Guess who's ready for Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who did I think I was kidding?

Here I am, a little after seven at night, in the library at Hastings (That's University of California Hastings College of the Law to you all). Sadly, being here this late has become the norm for the last three weeks, and it doesn't look like it is going to let up. I remember when I started and I thought I could just put in eight hours a day and be good. That was then. Now I feel like as long as I stay till eight I can get everything done. This is not griping, however, I am really enjoying myself and feeling like this is the place for me. As Chadski used to say in high school, usually after running lines in the gym, "throw it at me (gasp) coach!", "(Cough) throw it at me!!!" Bring it on Law School, just kidding. Here's a shot of me in the biblioteca. The goatee is cut in preparation to cut my handlebar mustache for Halloween, that's right, guess who's going as Hulk Hogan!!!!! I'll send you the pictures Kendy.

First Test in Law School

So, I took my first test today, my only midterm. Tracy was right, they are pretty tough. The studying was crazy, but it was nothing compared to the test itself. Imagine one of those old black and white videos where thousands of ladies are typing away, that was what my fingertips were doing. We had one hour to cram as much analyzed law and facts into three questions (that's better than a three hour final). I feel like I did OK, and that seems to be the general consensus in the class. To give you guys a better idea to how it was I'll post some before and after pictures.

Before

After
Just kidding, I was way more stressed before the test. Cool beans, I took it and survived, now I just have to wait for my grade.

Just normal fun stuff

So I just wanted to share a couple of things that I did/saw today. I think everyone knows I like to pull stuff out of dumpsters, no surprise there, but I saw what I could turn into in thirty years if I'm not careful. (Note: I see people digging through the trash all the time, but this was different). So my campus has two buildings across the street from each other. I was waiting to cross that street and a guy walking by threw his cigarette on the ground, I noticed it was barely smoked and said (sarcastically in my head), "what a waste of a good cigarette". This is when the magic happened. A guy walking by, sees the ciggy and picks it up and starts smoking it, like he just found a dollar on the ground! This was not a bum, just a normal looking older dude, crazy. I hope that's not me in a few years, "hey, who threw away this Snapple?!?!" "It's still got a good swallow in the bottom!"

The other bit of news is that today I had to write a fake letter to a fake client, guess what fake law firm I worked for? That's right, Harrison, Harrison, & Nuttall. Lance and Tracy, Yes We Can!Who wouldn't want us to represent them, for an exorbitant amount of money?

Have you ever ridden a bus alone? I have.

I'm not talking without anyone you know, that happens all the time. What I'm talking about is last night I got on the bus about nine thirty or ten, coming home from FHE, and I was the only person riding the bus. Just me and the driver. I tried some jokes to break the ice, but no dice. It was kinda weird. I guess it was good though, because I would have looked foolish craning my neck around and standing up to read every street sign so I didn't miss my stop. Oh well, good times.

I love tag, Especially Freeze Tag

Thanks Brooke, loved your bit. I'm not mad, I'm glad. I always be lookin for a chance to blog-a-log. Before I start, I contemplated using this to force someone that does not have a blog, e.g. Lance and Renee or Jamie, to start a blog to comply with the tag. However, I think I will actually tag Dan and Krystal Nydegger, because no matter who does it, or if they do it together, the funniness will not be D-Nyde, which incidentally is also Dan's nickname. With no further ado. The list.

10 Favorites . . .

Color- It will always be blue, it brings out my eyes, but black and gray are making a comeback for sure. I definitely don't wear a lot of blue, but I like it. A lot.

Food- there it is, the category is my favorite one. Food itself is my favorite. Don't let my boyishly slim figure lead you astray, I love tha eats. Lets start with Mag's Smothered Rib eye, Halibut Oscar, Bleu Cheese dressing, the list could go on and on. Del- Bacon Double Del, Fish tacos, strawberry shake, deluxe chili cheese fries. Mom- anything she makes, BBQ beef, Chicken and Dumplings. OK, OK, next category. (oh yeah, apple pie, creme brulee, . . . ) Guys can like food too OK, and it doesn't matter where it comes from, if big K-mart soda taught me anythings, it's that taste is all that matters.

Song- This is almost as bad as the other one. Would have to say Holy Diver, right this minute, it's been stuck in my head ever since Dan gave me that The Very Beast of Dio CD for my late B-day, thanks Dan.

Movie- Hold up, any Rocky but five falls into this category, as well as Six-String Samurai, so we'll go latest and greatest as . . . who am i kidding? I forgot about the Shawshank Redemption that is the best movie of all time! (All you hatas out there, you might not like the idea of defense attorneys but I would have kept Andy out of jail!)

Sport- To watch? College Football. To play? Softball. To make fun of? Is the WNBA a sport?

Season- Warm. That's every season in Puerto Rico, and I can even enjoy winter if I'm warm and I'm snowboarding.

Day of the week- Friday, c'mon. Since Danny Tanner and the Girls on TGIF (not to mention so-called uncles Joey and Jessie). To parties in High school, to knowing I have a night with nothing due for two days in law school, nothing can touch Friday, nothing. Maybe Christmas.

Ice Cream Flavor- this is where I fall off the food train, I'm not a huge Ice Cream fan, but mint chocolate chip all the way. Love ya Grandma.

Time of day- Right when I finish my reading or homework, walk outside and realize I'm free for a few hours. Call me a patriot if you must, but I LOVE freedom.

9 Currents-

Mood- I am the most even keeled guy any of you know. How do you explain that? Content? I am also excited because the BoSox pulled even in the ALCS.

Taste- my own. I'm gonna dress how I'm gonna dress and I will live my life (thanks for the line T.I. and Rihanna). Also, saliva.

Clothes- 520 Levi's, black faded wash. Old school Huskies shirt and a red sweater that Jamie helped me pick out a year or two ago. Vintage and still a classic.

Desktop picture-
I especially like the guy in the vest. Happy B-day Jame.

Toenail Color- I guess kinda clear, whiter at the ends, the sides of the big toe are a little yellow. I get it, there are only 8 of them, thanks a lot you guys.

Time- 10:44 p.m. Pacific Time.

Surroundings- the bedroom that Uncle Denny and Aunt Jill have so graciously let me borrow these last few weeks. The bedspread is a sweet mixture of different animals coats, like zebra, cheetah, leopard, you get the idea. It is also a little messy, I'm packing up my things because, *sniff*, tonight is my last night with the Blodgies. I will be in my new place tomorrow. It is sweet by the way, post to follow.

Annoyances- Superiority, at least that isn't justified, you thought it was bad in college? Wait till law school. (Holla at my girl Tracy, she knows what I'm saying). I also think bathroom jokes are in poor taste, Just Kidding, it's me, c'mon, I invented those jokes.

Thought- Gosh, I can't type that fast. I guess it's just a mixture of what is going to happen in my life, I've had so many changes lately sometimes it's hard to get my head around it, but it's cool.

8 First

Best Friend- I guess you could say Zack Foulger, but Nate Burt is forever my best friend, so he would have to be the real first. He called me up out of the blue the other day, really a true friend. Going through a crazy accident is nothing if you get friends like Nate out of it, truly, truly.

Kiss- I'm kinda embarrassed about this so in the interest of anonymity lets just call her L. Strong, no, no, Lindsay S.

Pet- I had some hamsters, and Arson the garter snake, as well as a Bird, Mr. Bean, that my family starved to death. I think the hamsters were the first though.

Crush- Um, probably orange flavor, but I'm not ruling out strawberry or grape. (the soda, for those of you who didn't get the joke). I wouldn't even know what person, guys remember soda more than girls at early ages.

Music- I can't believe none of you put down Huey Lewis. We would all be dancing around in the basement (you were leading the charge if I remember right, General). We all knew it was "hip to be square".

Car- technically the first car I drove was LGOR, Dan named her, little gunner over-runner. The purple Toyota. The Van was really my first though. I loved it, and it got like 11 miles to the gallon.

Speeding ticket- right where 9th east turns into 7th east by Hillcrest. I was 17, on my way to sophomore orientation, SBO sweater and all. I was 17 over in a 45. The cop saw me on seventh and caught up to me three turns later in Hillcrest's parking lot. There I was, student body secretary, getting a ticket while all the new sophomores and their parents were driving by gawking. I had street cred after that, you better believe.

7 Last

Cigarette- if you count the gum kind, high school.
Drink- water, I'm pathetic. I hate water. But I'm getting healthy.
Car Ride- Uncle Denny Picked me up at the Bart station after I walked from my new house to the bus, rode the bus to the Muni train, and took muni to the Bart train, which I took to walnut creek. Counting earlier in the day I rode on a train seven times and on the bus three times. I am an Urban Warrior. You're lucky I was even in a car today.
Kiss- If you're talking the band, like a year ago, if you're talking lips, ditto.
Phone Call- Telling Uncle Denny I was coming in, but he did let me know the Red Sox were leading by two in the bottom of the ninth, so it was a merry event.
CD Played- I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, the new Angels and Airwaves is awesome. I can't get enough. Do I hear a holiday CD exchange?

6 have you evers-

Dated one of your best friends- By my definition of Best friend, I hope not, and no I haven't.

Broken the Law- Of course I have, the stories I could tell. Apparently it's a matter of law taking food out of dumpsters. I did it, and I got caught, by a copper, dirty handed (pun intended), ankle deep in a dumpster.

Been arrested- I have been told I was, and I was in the back of a cop car once, but no not officially.

Skinny Dipped- Yes, and it was mostly because we didn't have swimsuits, nothin glamorous about it.

Been on TV- this story is funny. Puls and I were on the mtn. (a Utah sports network) in the background of Canadian and BYU basketball player Jimmy Balderson's post- game interview. I believe the exact words we yelled were "We stand on guard for thee, Jimmeeeeeeeee!!!!!!"

5 things (5 for each)

You're wearing- Let's see, my Hacksaw Harrison buckle custom made by a Mr. Dan Nydegger. Two friendship bracelets, Thanks Kendy. HLJ Ring, the only one I haven't lost, Love ya Mom. My beard, and a silly smile, cause I think I'm pretty clever.

You've done today- Went to the Red Bull Soapbox race in SF, awesome. Went to Ross, new skillet, stainless steel, nonstick and a metal handle so I can put it in the oven, thanks for the cookbook Nick, I'm using it. Rode the train, went grocery shopping and woke up and looked out my new window that shows all the the west side of San Francisco clear to the ocean. Sorry suckers, but there is plenty of room for visitors, hotel hacksaw is now open! At very reasonable rates as well.

You can hear right now- Honesty, one of my favorite Billy Joel songs, Brooke inspired me to listen to B.J. tonight. My computer humming. Muffled voices somewhere in the Blodgett house. Clicking keys, and a general quiet.

You can't live without- The Gospel, Family, books, excitement, and lame jokes, in that order.

You do when your bored- Read, watch TV, bike, skateboard, blog.

4 places you've been today-

Safeway
Dolores Park (Soapbox races)
Powell Street (all the best shopping in S.F., and Ross)
Walnut Creek

3 People you can tell anything to-

1. Mike Goldman
2. Nate Burt
3. Myself among others, but I think that in today's world too many people are in the habit of lying to themselves, and I fell real honesty to yourself is sadly under utilized.

2 choices

1. Pack or sleep?
2. Take the train tomorrow or let the Blodgies drive me? (We'll see how much stuff I have.)

1 thing I want to do before I die-

1. Become president and I am not joking.

OK Dan and Krystal, I hope you take this as seriously as I did!

Rocktober Trip

Remember on my trip to Utah for John and Catherine's wedding a few days ago and I kept saying "that's going on the blog" when I was taking pictures? Well if I said that when I took one of you, and it's not on here, it's not because I forgot. It's because I hate you. Just kidding. It's probably because I'm a liar, here's to hoping they're all on here! Here is the crew from Jamal's B-day dinner. I think we've given up on the serious picture, we must just jump straight to silly, because this is the only one I have. I love this family. I'm sure you all knew Renee had a new job, check out that uniform!Hi Mom and Dad, thanks for dessert the other night and for letting me stay with you, it was really great to see everyone. Hi Lance, um, thanks to you too. The Blonders, hello.This is how I actually felt at the wedding. Congrats again John and Catherine, I had a great time.

Now I Can Finally Say I'm a College Graduate

I know what you're all thinking, "but Matt, didn't you graduate from college almost (counting on fingers) six months ago?" "Hasn't it been like a half of a year?" Yes, yes my hijos. That is all true, but as far as I am concerned you don't graduate until the Alumni Association sends you a mini diploma. I'm just glad I opened that letter, usually I just throw away the Alumni Association ones. Choose 2 give? Why don't you choose 2 let me into your law school? I wish I had back every one of the $2 I donated over my four years. I'm undefeated too, so there.

p.s. Just Kidding I love BYU and especially the football team, I'm so so sorry BYU I hope we can be best friends again.

Anne of Green Gables

So my Aunt Jill wants me to read this book called the Uglies (which my mother and my whole family has been pushing for a while by the way), so I was joking with my cousin Landon about girl books. I told him not to worry about me reading girl books, because even though I got sucked into Little House on the Prairie, I never read Anne of Green Gables. He then proceeds to say, "oh man, I hated that movie." Then he gives me a quote, (imagine Landon talking in a girlie Anne-accented voice) "I just felt like someone had given me the whole moon, and I didn't know what to do with it". Then he says sarcastically, "yeah, we've all felt like that before." Maybe you had to be there, but it was the funniest thing.

p.s. I'm famous now. Check it out.

You think you know a guy. . .

So I have this great friend John, I treat him great, teach him all my serving skills, he's like my brother, except Lance is not quite as tall and can't dance as well, but seriously when they were roommates I would get those two mixed up. Anyway, John and I had plans. In 2007 we were both going to get married in August and be next door neighbors, that didn't work out obviously (something about John not setting me up on enough blind dates, I forget). Fast forward to 2008, once again the plan is to live together and be next door neighbors, well he went and got married, I didn't, and I just went and rang my neighbors doorbell, not John. Is everyone else feeling as betrayed as me?
Seriously though, I think that John and Catherine make a great couple. They really compliment each other and they are both passionate about the things they like and will be able to support each other in the good times and commiserate in the not so good times. I am really happy that I got to go to their wedding, and even though I'm gonna miss the good times we had, they are on to bigger and better times, while I have to go make best friends with my neighbor.
Best of luck John and Catherine, and enjoy the (insert most expensive present here) I got for you.

I'm a pathetic law student. No. I'm pathetic AND a law student

So this post is actually gonna look like a blog cause I am just gonna tell you about my day.
We are talking about negligence in my torts class, which I really enjoy, but it is giving me cause to realize how law school is changing me. There is something in law called the reasonable person standard. This means that the court can find you negligent in some situations if you did not act as a reasonable person would have in the same situation. So, if you are driving your car and there is a big line to go into a parking garage you think you can zip in the exit real quick, but you hit someone coming the other way. Since a reasonable person probably just would have gotten in line, you could be found negligent. That is just a random example.
Anyway. Back to my story. One aspect of the reasonable person theory is that it is the same standard for everyone. If you are an adult, you are held to that standard. It does not matter if you are smart, dumb, fat, skinny, American, 18 years old or a hundred (although there is a physically disabled rule, you're not negligent for not seeing something if you are blind). One thing about this rule is it does not take into account mental disability or incapacity. This is not crim law. The professor asked us to raise our hand if we thought it was unfair that a 17 year old kid can be judged according to his own intelligence, but a 19 year old mentally disabled man has to be judged according to the reasonable person standard (this is only in the civil courts by the way). I raised my hand. But then I started thinking. My sensibilities were screaming that it was wrong and unfair but reason was starting to kick in. I had to raise my hand with only three or four other kids and admit that I thought the system was fair. I had turned into a law student. While the explanation for my line of reasoning is fairly long, suffice it to say, if we judge any adult according to their own mental capabilities it sets a slippery slope precedent till everyone gets it on their own terms. It is better to go with the rule of law and let the judge and jury find the justice. We have to trust the system. I just thought that this was a turning point in my life, I could be wrong. That story whatever you may think, however, is not why I am pathetic.

The Utes won today. I know, I know. They've done it before, even this year. Six times in fact. In a row. If that doesn't make you sick then your name must be Joey Chestnut . It gets worse however. I . . . was. . . rooting. . .(this is harder than I thought) . . . for. . .them. OOOHHH GOSH! THE AGONY! Puls and I always said that we wanted every team in the Mountain West Conference to win every game they played, except for when they played BYU, that way our conference would be seen as better and our wins would look better. Every team, that is, except for the Utes. We always wanted them to lose, and badly. We wanted their players to wish they had never heard of football or the runnin' Utes (they had to run today their pass game stunk so bad in the third quarter). But this season for BYU to have a chance at all the marbles we need a strong Ute team to be undefeated come the last game of the season, so when BYU kills them it will catapult us into the national spotlight in such a way that WE WILL NOT BE IGNORED! So I cheered for them, and I may have even referred to them as "we" but that was an accident. Even Uncle Denny was in on it. So they won, and it was against the team that beat #1 ranked USC last week. All for the good of the mountain west, and in that way good for the two years running reigning Mountain West Conference Champion, that's right your BYU Cougars!!!!!

I'm not Pathetic. You're pathetic.

Beard Update

I just thought I'd let everyone know how the beard was going as well as broadcast my Support for the Red Sox in this their most recent bid for yet another World Series Title.
Here are some quick beard facts.
1. I have been growing this beard for exactly one month tomorrow.
2. So far this beard is all-natural, no dyes or Just For Men, it's a little sandy, but legit. Yes, too legit to quit, Hammer, no one's forgotten the album that put you into a career tailspin.
3. The BYU cougs have not lost since I started growing my beard, needless to say, as the wins keep coming so will my beard. I also haven't changed my underwear since the cougs win streak started this season five weeks ago either. I believe that is just a coincidence, however, and plan to remedy it shortly.