I am fairly positive I was the only non-white attendee at the Kenny Chesney show last night. Shocker.

OK, so I made it to my classes today. I’m on Valium and 4x the normal dose of ibuprofen. Oh, plus Tylenol. So I’m all doped up on drugs. Sweet.

Hahahaha so our professor just called on “Dan,” looking on the right side of the room. Three people answered, all sitting one in front of another, so they all assumed he was making eye contact with him. Puzzlement ensued. HAhahah. That was funny to me.

So I sucked it up and went to the Kenny Chesney concert anyway with Katy. It was cool because I just had to sit in the box the entire time and not jump up and down and destroy my neck. Also, not only did they have chicken fingers, but they also had…dun dun dun! crabcakes!! Check out the pics - class just let out so I’m signing off. Peace.

So, yesterday my big complaint was how I wanted one more day before classes to relax and chill out. Well apparently I got my wish. I got up this morning with somewhat of a stiff neck. You know how a lot of people crack their necks to sort of loosen things up? Well, I did that while I was in the shower (3 hours ago) and my neck is still in the same position it was in back then. Basically I can’t move my neck. At all. I’m SO GRATEFUL that this didn’t happen a day ago, or worse, Monday morning, with all those interviews. eek. So yeah, I went to Student Health and they hooked me up with some valium, so that’s all good and dandy.

A couple concerns: First, it’s the first day of classes and I’m hoping none of my professors drop me from the roster for not showing up. I have people in each class prepared to tell the profs what’s up and vouch for me, so I think I have that base covered. My other concern is that I’m supposed to go to the Kenny Chesney concert tonight in a box in the new arena. This hopefully will clear up by then!!

Ahhhhh.  It’s finally over.  I think the 2L class let out a collective sigh, along with “please dear Lord don’t make me go through Phase II.”  Of course, some of us will have to.  By “some,” I mean us poor saps who weren’t “fortunate” enough to make Law Review.  But I guess I can only complain so much.  The downside to 13 interviews (plus making it out to one dinner and two receptions afterwards) is that I was just physically, mentally…maybe even emotionally…drained.  The upside was that I had 13 interviews.  So I can’t complain.

I had originally special requested Morrison & Foerster (Yeah.  Mofo, baby).  But today as I checked the list and didn’t see my name on there, I let out what was apparently a very audible “yesss.”  The guy standing next to me congratulated me for getting the request, but I quickly corrected him and said that I was just grateful I didn’t have to go through another one.  In retrospect, another interview would not have hurt, and may have helped.  But then again, maybe I would have just died afterwards.  I’m standing by my original elation.

But so now we breathe.  But not for long.  For tomorrow classes begin and it’s time to read and impress professors and all that jazz.  Sigh.  I just wanted a day off, where I could veg out in front of a TV and just not care.  About anything.  That, my friends, would have been gloorrrious.  Alas.  Perhaps drinking shall recommence this weekend / tomorrow.

I’m in a state of constant exhaustion.  I don’t know if I can make it through tomorrow.  Alright, so exhaustion may or may not have to do with going out whenever I can, but I’m going to attribute it to nothing but interviewing.

I’m spending the day in the library doing research on firms for Monday.  I have to spend the entire day researching because I have 13 tomorrow.  Thirteen!  It’s going to be such a mess.

In other news, I need to disclaim that I am not the same Brian Leung as the author of the World Famous Love Acts or whatever.  I got a phone call from a dude with a very heavy Asian accent yesterday, saying (1) how great my website is and (2) how beautiful my writing is.  He wanted to know how I, at such a young age, can be so inspiring, and where I got my ideas for writing about long distance love stories.  It was really bizarre and for a while I thought it was some sort of prank call.  Crazy.

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been doing a lot of research on the various firms at which I will be interviewing next week.  Something I always check up on when I’m on their website is their policy on diversity.  I realize how ridiculous some of the sites are - blah blah blah we like diversity, we have a diversity committee, and we try really hard to recruit diverse students.  Right.  I have no doubt that this is true, but eventually it just gets to a point where you’re reading the same thing over and over and you’re just not convinced that that firm really is committed to diversity.

Take, for example, this one firm.  It is certainly a strong firm and very reputable, but on diversity, all it had said on the website was that it is a great firm and that they are proud to comply with Equal Employment Opportunity.  That’s all it said.  It went on about how it doesn’t discriminate by age, race, gender, etc.  I just thought to myself (and now to all of you)…seriously?  Your diversity initiative is that you’re proud to comply with federal law?  Sweet.  That puts you at the top of my list.  Come on guys.  At least make an effort.  (I hope making this post does not diminish any chance I had at getting a job at that, or any other, firm.)

Alright HOOps fans.  We’re in trouble.  Here’s a recent quote from ESPN:

The guard play of Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds isn’t the only reason to get jazzed about the Cavaliers; they also move into a new facility (and open with Arizona). Virginia had a strong home court in the past but there is something about a new building that seems to bring out the best in a program. The consensus among league coaches is that Virginia could be a major player in the race for an NCAA berth.

We all know what this means:  Expectations.  Now Virginia has to meet up to some expectations to perform well this season.  We all know how UVA performs when there are pre-season expectations for the team.  Don’t hold your breath

Speaking of expectations, there seems to be no expectations for our football team this year, as I’m sure you’ve already read about.  Also from ESPN:

They’re not taking a Cavalier attitude in Charlottesville about last season’s somewhat disappointing 7-5 finish and an offseason marked by turmoil and transition.

Sixth-year coach Al Groh, who had the program on a steady climb, has seen Virginia level off the last two years and after heavy losses to the NFL the last two springs. There’s no doubt this season falls under the category, “rebuilding year.”

Woohoo.  No expectations!  Haha.  Seriously though - I don’t think our season will be as piss-poor as folks are making it out to be.  Does anyone have an ESPN Insider account?  I’d like to read the rest of this article…

Yep - the new schedule has been released!  Holy crap, we’re in for quite the season.  Coming to the new arena are Arizona (opening game), Gonzaga (ESPN2), Stanford, and Duke (ESPN).  Also interesting is that the VT game in C’ville is on ESPN.  They must be short on material that day.  Anyway, that’s beside the point.

I’m a little nervous about the schedule, though.  This is such a crucial season, with the new arena and all.  If this first season ends up disasterous, it could hurt our recruiting ability in the years to come.  But on the flip side, we’ve got a decent-ending series.  Virginia Tech, Longwood (H), FSU (H), Miami, GT (H), VT (H), and Wake.  I’ll go ahead and express concern about WF on the road.  I’m not sure how good GT is this year, but it helps that it’s a home game, so I think we can definitely win that one.  Miami has been on the rise over the past couple years, and I haven’t done my research on them (and likely will not due to extreme laziness), so there’s some concern there as well.  Maybe all their good players graduated?

In any event, I’m happy with the way we’re ending that.  on the flip side is that we have a few pretty rough stretches in there.  Gonzaga (H), Stanford (H), UNC, BC, Maryland (H), WF (H), NC St., Clemson, Duke (H).  Gross.

We’re only playing 1 ACC game in December.  It’s against NC St.  We haven’t won an ACC opener in what, 9 years now?  10 years?  We have a chance this time, as it’s at home!

Anyway, I just wanted to toss that out there and give you my initial thoughts.

So I’ve been back in Charlottesville for a week now.  I want to say not much has changed, but the city (haha, “city”) feels a little bit different with the new arena in place and fully functional.  This past week, we’ve had WWE RAW come through and tonight James Taylor is in town.  So that’s pretty cool.

I’m both ready and not-ready to start up with classes again.  I’m looking forward to this semester’s worth of classes, and while I’m not looking forward to the onslaught of interviews I’m about to face, I am looking forward to having some certainty about my future.  I’m looking forward (obviously) to football season starting back up again, though I’m not looking forward to UVA’s season, per se.  Haha.  Who (hoo) knows…no one expected anything out of our basketball season last year and they made it salvageable.  Maybe Groh and the revised coaching staff will have some crazy things up their sleeves and we’ll make it to the ACC title game.  I’m just sayin.

Last night a bunch of us went out to BW3s for trivia night.  Huh…apparently it’s not just trivia, it’s music trivia.  Where they play a 2 second clip and we have to guess song title and artist.  Yeah.  Not so successful.  However, there are 3 good points to be made here:

1. Our team name was totally awesome.  I won’t post it here, but all you need to know is that the DJ looked at our table while we were dancing and said into the mic, Helen Keller’s Dog’s got rhythm!  haha.
2. We got 3rd place.  Which means we won money.
3. Three of the people behind us (2 guys and a girl) bought Ericka a drink, which was pretty cool.  Ericka also handled it with style, thanking them and being nice and looking cute (per usual).  Classy, that Ericka Alonso.

Today my friends, I turn your attention to this ESPN article by Pat Forde. Usually I enjoy reading his articles. But he had some dumb things to say this time around, haha.

I won’t waste all of our time by going into each and every rule, but here are some notables ones that I’d like to comment on.

New Rule: If the scoreboard says you lost, you lost. That’s not going to change. Take an hour to vent postgame, then try to regain your sanity. Do not diminish your quality of life — and the quality of life of those around you — by spewing for days about the refs who cheated your team, the flagrant league bias against your team or the complete lack of class displayed by the team that beat your team. Your team l-o-s-t. Try to deal.

Weak. I will hear nothing of it. Just because the scoreboard says we lost does not mean we’ve officially lost until either (a) the new rankings come up and we realize it wasn’t as bad as we thought or (b) we win next week, whichever comes first. And even so, the loss doesn’t really count as a loss because the Refs were blowing the game and the other team’s coaches.

New Rule: Try using your real name on a message board. It might be a liberating feeling to stand behind your words, instead of hiding behind the handle “GatrHatr88,” or whatever lame nom de cyberplume you choose.

What is he TALKING about? CHokiesSuck4Life is a totally sweet moniker!

New Rule: If you spend more on face paint, clothes in school colors, tailgate accessories and an RV horn that honks the school fight song than you spend on charity, reevaluate your priorities.

Oh crap. Umm. … Uhh… yeah. I’m screwed. WAIT! I donated a lot of money to UVA Athletics! That counts as having my priorities in check, right?? Right?? …sigh.

New Rule: An 0-1 start is not the end of the world, especially with a 12-game schedule. Unless you start 0-1 with a buy game against what was supposed to be a guaranteed chump. Then you can pound the panic button.

Woohoo! Let’s go Hoos! Who cares about Pittsburgh anyway? Eep.

New Rule: Flying a car flag when your team is 5-0 is easy. Try it when your team is 0-5.

What’s that? UVA Basketball? That’s right. I stand by my guys till my death.

New Rule: It is understandable and acceptable to wonder (out loud) why Temple is still playing Division I-A football.

Don’t we play them? Frequently?