Pecking order

Nacho peed on my leg this afternoon at the dog park within two minutes of our arrival. I scolded him and we left immediately. He has been banished to the backyard until I feel like I have sufficiently reasserted my dominance.

Weird start to a Thursday

I found a dying green tree frog on the sidewalk a block from work this morning. I have no idea how it got there - maybe it was a stray, maybe it was abandoned by a resident of one of Dallas’s ridiculously overpriced new downtown condos.

At first I walked away, but then I walked back and put the frog in a nearby gigantic flowerpot. I’m hoping that in its last gasps it can pretend it is in a warm rainforest or terrarium somewhere. It won’t get smashed, but it still might get eaten by a bird.

In completely unrelated news, I got an offer from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I turned the job down; I decided the work was too specific and I was trying to convice myself I wanted the job, which is never a good sign.

I thought of them first

I wasn't too pleased to see Laos or Mozambique, two of my top post-clerkship vacation spots, listed in the NYT's "53 Places to Go in 2008." Thankfully, most of the listed accommodations focus on luxury, which is not something I associate with my travels.

Nukes

I had a gauntlet of interviews today at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.*  The legal work seems really interesting, and there is a good mix of administrative law and litigation.  They are also ramping up their practice in anticipation of the expected flood of applications for new nuclear power plants.  And the attorneys really seemed to like their jobs.

I can see myself working there, but I need to decide if it is what I wanted to do.  Actually, it would be easier if someone would just tell me what I want to do.  

*The DOJ said no.  Fuckers.  I hope they get a complicated environmental case that requires Portuguese-speaking lawyers.

Toiletology

A very annoying thing happened at work today, but my general rule is to not blog about work. I'm not going to comment except to ask, "why"?

Instead, I thought I'd share that my knowledge of toilets is expanding. I had my first crash course last February when I had to replace the tank-to-bowl seal because the tank sprung a leak after Nacho used the toilet as a trampoline. Long story, but the lesson was that my dog does NOT like enclosed spaces.

Last week, the lever arm (the thing that connects the flush valve to the flapper) in my other toilet broke. Apparently it rusted apart. So I had to replace it.

See what an exciting life I live?

In defense of Portuguese

I'm listening to the News Hour with Jim Lehrer on NPR. Mr. Lehrer had a clip on Bush's veto of the $150.7 billion Labor/HHS appropriations bill. As an example of what he determined to be "wasteful spending" in the bill, Mr. Bush cited an earmark for a Portuguese as a second language program.

Now, I don't know the specifics of the cited program, but to me spending money encouraging Americans to learn Portuguese isn't wasteful. Depending on how you measure the number of first-language speakers, Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language in the world - more than Russian, Japanese, German, or French. But I bet Mr. Bush didn't know that.

The veto came on the same day that Mr. Bush signed a $459 billion bill for non-war spending for the Pentagon, and it came on the same day that the Congressional Democrats released a report estimating the hidden costs of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq at $1.6 trillion. The Labor/HHS bill no doubt included spending on programs addressing long-term health care for veterans.

Democrats may be tax and spend liberals, but that is better than spend and spend Republicans. This president has ZERO credibility on the issue of fiscal restraint.

-------------------

In other political news, I got a robo-call phone survey this evening from my representative, Congressman Jeb Hensarling. The survey asked a series of leading questions, such as whether I thought illegal immigration was one of the most pressing issues facing our country today, whether I would support a bill granting amnesty, and whether I would support Jeb Hensarling in his efforts to protect my Second Amendment rights. As an indicator of the composition of his base, the last two questions somewhat bizarrely asked if I was male and over 35. My answers were: no, yes, no, yes, no. Perhaps my answers put me on his do not call list.

Próximo viaje

After much obsessing,* I've decided on my next vacation spot. I'm going back to Honduras in February. I was there in August of 2002 and had a great time exploring towns on the mainland, the ruins of Copan, and diving on Roatan over the course of two and half weeks.

I have less time for this vacation, so I'm going to spend about a week diving on Utila and then a few days on a beach on the mainland, probably in Tela. If I see a whale shark, my wetsuit will get even wetter.


*Dominica was the other option, but it was much pricier and the flight times sucked.

JetSet

I experienced the suckiness of business travel last Thursday. I spent more time in the air and almost as much time waiting in airports as I did in DC. My flight landed at 12:30 and left at 6:45 PM, was delayed on both ends, and both flights were completely full. Thank goodness I bought my lunch ahead of time, know my way around the city, and had a 2 + year old Metro card that miraculously still worked.

But on the plus side, I think the interview went fairly well. The three interviewers seemed to like me and were interested in my background. I spent a lot more time talking about The Cradle of Our Fathers and about my adopted country of origin than I did about my current job. And come to think of it, I didn’t talk about law school at all, save for something about my work in the clinic. But I guess everyone they are interviewing went to law school, so that wouldn’t be a distinguishing characteristic.

I’m not getting my hopes up and am trying to keep a realistic perspective. The division that interviewed me only anticipates hiring 12 people. My odds are about 1 in 7 and I should hear in a couple of weeks. If I get it, great. If not, that’s okay, too.

Trick-or-Bust

I had ONE trick-or-treat attempt this evening. I say "attempt" because the doorbell rang when I was in the kitchen and Nacho started barking and jumping around. I put Nacho outside so he wouldn't jump/lick/love attack some poor little goblin. By the time I got to the door with some candy, all I saw was a little blue dress running away.

Kind of sad. I had a few last year and I was expecting a handful this year. At least I only bought one bag of candy I like.

Happy Halloween.

Dog beds

I had a party chez moi about a week and a half ago. A friend from Austin drove up along with her 9 pound dog, and she brought her 9 pound dog's bed.


My 52 pound dog has a bed, but as you can see in the photo, he LOVED the little bagel bed - so much that I decided to get Nacho an early Christmas present.

The bed is pretty comfy. I tested it out, and sometimes I want to curl up in it. I think Nacho likes it, but he is still getting used to it.

He still likes the crappy bed I got for him from Petsmart. I guess that is sort of like the kid whose favorite toy is the empty roll of toilet paper. The old bed is stuffed with old pillows because the original stuffing had to be tossed out after the diarrhea disaster of '07.

Inside scoop

The only comment I have about this law suit involving my former employer is that in my opinion, the former chief of staff was an annoying beyotch. I'm glad I wasn't deposed. For the curious, the case is available as 2007 WL 2947398 and will soon be published in a federal supplement near you.

DOJ, take 2

Yay me. I have a second shot with the DOJ Honors Program.

I'm not sure which division the interview is with, though. The notification email was quickly followed by another email saying,

"We have just learned that our notification system did not properlly (sic) display the components that selected you or provided interview information for the wrong component. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE DEPARTMENT AT THIS TIME TO DETERMINE WHICH COMPONENTS SELECTED YOU. You were selected by at least one of the components you applied to. We will correct the problem in the system and resend a notification message next week."

Apparently their spell check program isn't working either. I suspect the interview is with the environmental law division, although it could also be with the civil or antitrust divisions.

Now I have to decide whether I really want to move back to DC. I've grown accustomed to life in Dallas. But environmental law in the Clinton Administration could be awesome.


**UPDATE**

It is with the environment division.

Baseline perspective

Today's New York Times has an article on air travel in Africa, and in Cameroon in particular. I can totally relate to the author's frustrations, but the guy's story really isn't that bad. His flights to and from Cameroon left on the scheduled day, he had the means to buy a ticket, he got a partial refund from Kenya Airways, and most importantly, he arrived at his destination.

I have some pretty bad air travel stories from the country that is near and dear to my heart. I flew more my second year because I was posted up north and air travel was more reliable than the train, which is pretty sad.* On one trip from Garoua to Yaounde we made an unscheduled stop in N'Djamena, which not only is in a different country but is NOT on the way from point A to point B. On a trip to West Africa for Christmas vacation, I got bumped from an Air Afrique (now bankrupt) flight because my elbows weren't sharp enough to push my way to the front of the line. The following day, when the next flight left, my elbows were sharper. And my final domestic flight when I was leaving my post never happened because the planes stopped coming to Garoua for some reason. Instead, I took the overnight train with all my crap in tow. I had stopped taking the train because on my last trip we got in a minor train wreck, but when faced with not being able to leave the country or take my chances, I opted for the latter.

Other volunteers have worse stories, like plummeting several thousand feet while in-flight or seeing bloody cow carcasses come down the baggage carousel. But this isn't a contest.

I think the point of this post is that it is all about perspective. Cramped in coach with no peanuts isn't really that bad. When things don't happen when they are supposed to, I just try to remember the time when I waited a day - a day! - for a bush taxi to leave my first post in Mamfe, only for the bush taxi to arrive at 4 PM and then tell everyone waiting that it would leave the following morning. Or if I'm ever uncomfortable, I just think about when I was smashed in the back seat of a two-door Toyota Tercel holding 7 other adults for the 5 hour journey over an old logging road, the only passable road from Kumba to Mamfe in the rainy season.

And if I ever think that I had it bad, I just think about the volunteer who was posted in the East province near the C.A.R. border. A one-way trip to the capital took three days. See? Perspective.


*If you think I omitted an option by road, I did not.

Fashion Victim

I'm unimpressed by fashion labels, mostly because I don't care and I think that designer clothes are a waste of money. However, I do notice them, usually because they irritate me. I especially dislike clothes or accessories where the label is the design, like when logos or letters form the pattern of a purse or something like that. On women, a Louis Vuitton handbag can be fine.* But men, as a general rule, should stay away from pattern-y fashion labels.

Today I was in for a treat. While waiting for the train on the way home from work, alongside me stood a confused gay** tragedy. The (thankfully young) guy wore: an unidentifiable brand of designer jeans, pattern-y Coach tennis shoes, a Louis Vuitton belt with a big gold "LV" buckle, an Abercrombie t-shirt, a Burberry shoulder bag, Dolce & Gabanna sunglasses, and, get this - a pattern-y Louis Vuitton baseball cap. Oh, and he had a gold Motorola Razr phone with a custom download.

I am not making this up. I wonder if all of it was genuine, but the sheer tackiness of the Louis Vuitton baseball cap makes me think the outfit was one big knockoff. Come to think of it, the gold "LV" buckle was a little too shiny. Maybe the $30 Abercrombie t-shirt was genuine.

But what is more depressing: that some would spend $1500 on an outfit that makes him look like a total slave/whore to fashion marketing, or that someone would buy a bunch of knockoffs so that he could look like a total slave/whore to fashion marketing?


*My boss has a Louis Vuitton handbag.
**Trust me. I have good gaydar. Especially when it smacks me in the face like a brick.

Toys

Nacho has lots of toys.

His favorite is probably the orange ball, although he likes all the ones I can stuff with treats (orange ball, blue ball, purple football , red kong). He's not a big fan of the green squeaky martian.

The nice thing about the stuffable toys is that they essentially serve as puzzles and give him something to do. The distraction can be welcome when I want to play on my computer, because cute as Nacho is, he weighs 52 pounds and is not a lapdog.


Nacho is pretty smart, though, and it doesn't take him long to figure out how to get the treat out. If only he had opposable thumbs, the process would be so much faster.


You may notice from the photo that Nacho's hair looks a lot shorter. He got a haircut last weekend and it turned out a little shorter than I expected. Just in time for summer! It should grow out before it gets cold, though, and shedding has *not* been a problem this week.

More WTF

“I am not gay, I never have been gay,” declared Senator Craig (R-ID) at a Boise press conference he attended today with his wife by his side.

He just happens to enjoy having sex with men. Make that sleazy, anonymous sex with men in public places.

But if two men (or two women) in a committed relationship want the rights and privileges associated with marriage, then he'll vote against that. And, since gay people only want "special rights," he'll oppose efforts to include sexual orientation in anti-discrimination laws. After all, gay people threaten society's values.

WTF?

What is up with closeted gay Republicans and public restrooms?

Last month, Florida State Representative Bob Allen was arrested in a public park restroom for offering to give an undercover cop a blow job for $20. The best explanation he could muster for his behavior was that there were scary black people in the area and he didn't want to become a statistic.

And today, United States Senator Larry Craig pleaded guilty to "disorderly conduct" in the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport back in June. Maybe his repeated foot tapping and under-the-stall hand waving was just a call for some squares of t.p.?

That these two rely on "values voters" to put them in office so they can support hateful legislation directed at gay people makes me want to puke.

Projecting

For about the past two months, I've had the pleasure of working through our social security appeals backlog at work. I don't hate the cases, and I've gotten pretty good at determining if there is substantial evidence to support the ALJ's determination of the claimant's residual functional capacity or if there are jobs in significant numbers in the national economy that provide for the claimant's required sit/stand option.*

Anyway, it seems like all the plaintiffs are depressed, many are obese, and all have back or spine problems. I think that reading about back and spine problems for eight hours a day for the past two months has given me my own back and spine problems. And come to think of it, I feel a little sad too.

Seriously, my left shoulder and upper back were tight like a be-yotch for about a month. But, thanks to some yoga, a ridiculously expensive orthopedic pillow, and a therapeutic massage, things are looking up and my health has improved.

If I can do it, so can anyone. It doesn't matter if three of your vertebrae are fused, you have a BMI of 52, and you lack a 10th grade education. If you can work as an order puller** or as a surveillance systems monitor, legally you are not disabled. So get back to work.


*If this sentence makes no sense to you and you have worked in a court, then you probably referred the case to someone else to take care of it for you.

**I have no idea what this is. It isn't in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, but apparently there are significant numbers in the national economy (as of 1991) to constitute gainful employment in our 21st century economy.

I think this post might have been comprehensible (and funny) only to me and a certain other awesome law clerk.

Hang up and drive

#1. 50-something white male in a small white pick-up pulls in front of me in the parking lot and then proceeds to slowly weave between two lanes while putting on his seat belt. Said 50-something male is unable to accelerate while turning left on a green arrow onto Northwest Highway. Erratic behavior likely due to the fact that #1 has been talking on his cellphone the entire time.

#2. 40-something obese black female cruises along in a white Lincoln Towncar at 35 mph in a 50 mph zone on Northwest Highway, yet somehow manages to not let people pass her because she is talking on her cellphone.

#3. 40-something white female with stringy hair in brown Honda Civic cruises along at 40 mph in a 50 mph zone, a few cars in front of #2 on Northwest Highway. Also shares the ability to not let people pass her, maybe because she too is talking on her cell phone.

Driver in Red Grand Cherokee with the new fake mirror* screams obscenities for the 7 minute drive home from the park-and-ride.



Yoga was extra relaxing today. Candy was the substitute instructor, and we did twists.


*Isn't the fake mirror great? $6.99 from Auto Zone, not including tax. This is actually fake mirror #2. Fake mirror #1 lasted almost a year but blew off somewhere between Waco and Dallas two weekends ago.

Long week

This morning I woke up thinking it was Thursday. This is the second time this week that I have thought it was one day later than it really was.

My dog has fleas

Nacho visited an undisclosed location this weekend that was infested with fleas and he brought some home. He's on Sentinel, a heartworm combo medication that also says it "controls flea populations." He doesn't have many, so I guess the population is "controlled," but that isn't very reassuring.

We went to the doggie wash yesterday for a flea shampoo bath. While that got some, he still has fleas. I've resorted to picking through his fur and smashing the fleas that I catch. This is effective but time consuming.

Oh, did I mention the fleas' favorite place? Nacho's groin. Yesterday I spent about 20 minutes picking fleas off my dog's nether regions. Nacho LOVES this special time I spend with him. Whose the master now?

Office etiquette

If you take a bite out of a doughnut and don't like it, don't put it back in the box. Such behavior is inappropriate in the Land of Good Eats and could subject you to sanctions.

One Month Later

I haven't posted anything in a month; not much has happened to write about anyway.

I went to Annapolis for a wedding in early July. The bride was a friend from the 'corps, and I saw some peeps that I hadn't seen in 7 years. We continue our jet-setting ways; the bride and groom flew in from Dubai, one guy flew in from Albania, another flew in from Mali, and another recently finished her PhD from a university in South Africa. The flight from Dallas was fine, in case you were wondering.

Work is work; I have to start thinking about Fall '08, which is no fun. Maybe that is why I am more concerned about where I'll go on my next big trip. Mozambique is the leading contender since I could be in Africa, SCUBA dive, hike, and speak Portuguese all on the same trip.

I'm dog sitting for a week, which in dogspeak means that Nacho is hosting an orgy:

Sometimes he's alpha dog...

...other times he's gamma dog exploring bisexuality.

There are two more at an undisclosed location, but if I brought them over there would be a code violation. And puppies in about 9 weeks.

Land of Good Eats

Our office is getting out of control. I like to bake, so ever since I started work I've occassionally brought in banana bread, muffins, cookies or brownies. And sometimes my boss will pick up bagels or doughnuts for her staff and others in the building. But up until now, the two of us would supply treats 2-3 times a month. We also have cake for any possible birthday, so that added another treat or two a month.

Over the past two weeks, we've had bagels (boss), doughnuts (co-chambers, just because), banana bread (me, 8 brown bananas in the freezer), birthday cake (co-chambers), bagels (intern sucking up), and doughnuts again (co-chamber's intern's last day). There has been a steady procession of fresh baked goods for six of the past eleven work days, and with leftovers there is always something to eat in the kitchen.

It is a wonder that I am not a fat ass. I attribute this to a much better diet when I'm not at work, going to the gym 3-4 times a week, and taking public transportation, which requires walking to and from the station each day.

I think I'll have another doughnut.

Facelift

The Dallas mayoral election: Did I say 2%? Because I meant to say 20%. Leppert squashed Oakley by something like 58 to 42. I'm not surprised by the Leppert win, but I am surprised that the margin was so large. And as with most elections, I was depressed by voter turnout. It was something like 13%, which is pathetic. I think that all Americans eligible to vote should be forced to spend some time in a true, vibrant democracy, where they will learn the power one vote can have.

Anyway, on to more important things. I got a new fence. It took forever to build, but I think it looks great. It is a HUGE improvement over the piece of crap that was in its place. The contractor made a mistake and built the better board-on-board privacy fence instead of the side by side that I ordered, but that is their problem. They still made money off of me.

The old fence bowed in at a 70 degree angle at some parts along the side

I am now debating whether to stain the fence. You don't have to because cedar is supposed to last 15-20 years. I could let it age naturally. Or, every 2-3 years, I could spray it with some noxious stain (clear, most likely) that contains heavy metals to extend the life of the fence. And if I decide to stain it, I have to let the fence dry out for a few months, which means I'd stain it one 110 degree August weekend.

The grass is green and lush, but the rest of the yard kind of looks like crap and the trees need to be trimmed. Also, there is a funny double barrier of hedges where the old short fence along the driveway used to be. But landscaping is for another day.

I got a nifty iron gate that closes over the narrow driveway. One reason (not THE reason) I got the fence and gate is because a certain new resident could jump over the old 4 foot fence that ran from the side of the house to the right side of the garage.

Help me, please.

Up till now, Nacho has been an inside dog. Now he can run free within the confines of the backyard, chase bugs and squirrels, lie in the grass, and not poop all over the guest bedroom while I'm away at work all day. Okay, the latter only happened four times in four months, but one diarrhea disaster is enough.

On politics

The mayoral run-off between Tom Leppert and Ed Oakley takes place in Dallas tomorrow. I didn't vote for either of the candidates in the May 12 primary. Both Leppert and Oakley have similar positions on the major issues facing the city. Leppert has been weak on details, speaking only of a "vision" for the city and, as a political neophyte, has nothing to run on except his tenure as a CEO of a giant construction company. Oakley has a batty idea of tearing down crime-ridden apartment complexes,* but at least he has some experience as a member of the city tribal council and has lived in the city for more than a few years.

There are, of course, some differences between the two candidates. Leppert has the support of the city's business establishment and apparently of the religious conservatives as well. Oakley has been endorsed by the Dallas County Democratic Party even though this is a supposedly non-partisan election. More importantly, Oakley is openly gay. If elected, he will be the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city.** Whether he will be the first crappy openly gay elected mayor of a major U.S. city remains to be seen.

Sexual orientation, surprisingly, has not been much of a factor in the race. Maybe that is because since Oakley is out of the closet, there can't be a whisper campaign. At least one religiously conservative PAC did a bunch of robocalls this past week that just happened to inform the recipients that Oakley is gay. But not to worry, the gays are fighting back with their own GOTV effort: no cover at two of the gayborhood's corporate bars*** (S4 and Sue Ellen's) this Saturday and Sunday with a stamped voter registration card indicating that you voted in the election! Woohoo!

Me? I'm voting for the 'mo. We need to break another ceiling, even if Oakley isn't that different from Leppert. Plus, few things would be more awesome than a gay mayor of President Bush's future home and site of his library.

The pessimist in me gives the race to Leppert by 2%. Last November's Democratic tidal wave that swept over Dallas County likely won't come back this time since there is no "straight" (haha) ticket voting. But you never know.


*Where will the residents go?
**Providence, RI is not a major city.
***One company, two city blocks, four different bars.

First day of school

Nacho had his first day of obedience school today. I've worked with him some (we have "sit" down pat), but we need lots of help with not jumping, not crawling in my lap while I'm working on the computer, and staying. He seemed to like the class, and he did pretty well with the things we learned today (sit, by my side, and proper leash walking).

Afterwards, I took him to the doggie wash,* which he hated. But too bad; he needed a bath. Now he is clean and fluffy and smells good.


Yes, I could have washed him in the back yard, and I do that sometimes. But the doggie wash has elevated sinks with restraints, warm water with a sprayer, all the crap you need to wash your dog, and a gigantic blow dryer which Nacho hates.

Annoying commute

Today's commute was a little annoying in both directions.

I didn't go to the gym before work this morning, so I had to put up with the indignity of traffic congestion. For most of my 10-minute car trip (normally 5) to the park-and-ride, I was stuck behind some woman who apparently didn't realize that she was driving a moving vehicle along a busy street. She somehow thought she was still in front of her bathroom mirror at home. She applied lipstick, eye liner, eye shadow, mascara, the works - all while supposedly also paying attention to the traffic conditions around her. Except that she wasn't paying attention, which is why I was annoyed to be stuck behind her. She even tilted her review mirror so that she could apply her make-up. I wonder if she ever considered the possibility that she might get in an accident while applying her make-up, which would probably result in a serious injury since she would jab an eye liner pencil into her eye.

I've had eye injuries on the mind lately. Work was more time spent with detailed pleadings about smashed eyeballs.

On the way home, the train was late (!) and there was only one car instead of the usual two or three at rush hour. The train was crowded, but it wouldn't have been that bad had the 15 people standing at each of the exits moved into the aisle to make room for those getting on. But that would have made sense and been considerate to other passengers, so why do it? Also, the train conductor kept announcing that the train was very full and that there was another blue line train right behind her. But it wasn't that full, or at least what I would consider to be "full." Eight people smashed into a two-door Toyota Tercel for 7 hours over a bumpy, muddy Central African logging road is "full." Me having to stand in the train aisle (by myself, since everyone else is either seated or standing in the exit) for 20 minutes is not.

The Verdict

Thumbs up for the Panama vacation. I did most of what I wanted to do in ten days. With a little more time, I would have visited the San Blás islands in the Caribbean, maybe taken a trip into the rainforests of Darién province bordering Colombia, and have spent another day or two in Panama City to visit some nearby towns that sound interesting.

The country is easy to get to from the U.S. and has a good tourist infrastructure but is not overrun with tourists. Because of the strong American influence, Panama isn't as exotic as other Central American countries, which is good or bad depending on what you want. The diving in Bocas was a little disappointing, but I recognize that I've been spoiled by Honduras and Malaysia.

I got a little depressed today. For one, I was at work and a week ago someone was sailing me around Bocas in a catamaran. For another thing, I was reading detailed medical reports about smashed eyeballs, the complications that arise from having your eyeball smashed, and whether the treating doctors in this case acted with deliberate indifference. Sailing and snorkeling? Fun. Smashed eyeballs? Not so much.

Panama City

I spent my last full day in Panama visiting Panama La Vieja, which are the ruins of the city that date from the 1500's, and the old colonial center known as Casco Antiguo.

Cathedral tower in Panama La Vieja

View of Panama City from cathedral tower in Panama La Vieja

Cathedral in Casco Antiguo

I liked Casco Antiguo a lot and spent several hours strolling around and people watching. The run-down buildings are slowly being refurbished and the area is becoming a pleasant place to spend time. Where the inhabitants of the run down buildings go, I do not know, but now there are ice cream shops, restaurants, and artisinats.

Rain, rain, go away

Actually, I´m going away from Boquete tomorrow. So the rain can stay for all I care.

Despite the crappy weather, I managed to get some hiking in. I hiked part of a trail called Sendero los Quetzales yesterday - no quetzals, though. I turned around at the big waterfall with no obvious path continuation and was glad I did because it started raining at 11 AM and didn´t stop until sometime last night.

Sendero los Quetzales

Today was better. I was up and at ´em at 7 AM and was at the entrance to Parque Nacional de Volcán Barú by 8:15. I hiked half way up the summit of the extinct volcano - about 7.5 km and then turned around because I didn´t need to climb to the top and I knew it was going to rain. I exited the park around 12:30 and hiked back down another 8 km to Boquete. My intention was to get a taxi or a bus back, but not one passed me along the way. Maybe because I took a wrong turn and hiked along the backroads lined with coffee plantations. It started raining around 2, but it was light and I didn´t get that wet. This afternoon around 5 was another story since it poured for about an hour and has been drizzling on and off all afternoon and evening.

Clearing/farm in the Parque Nacional de Volcán Barú

Coffee plantation on the road back to Boquete

I leave Boquete tomorrow morning for David, where I will catch a flight back to Panama City. I plan to see some more sites - Panamá La Vieja (ruins) and Casco Antiguo (again). I opted to stay in a nicer hotel (yay American chains!) because I want breakfast and don´t want to put up with any crap on Monday morning right before my flight back to los Estados Unidos.

en Boquete

So I´ve gone from an annoying Spanish language keyboard in Bocas del Toro to an annoying Spanish language keyboard in Boquete that has been used so much all the characters have rubbed off. That I am able to type anything at all is amazing.

Anyway, the remainder of my stay in Bocas del Toro was great. Yesterday I went sailing and snorkeling on a catamaran around the archipelago. I had dinner (once again) at my friend´s restaurant. I had barracuda fritters with chili sauce as an appetizer and pork meatloaf with mashed potatoes as an entrée. Then I had peanut butter chocolate chip pie for dessert.

I left Bocas this morning around 9;30 by ferry to Almirante on the mainland and then by bus to a city called David. I sat next to a woman balancing a child on one knee and a take out box of fried chicken on another, and we were treated to pan-Latin American merengue music and then an old Mexican movie about a man who writes letters for other people. I read-napped most of the way. From David, I took another bus to Boquete, which is where I am now. The trip from Bocas to Boquete took about 6 hours.

Boquete is nice so far. It is in the highlands, and it is cool and cloudy. They grow a lot of coffee here, so I went to a coffee shop this afternoon and sat around. The barrista gave me a free double espresso, which was my second, so after four shots I am totally wired right now. Tomorrow I plan to do some hiking in the area´s national park along a trail called Sendero de los Quetzales. If I actually see a quetzal I´ll pee in my pants. Hopefully the weather will cooperate during the hike; it was rainy when I arrived.

As for food, I´ve been eating a lot of gringo food since most of my dinners in Bocas were at my friend´s gringo-oriented restaurant. I had some Panamanian food in Bocas and also this evening. In Bocas, I had chicken and rice for a late lunch one day. Today I had rice with meat and grilled chicken with some sweet plantains on the side. The beer is pretty good - there are three national brands (Balboa, Atlas, and Panama). Panama is the best. The rum here (Abuelo) is pretty good, too. And the coffee I had this afternoon was delicious.

Bocas del Toro

Wizard Beach on Isla Bastamientos

Preparing to sea kayak around Isla Carenero

Nicole's restaurant on the main island, Isla Colón

Bocas was great. These three photos sum up what I did over the course of 5 days.

safe and sound in Bocas del Toro

Howdy all -

So far the va-cay to Panama is going great. I won´t write a whole lot since this Spanish language keyboard is a little annoying and I´ll be able to upload photos with some pre-dated entries once I´m back.

Anyway, I saw the Panama Canal on Saturday and it was really cool. My timing was fortunate in that I saw two Panamax ships pass through heading towards the Caribbean side. Panama City is really modern and I am looking forward to spending some more time there on my way out next Sunday.

I`m in Bocas del Toro right now, a gringo-infested town on the Caribbean near the Costa Rican border. The forested archipelago is beautiful, with white sand beaches and decent reefs. My friend has a great restaurant over the water with delicious food and even better drinks. We went to the beach on Sunday, diving yesterday, and sea kayaking today. I´m going sailing and snorkeling tomorrow.

Not everything has been perfect, though. The weather could be better; it has rained every afternoon. Fortunately, I´ve been able to do the chosen activity without any problem prior to any showers or sprinkles.

But for now, it is time for me to sign off and head to the restaurant.

Panama Canal

Panamax ship passing through the Miraflores Locks
heading from the Pacific to the Caribbean

View of closed locks at Miraflores

Adios, amigos

I head out tomorrow for a much needed trip away from it all. My friend who has the restaurant in Bocas del Toro emailed me to tell me that the restaurant's two toilets fell into the ocean earlier this week. Thankfully, no one was on them at the time. The toilets have since been replaced.

This trip is off to a promising start. Adios, amigos.

Nacho photo update

Spazzing in the back yard

A pile of hair from today's brushing. If you look closely, you
can see his pink pocket rocket shooting out. He's happy.

Summer movies

I saw Spider -Man 3 on Saturday. 4 stars (out of 5). The action scenes, fighting, web-slinging, and superpowers were all that I could hope for and more. A few of the dialog or "dramatic" scenes were over-the-top dorky and detracted from the film; for this I deduct a star. I also liked 1 and 2 better. But the movie was still very entertaining.

The summer movie season is promising. Of the big studio releases, I plan to see Pirates of The Caribbean: At World's End, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer,* Transformers, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Bourne Ultimatum, and probably some random interesting foreign or art house films.


*Yes, the first Fantastic 4 was t.e.r.r.i.b.l.e., but the previews for the sequel look much better. Besides, the pretty people are in it again.

Eastern Market, R.I.P.

Fire gutted part of the Eastern Market in D.C. today. I used to live about a 10 minute walk from the market, and on weekends I would sometimes stroll from my place at gentrification's edge to peruse the stalls. There were rarely any bargains, although seasonal fruit was sometimes a good deal. But the ambiance and shopping experience beat the local unSafeway hands down. I wonder how long it will take to be rebuilt, or what monstrosity will replace it.

Long Live the Queen

Today marks 25 years of Madonna with her April 24, 1982 release of "Everybody." Her latest is her greatest, although I still love me some of the classics.

Nigerian elections

The Nigerian presidential election was this past weekend, and sadly it was a disaster rife with corruption. I comment because it reminds me of Nigeria's first democratic elections held 8 years ago. At the time, I lived in Mamfé, the last town of consequence in Cameroon before crossing the Nigerian border.

I had a love/hate relationship with Mamfé; it was a shithole, but at the same time it was an amazing place to live because it was so remote from the rest of the world (Cameroon included). I fantasized about the elections on the other side of the border going horribly wrong, which would somehow cause Nigeria to invade its neighbor to the south and necessitate my evacuation by U.S. Marines sent in from Yaoundé. But that didn't happen.

Mamfé town center

New toy

I hope it rains this week. I can't wait to try out my new toy.

Sad, I know, but it was a cheap impulse purchase and my lawn needs it. I also have my eye on this baby but I decided to wait. I might rent one instead.

Earth Day, observed

Happy Earth Day! Today, I chopped down and uprooted two trash bags full of plants in preparation for the upcoming fence installation. I took two showers, used a bunch of electricity to clean my house, and used a bunch of gas to cook dinner. I also filled up my SUV and then drove a total of 60 miles taking someone to the airport and doing a bunch of errands.

Normally, my lifestyle is more environmentally friendly. For instance, because I park and ride the DART into downtown, I only fill up my gas-guzzler every other week. I also compost most of my yard waste and recycle about half my trash. I just found it amusing that instead of celebrating Earth Day with a trash clean-up or something along those lines, I killed a bunch of plants. But they were really weeds, so their carbon sequestration should be discounted.

Vast right-wing conspiracy

I'm relatively happy in my current job, but prior to getting this position I applied to work at the DOJ. I thought I had a chance, especially when the DOJ flew me to D.C. for an interview. I was studying abroad in Belém at the time, and the round-trip from the Amazon involved 6 flights, 30+ hours on planes, and 1 hurricane. And then the DOJ also paid for my hotel and gave me a per diem.

I wonder why the DOJ wasted the taxpayer's money, especially in light of this snipet from an article on AG Gonzales's testimony today before the Senate:

"The House committee on Wednesday also released a letter it said it had received anonymously from Justice Department employees in which they complain about a partisan bias they said exists in hiring law school students or young lawyers for summer internships or new jobs.

The letter says senior aides to Mr. Gonzales removed from consideration any candidates who “had interned for a Hill Democrat, clerked for a Democratic judge, worked for a ‘liberal’ cause or otherwise appeared to have ‘liberal’ leanings.”

Let's see...after college, I was in the Peace Corps. Then I worked for a Democratic House member for 2 years. During law school, I did not one, but TWO summer internships that were all about saving nature. One of them was in a foreign country and I didn't speak much English that summer. Do you think my resume might indicate that I have "liberal" leanings?

I would like to say that I am outraged and shocked, but I'm not. I expect politics to play some role in the hiring process, but I would like think that entry-level civil servants come from a variety of backgrounds and represent the political spectrum. I'm eligible to apply for the same job again and I have been thinking about it, but now I wonder whether I should even bother since the same administration will be in place.

At least now I can say that I didn't get the job because of a Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy and not because the other candidates had higher grades.

Bulk trash week

One of the weirder aspects of home ownership is that I have spent a lot of my free time doing chores I never knew existed.

For example, yesterday I spent two hours cleaning out my gutters. I scooped out twigs and rotting leaves, and I cleared three of the spouts that were completely clogged by shoving a hose down them and turning the hose on full blast. I found this to be strangely satisfying.

Also, I cleared out a huge amount of overgrown vines, dead trees, and weed/trees. In preparation for the new fence (that will be fabulous), I had to clear the vegetation that abuts the current fence. Most of what I removed was really crappy anyway and needed to go. I'm particularly proud that I cut down three dead small trees.

I don't think the bulk trash people are going to be very happy with me when they come by for this month's pickup. Even though I cleared a huge amount of crap, I haven't finished yet since there are still some vines that need to go.

Yoga flunkie no more

I started weekly yoga classes about two months ago. During the first class, when everyone else's leg was at a 90 degree angle and mine was at a 45 degree angle, the instructor pointed me out as a model of inflexibility and told the class, "look everyone, that is as far as he can go."

My flexibility has improved a little bit, and my forms are getting better. But I'm still not what one would call limber. Imagine my surprise this evening when, after doing a new pose, the instructor was amazed at my ankle flexibility and made me do the pose in front of everyone to show them how it should be done. I even remembered to tuck my butt in, and my thighs were picture-perfect and parallel to the floor.

Who knew that I was blessed with flexible ankles?

Reading, Writing, Arithmatic - and a little Jesus on the side

More legislation from the man who prevented the scourge of gay marriage from sweeping across Texas by making it super duper triple illegal:

"The House Public Education Committee was set late Tuesday to consider – but not vote on – a bill by Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, ordering high schools to offer history and literacy* courses on the Old and New Testaments. The courses would be elective."

"We're not going to preach the Bible, we're going to teach the Bible and how it affects all of our writings, documents and the formation of our government," Mr. Chisum said. "We're taking it as a document that has historical value."

*I'm thinking the reporter meant to write "history and literature courses," but you never know. Maybe people who elect representatives that favor thinly veiled legislative attempts to support state sponsorship of a particular religion do need literacy courses. Or, the source could be wrong. You choose.

My own Iraq war anniversary

Four years ago today I was here:

Fernando de Noronha

I did two dives in the morning and two more in the afternoon. In the evening I ate my fill of delicious peixe na folha de bananeira, or fish steamed in banana leaves. I dove the day before, and I dove on the following day. And the next day.

Today, I did a bunch of work while sitting at a desk in front of a computer. When I got home, I picked up dog poop. I'm not convinced my life has improved.

Fora, Bush

The NYT has an article in Tuesday's paper about President Bush's trip to Latin America this week.

Sadly, I don't think his trip will amount to much, primarily because our president is toxic. Here are two photos from his visit to Brazil in November 2005:

photo I took in Porto Alegre, RS

photo from newspaper based in Brasília of
activists defacing the JK monument.

Of course, there has always been a vocal anti-American* sentiment, and only a few are willing to go so far as to paint graffiti on cultural monuments. But many, many more marched to protest Bush's visit in cities all over Brazil. Even Belém had a protest march that attracted several thousand. Previously, this general anger might have been directed at the IMF or the vague concept of yankee imperialism, but thanks to Iraq, our leader provides a new focal point. No wonder Chávez is making friends and influencing countries. How many protested specifically at Clinton or Bush I?

I could say a lot more, but I won't. There will not be a chance of any improvement in relations until Bush is out of office.

*Excuse me, anti-U.S, for those in the know.

Legal commentary

Marketplace had a report this evening about the rocketing salaries of 1st year associates in NYC. Not that this is news to most of the five people who read this blog, but I did learn that the increases are due to competition from investment firms that suck new lawyers in-house and can pay much more. Then, as we all know, as soon as one firm increases all the others follow, and then other markets follow. And - surprise! Some of those interviewed complained about billable hours. I really hope I find a way to avoid this madness because I enjoy having a life outside of work, even if it only consists of walking the dog, making dinner, and then farting around for an hour or two before heading to bed.

Speaking of all things legal, I'm not going to blog about work except to say that about a month ago I, I mean my boss, wrote two motions denying dismissal of a prolific pro se's claims. Both of these opinions were picked up by Westlaw. I am quite pleased. The claims are pretty funny in a "I have been reading far too many §1983 cases" sort of way. I'd like to share more, but like I said, I'm not going to blog about work...

New roommate

Hola.* Me llamo Nacho.**

Me necesito sentar cerca de Blogazon. Siempre.

Detrás de las plantes de interior...

Me gusta masticar los huesos.

This is Nacho! So far, he's been a great addition to the Blogazon household. Thanks again to Raisins for hooking me up with a great pooch.

I've had him for about ten days. On the first day, I learned that he can climb over my short fence, which means that I have to get a new fence to replace the entire fence since the tall part is falling down anyway. In the meantime, Nacho lives indoors. We've been on lots of walks, and he gets along with his canine in-laws pretty well.

He likes to try to crawl in my lap, no matter what I am doing. Sometimes I let him. He also tries to crawl into bed with me, but I put a stop to that before it started since he hogged the space.

*Okay, maybe he doesn't really speak Spanish, but it is important to start teaching a second language at an early age, especially if he is going to be living in Texas.

**The dog formerly known as Polar. Not that Polar is a bad name, but it was temporary and he didn't have a chance to learn it. And besides, Nacho is a MUCH better name for a dog.

News commentary

I might be getting $125 as a member of the class that is suing Bar/Bri. I suppose it is better than nothing, but it still feels like a coupon. Bar/Bri remains an evil entity, and the monopoly will continue to reap in profits from the fears of would-be lawyers.

The potential buyout of TXU is also really interesting in how it affects 8 of the 11 proposed coal-fired plants. For those not in Texas, a gigantic energy company wanted to build 11 new coal plants to meet future energy needs for the state. The problem is that TXU didn't give a shit about air quality or other environmental impacts, arguing that it would be "too expensive" to install technology to reduce emissions, never mind that those costs would be passed along to consumers anyway. Also for those not in Texas, there is a surprising growing environmental consciousness in the state; a lot of people are upset over the issue and even have made some headway in litigation to stop the plants' construction. Maybe it would have been better to air out the issue in the courts, in the legislature, and in media so that more people would have been involved, but I guess the buyout produces a good end result, even if it feels murky and imposed from on high. There's a lot more I could say about this whole issue, but I'll stop for now.

Expectant father

The latest addition to the Blogazon family will arrive sometime this evening. Thanks to Raisins, I found a dog that apparently doesn't have separation anxiety and isn't part pit bull, something that seems to be common at the Dallas shelter, at least with the dogs that I liked.

Anyway, I am excited. I dropped some cash at Petsmart this week to get pet essentials like a bed, food, bowls, and a leash. This weekend I'll take him for a walk around the 'hood, maybe to the park, and maybe to meet some of his furry in-laws.

I have a name in mind; it is an awesome name, but I have to see if it fits before I christen him.

Am I a sucker?

A few months ago, my iPod died. I vowed to march to Cupertino, CA to stage a mass sit-in of one to protest the injustice of a dead $300 dollar luxury-cum-necessity after only 18 months.*

After 4 months and too many train rides being subjected to people who will NOT shut the fuck up, I realized that being able to tune out daily annoyances around me is an important component to my sanity. I don't need to hear your inane drivel at 6 AM, and I don't need to know about how your husband likes dragons, I just need to hear some New Order or Madonna while I DART to and from work.

I wasn't about to shell out another $300, but I still wanted an iPod. So I caved, sort of, and went for the entry-level machine that fits my needs.
Lime green was a close second.

Not being able to select what you want when you want it is a bit of a downside, but all I'm really going to use it for is transit and in the gym. And I guess not knowing which song comes next is part of the surprise. I got a great deal at circuitcity.com, with a sale, free shipping, and a gift card, so I think in the end I stuck it to the man.


*Okay, maybe I didn't, but I was still pretty pissed.

On television

I'm not going to complain about work except to say that this morning was a little annoying. Of the five attorneys at the pre-trial conference, none seemed to grasp the concept of a motion in limine. That didn't stop them from filing about a hundred, and that doesn't stop me from having to wade through their crap this weekend.

Anyway, on to more important things. I'm kind of hoping that ABC kills off Meredith Grey. I know it isn't going to happen, but she, in all her whinyness, is my least favorite character on the show. It would be nice to see her die from hypothermia.

In other television news, the season finale to Beauty and the Geek was last night. This season wasn't as good as seasons past, but I did like how Nate totally sabotaged his team's chances of winning $250,000 just so he could teach Cici a lesson. I wonder what she is going to do when she sees the episodes. I think the real lesson learned is that Nate blew his chance for $125,000. Now, if Scooter will just come out of the closet, then he can really say that the show has changed him in a positive way.

Happy Youth Day!

After weeks of practice, Cameroonian children 6,931.3 miles away* are marching out of step to the tune of nationalistic music. Teachers are gnawing on pepe-soup** soaked kanda***, enjoying their eighth 650 mL beer. And somewhere in the village, the principal is either beating a wayward Form 3 student, chopping money from the school fees, or both.

Today is Youth Day. I sometimes wonder what my former students are doing now.


*Dallas - Mamfé
**Pepper soup. Delicious.
***Singed skin of cow. Not delicious.

Adoption

I want to get a dog. Maybe this is a little irresponsible of me since I'm not certain what I'll be doing in the fall of 2008, but right now I have the time and the yard.

I'm thinking about adopting one from the animal shelter. Every Saturday in Yuppieland, a local non-profit has an open-kennel type thing where you can test drive rescued dogs. I found one that I liked last weekend, but I'm not going to get it. Turns out that the description "likes to be near people" on the info sheet really means "separation anxiety," which means that this dog and my empty house during the day would not be a good combination.*

I got an email this week about someone who is looking for a home for their super-cute chocolate lab puppy. I like labs, and the dog would fit right in as the preferred breed of the extended Blogazon family, but I'm a little put off by the fact that the owner wants to sell her used puppy for $400. You get a crate, but that is still full price and a lot of money to basically do this person a favor by letting her get rid of her dog.** I want a discount.

So, I'll keep looking. There's another adopt-a-dog thing this Saturday. I hope the one I like doesn't have emotional problems.


*Thank you, honest non-profit people for warning me of this ahead of time. Please tell your volunteers in the field to be as forthcoming.

**In contrast, adopting a dog from a Dallas-area shelter runs about $150, but the dog has been fixed, has had all its shots, and part of your money goes for room and board for other abandoned animals.

Blogazon mythology

My boss went to a reception for a departing former colleague a few floors below. Upon her return she said she ran into someone who knows me and my family. This person told her that I retook the SAT because I was five points shy of a perfect score.

Um...flattering, but no. If I got a 1595 on the SAT back in 1993, I would not have taken it again. Also, I thought the SAT was scored in 10 point increments. I was not that anal back in high school, and I have certainly mellowed since then. The toughest job I'll ever love ruined my work ethic for good. I couldn't even bring myself to study for the LSAT beyond a few practice exams, and look where it got me.

Próximo Viaje

May 18 - 28. Bought the ticket. I am ready to hike on rain forest covered volcanoes, sit on a beach, and eat/drink in a restaurant owned by a friend wey bi di suffah soteh with me.

procrastination pays

That is today's lesson. I've always known this to be true, but my belief was reinforced this morning when I finally got around to writing a section on a brief that I've postponed for about a month.

And good thing I waited, too. A SCOTUS opinion released on Monday resolved a split in the circuits and gave me an awesome, one-sentence-totally-on-point citation for what would have been a page or two of goo. Had I worked on this earlier, I would have wasted at least half a day.

authors

I heard on NPR this morning that Ryszard Kapuściński, one of my favorite authors, died yesterday. Kapuściński covered much of the developing world while working as a the only foreign correspondent for the Polish Press Agency. During this time he gathered great material for many novels. If you want something to read, check out the The Shadow of the Sun, which is probably my favorite book of his.

Speaking of authors, I am now published. The article I submitted to a certain IP journal finally went to press. The publisher sent me a bunch of copies which were waiting for me on my doorstep yesterday. I thought the heavy box with the unrecognizable return address was a bomb. But who would want to blow me up? I didn't realize that being a presidential candidate would be so hazardous this early on.

I'm in.

With the field of 2008 presidential candidates expanding by four this past week, today I announce that I too am in, and I'm in it to win.*

I've started a presidential exploratory committee to lock up donors. Checks made payable to "Blogazon" can be sent to my home address. With your help, we can build a safe and prosperous new America for the 21st century.


*I won't let a silly thing like the age requirement of Article II, § 1 of the Constitution get in the way. After all, the current President has made it quite clear that the Constitution doesn't matter.

Locker room etiquette

I work out at the Downtown Y most weekdays. One of my locker neighbors is totally fine - I say hi, he says hi, we chit chat a bit (or not) and everything is fine. My other locker neighbor is a boor.

He's in his late 60's, has a craggly beard, doesn't have a good body, and constantly walks around butt naked. And he talks a lot. I added him to my very lengthy shit list when I overheard him say how right after 9-11 he went up to Rep. Johnson at their church to say that the terrorist attacks were a sign of the impending Apocalypse (Rep. Johnson agreed). Because of this incident, I believe he is one of W's "base" voters, so I automatically don't like him.

Today, he moved up a little higher on my shit list. He left his soaking dirty towel in front of his locker, so close to mine that I had to touch it. And then he told a stupid joke whose punch line involved a German insulting a Chinese about a Jewish surname. During the time I entered, changed, put my stuff away, and headed out, he was naked and talking.

Just thought I'd share.

Thank you, bad weather

I haven’t posted in a while because (1) my life is kind of boring and (2) I’ve been swamped at work preparing for the trial of a case that shouldn’t have been in federal court for the past two and a half years. The trial was supposed to start on Monday, but thanks to the horrendous weather here and the inability to have a pretrial conference, the trial has been postponed for a month! Yippee!

Now if only I could be my 3-day weekend back.

In other news, I’m contemplating a trip in May to a certain isthmus, but not before this opens.