Life in Tempe, as requested

I've been getting several requests to stop writing about sports and start writing about life in general. People want to hear about Tempe.

I guess everything here seems really ordinary to me. I don't want to disappoint anyone with boring anecdotes about the hours I spend in class and at home studying. On the other hand, I feel guilty that I don't have more work to do. I see all these people around me complaining endlessly about the amount of reading they have. Even people in my group are tired of the work load. But it's not getting to me. There is plenty of reading, but it's not nearly to the extent that I expected law school to assault me with.

As I write this, I am finished with all my reading through Monday, and most of Tuesday's reading as well. I have about 20 pages of Civil Procedure due Tuesday, but we are so far behind the syllabus that I am actually about 30 pages ahead of class. I have 16 pages of Legal Method and Writing to read for Tuesday, and I will probably at least read over the material for our first office memo assignment that is due in two weeks. I have briefed every single case that I have come across, so I'm not slacking there. I don't feel like I'm a genius, leaving everyone behind me, either. I have not been participating in class much, feeling a little lost at times. It's an unfamiliar and uncomfortable feeling, so this week I vowed to change that. Yesterday, I felt confident that I could have participated, but did not for whatever reason raise my hand. Today, however, I raised my hand, was called on, and engaged in a discussion with my Torts teacher. A classmate told me after class they appreciated a comment that was actually relevant and intelligent. So that was a good start. I will press onwards to more participation. Healthy discussion leads to a better understanding of the material, without a doubt.

As for the non-law school related happenings in Tempe, I'm afraid I don't have much to say. Melissa is coming tomorrow night through early Monday morning. We are both very excited about the visit.

I am getting cable and internet installed (fiiiiiinalllllyy) just in time for the Redskins NFL opener tomorrow afternoon (night, for you poor Eastern Time saps).

ASU football hosts Stanford this weekend, so we will most likely go to at least part of the game. Melissa has never experienced a big time college football game. I'd much rather bring her to Blacksburg for this experience, but you have to take what you can get. As for football and Blacksburg, I am looking forward to the start of the season this Saturday against Furman. Yep, start of the season. First game. No other games have been played yet, as far as I can recollect.

Settling in has sort of plateaued. I don't feel at home yet. It's the tiniest things that make me feel like a stranger in a new place still. I couldn't find a legitimate post office today to get stamps. I found one that was so ghetto it didn't have a stamp vending machine, and the 20-person queue looked like an unemployment office line. I don't know where to go to buy stamps. How sad is that?

I'm heading to the gym, which has been one great thing I started here. Feels really good to be working out. It's the only real activity we get here, what with each class being 2 hours long, and having hours of reading to do every day.

Hope this satisfied your curiosities. I will try to be more broad in my range of topics in the future.