In the second photograph, Humphrey is shaking hands with Bud Grant, who is the most famous Vikings coach ever - he led them to four Super Bowls. The next two photos are of Fran Tarkenton, who is in the Hall of Fame, and is probably one of the greatest Viking players. The final photo is of a cheerleader on a cold winter Sunday, her excitement undimmed by the ice and snow.

I found these photos maybe two years ago, after my grandma passed away. They were tucked away in her basement, along with a stack of many other photographs, which I also now have. I finally figured out that it was my grandpa that took all these photos.

He was a photographer, and he used to cover the Twins and Vikings for a local Bloomington paper when they both came to Minnesota in 1961. The Old Met, as it was called, was not too far away from their house. Because he was a photographer, my grandpa got to know all the players, and got to spend time in the clubhouse. When my dad was little, he took him to a game of the 1965 World Series between the Twins and the Dodgers. To this day, my prized possession is a baseball that my grandpa had signed by the entire 1965 American League Championship Twins, including Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva.

What I like about these photos, and what made me want to go to see the Vikings today, is that, to me, they represent all that is great about Minnesota, all that is great about family. I love seeing these people from a generation ago, watching the same game with people in the same helmets as are worn today - I bet they also sang the same words to "Skol Vikings" as folks did this afternoon. I like to see them out in the cold snow, and enjoying it. Most of all, perhaps I like seeing things get passed down through the ages.

As dismissive as I am sometimes about football, today I saw so many fathers/mothers bringing their young sons or daughters to the football game, paying an exorbitant price to get "Skol Vikings" facepainted on their faces, cheerfully buying the $12 souvenir popcorn bucket. It made me wonder what sort of silliness people in 1961 did to try and share a passion with a kid, to try and get them to understand something that was meaningful to them. One of the more poignant moments, was at the end when a father was trying to console his daughter, who was crying because the Vikings had lost. Dad, decked out in an Adrian Peterson jersey, had obviously purchased the same purple jersey for his daughter, who was also wearing a fluffy Viking helmet (maybe mom got that).

It reminded me of going with my dad to watch the Twins every summer at the Metrodome, no matter how terrible they were; of my parents buying me Twins shirts and hats; my mom waiting in line with me for five hours so I could get a real autographed Kirby Puckett card. That it turn made me think 50 years back, when my grandpa took my dad to the bleachers at Met Stadium to watch Harmon Killebrew hit home runs. Someone took my mom too - because she talked about seeing "Killer" too.

Then again, I don't often think in sepia tones of a drunken Broncos fan stumbling up to the Metrodome trough, looking down at the 8 year old Vikings fan peeing next to him, and slurring "nice stream little man." So maybe today's game wasn't all golden memories and souvenir buckets of popcorn...

My point being, I am no longer dismissive of the Vikings, or the people who are passionate about them. Maybe I will still think there is a certain level of insanity necessary to paint one's entire body purple and gold, but again, I am still planning on burning my Twins hat in a funeral pyre to put the 2011 campaign finally to rest. Maybe there isn't so much difference after all.

Sports are often criticized as being too hyped, as numbing people to issues that really matter. I'm guilty of this - often, I'd much rather talk about the Twins' starting rotation for next summer than people being oppressed in Syria. That's probably not awesome. Sometimes though, it's the relationships and memories that flow therefrom that are the most important thing.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T09:53:00.005-06:00

Hello folks - happy thanksgiving. The point was made to me last night, that on the balance, we are people who are reticent to be thankful. I often times am so caught up with things, that I forget how richly I have been blessed. So, this Thanksgiving, as per my usual, I am taking a moment to thank God for the things that have meant most in 2011. Therefore, in no particular order, this year's list.

1. For 14 years spent with my gentlemanly dog Buddy, who passed away this year. You knew me best sir, and you are sorely missed.

2. My parents, who have graciously allowed me to stay with them these past three years.

3. The chance to spend summer days and evenings outside, watching Twins baseball with close friends

4. My smarter, better looking, more well liked, and nicer girlfriend

5. The color blue

6. Graduating from law school, personality intact

7. The friendship of the "manboys," and being able to share the important moments in their lives

8. Coffee in a mug

9. Passing the bar exam

10. Having a job I enjoy

11. Music - making it, and listening to it

12. Good health

13. For having been able to go to Hong Kong and represent my school, state, and country

14. My grandma, my aunt and uncle, my cousins, and everyone else

15. For friends from Hamline

16. Good beer - brewing it, drinking it, and the conversations that flow therefrom

17. Khaki pants from the gap (sorry, this is materialistic, but they are so damn comfortable)

18. Having my own place to live

19. Learning to cook

20. Going skiing in Colorado

21. Long, hot, sunny summer days with sandals

22. Being tested in the BWCAW

23. Sharp winter days

24. Being young, and alive, and in a beautiful city

25. Bob Dylan on a fall morning (current activity)

26. New friends

27. Daily flossing

28. Even numbers

29. Tacos

30. Donuts

31. Being Minnesotan

32. For still having hair

33. Silence

34. This song

35. Not living with a cat(s)

36. Having leisure time

37. Being able to go back to my high school and help with mock trial

38. Interesting conversations

39. Riding my bike in the country

Happy thanksgiving everyone. I hope everyone has a thoughtful day, and remembers everything they are thankful for.

Mock Trial

2011-11-15T19:33:00.003-06:00

In a moment of temporary insanity while perusing the Minnesota State Bar Association website, I found myself looking at a list of area high schools still looking for an attorney coach for this year's mock trial competition. Imagine my surprise when I noticed my alma mater, Farmington High School, on the list.

You all see where this is going...

So yes, nearly 7 and a half years after I last stepped foot in Farmington High School, I will now return on Thursday as a leader of men, er, 30 young mock trialers. I suppose I was compelled to do this as a matter of empathy - as a product of the FHS mock trial squad (2000-2004) - I barely ever had the benefit of an attorney coach, and even at the time, I realized the disadvantage that caused us. Perhaps I was also compelled as a matter of loyalty, which is of course the most important thing. There are certainly more glamorous schools to coach mock trial at.

It made me recall my own years in mock trial. Oddly enough, I never was a lawyer - even the two years I participated at Luther. We were never really all that good - we didn't advance in the regional rounds that I remember, and after my first two years, we were effectively without a coach. We had to coach ourselves.

I can't say I left high school with grand ambitions to be a lawyer, and I wouldn't hope the same for any participants. The point is, to learn about the legal system and to learn the art of storytelling. I warned the adviser that I'm the least experienced lawyer she could get, and still be a real attorney, but I think I can help. One has to think that three years of legal education would allow me to impart some wisdom to a 17 year old...

If I survive, that is.

11/11/11

2011-11-11T10:58:00.002-06:00

Turn it up to 11 folks...

For further reading pleasure, check out NPR Music's blog on Nigel Tufnel Day.

Leaving the Nest

2011-11-01T22:59:00.003-05:00

Folks, I am on a journey - a new journey. Having shed law school, having shed the bar exam, I am ready to attack the world. To do that, I need two things.

First, I need a job. I can confidently say I now have one of those - yes. (As a sidenote, the title "attorney at law" does have a nice ring to it.)

Second, I need a place to live that doesn't involve my parents' (plural) basements. Not that I am unappreciative of the past three years' rent free living - I am. All things considered (minus the cats), it's been a remarkably undramatic three years, and I am very thankful for everything I was given. But at 25 years old, it is time to spread my wings and fly. And if that involves learning how to bake chicken, I will learn. Frankly, I better learn, because man cannot live by ham sandwiches and nutella alone.

Anyways, I'm happy to say that of TODAY, I am officially renting an apartment. Starting TOMORROW, I will domicile there. And it will be good. Of course, I realized today that I lack many of the basic things that separate humans from animals - basic hygiene products, toilet paper, etc. But I can get these things - I will. It may be a small space, but by tomorrow, it will have a bed, couch, internet, and a coffeemaker - all the necessities of life.

So, everyone come on over!

Miss Ya' Bud

2011-10-20T22:48:00.001-05:00

Esq.

2011-10-06T12:52:00.002-05:00

Man-skill of the week = passing the bar exam.

Wedding Number 2 - K1 and B

2011-10-05T22:53:00.008-05:00

Well friends, as perhaps I've alluded to, last weekend, I traveled approximately 1500 miles (no, seriously) to wedding number three in four weeks. All I have to say is, thank god for ipods, jimmy johns, and diesel fuel...

Seriously though, who would have thunk any part of Michigan was beautiful? I always associated Michigan with Detroit - Detroit is a craphole, ergo, Michigan is a craphole. Well, scratch that thought, because Traverse City and its associated peninsulas are in fact, quite beautiful. Driving through rolling vineyards and cherry orchards is quite soothing after you've been stuck in mind numbing one lane traffic. Add in a cloudless sky and a brilliant blue lake, and you have the makings of an exceptionally quaint wedding weekend.

Which is completely appropriate, since I was in Traverse City to witness - nay, participate in - the nuptials of my two of my very best friends. Again, from all corners of the midwest, the four manboys converged again, by road and by air. And there was much rejoicing. There was also much merrymaking, though not quite to the level experienced a few weeks previously. All in all, things kept in check, which, all things considered, was probably okay. After all, the wedding was at noon this time...

Anyways, a beautiful ceremony was held in a beautiful yard, attached to a beautiful home, right on the beautiful shores of beautiful Lake Michigan. I think the best word to describe everything would be, hmm, let me think - beautiful. K2 seemed disappointed that I didn't cry, but I thought about it. As my friend stood and said his vows, I was incredibly happy, and couldn't help but beam myself.

Oddly enough, I felt proud - yes, pride is the best descriptor. Not that he wasn't mature to begin with, but here was a man who had matured considerably through the years. In college, I looked up to him as someone who I could live vicariously through. He lived the life, and had the personality, that I often so desperately wanted. Now, I look up to him as one of the few who have found exactly what they want, and made the commitment which is the natural progression of initial desire. I was proud to be the best man of someone like that, much less the friend of someone like that.

Reception after reception followed, and the three manboys not being married at that particular moment stuck together in unity, doing our best to converse politely with the locals. Often, I would get a tap on the shoulder and be asked if I was the "doctor - or wait, are you the physicist?" I would apologize and reply with "No, I'm actually the lawyer," and then watch as a friendly smile would turn to a steely gaze. Not really - that's a lie. But seriously, it's like a bad joke. A doctor, lawyer, physicist, and trombone professor walk into a bar...

Speaking of bad jokes, I also got to unleash my public speaking skills on an unsuspecting public with a carefully practiced PG-13 rated toast. Actually, that's a lie - I pretty much winged it on an outline. Hard not to get some laughs when the climax is four professional students group hugging without pants. No pants, no problem.

Eventually, the three of us were left to our own devices, and took in dinner at a Mexican restaurant and a showing of the movie "Drive." At dinner, we learned that a particular manboy is feeling inadequately masculine, and is looking to learn more "skills" in order to become more of a man. This of course led to a brainstorming session of manly skills to learn, such as bear hunting, kung fu, evasive driving, and home repair skills. Needless to say, the list is ongoing.

Poker skills, anyone?

I could recount everything, but that would be beside the point. Again, I was thankful for good friends, and happy to be amongst a group of men that know and understand me intimately. Some people have wondered whether I regretted it, now that half the manboys are married. I get asked whether something will now be missing - perhaps innocence, perhaps that sense of freeform masculine adventure, perhaps a constant, desperate attempt to relive glory days.

I don't think so though. I enjoy seeing everyone grow up, seeing everyone learn about themselves, the world, and how they fit into it. I don't think real friendship is grounded in a time and place. It seems to me, real friends are adaptable. At least, I think I'll stick with that.

Congrats again.

Wedding Number 1 - The Klein

2011-09-18T23:27:00.006-05:00

As dreary Iowa gave way to dreary Minnesota today on US Highway 52, my traveling companion noted to me that of all her many friends, she could not quite match up one specified group to the group she witnessed this weekend. Yes folks, my three good friends from Luther and I, the "manboys" of prose and lore (and apparently, the most apt descriptor for the father of the groom to use in introductions to family), reunited once again - this time in Cedar Falls for the first marriage of the batch. Much congratulations are in order for Klein and Amy, who were married on Saturday in a beautiful ceremony.

Despite a few close calls with the sizing of our tuxedos, all was well, and much merriment ensued. I think Klein was sent off aptly into married life with a Friday night bachelor party that may or may not have slightly exceeded the low key vibe originally envisioned for the evening. Perhaps "slightly exceeded" is putting it mildly, but as this is a family friendly blog, details will not be rendered with specificity. However we were all present and accounted for (3/4 of us anyway) for coffee in the morning, and when the father of the bride asked me if the line had been crossed in terms of celebration, I bravely and accurately informed him that the line had been appropriately reached, yet not crossed. Needless to say, after a quick enchilada stop for lunch, everyone was in peak performance for the big show.

The ceremony was beautiful, with one of the highlights being a rendering of the delightfully tacky Lutheran hymn "Earth and All Stars," featuring this gem of a verse:

5. Classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Athlete and band, loud cheering people,

sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain

Appropriate enough for the bride and groom, I suppose, but hilarious nonetheless. As the best man had made a slight error in copying music, the three groomsmen were forced into an impromptu trio, and we went to great lengths to drown out some of the less polished singing voices that joined us on the altar. We also had to drown out my laughter when the aforementioned verse came up - I'm sorry, but how can you sing that with a straight face?

Another highlight was undoubtedly the vows, in which Amy promised to build Klein a shelf for his books. Good luck with that one sister - I'll believe it when that stack of New Yorkers disappears from the floor. I was somewhat hopeful that Amy would have knit a celebratory wedding squid, but I suppose we'll have to just make a visit to Iowa City for that one...

In finality, it was a great weekend, and hopefully just the start of a fall wedding season that in a fortnight will conclude with Mr. Yates' nuptials in rural Michigan. Again at that time, four friends will gather, this time devoid of the coterie of girlfriends, fiances, and wives to keep them in check and simultaneously shake their heads at the antics that ensue.

I'm thankful for the weekend, I'm thankful for safe travels. I'm thankful that K2 could come, despite my (apparent) incessant blathering during Friday's festivities. I'm thankful that the two K's have formed a friendship of their own, and that they were able to get to know everyone else throughout the weekend. I'm thankful for my friends from Luther. But most of all, this weekend, I'm thankful for Klein and Amy, and all that is to come.

September 11

2011-09-11T10:29:00.002-05:00

As I imagine most Americans can, at least those old enough, I remember where I was the morning of September 11. I was outside for early marching band practice on the FHS football field, which was right next to the FAA building. During the middle of rehearsal, sirens started coming from the FAA, and as I looked to the sidelines, I saw that some of the injured band members were huddled around a radio. Despite not knowing what was happening, something felt not right. I went into my second hour class - American History with Mrs. Lund - and the first thing I saw was the TV on CNN, with a view of Manhattan covered in thick black smoke. I recall not knowing what to think, because it didn't look real - it looked like a movie or something. In every class for the rest of the day, we spent it watching CNN.

It was terrifying, and may it not happen again.

Anyway, the following was the ELCA reading for today, which apparently was unplanned, but particularly appropriate.

Matthew 18:

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Music of the Day - Bon Iver

2011-09-01T23:22:00.002-05:00

I am slowly coming back from my blogging hiatus. Things are in the works.

But first, check out this unbelievable cover of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bon Iver. I am fortunate enough to have tickets to one of Bon Iver's shows next week - shows that the Current referred to as "so sold out, it's disgusting." My level of excitement is nearing absolute capacity...

T-Minus 1

2011-07-25T11:10:00.003-05:00

Conspiracy - Conspiracy is a specific intent inchoate offense. It does not merge with the related offense. The elements of conspiracy are (1) an agreement among two or more to commit a criminal act; (2) that the agreement be made with the intent to commit the criminal act, and; (3) an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy. A co-conspirator is liable for all crimes committed by co-conspirators in furtherance of the conspiracy, as well as all other crimes that are reasonably foreseeable. At common law, conspiracy required two guilty minds, meaning, a sting operation couldn't result in a charge of conspiracy. The MPC only requires one criminal mind. One important thing to remember is that the criminal act of conspiracy is the agreement itself - therefore, even if a member withdraws, he will still be liable for conspiracy as well as those crimes committed prior to withdrawal.

T-Minus 2

2011-07-24T08:35:00.002-05:00

Piercing the Corporate Veil - As a general rule, shareholders are not liable for the debts of the corporation. An exception arises in the case of closely held corporations, and it may be possible for a creditor to pierce the veil. To do so, the creditor must first show an abuse of corporate privileges, and second, that it would be fundamentally fair to hold the shareholder personally liable. This often arises in two situations - alter ego and undercapitalization. Please note that courts are more willing to pierce the veil for tort creditors rather than contract creditors.

T-Minus 3

2011-07-23T11:33:00.002-05:00

Great White Shark Video - Funny bloopers are a click away

Trust Basics - A trust is an arrangement whereby a trustee takes legal title to a specific res, given by the trustor (settlor) for the benefit of certain beneficiaries. The prerequisite for a trust is that the settlor gives legal title to the trustee with the intent to create a trust for a valid purpose, for the benefit of the beneficiaries. Although there are two types of trust - private and charitable - these requirements are essential for both. One thing to keep in mind, is that there must be a specific and identifiable trust property - the res. It need not be physical, but can be a chose in action, so long as that chose is not a mere expectancy.

I am the shark. Sorry seal.

T-Minus 4

2011-07-22T09:26:00.002-05:00

Counterclaims - In a case in federal court, a defendant must assert those mandatory counterclaims which arise out of the same transaction or occurrence as the plaintiff's claim. If it does not assert them, it will be deemed to have waived them forever. A defendant may also assert any other claim it has against the plaintiff as a permissive counterclaim, which need not arise out of the same transaction or occurrence. The defendant is also free to pursue permissive counterclaims in a separate forum. In all cases, the federal court must have subject matter jurisdiction over the claims, meaning federal question or diversity. If there is no such jurisdiction, the court may exercise supplemental jurisdiction if the claim arises out of the same transaction or occurrence.

T-Minus 5

2011-07-21T09:51:00.002-05:00

Statutory Requirements for a Will - In order for a will to be valid, there must be: (1) a testator over the age of consent; (2) will executed with testamentary intent; (3) the testator must sign the will, and; (4) there must be at least two attesting witnesses.

An interesting problem arises when the testator signs a will, but then adds provisions after the signature. Under the UPC, so long as those provisions are contemporaneous with the will, they are valid. However, at common law, such provisions were invalid, as wills needed to be signed at the end.

In this clip, I like to think of myself as Arnold Schwarzenegger.

T-Minus 6

2011-07-20T08:11:00.002-05:00

Annulment - An annulment is a ground for terminating a marriage when the grounds giving rise to it occur prior to the marriage actually taking place. As a result, a marriage may be void or voidable. A void marriage cannot be waived by the parties, and furthermore, may be attacked collaterally by third parties. Void marriages may be annulled in court at the option of one of the parties - but this is not necessary. The two void grounds are bigamy and cosanguinity (incest). Voidable grounds may be waived by the parties, and may not be challenged collaterally. Voidable grounds are one party being too young, mental incapacity, duress, permanent physical impotence, and fraud. The fraudulent statement must be one that goes to a central aspect of the marital relationship - mere lies about economic or social status are insufficient. In most states, the remedies for an annulment are the same for divorce, however, in others, alimony is not available.

T-Minus 7

2011-07-19T10:30:00.003-05:00

Dormant Commerce Clause - A state may not regulate those areas of interstate commerce expressly regulated by Congress. However, in the absence of such regulation, a state may regulate interstate commerce in a non-discriminatory way so long as it does not unduly burden interstate commerce. A discriminatory regulation will be held invalid, subject to three exceptions. First, if the state is acting as a market participant, and not a regulator. Second, if the discriminatory law serves a state police interest that is non-economic, and there is no reasonable non-discriminatory means of accomplishing that objective. Third, the Supreme Court gives more deference to state regulation that discriminates in favor of activities traditionally performed by the government.

Music of the Day - Blind Melon

2011-07-15T13:11:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry, I just love this song.

Music of the Day

2011-07-13T11:24:00.002-05:00

Because there is nothing else interesting going on. Two weeks until this shit is over.

RIP Buddy

2011-06-27T22:39:00.004-05:00

Folks, my dog, and occasional guest blogger, passed away today. Rather, my mom and I made the decision to put him down. He was sick, and after 14 years and nearly three months of taking care of the rest of us, it was time for me to take care of him one last time, and let him go. He shouldn't have been made to spend his last months sick, unable to do the things he loved to do. That would be cruel. So today, he left.

Now, he can eat pizza crusts, cheerios, and dozens of chocolate chip cookies to his heart's content. I just hope someone's there to take him for a walk, because I can't anymore. And that's what I think I'll miss the most. Some of my happiest memories are going to be of walking with the dog, him constantly pulling at the leash, constantly stopping to sniff every tree, as I tried to tug him along in exasperation. We both knew I'd let him get what he wanted though, and he did. In reality, he was always walking me.

Aside from our walks, I think the thing I'll remember the most is just sitting with Buddy in the basement of my mom's house, where he was a constant presence. As he got older, I think the dog and I got closer, and as I got wrapped up with the stresses of young adulthood and law school, the dog was always there to help reduce that. Distinctly, I recall a night a year or so back where I had had a very traumatic event happen, an event involving a young woman who was very special to me. As I returned home early in the morning, quite distraught, I remember being happily surprised to see that the dog, hearing my arrival, had woke up and come downstairs. Once there, he just sat next to me. And then, as if sensing my need for comic relief, as he headed back upstairs to bed, he ran into a half-closed door in the dark. Needless to say, once I determined he was alright, it was rather funny...

There's only so much you can say though. In the end, Buddy has been my friend, my best friend, since I was 12. That's more than half my life. And now, all of a sudden, he is gone, and of course that is painful. It will be so very difficult to, for the first time in years, experience a stress-free dinner without a whiny dog in my lap begging for food. It will be hard to not have a dog to walk. Mainly though, it will be hard to not have a dog to understand.

Maybe that was the thing about Buddy. For all his youthful craziness, and strange quirks (such as taking his food out of his bowl, placing it on the floor, and then eating it), he always understood. And I'll miss him terribly for that. It's comforting to know that he lived so long, and so well. That he saw his entire family in the weeks before his passing, and that when it came, my mom and I could be with him.

So, in celebration of a long and beautiful life, here's to you Bud. I'll see you again in a while... and I'll let you have my pizza crusts.

Fine Dining

2011-06-20T14:39:00.002-05:00

Internet friends, sometimes we do things where we look back and think to ourselves, "what the hell was I thinking." I daresay I had one of those moments today. A few months ago, I agreed with a friend from law school that to celebrate our graduation, we would have lunch at the KFC buffet. Why? I have no idea. Today though, I ate my words... and then some.

Now, just for the record, I haven't been to KFC in years - I'd say at least six. So, I don't want any misimpressions created that I make it a habit of dining with the Colonel. That would be a falsity. In fact, I think I made a vow not to return to KFC six years ago, when I nearly slipped and fell on the layer of grease that coated the entire floor of the restaurant. But, a pact is a pact, and I committed myself to this, so I went today. Loyalty is the most important thing.

I think there are two things that any novice must know about the KFC buffet.

1 - You get your hand stamped with a tiny Colonel Sanders

2 - There is an entire tray of fried gizzards

There you go folks. Let your imagination run wild. And by run wild, I mean stuff your face with instant mashed potatoes, gelatinous gravy, plastic-textured mac and cheese, and buckets upon buckets of fried chicken, such that neither your imagination nor your body can run for days. And how could I forget the biscuits and "buttery spread." Oh my, the buttery spread...

Needless to say, I am in a poor state of body at the moment. Three styrofoam plates will do that to a man. In my defence, one of those plates contained applesauce.

The thing was, despite the strange desire to vomit, I think the two of us walked out of that restaurant healthier than any other patrons. That's because the KFC buffet is perhaps the greatest venue for suburban people watching known to man. And fortunately for you, readers, I had a perfect vantage point to see everyone in the restaurant.

Perhaps it is best to start with the observation that very rarely do you see so many single men eating plate upon plate of fried chicken by themselves. In fairness, they may all have had very fulfilling personal lives with lovely women (or men) whom they went home to. However, at KFC, they were alone. Therefore, for ease of storytelling and hilarity, they were single. Then again, I was there with another guy, who I picked up at his apartment, so for all intents and purposes, we were on a man-date. Anyway, moving on.

There were a surprising number of Single Men who came to the KFC buffet on their lunch break, quickly loosening their ties and rolling their sleeves as they heaped chicken upon chicken upon biscuit upon their sagging styrofoam plates. You could always spot them on account of their chicken guts spilling over the top of their pleated khaki pants. The white collar Single Men were very impressive to me, as I can't imagine going back into an office after eating my weight in fried chicken. It's difficult enough sitting alone in a dark basement... my life is almost as awesome.

Anyway, there were a couple of lovely ladies also enjoying a plate or two of chicken, as well as a group of Asian college students who were seemingly having a competition over who could eat the most. The guy sitting directly behind us was a painter, and he took much joy in tearing through a number of chicken breasts - at first with a fork, then he decided to just go for the gold and use his fingers.

However, the piécè de résistance was Single Man with the t-shirt tucked into the jeans and the bluetooth in his ear. This titan of the KFC buffet was a fellow who immediately grabbed two (2) buffet plates, and loaded one up with chicken, and the other up with mac and cheese, potatoes, and corn. He then proceeded to squeeze (yes, this happened because I watched him do it) ten (10) packets of hot sauce onto the concoction, before stirring it all up with a plastic spork. He then proceeded to tear each chicken breast apart (by hand), and use the chicken as a utensil to eat the plate of shit he had just created. Simply incredible - a veritable fast food artist.

I'm certain there's some deep truth to all of this, something that I'm missing. I suppose the folks depicted in my story would take offence to being characterized the way they are - they would probably rightly conclude that they are being judged on a completely arbitrary and capricious occurrence. After all, maybe this was their first time to the KFC buffet in six years too. Any other potential blogger would have looked at me, stuffing my face with mounds of chicken, and come to a similar conclusion: that I led a sad existence. Undoubtedly though, and this is something to be admired, the people who have the bravery, nay courage, to eat at the KFC buffet are people who either have an abiding sense of self worth, or they are very good at faking it. Because you cannot have any shame to eat there.

I feel ashamed though. I thought I was stronger, but the KFC buffet put me in my place. I think I'll have a pear for dinner.

Band of the Week

2011-06-09T16:50:00.003-05:00

Since I don't have time to write an Album of the Week review, a simple "Band of the Week" will have to do.

The first and only time I've ever been so compelled as to purchase an album off of iTunes on my future phone. God bless England, and may her bluesy rockers live forevermore.

Destination: List

2011-06-03T23:49:00.012-05:00

In all my leisure time (irony) since becoming a Doctor of Jurisprudence, I've been thinking quite a bit about the travels I should like to take. Never mind the daily torture session of studying for the bar exam, never mind unreliable French lawyers, never mind 175 pages of Swedish arbitral bs to respond to. I just want to go on a trip.

As a result, and in no particular order, a list of sorts.

1 - Patagonia, Argentina

2 - Singapore

3 - Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

4 - Shanghai, China

5 - Glacier National Park

6 - Yosemite National Park

7 - England (never will get tired)

8 - The Alhambra, Spain

9 - Hawai'i

10 - Serengeti

Well, that's today's list. Tomorrow's is subject to change.

Space Shuttle

2011-06-02T17:33:00.001-05:00

If you click "play" on this video, I guarantee you will watch all 13 minutes. Absolutely mesmerizing - why don't we fund this?

J.D.

2011-05-22T12:54:00.005-05:00

I am, among other things, a Juris Doctor...

With high honours...

And good friends...

A beautiful, smart girlfriend...

A silly wizard robe in the rain...

And even more good friends.

Harmon Killebrew

2011-05-17T11:52:00.002-05:00

It's a very sad day here in Minnesota, especially for us Twins fans. Harmon Killebrew passed away this morning from esophageal cancer.

I never had the privilege to see Mr. Killebrew play, but I heard stories from my parents about home runs at the Old Met. I saw him out and about the Metrodome and Target Field, always with a smile on his face, always looking happy to be there. He was a classy man who treated everyone with respect, a person who was humble, yet took pride in his accomplishments. No wonder Minnesotans love him.

The Twins haven't been very good this year, but I hope tonight, they can win a game for Harmon. I think that's the best way to honour a man who has meant so much to the players, the team as a whole, and the state.

RIP Mr. Killebrew - we'll miss you.

Mission Accomplished

2011-05-15T17:54:00.003-05:00

Folks, it has been a splendid few days since, at approximately 4:20 PM on Thursday afternoon, the 12th of May, I turned in my International Civil Litigation exam, and walked out of Hamline University School of Law a newly liberated man. That was it - the end, the finale, donzos, no more, nada. The End of Law School.

I go to sleep without the Hague Evidence Convention haunting my dreams, my mornings have been spent lazily sipping coffee, rather than hurriedly reading 20 pages of corporate finance text. And on this, a beautiful Minnesota Sunday, instead of trying to critique a mediation, I went for a bike ride. Perhaps it was the wind at my back, but I flew southward on Highway 3 toward Farmington as if I were being pulled by thoroughbreds. I'd like to believe it was just a function of a satisfied mind - well, and legs already battle honed this season (see post before last).

And I do have a satisfied mind, as Johnny Cash so aptly put it. When I was having lunch/drinking delicious beer with a fellow liberated lawyer on Friday, we both looked back on our law school careers with relative contentment. Oh sure, I could have done some things better - I could have stayed as far away from modern real estate as humanly possibly - but overall, I have few complaints. I had the opportunity to spend a month in London at the beginning of school, and at the end, after excrutiating yet rewarding hours spent researching, drafting, and arguing, I was sent to represent Hamline in Hong Kong.

In retrospect, that was the best thing. Unfortunately, Hamline is not Harvard, and it never will be. We suffer from an undeserved reputation at home, and employers look unimpressed at our accomplishments. But having the opportunity to go to a foreign place, and along with my teammate, create that impression anew, that was incredibly satisfying. It was humbling to think that Hamline, and the group of alumni who care so passionately about this moot, put their faith in us to represent well. And we did.

I'm not disillusioned so much to assume that life is easy-peasy from here on out. I, for better or for worse, chose a profession that is long on working late and short on healthy work-life balance. I think I've done alright so far though, and think I will in the future too.

But anyway, another chapter ends, another beings. I have a lot to learn, but I've learned a lot. I'm still trying to decide whether I'm prickish enough to refer to myself as "Dr. Nyquist" - probably not, but I'd imagine it will come out as an argument trump card/drunken statement. In any event, it'll be nice to walk across the stage on Friday in the silly hat and maroon robes, and see what comes next. The last few years, maddening as they have sometimes been, have been a good start.

Final Final

2011-05-12T11:21:00.000-05:00

This just in, a report from the field:

International civil litigation, prepare to become my bitch.

Sent from my iPhone

Aaron Nyquist
Hamline University School of Law

Ironman 2011, or my pleasant country ride

2011-05-03T17:22:00.008-05:00

I think a catchy underdog nickname is only appropriate to tell this story. The "Norwegian Nighthawk" perhaps? Anyways, it's really best if you have either of these two songs in mind as you read this post.

May 1, 2011 - A narration of sorts

So, I decided to bike the Minnesota Ironman last Sunday. Here's what happened.

7:15 AM - Wake up, put on "biking outfit." Said "biking outfit" includes spandex shorts, summer cotton socks, and lightweight summer biking shoes, among other things

7:30 AM - Let dog out. Notice it is approximately 0 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind gusts of up to 100 MPH coming from the WEST. Also notice that wearing shorts may not be the best idea. End of thought process.

7:32 AM - Let dog in. Reconsider shorts element for a brief moment, then again stop thinking. Eat instead.

8:00 AM - Go to Target to buy gatorade and bandanna for head. Lady at checkout says, "Oh, going biking today? Going to be chilly" in fantastic Minnesota accent. I nod begrudgingly in agreement.

8:02 AM - Drink coffee.

8:30 AM - Arrive at Lakeville high school with bike. Realize again that it is quite cold out. Further realize that it is snowing. Think to myself, "Maybe it'd be a good idea to wear an extra coat...."

8:40 AM - Tell check-in lady that why yes, I will bike the 68 mile route. Can't be that bad, right?

8:46 AM - Realize I will die without warmer gloves. Appropriately, I buy new pair of gloves.

8:50 AM - Scoff at friend's suggestion that I only bike the 30 mile route. Confidently and arrogantly say "No, I'm doing 68 miles." Said friend warns me not to die or lose an extremity.

8:51 AM - And we're off! WESTBOUND. INTO THE WIND. WITH THE SNOW. IN THE COLD. WEARING SHORTS.

9:10 AM - Reach the western edge of Lakeville, going headlong into the wind on the plains. Notice that many bikers are going the wrong way, back to Lakeville. Ignore them and push ahead. Quickly realize I made a huge, huge mistake.

9:11 - 10:50 AM - Curse to self, but can't hear cursing over roar of wind. Curse louder. Pedal at approximately 10 MPH through the farming valleys to Jordan. Can't feel knees, feet, brain, fingers, any part of body, etc. Curse even louder still. Repeatedly spit, blow snot, and god knows what else into some farmer's ditch.

11:00 AM - When trying to surmount the incredibly daunting peak of a suburban hill to the first rest stop, nearly fall off of bike due to complete exhaustion. Overcome with weakness, dizziness, illness, feelings of utter despondency, etc.

11:03 - 11:30 AM - Stumble deliriously into first rest stop. Eat approximately 20 lbs of bread based food, nearly throw up. Think about quitting. Also think about how much of an idiot I'd look like if I quit. Decide I feel better. Decide to keep going.

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM - Realize how pleasant it is to not be riding directly into 100 (well, maybe 30) MPH wind gusts. Have nerdy middle aged man (likely a banker) tell me I must be a real "ironman" to do this in shorts. Laugh with delusion. Also, realize how even more pleasant it is to ride WITH the wind. 20 MPH cruising never came so easy.

1:00 - 1:30 PM - Roll into second rest stop in Lonsdale. Again, eat approximately 20 lbs. of bread based food. Did not feel like throwing up this time. Steal much food for the ride home. Get back on the damn bike.

1:30 - 3:00 PM - Slowly, steadily make way northeast to Lakeville. Passed by many, but not left for dead. Even managed to pass a few myself. Upper legs are beginning to feel sad as the 50 mile mark is passed. Keep going.

3:00ish - Arrive back in Lakeville. Pass some of the assholes who passed me previously - joke's on you, idiot. Tortoise always beats the hare.

3:10 PM - Cross the finish line. Look into mirror of bathroom, realize I look like I survived some type of nuclear winter. Knees and face are bright red from windburn, cycling glasses are smeared with grease, hands are indented with seams from gloves. Go into the school to pick up commemorative t-shirt (which yes, I am wearing whilst I write this), and lady asks me incredulously, "You went 68 miles wearing those?!" Steely-eyed, nod yes, snatch the shirt, walk off into the sunset...

Moral of the Story

I'm just saying, the day we kill Osama bin Laden, I biked the 68 miles I said I would back in January. Did it suck? Yes. Was it fun? I don't really think so.

Am I glad I did it? Yes.

Libraries

2011-04-29T11:41:00.004-05:00

One of the lamer things I've probably done this calendar year, is participate in a tour of Luther College for my good friend's then girlfriend/now fiance last summer. When the highlight of the tour is showing her where we all used to sit in the library when writing our senior papers, you start to realize how less than scintillating it really was.

I'm sure other similarly lame things were pointed out - the practice room I spent hours in trying to figure out the mysteries of the low brass embouchure (kiss your hand? WTF?), where I took the LSAT, the parking lot turned bike rodeo facility, etc. Like all things though, it seems like it is the mundane, the repetitious, that becomes important. I always get the strangest flashbacks from England; they always involve me on a bus to the Notts city centre, or something similarly routine. However, when one spends three hours in a parking lot on a summer day teaching a 21 year old physics student how to ride a bike, I suppose that tends to be remembered.

The only reason this all comes to mind, is that I'm sitting in the Hamline law library, and quite like Preus in Decorah, sitting in a very particular spot. Two years ago at this time, I was very likely sitting in this same spot hyperventilating over a contracts exam. Now, the end is near. There's no more hyperventilation - I don't know what I would characterize it as. Certainly a tinge of apathy, but I'm generally not apathetic. More like, "come on, let's get done, but holy shit what happens now?"

You know, it will be fine, everything will be fine. As I sit in this godforsaken library for yet another hour though, I am positive that five years down the road, I'll slip into a daydream filled with dancing copies of casebooks, coffee, and bowtied professors...

It's really amazing that law students escape these three years with any friends.

Rainy Days

2011-04-26T14:19:00.003-05:00

Rainy days always remind me of England. Waking up to all that rain, the dreariness, the general malaise... so refreshing. If only there was a cup of Yorkshire Gold, a plate of custard creams, and perhaps some Sigur Rós in the church hall basement...

Macau

2011-04-07T04:57:00.003-05:00

Hello again from beautiful Hong Kong. We had our third round argument today against Tsinghua University from Beijing. Tsinghua had won a Chinese national pre-moot, the CIETAC Cup, and was essentially the national champion in this year's Vis problem. Unfortunately, they drew the HUSL Samurai Wolves in the third round...

Kidding and exaggeration aside, we argued very well today, undoubtedly the most complete argument so far. We improved in the areas we wanted to improve in, and generally stayed on the ball throughout. The Tsinghua team was difficult and well-prepared, but we were equally so. I would venture to guess that we prevailed, but that's just me.

Anyways, after facing off against the Russian team yesterday, myself and my fellow travelers took the jet ferry over to Macau. Similar to Hong Kong, Macau is also a Special Administrative Region of China, and was for nearly 500 years a Portuguese outpost. Still, Chinese, Portuguese, and English are official languages. Macau, aside from being a strange little Mediterranean enclave in the South China Sea, is also the Vegas of the East. Mega-casinos as far as the eye could see. However, there also were very quaint, thoughtful touches. My favourite was the Portuguese style cobblestone sidewalks, done in fanciful patterns.

We shunned said casinos, and ended up wandering about the back streets of a gritty residential neighborhood for most of the daylight hours. It was extremely reminiscent of Brazil from my perspective - people jetting by on a navy of mopeds, tiny trucks delivering propane and supplies, having one's life flash before one's eyes as the aforementioned zip past. It was real, and it was glorious. I had this amazing street waffle, with nutella, coconut milk, peanut stuff, and some sort of sweet condensed milk.

Anyways, we finally got dinner in a Portuguese restaurant, and it was probably the best food I've had so far on the trip. We ordered this stupendous Portuguese fried rice with pork and shrimp. However, the pinnacle came with the galinha à Africana - this fantastic chicken stewed with garlic, coconut milk, and chiles.

It was a short trip, but a worthwhile one. For those of you who haven't been on a high-speed catamaran, one would be amazed how fast you can move across water. I would go back in an instant.

Tomorrow, our last general round against Bond University of Australia. We will do our best, and then hope our scores are good enough to advance on Saturday. Here's hoping...

Round 1

2011-04-05T10:28:00.002-05:00

Hello again from Hong Kong. Today, the Hamline cobras faced off against Hanyang University from Seoul, South Korea. Aside from a few easily remedied things, it was a fantastic first round. Nowhere to go but forward.

Tonight, we ate dinner at a two Michelin starred restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, and then proceeded to "invite" ourselves into an arbitrator cocktail hour on Hong Kong Island. After that, we took the tram up to the top of the peak overlooking Hong Kong, and walked around for a bit. Then, we caught a double decker bus down to the harbour, took the Star Ferry back to Kowloon, and then finally took a metro train back to our hotel. Long, yet successful day.

Tomorrow, we face the Mari State team from Russia. Once that is done around lunchtime, the plan is to catch a ferry over to Macau, which similar to Hong Kong, was a colony up until 1999, albeit a Portuguese one. Apparently there is good food, and other stuff to do.

For those folks (if any) from Hamline reading, you can rest assured that we are representing the school to the best of our abilities, and talking up both our Vis program and the DRI as much as we can. I think we're making plenty of really great contacts, and both of us feel very confident as we enter the second round tomorrow. So, wish us luck!

Hong Kong Dispatch

2011-04-03T06:32:00.000-05:00

I'm here in Hong Kong, and life is good. It feels somewhat akin to New York or London - closer to those cities than to Beijing, at least when I was there. My only quibble thus far is the apparent local taste in super smooth bossa nova. I mean, I love the girl from ipanema too, but every time I walk into our hotel...

My teammate is off to fetch his wife at the airport, so I'm left to represent America/respect the moot at the moot alumni welcome reception. Tomorrow features an arbitration convention at a swanky downtown law firm, followed by the actual moot welcome thing at a swanky hotel in Kowloon. Tuesday, the mooting begins in earnest, where a world of hurt awaits four unsuspecting teams...

Internet is somewhat dodgy at our hotel and far overpriced, so this update is courtesy of a coffeehouse in central hk. So far, so good. This may or may not go on the "cities I could live in" list.

Okay, time to head out. Wish us luck!

Sent from my iPhone

Aaron Nyquist
Hamline University School of Law

Week

2011-03-24T23:17:00.003-05:00

Hi folks. It's hard to believe, in the midst of the wildness of work, school, and competition, that in just a titch over a week, I'll be jetting off to Hong Kong for the Vis international commercial arbitration moot. After six months of devoting my life to this competition, to becoming best friends with Alan Redfern and Martin Hunter, to making Room 303 of the Hamline Law Library my second home, it's go time.

Truly, I am absurdly excited. For the longest time, I've felt a bit of an itch to get off of this continent, to go elsewhere, to go somewhere unfamiliar. Furthermore, despite the percentage of my life consumed, I think this international arbitration business is wildly interesting, and this competition personally and professionally fulfilling. My participation in Vis has (essentially) led me to new employment, where I have had the pleasure of writing a substantial portion of an actual international arbitration claimant's brief. Maybe more importantly, it has made me incredibly close with three other individuals I probably never would have met, people I would now probably count amongst my closest friends.

In any event, we're ready. I'm ready to fly 20 hours, I'm ready to eat rhinocerous horn or whatever else, I'm ready to argue the finer points of Milan Rules Art. 20(4), I'm ready to have that confused, stupid American look. Hamline might not be ranked in the US, but we're sure as hell going to be ranked in Hong Kong...

Oh Minnesota...

2011-03-24T21:52:00.001-05:00

This only reaffirms my fervent belief that the rest of the world, in reality, wishes they were Minnesotans.

2011 Minneapolis Trombone Choir PERFORMANCE

2011-03-18T10:33:00.000-05:00

Folks,

This Sunday, YES THIS SUNDAY MARCH 20, 2011 AT 7:00 PM, is the 38th annual Minneapolis Trombone Choir Concert. Your lifelong desire to see 40ish super-awkward trombones playing nearly 3 hours of music is on the cusp of fulfillment. The performance not only includes me on tenor trombone, but also a pleasing assortment of bass trombones, sackbuts, euphoniums, tubas, and bass trumpets. Truly a sight to behold, truly the ideal way to start your week, truly the best thing ever.

In any event, further information can be found here. The concert is at Judson Memorial Baptist Church in Minneapolis, which is quite conveniently located on the corner of 41st and Harriet. Should be a fun time, and actually should be a good concert too - I think improved over last year. I think our guest artist this year, the Westside Trombone Quartet, is playing "Hey Jude," and we're going to play, among many pieces, "Malaguena" and the march from "El Cid."

Done deal, right? Hope to see some of you there!

Spring Break - Iowa/Illinois Gone Wild!

2011-03-08T23:14:00.005-06:00

Hello there folks, welcome back to my blog. I know everyone has been waiting with bated breath for another post; indeed, I've been confronted in a mock angry tone for my lack of recent blogging. I would say that I've been busy, but I've also been confronted on account of my latest posts being far too self-congratulatory. Therefore, no excuse will be given. Just deal folks, just deal.

Anyway, I once again had the pleasure last weekend of traveling through America's heartland, all the way down to Iowa City, and then skittering eastward to beautiful Champaign, Illinois. "Beautiful" may be a rare term when describing Champaign, but beauty, after all, is in the eye of the beholder. Given that, I may not be the beholder. However, that doesn't eliminate the fact that good friends live there, and in particular, a good friend giving a masters trombone recital. Plus, the promise of free bagels and coffee. Never, ever, give up free bagels and coffee.

The dulcet, velvety tone of the trombone is a topic long familiar with regular readers, so I'll spare you the sermon. We all know it's the cello of the brass family anyway. Given that, it is always quite the experience to witness someone you know do something extremely well, and it is particularly special when a very important friend is the someone you know. That, of course, was the focus of the weekend, and it did not disappoint. Champaign is quite a skip away from Minnesota (did I mention 9 hours?), but this was a trip far worthwhile.

The recital was given in an absolutely stunning old recital hall on the University of Illinois - the kind of place that makes one think, "this is where Music is played." The music itself was jolting in its excellence - I had heard said friend play before, but I don't think I quite grasped the depth of the mastery he had achieved on the trombone. It was fantastic from a programmatic standpoint, from a technical standpoint, and most importantly, from a musical standpoint. Absolutely superlative - I found myself transfixed during the final piece, mesmerized by a combination of pride, happiness, and sheer entertainment. After all, in the end, what is music if it doesn't engage the listener? Probably a string concert (ba dum ching).

Look at that tie bar! I bet some fancy-schmancy Twin Cities pseudo-sartorialist gave the Master the idea to wear that! Definitely completes the ensemble.

Anyways, in all seriousness, for whatever it's worth, and for whatever capacity I have, I was very proud, and I can only hope I can do some pithy legal activity with the same level of skill.

Far from being an excuse to listen to trombone music, the trip was a long-overdue reason to escape the noise and bustle of the Twin Cities for a weekend, and see old and important friends. I needed to forget about arbitration for a while, to not have Redfern/Hunter in my backseat. I just needed to get away, and if I wasn't going to Fort Myers to see my Twins play, this was the next best thing. All things considered, and all pride swallowed, maybe it was even the best thing. I think the Twins understand - they know as well as anyone that loyalty is the most important thing.

I'm sure I'm leaving tales and conversations out, but that's what happens when it's 11:30 at night and you're falling asleep. In a nutshell, I learned where not to eat in Iowa City, why a glam/emo-bass/drum rock duo is possibly the worst idea ever, and why functional humans don't make a habit out of eating an entire bag of Haribo gummy bears in 10 minutes. I learned that people are good at the trombone, but even if you aren't quite so good, you can still enjoy playing it as best you can. I learned to never underestimate the entertainment value of a giant squid knitted out of old sweaters. And of course, sometimes (oftentimes?) the best vacation is just to see good friends, even given approximately $100k in diesel gasoline expences.

Although gratis fajitas and tiny Coronas do help...

Falling Off

2011-02-23T23:44:00.003-06:00

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...

Hope

2011-02-13T13:26:00.006-06:00

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.

Luck and Timing

2011-02-08T21:35:00.003-06:00

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!

Arguments

2011-02-01T21:49:00.003-06:00

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.

Prelude to a Basketball

2011-01-25T23:08:00.004-06:00

Evening folks, welcome back. Or should I say, after a week spent in a small glass room editing arbitration memos, welcome myself back?

I'm going to a Timberwolves game tomorrow. One could rightfully ask, "why would any rational being go to a Timberwolves game?" I really have no good response, other than the fact my arbitration teammate has been pestering, and it costs but $5. The last Wolves game I went to, the highlight of the evening was the blooper reel. I'm going to be hopeful though. It's what President Obama would want me to do.

I think there are two reasons why I'm confident of a more than pleasant evening though.

First, I need to come direct from work, which means I have to wear a suit. Last time I wore a suit to a sporting event...

we won.

Second, I have excellent company. Excellent company makes even terrible NBA basketball tolerable, nay, palatable, nay, intriguing.

In any event, I am more than ready to howl at opposing players' free throws, watch the stripper/"Timberwolves Dance Team" halftime show, and otherwise pay far too much for beer in a venue with the word "Target" in it. It'll be like a nice little run through for April... minus the strippers. Maybe the howling too... but actually, howling seems like a brilliant idea.

Speeches

2011-01-12T23:28:00.003-06:00

Friends, I spent tonight watching the President's address from Tucson. It's about a half hour long, but I would highly recommend it to you. I thought it was a beautiful speech. It's shameful that such a beautiful speech had to be borne out of such a senseless act.

I teared up. Real men tear up.

I certainly can't claim, and won't claim, to be nonpartisan. But I thought this was the kind of speech a leader makes, when he/she is called upon to be a leader. When I heard about this shooting on Saturday, I was absolutely horrified, and I don't really know why.

Maybe it's because it hit an elemental cord. Sure, I'm just a student, and often times I value the paycheck over more altruistic concerns, but I know exactly what it's like to go to work, hoping that today you can make the community a little bit better. I play a tiny role, an absolutely tiny role, and while I myself sometimes question the wisdom or humanism of the things I write, I like to tell myself that what I did today made some victim of a crime feel a bit better, or made a neighbor feel a bit safer. To think someone would shoot me for doing that, that's absolutely terrible.

In any event, the speech made me think, which I am wont to do. In fact, for all the blather that I spray out each day, I'd venture to say that I think at least two to three times as much. I think that's okay though; I think I'm happy to deal with some awkward silences in order to think things through a bit more.

Anyways, what really struck me about President Obama's speech was the gratitude he expressed for the folks in Tucson on Saturday. The people who wrestled the shooter to the ground, the doctors, the guy who took care of the representative who was shot. It made me think about the things I was grateful for - the real things, not the coffee grinders.

I wish I had something more insightful to say, I really do. Often times, I wish I could come up with all these fantastic ideas I hear about, but maybe, it's times like this where we all need to be grateful for who we are. More importantly, like the President said, we need to be grateful for, and think about, the opportunity to make someone's life a little better, as well as the folks who do the same for us. It would be futile to make a list, because there are so many, but that's what I'm going to do tonight.

In any event, it's late, and I'm tired. Again. But I'm grateful tonight for the place I'm in, because I think it's someplace good. I'm grateful for my job, and I'm grateful for the "A" I got in negotiation. I'm grateful for the bagels someone brought into work on Monday, and I'm grateful for the person who opened the door for me at the bookstore tonight. Most of all, I think I'm grateful for friendships, when even though some are far away, they have become stronger and more nuanced. I'm grateful for something else too, but I don't want to be premature or embarrass anybody.

I'm also grateful for flossing, which I will do now.

Album of the Week: OK Computer

2011-01-10T23:33:00.006-06:00

Yes, yes I know. "Album of the Week" has been on extended hiatus, but because of that, I'm sure the Internet's collective appetite is wholly whetted for this, the first installment of 2011. Think of it as the McRib of this blog - it doesn't show up that often, but when it does. . .

A good friend of mine has told me, from time to time, that Thom Yorke is a genius. I would characterize my reaction that statement as, well, "cool." And by "cool," I of course mean ignorant. Fortunately, thanks to a post-finals music sharing rampage, I came into quite the little trove of Radiohead, and am now happy to report that my reaction to the "Thom Yorke is a genius" claim has been upgraded to guarded agreement.

Thus, today's Album of the Week is OK Computer by Radiohead, first released in 1997. This is obviously consistent with my policy of being at least 2-3 years back of any pop culture trend.

As a disclaimer, I've always been a bit hesitant towards anthemic, stadium style rock. You know, U2 and the like. I often find myself questioning what the real purpose of the music is - is to sell out a ton of concerts, thereby earning bazillions, or is it genuine musical expression? The answer, most likely, is somewhere in the middle, but that doesn't stop me from pondering. I can safely say though, that I will henceforth make an exception. For Radiohead.

Folks, I love this album, and I can't quite put my finger on why. Honestly, I don't know what the hell he's singing half the time. I must say though, Mr. Yorke has one of the more distinctive voices you'll ever come across. I've been trying hard to come up with a sufficient adjective to describe it, but my vocabulary is eluding me. It's quite liquid, but yet retains a certain sharpness to it, which really illuminates some pretty incredible emotion.

To illustrate this, I'd highly recommend three tracks - "Karma Police," "Lucky," and "The Tourist." It is truth - I listened to "Lucky" probably 12 times in a row one night last week. I find it to be an absolutely intoxicating song, and have actually forced more than a few unwitting occupants of my car to listen to it too.

Perhaps that's the intangible that is drawing me to this album. Maybe it's the epic nature of the songwriting, maybe it's the aforementioned voice, I have no idea. But near every track on this album finds its way not only into your aural cavity, but your brain and heart as well. This is what leads me to conclude that the stadium-esque nature of this songwriting isn't a ploy to make gazillions on ticket sales, but a means through which to achieve transcendence. I could just as easily ponder life's mysteries to this album than scream with 100,000 other fans.

I think the pacing of the tracks, and the album as a whole, are quite incredible. I've always been a sucker for melodramatic art-rock (see Sigur Rós), and I'm sure Radiohead is going to quickly find its way onto that list. I love the laziness through which the music expands and contracts. It's a broad canvas of an album, and the musicians take the care of a master painter while filing up that space. To use the term from a later recording, you really get the sense that everything is in its right place, that the music is as it it was, is, and should be. Extraordinarily deliberate.

Deliberate - deliberate is a good place to be. This blog has well established my propensity for thinking, and this, I feel, is thinking music. It's music whose purpose is not immediately apparent. I can appreciate that, because the best things in life involve self-reflection.

So there you go.

Gadgetry

2011-01-10T21:45:00.005-06:00

Folks, I have to be honest, aside from the TSA screening and the vinyl waiting lounge chairs, one of my absolute favourite parts about air travel has to be the Sky Mall catalog.

You know, I spend a lot of time thinking about what it means to be persuasive, and thinking about how best to persuade certain people to think certain things. But truly, the Sky Mall catalog is a work of utter genius. I've been reading that thing cover to cover on every flight I've taken since I was a kid, and I never fail to leave the plane convinced that hidden camera spy sunglasses are absolutely necessary to my next trip. Or maybe that inflatable wedge that you put on your tray table to sleep on. Perhaps The Original Turkish Bathrobe from Hammacher Schlemmer?

I'm convinced that any item the modern cosmopolitan could ever desire is contained within the pages of Sky Mall. Honestly, just give me every damn thing in the catalog.

It's always so shocking to me, to realize that I am somehow surviving without having all these wondrous gadgets and devices, since it truly is a wonder that mankind survived so long without a joint hot dog cooker/bun toaster. Somehow, somehow though I eke by, scratching out a meager existence on the Mr. Coffeemaker I won at my high school class party (and when company is afoot, my French press and/or moka pot). I even lasted many many years grinding my coffee in the Procter-Silex grinder generously donated from my good friend's grandpa for my 22nd birthday.

However, even those who have survived without a Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville iced beverage machine can only endure so much. Which is why I used my trusty Christmas Kohl's card, and purchased this...

Readers, don't be misled. People who attempt to say that the wheel is the greatest human invention are lying to you. Rather, the above pictured Cuisanart Supreme Grind Automatic Coffee Mill is, in fact, the greatest thing ever produced. 16 customizable grind settings - can you believe that! It even turns off by itself!

There are a couple reasons for this modest claim.

1. You use this device to make coffee. Coffee is the lifeblood of America, the greatest country in the world, and the lifeblood any decent person. Coffee also helps stave off Alzheimer's. Coffee is possibly the most delicious thing ever discovered. Need I elaborate further?

2. More importantly, you use this device to make good coffee. Good coffee makes people feel better about themselves, which in turn makes them feel better about others, which in turn contributes to the Salvation Army meeting its Christmas fundraising goal. Ergo, this device helps homeless folks.

In all seriousness folks, this is a great machine, and I take much joy and satisfaction in customizing my grind to my mode of coffee preparation. If I could express my excitement in dumping a coarsely grinded mass of Starbucks Café Verona into my French press, you would be leaping with happiness right along with me (yes manboys, you may start your anticipation).

Now, if only I had a porch to enjoy this coffee on, along with friendly neighbors and a quaint city street. Unfortunately, Kohl's doesn't sell porches (or quaint city streets for that matter), so I might have to hold up a bit.

But I bet Sky Mall has both.

Defining Moments, or Why "CLOSED-ARRET" Signs Don't Matter

2011-01-03T21:52:00.008-06:00

Friends, hello again from Colorado. Amazingly, my woefully out of practice legs have brought me through yet another full day of skiing, relatively unscathed. Just like riding a bike. A really cold bike. That's a lie, I'm lying - I'm from Minnesota. Just a bike.

We skied Snowmass today, and at the very top of the mountain, right at the crest where the ski area ends and the wild takes over, were the most shocking views of mountain backcountry I've seen in quite a few years. Actually, I know exactly when the last time I saw such a scene - coincidentally, the last time I went alpine skiing...

(flashback)

It was December of 2006, and the very first day that the lifs at Les Grands Montets were open. I remember it being somewhat cold, but nothing that a good Minnesota boy couldn't handle with some self-assurance and a pair of mittens his mom had so graciously sent "par avion." I had left my friends from Notts in the condo we had rented, and had taken a bus through the Chamonix valley, up to the ski resorts. While they munched baguettes and lazed about the quaint village, I, I had resolved to ski the Alps, just like my dad had done years earlier.

The bus was full of those sort of stereotypical "Europeans-on-a-ski-vacation" type, replete with tight, neon, Descente jackets and jambon beurre sandwiches. I, of course, looked like who I was - a bright eyed college student truly out on his own for the first time. Of course, I told myself it was all fine, but in reality, I was scared shitless.

So I rented my skis, and some English punk ski-bum fitted my boots. The gondola ride, if I recall correctly, was quiet - for me. I couldn't say the same for the Italian trio that shared the cabin with me.

Of course, the skiing was amazing - indescribable views, great powder, and the like. I did as the Europeans sans jambon beurre would do, and paid entirely too much for a brie and turkey baguette. Quietly eating, drinking a cup of coffee, I remembered that at the top of the lift to the top, I had noticed a few skiers cross a "CLOSED - ARRET" sign, and disappear across a ridge. Maybe it was a moment of self-realization, maybe it was divine intervention, most likely it was sheer stupidity; but I resolved to go under that rope too. I wanted to see what they were doing, because let's face it, I so desperately wanted to be like them.

So I did. I drank my coffee, took the lift to the summit, and while perplexed vacationers gave me that "look at the asshole American" look, I crossed under the rope and skied into the unknown.

You know, I'm almost glad I forgot my camera that day, because not only would I be living my life through a lens, but I think I would have missed the transcendental nature of that run. Taking a picture would have missed the point, it's better I can just look back and remember what I want to remember. Suffice to say, I came out on a huge bowl, not a single human being within eyesight, the faint wisps of just a few tracks through the fresh snow, and across the valley, the most stunning panorama of the Alps spread out before me. And although it was steep, and there were rocks and trees jutting out from the snow, I remember thinking to myself, "well, I can do this."

And I could - I did. I skied down that mountain by myself in an incredibly foreign place, and looking back on it after these years, it was probably one of the most existential things I've ever done. Foolish as it sounds today, I think I grew up a lot on that closed mountain in France. I didn't need to be like the people that crossed the rope before me, because I could be myself, and do whatever that needed to be doing just as well.

Which brings me to my point. A very lame movie (of course, one that I would like) once had a line, that life is about defining moments - either you define the moment, or it defines you. That afternoon in France was a defining moment, and I'm sure there have been many since then, and before then. I wondered a bit last week about what 2011 would bring, and already, I think there are some moments waiting to be defined.

As I expressed in my New Year's recap, I think everything we do is a matter of choice; of how we, as people living in relation to another, decide to do certain things. It's hard for me to believe that a moment can truly "define" someone. It's probably more accurate to say that people allow themselves to be defined by moments either via action or inaction. I chose to go down that closed trail, and I could have just as easily chosen not to. Maybe it's a distinction without a difference, but I prefer to think of such things as matters of volition.

But, in any event, here's to skiing, both in Colorado and in France. Here's to defining moments. And here's to all 2011 will bring.

Here also, is to the chicken pad thai at Taipei Tokyo in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Easily the best pad thai I've ever had.

The Mountains

2011-01-02T22:15:00.004-06:00

Friends, hello from Colorado - home to many fine craft beers, many medical marijuana dispensaries, and of course, many ski resorts! I've indulged in two of the three above listed activities thus far in my travels - I'll let you guess which two. Needless to say, I'm tired right now.

I always forget, how utterly Terrifying mountain terrain is, and I mean "Terrifying" in the classical sense. I'm absolutely amazed that human being survived in this type of environment 150 years ago or whenever. I'm absolutely amazed one can build a double decker freeway through a twisting canyon. Maybe I'm easily amazed, but it's still impressive.

You know what else is impressive? Skiing in Terrifying mountains. Last time I went skiing for realsies, in the mountains, was 2006 in Chamonix. Needless to say, it took a little getting used to today. Of course, given that fact, I had planned to take it a bit easier today. Funny how plans change, especially when you find yourself on the lip of black/double black diamond bowl with 30 mph wind gusts whipping snow at your face. Well, I suppose the best plans are doomed to fail anyways...

I'm sure I'll regret it tomorrow when my legs give way and I fall out of bed.

Anyways, Copper Mountain has been duly conquered; now the challenge is Aspen. Hopefully, in between sipping Dom Perignon and munching organic foie gras (does that exist?), I'll find time to do some skiing. It is Aspen, after all...

Bobby Farrell, RIP

2010-12-30T17:14:00.004-06:00

Only a man of his stature could make Russian History this interesting. Truly a titan of the historical-music arts. If this video doesn't make you want to dance around Red Square in fur, I don't know what's wrong with you.

My favourite lyrics? "He could preach the Bible like a preacher." Absolutely brilliant.

2010 - Recap

2010-12-27T21:48:00.005-06:00

It's the end of the year, and the end of the year means a couple of things. First, we're subjected to a litany of "end of the year lists." Now, I'm generally a fan of lists, but having a list for every conceivable category seems a bit unnecessary. Which of course, is what we inevitably have. Second... well, I don't know what is second. There's just a lot of stuff.

But I think I'd like to recap what has been an eventful year - not necessarily because I feel a need to project anything but because personally, I find value in looking back. This is an exercise for myself, and if the Internet and my readership wants to be witness to it, I hope they find it insightful as well.

Personal

I always thought that 2010 sounded so futuristic, representative of the sleek future I used to see in cartoons and movies. And to some extent, it is. I don't have a flying car or a robot maid, but for better or for worse, I do carry a computer in my pocket. Honestly, I find it, and all that it represents, a source of constant tension. I think that increasing technology does correspond, to a certain extent, with a loss of humanity. Maybe I'm being paranoid, maybe I just don't know how to utilize the smartphone to the pinnacle of functioning that I read about so often, but maybe I'm also on to something. Maybe the future, with all its promise, shouldn't move too quickly. We won't know what to do with ourselves.

There's a romanticism in simple things, which even amongst the progress, I think I've enjoyed most this past year. One thing that sticks out is having Twins season tickets in their first year outside at Target Field. Sure, the ballpark is a marvel, replete with the latest technology, but at it's heart, it's just a place to watch nine people play an old, old game outside. I appreciate that, and I think I can say that there are few things I'd rather be doing on a warm summer night. Especially when accompanied by good friends and a Twins win. I'll especially enjoy those especial things when sitting in section 125 with a Grain Belt next season...

I can't keep up with all the things I think of, but I hope I've put out some interesting content on this blog. I think I'm good at it, I like writing for everyone, and I love it when my writing inspires people to write a comment or express interest in my topic du jour. Another simple pleasure. I'm happy to say that I've recently gotten a ton of new music to listen to and review, so I hope to get working on that. And commensurate with my behind the times persona, I've been getting my mind blown away recently by Radiohead. Cool.

I suppose mention has to be made of my burgeoning career as a craft brewer. No kidding aside, I really think the past few brews have been plenty worthy of resale, and I'm hoping that we can evolve that process in the next year. I know, I know, the MN Brew Blog has been on a bit of a hiatus, but I promise, that will go on the list for 2011. Maybe some beer reviews? Even with the subpar blogging, it's fun to say you've been able to make something good, to make something with your hands. There's a certain type of primordial swelling that comes from enjoying something tangible, borne from one's own toil.

Although not simple, I had the good fortune this year to fall in love this year, with a woman who was very, very dear to me. I think that required a level of honesty, both with myself and with her, that was akin to being naked in the middle of downtown Minneapolis. In terms of self-awareness, that moment of realization has to go down as a personal watershed. It was liberating to tell her, I don't regret a single bit of it, and have since concluded after much reflection, that it was real, and not the result of thoughtless passion.

Of course, I should probably mention that I also had the bad fortune of falling in love with a woman who was unable, or unwilling, to reciprocate those feelings in the way that I needed. I've thought quite a bit about that cruel twist, and tried my best to decipher its cosmic significance - but of course, unlike the Jones Act or the CISG, no amount of analysis can make anything clearer. It will never make any sense to me.

But then again, maybe it shouldn't, which is a difficult realization to accept. I suppose the importance of that whole episode comes from the trial, the tribulation of being scorned. Foolishly, I often find myself hoping that she will evolve to a point where she wants what I do. It makes no sense to dwell on that which you cannot control, but that's much easier said than done. Oddly enough, if anything, 2010 told me that life is a result of decisions that we choose to make, the risks we choose to take. Be it personal or academic, matters of the head or heart, there's always a choice. Myself, in most instances, I think I'll choose to jump.

I was discussing with a friend recently how oftentimes, personal success is engaged in a tripartite balancing act (in my case), with professional and academic success. Personally, this year has been positive in terms of self-awareness, but negative in terms of results. And of course, results is what counts to the outside observer, and most times, to oneself. When the calendar flipped to The Future last year, I was convinced that that personal aspect would be high on results, mainly because I do have a bit of an egoist streak. I felt as though I was on the cusp of real adulthood, with a cushy internship, stellar grades, and on the brink of dating a wonderful girl. The last part didn't happen, and I regret that, but at some point, I won't.

Professional and Academic

Professionally, 2010 has been a watershed. I had the good fortune to have an internship with the United States Attorney, which forced me to really open my eyes to a new career path; that being a government attorney. It was refreshing to be given real responsibility, and rewarding to have working relationships. I also was fortunate enough to work out in Glencoe for the summer with a fine judge, as well as be able to work in other rural and suburban courthouses. Although the commute seemed rough at times, it gave me a lot of time to think, which is a good thing. Folks in Glencoe are not impressed with your iPhone or your Blu-Ray - they're impressed by being honest, and working hard. It was refreshing.

And of course, I'm extremely grateful to have gotten a job working for the county attorney. I appreciate (a) getting paid; (b) being relied upon; (c) enjoying my job, and; (d) getting put on the path to becoming a real attorney. There's a lot to learn, but nowhere to go but up.

School is as school goes, as I think most people can relate to. I think law school is unique in that, as a third year student, it is mostly pointless. Truly, I could take the bar in February and be ready to practice. There's not much more to learn anymore, but things to do. However pissed one can get at Hamline and its shitty reputation though, I do have to be happy for my legal friends, and the general quality of my education. I feel fortunate that I'm successful academically, and feel fortunate that I enjoy what I do.

Actually, come to think of it, I shouldn't hate on law school so much. Without law school, I wouldn't be jetting to Hong Kong in April for the Vis international commercial arbitration competition. I must say, I enjoy the whole concept of a free trip to Hong Kong, so forthwith, I think I'll try to put myself in situations that feature such a perk. This whole experience has been shocking to the conscience in terms of workload and commitment, but it has been rewarding to an immeasurable degree. Even a calendar week featuring 45 hours spent in tiny library rooms can't deter my general sense that this is fun, exciting stuff. It has opened doors for me to meet with some very important people, and I'm sure that will continue to occur. Truly though, I think the best part is the friends that have come out of it; and if not friends, then colleagues. Generally, when you're going to spend 45 hours with 3 other people, it's good to get along, and I think our team has exceeded that bottom-line.

Conclusion

A lot of things have happened, and there is much to be thankful on, and much to improve upon. I suppose my boyish concern for 2010 as the Future hasn't quite come to fruition, but maybe it's on its way. Perhaps its my nature, perhaps I'm not as progressive as I thought, but as the years extend onwards, the valuable things in my life tend to get more simplistic. Often times more expensive, but simple in principle. I want to do well at the things I do, enjoy the things I enjoy, and do all those things with family, friendships and relationships that are meaningful and provocative. At times, I wish it was easier to get all those things, but that would be unrealistic.

The Land of the Ice and Snow

2010-12-12T11:03:00.004-06:00

Well, at least my building is still standing...

Poor Metrodome. Place just can't catch a break.

Snowed In

2010-12-03T21:34:00.004-06:00

Rumor has it, Minnesota is known for being a forbidding place, replete with arctic wind, yetis, and good Lutherans making meatballs whilst wearing parkas. In Fact, I rode a penguin to work this morning.

And with good reason, because the heavens have opened themselves tonight, and spilt upon this land quite the wintry blanket. I, my penguin, and my Volkswagen had a fantastic time during rush hour getting from the mall back down across the river to the confines of suburbia this afternoon. Not wanting to mess with the entire population, who has seemingly forgotten what it means to drive in snow, I've spent my night in the company of Arthur Guinness and a snoring dog, lazily listening to Beatles albums and whatever else comes to my mind. Now, it's Vince Guaraldi.

Quite literally, there's a blizzard out. I know this, because prior to snoring, the aforementioned dog was quite adamant about having his daily Fun Activity. Of course, before I knew it, since I'm really just the dog's puppet (a leash is a kind of string of sorts...), I was outside in the bluster, bounding great leaps over the wake of the snowplow, skittering across hidden ice, trying to decipher just what the hell is so interesting about a tree, etc. And an appropriate experience it was, not only for the frosty communion with Nature, but also as a metaphorical event. Alas, it is that time of the year again, every law student's bane. Yes, tis' finals.

Of course, I probably shouldn't complain. I feel as if I've cut the Gordian knot that is the law school exam: I fear it no longer. They're now more now an exercise... just not the fun kind of exercise, like speed skating or jai alai, or some such frivolity. Rather, finals are akin to the inverse dumbell curl up, or whatever that abominable event was that always left me on the brink of throwing up. They're a test of endurance, more than anything. Not much to endure though, when you have but two two-hour, open book exams... Like I said, I have little to complain about.

My minor brush with doom for the week came yesterday, as my trusty laptop, which hasn't heretofore failed me, finally exacted its vengeance for all these pointless blog posts. Either that, or it was as angry as I was about the United States losing the 2022 World Cup bid (Qatar?! Seriously?!). But anyways, it decided to suck, and after many an hour spent in mall Apple stores, it is now well again... although with none of my files on it. Luckily, I had the foresight to back everything up on Monday, so in 24 hours, hopefully all be right again in the world. I can once again download Bill Bryson podcasts with reckless abandon. Or more accurately, keep writing about international commercial arbitration.

However, as a consequence of my computer's meltdown, I was probably unplugged (at least in the tangible keyboard sense), for the longest period in quite a while last night, which actually, was a shocking realization. As someone who likes to pride himself on his lack of digital obsession, it was a sobering wake up call, a necessary moment of self-awareness. I had been speaking with a Hamline alum at a networking event last night, and he specialized in digital forensics - he could basically get any information you can imagine from a smartphone. And he said something to me, he said that "people keep their lives in their pocket, in these devices." And I chuckled, and gladhanded, and took another sip of my beer - but that phrase kept me thinking as I sat without the use of my computer. It made me realize how I fidgeted with my phone, treating it like some sort of lifeline to the rest of humanity. My protestations to the contrary, the lawyer was right. I do keep my life in my pocket.

Whether that's good or bad, is for another post, another set of thoughts. It makes me want to be increasingly vigilant though. It seems to me, that even in an age where there are any number of digital distractions, and social media, there are an awful lot of opportunities to be incredibly lonely. I was amused the other day when I learned that there is apparently upwards of a $1 billion dollar industry for online gifts. Not like, I buy you a blender on Amazon and ship it to you - no, it's like I buy you a digital blender for your digital self on facebook, or some shit like that. Absolutely incredible.

In any event, it's still snowing, and the dog is still snoring. The jazz is still on, and the plastic deciduous tree has its Christmas lights on. For so much insanity, at least some things are right.

Thanksgiving 2011

2010-11-25T21:05:00.003-06:00

Consistent with my practice, for this Thanksgiving, in no particular order, a list of sorts.

1. Family
2. Friends
3. Homebrewing (and being successful at it!)
4. Making my own pumpkin pie
5. Summit Winter Ale
6. Khaki pants
7. Khaki shorts
8. Summer afternoons at Target Field
9. Having a job
10. Having a job that I like
11. The colour blue
12. The number 12
13. Twins baseball - even if you can't beat the Yankees
14. The dog
15. Red wine
16. England
17. Getting through all my podcasts on my way to Glencoe
18. Diesel cars
19. Baja tacos
20. Public Art
21. Walking the dog
22. My new glasses
23. Nightcaps with a glass of scotch
24. Being honest
25. Loyalty
26. Seeing old friends
27. Jim Thome's walkoff home run against the White Sox on August 17, 2010
28. Coffee
29. International Commercial Arbitration
30. My blue pullover thing that I'm wearing in every single photo
31. The Beatles
32. Cheez-Its
33. Jazz
34. This American Life
35. Argyle socks
36. Carl Pavano's mustache
37. Daily flossing
38. Walking to my car after school on a fall day
39. Irish car bombs at La Rana - hell, everything at La Rana
40. Responding to text messages in French

The News

2010-11-22T22:52:00.002-06:00

Folks, in honor of my very favourite local news anchor, Don Shelby, who signed off tonight after 32 years as anchor at WCCO TV here in Minnepolis.

People may know my penchant for loyalty, and I'm happy to say that in my entire life, I think I've watched a non-WCCO newscast less than five times. Why is that? Well, first off, it's important to be loyal. And second, I liked Don Shelby. Don was loyal, he was a good newsman, and he dressed snappily. Plus, he's a Twins fan. What's not to like?

It's important to recognize that in the minutia of life, in the mundane things you experience day after day, you end up taking some things for granted. You don't think about the little things, even those impersonal things, that make life intensely personal, and intensely valuable.

So, in that vein, and in the spirit of recognizing someone who's done a lot for our community, thanks Don. For you, I'd put a gopher in my pants any day.

Winning

2010-11-18T22:12:00.002-06:00

Well folks, in my super-secret government job, I had my first legal win today. A brief that I wrote, nay, crafted in its entirety, prevailed over the Defendant in court. Granted, it was pretty much a slam dunk argument, but that's besides the point.

The attorney I was working with was going to let me go on the record and give the oral argument in support of the State's motion, if the judge wanted it. However, since my legal arguments were so brilliant, that turned out to be unnecessary. But, just to be prepared, yesterday I went out and purchased a powerful red tie, in order to intimidate and subdue my adversary. Obviously, it worked.

Plus, the judge's law clerk came up to me and told me how well written she thought the State's brief was. So, score one for the evil government on that one, and I'm set up quite nicely to get taken down a few notches next time around.

You know, I like to think that I'm not a competitive person. I like to think that my super-chill demeanor usually extends to being above the pettiness of silly disputes...

But, that would be a lie. I can't tell you how pissed off I got playing Risk on family game night in college. I was playing with friends, but I genuinely think I was ready to turn to physical violence. Especially after some backstabbing "roommate" broke our alliance and invaded North America. Don't think I don't remember that.

In any event, my office-mate/coworker and I were having this discussion today, what we thought made a good trial attorney. We both agreed that being a super-competitive, nasty, killer bitch/asshole was not a good strategy. So, in effect, we both agreed you didn't have to be a TV lawyer to be effective.

But, at work and in my upcoming fake litigation practice trial, it's apparent that having a competitive streak is a good thing. In the fake case I have for my fake trial, I'm representing the plaintiff in a Title VII sex discrimination suit. And in all reality, the likelihood of us winning is very, very slim. It's a flawed case, and not enough good facts to prove the things we need to prove. But I'm definitely convincing myself that I can overcome that and win this case, as slim as that may be.

We had a fake motion hearing on Monday, and I made motions to admit certain evidence against the Defendant at trial. And, there is really no way this evidence would ever come in. But I convinced myself I could get it in, and I argued as well as I could to do so. When it inevitably was denied, I left the law school feeling quite distressed. Well, that's a misnomer. I was pretty pissed off.

I don't think I have any anger management issues, but if nothing else, the past few years have taught me that as much as I don't like to admit it, losing sucks. I'd rather not lose. Don't like losing when it comes to law school, don't like losing when it comes to relationships, don't like losing when it comes to Risk.

And especially, above nearly everything else, I don't like losing to the Yankees.

Sucky News o' The Day

2010-11-15T23:13:00.002-06:00

As a lover of public transit, and trains especially, this is disheartening.

Oh Republicans. You wanted small government, you got it. Now don't bitch when you don't get what you want.

I can understand the criticism of rail, I really can. I can understand why folks would be frustrated at money going to rail, rather than to highway infrastructure or the like. Hell, you use the roads, I use the roads, we all use the roads.

I disagree with that prioritization though. It seems to me, as someone who has had the opportunity to live in environments with plentiful mass transit options and rail connections, that we should encourage the development of mass transit and rail here in Minnesota. It's more environmentally friendly, more efficient, helps reduce congestion, and maybe best of all, you don't need to scrape off the windshield of a train after it snows.

Bottom line, if all we ever do is throw our tax dollars at roads and road infrastructure, we'll never develop a more sustainable mass transit infrastructure. Especially in the Twin Cities, I think that should be a major priority.

Destination: Hong Kong. Object: World Domination

2010-11-10T20:06:00.005-06:00

Come the end of April, this is where you can find me. World arbitrators - you are hereby put on notice.

Team Hamline/Viper/Awesome, away!

Framing Debate, or My Progressive Crisis

2010-11-02T21:34:00.006-05:00

As a good Minnesota progressive, I'm finding the results of this year's midterm elections to be rather disappointing. Disappointing, but not entirely unsurprising. That's just part of the game for Democrats.

I think the part that bothers me the most, is the Democratic Party's unwillingness to frame issues in any way other than that of their Republican opponents. For example, let's take the most incendiary topic, maybe one of the linchpins of "tea party" rage: the health care reform bill. Now, as I sit here as a reasonable adult, I saw a lot of good things. It let folks stay on their parent's insurance until age 26 (that helps me). It creates markets whereby folks can go online and compare quotes from different (private) insurance options. It prevents insurance companies from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions, and eliminates caps on coverage.

But you don't hear about those things. You hear about how Democrats nationalized our health care. You hear about death panels, and evil bureaucrats. You hear about how the government can't force its citizens into doing things.

Well of course, that's bullshit. Nothing got nationalized. The Federal government is already the nation's largest health care provider. There's no public option, there's no universal-payor system, there's nothing like that. The government can't force me to do things I don't want to do? I don't want to join the military, but they can force me to do that. Of course the government can force us to do things - it's called the Commerce Clause.

You do have to hand it to conservatives; they have an uncanny knack for spin. It's incredible that a party that drove the country into the ground starting in 2000 can now, after two years of being out of effective power, claim that they can solve our problems (which they helped create) by the same tactics that didn't work previously. Because let's not kid ourselves, there are no "new ideas." The current Republican party apparently prides itself on its refusal to compromise on anything, and has pretty well played the part the past few years. I think that's shameful, be it coming from liberal or conservative.

I could write all night, but I won't, because I have homework to do. I think progressives in this country, especially those in public office, need to grow a pair and start setting the record straight. This notion that Obama and his liberal machine is destroying America; why, that's ridiculous. Why are we feeling ashamed of reforming health care, or regulating securities transactions, or spending money that the private sector doesn't?

It goes back to framing the conversation. It's hard to frame when you constantly think you need to be on the defensive. I suppose everything is cyclical, but it's difficult to be optimistic when you can't seem to defeat Michele Bachmann...

The Weather

2010-10-27T21:20:00.003-05:00

Supposedly, Minnesotans are incredibly keen on talking about the weather. And you know, I have to admit, this is something I've never really caught on to. I always thought it was really prosaic to point out something so obvious - "boy, sure is chilly out today." Well, of course it's chilly out - we're in Minnesota, for God's sake. People here legitimately think a good time is to fish through holes in a frozen lake. A couple years ago, there was an ice castle in St. Paul. For all the rest of the country knows, we ride penguins and reindeers instead of driving cars.

So right, I really don't get the fascination with talking about the weather. It's fairly obvious. Although then again, it's probably a bit less inflammatory social topic then me speaking extemporaneously on why I think Tom Emmer is a nutjob who will run the state into the ground.

But anyways, point being, all of a sudden, it got real frickin' cold up here. And truly, it was a real sudden change of pace. For the longest time, we had this weird Indian summer thing going on. Frankly, I'm glad it got a bit cooler, but I would have preferred a more gradual transition. As I've discussed with numerous folks, I'm fairly certain I look best in fall clothes. Not quite so awkward.

One thing I really enjoy about fall, and cool weather, is the attendant changes in what we'll call "life philosophies." And by that, I mean those subjective pleasantries that seem to crop up at this time of year. Here, in no particular order, are some of the greatest beneficiaries of fall.

1 - Pumpkin - why the hell can't this be in everything, all the time? Oh right, cause it's a fall food. Speaking of pumpkin though, I've found a new appreciation for pumpkin ale.

2 - Coffee in mid-afternoon - wait a second, this is normal anyways.

3 - Oktoberfest beers - I'm enjoying a Lake Superior Oktoberfest as I type. I do have a fondness for Summit, but Sam Adams (!) makes a mean one too, if we're talking about the Colonies.

4 - The Blues - I'm listening to a just purchased Jimmy Smith album right now. . . life-changing

5 - Sigur Rós - I think this goes back to Notts, but fall always reminds me of Sigur Rós. I think I'll blame that on Brando.

6 - Gourds - what a hilarious word

7 - The Walk From My Car to the Law School - I usually park about two and a half blocks away from Hamline, and have to walk to school from my car. The best days are those cool, crisp fall days when the leaves are changing. It's insouciant.

8 - The World Series - something just doesn't feel quite so satisfying though. Oh, that's right...

9 - Nostalgia - I don't know, fall just seems like a nostalgic time of year. Oddly enough, I think it's a good time for new beginnings, and other good things. Bouquets of newly sharpened pencils, and the like.

Go outside.

New Blog

2010-10-19T16:52:00.003-05:00

No, no, don't worry folks, this blog isn't going away. Far from it, actually.

Some friends and I have recently started a new hobby: homebrewing beer. So yes, I spent a good chunk of my Sunday afternoon starting at a boiling pot of wort, carefully adding a nylon sock of grain and hops to the foamy cauldron. As a way to document this process, review our beers, and otherwise just have a convenient forum to place beer and brewing related musings, we've set up a NEW BLOG. Said NEW BLOG can be easily accessed via the links to your right, as you read this post.

If not, just hop on over to www.mnbrewblog.com, and let your hop fantasies run wild.

So yes, please, I invite you to take a look. Mind you, I cannot take credit for all of the content, as it is a collaborative effort. However, some dumbass posted a long rambling, melodrama to start the whole operation off, so I don't know who that could be.

Album of the Week: Version

2010-10-18T18:57:00.004-05:00

Hello folks, back with the Internet's Greatest Semi-Regular Feature... yes, the Album of the Week. This week's album is "Version," by English producer/DJ/guitarist/just plain cool dude Mark Ronson. And seriously, I'm not just saying that because he's English.

One thing you need to know about this album, is that at a very prosaic level, none of it is original. Mark Ronson didn't actually write any of this stuff - it's mostly all covers of British indie tunes. However, given that caveat, you should know that on a less-prosaic level, this album is quite original. I've been thinking hard tonight of an apt metaphor for this work of art, and I think it's most appropriate to compare it to a different work of art.

How many of you are Tarantino fans? Should you be a Tarantino fan, you will also be a Mark Ronson fan. That is because, Ronson is perhaps the musical Tarantino of this age. I say this because nearly every track on this album has a pulpy, funky, infections reimagination to it that is equal parts surf rock, Ray Charles soul, and Big-Afro funk. Now to be fair, I don't mean that this simply would be music that would go into a Tarantino movie - that would diminish the art. No folks, this is music reimagined in a similar way, but not a copy by any means.

Now, from what Wikipedia tells me, Mark Ronson is a pretty funky guy. I know this because he's part of the production team behind Amy Winehouse's bluesy, funky "Back to Black" album (as an aside, Winehouse's feature on "Valerie" is undoubtedly one of the album standouts). What I love about this album is how seamless the funk is integrated into these very distinct songs. Partly, I guess this is attributable to the inclusion of the Dap-Kings as session musicians on nearly all the tracks. And make no mistake, the horns here are absolutely fantastic - just the perfect amount of pop, especially in the trumpet. Seriously, it is just an incredibly infectious collection of music, made even better by all the collaborations.

Of course, some of the tracks fall a bit flat, as one may expect from a mere mortal (The Beatles are obviously excluded from the "mere mortal" category). The cover of Britney Spears' "Toxic" doesn't quite do it for me, nor does "Pretty Green." But the Lily Allen cover of the Kaiser Chiefs' "Oh My God" is absolutely stunning, not least because of Allen's mind-bogglingly sultry, sexy vocals, in that way only a proper English girl can do. As aforementioned, Amy Winehouse does a tour de force rendition of "Valerie."

Maybe most confusingly, there is quite the remake of Radiohead's "Just." Yes, that Radiohead, with funky horns and Jackson 5-esque guitar strumming. Objectively, your rational brain would probably put those three things together (Radiohead, funky horns, Jackson Five), and think to yourself "hmm, not a good idea." Rational brain, yet another reason why you are overrated.

Anyways, I had heard rumors that this album was a bit overrated, but I can say after giving it a good two or so days of near constant airplay, I really enjoy it. Quite good, and you'll especially enjoy it with a well placed grain of salt, and maybe a light up dance floor to bust a groove on. Plus, Mark Ronson is still obscure enough, that you can say "Oh yes, I love this new English producer/dj/guitarist/pretty cool dude - you haven't heard of him," and still sound like the pretentious, know-it-all white person you fancy yourself.

I know I've done it at least twice now.

Not Blogging

2010-10-11T21:19:00.003-05:00

Folks, I started a new job today. A new legal job. That's right, for the first time ever, I'm being effectively paid to do the sorts of things that people in law school expect to be effectively paid for. It was an illuminating experience. Definitely need to stake a claim on my shared desk with a Michael Cuddyer bobblehead.

Unfortunately, literally per the terms of my employment, I'm prohibited from doing any "blogging" about my job. I wish I could say it's because I'm a BFD, but I think it's moreso just the nature of public employment. Which is a shame, because I foresee my particular division as being incredibly ripe for blogging adventure. But, nary a word shall you see. . . I don't want to get fired.

Anyways, yeah, it should be a good time.

Speaking of the opposite of good times... oh Twins. I read somewhere that you really have to man up in order to be a baseball fan, because there are 162+ opportunities for utter devastation and heartbreak. Given the travesty that unfolded before my eyes the past weekend, I'm pretty sure I subscribe to that.

Oh yeah, and should anyone have any procedural questions about an arbitral tribunal's authority to issue ex parte interim relief, feel free to shoot me an email.

Open Letter

2010-10-07T11:48:00.004-05:00

Dear Twins,

Now, I can hardly be considered a fair-weather fan, and am naturally optimistic by nature.

But this inability to beat the Yankees, is getting pretty tiresome.

I've spent a good chunk of my disposable income at your ballpark. I've worn my victory socks, drank my Grain Belt, and sat in even-numbered seats all season long. Hell, last night, I even sat in Seat 12.

As a result of these and innumerable other sacrifices, I don't think I ask so much. Just win three effing games. I'd be much happier if you'd oblige.

Very truly yours,

The Author

L'Octobre

2010-10-05T23:39:00.003-05:00

I'm quite excited. Tomorrow night, for the first time since 2002, I'm going to go watch the Twins in playoff baseball. Sure, I'd be lying if I didn't say there was some element of dread to it; after all, we are playing the Yankees, who have had our number for quite some time. But that's the beauty of this game - hope always springs eternal.

After all, after you get knocked down or out so many times, your luck is bound to turn around, right? We've all had bad things happen to us, and sometimes, it feels like we'll never recover. But eventually, we do. I have the same hopes for the local nine tomorrow night. I'll expect mediocrity, but I'm going to dream for greatness.

In any event, it's going to be a great night in a gorgeous ballpark.

My victory socks are ready to go, I have plenty of warm weather Twins gear, my hat bill is curved just right, and homer hanky is at the ready. So tomorrow night, I'll sit down with a hot dog along the third-base line, raise a Summit to Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, and the rest of the gang, and hope for a charmed Minnesota fall.

Win Twins!

P.S. Craig Finn of the Hold Steady, and noted Twins fan, penned this recent song to help our boys to the World Series. For a baseball song, it is quite fantastic.

Voyages

2010-09-26T21:15:00.008-05:00

Hello folks. It's always amazing to me, even in this Modern Age, that one can arise in Illinois, and by the end of the day, be relaxing in Minnesota. 500+ hours, gone in the (relative) blink of an eye. Had I been in London, that same amount of distance would have taken me to either Edinburgh or Glasgow, with miles to spare. I think there's a lot of perspective to be gained in voyages like this; I think there's a sense of immensity that we too often forget with our airplanes and future phones.

Because I'm too often accused of being cryptic, I spent last weekend on an adventure of semi-epic proportions. Twin Cities to Iowa City to beautiful (but not quite Twin Cities beautiful) Champaign-Urbana and back again. It was quite a long drive, but I firmly believe that good times and good friends are worth 1100 miles. Plus, I got to catch up on my "This American Life" podcasts. Fantastic.

I can't say I'm too often thrilled to spend 9 hours in a car on any given day, but as I alluded to earlier this summer, there's something cathartic about the open road. Especially when you have a lot of thinking to do. Not that I necessarily did, but endless fields and small towns are conducive to thinking, whether or not that's your intent. Of course, it was much nicer on the leg from Iowa City to Champaign, when I had the pleasure of good company and good conversation. Among the topics: the crisis of modern American masculinity, having work be a part of your person rather than your entire person, many incredibly interesting quips about medicine which I did not understand, and much, much more!

In any event, the countless hours of diesel-fueled fun culminated in yet another Luther College manboy get-together, which I daresay, is the best kind of get-together. The weekend had a severe lack of groan-inducing trombone quartets posted on youtube, but I suppose that was rendered moot by the dual orchestral concerts that we had the pleasure of hearing, featuring Cedar Falls' finest on the bass trombone. In any event, there was exquisite food, expensive beer, morning coffee on a porch, and trophies to commemorate the weekend. Oh yes, and we also channeled our inner viking warrior spirit by drinking mead. Nothing better.

You know, I always used to hate that "manboy" moniker. It was coined via a somewhat legendary short story, the product of a person who had a rather unique, intimate view into our collective friendship. It always seemed so juvenile to me, when, considering some of our college antics, it was probably quite appropriate. At that time, I thought maybe it was a backhanded insult, since I fancied myself a sophisticate. Now, I don't think I mind it so much. Maybe it's my increasing self awareness, but when there are four grown men singing "Mr. Blue Sky" at the top of their lungs at 1 in the morning, "manboy" seems an apt descriptor.

I don't think that's bad either, because I think it's clear from our conversations that most of the time, the four of us work, work, and then work some more, trying to be something or another. It's easy to work at being a lawyer, or a doctor, or a musician, or a physicist. It's not quite as easy to work on being a person of substance, a person who has human connections. If that involves ELO singalongs and nighttime sprinting, so be it. Certainly better than the alternative.

Of course, I was rudely reminded today, as I stumbled through 25 pages of how a mortgagee perfects their assignment of rents, that such revelries are unfortunately, temporary. I used the somewhat misleading metaphor of a caravan going through the desert, stopping at an oasis, and then heading back out into the sand. Like I said, this is misleading, and maybe inappropriate - I don't necessarily think life is akin to a desert. However, with the stresses of school, job searches, women, friends, the general challenges of life; it's pretty important to just stop for a few days, and drink some water. Or, as the case may be, some overpriced beer.

Communication, or Why This Is Hard To Do

2010-09-11T15:54:00.005-05:00

Hello Media Consumers, welcome to another exceedingly interesting blog post. It will become the highlight of your day, I'm sure.

What have I been up to, you might ask? My much-hyped (mostly by me - see post before last) moot court competition doesn't start until October, so I've seemingly had quite a bit of time on my hands recently. I've applied for many a job, crafted many an ingratiating cold email to unsuspecting law firms, feasted upon numerous delicious organic cheese items appearing in my fridge, and of course, spent a considerable amount of time pondering how many games it will take the Twins to win the World Series

As a related aside, I've been quite agog at Mr. Jim Thome's recent spat of Herculean home runs. If I can't hit a baseball 700 feet when I'm 40, here's to hoping I can do something else with similar aplomb.

But of course, consistent with my duties, I've spent a few hours here and there being an Associate Editor on the eminent Hamline Law Review. This consists of me reading rough drafts of budding law review articles, making more than a few marks with a colored pen, and basically trying to impart nuggets of literary/legal wisdom on other future lawyers. And as future lawyers are wont to do, we're always right.

Anyways, the experience has reminded me of, for how fundamental it is, effective communication is quite a difficult task to master. You know, I tend to fancy myself a competent writer, and I suppose it's frustrating when others weren't blessed with that capacity. It's not an offense, it's not anything, but it does make you realize that the distillation of ideas to paper, or ideas to a computer, as it were, is a difficult thing. People are verbose and labyrinthine in their reasoning, when the same result could be exposed by fewer words and a Hemingway touch. These are the growing pains of academia though, and I suppose that's why there are folks like me to say, "I just don't understand this."

Of course, thus the title of this blog - only fools think they understand everything. I tend to find this out in more dramatic ways than most, but I suppose that's not necessarily a bad thing. After all, life is dramatic. I believe my friend Bill stated this best when he said, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players . . . ." I think maybe it's just frustrating, or difficult to comprehend when you are acting in say, a comedy, and another person is doing their best tragedy. Or maybe a mystery combined with a musical. Whatever, you get the point.

Moral of the blog, it's difficult for anyone to write a law review article, it's difficult to write anything. It's difficult to convey what you want to say to other people without sounding insensitive, condescending, or foolish. It's hard to tell folks how you feel. Even worse, it's hard to apologize, especially if you don't think you need to, or understand what is going on. In the end, it's amazing the world continues on in a functional manner, what with all the yelling and mucking about.

Maybe this is yet another reason why baseball is among the most perfect of things. After all, communication is easy. To win a game, you don't need to argue the finer points of the CISG, you don't need to defend yourself against hostile questions or verbal spars. All one must do, is launch a small white sphere into orbit, a majestic arc that by its very nature, instantly tells all that needs to be known.

Enough blather. The Twins, symbolic of all that is righteous in the world, are victorious again. I've had my daily quota of coffee, and there's no school until 4 tomorrow. It is yet another gorgeous Minnesota day; and of course, a gorgeous day in Minnesota is the most gorgeous of all. My bike tires are full of air, the gleaming towers of Minneapolis are nearby, and sky-blue describes not only the waters, but the sky too.

Away!

Talking Dinosaurs + Twins Baseball = Good

2010-09-07T20:27:00.002-05:00

State Fair

2010-09-02T17:29:00.000-05:00

Kompetenz-Kompetenz

2010-08-29T18:40:00.002-05:00

Folks, I'm not usually one for self-promotion. But let's not classify this as self-promotion; instead, I suppose it's more like sharing news. But barring financial catastrophe, I'm going to be headed to either Hong Kong or Vienna next April, to help represent Hamline Law at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration moot court competition!

I attribute my successful audition/resume/cover letter almost solely to my yellow and blue striped arbitration tie, clearly visible in the above photo. So, thank you tie.

In all reality, this will probably make life a living hell for a good chunk of the school year, as it will take up an absurd amount of time and effort. However, I think it has been plenty established that law students are by definition, sado-masochists, so I suppose that helps make sense of it.

In any event, ICA, watch out. You are about to be owned.

Music Video of the Week: Mark Ronson and the Business Intl.

2010-08-25T13:01:00.000-05:00

I don't quite know what the hell is going on here. I especially don't understand the MC Hammer hybrid dress/parachute pants. But I like it.

Album of the Week: It's Never Been Like That

2010-08-14T14:57:00.004-05:00

To commemorate my failure to see Phoenix live in Minneapolis last Thursday, this week's album is the third studio release from everyone's favourite English-language French electronica-rock band. Yes folks, for those of you who may remember my glowing review of "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix," here is yet another one. Actually, I daresay this is the first band to have the honor of landing twice on the Album of the Week. So, I think you'll agree that congratulations are in order!

My starting point and frame of reference for listening to this album was the fabulous album previously referenced, that being "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix." That album was heavy on electronica and dance beats, combined with some unique use of percussion and guitar. Bottom line, it's a very unique sound, one that is very distinguishable from many other current groups. In contrast, "It's Never Been Like That" features much more prominent guitar work, although there is still some dance/electronica elements. The dance vibe is especially evident in "Consolation Prize," which is one of my favourite tracks on this disc.

Like I said though, I hear a lot more non-distorted guitar on this disc, and it comes off in a very crisp, appealing way. "One Time Too Many" is a good example of this sound, with the guitar coming off in a very crisp way. Almost completely opposite is the driving accompaniment in "Courtesy Laughs," where you almost feel hit on the head with heavy, accented downbeats. Although this relatively ham-handedness isn't quite what I expected from Phoenix, it really works on this particularly song, especially when combined with Thomas Mars' focused vocals.

From a broader point of view, one thing that Phoenix always seems to do quite well is to maintain a certain level of energy throughout not only their songs, but their entire albums. I mean, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" practically has you on edge the entire time, and I think it's really hard to listen to it sitting still. "It's Never Been Like That" has that same sensibility, but in a different, more straightforward way. That's not to say that this is a boring album; in fact, that's far from the truth. But in listening to this in comparison with "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix," you definitely get the sense that this is a band on the cusp of revelation, like they're but a few steps away from greatness. I'd be very interested in getting some earlier Phoenix stuff, just to get a better sense of their sonic development.

Another thing I appreciate about this album is the inclusion of an all-instrumental number, "North." Too often I think, bands are consumed by the temptation of lyrics. After all, they have a vocalist to sing, and popular tastes demand it. So I really respect the inclusion of an instrumental number, although I must say, it lacks the sweeping quality of "Love Like a Sunset."

As you may guess, I love this band. I love "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix," and have literally been listening to it at least once a week since February. I still don't get tired of it. I'm always going to judge any music by Phoenix against that album, so I'm definitely skewed in terms of what I expect from them. This album was a pleasant surprise, although I'd lie if I said I was instantly taken with it. Like I said, I think it's an excellent portrait of a band on the brink of truly finding themselves from an artistic standpoint. It could stand alone on that, as a historical relic. However, I think it also stands by itself as great music.

Verdict? Highly recommended.

Baseball

2010-08-06T08:17:00.002-05:00

Strange things happen in baseball. The Twins win when an otherwise inocuous pop fly ends up hitting a catwalk and careening back into fair territory. There's a mysterious thing called the infield fly rule that has its own law review article. And then there's this...

Humidity... and stuff

2010-08-02T23:02:00.007-05:00

Hi folks, hope everyone is somehow enduring this ridiculous humidity. I mean, seriously, this is quite uncool, both literally and figuratively.

(the opposite of uncool - damn we look good)

Humidity aside, had a great weekend at the long anticipated 2010 Nottingham reunion. Although we never got the chance to have all nine of us in one room together, as a fellow Notter observed, it was "surreal" to be all back together again. Surreal in a good way, I think. I may have expressed this to some folks, but it was probably obvious anyways - it was intense to see how almost instantly, the nine of us, who are so different in so many ways, suddenly became the Nine again. It brought back a lot of memories, let's put it that way. At one point, I visualized all of us standing around the flat kitchen, eating custard creams, talking about how our days went, maybe having some wine or beer. Needless to say, although so many things were experienced that year, I think it's fair to say it was moments like that that stand out most potently.

I'm just saying, I was always ready to get the tattoo. Next summer? Takers?

Anyways, riffing on that last point, I always find it interesting how people, who may have gone years without communication, can always coalesce again, if they have some sort of foundation. I suppose I'm particularly subject to this, because I have either the curse or the blessing of being incredibly loyal. I think it's fair to say though, that the 2006-07 Notters had a very unique bond. If not for the fact that we were stuck together, I'm sure I would never have befriended some of these folks. I may not have even wanted to. But even given our intense diversity of personalities, and maybe even given an occasional awkward silence or lack of conversation, I'd be hard pressed to imagine folks I'm closer to. That's pretty cool. Cheers to that.

On a sidenote, whoever came up with the idea of drinking on a rooftop, is an absolute genius. I wish I could do everything on a rooftop. It would make life so much more interesting. I mean, can you imagine if we had court on a rooftop? That would be awesome.

Unless it's this humid.

Decorah

2010-07-25T15:20:00.002-05:00

Hi folks. This past weekend, I took a trip down to Decorah for the annual Nordic Fest celebration/ad-hoc Luther get-together. As usual, it was a great time.

Someone I know made an interesting comment to me, one that has had me pondering. Referring to Decorah, this person said being there made them breathe easier, and feel freer.

Now, keep in mind, we're all Luther grads, so we all have a certain connection to the place that goes beyond just a visitor passing through. But I think this also ties in somewhat with my previous post, the one about transitions and journeys. For a Luther grad, or at least Luther grads like myself and my circle, going to Decorah is almost more of a spiritual event than your typical long weekend away. It certainly contains ritualistic elements. After all, certain things must be done. We must play frisbee golf. We must play trombone. We must stop by the co-op. A peanut butter burger must be consumed at T-Bock's.

And most importantly, above all else, we must spend an evening at La Rana, our Thursday night meeting place of countless pints and slices of crusty French bread. The place has a sort of primal draw, like whales traveling halfway across the ocean to a singular breeding ground. Except of course, we're not whales. We're folks in search of a more innocent past.

Maybe that's a little too dramatic. But that's my explanation of why Decorah retains this simple freedom and this clear air. Forever, it remains a place where we came of age, where we found out who we are, and what we valued. We discovered friends that are more akin to family. For some, we found love. For some, we found meaningful pursuits. But I think everyone found change, the meaningful sort of change.

Objectively, it's definitely a unique town. But it will always remain a special town for me, and always a welcome vacation. I wouldn't normally consider going on a trip to a fish hatchery or a biodiversity farm up here in the Cities, but it seems like a perfectly natural way to spend an afternoon in Iowa.

In any event, it was good to get out of town and see friends. It was good to breathe the country air. And of course, above all, it was good to have my Guinness on Saturday night...

Journeys

2010-07-08T21:52:00.002-05:00

Hello folks. Sorry about the sporadic blogging as of late (i.e. the entire summer). I seem to have contracted a case of writer's block, or blogger's block, as it were. That, and I guess I've been busy. The exhausting business of justice in rural Minnesota...

That word: justice. It's like, the lawyer's verbal crack. We just love saying it.

Anyways, I've been thinking a lot about journeys. People in transition. One thing about driving to Glencoe, Minnesota three days a week is that you have plenty of time in the car. By my estimate, it's about 360 miles per week. Some portion of that is spent on I-494, which is actually the country's worst freeway. Now that I think of it, it might be the absolute worst thing I can think of. I despise it passionately. But, these are the times that try men's souls, I suppose.

Back to my point - I have a lot of time in the car. Oddly enough, I kind of enjoy it, because it gives me good opportunities to listen to old podcasts I downloaded but never had a chance to listen to. So, I'm catching up on "This American Life," and I've gotten into this new one by NPR called "Intelligence Squared," where a panel of experts debate certain topics (thanks Kris for that one). Good stuff. But sometimes, I just let the music play, and I can just drive through the countryside and think.

A lot of things are in transition right now, I think. Personally, after 6 years of post-secondary education, I'm finally faced with the prospect of finding a Real Job, sooner rather than later. It's time to be an adult, to be a professional. Which is a good thing, but I suppose it's also a challenge. Kind of feels like being in Neverland, and at long last, being forced to grow up. That's an exaggeration of course, I've had to grow up a long time ago. But bottom line, it's a transition. And of course, how does any self-respecting American male deal with that transition? Buy some new suits.

Check.

Other folks and entities I know are also in transition. A church choir I've been involved with for a long time recently finished its final tour this summer, so it's in transition. I have friends who are coming into and going out of significant relationships; they're in transition. Transition is hard, I think, but it's a good thing. Sometimes, I think it's more difficult for those of us who are watching the changes, because we tend to be selfish, and we want other people or things to conform to our wishes. This kind of goes back to a perpetual issue with ourselves, I think. Not everyone is the same, and we react to things differently, and it's really hard to recognize that.

Bottom line, it's a good thing, and it's a bad thing, and it's a necessary thing, all at the same time. I've learned that it's really hard to let go of people you care about, especially when you don't want to. It's hard to figure out where you're going. But it's probably a good thing, in the end, to be in transition, because this is where you learn who you are. I remember landing in London in 2006, to be there for nine months, and being absolutely scared shitless. I left nine months later with a completely different sense of self, a better one, I think. Not so bad after all.

As an aside, and speaking of being abroad, I think I'm going to go on a trip next summer after I take the bar, to celebrate being done with law school. I don't know where I'll go yet, but it's going to be adventurous. I'm a European minded sort, so it will probably be there. Ideas?

In the meantime though, I guess I'll just keep driving to Glencoe. I have more podcasts to listen to.

Absolutely Amazing

2010-06-29T22:35:00.000-05:00

Pumping iron with bears... that would make me thirsty too.

Niagara Falls

2010-06-25T12:59:00.001-05:00

World Cup Thoughts

2010-06-18T13:17:00.002-05:00

Folks, I must admit, I don't really know a lot about soccer. From a technical standpoint, I'm quite clueless - can never figure out why sometimes there's a free kick and sometimes there's a corner kick. Who cares though, I don't think my soccer idiocy takes away from the exhilaration of watching it on TV. Or better yet, live.

Point being, I love watching the World Cup. It is just fantastic, especially when our team is actually putting on something of a show. The United States/Slovenia match today was quite fantastic (although I'm still seething over that bogus call that would have given us the game). The pagaentry of the whole thing is just something to behold, especially when you think of how the entire world is watching too. Great times.

Actually, I think my favourite moment of the whole ordeal occurs before the match even begins. That moment is when the teams are lined up, and they play the two national anthems. The look on the players' faces, well, I think it's quite a sight.

Traffic

2010-06-08T19:09:00.003-05:00

Folks, I daresay there are few things I hate more in life than traffic. Paying for parking is one of them, and maybe the word "pink" is another. But I hate traffic with an unbridled passion. I think it's because, like many unpleasant things in life, traffic is utterly uncontrollable. And of course, as fate would have it, I run headlong into rush hour on I-494 coming back from my judicial clerkship in Glencoe. Fantastic.

I've had a weird, bizarre, contemplative couple of weeks here. I don't quite feel like going into details, but all of those adjectives and more are apt descriptors. It's really not worth complaining about, but it all really comes back to traffic. You never like things that you cannot control. Sure, you can try to manouever around the traffic; you can foolishly try to bypass the gridlock by taking Pioneer Trail through Eden Prairie (note to self - don't think that works). But in general, sometimes you just kinda have to accept the stop and go, and hope that eventually, you're going to get past Highway 100, where the traffic clears up. Figuratively, of course.

Who am I kidding. Women are confusing. Emotions are confusing. Real Life is confusing, and sometimes, it just doesn't make sense. Unfair, even. And even though stuff happens that you'd rather not happen, it's not really worth it to lose your mind over it. I think you're allowed to lose your mind for a little bit, and then after that, it's time to decide how you're going to get through the gridlock. I think I'll be okay sitting in traffic for a while. To some extent though, it's almost refreshing to go on this crazy rollercoaster of a ride. It lets you know that you're capable of feeling certain things - of seeing your life writ large.

Anyways, enough of the cryptic life references. My loyal readership knows exactly what I'm talking about, and in reference to whom, but it's still uncomfortable to name proper names online. And unnecessary. But seriously... I still hate traffic. Real traffic.

I've been feeling vaguely more productive lately, thanks to my judicial clerkship. Of course, I haven't exactly done anything yet, save sit in court and go out to lunch with the baliff, court reporter, and law clerk, but who's keeping track? But my judge is a fair, intelligent, and quality person, who is very good about keeping me in the loop. I'm observing stuff, generally learning, and perfecting my pensive gaze. Also, I'm getting a crash course in the seedy underbelly of rural Minnesota. As the good Judge said, "5% of the people take up 95% of our time." Seriously folks, there are some messed up people out there.

Old News, Bad News, Great Idea

2010-05-27T10:15:00.002-05:00

Multicultural crayons. I knew something was seriously lacking from my childhood.

BTW, going back to the last post, apparently BP is attempting to plug the Deepwater Horizon well via a procedure called "top kill," whereby they pump high density drilling liquid into the well, in the hope that it will stem the tide of oil. Maybe I'm just a little paranoid, but does anyone find it disconcerting that this is called "top kill," rather than say, "pump some mud into the well?" It just seems kinda cavalier - I have these images of these BP engineers thinking they're in a Michael Bay film.

BP - Broader Ponderings

2010-05-25T17:04:00.002-05:00

Hi folks. I ended my tenure as an unpaid slave of the Federal Government today, working as I was with the United States Attorney. I'm happy to say I have a very nice coffee mug to commemorate my time, and a somewhat cheesy "certificate of appreciation." Who says the feds can't do swag?

Anyways, I've been thinking lately about this whole BP fiasco off in the Gulf of Mexico. Apparently, everyone is quite consternated as of late. The government is consternated that BP can't get its shit together, and take care of its own mess. BP is consternated that the government is making threats it apparently can't back up - for instance, that it will take control of the well plugging. And the public, in general, is pissed off at both.

As far as I'm concerned, the whole thing is just kind of a shitshow. A disaster of unprecedented proportion - more than likely worse than Exxon Valdez - in an underwater environment that no one really knows how to operate in. The federal government can't do too much except hope that BP can plug the well, since the government lacks the expertise to do it itself. And as seems to be the case, maybe BP, the creator of this destruction, doesn't quite know how to fix it either.

Check out these photos from the Boston Globe. They're incredible.

Anyways, a good friend of mine made a very prescient observation the other day, and I'm inclined to share it here. It's quite easy to get angry at BP, or at the government, or at both. More difficult, is to examine why we are having this problem in the first place. Meaning, why is it that we're drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico in the first place? Of course, there's a simple, yet disconcerting answer to that question - addiction.

We're all subject to it, of course, no one is really completely innocent - unless you're one of those folks that lives completely off the grid in Vermont somewhere. I'd venture to say those folks make up a minority of the US populace though. The cruel, simple fact, is that we keep drilling for oil in these completely unsuitable conditions, so that we can feed our addiction. I think this a difficult thing to digest, because we, as Americans; we don't like to look inwards for blame. We just seem to be a people who will do almost anything to avoid accepting responsibility.

Maybe I'm a bit cynical here, or maybe I possess an antiquated sense of moral justice, but it seems to me that in this spirit, people are also unwilling to undergo the hardship to fully experience things. Maybe it's only in baseball that self-sacrifice is still a worthy virtue. Not to mean that one should always be sacrificing oneself, but it makes zero sense to me that people are so concerned for their own convenience, their own self interest, as to go out of their way to confront themselves.

This is a bit confusing conceptually, though it makes perfect sense as I type it. Of course, this is just how confusing things work. The mark of a good writer, is to make the complex simple, whilst retaining the illusion of complexity. I'm still working on that quality, obviously.

Needless to say, back to the oil, we're drilling because we're addicted. The rig exploded because we're drilling. Sure, there was an intervening cause, but if we want to get a fuller view of the causation at issue here, we need to look at ourselves. Our unwillingness to make the sacrifices - financial, cultural, political, ideological - to fix the mess we've found ourselves in.

Anyways, that's what I think about that.

Happy Birthday Bob Dylan

2010-05-24T21:18:00.001-05:00

To the pride of Hibbing, Minnesota, a very happy 69th birthday!

I know it's not Christmas, but this video truly has to be seen to be believed. Thanks Bob.

Books, books, books for pleasure?

2010-05-19T23:46:00.003-05:00

Hello folks. You are now reading the blog of a man who has completed two years of law school. Truth be told, I haven't thought about it so much. It's just an incredible relief to not have to read about the limitation of liability act anymore. But since we're on the subject, and I am a maritime expert; no, I don't think the Deepwater Horizon will succeed.

In my semi-annual celebration of intellectual freedom, I bought a new book to read - for pleasure! That's right, as riveting as it is, Ian Macneil's relational theory of contracts just doesn't quite do it out in the sun. Instead, I'm reading Stephen Clarke's "A Year in the Merde." As some of you francophiles may know, "merde" is the beautiful tongue's word for "shit."

Needless to say, I've found it quite funny so far; in it's pseudo-true tale of an Englishman living in Paris amongst... sacre bleu! ... the French! But then again, I'm a fan of travel writing, especially hilarious travel writing about Europe. I think it's because I can relate to some of it. I've had a few of my own French foibles in particular. Still can't quite forget the amazing "American West" exhibit at the Metz Zoo.

What's the point of all this? There is no point. I've been spending my days as a gentlemen of leisure as of late, and I must admit, I fancy it quite a bit. In true British fashion, I tried my hand at making Pimm's the other day. Truth be told, it turned out pretty solid, though I think I need different lemonade, and cut up the orange slices a bit more daintily. Also need more morning jackets, women in big, silly hats, and drunken chavs brawling in the streets. Dammit, you just can't seem to find what you're looking for.

Tomorrow, I think I'm going to get up, and go on a biking sojourn. I have a couple things to think about, and nothing will help clear things up than a ride in the country. There's country around here, right? Farmington - I should hope so.

Friday Night Music Videos

2010-05-14T23:13:00.002-05:00

Keeping with my tradition of being approximately 2-5 years behind prevailing pop culture trends and new music, here are some songs that have been catching my ear this week. Makes me want to watch Garden State again. Seemingly, the despair of two weeks of finals will correspondingly affect your music choices...

Death and Taxes

2010-05-12T16:02:00.002-05:00

Because there's nothing better than spending 48 hours poring through the Internal Revenue Code. Foolish me, I've been trying to think up books to read this summer, but I have this delightful collated copy of Title 26 right in front of me. Maybe I'll just bring it to the beach!

Album of the Week/Criminal Procedure Review: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

2010-05-07T11:00:00.005-05:00

I don't have time to review anything right now, I'm too busy fu¢@ing around with Terry seizures and the plentiful ways police can search your automobile. So, I'm just asking you folks to trust, based on my training and experience, that there is a reasonable likelihood this album is in fact, spectacular.

If I could, I'd Terry seize everyone and make them listen to "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoneix," but that would probably quantitatively and qualitatively interfere with your liberty interest such that it would exceed the scope of a Terry stop. Plus, I don't know if a failure to listen to this album constitutes sufficient "reasonable suspicion" that you are engaged in criminal activity or are otherwise armed and dangerous. Although, it is a totality of the circumstances test, so you never quite know.

However, assuming that I do have authority to seize you, it seems that just listening to the opening track (Lisztomania) would be permissible, since I'm diligently pursuing a means of investigation likely to quickly confirm or dispel my suspicions, such that it is necessary to detain you. My suspicion is that you haven't listened to Phoenix, which is fantastic French rock band, with hints of 80's synth, so it seems quite reasonable to assume that listening to one track wouldn't exceed the permissible scope of a Terry stop. The dangerously catchy beats, slightly foreign vocal stylings, and generally pleasing tone of this one track should be sufficient to confirm/dispel my suspicions. It doesn't matter that "Lasso" is only '2:48, while "Lisztomania" is '4:02, since it's not whether I failed to use a less intrusive alternative, but whether I acted unreasonably in doing so. "Lisztomania" is a bit catchier, so it's doubtful a court would find I acted unreasonably.

Let's assume I have probable cause to arrest you, based upon the crime of not listening to Phoenix, and the hazy, mind-melting crescendo of guitars and electronica on "Love Like A Sunset Part I." We'll just pretend you're in your car at the time of the offense. Boom, automatically, I can search the passenger compartment of your car for evidence relating to the offence of arrest. So, obviously, I'd be looking to see what worthless cd's (or other media) are lying about your glove compartment (within the lunging area, so plenty alright). Also, any containers where evidence of your illegal listening activities could be contained, are also subject to search - for example, your purse, backpack, etc. Probably not your wallet, because you can't stick an album in there. But since I can search your person incident to your arrest, and any containers or articles within your possession, in all likelihood, I'll be searching your wallet too. Actually, wait, you can fit a flash drive in your wallet, which could contain illicit mp3 files, so that'd probably be alright either way.

Okay, so now you're in the back of the cop car. Clearly, you're in custody, since you're being taken down to the stationhouse for booking (and rightfully so, this is a fantastic album, and in fact won the Grammy for best alternative album, whatever that's worth). Let's just pretend I clear my throat, and say in a loud voice to my partner "I really wish I knew where this poor sap tossed the 'Lady Gaga' album prior to arrest. After all, some kindergartner could find that, accidentally play it, and be emotionally and aurally damaged for the rest of their life." Overcome by guilt, you blurt out the location of the offending item. Is it going to be admissible in your upcoming trial for failure to listen to Phoenix? Good question.

You didn't get any Miranda warnings, and you were in custody. The question is, were you interrogated, and by that I mean, did I ask you an express question or its functional equivalent? Well, probably not. It wasn't directed towards you, and it's probably unlikely that I reasonably thought my statement would have been likely to elicit an incriminating response from you. Of course, during this whole conversation, we're going to be listening to the pseudo-apocalyptic "Armistice." Although, it's probably unlikely you're going to be signing an armistice, but rather a plea bargain. After all, the penalties for not listening to "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" are probably pretty harsh, and it's in your best interest to just plea, cooperate with the government, and hope that you just get the mandatory minimum, not the sentencing guidelines enhancement.

Moral of the story? Go out and pick up this album, because if you don't, you'll be arrested. It is, ah, dangerously excellent.

Round Four

2010-04-29T21:44:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again - final exams. I suppose the stress quotient, on the whole, is somewhat less than in the past. Each passing endurance makes it a little easier to bear. But that doesn't quite diminish the fact that finals, empirically, suck.

The inevitable worst part of finals isn't necessarily the exams, but rather the isolation. Studying for exams tends to be such an isolated activity, and I think it just gets tiresome spending so much time alone. After all, the Fourth Amendment can only get one so excited.

However, I'm happy to say that I'm off to a good start. I won the pop quiz at the admiralty party this morning, and am now the proud owner of a Toblerone bar roughly the size of a small ocean liner. I always knew my knowledge of "Hook" would come in handy one day...

In any event, I'm sure it will all be a riot.

Jazzy Weekends, etc.

2010-04-25T23:48:00.006-05:00

Folks, I think it not inaccurate to say that however much jazz you currently have in your life, it is not enough. Everyone needs more jazz. After all, it is America's music.

In pursuit of this goal, I journeyed to Stillwater on Friday evening to hear the Luther Jazz Orchestra, a fine ensemble which I had the distinct pleasure of playing in for a time. And let me tell you, it was quite pleasant. Always nice to see a certain Tony Guzman, although I was incredibly distressed to not hear the Lutheran "Tony Guzmansson" joke. Damn thing cracks me up every time...

Of course, I also got to see some old friends, both in the group and not. Once again, that was very nice. A relief, even. It's always nice to know, as I've alluded to before, that you're remembered. So be it for music played some time ago, or experiences shared even closer in time, it's always nice to know that you matter. That was fun; I'm still fairly certain that the second alto believes I put a man in the hospital in England. Inside jokes, gotta love 'em.

The band sounded great, just great. I was very impressed, and very proud. In some respects, it's humbling. We freeze those moments in time, those four years, and in their cryogenic state, they become part of a contained system. And they are contained, because experiences, everything; it's all unique to us and our circle. But once that seal has been put down, sometimes you tend to forget that you are only part of a continuum, and that your time is only one of thousands, maybe even millions of times. So as special as it was to be (assuredly), the greatest third trombonist to ever grace the Jazz Orchestra, it's so nice to know that new folks are filling in quite capably, and bringing more prestige. Not going to lie though, definitely made me want to get my Limbo Jazz on.

One other disappointment - they did not play Limbo Jazz. No!

Bottom line, it was a lot of fun. For those Luther jazz alums and fans who were not fortunate enough to hear them this year, you can be assured that we're all being done proud. It was a nice night - yes, even that part (cryptic!).

In the interests of photographic fun, here are some trombontastic clips from the 2008 Jazz Orchestra tour to Brazil. Caipirinhas, anyone? The correct answer is sim, obrigado!

Labyrinthine Things

2010-04-19T22:18:00.002-05:00

Hello readers. I apologize for the lack of substantive content lately; there is this thing called law school, that effectively ruins lives. Consequently, ruined lives leave very little time for hilarious blogging, and far too much time for contract theory and the inevitable discovery exception to the exclusionary rule. So right, whoops.

I spent much of my afternoon attempting to comprehend a case with the feds that is positively byzantine in its clarity and ease of understanding. Once home, I decided the weather was too nice to let it go to waste by sitting around inside. That, and I was still mildly concerned about the caloric intake I unwisely consumed courtesy of a lunchtime burrito. So, I pumped up the tires on my bike, packed up my bag, and biked off to Como Park.

Often times, I go back to thinking about what excited me about going to school in an urban environment. I had all these grand ambitions of living a life of culture, of taking advantage of the symphony, of the jazz clubs - so many things. A life that would render regular use of a car unnecessary - after all, cool kids in the city bike, right?

Needless to say, the cruel demands of school, budgetary constraints, and apathy have rendered those grand ambitions somewhat null. That's to be expected though, I think, but that doesn't necessarily make it more palatable from a theoretical standpoint.

Anyways, it was pleasant to bike around the lake, even marginally pleasant (as pleasant as this gets) to read about the Exxon Valdez whilst basking in the Minnesota sun. And, as is my wont, after I finished my tasks, I biked up to the labyrinth they have, and I walked it. I don't know why, but I'm quite fascinated by labyrinths, I find them extremely calming, relaxing. And of course, they get you thinking. I always try to not think about anything at all, to just focus on my breathing and my footsteps as I make my way along - but that never works. I inevitably just start thinking.

Prosaic as it is, life has a funny way of taking those sorts of labyrinthine turns. I've had a few of those in my day, actually my recent days. You get to thinking, what the hell is the point of this apparently pointless situation? And I really have yet to answer that, both for myself and others. It's so inane to say that it inevitably leads to a conclusion (like a labyrinth), or that something comes out of it. From my own attempts to justify these things, that is a bullshit answer, which doesn't solve much of anything.

It's not worth living in self-pity, and I think I do a fairly good job of avoiding that. It's also not worth thinking too hard about these unanswerable things. But it is worth thinking about the hard decisions that arise out of them, to a certain extent. It's very difficult to come to grips with current realities that you don't want to face, but I suppose it's just the way the cookie crumbles in some situations. I suppose we can just only hope that eventually, we make our way to the center.

Blah, there's my greeting-card-esque philosophizing for the week. Since we're on the subject though, I don't think it makes much sense to have a labyrinth devoted to world peace right off of busy Lexington Parkway. All that traffic does not inspire me to world peace. It doesn't inspire me to local peace. In fact, I don't think it inspires me to much of anything.

Except that I should ride my bike more often...

Opening Day 2010

2010-04-13T22:11:00.005-05:00

One last post. I was there!

Harmon Killebrew, still swinging for the fences

Can't get enough of this pedestrian plaza/green space (Target Plaza). Really cool place to check out, even when the Twins aren't playing.

Center field gate (appropriately named). Also, can't get enough of this Piece of Public Art that covers the ugly-ass parking garage.

View approaching the first baseline entrance

First regular season Kramarczuk's polish outside - ever.

Somewhere, a Perkins is wondering where their flag went.

Highway to the danger zone, anyone? Maverick? Iceman?

Doesn't even seem real. Is this Minneapolis?

Organist sitting in a bar. Great idea, or a terrible idea...

If you look real close, you can see my new glasses. Damn sun; wait, what's the sun?

The Times, They Are a Changin'

2010-04-11T23:41:00.007-05:00

Some things change, some things stay the same.

I know a lot of my readers are not baseball fans, and certainly don't have quite as developed attachments with particular teams. But I think we can all resonate with the newness that is presented on Opening Day, especially when your entire baseball life has been spent under a Teflon sky. Let's go see the sky for real, shall we?

I know that there's a danger of roving polar bears eating the opposing outfielders, and yetis and other snowbeasts prowling along the concourses. Minnesota is, after all, a frozen tundra. But, that's okay. I have a coat for the snow, and an umbrella for the rain. I say, for what it's worth, it's going to be just fine.

The National Game March, or how I learned to throw all self-dignity away and make an ass out of myself

2010-04-07T20:22:00.009-05:00

I've gotten a few unexpected facebook messages the past few days, from unexpected sources. Apparently, the fine folks down in the Luther College Concert Band have been playing a certain John Philip Sousa march by the name of "The National Game." And apparently, I seem to be inextricably and forever more attached to that march.

I suppose the story is well known by the, oh, 3 people who loyally read this blog. Through some strange turn of events (namely me blabbing off a bunch of shit that I had no expectation would ever be taken seriously), I ended up ditching my trombone for a baseball bat and running around the CFL while masquerading as a ballplayer who just hit a game-winning home run. I really wish there was video evidence that it actually happened, because I think I did my best Kirby Puckett/Game 6 impression, and most people who I tell this story to don't believe that I did it. Let their heads remain buried in the sand.

I maintain that the most hilarious part was when I had to explain to the Luther baseball coach why I needed to borrow the uniform...

But anyways folks, let me tell you from experience, if you're ever looking for a great way to spend your evening, try wearing 3 or 4 layers of polyester and then sitting down under a blazing spotlight for an hour. It is absolutely fantastic - easiest way in the world to look classy while simultaneously shedding 30 pounds.

I don't mean to wallow in self-glory, if that is even applicable to this ridiculous event. It was just nice to know people remembered it, and it brought back a lot of good memories. Truth be told, given the relatively low profile I tend to keep, and kept at Luther, I remain very surprised when people continue to mention it. But it's always pleasant to be remembered, even if its for a dumbass stunt that pretty much sapped an otherwise respectable concert of any musical integrity whatsoever.

Everyone has memories of college, of the "good old days." I suppose I'm becoming of that age where they do start to become "old days." But there's a perfectly good reason why such memories stick around, and why friends remain. Sure, we can't go back to how things were, but it's so nice to laugh and remember, and then go out and make something new.

P.S. - Benjamin, I still can't get over how good we look in that low brass photo... hard bodies

Justice

2010-04-06T15:32:00.003-05:00

Well folks, there is justice in the world. It just turns out you have to go to Maplewood and talk with Pete to get it.

Yes, in what I suppose is my first adversarial experience with the City of St. Paul, I traveled to the Ramsey County District Court to contest a parking ticket. After much table pounding, rhetorical flourish, and exclamations of "Justice Demands!," I now stand before you an unblemished man, wholly innocent under the eyes of the law. I feel as if my whole life is now ahead of me.

Simple Pleasures

2010-04-03T21:50:00.003-05:00

Folks, I've had very few things to say lately. It's just been a black hole of a week, or two weeks, for blogging and otherwise intelligent writing. Spring break will do that to you - destroy any ounce of motivation to do anything.

My lack of blogging shouldn't indicate that I haven't been thinking about interesting things. I have - all manner of interesting things, actually. Just, for the life of me, I haven't quite been able to put them down into words. I had a very eye-opening bike ride into suburban blight, aka my boyhood neighborhood, the other day. The whole time, I just kept thinking about what a great blog entry it would make, but alas, the aforementioned black hole.

I've even had a new album of the week fermenting about in my brain - multiple ones, in fact. But again, it's like someone uncorked something in the back of my head, and all those brilliant ideas came gushing out, never to be read again.

Dead before even getting a chance to realize their potential - that's always the saddest sort of end. It's always a lot better to tolerate failure, to tolerate disappointment, if there's an explicit basis for said failure. You can point to something and say, "Look, that didn't work!" But alas, when there is nothing to point to, 'tis a bitter pill to swallow.

In any event, why the sad mood? Well, of course you know the reason. Some things just seem to take a lot of time.

However, such things shouldn't stand in the way of all that is good. I witnessed with my own eyes last night, the first professional outdoor ballgame I've ever seen here in the great state of Minnesota. Sure, the Twins lost, but who the hell cares? It was just so pleasant to be outside, to be in a real ballpark. I can't believe it's for us. Everything seems so superlative as to almost be a mirage.

It's pleasant to be able to wear shorts and moccasins again; it's pleasant to roll down the windows and pop the sunroof. I've been on a Phoenix rampage the past month or so, and it's nice to play "Liztomania" at a high volume whilst speeding down the freeway. It's nice to have it be Easter, and to be able to eat chocolate rabbits without concern for one's well-being. It's pleasant to listen to the intelligentsia at Minnesota Public Radio, in their attempt to connect with the common folk through their coverage of Target Field's opening, try and pronounce "Cuddyer." Yes folks, simple pleasures are the greatest pleasures.

Like I said, simple pleasures.

Heath Care Link

2010-03-28T14:23:00.002-05:00

I was planning on writing some sort of grand defense of the recently signed health care reform law, while simultaneously decrying the craziness surrounding the rhetorical opposition. But, it looks like Frank Rich, over at the New York Times, figured out how to do it for me. Fantastic piece, I agree with it wholeheartedly.

Target Field Open House

2010-03-21T18:42:00.004-05:00

Folks, myself and a few friends had an opportunity to go inside Target Field, the new home of the Twins today. All the hyperbole I huffed out in my previous post, is fully justified. I was, in a word, awestruck. The above photo is the view from our season ticket seats, way way up in the 10th row of section 323, above the third base line. If these are the "nosebleed' seats, you can only imagine what the nice seats are like. The view of the Minneapolis skyline is absolutely stunning.

For a full photographic extravaganza tour through parts of the ballpark, please check out the photo album here.

This place is the antithesis of the Metrodome. Whereas the Dome was cold and sterile, Target Field is warm and inviting, strewn all about with the history of Minnesota Twins baseball. It is, undoubtedly, the most fantastic ballpark I've ever been it. Objectively, it is just fantastic, with great sightlines, huge concourses, and tons of art and other pleasing things to the eye. But really, what makes it great is the fact that it is ours.

Yes, it may be cold and wet and times, maybe even snowy. Fortunately for us, the canopy looks like it will very nearly fully cover our seats from the elements. Regardless of nature's foibles, this structure lives up to all manner of hype. The only thing I can think wrong of it is the somewhat tacky signs above the concession areas. Other than that though, it's absolutely gorgeous. I can't think of a better place to spend a summer's day, or night.

In other Twins news, this, was not so hot. This, however, is.

Sláinte

2010-03-17T16:46:00.003-05:00

I'm sure there's more to St. Patrick's Day than Guinness and silly green hats, but at the moment, they elude me. Happy St. Patrick's Day, from all of us 1/8 Irishmen to the other!