Where is Bruce Nelson?

Of all of our friends at Roosevelt, Bruce was clean.  He was well liked, a great athlete and a wonderful friend.  I saw Bruce several months ago.  He looked great and he was with his dad and brother.  What a great family.

When I run into people like Bruce I think about what a great wonderful world this is.  Bruce and I are friends and we will be so forever-not necessarily close to share our secrets and pain.  But close to have shared some wonderful memories and laughs and experiences that are so honest and real and can never be taken away.

You see, for Bruce and I, we can look at each other and laugh and smile and Bruce will say, “Christensen, you little ……” and I will say “Nelson!!!!! (That’s a Courtney phrase).

Losing Jim Ramstad

I applaud Jim Ramstad for his service.  It was time to leave.  These are not the best of times in government as if there would ever be a good time for good citizens.   I totally disagree with Jim on the war.  I respect him as a man with a good heart and  a different political philosophy.  He is someone that one could agree to disagree with that did not have a secret agenda like many (most) politicians.

Jim served too long but had the good sense to leave.  We should draft our representatives.  Why would we want to elect anyone that wanted the job?  Think about it.

Roosevelt High School 40th Reunion

On November 3, 2007 the class of 1967 of Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota will be holding its 40th reunion at the Embassy Suites hotel in Bloomington. Years ago I attended the 5th and 10th. I think I attended one or two after that. Then I stopped. It wasn’t that I didn’t care. It just wasn’t that important. So, I am thinking of going this year. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because 40 years means that there is more reason to celebrate our good fortune to be alive and be a Teddy.

There won’t be time to hear and understand all of the new stories. But it will be good listening time and it will feel good to hear and share the old stories. Yes, some of them have been told over and over. But they are still good stories. Still good friends, distant but not forgotten. Older friends chronologically but never old in spirit.

Patrick Sieben is a fine entertainer at the Minnesota Association for Justice Convention

Most of us that attended the trial lawyer after party at Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria this August, 2007 enjoyed the music and vocals of Bill and Joyce Sieben’s son, Patrick, who played for several hours in the Rafters. It seems like only several years ago that we saw Patrick as a child moving and grooving to the Rockin’ Hollywoods at the traditional Saturday night dance following the ceremonial dinner annointing the new President of the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association ( now call Minnesota Association for Justice).

Cindy and my children have attended this annual event for many years and have gained many friends and memories. For me, I look at this annual convention as a chance for my family to see what I do and meet some of the people I love that do it with me. My children are adults now, but one thing I hope they have taken from these conventions is that those of us who fight the big corporations and insurance companies every day are just doing justice. In other words, we are the warriors that risk it all for others that have no voice. What other profession can claim this?

Trial Lawyer, Comedian or Cameleon

The U. S. Senate race in Minnesota has attracted two Democrats that have each reached the highest levels of success in their respective careers. Mike Ciresi is a respected trial lawyer that beat big tobacco in Minnesota. Al Franken is a St. Louis Park guy whose fame followed his wit and irreverent humor. .

My high school classmate and Roosevelt High School Sub-Standard co-editor, Nobel Prize winning Dr. Peter Agre has chosen not to run this time. Not enough cash, I suspect. Too bad as Peter would have been an incredible Senator.

How then does the trial lawyer and the comedian stand up against Norm Coleman? I personally think each is going to have a very difficult time with Mr. Coleman. He was a high end lawyer himself before entering the political arena. He has shown himself to be adroit at maximizing political opportunities. He has been featured in a Senatorial light following the 35W bridge collapse.

More importantly, I think that a trial lawyer will be attacked for being greedy and self interested. The comedian will be postured as someone that the electorate will not take seriously. Each theme is superficial and substantively false. What scares me is the fact that the Swift Boat thing worked pretty well.