I haven't updated this blog in nearly a month and a half. So much has changed since then. Here's what I've been up to in just the last two weeks alone:

• In gratitude for our help on some patent law issues, Judge Wu (who works next door to my judge) took Sameer and me to the Magic Castle in Hollywood. The magic was wonderful and we stayed very late. It really made me feel like a kid again.
• I finished my clerkship just before Labor Day. It was a race to the finish, trying to get much down on paper as possible before I had to leave. I had been working on large cases with a very steep learning curve, so it was imperative that I leave as much as possible for the two incoming clerks.
• Over Labor Day weekend, I went to the California Chinese Catholic Living Camp, a retreat for young adults which took place at the beautiful Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside. It was fun, exhausting, and has give me a chance to re-evaluate and renew my faith for which I am very grateful.
• I went to the Rose Bowl to see Rick Neuheisel's first game as UCLA head coach. The ensuing (and totally unexpected!) upset of nationally ranked Tennessee, along with the fireworks show afterwards, already ranks up there on my list of all-time Bruin memories. More on this in a separate post.
• I had lunch with my judge, Sameer, Pat, and the two clerks that are replacing us on Friday. It's the first time all year that I had lunch with my judge, and it was really great.
• My friend Delwin got married to his high school sweetheart, Allison, on Saturday. It was fun but tiring, mostly because I helped out at the reception.
• I have a girlfriend now, for the first time in a few years. (I haven't decided yet how much I want to post about her on a publicly accessible forum.)

There has been so much going on in the last 3-4 weeks that, until today, I was fatigued and exhausted. I literally drove from my last day at work to the retreat down in San Diego, and then up again and straight to the Rose Bowl for the Tennessee game. I am still tired out from all that. In addition, singing in the choir at the retreat (roughly about four hours over 2 days) and then yelling my lungs out at the Rose Bowl left me without a voice for most of last week. I certainly don't feel like I'm on vacation.. yet. But I am going to enjoy these next five weeks if it's the last thing I do!