Movies

The “new classics” from the last 25 years. According to Entertainment Weekly, anyway.

Movie they missed: The Princess Bride . . . a true classic. I think it deserves a spot over say, Spiderman 2... or South Park... or *God help us* SPEED. And I don't get how Pulp Fiction is #1. Jeers the cheat on LOTR--name all three movies as 1. Next time they'll include all (eventually) 8 Harry Potters as one too?

Bah. Listen to me become a movie list curmudgeon.

Ok--ones I’ve seen in bold. . . . a surprising number for someone who doesn't think she sees a lot of movies. Ones I want to see underlined.

Steal at will - I got it from E. McPan and Zuska... in JULY 2008 . . . and never bothered to post it.


1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997) (nope ...and proud of it)
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan — 1998
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
9. Die Hard — 1988
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
12. The Matrix - 1999
13. GoodFellas (1990)
14. Crumb (1995) (probably not the same as the John Candy "Who's Harry Crumb?")
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996)
18. Do the Right Thing — 1989
19. Casino Royale (2006)
20. The Lion King (1994)
21. Schindler’s List (1993)
22. Rushmore — 1998
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire — 1988
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally… 1989
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
32. Fight Club — 1999
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
34. Fargo (1996)
35. The Incredibles (2004)
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. The Sixth Sense — 1999
40. Speed (1994)
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)
43. Gladiator (2000)
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man — 1988
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad — 1988
53. The Truman Show — 1998
54. Fatal Attraction (1987) (think I've seen some of this...)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary — 1998 (disliked)
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996)
61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape — 1989
63. Big — 1988
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)
65. Dirty Dancing (1987)
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985)
69. All About My Mother — 1999
70. Broadcast News (1987)
71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space — 1999
74. Drugstore Cowboy — 1989
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007) (just saw in July, and don't think it will stand up in the long run)
81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004)
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) (when Mike Meyers was sort of funny)
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
91. Back to the Future (1985)
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory — 1989
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley — 1999
99. The Blair Witch Project — 1999
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut — 1999

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Tyrone, you know how much I love watching you work, but I've got my country's 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder and Guilder to frame for it; I'm swamped.

Law school updates

Snow day woo! Pancake breakfast time! But first, update the blog.

Subchapter K of the Internal Revenue code kills puppies and makes truckers cry.

I just noticed I read for class more as a 3L than I ever did as a 1L when Tranny Head called me out via Twitter. I think its because the supplements are better for 1L classes and I was focused a lot on exam writing and had such limited time back then. I manage my time better now, because I have a wonderful husband helping me out. I don't worry about practice exams until the last few weeks, and I'm taking classes in which I am interested. All of that adds up to reading quite a bit. Also, I read differently now because I have kickass outlines from prior awesome students--I read to confirm and update and get big picture, not to laboriously create an outline. World of difference to me.

Yes, I am SUCH a dork. Also, I am not currently suffering from crippling depression (just the usual kind), so I am able to keep up. I don't get as whelmed.

Law school prom is Friday. I am uncharacteristically excited. I am wearing a cocktail length dress I wore to my brother's wedding, but wish I were wearing a long one. Going with a few girlfriends, crashing at the hotel with one of them, and generally not behaving like the responsible married woman with a child that I am. Well, I intend to have a few drinks anyway. That's about as debaucherous as I get. But still... woo!

Well, it wouldn't be a law school update if I were not bitching about something, so here it is. Two adjunct profs don't have their grades in yet. Not mine, so why do I care? Because of our ridiculous curve--yes in upper division classes too--we have deflated GPAs compared to neighboring law schools, so we usually just put on class ranks if they're pretty good. No grades = no updated rank = no apply for jobs.

The law review stuff I am doing right now is the opposite of enjoyable. Big news there.

Don't you hate it when blog posts kind of peter out as opposed to having a point and coming to a proper ending? Yeah. . .

Huevos

Scene: I am in the kitchen finishing off a conversation with Bullshark and heading to the living room. Clownfish is sitting on the couch, waiting for me to read to him, quietly saying to himself

Testicles!
*mumble* TESTicles!
fun TESTicles!

Me: Clownfish, what did you just say?
CF: TESTicles! Fun TESTicles!
Me: That's great. Where did you learn that word?
CF: It's Spanish.

Hmm... we've been teaching Clownfish a little Spanish, and he learns a bit from Diego, Dora the Explorer, etc., so occasionally he makes up words and tells us they're Spanish. Still struggling to keep a straight face, I ask the obvious follow up.

Me: So what does it mean?
CF: Good job. Fun testicles is do a good job.

At this point, parents and friends, I would like to say I continued my controlled, calm, matter of fact demeanor. I would like to say that we talked a little more about how making up words is not the same as Spanish, and throw in a discussion of the names of body parts to boot. You know, a nice little moment of parenting before we read a storybook. I would like to say that. But, people, could you have done it? I could not. At this point, my friends,

I.
Lost.
It.

I was laughing so hard, that silent, body-shaking laughter, that I couldn't breathe. After a few minutes, tears streaming down my face, I tried to take some deep breaths and turn back to face him, to see him happily, obliviously sitting on the couch, flipping through his book, quietly repeating fun testicles and I lost it again.

But in my oxygen deprived state, inspiration struck me.

Me: Wait, Clownfish, did you mean fantastico?
CF: That's what I said: fun TESTicle!

Fantastico indeed.

MILP #82: The Lawtots are learning too

The Weekly MILP (Moms In the Legal Profession) Roundup is hosted on a rotating basis between PT-LawMom, A New Duck, and A Little Fish in Law School blogs. We originally rounded up just the moms in law school, but then discovered that those women eventually graduate. Who knew? So now all the moms in the legal field (heh) are represented. We aim for Sunday posts.

This was a historic week, and it would have been pretty easy and completely legitmate to just round up Obama related posts. See, for a lovely example, Zuska. I think it is awesome that by the time our younger kids are old enough to be aware of it, having a black president, or a woman president, or a Native American president, is going to be no big deal. Of course such a person can be president. Not just run. But win.

I thought instead about the enormous role we as parents play in our children's lives -- how they learn from us behaviors, attitudes, and skills. Huge responsibility, that. To that end, I present:

This week's theme: The things our kids learn from us

How to cite to the federal reporters. One New Duck.
How to accessorize. Lag Liv.
Girls don't have penises. CM (Magic Cookie).
The purpose of administrative law Cee (Starting to Melt)
Tooth fairies rock. PtLawmom.
How to get Mommy to stop studying. Tranny Head Rawks.
Priorities 3LWannabe.
Not every law student has compassion. . . New Law Mom.
. . . but here's why we put ourselves through it all anyway. Andrea (Peanut Butter Burrito)
. . . though there are attractive alternatives. Dakota.

___________________
If you’d like to have your blog added to the MILP blogroll for weekly review or would like us to consider a specific post, drop the hostess(es) an email or leave a comment at our sites.Expecting Moms in law school are welcome! Hat tip as always to the “original” Roundup — Evan Schaeffer’s Legal Underground and his co-rounder-upper, Nobody! And of course, to the founder of this round-up, Saramel (retired).

What you're missing

I wasn't sure how I felt about Twitter at first. I've used it for a few weeks now, and with increasing regularity recently.

What I like about it: the ridiculousness that I would have put up in a really short post or not at all doesn't end up clogging the blog--see the month of November . . . yeesh--but I can put it out there anyway. Individually, not that interesting. However, there is a kind of Gestalt effect that fascinates me.

What I hate about it: that it exists.

Twitter updated from the week that was:

• Best moment on AI last night. Ryan:"That looks straight out of health class" Deluded woman holding pic of lungs:"No its from the internet." Wednesday.


• Today: visit another kindergaten--doctor appointment--sell bar prep stuff--read for class--go to class--4 hours at my paid job. A lot! Wednesday


• All grades in. Best. Law. School. Semester. EVER. Tuesday.


• Land Use came in. Surprised ... in a good way. One grade left. Tuesday


• Told Clownfish that today is inauguration day, and we get a new president ... Barack Obama. CF's Response: Today is Barack Obama day! Tuesday


• skiing fun today Monday


• Snowman today...sort of...more like a snow pile onto which we put a hat, face, buttons, etc. Looked sort of like Jabba the Hut with style. Sunday


• This train don't stop there anymore. http://tinyurl.com/5tw6yv Saturday


• I really have to work on (re?)learning contract law. Saturday


• *annoyed* Since grades in two of my classes haven't been posted at this point, they won't go up until next Tuesday. Friday


• I'd like to voir dire this witness. Thursday.


• So c-c-c-old and unwilling to venture out there again, numb fingers in gloves . . . and I'm tired [end whine] Wednesday.


• I haven't had so much to read since 1L. Wednesday


• You can check out any time you like but you can never leave (w/ appreciated assets in a corporate entity without triggering tax event) 311b1 Tuesday

Shenanigans!

We were at a restaurant, so Clownfish was allowed to order a small ginger ale. The meal was wrapping up, and so before I moved his ginger ale closer -- I had taken it away so he would eat more and drink less -- I declared myself soda inspector and took a small sip.

Clownfish declared shenanigans on me.

Shenanigans. according to Webster: tricky or questionable practices or conduct; b: high-spirited or mischievous activity. According to Urban Dictionary, via the television show South Park: An official declaration made by patrons of an establishment who feel they have been cheated. Once a charge of shenanigans has been accepted by an authority figure, said patrons are free to assault the owners of said establishment with brooms.

We changed brooms to pillows. And we aren't such sticklers about the establishment or authority bit.

With Bullshark acting a judge and jury, I was found guilty of shenanigans in the first degree and Clownfish inflicted three whallops with the shenanigan pillow. I was pretty sure this was an excessive punishment and sought to have my sentence commuted to no avail.

Although there are some guiding shenanigans principles, we make up the rules as we go along, and thus the Shenanigan Common Law has developed in a haphazard and somewhat inconsistent manner.

There really probably should be a M.S.C: (Model Shenanigan Code) and sentencing guidelines.

MILP #81

This was originally posted at OND. Re-Posted here for posterity.

Welcome to the MILP (moms in legal practice) roundup #81. The MILP roundup is hosted on a rotating basis between me, Butterflyfish, and PT-LawMom. This week's roundup is dedicated to the movies.

• A Year in the Life: Twins (!!!)
• And You Know What Else: Mallrats
• Butterflyfish: Babette's Feast
• Cee and The Menagerie: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
• Dakota: Resident Evil
• Frequent Citations: James and the Giant Peach
• Googiebaba: Madagascar
• Lag Liv: Searching for Bobby Fischer
• Legally Certifiable: Back to the Future
• Leo: Back to School
• Magic Cookie: Rocky
• Peanut Butter Burrito: Leaving Las Vegas
• Pt-LawMom: How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
• Trannyhead: The Angel, the Bicycle, and the Chinaman's Finger
  

More law geekery

My friends were discussing one of their classes on health care and med mal law. They have group projects. Apparently, the professor wanted them to come up with a name for their group. Potential names included the usual puns on tortfeasors (Torts Illustrated?) and ambulance chasers etc. I thought "hungry, hungry HIPPA" was particularly clever and wished I had thought of it myself. I think they went with, "You bleed, we follow."

Any better suggestions? These would also work as intramural group names, I suppose.

Status message lol

Friend in negotiation class:

My BATNA is death.

__________________________
For the uninitiated... BATNA: best alternative to negotiated agreement.
More status message humor.

Ur doing it wrong

I think I am doing law school wrong.

I am a spring semester 3L and woke up at 5:00 this morning to read for class.

This will have consequences

So I dropped my 4 credit UCC class. I was already taking a 4 credit code class (business tax) and just couldn't do both. I picked up two other classes I had really wanted to take. So I went with what I wanted to take instead of what I should. And I feel good about the decision... except....

I am not going to be able to use UCC to relearn contracts for the barzam, in addition to you know, whatever else I was supposed to learn in UCC. And I don't know a lick more about criminal law and procedure and the 4th Amendment than I did when I started law school, 1L crim notwithstanding.

I think my bar prep is going to suck more than most. But I am not losing sleep over it. Yet.

Edited to add: I realized the widget with my law school career of classes disappeared in the upgrade. I'll fix that later. This semester I am taking Business Tax, Environmental Law, Nonprofits, State Civ Pro, and Trial Practice.

Giving Rachael Ray a run for her money

Clownfish wanted ants on a log. The childhood snack favorite is usually made by spreading peanut butter on celery and adding raisin ants.

Clownfish wanted ants on a log. Clownfish detests peanut butter.

His suggestion: celery + honey + raisins. Because honey is sticky.

Verdict: Success, according to Clownfish.

Me, I am sticking with the peanut butter.

MILP #80

Pt-Lawmom had the round up. One New Duck next week, then back here.

Changes

Made some layout changes. I finally got a 3-column layout to work. Downside, discovered too late -- to change fonts, colors of fonts and links, etc. I have to dig through the html. Can't use the blogger shortcuts.
I am still looking for a nicer background.
Added a Twitter feed.
Feedback appreciated.

Updates

Now, in bullet form!

• I was looking at a kindergarten for Cownfish for next fall. A kindergarten! This is not ok! Once they start kindergarten, it is all down hill to 8th grade graduation and then, BAM senior prom!
• I have a part time research project for summer firm that will take about a month. Good sign maybe.
• I have an interview somewhere else today. This one looks promising. Wish me luck.
• Trial practice is terrifying.
• Mixing hot cocoa with a candy cane makes delicious mint cocoa.

Stolen Lines #1

I tried to think of the right answer. Unable to think of that, I spoke anyway.

"Uh, if a corporation distributes property and the fair market value exceeds the adjusted basis in the hands of the corporation, then the corporation will recognize a gain as if the property sold at fair market value."

I really probably should not have tried to do my tax homework during environmental law, huh?



___________________________
No that is not a true story. Yes, that is I.R.C. S311(b)(1).

Per Grace: "I stole the first two sentences from Night of the Avenging Blowfish, by John Welter." If you're curious about this "Stolen Lines" business, check out Law With Grace.

MILP #79: I hereby resolve to....

Welcome to the Weekly MILP (Moms In the Legal Profession) Roundup. It is hosted on a rotating basis between PT-LawMom, A New Duck, and A Little Fish in Law School blogs. We originally rounded up just the moms in law school, but then discovered that those women eventually graduate. Who knew? So now all the moms in the legal field (heh) are represented. We aim for Sunday posts.

Next week, back at PT-LawMom.

Resolutions Edition:

It is the time of year when MILPs resolve to eat healthy, exercise more, be kinder to animals, bring about world peace, read more for pleasure, have more sex, worry less, make some time for herself, feed the hungry, and drink less wine (heaven forbid).

In the spirit of resolutions, here's how the MILPs rounded out 2008 and/or what they resolved to do in 2009:

Remember interesting new years past One New Duck.
Stans, Bewbs and Thongs, oh my. Tranny Head
Survive. 3L Wannabe.
Show how tantrums are done. Menagerie
Hate cats. Diary of Law School Mom
Love doggies. Andrea (Peanut Butter Burrito)
Doc review. Lag Liv & Balancing Act.
Make career #2 stick. CM (Magic Cookie).
Learn civil procedure. (Formerly) Knocked up and in law school.
Find 'good enough.' Butterflyfish.
Show gratitude. PtLawmom
Appreciate mom. Cee (Starting to Melt)

EDITED TO ADD:

I meant to add this to the Roundup. She's a law school graduate who doesn't practice law, but I wanted to acknowledge Energy Spatula's big news. She's pregnant. Her blog was one of the first I read regularly before I started law school, and though she only posts occasionally now, I wanted to wish her the very best, from the MILPs.

___________________
If you’d like to have your blog added to the MILP blogroll for weekly review or would like us to consider a specific post, drop the hostess(es) an email or leave a comment at our sites.Expecting Moms in law school are welcome! Hat tip as always to the “original” Roundup — Evan Schaeffer’s Legal Underground and his co-rounder-upper, Nobody!