New look for the blog. It shows minimal effort on my part, which is better than no effort. What do ya think? I'm open to suggestions.
Today at the Nationals game I was surrounded by Boyscouts and their families. Little boyscouts. Cub scouts? I had the un-PC urge to yell, "Why do you hate gay people?" My goal is just to prompt some productive family dialogue about tolerance. Don't worry, I didn't do it. I know they probably don't individually hate gay people. But seeing the reactions would have been amusing. I'm just jealous because I'm not good at tying knots like them. And because they don't sell delicious thin mints.
This was actually just a thing that ran through my mind for about two seconds. What really became the problem was not being surrounded by boyscouts, but being surrounded by small children. It's very difficult for me to cheer for my team, or heckle the other team, without using profanity. Heck, it was difficult to maintain interesting conversation with my party without using profanity. I should probably expand my vocabulary. Torpor. There's a good new word. It describes the play of the Nationals today. Sad but true.
The Onion was right on in pointing out features of the new iPhone. So the iPhone 5 is lighter and thinner. But was anyone complaining about how thick and heavy the iPhone 4 was? Was anyone's pocket or purse severely burdened by this device? Why is this a selling point? Why isn't the new iPhone dialogue more focused on Apple obnoxiously changing the charger so that everyone has to buy adapters? I'm stickin' with my ol' iPhone. Call me old fashioned as I sit here using Face Time over wireless only and sitting in my rocking chair. There's nothing wrong with it.
The Samsung commercial pointing out all the flaws in the iPhone marketing is great because it's true. It's also a big F-U to Apple. I think in the Apple-Samsung wars, I may be siding with Samsung.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Orientation Tomorrow
Tomorrow is my first day of work! I am pretty excited. Well, it's an orientation day that includes two hours of IT training. So I guess that is less exciting. But I'm pumped to start it up. A job that is the culmination of three or twenty years of school, depending on how you look at it. This is the true meaning of the Alice Cooper's classic. In preparation I filled out tax forms, gathered my I-9 documentation, and did some hardcore ironing. Mmmmm nothing like a good pregame.
I was asked whether I anticipate having trouble sleeping tonight. I am a terrible sleeper before lots of big nights. The night before the practice multistate bar I slept maybe three hours (interestingly, the nights before the actual two days of the bar I slept alright). But I think I'll be alright: 1) I already worked there for a summer, 2) it's just orientation, and 3) I think I'm only there two days this week while my office moves. So that removes lots of pressure. And at least half of my excitement for this week revolves around getting to go out and do something during the day.
I have been getting out of the house more, mostly by going to Nationals games. I went to the double-header on Wednesday, the game on Thursday (thereby seeing the entire Dodgers-Nationals series), and the game today. All for about $8 to see a first place team. Wow, coming from Boston where tickets were impossible to get, forget about the price, that is stunning. (And I really don't want to talk about the Red Sox right now, except to say that we are not in last place.)
At one of the games, there was a fight between a Dodgers fan and a Nationals fan. I didn't know anyone cared enough about the Nats to physically defend them. And it wasn't even in the belligerent bleachers. The combatants were right behind the Dodgers dugout, maybe three rows up. In other words, they paid hundreds of dollars to get their seats and all they got was an escort out of the stadium. Security won the fight.
The Emmys are on! I don't care!
The Patriots are on! I care more! These replacement referees are just terrible. Killin' me. And I don't even care that much about football. I mean, it's not baseball. But this is out-of-control bad refereeing. And as an athlete, nothing angered me more than awful refereeing. So as I type this, I have higher blood pressure and I am arguing with my television. My television is not phased.
I was asked whether I anticipate having trouble sleeping tonight. I am a terrible sleeper before lots of big nights. The night before the practice multistate bar I slept maybe three hours (interestingly, the nights before the actual two days of the bar I slept alright). But I think I'll be alright: 1) I already worked there for a summer, 2) it's just orientation, and 3) I think I'm only there two days this week while my office moves. So that removes lots of pressure. And at least half of my excitement for this week revolves around getting to go out and do something during the day.
I have been getting out of the house more, mostly by going to Nationals games. I went to the double-header on Wednesday, the game on Thursday (thereby seeing the entire Dodgers-Nationals series), and the game today. All for about $8 to see a first place team. Wow, coming from Boston where tickets were impossible to get, forget about the price, that is stunning. (And I really don't want to talk about the Red Sox right now, except to say that we are not in last place.)
At one of the games, there was a fight between a Dodgers fan and a Nationals fan. I didn't know anyone cared enough about the Nats to physically defend them. And it wasn't even in the belligerent bleachers. The combatants were right behind the Dodgers dugout, maybe three rows up. In other words, they paid hundreds of dollars to get their seats and all they got was an escort out of the stadium. Security won the fight.
The Emmys are on! I don't care!
The Patriots are on! I care more! These replacement referees are just terrible. Killin' me. And I don't even care that much about football. I mean, it's not baseball. But this is out-of-control bad refereeing. And as an athlete, nothing angered me more than awful refereeing. So as I type this, I have higher blood pressure and I am arguing with my television. My television is not phased.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Retreat
I'm at the point where doing nothing is getting a wee bit boring. It would be better if everyone else were doing nothing, then we could do something together. But the work week is quite the barrier, all these people with jobs and responsibilities. How unfair. I did have three days of actual scheduled time this past week. My group at the firm had a retreat here in DC. Well it was in Arlington, VA technically but that's close enough. There was a cocktail reception, a day and a half of meetings, and two nights of going out on the town. The meetings were mostly geared towards partners, although they did give me a better sense of what the practice group does. The social aspects were far more productive for me (not to mention more fun than listening to the head of the group remind partners to get their bills out on time). It was good to meet the people I will be working with. I think that type of relationship is much better with someone you have met in person. Call me old fashioned, but I feel much better taking work from people I have shaken hands with. And the flip side of that is that people who have met me are more likely to give me work and frankly be nicer to me. I even talked to some associates about my interests and got preemptively put on some cases. Department of Energy enforcement action, here I come! (Not sarcastic. I am actually excited about being a part of the matter.)
And then there were the nights we went out. The first night we went to POV, on top of the W Hotel to give the attorneys from the other offices a DC feel. The second night was more intense. We went to a restaurant with 1) a great view, 2) terrible food, and 3) an open bar. The DC attorneys formed an ad hoc party-planning committee and headed to 18th Street. They wanted a classier place to begin the night, and I suggested Jack Rose. In retrospect, it was a ballsy move for a not-yet associate to steer the entire group but it paid off. The bar features a huge whiskey list, good beer, and a fun atmosphere. The highlight was definitely buying a partner a manhattan and praying she liked it. Luckily she did, and now I feel like she is barred from being mean to me for my first six months. After everyone had a few drinks under their belt (metaphorically, if that were literal it would be quite odd), we headed up to Adams Morgan and settled at Millie and Al's. It ain't a classy place, but it got the job done. I definitely had a jello shot with a few partners including the international head of our practice group. Then I headed home around 1 am to be ready for our 8 am breakfast. I was far from the last one there. The group partied hard and was full of fun people. I'm glad to be joining up. It's far better than it could have been (Ex.: "This shiraz smells of currant and red berries. What do you think? Now I must retire for it hath past nine o'clock and I must be fresh for the morning meetings.")
Also at Jack Rose, I got asked my name by a bouncer under the excuse that someone dropped some unknown item. Immediately after, a girl came over and asked me my name. Well turns out it wasn't someone flirting or being sketchy; she was a girl I knew in elementary school and hadn't seen in about 20 years. But she recognized me. I guess I really have looked the same since I was four.
And then there were the nights we went out. The first night we went to POV, on top of the W Hotel to give the attorneys from the other offices a DC feel. The second night was more intense. We went to a restaurant with 1) a great view, 2) terrible food, and 3) an open bar. The DC attorneys formed an ad hoc party-planning committee and headed to 18th Street. They wanted a classier place to begin the night, and I suggested Jack Rose. In retrospect, it was a ballsy move for a not-yet associate to steer the entire group but it paid off. The bar features a huge whiskey list, good beer, and a fun atmosphere. The highlight was definitely buying a partner a manhattan and praying she liked it. Luckily she did, and now I feel like she is barred from being mean to me for my first six months. After everyone had a few drinks under their belt (metaphorically, if that were literal it would be quite odd), we headed up to Adams Morgan and settled at Millie and Al's. It ain't a classy place, but it got the job done. I definitely had a jello shot with a few partners including the international head of our practice group. Then I headed home around 1 am to be ready for our 8 am breakfast. I was far from the last one there. The group partied hard and was full of fun people. I'm glad to be joining up. It's far better than it could have been (Ex.: "This shiraz smells of currant and red berries. What do you think? Now I must retire for it hath past nine o'clock and I must be fresh for the morning meetings.")
Also at Jack Rose, I got asked my name by a bouncer under the excuse that someone dropped some unknown item. Immediately after, a girl came over and asked me my name. Well turns out it wasn't someone flirting or being sketchy; she was a girl I knew in elementary school and hadn't seen in about 20 years. But she recognized me. I guess I really have looked the same since I was four.
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