I am thrilled that Obama has chosen Joe Biden to be his running mate. I was fortunate enough to see Senator Biden a few months ago at the College Convention in Manchester, NH. The Senator’s late night speech was rhetorically brilliant and immensely inspiring. We are extremely fortunate to have two such articulate men on the ticket, and I know that America will connect with Biden’s common touch.
Next Monday I officially start law school. Orientation has been both interesting and a drag, all in all, to be expected. Today we had a very insightful session organized by the career development office (CDO,) which will no doubt play a large role in my next three years here. A highlight of today’s presentation was a panel discussion by four Tulane Law alumna from various fields. The two most interesting panelists were Andrew deKlerk, an admiralty law specialist of South African origin, and Jim Letten, the United States Attorney for Eastern Louisiana. deKlerk made clear that for admiralty law, New Orleans was the best place to practice and that the Tulane name had the highest international cachet. Letten, who was instrumental in convicting the former Governor of Louisiana on corruption charges, reminded us of our new status as professionals and the effort we’d have to make to get ahead. Letten’s advice largely hinged on the fact that unlike 30 or so years ago, competition for good legal positions is much more intense, and that merely getting by is no longer enough. His talk was inspiring and helped re-kindle some passions that I’d lost sight of in this hectic time of transition.
And hectic it has been. I don’t think I have done as much socializing and mingling in the past two years as I’ve done in these last few days. For those of you who know me (wait, who the hell else is reading this anyway,) “chit-chat” is not my forte. I tend to jump right to a critical analysis of the situation at hand, which can be a bit off-putting. That said, I have come across some very interesting people, many of whom have traveled extensively and some of whom have had other careers before winding up here. While I’m still a little exasperated by the cliques that are starting to form, I have come to realize that it is just human nature and I am no great exception to any of it. What I do take from this, though, is that it will be healthy for me to maintain interests outside of law school (a sentiment echoed by many of today’s speakers.) I’m not sure what that will be yet seeing that I don’t really know non-law school people and I’m so focused on getting my bearings at school.
What I can say I’m psyched about is the fact that I have received my student ID which means that I can now access the gym. Working out has always been a way for me to focus and calm myself, and I’m sure that I’ll be able to establish a routine shortly.
But the fact remains that I am way out of my comfort zone and feeling a bit vulnerable. A sincere thanks to those who have reminded me that I am my own harshest critic, and what may make me feel weird is often what others find attractive. Wish me continued luck, especially with the ***tload of reading that is soon to be upon me.
I’ve been in New Orleans for roughly a week and it has been quite a time. First, the basics. I am living with two other first year students in a small house about a mile and a half from campus. I have my own room and bathroom, and the house has a front porch and backyard. As far as quality of accommodations are concerned, they are really great.
For the past few nights I’ve been more or less going out to various bars/houses and meeting my classmates. Though many of them are from the South, (TX is especially heavily represented,) I’ve met people from as far away as Africa. No doubt we know how to have a good time, judging in part by the amount of liquor consumed. Although this has been fun, I’m getting tired of not really having an academic task. My other concern is that since our class is so small, it will be like high school all over again. Indeed, a party being hosted by upperclassmen later this week explicitly references law school as akin to high school. So let’s talk about my version of high school.
For me high school was a confusing time; I was coming to grips with my sexuality, dealing with a difficult family situation and trying to figure out how in the world I fit in to it all. I don’t look back at HS in horror as do some; I was involved with many satisfying projects and had some good friends. But I was never quite home in high school. So when the high school references start flying, my hackles rise.
I am not a crazy, outgoing and loquacious guy, and no one has ever accused me of being “easy going.” I am often painfully serious, brutally sarcastic, a tad obsessive, and frankly, an introvert. I may be more White than Mingola. Now don’t get me wrong… a night in the Quarter or at a local dive could lead to temporary attitude adjustments. But at this stage in my life, I have become more comfortable with the fact that I will always be a bit apart, and that, perhaps, I seek to impose such a condition upon myself. This has worked pretty well for me, so long as I don’t take it too far, and I hope that it will continue to do so.
By constantly striving to be more open and better articulate my desires, I will no doubt come across kindred spirits, as I have before around the globe. Time, however, works in mysterious ways, and I have only recently realized that my control over such matters in minimal if not insignificant. Though this attitude may not land me a spot at the “cool table” (to continue the HS analogy,) I feel that it will serve me well. So if you are looking for something to drink to during these sad and bloody days, how about one for our own awakenings, even if our waking lives are but a dream.
I’m still alive – in fact, I’ve been feeling very alive these past few weeks, so excuse the lack of postings. A brief update: I have secured housing in New Orleans; I will be sharing a small house about a mile from campus with two other guys. The process was not easy but it seems to have worked out well. I have met a wonderful guy, someone with whom I can be myself. I got to see a bunch of my very good friends in a special place. Not all is well in the world, but Fortuna’s wheel (too often down,) is now up. Any suggestions?