Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Law Students Blogs -> SoapBox Law

Law Students

: SoapBox Law

My Last Christmas Break

This was my last Christmas Break as a professional student. I imagine with my 30 paid vacation days per year in the JAG Corps, that I'll have ample opportunity to take some time off around Christmas time, but I'll be surprised if the rigors of the job allow me to take an entire two weeks off at any one time. Suffice to say, I intended on really making this last one count.
My wife and I made the trek through the crowded corridor of the I-5 on Christmas Eve Eve, safely arriving at the harbor of my child hood home in Long Beach. We staid an entire week and it was everything coming home should be; spent Christmas with the fam, visited friends, went camping, went to the beach, walked around Naples, etc. I didn't take as many pictures as I intended, but here are a few pix and even a couple of videos!

We broke from tradition a little bit by doing the annual gift exchange on Christmas Eve. If I recall correctly, the fellas and I usually do this on Christmas day, but nonetheless, it was great seeing the fellas. Joe was absent. However, I visited him at his parents house on Christmas morning and had a great time catching up with him and his dad.

I've been fiendin' for some basketball more than usual this winter. I've all but retired from playing the game since my knee blow out so the only way to satisfy my basketball jones is seeing as much basketball as possible. With my alma mater playing close by at Chapman University, why not go see my Poly High Jackrabbits capture 5^th place in the Orange Holiday Classic? At 10-5, Poly is not an elite team this year as they have been in years past, but they are still Poly which means they have great athletes that can ball and it was fun to see. There best player is Julian Camper (6'4 270(!)) who is Charles Barkley without the ups and with really soft hands.

Camping Trip
It's been a couple of years since we've been on a camping trip, so it's hard to call it the annual trip. To be more precise, Kory, John, Joe and I started a tradition years ago of winter camping in between Christmas and New Years. Joe couldn't make it this year (maybe he'll be high enough up in the organization next year that he can miss a couple of days to go camping). Notwithstanding Joe's absence, it was one of the best winter camping trips we've ever been on. Joined by Conrad, The Doug (and The Doug's dog Kaiser), the King, Cruiser and I headed to the Santa Barbra mountains for a couple of days and a freezing night.

We rented a trailer hitch for the first time, and here, Kory makes sure that it is in working order. The trailer was a success; it fit all of our gear and wood comfortably, and it was relatively easy to rent, so we'll hopefully use it again

Beer and Wood. And a little food. I obviously don't drink alcohol, but the other guys really do. Our food is a standard now; chili with hot dog meat. I got a whole pack of Gatorade for myself, but don't worry, I wasn't driving.

We had a lot of problems getting to our campsite, despite the fact we'd been there before. Roads we wanted to drive up we're closed or not roads at all. You'd figure with we'd be okay with a GPS system, but you'd be wrong.

Yes, Joe got me my favorite t-shirt for Christmas. Bear arms! So I had to wear it when we went shooting at a gun range near(ish) our campsite. I just spent my rounds in this little 9 mm, but don't let this tough guy persona fool you; I'm a very mediocre shot at best.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Kaiser: if you need some firewood at 6 am but you don't want to cut open the last bundle of wood or if you just need someone to shag some wiffleballs for you; this is your dog. This is a pic of Kaiser towing a large dead branch to the fire pit for us. You're a good boy, yes you are!

We got to the campsite at sun down, so I couldn't take any good pictures of the campsite. Here is a short video of us shootin' the crap around the fire pit at night, which occupies the vast majority of our camping experience. We tell stories and solve the worlds problems. Good times.

Breakfast of champions: donuts and cream pies. The crew getting warmed up before we get ready to pack up and ship out. Yes, Kory is wearing Uggs.

Here is a video of us driving through the Santa Monica mountains. This part is paved, but most of the journey was on dirt roads.
With all the wrong turns, misdirections and driving thirty miles or so in pure wilderness, we pulled up to the campsite a few minutes after Kory's gas light went on. I didn't think we were going to make it. But we threw it in neutral as often as we could and lo and behold, we made it. Barely.

Full post as published by SoapBox Law on January 01, 2008 (boomark / email).