Stuck between graduation and my trip to the Netherlands is a full month's time of Nothing To Do. According to an ancient Chinese maxim, "You jiu shi wu, Wu jiu shi You" - In everything there is nothing, and in nothing there is everything. Or something like that. Still, I feel a compelling need to plan out a month's potentiall chillax time into something productive. And to be productive means...? I started doing things I haven't done for years : reading fiction. I went through Picture of Dorian Gray, Foreign Babes in China in a week, and am now onto a Hemingway classic, Farewell to Arms. Well. I'm also more dilligent in calling friends up and hanging out with them. One morning, Ivan and I called each other at the same time as we both wanted to go to L.L. for brekkie. We went. For $9 per person we nearly swept away all the Dim Sum on the menu. Yummy. Over the weekend, I also went to my third, and probably last Casino Night.
Many of us leave footprints on paths we have traversed, but few leave a legacy. I am still amazed by Li'er's execution of her plans to leave her footprint/legacy on the U of M campus. The Conference was a success. Meaningful debates and conversations took place, as was planned, and we all went home feeling that seeds of impact were sown. We celebrated with homemade (better than Dominick's!) Sangria, cheese, and lots more booze at a club later. Plans of such a conference next year are already in the pipes. I am excited! :)
I'm considering learning Dutch, and brushing up my Chinese this month. I do not in fact have much interest in learning Dutch.... maybe I'll start with Dutch history, and then move on to the language. Actually, I should probably learn German instead. Germany is right next to Amsterdam is 10 times its size. I need to make up my mind. What I do know is that I know enough Chinese for elevator conversation, not enough to practice or teach law. A leap must be made. Boooks read, words memorized, phrases learnt. It's going to be a big leap.
