I got back about an hour ago from a night out with some old friends - Nathan, Christine, and Janis. I worked with them two summers ago as an extern in Judge Otero's chambers. Nathan & Christine were his clerks; and Janis was a fellow extern. We've kept in touch, more or less, but only infrequently.

I have very fond memories of my 1L summer, which was the first law-related job I ever had. Up until that point, law school for me had been a dry, abstract proposition. I didn't understand what litigation was like in practice. It didn't make sense, in a human, practical sort of way. So it really opened my eyes, to see how cases move along, how judges approach cases, and to be exposed to the ways in which lawyers manipulate the legal system. I sat in on four trials and got my real introduction to intensive legal writing (that contrived class they teach to all first year law students doesn't really count). It gave me a perspective on the law that I drew on for the rest of law school - a foundation that I could build on.

I also had a lot of fun. In fact, I look back on it as one of the best times in my life - not bad for an unpaid position. My co-externs were a dynamic and varied group. And Judge Otero's two clerks, Nathan and Christine, were a fun-loving, mischevious and raunchy (!) duo who got along very well with each other, and with us. Our two-hour lunches were the stuff of legend (after we left, the Judge apparently instituted a rule that lunches could not be quite so drawn out). The good old days, as it were.

Nathan & Christine were my role models during that time and taught me a great deal. The bar that they set motivated my own decision to clerk after law school. They were efficient and well-oiled clerking machines (and eight months into my own clerkship, I don't quite feel that I am at nearly that level) - yet managed to keep a great work-life balance. They were the gold standard of clerking, so to speak. I'll always be grateful to them for that.

So nearly three years later, some things haven't changed. We still laugh and joke about The G's sketchy behavior (which she always denies). And it's just relaxing and enjoyable to hang out with them again. Both of them are at private law firms now, and one thing that scares me is that they are both working so incredibly hard, and they're a little frustrated as a result. (Janis, who has also started working for a firm, is having a similar experience.) So that's probably what lies in store for me, as well.

I'll admit there was too much bitching about work for my taste. But hey, for the three of them, work is what consumes their existence, so it is not surprising. Once we got that out of the way, though, it was good times.

I recommend Dong Il Jang on 8th Street just east of Western, by the way, in Koreatown. Their kalbi and bulgogi are delicious.

I finished my last day of work today. All my coworkers finished Friday before last; and this past week was supposed to be my last week. However, I had to come in yesterday and today to do final edits on my last two assignments. I feel that I did a reasonably good job and finished my job on a nice note.

Anyway, I am absolutely burned out. I am so tired of working. Long hours each day, every day, and no time to take care of other stuff. And now my summer is over. The externs for fall have already started to arrive.

In exactly two weeks, my classes start again. At least I have a bit of breathing space to get my stuff organized.

I'm glad I had this experience, I really am. However.. sometimes I wish that I could live this summer over again and that it could come out differently. Is that too much to ask?

I have to leave the house because it's getting fumigated. Apparently we have termites in the attic. It's quite a chore, moving out..

Since I probably won't have the opportunity to post for several days, here's a random selection of pictures for your enjoyment:

This is Indian Ice Cream that I had at Ambala Dhaba in Westwood, along with Nam and Janis. The restaurant is good, but not cheap.


I can't claim credit for this colorful, geometric picture. My law clerk/supervisor Nathan took it with my camera at work one day.


This is Thai Elvis, the proprietor at Palms Thai in Hollywood. That place is crazy packed ever since they moved to their new location on Bronson.


The sun sets on our chambers' collection of Federal Rules of Decision case reporters.


This was one of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen in a while. I just really liked those rays exploding out the top of the clouds..

I took a 3 hour lunch break today and visited the Museum of Contemporary Art with my coworkers. We toured the Basquiat exhibit.

I feel like a Neanderthal when it comes to art. In fact, a clear line emerged today between the art-savvy coworkers in our group, and the art-uninitiated. Unlike Nathan and Sue, both liberal arts majors, me, Nikoo, and Christine were just bewildered by this guy Basquiat's work. All I got out of it is that he was very creative, very prolific, used a lot of color, and had to be on crack when he was making those paintings. After all, he OD'ed at 27.

Viewing art is intellectually draining, esp. when you don't know the first thing about how to approach it.

Anyway, It's too hot around here (although bearable in the shade.) Thank goodness I can wear a t-shirt and jeans around this week since the Judge is on vacation. But deep down inside, I want to be running through a water geyser fountain.

I've been back from China this past week, and I'm already getting stressed again. Anyway, it was a nice change of pace (though travelling so much and wandering around Hong Kong can't exactly be considered "relaxing.")

The first thing that the Judge and the court clerk asked me after I got back was, "do you own a bottle of blue hair gel?" In fact, I do. Apparently, I left this bottle in the chambers of the courthouse's new Chief Judge the last time I went running and took a shower afterwards.

So when the Chief Judge moved into her chambers last week, she found the bottle and became incensed that someone had broken into her chambers and had been using the bathroom. (I had used that shower rather than the usual one in our chambers' jury room because a jury trial was going on at the time, and because the clerk opened the door to let me use it.) Apparently, she was so angry that she was demanding the U.S. Marshals investigate the breach.

I offered to go to her and apologize, but the Judge said that would probably be a bad idea. The lady might want to throw me in jail or something.

On my way back from watching a court proceeding involving a white supremacist prison gang (those guys were scary), I stopped by City Hall to see new mayor Antonio Villaraigosa give his inauguration speech. It was upbeat, populist, realistic, and very slick. I think this guy just might be the publicly visible, activist mayor that Los Angeles needs.. I'm hopeful, and impressed by what I've seen of him so far.

Anyway, my life has been pretty hectic. Two days off from work at the beginning of this week were helpful though, in allowing me to recover from that mysterious sickness. But I barely finished an assignment for work today, I still have my essay which is in a quasi finished-unfinished state..

But for now, I can put that all out of my mind. It's time for my family's annual summer trip -- nine days in mainland China and Hong Kong. It will be great...

I got sick this week and am slowly recovering. I took a 2 1/2 hour nap after coming home from work today -- and I never take naps that long.

In the meantime, two of my new extern coworkers started work this week, Janis (rear, from UCLA Law) and Sue (right, from Hastings). I have also gotten to socialize a bit with them and the two law clerks -- yesterday night we went to a bar called Nick & Stef's and chilled at the Standard. They're all great people.

This is a glamour shot of them on the way to lunch today (it is because I say it is). The building in front of City Hall on the left side of the frame is the Federal Courthouse where we work.

I finished my memos to the judge today -- each one nearly twenty pages each. They concerned Plaintiff's and Defendant's Motions in Limine for the patent case I'm working on. Motions in Limine are pre-trial requests to exclude evidence offered by the other side; I got to consider the evidence on each side, do some research for each question, and "rule" on each. It's quite a power trip, deciding whether to allow or to exclude these parties' precious trial evidence -- even though in all reality, this case will settle before the end of next week. At least I was forced to leave early (the power to the entire building was going out at 5 pm.) The judge even gave me a ride to my car.

I spent the evening downloading songs from new artists. I haven't been keeping up or finding much new music lately, and this was a pretty good session. The iTunes Store is really a great place to start, especially the User iMixes section. Scissor Sisters sound pretty good, Second Sun seems decent; there's also interesting new albums from Daft Punk ("Human After All") and Air ("Talkie Walkie"). There's just so much good stuff out there to listen to -- and sadly (or not surprisingly?), they are almost all entirely outside of mainstream Los Angeles radio.

I like it that it takes only 20 minutes to get home, even when the freeway is clogged.

I like having a wonderful view out of the windows at the Courthouse.

I like being in what counts as the middle of metropolitan Los Angeles.

I like my work.

I like how I actually figured out a legal problem by myself today.

I like going home early on Fridays after a long week.

I like stilted Live Journal entries in which every sentence begins with, "I like."

Everything's going well.

I haven't looked forward so much to going to work since.. well ever. And when I'm there, the hours fly by. I'm not going to say something dumb, like "I'm having so much "fun" in every moment that I lose track of time" but.. well, it does feel like no time at all. And I know I'm not fooling around. The servers at work cut off all access to the Internet, so if I'm sitting down, I'm doing work.

But yea, it's a weird experience. Yesterday, the sun was still shining in through the windows, and then the judge and his clerks all left to go home and asked me why I was working so late -- it was already 6 pm, and it felt like I had just finished my lunch.

I like looking outside my window. I have a great view of part of Downtown, the Criminal courthouse, the Cathedral, and the 101 extending out to the horizon. It's also convenient to look out the window and check freeway traffic conditions before I go.

I'm finishing up my second memo for the judge. I wrote the first half of it, which was 20 pages, and now I'm starting on the second half. It's all legal analysis, and in some ways, it feels like I'm taking one, big, long law school test. (Time flies by when I'm taking law school exams, too.)

Now if I could only finish that Law Review candidate exercise, and my Law & the Biosciences paper, life would be perfect.

The past half week has been crazy. I've barely had time to relax.

The Property final went well. Almost too well, considering I didn't take it for a grade. But it's okay, I only studied a day for it.

And after that, it was a whirlwind. Packing up was a pain. It's always much, much more effort than you think it will be. However, the actual process of loading the van was relatively quick, as I discovered how to drive into the alley right outside my dorm room.

Bay to Breakers, the historic 7.5 mile romp across the breadth of San Francisco, happened on Sunday morning and was quite entertaining. I jogged it with Cybernetics Mike at a comfortable 12 minute-mile pace, and took lots and lots of pictures. Yes, people run it naked, but as the saying goes they're always the people that you don't want to see naked (and they usually still have shoes, hats, and fanny packs.) Naked pictures will be forthcoming. It's a good idea, anyhow -- and there's nothing like the cool, dreary moisture of the Pacific Ocean in your face at the end.

I started work today at the Chambers of Judge Otero in Downtown (Los Angeles). I spent 9 1/2 hours today and already I know I'm gonna like it. Not only did I get acquainted with the filing system, but I got to sit in on a trial proceedings (a voir dire, the selection process for a jury, for a criminal narcotics case) and the Judge assigned me a patent case to start familiarizing myself with. Too much to write about here, but what I like most is that this externship is a chance to apply in the real world all that theoretical law that I've been learning all year. The feeling is indescribable.

The bad news is that they don't provide me with parking. The options are to carpool with my dad or to take the Red Line subway everyday... but that's okay with me.

Later!