I just saw a news video about a golden adopting six kittens, on top of her own six puppies.
What would you do if your Tsu decided to do the same thing? I think it will drive you crazy. I will watch with quiet amusement before stepping in to help you out. A little bit of karmic justice for the bad things you say about cats :-)
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Professor Earl C. Dudley, Jr.
When I look back upon my time at the law school, I will remember, with fondness and gratitude, Professor Earl C. Dudley, Jr.. The first time I met this distinguished gentleman was during my first semester here. I went up to the faculty offices, and was trying to find a professor when Professor Dudley, seeing my look of confusion and query, kindly asked whether he could help point me in the right direction. It was a very brief moment, but his kindness came across clearly.
I didn't have a chance to interact with him again until my team was preparing for the Sutherland Constitutional Moot Court Competition. We desperately needed a good coach, especially one who was well-versed in 4th Amendment issues. Upon the shortest notice, we (sheepishly) asked for Professor Dudley's help. Without even a moment's hesitation, he agreed to coach us. Two hours of instruction from him were worth more than any practice we could have done on our own. I really shouldn't be surprised, as he was the Editor-in-Chief of the law review when he was a student here, clerked for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and litigated for many years at one of the most respected law firms in the nation. If anybody knew how to argue a case, it was him.
My admiration for Professor Dudley grew immensely when I had the good fortune to take his Evidence class. It wasn't just about his excellent teaching; he is truly a learned gentleman in the best sense of the word, a man who exhibits wisdom, class, and decency at every turn. It's hard to pinpoint anything in particular, but anyone who listens to his stories about the choices he made, and how he handled different situations, would come to the same conclusion. This is a person who has always been at the pinnacle of his profession, and yet he never fails to demonstrate kindness and understanding to the people around him.
He retired as of last week. I had the pleasure of having lunch with him today, received more advice from him about my career, and most importantly, got to thank him for teaching me, by his example, some important lessons that go well beyond the law. This sounds like such a cliche, but I hope that by the time I retire, I will have replicated at least some of the good things that Professor Dudley did for his friends, colleagues, and students. He will remain a great role model for all of us.
My admiration for Professor Dudley grew immensely when I had the good fortune to take his Evidence class. It wasn't just about his excellent teaching; he is truly a learned gentleman in the best sense of the word, a man who exhibits wisdom, class, and decency at every turn. It's hard to pinpoint anything in particular, but anyone who listens to his stories about the choices he made, and how he handled different situations, would come to the same conclusion. This is a person who has always been at the pinnacle of his profession, and yet he never fails to demonstrate kindness and understanding to the people around him.
He retired as of last week. I had the pleasure of having lunch with him today, received more advice from him about my career, and most importantly, got to thank him for teaching me, by his example, some important lessons that go well beyond the law. This sounds like such a cliche, but I hope that by the time I retire, I will have replicated at least some of the good things that Professor Dudley did for his friends, colleagues, and students. He will remain a great role model for all of us.
Leonbergers
This is the second kind of dog I'd like to have. I came across this breed, for the first time, one night when I was leaving the law school at 9. I was tired, even a little bit cranky, but my irritableness was swept away as I crossed the parking lot and saw these two ENORMOUS dogs! I picked up my pace, and as I approached, the dogs kept on turning back to look at me - sufficient invitation from my point of view! The owner, Jim, was kind enough to stop for me, and introduced me to Cass and May, who were just so enthusiastic to come greet me. 
Cass, in particular, kept on wanting to jump up on me with his paws on my shoulder. May, being the lady, was a bit more reserved, but very welcoming regardless. Having my (empty) lunch box with me may have had something to do with it, but they were the sweetest and friendliest canines. A bit of research afterwards told me that leos are known to be friendly and very good with people (including kids) in general.
Note to G: I wonder if my leo(s) will get along with your golden. Tsu might get a little bit freaked out, but I'll make sure my dogs behave. :-) But first, you have to go get Tsu.
We have to go to a dog show together.
Cass, in particular, kept on wanting to jump up on me with his paws on my shoulder. May, being the lady, was a bit more reserved, but very welcoming regardless. Having my (empty) lunch box with me may have had something to do with it, but they were the sweetest and friendliest canines. A bit of research afterwards told me that leos are known to be friendly and very good with people (including kids) in general.Note to G: I wonder if my leo(s) will get along with your golden. Tsu might get a little bit freaked out, but I'll make sure my dogs behave. :-) But first, you have to go get Tsu.
We have to go to a dog show together.
Monday, May 12, 2008
La Divina
I have been listening to quite a bit of Callas lately. Over the years, volumes have been written about her artistic merit - saying the subject is controversial would be an understatement. My opinion is that most of her detractors are looking for a "soothing" and "pretty" voice, which completely misses the point. There are plenty of "pretty" voices around, but good storytellers are hard to find. She was one of the best. It is no wonder that people credit her for single-handedly putting drama (in the best sense) back into the art of singing.
Here is a clip of hers from the 70's - when she was nearing the end of her life, and was far from the peak of her powers. True, she had to push a lot to get to the high notes, and her breath slipped in a few places, but listen to how she sustained the core of her sound -- that's all breath support and she's still got most of it. More importantly, she still told one heck of a story like no one else could.
After you listen to the Callas clip, contrast that with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's version. Technically, the Dame was just incredible. She showed off her trademark warm timbre, and her resonance could knock anybody off their feet. It's not hard to discern why she's regarded as one of the best lyric sopranos to have graced the stage. But the story was conspicuously missing -- what happened to "Babbo, pieta! Pieta!"? Lauretta was aching! She was tortured! She wanted to throw herself into the Arno and die! Dame Te Kanawa made it sound like she was having tea with the ladies and just discovered how divine chocolates with raspberry centers can be.
Sometimes it's not just about singing "pretty."
Here is a clip of hers from the 70's - when she was nearing the end of her life, and was far from the peak of her powers. True, she had to push a lot to get to the high notes, and her breath slipped in a few places, but listen to how she sustained the core of her sound -- that's all breath support and she's still got most of it. More importantly, she still told one heck of a story like no one else could.
After you listen to the Callas clip, contrast that with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's version. Technically, the Dame was just incredible. She showed off her trademark warm timbre, and her resonance could knock anybody off their feet. It's not hard to discern why she's regarded as one of the best lyric sopranos to have graced the stage. But the story was conspicuously missing -- what happened to "Babbo, pieta! Pieta!"? Lauretta was aching! She was tortured! She wanted to throw herself into the Arno and die! Dame Te Kanawa made it sound like she was having tea with the ladies and just discovered how divine chocolates with raspberry centers can be.
Sometimes it's not just about singing "pretty."
Saturday, May 3, 2008
A Simple Culinary Rule
It's Alumni Weekend, and the school arranged for a caterer to feed its loyal supporters, in the hopes that satiated appetites lead to open wallets. (Note: I don't know how much alcohol is involved as part of the inducement).
The caterers set up a staging area in the foyer outside of my journal's office, where I was studying, so I had a chance to observe, and to chat with the staff. One lady said, "We welcome volunteers!" Now, I don't know whether they would ever allow an outsider to touch the food, but many cooks will tell you that, up to a certain extent, observation can be as valuable as practice. As a cook, one of the most important things to acquire is that culinary sixth sense of what goes with what, and how far you can stretch the possibilities. Watching always helps. If I get to do any mise en place, I will count that as a bonus.
The company is called 20 South. I immediately took a liking to the tone of their menus. Their stuff is down-to-earth, but
they manage to put in various touches here and there to keep it creative and classy. The way I see it, these chefs understand the principle that it's not always about going WAY out to be creative and fancy, especially when you don't want to be upstaging the event for which you are catering (not to mention that they are somewhat hampered by the narrow spectrum of ingredients available in Central Virginia - more on this subject later).
They had a nice quote on their Web site to explain this philosophy: "You can’t put foie gras and caviar in front of 100 guests—10 of them will love you, and the other 90 will be
left hungry." Well put, I say. It also aligns with the observation that the more people cook, the more they trend towards the basics, because ultimately - simple works.
I think I can learn some good stuff from these people, so we'll see if I can fit that into my schedule next year.
* Pictured (Top): 20 South's "Mini-BLTs" - diced apple bacon, roma tomatoes, and lettuce tossed in a basil mayonnaise, and served on a miniature buttered toast cup. (Bottom) Not sure, but I think those are seared scallops.
The caterers set up a staging area in the foyer outside of my journal's office, where I was studying, so I had a chance to observe, and to chat with the staff. One lady said, "We welcome volunteers!" Now, I don't know whether they would ever allow an outsider to touch the food, but many cooks will tell you that, up to a certain extent, observation can be as valuable as practice. As a cook, one of the most important things to acquire is that culinary sixth sense of what goes with what, and how far you can stretch the possibilities. Watching always helps. If I get to do any mise en place, I will count that as a bonus.
The company is called 20 South. I immediately took a liking to the tone of their menus. Their stuff is down-to-earth, but
they manage to put in various touches here and there to keep it creative and classy. The way I see it, these chefs understand the principle that it's not always about going WAY out to be creative and fancy, especially when you don't want to be upstaging the event for which you are catering (not to mention that they are somewhat hampered by the narrow spectrum of ingredients available in Central Virginia - more on this subject later).They had a nice quote on their Web site to explain this philosophy: "You can’t put foie gras and caviar in front of 100 guests—10 of them will love you, and the other 90 will be
left hungry." Well put, I say. It also aligns with the observation that the more people cook, the more they trend towards the basics, because ultimately - simple works.I think I can learn some good stuff from these people, so we'll see if I can fit that into my schedule next year.
* Pictured (Top): 20 South's "Mini-BLTs" - diced apple bacon, roma tomatoes, and lettuce tossed in a basil mayonnaise, and served on a miniature buttered toast cup. (Bottom) Not sure, but I think those are seared scallops.
Friday, May 2, 2008
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