A Tragedy of Epic Proportions

R.I.P. Dan's Grill
2004 - 2006

Before adorning teeth with jewelry became the trendy thing to do, years before Nelly had everyone singing tribute to dental decoration, back when your choice of grill was limited to Weber or Kenmore, Dan had a grill. And although the grill was born in a rundown strip mall in Fremont, CA, its lustrous gold and brilliant diamonds seemed to have been mined from heaven itself. To all who came to know it, there was no doubt that this was no ordinary grill.

Accentuation, illumination, inspiration, intimidation -- all were the province of the grill. When called upon to perform, it sparkled like a million celestial bodies, diamonds shining with such vigor onlookers risked permanent blindness if they stared for too long. But despite the danger, who could look away? Not I.

The grill demanded your attention the way that a vintage automobile or an attractive women does. And all were powerless to resist it. The shine alone caused men to turn green from envy, and women to grow weak from desire. Be you gangster, homeless crack addict, or promiscuous female, a close encounter with the grill inevitably left you changed, convinced that, though the world is often an ugly, unforgiving place, it can also be divinely beautiful at times.

So, pour out a little liquor for your fallen comrade, who brightened lives while never asking for anything more in return than a chance to be seen.

Grill, you will missed for all time, but never more than in Vegas this weekend.

Into the Unknown

Very soon -- much sooner than I'd like -- I'll be embarking on a terrifying, unprecedented journey into a two-day final exam. Given the state of my knowledge, to have 48 consecutive hours over which to demonstrate the principles of the economic analysis of law is more a curse than a blessing. For students who paid attention in class, it's enough time to produce sophisticated, well-written answers -- answers that a shorter exam would have precluded. But due to my general lack of motivation and the voluminous nature of the assigned reading for this class, I don't know that I have it in me to match their dilligence. While I hope to be inspired to academic excellence, I doubt I'll search too hard for elusive answers despite the fact that the materials for the course -- and presumably the answers to the exam -- will be sitting in a yellow folder beside me. Accordingly, the 48 hours is likely going to consist of seemingly interminable frustration, repeated vows to pay more attention next semester, desperate reliance on Wikipedia, and the haphazard formulation of what I hope are acceptable answers to questions I don't really know the answer to.

Wish me luck.