Monticello

A view of Monticello from the flower walk along the west lawn.

This morning, Jess and I hopped in her car and took a 111-mile drive to Charlottesville, VA, to visit Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's plantation. The weather was perfect for us, in the high seventies with a light breeze and wispy little clouds in the blue sky, and the plantation gardens were in full bloom. Even the drive was a delight; the single-lane highways through Civil War battlefields and farmland were tranquil and pastoral.

Monticello is absolutely beautiful. I can understand why Jefferson chose to build his home there, and why it is a World Heritage Site. What impressed me the most during our tour was the ingenuity with which Jefferson designed the house.  From the dumbwaiters connecting the dining room to the wine cellar, to the pond stocked with fresh fish, Jefferson thought things through to optimize convenience and efficiency.

It was interesting to learn more about Jefferson. He was our third President, and the drafter of the Declaration of Independence, of course, but he was also the founder of the University of Virginia, a doting grandfather, a gardener, a diplomat, a violinist, and a bibliophile. He was also a slave owner, and most likely the father of one, if not all, of Sally Hemings' children. He commissioned the Lewis and Clark expedition, and made the Louisiana Purchase. He was inspired by his "trinity of the three greatest men the world has ever produced," Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, and John Locke.

After our tours of the house and the grounds (more photos here), Jess and I drove into downtown Charlottesville to see the University of Virginia, including the Rotunda. We were amazed by how nice the campus looked--even the frat houses were in the style of American Neo-Classicism! After cruising through Charlottesville, we began our long drive home, with brief stops along the way at some considerably less noteworthy locales, including Chick-fil-A and IKEA.

Yesterday was also lovely, by the way! I visited the National Zoo with Brad and Jess--see Brad's blog for the details of our encounter with some amorous turtles. My favorite moment was in the outdoor flight cage, where one can walk along a path to view birds flying freely. As it so happened, one of the peacocks had fanned out his tail feathers rather aggressively, blocking the path near the entrance. Jess decided to walk past the peacock when his feathers were down, but then he displayed them again, forcing Jess to sneak behind him to escape. After the zoo, we headed back to Brad's apartment, watched Iron Man (the first one), and had an amazing steak and Guinness pie prepared by Brad's girlfriend, Marie. Apparently, the pie is a Jamie Oliver recipe, which I will have to try out myself, because it was so delicious!

What's News?

So done. So very done. Just turned in my last paper of 2L year. Huzzah! Now, I get to spend a few days hanging out in D.C., and then I fly home to CA on Saturday! Beautiful.

My last final exam was on Saturday, for Refugee Law and Policy. It was a very fair exam, the sort where the professor presents opportunities for you to demonstrate your knowledge, without any tricks. That's how all exams should be.

After my exam, I went to the Newseum, which is a very modern and interactive museum devoted to the history of news. The exhibits appealed to me both as the former editor-in-chief of my high school's newspaper, and as a hardcore news junkie.

You start on the 6th floor (after taking a ride on one of the world's largest glass hydraulic elevators), where you can walk along the outdoor terrace for an excellent view of Pennsylvania Avenue and the Capitol.  I went to the Newseum on a whim (and left my cellphone in my checked backpack), so I apologize for the lack of photographs. Inside, there is a long hallway with the day's front pages from around the country and the world. It reminded me of the newspapers on display in front of the Free Speech Cafe at Berkeley.

The 5th floor was devoted to the history of news. I spent a lot of time reading about the various phases of news, including the origin of eyewitness reports, the beginnings of female and minority reporters, and even satirical news sources like The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and The Onion! There was also a timeline featuring actual newspapers, so that you could get a feel for the major events of each year. They even had a copy of the San Francisco Chronicle from 1989 about the Loma Prieta earthquake.

The museum emphasizes the freedoms of the First Amendment throughout the exhibits, but the 4th floor had a gallery specifically devoted to each of the five freedoms (religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition). There are computers all over the place with games for children, and, I don't mind telling you, I rocked the First Amendment game. I knew two semesters of Constitutional Law would be good for something. The 4th floor also had a gallery devoted to 9/11, which included front pages from around the world about the event, and a large, mangled piece of the broadcasting antenna that had been at the top of the North Tower.

As I walked through and looked at those photos from the attacks, I couldn't help but to think back to 2001. I was a freshman sophomore in high school, getting ready for the day. We didn't really know what was going on when the first plane crashed--I thought it must have been a terrible accident--but, when I watched the second plane hit on TV, it was clear that this was deliberate. My first class of the day was Journalism, and we rigged up a television in our computer lab so that we could watch the news coverage. We spent English class journaling about how we felt about the attack. It was amazing how, instantaneously, things had changed.

The 3rd floor had some great information about the freedom of the press internationally, and a memorial for journalists who died on the job, in the pursuit of truth. There was a wonderful exhibit devoted to radio, television, and the Internet. I was very impressed by how up-to-date the exhibit was, with information about Twitter and even the iPad. I was amused by an old editorial cartoon they had displayed, in which a bunch of people are standing on a subway, reading the newspaper, except for the guy at the end of the car, who is carrying a massive personal computer in order to read the newspaper online. I wonder what marvelous things the future will bring.

The 2nd floor had a ton of computers with games for children to grapple with journalistic ethics. I played a couple of the games out of curiosity, and thought they did a good job of covering a wide array of issues--manipulation of photographs for dramatic effect, taking a photo of a person who needs help, going undercover at an insane asylum to get the inside scoop, and others. There was also a bank of video cameras and green screens where you could try your hand at reporting. I kind of wanted to do it, but not alone. Oh, well, next time.

The 1st floor was basically just the lobby, though they did have a little gallery with Pulitzer Prize photographs, which were all incredible. I especially loved the photographs of Barack Obama's presidential campaign by Damon Winter. There was also an absurd "4-D" theatre with 3-D glasses and moving seats, which showed a 20-minute film about important reporters in history, including Edward R. Murrow and Nellie Bly. Don't get me wrong--the film was great, but I just don't think that a film about the history of news needs to be in 3-D with moving chairs. Then again, perhaps I overestimate the attention span of middle schoolers.

Finally, on the Concourse level, there were eight sections of the Berlin Wall and one of the East German guard towers on display. It was strange to see in a museum. Part of me was grappling with the historical significance, but another part of me was appreciating the graffiti as art. There were also a couple of temporary exhibits, one on sports photography, and one on "g-men" (the FBI). And, for what it's worth, they have a very nice food court, if a bit pricey. (Then again, I have yet to find a museum in D.C. that serves reasonably priced food.)

The building design is very aesthetically pleasing, both inside and out. I have always loved the text of the First Amendment on the outside of the building. All told, I spent over three hours at the Newseum. I highly recommend it, even though it's one of the few museums in D.C. where you have to pay to get in ($20, ouch).

Diversions

In no particular order, the following are topics about which I wish to know more:

• Classical music
• Wine
• Jazz
• Religions other than Christianity
• Plant names
• Geography
• Saints
• Sight reading
• Latin phrases
• Culinary techniques
• Visual art movements (esp. in painting)

Perhaps this list will serve as inspiration for some of my summer reading. With luck, perhaps it will prompt some summer adventures! Do you have any suggestions as to how I should educate myself about any of these topics? Do you have topics about which you wish you knew more?

Personal Day Off

I had my International Law II final exam on Monday, the third exam in the course of a grueling six days. As my next exam, Refugee Law and Policy, does not take place until Saturday, I decided that I would take yesterday as a "personal day." After having a lovely lunch at Five Guys (D.C.'s attempt at In-N-Out, minus milkshakes, plus peanuts) with my friend Brad, I decided to check off a couple of locations from my D.C. to-do list: the National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Castle.

The Natural History Museum is pretty cool. I really enjoyed walking through the Mammal Hall, which had a great number of wonderful specimens. I found the minimalism of the displays to be particularly striking; rather than surrounding the animals with recreated approximations of their natural environments, the animals are displayed in plain settings with only a branch or flower or prey, so you can focus on the specimen itself.

I also enjoyed the Insect Zoo, which had some living insects, including some awesome camouflaged stick bugs. Stick bugs hold a special place in my heart, as my mother has been raising them for ages for her classroom. Alas, there was a very long line to get into the butterfly pavilion (darn middle school tour groups), so I'll have to go back another time.

The Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals was, well, sparkly. Everyone was crowded around the Hope Diamond, but I found the other displays to be far more interesting. I amassed a fairly decent rock collection when I was younger, so seeing the various rocks and gems and minerals was delightfully reminiscent. I was surprised by the incredible collection of meteorites.

All of the children in the museum were obsessed with the dinosaurs exhibit, but I found it to be a bit overwhelming, and quickly escaped into the adjacent fossil plants exhibit. I cannot believe that we can dig up the preserved remains of plants from tens of thousands of years ago... Science is so cool.

After the Natural History Museum, I walked across the National Mall to the Smithsonian Castle. I have been intrigued by the building for a while, as its turrets are such a compelling addition to the skyline of the Mall. Unfortunately, there isn't really anything of interest inside the castle, other than information about the Smithsonian museums, a theatre that shows a video about the museums, and a cafe. I was not terribly impressed, and only spent about ten minutes wandering around. I imagine the castle is a wonderful resource for tourists, but it does not do much for an experienced local such as myself. Oh, well, at least it's pretty.

Today, I am back to my studies. In addition to Saturday's exam, I also have a paper due next Tuesday for my Negotiations seminar. I am hoping to finish it sooner than that, though, so I can spend my time having fun next week! If I get very ambitious, I believe I may have to add some more locations to my to-do list.

Summer Preview

Whilst I am in the middle of final exams, I cannot help but to daydream about this summer. My internship with the Fair Housing Law Project (a part of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley) begins on June 1st. I'm so glad it's only in San Jose, as opposed to my insane commute to San Francisco last summer.

Speaking of commuting, I'm still figuring out the best way to get from Sunnyvale to San Jose by public transit. I think the fastest method--I'm guessing 45 minutes or so--will be to bike to the Lawrence Caltrain Station, take Caltrain to the San Jose Station, and then bike to my office. I suppose I could attempt to take a combination of buses (probably the 32 to the 522) but VTA is so much less reliable than the train. Plus, biking is more fun and healthful.

I have some goals and projects lined up for this summer:

• Read for pleasure
• Begin to learn Spanish
• Research and apply for fellowships and clerkships for after graduation
• Write On journal competition grading (~25 10-page case comments)
• Spend quality time with friends, preferably on short Bay Area adventures
• Visit my grandmother as often as possible

I have some other ideas to which I have not yet committed... For instance, I am considering taking a martial arts class, maybe Judo or Taekwondo. I also am brainstorming some sort of spiritual devotion for the summer (ideas?). I really want to make the most of this summer. What with studying for the bar exam next summer, this is my last truly free summer as a student. Sheer madness.

Any suggestions for my summer reading list? So far, I know I want to read:

• Traveling with Pomegranates, by Sue Monk Kidd & Ann Kidd Taylor
• The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life, by Fr. James Martin
• Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages, by Ammon Shea

Lovely as this summer daydreaming is, I must come back to the present. Final exams tomorrow, Friday, Monday, then one more exam the following Saturday and paper due the following Tuesday, whew! I am not flying back to CA until May 22nd, so I'll have a few days to hang out as a tourist in DC and tidy up my apartment for my lovely sublessee. I hope I'll be able to check off a few more things from my DC To-Do List (see column, at right), as my pace has stagnated considerably this semester.

Journaling

Last night, the Poverty Journal had our end-of-the-year banquet. It was on the rooftop of Tabaq Bistro on U St., and the weather was perfectly gorgeous. I had a mesclun salad, salmon with lobster sauce and mashed potatoes, and chocolate cake. Quite delicious!

It was great to honor Hasa, our outgoing editor-in-chief, for all of the hard work he has put in this year. I hope that we can continue lead the journal in a good direction next year. I think my managing editor position will be a lot of work, but well worth it.

I was very surprised during the banquet when I was given a trophy for all of the community service I've done for the journal this year! Ha ha, I don't think I've received a trophy since high school. It has my name on it and everything:

A bunch of us went out after the banquet to the lounge downstairs at Saint-Ex. At first, it was a pretty empty bar, but it rapidly turned into a dance party, which was fun. It was nice to relax with friends for the evening, what with next week being the last week of school, and final exams starting up on the 5th. Madness! There is much work to be done over the next few weeks, but it'll be fine. It's just a matter of pacing myself.

My last final is a paper due on the 18th, but I'm not flying out to California until the 22nd--so, D.C. kids, let's hang out! It'll be fun to pretend to be a tourist for a few days, and maybe even check off a few more things from my to-do list...

Wonderful Wednesday

Two really cool things happened yesterday. First off, my journal made the front page of the Georgetown Law Weekly for our Relay for Life team! Click on the article to see a larger version (I'm the one kneeling with a baseball cap on):

Secondly, I was offered (and accepted) a spot on the Human Rights Institute/Georgetown Human Rights Action 2010-2011 fact-finding mission! In brief, it's a five credit, year-long course in which a team of students will research and produce a report on a human rights issue—next year's issue will be the repatriation of persons with mental disabilities. This is a huge opportunity for me, as it will be my first real foray into international human rights. And, we get to travel abroad to conduct interviews (it sounds like we'll be traveling to Mexico in January). Here's the full description:

This year-long experiential seminar is designed to support students participating in the Human Rights Institute/Georgetown Human Rights Action fact-finding project. These projects give students an opportunity to work as human rights investigators—researching a human rights problem in depth, conducting extensive interviews on the subject, drafting a comprehensive report on their findings, and engaging in related advocacy. Through this course, students will gain the substantive background and skills needed to carry out this work. Each year, Georgetown Human Rights Action and the Human Rights Institute identify a new topic on which to work. In 2010-2011, the selected topic is Safe Repatriation for Persons with Mental Disabilities. In the fall, the weekly seminar will cover relevant substantive law and policy on this subject, as well as fact-finding skills and methodology. In January 2011, we will travel as a group to conduct interviews on this subject. In the spring, students will draft a final report and engage in advocacy surrounding their findings; there will be seven 2-hour class sessions to guide students through these processes. Over the year, students will be expected to devote an additional 110 hours outside of class time to this project; all students must submit a record of this time. Grading for all credits will occur at the end of the spring semester. The letter grade will be based on individual memos and advocacy assignments, a joint pre-mission memo, co-teaching a class session, and a joint final report.

My heart is filled with joy about this opportunity. Thank you, Lord!

Celebrity

Relay for Life was a lot of fun last night! In sum, I raised $365, and my team raised close to $2,500--thanks to everyone for your support! The Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy was out in force, handing out pamphlets to educate students on the connections between cancer and poverty. We even met President DeGioia, and gave him a copy of the journal. Heh, we also "met" Scruff McGruff the Crime Dog. And, while wearing my Cal baseball cap, I discovered that there are a lot of people on main campus who are Bear fans for one reason or another. Go Bears!

Matt and Bryan (two of my GJPLP teammates) and I decided to attempt to walk a marathon while at Relay! The event was on the football field, so we didn't have the benefit of an actual track, but we figured that six laps around the field at 300 yards per lap is a mile (300 yds x 6 laps = 1,800 yds; 1 mile = 1,760 yds).

By the end of the event, we had to revise our goal to 20 miles, which we completed! There were several factors that contributed to our inability to finish the full marathon:

• Interruptions for ceremonies (the event was only 12 hours long)
• A narrow and crowded pseudo-track
• A thunderstorm with 25-mph winds
• Lack of energy from staying up all night
• Blisters on our feet and aching knees
• No actual preparation or training

I had a big blister on my right foot, so I ended up walking the last 10 miles barefoot, which was actually kind of nice on the AstroTurf. Unfortunately, it rained pretty much the entire time, but at least that kept us from getting too hot while speed-walking. 20 miles is definitely the farthest I've ever walked, and gives me a new appreciation for the sheer madness of people who run marathons.

The other neat thing about Relay was that I came home with a goldfish! Matt won the fish, but realized that it wouldn't be very compatible with his cat, so Jess and I have adopted it for now. The journal decided to name the fish Tracy Chapman (a reference to a song played at our journal's orientation). If it survives the summer, maybe we'll keep it in the journal office this fall?!

Anyhow, after Relay, I got home around 6 am, slept for some of the day, and spent the rest of the day hobbling around the apartment (my legs are so stiff!) and studying for finals (two weeks away, eek!). This evening, Jess and I headed to the law school to watch a Georgetown Gilbert and Sullivan Society production of H.M.S. Pinafore, which was excellent! I had a bunch of friends in the show, and laughed so much.

Before the show started, I happened to notice a man sitting four rows in front of me who looked somewhat familiar to me. "No way," I thought to myself. "Why would he even be here?" I looked up a photo of him on my iPhone, just to make sure, and then turned to Jess excitedly and said, "Look! It's the Chairman of the Fed! It's Bernanke!" And, indeed, it was:

Do you see the back of his head? Balding, blue shirt, center of the photograph. I'm sorry for the terrible quality, but it was very dark in the auditorium. It was definitely him, though! He did turn around at one point, and I caught sight of his distinctive beard. I have determined that people like Bernanke are my celebrities. I may know nothing about pop culture, but I absolutely freak out when I spot the people who run the government. D.C. is my Hollywood.

Speaking of D.C. "celebrity" sightings, I failed to mention that when David visited a couple of weeks ago, we saw Nancy Pelosi during our tour of--where else?--Congress. We were in Statutory Hall when, unannounced, Pelosi and a bunch of staffers walked right by us! David and I gawked at her, mere feet away, and she smiled at us. I was unable to respond, and just continued to stare at her, slack-jawed. Once she had exited the room, I was very frustrated by the rest of our tour group for not even noticing her, but I suppose most middle schoolers wouldn't recognize the Speaker of the House. Sadness.

Fight like a Hoya!

Relay for Life is Friday! While I've surpassed my individual goal of raising $300, the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy is still working hard to reach our team goal of $2,000. Please help us to reach our goal!

This year, on Thursday, April 15th, 2010, Relay at Georgetown is trying to add another $100,000 in 24 hours. If you would like to find out more about the $100,000 day check out this video that was shown at the last team captain's meeting. Here is the YouTube clip:



Please support me in the fight against cancer and make a gift to my team. I appreciate your support and thank you for taking the time to read this post!

Join Me and Fight Like A HOYA! Hoya Saxa!

Peace,
Amanda

P.S. - Please read on for a letter from Megan Quail, our Relay for Life 2010 Event Chair, who wrote to us about why Relay for Life means so much to her personally.

When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2001, I was terrified, but I always knew things would be ok. They had to be. My mom is my hero, my rock, my everything. Touched by my favorite Beatles song, “Let it be”, I found solace in the lyrical advice to let life find its answer for me. My mom had her left breast, lymph nodes from her armpit, and a muscle removed, but she walked away with her life.

Six years later, I lost a friend at age 19 to cancer. This time, I wasn’t so willing to “let it be”. Days after his funeral, I joined the Relay For Life committee. Not to sound like a walking cliché, but doing so changed my life. Six months after the 2009 Relay, I ran my first marathon for the American Cancer Society. Another six months later, I’m chairing my first Relay For Life event. With three days to go, there have been a lot of sleepless nights in preparation and excitement for the event. Unfortunately, cancer also never sleeps. Last week, it once again roared its ugly head and attacked my mom’s right breast. Now, in addition to preparing for Relay, my family is also preparing for my mother’s second mastectomy.

This time around, I’m not scared. I’m angry. At first, I didn’t think it was fair that my mom would have to lose another breast and months of her life to this terrible disease after everything I’ve done to fight it. But then, I realized that maybe my mom got cancer again to show me how much Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society have done towards finding a cure. Because of medical advancements, my mom CAN have a mastectomy to save her life. This year, I’m relaying for my mom. For the last 21 years, she’s been my hero. But this year, you are all my heroes.

Because of your support of the American Cancer Society, my mom WILL live to see my 22nd birthday. Because of you, I will live to see the day where someone with my mom’s diagnosis won’t have to undergo surgery or chemotherapy at all to eradicate the cancer cells. Because of you, we will find a cure for cancer in my lifetime. Thank you for your support and for being my hero.

Fight Like A Hoya,

Megan Quail
2010 Event Chair

Relay for Life

I will be participating in my fourth Relay for Life the third weekend in April with a team of my fellow editors on the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy. This involves raising funds for the American Cancer Society, and I would love your support. Anything you can contribute will have an impact (even $10), and we greatly appreciate your help. Please help me to fight cancer through Relay for Life! You can made a donation by visiting my Relay page.

My journal is participating in Relay for Life to raise awareness about how cancer severely impacts poverty in America in a number of ways:

• Poor people lack access to quality health care and are more likely than others to die of cancer.
• Poor people endure greater pain and suffering from cancer than most Americans.
• Poor people face substantial obstacles to obtaining and using health insurance and often do not seek needed care if they cannot pay for it.
• Poor people and their families must make extraordinary personal sacrifices to obtain and pay for health care.
• Cancer education and outreach efforts are insensitive and irrelevant to many poor people.
• Fatalism about cancer prevails among the poor and prevents them from gaining quality health care.

In light of these devastating facts, I hope that you will join me and the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy in bringing us a step closer to a world where cancer can no longer claim another year of anyone’s life. Thank you for your support.

Spring Has Sprung

As a certain friend somewhere west of the 405 has mentioned (or at least alluded to) repeatedly, I've been rather absent from the blogosphere since late February. What can I say? Life, especially post-Spring Break, has been hurtling along at breakneck speed.

Academic rigors aside, a ton of fun and interesting things have happened in the past few weeks. However, you don't want to read an absurdly long post, and, to be frank, I don't have time to write it! So, here's my compromise: for each of the major fun things that have happened, I'll write a tweet-length commentary. An experiment in brevity could do me some good.

I went chocolate tasting with the DC Cal Alumni Association at the U.S. Botanic Gardens, and discovered that I like quality dark chocolate.

I did Phase II of the Prayer in Daily Life Retreat, focused on major life events. I learned that 2004 - 2005 were especially formative.

Spring Break to California was a relaxing visit with my family, and I helped Robert pick out a ukulele. Wish I had visited Berkeley, though.

I attended a daylong Refugee Act Conference at school, which greatly complemented the Refugee Law and Policy class I'm taking this semester.

I had the second (and final) full weekend of my negotiations seminar. Possibly the best class I've taken at Georgetown Law.

Fr. Orsy gave an interesting lecture on the historical origins of international human rights, examining the works of Francisco de Vitoria.

I saw the Hoya Lawyas (Georgetown law professors) beat the Hills Angels (U.S. Representatives) at the Home Court charity basketball game.

David spontaneously visited me in DC! We saw, well, everything. We also attended a great play at the Kennedy Center called Master Class.

Amanda J. was in town to visit grad schools! I finally saw Arlington Cemetery, which is gorgeous this time of year with the cherry blossoms.

I went with some friends to Bach's Mass in B Minor at the Kennedy Center. It was incredible, especially the credo. The tenors were spirited.

I attended Easter Vigil on main campus, and was deeply moved by the baptisms. Incredibly, the two-and-a-half hours flew by. So joyous!

I organized the CSA's second-annual Easter Brunch, which was delicious and well-attended. We surprised the security guards with leftovers.

Rachmaninoff

Last night, I went to the Kennedy Center for a concert by the National Symphony Orchestra with some friends. We heard Auerbach's Requiem for Icarus, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18+, and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36+.

I know very little about classical music, but I do know that I like it. Last night's performance was dramatic, passionate, surprising, touching, haunting, and, at times, a little bit crazy. The Auerbach piece was delightfully jarring. It is a contemporary piece (composed in 2006), which provided an interesting juxtaposition against the Rachmaninoff (1901) and Tchaikovsky (1878). There was a considerable amount of plucking of the string instruments, and the first chair violinist played the most ethereal, chilling high notes.

My favorite performance of the evening was definitely Denis Matsuev as the pianist in the Rachmaninoff. I had listened to the concerto several times this past week to get a feel for it, but an audio recording simply cannot convey how incredibly difficult that piece is to play. I was blown away! We had wonderful seats through the Kennedy Center's Attend program (best seats in the house for only $10 if you're under 26), so we were close enough to appreciate the impassioned expressions that Matsuev kept making during the performance.

I was also delighted by the little encore that Matsuev did after multiple standing ovations--an incredible In the Hall of the Mountain King! I am so excited that there is a video of him playing it on Youtube:

Equally entertaining was the conductor, James Gaffigan. I love it when the conductor is extremely expressive through his movements, and Gaffigan did not disappoint. I think it helps that he is so young--only 30! During the scherzo of the Tchaikovsky, he actually put down his baton and went all-out gesturing with his hands.

Events like these remind me how fortunate I am to be living in Washington, D.C., surrounded by so much culture and history. Seeing a world-class orchestra for the price of a movie ticket makes me so happy.

I'm Awake

Last year, I received a rather poignant fortune cookie fortune:

It's amazing how much good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.

That fortune came to mind during the Gospel reading at this morning's Ash Wednesday Mass, especially Matthew 6:5-6:

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

Whenever I read this passage, I feel a little twinge of guilt in my stomach, because I sometimes ignore the Lord's call to humility. This morning, for example, I was kind of excited about wearing ashes on my forehead all day, and this passage makes me question my motives. The point isn't to get attention for one's piety. The ashes represent my repentant spirit at the beginning of Lent, which is between me and God. And yet, I shouldn't wash off the ashes, because, well, I'm certainly not ashamed of my relationship with God. Ideally, the fact that I had ashes on my forehead should not have had any impact upon how I conducted myself today. To put it another way, I should always act as though I have ashes on my forehead, because I am always representing Christ through my interactions with others.

The service I attended was in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the National Shrine. The presiding priest at Mass said in his homily that Ash Wednesday is like an alarm clock that goes off once a year to wake us up from our spiritual slumber. That really resonated with me. I'm awake, Lord! Ash Wednesday is my favorite liturgical season because it motivates me to maintain a higher level of spiritual discipline.

This year, I'm more focused on doing than giving things up. I want to be more mindful of how I spend my time, because my busyness often gets in the way of my relationship with God. So, one one thing I am "giving up," so to speak, is wasting time on the Internet. I am only going to go on websites like Facebook and Twitter once per day. I'm not giving them up completely for Lent because I don't think they're a vice. I think it's good that these websites allow me to keep in touch with friends. However, I don't need to check those sites as often--dare I say, compulsively--as I do. I am amazed, one day in, how many times I felt a nervous urge to go online, as though on autopilot. I'm going to try to channel those moments toward prayer.

The main focus of my Lent will be a different discipline for each day of the week, accompanied by a virtue upon which to meditate (in response to the seven deadly sins). I suggested this when brainstorming what to do for Lent last year, and this year I'm going to try it. Here is my schedule for each week this Lent:

Sundays: read the Sunday Missal, focus on charity (contra: greed)

Mondays: fast, focus on temperance (contra: gluttony)

Tuesdays: do Bible study, focus on diligence (contra: sloth)

Wednesdays: do prayers of intercession, focus on kindness (contra: envy)

Thursdays: pray the Rosary, focus on chastity (contra: lust)

Fridays: do the Liturgy of the Hours, focus on patience (contra: wrath)

Saturdays: go to Reconciliation, focus on humility (contra: pride)

I will also be going through a booklet called "Not By Bread Alone: Daily Reflections for Lent," which provides a reflection, a meditation, and a prayer related to each day's Mass readings. I've used this booklet the past couple years, and find that it works well for me as a morning devotional.

Also, next week I will be making a Prayer in Daily Life retreat through Georgetown Law's Campus Ministry. This is "phase two" of the retreat that I went on 1L year. It will be interesting to look back on last year and contemplate my spiritual journey through the first half (nearing two-thirds!) of law school. I'm glad that the retreat will be during the first full week of Lent, to set the tone for the season.

Now, it might seem odd to discuss humility issues on my blog, followed by a list of all the things I'm doing for Lent. Isn't that kind of like bragging? I hope not. I don't intend for this to be me showing off. Rather, I'd like my blog to be a forum for spiritual growth. Let's keep one another accountable this Lenten season, dear readers! What are you doing for Lent? You're in my prayers.

Snowpocalypse

The past few days have been consumed by an epic snowstorm that hit D.C. Friday and Saturday. All told, Arlington got 21 inches! The federal government is closed tomorrow, as is Georgetown. In other words: SNOW DAY! Indeed, I am trapped in Arlington, as the Metro is not running above ground (which is how I typically get into D.C.), and none of my bus lines are running.

I've really enjoyed hunkering down at home since Friday, especially after the frenetic pace of last week. Jess and I had hardly seen each other all week, so it was nice to spend time together in the apartment. We passed the time by staring out of our big window in the living room, watching not only the snow, but also the neighbors dealing with the snow. (Regular readers of this blog will recall that I love to window watch.) Appropriately, we then watched Rear Window, the 1954 Hitchcock classic with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. The tag line sums it up well: "Through his rear window and the eye of his powerful camera he watched a great city tell on itself, expose its cheating ways... and Murder!"

We didn't witness anything sinister from our window: children playing, people digging out their cars, snow ploughs, and dogs frolicking. I mean, murder? Cheating? We didn't even see churlishness. C'mon, Arlington, where's the suspense?

I had a lot of fun taking photos of the snow this weekend. The album is on Facebook, but I thought I'd share a few of my favorites here.

Staying warm under the auspices of hot cocoa.

It's interesting how the snow collected on the banister.

There was so much snow in our front yard.

Four Mile Run, our nearby stream.

This bench was already occupied.

I walked down to Fraser Park specifically to take photos of this fence.

The blue sky made photography so much more rewarding on Sunday morning.

Ben's Chili Bowl

I completely forgot to mention that I checked off Ben's Chili Bowl from my To-Do List! My internship is literally across the street from Ben's, so it wasn't exactly out of the way. I opted for their "famous" chili dog with french fries. (So, technically, I still need to try a half-smoke and cheese fries.) It was delicious, of course. I love chili that errs on the side of sweet as opposed to spicy.

Adding to the experience was the fact that I ate lunch at the counter. I went by myself since I was just stopping by before my internship. It was my first time ever eating alone at a lunch counter. Honestly, it was a little awkward to stare at all of the cooks running around behind the counter as they prepared orders. What do people do when they're eating alone at a counter? Should I have struck up a conversation with the cooks? Well, it was only my first time there... I guess I was just getting a feel for the place. Next time, I'll try to handle my visit like this guy:

Just Keep Swimming

This has been quite a week. My first and second weeks of school blurred into one behemoth of a week due to the first weekend of my Negotiations seminar, which met from 9 to 4:30 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I am really enjoying the seminar, but, gosh, ten days without a day off is kind of harsh for a student accustomed to a four-day week. Plus, I had to go in to campus yesterday to table for the Catholic Student Association at an admitted students reception, and to take care of some business for the Poverty Law Journal. At least I didn't have to leave my apartment today, especially in light of the weather:


Seriously, when I went to bed last night, there was no snow, and now we have half a foot. Though, it was gorgeous to watch all day while sitting on my couch, studying constitutional law and sipping hot apple cider.

I mentioned a couple of my classes last week, so I'll take a moment to fill you in on the rest of my schedule. My Constitutional Law II class is fantastic. I am delighted to be taking it with the same professor as I had for Contracts last year. Apparently, his premise for the course is to attempt to convince us that judicial review was a bad idea, though he admits that he will probably fail. I just love his lecture style--methodical, passionate and witty.

I am also enjoying my Refugee Law and Policy seminar. The past year has really opened my eyes to my personal interest in the intersection of international law and poverty law, and I feel that refugee law is a fascinating example. I would really like to do the CALS clinic at Georgetown next year, so this seminar serves as a good introduction.

My Negotiations seminar is awesome. It meets a total of two weekends over the course of the semester, with some assignments outside of class, and counts for three credits! Incredible. The class sessions are a lot of fun, because we mainly break out into role playing exercises with classmates. So far, I've represented a diverse array of clients: an opera company trying to hire a soprano, a radio station trying to hire a host , a single mother accused of neglect, an investor seeking an easement on a neighbor's property, a high tech start-up disputing a contract with an investment bank, and a British jockey trying to break into the Kentucky Derby. I am excited about this class because negotiating is not just a lawyering skill, but a life skill.

I also started my internship with the Legal Clinic. Everyone there is very nice, and excited to have my help. So far, I've been doing some document review. Next week will be interesting because I get to meet with each attorney to discuss their fields of work.

The Poverty Law Journal has been keeping me very busy this past week. I turned in a team assignment, submitted a paper I wrote last semester on the 2007 Hague Child Support Convention for potential publication as a note, and applied for Editor-in-Chief! Elections aren't until next week, but we had a Q&A session Thursday night where anyone on staff could ask questions of the three of us who are running. I focused on my leadership experience (CSA, ADX), editing skills (English major, high school newspaper Ed-in-Chief, general nerdiness), and desire to foster a greater sense of community. We'll see what happens!

I've also managed to do a few fun things, in spite of my busyness. Jess and I went to a D.C. Cal Alumni happy hour, I went to a party with a bunch of friends from 1L year, I rocked out to Deaf Dog and the Indictments (a band comprised mainly of judges), and I attended a Poverty Law Journal party. Oh, and watched the State of the Union, of course.

Sigh, I also watched the final episode of the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. I really appreciated his farewell message. In particular: "Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen."

I was so impressed by how Conan handled the whole ordeal. I hope that we see him doing something amazing on September 1 (my birthday!) when he is allowed back on the air. Also, I was excited to read that his production company, Conaco, is working on a new drama that "focuses on a Supreme Court justice who leaves the bench to start his own practice." I would watch that!

Dear Internet

Dear Internet,

Peace,

Amanda

Aaron Burr was a Scoundrel

I flew back to D.C. on Saturday. The best part of the trip was getting a free upgrade to first class for my ATL-DCA flight! Wow, first class is pretty nice. Delta offered me free wine, gave me real candy bars instead of those weird cookies, and the flight attendant was hilarious. Plus, I sat next to a similarly upgraded passenger, Javier, who is also a D.C. grad student. We toasted our good fortune and had a great flight.

Jess was kind enough to pick me up at the airport. When we got home, the first thing I unpacked was the Christmas present for her from my mom--a Zhu Zhu pet hamster! Jess got one that is yellow with stars on the back. We didn't exactly feel like 23-year-olds as we sat on the floor of my room and played with our hamsters, but it seemed a fitting way to celebrate being back in town.

On Sunday, I jumped right back into things. I went to Mass at 11 am (which felt, of course, like 8 am), followed by a Catholic Student Association co-chair lunch meeting. Then, I went to the bookstore to pick up $770 of books. Ouch. They gave me a cardboard box to carry them all to my locker, which is fortunately only a couple hundred yards from the bookstore. I grabbed a couple of the books, and headed to the library. Impressive... I made it a whole 21 hours without setting foot in the library.

That night, Jess and I took advantage of Restaurant Week by having dinner at Morton's, a steakhouse in downtown D.C. It was delicious! I had a Caesar salad, filet mignon with béarnaise sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, and double chocolate mousse. When the maître d' took us to our table, he informed us that we were sitting in Larry King's booth! Indeed, there was a painting of Larry on the wall above us, with the inscription "Larry's Corner." According to the maître d', when Larry eats at Morton's, he just walks in and sits himself down at that booth. "If Larry comes tonight, I guess he'll be eating dinner with you!" he told us, in a slightly rehearsed manner that was nonetheless delightful.

I spent MLK Jr. Day mainly at home studying and doing work for the Poverty Law Journal. Jess and I did venture outside for a trip to Trader Joe's, where I purchased many delicious items, including edamame, chocolate mochi ice cream, clementines, and sourdough bread. I have been amazed by the weather in D.C. the past couple of days--arguably nicer than the Bay Area was over break, at least during the day.

Today was the first day of school. On Tuesdays, I have two classes back-to-back in the same classroom, which is nice (because I don't have to set up my laptop and books twice) but a bit monotonous, atmospherically. At least it's one of the nicer classrooms (200).

My first class, International Environmental Law, looks like it will be awesome! The professor seems enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and I even answered one of her questions correctly. I was a little nervous about my lack of experience with environmental law, but my international law background more than makes up for it. I found the reading assignment very interesting because it discussed the impact of environmental issues upon indigent populations in developing countries. I'm very interested in the intersection of poverty law and international law.

Next, I had International Law II. At Georgetown, IL I (which I took last spring) focuses on public international law, whereas IL II is about corporate international law (i.e., trade, investment, and finance). Personally, I've discovered that I'm more interested in public IL than private IL, but it will still be interesting to learn more about setting up international business deals, arbitration, and the WTO. I mean, I did major in International Political Economy with a concentration in Law and Economics, after all.

This week is going to be pretty crazy. Typically, I will only have class/internship four days per week; however, this weekend is the first of two Friday - Sunday sessions for my Negotiations seminar. We will be meeting from 9 am to 4:30 pm each day! So, I have to go ten days straight without a day off. Don't pity me, please--I did this to myself. Actually, I'm really excited about the seminar, because negotiating is such an important part of life, not just the legal field. I'm reading Getting to Yes right now, which provides a very interesting strategy.

Well, back to homework; 63 pages of reading for Constitutional Law II tomorrow! Plus, tomorrow is the first day of my internship with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless [hereinafter Legal Clinic]. At least the authors of my Con Law book seem to have a sense of humor. They keep throwing in quirky facts at odd moments. For example:

Marshall outlived all of his contemporary adversaries, including his enemy Jefferson, and was determined to outlive populist President Andrew Jackson as well. Only in this last aspiration did the Chief Justice fail. He stubbornly refused to resign, notwithstanding failing health, and in 1835 became the first Chief Justice to die in office. While it was being tolled on the occasion of his death, the Liberty Bell cracked. (Can you beat that for symbolism?)

Seriously, that is the authors' parenthetical at the end, not mine. So far, I've also discovered a fantastic footnote about the "scoundrel" Aaron Burr, many exclamation points at unexpected moments, and an unlikely comment on Justice Harlan's predilection for chewing tobacco on the bench, but I'll spare you.

One more thing: I am an ardent Conan O'Brien fan. I watch his show every night (indeed, I have watched every single episode of his Tonight Show). I am devastated by NBC's actions, and am so fearful for what the end of the week may bring. Poor Coco! Though, I will admit that it has been interesting to follow this from a legal standpoint--all of the legal blogs I follow have been abuzz with speculation about his contract. Specifically, I'm curious to see whether Conan's lawyers will be able to successfully argue for a definition of "The Tonight Show" that includes the specific 11:35 time slot. In the meantime:

I'M WITH COCO!

Tenacious Twenty-Ten

My resolutions for 2010 remain unchanged from last year. That is not to say that I have not progressed in the past year; rather, these goals are, for the most part, long-term:

• Keep in touch with friends
• Get to know D.C. like a local
• Read for pleasure
• Use my time wisely
• Pray without ceasing
• Make healthy choices

Continuing my attempt to "get to know D.C. like a local," I have added some new locations to my "To-Do List," which can be found in the right-hand column of my blog. Here are my additions:

• See Jefferson's home at Monticello.
• Go inside the Smithsonian Castle.
• Visit the National Museum of Natural History.
• Eat a half-smoke and cheese fries at Ben's Chili Bowl.
• Watch the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery.

I am a little embarrassed to admit that I have not yet done some of these things after a year-and-a-half in D.C.! Rounding out my list, I still need to visit the Corcoran Gallery, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Newseum, and the White House. Oh, and see more than five minutes of a Supreme Court oral argument. We'll see how many of these I can accomplish, considering that I'm taking 16 units this semester and will be interning 10 hours each week with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. Speaking of which, here are my classes for spring semester:

• Constitutional Law II
• International Environmental Law
• International Law II
• Negotiations
• Refugee Law and Policy

I'll post my thoughts on the classes after the first week of school. I still have over a week in California--what a gloriously long break! California kids, give me a call if you're in the Bay Area and would like to hang out.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Dec. 25: I opened presents with my family, ate tons of delicious food (shrimp dip, piglets in a blanket, crab), and went to Mass at the Church of the Resurrection, the parish of my youth.

Dec. 26: I spent a lovely day with my mom at the mall.

Dec. 27: I had lunch with my extended family, and went on an evening adventure with a bunch of my friends from high school.

Dec. 28: I finally got a Zhu Zhu pet, and wandered the streets of San Jose with Morgan, eventually ending up in the lounge of the Fairmont for a drink.

Dec. 29: I enjoyed a proper afternoon tea hosted by Alissa.

Dec. 30: I had dinner with more high school friends, bringing the total number of high school friends seen in a four-day period to 14.

Dec. 31: I visited my grandmother, and celebrated the East Coast new year with California sparkling wine with my family (since Mom wouldn't have made it to midnight).

Jan. 1: I took the train to Sacramento for Emily's bridal shower, and was delighted to catch up with so many ADX girls.

Jan. 2: My family and I worked together to un-decorate the house, which was refreshing.

Jan. 3: After Mass, Mom and I ate donuts at the Wheel, our favorite donut shop.

Jan. 4: I slept in, made coffee, completed a crossword puzzle and not much else.

Jan. 5: I pretended I was a house elf and did a bunch of chores around the house.