Entries categorized "Navel Gazing"

Reflections on 2004

[I stole this questionnaire from Sandefur, who stole it from Sarah Hempel.]

1.What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Started a blog.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Before this year, I never made a New Year's resolution. This year I'm going to devote 50 hours to economic liberties litigation.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, but he might as well have died yesterday, as I'm still not over the death of my classmate from Officer Candidate School and dear friend 1LT Brian Slavenas, who was shot down while serving in Iraq.

5. What countries did you visit?
None, though I feel that I'm vicariously "visiting" Iraq.

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
A law license.

7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
December 26 - the day my puppy was born.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
American Lawyer Media picked up my blog, Crime & Federalism.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I did not deal with some emotional events (see, e.g., No. 4, above), and thus clammed up and withdrew from society for two weeks, causing friends and family to worry.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A box of Padron 3000s.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My wife passed the bar and snagged a job at an AmLaw 100 firm.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My own.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Money? What's that?

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Finding out that someone really, really, really big time reads my blog. See also, Nos. 8 & 12, above.

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
None.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder and happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? MUCH fatter, then thinner, stil too fat.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Reading.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Blogging.

20. How will you be spending New Year's?
Parties with some friends in Venice Beach.

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
With my wife.

23. How many one-night stands?
None, thankfully.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Actually, three, the only shows I watch: Simpsons, Family Guy (or was I watching reruns), Malcolm in the Middle. Oh, I also bought the Alias DVD collection (I can't wait for each episode, so I don't watch the program when it's on TV. Instead, I wait for the DVDs).

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Unfortunately, yes.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Man to See: Edward Bennett Williams. Williams was Clarence Darrow and Daniel Webster in one.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Afro-Cuban jazz.

28. What did you want and get?
Stern & Gressman's Supreme Court Practice.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Incredibles.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 27. Some close friends and I went to my favorite restaurant, Houston's, where I had my favorite entrée - the hickory burger.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I would have graduated law school last May instead of December.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
If it's clean, I'll wear it.

34. What kept you sane?
My dog.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Judge Alex Koznski.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The nomination process.

37. Who did you miss?
See No. 4, above.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
That you can make friends after college. I've developed some wonderful friendships with bloggers.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Raw I'ma gonna give it to ya, with no trivia Raw like cocaine straight from Bolivia. My [legal style] will rock and shock the nation, like the Emancipation Proclamation." Wu Tang Clan, Da Mystery of Chessboxin.