Greetings from Boston!

I'm writing this from Boston (well, actually Cambridge for those who care), where I am attending my 20th law school reunion. I graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 1987. 1987.... In Bowers v. Hardwick, the U.S. Supreme Court had just upheld the constitutionality of sending consenting adults to prison for engaging in consensual sodomy. The first big surrogacy case -- the case of "Baby M" -- was being fought out in the New Jersey courts. Ronald Reagan was being chastised for his role in the "Iran-Contra" affair. The USS Stark was attacked by missiles in the Persian Gulf -- an attack for which then-president Sadaam Hussein quickly apologized. Liberace, Andy Warhol, Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire all died; Hillary Duff was born. Robert Bork was nominated to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, a nomination which was defeated in the U.S. Senate based on his extreme and outspoken positions against civil rights, abortion rights, and other "judicial activism." (Bork is a "strict constructionist," believing that the role of Supreme Court Justices is to attempt to figure out what the Framers of the Constitution would do; under this theory, any attempt to interpret the Constitution as a living document capable of changing with the times constitutes improper judicial activism.) Jim Bakker, President of Praise the Lord (PTL) Ministries, resigned after admitting an affair with his secretary. And reggae music lost one of its greatest voices when Peter Tosh died. 1987... Reunions always make me think of how times have changed, and how they have stayed the same. Bowers v. Hardwick has been reversed (in 2003, in Lawrence v. Texas), and now we're in national battle over whether same-sex adult relationships deserve legal recognition and protection -- whether through marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership. States are still debating the legal and ethical ramifications of surrogacy, with 11 states and the District of Columbia currently prohibiting surrogacy in some or all forms (for more info on this, see the HRC's excellent and informative website). Saddam Hussein is dead, and we have recently marked the 4th anniversary of our "victory" in Iraq (and I'm sorry, but I can't help but think that the "Iran-Contra" scandal will pale by comparison to some of what has yet to come to light about this current administration's shenanigans!). George W. Bush has appointed several new, ultra-conservative Justices to the Court, with the impact on civil rights, abortion rights, etc. still to be determined. 1987.... 2007.... So here I am, 20 years later, lucky enough to still be with the same life partner with whom I struggled my way through law school 20 years ago -- amazed to watch our two sons move from childhood into adolescence -- proud founder and head counsel at The Wald Law Group, practicing "Family Law for the 21st Century" -- enjoying being back in Boston on a lovely May day, with everything in bloom and spring in the air, reminiscing....