Activist. Vegan. Cyclist. Parent. (Almost) Criminal defense attorney.

Late nights

The night before last I couldn't sleep. It's not a new condition. For as long as I can remember I've been a night owl. Laura, on the other hand, is usually a pretty early riser. So, like many nights I laid there in bed while she slept. I began to try to clear my head of the coming stress of finals just long enough to nod off. I tossed and turned a bit then stared at the digital clock trying to count the seconds before the minute would change. Finally, I decided to put my hand on Laura's belly and see if I could feel anything.

She was sleeping peacefully, it seemed, and I honestly didn't expect to feel a kick.

Then it happened.

Again.

I lay there in the dark, smiling at this little baby who couldn't hear me or see me or know at all that I was there. I tried to let the baby know I was there by pushing or tapping lightly on Laura's belly. I began to hope that this became something we were able to share together more often--occasionally staying up late with this child. It's a long way off, and I was tired and falling in and out of sleep, but I thought about the times that I've shared with each of my parents that seemed mundane at the time, but ultimately became something special. A long car ride to south Texas or a fishing trip to some place I could never find today--vivid memories that reflect a legacy of giving that which often seems most precious: our time.

I quickly fell asleep to happy memories and thoughts of the future.

Sign of the Times

I notice the older I get and the more time passes since I've worked in restaurants the more and more I crave holiday music. I've been listening to christmas music off and on all weekend. I'll probably tire of it soon, but it's nice to have in the background while cooking or playing cards or whatever it is I'm doing. Right now, I'm really enjoying All I Want for Christmas is You.

...will include the animals also.

"I must interpret the life about me as I interpret the life that is my own. My life is full of meaning to me. The life around me must be full of significance to itself. If I am to expect others to respect my life, then I must respect the other life I see, however strange it may be to mine . . . . We need a boundless ethics which will include the animals also."

- Dr. Albert Schweitzer

I'm doing research for a class and I found this in a law review article.

Name that Booze

For the record, since Laura isn't drinking, I'm not either. So this is just leftover knowledge from my days slinging whiskey.

98%ALCOHOLIC

Partners.

I read the local news on Saturday and found a story about the police investigating a murder in north Portland. The story was sad but the reporting was nothing extraordinary. A man, Jonny Shultz, came home and found his roommate, Charles Daniel Callaway, dead.

And now we see the supposed liberal media doesn't quite have the integrity to tell the story as it is.

They were not roommates.

They were partners.

The District

Got back from DC yesterday.

I was there for a convention and got to meet some great people, hear some incredible speakers, and lots and lots of other stuff.

One high point, for me at least, was getting to meet Heather. I started reading her blog during the summer of 2005 when she was studying for the bar. It was just before my first year of law school and I was searching for law student blogs. Anyway, I stumbled across hers some how and have been following it ever since. We'vd exchanged emails and IM'd occasionally, but this weekend I actually had the pleasure of meeting her in person. She's pretty rad--just as intriguing and charming as she comes off in her blog. There's a weird dynamic of knowing so much about someone but ultimately you've just met them and don't really know anything at all. The things we choose to share on these blogs are, in general, carefully selected because often they aren't too personal or controversial but they're still part of you.