January | 2007 | the thin line between optimism and delusion...

Archive for January, 2007

Big Times

Posted in Augusta on January 31, 2007| 1 Comment »

I got locked out of my house last night due to some miscommunication while I was walking Briscoe. I walked the half mile to my parents house in my flannel pajamas and barefoot dreams robe. At 10:30 at night. Sweet. Trav and Kate were like, WTF?

I’ve sneezed at least 9 times today. Big sneezes. I don’t feel bad. Call me sneezy.

I’m watching the fourth and final dvd of the second season of The Office. Netflix sent it to me today. Awesome. I love The Office because no one on the show has any concern with the future. It is great. Very little ambition around that place.

It is such a pretty day today. Too bad it is going to be rainy tomorrow! I should enjoy it while it lasts and go run outside. But is cold! I’m not sure I can take it, what with the sneezing and everything. Maybe I should just rest and watch the office.

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Consortium – The Journal for Legal Nonsense

Posted in THE LAW on January 30, 2007| 1 Comment »

Pete and I have been working on a little a project, a journal about the law, Consortium. A law journal. But a lighter read than most law journals. I think it turned out very well, and we will be looking to publish another edition later in the spring. Please check it it out and let us know if you are interested in contributing next time!

The first issue can be found here – Issue 1.

p.s. Pete is so talented.

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Things that don’t work in my life right now

Posted in Difficulties on January 23, 2007| 2 Comments »

1. My laptop power cord. Briscoe chewed through it.

2. My laptop battery. It died about three weeks before Briscoe destroyed the power cord.

3. So, pursuant to #1 and #2, my laptop.

4. My car. She is worn out and getting fixed. She is getting old.

Libby says I always have my bike. Oh, and my cell works. At least for the time being, even it the battery only stays alive for 30 minutes of talk time. So be brief.

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Compliments of the Rupp

Posted in THE LAW on January 22, 2007| 3 Comments »

Seriously – I apologize for all the legal posts lately, but this is really great.

147 F.Supp2d 668

Download 145_f.Supp.2d 668.doc

Just the beginning of the awesomeness of this case –

Before proceeding further, the Court notes that this case involves two extremely likable lawyers, who have together delivered some of the most amateurish pleadings ever to cross the hallowed causeway into Galveston, an effort which leads the Court to surmise but one plausible explanation. Both attorneys have obviously entered into a secret pact-complete with hats, handshakes and cryptic words-to draft their pleadings entirely in crayon on the back sides of gravy-stained paper place mats, in the hope that the Court would be so charmed by their child-like efforts that their utter dearth of legal authorities in their briefing would go unnoticed. Whatever actually occurred, the Court is now faced with the daunting task of deciphering their submissions. With Big Chief tablet readied, thick black pencil in hand, and a devil-may-care laugh in the face of death, life on the razor’s edge sense of exhilaration, the Court begins.

And this is just classic (direct from the case) –

What the ···)?! The Court cannot even begin to comprehend why this case was selected for reference. It is almost as if Plaintiff’s counsel chose the opinion by throwing long range darts at the Federal Reporter (remarkably enough hitting a nonexistent volume!).

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Pam and Dwight

Posted in Television on January 18, 2007| 3 Comments »

For those of you who might have missed it because you live on the other side of the world or something .

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Whoa. WHOA! HOOOO! STOP YOU STUPID HORSE! AAAGGGHH.

Posted in outside on January 15, 2007| Leave a Comment »

Saturday I went to the Nalley’s farm in Burke County. I like Burke County a lot. And I love the Nalley’s. I rode out there with Ginny and little baby Ginna – who wasn’t much of a conversationalist and slept most of the way. Briscoe got to go too. She was very excited.

The boys were having a quail hunt and so there were horses and dogs and lots of fun stuff going on when we got there. After eating some yummy turkey chili, the hunt took off. Because lunch had taken so long and the hours left of daylight were waning, they decided to not take the horses out on the afternoon hunt. Martha Burton and I followed the hunt on a four wheeler for a while, which was a lot of fun. I like to watch all the dogs. They look like they are having so much fun. I want to come back as someone’s beloved bird dog in my next life. Not the kind that stays in one of those tall pens in the back yard. The kind that doubles as a house dog. Then Ivy called and Martha Burton and I abandoned the hunt and went back to the house.

Since the horses didn’t go on the hunt – they were just hanging around in the barn – obviously bored – Ivy and I decided that we should ride them. Which was lots and lots of fun. I haven’t been riding in a really long time, but I’ve always enjoyed horses. It was a beautiful day, not very cold, but the wind was blowing and the sun was setting, and the birds were chirping. It was past dusk and almost dark when we made it back to the road that leads to the house.

There are few things as enjoyable as riding a horse in the dark towards the twinkling lights of the barn and the house where grits and bourbon await. There was fried venison, fried dove, grilled pheasant and quail wrapped in bacon with jalapenos in the middle (make sure you chew it up and don’t swallow any shot!) asparagus, sugar snap peas, birthday cake, warm happy tired doggies, and a big fire. After my first piece of quail with jalapenos I couldn’t feel my lips and I could have breathed fire so I was a little more cautious after that. I guess I hadn’t had enough bourbon at that point.

But let me just say that this experience came with the price of being UNBELIEVABLY sore yesterday and today. I was fine most of yesterday, until about 4. Since then I have been almost as stiff and sore as I was after the half marathon. Maybe that is an exaggeration, but I’ve been known for my dramatic touch.

Happy Martin Luther King Day! I’m spending the day getting my life in order. Yay! Dang I’m sore.

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Happy Birthday Betsy!

Posted in Favorite People on January 15, 2007| Leave a Comment »

Today is my dear precious and amazing friend Betsy Nicholson’s birthday! Betsy was the first friend I made in college and someone that I have clung to and leaned on for years. She is an amazing person, and I feel blessed for every minute I get to spend with her. She has been a running friend, a roommate, a church friend, a pledge sister, a dance partner, a party throwing partner, a friend to cry to, a friend to laugh with, a music friend, a last resort friend, a fellow botanical gardens lover and trip and fall victim, a friend with a warm house and comfy bed where I am always welcome in the ATL, an enjoyer of my cookies, who is sweet to my dog and loves the Dawgs, whose hair is always shiny and whose face radiates light and beauty.

Overall, she is pretty cool. Go to her blog and leave her a Birthday wish if you get a chance! (even though she hasn’t updated in FOREVA!)

This is Betsy, me and Killingsly.

Me_and_betsy

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An Ante Bellum Trial At Troupville

Posted in The Paines on January 11, 2007| Leave a Comment »

My dad sent me this story of the murder of a 15 year old boy that took place in Lowndes County in 1843. Download troupville_trial_1848.pdf

The boy was shot when some men were horsing around with an old rusty rifle they thought was broken. The shooter was "moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil." Troupville was the county seat at the time of the murder – and not far from Wildwood Plantation. Valdosta is the current county seat. The story originally appeared in the 1931 issue of The Georgia Lawyer. This will probably only be really interesting people who love the law – like me (hehe).

My favorite part of the story is at the end – the author explains the importance of court week in the small town.

Court week always attracted a great concourse of people. Some attended from necessity or compulsion, some to enjoy the feast of erudition and eloquence; others to trade, traffic or electioneer, but to many it was an occasion for much drinking and horseswapping, and for indulgence in cock fighting, horse racing, gaming, and other "worldly amusements" for which Troupville became somewhat notorious. Indeed, among the Godly, it was regarded as a wild town – almost as wicked as Hawkinsville.

And I love this –

A Vanished Town

Now Beneath a spreading oak that shades the old stage road, a granite marker points out to passers-by the place where once stood Troupville – the far famed capital of Lowndes.

Only the rivers there remain, eternally the same –

black waters, musically slipping,

Whose ripples sway the gray moss dipping

From hoary overhanging trees

That murmur to the whispering breeze –

Old tales of ancient memories.

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Boys are Stupid, Girls are Crazy

Posted in Boys are Stupid, Girls are Crazy on January 8, 2007| 4 Comments »

Friday night Jennifer and I went over to Chad’s house to drink a few beers. We started talking about The Office – which is a fantastic television show in my opinion. Chad wanted to know if I’d seen the episode from the night before. I said I had. We both agreed it was a great episode.

Me: Gosh! Pam and Jim make me sad! They are so great, I have such a crush on both of them, and even though I do like Karen, I want Pam and Jim to get it together. Pam was so sad!

Chad: Really? I didn’t even really pay attention to that part – except when Dwight tried to comfort Pam when she was crying and told her she must really be PMSing. But the best part was the inappropriate pictures of Michael and Jan. That was hilarious.

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The presents I got for Christmas make me happy

Posted in Christmas on January 3, 2007| 1 Comment »

I know this post seems a little late – but it really isn’t. Because, obviously when you open presents on Christmas morning you think – Hey! This is Cool! I could really use this!

But then a few months later you find that same present in a bag in the back of your car and you think – hmmm, why haven’t I found a place for this? I’ll tell you why. Not because you didn’t like it – or because it wasn’t thoughtful – but probably for the mere fact that you didn’t need it. At Christmas we are required to give people stuff they don’t need. I’m not going to rant about the commercialization of Christmas – because Christmas is different for everyone and who am I to tell the atheist down the street that their decorations are tacky. Maybe it makes them happy. And I like the idea of atheists spending time and money on Christmas decorations. It makes me laugh. Some might disagree.

But I will say that it made me immensely happy when my six year old cousin told me on Christmas eve what she wanted from Santa. Kathleen’s list – Three things:

1. Skateboard

2. Hermit Crab

3. Arrowhead collection

I smiled and told her that I was glad that the evil commercialized world had not infiltrated the low country of South Carolina yet. Just then our next door neighbor came barging through the door with a full Santa costume on and candy bars in his red bag. Kathleen said – that isn’t the real Santa. The real Santa is busy today. I told her maybe it was one of Santa’s elves. She shook her head. No, they are busy too. It is probably just a neighbor.

Having children around is fun.

Back to presents – I got a lot of great Christmas presents that I really like and enjoy and that I needed. My brother gave me an awesome coffee maker – and hey! I needed a coffee maker! It makes excellent coffee. Briscoe and I have been getting back into the routine of waking up at 7:15 with the help of the useful Christmas present.

My parents gave me a sparkly time piece for my wrist. It is a combination law school graduation present/birthday/Christmas what ev and I LOVE it. I haven’t worn a watch in months, so I still have to remember to look it when I want to know the time – but I like the reflections of sunlight it throws all over the ceiling of my car when I’m driving.

One of the most surprising and thoughtful gifts I received came from a boy who helped make the summer of 2004 one of the most fabulous summers of my life. He lives far away – but we chat on occasion and he knows that I love Luna bars. And on December 26th – I received a box from far away city UPS store that contained this –

It is a pocketbook made out of Luna Bar wrappers – and every time you buy one they plant a tree! How hippy is that! I love it. The note said he saw it and thought of me and knew I would like it. Those are the best kind of gifts. Also because those kinds of gifts don’t happen every day. And all gifts are awesome, it really is the fact that someone thought enough of you to take the time. But sometimes those special gifts really make you smile.