Goodbye August

I can't believe tomorrow is September 1. Of 2009. I don't have much to say about it, except that I just can't believe how the months are slipping by. We're coming into my favorite season - fall! It's not quite the same here without foliage, cool and crisp fall days with strong breeze off the ocean, apple-picking and (soon after) apple cobbler-baking. I'm still excited, though. It's already chilly in the mornings and there's just something invigorating about fall. I love it.

Here are some things I'm working on these next few months:

- taking my daily vitamin
- sleeping more (and not feeling guilty about it)
- read a little of a novel before sleeping each night
- keep focus and efficiency in studying
- make it to trails or the mountains at least 1x every other week
- re-do my resume and begin the internship summer 2010 search.
- cook dinner and make my own coffee (I've been pretty good about this since July)

(fun list)
- pick a pumpkin and carve it
- roast the pumpkin seeds
- make soups and delicious bread to go with it
- go to the Alliance Francaise happy hour French wine and cheese nights
- go to Symphony (The Colorado Symphony Orchestra is starting up soon!)
- do art (find an art class?)
- go to Buddhist meetings (for clarity, simplicity, wisdom and self-awareness)
- drive my car less

See? Won't fall be fun? More to come ... Rabbit rabbit!

Week Runs

Sunday - rest! 0

Monday - 9 at night, felt good and quick.

Tuesday - 7 with Sara in the morning. I got us a little lost, but we found our way back to the Cherry Creek path, phew!

Wednesday - 7 (I switched today with tomorrow, so I could spend more time with Sara.)

Thursday - Wow. Hard to motivate! Got home from the day at 8:00 p.m. and then had to pull it together to run 10. It was already dark when I left and I headed down Cherry Creek path. It's fine for the first 20 min, then you have to go under a series of dark bridges (away from car/foot traffic) and I get a little creeped out. I saw one dude sort of dinking around on his bike with no lights or helmet. Weird. Then, I came face to face with a coyote on the CC path! Eek! I stopped and looked it in the eyes until it went down toward the creek. Sheesh. I turned around but I still needed another 50 minutes! I dwaddled around Wash Park and stuff. Boring. I ate a big dinner and some post-run recovery smoothie so I wouldn't be sore the next morning. 10.

Friday - A mere, uh, 7 hours later a friend and I ran our new found City Loop Park. So great. Training has been much more consistent and fun with people to chit chat with. Go us! 9.

Saturday - Still felt like I hadn't gotten enough sleep or recovery time, but got up at 5ish to meet at 6 at Highline. Got in a great long run with my friend's neighbor. Tee hee - just me and this guy, a 50 year old married with kids tyoe, showed up and ended up running together. So fun to chit chat and talk running (he did a 2:22 marathon back in the day!). Anyway, he's also just a little bit faster than I am, so I felt great getting in a good paced long run. 16

I read that you should do the most running at marathon pace that you can, particularly during your long runs. So, some long runs just slow and easy, but others really try to pick up the pace. I also practiced by taking goo. I am trying to "train smart" by using my little hand-held water bottle, practice taking goo, stuff like that. I really want to do well in Philly so I'm doing all the little things. Well, ahem, almost. I need to work on getting more sleep. But, hey, I feel pretty good with a solid month of training plan behind me. I haven't missed a single day of training [yet?]! I am proud of myself. Hope I don't miss a single day of my little plan! And, I feelt pretty ache-free. Number 1 goal is to get to the marathon healthy. Number 2 goal is to have fun (if you don't have fun, you won't want to do it again!). Goals after that get more superficial (read: time-specific).

My long runs have been feeling easier, my legs are pretty fresh and I'm ready to step up the training (weekly mileage) a bit for the new month ahead. Wow, September already!

Total: 58

Bailing

What is with everyone bailing on me lately?

Thursday - kid bailed in class on a group project (I only bailed because I thought you guys were going to bail.)

Friday - friend bailed on a morning run (only slept 2 hours)

Saturday - a different friend bailed on a different morning run via text at 5:00 a.m., despite e-mail confirmation at 8:00 p.m. the night before ("I feel like I might be getting sick")

Saturday - a different friend bailed on dinner plans (sick)

Saturday - another person bailed on going to a party tonight ("other plans are going to get in the way")

Yeesh. I'm trying, here, people. This is why I don't want to reach out to people here in Denver! Makes me want to just say 'forget it' and stop trying to make friends. Who need friends, anyway?

Sigh. :/

On the Socratic Method

My Professor started a blog to discuss a movement called "Humanizing Legal Education." I posted this response on it. The original, and her blog, may be found here.

I hope to answer these questions about Socratic method somewhat indirectly by writing about a few things I’ve noticed in being part of the Socratic method of teaching here at law school. As I understand Professor Pollvogt’s definition, a dialogue is a conversation and exchange of ideas between people with a goal of resolving a problem.

First, I don’t think Socratic method allows for a conversation or exchange of ideas. I think it allows the questioner (a professor) to put forth his or her own ideas. Sometimes the professor’s ideas are expressed by the professor. Sometimes, the professor’s ideas are stated by the student. This happens when the professor’s questions are so pointed that they are actually simply a statement with the intent to get students to “participate” by giving them the chance to answer the obvious: ‘Yes’ or ‘The holding of the case is….’ When Socratic method is used, I hardly ever get to express my ideas, because I am only allowed to answer the question I am asked. When we students aren’t given the opportunity to express our ideas or engage in a professional discussion, how could it possibly be a dialogue or true exchange of ideas?

Second, I don’t think Socratic method in law school reaches a resolution. From my perspective, we aren’t presented with clear pictures of the problems. Why not? I speculate that professors don’t want to seem as if they aren’t experts or don’t have a professional stance on issues. In that vein, rather than present impartial, equally-powerful, legal rational for all sides of an issue (problem) and then turn it over to the class for debate, professors argue for a position (resolution) and then use Socratic method to dare the class to challenge his or her position. What may be worse than the abuse of the Socratic method, though, is that the professors tend to meld the issue (problem) with their position (resolution). I often leave class struggling to identify what the issue was and whether the professor’s position was merely a personal/professional opinion or actually the undisputed, resolved Black-letter-law.

Finally, a few thoughts on Socratic method. When done poorly, it’s patronizing, condescending and a waste of time. Many times I have sat through classes where Socratic method was used to review the facts, holding, reasoning and procedural posture of the case. Why did I do the reading if we painstakingly were going to review it for the first hour of class? What was I learning from the professor, if I had already learned everything being said in class from doing the reading? Why was I sitting in class, or, why did I even bother doing the reading? I find it patronizing that professors think I don’t (can’t?) understand the basic facts and holding of a case. I find it condescending when professors are visibly shocked that a student could possibly have such an insightful comment. Or, when professors say things like, “I have never thought of that before” or ” I’ve never heard that in all my years of teaching.” In one class during my 1L year, if a student had a particularly impressive comment, the professor would not attempt to provide further insight, but rather would restate the student’s comment in his own words, presenting it to the class as if he, the professor, had thought of it himself. It seems like Socratic method would be better served if used to delve into the big-picture concepts or flesh out the unwritten assumptions instead of using it to do book review-like case summaries.

I think Socratic method could be great. I think it should be a part of legal education. It has the potential of teaching through showing, by walking students through logical steps so that students may arrive at a WHAT with a solid understanding of the WHY. I’m just not convinced that professors use Socratic method purposefully in legal education.

a word or two with you

When I was young, I was always told to look up words when I'm reading. I don't remember that I paid heed to the suggestion, but now I do. I love words, their etymology, and learning some symbolic connection between sound, evolution, meaning and sight of a word. Here are some good words to mull over that I've come across lately. Okay, the last one I just put on there because I love it and want everyone else to love it, too:

kaffeklatsch - kaf·fee·klatsch (kŏf'ē-klăch', -kläch', kô'fē-)

n.

1. A casual social gathering for coffee and conversation.

megalomania - meg·a·lo·ma·ni·a (mĕg'ə-lō-mā'nē-ə, -mān'yə)

n.

1. A psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.
2. An obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions.

diphthong - dif-thawng

n.
A complex speech sound or glide that begins with one vowel and gradually changes to another vowel within the same syllable, as (oi) in boil or (ī) in fine.



philosophy - φιλοσοφία [Greek] "phil - o- sophia"

n.
1. love of wisdom

2. the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct.

3. a system of principles for guidance in practical affairs.

4. investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods.

5. the critical analysis of fundamental assumptions or beliefs.

6. the discipline comprising logic, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and epistemology.

7. a system of values by which one lives.

A friend!

I have a friend in town! I feel like this whole past year I've had to repeat, "You have really good friends, they just don't live here." And now one is visiting! Hurrah! I worked last weekend to get things done so I could play. We talked until 1:00 a.m. last night. This morning was a leisurely 8:00 a.m. wake-up, went for a run (I got us a little lost - oops!), breakfast and then coffee/chatting on the outside patio at Pablo's. Pablo's has these free little stickers. One says "Danger monkey." The one I love most says "Small but Mighty." As Andy says, "I am Camgi, hear me roar!"

Anyway, it's been great to chat with my good friend, feel connected and calm, hear about how great she's been (post PhD comp. exams). It's inspiring and invigorating to talk ideas, about gaining control of one's own studies, getting past the hump of learning what other people want you to learn. She's now at the point where she is learning what SHE wants to learn. I have high hopes that my MA thesis will be the chance for me to be creative, actually pull together the J.D. and M.A. One day I'll get there, too...

She's here until Thursday, so I'm making myself scarce around school until then. It's lovely.

Week Runs

Sunday - 3 shake out.

Monday -9.5, 3 loops in Wash Park with friend 1 and baby stroller

Tuesday - 6

Wednesday - 9, afternoon. so hot and icky. Rushing to get to meeting.

Thursday - 8, 6:30 a.m., from Wash park around Cheeseman with friend 2

Friday - 9, 6:30 a.m. with friend 2 from my place. new route around City Park!

Satuday - 15, 6:00 a.m. from Highline with friend 1, friend 2 and new friend. fun!

Total: 59.5

I've been running with a bunch of people lately - it helps! It's nice, too, to get away from school.

First week update

I'm doing reading for class that starts in two hours, but here's a quick update of the first week.

Classes:
1. Administrative Law (federal agencies - kind of overlaps with a lot of constitutional law)
2. Intermediate Legal Analysis (writing and putting together a good logical argument)
3. Urban Planning Law, Growth and Sustainable Development (self-explanatory)
4. Federal Indian Law (cool-ass professor, 10 people in the class, no final, incredibly interesting, etc.)
5. Alternative Dispute Resolution (negotiation, mediation, arbitration, etc.)

Admin is stereotypically "the worst" of the bunch, but it's useful. The professor is Meh. Perhaps he's just getting settled. He pretty much just follows the book exactly, only explaining things less clearly.

I have good professors for ILA, Federal Indian and Urban Planning. Those 3 classes are my favorite.

ADR is amusing, so far. It's pretty fluffy, as far as law classes go. My professor is a little scatter-brained and, surprising, doesn't have fabulous people skills. She says awkward things like, "Oh, I'm sorry. I can't meet with you on Friday because my good friend DIED. And, so I'll be going to her funeral." and "It's just like pornography, you can't explain it, but you know it when you see it." I had to restrain myself from dying laughing, though no one else seemed to find it either as hilarious or shockingly inappropriate as I did. Tee hee. Oh, to have my sense of humor.

A few other things:
-My new baby ACER computer is great! A little kink with my bad USB, but that's solved.
-I am not buying 2 of my expensive books because they are in the library - hurrah!
-I'm still a little sad grad school is over, sigh.
-I've been figuring out the best time to run, but no matter when I do, I pretty much end up exhausted and wish I could go to bed at about 7:00 p.m.
-Back to yoga class! I had 2 awesome classes this week AND she's adding a 1 1/2 hour class on Saturdays. One day, when I have a life again I will go to yoga 3 days a week.

Must get back to reading.

Last Day of Summer

Sunday, August 16, 2009. Second year of law school starts tomorrow.

Tonight I did everything I could think of to procrastinate: laundry, deep cleaning of entire apartment, dishes, put laundry away, caught up on messages and e-mail things, made lunch, put out my clothes for tomorrow (yes, I do that every night). I think I'm procrastinating going to sleep, even though I'm super tired, because I'm not sure I'm ready to wake up and have it be tomorrow. I just can't believe it. If I were on Cape Cod, I'd be going to Four Seas for one last summer ice cream on the beach/skinny dipping.

I remember what I wore to the first day of first grade. My favorite grey and pink stripped dress. I actually think I wore that for a few years in a row, I loved it so much.

I'm half dreading this because last year was so crazy and busy. I felt like I was working 12-15 hours a day, 7 days a week. Running at 5 a.m. Pack lunch and dinner, or eat dinner around 11 p.m. But, half of me is hopeful - maybe my classes will be more aligned with my interests. Maybe I won't have to put in so many hours. Maybe I will learn "the system." Maybe it will be less stressful. Maybe I'll have less anxiety about the whole thing? Maybe.

No call to wish me luck on the first day. I guess that's what happens when you grow up.

Week Runs

Sunday - off

Monday - 8

Tuesday - Ran with a friend and her baby stroller, 7

Wednesday - ugh. I wanted to run early, but didn't get up before it got hot. So, ran in the evening down the Cherry Creek path. I tried to just go on autopilot and not think that I was running as far as I was. 11

Thursday - Ran with 2 friends. Super stiff from the 11 miles a mere 9 hours/6 hours of sleep before. 7

Friday - Ran with a friend, 6 in the morning with 6 1 minute-long pick ups. 2 shake out in the afternoon. 10

Saturday - Woo! This was the longest run I've done in awhile and I was actually a bit nervous about it. I also had a feeling I would be slower than the other 3 women. I prepped with a water bottle, goo and body glide (I don't know what I'd do without that stuff). I was right. They started off something ridiculous like a 7:30-7:45 pace. I was nervous about being able to make it that far. I also tend to start slowly and then pick it up after I've warmed up. Just like Dad. Anyway, I think i was most proud of myself not for finishing, but for having the self-confidence to back off and do what was right for me. I told them I was going to go more slowly and just chilled out for five miles or so. Then, once I knew I would finish and felt pretty good, I picked it up/cruised in the last 45 minutes or so. Then, Jamba Juice. :) 16

Total: 59

is it Thanksgiving yet?

I bought my flight to D.C. for Thanksgiving today. Hurrah! Can I go there now? Can I eat mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie yet? Can I play with Momster, Bellie-button, Giliga and other characters?

Sigh. I think I have a long way to go before then, but at least I know I'll be with the Goldens (and Steiners, Prices and Zapatas!) this year. The plan:

Friday 11/20 - Fly to Philly
Sunday 11/22 - Run Philly Marathon (I officially registered today!)
Monday 11/23 - Bus to D.C.
Saturday 11/28 - Back to Denver.

IN it

That's right, I'm IN it. Grad classes end Friday. Law school classes start Monday. This is seriously the end of the summer I never had. I am very much in the thick of it - 2 papers, 1 take-home exam, advance assignments for the first day of law school, scrambling around to rearrange my class schedule and hoping to get at least 1 day off without school work. Oh yeah, and finishing up with internship stuff. Hah!

One paper is drafted. It's on the recent trend of Latin American constitutional reforms of presidential term limits.

Another paper I am working on as we speak. It's on ethics of health development with a case-study of a non-profit doing work in Haiti.

Back to it ...

Week Runs

Sunday - In Iowa, after wedding, dancing, wine and 3 hours of sleep, 6.5 miles

Monday - In Denver, at night. Down the bike path to Monaco St and back. Felt Great! First time trying out the new skirt. Way back I picked it up and ran home faster. 9.

Tuesday - Not so great. Hot and humid at about 4 p.m. Hazy sun, through Wash Park, down Speer and back South down University. 7.

Wednesday - Off.

Thursday - Got out exactly when the afternoon thunder/lightning/hail storm hit. Great. I was sopping wet, even though it only rained for the first 20 minutes. I figured I could either be wet and get my run in or be wet and not get my run in. I kept running. I also misjudged how far the run was by about 3 miles! Oops. I was almost late for class! 1:40 total, 13 miles.

Friday - Ran at 7 AM with 2 friends. Wash Park to Cheeseman and back. 7.

Saturday - Ouch. So sore from the running and immediately sitting for hours after (class on Thurs and work on Friday). I haven't been this legitimately sore since the half-marathon in May. Played in a frisbee tournament all day ~ 7 miles.

Total: 53.5.

I'll take it. This is the first "official" week of training for Philly.

New songs considered

1. She Wolf - Shakira: I like the English (She-Wolf) and Spanish (Loba) versions. It's a pick-me up song when I'm out running. Hope they play it next time I'm out dancing. I have to say, though, video is NOT playable at work/library. I might also add it was pretty much the highlight of my life when someone said "Shakira has your body" to me once. It wasn't even "You have Shakira's body," but, she has my body. Hah! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAlCS4vn9mE&feature=channel

2. Harry Patch (In Memory Of) - Radiohead: Can't get enough of Radiohead. Ever. I heard some of the interview that inspired Radiohead to write this song. It is for the last British survivor of WWI who passed away this week.

3. Obsessed - Mariah Carey: Yup. Mariah Carey. I needed the motivation from this song during my long run yesterday through wind/rain/hail/car-through-puddle-splashes.

4. Far (album) - Regina Spektor: good stuff! there are a lot of songs I really like. Folding Chair reminds me of Summer. Human of the Year has ironic lyrics. Genius next door has something dramatic and cathartic about it. Quirky lyrics and serious vocal intervals. All in all, it's a B+ album.

5. A Society in Which No Tear is Shed is Inconceivably Mediocre (album) - Yonlu: Talk about sad, this album was released posthumously this summer. The artist was a 16 year old Brazilian too-genius-to-be-happy guy who committed suicide. His parents had no idea how talented he was or that he even made music. When they went through his computer they found these songs that he recorded in his room. I especially like Waterfall.

The Clintons

The day after Bill Clinton makes a private "humanitarian mission" to North Korea, his wife, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, takes credit for the freeing of two American Journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't want them to be released. But, strange, no?

A few points on the issue:

Is Bill doing Hillary's work as, essentially, the highest foreign affairs diplomat? Is it okay for "private" citizens to meddle into foreign affairs? Okay, Bill is hardly a private citizen, but that is completely stepping on the toes of the Obama administration.

Why did Hillary refuse any other collaboration with North Korea based on the lives of 2 people? Should 2 American's lives take precedent of, say, almost 24 million North Koreans? And, if she's really going to do things "on principle" then why bargain 1 Bill visit for 2 released journalists. I thought she was taking a stand on North Korea's human rights violations, not reaching into her personal pocket.

Why was there such great, high-level US foreign policy involvement in the release of these 2 American journalists -- who were doing at least some things wrong -- when the US stayed out of the situation of 1 (Iranian-) American journalist, Roxana Saberi, who was arrested, jailed and sentenced for doing nothing wrong? It's so strange to me that the US government reacted so differently to almost mirror situations: journalists, women, American + [ethnicity of region in which they were arrested], doing inconsequentially to nothing wrong, harsh sentence, etc. Why would the journalist in the Middle East result in a purely "general public outcry," whereas the journalists in Northeast Asia receive the attention of the highest-ranking cabinet member and chief advisor to the president on foreign affairs. I mean, really, don't both Iran and North Korea already have nuclear weapons?

When was the last time you even saw Hillary and Bill in the same country at the same time? Talk about a marriage of convenience [or, business partnership]. Every photo of them, ever, looks like an awkward farce to show personal affection for each other. Hands on shoulders. Gripping arms as if pushing each other way. Weird, people. Weird.

Monday Musings

So, had a surprisingly somewhat-relaxing day working on my paper (though it's still not done and due in 11 hours), hanging out with Melanie and then taking a break to get a 4:00 p.m. mojito at the place that play really good salsa music. I also decided that I needed more than just the 2 pairs of running shorts I've been wearing for the past 2 years. And, I committed to the idea that I think it's okay to run in a skirt by buying my first official running skirt. I had reservations and it's way shorter than my running shorts (grr) but I ran in it tonight and love it!

I took Melanie to the airport, always sad, and now am having alone-time for the first time in awhile. Went for a run when I got back and it was good tonight. Felt quick and pretty light. I had a good mix on my iShuffle and it felt nice to run in the evening for once. I've been running morning (eeaaaarly) before the heat and before the craziness of the day. Tuesdays and Thursday I've been getting home at 10 p.m., so I obviously can't really run then. Anyway, time to finish writing my paper. Here's a parting picture I took in San Francisco and a poem I love.

Seeker Of Truth
e.e. cummings

seeker of truth

follow no path
all paths lead where

truth is here

Week Runs

Sunday - 12 miles around Palo Alto and Stanford. Was visiting a friend in SF and waited while she had 4 hour frisbee practice at Standford's fields. Pretty hot. Ran up/around "the Dish" a paved trail loop around a high hill. Good views. Then ran through the campus. Pretty, but glad I didn't apply there.

Monday - 7 FAST with 2 friends. We were cruising already but then lightening and thunder struck and we booked it back to the cars. Caught in the rain for sure.

Tues - Friday -- you know, sometimes i just need a break. i couldn't remember the last time i took off. i had a super busy week with work and school (presentation, paper, etc.) and i just needed off. Especially with all the traveling.

Saturday - 13 miles through gradual hills and corn fields of cedar rapids, iowa (was there for a wedding - so fun!) . two friends from my old track team got married. inspired me to run, too. :)

Total: 32. Hah. Ugly.