A Little Business Before the Court

Item 1: Blog Inactivity
Okay, we are a little behind and we know that, but please take comfort as there are postings on the way. Check next week as there should be several. We are waiting on some photos from another digital camera for one earlier posting. For some reason, I (This is Lake) have an over-developed need to maintain the chronological integrity in the blog. Sorry about that.

Item 2: Getting Tagged
So I am going to get nerdy about this. I am not doing a Tagged response for the following reasons:

1. Do you really think that I haven't embarrassed myself enough over the years as it is?
2. Sue me. Where else are you going to find an attorney to represent you? I have the only one practicing in the family and she can't help you because:
• She is probably on my side on this.
• Her Birthday is coming up and I get home to intercept the presents before she does. Blackmail baby!
• I promise you can't afford her hourly rate. We can't even afford her hourly rate.
  
• If that doesn't work and you still get her on your side, I will invoke a little thing called "Spousal Immunity." You can just imagine what that gets me out of.
  
3. There isn't really a threat involved that if I don't do it, three of my toes will fall off before the next blue moon or something. Hocus Pocus.
4. I can do this. (What does that have to do with anything? No, no. He does have a point.)
   
5. I am suspicious of pyramid schemes. Someone gets caught holding the Old Maid Card eventually (and that person is usually me).
6. I have never dressed up as one of the Spice Girls.
7. The Tagged rules are inconsistent. Deya's Tag says six facts, six people. Kristl's says seven. I am going to have to wait until a higher authority rules on this. If it is six, then Kristl's is invalid because it is not the official standard. If it is seven, the Deya's is not yet complete and thus the tags are not enforceable. If both are legit, does that mean that I have to thirteen? According to my Facebook page, I don't even KNOW thirteen people, so I can't comply. These rules are just too ambiguous for me to follow.
8. I have already wasted an inordinate amount of time and energy thinking of all this.
9. I will not buckle under peer pressure.
10. Isn't this "Cyber-Bullying?"
    

Item 3: Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

An Official Virginia Lawyer!

This week I was sworn in before the Virginia State Supreme Court and am now an official Virginia lawyer. Lake came with me to Richmond to attend the ceremony, which basically consisted of reading 1,000 names and a group response in the affirmative to the oath. It was great to see my fellow classmates from UVA and to finally be official!

Me and my friends at the ceremony

Me in front of the Virginia Supreme Court building

Attorney and Future Attorney after the ceremony

Next stop, I go to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals!

I Cleared the Bar!

I found out yesterday that I passed the Virginia State Bar! What a relief! You can check the official results on the internet at http://www.vbbe.state.va.us/results.html. Apparently, 1,502 people took the Virginia Bar and 1,081 passed. Thanks to everyone for all their encouragement and support!

If Law School Doesn't Work Out...

Well, another good thing happened to me today that I am excited about. The most prestigious thing a law student can do is make the Law Review, the highest journal in any school. Today, I made it!!!

...well, okay. I didn't make THAT law review. But I did make the GWU Law Revue: the annual comedy show that spoofs life at law school: students, professors, classes and topics, etc. It is a big hit with the Alumni in the area and is loved by almost everyone. I am excited because I have been saving up ideas for three years after seeing UVA's version called the Libel Show.


If law school doesn't work out, maybe Tina Fey could use a little extra help writing for 30 Rock (after all, she DID graduate from Wahoo-Wa like EB). Or I could always work for one of the many crime dramas like Law & Order: Traffic Court or CSI: Pocatello.

Congratulations Lake!

Over the weekend, Lake participated in a Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) competition. ADR is a negotiation process to get a settlement agreement in order to avoid litigating in court. The ADR competition is the only competition that first years can participate in during their first semester. Over 100 students participated in the competition and the top 10-15% are invited to join the ADR board.

As you can imagine Lake was an ADR powerhouse and was invited to join GWU's Alternative Dispute Resolution Board. Congratulations Lake!

Ode to the Dismal Scientist

So we have been meaning to post something as a reward for being the 1,000th official visitor to our blog. Our friend, Rich, apparently couldn't help but get the 999th AND the 1,000th, but despite the controversy, we aren't sure who 1,001 was so we have decided to officially grant the reward to him.

Here is a picture of Rich. Rich is a Dismal Scientist. I know this because that is what he named his Fantasy Football team. From context clues, I have concluded that he must be a Dismal Football Fantasy Scientist based on his team's first two weeks performance; his team is pretty dismal. Hopefully with his 1,000th visit, his luck will turn around.

All kidding aside, Rich is actually a dismal scientist (a/k/a- economist). It is called the dismal science for several reasons. One reason is that apparently, economists can only have one hand. This is evident as they frequently answer questions like this: " Well on one hand you have X; Or you can have the other hand which has Y." I wonder which hand Rich chose to give up (Maybe he gave up his mouse clicking hand- that might explain the his fantasy football performance).

Another thing about economists is that they like bow ties. Rich LOVES wearing bow ties (He likes them so much, he will only eat farfalle). This past Wednesday evening, I ran into another economist on the street after my night class. His name is Alan and he was wearing a bow tie (here is a picture). He was only a few feet away, but there was a crowd asking him to sign copies of his new book. I guess Alan chose to keep his good signature hand. If you are going to be a famous economist, that seems to be a wise choice. I sure hope Rich kept his signature hand...

I wanted to conclude this little ode to Rich, the Dismal Science and Bow Ties with a personal tribute of my own: I am now the proud owner of a bow tie (thanks to my father-in-law). I have always wanted to learn how to tie my own bow tie and he and I got a great deal on some Ralph Lauren ties in Park City this past August. Elysa, ever the doubting attorney (I am learning that doubt is a desirable trait an attorney should have), scoffed that I could never pull off a bow tie. I turned her around to the wedding pictures hanging on the wall behind her; I thought I pulled it off quite well. Then she claimed (this is called "pleading in the alternative") it was because I was wearing a tux. But after a few tries (and a poor set of instructions from wikipedia), here is the result. We decided that I could pull it off, but only if I was wearing my glasses (the contacts just didn't seem to work). What do you think? Can I pull off a bow tie like a dismal scientist?

Some Firsts for Us

Both Lake and I have had some recent firsts. Lake just started his first year of law school at George Washington University. I just finished my first week of my first real job as an associate at Baker Botts. Lake has handled the first few stress-packed weeks of law school like a champ. He has been very studious, which is why I have been managing our blog posts lately. If you have noticed a recent decline in blog content, you have your explanation.
I also just started my new job at the law firm. It has been great to be back at the firm and see old friends and meet new people. I have tried to hit the ground running and am involved in several projects. We are excited to be opening this new chapter in our lives!

Mom and Me Tour 2007: New York City

My mom and I escaped to New York City for a quick trip before I start work on Tuesday. We visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, attended two Broadway shows, went to the Statute of Liberty and Ellis Island, and ate at Tavern on the Green....all in 2 1/2 days!!

My mom and I at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in front of the Egyptian Temple of Dendur.

We saw Wicked our first night in New York. Wicked is a musical about the wicked witch of the west from "The Wizard of Oz". It is a fabulous musical and I would highly recommend this show; you will be singing the soundtrack for months to come afterwards! It was awesome to see the actual show after listening to the music for the past year. I loved wearing these hot red shoes to Wicked!

I am very proud of this picture I took of the Statute of Liberty from the base of the pedestal on Liberty Island. I have become a Statute of Liberty groupie; I now own a Statute of Liberty T-shirt, tote bag, key chain, and tasteful Christmas ornament.

My mom and I on the top of the pedestal of the Statute of Liberty with Manhattan's skyline in the background. We are sporting coordinating Statute of Liberty T-shirts and tote bags. If you can believe it, people kept asking us if we were from New York while wearing this tourist garb!

Me at Ellis Island. I loved Ellis Island. It was so fascinating to learn about all the immigrants that came to the United States through Ellis Island. I would highly recommend visiting this historic site.

We couldn't resist seeing Legally Blond the Musical on Broadway. It was such an entertaining musical with fun music and dancing. It was different enough from the movie so that there are some surprises. If you liked the movie, you will love Legally Blond the musical!

Tavern on the Green is a historical and famous restaurant in Central Park. We had lunch in the Crystal Room of the Tavern. There was a beautiful ambiance, wonderful food, and great company. I had a fabulous, memorable trip with my mom and I hope that there will be many more to come!

Great Falls National Park

Lake and I took a few hours to enjoy the outdoors and went to Great Falls National Park. "At Great Falls, the Potomac River builds up speed and force as it falls over a series of steep, jagged rocks and flows through the narrow Mather Gorge." National Park Service. Great Falls National Park. www.nps.gov/grfa/. Great Falls Park is a 800 acre park only fifteen miles from Washington, D.C. Visiting Great Falls was a nice opportunity to stretch the legs, breath fresh air, and enjoy some spectacular views without having to travel far from the city.

Our Newest Friend in Northern Virginia

Our first new friend in Northern Virginia is Olivia who is the daughter of our good friends, Chris and Amber. These pictures were taken when she was 1 week old. We figure a sure-fire way for us to make new friends is for our current friends to keep having babies! We also find that having a picture of baby on our blog increases readership and comments. Thank you Olivia for being our new friend and the subject of our eye-catching blog entry!

The Big Move

Lake and I recently undertook a move from Charlottesville to Northern Virginia. We got back from Roanoke at 8:00 p.m. the night I finished the bar and a mover came to pack us up at 10:00 a.m. the next morining. One mover packed our entire aparment in six hours by himself while we watched in amazement.

The next morning, movers arrived ahead of schedule to load up our stuff, but unfortunately, we were still in bed when they called to let us know they were on our street! Needless to say, it was a hectic morning with our stuff being loaded, and Lake and I scrambling to get the apartment clean for move-out (still in the dirty clothes from the day before, mind you!) The movers loaded up the entire apartment in 1 hour and beat us up to DC in the moving truck.

Now we live in the cardboard jungle/castle depending on your perspective. We are still trying to get all the boxes unpacked and get situated in our new place. I always forget how much work moving is, which is probably a good thing, or I would be rooted permanentley in our one bedroom condo! If you are ever in DC, please let us know, we love to keep up with our readership!

A Big Post-Bar THANK YOU!

We survived the Virgina Bar! As for passing, we will not find out for a couple of months, but it is a big relief to be done!

I want to thank all our family and friends who were so supportive and wonderful during the grueling and intensive experience known infamously and ominously as "The Bar." I had several emails, phone calls, and visits that helped me to get through it all and it was wonderful to have such an outpouring of love and support. I particularly want to thank Lake who was my biggest fan and an awesome coach throughout the months of bar study and especially in Roanoke!

Adventures in Deya-sitting: Part I

So while Elysa is busy preparing for the bar, my sister, Deya, flew up to Washington, DC for a whirl-wind weekend visit. It worked out nicely because Deya's husband, Chris, is off in Nevada working for the Golf Channel this weekend. So we figured it would be pretty cool to hang out as brother and sister because, hey, when might we ever have this opportunity again (like Law School is ever going to let me)?

After getting in Friday night and setting up camp at the new apartment, I realized that I had forgotten Deya wouldn't be bringing a hairdryer. 45 minutes later, I finally got the air mattress inflated. I am happy to report the only hyper-ventilating that occurred was Deya panicking that I would hyper-ventilate.

Also, since we haven't moved up there yet, we found ourselves "Camping in the City," at least according to Deya. With one futon, one air mattress, three pillows and some bottled water, we set up camp in out otherwise unfurnished apartment.

Adventures in Deya-sitting: Part II

Saturday morning, after a trip to Panera for breakfast, we got started with a tour of the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world. It is amazing to think that one of the ancient wonders of the world, the Library at Alexandria, has been reincarnated and now sits in America (and happens to sit across the Potomac from an Alexandria). There is a public tour that lasts about 45 minutes that takes place in the Jefferson building, oldest of the three buildings (each are a city block in size). The architecture and decoration is as ornate as any building in the states; truly it is a temple of knowledge, guarded, in fact by numerous statues and paintings of Minerva.


Also on display are some portions of the largest "rare book" collection, among which we saw was a Gutenberg Bible, "America's Birth Certificate" (the oldest known map, 1507, to recognize and record the American Continents as separate from East Asia, writings of John Smith (of Jamestown/Pocahantes infamy), and portions of Thomas Jefferson private collection. Mr. Jefferson (as he is know in Charlottesville- a.k.a. Mr. Jefferson's town) sold his personal library to the governement after the British burning the Capitol building during the War of 1812, which housed the Library back then. It didn't hurt that Mr. Jefferson was also deeply in debt at the time (actually, all of the time).



Sorry to delve into the nuances of Founding Fathers politics and history, but if you will indulge for one more quick aside (on this topic at least). One of those books from Thomas Jefferson collection was "A Treatise of a Defense of the Consitution of the United States" by John Adams, politcal foe. Adams wrote the book while in London as the US's first ambassador to Britian as a way to promote the strength of the US's political future among the English. He wrote the whole book, having only read a copy of the US Constitution absent heated debate that took place in Philadelphia and newspapers in America. Jefferson, at that time, was also living in Europe serving as US Ambassador to France. It is interesting to think that John Adams personally sent that copy (possibly, this is my surmising) to Thomas Jefferson across the Atlantic, two brillant jugernaughts debating the merits of a new form of governance. It would be that document, the US Constitution that drove two political allies in the Revolution to become bitter rivals during the Presidency of George Washington. Maybe this book was the first wedge in that friendship. Personally, that book was pretty cool!

Adventures in Deya-sitting: Part III

After leaving the Library of Congress, we headed north, passing the Capitol and Supreme Court, stopping long enough to snap a few pictures. One series in particular was Deya's request. She wanted to me to show documentation that she was perfectly healthy climbing all over DC. You may judge for yourself.





We continued North to Union Station, grabbing a bite of lunch before jumping back on the Metro to head to Arlington Cemetery. Arlington Cemetery occupies 300+ acres across the Potomac from the Lincoln Memorial. Originally the home and property of General Robert E. Lee, the site is now the resting place for over 300,000 individuals who have served in the US Military. It is a sacred monument to so many who have and continue to serve the citizens of the United States. I highly recommend taking the opportunity to pay your personal respects to generations of Americans who fought for your freedom. A very powerful and hallowed place.
After Arlington Cemertery, it was after five and we decided to head back to camp to rest. After an hour of rest, we ventured out on foot, walking to a local dinning favorite, El Pollo Rico. Continuing towards Clarendon (a shopping district) we poked around The Container Store before grabbing some dessert at The Cheesecake Factory. Can you guess what we may have eaten?

Adventures in Deya-sitting: Part IV

Sunday found us eating breakfast at Cosi and jumping on the Metro to head back into DC. First stop: Foggy Bottom- GWU. Deya decided she wanted to see where I would be going to Law School. After trying a few locked doors, we found an open one and walked through the law school, looking in the library, various study rooms and classrooms, the commons area and the open air quad. We decided that I would need to take a picture in front of the library and that I might as well do it when there was no one around.

After the law school, we went in search of another special request of Deya's: she wanted to see the GW Hippopotamus. I will let you explore the following link to learn why we have a bronze hippo on campus, but here is Deya with the hippo.


We jumped back on the Metro and continued on to Metro Center, our second stop. Deya wanted to see where Elysa would be working, so we stopped by the BakerBotts office. On the way we, discovered that the city had branded Deya as one of its own. We figure that Deya has successfully survived and passed "Camping in the City." Note the skid marks!

Adventures in Deya-sitting: Part V

Another short trip on the Metro took us to the Smithsonian stop, where we went to the Holocaust Museum. The Holocaust museum is quite a powerful witness to the atrocities hate and bigotry can cause. Upon entering the beginning of the exhibit, you read the following statement from Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower: The things I saw beggar description. I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in a position to give firsthand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to propaganda. I was surprised at the foresight Eisenhower had to recognize that the Holocaust would ever be denied. New additions included an exhibit at the end dedicated to the current circumstances in Darfur, Sudan.

After the museum, we were hungry and our time was winding down, so we headed back to the apartment for some grub and rest. By the time we refueled and rested, it was time to pack up (what little we had). We stopped by Chris and Amber's place for a short visit as Deya and Amber hadn't seen each other since Chris and Amber's wedding.

Unfortunately, our weekend ended as quickly as it began. But we (at least I did) had a good time. Who knows if we will ever have the chance again to just pal around, but it was sure good to hang out with my sister again!

Going, going... Gone! Part II

Today was my last day at SNL Financial. After almost three years, I am saying goodbye with mixed emotions: Sad to leave so many wonderful but excited for the next chapter in my life!


Truly the best part of the company is the people. I have met some truly amazing individuals there. A few bizarre ones too, but there is something to be said about working at a company in Central Virginia.

To everyone I know at SNL: Thank you for three great years!

Going, going... GONE!

It is gone. We are little sad, but wish the Focus a great home in Michigan (where we think it will end up).

We posted the car at 8:00 AM last Saturday on Craig's List. In 24 hours, we had 6 separate inquires. The first people to see, bought it; we closed this afternoon!

Car For Sale!!!

We are selling our trusty Ford Focus. It has been a great car and I am actually sad to see it go (mostly because it has been paid off for a while now). In our migration to NOVA (Northern Virginia), we can't bring two cars. We just won't need two and the cost of having the second one is ridiculously expensive.

So tell your family and friends that there is a healthy Ford Focus looking to be placed in a good home (provided, of course, they pay for it too!). Here is the email link for the craigslist posting that you can email around.

http://charlottesville.craigslist.org/car/368414586.html

Go See Ratatouille!!!

We just saw it and loved it! Simple movie. Simple plot. Simple characters. Pleasant soundtrack. A-MAZ-ING graphics*! Flawless and brilliant execution! Director Brad Bird proves that less is more. You will like it and so will the kids.

(This is a picture of Lake doing the dishes)

Word to the wise though: make sure that whatever you eat before the show was good and either home cooked or a decently prepared meal. Elysa and I were on the run before the show and snagged a quick meal from the Wendy's Super Value 99¢ menu. We felt guilty after watching a movie dedicated to reminding the masses that cooking is, and ought, to be an art. Now I am begging Elysa to cook me something because she is an AMAZING chef!

And yes, for those of you who had your doubts about Elysa's domestic capabilities, I dare you to try her Linguine Bolognese or her Pulled Pork Tacos. The new recipe that she just whipped up for the first time the other day was her Orange Peel Beef Stir Fry. Mmmmm... hearty chunks of steak in red bell peppers, fresh broccoli and onion in this light orange glaze on fluffy white rice. The presentation only pales in comparison to the taste... oh so yummy!

*The animation was beyond real. Notice the fur on the animals, especially when it was wet, the reflections off glossy surfaces and the sheen of a leather coat. It won't be long before Pixar starts really toying around with decent humans that aren't ghost-like. It maybe within my lifetime that actors are pushed back onto the stage. Video may have killed the Radio Star, but computer animation has definitely set it's sight on the Video Star and just might win.

Tombstones: Laying the Final Vestiges of My Adolescence to Rest

In preparation for Law School, last night I finally kicked one of my childhood vices goodbye: computer games. Most went to the goodwill; one went to a good friend. In facing the intensity of upcoming law school, I didn't need to have an easily accessible distraction. And in all honesty, in the past year or so, I realized I just don't come away better for having spent time with them... and that took the fun out of it.

So I have my model railroad layout, fly fishing, my guitar and now, due to mostly Elysa, golf. I think once she realizes how expensive golf will be for the two of us, she'll wonder (quietly to herself, of course) if the computer games weren't more cost effective!

So, in summary, here lies the final vestiges of my adolescence, to rest in peace (until we have children, of course and then out come the Legos, Transformers and MicroMachines again!).

Sim City 4

Sim City was a classic. It was one of the first computer games I owned. It is now in it's fourth version, which allowed you to become City Planner, Mayor and City Treasurer. I think I owned 3 of the 4 versions through the years. Unlike most youth, however, I could never bring myself to unleash the tornado or the earthquake or the UFOs to reign destruction on my city. How could I let the computer destroy all of my hard work and ruin the lives of my millions of sim citizens?!?

Civilization IV
Civilization was the ultimate Chess game where you were the ruler of an entire civilization trying to rise above the fray for world domination. As the game progressed, you discovered new technologies in science and had to scramble for natural resources that could make or brake your civilization. You could win through war (which turned out to be difficult because you had to deal with rebellions in your conquered cities and war opposition at home), technological superiority, diplomacy and, finally, cultural domination (by a combination of having a massive trade export surplus, the happiness and health of your people, religious influence, and the accumulating contributions your society had made to the world). Each nation had difference strengths and weaknesses which made it all the more challenging.

Rise of Nations

This game was similar to Civilizations, except that instead of a chess-board like play, this was done "real-time." It was fun to watch the little units clash and fight in the style/age they were centered in. For example, the redcoats during he 1700s would march in a line and then fire, while Native Americans of the same period would use more guerrilla warfare tactics. Overall, you were basically the Generalissimo of a people and you had to use various combat tactics to defeat your opponents army.

Railroad Tycoon 3

This was the best of two worlds for me: Business and Trains! You got to be the money grubbing Railroad baron that drove competitors out of business with dirty-handed tactics like hostile takeovers and proxy wars while building a railroading empire that would span the continent.