Andyblair.com

I have to say I'm impressed with the diversity of the 1L class at GWU. I've met people from all over the US from all kinds of backgrounds.

People have taught English in China, lived in Europe, worked doing all sorts of different things, and have interests all over the map. The cultural differences are much greater than any other group I've been a part of and is really interesting to learn about everyone. Making some great friends already and am happy to be a part of such a group.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that we have a 16-yr old guy in my class. Yes, he seriously is 16. And he just turned 16 about a month ago.

Apparently he was home schooled and took the high school equivalency exam when he was 11. Went to community college in San Francisco for a couple years then transferred to Berkely at age 13. Graduated last spring and here he is.

Nice kid but you can tell he is 16. Has to be hard and a little lonely for him because he can't really relate to anyone else there and no one can really relate to him. Certainly can't go out and grab a beer and chill out with everyone else. I hope the best for him but I think it will be challenging for him trying to fit in as a 19-yr old lawyer. I know I've changed a ton since I was 19 and can't imagine doing what I'm doing now at age 16. I don't think I'd appreciate or even grasp everything that I should be. Pretty amazing though. Will be interesting to see how things go for him. 

Every once in a while one of those things that you never expect come up that just make you smile at the little twists life takes. Not all good, but luckily mine this week was.

I was in a student group meeting and an older student named Dustin said he'd gone to the University of South Dakota for his undergrad. I asked him where he was from afterward and told him I graduated from Aberdeen Central HS. Turns out he was from Belle Fourche in Southwest South Dakota, very close to where I was born in Southeastern Montana.

The coincidences don't stop there. His grandma still lives in Ekalaka (where we lived for my first 7 years), and actually worked at Grandpa Emerson's (mom's dad) pharmacy for 7 years or so. She remembered my family and that I had a brother and sister. Not to stop there, my mom taught either Dustin's father or uncle.

A super nice guy, he offered me some advice and said I could give him a shout any time if I needed anything. 

A final coincidence is that he's heading to Minneapolis next summer to take a job at a firm there, the lovely town I just left and plan to return to at some point.

It floored me that I ran into someone with connections to the couple-hundred person town we lived in when I was born. What are the odds?

It hasn't taken long to figure out which days will be the most challenging. With 4 Wednesday classes back-to-back-to-back-to-back, Tuesday night is shaping up to be the most challenging. Especially since the only class we have actual assignments - Legal Research and Writing - is also that day.

Thursday and Friday definitely calm down, which allows time to get ahead of the next week. The big problem with getting ahead is that by the time Monday rolls around I've forgotten the finer points of the cases I read 4-5 days earlier so I have to refresh anyway. So I'll either have to find a better way to brief and take notes or just plan out when I do what a little better.

Torts is probably my favorite class not only because the professor is outstanding, but that the cases are so interesting. For example, today we talked about a guy who tried to pick up a 16-yr old girl, was rejected, then got a threatening visit from the family at his trailer home later that night. He was suing them for assault (in tort law an assault is putting someone in the 'apprehension of an offensive or harmful bodily contact'). 

Hoping to take a little time off this weekend and watch college football (Go Gophers!), which should be doable with the three day weekend. Maybe will even get out and see a little more of DC.

Till next time...

ABout

So I haven't posted for a few days. There's a reason. It's called first year in law school. I knew it would be a lot of work, and boy - they don't give you a breather when you show up on campus.

Have done pretty much nothing but read, take notes, review, attend class, eat, and sleep over the last few days. I did get a chance to check out the fitness center today. Since the rest of the school is still on summer term until September 2nd, I can't check out a locker, and without a place to store my sweaty clothes (other than in my bookbag next to my expensive law books...) I think I'll hold off for a week or two before starting in earnest. I may begin biking to campus, but again without a place to take a shower when I get there it might be a poor decision for the poor souls who sit by me in class.

Classes have been great. I absolutely love the mental process of examining cases and finding the rules of law that apply used in class. Count me as a big fan of the Socratic Method. Part of that could be that all of my professors are engaging and seem to take no interest in humiliating you, which goes a long way toward making class pleasurable.

I did find a cozy little study spot too. Deep down in the lowest level of the library (the "stacks" as they call it) in a little study room tucked in the corner. It is really out of the way and quiet, and is not likely to be taken when I am looking for a place to study when the upper level students show up next week.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to update a little more frequently as I get accustomed to the schedule. I am looking forward to an interesting and challenging semester and will keep you as updated as I can.

ABout

When I emerged from the subway last night near our house, there was some sort of racket going on up the street. I figured it was some sort of local music event or street performers with percussionists a la Stomp banging miscellaneous objects. As I got closer I realized that it was in fact banging on miscellaneous objects, but it was definitely not music.

The entire block around the corner from our house was filled with people banging on pots, pans, garbage cans, light poles, and whatever else they could find that made noise. There were kids of all ages and plenty of adults. It looked like everyone on the street came out of their houses to join in the cacophony of bangin.

I couldn't resist asking one of the residents what it was for, and she pointed me at a car that was parked on the street. It was a red Dodge Stratus... or at least it was supposed to be red. It was about 80% covered with bird waste. Apparently that street was nearly impossible to park on because of the blanket level of bird crap that covered anything that dared stop for more than a moment. The residents were trying to drive the birds away as they went to sleep for the night. The plan was to cause a lot of noise around dusk for several nights in a row, convincing the birds that they would get no rest there and driving them to other places for the night. Hopefully they eventually stopped coming and the street would get back to normalcy.

The woman shrugged and mentioned that they would likely just flock somewhere else and cause the same problem to another block. But I suppose then it is no longer their problem.

This may have to be filed under 'Famous Last Words'...

I kept being told that DC in August is like living in a sauna that you can't leave. Which is why congress has a 'recess' the whole month. Recess is supposedly more like 'run for the hills' because it is such a miserable place to be.

Well, since I've been here it has been mid-80s with very manageable humidity. What's the big deal? My responses: "You'll see".