Tag Archives: southern

November 30, 2012 · 11:17 AM

Warning: Big Post Soon!

Well another semester has come and gone. I know that this semester has been a whirlwind for me and thus the blawg has suffered something awful. Maybe it is the fact that the top 100 Blawgs were just currently ranked or the fact that finals are next week, something has me wanting to catch people up on what I am doing.

But where to start? And how intense should the writing be? Should I tell people about my school semester and how the 2L year is dead on when they say that the school works you to death? Should I talk about how happy I am that Notre Dame is going to a national Championship? Should I write about the downfall of my PACKERS?  I could write about my new job with the state government. Maybe I could mention the girlfriend. I could even tell you about the fact that I have not been home to Indiana since before the school semester started. Hell, I am only going to spend a week at home for Christmas!

And where should I end? Should I end by telling you that I will not be in the United States on Christmas Day? Should I mention that I (again) have a new car? Should I tell you about the upcoming finals and my complete contempt for school? Maybe mention that there is no way that I am sad with straight “C’s” this semester: JUST GIVE ME MY DEGREE AND GET OUT OF THE WAY.

I just wanted to put a post on here to give my followers who apparently still exist a heads up on a big post tonight or tomorrow depending on when it is fully finished. I am studying for my finals and use my study breaks for this blog today and tomorrow. I want to post photos…. Tell stories… and reminisce. I guess my biggest want is just to have a semester in review.

Also, I should give a big shout out to y’all. Apparently my blawg is still netting hundreds of views a month without me writing a word. That leaves me almost speechless.

-YJ_SL

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February 23, 2012 · 8:13 PM

Carolina Cup

I am attending the Carolina Cup horse race this year with the girl. Nathan and others from school are going too on the last weekend of March.

Tracy is all worried about what dress she is going to wear and that got Nathan and I thinking about what piece of awesomely frattastic clothing we were going to wear. Sure, there are my pair of madras pants or possible my red, yellow or sky blue chinos paired with oxford shirts and bow ties of increasing pastels… but I want to go with the classic seersucker. I wouldn’t mind the coat this guy has… but that is an entirely different story and price range. Where do you even have a Lilly print blazer made?

The Cup goes hard apparently.

So seersucker it will be, at least for me anyways. Nathan is still on the fence about his attire. He is looking at his closet at home in N.C. this weekend to see if he has anything to bring back to Jackson. He finally is going home to pick up his new car. What a lucky guy.

I have been to the Kentucky Derby before… but the infield is apparently nothing like the infield of Carolina Cup. I’m interested to see the difference. I mean, I am used to infields of the finest people (or white trash/college kids) in the medwest at Indy 500′s. I think I will handle this no problem.

Oh well stunt doubles. I’ll keep you posted on other stuff when I get more chances to write.

-YJ_SL

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November 23, 2011 · 4:58 PM

Clothing Choices

I have become accustomed to the wardrobe of the south apparently. At least this is what I have been told.

I realized this last night as I strolled into my college hangout with a nice red and white checked oxford shirt, navy blue vest, nice jeans, and (only because it was pouring down rain) new balance 993′s. I dressed like this often in undergrad… but never realized that this was going to lead to some strife.

“So XXXX is apparently better than us now that he is in Law School…” said one of my friends.

Uhhh… no just thought I would dress nicely for the bar.

I did grab the attention of a few at the bar though. I was with one of the “old-balls” later in the evening. He is 31, former army, state trooper. We were sitting at the bar, and a girl I know from my school (who is an NFL Cheerleader) was sitting sort of caddy corner from us. I was drinking my drink and ignoring that section of the bar anyways, but my buddy could not stop saying things like, “Duder… she is staring at one of us and it isn’t me.” “Man, she wants you to go talk to her.” “I think she would totally be down, dude.”

Nope, I’m not hearing any of this. She isn’t down for anything. I wouldn’t stand a chance. I don’t want a chance. She isn’t my type. AND HOLY CRAP WHAT IS SHE DRINKING? WATER AND WELL VODKA? AND YOU WANT ME TO HIT ON THIS GIRL? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? Any girl who drinks water and vodka should be crossed off of any list that I may be keeping in my head of possible girls I would talk to. Period. End of discussion.

My buddy got totally cornered by the hottest 47-year old mother of 2 that I have ever seen in my entire life. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was seeing someone, this would have been very interesting. She had walked in with this creepy looking dude that she left at the bar and walked over to my friend within ear-shot of her date and said, “Are you going to let me rock your world or not?”

No one’s world was rocked. Sorry readers. This isn’t getting any better.

However, after he said he would rather not (in so many words,) She looked at me and said, “Nice sweater vest, kid.”

I was avenged in my choice of clothing for the night.

And that made all the difference.

~YJ_SL

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September 19, 2011 · 1:43 AM

PACKERS WIN 2 – Midterms Have Me Feeling Blue

I am a huge PACKERS fan. There is no other way to describe it. If I could live in a green and yellow house, I would. Oh wait… My childhood home was gree and yellow and my current house is green and yellow. Pride… I have it.

One of my fellow class mates is a Carolina fan and invited me to go watch the game with her. It was a good time and it was made better by a big day for the PACKERS.

I have torts down decently for next Saturday’s midterm. The test isn’t worth half of our grade; just 10%. I need to keep studying all week anyways.

There is a sickness going around the section/school in general. I am usually more than immune to these kinds of things… but especially now that I moved here. These people are getting sick because the “seasons are changing” according to them. It went from being 100 everyday to being 85 everyday. That isn’t a season change… that is a slight breeze. Weenies.

I can’t get “cold” enough here. I am ALWAYS hot. There are no other ways to describe it. Fat kids don’t need an excuse to be hot. “Dude are you sweating? Did you just sprint from the parking lot to class?” “Nah, I walked into school in the 100 degree heat and went to the cafeteria where I had a Powerade and then walked leisurely to class. I’m just still hot from outside.”

This condition is helped by my room mate. He has never met a temperature above 80 he didn’t like. Our house was in a horrible section of town i the 80s and early 90s and the windows have all been sealed shut. Our house holds humidity and heat like a cast-iron, dutch oven. The room mate is real big on energy conservation and hates to use the air conditioning so it has helped me get used to the heat.It has taken me from a “68-71 is a good ‘indoor’ temperature” to “Is the inside temperature above 80? Ehh… probably can turn the air on and get some breeze moving.”

I’m not used to it.

I hate it.

I. Hate. It.

Give me a cold and crisp Lambeau morning with the sun shining and a slight breeze in 45 degree, late October. Give me the crisp air on a fall night in Indiana. Give me the feeling of driving under a clear, cool night in Ohio, driving home from a college football game or something. Give me the city smell as you drive through Chicago with the windows down in early November. Give me anywhere but here, right now. I live for that.

Although, at least the school keeps it cool. I think that is what keeps me in the library so much. I would rather stay in the cool, dry school than come home to my humid house.

I really must say that this is going to change as the weather outside gets more favorable (which hopefully happens soon.) Someone was talking about “pea-coat weather” stating in mid-october. (I cringed and cried on the inside.) These people have no clue what “pea-coat weather” is.

But, like I said it has given me the opportunity to get more used to the weather and more used to the environment. Slowly but surely my blood will thin. Besides, when “winter” hits, I will be chilling in shorts still.

Tomorrow is more of the same. I’m learning a ton still and am still having a blast in some regards, dying in others. If law school has taught me anything it is to care less about others and worry more about myself. I thought I had this understanding as a conservative leaning moderate before I cam to law school and now it is that on ‘roids. This learning takes your heart and mind and throws them through a meat grinder. I have come out okay so far but am changed forever.

I get why people have breakdowns and why so many people have already dropped out. It makes sense to me. It takes a certain kind of person, a certain personal constitution, to live this way. I don’t recommend it to most. I was told that there was a student who was committed from my campus if not last year then the year before. This doesn’t surprise me in the least. I’m surprised it is not more if I am surprised at all. These people who are married and engaged who are putting their spouses and significant others through this stuff should be considered cruel and unusual punishment. But hey, that is my single-ass saying this.

I was approached by a friend of mine who was contemplating law school and could probably get into a great school. He said, “What do you think. Is it fun?”

No. Not at all. And… Yet, it is the greatest thing ever.

~YJ_SL

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September 3, 2011 · 9:44 PM

OK! I’ll Add Four More

I have had some people e-mail me to add a couple more photos from my photog session. Here are four more.

Local Church.

Virginia Tech themed house... except people trespass on their defense.

Lonely chair in the middle of the old concrete slab where a house once stood.

House in the historic district two blocks from my house. This would make a great fraternity house.

 

~YJ_SL

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September 2, 2011 · 9:43 PM

SBA Elections

I may have been an avid member of my undergrad’s student government… but I doubt that will ever happen in Law School. We have elections for the representatives for the 1Ls coming up. Today… there was brownie and highlighter tables with handshakes and smiles. There are guys and gals running. Everyone seems like okay folks… but I’m not so sure.

Look, we have been in class for 2 1/2 weeks. It would be hard for me to run when I couldn’t possibly know if I would have the time or inclination to be that kind of leader in my school. I have a hard enough time getting ready for class each day. Surely it is the same for these folks as well.

I am more surprised by some of the folks who are not running. There are a few great (and I mean great) potential leaders that I have met. These folks have stood on the sideline. The other “power-hungry” ones are surprising that they will not be in the election as well. The “power-hungry” folks are the most worrisome to me. These people are the ones who would love to hide books in the library, not pass along outlines or tips as they get them. I’m a pretty fair guy. I think someone’s hard work should allow them to succeed. When some of these folks do the things they do… It shows me how insecure they are. I had a girl tell me in the library that a book I needed was on the “to be shelved” cart. It wasn’t. It was sitting on the table behind her. I figured this out 15 minutes later. (I don’t know that she knew for a fact that she sent me on a wild goose chase, I guess) Waste of my time. Why does something small like this matter? It matters because I play very fair. I’m helpful when a question is asked to me. I’m friendly. I’m not cutthroat in the least. But, oh hell can I be!

I have a core nucleus of friends here at school who all happen to be girls. I make that notation because in the library other girls outside of this group either think I am a stud or gay. I’m guessing they think I’m gay. Oh well. Game son. I have it.

Just kidding. These people think like I do when it comes to school. They are the best because they have insightful comments and are normal everyday people. I like that. There are 5 of us in this small self-made study group.

C-A is a southern belle with an accent that would slap your grand-daddy off his rocker on the hottest day in august. (I’m guessing that is like a southern-ism.) She doesn’t spend as much time with the overall group but she is pleasant and takes light ribbing well. She sees things from a different angle than myself often which helps us talk out issues.

E is also from this area and went to another school in my town. She is quiet except when she knows the answer in class. She then becomes the sniper gunner answering questions in perfect concise manner. She is a beast in the library and gets things done efficiently and effectively. She has a fiance that goes to school a few hours away. She is visiting him over the weekend and is thus out of town.

D-S is from Orlando, Fl. and reminds me of someone familiar but I cannot figure out who. She is a fellow somewhat-lapsed catholic and is a good time. She has some aspirations for school that are high but definitely manageable from her work ethic. We think differently when it comes to some political issues, however she is fun to hang around and our conversations leave both of us for the better. I haven’t seen her upset yet. Just a happy-go-lucky person.

Dix is, like E, from this town. She is a sorority sister of E and the daughter of a local lawyer. She is an avid studier… just not in the library unless it is in the middle of the day. She is more of a “at-home” study type. She is easily my favorite person I have met so far down here. (She reads this blawg and I’m sure that she will feel totally awkward and that is okay! She is the self proclaimed mayor of “awkward-town.”) She hates… and I mean hates… law school. For her, the school politics and the competitive nature is tough. I don’t disagree. I’m a super competitive person, but I have never fully felt like I was competing against those I was in school with. I have found myself taking pleasure at how Jackson hammers away at some of the people I don’t like and caught myself thinking… “Wow, you are being a douche. Hope those people get right answers.” But secretly I love it. This scares me.

People talk about how law school changes you on the inside. I feel that happening. This is terrifying. It is as if the voice in my head that always looked for the good in people has been eaten away by this black cancer that is tearing me apart. I’m a cynic more than I ever was before. I was sitting in a chair yesterday and I was openly criticizing some of the things that had bothered me about a classroom exchange to D and I stopped myself cold after she goes, “Damn, that is cynical.”

I constantly “issue spot” when I read things or see it on the street. Every interaction becomes a tort hypo. I DO NOT LIKE THIS. However… it is enthralling. I have had a few people give me compliments recently in class and such about my attitude towards life or the way I think. Is this just posturing? IS this someone trying to put me at ease while they work harder than I?

I am taking this weekend off. I will treat Monday like an ordinary day. Saturday and Sunday are ALL MINE. I’m going to get my camera out and go take some pics early tomorrow, watch Notre Dame football at the bar in the afternoon and try to have a good time not thinking about anything law school related.

This blawg is law school related. Don’t expect a post over the weekend.

Go enjoy union appreciation day on Monday.

~YJ_SL

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August 11, 2011 · 8:30 PM

Orientation Over And Books Were $1,044.25

Orientation is over. The only thing standing in my way between now and the actual start of class are first day assignments and two days of legal writing seminars.

The people in my class are almost all good-natured and fun. I can say that I fit in pretty well even with my northern accent. Keeping a low key, yet funny optimistic approach to things has lead to a great orientation.

We have small groups that will be the same groups for our writing class that have been assigned by the school. In no way am I upset with these groups, but mine has some great personalities. Two girls and seven guys make up my small group. We have one serious gunner in our group but she hasn’t done anything to my spirits just yet. She has already combed the 2Ls and 3Ls for amjure outlines- and found quite a few. I can’t discredit her for that so I am glad she is willing to share. However, she also seems to think that their will be less to do if she has those outlines. This is not the case. In my mind, there are no shortcuts. Other outlines are helpful, but you are still going to need to do the work yourself to really understand the work. Oh well, I don’t mind supplementing my work with the outlines of the kids who got an “A.”

My bill for books. At least I didn't pay any taxes I guess.

The class has its fair share of people who I wonder how they got here. Some of the utterly dumb questions that people ask just make me feel better that I have a good chance to do very well in classes. Yea me!

Received my email address, Westlaw and Lexis passwords and my books. Books were interesting. I asked for used books if they were available. I got only two of them. Civ Pro and Contracts will be the used books, the rest are all new shiny ones. I was still not excited by the price tag: $1044.25. I’m not complaining, but I wish books were either less expensive, or that tuition covered the price of books. This price is before I order study aids as well. YIKES!

There is an optional service project tomorrow. I am participating in it for Habitat for Humanity. While I am sweating in 100+ degree heat, some of my classmates will be taking a walking tour of our town which was also optional at the same time. I figure I can walk the city anytime. Habitat will help someone and gets me moving. Win for all.

Tomorrow night there is a party hosted by the Law Student Bar Association (LSBA) and I am sure that I will end up there in the evening.

I’m off to set up my Westlaw and Lexis accounts. Later stunt doubles.

~YJ_SL

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August 6, 2011 · 4:58 PM

Baseball Game And An Irish Pub

Friday night was a very good night.

The roomy and I got a ride to the baseball game from another 1L who lives about a block away from us. She was super nice and the three of us sat at the game and chit-chatted. It was scalding hot outside and because we were situated in the first row on the third base side, we got no breeze or any reprieve from the heat. Game-time temps were in the mid 90s. The paper fan on a stick that they handed out before the game made the weather slightly more comfortable but not much.

We were expecting to meet up with about five other people but we had a miscommunication and didn’t meet up until after the game was over.

The other group asked if we wanted to go to the Irish bar in our neighborhood. I knew the bar was on the corner and it was one that had a great reputation as being a law school student hang-out so we all agreed to go.

The whole group was seven men and two women. Obviously one girl had driven the roomy and myself, the other guys rode together and the other girl had driven herself. I hopped into the car with the lone girl to give her directions to the place which was situated at the end of our block. We talked the whole way and she was a lot of fun. I wish she was in my section, we got along great. I probably didn’t make a great impression looks wise being a sweaty, hot mess, but she didn’t seem to mind much. We strolled up to the place and it was packed. The band was playing hard and heavy and the beer flowed quickly. A little expensive, but all in all it was a good choice.

We all started talking and comparing backgrounds. The usual, “You had how many at your school?” and “You were greek, too? What chapter?” was shouted over the music. One of the guys we met was from Connecticut and he was relieved to find a fellow “northerner.” we spoke at length about how different things were down here than from up north. He was pleasant.

I found myself talking with the cute, pleasant girl from the car ride to the bar late into the night. She stopped after her nursed amaretto sour and complained that it was getting “So late!” a few times. The conversation kept her at the bar until two and I walked her to her car so she could drive to her apartment in the suburbs.

The girl who drove us to the game lives by herself a block behind the bar, so I walked her home after I paid my bar tab. The guy she had been talking to left and she was about to walk home by herself. I wasn’t having any of that. She seemed to have a great night herself and she thought we should all get together again soon. I don’t blame her. We all had a blast!

The roomy left early so he could get up early this morning to hit up the farmer’s market here in town. He came back with a plethora of tomatoes, hot peppers, cucumber and eggs. I hit up the grocery today for a few essentials. Milk, bread and strawberry yogurt were on my list, but a quick traipse through the meat department had me also buying a pair of butterfly pork chops that were on sale for $3.50 instead of the marked $7.87 cents. Bargain! I’ll pair that with some green peppers, onion and rice. Should be a good Saturday night meal with enough for left overs for lunch.

The G-MA, sent a letter that included the alumni magazine for my high school and a couple of newspaper clippings she thought I would enjoy. The magazine had a small blurb on me in the class notes. There was also a card saying she missed me. The woman is a saint. No doubt about it.

Hopefully the rest of the weekend goes swimmingly. We don’t get internet at the house until Aug. 14th so I’m still writing these at the library or Starbucks at least for another week.

NO #VAGABONDVERN sightings in almost a week now. I honestly think something has happened to him. My homeless hombre never deviated from his schedule… so to not see him at all is just tragic in a sense. Hopefully he will show up soon.

~YJ_SL

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August 4, 2011 · 6:39 PM

Orientation Packet Picked Up

What a 24 hour whirl-wind!

Construction on my house: Finished.

Room mate moved in: Complete.

Found and bought a desk: Done.

Went to school and picked up orientation packet: Case Closed.

Got my schedule: Duh.

Orientation packet included a copy of “1L Of a Ride” which I specifically did not buy because I knew we would receive a copy. I am already 40 pages deep and I will say that the book is refreshing in some ways. The writer is Andrew J. McClurg and he is a journalist-turned-law student who went on to become a professor. Can you say, “That sounds familiar?” He has already reassured me that journalism (or any other major for that matter) doesn’t mean anything in law school. That’s a relief.

Orientation packet pick-up also included a small tour if we wanted it. The roomy and I opted for it and were taken from building to building getting tid-bits along the way. Our tour guide was perfect. He didn’t bore us with stories of what he did in this room or that. He gave us a tour that told me the questions I probably would have had the first day and would have been itching to ask someone but would have been too embarrassed.

“This is the best bathroom to drop a deuce. Why? The stall is a single that is so big you can take a few books in with you and study no problem.”

Uh, yeah. You’re probably thinking that is odd, but any 1l guy is saying to himself, “Righteous. Preach brother, preach!”

“And this is where you can get free food after the day-time meetings get done. The secretaries put it out. You could probably eat lunch for free every day if you tried hard enough.”

This is guys is becoming more of a prophet, less of a tour guide.

All in all, it was a good tour.

The room mate and myself seem to get along fine. We need to give him a name, readers. Anyone who wants to “name the roomy” can try by commenting names below. I will caution you however, I won’t be writing about him much. I find that personal relationships of this nature where that person doesn’t know he or she is being written about, shouldn’t be. It’s unethical. Most of the time, I’ll just mention that {XXX} and I went somewhere or did something together. So let’s hear those names!

I got my schedule… This will be listed as it’s own post after I get done with this one.

Found a desk. I told the lady I could be back tomorrow with the money. She seemed a bit hesitant. She wanted it out of her garage today. I think I just missed a call from her… I hope someone else didn’t steal it our from under me.

The man came and fixed all of the ceiling issues we had in the kitchen. It is nice to finally feel like I can cook again without breathing asbestos or some other cancer causing agent. So what did I do as soon as I got back full control of my kitchen? I went out and had fast food. First real fast food in a while. I had Waffle House a few days ago as some will remember… and that had been the first time since moving down here that I had eaten out. Moreover, tonight I had Taco Bell, and I hadn’t had that glorious-ness in over a month. I don’t care if it wasn’t good for me. It’s nice to eat poorly once in a while.

No #VagabondVern sightings. I think something has happened to him. It is not like him to go more than a day without seeing him. Sorry folks, we may have seen the last of the posts about him. If I see him, I’ll make sure I let you know.

I’ll post that schedule now. I know a couple of people are dying to see it.

~YJ_SL

 

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August 2, 2011 · 4:42 PM

NOT HAPPENING

I watch this video about once a week and say this isn’t happening to me. I won’t let it.

 

 

Law school can begin anytime. I’m ready.

 

~YJ_SL

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