This is one of the law focused songs they sing recorded at the concert just a couple weeks ago. The song is about "estoppel".
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Drew in Boston
Drew came to visit last week, and we had a blast. Hit several hot spots that somehow I hadn't made it too over the last year: USS Constitution, Bunker Hill, Walden Pond, Natural History Museum, and the Old North Bridge in Concord where the revolution officially started. We cooked lobster for the first time here too, delicious! Also pictured: Drew in front of the Anne Bradstreet gate at Harvard named for an ancestor of ours who was the first poet in the American colonies, and some pictures from Kiva where I work. I'll post about that too someday soon ...
Monday, 8 August 2011
New car!
Here we are picking up our new silver Prius today :) We took a spin out to Salem, MA as our celebratory first trip, sending the odometer up from 10 to ~70 miles.
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Gender question
Funny story ...
At the end of June I switched my old CA license for a new one here in Mass. It was about to expire after serving me for a very long time. In fact, it still had the picture on it that the DMV took when I was 15 1/2 for my learner's permit. I'd gotten a lot of smiles and laughs from TSA employees during all my traveling over the last year for that youthful picture, thankfully they always let me on the plane anyway.
So now I finally have a grown up license that looks like me. And what does the Registry of Motor Vehicles do? Somehow, despite what was listed on my CA license and the fact that I'm standing right in front of the guy while he's entering things in the computer, somehow I'm presently listed as a female on my license. Seriously.
I finally noticed this while pulling my license out while searching for an insurance agent over the last couple days (for our brand new Prius! pictures after we pick it up on Monday). It was only when reading my license number to like the 5th agent I talked to that I noticed the card listed me as female. In the month and a half I've had it, I've flown at least 5 times, rented a car, bought a car, and talked to a bunch of insurance agents. No one had said a peep!
When I called back an insurance agent I'd talked to earlier in the day to double check his rates, there was a lull in the conversation while he was running some numbers and I thought I'd share this joke with him about being listed wrong. He busted out laughing, and was quite relieved actually. Imagine the following in a thick Boston accent: "Oh man, I was wondering ya know. I mean, a woman named Joseph with a deep voice, I'd decided that now I'd seen it all!"
Yeah. So I wonder how many other people's horizons I've unknowningly expanded over the last month and a half. Thanks RMV ...
At the end of June I switched my old CA license for a new one here in Mass. It was about to expire after serving me for a very long time. In fact, it still had the picture on it that the DMV took when I was 15 1/2 for my learner's permit. I'd gotten a lot of smiles and laughs from TSA employees during all my traveling over the last year for that youthful picture, thankfully they always let me on the plane anyway.
So now I finally have a grown up license that looks like me. And what does the Registry of Motor Vehicles do? Somehow, despite what was listed on my CA license and the fact that I'm standing right in front of the guy while he's entering things in the computer, somehow I'm presently listed as a female on my license. Seriously.
I finally noticed this while pulling my license out while searching for an insurance agent over the last couple days (for our brand new Prius! pictures after we pick it up on Monday). It was only when reading my license number to like the 5th agent I talked to that I noticed the card listed me as female. In the month and a half I've had it, I've flown at least 5 times, rented a car, bought a car, and talked to a bunch of insurance agents. No one had said a peep!
When I called back an insurance agent I'd talked to earlier in the day to double check his rates, there was a lull in the conversation while he was running some numbers and I thought I'd share this joke with him about being listed wrong. He busted out laughing, and was quite relieved actually. Imagine the following in a thick Boston accent: "Oh man, I was wondering ya know. I mean, a woman named Joseph with a deep voice, I'd decided that now I'd seen it all!"
Yeah. So I wonder how many other people's horizons I've unknowningly expanded over the last month and a half. Thanks RMV ...
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Superzoom
I just got a new digital camera for my birthday (thank parents!), and boy is it an upgrade! We lost our most recent one in our move east last year, the only thing which didn't manage to make the trip. So we've been using a backup camera from maybe 6 or 7 years ago, which is ancient in digital camera years. It did the job okay, but struggles in some light, doesn't produce good colors, and only has a 2x optical zoom.
You can understand how we might be a little excited about the new one ... here are some of our first pictures on it trying out the 14x optical zoom. It's amazing!
You can understand how we might be a little excited about the new one ... here are some of our first pictures on it trying out the 14x optical zoom. It's amazing!
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Lindsay & Joseph's wedding
Well, turns out only Danielle's computer has the pictures from DC on it so far ... so instead of fixing that post, here's some pictures from my cousin Lindsay's wedding in Lousianna to a different Joseph.
Lindsay and her dad Mike coming down the stairs for the wedding:
A moment during the ceremony:
Family picture time:
The cake feeding was not nearly messy enough since there was no frosting ...
Dancing the night away ...
The tall cousins were recruited to hold up a "Love" sign Lindsay and Joseph passed under while getting into their get away Prius :)
Lindsay and her dad Mike coming down the stairs for the wedding:
A moment during the ceremony:
Family picture time:
The cake feeding was not nearly messy enough since there was no frosting ...
Dancing the night away ...
The tall cousins were recruited to hold up a "Love" sign Lindsay and Joseph passed under while getting into their get away Prius :)
Heat Dome
It's coming up on one year we've been living here in Somerville ... what a year! I'll put up a year recap with pictures next week, but nature has decided to end our first year here in style. You may have heard of the "heat dome", the high pressure system that's been scorching the midwest for a while and is now over the east too. Well, it sure is hot!
D is totally sweltering down in DC for the summer, and it's getting into hot DC summer territory up here too. Here in Somerville it's supposed to hit 100 tomorrow, and there's a chance it'll approach the all time record of 104 set a hundred years ago in 1911. What is it about year's that end in 11? ;)
Now to see if I can find the pictures missing from Danielle's post about DC ...
D is totally sweltering down in DC for the summer, and it's getting into hot DC summer territory up here too. Here in Somerville it's supposed to hit 100 tomorrow, and there's a chance it'll approach the all time record of 104 set a hundred years ago in 1911. What is it about year's that end in 11? ;)
Now to see if I can find the pictures missing from Danielle's post about DC ...
Sunday, 19 June 2011
sightseeing, dc pride, and birthday outings
I realized today that I've been in DC a month now for my summer internship. It's flying by, and I'm trying to remember to make my time very productive. In addition to my four weeks of research and writing at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, I've managed to get out and about in the city a bit, and catch up with friends from Carleton, law school classmates also interning here, and enjoy some genuinely hot weather for the first time in a while. (I can enjoy it because the place I'm staying at has satisfactory a/c so there's always a refuge on the truly hot days.) My first weekend here J came to help me settle in, and between walks around the neighborhood to get oriented and trips to the store to get laundry detergent and the like, we did a little sightseeing. Of course, we went to see if Barack was at home (he wasn't).
In front of the whitehouse
At the museum of natural history
At the Smithsonian
Last weekend was the DC Gay Pride Parade, the route of which runs just near my place. So I caught some of that. It was actually one of the more decorous parades I've ever seen. However, the floats did not disappoint in their colorfulness. Below, my favorite of the floats I saw - I appreciated the creative use of the 'LOVE' postage stamp graphic - and a delegation from the Roller Derby.
And finally, yesterday we spent a lovely day celebrating my 29th (!!) birthday. We started off with brunch with friends, then walked to the Mall where there was a soap box race that was a lot of fun to watch. Generally it was a nice, low-key day. If the rest of 29 is the same, I could be on board with that. To close, some images of the day:
In front of brunch place
Walking past the Supreme Court
Soap box race
Cupcakes to end the day
In front of the whitehouse
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
At the museum of natural history
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
At the Smithsonian
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
Last weekend was the DC Gay Pride Parade, the route of which runs just near my place. So I caught some of that. It was actually one of the more decorous parades I've ever seen. However, the floats did not disappoint in their colorfulness. Below, my favorite of the floats I saw - I appreciated the creative use of the 'LOVE' postage stamp graphic - and a delegation from the Roller Derby.
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
And finally, yesterday we spent a lovely day celebrating my 29th (!!) birthday. We started off with brunch with friends, then walked to the Mall where there was a soap box race that was a lot of fun to watch. Generally it was a nice, low-key day. If the rest of 29 is the same, I could be on board with that. To close, some images of the day:
In front of brunch place
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
Walking past the Supreme Court
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
Soap box race
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
Cupcakes to end the day
 |
| From 2011-07-09 |
thesis defense and west coast re-visit
A little over a month ago today, when Joey defended his thesis, I went out to Santa Barbara to populate his peanut gallery. While he's been back and forth a fair amount in the year since we left, it was my first time back since the move. Turns out, Santa Barbara was more or less as I'd left it. We spent a little time downtown on the weekend, and ran into the following antique car/other vehicle show. Some photos for your viewing pleasure:
Having gotten used to the (actual changes in) weather of Massachusetts, I got a pleasant reminder of the Central Coast unfailing blue sky and constantly mild temperature.
The other highlight of the trip, after Joey's passing his thesis defense, was visiting our friends/ex-neighbors Rachel and James, and their little boy Logan. Logan is quite familiar with Joey, who's had babysitting duty on some of his trips, but this was my first time meeting him. As you can see, he's adorable and very inquisitive!
It was a lovely trip, and I definitely enjoyed seeing friends and visiting old haunts. Hopefully we'll make it back to see them all again before long.
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Big steps
Yeah, it's been a while ... but lots has been going on!
Several big steps have happened in our lives recently. In chronological order, the first is that Danielle survived her 1L year which is a big accomplishment. It was definitely difficult, long, and tiring, but she really seemed to enjoy the things she was learning. The first year is supposed to be the hardest, but the next ones won't exactly be easy. What Danielle's really hoping for is there's enough time to enjoy and think about the things she's learning, not the constant rush just to finish reading that this past year was.
My brother Drew graduated from NDNU in May, it was so wonderful for me to be able to be there and celebrate his accomplishment. He actually finished in December and as part of his graduation present got to go on a trip to Madagascar with my dad, a little bit jealous ;-)
Most recently, I successfully defended my PhD thesis a couple weeks ago! It was a wonderful experience, and very nice that schedules aligned so Danielle could come watch (and take this picture). That was really the last significant hurdle in completing my degree, tomorrow I will file my thesis with UCSB which officially marks the end of my graduate studies.
So now Drew and I are both facing that open-ended question which many graduates ponder: What comes next?
Well, stay tuned ...
Several big steps have happened in our lives recently. In chronological order, the first is that Danielle survived her 1L year which is a big accomplishment. It was definitely difficult, long, and tiring, but she really seemed to enjoy the things she was learning. The first year is supposed to be the hardest, but the next ones won't exactly be easy. What Danielle's really hoping for is there's enough time to enjoy and think about the things she's learning, not the constant rush just to finish reading that this past year was.
My brother Drew graduated from NDNU in May, it was so wonderful for me to be able to be there and celebrate his accomplishment. He actually finished in December and as part of his graduation present got to go on a trip to Madagascar with my dad, a little bit jealous ;-)
Most recently, I successfully defended my PhD thesis a couple weeks ago! It was a wonderful experience, and very nice that schedules aligned so Danielle could come watch (and take this picture). That was really the last significant hurdle in completing my degree, tomorrow I will file my thesis with UCSB which officially marks the end of my graduate studies.
So now Drew and I are both facing that open-ended question which many graduates ponder: What comes next?
Well, stay tuned ...
Sunday, 27 February 2011
south by southwest
This weekend, I flew out to New Mexico to rendezvous with Dinah and Amberjae. We've been frolicking all over the state - or, more exactly, we're staying in Santa Fe, and also went up to Taos, where Dinah's house is. Here's an idea of where that is:
We've had a lovely time checking out the scenery and sites of interest. Here are some of the highlights:
Me, at the Santuario de Chirimayo, a shrine outside of Santa Fe.
Amberjae (and Dinah, in the corner, somewhere) at the Santuario.
The Rio Grande (!)
Dinah's house. And finally, an album, for more detail. Enjoy!
We've had a lovely time checking out the scenery and sites of interest. Here are some of the highlights:
Me, at the Santuario de Chirimayo, a shrine outside of Santa Fe.
Amberjae (and Dinah, in the corner, somewhere) at the Santuario.
The Rio Grande (!)
Dinah's house. And finally, an album, for more detail. Enjoy! |
| New Mexico! |
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
snow day!
Today the state of Massachusetts declared everything closed in anticipation of a big snowstorm, and classes were (reluctantly) cancelled, leaving a day wide open for frolicking in the snow. Which we did. To wit:
:)
:)
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