tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51274852009-02-21T03:23:09.975-08:00Life under the bodhi tree...mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comBlogger257125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-72632102258591956102006-11-23T09:43:00.000-08:002006-11-24T08:25:18.285-08:00

Yesterday I spent a lot of time contemplating how much I have to be thankful for. Friends...family...health...cheese. There have been a lot of changes in my life in the last year, and I am so grateful for the support I've been graciously and generously given by so many individuals. This journey we're on together is full of so many unexpected twists and turns, eh? I'm lucky to be surrounded by so

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-23561863205875539572006-11-21T14:24:00.000-08:002006-11-21T14:46:17.055-08:00

The last week has been crazy. I've been up to all sorts of madness, which is perhaps why I hit a brick wall Sunday night and have been laid out with some sort of crazy flu ever since. But before the fates saw fit to consign me to bed rest for an indeterminate period of time, I was able to get in a few fun activities over the last few days like:sit in on oral arguments at the 9th Circuit. as far

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-18464997422069956252006-11-17T22:24:00.000-08:002006-11-17T22:43:04.948-08:00

The new roommate and I are really getting to know one another well, as evidenced by a particularly insightful observation she made the other night while we were discussing an interaction she recently witnessed between me and someone I hardly know:"You're like a G-rated dominatrix."Pretty perceptive if you ask me. Then again, she also says shit like, "You're a bird" and "Everyone's a dragon." Or,

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-18448197946507326222006-11-15T18:09:00.000-08:002006-11-16T00:58:48.148-08:00

This is me. This is me drunk at the auction. Mere moments before my more sober friends, in their wisdom, decided to take my bid number away from me lest I actually win the $3,000 Tahoe package that I decided I needed (that is, in addition to the tattoo that I bought). This is me in the photo that has somehow, and unfortunately, made its way onto my school's website. Let that be a warning to all

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-67243230361847382472006-11-13T15:10:00.000-08:002006-11-16T16:29:36.614-08:00

If I told you my car broke down on the Bay Bridge this morning would you even believe me?And I swear to God, I think the police officer that finally called a tow truck for me is the one that arrested me in April. It was like my own little "Crash" moment.My guardian angel Hannah, who is miraculously at home whenever my car hits the fan these days, informed me that it must be because Mercury's in

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1162920794438937782006-11-07T09:22:00.000-08:002006-11-13T15:08:22.738-08:00

Sorry I've been a little m.i.a. lately. Life's been more than a little hectic. What have I been up to you ask? Well, to make a long story short, I've been:deconstructing my identity through therapy. the decompensation continues...dealing with an eviction notice from my landlord. um, three days to vacate? what?dealing with the ongoing effects of an emergency visit to the vet and the clear signs of

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1162355158923838042006-10-31T20:25:00.000-08:002006-11-13T15:08:22.327-08:00

And may the force be with you...always.photo courtesy of dooce.And in the wise words of Junior Gong:"The return of the Jedi when I get back,the entire empire will start to strike back."

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1161458567402003082006-10-21T12:17:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:22.031-08:00

There's something about coming home that is so good for the soul. I forget how much I love this place. And to be surrounded by people that love me - by people that know me...Well, let's just say I have definitely learned not to take things like that for granted anymore. I've been here for less than 24 hours and I've already seen more people than I can shake a stick at, been to a few of my

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1161242595260301222006-10-18T23:52:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:21.790-08:00

this may hurt a bit, she warnswhile anxiously i watch the black bile ooze forthslowlylike sweet molassescarefullywith the precision of a surgeonshe slits the left wristto cleanse the spleen she saysletting the humours settle backat the gut-wrenching pace of a sea turtlei never had the patience for tapestriesbut the story, the story must be toldand so i am made bareand tonguelesswrithing with the

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1160623854178328772006-10-11T19:50:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:21.303-08:00

As you may have noticed I've been a little depressed lately. I've been fighting the good fight by doing everything I know to do in situations like these (breathing, spending time with friends, being patient with myself, taking time out when I need to, being grateful for what I have, cuddling Tofu, etc.) but nothing seems to work. It's definitely been affecting me though. In the last few weeks I

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1160084775293768432006-10-05T14:20:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:20.243-08:00

Those words formed my personal mantra for awhile back in the mid-90's and I know at least ONE person who will remember them. They floated back into my head recently at a really opportune moment and lately I've been really taking them to heart. It's time for a little physical and spiritual housekeeping, you know? So I've been in the throes of planning a multi-layered attack.First order of business

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1159879592754136992006-10-03T05:36:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:19.982-08:00

Well, I just finished my second all-nighter of law school and I honestly can't say I'm any clearer on the legal system of the People's Republic of China than I was before I read that 1,200 pages of legal analysis. Leave it to me to choose the country with the 4,000 year old legal system and then try to sum it up with some insightful analysis in 5-10 pages. If I weren't so tired I'd probably be

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1159728443750259342006-10-01T11:04:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:19.697-08:00

you are in chaos she saidlooking outward for somethingthat can only be found withinit is imminentand inevitableher unblinking eyesform a wall of flaming arrowsscrupulously aimed at piercing the inscrutable barriera brick facade that has taken millenia to constructand i am turned to stonethe smoke from her cigarettecurls flirtatiouslyin the thick air between usi am sick with the weight of itand

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1159469534055509652006-09-28T11:52:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:19.351-08:00

This time of year always leaves me feeling a little blue. Funny since it's my favorite time of year too. Let's not get into the deeper psychological implications of that little irony. In my defense, it's always been my favorite time of year. The bad associations came much later.Anyway, the season just sort of snuck up on me this time. For the last couple of weeks I've been feeling depressed,

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1158962088768231522006-09-22T14:30:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:18.282-08:00

The other day I went to my very first professional baseball game. Now, I'm not what one would call a "fan" of baseball. I don't think I could name a single player if I had to and I will definitely flip quickly past a baseball game on tv without so much as checking the score. But when a friend called me up on Monday and said he had won some tickets to an A's-Indians game at a charity auction last

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1158621994924145352006-09-18T16:13:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:17.999-08:00

Dear Siri,I knew we would be fast friends from the moment you knocked me unconscious with that metal baseball bat while I was carefully coloring inside the lines of my coloring book. That fact was reconfirmed for me when, after failing to catch you at the bottom of the slide as promised and instead letting you run straight into the swimming pool, you didn't hold it against me. I know, I know, you

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1158326062141995872006-09-15T06:11:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:17.643-08:00

It's 6 o'clock in the morning and I just finished my appellate brief. I've been up and working on this thing for just a little under 21 hours. Again, I am having serious questions about my logic in deciding on this particular career path. Nevermind the more disturbing questions about my sanity. The important thing right now is that it's over. And shit howdy do I need a drink.

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1158182793688850562006-09-13T14:16:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:17.271-08:00

Why are blogs so much easier to write than appellate briefs?Why are the wrong men so much easier to find than the right ones?Why is it so hard to quit smoking?Why does rewarding work pay so little if at all?Why does all the bad shit have to happen all at once?Why doesn't anyone recognize my genius?Why has my cat become so talkative and what is she trying to say?Why is it always so gorgeous

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1157685409126602892006-09-07T19:53:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:16.982-08:00

Let me guess, you have a girlfriend...or no wait, you're a stalker in training just waiting for the right girl to come along for you to obsess about and consequently SCARE THE SHIT OUT OF*...no? Maybe you're just coming out of a long-term relationship and you're still too traumatized to even talk about anything other than your ex. Still not you? Then surely you must be emotionally stunted,

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1157067139326404622006-08-31T16:05:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:16.641-08:00

I can't believe I'm just finishing up the second week of school and am already at nervous breakdown levels of stress and anxiety. I thought this year was supposed to be better! But with a 30-50 page unwritten appellate brief looming in my future, tons of reading for all of my classes, all kinds of busy work for student organizations, etc. etc., who can relax?!? Hopefully I'll do some catching up

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1156725113691641082006-08-27T17:00:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:16.381-08:00

The first week of school is over and things are already in full swing. It's been fun catching up with schoolmates, getting the hang of my new schedule, and enjoying the last remnants of free time I'll probably have for the rest of the semester. I'm already pretty confident that this year is going to be vastly different from last year. I'll probably be just as busy, if not more so, but the culture

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1154463743878048722006-08-01T13:02:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:15.939-08:00

My last few days in London went by dizzingly fast. On my last night there, my flatmates threw me a lovely little going away barbecue in our garden. I was amazed to see how many people I had met over the course of a couple of months show up for my grand send off. In the span of just a few weeks I managed to create an entire life, complete with a whole slew of amazing friends and acquaintances.

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1153903447821491882006-07-26T01:22:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:15.553-08:00

I had so much fun last weekend in Prague I don't really know where to begin. The architecture was breathtaking. The ghosts of the communist era were haunting. The Vltava River is stunning and ephemeral. And the company was great. There was a sunset stroll over the Charles bridge, karaoke, becherovka, puppets and an international music festival in the park. Then there was dancing until 6am and

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1153388154166796812006-07-20T02:11:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:15.245-08:00

Last weekend Lauri and I headed to Brighton for some sun-soaked adventure on the beach. We had a blast. I have to admit my expectations were not terribly high. I think it's fair to say the Brits are not particularly known for their beaches. Armed with my new favorite Finnish phrase - "Hei! Nimeni on Amanda. Olen Amerikkalainen. Tulen San Franciscosta. Haluan aamupalaa, heti!" - we found a little

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5127485.post-1152537595822836482006-07-10T05:06:00.000-07:002006-11-13T15:08:13.575-08:00

The days have been speeding up lately as my time in London draws to a close - sometimes even seeming to rush by in a blurry haze - like I'm standing still but the rest of the world is on super-fast forward. Then again, that could have been the absynthe Elina brought from Prague a couple of weeks ago when she decided to surprise me by flying into London for Euro Pride. We had more fun and

mandolinxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18115148891735044821noreply@blogger.com