Iowa Weekend

Left after appellate advocacy on Thursday for Chicago. Stopped at half price books and got some new ones to read finally, keep the wife happy :-) Did reading on the way out. Got there late at night and went out to Hard Rock Cafe for some dinner and a new bear for my collection. It was a concert night, so no tables for dinner means we moved on. Red Lobster closed, Rainforest Cafe closed...not going to McDonald's on the firm dime. We then turn the corner and see Melting Pot, the fondue restaurant from home that got us hooked on fondue (we have two pots of our own and fondue all the time now). Well, since the firm is paying...might as well make it like a second honeymoon and get the dinner there while enjoying the $300 a night hotel room downtown. The interview was OK, but this firm probably will not beat Brinks in Chicago if both give offers, but it is a perfectly good firm as well.

Spent the rest of the day at Navy Pier, doing the big Ferris Wheel. Nice view of Chicago if you ever go. After dinner at Giordano's, off to Iowa.

Iowa game was fantastic, as the Buckeyes are starting to play like the dominant team in college football. We shall see if they make it undefeated to Michigan which they certainly should. 44 point favorites against BG this week (the Buckeyes have covered all 5 spreads against them this year), and that is unbelivable. I think I was at the biggest blowout in the Jim Tressel era and that was a 43 point win over San Jose State 50-7. I'm seriously tempted to take the Falcons plus 44...it's a near certainty even with OSU dominance. We will back it off if we get up by 28.

Anyways, Iowa fans lived up to their reputation as the nicest in the Big Ten. Mostly. A lot of fans went out of their way to greet Kelley and I and welcome us to Iowa or wish us a safe trip back or have fun at the game. A few drunken idiots (all students) as usual before the game. Of course the assholes who made fun of Kelley for her weight really ruined it for her as we were walking back to the car. One carful of fans ruining all the outstanding work of the other Iowa fans, who were gracious even in defeat. I did not care if they drop to personal attacks because words don't mean anything to me in that instance, but she cried all the way back to the car and I wish I did not have to worry about passing the bar (no incidents of law allowed)...I totally wanted to go run my key across their Escalade and throw a punch or two to shut up the assholes. For me it was a perfectly fine trip but for her this probably ruined a great day. Went to dinner at Perkins with Dad and Patti afterwards, had our good adult chat without the siblings around.

I forgot to mention we got to see Samantha and Cassandra play volleyball and smash some competition Saturday morning. I feel so lucky to have seen one of CJ's soccer games, these volleyball games, and other extracurriculars...as Dad did not get to see mine and I know how much it probably means to them to have me there at least once in a great while. I enjoy seeing them play as well of course.

Sunday we played a little MP7 with the kids before having to hit the road for Ohio. Got home late and passed out so I could wake up in time to go to lunch with Everson today. Got all my reading done through the first classes after fall break, so all my attention tomorrow and Wednesday will be on app ad draft two. Lunch with Everson was nice...hard to not lose track of friends with my awkward school schedule (everybody else is leaving while I am in my first or second class of the day). We are both looking for our first offers, and it is nice to bounce interview stories off each other. He's off to another this week so Kelley will get to bowl which is good because she has the itch to bowl again (I was planning to go on fall break if nothing else) and will get to sub most likely. Looking forward to that as that marks the end of app ad till after break and the end of law school really till after fall break.

So until then...I write. But then I will binge on all things not law school, including time with Kelley and time with things like Lost...Xbox...Gamecube....and whatever else tickles my fancy.