That's a Wrap

I've decided to stop blogging here. After that last post, I think this blog has fulfilled its purpose. And since I am using Twitter so much (@Carty64, see the updates on the right side of the page) this whole site doesn't seem necessary. I may start another one to chronicle my life as a young, soon-to-be attorney, and if I do, I'll post that link here.

Thanks for all the views and comments everyone!

Full Circle

When I first started this blog, I wrote a post about how I love the show Scrubs and how I always felt that it helped me deal with law school. I first got into the show in my first semester and I have been watching it ever since. I even have all the (available) seasons on DVD. Now, as fitting as it could possibly be, both the show, and law school have ended.

I didn't intend for this to happen as it did. Recently, I have been watching the newest episodes on demand on Sunday nights in bed, and tonight was no different. But, was I wasn't expecting was the last episode of the season, and, very likely, of the show. It was fairly emotional for me because I feel like I know the characters so well, like I have grown up with them. And in a way, I have. When I first got here I was just a scared little man not sure about who he was or what he wanted. I hadn't experienced what it was like to really know fear and doubt. And just like Zach Braff's character in the first episode, I very quickly learned that things were NOT going to go like I expected. I discovered that the one, and only, thing I could count on to help me get through this all were my friends.

I didn't know my roommate before law school but without him I really don't know if I could have survived this all. We are so alike and still so different. The insecurities, fears, beliefs, and desires were all there. More importantly though, no one has made me laugh more, or think more. We're not quite as close as JD and Turk from the show, but it's close. I know he'd never say it aloud (like Dr. Cox) but I know he's really going to miss me, and I'll be the sappy dork and probably say something corny (but sincere) when we finally say goodbye.

I didn't know that the episode I would be watching tonight was a finale, but I'm glad it was. My final 2 tests in law school are Monday and Tuesday, then I am driving back to Salt Lake and leaving this all behind. The show tonight talked about the different ways people say goodbye and the way that people want to be remembered. I have so many memories of people, places, experiences and feelings, some good and some bad. But I will even look back on the bad ones fondly because they are part of the whole experience that I have had here. But more than that, they will help me make choices about my future. I'm sad the show is likely over, but it feels somewhat fitting, like it knows that it has helped me get through this and now I need to go out and start the rest of my life. This really is the end of a chapter, and I don't know what will happen next.

So here we are, 2 1/2 years later. I'm 27, graduating from law school, no job locked down yet, and moving home while I study for the bar exam in July...I need a new TV show.

I'm Still Here!

Hey all, sorry it has been so long since my last post. I have been crazy busy with school and the Legal Clinic. Good news though, only THIS long until I am all done! Graduation is creeping up and pretty soon I will be road trippin' back to the good ol' SLC.

My friend Emily has always been the non-mainstream music authority among my friends (well, her and Dan, but he is MIA). I have really changed a lot since leaving the bubble for law school, and one of those changes has been in my musical tastes. Before, I would dismiss a lot of the music she liked as "hippie-indie-emo-wannabeJackJohnson/BenHarper" (that should tell you how long it has been since I have listened to it) garbage. However, thanks to Last.fm and Emily's blogging, I have seriously expanded my musical samplings. For instance, I now regularly listen to music by Franz Ferdinand, SebastiAn, Interpol, Hieroglyphics, Jurassic 5, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Beirut, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and Justice.

For those of you that know me, you'll probably be shocked to see any or all of those artists. I used to listen to the Dave Brubeck Quartet, 311, Dave Matthews, and Red Hot Chili Peppers pretty much exclusively. They are still in the playlist, but less often than before (Brubeck is especially good for studying).

If you have 5 minutes, go to Last.fm, create an account and play with it. You'll likely find music you love that you never knew existed!

Brrr Part III: The Science Experiment

As previously noted, the HIGH today was -1 degree. While sitting here NOT studying, I decided to have a little science fun. As the temperature reached an arctic -15 I took a regular cup of tap-water outside to see how long it would take to freeze.


After 20 minutes there was a thin layer of ice on the top:

Then after forty minutes of playing video games doing laundry and reading, I ventured back out into the tundra to see how my little friend was doing.

Almost totally solid. There was some liquid water still sloshing around in the center, but it was certainly frozen. Upon further inspection, it would likely only have taken about another 20 minutes to be totally solid:

Yay Midwest weather!

Brrrr Part II

BRRR!

New!

Click image for full size

The One Where I Lose my Cool

I just saw this story and I am, let's say, perturbed.  The double standard that many "Christians" cling to is really disgusting, "you cannot infringe on my right to be a Christian, but when you say something I don't like, I am going to steal your sign then call my Congressman to make sure you CAN'T say it."

"We will ask our millions of supporters to call the city of Washington, D.C., and Congress to stop this un-Godly campaign."

Translation, "we are right, you are wrong, no 1st Amendment protection for you!"  Where is the Christian trait of loving your neighbor, or turning the other cheek?  Instead, these people are so frightened by the thought of an alternate point of view that they literally want to make a federal case out of it and, as the article points out, break one of their own commandments.  Nevermind that the nativity scene itself is probably a violation of church and state, but a non-threatening message promoting reason?  BLASPHEMY!  WE WON'T STAND FOR IT!

I'm sure there are people that cheered when it was stolen, sad it was returned, and are trying to make a stink about the sign being in existence at all.  Those people are hypocritical idiots who probably aren't even willing to admit that the Earth is billions of years old.  People that know me would say that I am an easy-going guy who rarely gets upset, but this shit pisses me off.

Samwich

According to my roommate, this is the greatest sandwich ever conceived by man:

Good Call

Dear ESPN, just wanted to say how glad I am that I didn't take your advice.

Love, Me.

Can you believe what we just did!?

That was the last text I sent to my sister on Election Night last week as I was leaving Grant Park. Obviously I meant it in a good way, as if to say, "this is amazing!" And it truly was. I don't post about politics very often and everyone and their dog is bloviating on it nonstop, but having BEEN at Grant Park on Election Night and hearing PRESIDENT-elect Obama speak, I had to post my thoughts and pictures. I also want to preface this this the fact that I was essentially a republican when I got to law school. I went to see Sean Hannity, I listened to his radio show, I watched Bill O'Reilly and I couldn't get enough of Fox News. That has all since stopped.

A year ago I remember saying that there was NO WAY I would ever vote for Obama simply because of his lack of experience. At that time he was still in his first term as Senator and had only served in the Illinois state legislature. I felt this was NOT the credentials we need for the nation's highest office. Even during the summer I wasn't sure who I wanted to vote for (after Ron Paul was essentially eliminated). It was the "Reverend Wright" speech that really made me think. I didn't see it live, or even that same week, but when I did see in on CSPAN I remember thinking that this guy really has his act together. I certainly hadn't decided at that point to vote for him, but it started to seem more plausible.

I was sorta rooting for Mitt Romney in the Republican race (I guess it was a hometown thing) but I didn't really plan on voting for him. I truly was a swing voter. But hearing Obama speak, and having to compare him to McCain, the choice not only became clearer, but imperative. My view of McCain was that of the "old way" of doing things, he was the dial-up internet candidate, the standard definition TV candidate, the VHS candidate. Whether it was sincere or not, Obama sold me (and millions of others) on the idea that he is not part of the old guard. He is not a Washington insider and isn't beholden to the same lobbyist-run government. McCain, to me, just seemed widly out of touch with people like me.

Then came the economic meltdown. I don't blame any person or party for this, it was a combination of many factors. But the responses to it from both candidates was very telling. McCain wanted to give MORE tax cuts to the top of the top income bracket whereas Obama wanted to cut taxes for 95% of the working class. Don't get me wrong, I am aware that the rich pay the majority of the taxes, but the fact that they can AFFORD to makes it easier for me to swallow. That certainly isn't a reason to simply raise taxes, but this quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes sums up how I feel about it, "taxes are what we pay for a civilized society." I'm OK with paying a larger share (especially because it means I'm making more!) if it means that there is more police protection, more programs for getting the homeless off the streets, and nicer and safer parks and open areas.

I became very pro-Obama after the debates. I imagined a worldwide summit and I pictured who I would want to represent the USA, it was Obama by leaps and bounds. The "America as an imperial force" attitude was embarassing at this point, I wanted an "America as a force for peace" attitude. I don't believe that America can be the leader by example with McCain as President, just as it hasn't under Bush (whom I voted for both times).

So when I got my ticket for the Grant Park party (at 2 PM on Election Day) I felt legitimately excited to be a part of history. Now I know that that sounds cliche, but it really is the truth. America was about to elect not only a black man, but a man who had the vision and ability to get America out of this political rut of picking the lesser of 2 evils. The writing was on the wall for Obama, he had leads in states that hadn't voted Democrat in 40 years like Indiana, Virginia and North Carolina (sadly, not Utah). It was like a tidal wave, slowly building momentum then finally overtaking the whole country, it was a true mandate and electoral blowout.

So here are the best of my pictures. It was pandemonium but it was amazing, historic, and unforgettable.

It Really Does Work

Seth Rogen was on Kimmel tonight and when he came out I thought to myself, "man, he looks THIN!"  Kimmel brought it up immediately and Rogen mentioned that he lost the weight by simply eating right and exercising.  This hit home with me because I actually lost about 25 lbs this summer doing the same thing.  I had 6 weeks between the end of the semester and when my job started so I created a routine where I was either playing basketball or going to the gym 6 days a week.  I also stopped eating fast food, which was probably the biggest factor since it is LOADED with saturated fat and calories.

I've put a couple of those lbs back on since school started, but I'm still lighter than I've been in about 6 or 7 years.  I noticed that the biggest motivator to keep up the regiment was RESULTS.  The first 2 or 3 weeks were the hardest, but once you see the lbs coming off it's like a dopamine shot.  I also noticed how much more endurance I have, especially when playing basketball.  I used to be totally gassed after about 3 games, but now I can play 4 or 5 and be fine.  There is a park nearby where I run and last month I did a full lap (3/4 mile) non-stop, which is a big step for me and was one of my top goals.  I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but setting realistic goals, and MEETING them, is one of the most satisfying things we can do.  It has changed how I feel about myself and has given me much more confidence.  It really does work and can be done!