Minor update...

I know you are probably wondering what's new. Well... not much. Last week on Tuesday night I got my edited copy of the article that's going to be published in the Law Review. It took me several hours, I'd guess about 20, to go through everything. Some of the 2Ls had added text here and there, and sometimes I liked it, and sometimes I didn't and changed it, and sometimes I just took it back out. I also added some text and about 10 footnotes to bring the text up to date with developments that have occurred within the last 9 months. I finished the updates over the weekend.

In other news, when I signed up to take the bar exam I said I wanted to type the essay portion on a laptop. They do that at the testing center in town. WRONG. In the February bar they only do it in Austin! So when I go take the bar exam in February I'll be taking it in Austin. I already reserved a cheap hotel close to the testing area. It's just as well... a number of people tell me they rent a hotel even when they take it in town because they can get away from the daily madness.

Cheerleaders, a Blind Cashier, and a Temper

OK, I'm behind in making an update and an anonymous commentor called me on it. I had a few experiences today that are probably blogworthy, so here you go. An update:

First one: I park about two blocks from the federal courthouse at the Hobby Center. For any readers who don't know, it's a performing arts center at the edge of downtown. Usually I arrive around 7:00 am, but today I was running late because of traffic(8:30-ish). As I drove around to the parking garage I saw lots of people gathered around the front of the Hobby Center... I have no idea what they were there for but I think they were high school kids. After I parked and walked around, I was confronted by a line of cheerleaders who greeted me with shaking pompoms and cheers. Now I can't be sure, but probably they thought I was someone else. I didn't mind. I rather liked having a peanut gallery. It made me think of those commercials--I can't remember exactly--where people buy a diet coke and people cheer for them. So I smiled and waved, and walked on. I heard someone say, "Oops, that's twice." Oh well. Once I hit the big time I'll hire some cheerleaders to greet me every morning when I go to work.

Second one: The Federal building has a cafeteria. I usually see the same woman at the cash register every time I go in there. Today it was a man. He didn't make eye contact with me, which I barely noticed. I sat my milk on the counter in front of him and started fishing in my pocket for money.
     "Whadd'ya got there?" he asked.
     "Oh, just some milk," I answered absentmindedly.
     "Bottle or carton?"
     Now that confused me. "It's 16 ounces..."
     "OK, a bottle. That's $1.50."
I frowned. I looked closely. HE WAS BLIND. The guy working the cash register was blind. I handed him a $10 and said, "Here's a ten." (No, I didn't lie!) He took it and counted out my change from the drawer. I was incredulous. Then he took my $10 and held it up to his face, then put it in the drawer. OK, so he wasn't totally blind. Still!

Third one: in Family Law we were talking about men who contest the paternity of children. Some courts make men the legal father even when they aren't proven to be the biological father, citing the best interest of the child. One student asked how it was in the best interests of the child to force him upon a father who didn't even think he was his. The professor answered, "Um..." and I just blurted out--rather forcefully--that the interst was purely pecuniary, and it was all about the mother getting her child support! People looked at me like they were shocked, like I'd lost my temper. Maybe I did a little. Someone later told me I got red in the face as I spoke. I'm not sure what brought that on. Probably because we had just discussed a case where a man sued a women for lying to him about his paternity under a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress, and the court said he had no claim because her conduct wasn't extreme and outrageous! Can you believe that? I do get angry when I hear about women who lie to a man about his paternity, take him for his money, and then the court makes him continue to pay it even after her fraud is exposed. No it's not the kid's fault. But it's not the man's fault either. I feel a rant coming on, but I'll stop here. :-P

Now We Serving Sushi Bar

I found this sign posted at a Chinese restaurant. Once you've been an English teacher, no matter how many years in the past, things like this make you look for a red pen.

Actually, though, kudos to whomever wrote it. English is tough. Check out this site and imagine you were trying to explain this to a non-native English speaker.

Christmas in August?

At the office building where I've been contract training this week, they put this thing up on August 30. Technically it's not a Christmas tree, it's a breast cancer tree--I guess. It's decorated with pink ribbons. Still. It's too early!