Love at First Sight

This weekend was alumni/reunion weekend at school. A bunch of old people (and a few young people) showed up to see their former classmates and professors and to see what the school is like today. They got to sit on panel discussions and hear lectures, take tours of the law school (and the building acquired by the law school, to be opened in a few years - presumably, to encourage them to donate to its development). They also got to hear a particularly esteemed fellow graduate talk on Saturday afternoon - your good friend and mine Bill Clinton stopped by to talk a bit about his time in law school, the current financial crisis, the upcoming election, and his work since leaving office. Overall, it was a really good speech - we heard about how he met Hillary in the law school library (she couldn't come this weekend because she's campaigning for Barack - something "much more important" - a comment about which received thunderous applause from the audience), and about how he missed class a lot to help with campaigns. It seems he was quite a maverick in his time.

To put it simply, I am absolutely in love with Bill Clinton. I have been in love with him forever. I'll admit, my 14-year-old self was somewhat enraptured when the Starr report came out - I read the whole thing cover-to-cover in one sitting [and I'll freely cop to having been more than a little bit jealous of Monica]. I was flabbergasted when a friend of mine quit his job with Bill's office in Harlem last fall - who says no when asked to off Bill's dry cleaning and getting his watch fixed?!? I may have gotten a little teary-eyed when, on Saturday, he told us all to "do what [we] like, and help others" because that will ultimately make us happy.

It's really amazing to spend the weekend surrounded by people - Fmr. President Clinton is just one example - who have made such awesome contributions to society after having sat in my chair, taken my classes, and been in my same student groups. It's simultaneously encouraging (look at everything you can go on to do!) and intimidating (can you ever achieve the scale that these people have?)...but it's thrilling, regardless.