More Gooder

Just found this...

2008-04-20T16:02:00.002-05:00

Reverend Larry Benton Gatlin, 71, died Monday, March 17, 2008, in Oklahoma City. Father Gatlin was born on November 22, 1936 in Hutchinson, Kansas. He is remembered as a loyal friend with a great memory and quiet wit. Father Gatlin was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest on December 30, 1967 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Oklahoma City.

Father Gatlin graduated from Hominy High School, Hominy Oklahoma in 1954 and received a B.A. in Letters (with distinction) from the University of Oklahoma in 1958. He entered the General Seminary of the Episcopal Church, New York City in 1958 and was ordained as a priest of the Episcopal Church in 1961. He served as Curate of St. John's Episcopal Church, Norman, Oklahoma from 19611963 and Curate of All Saint Anglican Church, Stratford Lanes, England from 19631965. In 1965, Father Gatlin entered Pontifical Beda College, Rome, Italy. Father Gatlin also attended Conception Seminary, Conception Missouri. Following his ordination as a Roman Catholic priest, Father Gatlin served as Associate Pastor of Saint Mary Church, Tulsa (19681970) and Saint James Church, Oklahoma City (19701971). In 1971, he became pastor of Saint Joseph Church, Buffalo and Saint Francis Church, Beaver. He served as pastor of St. Gregory the Great, Enid from 19721979 and as pastor of Saint Joseph Church, Norman from 19761979. From 19801983, Father Gatlin served as Chaplain at Saint Ann's Home, Baptist Hospital and Deaconess Hospital, Oklahoma City. Father Gatlin served as pastor of Holy Spirit Church, Mustang (19831995), Saint James Church, Oklahoma City (19952000) and Saint Joseph Church, Bison (20002003). Father Gatlin retired in 2003. Father Gatlin was a member of the Archdiocesan Seminary Board from 19691972 a member of the Worship Commission (19711977) and was the Commission's Chairman from 19731977. He also was Director of Ecumenism/Interreligious Affairs from 19771979. Father Gatlin also was a member of the Council of Priests from 19951998. He was active in several other Archdiocesan committees including the Justice and Peace Subcommittee of the Council of Priests.

Father Gatlin was predeceased by his father and mother, Carl N. Gatlin and Bessie Jane Underhill Gatlin and his sister, Mrs. Audine Fryar and brother, Dr. Carl Gatlin. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the Chapel of the Catholic Pastoral Center, 7501 Northwest Expressway, Oklahoma City on Wed., March 19, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. with interment following at Resurrection Cemetery, Okla. City, Okla. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Smith & Kernke Funeral Home, 14624 North May, Oklahoma City. SMITH & KERNKE14624 N. MAY AVENUE

Yeesh..

2007-05-04T11:06:00.000-05:00

I haven't updated in quite some time. I'll attempt to remedy this in the future, promise.

Vaca (day 2 of 7)

2006-11-19T12:39:00.000-06:00

My trek to the Northeast is underway. Started Friday night with staying up all night with Donivan playing XBOX and Guitar Hero 2 until my 6:20 am flight. Slept the whole flight and then four hours after I got here. Chris, Bridget and I went to SpawnCom (I believe I have that right) at Boston University last night. It's an improv group. Was very funny and pretty cool to watch. Today, football and Andrew and Marianne should be here any minute. I dunno what's in store for later tonight though. Tomorrow is going to be the sights of Boston and I'm hoping to make my way down to NYC early Wednesday morning for O&A walkover and then Ron & Fez. We'll see though.

S'all i have for now. I'll have more later, for sure.

I voted too...

2006-11-07T22:48:00.000-06:00

Well, here in Okieland, we'll have another four years of Brad Henry. He's been a good governer thus far. He got the lottery institued which is helping out the schools and a couple of tax cuts in four years has put money in my pocket. He's got a near 70% approval rating, and he hasn't been indicted for anything while in office like the last Democratic governor was. (See David Walters.) Interestingly, in the weirdness that is Oklahoma -- a red state through and through -- only 16 of its first 100 years will have been governed by a Republican...and never by any two Republican governors consecutively. Only Keating, in a ride similar to that of Bush's (he was in office for a mere four months when the Murrah Building was bombed) was elected to more than one term. Also, our fair Lt. Governor, Mary Fallin, won a U.S. House seat and willl be the first woman representative from Oklahoma since 1921, and second overall.

Also for this election, we had a few state questions to decide. State Question 724 asked whether or not to pay legislators while they're in prison (yes, in one of the most corrupt state legislatures in the country, before today, they still got paid). That passed easily.

SQ 733 asks whether or not to amend the Constitution to no longer ban the sale of liquor while the polls are open. Yup. It's in the Constitution. Some people thought that the law would also amend the 3.2 limit on alcohol content of beer to 5.2...but I can't seem to find that in writing anywhere. Anyway, while a little closer, it looks like it'll get 52% to pass.

So it's turning out to be a good day for change. Fundamental, constitutional, peaceful change. It really is beautiful, no matter who you wanted to win/lose. A woman third in line. Democrats controlling the House, and maybe the Senate. Maybe Bush will have to finally concede some things like stem cell research so he can get anything done. Otherwise, it'll be two years of stalemate shit and then President Obama and a Democrat House and Senate will get the chance to really get things going. So prepare for some good things in the near future, or just wait a couple more years and then it'll really be on. (And before anyone accuses me of bandwagon jumping, know that my Republican moniker has always been a misnomer based on that fact that I happen to agree with a few issues from the right side of the isle, e.g., retirement. I'm just not one to drink the Blue (or any flavor) KoolAid like the rest of my family. See, I can mistakenly label too. And if you do blindly support democrats, then it should actually be red KoolAid for Communists.....I'm kidding.)

Alright, I watched me some Daily Show/Colbert and will go to bed with CNN talking about the final results. Night all.

Big day for the Blue

2006-11-07T22:36:00.000-06:00

Christmas. That is all.

Praise be to DVR

2006-10-02T00:15:00.000-05:00

Wow, it's been a while for a new post. I kinda forget about it unless I'm reminded (thanks sis-in-law).

Well, the past month has brought on a new TV season. With the mid-season shows done (my personal favorite -- It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia), and my TV viewing now so much easier to handle with my handy dandy DVR, I've watched a bunch of shows the past week or two to see what shows I like and the ones that I don't and hope don't turn into a big deal (see Grey's Anatomy) and then I have to get into to it to keep my McKenzie facade of being "in the know" when it comes to anything pop culture. Any shows on Fox are on hiatus until after October due to the MLB playoffs.

That said, here are my good and bad of the fall TV schedule. This doesn't include news staples like 60 minutes or any Dateline. Speaking of Dateline, nothing makes me happier to watch than the "To Catch A Predator" series. I love watching the guys get busted and the few that beg the guy with the really inflected TV voice not to show the footage. Anyway, here goes.

Sundays -- I tried Brothers & Sisters on ABC. Two episdoes were enough for me. Stick with The Simpsons and Family Guy.

Mondays -- Studio 60. Can't go wrong with that show. I like The Class on CBS so far, and have been even more happy with How I Met your Mother that follows it.

Vanished on Fox. I gave that show a try, and the premise is very well thought out, but the exection sucks. While the bad plot "twists" and "all of a sudden we have a solution" work in some series (24, Alias), these don't and I'm going to give it one more night, and then that should be it. No eye candy either.

Tuesday -- Gilmore Girls, Standoff & Smith. Been watching Rori and Lorelai (for Lauren Graham mostly) for quite a number of years. Time's too invested to stop now. :) Standoff with the guy from Office Space and a hot redhead, along with good stories, I like. Along with Smith. Good action and enough acting talent to keep my interest..for now.

Wednesday-- Going to try Friday Night Lights. I really like Kidnapped on NBC. Tried Jericho. Love the idea, but it really does stink. No, I don't watch, or will ever, watch House again. Every week is the hardest case that House has ever faced, and he has to decide whether to kill 20 people to save this patient with some stupid easy fix. I missed the premiere of "The Nine" on ABC, along with Lost starting up this week. I'll give them a try, and after skipping the 2nd season of Lost, might be good to get back into it.

Thursday -- I love The Office, My Name is Earl. Am getting into Grey's Anatomy. Six Degrees and Shark are two new shows that I like...somewhat. May be mid-season deletions if they don't cancel them before then. I'm hearing things about Ugly Betty though. I might have to check that out.

Friday -- Numbers, Law & Order (the original is still the best) and Las Vegas once it gets back going.

Saturday -- That's when I watch all the shows I've recorded, unless I've managed to sneak a few in during the week.

Along with my normal schedule, busy month or two coming up. Going to Dallas next weekend to go to the State Fair down there, and tailgate with a bunch of the OU fans from the office. I got a free ticket to Def Leppard and Journey in OKC on the 19th so I'll head to that. November brings Aerosmith/Motley Crue on the 15th, and leaving directly to Mass. for Thanksgiving.

I'm all about show suggestions. I love to be entertained. Books are for smart people.

What's this..another door?

2006-08-20T18:11:00.000-05:00

...wondering if John Ramsey feels like Professor Plum..."wait a minute, so who did I kill?"...

Andrew, Chris and Bridget came to town and we had a great time. It was of course good to see them all. Hopefully we'll get a lot more time come Thanksgiving or Christmas, whichever one that I see them again. And i'm not blaming anyone but myself, by the way. :)

Played in an all night softball tournament (seven games in 13 hours) and felt like I was in a car wreck for three days afterwards. My knees look like I went twelve rounds at the Habana Inn...er um..so I'm told. Was drunk dialed by Chris and Bridget's friend while they were having their party in New Hampshire, one in which I was invited by her, but not by the happy couple themselves. :)

And, Grandma/pa came up too. It was great to see them as well.

Will be doing the Tulsa/Dallas trip to help them get their film developed, that is if I get called by Justin or Amanda to do so. Otherwise, nothing much is going on. Just trying to get by and have a little fun doing it. More on that stuff later though.

Finally

2006-07-24T17:03:00.000-05:00

Victory is mine, victory is mine, great day in the mornin' people, victory is mine. We finally won a game last night. We beat a team with only two wins, so now, if we win one of our final two games next week, and they lose all of theirs, we won't finish last. We were up by a bunch, but it was capped by yours truly with a in-the-park grand slam. I was too nearly too tired to pitch the next inning, but I did, and even made the final out.

Going to Dallas this weekend to assist Chris and his movie (maybe). Never been a production assistant before. Does this mean I get and IMDB.com credit? It better. Matter of fact, forget the D&S call Chris, I'll do it.

For the sake of updating

2006-07-14T13:15:00.000-05:00

Just a blog for updating. Looking forward to Andrew, Chris and Bridget all coming into town. Marianne, you still need to get your ass in town. I've already asked off for the 4th of August. Sunday night, Mustang Hudson's, karaoke and trivia. I'll beat all ya'll. Did I just say ya'll? Blech.

I've discovered a new show. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It's on Thursdays on FX. Its in the same breath as Arrested Development. I belly-laugh at that show.

Softball season is wrapping up. We've got a few more weeks left. We're not that good. See the standings here. We're the very first team on the list, the Crushers. Yup. We are winless. And in all but one of those 12 games you see, we've been run-ruled. It's all for fun, and I'm having fun, but I hate losing (as my brothers can attest). But, we're going to be a guy and two girls short this weekend, so I've gotten three of my friends (ringers) to fill in. We might have a shot this weekend. :)

Picture Time

2006-06-29T13:04:00.000-05:00

Pictures of my battered wrist...Notice the bruise on my palm which was underneath the glove.

Sports Legend

2006-06-22T14:09:00.000-05:00

I realized yesterday after I left that I had forgotten about my softball tales. Many years ago, I worked for Zio's and in doing what a lot of server groups do, we got a sports team together. First it was soccer, but then, in order to get the girls involved, we decided to go for a co-ed softball team. Well, seeing how my grandfather was a fast pitch softball pitcher, and I can still see my dad pitching slow pitch and snagging those line drives out of the air, so I told the team I'd give it a try. Well, we got through a couple games and all was well, until one guy came up and drilled one back up the middle. It hit me square in the ankle and took me off my feet, giving me a good limp for about a week. This was back in 2001, and the ex-wife was down with me in Mustang (we weren't married yet, obviously). She watched the event unfold and when I got off the field she was the first one there. I had to promise not to pitch anymore if I wanted to keep playing softball. So, I didn't, and Zio's stopped playing softball after one more season I think.

Anyway, the point of me telling that is that on the weekend before Memorial Day, I was pulled out of retirement to start playing the most of the old gang again. This time, I was free to drink and flirt (much like Dad did I might add :)). Well, our pitcher, Erica, couldn't get the slow pitch down, and we lost our first four games on run rules on account that our team, well, sucks, and the other teams got easy runs. So, our fifth game is going, and I'm playing my infield spot, and we're down 11. So, Darrell, the guy who I still am pretty good friends with despite not working at Zio's for 6 years, calls from the outfield and inserts me on the mound. Now, I don't like losing, even in a co-ed D league, and I really don't like getting run ruled every game, so I thought, hey, can't hurt. So, I pitch the rest of the game without incident and then the second game of the night, we actually got to play the full hour and even went into extra innings. So, now, I'm the new pitcher.

So this past Sunday, we play a team that's just knocking the piss out of the ball. So a lefty comes up, who's hit the ball hard already a few times, and lines one right back at my chest. I get my glove up just in time for it to hit me right on the wrist. I went down like a sack of potatoes when it hit me, and everyone rushed in to make sure I was ok. Since it was my glove hand, I went ahead and finished the game. Well, the next batter came up, and she in her first at bat had hit a little dribbler three feet and then popped out weakly the 2nd time. So, my first pitch after the incident, she starts her swing and I creep up a few feet just in case its another dribbler. POP! Right back at my chest. Luckily, it wasn't as hard and I got my glove up and nearly caught the damn thing, but it dropped to the ground and I made the play and got her out. I think it was the ghost of dad (it was Father's Day) just getting a kick out of me pitching, because he got a good laugh when I got hit on the ankle too.

No real point to that story, just thought it'd be fun to share. I'll have a picture of my bruised wrist sometime, maybe.

Good Horsey

2006-06-21T16:29:00.000-05:00

In honor of Bridget, I thought about posting a picture of Barbaro during his recovery from surgery, and making that my monthly blog post, but I decided against it and am going to actually do one.

However, there isnt much substantive material for me to pull from to actually put together a post. For one, my summer class is boring me. It's like when I took Trigonometry my first year in college after just getting done with Calculus as a senior in high school. Although, I've learned from that experience and realized that even though I already may know it, going to class is still something that needs to be done. This time around, I've got no floozie in a town an hour away to give myself a reason to miss class, or stay up too late, or, or, or. Nope. Despite my boredom, I trudge on. Although it being a summer class helps, because even though its two hours a day, Monday through Thursday, the professor doesn't want to be there any longer than he has to, so its usually an hour of lecture (maybe) and a quiz every other day. So all in all it's been fairly easy to manage. I just don't look forward to the part where in three weeks we're behind as a class and he starts going full time to make up for his passiveness in the first half of the 8 week semester.

Other than that, things are going well. For those rightcoasters, according to my chat with Marianne, the plan is Thanksgiving in New England and Christmas in Texas. But, I'm setting up a conference call (really, just my cell on speakerphone) with the brothers and, more importantly, their wives, in setting up what really is going to happen come November.

Here's my tentative plan (that is, if Thanksgiving is in Mass.): First, I take of November 15 from OKC and drive to Dallas to see Motley Crue and Aerosmith (woohoo!). Yes, it's 1989. It's totally dudical. Then, on the 16th, fly out of Dallas to some New England destination -- Marianne suggested Hartford. I'd stay in Amherst until the weekend and hopefully (if its ok with them, this is the first they're hearing about it) be taken by twin and wife to Boston, to stay with the older brother and his better half, until they travel to Amherst for the holiday. And like I said, this is just the plan, and it's up for modification if necessary.

Other than that, I'm looking forward to Journey/Def Leppard (25 bucks to sit on the lawn and watch that concert) at the end of July, Janelle's wedding and then Derik's wedding, not to mention both my brothers being in Oklahoma together for the first time in quite some time.

And for the record, Barbaro is doing fine and is still making progress.

Poor Horsey

2006-05-21T23:18:00.000-05:00

Well, another Triple Crown season has come and still in my lifetime there's no winner of the elusive prize. For those that don't follow, Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby and was picked to win the next two races after his Secretariat-like performance at the Derby. Well, as you can see below (see the horse in the middle and in the back? look at the back right leg), his trip ended 200 yards after the start of the Preakness.

Horse racing is a family thing for us McKenzies. From Chris and Donivan's near death experience, to dad not putting his two bucks on the horse I picked -- like he said he would --its just something we used to do pretty regularly. Oh, that mess up by dad cost us a good $350. Yo Daddy. I'll never forget it. Although, part of me believes that dad just said he didn't bet and cashed in on my good fortune. :)

Anyway, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and the Belmont are the only horse races I make time to watch. Same goes with the Indy 500. They're just big enough events that I make a point to at least check out. Its just something my family did growing up. And until the past 3-5 years of watching Nascar consistently, we always made a point to watch the Daytona 500. So, I watched the Preakness and I saw that something was wrong with the horse before the announcers did, and it just made me feel for the poor horse. I mean, yeah, it's just an animal, and I wasn't in tears like the crowd was, but it did break my heart a little. I'd really like to see a Triple Crown winner in my lifetime, and seeing a Kentucky Derby live is on my list of things to do before I die.

On another note, I was pulled out of retirement to play softball with a group of friends from my old waiting tables gig. I'm the best player on the team, which isn't saying much considering I haven't done anything baseball/softball related in over three years. Needless to say, we got our asses kicked in both games, and I was running ragged trying to do all I could. I'll be sunburnt and sore tomorrow (more than I already am). Either I'm not active enough, or I'm getting to old. :-)

That's all I got for now. One more full week of work, then my vacation time hits. Can't wait.

So long dear friend

2006-05-14T23:34:00.000-05:00

Today was the series finale of probably my favorite show of all time (to date), The West Wing. I have watched this show from the first episode. I remember I heard about it before it started up and it just sounded interesting, then I watched it and I was hooked. From the pediconferencing to the quick witty dialogue, it was not only mentally stimulating as far as content, but the production (always having been interested in that side of things) was just wonderful in and of itself.

7 seasons, 155 episodes later, it's all over. It was a fun ride, and there's always the reruns (which I watch religiously through the magic of TiVo and even though I know a lot of the lines, I will sit and recite with glee). Incidentally, other shows I watch are The Office, My Name is Earl, 24, Alias (almost over as well), The Amazing Race, Las Vegas, Family Guy and a few assorted others. Anyway, goodbye West Wing, and maybe someday, I'll be in Josh Lyman's shoes and be able to say to a junior congressman/woman, "The President does hold grugdes (puts on sunglasses with the capital in the background), that's what he pays me for." or "Victory is mine, victory is mine, great day in the morning, people, victory is mine. I drink from the keg of glory, Donna, bring me the finest muffins and bagels in all the land." Love it.

On my way back from Dallas this afternoon, I was listening to my handy-dandy XM Satellite Radio and there was a R.E.M. song that I hadn't heard before. I started thinking about songs and bands and the memories and people I associate them with. For instance, Chris always comes to mind when I hear R.E.M. or They Might Be Giants. Andrew, C.C.R. or Queen. The Rolling Stones and ZZ Top bring dad. Mom and the Beatles. Being from Oklahoma, I have the opportunity to still overhear Garth Brooks, which brings the ex-c (rhymes with bunt) to mind. I don't have any of those for my sisters-in-law just yet. But since I don't hear Butterfuly Kisses on any kind of basis, Bridget at her wedding doesn't normally come to mind :-p.

That said, I was listening to the 90s station for a while, and I tried to place a memory to every song that came on. Now, I should say that Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch's Good Vibrations didn't bring anything to mind, or Ace of Base's for that matter, but then that wouldn't be true. (Watching videos after getting home from school with Andrew, Ashley Hess and Kim Haskins, and talking to Jana Miller on the phone in 8th grade, respectively.) It got me thinking about the box of 150-200 CDs of mine out in the garage. If I go thru all of them, I could probably establish a pretty good soundtrack for the last 10 years of my life. I haven't yet because I might be embarrassed by some of the shit I actually enjoyed listening to back then. But to that, I say Post Hoc, Ergo Propeter Hoc.

News

2006-04-18T11:56:00.000-05:00

One thing I've always done was keep up with current events (or try to). I'm never home in time to watch the national news, nor do I watch the local news because it's all about ratings. I read the newspaper, and then get online and read as many newssites as I can. I think the reason for it is because I used to get up every Saturday morning, and Dad would be reading the paper with his coffee, or on Sunday, get up to have pancakes and the paper was open on the peninsula while he was cooking bacon and flipping the pancakes. Sunday morning was the only time we got to anything besides eat and talk at the family table, and I always read the front page and their continuation inside, the sports page, and the comics. (April 8 passed between my past posts, don't think I forgot about it.) Then it turned into all of the front page and the sports page. I learned I had a knack for it when I started winning medals in the current events at academic meets. Then in academic quiz bowl meets, pretty much sports (with the exception of Lou Gerhig's number, thanks Andrew) and current events were the questions that I got to answer, because Andrew was way too fast on the trigger.

[Side story...literature was always a McKenzie (at least the twins) weakness in those quiz bowl. We had a four member team, and it was Andrew, me, and then two fill ins for the stuff we didn't know. Problem was, they were supposed to be good at lit and they never were. So we never won state, and that was why. Its funny to insert the cricket sounds from our reaction to literature questions. Now I just stay away from it on Trivial Pursuit.]

Anyway, there was a pretty grizzly murder in Purcell, Oklahoma last week. Apparently, a 10 year old girl was murdered by her downstairs neighbor, and he was planning on eating her to, as his apparently said, to see what it would be like. An Amber Alert was issued, first Oklahoma, then Texas, then nationwide. Three days later, turns out she was directly underneath where she lived, where her family had been waiting for three days. First, it was thought she met a guy via myspace and left with him. But, she just went outside and never came back. I had a problem with the news stories "how to protect your kids, etc." when it had nothing to do with it. Never did. But, the news had to try to scare people into watching, rather than just inform. All the local stations do it, and to a point, that's what Dateline has turned into as well. From the sex predator thing (which is high-larious) to sending some Middle Eastern family to a NASCAR race to see if they would get bothered by all the rednecks. Too bad they dont' know that its a fairly popular sport, not just for the south anymore, and they didn't get bothered at all...I'm sure much to the chagrin of NBC. My current event need has been following the story, etc. Now, I get why the family is upset, I can't find fault in it. But, here's my query. Why, oh why, are people that never knew the person, or even really knows where Purcell Oklahoma is, getting so upset about the way that she died. Yes, it was brutal. Having to hear that your daughter had saw marks in her neck probably isn't the way to spend your Easter. But, why are some people so upset about it? So upset that they're hurling death threats. Now, it might it a spot for parents. Ok. But, along with the Natalie Holloway thing that is STILL going, why keep it going? Is it the media's fault? Is it the people who care that much? I don't get it. Nor do I care that much. Sad story? Absolutely. Is it going to get me upset at all? Not in the least. Could I make a joke about it? I'm sure I will someday.

I didn't know where I was going so I'll just end it with...

:::jazz hands::::

Look what I did

2006-04-01T19:29:00.000-06:00

Took me two weekends, but couldve done it in one if I had pushed hard enough. I'll post more of the in progress pics later, but here's after my first cut, and then after the final screw. Anyone want to play? :)

Pwned

2006-03-23T09:05:00.000-06:00

Myspace is getting out of control. Everyone has it (even me). But some people are ridiculously addicted to it. Spending hours just watching their computer screen waiting for a new bulletin to be posted by one of their friends, virtual and otherwise. I only got it to be part of a radio bit, but I've been contacted by people that I went to high school with and haven't talked to or seen since then. So, if you're wanting to reconnect with days gone past (and I know some would rather firebomb their school), then check it out.

It's been 23 days since my last post. I feel like I'm in confession. Forgive me for I have sinned, it's been 23 days since my last confession. I kicked my dog. (Not really, despite what Chris and Andrew say.)

Let's see....I went to the Nickelback show. They were much better than I thought they would be. I wasn't excited about seeing them, and when they started off with a pyro bang, I thought I was in for another KISS show where it was 5% substance, 95% fireworks. I'm there for the music damnit, not a fireworks show. But, they worked it in nicely, and it wasn't dominated with the pyro. And surprisingly, they were a harder rock band than I had pegged them for. I remember having a CD of theirs sometime before the turn of century, but I hadn't been into them for a while. They even had a tribute to the Pantera guitarist that got shot down at a live show. So I'll give them a thumbs up.

Um...Bill Burr. Funny mother f'er. Like laughing hard enough to cry funny. He comes out and starts tooling on Dallas (tourist attraction is a murder scene, etc.) and it was over after that. With you New Englanders, I highly suggest checking him out. He's from Boston and is up in those areas all the time.

Aerosmith was cancelled this week. Yesterday actually. So what did I do? I put my tickets on e-bay. Don't worry, on the listing it actually says the show is cancelled, and that its not being rescheduled and that the tickets are essentially worthless. But, I got a bid. :) So we'll see.

And my birthday. Tried the new Italian restaurant in town w/mom, and it was pretty good. The bread left a lot to be desired though. Went to Dallas, played some poker, made some money, and had a pretty good time.

I have NIN to look forward to next week, and then finish off my classes for the trip to Vegas in May, and Derik's wedding in June.

Line of the Oscars

2006-03-06T09:12:00.000-06:00

For those of you keeping score at home, Martin Scorsese, zero; Three 6 Mafia, one.

Justice Marion Opala

2006-02-27T23:00:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned before, I had the pleasure tonight of listening to Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Marion Opala. He spoke tonight, interestingly enough, on his views of judicial activism and constitutional interpretation. You might recall that Chris and I had dueling posts regarding this same subject, and it was interesting to get another view, from someone who actively decides Oklahoma law, and has been for many years.

The words used by an attorney I work with -- "a fucking genius" -- weren't off base at all. The man, at 85, is still as sharp as tack, with a passion for the law that I do not get to see very often from battle weary attorneys. He started with the common law of England from the 1100s, all the way to the current U.S. invented constitutional law. He traced it the way any constitutional law professor would do it, but he threw in a few anecdotes that changed the pace and kept my attention. He focused primarily on the judicial activism of the 1950s and the Warren Court. That particular court overturned precedents of, amongst other things, separate but equal. Why? Well, according to Justice Opala, he believes it was because no one else was doing anything so Warren stepped up and changed things, for the better. While he agrees that many of the changes were for the better, and it stopped the U.S. from becoming a colonial power based upon its laws, he believes the methods used by the Warren Court set a dangerous precedent on its own, allowing it to become shapers of the laws, instead of the interpreters. As as been discussed before, Chris and I agree, albeit differently, with Justice Opala.

Another interesting note, he only stands about 5 feet tall, if that. Such a short stature for a former Chief Justice of Oklahoma. I just found it...neat.

All in all, it was a fun experience, and for a guy who has done it all in his 50+ years in law, a very down to earth guy who stayed and talked with anyone and everyone who came up to him.

Movies to be a McKenzie

2006-02-22T22:32:00.000-06:00

Alright, this is for Chris, Andrew and Donivan mostly, but input from all is welcome. Donivan and I came up with a list a while ago, that our significant others needed to see to "become a McKenzie." I put it in quotations because, of course, it's not a requirement, but there are certain movies that we grew up on (as I suppose all families have something like that), where references and jokes don't become so inside after you've seen the movies. So, I'll give it a go, and add what's lacking. Suggestions welcome as well as debate.

Blues Brothers
Clue
Tora! Tora! Tora! or Midway (one of those war movies Dad always watched on TBS on Sundays)
The Godfather
Goldfinger or Dr. No (only Bond movies I'll put on the list)
Star Wars (all of them)
Indiana Jones (any of them)
West Side Story
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Pulp Fiction (??)
Airplane!

I'm out of ideas for now. Chris, Mams, anyone, help me out.

2006-02-21T21:05:00.000-06:00

Arrested Development. Damn, that's a funny f''n show. It's too bad its not going to be around anymore. Another b-day idea for me -- the first two seasons DVDs. I picked up on this show in the 3rd and final season, and its just brilliant on so many levels.

Checkin' In (this is a long check-in, so strap in)

2006-02-19T00:18:00.000-06:00

I see it has been a while since I've posted. Even had a "checking to see if youwere okay", which made me feel good that not just me, but my blog is read, let alone missed. :) That said, to answer you (Happy belated birthday! btw [sorry]), nothing has really been happening. The past couple weeks have been one of those nothing happens and life is cruising along stretches, which I guess is a good thing.

I did get my Aerosmith tickets for the 29th, as well as the Nine Inch Nails show for the day before. Also, for my birthday, Stephanie and Donivan bought me tickets to see Bill Burr on the 11th of March. He's a comedian that I found out about on the Opie and Anthony show, but his most notable work would be the red-headed white guy from The Chappelle Show. He's had an HBO half-hour special and is pretty funny on both, so I'm pretty excited to go see him. That weekend leads into my birthday week so it's going to be pretty fun hopefully.

I won $50 playing poker at the casino a week or so ago. Bunch of younger guys that had watched too much TV poker, and I took them pretty good in two hours. If Donivan hadn't busted out in that time, I wouldve won much more. Asshat.

I have finally ventured into the world of Mac by getting an Ipod Nano. It's almost too small; I'm afraid I'm going to break the damn thing. I've burnt the 10 CDs that aren't in my storage unit, as well as the songs that I've *cough* obtained *cough* thru other means, and I still have 408 songs to fill out of the 500 or so I can pack into the 2GBs of room (*See below*). I should have just waited until the new XM Inno comes out, which has both live radio and 1GB of room, but when a co-worker upgrades his Nano to a video Ipod, and then offers me a $60 price tab for his "old" (less than 1 month) Nano, I just couldn't pass it up.

I've been keeping up with the Olympics. (Is there anyone else?) Other than the fact that I despise Bob Costas and his cliche-filled monologues, it's been pretty fun to watch the U.S. do well. But, I am not liking the new-found popularity of curling. That's always been one of those events that most think is boring, but I can remember liking and trying to find it as far back as 1994 in Norway. American Idol is kicking its ass in the ratings, which is unfortunate, because the only time I care to watch all these events is every four years. Too bad it'll be a while before we get the Games again to get the popularity back up.

I got my tax return this week. With it being as large as it was, I'll be able to pay for some things AND get to go to Vegas in May. Can't wait.

I get to hear Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Marion Opala speak next week. The attorneys I work for tell me he's "a fucking genius" (or genesis eh Chris? Dad? Andrew? FU guys). I'm pretty excited at what I hope is my first of many chances to hear any well-respected and brillant jurist speak.

Finally, please keep Grandpa Holder in your thoughts this week. From what I have been told, he's having surgery on his Aortic valve Monday morning. Now, I'm no doctor, but my high school and college anatomy classes learned me that that is a pretty important and delicate valve, so lets hope all goes well.

*****

As I mentioned before, my birthday is less than a month away. One of the best presents I've ever gotten was the following list. A few years ago, I had quite a few of my CDs in one of those oversized Case Logic binders. Well, one day it disappeared; stolen, I believe, by a maintainence guy at my ex-wife's and my first apartment. That said, I wasn't the most avid CD listener, but I'd buy the cds for a song or two, and end up liking most of the CD. It took me a good week or two to even notice they were gone, thus, the guesswork in what really happened to them. So, for birthday ideas (Itunes dollars or the actual cds would do just fine if you go this route), I give you the list with no exemptions. There were plenty of "what was I thinking moments" while reading it just now, but it still remains one of the most thoughtful presents I've ever received. My old cases, one by one, were gone through those missing were listed. I've bought a couple since then, but not too many. The ones at the top of my list would be...well, there are bunches of them, now that I look at it. However, I spent the better part of three years gathering my Aerosmith collection and all of their albums. I haven't had them all since these were stolen. KEY - (actual helpful comments from present); [my editorial comments]

3 doors down - The better life
AC/DC - Live [Moneytalks is number 7 I think]
Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation, Pump, Big Ones, Little South of Sanity, Just Push Play [I've already rebought Just Push Play]
Beatles - One [rebought]
Blink 182 - Enema of the State
Bush - Sixteen Stone
Creed - Weathered; Human Clay
Default - the fallout
Drowning Pool - The Sinner
Eagles - Hell Freezes Over
Eric Claption - Change the Eorld (single)
Eve 6 - (fly on cover)
Everclear - So Much For The Afterglow [*sigh, I really miss this one]
Fuel - Something Like Human
Guns & Roses - Use Your Illusion 1 & 2
Jars of Clay - (has Flood on it)
Jerry Seinfield - I'm telling you for the last time
Jewel - Pieces of you
Kid Rock - Devil Without a Cause
Led Zepplin - ZoSo
Lifehouse - No Name Face
Limp Bizkit - Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water
Mariah Carey - Butterfly (it was an ex-gf's, I swear)
Nickelback - Silver Side Up
No Doubt - Rock Steady
Notorious BIG - Life after Death
Oasis - What's the Story Morning Glory
POD - Alive
Puddle of Mudd - Come Clean
Savage garden - (black & white cover)
Shania Twain - Come On Over (got me the country girls :D)
Sugar Ray - 14:59
The Doors - Greatest Hits (red)
They Might Be Giants - Flood
Third Eye Bline - Blue
TLC - Crazy Sexy Cool ['the hell???]
U2 - Zooropa [I actually think i stole this from Chris...]
various - Tribute to Notorious BIG [f'n high school]
Will Smith - Men in Black
WWF - Forceable Entry

A pretty good week

2006-02-03T19:17:00.000-06:00

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of seeing Aerosmith in concert in Dallas. Needless to say, it was a great show. Being the 4th time I've seen them, and knowing their Little South of Sanity CD (which I either lost or it was stolen along with about 20 other of my CDs two years ago), it wasn't disappointing at all; even though some reviews say that it was a shitty show, soundwise. I thought they sounded fine, but I'm not being an efficinato, just a fan.

If you're not familar with Aerosmith, they have three eras (like the Egypitans) -- old (70s), middle (Permanent Vacation - Get a Grip), and new (everything after). Their current tour is a "get back to basics" kind of tour, with a emphasis on the old -- my favorite -- and some middle. Here's the set list we got:

1) Helter Skelter - yes it's a Beatles cover

2) Walk this Way

3) Same Old Song and Dance

4) Cryin'

5) S.O.S. (Too Bad)

6) Livin' on the Edge

7) Shakin' My Cage

8) Stop Messin' Around

9) Sweet Emotion

10) Season of Wither

11) I Don't Want to Miss a Thing (blech)

12) Baby Please Don't Go

13) Train Kept a Rollin'

ENCORE

14) Back In the Saddle

15) Draw the Line

No Dream On. Oh well. They only played an hour and a half because it was a split show with Lenny Kravitz, who also got the same amount of time. I found out last week as well that they're coming to OKC, with Cheap Trick (a true opening band), so we might get a full 2-2.5 hour show out of them. Can't wait for that.

And earlier this week, Donivan happened to have to stay the night for a job, so we took our skill (or lack thereof) and our money to the casino and played a little Texas Hold 'Em. It was my first experience at an non-virtual table, and I was actually a little nervous. I was glad to see Donivan sit about 5 minutes before I did. We chose the 3/6 limit game and I watched him grab two quick pots. He started with 60, I plopped down 70. He was up most of the night, and I lost mine pretty quickly. I couldn't get a hand to save my life, and I think I was a little overwhelmed by it too. So I pulled out another 60 to get my stack back up, and the same shit kept happening. Eventually, I was nearly all in with only a buck left in my hand, and I won the pot, finally. Brought be back up to 50 bucks or so, and then I won a few more and was back to about 100. This was two hours in, and I was content to say screw it and just eat the 30 bucks. But I looked over at Donivan across the table and he was up 20-30 bucks, and I couldn't let that stand, so I stuck around.

I hit a few more pots and went with the Matt Damon strategy from Rounders: "Win one big pot an hour." So I hit a few more times, and I actually got up 10-20 bucks a couple of times. We ended the night at 1:30 with me being up 3 bucks. On the way out, I took that 3 bucks, and added two from my leftover lunch cash, and put it down on a $5 blackjack table. Why not, I say. Me, A-7. Dealer - Blackjack. So I broke even and couldn't have had a better time at a casino. 4 hours of entertainment for nothing. Oh, and Donivan made about 65 bucks, so Stephanie, if he says less, he's lying. :)

All in all, a pretty good week, thus far. And to add to the Aerosmith show on 3/29, I've got Nine Inch Nails on the 28th, and maybe Nickelback on 3/7. Fun, fun.

Don't ever get married and have kids...

2006-01-17T11:27:00.000-06:00

Dad said that for years. We always got a good laugh out of it, and its one of the most prevalent memories that Donivan and I have of him. Not the most memorable, but when you say the words around those who knew him, everyone knows who said it.

That said, congrats to my cousin Derik for his recent engagement! I wasn't in town to see him when he picked up the ring, but I have talked to him. For those curious, their probable wedding date will be sometime in August. Another cousin, Natalie, will be wed sometime in June (so I'm told). So, my parents' "godchildren" will be married by year end. Good luck bro (and sis).

My summer is filling up with offers to go places. First, Donivan and Stephanie, and, at the moment, two of our other friends, are planning a Vegas trip in mid-May. Sticking with the Dad theme, one of the things Dad and I talked about since I turned 15 years old was the two of us walking into a Vegas casino together on my 21st birthday. That never materialized, and I never got the opportunity to go golfing/gambling with him before he was gone. As per usual, I didn't listen to him in time and decided to get married. I've already talked to Conner and he's down with going if I go (because a) Donivan's whipped, and b) he's a fun guy to hang out with), so I'll need the number of a good bails bondsman.

Anyway, Vegas has always been somewhere I wanted to go, and this might be my first opportunity. Dunno yet. At the moment, I'm still planning on going to New Hampshire in July. I'd maybe take in the races up there that weekend, and Boston/NY during the week. Doubt that I will be able to do both though, especially with the trips to Wichita Falls for Derik and, I assume, Austin or San Angelo for Natalie. So decision time is quickly approaching, but I will be going somewhere.

A little about nothing

2006-01-11T16:05:00.000-06:00

Haven't posted in a while, there hasn't been much going on. So I'll just plug a couple fun things.

www.stephenlynch.com
www.iloverichardcheese.com

Good comedic listening if you want some music and some laughs.

School started up Monday for me, but I have been fighting a cold the past couple days, not to mention coke-withdrawal headaches.

I'm reading two things at the moment, One L, and the book Andrew and Marianne got me, 1776. No book reports from me though (ahem, Chris, ahem).

Going to Dallas this weekend for the fun of it. Then, the weekend after, Stephanie and Donivan are coming up for her birthday celebration. After that, Dallas the following week for the Aerosmith concert. And finally, on the 9th of February, on to Wichita for a Nickelback concert (maybe). I got a friend of mine a couple tickets and she may or may not take me (I'm hoping not, not the biggest fan).

Hey, it's not much, but at least I'm updating.

The Great 'Fiar' of 2005

2005-12-27T23:10:00.000-06:00

Mustang makes the national news...could be worse, I guess.

And yes, I know who the coverage is by, but it was the only site I could find that had my town in the dateline (ty xopher).

Always Be Cobbling

2005-12-26T23:34:00.000-06:00

"You see this gumdrop, this gumdrop cost more than the mushroom you call a house....that's who I am, and you're not."

If you missed it on SNL, check this out

And,
Why do I stick with the S-10 pickup?

15.244 gallons of gas = 414.5 miles.

Happy Holidays

2005-12-20T22:57:00.000-06:00

Well, the time is upon us. Christmas hasn't been what it used to be, as most holidays haven't been. It's an odd time, seeing how I like getting gifts, but the holiday season isn't filled with the same excitement and anticipation as it used to be. For Christmas, if I were to get nothing, I wouldn't be very upset. The only thing that I minded about missing Thanksgiving was the opportunity to see my family and have good Turkey and fixins. The fact it was Thanksgiving didn't register as an upsetting factor. Had I seen the family, I would have enjoyed that more than getting the time off, but as it was, I was happy for the time off and upset about nothing. Am I jaded? Am I suppressing thoughts and feelings of past events? Is there a problem with enjoying Christmas and Thanksgiving as much as Labor and Memorial Day? It didn't used to be like that. I'm not quite sure when it happened either. Maybe my ex-wife sucked the fun out of everything with her shenanigans, as well as putting me behind on all my career goals, and the fact I've been playing catch up since I was 18 has taken its toll on me. (Granted, it wasn't all her, I did say I do, but this past year has been the first time I felt I was actually getting somewhere.) Maybe it was before then when Dad passed away. Maybe it was a combination of a bunch of things. But, making excuses isn't something I do.

I have a degree. I'm in school for more. I make more than the average salary. I have the ability to take care of myself, and my friends and family. I've got a family that cares. I've got friends that care. But I feel I'm just...blah...towards everything. Is 25 too young for a _____-life crisis?

Do I work too much?

Of course, I work all week. Then my weekends, unless I'm actually doing something, my thoughts are on my work. Not a neurotic, freaking out, "I've got to do this right now or else," type of thought, but it's always in the back of my head. It worries me to the extent that I've seen workaholic attorneys. They never seem to be gone from the office. I'll come in a tad early, and they're there, and have to stay late to finish something up, and they still beat me out the door. I look at them, and I know I do not want that life.

I suppose with the amount of work I'm doing (work and school), I look forward to just having the nights off. But, I catch myself doing a little legal research for the projects that the attorneys I work for have given me. Hey, I can always bill those hours, doesn't matter where I do them. But, now that I'm done with school for the semester, you would think I wouldn't be as tired as I am having 15 hour days. But I find myself even more than my work/school days.

I suppose it's not so bad that there's something I'm good at and enjoy. I mean, I get all the legal research assignments now -- apparently because of my capability of finding the most obscure case law, no matter the jurisdiction, that could possibly help or hurt the case we're dealing with. But, I go to bed sometimes thinking if its too much. That by the time I get out of law school, I will be burnt out on law. Will I have spent all that time and money doing something I thought I wanted to do only to do a course direction on the eve of beginning to walk down the path that I trudged through hell and back to even find? Am I going to be one of those people that has a post-grad degree specifically for something and ending up not doing it? Will I do it because of the time and expense and not enjoy it?

But, I love research. I could spent 10 hours in a library and hit the stacks. The way one case is cited for one little bitty fact reference, and finding that cited case and having it be the jackpot you've been looking for, there's no greater feeling. Having the working attorney be shocked at something I found and be either ecstatic I found it or hopeful that the other guys don't.

How do I take a step back when its what I do? I don't want to burn out on it. I think I'm too good at it to have wasted the past 5 years on it. I have my 'releases' from work, but, lately, it hasn't been enough to keep my mind off of work for an entire weekend.

Dang, that went all over the place. If its incoherent, I apologize. A long semester and year is winding down, and my mind could use the time off. Till next time...

My name is Richard Roma....

2005-12-14T22:39:00.000-06:00

Right now I'm watching Glengarry Glen Ross. Great f'n movie. Acting, tight dialog. Pacino being Pacino. I really like good dialog and good acting. What's good acting? Isn't that up to each person? I don't know the method behind the art. But damn, good stuff gets me excited. Watch the first couple seasons of The West Wing and see good acting and dialog, in my opinion. Give me bad cinematography and good dialog, and I'll still leave happy. (I know Chris, sacrilege, I know.) Back to Glengarry, I'd love to get to Broadway and watch it performed as it was written (if it's still running), or any play for that matter. I'm a fan of plays. I'm a fan of musicals. Not the TV/movie variety, but the real thing. Til today, I haven't really ever thought about why.

Most everyone has that(those) teacher(s)that they remember the rest of their lives. I have three. First on my list is Ms. Lantz, my 7th grade reading teacher. I remember feeling 'too smart' for the class and actually making the remark, "I never learned anything in your class." That said, she was the one that made me want to be a teacher. Because I got things fairly quickly, I was encouraged by her to help others who may not have been getting it as quickly as I had. She didn't stifle me, she just encouraged me. Until my senior year, I was ready for college to be for getting ready to be a teacher. Oh, and she was hot. And being a 7th grader, take that for what you will.

The second was my senior English teacher, Ms. Lee. In the middle of the 1st semester of my senior year of high school, she pulled me outside and suggested that I head down to Ms. Lockhart's debate class and check out what they were doing. She thought there was something going on down there that I might be interested in. Also, they were needing some able minds and she felt that I could help them out. Now, I don't know if she approached anyone else, nor do I know if I was her first choice, but I know I was the only person in there that wasn't already in the debate class. Mock trial was just about to get started and I came in and did pretty well for someone with no other debate schooling. I had a ball in Mock trial and was apparently pretty good at it (Best Attorney each 'match'). I helped get the team into the state semis for the first time ever. It was that experience, and our attorney-coach's influence, that pointed me towards law. Unfortunately, Ms. Lee passed away much too soon and I never got the chance to thank her.

Getting off the subject real quick, I'm not a regretful person. I feel what's done is done and it cannot be changed. I will say I have made mistakes, and I have done my best to learn from them. But, regretting acts and decisions just isn't something that I do. That said, if I did regret anything, one of them would probably be not listening to my older brother. He told me when I was enrolling my freshman year of high school that I should take debate. I didn't. The day I realized he was right, he became smarter and wiser than I had given him credit for. (Not much mind you, but nonetheless, some).

Back the matter at hand, third on the list was Ms. Larios. She ran the middle school theater department. She had a passion for theater and performance arts. Of course, I didn't notice it at the time. But the woman had a love for it. And she had me doing monologues, performing in plays, pantomiming, etc. I didn't get Best Actor in 8th grade just for my good looks. :) Anyway, my entire point is that I think I can trace back my aforementioned fondness of theater and good acting/dialog to Ms. Larios' class. I remember some lines from the plays I was in, as well as the monologue I used to did for those fun academic competitions. I see my sister-in-law doing what she is doing, and I look upon it with mild jealousy. Theater is something that I didn't get the chance to do because I was dumb enough to get married as young as I did. Theater classes in college don't lend themselves to a night student who works full time. Maybe one day I'll see what I can manage.

During my trip to D.C. over Thanksgiving last year, I got to sit in on a rehearsal of a scene that Bridget was directing and my brother played a part in. It was as cool and interesting to me to watch as it was watching a big The Music Man production at the Civic Center Music Hall. The interaction among the actors who weren't speaking at the time. The blocking. I know that's not all there is to it, but I'm starting to ramble now. And I know it might be kinda nerdy and boring to those who don't care, but its very interesting to me, and I feel, my brother and sister-in-law.

It's interesting to think back and realize the influences my teachers have had on my current life. Not just the ones that I remember as vividly as the three mentioned above, but the ones whose little bits of wisdom and knowledge sticks with me to this day. Mr. Hale, Mr. Goodger, Mr. Walcher, Ms. Brabec, Ms. Langford, just to name a few. Makes me almost regret not being a teacher....almost. :)

My new toy

2005-12-07T23:05:00.000-06:00

Well, I committed the cardinal sin of the Christmas season. I shopped for myself. I bought a new computer! It's a nice desktop upgrade. And for you Mac believers, I strongly weighed my options, but being an online gamer, a PC is really the only way to go at the present moment. Here are four pictures, the first being the before picture.

I've been marveling at the upgrade from less than 20 GB of hard drive space compared to the 120 that I have now, as well as the 2 GB of ram I have compared to the 512MB I used to have. Along with a 256 MB Video Card, up from 128. I can't wait to get this thing fired up to race. Oh yeah, dual core processor!

As for the old one, it has treated me well. Bought it with the ex-Mrs. before we were married and its ran very well, with the exception of all the spyware she put on it over the years. Nothing a reformat didn't fix. That said, I hear that my twin and his wife are having computer problems, so (as I've already told them) my Christmas present to them will be the old computer. Just have to find a way to get it to them in one piece. And never fear Mac loyalists, perhaps when I need that laptop for law school, I'll take a bite out of that Apple.

TV, Money and Work

2005-12-06T22:39:00.000-06:00

TiVo/DVR is one of, if not the, greatest inventions known to man. I get to watch all the West Wing I can stand, and snag all the shows I like while I'm in class. The Office, My Name is Earl, Las Vegas, etc. Haven't missed a Jeopardy! since I got it. It runs during the day here so I've missed it ever since I started working days. Currently, I'm watching the recorded 1864 episode of The Civil War. Probably my favorite historical subject. PBS is rebroadcasting it. Which means it'll be soon time to break out the trilogy of books by Shelby Foote.

I got my rebate check from the state today. $45 whole dollars. A-woo, a-hoo. I'm hoping to get me a good bonus come this payday. I've been told that the firm gives an extra paycheck, so that will help get my Christmas shopping started. But, since I've only been there four months, and seeing how I just got a raise, I'm semi-skeptical about what my amount will be. We'll see. Of course, I'll be grateful for anything, as I know that many people don't get a bonus.

Ah, the new gig. I haven't really talked about it. Name of the firm is Pignato & Cooper. Although, with two new partners coming on January 1, that name might grow. The thing I like most about the firm is the youthfulness of it. There are two people there that are above 40. I'd say the average age of the firm is in its low to mid-thirties. There's no old men stuck in their ways, and everyone is always willing, if not eager, to go grab a beer at quittin' time. One attorney was a senior at OSU when I was a freshman there. It's a small firm, obviously. 6 attorneys, 7 staff. And room to grow. The pace is unlike any other firm I've been at. Its busy all day, everyday. When one attorney is lacking work for me, I can easily go to another assistant and grab some of their work, and vice versa. There hasn't been a day that just dragged on, yet. And its a good busy. You're almost always doing something, but it's not overwhelming; its not stupid and mundane. I work primarily for two attorneys (Cooper being one of them). He's the mild mannered type, but the other one is a guy that likes to get pissed off at the other attorneys. I've gotten the order to bury an opposing attorney in paperwork on more than one occasion, and it puts a smile on my face to do so. Maybe that's my nature as well.

I spent the first month of my job catching up my position from the lackadaisical person that preceded me. Filing. Organization. Now, when you walk by my desk and see it, it looks like the person working there is a) on vacation, or b) fired. But, my policy is that if its on my desk, its not in the file and its not doing the attorney (the moneymakers) any good. Okay, now I'm just rambling.

Now I'm going have Dixie stuck in my head for the next few days.

Wit and Wisdom

2005-12-04T00:44:00.000-06:00

I'm currently working on the easiest 'paper' I've had the pleasure of doing in college. In my lap is a book of quotations entitled Wit and Wisdom of the American Presidents. Funny enough, it stops at William Jefferson Clinton and doesn't have any of Bush II. Take that for what you will.

That said, the book has 70 pages worth of quotes from the men we've called President. The assignment is to read through all of them and pick one for each President that best fits my personal 'image, thoughts, perception' of that particular President. So, I thought I'd share.

George Washington - As the first of everything, in our situation, will serve to establish a precedent, it is devoutly wished on my part, that these precedents may be fixed on true principles.

John Adams - In the first place, what is your definition of a republic? Mine is this: a government whose sovereignty is vested in more than one person.

Thomas Jefferson - Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the boisterous sea of liberty.

James Madison - The essence of government is power; and power, lodged in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.

James Monroe - So seducing is the passion for extending our territory, that if compelled to take our own redress it is quite uncertain within what limit it will be confined.

John Quincy Adams - Always vote for a principle, though you vote alone, and you may cherish the sweet reflection that your vote is never lost.

Andrew Jackson - Each public officer who takes an oath to support the Constitution swears that he will support it as he understands, and not as it is understood by others.

Martin Van Buren - As for the presidency, the two happiest days of my life were those of my entry upon the office and of my surrender of it.

William Henry Harrison - [Brrrr, it's cold out here....just kidding] If political parties in a republic are necessary to secure a degree of vigilance to keep the public functionaries within the bounds of law and duty, at that point their usefulness ends.

John Tyler - The Constitution never designed that the executive should be a mere cipher. On the contrary, it denies to Congress the right to pass any law without his approval.

James Knox Polk - I prefer to supervise the whole operations of the government myself rather than entrust the public business to subordinates and this makes my duties very great.

Zachary Taylor - Rotation in office, provided good men are appointed, is sound republican doctrine.

Millard Fillmore - God knows that I detest slavery, but it is an existing evil, for which we are not responsible, and we must endure it and give it such protection as is guaranteed by the Constitution, till we can get rid of it without destroying the last hope of free government in the world.

Franklin Pierce - If a man who has attained this high office cannot free himself from cliques and act independently, our Constitution is valueless.

James Buchanan - What is right and what is practicable are two different things.

Abraham Lincoln - With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in: to bind up the nation's wounds.

Andrew Johnson - Away with slavery, the breed of aristocrats. Up with the Stars and Stripes, symbol of free labor and free men.

Ulysses Simpson Grant - [on the surrender of General Robert E. Lee] I felt like anything rather than rejoicing at the downfall of a foe who had fought so long and so valiantly.

Rutherford Birchard Hayes - It is now true that this is God's country, if equal rights - a fair start and an equal chance in the race of life - are everywhere secured to all.

James Abram Garfield - Assassination can be no more guarded against than death by lightning, and it is best not to worry about either.

Chester Alan Arthur - No higher or more assuring proof could exist of the strength and permanence of popular government than the fact that though the chosed of the people be struck down, his constitutional successor is peacefully installed without shock or strain expect the sorrow which mourns the bereavement.

Grover Cleveland - Men and times change -- but principles -- never.

Benjamin Harrison - The law, the will of the majority expressed in orderly, constitutional methods, is the only king to which we bow.

William McKinley - Our differences are politics. Our agreements are principles.

Theodore Roosevelt - A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy.

William Howard Taft - We live in a stage of politics, where legislators seem to regard the passage of laws as much more important than the results of their enforcement.

Woodrow Wilson - We are citizens of the world; and the tragedy of our times is that we do not know this.

Warren Harding - Stabilize America first, prosper America first, think of America first and exalt America first.

Calvin Coolidge - The chief business of America is business.

Herbert Hoover - Blessed are the young, for they shall inherit the national debt.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt - The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.

Harry S. Truman - Three things ruin a man. Power, money and women. I never wanted power. I never had any money, and the only woman in my life is up at the house right now.

Dwight D. Eisenhower - A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.

John F. Kennedy - We stand today at the edge of a new frontier -- the frontier of the 1960s -- a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils -- a frontier of unfulfilled hopes and threats.

Lyndon B. Johnson - If government is to serve any purpose it is to do for others what they are unable to do for themselves.

Richard Nixon - When the President does it, that means it is not illegal.

Gerald Ford - I'm a Ford, not a Lincoln

Jimmy Carter - My esteem in this country has gone up substantially. It is very nice now when people wave at me, they use all their fingers.

Ronald Reagan - Whoever would understand in his heart the meaning of America will find it in the life of Abraham Lincoln.

George H.W. Bush - My opponent won't rule out raising taxes. But I will. And the Congress will push me to raise taxes, and I'll say no, and they'll push again and I'll say to them, read my lips, no new taxes.

Bill Clinton - I do not believe we can repair the basic fabric of society until people who are willing to work have work. Work organizes life. It gives structure and discipline to life. It gives meaning and self-esteem to people who are parents. It gives a role model to children.

George W. Bush - Mission Accomplished.

If you got thru this, you'll notice that I like the ironic quotes, as I inserted on the current one. :)

Thanks for reading. And leave a comment so I know people are actually reading.

200

My Thanksgiving Weekend

2005-11-30T13:07:00.000-06:00

So I had a weird weekend. It wasn't as exciting as this Thanksgiving, but it was fun nonetheless. By the by, that site is about 6 years old and hasn't been updated in as long. Also, I was 8 went I wrote it. As for the names, well, I guess I was mad at my brother that day. Go figure.

Now onto 2005 Thanksgiving. I got off work early but had to stick around to pick up my dry cleaning. I picked it up at 6 and started toward San Angelo. Came to a complete stop about 15 minutes into the drive. After an hour, I had traveled a shade under a mile and I still hadn't gotten out of southwest Oklahoma City. So I just went home and crashed there with the intent of leaving early in the morning for San Angelo.

Thursday, I got up on time, loaded up my truck and turned the key. Nothing happened. Tried it again and nothing. Not an attempt to turn over. So, at 6:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, I opened up the hood of my truck to look at the engine. But, since my dad only taught me how to check the oil, fluids and change the tires, I only did what the Y chromosome in me, and opened up the hood and stared at the engine. While that's not completely true, I did know that it was either the battery or the alternator. But, since no one was in sight as far as neighbors go, I was stuck there. So, I went inside and watched TV and played online poker. Thank goodness for football and the witty banter of a well-broadcasted parade. Nevermind the anchors failing to mention the sirens blaring behind them. My cats got turkey in gravy and I had myself a PB&J sandwich and some tortillas for desert. Mmm.

Friday, got our cooler younger neighbor to help me jump the truck and took it to get the source of the problem checked out. Autozone said it was the battery, so 40 bucks and a few wrench turns later and my truck was a good as new. I got back in time to hear that Donivan and Stephanie were making their way up to Mustang for the evening. They showed and promptly crashed.

Saturday, Stephanie and her puppy (a energetic Jack Russell named Porkchop) woke me up and had me turn the alarm off so the dog could go outside. Way too early for a Saturday. Took a nap and waited until Donivan got his happy ass up. Once we were all up, we partook in Stephanie's newest and most gooder hobby, Geocaching. Went to four places within a couple miles of the house, then I went back and watched OSU get the shit kicked out of them for 60 minutes while they went to her parents house for some dinner. Saturday night, went out with D&S, Cassandra and Miranda and saw Superfreak. The girls got tore up had some unspeakable fun. (At least none of them got a new nickname like last time, right Steph?) Sunday, I wrapped up a paper that was due on Monday. Not a very eventful weekend, but fun. Hope everyone's was good to them.

Well allow me to retort

2005-11-29T19:31:00.000-06:00

I was asked for my feelings and/or response to the text of my brother's advice and consent hearing before the U.S. Senate. It's a good read, and I suggest reading it first before continuing here.

In my previous post, I mostly focused on why I like the law as a career. Granted, I'm torn between the lucrative attorney at law and the Josh Lyman-esque hard nosed political frontliner. I gotta admit while the ease and financial pluses of private practice are appealing, public service really entices me. That said, my idea of my chosen profession is entirely different than my interpretation of the Constitution and the role of the judiciary. I'll preface by saying that while I have been branded a Republican by some (merely for geography I feel), I do not conform to any particular party platform. While I do believe political parties are useful and necessary, especially now when there are so many issues out there, I do not subscribe wholly to any one.

That said, Nominee McKenzie and I are not that far off. Articles I-III clearly outline the roles, powers and duties of each branch of government. Article I is the most detailed and largest of the three. I believe this was done for two reasons. First, the Framers wanted the legislative branch, or the People's branch, to be the most powerful of the three. Second, power corrupts, and they knew that. That's why the institution of checks and balances was introduced into our system of government.

However, at the time of the ratification of the Constitution, the branches of government were not equal, despite the checks and balances. Not until Marbury v. Madison did the Court get any teeth. But, where did the Court, and in particular Marshall, get the power to declare anything unconstitutional in Marbury? Simply, it made it up. Judicial review isn't in the Constitution. Marshall and the Court simply invented (hoo hoo, tell em fred) the idea of judicial review. 201 years later, it's still regarded as a natural consequence of the judicial power given by the Constitution. Same goes with many other legal ideas.

Chris cited two of the biggies that his and my generation will be dealing with in the next couple decades - privacy and gender equality. There are those that say that since privacy isn't in the Constitution. That while your right to not be searched and seized absent just cause is protected, your privacy otherwise isn't. Now, I doubt the Framers had the internet, e-mail, instant tabloid tv (or the news as most call it) in mind when they excluded any reference to privacy, but these are also the same Framers who valued a minority at 3/5 a man. That said, I feel that the thoughts and ideas of the Framers are a good barometer when trying to interpret. As far a certain class of interpretation, put me inbetween the Originalist and the Modernist. I think reading and knowing the intent and ideas behind the Framers words will help someone now to put those ideas to work in this time period.

I believe the Constitution is a living document. It should be interpreted in the here and now with the words that the Framers wrote, along with knowing and understanding their original intent on the vague phrases and disputed meanings. That said, do not mistake that I'm saying what the Framers said or believed goes, or their thoughts should be used in weighing the interpretation of the Constitution.

Sociology 101 tells you that norms are rules of conduct that a society has deemed appropriate. Those norms, and thus, laws evolve over time. Its true, the judiciary has become a de facto lawmaker. Laws shouldn't be made by lawsuits and judicial ruling. Stare decisis poses many problems when there is no actual federal law to be ruling on. Recently, there have been instances where perceived judicial "activism" has produced amendments to some state's Constitutions. The fact that someone is forcing the people's hand is, in my mind, a natural balance of the three branches. States are beginning to amend their Constitutions, and sooner or later, the U.S. Congress will be forced into fufilling their obligations. Lets hope sooner than later.

Long time...

2005-11-21T22:11:00.000-06:00

Well well well well well...looks like I haven't updated in a while. Guess it's high time I change that. So what do you want to know? What's new with me? Well..... oh, and..... um......::::scratching head:::

School is school. Work is work. Oh yeah. That's news, I got a raise. (No C&B, not that kind) :::shaking head::: More money means more gooder. Speaking of work, I'm fortunate to be able to get listen to my XM radio while working, and TMBG (Birdhouse in your Soul) and REM (can't remember, but one I had never heard before) came on today, back to back (and a belly to belly!! [inside joke]). You don't get too much TMBG on regular radio. But I've heard Triangle Man, Istanbul, and many other TMBG songs on this channel, Lucy, for those keeping track.

On the other front, school is slow and steady. Not enough classes to take at night, but I'll get there eventually.

I used to like sciences. Not as much as I liked math, but I did. Even though in 8th grade, my model rocket was the only one that didn't work (it was 3 feet tall and right as I pushed the ignition the wind blew it over and the engine ignited the entire rocket, and my week's worth of work became quite the fireball spectacle). Point? I don't like the sciences as much anymore. Certain sciences do, but natural and life sciences, I don't. Why? I've been racking my brain for a little while trying to figure it out. Maybe because "regular" sciences aren't, for the most part, arguable. When you have an experiment, you have two ideas - null and alternative hypothesis - but the experiment proves one over and above the other, most of the time. The science of law however, you always have two ideas, but there is almost always support for both. And the theory isn't based on an experiment. It's based on another person's interpretation of that same issue. Maybe its the human factor. The ability to make mistakes, and the ability of man to correct those same mistakes. Baseball, my favorite sport to play and watch, is all about the human factor. Umpires' strike zone, judgment calls. It's all human. There's no replay. All eyes and ears. Law has the same human factor. Judges, some good, most bad. Juries. All bad. Find me an attorney that wants his case in front of a jury, and I'll tell you that attorney is playing with fire while standing in gasoline. But its the human factor. The judge that agress with the law you're arguing but hates you. Or vice versa. The appellate court that doesn't give a damn about you or your case, just the law and/or the politics. And the U.S Supreme Court that only cares about the politics. :)

You can argue your case and your supporting law, and it doesn't matter if the facts support your case or not, you can still win with your ability. So does that mean I like it when the wrong guy wins? No, but O.J. and Michael are innocent. :) Sometimes your case is lost because your idea hasn't had its time yet. Granted, there aren't any segregation issues or abortion issues (there's no way that ever gets overturned), but one day, some appellate clerk will dig up the lone voice of opposition from 30 years ago and it will then become the law of the land. (I swear I heard that somewhere before, but I can't figure out where.) The history. The precedent. The evolution of ideas. The mistakes. The things we got right. The things unimagined by the Framers. The things not yet imagined by anyone.

Perhaps one day I'll sit down and really put my thoughts together on the legal profession and lawyers. This was just, well, blog worthy.

Quite the tangent there. My apologies. Work is work and school is school.

Til next time, and lets hope that it's not so long between posts. :)

Ok..ok...

2005-04-11T13:46:00.000-05:00

So it's been three months...I know I know...been busy. Not really, just unmotivated. Hopefully I'll keep it up this time around, although life isn't as eventful as others for the time being.

Well, last Saturday, Stephanie had her and Donivan's garage sale. A woman that Sam works with let us use her house. Her (Shirley) neighborhood was having a hood-wide sale Saturday, and the locale was much more appealing that D&S's street. So Friday night we moved the stuff over to the house in Edmond, then Saturday, woke up and sold sold sold. I also boxed up some of mom's books that she was getting rid of. About 250-300 in all. The event went well. Stephanie came out of it with enough money to pay for half a good couch, and Mom even got away with a seanote.

That was the weekend mostly, except Sam and I went out to Russell's (bar in the Marriott down the road, considers itself chicy but really isn't, you know what i'm sayin'?) saw a band called Supermodel. Not bad, not great either. We were mostly making fun of lookalikes that were there. These twin guys with ponytails that looked like the Hardy Boyz from the WWF/E, Lynn and Alex from the Amazing Race, and the coup de grace, or as Marianne would prefer, the Coo-day-graw, Rod Stewart. Dude had the solid black suit, white tie, and the hair all spiky and everything. From behind, I swear for a second I was fooled. He was older too, definitely trying to impersonate him. Anyway, Sam and I just thought that was freaking hilarious, and went about making fun of all of them. Oh, Moby and his dad were there too. :) Good times.

S'all for now, hopefully catch up again soon.

Another day...

2005-01-04T10:26:00.000-06:00

I love what I do. It comes naturally and is very easy to get things done. I don't know if I'm not giving myself enough credit or my job is just what I was meant to do. Over the past few months, I've considered what my life would be if I chose something besides law. I'd teach. Teaching intrigues me and being held in the same light as I hold my favorite teachers, well, that's an exciting thought. I'd have to do a 180 though and I've already been in school long enough. Part of the many reasons why I'm divorced apparently.

Went to Hudson's last night with the group, yesterday was Donivan and Sam's anniversary. I bought their beer and gave Cassandra her Christmas presents. Went really well. Between the three of us, 13 beers for 11 bucks. Does that make me cheap? Eh. Well, break's over.