Out West for the Summer

This is working out nicely: remembering to blog every half-year and then giving a fairly succint summary of thoughts on such chunk of time. I didn't even think my blog mattered any more, but then three fairly important individuals within a month or so told me that they had looked at my blog: my wife, one of my good friends, and a potential employer.

Picking up from last December, at Christmastime, Amanda and I went to Natchitoches, Louisiana for an overnight stay at a bed 'n breakfast. We saw the famed "City of Lights" in all its beauty, took a horsedrawn carriage ride, experienced the forced pleasure of dining at breakfast with couples twice our age, learned about Steel Magnolias, visited forts and other historic sites, and saw a real ole' fashion' gen'ral store. Meanwhile I had the pleasure of editing a professor's Torts nutshell, and before I knew it, the Spring Semester started.

Law school was busy, busy in the Spring, for me. I thought that taking 14 hours, as opposed to 15, would make things a bit easier, but with 5 exams, no matter. I was able to clerk with a great law firm around 20 or so hours per week, as well as performing research work for a renowned Louisiana professor. I continued and finished editing my own legal article, which is scheduled to be published in about a year. Additionally, I accepted a position on the Louisiana Law Review Board of Editors for Volume 71. My classes were really interesting. Bankruptcy taught me that there is this magical kingdom created by the filing of the petition / order for relief. There is a magical shield of protection from creditors [The Automatic Stay], time travel in the form of reachback period to recover fraudulent conveyances made by the debtor [Avoidance Powers], and superhuman abilities to either assume or reject certain conventional obligations [Executory Contracts]. In Insurance, we learned about UM coverage, automobile liability insurance, etc. But what I best remember are a few learned cases: the Louisiana Supreme Court making statements like, "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn"; an accidental death indemnity provision being interpreted in a case where the insured exclaimed that the town wasn't big enough for the "two of us" and one of them was "going to have to die"; and looking at the ancient roots of the "insurable interest" requirement of property insurance, prior to which Chinese merchants got insurance on other folks' boats--a sort of primitive gambling. I have no words of sarcasm for Commercial Paper--it was genuinely fascinating to learn how our banking system works, but also inherently dry, which is why there are no humorous words to describe it. Legal Ethics taught me to do the right thing, and Jurisprudence taught me that we should all give up hope in defining what the "law" is because no one will ever know. I really did enjoy classes, though. Grades weren't half bad, either.

"First year they scare you to death. Second year they work you to death." Aside from the "death" aspect, this has been true so far. In the Law School Almanac, we read further, "...Third year they bore you to death." Ahhhh. Savory, sweet boredom, I mind you not. Come to me like a summer's day--oh successions and donations, you darling thing. Who knows, now maybe I'll even become a normal homo sapien and exercise my body more than once per month!

Speaking of which, I'm happy with myself, for now. I've been exercising almost every day for the past two weeks. Amanda and I are staying in Houston with her parents for the summer, while I have the blessing of clerking for two prestigious firms. And I get to grade the law review hopefuls' papers starting next week. I've always wanted to know what it's like to be a teacher and grade papers at night ... [?] ... . But when I'm done with that, on weekends, the Missus and I are definitely going to have to see us some Texas. Some Austin [music and huge urban bat population that lives under some bridge], San Antonio [Custer's last stand ... or Davy's Crockett's ... I honestly cannot remember for the life of me who fought at the Alamo], and New Braunfels [or at least the Schlitterbahn part of it].

This calendar year has had a couple firsts, for me. I lost my first grandparent. My dear Grandpa Tippin crossed the waters into the Celestial City just this March. My tears, mingled with comfort and some bitterness, were not for him, but only for the living who miss him so. My uncle performed a gentle version of "I Will Rise" at his memorial service, and hearing the song on the radio even now makes me thing of Grandpa.

I've always been a healthy kid growing up and thought that weird physical ailments were for Other People. But a tension headache and the discovery that my jaw is literally crooked has made me realize otherwise. Oh well. There's always health insurance. Wait...

Moving on, I literally, moved on. I drove my first U-haul truck, putting all our stuff in storage for the summer. And had my first sushimi, or sashimi, or whatever it's called, last night. Might never do that again; I'll stick with rolls.

Remember Saint Augustine? Don't. Remember Jesus, instead. But Aug had some things to say that point me to Jesus, that I love, including something along the lines of: our hearts have been made for God by God, and these hearts are restless until they find rest in Him. And that sums up my stage in the Spiritual Journey right now: desperate and clinging--but hopeful--but restless for More, and All. The time is short.

Amanda and I are both a bit restless, perhaps. That darling had a hard year. I will stand toe-to-toe with anyone who says that she is anything other that she is One Strong Woman. She taught a bunch of rowdy little...angels for a whole year and survived. She'll tell you that teaching in the public school system is the hardest thing she has ever done. I'm ready to get out of law school and start making respectable money so that she can do something else. Not that she doesn't love kids and teachers are admirable figures, but as her husband I say another year, or less, of this is more than enough for her lifetime.

Houston is nice, I guess. 45 minute commute to work; could be worse. I've never heard a meaner hiss come from a domestic animal as I've heard come from my mom and dad -in-law's cat, whenever Amanda and I's kitty walks by. Wait, I'm starting to sound negative, when I don't intend to. Actually, I love Amanda's parents and I am humbled that they would host us for the summer, and am eager to spend as much time with them as I can. Dad even said we would go running together tonight, which of course is exciting because I already accepted the fact he's going to give me a butt-whoopin' in this Heat.

Somebody pass me a 10-gallon head ornament and plate of barbeque!