inter alia

At The Well

2010-03-23T13:23:00.004-05:00

Too few days

2009-06-29T21:48:00.002-05:00

I spend a lot of days worrying about cleaning and focusing on the "important" things. Clean bathrooms, check. Sweep and mop floors, check. Baby fed a well-balanced, vitamin enriched diet, check. Counters anti-bacterialed...check. Vacuuming, check. Bed made, check. Clean clothes folded, dirty clothes in hamper, laundry going, dishes up, dusting, windows cleaning...

You get the idea.

Yeah.

Ahem.

Abby ate a vanilla wafer yesterday, or was it Saturday. No vitamins. Lots of calories. And she loved it.

She also took all the cheerios out of her bowl and threw them on the floor. I thought she was done eating. So, I took her out of her highchair and put her in the living room to play. She then crawled back to where she had thrown the cheerios and ate them off the floor. I proceed to make myself lunch while I watched her do this.

I decided that our days are too few to worry about the small things.

And too few not to notice the smalls things.

Some small things that make my days:
1. My husband always kisses me goodnight, goodbye, hello, good morning, and just because. He also tells me he loves me in the same fashion.

2. Abby likes rain...just like her daddy.

3. When I leave the room, Abby calls after me by saying "Dadadadada!" I come back in a say "No, MAMA" and she just smiles.

4. I'd like to think this is something I taught her, but I doubt it. When I say "up", Abby stops whatever she is doing and reaches for me. Unless she is playing with something she shouldn't be, like a remote control or cell phone. Then she runs away laughing.

5. Brandon makes my coffee for me every night. And does the nightly dishes while I get Abby ready for bed. Then we pick up toys together. I love this.

Even though there are a lot of other things, that is it for now. Time to get some sleep for another day of small things. To enjoy rather than worry about.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T09:49:00.002-05:00

The poem in the Mother's Day card from my dad:

A Mother's Love by Helen Steiner Rice

A Mother's love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.

Thanks Daddy.

Homemaking

2009-04-23T09:30:00.002-05:00

From Carolyn Mahane's blog Girl Talk, G.K. Chesterton on Homemaking:

"[Woman is surrounded] with very young children, who require to be taught not so much anything as everything. Babies need not to be taught a trade, but to be introduced to a world. To put the matter shortly, woman is generally shut up in a house with a human being at the time when he asks all the questions that there are, and some that there aren't...."

"[W]hen people begin to talk about this domestic duty as not merely difficult but trivial and dreary, I simply give up the question. For I cannot with the utmost energy of imagination conceive what they mean. When domesticity, for instance, is called drudgery, all the difficulty arises from a double meaning in the word. If drudgery only means dreadfully hard work, I admit the woman drudges in the home, as a man might drudge [at his work]. But if it means that the hard work is more heavy because it is trifling, colorless and of small import to the soul, then as I say, I give it up; I do not know what the words mean…. I can understand how this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people's children [arithmetic], and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs. Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness."

Semi-crunch?

2009-04-03T21:30:00.002-05:00

So, I guess I have some confessions regarding the crunchiness of my mominess so far...

Crunch, crunch, crunch (Kashi style):
1. I am cloth diapering.
2. I am a SAHM.
3. I make my own house cleaning solutions.
4. I make my own diaper wipe solution and use it until I run out of cloth wipes.
5. I don't know if I exactly AP (attachment parenting), but we co-slept out of sheer necessity for the first two months. Then we moved her to a cradle in our room, then a crib. So be it. Don't we have to have more kids?? That said, I NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER let Abby CIO. Never. Not on my life. And I rock her to sleep for naps. I love it. I only let her feed herself her own bottle because she took it from me. Yes, TOOK it from me.
6. I make my own babyfood when Abby will eat it.
7. I wash in cold water only.
8. I only use California baby and Aveno.

The non-crunch, soft side:
1. I do not recycle because the city I live in doesn't make it easy to do so. Yes, I am lazy. If they picked up for recycling, I would completely separate!
2. Sometimes, I let Abby watch T.V. just because it will calm her down...she has something else to focus on besides being pissed at me taking the newspaper out of her mouth. Sue me.
3. I buy things, lots of things, TONS of things, that aren't biodegradable. Oh well.

I dunno, I might add onto this later if I think of more. Seems like I'm a semi, because when I make choices, my primary concern is Abby, not our planet. If something is safer for her or allows me to have more time with her, I'll do it. I love her to pieces. Chubby, sweet-smelling, dramatic, actress-worthy, gorgeous smile, babbling, wanting-to-crawl-but-can't-because-her-butt-is-too-big, trying-to-walk, kissing only mommy, squeeling pieces.

Who let the dogs out? Maybe the big dog himself...

2009-02-09T20:38:00.004-06:00

From the Wall Street Journal....

Pay Collars Won't Hold Back Wall Street's Big Dogs

By JASON ZWEIG

Of all the decrees that come spewing continually out of Washington, there is only one that works every time: the law of unintended consequences.

This past week, the Obama administration slapped a $500,000 cap on cash compensation for senior financial executives whose firms receive future federal aid. That put an official U.S. stamp on the outrage of the investing public.

Heath Hinegardner

In 2008, Wall Street lost more than $35 billion and triggered trillions more in losses around the world -- but rewarded itself with $18.4 billion in cash bonuses. That defies the common-sense judgment that it is good results, not bad, that should be rewarded; most dog owners know better than to give Fang a biscuit after he takes a chunk out of somebody's finger.

So Wall Street got its just deserts. Unfortunately, while this move rightfully punishes yesterday's fools, it may inadvertently create tomorrow's culprits. The Treasury Department stated that the pay cap is meant to "ensure that the compensation of top executives in the financial community is closely aligned not only with the interests of shareholders ... but with the taxpayers providing assistance to those companies."

If only it were so simple. "The search for ways to get around this," says one expert on Wall Street compensation, "started within minutes of the announcement."

For starters, the limits seem to apply only to "senior executives" -- the chief executive, chief financial officer and the like -- and not to many of the people who can earn the really big bucks on Wall Street, like traders, hedge-fund managers and the mad scientists who cooked up all those derivatives that almost destroyed the world financial system. Leaving the compensation of these hot shots intact, while reducing the pay of the people who are supposed to boss them around, isn't going to make the investing world any safer.

Outsourcing is another way to get around a pay cap. In 2003 and 2004, managers at Harvard University's giant endowment came under withering fire from the ivory tower for earning upward of $35 million apiece. They soon left to start their own firms, which were promptly hired by the endowment and got paid a percentage of assets under management rather than a cash salary and bonus. That new form of payment stopped the criticism cold -- even though it isn't likely the managers earned any less. Nor did it reduce risk-taking: One spinoff from Harvard Management Co., Jeff Larson's Sowood Capital, blew up in 2007, dealing Harvard a $350 million loss.

Wall Street firms could easily follow in Harvard's wake, spinning off a trading or underwriting operation as a new company and retaining an ownership stake in exchange for a share of the profits and losses. The top dogs at the new firm would no longer face limits on their compensation, but the shareholders' capital at the original firm -- including taxpayer dollars -- might be at even greater risk than before.

Finally, the new rules from the Treasury Department permit Wall Street's "senior executives" to get incentive pay in the form of restricted stock or similar long-term incentive arrangements. But there is no rule yet against cashing all of it in at that point -- what compensation experts call cliff-vesting.

Thus, managers may be tempted to take greater risks in hopes of speeding up their preferred-stock payoff. If the risks go bad, Uncle Sam will eat the losses. "It's the classic trader's option," says George Wilbanks, a managing director at executive recruiter Russell Reynolds Associates: "Heads I win, tails you lose." He adds, "That's my biggest fear: that people are going to swing for the fences to get to the cliff-vest faster."

Psychologist Elke Weber of Columbia University has a different take. She doesn't feel that managers will become reckless now to speed up their preferred-stock payoff. But that risk could rise rapidly as firms come closer to getting Uncle Sam off their backs.

The whole financial fiasco is one big unintended consequence. Securitization was supposed to spread risk to folks willing to bear it but instead ended up concentrating it in the hands of people who didn't understand it.

Wall Street imploded largely because the inmates -- the star traders and quant geniuses -- took over the asylum. Paying the wardens less won't put the inmates back in their cells.

Write to Jason Zweig at intelligentinvestor@wsj.com

Counting the Cost of Homemade Babyfood

2009-01-06T12:34:00.005-06:00

So, it sounds great, right? Making your own baby food. How wonderful. Your child gets veggies and fruits and the like that have never been dehydrated...even organic for half the price if you wish!

It is natural, it is loving....it saves money!

It is also time consuming and messy....

But I love to do it! I honestly enjoy it....as weird as that may seem.

But for those of you who are considering doing it, count the cost my friends! You know that little Gerber plastic cup you have at the end of feeding your little one?

Well, when you are done making pears and oatmeal, this is what you are left with....

Not Me! Monday

2009-01-05T12:41:00.004-06:00

So, that massive group of ladies I mentioned? Well, quite a few of them participate in Not Me! Monday. I think it is an awesome idea, and the rules are found here.

Ok, here goes!
1. Today, after Abby had been crying for a long time, I did not realize that she was in fact starving. She did not then proceed to down an 8oz bottle (following of course a huge bowl of cereal and a huge serving of green beans).

2. After she went down for a nap, I did not sit on the couch to eat a chocolate popsicle and write about what happened.

3. I did not go to switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer and find a dried load of clothes that had been sitting in there for two days.

4. I did not then proceed to eat another chocolate popsicle.

5. I have never skimmed on dusting by simply wiping the T.V. screen rather than the entire T.V.

6. I have never simply picked up the crumbs I could see on the kitchen and breakfast room floor rather that sweeping and moping both areas.

A nice quote for the new year

2008-12-31T12:59:00.001-06:00

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." —Psalm 16:5-6

Credit to Suzanne's Second Estate for the quote.

Being Mom in a New Year

2008-12-31T05:48:00.002-06:00

UPDATE: Formatting changes are in the works! Always fun stuff...also meaning my original post needs updating...my email is now on the LEFT side!

So, after Abby goes to bed, occasionally (ok, most of the time), I surf. I used to surf with a passion. Yes, I am one of those people, lol. I even had a program to help me! Called Stumble Upon. I don't use it much these days. I have baby kisses, giggles, and milestones to think about during the day. But in the wee hours of the evening, after her bedtime at 8, I sit in our living room with Brandon and I surf! It is such precious time!

I've recently discovered that there are a lot of mom blogs out there...I mean a LOT. Not just ordinary moms...Christian moms...moms who gave up careers in the outside world to focus on the world at home with their babies. Moms who put the Father and Son first in their homes....and focus on the hearts of their children. These moms blog about sick babies and lost babies, about how they maintain their homes, how they cook, etc. All of these women are linked together in a quickly growing network. If you skip from blog to blog, you can become overwhelmed by the enormity of it.

Well, that said, I too would like to be a mom like these. Which brings me to my blog. I started this thing 4 years ago as a means to get my thoughts out "on paper" during a busy time in my life...the first year of law school. As the years past and life happened, I slacked on it big time! So now I am searching for a new path for my blog...one that shows who I am today and what it is like for me to be mom.

So at some point soon, there will be a massive overhaul of this blog. Any suggestions from anyone who stumbles here are very welcome! My email is in the right sidebar.

Happy New Year everyone!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-17T13:33:00.001-06:00

As my daughter tries to bang on the keyboard while jumping on my lap, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I hope all who chance upon my blog will take a moment to remember the reason for the season. He is the Reason...our Grace, our Forgivness, our Everything. I am so thankful this year for my family...my faithful husband, my joyfilled daughter, and an extended family I adore. They are the reason I smile when I wake up and when I go to bed.

Vote! It matters!

2008-11-04T06:59:00.000-06:00

A moment of reflection....

2008-10-02T10:24:00.001-05:00

A Vote Against Rashness

By George F. Will
Wednesday, October 1, 2008; A17

His name was George F. Babbitt. He was 46 years old now, in April 1920, and he made nothing in particular, neither butter nor shoes nor poetry, but he was nimble in the calling of selling houses for more than people could afford to pay.

-- "Babbitt," by Sinclair Lewis

We are waist deep in evasions because one cannot talk sense about the cultural roots of the financial crisis without transgressing this cardinal principle of politics: Never shall be heard a discouraging word about the public.

Concerning which, a timeless political trope is: Government should budget the way households supposedly do, conforming outlays to income. But the crisis came partly because so many households decided that it would be jolly fun to budget the way government does, hitching outlays to appetites.

Beneath Americans' perfunctory disapproval of government deficits lurks an inconvenient truth: They enjoy deficits, by which they are charged less than a dollar for a dollar's worth of government. Conservatives participate in this, even though deficits fuel government's growth by obscuring its cost.

The people can emulate the government because credit has been democratized. Democratization of everything is supposedly an unquestionable good, but a blizzard of credit cards (1.5 billion of them, nine per cardholder), subsidized loans and cheap money has separated the pleasure of purchasing from the pain of paying. Furthermore, the entitlement mentality fostered by the welfare state includes a felt entitlement to a standard of living untethered from savings.

Populism flatters the people, contrasting their virtue with the alleged vices of some minority -- in other times, Jews or railroad owners or hard-money advocates; today, the villain is "Wall Street greed," which is contrasted with the supposed sobriety of "Main Street." When people on Main Street misbehave by, say, buying houses for more than they can afford to pay, they blame the wily knaves who made them do it, such as the "nimble" Babbitt.

Knowing that heat breeds haste, errors and unintended consequences, George Washington praised the Senate as the saucer into which legislation is poured to cool. In this crisis, however, the House of Representatives has performed that function. Republicans, especially, slowed a Gadarene rush to ratify the deeply flawed original bailout legislation.

Voting against the bill -- against putting taxpayers' money at risk in order to clean up a mess that some people got rich by making -- was easy, but not necessarily wrong. The $700 billion figure exaggerated the plan's probable cost but accurately measured something worse -- the enormous enlargement of government's power.

So the joint declaration by John McCain and Barack Obama that Congress should "rise above politics" was mere gas. The legislation touched elemental questions -- the meaning of justice, the parameters of freedom and the proper functions of government. Democrats charge that the crisis is market failure arising from an insufficiency of government, in the form of regulation. Well.

Suppose that in 1979 the government had not engineered the first bailout of Chrysler (it, Ford and GM are about to get $25 billion in subsidized loans). Might there have been a more sober approach to risk throughout corporate America?

Suppose there had never been implicit government backing of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Better yet, suppose those two had never existed -- there was homeownership before them, just not at a level that the government thought proper. Absent Fannie and Freddie -- absent government manipulation of the housing market -- would there have developed the excessive diversion of capital into the housing stock?

The rising generation of thoughtful Republicans was represented on both sides of Monday's vote. Virginia's Eric Cantor, 45, and Wisconsin's Paul Ryan, 38, supported the legislation because they had helped to achieve substantial improvements in it, such as requiring financial institutions to help finance their bailout, giving the Treasury potentially valuable equity in firms revived by public funds, and eliminating a slush fund for Democratic activists. Texas's Jeb Hensarling, 51, and Indiana's Mike Pence, 49, voted against what they considered a rescue model fundamentally flawed because (in Hensarling's words) it "could permanently and fundamentally change the role of government."

It is potentially catastrophic that this crisis comes in the context of a closely contested election and a collapse of presidential authority. Congress should disconnect from a public that cannot be blamed for being more furious about than comprehending of this opaque debacle. The public wanted catharsis and respect for its center-right principles and got both with Monday's House vote. It still needs protection against obliteration of the financial system.

georgewill@washpost.com

© 2008 The Washington Post Company

NoDak Notes

2008-08-15T14:07:00.001-05:00

So, North Dakota is surprisingly beautiful! This is a view from our townhouse. Yeah, it is flat like the movie Fargo portrays, but it is also filled with useful farmland (I swear corn is grown everywhere...!)

Can't wait for the winters...lol...anybody have a sled??

And here is a pic of my cutie pie daughter, who is dozing on my lap right now listening to King George's "Troubadour".

And we're off!

2008-07-16T09:23:00.000-05:00

So, yeah, I haven't blogged in quite a while! We've been busy I guess...having a baby! This is my beautiful, very sassy daughter, Abigail Grace Storm, born June 12, 2008 at 6:01 pm, weighing in at 6 pounds, 13 ounces.

And here she is post bath:

And now, we are moving to the Great North! My husband got a job in North Dakota (of ALL places, lol!) in the Wind Energy Industry. FINALLY we will be leaving Lubbock! YaY!

You know, I have spent many years picking on Lubbock because of the arrogant people here and the rather ugly landscape. But, in retrospect, I think it is important to note a few positive things: I met my husband at Tech, got married by the JP in the County Court House on 11/20/2006 (we had our ceremony later, on 08/11/2007), we had our lovely daughter here at Covenant Lakeside, and I've met many people who will turn into lifelong friends. So, it hasn't been all bad.

We will high-tail it outta here next week...leaving Lubbock in our rearview mirror. Unlike the song, however, I'm really not sure that we will ever come to regret leaving, but we certainly would regret never having come. There comes a time in everyone's life when it is time to move on, and now is our time. But I know that Brandon and I wouldn't redo the last several years of our lives.

I Passed The Bar Exam!

2007-11-01T19:49:00.000-05:00

It is official, I am a licensed attorney in the State of Texas.

Heck Yeah!!!!!!!!!!

FINALLY! Three years of law school has turned into something actually WORTH hanging on my wall!

YAY!

Our New Baby...Zoom Zoom!

2007-10-07T09:24:00.000-05:00

2007, Red, Black Leather, 3.9L, 244hsp Impala LT!

She is so pretty! (That is our red Monte in the background...she is jealous!)

All the seats fold down and almost double the trunk size, and if you don't fold them down, then you can use the space under the backseat as storage.

The view most people see as I speed away! Hehe, j/k Brandon!

To all it may concern: yes, the Volvo is dead. May it rest in peace.

Some wedding pictures...

2007-09-29T08:06:00.000-05:00

We haven't had a chance to get all the cameras printed...so more pics coming soon! DAD = send in your pics!! I will harass you! ;)

Me waiting for Brad and Crystal to finish eating

Full wedding dress, back in the getting ready room at the church...

About the start the "getting read" process! That is my slip behind me.

everyday He saves my life

2007-09-25T21:41:00.000-05:00

The title of this post was inspired by a promo of a new Rascal Flatts song. I recently quit a job with a local personal injury lawyer. He was emotionally abusive, physically intimidating, and displayed all of the traits that lawyers are stereotyped as having. It was hands down the worse job I ever had, and I am glad I am no longer there.

The song reminded me that, no matter how bad it gets, no matter how desperate we are, everyday, Christ saves us. Everyday, when I went into the dark depths of despair over my situation, he would save me. He could have left me to learn my lessons alone, but he didn't. He could have given up on me, let me be angry at him, but he didn't. He held my hand through it, through the point when I walked in to that office and told my boss I wasn't coming back, and out the front door as I left. And now he will walk with me down the path of finding a new job, where I can actually help people. Even if I don't use my law degree, I'll find what God intended. Right now, I don't know if I am coming or going in my life, but I know Christ is beside me the whole way...and that was the most important lesson I could have learned over the last month.

Day 1 down

2007-07-24T22:10:00.000-05:00

And now on to the MBE...

Con Law: Ah yes, "The free exercise clause cannot be used to challenge a neutral law of general applicability..." So says the Sup Ct in the "Peyote" case, where everyone in Oklahoma was prohibited from using peyote, not just the Native American tribe. However, if a law is not neutral and targets a specific group, then strict scrutiny will be applied and the law will be struck down.

Property: since we can't talk about fee tails really, "to A and the heirs of his body", then let us speak of the Rule against Perpetuities. A much loved topic for any law student. "An interest must vest, if at all, not later than 21 years after some life in being at the creation of the interest." If there is any chance at all that it could vest outside of that 21 year time frame, the interest is VOID VOID VOID...unless of course you are dealing with a trust that has a perpetuities savings clause, or you are in a state that has the doctrine of cy pres "as far as possible."

Yes, dear friends, it really is THAT boring! And we wonder why lawyers are mean and boring.

I Am (Reposting)

2007-07-22T23:07:00.000-05:00

I originally posted this August 25, 2005. In preparing myself for the bar exam this next week, I'm re-posting it.

We call upon God many times in our lives to be what we need Him to be. Nicole Nordeman listed some of his roles in her song, "I Am": Elbow-healer, super-hero...heartache healer, secret keeper, best friend...shepard, savior, pasteur-maker...creator, life-sustainer, comforter, healer, redeemer, Lord and King, beginner and the end. We call Him to be all these things, and He says, "I Am."

Between two thieves, hope was born from suffering. By grace, we can call God, "Abba, Father." When we suffer in our lives, God is right there with us. There is no reason for us to fear, because our debt is paid. Finite and powerless though we are, Christ's strength, that same strength that led him to the cross to die for us, is there to guide us through life's troubling times.

In Genesis 12:1-9, Abram left his home on faith. He allowed the Lord to guide him; by faith, he knew God would prepare a place for him and bless his new home. God calls us to walk by faith. The desire to please Him, does; following that desire, we must go down the path even though we do not know where it leads. Faith is not always comfortable.

But, when we walk that path, narrow though it is, God walks with us. So, when life is uncertain, scary, troubling...when we think we can't go on, that it is just impossible for us to make it, and we say, "God, where are you? Why aren't you here with me...going with me through this?", He will say, "I Am."

Football and What it means to be in America

2007-07-17T08:46:00.000-05:00

So, the Beckhams have arrived. I honestly didn't know it until I saw some headlines about the critic uproar against Posh's series-turned-one-hour-special last night. Apparently, the show wasn't very good. I will have to catch the rerun on Bravo this Thursday.

I pitty poor Posh (and by association, Becks). I don't think she read her history very well at all. Setting aside sell-outs like Madonna, we Americans like it our own way. Her husband probably won't be the soaring star I guess he is in other countries. (Bend it like who?) And if Vicki wants to be famous in her own right, she will have to do something else besides be pretty and thin. The BBC, quoting the LA Times, ran this:

Patt Morrison of the Los Angeles Times said that people in the United States had been "underwhelmed" by Beckham.
"If you're looking for a bad driver, we have Lindsay Lohan, who does it better," she told BBC One's Breakfast.
"If you're looking for rich, we've got Paris Hilton, and if you're looking for thin blondes, if you fire a cannon in Beverly Hills, you hit 100 of them.
"It's a very competitive market, even for a Beckham."

Though we find these girls ridiculous, at least they are our own. Much like kids I guess. It is much easier to tolerate the mustard on the new white carpet when it is your own kid that did it.

A fun little quiz from my MySpace page

2007-07-12T23:57:00.000-05:00

I need a hobby.
Current mood: amused

90 Weird Ones

90. First off, what is your name?
Elizabeth (Liz to some)

89. What did you do last night?
Um, worked on Oil and Gas I think. Didn't finish, so I had to work on it again today!

88. Do you have the same sex best friend that you talk to 24/7?
Nope. My best friend is not a girl, but I do talk to him 24/7.

87.do you have any siblings?
A brother.

86. Where are you exactly?
Couch in our living room.

85. Favorite color(s)?
Silver and blue.

84. What does the 7th message in your [cell] text inbox say?
"Hi" - my husband being cute.

83. Who sat beside you in math?
Math...like, in high school? I have no idea.

82. What song are you listening to?
Tim McGraw - I Need You

81. Where is your dad right now?
Home I'm guessing.

80. Do you have any kids?
Not that I know of.

79. Who is the 5th person you got a call from?
Mi amiga Jenn

78. Closest black object?
My cellphone.

77. Closest silver object?

The cross around my neck.

76. Have you ever jumped a fence for any reason?
Um, I am sure I have.

75. Do you sing in the shower?
I humm.

74. Do you own any pets?
I wish!!! I want a puppy SO badly!

73. How does your hair look right now?
Like hair.

72. Last time you listened to country music?
Right now. I love country!

70. If you could kill someone, who would it be?
This is an incriminating question, and a bit psychotic, so I won't answer it.

69. What are your fears?
Well, drowning, and like Amy said, The Bar Exam.

68. What do you hear right now?
Music.

67. How many drugs are in ur system right now?
Drugs, um, none? I mean, does tylenol count?

65. What are you wearing?
Sleep pants and a t-shirt.

64. Who was the last person to comment you?
To comment me? I'm confused.

63. Do you sing?
Yep. Like or not!

62. Screamo or Country?
Country.

61. Rock or Rap?
Country.

60. Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate.

59. Who did you last call?
The jewlers...to find out when I would get my wedding band back...had it engraved.

58. Who last called you?
The jewlers, to let me know my ring was ready.

57. What jewelry do you wear daily?
Wedding ring, engagement ring, diamond earrings, and a cross my grandmother gave me.

56. What are you doing right now?
Taking this quiz thing.

55. Who was the last person you said I love you to?
Brandon.

54. Would you die for someone?
Yes.

53. If so, who?
My husband.

52. Are you cold right now?
Nope. Comfy.

51. What do you smell right now?
Nothing.

50. Do you have to pee right now?
No.

49. What did you dream about last night?
The bar exam.

48. What are you doing tomorrow?
Studying, going to the gym, tanning, having a friend over for dinner...

47. If your most recent ex asked you back out, what would you say?
Um, I'm married.

42. Carpet or wood in your room?
Carpet....but I wish it was wood.

41. Someone who always picks on you...
My husband.

38. Can you do a cartwheel?
Yes I can.

37. What's your favorite candle scent?
Vanilla.

36. Ever gone a whole day without eating?
Yeah, and you shouldn't talk to me at the end of it because I will be piiiissssy!

35. America or Canada?
AMERICA!!!!

33. What if you found out you were adopted?
That would explain a lot!

32. Jeans or Sweatpants?
Sweatpants

29. Do you have socks on?
No, I HATE socks. Flip flops baby! (Except in Iowa in the winter).

28. Do you own any big sunglasses?
Yes, just recently got some! I look so cute!

22. Do people call you annoying?
I have no idea.

21. Do you like sneezing?
No, not at all.

20. Whats your record for jumping on a pogo stick?
1, then I fell.

19. Favorite TV show?

Anything with Samantha Brown on the Travel Channel.

18. Do you like 80s movies?
Yeah, they are ok.

16. Last two numbers in your cell phone number?
94.

15. What kinda music do you like?
Country and Christian.

14. Are you a crazy stalker?
I don't think so. Though, I did prank call boys back in middle school.

13. Best city you've visited?
Des Moines...Iowa makes me happy.

12. Been to London?
I wish.

10. Favorite subject at school?
History.

9. Been to college?

Been? I have lived there for 7 years. Still waiting for the studying part to end.

7. Favorite time of day?
Morning. And evening. I just hate the afternoon, that is siesta time!

6. Ever Licked someones cheek?
LoL, that was so funny I just did it.

5. Watch all spiderman movies?
They are ok. I think the cartoons are better.

3. What are you looking forward to?
My wedding ceremony and honeymoon.

2. Ever gotten lost in the dark?
Yeah, in a maze when I was younger. I cried.

1. Do you snore/talk/walk in your sleep?
I talk in my sleep. One time, I woke Brandon up by screaming about ants. LoL, I have no idea why!

Finding God in my Pop-Tarts

2007-07-11T09:50:00.000-05:00

I know this post has an odd title, but anyone who has ever struggled with food will understand it. I ran across one of the most personally powerful posts on Boundlessline.org today, and I had post it, if only for my own reference later on. This post was taken from Solo Femininity, Slave to Food.

Here is the post:

A few weeks ago, I posted an entry about the importance of understanding nutrition--how cooking is not just a chore, but it is also a critical component of our health. Not long before that, I was talking to a friend of mine about her recovery from an eating disorder. She made several intriguing comments, so I asked her to write down her testimony to encourage other women who struggle in the same way. Michele never does anything halfway, so her testimony ended up to be a well-written essay! Here's how she starts:

If I mention that I’m writing about worship, most of you will not feel threatened. You know that you worship the true and living God. Maybe it’s a particular worship chorus, a passage of Scripture, or the Sunday-scents of your sanctuary that come to mind. Whatever it is, you know exactly when it is that you are a worshipper. Would you laugh at me if I said that I’ve worshipped a bowl of oatmeal? That I’ve worshipped gods of porcelain, fiber, caffeine, and plastic? If I tell you that I’m about to confess my own idolatry—or misplaced worship—will you keep reading?

I’m a recovering anorexic, a recovering bulimic, and a woman whose life has been dominated by food. Writer Anne Lamott describes the spectrum of her lifelong, eating disordered behavior: “It is a long, dull story. I had lots of secrets and worries about me and food and my body. It was very scary and obsessive, the way it must feel for someone who is secretly and entirely illiterate.” That might be the best description I've ever heard of the pervasiveness of the disease, the shame that accompanies every botched attempt at normalcy, the inevitable realization that normalcy cannot coexist with the problem and the furtive attempts to deny that reality. Shame, greed, economy, desire, focus, attention, caretaking, defiance, independence, luxury, guilt, restraint, preparation, self-control, domination, destruction, distraction—eating disordered behavior has manifested or defined all of these things to me.

Proverbs 9:17 says, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant." Though, in context the passage talks about adultery, it applies well to the sins of anorexia, bulimia, or overeating. For years and years, I have participated in sinful eating habits that damaged my body, depleted my resources, and alienated all of the important people in my life. I can’t go too far into this discussion without asking the obvious question why. I never started these behaviors because they were convenient; neither could I stop them for that reason. Why did I—and do I—do these things? Because I wanted to—because the bread eaten in secret was pleasant. And my “wants” always reflect my heart.

To read the rest, download Apples to Apples: Reflections on an Eating-Disordered Life.

Songs to Study By

2007-07-08T23:14:00.000-05:00

Just finished studying "Corporations" for the bar. Yes, it WAS as bad as it sounds...think appraisal rights for dissenting shareholders (mergers, subs, parents...), 2/3 vote by those entitled to vote for fundamental changes, promoter liability until novation. Good faith defense for directors...ugh.

Why oh why did I ever decide to take the bar exam?!?!

On another note, here are the songs on my playlist!

1. Brass Bed - Josh Gracin
2. Alan Jackson - Like Red on a Rose (Wedding song!)
3. Long Trip Alone - Dierks Bentley (going to concert in August on honeymoon!)
4. Just Might Make Me Believe - Sugarland
5. Want To - Sugarland
6. The Secrets that we keep - Sara Evans
7. Be Without You - M.J. Blige
8. Settlin - Sugarland
9. April Showers - Sugarland (Ok, yes yes, I really really like Sugarland!)
10. Hick Town - Jason Aldean
11. Teardrops on My Guitar - Taylor Swift
12. I Need You - Tim McGraw with Faith (this is a FANTASTIC song...)
13. She's My Kind of Rain - The one and only Tim again
14. Angel - Sarah McLachlan (I listened to this song on repeat when I was like 14...I was so dramatic)
15. Far Away - Nickelback
16. Keep Holding On - Avril Lavigne
17. I'm With You - Avril again
18. If Everyone Care - Nickleback
19. Wasting My Time - Default (not sure why, but I have always liked this song a lot)
20. I'm Moving On - Rascal Flatts
21. I Am - Ginny Owens
22. If You Want Me to - Ginny Owens (this is my THEME song during Bar prep...I do it all for God, period.)
23. I will Remember You - Sarah Mclachlan

Ahhh, that felt good...spending time to type out that list instead of write stuff down about...um...businesses...bleh.

Secular Fundamentalism

2007-06-23T07:36:00.000-05:00

A very interesting article out of Great Britain. I have no idea what the standard is in GB to claim an infringement on "religious rights" (aggregating "establishment" "separation" and "freedom of speech" ideas). I know that in the U.S., if the law itself is facially neutral as the one in the article below appears to be, then you have to show that the legislature intended the law to have a discriminatory impact AND that the law does in fact have such an impact. In other words, Impact + Intent = prima facie case in court! (And, thinking historically, I'm sure many a brave Christian soul would not be surprised at all at this article...think the Lollards and the Wycliffe bible).

"Purity ring" schoolgirl goes to High Court

LONDON (Reuters) - A teenage schoolgirl will appeal to the High Court on Friday to overturn a ban on her wearing a "purity ring" at school to symbolize her decision to abstain from sex before marriage.
Lydia Playfoot, 16, from West Sussex, says the silver ring is an expression of her faith and should be exempt from the school's rules on wearing jewellery.
"It is really important to me because in the Bible it says we should do this," she told BBC radio. "Muslims are allowed to wear headscarves and other faiths can wear bangles and other types of jewellery. It feels like Christians are being discriminated against."
Playfoot's lawyers will argue that her right to express religious belief is upheld by the Human Rights Act.
There have been a series of rows in schools in recent years over the right of pupils to wear religious symbols or clothing, such as crucifixes and veils.
Last year, the Law Lords rejected Shabina Begum's appeal for permission to wear a Muslim gown at her school in Luton. That case echoed a debate in France over the banning of Muslim headscarves in state schools.
Lydia Playfoot's parents help run the British arm of the American campaign group the Silver Ring Thing, which promotes abstinence among young people.
Members wear a ring on the third finger of the left hand. It is inscribed with "Thess. 4:3-4," a reference to a Biblical passage from Thessalonians which reads: "God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin."
Lydia's father, Phil Playfoot, said his daughter's case was part of a wider cultural trend towards Christians being "silenced."
"What I would describe as a secular fundamentalism is coming to the fore, which really wants to silence certain beliefs, and Christian views in particular," he said.
Leon Nettley, head teacher of Millais School in Horsham, denies discrimination, saying the ring contravenes the school's rules on wearing jewellery.
"The school is not convinced pupils' rights have been interfered with by the application of the uniform policy," he told the Brighton-based Argus newspaper. "The school has a clearly published uniform policy and sets high standards.

This Article is Not About Paris Hilton

2007-06-13T18:18:00.000-05:00

The following is by Matt Kaufman. I said "Amen" so many times while reading the article, I'm sure I brought pride to my Baptist heritage!

Paris Hilton. Paris Hilton. Paris Hilton.

There: I just had to get everyone's attention. And now that I have, here's an announcement I hope many of you will welcome: I'm not really going to talk about Paris Hilton. Well, not much, anyway — just long enough to talk about why we need to find something else (almost anything else) to talk about.

The only thing worth exploring about the Paris press orgy is why she's such a big deal. You can say that she's just the ultimate manifestation of our vapid, celebrity-obsessed culture — that she's just (in the words of about a zillion pundits) "famous for being famous." But as an explanation for her getting this much attention, that's a bit shallow.

It's true enough that Miss Hilton hasn't made any, shall we say, noteworthy contributions to society so far. In fact, she hasn't made any impact on society at all, for good or ill. Other celebrity girls-gone-wild — Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan — have made an impact: Millions of girls have wanted to be like them. (Though not so much any more.) No one ever wanted to be like Paris. Everyone knows her, but no one ever looked up to her. Just the opposite.

And that's the real reason people talk about Paris Hilton, I think — beyond the usual money/fame/beauty reasons. They can look down on her. They see her as a spoiled ultra-rich kid who takes plenty and gives back nothing, who makes messes and expects other people to clean them up, who breaks the rules the rest of us are supposed to live by and imagines she's entitled to do it.

Someone like Paris Hilton is easy to look down on. All too easy.

One of the devil's favorite tricks is to make us dwell too much on someone else's vices. We can be most vulnerable to him when we feel most virtuous, and that's easiest to do when we disapprove of real character flaws but spot them mainly in others, not ourselves. Celebrities who act outrageous fit well into his strategy. We can go on and on about them without ever feeling like grim, censorious judges: Deriding and mocking them just makes us feel like hip cultural observers.

It should go without saying that a great many celebrities have richly earned the public's disapproval, and they should get it. But we just shouldn't spend much time talking about what's wrong with them — certainly not as much as many of us have spent lately on Paris. We can start enjoying it too quickly. And since it's a lot more enjoyable than thinking about our own vices (how mean or manipulative I was to my girlfriend the other day, how nasty and short-tempered I was to that driver who annoyed me today), it's bound to draw us away from repentance and toward judgmentalism.

And that's not the only problem. Spending much time focusing on celebrities is a counterfeit way of paying attention to events in the world. There are all sorts of stories worth our attention — all sorts of events, both good and bad, that effect vast numbers of people — but hardly anyone is talking about them because they're busy going with Paris or Britney or Lindsey, on the latest antics of Tom Cruise or Rosie O'Donnell.

So let's take a break from all of them for a change. Let's find something else to do: Let's toss out ideas for news stories that really deserve to be new stories, but aren't. I won't even pretend to rank them in order of importance ("The Top 10 Neglected News Stories of 2007"): Lists like that are far too subjective to have any value. But I'll get the ball rolling with a few things that should get our attention:

Abortion is an old topic most people don't want to discuss any more. But there's no decent way to ignore it. Every year in the U.S., well over 1 million children fall victim to abortionists' poisonous chemicals and sharp-edged tools. That language isn't graphic: It's a rather tame description of an act that is always, by its nature, ugly and violent. And it's gone on legally for more than 30 years. We can argue about exactly what to do about it. We must not simply get tired of the subject, or hide behind easy dismissals like "everyone should have 'choice.'" When something so horrible happens such a vast scale, it is always more important than 99 percent of the stories that fill the news, and equal in importance to the rest.
You may have heard advocates of funding embryonic stem-cell (ESC) experiments with taxpayer dollars predict numerous medical breakthroughs. What you're less likely to have heard is that adult stem cells (ASCs) are already being used, with great success, to treat a host of conditions, including a large variety of cancers, diabetes and other autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis and sickle cell anemia, to name just a few. ESC backers are eager to sweep away ethical objections to their practice, which envisions breeding human beings for the purpose of killing them. So they often present a choice between supporting their research and sacrificing treatment. But the choice is a false one. Medical breakthroughs are already coming fast: Millions of us will benefit, or have already.
Iraq has gotten a lot of coverage, but some of the biggest things happening there have not. One of the biggest is the refugee problem. The United Nations estimates 2 million have fled the country in the last few years, to places like Jordan and Syria, and perhaps another 1 million have been uprooted from their homes and fled to other spots inside the country: The numbers are growing, perhaps by up to 50,000 a month. One of the least-known facts is that a huge portion of the country's Christians — despised by many Shiites and Sunnis alike — are among the refugees. Whatever one thinks of the war itself, this is indisputably a major humanitarian crisis, and it ought to be a major news story too.
Christianity is growing explosively in non-Western countries, and this is a trend that's been going on for years now. Are some of us worried that the Church is in shabby shape in the U.S. and much of Europe? We should be. But we shouldn't imagine that God's plan rises or falls based on what Westerners are doing. The rise of belief in Africa, Latin America or China may foretell a future where Christianity thrives mainly outside the lands where it's been strongest historically. Jesus may return today or thousands of years from now: We have no reason to assume God is done with His world.

As I say, that's just a starter list. You can probably think of a lot more topics to add. So talk about them — any of them. Talk about big events in the world, or talk about small events close to home (which may be just as important, if not more): your family, your friends, your job, your churchmates.

Just don't talk about Paris. And if you think about her, pray for her. She may be rich in this world, but what she really needs is to inherit the treasures of the next.

Dr. Seuss on Success

2007-06-12T17:47:00.000-05:00

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
Who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't
Because, sometimes, you won't.
I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups can happen to you.***

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

A noteworthy, historical thought

2007-06-12T13:24:00.000-05:00

From Page Six writer Liz Smith:

IF YOU ever imagined what it was like when Marie Antoinette rode the tumbrel to the guillotine, you need only survey the intense interest and joy conveyed by the media and most of the public as Paris Hilton in handcuffs was dragged backed to court and jail last week. She hadn't escaped incarceration with a nail file tucked into a spinach salad, but you'd think she'd done that and shot a dozen cops to boot the way cable TV spasmed gleefully.

Fair enough. Marie represented something monstrous to the French people at the time, and I suppose Paris represents something similar. To the press? To Hollywood? To the nation? Not sure really, but interesting.

In other news: Studying for the Texas Bar Exam absolutely sucks. No other way to put it. (And here I though I was done when I got my J.D.!)

From one Tech to another

2007-04-23T20:51:00.000-05:00

My signature is in the top right, second down, looks like "Elizabeth St....".

April 16, 2007

2007-04-17T15:10:00.001-05:00

Patent Pending, and subsquent thoughts

2007-04-12T12:01:00.000-05:00

In Patent Weary, my favorite business writer, Michael Malone, opined the following (responding to a question regarding his thoughts on the patent war between Alcatel-Lucent and Microsoft over patents for MP3 technology):

In my experience, digging up your old core patents and suing everyone in sight is the best indicator of a dying company. Fairchild did the same thing with integrated circuit patent, as did Motorola with the microprocessor, and Texas Instruments with everything in between. In the case of TI, the company reached the point where the patent attorney's office was the company's biggest profit center.
Ultimately, TI managed (no doubt with some of that licensing money) to turn itself around and become a major player in digital signal processing. But in most cases, I suspect, Alcatel-Lucent included -- is there any company out there right now with an uglier reputation than Lucent -- this kind of behavior is symptomatic of fatal structural rot. The $1.5 billion the jury awarded to Alcatel-Lucent in February will likely, after various Microsoft countersuits, end up a fraction of that amount, be swallowed up before it ever reaches shareholders and will do nothing for Alcatel-Lucent's future.

Optimistic, forward-looking and successful companies don't have time for this nonsense, and the distractions that come with it. And, sadly, that increasingly seems to be true for patents themselves.

I'm just wondering, could the same be said about Verizon's suit against Vonage? The following is from Bloomberg about the latest today on the "slow-death" of Vonage.

Vonage Holdings Corp. founder Jeffrey Citron replaced Michael Snyder as chief executive officer after spiraling costs and the loss of a patent lawsuit led to an 82 percent drop in the Internet phone company's stock....

... Vonage lost customers at an average monthly rate of 2.4 percent in the quarter, up from 2.3 percent in the previous three months. Subscribers have been defecting amid concerns about customer service and lawsuits that threaten to cut service.

I think all of this is very sad. "Old" companies, being eaten alive by "new" companies with better technology and marketing strategies, use bitter tactics to kill off their competitors, while slowing dying themselves.

Personally, I do not know anything about the science involved in the Verizon/Vonage law suit. Vonage may have infringed on a Verizon patent or not. (I wouldn't trust a district/trial court judge on this matter further than I could throw him). Regardless, if Verizon was a thriving, bustling company, it wouldn't "have time for this nonsense", as Malone puts it. I agree. I'm also reminded of that "old" quarrel, between Napster/Napster-like programs for file-sharing and the RIAA. The RIAA back in 2001 started fighting the new stuff because it couldn't compete. Eventually, it killed Napster/Grogster/Kazaa, etc., but it lost in the long run really. File-sharing is certainly the most prevalent method of getting music these days...thank you Apple. (I personally do not have an Ipod..I have a relic that was once called a "Disc-man" and it works just fine, thank you Sony.) Anyway, more to the point, I certainly hope Verizon has something up its sleeve...an RND section that is currently burning the midnight oil. Else, its future seems rather bleak.

Reminds me of law school

2007-04-11T22:51:00.000-05:00

It ain't MY fault

2007-04-11T12:56:00.000-05:00

Daily Word

2007-04-04T06:53:00.000-05:00

From my pastor, in today's email:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." --John 3:16

It seems like more and more, you hear people talking about how all the religions of the world are really leading to the same God. They want everyone to just get along, put aside our differences, and make this world a giant, hug-filled place of peace.

This kind of thinking has been especially prevalent since 9/11, when it became clear that religion can be not only divisive, but deadly.

If we're not careful, we as Christians can fall into this peaceful-sounding trap. While you and I as believers are certainly to be characterized by peace and love, we are not to give up or give in on our convictions…and give credibility to another false religion.

The truth of Christ divides people. Christ certainly preached a message of love and forgiveness, but He made it clear that not all gods are equal, and there is only one path to God. He is the ONLY way!

People of this world don't like the Gospel of Christ; they see it as narrow-minded and divisive. The world praises the idea of one religion that unifies everyone-which in fact is coming. But the problem is that it will be the religion of evil in the end times.

Don't surrender the truth of the Gospel for the sake of peace. We know that Christ is the only answer to the world's need, so be ready with that answer for people who are desperately searching for something real to believe in.

Supreme Court on Global Warming

2007-04-02T13:32:00.000-05:00

The Supreme Court of the United States issued its opinion in Massachusetts v. EPA, today, saying, "The harms associated with climate change are serious and well recognized..."

The court took 66 pages in total, 38 for the majority. Justice Stevens delivered the 5-4 opinion. This was really a case of statutory interpretation, the court stating in pertinent part "[b]ecause greenhouse gases fit well within the Clean Air Act's capacious definition of 'air pollutant' we hold that EPA has the statutory authority to regulate the emission of such gases from new motor vehicles" (page 35-36 of pdf). However, this will ultimately be a key policy-based decision.

In dicta, the court said:

The Government’s own objective assessment of the relevant science and a strong consensus among qualified experts indicate that global warming threatens, inter alia, a precipitate rise in sea levels, severe and irreversible changes to natural ecosystems, a significant reduction in winter snowpack with direct and important economic consequences, and increases in the spread of disease and the ferocity of weather events.

I reserve my comments on this "statement" for a future post, perhaps. At this time, I chose simply to smile at the Court's use of its dicta. It will be interesting to see how this case and interwoven comments will fit into precedent for the Court to follow, and how it will impact the global warming debate.

Photos for Writers

2007-03-30T11:08:00.000-05:00

Photos by Chema Madoz, from this website.

Picture

2007-03-28T21:54:00.000-05:00

This was way too cute not to publish!

From this website.

Awesome Website

2007-03-27T07:33:00.000-05:00

I could do this for hours!

Drag your mouse across the screen. After you do that, left click!

http://www.jacksonpollock.org/

Zoom Zoom

2007-03-23T11:43:00.000-05:00

An electric car that can burn rubber with the best gas guzzler's out there? Zoom Zoom baby!

Market Deja Vu and Accountability

2007-03-19T12:38:00.000-05:00

This was posted on the Banking Law Prof Blog today:

It's the dot com bubble, it's the '80s s&l crisis, it's what happens when people don't follow prudent lending and investment principles.

What we're seeing now in the subprime market is the result of poor credit underwriting standards. Bankers know better. Regulators know better. Even borrowers know better (if they can decipher the fine print). But when the economy is good and there are more dollars chasing loans than there are prime loans to be made, it's "Let the good times roll!"

From the lenders' perspective: After all, these subprime loans yield a higher interest rate in a banking world experiencing ever narrower interest-rate margins (the difference between the interest rate lenders pay for deposits and other funding sources and the interest rate they receive on loans). In a low-interest rate environment, many borrowers can and do make the monthly payments. Lenders are looking for new markets -- and here's a big one.

From the borrowers' perspective: The American dream is owning your own home. And it looks so easy when lenders are aggressively seeking out borrowers with "less than perfect credit". Many borrowers have gambled that rising home prices and low interest rates will continue. Few really take to heart what will happen if the loan reprices in two to three years.

From the regulators' perspective: Providing "guidance" should suffice. No one likes a heavy-handed regulator -- and there is competition for charters and Congressional oversight to consider. There's no immediate problem to address. The free market will sort this out. Should there be isolated issues, informal non-public measures avoid creating a generalized atmosphere of panic and possible adverse business consequences for a given lender or for all lenders -- and may avoid the extreme case: "runs" on a financial institution.

I strongly agree with most of what Professor Graham says. The only thing I would comment on is the tone of the note on the regulators' perspective. It sounds like she would be in favor of a more "heavy-handed" approach. While I can understand in this environment that more regulation might seem good...I really disagree. I place the burden on the bankers and the borrowers. They are intelligent people. Bottom line is that, if you can't afford a monthly payment, don't borrow money. If you can't afford for someone to default on a high interest loan, don't lend them the money. People are ultimately responsible for their own actions. They need to recognize the affects on society as a whole...that is what being a responsible citizen is all about. But people do not need to be regulated into stupidity. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

My thoughts on Math

2007-03-18T09:13:00.000-05:00

Saw this hilarious picture today on another blog. I just HAD TO post it!!

A thing, itself

2007-03-17T09:04:00.000-05:00

From "Orinary People", by Roberto Rivera y Carlo:

This begs an obvious question: What's wrong with being ordinary? A lot, if you live in a culture like ours that has turned "ordinary" into an epithet, a synonym for "mediocre." Then, the fear of being (or appearing) "ordinary" exceeds the fear of possible humiliation or any other repercussions of inappropriate disclosure. [...]

Turning "ordinary" into an epithet requires forgetting (or denying) that "ordinary" is the stuff that real life is made of. "Ordinary" comes from the Latin ordinarius meaning "customary, regular, usual, orderly." How we handle the ordinary — and not how many people know who we are — is the standard against which we should measure our lives. It, and not some fleeting (or even not-so-fleeting) attention, is what gives our lives significance. (For the Christian, it's what Jesus meant when He said, "He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.") [...]

I have a better idea: We should strive to experience what G.K. Chesterton called "the ecstasy of being ordinary." While Chesterton admired extraordinary men like St. Francis of Assisi, he also gave the "social scruples and conventional conditions that are normal and even noble in ordinary men" that hold "decent societies together" their due. In fact, it was because he appreciated "ordinary men" that he could make sense of the extraordinary ones.

Likewise, "Chesterton could be made happy by the sudden yellowness of a dandelion." He took "fierce pleasure in things being themselves," whether it was the "wetness of water," "fieriness of fire" or the "steeliness of steel." As David Fagerberg of Notre Dame wrote, for Chesterton, "on every encounter, at every turn, with every person, there is cause for happiness.... We have been given a world crammed with a million means to beatitude."

In other words, our "ordinariness" contains everything that is necessary to be content. That's part of St. Paul meant when he wrote "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." He could see those "millions means of beatitude" and understood that on some days you inadvertently turn the world upside-down and on other days you make tents. Ultimately, what matters is to live admirably, not be admired.

Maxed Out

2007-03-13T09:50:00.000-05:00

From the Banking Law Prof Blog -
Here's a documentary you need to see: "Maxed Out" - a look at America's consumer debt crisis. Check out the Washington Post review.

The Book on Amazon with description.

The Trailer on the Main Website.

PERSONAL NOTE: I receive absolutely NO profits from this. I just think it is a good thing for people to read about and understand...so that eventually, perhaps we can do something about it.

Engagement Pics

2007-03-04T22:31:00.001-06:00

New Year!

2006-12-30T09:43:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!! Ours was fantastic!

Happy New Year everyone!

Wedding, Christmas, and New Year pics coming soon!

Success and The Almighty

2006-12-13T10:45:00.000-06:00

I ran across a nice little quote to sum up what my attitude should be during exam time: "...God isn't looking for successful people; He's looking for those who are faithful." - Steven James at the Glorieta Christian Writers Conference, posted by Suzanne Hadley here.

Well, trusting His guidance while studying for and taking my exams would certainly be more faithful than worrying and getting anxious!

A funny at finals time

2006-12-08T12:59:00.000-06:00

So, I have been way busy studying for finals. But while surfing during a well-deserved study break after reviewing the Mergers and Acquisitions portion of my BE notes, I ran across this hilarious story.

Excerpt:

Court Reprimands New Delhi Over Monkeys

NEW DELHI - A top court reprimanded authorities in the Indian capital for failing to stop hundreds of monkeys from terrifying residents, news reports said Thursday. As forest cover around New Delhi has shrunk, the city has struggled with a growing simian population. Government buildings, temples and many residential neighborhoods are overrun by hundreds of Rhesus macaques. The animals will occasionally snatch food from unsuspecting passers-by and even bite them. "If you can't control the monkeys, what can you do?" the Delhi High Court acerbically asked representatives of the various municipal authorities in a ruling responding to a petition filed by the harassed residents of a posh residential neighborhood. The court asked authorities to explain "what measures were being formulated to find a permanent solution to the monkey menace in the capital."

City authorities weren't immediately available for comment.

Poems

2006-11-08T10:26:00.000-06:00

I absolutely LOVE this poem. It is SO wonderful. It was in the most recent issue of the Bifocal Newsletter (one dealing with elder law). Enjoy!

Poems

By Sofia Memon

Poems are where you are not;
where I examine the light
in the leaves or
the Yogi teabag wisdom
to my heart’s content without
ever turning my attention
outward.

Poems are where alchemy is
unquestioned and love unrationed,
where the soldiers in wars started
by misers find themselves suddenly
in prayer shawls
ill-fitting or not,
over still muddy combat boots
feeling a sudden and surprising
calm spread over their faces,
involuntary and embarrassing
like incontinence.

Poems promise everything
you’ve grown out of will be
returned to you
washed out, dried on the line
scented in lavender
if only you’d give up and give in
give away even the
lint from your pockets and
start again and again
and again every morning.

Poems are fearless when they
can afford to be,
say everything we could not
make the elegant argument
that, lacking citation
and polemic
is nonetheless persuasive;
maybe because poems, like
mirrors demand that
we approach with hands folded
awareness that
we are asking for everything
we are not yet.

In Fruitless Pursuit

2006-11-02T15:37:00.000-06:00

I know the law is supposed to be about following the rules "to the letter". Presumably, any deviation is malpractice. But thinking beyond the books, the horribly boring lectures, the bleeding papers, I am reminded of another group of people who were supposed to follow the law, and reminded still of how far they fell short.

The nation of Israel was "under the law", and repeatedly was unable to follow God's commandments. "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify."..."for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (Romans 3:21-23).

Ok, now, I am not trying to call my professors apostates or hypocrites, or those that should be called "least" in LegalLand. My point here is that it is pointless (fruitless if you will, per the blog title) to try to get everything right. NoONE is perfect, noTHING is perfect.

So what, then, is the purpose of grading assignments using a rubric that takes off for a misplaced space after a comma? Why do professor's insist on being so anal? Perhaps it is that they are scared of what they will find if they "chill" a bit. What I posit they will find is this: the "law" isn't everything, law school is not life, and their law journal articles, speeches, and whatnot are not as important as they think they might be.

So, law isn't life. It is a part of life, smoothing over life's rough patches. And yet, to see the forest despite the trees, dogmatic adherence to rigid ideals should be left out in the cold, in favor of a greater understanding of what our legal system is all about. That would be people, which includes law students (who knew!). Going back to beginning, that is what it is all about. From Adam and Eve, to Moses, to Christ, from Aristotle, to Martin Luther, to Locke, laws and government are only here to help people to accomplish what they were created to do: worship an almighty God.

Heart-felt fidelity

2006-10-17T20:57:00.000-05:00

I ran across a fantastic article and felt the need to post it. Here it is!

"But Ruth replied 'Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go, I will go and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.'"

In some blessed relationships, fidelity isn't an issue that even enters a conversation. In the case of my parents, and for many of my friends, I know that they have relationships where the temptation of unfaithfulness doesn't enter their home. And for my own part, I'm lucky enough to be one of those people who -- when I'm in a relationship with someone -- sees no appeal in any other member of the opposite sex.

Yet I've learned over the years that I am one of the lucky ones. Many single men and women of faith don't have it that easy, even in the context of a serious and responsible dating relationship. In the modern office of expansive social atmospheres and younger workforces, the likelihood is extremely high that you will eventually work with or deal with someone on a regular basis who you find appealing. You may even end up spending more time with that person, due to the demands of work, than you do with your girlfriend or boyfriend or fiancee -- the person you love and intend to marry.

This can lead to bad situations. Oftentimes, the person on the outside doesn't know about this growing office relationship, and for many single people, it's easy to give in to the temptation to cross the line into flirtation and more. The excuses: It's just talking at work, it's just drinks afterward, it's just fun, after all.

Except that it isn't a game; it's playing with wildfire. Before long, you may find yourself in a situation where, without ever making a conscious decision, you've slipped into infidelity. You've been unfaithful to the person you are dating or courting, in thought or in deed. In selfishness, intentional or not, you've hurt and possibly destroyed a loving relationship.

I've been on the other side of this kind of relationship, and felt the painful ramifications more than once. I've never been shellshocked, but the overwhelming hurt, nausea, and directionless feelings must come close.

When secular advisors talk about relationships, everything comes down to "feelings." How does the person make you feel? Do you feel happy? Does flirting or carrying on with someone else make you feel happier? You should be honest about your feelings.

There's an element of truth to that -- honesty is a good thing -- but it misses the big picture. Love isn't just about moment-by-moment feelings. If it was, our human love would be as fickle as a middle school crush.

Ruth's pledge of fidelity to Naomi, often used by brides and grooms in pledging fidelity to one another during wedding ceremonies, is one of consequence. Did Ruth really intend to love her husband every moment of every day, without ever being unhappy with him? Of course not -- she committed herself to loving him, and being faithful to him, even when he forgot to take out the trash or hogged the remote, even when the Senior VP started asking her out to long lunches at nice restaurants. She committed to love with the entirety of herself -- promising that not just her heart, but her mind, her lips, and her very being would remain faithful.

True faithfulness endures in spite of temptation. True faithfulness exercises self-control, to the point of avoiding an area of danger as a recovering alcoholic avoids a bar. True faithfulness, in the context of Christ and the Church, is loving and sacrificial -- even to the point of death.

Be careful how you act toward members of the opposite sex. Don't let yourself fall into temptation. And if you do, be honest about it -- repent, ask forgiveness, and flee from sin. And if you are on the other side of this: don't let yourself become bitter. Christ loved the Church even when there was nothing intrinsic about the Church to inspire such boundless love, and we are called to do no less.

Abandoned and discontent

2006-10-16T01:18:00.000-05:00

When I saw the headline to the story "500 Student riot at Cali highschool", I was shocked. It is impossible not to blame people for their own actions, and that certainly includes kids after a certain age. But that age isn't 16, it is more like 3-4...if that. But there is a greater problem here, one that starts at the heart of it all: in the United States, our families are falling apart.

We are turning into a weak nation. People simply do not want to fight anymore, for anything. They want to maintain the status quo, to remain under the radar, and just get by. Lost in consumerism, materialism, and myriad other "isms", we have simply lost sight of what is important.

Last year, when another relationship of mine came to an end, I questioned every ethic, every standard, every paradigm I had learned. I learned that I had no idea what it meant to be a Godly woman, or what I should look for in a Godly man. Then I read "Getting Serious about Getting Married." And while I learned a lot about really dating someone, I learned a lot more about what it means to start a family, and the power and significance the institution of the family really has on the individual and society.

I'll speak from my own experience on this point: I went to a high school where disrespect for authority was rampant. I was as much a part of it as anyone, though perhaps not as much as some. I come from a broken home and have felt the anxiety, self-doubt, and fear that comes from that. Even so, I'm taking time in preparation for marriage to relearn how I behave so that I can be a Godly wife and mother.

Those students are only partially to blame in the big picture. While they are wholly accountable for their actions, their parents and our society are too. If my generation does not start taking family more seriously than it does, does not stop serial dating in lieu of something much more fulfilling, then things will never change.

Brandon came down from Boulder (where he is for this semester on internship) for the weekend. We went to our first "nearly-wed/newly-wed" bible study. The bible study leader, Brett, said that confidence starts from within the marriage, not from anything outside. I can't rely on job performance, grades, or anything else to give me that. I must rely first on my God and then on my spouse. Likewise, children learn their behaviors from their families, from their parents. But how can they do that if their parents are never home, are always fighting, or are divorced? Abandoned and discontent, they are left to wander the roads of life practically alone. To change this, we must strengthen our marriages and families to give them the support structure they need.

Fractals

2006-10-02T17:51:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure at all how we transitioned into the topic of fractals today in my Business Entitites class, but we did.

In colloquial usage, a fractal is a shape that is recursively constructed or self-similar, that is, a shape that appears similar at all scales of magnification and is therefore often referred to as "infinitely complex."

Alas, upon reading the Wikipedia entry, I was reminded of those dreaded days of Geometry way back in high school, most of which I slept through! Nonetheless, here is what I picked-up: a very cool graphic! The explanation behind it aside, all I have to say is "oooooo, coooool!"

The surface of a mountain can be modeled on a computer by using a fractal: Start with a triangle in 3D space and connect the central points of each side by line segments, resulting in 4 triangles. The central points are then randomly moved up or down, within a defined range. The procedure is repeated, decreasing at each iteration the range by half. The recursive nature of the algorithm guarantees that the whole is statistically similar to each detail.

Only the beginning

2006-09-28T09:40:00.000-05:00

Rather than "the end", getting married is only "the beginning" of a great adventure. And yet, modern culture says otherwise. In her brief review of the movie, Suzanne Hadley discusses the recent movie "The Last Kiss" in Marry Her? But What About that Girl over There?

Television and movies compound the problem [lack of motivation to get married by The Twenty Somethings], portraying marriage as boring, enslaving, difficult and dreary. No wonder our generation is marriage-resistant. When Michael realizes marrying his girlfriend and establishing a home with her is inevitable, he says, "This is it. This is the end." Media fairly screams: "Marriage isn't worth it. Why bother?"

However, from her point and view and my own, marriage is something to strive for and be proud of. It is far, far from being culturally insignificant, and even in the toughest time, it represents some of the best things God has given us.

Here are some excerpted ideas about marriage from Hadley’s article:

"It is not good for the man to be alone" (Gen. 2:18). Not only is this a statement uttered by God at the inauguration of humanity, but it is something I feel daily on a personal level. God did not create humans to live in isolation. He designed us to long for and experience companionship and love. And marriage was the first context — apart from Adam's relationship with God Himself — the Lord established to relieve loneliness.

"I will make a helper suitable for him" (Gen. 2:18). As a remedy to Adam's loneliness, God created Eve. God designed her to be Adam's helper. At a women's prayer group, I recently heard a single woman pray, "Lord, you created us to be helpmates." I was stunned by this reminder. My desires to nurture, encourage and assist were instilled by God for the purpose of being a companion and helper and are best exercised within the context of marriage.

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). Because God created woman for man, marriage is the next natural step upon leaving one's family of origin. In fact, this verse seems to indicate that a man should ideally create his own family shortly after leaving his family of origin. This is rare in today's society, where the average marrying age is over 25. But waiting 10 to 15 years opens up an unnatural window where a single is not supported by his family and does not have a companion. This limbo fosters sexual temptation, loneliness and confusion.

"Children are a gift of the LORD" (Psalm 127:3). This phrase is thrown around a lot and seems to have lost its impact. With a tolerance for abortion and a prejudice against women who choose family over career, society seems to place value only on children who are wanted and who don't impede personal success. And yet, of all the blessings God wishes to bestow on His followers, children are at the top of the list. Their value is mentioned repeatedly throughout Scripture. They bless their mothers. They are a delight to their fathers. The kingdom of God belongs to them.

No Meeting of the Minds

2006-09-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Interesting story on the Property Prof Blog. I must ask, rhetorically perhaps, what does this say about the attempts to define and shape a "global community"?

The Blog:

The New York Times has an article (entitled "A Banned Book Challenges a Saintly Image of Thai King") on Paul Handley's book The King Never Smiles (Yale University Press, 2006), about King Bhumibol Adulyade of Thailand. According to the article, one of Handley's central points is that the king--who has enjoyed very favorable press--has been more concerned with order than democracy.

What particularly interested me were the efforts made by the Thai government to suppress the book, including sending representatives to meet with President George Bush, with Yale University's president, and (apparently) with the director of Yale University Press. Extraordinary, particularly for a book from a university press. The press did push back the publication date (so that it would not coincide with the sixtieth anniversary of the monarch's ascension) and also permitted, apparently, Thai officials to comment on the manuscript before it was published. Both reasonable, though I should imagine, unusal concessions. (Also, I should emphasize that I am in no position at all to evaluate the merits of Handley's thesis.)

Not surprisingly, the publicity surrounding the attempt to supress its publication (and its banning in Thailand) has led to a lot of sales. This afternoon it was ranked #259 on Amazon--an astonishingly good performance for a university press book. Exciting times at YUP, no doubt, even if the king is not smiling....

2006-09-15T23:49:00.000-05:00

My Engagement Ring!!! Wedding Date: 8/11/2007.

2006-09-09T19:50:00.000-05:00

Going to the Sunbelt Minority Job Fair

Going Global

2006-08-22T22:12:00.000-05:00

...the most important of these is love.

The approach most often employed when valuing an asset is its fair market value. It seems everything has a fair market value too, property, labor, education, even life.

Though I've never seen a FMV for grace and sympathy, I expect that one day there will be, and it will be drastically underrated. Nevertheless, I've found that loving thy neighbor, actually employing some grace and sympathy in how we treat others is like the Hope Diamond...rare and priceless.

Reading my Immigration Law textbook today, I was thinking about how my attitude towards immigrants has been shaped, and how it will have to evolve over the next several years. Though I do not now and most likely will never advocate a policy of "open borders", I think perhaps a little love, grace, and sympathy could be employed when dealing with immigrants. There is a lot of focus placed on what an illegal immigrant is doing (namely, "invading" a country as some would term it), but there is very little attention placed on why a person seeks shelter in a country illegally. Of course there are those with malicious intentions, but what about those people who, albeit self-seeking, have relatively innocent intentions, such as earning a living to support a family?

Without engaging in a cost-benefit analysis, and assuming a benefit by cooperation versus isolation, I think laws based on policies that support international cooperation versus isolation are more prudent in the long-run. Isolation, as all hermits know, begets isolation. It is not good for man to be alone....and it would appear the same rule goes for nations.

Alone in a Crowd

2006-08-08T22:46:00.000-05:00

There I was, surrounded by people in a bustling Barnes & Noble. There I was having just hung up the phone with a friend, about to skim what I hoped would be a good book. There I was, feeling completely alone.

Taking note of my feelings, I "googled" about the topic. (I mean, it is 2006 after all..). After a brief search, I came across this site. Quote: "Emotions are a good tool, but a poor master. Instead, we can trust God."

I know it seems like a simple idea, but it was a truly profound thought to me. Too often I let my current set of circumstances affect my outlook on life. Instead of letting my emotions make me feel lonely and abandoned in a room full of people, I should use this to effect change in my life. What change, I'm not sure...that will come through prayer...but change nonetheless.

A cool link

2006-08-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

Here is a cool website, Google Trends. It allows people to see the world's interest in various search terms. For example, searches for "tax" peak around April 15...go figure!

The Importance of Focus

2006-08-06T23:53:00.000-05:00

The following is an excerpt from “Dealing with Depression”. This particular post I find personally relevant, but the other four on the website are equally as good.

Here is the excerpt:

Raining Inside

Just four months ago, I was able to purchase my first solo home at the ripe age of 29. The first two months were great; I spent most of my time unpacking and setting the house up the way I wanted it. But I eventually finished unpacking and there was nothing left to do but be there … alone.

Then my only sister and I got into an argument, and she quit speaking to me. This led to a fallout with my parents, and I was left with no one to talk to. As the depression started to sink in, I decided to drive to my parents' house to talk things over—only to discover they'd invited the family over for dinner but had failed to invite me.

That night, I drove all over the city, crying my eyes out and letting the depression set in deeper. When I got home, I didn't want to leave. The next Sunday, I didn't even set my alarm so I'd get up for church. The following week, all I did was come home from work, sit on my bed, and cry. Soon after, I couldn't even get out of bed. It seemed no one cared about me.

Then a line from an old Amy Grant song popped into my head: "I'm raining on the inside." That's what I was doing. I hadn't heard that song in more than 15 years, but God brought every word to mind. As I lay in bed singing this song out loud, the Lord met me. He reminded me I'm his child, and that if I looked to him, he would take care of me. I got out of bed and was able to make things right with my sister and parents. And I attended church the next morning. I promised God I'd never again let anything get in the way of honoring him.

In the days following my return to church, I heard from a friend I hadn't talked with in a long time. She needed some part-time work done and wanted to know if I was interested in helping her. She had no idea what I'd been through the previous weeks, but God did. He knew I'd probably face loneliness again, but he sent her to rescue me.

I've since finished the part-time work, but I'm not lonely or depressed. I know I might get depressed again in the future, but I also know God is right beside me no matter what.

-Becky

How music moves us...

2006-07-10T22:18:00.000-05:00

I love music, as anyone might guess by my posting lyrics to many different songs on here.

I think this is an awesome story about how powerful music is...and most importantly, how powerfully the Holy Spirit can use it to move us in our lives.

Thanks to Johan Jordaan for sharing this very personal experience with the rest of us.

2006-07-07T00:13:00.000-05:00

Me and Brandon, with the Des Moines skyline in the back!

This is the Des Moines, Capitol Library, the most awesome library I've ever seen.

Fireflies and Starlight

2006-06-30T00:06:00.000-05:00

For Brandon

Waiting again for it to be over,
I knew it wouldn't last.
They never did.

I could hear it down the hall,
In my room, in my head.
I learned well how to pick up the pieces.

Like fireflies at twilight,
Burning bright, hot and true.
Then fading as quickly as they came.

I learned to leave before they went out,
It was safer that way.
I wouldn't have to see them die.

But fireflies are distracting,
To little girls captivated by their surroundings.
They don't learn to look up, to the stars above.

You came saying you wouldn't leave,
But I wanted to run.
I didn't want to have to pick up your pieces too.

With playful bouts of love,
You brought joy to a little girl,
Who thought it was only for fairy tales.

And now she is learning to look up,
To tell the difference between them and you,
Between fireflies and starlight.

Purposeful Devotion

2006-06-29T12:17:00.000-05:00

Tell me it hurts you to hurt me,
Why do I have to threaten to leave,
Before you'll make me stay?

I want to know everyday how you cherish me,
So that a lifetime can accumulate,
And every ounce of it is filled with love.

It isn't easy to value someone,
It is easier to put it off when stressed,
But devotion isn't a matter of convenience.

Pondering meaning and purpose can be interesting,
But it doesn't get down to the realities of living.
Let's do that together, you and me, intent on one another.

Only Money can deter Conscious Indifference

2006-06-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

As far as I can remember, I've be an ardent opponent of tort reform. I think it hurts society in ways that doctors and big business will never let you know.

That said, it is hard to help people really understand why astronomially high jury verdicts are actually good for law and justice. I can understand that...it certainly isn't intuitive.

The State Bar of Texas, in its 2006 Short Story Competition, awarded John Walton Brookman first place for his submission, "Final Judgment." Some snippets are blow to give you a feel for the story. I highly recommend reading it in its entirety...it is only 6 pages.

Plaintiff's Counsel:
...I’d already finished recounting the testimony the jury’d heard during the
previous two weeks of trial about Lupita Chavolla’s last trip to the swimming pool. Lupita was five getting ready to turn six when she sat down in the wading pool at the Cross Arbors Swimming Association. The jury had listened to the testimony of the witnesses who had heard her shrieks as the drain on the pool trapped Lupita in place and her mother unsuccessfully attempted to lift her out of the water. They’d heard the engineers testify how the suction had increased exponentially and the doctors testify how this amount of force had disemboweled
Lupita, leaving her, her intestines and her mother thrashing around in a hellish miasma of chlorine, blood and tears....

Defense Counsel's Rebuttal:
“Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we all feel sorry for what happened here. Nobody has more sympathy for little Lupita than the fine people at Tranquil Pools. But we all assume risk when we enter the water. And certainly when we take our children to a swimming pool we have a duty to adequately supervise them.”

“Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that’s what it boils down to: Money. M-O-N-E-Y. They want you to award millions of dollars. Well, let me tell you something, no amount of money is going to bring Lupita Chavolla back. A stack of money as tall as this building won’t bring her back.”

Plaintiff's Powerful Rebuttal:
"...The Chavollas don’t want your sympathy. And they darn sure don’t want the sympathy of those fine people at Tranquil Pools, Incorporated.

“Let’s talk about those fine people of Tranquil Pools, Incorporated. Let’s
talk about this corporation that is informed of tragedy upon tragedy upon tragedy just like this one. This fine corporation that puts profits over the safety and wellbeing of the Lupita Chavollas of this world.”

“As far as the reason we are here today, well I think you know why. We are here to right a wrong. We are here to achieve justice so what happened to Lupita won’t happen to some other child. To ensure corporations won’t shred incriminating documents. We are here to punish a corporation that disregards the safety and well-being of the most defenseless members of our society: Our children.”

“But only money will deter this corporation’s conscious indifference to the welfare of our families in the future. Money is the only language this fine corporation comprehends. Based on their net worth, it’s obvious that it will take a pile of money as tall as this building to get their attention. Because, you see, partial justice is no justice at all. If you are as horrified at these facts as I know you must be, then let your voice be heard through your deliberate and reasoned verdict.

Praise You in this Storm

2006-06-24T11:38:00.000-05:00

What follows are the lyrics to Casting Crown's "Praise You in this Storm", a great song for people going through tough times. I did not put the lyrics in order...because this way it conveys the message better.

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen"
and it's still raining

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God
Who gives and takes away

Chorus:
I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

A Favor

2006-06-22T07:11:00.000-05:00

For the next several weeks, my professor will be out of town. I'm writing and compiling entries for his blog. If anyone who stops by here would go by a give my entries a hit, I'd be much obliged!

Romance

2006-06-13T12:02:00.000-05:00

Relationships are quirky things, especially romantic relationships. Probably the biggest problem in my relatively limited life experience is that romantic relationships die without, you guessed it, romance. That is to say, courtship must involve romance and that romance must continue into marriage. This has nothing to do with love. Love is based on more than feelings. But if you have two couples, each married 50 years, the happier couple will be the one that has kept romance alive. Both couples can love one another, but it is just different with romance.

I came across an article on askmen.com about romancing women. Some of the suggestions were rather tacky I though since the end result was sex. While I understand that can be a very strong driving force, men, let me tell you this: if you want to make love to your wife, make the end result of your gesture her happiness, and the rest will follow...I promise.

The best suggestions I saw were:
1. Scavenger hunt
2. Tell her she is beautiful unexpectedly (via email, a phone call, a written note)
3. Actually write her a note, leaving it in her purse, on her car, or some other place she will find it. (How sweet!)
4. Cook her favorite meal
5. Take her on an "offical" date (for couples together after a long time)
6. Buy her a random, token present...something small just to show you were thinking about her.
7. Dance with her (fantastic idea!)
8. Randomly buy her flowers

Synthetically Yours,

2006-06-12T20:44:00.000-05:00

Life is funny sometimes...often...almost always. We spend our lives being sold, at least here in the states and rapidly so in India and China. We are told how we need all these things that are foreign to our nature and our bodies. Plastic surgery is the most obvious example I can think of. Others would include steroids and diet pills and crazy anti-aging techniques (as if it isn't perfectly natural to age!)

Recently, I decided to start taking birth control. It is supposed to help with things like cramps, which I have struggled with forever, figuratively speaking. Well, to be quite blunt, these little synthetic hormones have wreaked absolute havoc on my body and soul. Heart flutters, anxiety attacks, nausea, mood swings, etc, have been the norm for me the past month and a half. And for what? What is the price I paid for being sold? We are always called to count the cost.

This brought to mind questions of reality. I discovered there is nothing in the world more real than a caring, merciful heart. I found that in my mother, who has spent hours talking me through my problems and finally convincing me that the birth control wasn't worth the price I was paying. That is real. Of course, parental love knows no limits. Even so, her gracious and loving spirit was a gift from Heaven when I most needed it; she has been there for me when no one else would or could be. I used to say, when I was young, that I sat in Heaven and picked her out to be my mom. There is absolute truth in that childhood statement.

Poetry in lyrics

2006-06-11T20:51:00.000-05:00

I love how metaphorical this part of Julie Roberts' "Break Down Here" is:

I'd sure hate to break down here
Nothin up ahead or in the rearview mirror

Out in the middle of nowhere knowin
I'm in trouble if these wheels stop rollin

So God help me keep me movin somehow
Dont let me start wishin I was with him now

I made it this far without cryin a single tear
And I'd sure hate to break down
Its too late to turn around
I'd sure hate to break down here

Mountain of God

2006-06-11T01:03:00.000-05:00

Mountain of God - Third Day

Even though the journey's long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who's gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I've been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road
That You have lead me down
You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me
I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found
That You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me

I confess from time to time
I lose my way
But You are always there
To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is I've come from
And the things I've left behind
But of all I've had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare
With what's in front of me
With what's in front of me

Welcome Home

2006-06-10T09:15:00.000-05:00

I love Brian Littrell (yes, of Backstreet Boys fame...lol). From everything I've seen, he is a committed father and husband and is serving the Lord through his music. His first single was "In Christ Alone". His latest song is fantastic, and I'm reproducing the lyrics below.

Welcome Home - May 2006.

When I left home to be who I am
Some people said "No Way"
But I laid it all down, gave everything
In my head rang the words that my father said

You're never far
I will be where you are
and when you come to me
I will open my arms

Welcome Home, you
I know you by name
How do you do?
I shine because of you today
So come and sit down
Tell me how you are
I know son, it's good just to see your face.

When I look at you holding my heart
I will give to you all that I have
Son I know there'll be times
You will feel all alone
I will share with you the words my father said

You're never far
I will be where you are
and when you come to me
You can bet I will open my arms

Welcome Home, you
I know you by name
How do you do?
I shine because of you today
So come and sit down
Tell me how you are
I know son, it's good just to see your face

Said I've been waiting for that day
Just to feel your warm embrace
Your love has shown
I will never be alone
You will welcome me home

I'll forever be
You will say to me
Welcome Home, you
I know you by name
How do you do?
I shine because of you today
So come and sit down
Tell me how you are
I know son, it's good just to see your face

When I left home to be who I am
Some people said "No Way"

Thoughts worth more thoughts

2006-06-07T19:51:00.000-05:00

For You

It’s hard to read a life in a moment,
Yet so many people try.
But judgment without revelation,
Is a blind substitute for truth.

So many people rant against conformity
And then live by it.
I’ve formed a strengthened character outside their box
Can’t you see it, or do you crave their world?

Death breeds perfection and idols,
Other losses, much the same.
I never claimed to tread the skies with the angels,
But I’ll give you the world inside my heart.

It’s hard to do the right thing,
When the thing that saved you before was wrong.
It is the fear of all that could be that makes us run,
Because we know exactly what we could loose.

So now I’ll face that pain I knew before,
But this time I’ll stay.
Not because I’m stronger or better in anyway,
But for you.

My goodness

2006-06-02T10:24:00.000-05:00

A quick blog from work....

You gotta love it when you open a file to investigate and you run into "Pleadings: Volume 1 of 5".

End the pain now...!!

Atlanta Road Trip

2006-05-22T23:56:00.000-05:00

Cassandra, Me, and Brandon

I'm being attakced!

I'm laughing my butt off at Cass

Amy and Dave, the cuties!

Penguins!

Big fat shark, Jaws 4

The Monster from Beneath!

Nemo at the Atlanta Aquarium

What are you looking at?

Fountain at the Horseshoe Casino, Shreveport LA

Atlanta Skyline

My Daddy's Homestate!

The Mighty Miss...

Now he works out!

Time Value

2006-04-27T09:34:00.000-05:00

A last word from my Tax Prof, the Great Hatfield,

"You only have a certain amount of time. And when it is over, you are dead. Don't try to be the best at everything. It really isn't that important."

Pastoral Advice

2006-04-26T08:58:00.000-05:00

In one of his daily emails, my pastor was discussing Acts 1:8. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

He goes on to say: Being a witness sharing Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spiritis the supreme service of every child of God. It is not only a mark of spiritual maturity, but it is also a means of developing that spiritual and Christian maturity. In Mark 1:17, Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." If you're following, you should be fishing!

He ended the email saying that if you are following Christ, then you should be fishing for men.

Apologizing in advance for the sarcasm, I must say...Dude, what do you think women have been doing for centuries?? Fishing! For men! I think it is about time we re-stocked the lake since I've taken the only good fish in there! ;)

Say what? Line 48 conspiracy

2006-04-25T09:37:00.000-05:00

The sticky-smiled politicians have another card up their sleves. You know all those tax cuts way back when in 2001? I suppose it was a great election bargaining chip at some point, but tax payers are starting to notice something called The Alternative Minimum Tax.

The Alternative Minimum Tax is an alternative to the income tax…and it is to ensure that every single tax payer pays something. No one who gets an ecnonoic benefit gets to skip out, not the super-rich, not the burger flippers.

Every tax payer is obligated by law to compute their income tax liability and their alternative tax liability and pay the greater of the two. Just see line 48 on the 1040 form! The AMT is covering more and more people because it is not indexed for inflation, and people are paying less and less in income tax because of tax cuts. The AMT was designed to account for the super-rich, but more and more people who aren't super-rich are paying this. By 2010, about 30 million tax payers will be paying this. Most married couples who make over 100k will pay this today.

You know, every single congressman who voted for the tax cuts knew about the AMT. The government has to be funded somehow, right? It would be nice if our elected representatives were a little more forthright about what they are actually doing! Then again, what kind of politician is upfront? None that I know of!

For more information on the Alternative Minimum Tax, click here.

Daddy, may I?

2006-04-24T11:18:00.000-05:00

So, the dean of Baylor Law School thought it would be a good idea to close off the library during finals for his son's prom date. Say what? You have to wonder how the son begged and whined.

Link Here

Easter Pics

2006-04-19T17:58:00.000-05:00

Brian the Drunkard...look at the size of that drink!

Brad and Crystal

Brandon and I, after church at Brian's place

After church at Brian's place

Me and B, on our way to church

My awesome friend Jen!

Doh! Weggie!

Eternal Games

2006-04-19T11:14:00.000-05:00

I love C.S. Lewis. His brilliant prose have inspired me in so many ways. There is an article called The Screwtape Emails that continues the dialogue from The Screwtape Letters. Here are a couple of paragraph that hit very close to home for me.

"You have a solid foundation to work with: Her concept of Father is completely whacked. With the various vermin known as motherÂs boyfriends, and the long absences between them, and then that odd relationship with her biological father, there is hardly a chance of her finding any comfort in that despicable metaphor of our Enemy as a loving Father."

"Why dont you hook up your subject with a nice intellectual, moral fellow? He'll give her all the attention she desires, and he'll agree with most of those dogmas she hears in class. Keep her focused on the goodness of his actions, and assist her in noticing the constant failure of Christians to live up to their own ideals. Soon you will have her believing that the old mores are unnecessarily restrictive, and she will do even those things she now thinks she'll never do. (What a glorious day that shall be!)"

"Well done! In record time, you have made your subject almost certainly ours! You talked her right out of that nonsense about her body being the temple of the Holy Ghost; you even led her away from thinking that her identity is more than her corpus. You numbed her mind with ambivalence until she experienced herself only as a center of physical pleasures and pains; after that it was a snap to lure her into her first sexual experience. She walked right into your net, her soul completely cut off from its origins."

"If she does start to show remorse, pile on the guilt to create secrecy, spin secrecy to create paranoia, and use the paranoia to cause her to interpret every smile as a sign that the Christians around her must be judging her, and the next thing you know, she will be avoiding church altogether and finding comfort in the company of people closer to Hell than herself."

Of course, as per my immediately previous post, God's forgiveness is boundless. Sin is a part of life for everyone; unfortunately, repentance isn't. Faith is of course the key. Perhaps the truest test of our heart's desire is how we respond when the Holy Spirit moves us to make a choice we would rather not make, i.e., ending the sin. This is the third time in my life I've had to make such a choice, but at least this time I have someone to make the choice with me.

Lessons from a sinner

2006-04-19T10:49:00.000-05:00

The bible is the best script for our lives. Life is tough; it is full of tough choices and tougher consequences. Who better to learn from than one of my favs, King David. A man after God's own heart, David screwed up a number of times. I ran across a short compilation of verses on the net (yes, surfing when I should be studying)

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever;

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him;

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

My President's Tax Return

2006-04-18T12:52:00.000-05:00

Here is President Bush's tax return, presented for public scrutiny.

My Points of Funniness:

1. His address lists a P.O. box, even though the instructions say not to do that. The P.O. Box is in a state where he has never lived. Is it any secret that he lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave? Also, he chose a state that has a sales tax. Hello, why not just pick good ol' TX?

2. He did NOT donate to the Presidential Election Campaign fund!

3. See line 8b. That is where the interest earned on tax-exempt bonds (such as GOVERNMENT bonds) would be listed and excluded from income. Notice this line is blank! Let me think...the president of the United States doesn't invest in government bonds. Does he know something we don't??

4. The President had $50,000 in capital losses. Wow. Who is his investor?? Though he only got to deduct $3,000, he at least gets to spread these losses over the next several years. Hopefully he will fire the current guy and use these to offset some future gains maybe?

5. See Schedule A, line 15b. That is the place where you could exempt donations to Katrina victims. The line is EMPTY! Hmmmmmm. He did give $75,000 to other charities.

6. President Bush didn't even sign his tax return. Neither did the first lady. At least he got to put "President" as his occupation. That would be cool!

Political Note: This entry was not intended to be partisan in any way. I'm a conservative independent. These were just some funnies from tax class in Texas.

A Big Congrats!

2006-04-17T13:46:00.000-05:00

I want to send out a HUGE congratulations to my very good friend Mrs. Amy Brown!! She got a job at the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) for the summer!!!

"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20)

What an honor to have such a smart lady as my friend!

My Lord, My God

2006-04-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

He Ain't The Leavin' Kind - Rascal Flatts

They tried their best to drag him out
of a courthouse down in montgomery
Now they want to kick him out of school
and take him off our money
They can take those words off of paper and stone
but he aint gone, no

He ain't the leavin' kind
He'd never walk away
Even from those who dont believe
and wanna leave him behind
He ain't the leavin' kind

She stayed mad at him for a lot of years
for taking her husband
Started losing her faith and thinking that
her life meant nothin
but when she looks at those kids
she raised all by herself
she knows she had some help
yeah she knows

He ain't the leavin' kind
He'd never walk away
Even from those who don't believe
and wanna leave him behind
He ain't the leavin' kind

No matter what you do
No matter where you go he's
always right there
With you

Even from those who don't believe
and wanna leave him behind
He ain't the leavin' kind

My Flowers.....

2006-04-03T18:14:00.000-05:00

Mis Floras....aren't they beautiful??

Shout Out

2006-03-28T07:57:00.000-06:00

So, apparently Katie Holmes, as goes the Scientology practice, is going to have to remain silent during the birth of her and Cruise's child. WHAT???? I repeat, WHAT????

"The couple — following the Scientology tradition of a silent birth — had the posters delivered to their Beverly Hills mansion. The 6ft placards will be placed so Katie can see them in labour. One reads: “Be silent and make all physical movements slow and understandable.” Story Here

From what little I can understand, this may have something to do with the idea of "impressions" scientologists believe we have on us. I guess they don't think it is such the good thing for a mom to be screamin' like a banshee when her baby boy/girl comes into the world.

All I can think to say now is, Absolutely Amazing.

Little Girls, Dreaming

2006-03-23T21:53:00.000-06:00

Sneaking peeks at Christmas presents. Watching Shirley Temple movies with my dad. Watching my mom apply her makeup before work. Writing made-up newspaper stories and poems. The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Sneaking outside to feel the grass beneath my feet. Asking Santa to tell Jesus happy birthday on his fly-by. Shoes that tap and skirts that twirl.

For the ladies, Faith Hill's "Fireflies".

Before you met me I was a fairy princess
I caught frogs and called them prince
And made myself a queen
And before you knew me I'd traveled 'round the world
And I slept in castles
And fell in love
Because I was taught to dream

I found mayonnaise bottles and poked holes on top
To capture Tinker Bell
And they were just fireflies to the untrained eye
But I could always tell

Cause I believe in fairy tales
And dreamer's dreams
Like bedsheet sails
And I believe in Peter Pan
And miracles, anything I can to get by
And fireflies

Now before I grew up I saw you on a cloud
And I could bless myself in your name
And pat you on your wings
And before I grew up I heard you whisper so loud
Well life is hard and so is love
Child, believe in all these things

Double Take

2006-03-22T19:35:00.000-06:00

All I have to say is, "Ummmmmmm...."

Thanks to the Pink Kitty Blog for the funny photo. Or as they called it, a "hat tip". Ha!

Hoping for Failure

2006-03-22T07:04:00.000-06:00

Anyone else hoping Walmart's newest store will fail?

I know exactly where this store is...and I say, Come on Dallas, Richardson, and Plano! Leave the expensive stuff to Saks, Bestbuy, Brooks Brothers, Baby Gap, etc!

I'm just so sick of Walmart. Ugh. (And in case you are wondering, no, I do not shop there any longer).

Error Issues

2006-03-22T06:54:00.000-06:00

If anyone actually reaches this blog over the next few days, here is the reason why it has been down.

Thoughts on Blogging

2006-03-19T14:40:00.000-06:00

The New York Daily News published an article on potential employers and the growing prevalence of Google as an interview tool. Likewise, blogs are coming up. As would be expect, what people thought may be private or only read by their friends is, of course, available to anyone to read...including those potential employers.

Well...I'm not really sure what to say. As a non-anonymous blogger myself, I'm sure it wouldn't be very difficult for a law office I was applying at to see my blog. Would I be judged based on what I've written here? Would it be favorable or not?

For fear that I would not be judged on my merits (I'm in the top of my class and a VERY hard worker), I'm actually thinking of taking my profile down to make this a bit more anonymous. If anyone who comes by here has any thoughts, please let me know via e-mail or comments.

Getting Serious about Getting Married

2006-03-18T12:29:00.000-06:00

I was going to write a review about Debbie Maken's Getting Serious about Getting Married, but a very good one has already been written - A Wistful Maiden's Ponderings: "Getting Serious about Getting Married" - book review

And here

Disagreeing with Maken (and see my comment): here

Am I ever delighted that this topic is hitting the blogosphere so quickly! Let's get the conversation started!

A Whole New World

2006-03-11T09:00:00.000-06:00

I will attempt to keep this post from turning into a tirade against the fashion world.

Anyone who knows me is aware that I rarely follow entertainment or fashion news. Quite frankly, I find I have better things to do than read gossip about people I don't know and worry about whether the color of my t-shirt or my pants length is "in". I was completely and blissfully unaware that shoes have a season. I really had no clue!

To my chagrine, entering the professional world means paying some attention to the fashion world. My goal will of course be to get classic pieces. Why do I want something sitting in my closet that I am not "allowed" to wear? This "what not to wear" idea goes to the large social schematic of our society. Raised on consumerism, we focus on false and empty materialistic ideas. Nonetheless, I will have to play the game to some extent; I can no longer be the fashion bench warmer I naturally am. However, I will maintain some integrity. I will not buy the latest trend just because. If it is classic enough to last and comfortable, then I will purchase it.

A note on judgment: you know, a person's worth is certainly not determined by the clothes they wear. I've found many people judge others depending on whether those people are fashion conscious. If we form any opinion of a person, let it be based on their spirit...their spirit for giving, their capacity for loyalty, their strong faith. My handbag doesn't tell you a darn thing about who I am...only that I needed a purse that was big enough for all my stuff, black to match everything, and priced so that I could afford it, while it would last.

Disclaimer

2006-03-03T11:36:00.000-06:00

The funny thing about blogs is this: people read them! Some 1L here at Tech posted a comment about clothing at Board of Barrister competitions. (For the uninitiated, Board of Barristers is a competition for the highly motivated...which I am not!). Well, keeping in line with what I'll call "1L madness" (referring to the fact that 1Ls keep mass emailing all the other students), some other 1L thought he should forward a link to all the other students.

Somewhat of a Disclaimer: While I take full responsibility for all posts I make, if anyone gets the bright idea to forward a link to the entire law school from my blog, please do me a favor...correct any typos you find! I really cannot spell to save my life.

Somewhat of another Disclaimer: If I ever offend anyone, please know it is completely unintentional. I use this small spot of e-space only in the hopes that my random thoughts may someday coalesce into something more worthwhile when taken as a whole.

Waiting On God

2006-02-23T11:37:00.000-06:00

"I don't mean just thinking. I mean thinking with a difference — trusting God to make things clear in His own time, thinking in a spirit of adoration, of dependency, of trust. That includes trust that He is, in fact, changing your mind."

"In Romans 12:2, Paul writes 'Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove' — that means 'discern' — 'that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.' Do you see what he's saying? He seems to think that the key to 'proving' or discerning the will of God isn't getting a certain kind of experience in the mind, but getting a certain kind of mind. Paul wants our minds to be 'renewed' through surrender to His will."

Not "God, my mind is all ready, so drop some thoughts into it..." "He made your mind to think, so don't let your mind just lie there — think. But think in His presence."

---From "The Lord Told Me (Part 1 of 2)", by J. Budziszewski, Boundless.org.

Tell it like it is...

2006-02-14T19:53:00.000-06:00

"The [Massachusetts] state pharmacy board ordered Wal-Mart on Tuesday to stock emergency contraception pills at its stores in Massachusetts.

"Massachusetts becomes second state to require the world's largest retailer to carry the morning-after pill.

A Wal-Mart spokesman said... "Clearly women's health is a high priority for Wal-Mart," spokesman Dan Fogleman said. "We are actively thinking through the issue."

My Personal Thoughts: Since when has the morning after pill or any of its successors had much to do with women's health? A woman is not diseased if she is pregnant, though many feminists seem to think so. I understand, though I do not agree with, the argument about abortions for women who are raped or who might die during the birth process. However, if a woman has been raped or is facing pregnancy complications, she should be in a hospital getting proper medical attention, not in Wal-Mart buying drugs. Therefore, the only woman likely, I would think, to be the intended consumer of such a product would be the woman who thinks she might have messed up with her birth control and just wants to make sure...

But then again, maybe this is a health issue...a mental health issue. Women need to stop seeing their bodies as objects to use for their own satisfaction. Women who feel entitled to have sex out of wedlock and who feel justified in using various contraception methods and abortion if necessary to maintain some plastic notion of freedom...these women are simply insane.

Set aside the notion that there is some form of freedom in wordly views. Women are not free when they can kill their babies and have sex with men who are neither in love with nor committed to them. Freedom can only be found when you stop following the dictates of a blind society and start following the truth that is written in your heart.

V-day Philosophy

2006-02-14T14:49:00.000-06:00

...speak of one who loved not wisely, but too well.

- Othello.

Lesson of The Day

2006-02-07T09:33:00.000-06:00

It is better to be a seal than a penguin.