Sarah's Semester Countdown - Updated

(I really did try to come up with a synonym for 'countdown' that began with an s. I'm all about alliteration.)

To Do:
Employment Law Exam (check 4/30)
Property Exam (check 5/4)
Constitutional Law Exam (check 5/11)
Federalism Paper

beginning the paper writing process

_________________________________

to be continued...

Caring for the Environment

From the Washington Post:

"[The Queen's] journey to the United States will be her fifth in 50 years - but it will be first in which the carbon dioxide released by the trip will be offset by a donation to an environmental organization, the palace said."

I wonder if the President's administration is carbon-neutral. Nevermind. I know the answer to that question.
__________________________________

to be continued...

My List

I got home from school today and noticed my cell phone blinking on the kitchen counter (I normally have it with me, but accidently left it at home today...) I listen to the message. It's Aunt Mary B.

"When you're in Flordia, do you want to swim with dolphins?"

Now. This may sound like an odd question to have on your voicemail on a random Friday afternoon. But oh how it made my day. You see. I have a list of things to do before I die.

I wrote it out at some point in middle or early high school. Keep a garden. Have a child. Write a thesis (check). Run a marathon (so close!). Fill a passport with stamps (close here too). Learn Greek. and - Swim with dolphins. (For the record, there are other things on the list too. This is just a sampling :))

So, if things go as planned, I'll be swimming with dolphins** in 2 weeks' time - it'll be my reward for finishing exams. Which brings me to my next point:

___________________________________

Exams start Monday. It might be awhile until I post again. But keep checking back, I'll probably be making a strong attempt at effective procrastination.
___________________________________

**I'm preempting my fellow Swattie's/other animal-friendly friends' comments that swimming with captive dolphins is usually bad for the dolphins and not often a good experience for humans and that I'd be contributing to an industry that some should say shouldn't exist at all. I'm not really going to defend this irrational desire of mine - or tell you that it's good. But just that I realize the debate exists and that I've decided to ignore it for the 15 minutes I'm in the water with the animal(s) and the probably-quite-large-sum-I'll-be-handing-over-for-the-privlege-of-doing-so.
___________________________________

to be continued...

Mr. Henry Higgins

Adopt Henry!

Henry, a 4 year old, formally abused hound mix has been staying with me for the past two months as a foster dog from the SPCA. But now it's time to find him a "forever home"! Because he doesn't live in the shelter, he doesn't get much visibility - so Henry asked me to post to the blog and advertise for him.

Henry loves curling up on the couch and on his dog bed. He's a very peaceful dog. He is house-trained (and can go nearly 24 hours w/o needing to be taken out - so he won't keep your from partying/staying out late, etc.), doesn't chew, bark (at all!), or beg for food.... Henry's very comfortable living in a small apartment, but he loves going to the dog park and playing with other dogs. In short, Henry''s an all around great guy.

He was abused, and, as it typical of abused dogs, is quite shy, especially when meeting new people. But over the past two months, he has really warmed up to me - and to my friends that he sees often. He's still rather scared of men - but this is improving too. But if you have small children or cats, it wouldn't be an ideal situation for him.

If you, or someone you know is interested, come stop by and meet him and take him home with you! My e-mail is spbryan at gmail dot com.
___________________________

to be continued...

Good Reads

Even though exams are only one week away, I've been spending my afternoon creating my summer reading list. Productivity at its finest.
_________________________

to be continued...

Quaker Matchbox?

Swarthmore's Alumni Council elections are now open. I logged on to the website to vote, but then got distracted by minutes of past Alumni Council meetings. I stumbeled across this paragraph from last Fall's meeting:

"Proposal for a Swarthmore Internet Dating Service
Bill Belanger ’66 and Nate Stazewski of the Alumni Office gave detailed presentations on this proposal. Bill showed how one area of the College’s Web site could be adapted for this purpose, while Nate explained the difficulties of using the Swarthmore Web site, both in its present state and in its next format. Discussion ensued, and the sense of the group was that the College Web site should be used to foster all types of contacts/relationships among alumni, not simply romantic ones. Nate’s presentation of “Facebook.com” made that service seem highly promising as a vehicle for a Swarthmore-based dating service and worth exploring in greater detail at our next meeting, along with other issues raised by this proposal."

People are quite attached to this Quaker Matchbox thing. If four years wasn't enough time to find a spouse, go to www.marryaswattie.com and find a partner there.

(The Spring '06 minutes report that the AC decided not to adovocate a Swarthmore Dating Serivce...)
_____________________________

on that note, I've got this ceramic Christmas-tree-ornament-like doll hanging from my closet door. Across the skirt (pink, of course), it reads, "I think therefore I'm single." Do I need to take that down now that I'm dating someone? Does the Alumni Council care that he's not a Swattie?

______________________________

to be continued...

Don't Procrastinate

Don't Procrastinate. The Gods will Spite You.
I spent most of the weekend not doing work. Though I had set out to write my Federalism paper and actually learn something about covenants - by Sunday night I hadn't even cracked a book. Yes I had somewhat decent excuses, but the fact remained - no work had been done. No problem I say to myself. I'll just make some tea, and stay up for the majority of the night. So I crack my laptop and get working. Then the power goes out. Great. (For those of you not in the Charlottesville/east coast area - there was a whopping storm here yesterday. Trees are down everywhere... Inches of rain. Flooding. Disaster. you get the idea.) I decide to use my battery until it runs out and then figure I'll walk up to school. The doors to school are locked (I've tried six or seven times to get my ID card cleared to open the doors after hours - but can't seem to get it to work. ah technology). Back home I go. To bed I go. Work? Still not done. Boo. Serves me right.

Don't Procrastinate. The Landlord will Spite You.
April 1st. Al's Birthday. April Fool's Day. Day My Rent Check is Due. I remembered the first. For the second, I laughed at Google's Spoof. I forgot the third. Flat out forgot. It was the 4th before I remembered. Ironically, I also spoke with my landlord on the telephone that day - apologized and promised that my check would be in the mail that day. But then I procrastinated. It was the 7th before it left my apartment. This past Saturday, I get a little notice in the mail: late fee. due. pay up. Boo. Serves me right.

Don't Procrastinate. The Bike will Spite You.
My bike (a beautiful Trek 7100 :)) has needed a spring tune up. The gears are a bit dry and hard to shift, the seat loose (even before we tried to lower it, Dave), and the tires low. I procrastinated. Saturday morning, after I carried the bike down the stairs, and had put my helmet on, I noticed my rear tire was flat. Yuck. Gotta take it to the bike shop. Should have done that earlier. You got it: Boo. Serves me right.

_____________________________

to be continued...

suicide

Lawyer Jumps to Death From Empire State Building. 30 years old.

I thought about writing how big firms suck. But that would be racing to conclusions about this guy's life.

I thought about writing how lawyers are more prone to commit suicide/become alcoholics. But that just seems so obvious.

I thought about writing how I hope not to be in a position like that and how I would try to be smarter/more composed/resourceful. But that screams superiority.

But it sucks. I'll leave intelligent commentary to Fletcher Reede or TJ.

_________________________________

to be continued...

my brown pants

I have this pair of brown pants. They are ankle length with a small drawstring around the waist. The pants are soft-well worn cotton with small white diamonds.

They are the perfect pants. For lying around the house. For sleeping. For dance (I actually acquired them as part of a costume for a piece I was in senior spring). For yoga. For studying.

I probably wear them about 50 hours a week - if not more. They've been with me to Bermuda. To Russia. To DC, VA, PA, DE, and CT.

But they're beginning to become a bit holey. (they were already holy... sorry - that pun was too tempting.) The fabric is just wearing too thin. The first hole came about six months ago, when I was wearing them on my bike. A bit around the hem got caught on the chain and a small hole was created. I was slightly sad, but no biggie. Then, over winter break, a bit of the inseam started wearing thin and turned into a hole. I could go on a bit more. As of this morning, there were several holes here and there - some larger than others, some that liked to spread in I used just the right amount of tension in just the right place. I avoided doing that.

Then I wore them this evening to yoga. We were doing Karandavasana (ok, some of the more advanced students were doing it.... I was working my way into the asana) and I heard a rip. Right across my right knee. A huge slit. So sad.

I think the pants need to be go into retirement. Maybe I can still wear them around the house now and then, but if I don't preserve them, one of these days, there will be more holes than fabric. And that would be sad.

How I loved those pants. It's the end of an era.

________________________

to be continued...

my favorite women in the world

Ms. Parker: Hugh IV brought Ms. Parker's white-chocolate peanut butter eggs back to C'ville today. They are safely tucked away - but on Tuesday - yum. I can't wait.

Mommy: an Aunt Jemimia Puddle Duck bowl? Sweet. Yes, even as a twenty-something, I have a weakness for Peter Rabbit. Oh yeah - and a tea strainier, which I had been secretely wanting for ages. Mind-reader.

________________________

Also, God: See supra, paragraph 2.

________________________

to be continued...

Google Reader

I just discovered Google Reader. There went an hour of my life.

__________________________

Has anyone ever studied/read/written about how early trails/roads were formed? After Lewis and Clark. And "slave labor" isn't the answer I'm looking for. seriously - How did people, riding horses get from Richmond to Charlottesville in TJ's time? Who "took charge" of clearing the space for a flimsy trail. Were the sign posts? How did people know the way over such distance? If you know - tell me. If you have extra time on your hands --- find out - and I'll give you a special prize.

I think I'm procrastinating.

___________________________

Happy Easter to all celebrating.

___________________________

to be continued...

my future ipod

I am 800 Westlaw points away from that free ipod. So close. So close.

_______________________________

I just read a professor's paper for a student-faculty roundtable. The author kept italicizing all these random words. I found this very annoying.

_______________________________

to be continued...

Softball & Daffodils

This has been a softball filled week. And it has been splendid.

A game with the women yesterday. VELF today. Section D and Tax Journal tomorrow. A total of five games in three days. Doing my reading for class isn't actually that important, right?

Plus I'm racking up the battle wounds. Got a line drive to my quad today. A spectacularly black bruise now marks my left leg. The pitching mound isn't far enough away for my slow reflexes. But, it's character building.

____________________________

The Daffodil Festival is this Saturday - I'll miss it again - for the umpteenth consecutive year. But it's always fabulous. County fairs at their finest. I hope that Gloucester still has some flowers in bloom. Most of the blooms here have passed their peak. But I did see a tulip this morning.....

_____________________________

to be continued...

Oh Christmas Tree....

At 7:45 this morning the dump truck came and emptied the garbage container outside the back of my apartment. In addition to taking my trash from the past week, it took a Christmas tree.

Yes. A Christmas tree.

When I took my trash out yesterday afternoon - there it was, in the dumpster. brown and dried - a frasier fur. 4 months old.

Granted I was doing some spring cleaning. But a Christmas tree? Wow. Talk about procrastination. Or maybe they just really love Christmas. A lot.

____________________________

to be continued...