2008: In Review

This was the year I became hyper addicted to political blogs, soaked up every moment of the U.S. national election campaign, got familiar with the Canadian election campaign (and its ramifications), became more comfortable with being a law student and accompanied my now permanent-resident husband into Canada after 18 months in immigration limbo.

This year was, in so many ways, just terrific! We welcomed a new baby in the family, I completed my first year of law school, we became more comfortable financially and we gained new friends. It was also a year of tragedy for some very dear friends. We lost some people this year, some we had not yet had the chance to meet. All in all, it was a wonderful, heartbreaking, exhilerating year.

LOL Hubby

Very often, my six foot three, former Marine husband logs on to icanhazcheezeburger.com and scrolls through page after page of adorable lol kitties. He loves animals, especially cats. He is so adorable in his love for kitties, always spotting them out the window of the car as we drive along and "talking" to them in their own language when one approaches.

Either tomorrow or the next day, I will write a summing up the year post, but for now, I am just grateful for my sweet, cat-lovin', capable guy. So happy to spend another year with you, Honey!

Chief Justice McLachlin

Someone I admire very much is Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin. She has visited UBC Law from time to time but never when I was around. One of my friends, a recent graduate, is working as a clerk for her in Ottawa right now.
When I moved to Vancouver from Florida, one of the treats for me was learning the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada was a woman. Coming from a nation where only two (and now one!) woman served on the highest bench, it was amazing for me to see so many women on the Canadian bench, much less the Chief Justice.
I met my sister's new boyfriend a few days ago. He told me the story of when he was getting his PhD at UBC a few years ago and attended a dinner with McLachlin. He had no idea who she was and when he asked what she did, she simply replied, "I'm in law." Um, no kidding.

As in "What a ...?"

Bristol Palin had her baby today. Adding to the rich tradition of Palins', Track and Trig are joined by little Tripp. That is all.

Christmas Squishy

We had Christmas at my parents' home again this year. All six of us girls made it home, plus one very cute three-month-old baby girl. My mom got her a baby chair made of soft but durable plastic and the baby loves to sit in it. She is not one of those cuddly babies that snuggle against you but rather always pushes away from whoever is holding her so that she can lean forward to look around. The chair gave her that freedom and it was so cute to watch her enjoying her independence.

Vacation in Tofino, B.C.

Some pictures of our gorgeous winter-y vacation in Tofino (on the western tip of Vancouver Island). I wish I had gotten pictures of us in the hot tub behind the cabin but, well, I was in my bikini outside in December in British Columbia.

Snow Storm

Last night, the snow started to come down--hard. Monster and I went for a midnight walk around campus while the snow swirled in large flakes around us. This morning, walking to the library, I took a bunch of pictures. I then took more walking home when the light was all soft and gorgeous.

Wings on my Heels?

I wrote my three hour Corporate Law exam today. It was brutal. Bru-tal. I have no idea how I did: it could be a real good mark (doubtful) or a really bad mark. After writing it, a bunch of us went to the grad pub for a drink and then I tried to get to work on my paper. This is a paper I have been working on for three months and I am no closer to a good, solid product then it was when I started. I looked at it for a few hours and then put it away.

Now, I have three full days to finish this paper and hand it in. I am quite sure my very well-meaning and hard marking professior is going to be disappointed with me. There is just something about the research involved in law that I don't get as a law student. I have trouble spotting the implied law, the unseen issues, issues that practicing lawyers have experience with and I don't. I am not a great legal mind but I am not a quitter. I have tenancity and drive and I am going to get through this, I am going to finish law school and start my career.

In the meantime, this was the music running through my head as I sat for my exam this morning.

The Daily Squishy

At 2 1/2 months.

My Newest Crush--Matt Taibbi

Matt Taibbi is a Rolling Stone Magazine freelance writer, political author and special correspondent on "Real Time with Bill Maher." I started reading his articles in Rolling Stone (rollingstone.com) on the '08 election this month and found myself laughing out loud. More than once. He is my newest crush after Rachel Maddow, Sarah Haskins and, of course, our President-elect.
Additionally, you can see that I'm posting, a lot, these days. You would be right to assume I am tired of studying and can't stir my soul to care anymore.

Proposition 8: The Musical

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

I wrote an article on Proposition 8 for this month's edition of the law school newspaper. I can't find it online yet or else I'd post it here.

In the same edition, a collegue wrote on the other side. He opined that the world is not yet ready for Proposition 8. But, are they ready for an uptick in the economy? Or a star-studded musical? Me thinks the answer is yes.

Change has Come to America

I watch this at least once a week or so, so I might as well get it embedded in my blog.