hardball and moral victories

today was dean's cup, the law school's annual softball tourney. i played, and it was the first organized athletic event i have been a part of in...let's just say some time. i got to first base twice. the first time i actually fell on my face on the way there, got up and slid in. i pitched one inning (terribly), and missed as someone threw the ball back to me. it smashed my ankle and though the gigantic cbruise had not formed yet, it hurts to even lightly brush my fingers over it. i wussed out and didn't make the third game. the first two were so embarassing! we got beaten 17-2 by the christian legal society, and 22-2 by law review. we took the moral victory of having not been shut out at least.

i have reached a point where my own fatness is becoming physically taxing. i'm trying to get out and move several times a week, but the extra pounds i'm carrying right now make it harder than it should be. i took the dogs to the nature trail and walked 4 miles a few miles and was totally hurting for like 2 days. i guess waiting tables really did keep me from blowing up too much, and i still gained weight, just not as much as i apparently could have had i been almost totally sedentary. i almost wish we never got the car; i was in much better shape when i had to bike it everywhere.

we had our clinic's CLE yesterday. basically, practicing attorneys are required to get a certain amount of "continuing legal education" every year, and we put one on about the latest in death penalty law. it went well, and was actually pretty interesting to attend. we had an incredible group of speakers; one of the the attorneys who kept terry nichols (OKC bomber codefendant) from getting the death penalty, and a pair who speak together--she is a rape victim and he is the man she mistakenly identified who then spent 10 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. they speak together and are rather powerful. i saw it twice and cried both times. i swore i wouldn't the second time, but it's pretty much impossible to listen to the story with dry eyes. i also got to talk to the lawyers i worked with last summer which was nice. love them! there is an execution date coming up (dexter vinson on the 27th) for which they are working on a clemency petition. i hope they get relief, it's actually been a while since VA has executed anyone--there were none last year.

w is kick ass in some tourneys and i want a margarita. if he is done by 8 we go to the local mexican joint, but if not i told him i would just go to the liquor store and get rita stuff. i really want a rita, but i want him to win more. go w!

my grammy is smarter than the whole internet

or at least dumb old rachel ray. i got the recipe for her mac and cheese and it's actually really simple. i know that my girl needs some comfort food (and crooked, my grammy and aunt mary said to say hello and they are wishing your girl the best), so here it is.

1 pound sharp white cheddar (cut into cubes, which is easier to do at room temp)
1 stick butter or margerine plus four heaping spoonfuls of flour
1 qt. 2% milk
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
1 pound macaroni, cooked
preheat oven to 350

melt butter and gradually add flour, whisking it in to keep it kinda smooth (like a roux). add the quart of milk & stir. add the cut up cheese and stir till it melts (careful here--if youdon't keep it moving, it will scald and be ooky). add to the macaroni. add the can of diced tomatoes (here, a can of those diced ro-tel tomatoes with the jalapenos might be good too, but that's never been tried). sprinkle with bread crumbs. cover with tinfoil and bake 30 min, then take the foil off and bake another 10 min, or until it begins to bubble. serve with crusty bread.

it's actually very simple. stupid rachel ray.