Nealmeister

Cash-Only Dinner Dates

When I got word of my Giacomo's dinner date with the Boston consulting crew, I got all excited. "Giacomo's!" I thought.  Thoughts of the North End and cash only and wait staff edging on the side of abrasive flooded my head, and would be the only way to have it.  I also though, "Gosh, thank GOD!" because the last time I really went out to eat with out of town friends in Boston, I went to my age-old throwback: Pizzeria Regina in the North End (with Heather, but of course, it was totally appropriate!).

Well, it turns out that my dinner date with Kevin and Stan was in the South End instead. But, I wasn't going to hate.  I needed to appreciate.  And I totally did.  Butternut Squash... wicked awesome.  Stan... wicked awesome.  Wait staff... totally expecting us to order dessert, and totally waiting to rush us out the door.  And the company, which I guess includes Stan and definitely includes Kevin, made me snort once -- about scantily clad 22-year old girls hitting up podunk bars in klan country, in the middle of winter, while at work orientation, thinking they're hitting up the club.

Bottom line: dinner was great.  We made it in and out before the 8pm rush (and, as Kevin put it, before "them g@ys all poured up with cologne took over the place." ha!).  And for once, in a really long time, it was really great to grab dinner when the rest of the city is grabbing dinner.  When dinner wasn't dine it.  When dinner wasn't crashing my mom and dad's place.  Or involved beleaguering my poor roomie with my bitch tales of lawyering and how I'm not cut out to do it until she is convinced to think twice about law school.

The only thing we should have done: closed out the place with a couple bottles of wine.

So I guess Giacomo's in the South End isn't so bad.  It'll do.

Vive le Flash's

I love this place, even though, in the scheme of things Boston, Flash's is relatively new.  Says some random dude on the internet: "This staff will show you a great time! The food is simple but hits the spot. Lots of cool, pretty people hang out here. Great for going out alone, or with big groups. Funky drink lists will send you in the right direction."  The dude's totally right... and, like any great neighborhood bar in Nealski's playbook, nostalgia and memories of all types abound with this place.  Janine and I used to grab lunch here all the time when she worked at H&K.  I used to love getting their pizza hamburger whenever it was on special, or hang out here during long breaks in between law school classes and enjoy a nice Harpoon UFO, especially in the springtime when they open the windows to Columbus Ave.  Delish!

Of course, with Kevin's arrival in Beantown, it meant we had to go for some delicious Wednesday night cocktails.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving and a Prayer of Good Luck

First off, I want to wish everyone Good Luck on whatever state's (or states') bar exams that you begin tomorrow.  I think we've all prepped as much as we humanly can, getting beat up by BarBri and PMBR and so on... so now we need to kick in the creativity and hope and the inspiration that brought many of us to become lawyers in the first place. 

I like that vision from a hope standpoint, so that I can just keep on moving on.  But I think for all of us, there will be a few things that we maybe don't know--or really see--when those essays and state multiple choice and MPTs come in front of us.  Hopefully, that spark inside of us will keep us going.  Good luck, you!  Kick it, punch it, spit in its face... the bar exam is the enemy so go in and fight like it's your job! Booyah!

Second is a little more personal.  After all, the blog stems directly out of the Journaling that I've been doing since I was in the 5th grade.  The only difference now is that I kind of subject myself to the public light (that's what the comments, or the emails keep telling me... haha).

I have some groups to thank.  The obvious is God, being Catholic and all.  But those prayers I really said on my own, so I won't detail here....

When I emptied out my locker at Suffolk last night, and saw Brett Lovins when I was in the middle of a haze (and I think my conversation with him maybe got him worried, yes?), I realized: this bar exam is the culmination of really 20 years of formal education for me. 

It all started in Boston Public Schools -- at the Harvard-Kent School with Mrs. Kissling -- and since then I've been fortunate enough -- through St. Catherine's and Boston Latin and Notre Dame and Suffolk -- to meet so many educators who decided to work with my issues and get the best out of me.  In every ghetto, in every city, there's the geeky little kid who colors inside the lines and really likes to read and who really was shy and who couldn't win a fight for the life of him.  That was me circa 1986.  The balancing factor thanks goes out to all the guys, girls, adults, priests & nuns, coaches, camp directors, friends near and far, cousins and aunts and uncles and neighbors, and so many others in Charlestown and beyond who have really been great mentors and friends and have "had my back," literally and figuratively, advising and laughing and joking and criticizing and laughing some more.  For pointing out my faults and celebrating our victories.  This entire journey represents a joint venture of sorts.  I KNOW that I would NOT have got through this with out you all.  You get my thanks every time I see you, hang out with you, drink with you, vent with you, laugh with you, etc. etc.  But I just needed to recognize, you know!

And lastly, my family.  The Boyles. 

My siblings--Will, Ro, and Sean--are really my best friends, even though we fight and scream and basically live our lives in a drama-ful fashion, like we are straight out of MTV's the Real World.  Remember when we used to play "Mattress Coaster" when we lived in the Bricks?  Or all of our fart jokes?  Or the von-Boyle singers?  Remember when we moved to Lexington Street?  Our days up at the Bunker Hill Pool and how Greg the lifeguard made us do belly-flops into the deep end?  Oh, the days.  As much as I've hated being the oldest, I love you three.  I don't think anything could replace that and I kind of feel like I'm doing this for you as much as for me.  We shall do a toast up in Maine, for sure.

But more importantly, my mum and dad.  I can't really type this without some tears, but I love you and I thank you both so much for the sacrifices that you've made to make sure that your four kids can move on up.  I don't think that there's  any greater love than that.  And that's why, when things are looking grim in the middle of those essay days, I can count on your love and inspiration to carry me through.

* * * *

I'll be away for a while kids.  After the Bar, I'm going white water rafting up in Maine with the Charlestown kids.  Then the move-in to Russell Street begins.  Finally leaving home.  Free at last!

Good luck all of you guys!  And now, a little Irish Blessing because it's always worked...

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

And, one last  (because this one is (and has been the whole summer) pretty cool)...

Sunday, July 23

My Best To All This Week    

I don't mean to be overly dramatic over some silly little test, I merely continue a tradition in hopes of inspiring those who may harbor doubts over the coming days. And no matter the results, having experienced this firsthand, I respect all who give it their best shot.

Good luck to all taking the bar exam this week.

He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day
...
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

                                      

 

              

 

 

Love is more than just a game for twwwoooo...

Just wicked beauteous, I say...

Kevin and John and Christie-Lee & Company, you make Madison, Wisconsin fabulous!

Are those flowers I see?  Catch them!  Catch them!  No, they're mine biatch!  Move... get out the way... I'm PLAT'NUM!

Hotness.

If only you knew.  Everyone should just love Wisconsin.  Really now.  To be continued, Massachusetts style, for sure... ;-)

'Twas the night before (a ND) Christmas

coming here via Heather Enlow (the mofos/NDPerpetualKeggers' esteemed Georgetown Law 3L):

'Twas the night before Christmas, When all through South Bend
Not a creature was stirring, neither rooster nor hen

The banners were hung on the stadium with care,
In hopes that St. Charlie soon would be there

The alumni were nestled all snug in their beds,
With dreams of Leahy and Holtz in their heads;

While the students at the Grotto, down by the lake,
Were just giving thanks for a long winter break,

When out on those quads arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter,

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The Dome with a crest of new-fallen snow
Gave luster of mid-day to a campus below

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear
A high-powered offense: the champions next year!

With a large and proud leader, so friendly and nice
I knew in a moment it must be Coach Weis

As fast as Four Horsemen, onward they came
He whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

“Now Hoyte, Now Samardzija, Walker, Fasano
On Stovall, On Shelton, Wooden, Anastascio!”

To the top of the rankings, to the top of them all
“Now throw a-way, run a-way, and dive for the ball!

We will move like the wind, our runners will fly
And just for balance, we’ll take to the sky!”

So up to the top of the rankings they flew
With a big book of plays, and Brady Quinn too

And then in a twinkling, to the sound of the cleats
The scoring and wins, I forgot past defeats

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney, Coach Weis came with a bound

He was dressed with his rings, and headset to boot
And his clothes were all drenched with Gatorade and soot

A number of victories he carried on his back
And he smiled as he turned and presented a sack --

of trophies -– how they twinkled! Like heaps of gold treasures
His cheeks were like roses, his wisdom past measure

Weis commanded the team on fourth downs to throw
Through hail and through fog, through sleet and through snow

His genius caused points in the forties and fifties,
To hearten alumni and keep our stats spiffy

Weis had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like BCS bowl-ful of jelly,

He was chubby and plump, and so sure of himself,
That I cheered when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know, that Ohio State would be dead

He boasted not a word, praise makes not his day
But all now know, for the title we’ll play

And laying a finger to the side of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the rankings we rose

At his departure I heard Trooper McCarthy say;
“If your sleigh flight looks fishy, you’ll be the catch of the day!”

Weis sprang to the roof, to his team gave cheer
And away to a victory in the Fiesta next year;

And I heard him call plays for winning the game
“Merry Christmas to all. And love thee Notre Dame!!!”

(Written by John Rosemeyer)

GO IRISH!!!!
BEAT BUCKEYES!!!