Sarah Unabridged

2002-05-07T15:22:00.000-04:00

I seem to have fallen out of the blogging groove. After a little prodding from my husband, I've decided to share my wisdom with the world once again. Things have been a little crazy, lately. After recovering from the agony of having my wisdom teeth removed, I was lucky enough to catch Michael's cold. So, now I am trying to recover from that. Sandwiched in between the two, fortunately, was Derby weekend. We went to the Derby with some of Michael's law school buddies and we had a wonderful time. It was a perfect day for lounging in the sun and catching up with old friends, well, new friends for me. After the Derby we dined at the Bristol, one of my favorite Louisville eateries, and introduced our east coast friends to derby pie. On the way out we ran into Dodd and, I must admit, seeing his blogging highness (he was my inspiration) was the catalyst for this entry.

2002-04-16T13:27:00.000-04:00

Yesterday the weather was beautiful. Michael and I decided to eat our dinner and read the paper on the porch when we got home from work and, despite some repercussions from the world of allergies, the evening was wonderful. Later we headed to Sears to purchase some new khakis for me and were fortunate enough to find a pair on sale. All and all it was a pretty good day.

This morning was a little bungled, but I've decided to be in a good mood anyway. The weather today is beautiful and I am married to a wonderful man. I have no reason to be unhappy, so I won't be.

2002-04-15T13:41:00.000-04:00

I'm sure that by most standards my weekend would appear blasé, but for me, it was just what the doctor ordered. After two consecutive weekends out-of-town, Michael and I settled in for two days of pampering ourselves. On Friday, we had a chance to catch up on the new docu-sitcom that everyone seems to be talking about, The Osbournes, which was hilarious (if a bit profane) by any objective standard. Michael mentioned to me that G. W. was also a fan of the show. While chuckling over the family disputes, I wondered if at any time I was sharing a magical moment with the President of the United States. Saturday, Michael cooked a scrumptious dinner for Caleb and me of salmon steaks and asparagus. I, being new to the wonderful world of seafood, managed to swallow several bones. After dinner, Caleb and Michael regaled me with political tales and stories about the Probe(?), who appears at midnight, Saturday nights on the public access channel, over a pint of Chunky Monkey.

This morning, unfortunately, was a little less wonderful. Last week I spilled a little bit of spaghetti sauce on my new khaki pants. I pulled out Scott's spray and wash (which was a stick, incidentally), rubbed it over the stain as the directions indicated, and washed them. Well, this morning, while ironing my pants I noticed that yes, indeed, the stain had been removed, but so had a large portion of the fabric. The Spray and Wash seems to have eaten through the fabric of my khakis. So, this evening Michael and I will head to Lazarus to find a replacement pair.

2002-04-11T17:08:00.000-04:00

I haven't had the opportunity to post anything substantial on this 'blog recently. One of the temps quit and I moved into a new cubicle. Although the new cube is roomier, and I have a cube-mate that I've become friends with, it is right smack in the line of traffic, which means that blogging on company time has become a bit more challenging. Right now I'm just punching the clock, waiting for classes to begin, and spending time with my hubby.

Today it is absolutely marvelous outside. Michael took me out for Chinese food for lunch and we got to take a brief stroll in the sunshine. When we get home we'll probably grab a couple of magazines, sit on the deck, and relax.

I read some interesting articles in Time Magazine last night that I just couldn't resist posting below. The topic concerns women who want both a career and a family. The first article points out just how much a woman's career actually suffers as a result of family obligations. The second article discusses the 'biological clock', and it sounds like it is ticking a lot faster than most women realize. It is ticking so fast, in fact, that getting a professional degree, establishing a career, and then having a family is an impossibiltiy for most women. It's a must read for any woman who is thinking about attempting both. Here is a telling factoid from the article: "Recent Census data support Hewlett's research: childlessness has doubled in the past 20 years, so that 1 in 5 women between ages 40 and 44 is childless. For women that age and younger with graduate and professional degrees, the figure is 47%." Now, everyone out there who has been pressuring Michael and me to have children please notice that part about women with professional degrees. I am not alone in thinking that having a successful career and children rarely go hand in hand.

Check out the articles:

The Cost of Starting Families

Making Time for Babies

2002-04-10T16:35:00.000-04:00

Wealthy? Give me a (Tax) Break!

"A new study by the Tax Foundation casts some light on the absurdities of the concept of "wealthy." During the fight over President Bush's tax plan last year, Democrats, you may remember, harangued the president as a man too sympathetic to the wealthy. As it turns out, wealthy is a fairly relative term, and the reason why the wealthy get the brunt of most Republican-sponsored tax breaks is because — get ready for this — the wealthy pay the brunt of the taxes."

2002-04-09T15:40:00.000-04:00

Brazil has a Cow Over "Simpsons"

2002-03-29T14:27:00.000-05:00

Rumsfeld Ribs Myers for 'Even My Wife' Slip

2002-03-28T10:41:00.000-05:00

State Educators Ask Not to Be Left Behind: "The rule could impact up to 3,500 teachers in Illinois today who could be disqualified from teaching because they are in classrooms under emergency waivers or may not be teaching in the area of study for which they received their degrees."

Isn't that the point of this legislation? How does one effectively 'teach' in a subject area where one has no formal education? This is especially true when confronting the subjects of science and mathematics in junior high. Having an educator who is excited about their subject area aids the learning process in college students. Why would that not hold true for younger students? Kids need to be excited, or at least tolerant, of what they are studying. They will have more respect for a professional who enjoys their subject and can effectively answer inquiries about it than they will have for a teacher who gives them busy-work and teaches directly out of the manual without any added insight.

2002-03-27T14:44:00.000-05:00

This is for everyone who raised their eyebrows when I mentioned attending a 'cow plop' in Northern Kentucky. Finally, 'cow plopping' has been verified by a second source, and it is apparently newsworthy.

2002-03-27T11:22:00.000-05:00

So long, Speedy. I hope Pepe LePew isn't next to be axed. Things are getting just a little too PC for me. What ever happened to the art of parody?

2002-03-27T09:36:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Michael!

Happy Birthday, T.J.!

2002-03-21T11:30:00.000-05:00

Drug czar accused of supporting terror: Libertarian Party ad parodies feds' Super Bowl commercials
"The LP ad features a full-length photo of Bush administration drug czar John Walters, with the following caption: "This week, I had lunch with the president, testified before Congress and helped funnel $40 million in illegal drug money to groups like the Taliban. … The war on drugs boosts the price of illegal drugs by as much as 17,000 percent – funneling huge profits to terrorist organizations. If you support the war on drugs or vote for the politicians who wage it, you're helping support terrorism." '

I fully support the Libertarians' crusade against the so called drug war. (Though, if you read this site regularly, that probably doesn't surprise you.)

Click here for more information.

2002-03-21T10:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Anniversary, honey!

2002-03-20T17:11:00.000-05:00

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with this. The fact that people lied about love to get sex before the sexual revolution does not excuse people from doing it now. True, Alanis Morissette went a little overboard in her lyrics at times, but that doesn't discredit her feelings or excuse them away. The fact that her 3rd album was so popular reflects that she is speaking for a frustrated generation. If one finds difficulty in taking the "traditional values crowd seriously", then perhaps one should not be involved in a relationship, or one-night-stand, with someone who lives their life according to traditional values.

The recently exposed pitfalls of the Catholic Church (I should point out that I'm not a big fan of that institution.) should not overshadow other societal problems. When the United States was attacked by terrorists we did not forget about the problems of starvation and homelessness. I'm certainly not suggesting that any institution (namely the government) should step in to abate them, merely that refusing to acknowledge their existence does not make them cease to exist.

2002-03-20T16:46:00.000-05:00

Online Rants Not Always Free Speech

2002-03-18T15:59:00.000-05:00

When you work in a cubicle, or in my case a pseudo-cubicle, eavesdropping becomes very easy. Everyone just assumes that since they can’t actually see anybody without standing up, people must not be able to hear them either. I liken it to the driver who picks his nose while in the shelter of his car, completely oblivious to the onlookers in the cars beside him. In such an environment you learn much more than you really needed, or wanted, to know about your neighbors. In a job as boring as mine, eavesdropping becomes sort of a hobby. I haven’t spoken to anyone on my side of the floor (most of the temps are on the other side), but I know which people have dysfunctional family lives, which people have health problems, who is buying a new car, who just broke up with their boyfriend, etc.

Here are two of my favorite eavesdropping anecdotes:

1) I just listened to two women have a half-hour conversation about their hatred of bugs. Here is a direct quote from one of the girls: “When I see any kind of bug, I like to get the can of Raid and just give them a little tiny spray. It takes a lot longer to kill them that way. I like to watch them roll on their back and squirm, watch them struggle for their last breaths. I like to torture them. They’re so ugly, they deserve to be tortured.”

I wanted to turn around and tell her that she was mighty ugly, too. Maybe we should throw her on the rack. Just in case she enjoys torturing other things, though, I'll stay out of her way.

2) The girl behind me listens to pretty awful music. It’s always the same artist. I noticed that she has the inside of a CD case posted on her cubicle wall. I waited until she took her break and then surreptitiously stuck my head in to get a closer look; yes, indeed, the picture was of her. What I’ve figured out is that she plays the music all day waiting for someone to comment on it. When the unsuspecting person asks about the music, she blushes and says that she is the vocalist. If that’s not fishing for compliments, I don’t know what is. It makes me want to vomit. It turns out she’s quite the entrepreneur. She runs a little Avon business out of her cubicle that must take up at least half of her scheduled work hours.

2002-03-18T15:33:00.000-05:00

Cannabis is given health all clear

2002-03-15T15:21:00.000-05:00

Well, it’s Friday. It has been a very long week. I started a new position at Humana on Monday. If I weren't being paid, I would be sure that I was enslaved in some kind of forced labor camp. They insisted that the 15 temps they hired for a 6-month project all have college degrees, so naturally I thought that I was about to embark on some sort of challenging and intriguing assignment. Silly me. At 8:30 AM I begin typing mismatched names in the computer. The computer pulls up an address and a ss#, I write it down. Then I type in another name, write down the address, etc. this continues until 5:00 PM with two scheduled 15 minute breaks and a half-hour lunch. Tell me again why I needed a college degree for this? What the heck, if they're foolish enough to pay me $14.00 an hour to do this, then I'll humor them and accept the money.

I don’t think they were ready for 15 new temps. I am stuck in a corner with two glued together pieces of plywood as a makeshift desk. I pushed some filing cabinets together and have created what resembles a cubicle for myself. I also managed to confiscate a lamp. If I add a picture of Michael it will probably be downright charming. I think I’ll do that Monday. The technology also leaves a little to be desired. Right now, as I type, the letters appear on the screen about three words after I’ve typed them. If you try to open two windows at the same time, the computer freezes and you have to reboot. They are so afraid of pornography that if I attempt to access the Onion website a giant red box pops up to tell me it’s prohibited. Sheesh, I can’t access the Onion, but I can access any random schmuck’s blog. (If you’ve ever visited random blogs like those suggested when you log into blogger, you realize that blogs are filled with suggestive language and links.)

Despite the job, I am very happy to be in Louisville with Michael. The joy I get from waking up beside him in the morning makes the agony of the work week seem worthwhile. Thankfully, in a few months I will begin law school and escape this drudgery.

2002-03-15T15:02:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Dodd!

2002-03-08T10:18:00.000-05:00

My Brothers and Sisters:A report from New York, six months on.

"They have been lucky so long they don't even know they're lucky anymore. That's the bad thing that can happen to you when you've been lucky too long: You start to think it's not luck, it's what you deserve. And instead of being grateful you get a bitter-tinged sense of entitlement. You start to think you deserve it, you made the right choices. You're smarter than the dumb people, or more accomplished than the lazy people.

When the truth is you're lucky and blessed and should be on your knees saying thank you for your good fortune, and giving out 20s on the subway."

2002-03-07T13:41:00.000-05:00

Guy on the Street: “Hey man, I’ve got a flat tire. Could you give me a coupla bucks?”
Michael: “Sure” (Hands him a fist full of change)
Guy on the Street: “Aw, C’mon man, you can’t give me more than that?”
Michael: “Well if that’s not enough for you, give me my money back.”
(Shocked panhandler returns Michael's money.)

He he he, If only the welfare system worked like that.

2002-03-07T08:26:00.000-05:00

I don’t understand why there is so much ugliness in the world. I’ve always been one to find the humor in every situation. No matter what the problem, I think that something good will come out of it. I believe in divine intervention, and, yes, I believe that when my shoes are missing in the morning God helps me find them.

Apparently, this attribute in my personality makes other people feel they can’t take me seriously. They think that their words don’t hurt and their pettiness doesn’t drive me insane. I wonder if they realize how their hurtful words eat away at other relationships like acid, because that acid has permeated my soul. I wonder if they go to sleep at night without a care in the world, without the realization that they are damning themselves and others that have the misfortune of coming into contact with them.

I try hard to find a glimmer of hope in everything. I know that there are people reading this who should know me very well and think that that isn’t true. Well, perhaps they bring out the worst in me, but people that have true affection for me know who I am, how to make me laugh and how to help me up when I fall. The others just put stumbling blocks in my path. All that I can say is thanks a lot. You can injure my pride and my feelings, but not my spirit. It was born of God and I intend to return it to him intact. So I’ll keep smiling at the sunshine, the smell of chocolate chip cookies, and things that other people can only see the negative in, and, if you choose, you can see the ugliness in the world, because if you can only see the darkness, than there will only be darkness.

2002-03-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

Hooray, It’s finally Friday. For some reason, this has seemed like an incredibly long week.

Michael and I picked up the invitations for the reception yesterday. The experience of ordering the invitations was not quite as nice as the end result. The gentleman assisting us was just a little too into ordering the invitations, if you know what I mean. What we had anticipated as being just a quick errand ended up being an hour-long experience. We found ourselves bickering with a man over whether customary wording was more important than grammatically correct wording. We won, so the invitations should be error free. He also underestimated the cost by about 1/3 which, being the disputatious chaps that we are, we could not let slide. He won that argument, though, because our only alternative was to order the invitations somewhere else, and we have neither the time nor the money to do that. This experience coupled with the recent ‘blogs (Thanks Chris!) of Aaron and Aaron have reminded us of why we chose not to have a wedding in the first place.

2002-02-28T12:02:00.000-05:00

Michael and I received some pleasant news yesterday: Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville has awarded me the Dean’s Scholars Award, which should cover about half of my law school tuition for the next 3 years.

That’s one less strain on the ol’ pocketbook.

2002-02-27T08:58:00.000-05:00

It is really cold out there today. Last night, while eating chocolate chip cookies and reading by the fire, the ethereal snowfall made for a cozy backdrop. This morning, however, when we woke up to freezing temperatures and icy windshields, we didn’t burst into a refrain of “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow”. Our true mutterings were not meant for public consumption.

I’ve learned that people are the same everywhere. Cincinnatians can’t drive in the snow and neither can Louisvillians.

Nonetheless, taking a stroll in ubiquitous snowfall is an enchanting feeling, even if the walk is only from the car to the building you work in.

2002-02-27T08:36:00.000-05:00

There is hope: Anti-Fans Burst Britney's Bubble

2002-02-26T08:23:00.000-05:00

Moosama Bin Laden: "Since escaping from a local slaughterhouse by jumping a 6-foot fence at Ken Meyer Meats in Camp Washington Feb. 15, the 1,200-pound cow has become daily fodder for radio talk shows, TV newscasts and office chatter."

2002-02-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

Well, a lot of events have transpired since I last blogged. I now reside in Louisville with my beloved husband, Michael. We also have a room mate, Scott Jennings, who is currently MIA.

Fortunately, I was able to obtain employment in Humana in Louisville. The conclusion of my job search has certainly eased the strain on our pocketbook. Since Michael only works a few blocks away we are able to car pool daily and grab lunch occasionally. It’s such a relief to finally be living here.

Now we are just trying to get settled into a routine. I think we’ve worked out a cooking arrangement and after a long day at work we generally sit down to read our respective books or watch something on TV. It’s all a little weird. I feel like any day now I’m going to have to pack up my bag and head back to Cincinnati. It just hasn’t set in that I actually live here.

On Thursday night, while the rest of the world was watching the women’s figure skating finals on NBC, Michael and I settled in to view and intriguing biography on Jack the Ripper. I learned an interesting piece of trivia from this special. Apparently, the origination of sneakers came from this investigation. The police force in London had decided to post numerous officers all around White Chapel in an attempt to catch the Ripper in the act (catching him in the act was, at that time, practically the only way to prove guilt). The constables’ boots were just a little too noisy on the cobblestones, so they nailed strips of rubber to them. Thus, sneakers were born.

On Friday Michael, Caleb, Scott, and I went to see Over the Rhine play at the Phoenix Hill Tavern. The show was great, as usual, and then we headed over to Caleb’s to drink wine and eat White Castles.

I’ve been neglecting my moving in chores a bit because I have been consumed with the book that I am reading. At a healthy 610 (BIG) pages, I think that my attention might be diverted for a while

2002-02-15T14:27:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I begin the 4-day project that is moving to Louisville. I'm excited about living with Michael, but admit that the prospect of moving to Louisville is a bit daunting. Change is always a little stressful and scary. I've never lived anywhere but Northern Kentucky. Having to learn a whole new city will probably be a challenge, but I think that I'm up for it. I'm infinitely happy about moving, but I'm just a little sad to be leaving the familiarity of N. Ky, my family, my job, and the life I've established for myself here.

Over the past few days I've gone through a ton of junk. It kind of makes you wonder what you were thinking when you decided to keep it. I have most of it packed up (the stuff that I can fit into Michael & Scott's apartment) and the rest is waiting to be moved into storage at my parents' house.

Thus begins the next chapter of my life.

2002-02-14T11:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

I wish I was with my Valentine.

2002-02-13T15:05:00.000-05:00

Despite the fact that I am completely swamped at work, I have decided to take a brief break and update this blog. I deserve it.

So far, things are running smoothly. Friday is my last day at work and things are very hectic, but no major catastrophes yet.

I have yet to secure a job in Louisville. Adecco, a placement agency, sent me on an interview on Monday. They don’t tell you the name of the company you are interviewing with, only the address and a brief description of the assignment. I believe that the confidentiality is to prevent you from contacting the employer independently and cheating them out of their finder’s fee. Well on Monday I headed over to Story Ave. (some of you already know where this is going) in downtown Louisville. Little did I know that I was interviewing for an administrative position at Swift & Co., the pork processing plant. After a detailed description of the humane slaughter of the hogs by the interviewer, and an offer of a tour of the killing floor, I respectfully declined the position. I am not a vegetarian, but I just don’t think I could stomach working at that place.

The search continues . . .

2002-02-08T13:26:00.000-05:00

It's really going to happen: One week from today I will pack up and move from Villa Hills to Louisville to move in with my husband. I can’t wait. : )

I’m so excited. I feel like I’m standing on the edge of the universe and need only leap off to find out what lies beyond. This should be an intriguing year with Michael and J-train (my future roomie) working on the McConnell campaign and me beginning law school. This first year of marriage will certainly afford some challenges, but I will embrace them with the knowledge that I have a wonderful man standing beside me. I never believed in soul mates before I met Michael. Now I can’t believe that anyone would settle for anything less. I am sure that a wonderful future lies ahead of us.

2002-02-08T10:21:00.000-05:00

Make Your Valentine's Day Steamy at White Castle
"On February 14 customers will be greeted at the door by a host, taken to their own special candle-lit table complete with decorations and table covers. " If I lived in Missouri, I think that I'd enjoy this experience, if only for the novelty of it. Given the toll that these delightful little burgers take on your stomach, however, I believe that the evening's festivities would end there.

2002-02-07T10:23:00.000-05:00

Here is a schedule of Olympic events.

2002-02-06T09:21:00.000-05:00

I can’t believe that it's already Wednesday. I was fortunate enough to have secured a 4-day weekend for myself last week, so it feels more like a Tuesday to me.

I headed down to Louisville on Thursday evening to begin preparation for the GMAT, which I took on Monday morning. The rest of the weekend was spent studying and hanging out with my husband. We had a small Super Bowl party on Sunday where more heated debate took place over education reform than over football.

On Monday morning I drove to the testing center where the GMAT is administered. I would like to mention that the actual test was not even remotely similar to the practice tests I had taken in my Cracking the GMAT book. I was nearly prevented from taking the exam because the name on my driver’s license (Sarah Mueller) was not the same as the name on my exam (Sarah Adams). I had taken a copy of our marriage license along for just such a situation, but the document, apparently, was not sufficient for the power hungry high-school dropouts administering the test. Fortunately, a burly gentleman, who had recently married and who had watched his own wife be subjected to name change challenges, came to my defense. In the end it was determined, after much coaxing, that if the official document was sufficient enough to have my name changed with the Social Security Office then it ought to be sufficient enough for the GMAT staff. They let me take the test.

I also did some job hunting while in Louisville. It seems that the more I pester employment agencies, the harder they work. I fully intend to pester my heart away until I find a job. I am starting to see some results, and am confident that I will be employed when I move to Louisville on 15 February 2002.

2002-02-06T08:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Mr. Potato Head!

2002-01-31T11:09:00.000-05:00

P&G Makes Fortune's "Best 100 Companies To Work For" - Ask Michael what he thinks about this.

2002-01-31T11:05:00.000-05:00

Fox News Surpasses CNN in the Ratings

2002-01-25T15:01:00.000-05:00

I have been consumed with a myriad of things over the last few days. On Tuesday my mother and I headed to Lazarus department store to set up a gift registry for the reception they will be having for Michael and me. The tentative date of the reception is April 6, 2002. We have yet to determine exactly what type of affair it will be, but it will most likely be held at the Receptions facility in Northern Kentucky.

On Wednesday night, much to my delight, WCET aired a special about Bob Fosse (one of my favorite choreographers) hosted by Ben Vereen (a choreographer and a dancer that I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take a class from in 1996). During the special they aired the entire musical tribute "Fosse" which I devoured. Ben Vereen delighted fans by performing the role of the infamous Mr. Bojangles. I will leave my rant at that, because I know that most of my readers are less than marginally interested in my love of musical theater.

The thing that I've been doing the most of recently is missing my husband. I can't wait to find a job in Louisville so that I can move in with him. I'm ready to be a full-time wife. I am attending the first step of a two-step interview process with Citigroup on Tuesday. Everyone please keep your fingers crossed for me.

2002-01-22T14:20:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, January 17, 2002 I received official confirmation of my acceptance into the fall 2002 entering class at Louis D. Brandeis School of Law. On Friday I toured the facilities at both the JD and MBA programs and met with advisors from each. My wonderful husband dropped by at lunchtime to take me for a bite to eat.

Things to do before moving to Louisville:
Find Zoe a home. - Check
Gain acceptance into UofL. – Check
Find a place to live. – Check
Find a job. – Pending (Anyone have a suggestion?)

So, the job hunt continues. I met with a headhunter on Monday and sent out numerous resumes last Thursday. I know that the job market is tight right now, but I’m determined to find one in Louisville ASAP.

On Saturday Michael and I were wined and dined by the infamous Caleb Brown. He cooked us a fantastic dinner of shrimp, lemon pasta and was kind enough to give us the recipe as a parting gift.

I can't wait for this project to be completed.

2002-01-15T12:50:00.000-05:00

Goodnight my sleepy little Van Gogh child.
Don't hum your life away,
Sing.

2000 Linford Detweiler

2002-01-15T09:20:00.000-05:00

Michael is coming up to see me this evening. Last semester we were often unable to visit each other on weeknights because of my hectic schedule. I am not taking any classes this semester, so with the exception of sitting for the GMAT on February 4, I am taking the semester off.

Michael and I spent a relatively quiet weekend in Cincinnati. We dined with my friend Sarah at Applebees on Saturday and with my brother, his fiancée, and my mom at The Olive Garden on Sunday. One noteworthy thing did happen: On Saturday, thanks to The Humane Society and Petsmart, a gentleman and his daughter adopted Zoe. I hope they will be very happy together. I will miss her sweet personality, but admit that it will be far better for Michael and me to be without a pet for the first few years of our marriage.

2002-01-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

Whoa. . .

2002-01-10T14:46:00.000-05:00

I have spent the first week and a half of this New Year catching up with old friends. The number of people who are prompted to call or write you after you publicly announce you got married on a website is staggering. Despite my recent (and continuing) illness, I have thoroughly enjoyed these words of congratulations.

Last night, I spoke to an old friend of mine dating back to junior high. I was kind of nerdy in those days (of course, those days are far behind me), but Sarah and I shared a love of the arts and an advanced algebra class that brought us together. At some point during our friendship, our teachers began affectionately referring to us as Sarah2 (Read: Sarah Squared). Since then, we’ve been through many things together: multiple trips to Florida, heartbreaks, overprotective parents, college, etc. If I had intended on having a wedding, she would have been my maid of honor. Talking to her last night, I felt all grown up. She is studying at Cornell for her Masters or Ph.D. (I’m not sure she’s decided between the two) and has met someone she is quite fond of. I am now married and headed off to law school. We’ve certainly come a long way.

I have really come to cherish friends like Sarah, Scott, and Rachel who have been around for the long haul. Being with them is a fun way to look back on the trials and tribulations of your past and laugh. After all, we’ve all done stupid things; they’re just funnier now.

I look forward to adventures with all of my new friends and especially with my best friend and life partner, Michael.

2002-01-10T10:34:00.000-05:00

They don't know what they're missing.

2002-01-07T13:17:00.000-05:00

I know that it has been quite some time since I last graced the pages of this blog with my wisdom. Honeymooning, illness, and an intriguing biography about Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis have kept me away for far too long.

First and most importantly, as many of you know, on 21 December 2001 I became Mrs. Michael G. Adams. I feel very privileged and honored to have acquired this title. I have become the wife of a wonderful man and in light of my exuberance I have decided to forgo the ever popular hyphenation of the maiden name and go formally by Sarah Katherine Adams.

On that chilly day in December, I met the love of my life outside the courthouse in Louisville. We went inside to verify that we were both of age and not brother and sister (apparently, that’s all it takes in Kentucky to get married) and then we eagerly awaited the arrival of our witnesses. Of course, everyone knows that story. At 4:30PM Michael and I were joined as man and wife legally in the state of Kentucky and in the eyes of God. I think that we have always been so joined in our hearts.

We spent several days traveling to see family and then hurried away for a brief, but magnificent, honeymoon in Fort Myers.

Thanks so much to everyone who has been supportive of us. The circumstances of our wedding may have been less than traditional, but we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

2001-12-18T12:38:00.000-05:00

The semester has finally drawn to a close. The combination of taking 3 classes, working full-time, and having an out-of-town fiancé has proved quite a challenge. I was happy to learn yesterday that, miraculously, I managed to secure A’s in all 3 of my pre-law classes. I am looking forward to the break that Christmas and the New Year will bring.

This Christmas will begin on Friday with a trip down to Louisville to see Michael before the hub-bub of Christmas sweeps us up in its fury. Sunday we’ll head down to Paducah to spend some time with the Adams Clan, then it’s back to Cincinnati on the 24th and back down to Paducah on the 25th.

Congratulations to April for completing her first semester of Med School. I know it’s been tough on her, but she is certainly up for the challenge.

Congratulations also go out to Aaron for his graduation from UofL.

2001-12-18T12:23:00.000-05:00

Wacky and Weird Reign in 2001

2001-12-07T12:09:00.000-05:00

Boring!?! My fiance' is far from boring! Michael is a wealth of knowledge on nearly every subject. True, his interest lies mostly in the law and public policy. Let’s face it, what part of our lives, no matter how random, does not come into contact with one of these two areas? No matter what the topic of discourse, Michael always has some interesting piece of information that makes you shrug your shoulders and smile. I, being a wealth of useless trivia, love to hear these little side notes. They are great ammunition when you are debating issues at work with people that know little about the subject at hand. He is a magnificent drummer, a skilled scrabble opponent, a music connoisseur, a mild fan of football and a wealth of historical knowledge. If that makes him boring, then I must be boring too. Everyone remember that when you invite us over to holiday parties.

What do I do when I’m not at work, school, or with Michael? Well, I love to read. Unfortunately, in that area, I’m more of a Jack-of-all-trades, master of none. You’ll find my bookshelf littered with titles that have no obvious connection to one another. I love books by: Ayn Rand, C.S. Lewis, T.H. White, Sigmund Freud, Sir Walter Scott, Ernest Hemmingway and Edgar Allan Poe just to name a few. The topics range from the Holocaust (I have A LOT of books on that) to Psychology to the Ballet to Lies my Teacher Told me (This is a series about the misrepresentation of historical fact on American History in the classroom.)

I think that I have a myriad of interests; I love the Ballet and just about any type of art form. I particularly enjoy photography, impressionist paintings, musical theater, and Shakespeare. I love to cook, although I get to do far less of that than I would prefer. I like to go hiking and sit outside and drink tea while reading. I find satisfaction and a source of inspiration from going to church. I like to drink hot chocolate and get whipped cream on my nose, and yes, I like stale TV Christmas specials. (By the way, Mike Usrey, I have a copy of that claymation TV special you’re talking about if you’d like to see it.) I love music, especially the band Over the Rhine.

This weekend should be great. Tonight Michael and I are meeting my friends Scott and Michelle at Rock Bottom Brewery and then heading to Over the Rhine’s annual Christmas show at the Taft. The most important thing is that I get to spend the weekend with the person I love more than anything else in life. We will see the concert, do some Christmas shopping, do a little cooking, and snuggle up to some good movies. It will be wonderful.

2001-12-07T11:41:00.000-05:00

Round Two: Susan has joined to mission of finding Zoe a new home. Today Zoe will visit the second in a line of potential owners. Here is a picture for those interested:

If this picture isn't visible, click here.

2001-12-05T12:07:00.000-05:00

More noteworthy Cincinnati news: Fake Anthrax Suspect Caught.

2001-12-04T21:06:00.000-05:00

Surely, there isn't really anyone who finds this sexy.

My experiences as an airline employee leave me mulling over the ramifications of this case. When you work for an airline, seniority is everything.

2001-12-04T09:22:00.000-05:00

I stand corrected: Zoe does not have a new home. Friday I took her to meet her new family and the introduction did not go as planned. She greeted her prospective owners by bounding onto the gentleman of the house and hitting him in a delicate area. Later, she cried at the door of their home wanting to be let out to potty. The gentleman let her out and several minutes later said, “You know, I don’t see her any more.” At which point I asked, “Your yard isn’t fenced in?” Well, it turns out that it wasn’t. Remember that Zoe is black and it was dark out. We spent the next 45 minutes trying to catch her. Needless to say, I am now seeking a new prospective owner for my dog.

Other than that little mishap, the weekend went well. Michael and I got to spend a much-needed weekend alone just relaxing. We ate some frozen pizza and watched an MST3K movie. Saturday he cooked my favorite meal of blackened catfish and corn for dinner. Sunday we tried out (another) church in Louisville. We’ve been trying to find one to call our church home for some time now. We didn’t really fit in; the congregation was a sea of gray and smelled remotely of mothballs. The pastor was a little too ‘fire and brimstone’ for me, so the search continues.

I would like to say thanks to Scott. You’ve been a friend, a mentor, and a confidant for as long as I can remember. Your appreciation for the simple pleasures of life helps me to keep things in perspective. Thanks for your support.

2001-11-30T15:06:00.000-05:00

Well, Zoe officially has a new home. I've found her a new family that lives in Ohio by Tri-County Mall. The mom works for P&G and found Zoe through an ad I placed on our bulletin board. They have an 8-yr old daughter, a cat, and a yard. I think that they will make Zoe very happy.

I have to admit that it will be a little sad to let her go. She really is a sweet dog. When I glance around my apartment and see the blue ink stain in my carpet, the numerous appliances with missing cords, and the dog hair free kitchen, I will remember why this had to be done. I think she'll be fine now that she'll be getting more attention. She seems to only chew when she is bored or frustrated.

2001-11-26T15:16:00.000-05:00

I am looking for a home for my adorable dog Zoe. My forthcoming move to Louisville and pursuit of a JD/MBA is not conducive to owning a 1-year-old lab-mix. If anyone knows of someone who would like a canine companion, please have him or her email me.

2001-11-26T14:23:00.000-05:00

The word’s out: Michael asked me to marry him on November 17, 2001.

While we were celebrating our 6-month anniversary at the location of our first date, Nicholson’s, a slightly nervous, very sick, but incredibly sweet and handsome Michael, took my hand and proposed marriage. My heart has been singing with joy ever since.

Every detail of the evening was a perfect replica of our first date. The waiter, our attire, table, and meal were all reminiscent of May 19, 2001. The slight variation was the little box Michael placed on the table before reciting the most loving words I have ever heard in my life. He then opened up the box, got on his knee, and asked me to marry him. I, of course, said ‘yes’. Thus we begin the next chapter in the book of our lives. The story begins with: Mr. and Mrs. Michael G. Adams, and ends with: Happily Ever After.

That evening will be forever burned into my memory as the happiest of my life.

Michael has posted the complete story.

2001-11-20T13:36:00.000-05:00

In the recent past, I found myself trying to describe the 80's invention of the Burple to Michael and Scott; Neither could remember the drink. It is an incredible relief to know that my sanity is intact. I am deducing this from the recent post by Aaron indicating that the Burble beverage was not a figment of my imagination.

2001-11-19T10:19:00.000-05:00

Curry Spice Could Slow Alzheimer's, Study Shows

2001-11-13T08:27:00.000-05:00

Study Reveals Self-Esteem Inflation Among U.S. Kids-"American kids have a bloated sense of themselves, a new study suggests. . . To be sure, there is nothing wrong with feeling good about oneself. . . But self-esteem based on nothing can set people up for disappointment. . . They may also feel that the world owes them something. Twenge (Professor involved in the study) blames the trend on the self-esteem movement in schools, which teaches children slogans and affirmations such as ``I am lovable and capable.'' However, ``it is more important that a child actually accomplishes something than that he or she have high self-esteem,'' she said. ``Once a child accomplishes something, self-esteem will follow naturally. Children should be praised, but only when the praise has a basis in fact.''

Touche. I have long been of the opinion that low-self esteem in America is a myth. Recent studies indicate that Self-esteem does not even lie along a normal bell shaped curve in this country. Results are typically heavily skewed; mean and median scores (even in self reported studies) typically fall far above what would typically connote 'average' in a normal distribution.

Teaching kids that they are wonderful when, in fact, they have done nothing to deserve praise, only sets them up for a reality shock when they become adults. Trust me, employers aren't going to tell them they're wonderful unless, they are actually doing a good job. Laziness is the result of this 'warm and fuzzy' mentality that schools and are instilling in America's youth.

2001-11-09T16:24:00.000-05:00

It has been a rough week. As many of you may know, my dad has been ill lately. I had chosen not to blog about it. I post many thing of a personal nature on this site, but some things are just better left unsaid. Fortunately, it looks like everything in that department is on the upswing.

Needless to say, a few missed days of work and evenings spent at the hospital have left me a little behind in just about every area of my life. Sleep is definitely the most deprived area.

I’m starting to get things back together. I’m nearly caught up at work. I’m not really sure you can truly ‘catch up’ at this company, they just keep piling it on, but I’m giving it a go.

This weekend should be wonderful. Saturday, I am heading down to Louisville to attend a U of L football game with Michael and fellow graduates of the McConnell Scholars program. On Sunday I think we will just hang out, watch old movies, and eat pizza. Michael was nice enough to surprise me by driving up to Cincinnati on Tuesday evening. I didn’t arrive home until 9:30PM. Our time together was short, but very much appreciated.

2001-11-07T12:49:00.000-05:00

FDA OKs Clinical Testing of Ecstasy

2001-11-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

Despite the accused cruelty to animals, this is an intriguing study.

2001-11-02T11:46:00.000-05:00

I never thought I'd live to see this day: ROSIE O'DONNELL: 'I LOVE BUSH!'

2001-10-25T12:22:00.000-04:00

My Top Five Songs - Per Dodd's Request

1. “Time to Say Goodbye” – Sarah Brightman
2. "Amazing Grace" - Charlotte Church
3. “Good-Bye” - Over the Rhine
4. “Rhapsody in Blue" - George Gershwin
5. “La Primavera/Spring Concerto One – The Four Seasons” – Antonio Vivaldi

2001-10-25T11:46:00.000-04:00

What Planet is Dan Rather From?

2001-10-25T09:02:00.000-04:00

Cannabis Smokers will not be Arrested
Drug laws in Britain are being relaxed for the first time in 30 years. This relaxation is a reflection of the relaxation in attitude toward the use of the drug. The British government believes that drug laws must be credible to be effective. Classifying Cannabis in the same genre as, say heroin, is counterproductive. Psychologists/Psychiatrists in London believe ‘saying’ (I mean, symbolically, through the same use of sentencing for possession or distribution of either drug.) that cannabis is as harmful as heroin causes people who experiment with cannabis, which is more likely than heroin experimentation, to say to themselves, “Well, marijuana didn’t kill me; Heroin probably won’t either.” I know that this isn’t completely sound reasoning, but we are dealing with the general public here, not intellectuals skilled in the art of discerning logical reasoning.

When I studied drug policy in Britain two summers ago we were sent out to observe general attitudes toward various drugs. We found several interesting things: 1) That it was not uncommon to see someone standing in the park smoking a joint bullshitting with a constable. 2) That although cannabis was not actually prescribed in the traditional sense to patients, it was common for the doctors to recommend that patients obtain cannabis through family or friends for various illnesses. In order to circumvent the laws, hospitals did not allow one to smoke a joint in the room, but smoking on the roof was overlooked. 3) Popular nightclubs, like the Ministry of Sound, would actually test drugs for you to ensure their purity. This practice was well known by local law enforcement, but the general attitude was: If you are going to drugs, at least be safe about it.

British drug policymakers are focusing their financial energies toward larger problems like heroin use. There is an effort to increase the number of physicians who can prescribe heroin to addicts. The idea behind this is to be sure that addicts are getting a pure, ‘safe’ substance and gradually degrade them from injectors, to smokers, to methadone users, to final weaning from the drug.

2001-10-24T08:57:00.000-04:00

Recently, I took a new position at P&G that requires me to get up very early in the morning. This change in my schedule (in addition to my classes and LSAT preparation) has made it nearly impossible for Michael and I to see each other during the week. I know, you are all weeping for me, but 6 days is an intolerably long time for us to have to go without seeing each other. Fortunately, last night, Michael came up to visit his old Harvard roommate who was in Cincinnati. I was able to meet them for drinks at the Omni Netherland Plaza downtown. It was an enjoyable experience. Chris was the first person to learn of the mysterious email Michael received from Mueller.sk@pg.com. We were able to meet each other in May when he and Michael made a stopover at my apartment during their infamous Budget truck journey from Boston to their respective homes. It was nice to see him, and wonderful to spend an evening in such well educated, humorous company.

It’s official: Aaron and Aaron are engaged to be married. My most heartfelt congratulations go out to you both.

2001-10-22T12:26:00.000-04:00

PUBLIC RELATIONS DEBACLE AFTER SEN. HILLARY JEERED AND BOOED BY HEROES

2001-10-18T15:26:00.000-04:00

I *hate* the expression: “I want to pick your brain about something”. I’m someone whose brain automatically conjures up an image in relation to the conversation I am having. Let me tell you, a visual of someone picking your brain is pretty disgusting.

2001-10-17T08:51:00.000-04:00

I heard on the radio this morning that ironing your mail will kill all traces of Anthrax. Apparently, the heat and moisture are enough to render it ineffective. I find it hard to believe that a country full of people who invest in technology to produce products that eliminate ironing (like wrinkle free dockers and Downy wrinkle releaser) will suddenly dust off their irons for their mail.

2001-10-16T12:55:00.000-04:00

Does anyone else think that this is a bad idea?

2001-10-16T11:12:00.000-04:00

What a nasty rainy day it is. Fortunately, I don’t have class tonight so I will have the whole evening to myself cleaning, doing laundry, etc.

Last night I had dinner with my parents and brother at the Olive Garden. I also had my first pleasant experience ever at Lens Crafters. When someone says that good customer service is a thing of the past, Lens Crafters immediately comes to my mind. I have had numerous encounters with the snotty staff that is willing to sell you a $400 pair of glasses, but suddenly doesn’t know who you are two weeks later when you need a repair. Last night, however, I took my glasses in because one of the lenses was cracked. I was prepared for battle. (I’d had them adjusted a couple of weeks ago and I am certain that the employee’s less than gentle touch was the culprit.) I was especially worried because I have a special, expensive coating on my glasses to combat migraines. To my astonishment, the manager agreed not only to replace the cracked lens for free, but also to replace the other one. He attributed the cause to manufacturer's defects. I was quite satisfied with the remedy.

Sunday, Michael made me a delicious breakfast of crepes filled with Bananas Foster. He’s quite the culinary expert I assure you. Last night I thought I would attempt to recreate the masterpiece and happily sauntered over to Meijer’s to pick up the ingredients. One of the things that we had enjoyed so much about this meal was that it was so economical (about .63 for both of us). Well, the crepes that were .50 at the Louisville Meijer on Saturday were $3.99 at the Florence Meijer on Monday and no form of persuasion would get the checkout girl to do a price check. I left there crêpe-less, and a little disgruntled.

2001-10-10T11:41:00.000-04:00

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged, so here’s a quick run down of my life for the past week:

This past week was spent preparing for the LSAT. Well, that pretty much covers Monday-Friday.

On Saturday I took the 6-hour hell that is the LSAT. It’s really difficult to discern how I did on it. I was a bit stressed throughout the first half of the exam, which I’m sure didn’t help me. I think I did okay on the games section, which has been my nemesis until this point. Everyone keep their fingers crossed, I’ll be getting my score in a few weeks. Thanks to everyone who has offered prayers and words of encouragement this week.

When I returned home on Saturday afternoon, Michael was waiting for me. Together we commenced celebratory activities for the completion of the LSAT and for his passage of the Bar exam.

Here’s a little update on my dog Zoe: She hasn’t been feeling too well lately. In fact, I’d say she averages vomiting somewhere on my carpet in the neighborhood of three times daily. I called the vet and it turns out she has acid reflux and needs more consistent eating habits. Anyone who knows about the antics of my stomach is probably wondering whether she caught it from me. Michael jokingly suggested that next week she would be wearing a turtleneck sweater, which is my staple fall attire.

2001-10-01T09:22:00.000-04:00

I had a great weekend. Friday, of course, was spent prepping for the LSAT. Saturday afternoon was spent with my parents, brother, and Michael dining at the exquisite Palomino’s in downtown Cincinnati. The food there is magnificent. A friend of mine suggested it when Michael and I first started dating as a place that would surely impress him. I think it impressed us both. It’s one of the few places still in existence where the food is good and the service is outstanding.

Sunday we headed to the Ohio Renaissance festival. I have a wonderful souvenir from that experience: A picture of Michael eating a turkey leg as big as his head. There’s nothing quite like riding down I-71 on a sunny day with the wind in your hair (We drove Michael’s Camaro which has a T-Top.) and Over the Rhine playing on the stereo. I love the crisp, coolness of a fall day. I love the sights and smells of autumn: bonfires, marshmallows roasting, warm sweaters, and pumpkin bread. The only downside to the weather is that I know the bone chilling temperatures of winter will closely follow it.

2001-09-28T09:08:00.000-04:00

Tinsel Town Turns the Other Cheek

2001-09-27T10:19:00.000-04:00

Goebbels satire sparks outrage . A theatre has provoked outrage by staging a satire based on poems, a novel, and a diary written by Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda minister. It may be of interest to some, that one of the main initiatives of the Nazi Party was to eliminate undesirables that would contaminate the Aryan race. This list included people with physical deformities, the homeless, and even alcoholics. In fact, the first groups to be singled out and persecuted were those with physical deformities and those who were mentally ill. Citizens agreed that eliminating these groups would purify the population. In fact, before Hitler ordered euthanasia of those in sanatoriums, he conducted a survey asking parents leading questions. These questions included things like: “If you had known that your child would be born feeble minded, would you still have wanted the child?” “Do you believe those with mental illnesses are a drain on the economy of the State?” “Would you, or your family, be better off if the child had never been born?” The overwhelming responses to these questions indicated that parents would have preferred not to be burdened by their feeble minded child. Based on those responses, Psychiatrists and Doctors in Germany began to euthanize their patients. The death certificates claimed death by disease, etc. It wasn’t until several parents received multiple urns and multiple death certificates that they began to express concern about their child’s death. Crematoriums were contrived and perfected by doctors in psychiatric hospitals. The euthanization of children in sanatoriums was the first attempt at calculated annihilation of a target group in the German population. Of most interest here, is that Joseph Goebels had a physical deformity. You may notice in pictures taken of him, that he is only photographed from the left side and that you can never see his legs (usually, they were hidden by a podium). He was kept out of the service in World War I by a clubfoot. (A clubfoot was a deformity that would have sentenced an ordinary citizen to death or sterilization).

2001-09-27T09:32:00.000-04:00

My cousin, who is also my roommate, is a part-time employee of Delta Airlines in Cincinnati. I was holding out some hope that she would not be affected by the recent strife of the airline industry. Now it seems that the effects are inevitable. Delta Announces Job Cuts.

Officer Stephen Roach was acquitted yesterday. He had been charged with negligent homicide and obstructing official business after he shot Timothy Thomas, an unarmed black man, on April 7. This was the catalyst shooting death that incited the racial riots in Cincinnati in April. Read the full-story here.

“These are my people, a posse of oral fixators.” – This is a comment from Dick (“Third Rock from the Sun”) as he entered the smoking lounge at the university.

2001-09-26T08:11:00.000-04:00

Well, it's Wednesday and this has been a strenuous week, indeed. As many may know, I will be taking the LSAT on October 6. This week I began to fervently prepare for it. Preparation seems to be going well. Currently, I only find the need to bang my head against a wall once an hour, most likely while taking the games section. I console myself in the fact that this experience will be behind me in 11 days. What I hate most of all about this whole process is that it limits the amount of time I get to spend on more enticing endeavors, like seeing Michael, or going out with my Grandma and Mom (an experience I passed up last night in lieu of studying). For all the religiously inclined out there, please say a little prayer for me. Ask God to grant me the endurance to persevere through this experience and perform superbly on the exam.

So far so good, well better - On-off Mideast talks back on
Hmmmm….Study links brain reaction to music, sex, food

2001-09-25T08:12:00.000-04:00

Dole officially joins N.C. race for Senate seat - I know, I know...I just linked to a USA Today article, shame on me, but surely they can't screw this up.

2001-09-25T08:09:00.000-04:00

Bouncing Back: The Stock Market closed on a positive note yesterday.

2001-09-24T09:39:00.000-04:00

Market News

A past professor, and good friend of mine, have been emailing each other recently regarding the attacks of Sept. 11. He made an interesting point that I'd like to share with everyone:

"Yes, although the recent terrorist events were tragic, I agree that God can bring good out of it. As you know, during the Mosaic age, God often allowed His people to face persecution to wake them up. On a related point, I heard quite a stirring lesson last Sun. The speaker pointed out that, although the terrorists were committed to the wrong cause, they were committed. How serious are we about God's cause?" - Douglas Krull, Ph.D.

More from him...."wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it, but small is
the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few findit.-Mat 7". I hope more rather than fewer were on the narrow road when they departed.
Doug
- Just a little food for thought...

2001-09-20T12:22:00.000-04:00

Perhaps this is evidence that some good may come of this disaster, the question is, will it hold?
Arafat, Sharon Answer U.S. Plea: The two agree to a truce as Washington tries to forge international alliance against terrorism.

2001-09-20T10:21:00.000-04:00

Check out these Incredible pictures of international support.

On a side note, My dog Zoe has been sleeping in bed with me at night. She has recently learned to growl at the alarm clock when it goes off. It is hysterical!

2001-09-19T21:16:00.000-04:00

I believe that I am a creative writer by nature, but I am intrigued by this new style of writing that I have been learning in my Legal Writing class. I love taking a jumble of cases and statutes and manipulating them to benefit my client (i.e. the created up client from the case my professor has bestowed upon me). I enjoy having to argue it from the sides of both the plaintiff and the defendant. It really makes you evaluate how you’ve come to the conclusions you reach. It also ensures that you have reached a valid, logical outcome. Unlike in creative thoughts or discussions, when you throw an argument at your opponent, the language is clear enough that they know they've been hit. When you argue creatively you just daze them. In the midst of their confusion, you throw something else at them. Really, you win the argument by thoroughly confusing the other side. In legal arguing, however, you know you've been hit. It's like boxing, you give 'em a right jab, a left jab, and an uppercut and they're down for the count - there's no question about what has happened to them. So you'd better have your facts straight before you engage in one of these battles or risk looking like a fool.

...and my new favorite thing about the American legal system? You can actually be penalized for being an idiot. If you, as a lawyer, file a frivolous lawsuit (one with no basis in law or fact ) not only can the court humiliate you, they can fine you. Isn't this country wonderful?

2001-09-19T15:16:00.000-04:00

It seems that lately, blogging has been a luxury that I cannot afford, after all, time is money, and I have very little of either to spare. My last several nights have been spent studying for various classes and preparing for the LSAT. I have also been reading some interesting cases such as Constanza v. Seinfeld as Michael mentioned. School and work are both going well. I’ve just had little time to blog about them. The strain should be easing over the next weeks and then I'll be back to my happily blogging self.

2001-09-17T12:34:00.000-04:00

International Reactions - Country by Country

2001-09-17T11:59:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I received a brochure from the Law School at Columbia University (some how I've gotten on their mailing list), and the front of the glossy brochure donned a picture of the New York skyline with the WTC as the focal point. I guess it was sent out just prior to the attack. How sad....

2001-09-17T11:47:00.000-04:00

I encourage anyone with any money to spare to invest it in the stock market today. The market seems to be the only thing people run from when it goes on sale. Yes, America has been hit financially, but as always, we will come back strong. This is your chance to get in on it, and to support your country. You can keep your eye on the market here.

2001-09-14T12:42:00.000-04:00

Great editorial in the Miami Herald today. Here's a portion of it, but I encourage you to read the whole thing:

....As Americans we will weep, as Americans we will mourn, and as Americans, we will rise in defense of all that we cherish.

So I ask again: What was it you hoped to teach us? It occurs to me that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. If that's the case, consider the message received. And take this message in exchange: You don't know my people. You don't know what we're capable of. You don't know what you just started.

But you're about to learn

-Leonard Pitts

2001-09-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

I have to admit that in light of the recent events I have been reluctant to blog. I have been deeply saddened by the occurrences and have been shaken to the core. The familiarity of the workday has made it easier to cope, but when I return home to the horrific scenes on my television fear and sadness grips my heart once again. I am most saddened by the knowledge that the bloodshed is not yet over. I know that more innocent people will die in our attempt to reprimand the assailant, make no mistake, I think retribution is in order, but it is nearly impossible not to implicate more innocent people, more people who are mother and fathers, husbands and wives. I think that I have been most affected by the knowledge that people who were in the WTC above where the plane hit called home to bid their spouses and children farewell, it is horrific that their last conversation would end as the ceiling came crashing down upon them.

I think John McCain said it best when he, addressing the perpetrators, said "God have mercy on them, because we won't". I applaud president Bush who, despite the public outcry for revenge, is going slow and steady. We want to make no mistake about where the fault lies, before we blow them off the planet.

2001-09-10T10:25:00.000-04:00

The Jimmy Hoffa Investigation - I am related to someone who was close friends with ol' Jimbo, in fact, he was affectionately known in the family as 'Uncle Jimmy'. I think I will make it my life's ambition to weasel information about this case (and I know it exists) from members of my family. So far, know one has had any luck, but we all have to have goals, right?

2001-09-10T10:17:00.000-04:00

I hate to admit that I am typing this in the middle of a conference call, the one good thing about having your travel budget cut is that you are now free to blatantly ignore the speakers that tend to drone on about nothing of import. Usually, you would just toss a knowing glance at your fellow cohorts, but with a conference call, you can openly mimic them using sametime. Ahh...isn't technology grand.

I had a great weekend. Saturday I headed down to Louisville to see Michael, we had a wonderful dinner at the Bristol and caught up on some much needed alone time. It seems that lately we are often in the company of others, which is great, but being the two introverts that we are, we occasionally enjoy indulging in some quiet time together eating pizza and watching old movies (which we did Sunday). We spend Sunday evening shooting the breeze with Dodd and J. Scott, which was a blast. I can learn more about public policy in a single encounter with them than I can in an entire semester of classes. I think that a good time was had by all.

2001-09-06T11:43:00.000-04:00

Working in corporate America, you are surrounded by coffee addicts, people who just can't seem to get their act together until they've had 1,2, or 5 cups of coffee. Until just recently I have managed to avoid succumbing to the temptation, thinking myself a more dignified tea drinker. Let's face it, tea does taste better, but it doesn't even rival the jolt that a cup of coffee will give you. Due to the insufficient sleep I have been getting lately, and the need to pay attention through 3 hr long night classes, I believe I may have officially joined the ranks of the coffee drinkers- the taste kind of grows on you.

2001-09-06T10:20:00.000-04:00

The show last night was great. Jerry Seinfeld was hilarious and it felt good to let out some nice hearty laughter. Unfortunately, I didn't make it home until about 2:45 which left me with about 2 1/2 hours of sleep, so needless to say, I'm pretty tired - not sure how I'm going to survive through class tonight.

2001-09-05T13:46:00.000-04:00

Well today I'm headed down to Louisville to see a Seinfeld show with Michael. I love Seinfeld - I can't wait. I can't wait to see the show, and more importantly, Michael.

I attended a United Way kick off meeting at P&G this morning. Apparently, P&G is the biggest corporate sponsor of United Way - A fact they are quite proud of. It was very inspiring.

2001-09-03T20:07:00.000-04:00

I saw a pretty funny sign at the Chinese Restaraunt by my house, it said:

Crouching Eggroll
Hidden Chopsticks
Rated No MSG

2001-09-03T12:53:00.000-04:00

I went shopping yesterday and witnessed a deplorable act, an act which I have always had disdain for, but perhaps in my cynical state, I looked on it with more contempt than usual. I was people watching at the Kenwood town centre and I noticed a woman who was more the rule than the exception, in her perfectly coordinating shirt, capri pants, hand bag, sandles - she matched right down to the nail polish on her perfectly manicured fingernails and toes and right up to her pouty lips that, yes, coordinated with her outfit. This was a woman who obviously had never worked a day in her life, who felt that she was entitled to the wares before her by virtue of bloodright or through the rite of marriage. She hemmed and hawed over a decision involving table linens (that of course matched from the table cloth to the napkins, to the placemats and table adornments) and ultimately decided to take all three, a decision which rendered a swipe of her am ex card for 1200.00 and three shopping bags of merchandise. I'm sure that she will not be the one worrying about it when the bill comes. It was quite obvious that she had no respect for the sweat and the tears that were poured into that income, the blood of her husband or ancestors, who risked it all to make their fortunes as she frivolously drained the lifeblood out of that which they had acquired. I hope to God that I never become a woman who is 'taken care of' , if I can't pave my own way, then I want no part of it. By the virtue of being human I have been endowed with the ability to take care of myself - I intend to do superbly at it.

2001-09-03T12:42:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I feel as though I am the idiot police of the world, and on holidays there are more idiots out than usual.

2001-08-31T08:37:00.000-04:00

In case you haven't heard, the final episode of Mister Rogers is airing today. It has been on the air in some form since 1967.

2001-08-30T21:39:00.000-04:00

Wow, I am in love - No, no, it is not another Michael story. I am in love with the First Amendment. I am taking a class on The Law of Mass Communications and it has to be the most fascinating class I've ever been in. Three hours long and at the end I am actually sad (yes, I am aware of the fact that I am a nerd). Okay, I know that I am sort of a civics novice - it is sad that children can grow up in a country and have no inkling of how their government works, but I certainly did, and I know that I am far from alone. Now that I am learning about it though, I don't know how anyone can not love the subject. People have no idea what their rights are and what rights and privileges are bestowed on them by the simple nature of being American. Okay, so every intro law student probably dreams of studying the first amendment, I'm sure that the field is saturated, so in keeping with my nature, I will dream the impossible dreams and yet manage to maintain practicality (like what area will I actually be able to be employed in). If you know of any great books on the First Amendment, please email me. I'm like a human sponge, I NEED MORE INFORMATION. That is the only way I can be satisfied. I must be an expert. So, I think I will get a glass of tea and cuddle up to my First Amendment Primer.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise therof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of people to peaceably assemble, and petition the Government for a redress of grievances."