Carolina In My Mind

“In my mind I’m gone to Carolina.

Can’t you see the sunshine?

Can’t you just feel the moonshine?

Ain’t it like a friend of mine to hit me from behind?

When I’m gone to Carolina in my mind?”

– James Taylor

Spring has finally sprung in North Carolina. I find myself enjoying the verdant beauty of the Queen City today, having taken a bus trip from the Research Triangle to Charlotte for the weekend. I had decided to attend two networking events with the Mecklenburg County Bar Association. Unfortunately, the Business Law section lunch was cancelled without an explanation given. Also, yesterday’s FlixBus was so delayed that I missed the Young Lawyer’s Division social yesterday evening. I met a Bank of America lawyer in Panera Bread for coffee today, and then proceeded to Mellow Mushroom for some pepperoni and pineapple pizza.

My time in Durham may be coming to an end once my lease expires in July. I am considering relocating to Charlotte, among other places. The Carolina lifestyle is different from the hustle and bustle of NYC to which I am accustomed. It’s greener and less crowded but the job opportunities are still good. The climate is favorable for starting a business because the tax rates are low.

I’ve been doing document review for a big firm for some time now, but working from home doesn’t suit the extrovert in me. I crave social connection and want to bounce legal ideas and engage in discourse and dialogue with other lawyers.

North Carolina has a strong Christian community, which is part of my motivation for working on my dissertation remotely from here rather than being an in-person PhD student in Carbondale. There are tons of church activities and Bible studies.

This Lent, I’m not depriving myself of anything but am rather adding something: an extra weekly devotional with the young adults of Immaculate Conception Church. I received some pushback for this from the members of my Bible study at the Duke Catholic Center, who felt that Lent should be a time of suffering to imitate the Lord rather than a time to experience joy. From my perspective, I’m just adding to the fun of the bunnies, chocolate, and egg hunts of Easter season.