Leaving the Nest

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

Esq.

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

Wedding Number 2 - K1 and B

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

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

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

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...