The news came out by word of mouth that Chi wanted JC's friends to gather at the birthday boy's favorite watering hole, St. Nick's. The Stud arrived late, but there were still a sizable number of people around who love hanging out with JC:
Happy Birthday, JC! May you have many happy returns!
This year, the Loyola Law School Welcome Back Party was hosted at a venue other than Hotel Figueroa. (The 1L Welcome Party was, however, hosted there the week before.) This year, the venue was Republic, a medium-sized bar with an open-air patio, complete with bar tenders. Being the summer, and packed with eager law students, the patio was nonetheless quite hot. Of course, it could have been the party goers!
For many of us, this is the beginning of the last leg of a journey that started two years ago in sunny Southern California. And what better way to begin this leg than with the sun streaming down upon our well-tanned necks? For others of us, this is the beginning of Act II, or the very beginning of a similar journey. To all of you, welcome back, and to the newcomers, welcome!
This is a journey that's long and relentless. It is the mother of all hazings. Those of us who emerge at the other end, through it all, will have endured heavy sacrifices, risen to incredible challenges, and made more than our fair share of law school bon mots.
But this is not the time, not yet, for a valedictory. It is, for my brothers and sisters of the class of '08, the time to hunker down, to savor what for many of us will be our last chance at living the life of a student.
At a certain other law school in the Southland, I am told, students are told at orientation to look to their left and look to their right: "If you are still here, those people will be gone."
Here at Loyola, no matter the trials and travails in the days to come, look to your left, and look to your right. That is your brother. That is your sister. They will have bunked down in the trenches with us. They will have shared their joys and sorrows. And most will still be with us.
Look at them now. Go to them. Say anything, if only "hello". Or, if you're shy, smile or wave. They have shared with you what few other human beings will have gone through. And in the future, they may just be your "in", not only in your career, but perhaps in your personal relationships.
This week, as we float into our classes, let us remember to keep smiling, keep shining, knowing we can always count on each other.
Welcome and welcome back!
Once Ted got back, most of our group from the Beijing Summer Abroad class were reunited. Naturally, we went for hot pot. It wasn't as good (or as inexpensive) here as it was in Beijing, but we made up for it by enjoying each other's company. Before the night was over, we'd played Deuces ... for pushups! That's why our faces are still so red!
I was honored to attend the inaugural William French Smith Lecture at Pepperdine Law School. It was essentially a sit-down chat with Dean Kenneth W. Starr, Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., of the United States Supreme Court, Constitutional Law Professor Douglas W. Kmiec, and Carter G. Phillips, Esquire.
By the way, although the Pepperdine Law School is just one building, this is their view:
