case dismissed!

I won my first case Thursday. Okay, so it wasn't a jury trial and it wasn't really "my" case, but still, I talked to the judge and the district attorney, and they decided to drop all charges against our client. It was the same case I had tried to get dismissed a couple weeks ago. It had been continued for two weeks, and this time I was able to talk to one of the more senior (and reasonable) DA's about it. Long story short, we win! Our client's record is clean, we get our money, the DA's can go prosecute cases that actually have merit, etc. The only downside is that I spent a good chunk of the last few weeks preparing an appeal which will now never be heard. Oh well- good practice for next time, I suppose.

Needless to say I was pretty excited leaving the courthouse. In fact, I was so excited that I drove off with our client's file sitting on the roof of my car. Halfway back to the office I realized what I'd done and turned around. Sure, the case had been dismissed, but the file was still packed with legal documents containing confidential information. Back at court, no sign of the file. The clerk's office hadn't seen it. With little hope, I started walking up the road only to notice two employees from the medical center next door out in the middle of Lacey Boulevard with arms full of papers. Ten minutes later all papers had been retrieved, even the ones two blocks up the street in the Waffle House parking lot.

What can I say, Christmas came early for me this year.

check it out

go to www.ula-equipment.com and click refresh a few times if you don't see me. Brian, the guy who owns ULA, sold me the pack I used for my thru-hike. I sent him a thank-you postcard with a picture a while back, and he's put it on his website. I'm not sure how my name got changed...

I'm famous! Hi Mom!!

a one-year anniversary

One year ago today I had a little run-in with that most dangerous of power tools, the table saw. The index, middle, and ring fingers on my right hand weren't much of a match for the carbide tipped blade spinning at several thousand revolutions per minute.

I've always considered myself to be fairly careful with power tools. Having grown up around them I was familiar with what they were capable of. I'd heard people with half a hand warn that the minute you don't respect these things, they'll bite ya. But a momentary lapse of caution together with a couple of other factors such as hurrying and extreme cold all combined to make for a very interesting workday.

Here's the glove I was wearing that day. It didn't have any holes pre-accident =)

I'm purposely omitting the pics I snapped with my camera phone at the hospital. Here's the hand 5 days after:

And here's the hand I'm typing this with today (just snapped with my camera phone):

Isn't the body's power to heal itself incredible? Or rather, isn't the One who created the human body amazing. A year later, my glove's still torn up, but all I have are some faint scars and some scar tissue, and some (not total) loss of feeling. I can type and do just about everything else just fine. This could have been so much worse. God is gracious! (Incidentally, that happens to be the meaning of my name.)

tidings of great birthday wishes

Happy birthday bro. you da man!

In keeping with the excellent tradition started by Erin...

hearings shmearings

The latest work-related news is that I showed up in court today (all spiffy in a new suit of course) and discovered that I had the wrong time for our pretrial hearing. What a waste of a clean dress shirt.

More interestingly, albeit less recently, I got to argue the merits of a case before a judge in chambers last week. I was sent to simply confirm dates at a trial readiness hearing, but informed that if I could ask to speak with the judge in chambers (fancy legal word for "office"), AND convince him and/or the DA to dismiss our case, I'd be looking at a hefty Christmas bonus. With nothing but inexperience to lose, I gave it a shot. I presented a brief summation of the facts of our case along with our strongest arguments why dismissing the case is in everyone's best interests, and the judge's interest was piqued. He indicated that he saw some merit in what I was saying, and just as a glimmer of hope started to surface, the DA piped up with some concocted story justifying the charges which was completely inconsistent with what the officers had written in the police report. I was 99% sure this guy (who wasn't the DA assigned to the case and was just filling in) hadn't even read the case materials or the police report and was just full of crap. I called him on the carpet but it was just enough to keep the case headed for trial: No dismissal for our client, and no Christmas bonus for me. I learned from another DA in the office that I was up against the young hardline prosecutor who's making a name for himself by racking up as many convictions as possible. Apparently his self-image can't handle the defeat of dismissing a losing case that's not even his. Actually, he may not have had the authority to dismiss, since he apparently doesn't have all that much seniority in the office (all the more reason to appear tough- it's a vicious cycle).

Anyway, it was the first time I appeared in a persuasive rather than simply procedural capacity. Instead of entering a plea, requesting a continuance, or scheduling court dates, I was actually arguing the merits of a case. Gotta admit, I was a little nervous when the judge looked down at me and said "Mr. S------, what do have on this case?," but I enjoyed it as well. From what I hear, a little fear can heighten the senses and improve performance, as long as you're controlling it and not vice versa. Anyway, it adds to the experience, just like it does with, say, skydiving.

That's what's new on the legal front, at least on the surface. Below the surface, an issue is brewing, which I hope to resolve and later blog about in a post titled "the ethics of criminal defense." In that post, look for answers to such weighty questions as "is there such a thing?,"can prosecutors be sleazy too?," and "why didn't Sean go to the potluck dinner at Faith Baptist?" Ok, that last one might not be included, but it's still a weighty question.

warning- boring post

Today marks the first time (as far as I recall) that I've paid someone else to change my oil and filter, something I'm perfectly capable of doing myself. Actually, I enjoy being under the hood occasionally. Few things make you feel more like a man than wielding a big wrench in grease-stained, busted-knuckled hands. But it's just not very practical in my present circumstances (insufficient tools and space, and probably against the rules at the apt complex anyway). The upside is I found this lube place that has you in and out in ten minutes without ever leaving your car! (Rather than using a lift, you pull up over a "pit" and they do the work from below. ) I was impressed with the efficiency of the system, and can certainly see why hardly anybody bothers with doing it themselves anymore. And, I used a coupon I found in the phone book to get three dollars off plus a free car wash. I'm sure Fiona is surprised and grateful for the sudden lavish attention bestowed upon her.

California's Central Valley is essentially a dust bowl, so the cars get really dirty really fast. One guy at my office has a monthly membership arrangement with the car wash allowing for unlimited washes. I never heard of such a thing back east. And I'm sure products like Rain-X, which are big in the northeast, aren't so hot out here. Sometimes I wonder if the windshield wipers will ever serve a purpose other than smearing the dust around on the glass.

My father was a top-notch mechanic, working on everything from boats to big rigs. His father ("Grandad") maintained a little workshop down in the basement so he could tinker well into his golden years. I'm grateful for the experiences I too have had working on my own vehicles and learning from/helping Dad work on the family cars growing up.

So today, I'm glad the Subie's clean and lubed, but I miss the satisfaction and fulfillment of getting down and dirty with the tools.

waning uncle-osity

I miss my nieces and nephews! Can't wait to see the PA ones at least over Christmas. Look at how cute these kids are!


This is the newest neice, Mary Kate Colleen. Looks like she was born with only three fingers on her right hand.


This is my Oklahoma niece, Adelaide Wynn, or "Addie." Do we not make a very cute couple?


And here's a man after my own heart: Owen Patrick. He concocted this getup with the help of his two older brothers and younger sister before bedtime the other day. This is some classic styling: tube socks to the shoulder, pants legs rolled up to the thigh, and suspenders with no shirt. Reminds me of some of my own original designs, back in the day. I'm not sure exactly what he was going to be fishing for.

He doesn't even wear glasses. And yes, that's a sharpened stick protruding from the bandana. Note the clever placement of hair (or ear =) scrungies. Ingenious!

stop asking me!

Many of you have been clamoring for pictures of my new suits. Well I'm not going to post any and I'll tell you why: It's vain and it's lame. I mean, if I ran across somebody's blog where their latest post was a picture of them sporting their new sweater, I'd be, how shall I put it, somewhat less than interested. Besides, after how much I've talked them up I don't think one or two pictures are really going to do them justice. So if you want to see the shoes or the suits, you're just going to have to come visit me. Yep, that's right- I'm extending an open invitation. Come one, come all.




sorry to disappoint.





On second thought, I guess I don't see any harm in posting just one little picture...

cold snap, gym membership

The locals are going crazy because the temperature dipped below freezing last night. I heard one guy announce with an air of incredulity and amazement, "It's so cold- if it rained it would be snow!" Now I've never considered myself to be a true Northerner or anything, but comments like that make me wonder. Actually my thermostat measured 54 degrees in the apt when I woke up this morning. It's not that I'm too cheap to use the heat. It's just that I'm not there most of the time, and most of the time that I am there, I'm sleeping or on the couch and can don a blanket. I guess one of the pluses of being an avid backpacker is that I have lots of warm sleeping bags.

In other news, I've joined a gym! I've never had a gym membership before and I'm pretty excited about it. I have to admit, however, that when I was there last night I found it a little overwhelming. I hardly know the first thing about working out, and there were SO many machines! I'll probably spend most of my time in the actual gymnasium proper, where they have pick-up basketball daily, and open indoor soccer and volleyball every week. Oh, and I stepped on the scale and was amazed to find that I weigh over twenty pounds more than I did when I finished hiking the AT.

lawyer stuff

Time for a work update. I've been doing the whole lawyer thing for roughly two months now, and I'm still a total newbie. But I have had some interesting experiences so far and I'd like to think I'm learning a thing or two along the way.

My first day on the job, Martens took me with him to the county jail to interview some inmates he had been appointed by the state to represent in parole revocation hearings. I don't recall ever being inside a jail before. After surrendering our ID's and bar cards, we were ushered past several steel doors. Some guy was having what looked like a drug-induced seizure on the floor. We walked around. The interviews were conducted in a small room surfaced entirely in concrete save the steel door, which locked behind us after we entered. When we were ready for the next inmate, we had to summon a guard to open the door. The guards were pretty busy and one time we had to wait several minutes to be let out. We joked about the panic button on the wall and how help probably would have come too late had there been a real emergency. Right after that, for some reason my boss and the hearing coordinator dude had to step out for a bit, and the door slammed shut on me and a very large mean looking inmate with limited English. I remember vaguely wondering whether this would be a good time to start getting concerned. But then, I reminded myself that I was on this guy's side- defense counsel. Besides, he was only in for grand theft auto number five, I think. No worries, right?

On the way out we had to wait while other inmates were shuffled around. Some guard was having a confrontation with another inmate. Trying to stay out of the way, I hugged the wall. I didn't freak out at all. At least not until I looked up to see a haggard female inmate about four feet away giving me an extremely creepy smile through the bars. Not like a "hey, how are ya" smile, but more of a "I want something from you" smile.

I've made some appearances in court as well. Just simple procedural stuff, but still, it's unfamiliar and therefore somewhat daunting. The real trial by fire came last week when I had to do six appearances in one morning. Two lawyer friends had made a mutual mistake resulting in a scheduling conflict, and asked me to fill in for them. Another lawyer in their office heard what was going on and asked if I could appear to request continuances on a couple of his cases as well. One of the cases was a felony sentencing hearing. My friend admonished me that whatever happened I was not to allow his client to be taken into custody. No kidding! I wasn't too thrilled at the possibility that some guy could be hauled off to jail because of my inadequate representation, but it ended up being no problem. The most stressful part of the day was getting lost on the way to the courthouse (Bakersfield- I'd never appeared there before), parking in the wrong spot, and making it into the courtroom with no time to spare. Seriously, criminal court appearances are not something you show up late for. Besides the adverse effects for your client, the attorney can face fines, penalties, and other criminal sanctions, including a suspended license or disbarment, which is always a real downer.

Not one person mistook me for a defendant or student today! I'm crediting the new charcoal grey suit with making me look sophisticated and professional.

tp, electricity, and other facets of single life

I've lived away from home before, but always with at least a couple roommates. So I've never lived completely by myself. The biggest downside to this is that time at home can occasionally be a battle with boredom/loneliness. However, there are pluses as well. For example:

-Things stay where I put them.
-Things last a really long time. Things like, soap, toilet paper, detergent, even food. My household cleaners will likely last several decades at the current rate of consumption.
-I can leave my shoes on the living room floor if I feel like it. Or the kitchen counter, or the hallway. In a word, I have options.
-Nobody scolds me if I fall asleep with the light or tv on. (Actually, this is probably a bad thing)

Speaking of, I got my second electricity bill today, and found it quite disconcerting. I have been trying my best to minimize use of electricity. Seriously, other than a couple of appliances and a light bulb or two in the evening,I use virtually no electricity at all. I haven't touched my thermostat in weeks. (The weather's been so moderate that I haven't had the heat or AC on in well over a month, I'm sure!)Yet somehow my bill was still over $30 dollars. I know, that's probably not worth complaining about, but I was sort of hoping for a bill in the five to ten dollar range. Is that too much to ask? I mean, c'mon- I have to pay for my suits!

SMR update

Sequoia Mountain Rescue called me back (the next morning). They voted on me, and I was unanimously approved as their newest probationary member! I believe that makes me the only conservative to win a vote in recent elections. I'm excited about the first team training exercise, on December 10.

more on grace

Just one more paragraph from that book, definitely worth the read, in my opinion:

"During the Brezhnev era at the height of the Cold War, Billy Graham visited Russia and met with government and church leaders. Conservatives back home reproached him for treating the Russians with such courtesy and respect. He should have taken a more prophetic role, they said, by condemning the abuses of human rights and religious liberty. One of his critics accused him of setting the church back fifty years. Graham listened, lowered his head, and replied, 'I am deeply ashamed. I have been trying very heard to set the church back two thousand years.'"

By this all men will know that you are My disciples: If you love one another.

today's highlights

1. Blowing the budget at Men's Wearhouse. Pro's: now that I'm getting my first new custom-tailored suits, I can see myself actually enjoying dressing up for the first time in my life. Con's: spent just over a thousand bucks! Yikes. Hopefully I'll be able to recoup that when I show up in court in my new duds and attract lots of new clients.

2. Buying my first set of golf clubs at the "Rescued Treasures" Salvation Army thrift store for $10. The boss and I conjured up the brilliant idea of buying ourselves 20 spare clubs so we can have some extra fun on the course by wrapping a nine iron around a tree or sending the #3 wood on a high arc into the water hazard. Also a great stress reliever. (more on golf in a future post)

golfing done right.

3. Walking several blocks downtown in the middle of the afternoon on our way back to the office from Rescued Treasures, sporting our newly acquired clubs (no caddies, just clubs). Lots of interesting looks from motorists and passersby.

4. Attending a first meeting with Sequoia Mountain Rescue. Most of the team was there, and I was impressed with the professional yet fun and close-knit atmosphere. I'm looking forward to hearing back from them soon. (I think they were going to vote on whether to accept me as a probationary member after I left.)

on Grace

I've been reading a book called "What's So Amazing About Grace," by Phillip Yancey. I've been thoroughly enjoying it, and highly recommend this title. In the chapter I was reading last night, the following paragraphs stood out:

"I believe that dispensing God's grace is the Christian's main contribution. As Gordon McDonald said, the world can do anything the church can do except one thing: it cannot show grace. In my opinion, Christians are not doing a very good job of dispensing grace to the world..."

"Jesus did not let any institution interfere with his love for individuals. Jewish racial and religious policies forbade him to speak with a Samaritan woman, let alone one with a checkered moral background; Jesus selected one as a missionary. His disciples included a tax collector, viewed as a traitor by Israel, and also a Zealot, a member of the super-patriot party. He praised the countercultural John the Baptist. He met with Nicodemus, an observant Pharisee, and also with a Roman centurion. he dined in the home of another Pharisee named Simon and also in the home of an "unclean" man, Simon the leper. For Jesus, the person was more important than any category or label."

Perhaps this excerpt loses loses impact when isolated from its surrounding pages, but for me it rang especially true. Christians should be known by their spirit of love, not judgment. After all, it was love's triumph over judgment that made a way of salvation for us all.

visit w/ old friends

I'm still trying to catch up on stuff that's happened since I moved but before I started this blog. One highlight was getting a somewhat surprise visit from some PA friends! Heidi, Holly, and Natalee were taking a cross-country sisters-special road trip, and decided to include a stop in Visalia. We had a great time checking out Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (awesome scenery, but I forgot the memory card for my camera! major bummer =), dining out, watching movies, and also driving two hours to the Central Coast. We arrived at Morro Bay just in time to catch the sunset. Here's a shot:

Morry Bay is a cool little beach, but we didn't have much time, so I'm looking forward to checking it out again next summer. I especially want to climb up that big mound of rock in the background, just for fun.

Thanks for visiting guys! I had a blast. If it's not too unmanly to admit, I especially enjoyed singing all the old favorites in the car while to/from the mountains and the beach. And a big thank you is due to all three for buying me a microwave and some other stuff for the kitchen, and for even going so far as to do some cleaning and organizing for me while I was at work! Just for the record, of course I do enjoy spending time with friends even when they don't buy me gifts and clean my shower. Also, contrary to what the boss and other locals think, I don't have three girlfriends =)

SMR 2

How many of you think think this pic represents what I look like fairly accurately:

I'm guessing at least some of you would say that it's a decent likeness. My sister Holly thought it was me. Well guess what? It's not- I pulled this pic off of SMR's website on the cave rescue training page. Weird, eh? Maybe I have a twin I didn't know about, or I can be this dude's stunt double. It would be a shame to not capitalize on this somehow.

Sequoia Mountain Rescue

I'm on my lunch break here, so I'll try to keep this one short. Shortly after I moved, I was reading a book about survival I found at Borders. The book reminded me about Alpine search and rescue (SAR) teams. I've often thought about how cool it would be to be a part of one, and now that I live in an area that actually has real alpine wilderness, I decided to look into it. Turns out, there's an elite group of volunteers right here in my county, called Sequoia Mountain Rescue. They perform search and rescue operations in high angle and alpine environments, caves, and swiftwater throughout the Southern Sierra Nevada range. In short, this is every boy's dream (especially me), but here it's actually for real. Each team member is completely volunteer and even purchases their own equipment, and each member puts their own neck on the line in hopes of saving others'. They train one weekend a month, doing all the cool things like climbing and rapelling, caving, winter skills (snowshoes/skis), etc. This group pretty much rocks. So, after browsing everything on their website (check out the link, top right), I sent in an application (donated a pint of blood in the process just to find out what my blood type is, but that's another story).

Anyway, I've received a response to my application, which said (in relevant part): "Thank you for your interest in Sequoia Mountain Rescue. We are extending you an invitation to meet our members at the next upcoming team quarterly meeting on Tuesday, November 14 at 1730 to 2200." (They even use military time. how awesome is that! =). Oh, and the other neat thing is that my boss/job is flexible so work won't be a problem either. I'm pumped about this opportunity, and I'll certainly post further on this in the coming weeks.

settling in

I've been telling people back East (and myself) that my move to CA isn't necessarily forever, but certain things do seem to indicate the permanancy of my new position:

-This afternoon I moved into my new office, right across the hall from Martens. I have my own desk, chair, network hookup, and phone. Wippee! (for the past month plus I've been sharing my boss's somewhat cramped office and equipement, so I'm sure we're both going to appreciate the extra elbow room). The new office is still mostly empty, but hey, ya gotta start somewhere, right? First things to go on the walls will probably be my JD degree and license to practice from the CA Supreme Court. Not necessarily my style, but it's what every lawyer does. Anyway, here's a first look:

It looks small, but it's really not a hole in the wall. That opening to the right extends another six feet or so to two large windows. Thinking about a Nerf basketball hoop or couch in that space.

-My new business cards are ready to be picked up from Staples. I haven't seen them yet, but Martens assures me they have my name and "attorney at law" on 'em. Yeah baby.

-Finally, I've got Cali vehicle plates and drivers license. I've had both for a while now, but didn't take a pic of them until recently. I kind of like the PA drivers license better, actually, 'cause it has the names of the counties and the state logo in a mult-level irridescent watermark across the face of each license, which of course is very cool. Here's what the Cali ones look like:

To any crooks thinking about stealing my identity from this pic- Ha ha! Notice how I shrewdly covered up all the important numbers...

How I got the job

First of all, A great big thank you to everyone for the comments. I'd have gotten into blogging much sooner if I'd have known how much fun it could be. Keep 'em coming!

And on a more serious note, here's a little account I typed up a few days ago regarding how I ended up relocating 3000 miles away:

One of the main reasons I hiked the AT was to get direction for the future, specifically in regards to career. Despite countless miles spent alone with the Lord in prayer, I arrived home from Maine with nothing specific in that regard, but with a nagging sense that it would be a shame for all the resources I invested in getting a law degree to simply go to waste.
I was home for only about a week when I got a message from a lawyer friend in CA (Mark Bigger) that there was a law job opportunity in CA: Christopher Martens, an OBCL grad with a solo practice, was getting too busy to keep up. Mark encouraged me to contact Martens and I promised to think about it.
The next day, my phone rang and it was Christopher. Our conversation was brief but exciting. After a couple more days of prayer and discussion, I told him I’d be in CA by the end of September (AFTER our annual family vacation =).
Breaking into the legal market is challenging under the best of circumstances, and this difficulty is compounded exponentially when you’re trying to job-hunt from 3000 miles away, more than two years after graduating law school, and when you don’t have a traditional high school diploma, undergrad degree, or juris doctor degree. I feel strongly that this move and job offer is God’s direction for my life. The timing couldn’t have been better, and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m humbled and amazed by the blessings God has showered upon me. They certainly aren’t a result of any efforts on my part, but as the proverb says, “God makes the sun to shine on the just as well as the unjust.”

Yosemite National Park

For Columbus Day my friend Mark and I took a day trip up to Yosemite. The natural beauty in that park was absolutely stunning. My measly little camera does it a great injustice. But since I have no better way of showing what we experienced, here are a few pics:




(L) Half dome (I think), and Nevada Falls

Half Dome

The final 1/4 mile or so up Half Dome is straight up a granite slab which is at probably around a 60 degree angle or so. pretty intense! I was definitely a little nervous at first, but then grew accustomed to it.

One of the views from the top. I think they call this the Devil's Pulpit.

Me =)

Vernal Falls

Mark has a rather poor tolerance for altitude, so he took a nap while I scompered up the final 2+ miles on my own. This was a challenging hike, with significant elevation gain. I think it's around 17 miles roundtrip.

On the way home I napped in Mark's Camero while he drove it like a crazy man. Let's just say I can now report that I've gone 100 mph in a 35 mph zone. =) He's a good driver though.

On the way home we stopped in Fresno and met two other OBCL alumnus, Jon and Sally Freeman, for dinner at The Brewhouse or something such. When we finally crashed back at my apartment, sleep came swift and sweet.

The apartment

Here's my pad- 78A, the top corner unit. My door's right at the top of these stairs, just a couple of feet out of the picture.




And here's the landscaping, all twisty and stuff. The pool and mailboxes are dead ahead.

The kitchen and entryway, including my new microwave (black) and toaster (white). I don't discriminate on account of color. (obviously, or I wouldn't be in a place with olive green cabinets and mustard countertops/floors =)

The bike shop- complete with overhead light, fan, and easy-clean floor. aka dining room
Lots of storage space in the spare room (yeah, a spare room in a 1 bdr apt! I sleep on the futon in the living room so this room's mostly empty)

The living room, looking towards the balcony




And looking the other way, towards the bathroom and bed/spare room.

The Drive Out

Not much to say here. I left Harrisburg around 1 pm on Wednesday, 9/20/06, with my car loaded to the gills. My car actually doesn't have gills, but if it did, it would have been loaded right to 'em. Here's a picture showing me and Fiona with all her loadedness and gill-lessness. As you can see, there was very little in the way of tire/fender clearance.

Seven or eight hundred miles later I had a surprisingly good night's sleep at a rest stop- somewhere in Missouri, I think. The truckers and I woke up to a crisp clear day, perfect for driving.

And then there were like two more days of this.

I did get to overnight with the fam in OK, which of course was the highlight of the trip and a welcome break. Thanks guys!

I crossed the border into CA Saturday morning, which means I made the cross-country trip in roughly three full days. The cheapest gas I found was $2.07 in Ohio, and the most expensive was somewhere around $3.40, right after I got into CA. I think I spent between 250 and 300 bucks in gas and tolls on the 2800 mile trip.

announcing FlibbyDibby

Ladies and Gentleman, I have an important and late-breaking news announcement:

Cannonbomb!!

Ok, so maybe it's not important, but it is late-breaking: I've decided to cave to peer pressure and become cool by starting a blog. Last night I was trying to put together some e-mails updating friends and family on my life in general, and realized how much easier it would be (both on myself and on your inboxes) if I just put my latest news on the web. So here's my very latest news:

My stomach just rumbled.

And now I'm going to go home and think of more blog content. Perhaps even something that someone somewhere might actually have a flicker of interest in reading. Oh, and in the meantime, here are some pics of my new office: