Hello. Welcome to my website. It started while I was in Europe for a semester, and I've kept it up since then. I'm now at the University of Chicago Law School, living in Hyde Park, and the story continues. If you want to say hi or visit me, email cfloyd at uchicago dot edu.
"Life is nothing if not the sum of your anecdotes." -Scotty The Body, on storytelling "But it ain't that bad, man. Just figure out the system before the system figures out you." -T. Matthew Smith, on the 1L year "The beer just doesn't taste as good when you're not drinking it with your buddies." -Anon., on being away from good friends "Somebody has to pay the rent around here. Why the hell not us?" -Cotton, on studying for exams
9/30/2003
Tuesdays are my long days. Four classes: 9:45- Elements of the Law, 11:00- Civil Procedure, lunch, 1:30- Property, and 2:45- Criminal Law. But today was not bad at all, and I was called on in two different classes. So law school is not quite as big, bad, and scary as I thought. Of course, that assumes that I stay caught up with the reading. And I still haven't seen exams.
9/30/2003 07:43:00 PM
9/29/2003
I've got a fair bit of work to do. And half the battle seems to be organization. Not my strongest suit. Damn. Oh well. Hopefully my keen analytical ability will bail me out...oh. Damn.
9/29/2003 08:35:00 PM
The first day was good. Everything went smoothly for me, but there could have been a problem.
I thought I had covered all my reading before class. I found out, however, that that was not the case. One of the professors had assigned two cases, and the second was from our reading supplement. Well, I thought that this so called "Supplement reading," was, well, optional--you know, to supplement the primary reading. So I didn't brief the case. In law school, professors call on students to get the pertinent details of the case. They call this the Socratic Method, although it doesn't much resemble what Socrates did. Anyway, if the professor had called on me, I would have been in deep trouble. Actually, I just would have been embarassed.
Other points of interest about law school:
It's a lot like grown-up high school. We have lockers. People have backpacks. The class size is 194 instead of 6000. It's kind of clique-y. The classes are set and held in a single building, so that means there is passing period and lunch hour (and there's a cafeteria with lunch ladies). And it's back to doing homework every night.
90% of people took notes on their laptops. I don't know how I feel about this. Every time the professor says something noteworthy, the soft sound of typing rises. Today I used my pen and paper; tomorrow I'll try bringing the Dell along. I'll let you know what I decide to do permanently.
Nobody wears shorts or ballcaps. There aren't any rules about this, but it's just the way it is.
It's kind of chilly already. The weather here is just colder than I am used to. But that's okay, since I'd feel weird wearing shorts anyway.
Short little anecdote:
Standing in line at the bursar's office to pick up my loan check, the guy in the pink Polo button down and Tucker Carlson hair behind me says, "I guess this must be like being on welfare...standing in line to get a check." I smile and say nothing. A little later, "Man, working in a place like this must be awful." I say, "Yeah, that's office life, I guess." He goes, "I just wouldn't want to be around all these types all day, you know?" I shrug. Long pause. "I hope you don't get the idea that my comments are class-based...I'm just starting out at the business school and it's good to know I won't have to stand in line to get a check all my life." I say, "Naturally." I think, Go work for Worldcom and go bankrupt, you MBA prick. This guy needs to read The Bonfire of the Vanities before he hits the real world.
I shouldn't rush to judgment. But a long way from Oklahoma, people don't keep as much to themselves.
End anecdote.
9/29/2003 09:11:00 AM
9/28/2003
Wouldn't it be funny tomorrow if somebody gets called on, and after he or she gives an answer, the professors says, "Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
Tomorrow is my first day of school. I know, it's really late to be starting school, but that's how the quarter system works. I'm really happy to be finally getting on with things.
I should say, I love it here. Chicago is pretty friendly for a big city. And my classmates are much cooler than I expected. Everybody is eager to get to know each other, and it has been easy (too easy) to socialize. I'm sure that will change with classes starting, but for now, the excitement of meeting new people hasn't yet faded. Good times, good times.
9/28/2003 07:16:00 PM
9/24/2003
I am currently in the middle of orientation. This has been fun, because it gets me out of the apartment. I've met tons of my new classmates, many of whom are more fun and social than I would have ever expected. So I have lots to do. Yesterday I didn't even turn on the computer. Orientation has kept us very busy, but I snuck away today for an hour. Now I think I'll take a nap, and sooner or later I'll post lots of details.
9/24/2003 12:11:00 PM
9/18/2003
Thank you all for the birthday phone calls, emails, e-greetings, and fudge. I appreciate it.
Move-in has gone well. I am plugged into the internet at the law library. Tomorrow I'll have a Chicago line, so I won't have to leave the apartment to go online. I'll put that number on the site when I get it. Glorious.
My usage on my cell-phone has been absurdly high. I am physically trembling at the thought of next month's bill. So if you've tried to call, just leave a message and I'll get back to you after 9pm when minutes are free. Or call me then.
And finally, I'm about six weeks behind on answering emails. I promise to write you back soon. If you feel insulted by the lack of response, well, you should be. It's because I hate you. Goodbye.
9/18/2003 12:40:00 PM
9/16/2003
Hi all. I'm here in Chicago for good. I'll suitably reconfigure the site when I have my own internet connection. Tonight I am once again in Julie Blackburne's spare bedroom, and tomorrow morning I'll move into my own. Hopefully it won't be too difficult, since I packed as well as is humanly possible. You wouldn't believe the things I got into my Explorer, still leaving room for the rear-view. Breathtaking.
I'll let you know how moving goes, and maybe post some new pics of the moved-into apartment.
9/16/2003 09:52:00 PM
9/13/2003
Okay, people, quit your complaining. My picture links from my Chicago vist never quite went live, so here they are again, but more. And they ought to work this time.
I'll be in Norman tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday. Tomorrow night Ted Downing and I (aka Twelve Fluid Ounces) will be playing the open mic night at the Red Dirt Cafe. With $1.50 Boulevard Wheat pints available, it may get rowdy. I encourage you to come, as it will probably be my last night out in Norman for a while. See you there.
9/07/2003
Here are photos from around my apartment in Hyde Park near the University of Chicago.
The living room
The study area
The kitchen
The bedroom
The outside
The neighborhood
Looks nice, eh? Better be, for what I'm taking out in student loans. Email me if you're curious about details.
9/07/2003 08:43:00 PM
A lazy Sunday in Memphis, Tennessee. This is an interesting city. Barbecue, racism, soul music, Graceland and the ghetto, they've got it all here. My host is Rachel Wright, who has a place in midtown Memphis. I am staying on her futon. Colin McEwen, another friend of mine, has graciously shown me around while Rachel was at work. They have a pyramid here. I think it's their convention center.
Last night we watched the Oklahoma-Alabama game at a sport's bar near Rachel's. Rachel is dating a 'Bama fan (John), so it made the game interesting. He talked a big game, but his team didn't live up to his mouth. Oh well. Win some, lose some. Boomer Sooner. Unfortunately we didn't make it down to Tuscaloosa to watch the competition in person. Maybe next time.
This afternoon I am headed back to Tulsa. Maybe I'll see you there. Otherwise, I'll be in Norman Tuesday and Wednesday to pick some things up. Gimme a call if you want to hook up.
9/07/2003 10:07:00 AM
9/03/2003
In Chicago, I am staying with Julie Blackburne and her fiance Pete in their spare bedroom. Today I spent the day in Hyde Park, checking out the Law School and the neighborhood. I also got to view my apartment. It is spacious and well-kept. Hopefully I will be able to transform it into a swingin' bachelor pad. Yeah, baby, yeah.
The Hyde Park neighborhood is gorgeous. Lots of old trees and large houses. I am a five minute walk from several shops, including Starbucks, Borders, Dunkin' Donuts, myriad restaraunts, record stores, etc. It's going to be ideal. I am very pleased with everything. I took several pictures with a digital camera and hopefully I'll post them this evening, if I can find a USB cable.
