St. Mark's Coffee

My new move East means I will no longer drive 20 minutes most days to be caffeinated & highlight text amongst a room full of losers. I will really miss that. (I'm not referring to the ppl who may read this blog). Take care St. Mark's. I hope to find a new place teeming w/ waterproof messenger satchels.

I thought about writing a "Denver Top 10" highlight list to close out my stay, which may have included STM, but I read someone else's blog recently who posted a bunch of lists, and it was rlly boring, so I won't do that.

Another thing that was boring was studying at STM while the ppl next door & outside were having fun. Now I'm a person outside. Yay!

Goodbye Best Friend

This post deserves a video montage, but sorry, scooter, this tribute it all that you get.

Goodbye scooter! You were broken and a bunch of crazies wanted to buy you, so now I am going to buy new clothes rather than get you fixed for $1000.

Remember that time you almost accidentally ran into Governor Ritter at the foot of the CO Capitol steps? Sorry about that!

I should have more of a "senior picture" type photo for you, leaning against the tree at Wash Park, but I don't. It was a fantastic 3 years. Goodbye.

Photo of Kristine & Scooter. Wash Park & Pathways Church ride.

The Fort

Last night we went to dinner at a place where people wear this.

I love you Colorado!

My best friends Eric, Meredith, and Addy celebrated that they no longer have to hear me blather about law school difficulties.

The Week I Became A Lobbyist

Now that the DNC is gone, where will I get my constant flow of free coconut chocolate bars, Pom-teas, and New Belgium beer?

When else will it be kinda enjoyable to see a Nelly concert and wait in line for a TV show?

To crest what became a perfect week of political circus-try here in Denver, on Wednesday I became a lobbyist. The good kind. I'll work to conserve Western lands.

I'm sure DC lobbying will have its challenges, but what I pulled off to get into The Daily Show at the Denver site on Wed. will probably be my best networking accomplishment this year. It involved starting the standby line at 9:30am, becoming friends with the security guard, the DS cameramen becoming friends with me & Dana, sending notes backstage to cameramen via the security guard...

...& finding ourselves backstage & with VIP seating for a show we never had tickets for.

I had some photos of us drinking Obaminator beer with the Daily Show crew, when we went downtown with them later that night, and heard DS stories from the last 10 years, but my camera broke.

Hopey Change party at Invesco was a great end to the week.

Live Blogging the Dem Nat'l Convention

I always wondered what Heaven would be like & also what life after law school would be like - turns out both are at the DNC.

I didn't really live-blog the DNC, but I could have, as I was volunteering at the Google blogger tent, "The Big Tent." (Google It).

Well, the week has just started, but the Google smoothies, the Six Flags party, and hanging out with Daily Show correspondents have been highlights.



Party at Six Flags

Daily Show Correspondents, just hanging out on 14th Street.


I preferred Wynkoop's "Obaminator" beer over Great Divide's "Liberally Hopped Pale Ale."

DNC Pre-Game

It's the day before the Democratic National Convention & I have nothing to do but gawk.

My camera battery power went out, so I didn't get the Protest Park pictures - & the Mom who made her 5 year old sit in this "Dunk Corporate America" dunking booth, but more to come.

For now, here are some MSNBC & Green Frontier Fest shots. Full set on FaceBook.

Mountain Biking Kenosha Pass

Weekends are back - & I'm back on the bike. Here's one of my favorite trails at Kenosha Pass.

Jane

Human Rights and the Law

I've been reviewing RAFAEL LEMKIN'S life this week, thanks to Samantha Powers' book A Problem From Hell. Found out the best way to prevent self-pity during an idle week is to read about genocide in the 20th century.

Lemkin's known for coining the word "genocide" and lobbying to make it against the law. What's most astounding is the silence he faced as he warned world leaders of the early 20th genocides before they occurred.

I had known that Lemkin had many family members killed during the Holocaust, and that he worked for years trying to convince the U.N. to create an anti-Genocide Law. What I didn't know was that much of his genocide research and presentations occurred before WWII, speaking at int'l crim law conferences, being kicked out of conferences, and trying to convince leaders that the atrocities of the Armenian genocide were about to happen again in Germany.

• In a short speech about Human Rights and the Law, and U.S. (non)response to genocides, Senator Durbin tells a moving summary of Rafael Lemkin (@ min 10 in). Video: http://tinyurl.com/5hfvhp

• In a great graduation speech by Samantha Powers, you can read her path to becoming a human rights leader - that she didn't set out to be "the author of long books on dark topics," but instead kept following her path of research from law school. Link (thanks Bethany): http://tinyurl.com/6p8w4p
  

Candy Sushi

I'm bringing sushi made out of Rice Crispy treats, Swedish fish, and fruit roll-ups to the next party I'm invited to.

This was at Denver Modernism show, though I'm pretty sure this was not a common desert in the 1950s.

A Kayak Is All That I Need To Be Happy

Sorry about the boring blogging about that test I had to take.

Here are some vibrant pictures from the best vacation I've ever had. The warm waters of the Caribbean were even more fun than Owen seems to be having in the temperate Baptismal font (below).

The ocean is very far away in Denver. It was nice to have it close for a week.

On the right, all the bedroom doors open up to the ocean view & sounds

Owen Cotter's Baptism

A Lawyer Walks Into A Bar, Personal Story

Today was day 1 of the Colorado Bar for me and my cousin Lindsey (& the Ohio Bar for my brother Chris).

Lindsey, whom I didn't expect to see at all because 1,200 people were taking the test, lined up in a warehouse,.... WAS SITTING NEXT TO ME, in the same row! We don't have the same last name, and it wasn't alphabetical, so this was bizarre. What a highlight for an otherwise miserable day. California had an earthquake during their Bar, so I shouldn't complain.

The other noteworthy situation was the guy who ate lunch in the car next to us. By "lunch," I mean that he had a BudLight and a flask of rum. He turned down our offer for a sandwich. He may have had the right idea....For now, I'm glad day 1 is over. On to day 2.

A Lawyer Walks Into a Bar, Documentary

This documentary about taking the Bar Exam is actually pretty good.

Watching a 2007 documentary about taking the Bar while studying for the 2008 Bar was a bit like the "hand drawing the hand." I thought I would spiral into non-existence. I thought it would be mind-numbing. Instead, I couldn't stop watching, and then at the end I cried.

It has lots of good stats: i.e. law schools are the only grad school where pessimists achieve better than optimists.

It follows several women, a guy who's taking the test for the 3rd time, and a guy who's taking the test for the 41st time.

This one lady went to one of those unaccredited law schools in CA, where all the professors are volunteers, and the instructor warns about evil corporations.

Here's the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20-TjNU6qMs

O the Ramparts

Hiked the Rampart Range today - 4th of July. Very patriotic, nominally, and quite beautiful, actually. Living in Denver has the perk of fantastic Front Range hikes.

Also, became member of "Ancient & Honorable Order of Squirrels." Not sure how I did this, but has something to do with fire safety and a Ranger who granted me this new status. Yay!

Owen Cotter

Welcome to the world, nephew Owen! (born on 6-15-08, Father's Day)

In your first minute of life, you have taken one of my favorite photos ever!