I am a lawyer twice. . .

Promised myself I'd try to set down a couple of words about the experience of being sworn into the Virginia Bar. First impression - there are a LOT of lawyers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. They didn't have a program with all our names, so I can't figure out a headcount, but I think there were somewhere between at least 600-800 candidates being sworn in. 963 people passed the last VA bar, and unlike NC, Virginia appears to have mainly a single swearing in before the Supreme Court, rather than mostly county-wide swearings in. Makes it sort of like the induction oath when the military academies graduate, rather than like graduating from undergrad. Interesting. 800 lawyers in a single room - the mind just boggles.

The justices of the VA Supreme Court mostly looked a little bored, although one appeared to be taking notes. On what, I haven't the faintest idea - maybe doodling, maybe working on a case. We were just standing up when our names were called - not terribly fascinating stuff.

All in all, a lovely time. Coming home - not so much. The drive from Richmond to New Bern - not so bad in daylight, not so good on Halloween night. Someone apparently tried to commit suicide by driving an unlit, darkly painted tractor across the highway, just far enough back from the traffic signal that you couldn't see over the hill. I, the truck next to me, and the 8 cars behind us, all almost killed him. I learned in rapid succession that my night-vision isn't what it used to be, but my driving reflexes are pretty much as good as they ever were. Good to know.