A Mildly Distressing Sunday

I don't know which was worse-the Red Sox coming back from a 3 game deficit (again!) to make it to the World Series or seeing Cheryl David leave Larry on Curb your Enthusiasm. Now granted, I completely could see how what happenned was a deal breaker, but after all they've been through together and all the crap Larry's done, I was shocked she finally just gave up. And to start dating almost immediately? Wow, talk about killing a character's likeability completely. And to top it off, once again, I find myself in complete agreement with Larry about the invention that Cheryl's new beau is responsible for. Having purchased similar "no-fly zone" underwear, allow me to unequivocally state that it's a huge hinderance to any male's ability to quickly go to the bathroom. Great episode and I can only imagine how much more intollerable Larry will become without Cheryl's balancing him out.

Why clients can suck sometimes

"T.S.Quint: Haven't you ever heard the phrase "The customer is always right?"
Shannon Hamilton: Let me tell you something. Let me give you a little secret, okay.
[yells it right in T.S.' ear]
Shannon Hamilton: The customer is always an asshole!"

Now, not to agree with a backdoor man like Shannon Hamilton, but as anyone who ever worked in a service based industry knows (and yes, law, at its heart, is a service based industry), a good client/customer usually never gives you much pause, but a bad one will always put a monkeywrench in what could be an otherwise nice day. Such was the case today as a client for whom I've done significant amounts of work over the last seven months (pretty much my entire tenure with my current firm) left my boss a rather nasty message complaining about our work for her. Now, had this been my old job, I'd have probably been given a reaming first, allowed to give my side of the story second, but fortunately, my current boss is a bit more stoic and a bit more rational when it comes to this.

And in this situation, it's with good reason. I don't consider myself a Jonathan Blontmacher yet (and most of you who read this-assuming anyone still reads this-have no clue who he is. He's a very reknowned estate planning attorney), but I do a very good job giving my clients what they want. So, when a client claims I don't do that, especially one who, up until this point, has not told me they were unhappy with my work, it comes off as someone trying to avoid paying for the work done for them.

What gets my goat the most is that lawyer's get a terrible reputation for charging too much and not being ethical, but no one ever talks about unethical clients who try to take advantage of those trying to help them.

Not that I oppose boycotting Bryan Adams, but...

this is a perfect example of why absolutists of the world simply suck. The One Voice Movement, a co-existence group which seeks to bring Israelis and Palestinians together to showcase their common interests to promote peace, was planning a pair of concerts to occur in Jericho and Tel Aviv simultaneously. This was part of a larger summit to showcase the many voices on both sides who want peace. Unfortunately, due to "unforseen circumstances", the event was cancelled:

http://www.onemillionvoices.org/news/

Now, it would be one thing if the slanders being made against One Voice were true and/or they were wrong about this, but the group involved in making these slanders not only doesn't deny this, but proudly announced its role in causing the cancellation of this event:

http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2007/10/13/another-voice-onevoice-concert-cancelled-due-to-grassroots-mobilization/

I happen to think ISM (the group which Rachel Corrie belonged to) is a huge detriment to peace and this just further proves that.

This is the winter of my sports discontent

Here I sit on this crisp fall afternoon, my head still hurting from enduring yet another Jets defeat to another crappy team. It would be one thing if they lost to the Patriots or Colts-but the Eagles are so done that Andy Reid has been placed on the chopping block already. I think that until they win another game, Eric Magini should lose the name "Mangenius" and revert to the nickname I have for Steve Francis.

Later this month, I get the joy of seeing the Knicks parade out another crappy team. I mean, what happenned here? Did Isaiah blame Ewing for his Dream Team snub and thus, is trying to destroy the Knicks? Or is Thomas just an awful human being on par with Hitler and Barbara Streisand? And may I add my disgust to the fact that they are re-signing Allan Houston? I mean, why not just knock on each Knick fan's door and drop a flaming a bag of poo on their doorstep before running off, cackling into the night?

As for my beloved Yankees, another season, another early playoff exit. I love Joe Torre as much as anyone, but the time has come to let him go. Blow the whole team up and start anew. That's what they've needed to do really for about 4-6 years now and now's as good a time as any. It'll suck if Torre, Mo and A-Rod depart, but why keep playing the same hand that has never won you anything real?

My only solace? My adopted Ohio State Buckeyes. 7-0, No. 1 in the land and they have a linebacker who is the son of one half of the Road Warriors. Everything I could ever want in a team. Go Bucs!!!