Free Bird

I've listened to Free Bird a lot these past few days. I think it's the saddest song I've ever heard.

What a racket.

Estimate 1: $900
Estimate 2: $500
Parts Online: Less than $100 (excluding horn)

Inspection - F

No surprise, the Volvo failed the inspection and it will be a few hundred dollars to repair. Apparently, among other things, my emergency break (which I never use) is completely frozen and may need brake lines, and other brake lines have issues. When the mechanic told me my horn doesn't work, I replied, "It's okay, I have a finger." Also, some ball joint thingy is rusting off which could cause a tire to fly off as I'm driving, but NY is okay w/ that and is more concerned that I need a light above my license plate. Kind of stupid that they don't care if I die in a horrid accident, but if a cop can't see my plate, I don't pass inspection. Argh. Word of advice: do not purchase a vehicle half your age and at almost 200,000 miles.

I've noticed I have a very light accent when I speak Mandarin. This distresses me b/c I've always prided myself on not having an accent despite the fact that I came to the States when I was 6. But, only a native speaker paying close attention would be able to notice it. Basically, my Mandarin is more fluid and softer than when native speakers speak Mandarin. I guess it had to catch up to me sometime. Mental note... improve Chinese.

Great party. Stef is engaged!

Me, Mike, Devin, and Chris parked a few blocks away and soon heard the beating of drums as we neared Evan and Amanda's apartment. His band was playing - badly, but boldly. The landlord, Minu, a pretty cool lady, stood on the stairs leading to the second floor and took pictures to commemorate the occasion or to have evidence of damage. As they played, screaming, banging, a guy dressed in a robot suit did the robot. The suit was really sweet looking (made of cardboard spray-painted silver and with light bulbs that lit up for eyes), but kept knocking pictures and drinks over. Needless to say, Amanda really hated the robot. As the band neared the end of their third and final song, they added a little dramatic flair by knocking the keyboard and drums to the ground in ungainly jumping-crashing motions. The drummer fell against the bay window behind him and flailed around like he was doing the backstroke. The place was packed and their living room was like the area around the stage at a concert. They even had some red strobe lights going. That was definitely entertaining.

We wandered to the kitchen area where there was drinks and actual conversation going on. Most of the people were law students I've known since first year, so we've partied together a few times, had classes together, talk to each other in the halls, maybe worked together. School friends who I'd like to hang out with more. We caught up and talked all night about all sorts of random stuff - most of it pretty intellectual conversation despite our drunken or near-drunken state. At several points throughout the night, the musicians of the party all sang emphatically to classic rock with glasses and beers raised in the air. They sounded great when not screaming into the mic.

I had a blast.

It was a pretty eventful weekend. Especially for Stef - a newly engaged friend of mine, as of last night. : )

Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle

I thought this would be like Carwash (with Snoop and Dre) - cheesy, with no depth at all, and centered around smoking pot. But, surprisingly it was a good movie. It reintroduced a lot of Asian stereotypes cleverly and showed that while we more or less follow the paths our parents have molded, we still manage to have a rip-roaring good time. The truth has been revealed: being the model minority simply means you have your shit together, not that you're actually a goody-goody. Also, it sends out a message that we should stand up for ourselves, not in a physical way since we tend to be smaller people, but in a smart way. 3.5 stars.

Changrila Bistro

I made a lovely dinner tonight.

Beverage: The finest Lipton iced tea in aisle 5 poured over the freshest ice cubes available in our freezer.

Dinner: (Mike's Entree Description) From the creator of Changrila comes the next best thing in gourmet food, the original recipept for the national dish of her world, comes homemade chicken vegetable and garlic mushroom soup. This creative melody of fresh vegetables, red potatos, chicken, mushrooms and garlic seved over enriched white rice with a dash of kosher salt and all the down home goodness of Taiwan. Next time you think food, think Changrila, and be satisfied with the original taste of fine dining.

Dessert: (Mike's Dessert Description also) Rich vanilla bean ice cream, home made in our kitchen, set between two tasty soft chocolate bread wafers and served on a chilled plate with no wrapper attached. $1.80 for 12.

Laundry. Eloping. More homeowners.

Mike and I must've set some kind of record. The day before yesterday, he did 14 loads of laundry. We spent hours putting the stuff we never wear into 4 or 5 Hefty bags for a charitable organization like Goodwill or Salvation Army, then putting away the clothes that we actually wear. I have a really hard time parting w/ clothes. Numerous times, I haven't been able to throw or give some article of clothing away, then a few months or years later, I like it again and it feels like I have a new shirt, sweater, or pair of jeans. But, this time, I gritted my teeth and anything I haven't worn in 2 years went into the Goodwill bags.

I still can't believe it. Mike's younger brother Robert has known this girl for not even 3 months and the two of them eloped on Valentine's Day. Who knows, maybe it'll last until they're old and grey. The family seems to have no opinion about it. Or maybe they're refraining from saying negative things. Which is very diplomatic and not quite like them. As long as I've known them, which is nearly 10 years, they've always said what they thought. Maybe everyone is still in shock.

That makes 5 homeowner friends now in their early to mid-20's. My real estate clock is definitely ticking... Eric, a college friend, recently bought a house w/ his girlfriend. They're Chinese, so they're working on getting it feng-shui compliant. dotplan.org - Feb. 16th, Wednesday, entry.

Exchange Student

My mom called last night and asked me the weirdest thing. She wanted to know if her best student who is now graduating from her classes (she only teaches English through middle school) can come to America and live with me and Mike for the summer. He just wants to come to America and practice English. That is so nice of my mom to try to arrange this for him, and I know her student is really sincere, but I'm a really bad candidate for the job. I've met him a couple times and he's a really nice kid, so I feel terrible saying no. But, it's just such a silly idea. I'd have to set up "sessions" for him with someone so he could speak English when Mike and I aren't around. We wouldn't be home a lot of the time w/ class and work. What if we go down to Florida for a week or two? What's he going to do when Mike and I aren't home? Wander the streets trying to find someone to speak English with? Do I have to feed him twice a day? Do his parents know how much living expenses are in America compared to Taiwan? Do his parents know that Mike and I aren't married and are living together? Most Chinese people wouldn't be OK with that and I wouldn't be comfortable with their kid being in this situation. It would just be a very weird and really inconvenient for everyone. If I have a guest in my home for months, it would be a relative or a close friend. Exchange students should come to a more family-type place where they'll be more comfortable than to a home with two unmarried people in their 20's living together w/ busy schedules and occasional parties.

Girls' Night. Why I Hate My Car.

Debbie, Inna, Sadie, and I had a few drinks at Chili's tonight. We just chatted and laughed about all sorts of stuff for a couple hours. It was great - light and fun. It felt like Sex and the City, but younger and so much less glamorous. So, we're going to do this every Friday night now. : )

Reasons why I hate my car which I used to love:
1. I've already replaced the tail pipe that fell off.
2. Replaced the gas tank that had a hole in it.
3. My tires wobble a lot (alignment issue and See 4 and 5).
4. The rear left tire keeps running out of air.
5. The front right tire is running on Fix-a-Flat.
6. My tires are bald.
7. Replaced the windshield wipers.
8. About to replace the broken tail light.
9. The rear bumper is falling off.
10. The antennae was ripped off in a car wash b/c it wouldn't go down.
11. The tape deck stopped working.
12. Then I experienced the day the music died with the death of the radio.
13. At first my speakers just crackled.
14. The battery is corroding.
15. The windows were stuck for a while b/c the fuses for the power locks and windows blew out.
16. The hood won't close completely, though it doesn't fly up, b/c the hood latch rusted off.
17. It's never going to pass inspection.

Aaargh!! I wouldn't be surprised if the engine just fell through the bottom of the car tomorrow. Maybe I'll get that Civic before I graduate. No, because I'd have to pay for it with student loans and it'll be way more expensive than if I had or was about to have a good job. Ok, I'll wait. But, in the meantime, should I fix all of these things when the cost of repairs will be way more than the higher resale value? Or just sell it noting that it needs some repairs and get less for the car? I'll only have it until the end of the year. Any advice or comments?

Honda Civic. Worse things than Texas. $164 Tail light.

Forget the Corolla. For about the same price, I can pick up a 2003 Civic, which is much cuter and more like my personality than a Corolla.

Christian got a job offer as a high school teacher in Dallas, TX. They pay really well, have a sign-on bonus, 3 months of training, and get you certified. It seems like an inner-city school, or something close, though. And it's in Texas. There are worse things than Texas, I suppose. Like maybe Nebraska. Personally, I think it might be a little tough to adjust, but it sounds like a great opportunity to establish and "discover" yourself. I've never had a problem with packing up and moving someplace for school or work - Gainesville, Taiwan, Buffalo. It's good for the soul and usually a lot of fun exploring a new city, making new friends, and involving yourself in whatever you're doing. It gives me a definite sense of purpose, I guess. But, I'd find it really daunting to move somewhere without a purpose (a job set up, or school to attend, or at least a good friend there). If I were Christian, I'd take it. Decisions, decisions.

Mike, Devin, and I were hanging out last night. I have some minor car things to take care of. First and foremost of which is passing inspection since NY likes to keep your car if it doesn't pass inspection and force you to get it repaired at the place where you got it inspected. That just isn't going to work. I need a car to get around. That's why I have a car, to drive it to places. Seems simple. The mechanic took a look at my car in the parking lot and flat out told me that in order to pass inspection, I have to replace my broken tail light. We looked online and discovered a tail light for a 92 Volvo is $164.00. I repeat: One hundred and sixty four dollars. I nearly fell out of my chair. You'd think it was featured on Antique Roadshow or something. I promptly cancelled my inspection scheduled for this afternoon since the guy would've ordered the part and had me cough up $164. Instead, Mike and Devin, and maybe me will be walking through a junkyard trying to find a 92 Volvo with a left tail light to buy.

Oren Lyons

Yesterday, I had the great honor of meeting Oren Lyons in my Indian Law class. Oren Lyons, Onondaga Chief and Professor at UB, was part of a 21 person delegation participating in the NGO conference on "Discrimination Against the Indigenous Populations of the Americas" in Geneva, Switzerland in 1977. What he spoke last night was vibrant and his appearance was youthful despite his 74 years, but there was great sadness in his quiet voice and tired eyes. His message was of the indiginities of the Haudenosaunee and indigenous people all over the world, the importance of measuring happiness in terms of good relationships rather than gross national product, some insights on native law (which emphasizes equality and coming to agreement), and quite a few amazing stories. I love going to this class because it really broadens my view. For three hours on Wednesday night, I get to learn about native culture and society, which is inseparable from native religion and law. I get to place myself in a world which embraces a very different mentality and learn from it as a human being who hasn't been exposed to that way of life outside of Kevin Costner movies. I'm so impressed with the faculty here. For example, in addition to Oren Lyons, my International Human Rights and International Law professor helped draft the Kenyan Constitution and another law professor is a world-renown and highly respected expert of Tibetan law and has studied under the Dalai Lama.

Happy New Year! 2003 Toyota Corolla LE. Scalping.

Happy Chinese New Year, everyone! : D I have to call my parents later. Our downstairs neighbor and friend, Ren, and his Taiwanese roommate might be having a hot pot tonight. That would be sweet. It's the year of the rooster, and on your year you're not supposed to wear your sign or it's bad luck. So, I might have to retire the golden cock I wear around my neck this year. Yep, I might have to put my cock in a drawer.

This time next year, I'm getting a basic car, under $10,000 with power everything, wood grain, CD player, leather and sunroof if it already comes with it. The 2003 Toyota Corolla LE looks nicer than the 2004 and is less expensive, it's reliable, has great gas milage (32 city, 40 highway), will keep my insurance low, and probably still comes w/ a warranty. Not the most stylish car, but the luxury edition makes up for that. After I've had the car for 5 years or so, I'll probably have the money for a nicer car. In the meantime though, the 2003 Toyota Corolla LE is the most practical move. I'm sold.

What is going on in the world that a 16 year old wearing a mohawk risks getting scalped? I am so disgusted... http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/09/girl.scalped.ap/index.html

Volvo. Grades. Superbowl.

I can't wait until I graduate. My graduation present to myself will be a car that's new or a couple years old. My car is only 3,000 miles away from 200,000 miles now. On that day, we party. Oh, yes. We will celebrate the reliability and longevity that is Volvo on that glorious day.

Fall 2004: A, A, B+, B+, B+, C. The last grade is negligible when you look at the entire array of beautiful letters, especially the first two. What do you know... studying pays off. Not by any means my best academic performance, but it is for law school.

This semester is going to be cake compared to last semester. Already done w/ 1st Amendment, so I'm taking Crim Pro, NY Criminal Practice, Child Welfare Law, and Indian Law. And working.

Superbowl was alright. I've only watched a couple Superbowls. This time, we had a bunch of people over. Not much was going on at work before the game, so I printed up the rules and team stats for any curious or confused people at our little party. I'm much more of a basketball fan and actually know what's going on in basketball. It was a pretty slow game and I could've slept through the commercials. That's the only thing I look forward to every Superbowl and this year I was sorely disappointed. The only funny commercial was with P. Diddy and the Pepsi truck. Most of them weren't even new commercials. Janet Jackson flashes a boob and Superbowl advertising as we know it ceases to exist. Can't have anything too exciting or controversial anymore, though it's good entertainment. Now, that's power. There's nothing wrong w/ wholesome. I thought Paul McCartney did a lovely job, though it was a bit low key. "Hey, Jude"? I love the song and even used it as a teaching exercise in Taiwan. But, come on, "Hey, Jude" to pump up the crowd?

Reaching Delirium

My brain is fried. I've been thinking and structuring this exam question for about six hours now. I think I finally know what I want to say and how to say it. It's a really interesting question about content neutrality and the First Amendment. I have a three hour class in an hour, so just trying to relax a little. I really need sleep... From now on, I'll take my travel alarm everywhere for convenient power naps. There's a room on campus with oversized Barnes & Noble-type couches, low lights, and silence where students can crash if they feel the need. I got a carrel to write this exam, so I'm going to see if my laptop has an alarm and just take a 40 min. nap here.

Day One

Hence begins the first day of the three-day exam. It's good that we have so much time to parse out our thoughts, but at the same time, I had to give up 18 hours of work to do this. *Sigh* As always, school has priority over work.
Mike, Chirs, Ava, and I are going to Ben's party this weekend. I think he's turning 24. Birthdays abound this time of year. It should be fun, we haven't been to a party for a while.
Y'know, I don't feel like my free speech rights are adequately protected. Someone made a comment that I probably shouldn't have "A professor must die" as a title. Why the hell not if people can express all sorts of things, including writing books on how to make bombs or commenting "I hope they get him next time" regarding the Reagan assasination attempt? So now I feel the need to further disclaim the previous entry. It doesn't mean a professor must die (see disclaimer below). I'm jokin' around fer cryin' out loud!

A professor must die.*

This is the general opinion of everyone who took a certain class. Great professor, we all pretty much knew our stuff, I think (partially because the prof taught so well). Then, the popular opinion of her took on a tone of ominous foreboding (in the form of warnings to prospective students of this professor). Her well-regarded reputation came to a grinding halt as C's galore were doled out at her discretion and nary an A could be seen on the roster. My God, is this Harvard?!

*DISCLAIMER (Express and Implied): These words are not statements advocating or inciting violence or lawlessness in any way shape or form and may not be construed as such. The above statements, including the tile of this entry of this blog, do not represent and are not utterances proscribed by the federal or state government, and thereby are not devoid of First Amendment protection. These words do not have the (i) specific intent to incite or advocate lawlessness or violence, (ii) are not directed to incite or produce imminent lawless action, and (iii) are unlikely to incite or produce such action.

So, kiss my ass. And I reiterate: A professor must die.**

**See above DISCLAIMER.

Right Honorable Friend Tony Blair

The man is amazing. He is so intelligent, diplomatic, logical, and articulate he makes Bush look like a two year old just learning how to talk. I don't know what possessed me, but I was watching some kind of C-Span show regarding the House of Commons at 1:30 a.m. It was a rousing debate with plenty of dissention and all sorts of issues, including, believe it or not, teaching children to swim in public schools because of the inordinate number of drowning deaths in England. The format is that the two opposing parties sit facing toward each other. The candidates, Blair and the candidate for the Conservative Party, then duked it out. If you have something to say, you simply stand up and try to get it out as quickly as possible before someone else speaks. I think the candidates might have priority to speak before their party members or the other party's members. They weren't all party members though. Some, I think, were regular citizens or lobbyists. Everyone cheered with "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" when they heard something they liked and booed or laughed when they disagreed. There was plenty of humor in the back and forth exchange between the candidates. Sitting on the sidelines, between the two halves of the room, was a chancellor (judge) who was basically a referee in case things got too rowdy or someone was confused about the debating rules. The candidates also get a podium a couple steps in front of them. As soon as Blair heard the question, he jumped out of his seat and started speaking the words of sweet logic before he even stood up, much less reached the podium. He was clear as day, too. I didn't have to sift through a convoluted mess to get his message because he wasn't trying to hide anything. At least that's the feeling I got. I got a real kick out of the fact that they call each other "right honorable friend." So, right honorable friend Blair at one point announced that he didn't call his right honorable friend, the opponent, a racist regarding immigration policy. Actually, Blair said, and I quote, "He's not a racist, just a shameless opportunist." The crowd broke out in exuberant waves of "Yeah, yeah, yeah!"s. There was never a dull moment through the whole proceeding. It was like watching a political ping pong match. I was glued to C-Span (or whatever it was) for a good couple hours.