Diane,
I got up early this morning to get some reading done for my classes. Went over to the cafeteria to get something for breakfast and the guy at the register noticed my University of Manitoba T-shirt. He started talking about how he was from Indiana and how he loved being up north this time of year. It really made me homesick.
I haven't really missed home much this year, but something just clicked in me. I miss the change of the seasons. I miss my friends and family that I barely ever get to talk to anymore. I miss the political discussions with my dad. I even miss my putrid Blue Bombers.
I guess these things come and go. I feel blessed to be pursuing my dream of being a lawyer and Tulsa is my type of town. I have great friends who are very supportive, but it doesn't replace what I've got back home.
I'll be coming home over American Thanksgiving, but that's still 7 weeks away. I guess I'll just have to keep busy and not think about anything but what's directly in front of me. I'll see you in a couple of months.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sports news
Mrs. C,
This just in...The Bombers still suck.
So I turn my attention south. Vikings and Jets are both 2-0, which makes me happy.
University of Tulsa introduced their new vision of our mascot, complete with a superhero backstory.
http://deadspin.com/5364520/tulsas-proactive-mascot-teaches-you-about-electricity-i-think
It's tough to come up with a mascot for a team called "The Golden Hurricane", but Captain Cane doesn't really strike fear in the hearts of many. Maybe it's an attempt to direct attention away from our nickname being as close to a sexual position as you're going to find on the football field. I still choose to look on the bright side and thank God we're not the Crimson Tide.
The BIG news is that Tulsa was awarded regional games in the 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament! It is the most exciting sporting event in the world and the first 2 rounds are usually the games that see the most upsets (AKA the most fun). Couple that with the fact that Oklahoma City is hosting the first 2 rounds this year and it looks like a good time to be a college basketball fan in Oklahoma.
I just checked the official line...We're not talking about it; it's a non-issue; We're handling it internally...and the Bombers still suck.
This just in...The Bombers still suck.
So I turn my attention south. Vikings and Jets are both 2-0, which makes me happy.
University of Tulsa introduced their new vision of our mascot, complete with a superhero backstory.
http://deadspin.com/5364520/tulsas-proactive-mascot-teaches-you-about-electricity-i-think
It's tough to come up with a mascot for a team called "The Golden Hurricane", but Captain Cane doesn't really strike fear in the hearts of many. Maybe it's an attempt to direct attention away from our nickname being as close to a sexual position as you're going to find on the football field. I still choose to look on the bright side and thank God we're not the Crimson Tide.
The BIG news is that Tulsa was awarded regional games in the 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament! It is the most exciting sporting event in the world and the first 2 rounds are usually the games that see the most upsets (AKA the most fun). Couple that with the fact that Oklahoma City is hosting the first 2 rounds this year and it looks like a good time to be a college basketball fan in Oklahoma.
I just checked the official line...We're not talking about it; it's a non-issue; We're handling it internally...and the Bombers still suck.
Changes...
Diane,
This past week has been a little interesting. A friend of mine broke up with his girlfriend of almost 3 years on Monday. By Wednesday, she had left the apartment they shared and was on her way back to Chicago. We all hated her, but it still reminded me of what I gave up. There was part of me that wanted to tell him to reconsider before she was gone because once she is, it's over and she's not coming back.
Watched One Tree Hill tonight. A couple of twists I didn't expect came up and my first reaction was to pick up the phone and call her. It's what I've done in the past and it's what I wanted to do tonight. It takes everything not to call her. I still love her, but I'm trying my best to forget her. I don't check her facebook or livejournal anymore to try not to think about her, but it's still tough. I still consider her my family. Turning my back on her when she needed me the most is something I will regret for the rest of my life, but it's something I have to live with.
But time for me to stop whining and get back to the books. Evidence is calling my name.
This past week has been a little interesting. A friend of mine broke up with his girlfriend of almost 3 years on Monday. By Wednesday, she had left the apartment they shared and was on her way back to Chicago. We all hated her, but it still reminded me of what I gave up. There was part of me that wanted to tell him to reconsider before she was gone because once she is, it's over and she's not coming back.
Watched One Tree Hill tonight. A couple of twists I didn't expect came up and my first reaction was to pick up the phone and call her. It's what I've done in the past and it's what I wanted to do tonight. It takes everything not to call her. I still love her, but I'm trying my best to forget her. I don't check her facebook or livejournal anymore to try not to think about her, but it's still tough. I still consider her my family. Turning my back on her when she needed me the most is something I will regret for the rest of my life, but it's something I have to live with.
But time for me to stop whining and get back to the books. Evidence is calling my name.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Political Posturing
Diane,
As you know, I'm interested in the Manitoba political scene. No secret there. I was reading the Free Press this morning and this jumped out at me.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Ashton-team-suggests-first-ballot-win-59226762.html
Steve Ashton is holding a press conference to discuss his brisk membership sales in the NDP leadership race. Apparently, he has so many that it's possible that he'll win on the first ballot. I had him pegged as the winner, but this news actually has me wondering.
This seems like a classic bluff; puff out your chest, act like a winner, and hope that you draw the bandwagon jumpers in. It's a strategy that worked in the past, but it often backfires. I remember the rumoured 5,000 membership books that one candidate had supposedly taken out during the PC Leadership. When the votes were counted, there definitely wasn't 50,000 people voting for him.
What I like about the announcement is the way politics are changing in the province. Gary Doer has long steered this province by setting a low bar and coming through with what he promised. It's worked wonders politically, as we've trotted out promise after promise that seemed unrealistic to the voters.
If I'm right and Steve Ashton is going to become the next Premier of Manitoba, then this bravado is a good sign for all those drinking the haterade. The NDP moves left, reverts to campaigning on vision, and Manitoba's moderate population has to reconsider where they park their votes. Interesting days ahead.
As you know, I'm interested in the Manitoba political scene. No secret there. I was reading the Free Press this morning and this jumped out at me.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Ashton-team-suggests-first-ballot-win-59226762.html
Steve Ashton is holding a press conference to discuss his brisk membership sales in the NDP leadership race. Apparently, he has so many that it's possible that he'll win on the first ballot. I had him pegged as the winner, but this news actually has me wondering.
This seems like a classic bluff; puff out your chest, act like a winner, and hope that you draw the bandwagon jumpers in. It's a strategy that worked in the past, but it often backfires. I remember the rumoured 5,000 membership books that one candidate had supposedly taken out during the PC Leadership. When the votes were counted, there definitely wasn't 50,000 people voting for him.
What I like about the announcement is the way politics are changing in the province. Gary Doer has long steered this province by setting a low bar and coming through with what he promised. It's worked wonders politically, as we've trotted out promise after promise that seemed unrealistic to the voters.
If I'm right and Steve Ashton is going to become the next Premier of Manitoba, then this bravado is a good sign for all those drinking the haterade. The NDP moves left, reverts to campaigning on vision, and Manitoba's moderate population has to reconsider where they park their votes. Interesting days ahead.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
So this is what I'm going to have to deal with?
Diane,
We were discussing a case in Professional Responsibility today that got to me a little. This man, Alton Logan, was tried and convicted of the 1982 killing of a MacDonald's security guard. The problem was, he was innocent, and the lawyers for the man responsible for the murder knew it.
The moral thing to do is to prevent an innocent man from going to prison, but that's not how the justice system works. A lawyer's first, last, and only duty is to live within the ethical rules of the legal system, giving the best defense possible to their client and keeping what is told to them confidential under attorney-client privilege. The lawyers knew that Logan was innocent, but their hands were tied by the law.
*Side Note: They were able to come forward now because they had worked out a deal with their client that if he died they could take his sworn confession public, as he could no longer face punishment for the crime. He's dead, and they came forward.
Logan was convicted and sentenced to life in prison when the death penalty vote wasn't unanimous. The ironic part of this is that to save his life, they would have had to vote to kill him. The death penalty vote was 10-2 in favor and had the 2 members of the jury that spared his life voted to kill him, the lawyers with knowledge that he was innocent would have been allowed to break privilege to save his life. But sending him to jail for the rest of his days is okay by system standards.
While it's awful to think that this happens, you can't blame the lawyers. Had they broken privilege and come forward, the evidence would have been suppressed because it came from a broken Attorney-Client Privilege. Don't hate the player, hate the game.
I swallow hard when thinking about keeping these things to myself, but I know it has to be done. Upholding the system is the most important part of a lawyer's oath to himself and his profession. It may not make for the greatest morality discussion when you discuss the rules with people who don't have to deal with lawyers, but in the situation that someone needs legal help, you can rest assured that what you tell your lawyer stays between you and him. I just need to start thinking more like an attorney and less like a lay-man.
Here's the 60 Minutes video link of the story:
http://http//www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4126194n&tag=related;photovideo
We were discussing a case in Professional Responsibility today that got to me a little. This man, Alton Logan, was tried and convicted of the 1982 killing of a MacDonald's security guard. The problem was, he was innocent, and the lawyers for the man responsible for the murder knew it.
The moral thing to do is to prevent an innocent man from going to prison, but that's not how the justice system works. A lawyer's first, last, and only duty is to live within the ethical rules of the legal system, giving the best defense possible to their client and keeping what is told to them confidential under attorney-client privilege. The lawyers knew that Logan was innocent, but their hands were tied by the law.
*Side Note: They were able to come forward now because they had worked out a deal with their client that if he died they could take his sworn confession public, as he could no longer face punishment for the crime. He's dead, and they came forward.
Logan was convicted and sentenced to life in prison when the death penalty vote wasn't unanimous. The ironic part of this is that to save his life, they would have had to vote to kill him. The death penalty vote was 10-2 in favor and had the 2 members of the jury that spared his life voted to kill him, the lawyers with knowledge that he was innocent would have been allowed to break privilege to save his life. But sending him to jail for the rest of his days is okay by system standards.
While it's awful to think that this happens, you can't blame the lawyers. Had they broken privilege and come forward, the evidence would have been suppressed because it came from a broken Attorney-Client Privilege. Don't hate the player, hate the game.
I swallow hard when thinking about keeping these things to myself, but I know it has to be done. Upholding the system is the most important part of a lawyer's oath to himself and his profession. It may not make for the greatest morality discussion when you discuss the rules with people who don't have to deal with lawyers, but in the situation that someone needs legal help, you can rest assured that what you tell your lawyer stays between you and him. I just need to start thinking more like an attorney and less like a lay-man.
Here's the 60 Minutes video link of the story:
http://http//www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4126194n&tag=related;photovideo
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Pacman to eat up the yards in Blue and Gold!
Adam "Pacman" Jones is a Winnipeg Blue Bomber. Feels weird saying that.
The first round selection of the Tennessee Titans in 2005 signed with the Bombers today and will be used primarily on kickoff and punt returns. He's probably more famous for his off field antics than what he did on it. He was involved in a shooting at a Las Vegas strip club where another person ended up paralyzed from the waist down, and had an altercation with a member of his own security detail last season when he played for the Cowboys.
I'm sure if you frequent one of Winnipeg's strip clubs, you'll see him soon. Just remember to wear your kevlar.
UPDATE: I'm sure everyone knows by now, but Pacman streamed a video blog where he went off like a jackass about how he didn't care about the CFL(once he got the name of the league right) and how he would be out of Winnipeg the second an NFL team came calling. It was one of the most unprofessional things I have ever seen and it cost him another team. I wouldn't be surprised if it's totally over for him in professional football at this point. Good move by the Bombers recinding this offer.
The first round selection of the Tennessee Titans in 2005 signed with the Bombers today and will be used primarily on kickoff and punt returns. He's probably more famous for his off field antics than what he did on it. He was involved in a shooting at a Las Vegas strip club where another person ended up paralyzed from the waist down, and had an altercation with a member of his own security detail last season when he played for the Cowboys.
I'm sure if you frequent one of Winnipeg's strip clubs, you'll see him soon. Just remember to wear your kevlar.
UPDATE: I'm sure everyone knows by now, but Pacman streamed a video blog where he went off like a jackass about how he didn't care about the CFL(once he got the name of the league right) and how he would be out of Winnipeg the second an NFL team came calling. It was one of the most unprofessional things I have ever seen and it cost him another team. I wouldn't be surprised if it's totally over for him in professional football at this point. Good move by the Bombers recinding this offer.
Bon Chance, Doer!
Diane,
Gary Doer resigned last week. Oh, happy days!
I was sitting in my Admin Law class when my sister shot me a message over facebook that told me that he was gone. I felt like Don McLean the day Buddy Holly's plane crashed...except this was the day the music returned! I had to sit in class for the next 20 minutes with this news over my head that I wanted to celebrate, but couldn't; I was shaking by the time he let us out of class.
For all I say about the NDP, Gary Doer was actually a very capable premier of Manitoba. He may have spent too much and not done as much as I would have liked with the tremendous increase in revenues that he recieved, but at the end of the day Manitoba isn't in terrible shape. I give him as much credit as I can for that.
I think he'll do well in the role of ambassador to the United States. It will be nice to see Manitoba with a friend in that position, given that we will be going full speed ahead with centreport. But the best part is Gary Doer is totally neutralized for the 2011 election that will be won and lost on policy and vision, rather than Gary's cult of personality.
Gary Doer resigned last week. Oh, happy days!
I was sitting in my Admin Law class when my sister shot me a message over facebook that told me that he was gone. I felt like Don McLean the day Buddy Holly's plane crashed...except this was the day the music returned! I had to sit in class for the next 20 minutes with this news over my head that I wanted to celebrate, but couldn't; I was shaking by the time he let us out of class.
For all I say about the NDP, Gary Doer was actually a very capable premier of Manitoba. He may have spent too much and not done as much as I would have liked with the tremendous increase in revenues that he recieved, but at the end of the day Manitoba isn't in terrible shape. I give him as much credit as I can for that.
I think he'll do well in the role of ambassador to the United States. It will be nice to see Manitoba with a friend in that position, given that we will be going full speed ahead with centreport. But the best part is Gary Doer is totally neutralized for the 2011 election that will be won and lost on policy and vision, rather than Gary's cult of personality.
Back in Tulsa: 2L Time
Mrs. C,
I got back to Tulsa a couple of weeks ago. I came back a week early in order to get things ready with some of my responsibilities (Student Bar Association, Phi Alpha Delta, Bar prep work, job interviews). Some have been going better than others.
When I got back, the first thing I did was buy a bed. I spent all last year on the fold out cot that I brought with me from Canada. It was murder on my back. Found a decent bed and I've been getting decent sleep this year. That is, when it isn't 90 degrees at night.
My classes are tough. This year I'm taking Administrative Law, Evidence, Constitutional Law II, Civil Procedure II, and Professional Responsibility. I'm up at the law school from 7:30-6 on Mondays and Wednesdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays I'm done with classes at 12:15, but I still have all that reading to get through. It's going to be a long semester.
Most of the same cast of characters is back this year, with a few notable exceptions. A couple of good friends either transferred, or realized law wasn't for them. Happy for them, but it's a little more lonely here in Tulsa.
Not much to report as way of stories or interesting events. I'll have to save those for later.
I got back to Tulsa a couple of weeks ago. I came back a week early in order to get things ready with some of my responsibilities (Student Bar Association, Phi Alpha Delta, Bar prep work, job interviews). Some have been going better than others.
When I got back, the first thing I did was buy a bed. I spent all last year on the fold out cot that I brought with me from Canada. It was murder on my back. Found a decent bed and I've been getting decent sleep this year. That is, when it isn't 90 degrees at night.
My classes are tough. This year I'm taking Administrative Law, Evidence, Constitutional Law II, Civil Procedure II, and Professional Responsibility. I'm up at the law school from 7:30-6 on Mondays and Wednesdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays I'm done with classes at 12:15, but I still have all that reading to get through. It's going to be a long semester.
Most of the same cast of characters is back this year, with a few notable exceptions. A couple of good friends either transferred, or realized law wasn't for them. Happy for them, but it's a little more lonely here in Tulsa.
Not much to report as way of stories or interesting events. I'll have to save those for later.
Back in Tulsa: Summer Recap
Diane,
I took the summer off from blogging because, well, I was home and I had better things to do. I was able to converse with you in person this summer, which was better than writing everything down on the blog. But I'll do a quick recap of the summer's happenings:
Work- Spent the summer working for an accomplished Canadian Member of Parliament. I won't mention names, but working in the office this summer gave me some paid political experience that I've never had. Lots of interesting days, but there definitely were some boring ones where the phone wouldn't ring and I had to fight the urge not to spend every minute of the day surfing the internet for entertainment.
What I will say is this: His office is probably the best run, most efficient political organization I have ever seen. Working there gave me some insight into what a political ognaization should(and shouldn't be). I didn't agree with everything that goes on there, but for the majority, I was wowed.
Free time: I didn't have much. I worked a lot, and spent much of my time when I wasn't working with family...AKA yard work.I saw 2 of the 3 Bomber games that I could this summer(thanks for the schedule, CFL!), saw a few concerts, a fair amount of movies(Hangover and 500 Days of summer being tops), but for the most part I was off the party radar. For the first time in 5 years I didn't do anything for my birthday. There wasn't a theme party, or a giant get together; I just didn't feel like it.
Relationships: Main reason I didn't feel like partying on my birthday. Holly and I were long done by the beginning of the summer, but I didn't know it yet. Part of me always hung on to the hope that we'd just fall back together everytime my life stopped for a second and I had the time and want to be there for her. But a funny thing happened while I was off living my life; she started living her's.
I discovered this early in the summer and spent most of my time in Manitoba whining to get back in. I dated a few girls while I was home, but none of them felt like a fit for me and I always ended up back on the phone with my ex, feeling out the possibilities of getting back together. I felt like her old dog Toby, who used to stand at the door whimpering to get out, only to turn around and cry to get back in again immediately. It was pretty pathetic.
Now that I'm back in Tulsa, with a lot of distance between us, I see how bad I was this summer. I still love her, but it's better that we're not together. Maybe we can be friends and someday...who knows? No point in dwelling on possibilities, I guess.
Family: Things are pretty good in the family. I worry about dad sometimes with all the pressure that's on him. Mom's doing well at the shop. Katelyn is going back to school in a week. Jenna is settled into her place in Morden and Mike has a car, which means Jenna won't need to pick him up all the time.
I'm going to make a few posts today and make more of an effort to post every couple of days. Hope everything is well at home, Mrs. C.
I took the summer off from blogging because, well, I was home and I had better things to do. I was able to converse with you in person this summer, which was better than writing everything down on the blog. But I'll do a quick recap of the summer's happenings:
Work- Spent the summer working for an accomplished Canadian Member of Parliament. I won't mention names, but working in the office this summer gave me some paid political experience that I've never had. Lots of interesting days, but there definitely were some boring ones where the phone wouldn't ring and I had to fight the urge not to spend every minute of the day surfing the internet for entertainment.
What I will say is this: His office is probably the best run, most efficient political organization I have ever seen. Working there gave me some insight into what a political ognaization should(and shouldn't be). I didn't agree with everything that goes on there, but for the majority, I was wowed.
Free time: I didn't have much. I worked a lot, and spent much of my time when I wasn't working with family...AKA yard work.I saw 2 of the 3 Bomber games that I could this summer(thanks for the schedule, CFL!), saw a few concerts, a fair amount of movies(Hangover and 500 Days of summer being tops), but for the most part I was off the party radar. For the first time in 5 years I didn't do anything for my birthday. There wasn't a theme party, or a giant get together; I just didn't feel like it.
Relationships: Main reason I didn't feel like partying on my birthday. Holly and I were long done by the beginning of the summer, but I didn't know it yet. Part of me always hung on to the hope that we'd just fall back together everytime my life stopped for a second and I had the time and want to be there for her. But a funny thing happened while I was off living my life; she started living her's.
I discovered this early in the summer and spent most of my time in Manitoba whining to get back in. I dated a few girls while I was home, but none of them felt like a fit for me and I always ended up back on the phone with my ex, feeling out the possibilities of getting back together. I felt like her old dog Toby, who used to stand at the door whimpering to get out, only to turn around and cry to get back in again immediately. It was pretty pathetic.
Now that I'm back in Tulsa, with a lot of distance between us, I see how bad I was this summer. I still love her, but it's better that we're not together. Maybe we can be friends and someday...who knows? No point in dwelling on possibilities, I guess.
Family: Things are pretty good in the family. I worry about dad sometimes with all the pressure that's on him. Mom's doing well at the shop. Katelyn is going back to school in a week. Jenna is settled into her place in Morden and Mike has a car, which means Jenna won't need to pick him up all the time.
I'm going to make a few posts today and make more of an effort to post every couple of days. Hope everything is well at home, Mrs. C.
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