Well, Davidson was eliminated. Oh well. There goes the last chance for a Cinderella to make it to the Final Four or to the ultimate championship. The list of great Cinderellas in March Madness would probably include: Indiana State with Larry Byrd battling Michigan State and Magic Johnson; North Carolina State, coached by Jim Valvano defeating University of Houston and Akeem Alajawon; Villanova over Georgetown; UNC-Charlotte with Cornbread Maxwell from about thirty years ago and George Washington University from last year. I am sure there have been others that I just can't remember.
Now we have the four number one seeds from the four regionals and the potential for some good basketball with what should be the four best teams in the country. As for me, I like the little guys struggling to the top. Particularly the little colleges known more for their academics like Davidson.
So I will have to say I'm sorry to Susie Baker and Coach Jackson and George Brown and the Wright sisters and Judge Essary and Robert Smalley. I was pulling for you.
Tomorrow is foreclosure day and April Fool's Day. This past Foreclosure Day started off wet, then dry and warm and ended up wet, then dry and cold. I wonder to which spots in Georgia I will have to travel this time. I hope it doesn't rain on me this time.
The weather this morning was rather bleak and cold. It is still kind of gray. I don't know if it is going to rain further today. I would prefer if it dried off and got warm again. This is the time of year when almost anything can happen, weather-wise.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Status Anxiety
I attended a seminar today in Fayetteville. It was a replaying of a seminar which was held in Atlanta in December. The seminar was organized by a young attorney in Atlanta. Most of the speakers were young attorneys under the age of 40. Most of these attorneys were opining on trying jury cases and were speaking about the latest and best legal technologies and techniques for trying cases.
The only exceptions were two attorneys, both over fifty, and probably both over sixty. One was from Athens. The other from Vidalia. Interestingly, both of their presentations were more philosophical in presentation and more interesting to me.
The last speaker told a number of stories to illustrate his points. He was talking about how un-technological he was. That he didn't have a computer in his office. That he didn't have voice mail. That he didn't know what a blog was or how to access the internet.
He the relayed a story about when he was a boy growing up in Toombs County, Georgia. Back then when he wanted to talk to his grandmomma, he would park himself in front of a wooden box on the wall, direct the mouthpiece into his mouth, hold the earpiece to his ear, ring the ringer on the side of the box, and tell his cousin that he wanted to talk to his grandmomma. His cousin would recognize his voice and connect him to his grandmomma without a further word on his part.
Several weeks earlier, a storm had hit his office while he was out of town. One of his secretaries called him on a cell phone and told him that the office computers were out, the telephones were down and one of the secretaries' cars had been damaged. The office would be out of communication for several days while they repaired the lines.
The lawyer opined that as far as he was concerned there hadn't been much progress there over the years.
The rest of his presentation talked about the common sense lessons he had learned in trying cases over the years. His presentation made more sense to me than some of the presentations made by the younger lawyers.
The only exceptions were two attorneys, both over fifty, and probably both over sixty. One was from Athens. The other from Vidalia. Interestingly, both of their presentations were more philosophical in presentation and more interesting to me.
The last speaker told a number of stories to illustrate his points. He was talking about how un-technological he was. That he didn't have a computer in his office. That he didn't have voice mail. That he didn't know what a blog was or how to access the internet.
He the relayed a story about when he was a boy growing up in Toombs County, Georgia. Back then when he wanted to talk to his grandmomma, he would park himself in front of a wooden box on the wall, direct the mouthpiece into his mouth, hold the earpiece to his ear, ring the ringer on the side of the box, and tell his cousin that he wanted to talk to his grandmomma. His cousin would recognize his voice and connect him to his grandmomma without a further word on his part.
Several weeks earlier, a storm had hit his office while he was out of town. One of his secretaries called him on a cell phone and told him that the office computers were out, the telephones were down and one of the secretaries' cars had been damaged. The office would be out of communication for several days while they repaired the lines.
The lawyer opined that as far as he was concerned there hadn't been much progress there over the years.
The rest of his presentation talked about the common sense lessons he had learned in trying cases over the years. His presentation made more sense to me than some of the presentations made by the younger lawyers.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Scholarship athletes
Tonight is the resumption of March Madness. I would have to say that Davidson remains as my favorite of the remaining teams. I always like to pull for the little colleges, particularly Southern colleges, particularly liberal arts schools like Davidson. Of course, those types of schools, if they want to continue to compete at a higher level, usually find a way to get the athletes to come to their schools.
I am pulling for Davidson, despite the fact that they whooped us twice in football when I was playing and really pulled one on us when they agreed to go non-scholarship like us, but then slowly evolved into non-scholarship football, while still getting the athletes they wanted. James Madison University did the same thing to us. They were not offering athletic scholarships. They were offering scholarships based on need. When you need a good football or basketball player, you give him a "need" scholarship. At least, that was the way it was at those schools back then.
In that regard, I heard an interesting story about a football player who was being recruited by W&L a couple of years ago. Apparently, this high school student was a very good football player, was very high on W&L and the coaches were very high on him too. Unfortunately, his grades were marginal and there was an issue as to whether he was going to make it in.
The football coach was pressuring the admissions office to admit the kid. The football staff was trying to get the kid to come. The Admissions Office was wringing their hands because the kid just didn't seem to measure up with the rest of the admitted class.
Finally, the Admissions staff worked it out to admit the student and the football staff was excited. Mission accomplished, the folks in Lexington sat back and waited to see if the kid was going to come to W&L to play football. And study, of course.
A week or so later, the Director of Admissions was sitting in his office when he recognized the voice of the student outside his office talking to his secretary. Apparently, the kid was so excited to have been accepted at W&L. And he couldn't wait to turn in his deposit and matriculate the following Fall. The Director smiled at what appeared to be a job well done.
But his smiled disappeared when he heard the student say that he was so excited to become a student at W&L and that he really didn't think he would play football. He couldn't really see taking up the time from his schedule and his studies to play football.
The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley.
Now I know that, as students, those superior basketball players at schools like Davidson are a cut above those superior basketball players at schools like Kansas and UCLA and Duke and UNC and Kentucky. Sure.
I also remember a story I heard from a friend of mine who went to Kentucky. I called him when we were playing Centre College in Danville Kentucky and staying overnight in a motel in Lexington. I was a Senior. He was a Freshman. I asked him how things were going in college. He told me that they had had their first midterms that day. He thought he did alright, but not nearly as well as the athletes, who had shown up for class for the first time that morning with the answers to the midterm in hand.
Interestingly, we had worked out on the practice field at UK that afternoon. When we were leaving, the football team for Kentucky came on the field in our place. Their uniforms and our uniforms were quite similar. Same royal blue and white. Same white pants with blue stripes. It really looked like two groups from the same team. The biggest difference was the size of the occupants of the uniforms.
You see, its not a matter of the haves and the have not's. Its a matter of degree. They are all given things. The difference between the athletes at schools like W&L and the athletes at Kentucky was the nature of the gift. And I suppose that is true all over the country.
I am pulling for Davidson, despite the fact that they whooped us twice in football when I was playing and really pulled one on us when they agreed to go non-scholarship like us, but then slowly evolved into non-scholarship football, while still getting the athletes they wanted. James Madison University did the same thing to us. They were not offering athletic scholarships. They were offering scholarships based on need. When you need a good football or basketball player, you give him a "need" scholarship. At least, that was the way it was at those schools back then.
In that regard, I heard an interesting story about a football player who was being recruited by W&L a couple of years ago. Apparently, this high school student was a very good football player, was very high on W&L and the coaches were very high on him too. Unfortunately, his grades were marginal and there was an issue as to whether he was going to make it in.
The football coach was pressuring the admissions office to admit the kid. The football staff was trying to get the kid to come. The Admissions Office was wringing their hands because the kid just didn't seem to measure up with the rest of the admitted class.
Finally, the Admissions staff worked it out to admit the student and the football staff was excited. Mission accomplished, the folks in Lexington sat back and waited to see if the kid was going to come to W&L to play football. And study, of course.
A week or so later, the Director of Admissions was sitting in his office when he recognized the voice of the student outside his office talking to his secretary. Apparently, the kid was so excited to have been accepted at W&L. And he couldn't wait to turn in his deposit and matriculate the following Fall. The Director smiled at what appeared to be a job well done.
But his smiled disappeared when he heard the student say that he was so excited to become a student at W&L and that he really didn't think he would play football. He couldn't really see taking up the time from his schedule and his studies to play football.
The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley.
Now I know that, as students, those superior basketball players at schools like Davidson are a cut above those superior basketball players at schools like Kansas and UCLA and Duke and UNC and Kentucky. Sure.
I also remember a story I heard from a friend of mine who went to Kentucky. I called him when we were playing Centre College in Danville Kentucky and staying overnight in a motel in Lexington. I was a Senior. He was a Freshman. I asked him how things were going in college. He told me that they had had their first midterms that day. He thought he did alright, but not nearly as well as the athletes, who had shown up for class for the first time that morning with the answers to the midterm in hand.
Interestingly, we had worked out on the practice field at UK that afternoon. When we were leaving, the football team for Kentucky came on the field in our place. Their uniforms and our uniforms were quite similar. Same royal blue and white. Same white pants with blue stripes. It really looked like two groups from the same team. The biggest difference was the size of the occupants of the uniforms.
You see, its not a matter of the haves and the have not's. Its a matter of degree. They are all given things. The difference between the athletes at schools like W&L and the athletes at Kentucky was the nature of the gift. And I suppose that is true all over the country.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
English Department at W&L
I received a copy of the W&L Alumni Magazine yesterday and enclosed in the issue was a copy of a photograph of several of my English professors, now retired. Dr. Coulling, Dr. Ray (who was my faculty adviser)and several other English professors who were there when I was there. There was even a professor depicted who came after I had graduated and had thereafter become the head of the department. That could make you feel old.
Dr. Coulling was my first English professor in my first Sophomore level Survey course. I remember that several of us had him as our first English professor and were simply amazed by his teaching ability and knowledge of English literature. Ken Smith and I referred to him as the "God of English." Every week in his course, we were required to write an essay on our reading. At the time, I really had received no instruction on how to write a proper essay. Starting with a low C on my first essay, Dr. Coulling worked me up to an A- by the end of the Semester. He constantly wanted me to come in to meet with him, but I was too shy to do so. Fortunately, he persevered by giving me written instructions on the blank side of my essay. By the end, he truly had taught me a lesson about essay writing.
My next Fall English course, during my Sophomore year, was a Romantic Poetry course. Again, Dr. Coulling was the instructor. By that time, I had learned quite a bit about writing. It didn't hurt that I have always had an affinity for the Romantic poets. I got a high A in that course, and my road toward graduation with honors found its beginning.
Dr. Ray, on the other hand, was a whole other kettle of fish. Dr. Ray, or Death Ray or Sting Ray (as you prefer) was my faculty adviser. I remember going to his home for a cocktail party at the beginning of Freshman year. I personally liked Dr. Ray and we ended up being closer (no pun intended) when he was the faculty teacher on my trip to England in my Junior year. He is the only English professor, or professor of any other sort, with whom I was forced to share a bed in Yorkshire, due to the lack of available space in the inn. Fortunately, the bed was large enough to provide enough space for both of us. I also remember going to see a 'kitchen sink drama' in the north of London and participating in a discussion about the play the next morning. It helped that I had studied modern British and American drama under Dr. Ray in the previous semester. I ended up being the 'expert' on such dramas that morning.
I won't forget studying Shakespeare under Dr. Ray when I was a Freshman. On our midterm exam, the test was a series of quotes from Shakespeare's plays. We were supposed to identify the play, the speaker, the place in which the quote was placed, the context and then opine as to the meaning of the quote. Each of us just about threw up our hands when we saw the test. I remember one test-taker leaving the room in Payne Hall, closing the door behind him and then emitting a loud wail of anguish in the hallway outside.
We would have laughed if there had been anything funny.
I did enjoy the English Department at W&L when I was there. All of my professors at the time were very cordial and helpful. They really filled out the concept of a college for me.
Dr. Coulling was my first English professor in my first Sophomore level Survey course. I remember that several of us had him as our first English professor and were simply amazed by his teaching ability and knowledge of English literature. Ken Smith and I referred to him as the "God of English." Every week in his course, we were required to write an essay on our reading. At the time, I really had received no instruction on how to write a proper essay. Starting with a low C on my first essay, Dr. Coulling worked me up to an A- by the end of the Semester. He constantly wanted me to come in to meet with him, but I was too shy to do so. Fortunately, he persevered by giving me written instructions on the blank side of my essay. By the end, he truly had taught me a lesson about essay writing.
My next Fall English course, during my Sophomore year, was a Romantic Poetry course. Again, Dr. Coulling was the instructor. By that time, I had learned quite a bit about writing. It didn't hurt that I have always had an affinity for the Romantic poets. I got a high A in that course, and my road toward graduation with honors found its beginning.
Dr. Ray, on the other hand, was a whole other kettle of fish. Dr. Ray, or Death Ray or Sting Ray (as you prefer) was my faculty adviser. I remember going to his home for a cocktail party at the beginning of Freshman year. I personally liked Dr. Ray and we ended up being closer (no pun intended) when he was the faculty teacher on my trip to England in my Junior year. He is the only English professor, or professor of any other sort, with whom I was forced to share a bed in Yorkshire, due to the lack of available space in the inn. Fortunately, the bed was large enough to provide enough space for both of us. I also remember going to see a 'kitchen sink drama' in the north of London and participating in a discussion about the play the next morning. It helped that I had studied modern British and American drama under Dr. Ray in the previous semester. I ended up being the 'expert' on such dramas that morning.
I won't forget studying Shakespeare under Dr. Ray when I was a Freshman. On our midterm exam, the test was a series of quotes from Shakespeare's plays. We were supposed to identify the play, the speaker, the place in which the quote was placed, the context and then opine as to the meaning of the quote. Each of us just about threw up our hands when we saw the test. I remember one test-taker leaving the room in Payne Hall, closing the door behind him and then emitting a loud wail of anguish in the hallway outside.
We would have laughed if there had been anything funny.
I did enjoy the English Department at W&L when I was there. All of my professors at the time were very cordial and helpful. They really filled out the concept of a college for me.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Self-confidence, or the lack thereof
I was watching an episode of 'Homocide: Life on the Street' with Cindy today. This was a continuation of a multi-episode story in which three of the detectives were shot while attempting to serve an arrest warrant. As it turned out the detectives were serving the warrant at the wrong apartment and the ultimate assailant became nervous and shot the detectives. The story followed the remaining detectives as they looked for and found a suspect, interrogated him, ultimately let him go, then found his dead body after his release from the police station.
As I watched the interrogation of the suspect, I watched as they belittled the suspect's lack of education and his pretended intellectualism. The suspect, played by Steve Bescemi, is an uneducated person who has scores of classic books in his apartment, such as Plato's 'Republic', Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' and Marx's 'Das Kapital.' He put on the allure of education, when, in fact, he didn't even graduate from high school.
Watching the episode, it caused me to call into question my own education and intellect. I had a little moment of self-doubt which lasted past the program. A little party favor to take back to the office.
Sometimes, I question how smart I really am. I read a lot. I like to read a lot. I think about a lot of things which, perhaps, a lot of people don't think about ordinarily. I attend plays and musical performances. Cindy and I get to discuss a lot of things in politics and religion and culture. We watch movies. But really, my writing skips across the surface. When I compare my writing to others, I fail in comparison. My knowledge of basic things necessary for the daily living of my life are sometimes short of the mark.
Sometimes when I talk to others about certain topics, I find that my opinion is shallow or lacking. I remember a discussion in a seminar course I took in law school. One of the professors, a graduate of UVA, mind you, would sit in on the class. I remember that I didn't participate that much in class, whereas, the auditing professor would always share his opinion virtually every day.
I remember one class I decided to share my opinion with the class. As I spoke, the professor from UVA, who was sitting next to me, screwed up his face as if he couldn't believe what I was saying. I realized this as one of the other students began to laugh at his expression. The combination of the expression of the professor, the laughter of the student and my normal self-doubt really did a number on my self-confidence at the time.
When I was in college at W&L, I attended a lot of classes in seminar rooms. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the seminar room, where we could all contribute to the discussion. That type of atmosphere was comfortable for me. It helped, of course, that I was surrounded by a lot of very fine professors at W&L. It was troubling when the same could not be said when I was in that seminar class at law school.
That is not to say that the professor who taught that class was a bad teacher. On the contrary, he was quite fine and later became the Dean of the College. I never liked that professor who audited that class however. Damn Wahoo. He was not a very good teacher in that class and gave me my worst grade in law school. Damn Wahoo.
I guess there have been a lot of little things which have chipped away at my self-confidence over the years.
As I watched the interrogation of the suspect, I watched as they belittled the suspect's lack of education and his pretended intellectualism. The suspect, played by Steve Bescemi, is an uneducated person who has scores of classic books in his apartment, such as Plato's 'Republic', Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' and Marx's 'Das Kapital.' He put on the allure of education, when, in fact, he didn't even graduate from high school.
Watching the episode, it caused me to call into question my own education and intellect. I had a little moment of self-doubt which lasted past the program. A little party favor to take back to the office.
Sometimes, I question how smart I really am. I read a lot. I like to read a lot. I think about a lot of things which, perhaps, a lot of people don't think about ordinarily. I attend plays and musical performances. Cindy and I get to discuss a lot of things in politics and religion and culture. We watch movies. But really, my writing skips across the surface. When I compare my writing to others, I fail in comparison. My knowledge of basic things necessary for the daily living of my life are sometimes short of the mark.
Sometimes when I talk to others about certain topics, I find that my opinion is shallow or lacking. I remember a discussion in a seminar course I took in law school. One of the professors, a graduate of UVA, mind you, would sit in on the class. I remember that I didn't participate that much in class, whereas, the auditing professor would always share his opinion virtually every day.
I remember one class I decided to share my opinion with the class. As I spoke, the professor from UVA, who was sitting next to me, screwed up his face as if he couldn't believe what I was saying. I realized this as one of the other students began to laugh at his expression. The combination of the expression of the professor, the laughter of the student and my normal self-doubt really did a number on my self-confidence at the time.
When I was in college at W&L, I attended a lot of classes in seminar rooms. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the seminar room, where we could all contribute to the discussion. That type of atmosphere was comfortable for me. It helped, of course, that I was surrounded by a lot of very fine professors at W&L. It was troubling when the same could not be said when I was in that seminar class at law school.
That is not to say that the professor who taught that class was a bad teacher. On the contrary, he was quite fine and later became the Dean of the College. I never liked that professor who audited that class however. Damn Wahoo. He was not a very good teacher in that class and gave me my worst grade in law school. Damn Wahoo.
I guess there have been a lot of little things which have chipped away at my self-confidence over the years.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Monday again
Well, this morning broke nice and clean. The weather was rather crisp and has remained so for the rest of the day. It looked like it was going to rain, but didn't. It is supposed to rain by the end of the week.
Kate and Cindy got up rather late, after I had had my first appointment of the day. Patti arrived around 10:30. That enabled me to drive home to say goodbye to Kate and then drive down to Pike County to run a title.
I am starting to get some titles to run in anticipation for closings. Things seem a little more positive. We shall see.
I have a good bit to do and need to break off here.
Kate and Cindy got up rather late, after I had had my first appointment of the day. Patti arrived around 10:30. That enabled me to drive home to say goodbye to Kate and then drive down to Pike County to run a title.
I am starting to get some titles to run in anticipation for closings. Things seem a little more positive. We shall see.
I have a good bit to do and need to break off here.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Last post of the day
Tomorrow my baby is coming home. Tomorrow the weather is supposed to be warm and beautiful. I will meet with a client in the morning and handle some matters before the day is long, then I will attend Good Friday's service and I hope the three of us will drive to Atlanta for a jazz concert, a meal, and a tour around the High Museum.
That would be fun. Apparently, Cindy and Kate and my mother are going shopping for a suit for Kate, so she can look professional. Let us hope she bends to the will of her elders. At least in this regard.
Spring is here and my two prodigals have attended to their tasks. I would have to say that my the legal matters of my prodigal clients were resolved professionally and finally. One arrived, after a hike from the Day's Inn in town and attended court and we were able to get a 'not guilty' in the court, though she will still have to pay a fine for not appearing in court on March 6th.
My other prodigal finally arrived, after completely missing yesterday's appointment and we walked down to the Probation Office where she completed her probation and is now free to go out and continue to abuse herself as she is want to do.
Dealing with someone with a substance abuse problem is very difficult. It is prone to make you agree with the Libertarians and want to legalize drugs. A little history will disavow you of that political theory.
I am now looking forward to a few days of at least partial rest. And some basketball. Two of my teams are already eliminated (Georgia and Kentucky). But there are still many I hold in my hand. Not that any of them will eliminate UNC or Duke or UCLA.
Those three are probably my least favorite basketball teams in the mix. My one favorite which probably has a chance is Memphis. That's iffy too.
Just a few weeks of hoops action and fun. I feel much better.
That would be fun. Apparently, Cindy and Kate and my mother are going shopping for a suit for Kate, so she can look professional. Let us hope she bends to the will of her elders. At least in this regard.
Spring is here and my two prodigals have attended to their tasks. I would have to say that my the legal matters of my prodigal clients were resolved professionally and finally. One arrived, after a hike from the Day's Inn in town and attended court and we were able to get a 'not guilty' in the court, though she will still have to pay a fine for not appearing in court on March 6th.
My other prodigal finally arrived, after completely missing yesterday's appointment and we walked down to the Probation Office where she completed her probation and is now free to go out and continue to abuse herself as she is want to do.
Dealing with someone with a substance abuse problem is very difficult. It is prone to make you agree with the Libertarians and want to legalize drugs. A little history will disavow you of that political theory.
I am now looking forward to a few days of at least partial rest. And some basketball. Two of my teams are already eliminated (Georgia and Kentucky). But there are still many I hold in my hand. Not that any of them will eliminate UNC or Duke or UCLA.
Those three are probably my least favorite basketball teams in the mix. My one favorite which probably has a chance is Memphis. That's iffy too.
Just a few weeks of hoops action and fun. I feel much better.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)