Yes, I like cheeseburgers ...

Sometimes I post links to interesting articles. But this one might be one of the most interesting articles I have read in a while. So read it, and learn why being a prudish cheeseburger eater makes me very strange in the 2009 world of 20-something singledom ...

Fun with the First Amendment ...

It might make my contributing-to-the-world-already-instead-of-just-studying-to-do-so readers a bit jealous to know this, but I am sitting in my bed in my sweats at 2:30 on a Wednesday afternoon. Not because I am sick (I am mostly better now, thanks) but because I can. Oh, and because I am writing a 45-page paper, which I can conveniently do in my bed. (And your jealousy lessens considerably here.)

So obviously I am not writing it right this second. I am researching, or was until I found some choice gems to share. The Supreme Court ruled today for Pleasant Grove City (yep, our very own Pleasant Grove, Utah) and I must say, I quite enjoy it when Supreme Court justices include the "Beef. It's What's for Dinner" slogan and the lyrics from "Imagine" on the same page. And when a few pages later, they talk about a monument for a "heroic dog" named Balto. (Because apparently New York City wanted to recognize this "sled dog who brought medicine to Nome, Alaska, during a diphtheria epidemic." I think I should go to this monument next time I am in NYC. H., this seems like something you would like to do with me, right!? And K., one more good reason for you to visit!)

Anyway, the crux of the opinion: The First Amendment does not require cities "to accept monuments for other dogs who are claimed to be equally worthy of commemoration." (Yes, I took that quoted material out of context a bit. The opinion actually focuses on non-trivial matters like government speech. See for yourself if you want a more accurate version: the opinion here or the NYT synopsis here.) And now, although I generally find it more mentally taxing to write about the First Amendment than read about it, I should really get to work ...

Oh, Boston ...

I have long suspected that I would really like Boston. Well, I now know that I LOVE Boston. A lot. Even in February. So I give you my Boston Top Ten in photos:

#10. Candlepin Bowling, apparently a New England tradition. I did not win. But I had fun all the same. (Which says a lot for a singles activity on February 14th.)

#9. Concord, in general. (For the very best part of Concord, see #1.)

Hawthorne's House

Walden Pond. We did a drive-by, because well, it was really cold and we were really tired. I am not sure what Thoreau would think of this type of visit to his pond. Actually, I am pretty sure he would be annoyed. Oh well. I like the other Concord writers better anyway.

North Bridge in Minute Man National Historical Park. Famous for the "shot heard round the world."

#8. Quincy home of John Adams. We did not get to go inside, but since I am reading about him right now, I liked seeing this, even just from the outside.

#7. Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island. Cold.

#6. Freedom Trail.

Paul Revere statue outside the Old North Church ... where they hung the lanterns ... one if by land, two if by sea.

Paul Revere House

Old State House. The Boston Massacre happened right outside.

Me posing reverently on the site of the Boston Massacre. (We will not talk about the less reverent pose where I pretended to be dying. Really hideous photos should not go on the blog.)

Quincy Market, where we ate dinner with our conference.

Faneuil Hall. Loved it once I could remember how to pronounce it (sort of like Nathaniel).

#5. Massachusetts State House. Sadly, we did not see the House of Representatives Chamber, where a huge cod supposedly hangs from the ceiling. But we did decide to support paid sick leave to get a nice free lunch from some lobbyists.

And some things that should not go on the blog go there anyway.

#4. Harvard

Pound Hall, site of our J. Reuben Clark Law Society Conference. (So next time I say, "In my class at Harvard," you know I am telling the truth but really just attempting to sound smart.)

Pretty building. I took lots of pictures of the pretty buildings. I am pretty sure that I randomly fell shortly after I took this one. So now I have a pretty purple bruise and accompanying scab.

I really loved the gates at Harvard. All of them.

I would have loved the library more if they had let me inside. Attending a conference does not make you a Harvard student, which you must be to actually see the library.

#3. Boston Public Library. They actually let me inside this one, which happens to be the first one in the nation. I loved it.

#2. Cemeteries. I saw many, and loved them all. (Did not see the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery with the authors, so I must return.)

And, drumroll please ...

#1. Louisa May Alcott House, where she wrote Little Women. We took the tour. I loved it so much I nearly cried. Seriously. I especially loved learning that Louisa had calla lilies painted on her wall (by her younger sister, May) and she was ambidextrous (so I guess I should start practicing my left-handed writing again if I really want to earn my self-chosen middle name ...)

And even better than seeing the house was seeing it with my friend N., who kindly let C. and I stay at her house for our amazing Boston weekend ...

Early in the morning ...

Dear Professor Whose Last Name I Do Not Even Know,

Thank you. This morning, just one hour ago, you proved my parents right in a decades-long assertion I have long denied: I am not that nice in the morning. You might wonder how you managed such a feat. I will tell you. First, you required me to attend your class at 7:45 a.m. This means I left my house at 7:15 a.m. I am a student, not a responsible adult, and I should not be leaving my house at such an hour. Next, when I arrived at said class, you proceeded to instruct me about the passive voice. I learned about passive voice in the ninth grade. That would be more than a decade of me knowing how to avoid passive voice. Then, it got worse. You talked about the difference between affect and effect and that and which and statute and statue. I am pretty sure I mastered that a while ago, too. Then, after all of this, you asked me to fill out a course evaluation. Which I did. I answered honestly. And I discovered that I really am mean in the morning. But when you read that I find your class basically useless, keep looking to see where I gave you really high marks for enthusiasm. Because I did. I understand that you do not choose the inane topics for our class, and I blame the school completely. And if the evaluation had another comments section, I would report that you have really adorable clothing, too, and I find it miraculous that you can look so put together at such an early hour ...

Slow news day ...

I think I should stop bothering to even glance at CNN. Because when I do, I only see stories like this:

WHITE HOUSE (CNN) — There was a minor bump on the road — actually a minor bump on the head — as President Barack Obama departed Monday for Elkhart, Indiana to sell his stimulus plan to Americans.

While boarding Marine One on Monday morning, the president turned to wave goodbye and ever so slightly bumped the left side of his head on the doorway to the helicopter. He seemed to recover quickly, then ducked before boarding the helicopter that would take him to Air Force One. Unfortunately for Obama, there were many cameras there to capture the accident.

This isn’t the first time a president’s head has collided with Marine One: President George W. Bush hit his head on the side of the helicopter while boarding shortly after taking office — also in full view of a row of cameras.

Luckily for both men, no visible signs of injury resulted from the minor mishap.

So perhaps I have more in common with the president than I thought. I injure myself all the time, for example. And in other important news, my bathroom ceiling has developed a crack. Which means that I now recite Madeline books to myself multiple times a day. Although my crack on the ceiling does not have the habit of sometimes looking like a rabbit, for the record. It is more of an X-marks-the-spot type crack. But still. And if the preceding sentences made no sense to you, you should really consider becoming more familiar with little-girl reading materials. Your life will improve, I promise. They are clearly much more valuable than what passes for news these days ...

Making a list ...

Eat at Ben's Chili Bowl. Check.
See Mayor Fenty eating at Ben's Chili Bowl. Check.
See pictures of President Obama eating with Mayor Fenty at Ben's Chili Bowl. Check.
Cross it off my list. Check.

Now that I have attended more of law school than I have left to attend, a feat that clearly has done nothing for my ability to create coherent sentences, I need to get serious about more than books. No, this does not mean I am getting serious about boys. (Sorry, Mom.) This means I am getting serious about crossing things off the D.C. To-Do List. Yes, C. and I have created a list of things to do before we leave law school (and potentially this lovely city).

First on our agenda: Ben's Chili Bowl. We planned to go here before our new president made it even more famous than before, for the record, but we finally braved the crowds and the cold and went there last night. I actually consider chili rather disgusting, so I ordered my burger with the chili on the side. (A good choice. I have no idea why people like that stuff. I tasted it, and even put a spoonful on my burger for the real experience. Not good.) The burger tasted fine, but I think I expected too much. Same with the fries. Good, but not amazingly delicious. The vanilla shake was amazingly delicious, however. But the real highlight of the evening was seeing D.C. Mayor Fenty walk by our table on his way out. Apparently he actually does eat there frequently ...