April 29, 2011

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think it's been a while since I've celebrated someone's birthday, which is too bad because birthday celebrations never disappoint.  Tonight we celebrated Lionel's twenty-fifth birthday with a late dinner at G'Raj Mahal and drinks at Lustre Pearl.  Tonight seemed like a game of Risk, as we tended to take over wherever we were.  At G'Raj Mahal, a group of half a dozen ballooned into somewhere around twenty, requiring us to grab abandoned tables before the hostess knew they were ready for new guests.  I even managed to take advantage of someone else's birthday balloons for the sake of a photo.  At Lustre Pearl, we somehow took over the ping pong table without confrontation.  At some point in the evening, as more and more people showed up to celebrate with Lionel, it became difficult to figure out where our group ended and the rest of the world began.

April 28, 2011

I distinctly remember the excitement of getting my driver's license nine years ago atrophy into a feeling of despair as I watched the cost of a gallon of gas inch up, and up, and up.  I was so disappointed because the memory of driving around town until my parents found a $0.99 per gallon station was still fresh in my mind.  Paying anything above $1.00 per gallon was simply unacceptable.  To say I haven't noticed the price of gas continually climb over the years would be an absolute lie, but it doesn't mean I didn't have to catch my breath when I saw the total cost for less than 13 gallons of gas.  That defunct bicycle of mine is looking pretty attractive right about now. 

April 27, 2011

Another Wednesday night at the Nutty Brown Cafe proved much more enjoyable tonight than it did last week.  A table full of friends, a cool breeze, and some fancy dance lessons paired nicely with Charlie Robison & Co.  For someone who doesn't listen to much music outside the confines of my iTunes library, I was surprised to know, and be able to sing along with, a few of the songs he played.  Only later this evening did I realize I knew one of the songs because it was a cover, and the other because it is used in the Texas Oncology commercials.  Kyle will be pretty disappointed to find out his Texas country indoctrination scheme wasn't the purpose for my singing along tonight!

April 26, 2011

With the end of the semester comes the last (free) Taco Tuesday until September.  I've gotten into the habit of staring down the clock in Evidence every Tuesday all semester, waiting for the moment I can get my taco and salsa doña on.  I'm curious if I'll ever get tired of tacos.  I'm not sure I would know what to eat if this happened, although I'm sure I'd adapt.  For now, Taco Tuesday will have to continue at my own expense.  Maybe this will get me to try some new taco places?

April 25, 2011

I've been hearing great things about hopdoddy on South Congress for months now.  Not only about the burgers and fries, but about the atmosphere and concept of the restaurant.  I finally checked it out tonight and am really impressed.  They make their veggie burgers from hemp seed, which is a variety I had yet to try until this evening.  I got the Llano Poblano, sans bacon.  The burger was pretty unpredictable because it was so moist, but it was worth the work.  Their french fries are crispy and nearly perfectly salted.  To top off the meal, I got a chance to catch up with a good friend of mine!  Good conversation with a close friend makes any meal that much more delicious.

April 24, 2011

It isn't an Easter meal in this family without a bit of some edible fire.  While I made my signature spicy guacamole, Kyle made his world famous bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers.  Both of these dishes were paired with the otherwise appropriate Easter fare: ham, green beans, potatoes au gratin, Texas caviar, and deviled eggs.  As a vegetarian, my holiday meals are always eclectic.  Tonight I had potatoes au gratin with a side of deviled eggs and chips and guacamole.  Plus the highlight of my day:  Blazin' Buffalo Wing Almonds.  Brittany's mom hunted down the deliciously elusive almond and bought me a few cans!  It's going to take quite a bit of culinary magic to top this Easter next year.

April 23, 2011

I'm fairly certain Campbell must believe every holiday and cause for celebration occurs three or four times over.  My sweet angel has multiple birthday parties and dinners, a bevy of Christmas occasions, and now can add four Easter egg hunts to the list.  While I'm not one who likes the multiple celebration approach, I'm glad Campbell had a few egg hunts this year.  We spent the morning at Riverbend's Easter Eggstravaganza, which had bounce houses, cotton candy, a petting zoo, a bunny ear table, and age-grouped egg hunts.  Unfortunately, the hunt organized for Campbell's age group was in the narrow hallways of the church.  Since we were in the back of the group of people, Campbell only got three eggs.  Many of the parents in the front of the group apparently encouraged their children to pick up every egg they saw, leaving none for those in back.  Campbell wasn't even the worst off, as some left the hunt with zero.  Thankfully Campbell (1) had already had a few egg hunts already this Easter and (2) didn't know the difference.  Do you see the smile on this angel?  Nothing phases her!  

April 22, 2011

Without even realizing what day it was until the afternoon, I had a pretty earthy Earth Day this year.  The day started with a mid-morning breakfast on the open patio at Maudie's, followed by a hunger-inducing stroll through Whole Foods downtown, which culminated in a mango snack break.  Then a trip to Luke's Locker for some new running gear (Watch out for some burnt orange shorts flying past you you!) and a trip to R.E.I. to look for some post-long run comfort shoes (No dice.).  Then, a pretty disappointing run at the Greenbelt (Thanks, IT band.).  A lot of sun, a decent amount of fresh air, and an absolutely gorgeous day.  Well done, Earth.  Well done.

April 21, 2011

A cold cup of coffee and day old bagel at 11:30 p.m. on a Thursday?  Sounds about right for this time of year.  The anxiety of finals has taken over and so tonight, I found myself in the TILJ office working into the evening.  I made the (wise) mistake of looking at past exams for my classes and realized I was nowhere near the mark in a few of them.  Cue rising blood pressure.  After a handful of hours reworking outlines, I'm feeling slightly less anxious but highly caffeinated.  I'm hoping the work-inducing anxiety continues its trick through the end of finals.

April 20, 2011

As it is the Live Music Capital of the world, Austin will never want for a great music venue.  One of those venues is, apparently, the Nutty Brown Cafe off Highway 290.  They've developed a modified amphitheater, which is sponsored by a host of companies, including KVET, the local country station.  Every Wednesday night, KVET hosts a free concert at Nutty Brown.  We were finally able to make it out there tonight and had a really great time.  We didn't know the band tonight, for reasons we were able to discern when they started playing, but such is life.  The rest of the evening made up for the questionable tunes, though!

April 19, 2011

A few weeks ago I received an email from the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity asking whether I'd be willing to sit on a panel to discuss what law school is like and answer questions from undergraduate students.  Because I like hearing the sound of my own voice and because I am always looking for an opportunity to give back to the University, I agreed.  Tonight, I sat on a panel with two other law students and discussed my experience in law school, what worked for me and what didn't, and the like.  By the end of the evening I realized how much I'd forgotten about the process like how anxious I was and how  I had no idea what I was getting into when I decided to go to law school.  All I did know was I simply needed to go.  It worked out for me, so far, and I hope our advice to the undergraduates this evening will help them.  Having become somewhat cynical about law school, it was refreshing to meet people who are still excited about it.

April 18, 2011

I was pretty sure I had experienced disappointment in my life before today.  Clearly, I was wrong.  This past Thanksgiving, on my way to visit with family in Gonzalez, I picked up some almonds flavored like buffalo chicken wings at a Walmart in Luling.  The similarity in taste was uncanny and, for a vegetarian who misses chicken wings, a gold mine of a find.  I've been craving these almonds since then but haven't been able to find them anywhere in the city.  HEB doesn't carry them.  Target doesn't carry them.  Neither CVS or Walgreens carry them.  While I was grocery shopping at HEB today, I saw these almonds.  I thought perhaps Blue Diamond Almonds had changed the name of the flavoring; it happens all the time, right?  I thankfully stopped myself from buying two jars.  I say "thankfully" because, folks, these are not the same almonds I bought in Luling.  My spirits fell the moment I pulled back the foil.  I immediately knew I'd been mistaken.  Alas, the search for the elusive chicken wing almonds continues.

April 17, 2011

Roller derby has been gaining quite a bit of traction lately.  The most I knew of roller derby before today, though, was there is a movie, directed by Drew Barrymore, about the sport.  It's a pretty easy sport to understand: one jammer and four blockers per team.  One of the blockers may also function as a pivot, or a possible substitute for the jammer.  The object of each bout is for each jammer to "jam" her way through the crowd of blockers to the front of the pack and around the track, as many times as possible.  The more successful "jams," the more points her team scores.  Today's match-up was on a flat track, so it was a bit slower of a pace then I expected.  Because of the slower pace and lackluster energy, we opted for a sushi happy hour instead.  Nothing like roller derby and sake bombs for a quiet Sunday afternoon.

April 16, 2011

It's curious:  I've been living in Austin again for nine months and today was the first time I've been anywhere near Lake Austin (not even to mention Lake Travis) for anything other than running.  On the one hand, winter has taken place within these nine months.  On the other hand, there have been plenty of gorgeous days for me to take advantage of in this city.  Regardless of my lack of diligence in visiting Austin's waterfront properties, today was a perfect afternoon for good times at Abel's on the Lake.  We enjoyed the sun, breeze, and excellent people watching over some appetizers, cold drinks, and a couple rounds of fish tacos.  Next time we hit up Oyster Landing, it will be in good 'ole Crusty the boat.

April 15, 2011

With injuries, school, and recovery from the 50K, it has been entirely too long since I have run at the Greenbelt. After a meeting or two this morning, I realized I had a lovely Friday ahead of me with nothing but six miles of gorgeous running. I laced up and hit the trails, starting at the Hill of Life and stopping every once in a while to remind myself why I missed running here so much. This is my favorite part of the trail: it reminds me of the Grand Canyon and is particularly full of lovely, and not-so-lovely, bugs and wildlife. By the end of my run, I'd encountered two snakes, one stinkbug, and a dozen or so butterflies. I'm hoping to head out for a longer morning run later this weekend. It's easy to run the miles with scenery like this.

April 14, 2011

The past year has been an interesting one for the Texas International Law Journal.  Due to a number of positive and negative realities, it has been quite the feat to publish Volume 47.  However, despite the difficulties, the year has ended with an excellent volume, the legacy of an amazing symposium, and a journal pointed toward a positive future.  Tonight we also had the opportunity to honor outstanding members for their work as staffers, editors, and in the field of international law.  Moreover, we had the opportunity to honor our incredible Editorial Board, who have worked tirelessly to ensure the Journal is handed over in the most excellent of shape.  The incoming Board is so grateful for their work.  We will miss the outgoing Board, but we are excited to expand upon their legacy.

April 13, 2011

Sometimes I have an unexplainable urge to watch Top Gun, the ridiculously awful, yet awesome, 1986 film about "the best of the best" in naval aviation.  Tonight was one of those times, poorly timed in the midst of finals season.  For whatever reason, I love this movie with an ardent passion.  A few years ago, in fact, I went by the name "Maverick."  I can quote along with the entire movie, awkward pauses, Goose's "ah-has," and all.  It's impossible for me to pass up an opportunity for a well-timed and well-placed Top Gun quotation in conversation.  The opportunities are few and far between, which makes them all the more satisfying.

April 12, 2011

When I was a little girl, my mom and I had to self-impose a "maximum of two repeats" rule, which meant we could only listen to a given song two times in a row.  Every once in a while we would let an extra repeat or two slide, but we generally abided by this rule pretty strictly, lest we ruin the value of a song.  I have completely flouted this rule today, but I have no idea why this particular song has led me to do so.  If you know me, the only country I listen to is George Strait, so that I am listening to Kenny Chesney on continuous repeat is all the more alarming.  I'm blaming the anomaly on my mom, as she is the one who introduced me to the song.

April 11, 2011

I somehow went through a handful of highlighters today, although I'm not sure I highlighted much more text than usual.  Perhaps I'm being sent a message from the academic gods to just step away from the reading and get some relaxation in my life.  With the end of the semester jarringly around the corner, it seems everyone is shifting into high gear reading, outlining, and attempting to refrain from succumbing to massive anxiety attacks.  I'm certainly within this group, especially with the incredibly busy semester I've had, which has made the time simply fly by.  Good thing I have a nice stash of highlighters, unlimited coffee and tea, and a working printer for those outlines.

April 10, 2011

Although this morning was a rather rude awakening after last night, it has been a surprisingly productive day.  With the aid of a strong pot of caffeine, the Executive Board sifted through the summer staff applications over the course of three hours to create the best incoming staff possible.  After a short lunch break, the outgoing Editorial Board met with the incoming Board to discuss goals, advice, and the transition process.  Then, from the comfort of my couch, I developed our staff training materials and resources for next weekend.  The best part of such a productive day?  An empty inbox.  We'll see how long it lasts.

April 9, 2011

Little black dress.  Sky-high heels.  Champagne.  Hot pink wig.  All of this, multiplied by twelve, made up Alice's bachelorette party tonight.  After donning our wigs, dealing out dare cards, and buddying up, the twelve of us made our arrival on Sixth Street for an incredible evening of classy debauchery.  Now, I'm sure it is not often one sees a gang of pink-haired ladies downtown, but I cannot understand why so very many people clamored to have their pictures taken with us tonight.  It was almost impossible to move from one place to the next without a dozen or more people running up to us to take photos.  Regardless of this awkward aspect of the evening, we had an absolutely fantastic time and are all looking forward to celebrating Alice and Dustin's wedding next month.

April 8, 2011

I started volunteering for The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston when I was in middle school, helping them prepare for their annual spring luncheon and speaker series. The Waggoners Foundation Speaker Series was created in memory of Jay Waggoner, who lost his life to alcoholism and addiction. Each year, the Council hosts a luncheon at which a well-known speaker discusses his or her experiences with alcoholism and addiction, whether first-hand or through their friends and family members. This year the Council hosted Jim Belushi and his son, Robert. Their story was amazing and I'm so glad they shared it with us. Seeing the positive influence the Council has had on the Houston community is incredible; being able to have lunch with the Belushis isn't bad, either!

April 7, 2011

I have been craving Mission Burrito for months now and, although I've been to Houston a few times since the craving started, I just haven't been able to stop by for a delicious burrito.  Since this probably is my last trip to Houston for a while, I decided this had to be remedied tonight.  I haven't been eating burritos much lately and one thing is abundantly clear: I am incredibly out of shape.  I got my usual fillings, which haven't made me feel sickeningly full in the past, but I could barely move by the time I got home.  Regardless of the pretty uncomfortable food coma, Mission didn't fail to deliver on deliciousness.  

April 6, 2011

An exciting, and also terrifying, moment for any ANE is when the author sends back the article with his or her revisions, comments, and the like.  I was very lucky to be assigned a short, well-written, coherent article by a federal bankruptcy judge.  The citations, by and large, were correct.  There were no foreign language sources.  And the author knew what he was talking about.  So, thus far, my job has been a pretty straightforward one and without much stress.  The moment the article goes back to the author for final revisions, however,  can make or break the ANE experience.  Thankfully, my author had zero negative comments and only minor revisions.  The next step is to insert the changes and send the article off to the publisher.  With this part of the semester done, I can focus on other things, finally!

April 5, 2011

Why do I feel like this comic strip is directed at me more and more every day lately?  Due to no other available option, I started drinking coffee last week and found out I actually like it.  I'm slightly (only slightly) alarmed by how quickly I've become addicted to it.  Where I need to drink hot tea throughout the day, I only need one cup of coffee.  It's beyond convenient.  Since I don't (yet) have my own coffee maker at home, I'm more grateful than ever to the TILJ office and its coffee machine.  

April 4, 2011

Having the LBJ School of Public Policy across the street from the law school has made seeing great speakers incredibly convenient.  The two schools joined to host Justice Stephen Breyer of the United States Supreme Court in a number of events today.  I was only able to go to his interview with Dean Sager, during which they mostly discussed his new book.  I was able to meet Justice Breyer prior to the event, but didn't get much more than a grunt of acknowledgement.  I was a bit miffed, to say the least.  Regardless, his discussion with Dean Sager and the stories he told were highly entertaining.  As to be expected with a Supreme Court justice, he has a way with words and has an incredible knack for eloquence.

April 3, 2011

Spring semester has a tendency to be long, tedious, and without much substance, mostly because it is the beginning of a very long countdown to the start of the college football season.  I'm sure this is the reason behind the Texas Football Spring Jamboree, which is free and open to the public.  The team is split into a "Texas" and a "Longhorn" team, which play against each other in a short scrimmage and which means it is one game we cannot lose.  It's also an opportunity to showcase what fans can expect in the upcoming season.  Although Mack Brown said there is a decision to be made at quarterback, I think Case McCoy is clearly the starting quarterback for the 2011 season.  Regardless, a Longhorn football game in the middle of the spring semester is one sweat treat!

April 2, 2011

Despite being unable to train for this race as I should have, I decided to wing it.  All it takes is putting one foot in front of the other, right?  As it turns out, this principle can be pretty challenging.  I'm still learning what does and does not work for me during a race when it comes to hydration, salt, and mid-race eating.  Thus, by around mile 17 or 18, I was stumbling down the trail swearing I had just seen the Loch Ness Monster lurking about the forest.  I am so grateful for the wonderful people at the aid stations, who filled me up with PB&Js, M&Ms, Oreos, salt pills, ice cold water, and popsicles.  Thus, despite my exacerbated ankle sprain, IT band issues, and general ignorance about running a 50K, I finally finished the race after running for 10 and a half hours . . . dead last, which I was actually beyond excited to find out  about and which explains my toad trophy with "DFL" ("dead flipping last")!  Next up?  Capt'n Karl's 10K and 30K to train for the Wild Hare 50K.

April 1, 2011

As part of UT Law's Clerkship Placement Program, the school hosts a Clerkship Workshop to which we invite a number of federal district and circuit court judges to discuss applications, the interview process, the clerkship experience, and the benefits of clerkships.  Students are chosen to help with various parts of the program, from introducing the judges in their discussion sections to taking the judge around town.  I was chosen to chaperone the Honorable Judge Royce Lamberth of the District of Columbia Circuit.  With this responsibility came the opportunity to spend time with a handful of federal judges on a one-on-one basis for the morning.  I've always been fascinated by the federal judiciary, so it was a unique experience to be able to speak with these judges on such casual matters.  A once in a lifetime experience, in fact, unless one secures a coveted clerkship.