The Baylor Biblioteca

I really like the law school library. A lot.

In addition to being a top-notch research facility with competent, friendly staff, it’s also a really serene place in the evenings. There are very few people here, and it’s nice and quiet, but not in an off-putting way. The lighting is not intrusive, and the people (for the most part) are courteous and respectful, especially in the evenings. Even if I don’t have much work to do, I enjoy spending time here at the library, in the spacious reading room or tucked away in one of the small side rooms with a nice view overlooking the river. Lately, they’ve been putting fresh flowers on the tables in the 2nd floor reading room. While I know that it’s just an extra touch for the prospective students, but it’s nice to see some vibrant color and plant life in a room that’s otherwise short on greenery.

It won’t do it justice, but here’s a picture of the reading room I took with my camera phone. Calm, quiet, and well-lit.

-JT

L’haute couture de Waco, Texas

Contrary to what some of my fellow classmates might suggest, Waco can be a fairly cultured city when it comes down to it. I have found several places in this town that seem to attract a very specific “culture-seeking” crowd, and albeit few and far between, there are actually some pretty cool places to go and things to do in this little central Texas burg. While we’ll post in the future in more detail about some of these places, I wanted to offer up a sampling of some of the culture and class that I’ve found so far, as well as some upcoming events you might be interested in.

What: Live Jazz Trio
Where: Diamond Back’s Restaurant, 217 Mary Ave., Waco TX
When: Thursday nights from 7-10, Friday nights from 7:30-10:30
Cost: Free; Diamondback’s is a pretty pricey restaurant if you want to eat, but the lounge is separate from the restaurant and there’s a bar that serves pretty much everything.
Description: Guitarist Pat McKee, Bassist Tramm Kelley, and a saxophonist (on Fridays) serve up a relaxing mix of jazz standards and original compositions. The music is loud enough to actively listen to, but quiet enough to be able to sit feet from the band and still carry on a conversation without talking over the music. Diamondback’s is a very nice place, and it’s a nice break from the collegiate atmosphere. I try to go every Friday if possible, and I’m always looking for company.

What: Jazz Piano
Where: Courtyard by Marriott, 101 Washington Ave., Waco TX
When: Wednesday, April 23, 5:30pm
Cost: Free
Description: Jazz pianist Dave Wild performs at the monthly “Manager’s Reception” (I’m not quite sure what this means, only that it’s open to the public). Wild is a great piano player and his cd is always a good listen. Other jazz musicians perform as well, although I can’t find a specific listing of which ones.

What: Classical Piano, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Alexander Korbin
Where: Waco Hall on the Baylor University Campus
When: Thursday, April 17, 7:15pm
Cost: Cheapest ticket is $20
Description: Alexander Korbin, Gold Medalist in the 2005 Van Cliburn competition, performs Rachmaninoff’s 2nd piano concerto. Although I probably won’t be able to go to this one, it’s nice to see events like this come to Waco, thanks to the Waco Symphony. I think the fact that the town has its own symphony qualifies for culture, right?

Unfortunately, because none of these events happen in the Baylor Law School library, it will be hard for me to make it (other than Friday night jazz) until after finals. But if you feel the need for some cultural activity that’s not trapping feral cats or going to Wal-Mart, perhaps this is a good starting point.

Zen and Law School

I am pretty taken with Zen Buddhism. On my bookshelf are several zen books, covering general concepts and even some specific ones for zen guitarists and zombies. While I wouldn’t exactly call myself a full-time practitioner, I am at least a casual follower, and I generally try (when I can remember) to apply the principles to my life. Today, in an apparent and increasingly rare moment of clarity, I realize that there are several zen principles that I think I can apply to my law school endeavors to make them more productive, or at the very least more gratifying.

• Focus – I’ve found that staying focused day in and day out is one of the hardest things to consistenly do. With so many people, ideas, and opportunities constantly assaulting the senses, it’s very hard to remained completely focused, not only on the task at hand, but on the larger perspective as well. There is an old zen saying that is something along the lines of “Do what has to be done, when it has to be done, as well as it can be done, and do it that way every time.” I personally think that’s a pretty sharp way to look at and go about doing things, but it’s definitely easier said than done. The key is to focus on whatever you’re doing, and completely focus on doing it and doing it correctly. Then just do it that way every time. The way the big picture falls into this mantra is in the consistent habit of practice. “Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.” Getting into the routine of doing something makes it exponentially easier to do consistently. Law school is not about instant gratification. It’s a marathon, and if you want to finish near the top, you’ve got to make the commitment to train, dedicate yourself, and, like marathon running, eat an occasional banana and be ok with peeing yourself along the way.

• Simplify – On my computer, I have several programs for diagramming, outlining, note-taking, instant messaging, research, file backups, browsing, regulating my time, tracking my finances, and many other useful things. Do I use them all? Of course not. I use a word processor, an internet browser, and an instant messenger (which is both a blessing and a curse). Law schools, bar prep companies, publishers, Westlaw and Lexis, and tons of student organizations will constantly throw all sorts of things at you, all designed to help you “maximize your productivity” and get the most out of your time. There comes a point, which seems to be very early in law school, where you have to stop and ask yourself “what benefit am I going to gain from this?” If you can’t instantly think of a significant benefit, maybe it’s time to consider whether or not that thing is essential. Very few people ever say “Man, there’s not enough stuff in my inbox/to-do list/schedule.” I’ve got to try and pare it down to only what I need to accomplish the task at hand.

• Reflection – One thing they hammer home constantly during your first quarter is review, review, review (only in the law school parlance of outline, outline, outline). I see a lot of my fellow 1Qs looking to get their hands on as many old outlines as possible, looking to glean extra knowledge that will give them the advantage that their classmates don’t have. Personally, I eschew this idea (keeping in mind, of course, that I’m on the same level as they are and my recommendations and wisdom on law school should be taken with a grain of salt). I feel like other people’s outlines aren’t helpful. I have a few outlines that were given to me by some helpful upper quarters, and I’ve looked through them. Even some of the material I’m pretty confident about seems foreign when I read it in their words. Everyone has a different understanding of the material, and if you’re reading someone else’s outline, you’re reading how they phrase the ideas, and it seems like it’s counterintuitive to gleaning a personal understanding of what’s being conveyed. Reflection is a zen concept that allows us to look inwards, and I think that the process of outlining is exactly that- looking inwards toward our own knowledge, and putting it down on paper. I suppose we’ll see how it turns out when the grades come out, but regardless of the grades I earn, I don’t think I’m going to have any regrets about how I’ve gone about doing things so far. We’ll see.

Gary Bartz, recalling a conversation with Miles Davis, once said “I remember coming to a concert where they had a big catered meal set out for everyone…. I went and said ‘Miles, man, you gotta see all this food they got here.’ And Miles said, ‘I didn’t come here to eat.’” This is the attitude I’m trying to cultivate. I am here to learn. I’m not here to eat from catered buffet. Hopefully zen will help me do that, but it’s a constant battle.

-JT

On taxes

I got around to paying my taxes today. As expected, it was about as fun as having my back waxed (don’t ask). I was deemed an ‘independent contractor’ for both jobs I held last year and so I was taxed at about 14.5% since I didn’t earn standard W-2 income (I might now be an expert on all things 1099-MISC and Schedule SE). Most standard deductions don’t apply like they do towards earnings reported on a W-2. I had anticipated this springtime ritual of hemorrhaging cash, but that doesn’t mean it hurts any less.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand and can accept ponying up taxes because I enjoy things like interstate highways to drive on and Smithsonians to visit. Public services are fantastic and I’m more than happy to contribute to society’s collective needs.

Besides that, who doesn’t like paying for the occasional War on Terror (about 13% of the federal budget), ill-conceived-but -politically-popular-ethanol subsidy or corporate bailout? When I began to pay my taxes a few years ago I asked myself as I was writing a check to the IRS, “Where is this money even going?” I’m by no means well-versed in macroeconomics (my second lowest grade as an undergraduate), but when I checked out the federal discretionary budget for the first time, it made me sad.

Sometimes I feel like the government is a naughty schoolboy whose mother gives him one dollar every year – let’s assume it’s a dollar in 1920 or a really cheap mom in 2008, your choice. Anyway, he goes out and spends 50 cents of the dollar on fireworks and bottle rockets to go and scare and injure other boys out of a tree house that has a lot of cool stuff in it. 25 cents goes into his piggy bank so that he’s got something to rely on next week, but he knows he’ll probably dip into that to buy some cool stuff right now. The remaining 25 cents goes towards stuff he’ll actually use. The school boy actually owes his mom and some other moms something like ten dollars. It’s a good thing they have faith in him for now. A gross oversimplification? Sure, but that’s about what it boils down to.

-WK