March 5, 2009

Now, worldly things call me.

I have an intimidating amount of work this morning.

DSC00031

The Federalist Society is hosting a talk on originalism by Northwestern lawprof John McGinnis, and I'll be offering a bit of commentary. The stated time of the end of of this event is actually 10 minutes after my 80-minute Constitutional Law class begins, and, of course, I must begin on the dot. I will not resort to prayer. I'm going entirely on preparation, nerve, and slipping out 11 minutes before the stated end time.

34 comments:

save_the_rustbelt said...

I haven't seen the top of my desk in three years.

Current occupants, several sections of the stimulus plan and a few hundred misc. pages on health care reform.

Guys are slobs.

ricpic said...

The purple hat's gone,
The brown cloche is back --
Frivolity abandon
When reality attacks.

Simon said...

Hopefully there will be an audio recording?

Wince said...

What kind of a seat is that? It looks like a backless stool with a strange caster base.

Won't a hot radiator damage a brimmed hat?

More questions and worries. Sorry.

Ann Althouse said...

It's a Swopper:

http://www.swopper.com/

Palladian said...

AREN

-toilet paper
thing
-toothbrush

dr. switch
outlet in John's room
2 outlets in C's rm
phone jack

-skim milk
-cheese cheddar-
-bread
-oj
-sundried tomato

Palladian said...

Pound pastrami, can kraut, six bagels— bring home for Emma.

TitusSingFromTheHighestMountain said...

Did you paint the interiors of your house or did someone else?

Ann Althouse said...

Someone else. Why? Do you see flaws?

Ann Althouse said...

@Palladian I knew people would read that. I considered blurring it. So personal. But then, I decided to allow the little personal intrusion for those who care enough to enlarge... and type it out for those who don't.

Ann Althouse said...

Those notes were written years ago. Just an old folder I use for my class materials.

TitusSingFromTheHighestMountain said...

No flaws, just curious.

Michael Haz said...

I could not have a glass desk. The fingerprints would drive me crazy and it's a short drive most days,

I'd be Windexing the damn thing every fifteen minutes.

I do like your colorful work area, though. Very nice. Very Althouse-ish, in a good way.

Michael Haz said...

Not that there are bad ways to be Althouse-ish. I didn't intend to suggest that there were.

Fred4Pres said...

Your office is too clean, you cannot be that busy.

Palladian said...

"Your office is too clean, you cannot be that busy."

I think that's the dining room. As I recall, Althouse's office is shambolic.

Ann Althouse said...

It's actually my dining room, so I'm continually clearing the table. I just enjoy sitting there. I love the light and the view. I have several other work spots, but that one inspires me.

J. Cricket said...

How do you know when an academic has became remarkably unproductive?

When they are intimidated by preparing a ten-minute response to someone else who did actual work!

chuck b. said...

I don't like a glass table top for me. Glass makes me nervous. And every smudge is a distraction. Gotta be wood.

Ann Althouse said...

Other problems with glass:

You have to put something under cups and plates to muffle the clacking and to prevent scratches.

The laser mouse won't work.

Glare from the sun and the overhead lights.

If someone else is there they can see if you've got your legs in an inelegant position. I've had to apologize for the way I fold my legs up.

Ann Althouse said...

How do you know when a commenter has no balls?

He attacks forcibly yet has an empty profile.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

This is my desk in my home office. It's a replica of Walt Disney's desk, and it's really rather nice. It has a polished granite slab for a desktop, and it's heavy.

The laser mouse doesn't work on it, either, so I use one of these.

One day I was trying to shift the desk around a bit, and had the bright idea I could do it myself. So I slid the granite off of the desk and tried to stand it up out of the way. Well, I lost control of it and the sucker put a hole in my wall. It is now covered with duct tape, and as soon as I mount my print, nobody will be the wiser.

Roberto said...

mcg - Nice desk.

Did you restore it or buy it new?

Unknown said...

I bought it new. I'm completely incapable of that kind of handiwork.

rhhardin said...

Lawyer's house.

traditionalguy said...

What was the original intent of your doodles? Or do you say that your doodles only mean what they clearly depict?

rhhardin said...

Willows are the first sign of spring.

They're not keying on temperature, I gather.

blake said...

I should take a picture of my desk. Heh. Let me get in touch with EPA first....

David said...

So how did your comments go? And how was the main presentation? Was the audience engaged? Bored? Indifferent?

veni vidi vici said...

I have 2 swoppers; got 'em around the time they first hit stateside several years ago now. One's in my studio at home, the other in my office downtown.

The only problem I have with the Swopper is that it has a fairly firm top, which sometimes hits a nerve somewhere such that, unnoticed until I stand up, it completely numbs the "hog", as it were. There's nothing more freakish-feeling than when your hog goes asleep, and it's completely localized to the member only.

In fact, next time I sit down on the swopper, I'll be sure and wear a Members Only jacket.

sohereiam said...

Curious about how the federalist event went, and whether or not you made it to class on time!

Beldar said...

Prayer never hurts, regardless of the degree of faith of the one praying.

veni vidi vici said...

As for the tingling I was talking about a few posts up, Obama wasn't speaking anywhere at the time, so that couldn't have been it.