Mission Accomplished

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!