random ramblings

it would be difficult to say that things have been going any way other than well as of late.

first, i have some good if temporary (and slightly boring) employment, which means that the coming bills i see on the horizon are less an issue than they otherwise would be.  working at wright robinson has been a good experience so far, and i think that if nothing else, i can take a good recommendation from the place.

next, i must admit that i’m still reveling in the fact that i passed the va bar.  it’s a liberating feeling; i can practice anywhere in the state, and soon with the right paperwork can add DC to the list as well.  i feel as though i met a great challenge, and came out with more confidence than i expected.

as well, i had a job interview last week that i’m quite hopeful will turn into something for the future.  it’s a small firm, yes, and in fredericksburg, but it was friendly, in line with my interests, and looking to aggressively expand the practice and its areas.  i really am hoping that i hear from them positively this week.

and finally and probably most significantly, things are going very well–great, even–in my own personal life.  after months of hoping and waiting and learning, i’ve finally managed to land on my feet with the one i’ve been seeing, and it’s turned into something more concrete.  i don’t know what the future holds, and i don’t want to.  i want to continue having fun together, moving forward together, and seeing what comes of it all.

but i’m on top of the world because of her.

my friend dan passed away last week.  he was an amazing guy.  he was manager of the UR basketball team when i was at school, and the RA for my hall junior year.  we shared a few pizzas and trips to the cellar together, munching down on papajohns, or the mozza sticks or buffalo wings near the lake.

dan had a physical ailment that he never let get him down.  he was eternally optimistic and friendly, and just as good a guy as ever i’ve met.  he loved country music; we’d rock it out to tracy byrd’s “ten rounds with jose cuervo,” and a particular favorite, john lee murphy’s “dust on the bottle.”  being from georgia, dan drank nothing but Coke, and i never forgave him for that, being a pepsi man myself.

it’s painful to think that i hadn’t contacted him in over a year.  and now his cell number, still in my phone, will never be of use to me again.  dan was a wonderful, irreplaceable friend and a great man.  may his life serve as a reminder of strength and perseverance, and of looking on the bright side no matter what.

goodbye, dan.

you’d think i would have posted this sooner, but it’s been a busy few days… long story short, i passed the bar exam!

i really can’t believe it. i was certain–CERTAIN–that i had failed it. charlie passed too, which is awesome, because it really would have sucked if one of us passed and the other didn’t.

well i’m leaving for vegas tonight, and partying all weekend. this is so, so sweet.

i’ve come to realize that i like working hard.  it’s weird, but i get a lot of satisfaction out of knowing that i’ve been busy, and productive.  when i get off work at sensi, and i’m heading home in the car–tired, sweaty, smelling of cigarette smoke (some of it mine), undoubtedly with dried liquor and beer on my shoes–and the music’s blasting in the car and the road’s empty because everyone else is home in bed, i feel like i’ve done something that day.

especially on days when i’ve been working in the morning in ashland, doing the handyman second-job that has helped get me through the last 6 weeks.  on those days, having been up since 7:30, working from 8:30 to 1, then turning right around and heading into sensi by 3… those long, painful days are some of my proudest.  i DO work hard.  and i try to make sure that i always do the best job i can.  and for some odd reason, that makes me very, very happy.

i guess it was the same in high school, once i figured out that doing work meant achieving better grades and more rewarding learning in the classes i took… whatever the reason, i’m glad that i get fulfillment from my work, because god knows that once i pass the bar, i’m going to be working like i’ve never before!

add to that the fact that most nights when i’m off, i have a text from someone that i adore, and that things are going well with her, and it’s pretty difficult for me to feel anything but positive about the way things are going… no matter how much work it takes.

things are looking good.

it’s been a while since i’ve updated, eh?  sheesh.  well, long and short of it: bar is over.  thank the lord.  otherwise, i’ve pretty much just been working at sensi and doing a sort of handyman-like job just north of richmond to get some new cash comin’ in.

things are going well in the RIC; the weather’s gotten a bit cooler since sept started, and that’s a welcome relief.  have a trip to vegas planned for oct 19, so whether i pass the bar or not, i’ll be drinking and clubbing that weekend!

finally, although i hesitate to say anything lest i jinx myself, in the most important aspect of my personal life, i can say only one thing: i can’t believe my luck.

it is what it is.

after weeks of study, the bar is over.  i just have to wait on the results… i hope i passed!  otherwise, not much going on.  probably going to work at the bar again until the results are in, while i look for a job elsewhere in the field of law.

things seem to be going well on the personal front, as well, although a) i’m not exactly sure what’s going on and b) i’m trying not to become too hopeful.  but i’m optimistic.  we’ll see how things go.

i’m headed to cabo at the end of this week, too, so really, things are good.

finally.

final grades:

B+ in all subjects: trademarks, corps, collaborative and remedies–semester gpa: 3.3
overall law school gpa: 3.05

oh my god, i did it.

first off, let me say that the tragedy at Virginia Tech is horrendous, and i’m deeply sorry for the families who have to cope with the losses in the wake of the rampage of a disturbed student.  it’s chilling.

in another vein, however, i read with interest a piece on the washington post detailing the korean community in this country, and their fears of a racial backlash following monday’s shooting.  i don’t disagree that the koreans in this country have something to fear.  but i do think the whole thing–that is, any backlash that may develop–is patently absurd (man, i love that phrase)

anyone ignorant or prejudiced enough to believe that the korean or asian community deserves to be maligned after this freak occurrence is definitely misplacing his or her anger.  by the same token, i’d imagine these are the same folks who, post 9-11, resorted to calling arabs “towelheads,” and believed that all muslims are violent, bloodthirsty killers.  actually, the muslim religion is by and large a pacifist one; only the zealots advocate senseless killing (and guess what, america: christianity is full of zealots, too!)

anyway, my point is, blaming this horrific event on race is, again, patently absurd.  look at columbine: two white, deranged kids.  texas bell tower shooting: deranged white guy with a rifle.  hell, even reagan’s assassination attempt: insane obsessive man–white.  sure, there have been killers on any number of occasions whose misdeeds get them press, and many of them are white, black, hispanic, asian, you name it.  cho seung hui (i think that’s how you spell this kid’s name) also had a brooding, dark past, including alleged stalking episodes.  and by the way, he happens to be asian.

so what do we learn about all this?  the killer at virginia tech deserves to be faulted because he is merely a member of this unpredictable, sometimes violent HUMAN race.

not because he belongs to the asian one.

well, the weekend was a good one.  worked friday, and saturday was the law school formal.  had a good friend of mine as my date, which went well.  always a good time chillin’ with her.  otherwise, sunday was pretty lazy.  today, tuesday, i just tried to get started on all this end-of-semester work.  wrote half of the final paper i need to do for collab law, and will work on the bar app and my other paper this week.  by sunday, the goal is to have nothing to do except outline for finals for the rest of the semester.

in other news, things seem to be going well overall.  i’m hitting a comfortable stride with getting things wrapped up for the end of my formal schooling, and trying to spend lots of time with friends who will be leaving come may.  that’ll be a shock; i’ve spent a lot of time with some great people these last three years.

i’ve also gotta start getting ready to move after graduation, and move stuff out of the house in chambersburg after finals.  it’ll be sad to see that place go; it’s been “home” forever.  but i need to concentrate on putting down roots somewhere else now, and it looks like richmond will be that place.

here’s to hope.

i’m doing something wrong.

i’m not quite sure what it is, since no one can really say, but suffice it to say that i know that the way things go for me, i’m not getting it.  i’m not sure if i’m just not enough an asshole, or what, but somehow doing what i think is right just doesn’t seem to get me places.

so i don’t know what to do.  but who cares.