Upon my return to the clinic after a lunch time swim, I approached a big black guy loading a DHL truck by one of the entrances to the law school. He was staring at my shirt with a who IS this nasara/white man look while I walked along the path. When I passed him he said, "who is that?" I responded, "Paul Biya." He then said, "oh. Cameroon." I asked if he was from Cameroon, and he said, "no, Congo Brazzaville." He laughed when I asked him if he thought I was wearing his Big Man's fabric.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Big Men
Upon my return to the clinic after a lunch time swim, I approached a big black guy loading a DHL truck by one of the entrances to the law school. He was staring at my shirt with a who IS this nasara/white man look while I walked along the path. When I passed him he said, "who is that?" I responded, "Paul Biya." He then said, "oh. Cameroon." I asked if he was from Cameroon, and he said, "no, Congo Brazzaville." He laughed when I asked him if he thought I was wearing his Big Man's fabric.
Do the Math
Me: How much are tickets to A&F?
X: $10 for matinees, $12 for evening shows.
Me: Do you still have tickets for Saturday evening?
X: Yes.
Me: I’d like one ticket for Saturday evening (No exact change in wallet and limited change in the cash box. I hand over one $20 bill and two $1 bills).
X: You said you wanted one ticket.
Me: Yes.
X: So why did you give me $22?
Me: I’m trying to be helpful. I see that you don’t have much change, and you can just give me a $10 bill.
X: (confusion) Um, thanks.
X: $10 for matinees, $12 for evening shows.
Me: Do you still have tickets for Saturday evening?
X: Yes.
Me: I’d like one ticket for Saturday evening (No exact change in wallet and limited change in the cash box. I hand over one $20 bill and two $1 bills).
X: You said you wanted one ticket.
Me: Yes.
X: So why did you give me $22?
Me: I’m trying to be helpful. I see that you don’t have much change, and you can just give me a $10 bill.
X: (confusion) Um, thanks.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
I dey...
In Pidgin, there is an expression I dey like I dey but I no dey.
Translation: I'm physically present and appear to be paying attention but in reality I am totally spaced out.
Example: Federal Courts today.
Corollary: I dey like I no dey but I dey.
Translation: I'm physically present but appear to not being attention. However, I am fully aware of my surroundings.
Example: Me, eavesdropping in on your gossip.
Translation: I'm physically present and appear to be paying attention but in reality I am totally spaced out.
Example: Federal Courts today.
Corollary: I dey like I no dey but I dey.
Translation: I'm physically present but appear to not being attention. However, I am fully aware of my surroundings.
Example: Me, eavesdropping in on your gossip.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
More free food
On Saturday I had dinner with a friend from college and her husband, neither of whom I had seen since their wedding in the fall of 2002. We had reservations at a chi-chi restaurant in Hyde Park, but upon arrival we were informed that due to an unfortunate mix-up and a rare overbooking, the restaurant wasn't able to seat us at a table. The apologetic Maitre-d offered to seat the three of us at the counter, and as a salve to this indignity said he would comp a 5-course meal for each of us, including three glasses of wine (Champagne, Pinot Noir, and Chianti).
First I have to wait for 5 minutes at Starbucks in Waco when I order "bold" coffee, and now I have to sit at a counter. What the hell is wrong with service in Texas?
First I have to wait for 5 minutes at Starbucks in Waco when I order "bold" coffee, and now I have to sit at a counter. What the hell is wrong with service in Texas?
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Killer hippos
Yesterday NPR had a story about a killer hippo on the Congo River. Killer hippos are no joke. The NPR report brought back memories of the disturbing and surreal experience I had almost six years ago when the students in my environment club and I went on our weekly trip to the river only to find a hippo playing with the corpse of a teenage bather it had recently killed.
The NPR story had an interesting twitst. The name of "my" killer hippo was America; the name of the Congolese killer is Osama. I wonder which would leave bigger tusk marks if America and Osama were to rumble.
Ces sont très mechants
The NPR story had an interesting twitst. The name of "my" killer hippo was America; the name of the Congolese killer is Osama. I wonder which would leave bigger tusk marks if America and Osama were to rumble.
Ces sont très mechantsWednesday, February 08, 2006
Memories...
Security scare forces US Capitol evacuation.
"A suspected nerve agent forced the evacuation of a U.S. Senate office building late on Wednesday until tests concluded the vapor that set off the alarm was harmless, police said."
Good thing, too, or else they'd have to kick out the entire Congress + staff, take over the GAO building for three weeks, and then fumigate the office buildings. Then they'd have to send the third lowest paid staff member into the office before it was ok'ed to back up the computer files and water the plants.
I'm still wearing my superhero clothing.
"A suspected nerve agent forced the evacuation of a U.S. Senate office building late on Wednesday until tests concluded the vapor that set off the alarm was harmless, police said."
Good thing, too, or else they'd have to kick out the entire Congress + staff, take over the GAO building for three weeks, and then fumigate the office buildings. Then they'd have to send the third lowest paid staff member into the office before it was ok'ed to back up the computer files and water the plants.
I'm still wearing my superhero clothing.
10:29 - 10:34
10:29 Finish meeting with professor A about last semester.
10:30:30 Arrive in class with professor B. Quietly enter and take seat.
10:31 While opening computer and book, get called on to answer question about case, most likely as retaliation for arriving late. Professor B mispronounces my last name.
10:31:10 Employ time-tested stalling tactic of asking professor B to clarify the question.
10:33 After some fumbling and page flipping, answer correctly with "4th amendent."
10:33:30 Receive follow-up question.
10:34 Answer correctly with "section 1983."
Receive snaps from four neighboring students after class.
Which of the following best describes the lesson from today's incident?
a) Always read for class
b) Don't be late for class
c) Professor B is evil
d) Wear superhero clothing for special magic powers in emergency situations.
10:30:30 Arrive in class with professor B. Quietly enter and take seat.
10:31 While opening computer and book, get called on to answer question about case, most likely as retaliation for arriving late. Professor B mispronounces my last name.
10:31:10 Employ time-tested stalling tactic of asking professor B to clarify the question.
10:33 After some fumbling and page flipping, answer correctly with "4th amendent."
10:33:30 Receive follow-up question.
10:34 Answer correctly with "section 1983."
Receive snaps from four neighboring students after class.
Which of the following best describes the lesson from today's incident?
a) Always read for class
b) Don't be late for class
c) Professor B is evil
d) Wear superhero clothing for special magic powers in emergency situations.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
BLE blahs
I got a letter from the BLE this afternoon acknowledging receipt of my bar application. Along with the letter, they enclosed a detailed reminder of the three days of hell that I will face in July. This made me realize how few of the subjects covered on the bar exam that I have studied in my 2+ years of law school. The gaps include exciting subjects like Texas civil procedure, federal criminal procedure, business associations, family law, uniform commercial code, consumer rights, and oil and gas. I should be okay on evidence, wills and trusts, and property. If there is a bonus question on Brazilian environmental law, I'm good to go and hopefully that will make up for all the other sections I fail.
I am troubled that of the three days, I am most looking forward to Wednesday, where I will have 7 hours to answer 200 multistate questions. My answer sheet will probably look like this:
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
I am troubled that of the three days, I am most looking forward to Wednesday, where I will have 7 hours to answer 200 multistate questions. My answer sheet will probably look like this:
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
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