Law school certainly does weird things to people. It's natural, I suppose, to start noticing articles in the newspapers about cases in federal court, or what the Supreme Court ruled on X. It makes sense, given that you're sorta inhaling and spewing this law stuff day in and day out. Like I'm pretty interested in reporters' predictions on which of the Justices (we call them "the Supremes") will retire this year. Or the politics and campaigning that goes into filling one of those spots. Pretty amazing how much power each of them wield... with one vote each can overturn a hundred years' of precedent, determining the fate of so many people's lives.

But I did find my response a little weird when I read a New York Times article today about the winding down of the SC season (they convene from Oct-June, usually), an article that mentioned the $122 million modernization project of the court. It contemplated whether Justice Sandra Day O'Connor (who is predicted to be one to retire this year) will be around to enjoy the fruits of that project.

"At 73, Justice O'Connor is five years older than the Supreme Court building. Her tone was light, but her words conveyed a certain poignancy when she remarked that when a building turns 70, 'we can take the infrastructure and change it and make it like new again," adding, "I wish that were possible for individuals, but it isn't.'" Read the article.

At the thought of this remarkable woman aging and retiring, that the Court (and America) would "lose" her, and that she was a frail and limited human being like the rest of us.... I feel a little sad and a great deal of affection and attachment for her. That's pretty weird stuff.