November 1, 2005

Mellowing out.

I'm trying to mellow out after yesterday's media overload. How quickly everyone responds to a Supreme Court nominee these days! Oh, how can I marvel at such a thing, when I played the media game all day yesterday? Radio at 7 a.m, blogging all morning, banging out a NYT op-ed in the afternoon, blogging all the while, TV in the early evening, radio again in the later evening, final op-ed edit as I crash into the wall post-radio ... and blog about that! Ah, it's a crazy life, this lawprof-blogger life. You have to ride the wave when it comes. How disconcerting it must be for people to take a day or so to try to understand the work of a man with a long, impressive career. In fact, I have a bit of an aversion to talking about things before taking the time to study them in depth. But if I say no when I'm asked, who will say yes? Better to say yes and be careful not to say more than is fair. Today, though, I need a rest. Of course, I'll read and blog, though. Should I read the blog posts written in the heat of the new nomination, or should I read through some of the old cases, written quietly over the nominee's fifteen years on the federal bench? At first, I thought that was an easy question, but on reflection, I'm really not sure.

7 comments:

goesh said...

from Harriet to Sam in a couple of short breaths - take a day off from it

Ann Althouse said...

Gerry: I'm here at the café drinking a tall latte. But hmmm, I look up and see a Guinness truck parked outside, start to write that, and see a Bacardi truck pass by. The world is trying to tell me something.

Ron said...

Ann: Perhaps a Black and Tan is a reasonable comprimise between Irish and English factionalism...

I wonder if you now are just a trailblazer for what far more profs (not just lawprofs) will do in the future. Hiding in the classroom and library or lab may not be enough! Will podcasts someday count as 'publications' on a CV? Will one's sitemeter be used by one's tenure committee? Stranger things have happened...

Steve Donohue said...

Have any hallucinagenic tea trucks passed by? That sounds like it could make for an interesting afternoon, especially if you're trying to get away from it all.

Ann Althouse said...

Lou: It's true in my case. But I hadn't attempted to submit op-eds before. The blog has caused me to get invitations to write.

XWL said...

A Black Velvet is a wonderful and relaxing drink (half Guinness, half champagne) it's surprisingly good, you'd think they wouldn't mix so well, but they do.

and speaking of mellow, I'll quote the lyrics of that immortal song:

Things do go wrong, it's not long since I've been blue,
But I know the remedy, I can see just what to do...

Don't be a coward, don't be yellow,
It always pays to be mellow,
Stay cool, stay free and then you will see,
It's best to stay mellow...

I was upset and in debt with no money,
But I did not stay sad, it's not that bad, so remember...

Oh if you are down in the town with no bus fare,
Start walking and smile, in a while you'll be back home...


(fooled ya, you thought I was gonna go with the ONJ, but instead I sprung the Toy Dolls song 'Stay Mello' on ya)


and slightly related to the topic of this post; did they keep your op-ed outside the TimesSelect curtain at your insistence?

(it seems like most guest columns are free to all, but I think a few have been inside the paid subscription ghetto)

Ann Althouse said...

XWL: The guest op-eds are never behind the wall. Only the "special voices" or whatever they call the regular columnists.