Update: all is well...I guess...

Sorry for the long delay in updating my blog. I had been right on target at a new post every two weeks, but once again, my law school work has foiled me! The only thing I can do is blame Legal Writing for the delay. The strange thing about the second year of law school is that while it is much easier than the first year, there is a lot more work to do. I am writing for a journal this year, writing for my Legal Writing class, attempting to keep up with the reading assignments for my other classes, and I was selected (3 weeks ago) with my buddy Don as a Moot Court Negotiations Team member. Life is busy…not hard, but busy. The hard time is almost at an end, though, as the Moot Court Regional Competition is in 2 weeks, my last Legal Writing Assignment (EVER!) is due in 3 weeks, and exams are just around the corner. Of course, then all I have to do is worry about next semester…..

I had a lot of fun last weekend (the weekend of October 20). My parents came to town, and we had a wonderful visit. Whenever my folks come to town, I have a really good time. We ate, talked, and walked. The problem was that before I knew it, the weekend was over. I was left with the same empty feeling as before when they left town. I really do not like only seeing my parents once every 3 months or so. Our family is much closer than that. In the end, I am looking forward to a January trip to Orlando. That’s right! I am 35 years old and am going on a family vacation to Orlando with my parents and my older brother. I count myself extremely fortunate to be a part of such a close family. I mean, I used to think that my parents really did not get me. This time, however, my parents were able to read into my irritability at some moments as anxiety over getting some work done over the weekend. My parents were the ones who suggested that I get some work done; they took the onus off me because they realized that I want them to keep coming out to Chicago to visit me; if I worried too much about work and made a big deal about it, they would not want to come. That is the LAST thing I want to happen. I want them to continue coming to visit my brother and me (and yes, they DO read my blog, so I hope they get my gentle hint J).

After the weekend was over, the real work began. I had to write my entire legal writing assignment and do a lot of other work in an extremely short period of time. This was stress, but it was completely manageable. I sure was glad when the weekend showed up…but wait! My brother and I threw a Halloween party! Amid all of the decorating and preparations, there was not enough time to enjoy anything on Saturday until the party itself. All of our friends showed up, and we had a blast. I don’t think that I have dressed up for Halloween since I was 13 years old, but I had fun dressing up as a Dark Lord of the Sith. For your entertainment, I have included a photo of me and my brother (I am the one on the left)!

A visit from a friend and "The Departed"

Sometimes friends can really be what we need to get through a particular hectic series of days. I mean, we go through our normal day-to-day schedule, trying to balance the demands of work (or school), job hunting, and other activities (like paying bills, cooking, grocery shopping, etc), and you can feel a bit overwhelmed. Right when you have lost all sense of how to relax, your friends can come along and provide a reality check. My friend Jennifer from Owings Mills, MD was in town for a conference this week, and we had a chance to catch up on Friday and spend a day around Chicago doing nothing. That was a wonderful thing and was just what the doctor ordered. We had lunch at Grand Lux Café on Michigan Avenue, and we took advantage of a gorgeous Chicago fall day to go up to the Observatory Deck of the John Hancock building. I had never done this most quintessential of tourist activities, and it ended up being a lot of fun. While walking to Navy Pier to retrieve Jennifer’s car, we made an impromptu decision to see the new Scorsese film, The Departed (more on that later). All in all, my day was a much needed respite from the pressures of law school. Thanks, Jennifer!

So, since there has not been a movie review in some time, you all might be wondering what I think of Scorsese’s latest magnum opus, The Departed. First of all, one cannot find fault with the cast. Di Caprio, Nicholson, Damon (taking full advantage of his natural Boston accent), Wahlberg, and Martin Sheen all did outstanding jobs with their material. The film, a remake of the Chinese crime drama Infernal Affairs, was a tour de force for the actors. The engrossing plotline combined the best elements of the crime drama, action, spy, and police genres. I always separate the truly great films from those that are merely good by considering if I am able to remove myself from the real world and be completely engrossed and taken away by the story. This was the case here. I cinematography was gorgeous, and every shot was lovingly framed by Scorsese. My only grip would be the hamfisted editing. Scene transitions were anything but seamless, and one never gets the sense of time going by. One minute, Di Caprio’s character is just starting his undercover mission; the next, years have gone by with no visible changes other than a verbal reference. What the story lacked in developed plotlines and perfected editing was more than made up for by the acting performances. I liken it to the film Heat, an excellent film that would have been merely good without the performances of De Niro and Pacino. This is the first true Oscar contender of the year, and the performances alone are well worth the price of admission.