Take Five is a regular feature of Exemplar that introduces a member of the EMU Alumni Association Board of Directors. This issue, we speak with Carl Christoph (’75), a magistrate in the 47th District Court in Farmington Hills, Mich., where he conducts felony and misdemeanor arraignments, presides over traffic court conduct and small claims hearings, and reviews and sanctions search warrants.

Exemplar: For years, you ran EMU’s dining and food service operations. What’s your favorite meal to cook at home?
Christoph: I still try to keep my food service skills current. Since I have stopped working in food service, I have remained active in the American Dietetic Association. I am particularly active in the Food and Culinary Professionals Practice Group. I mainly cook comfort foods and barbecue. I like to cook soups and sauces. My favorite food to cook, especially at holiday times, is homemade egg noodles. I prepare them with buttered croutons called Krumels. I serve the noodles and Krumels with roasted tenderloin.

Exemplar: Eventually, you abandoned your culinary background for the law. Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire! Why the change?
Christoph: Every product has its life cycle. The operative word for a food-service career is “ENWEHO,” which stands for “Evenings Weekends Holidays.” My daughters were in middle school, and I thought I would like to spend more time with my family. Practicing law is no less intensive, but it is not as demanding physically and there are fewer weekend and evening hours.

Exemplar: Do you watch any law-based TV shows?
Christoph: I am not much of a TV guy except for sports and political talk shows. I do watch “CSI.” I especially enjoy how phony the story lines play out. I can usually pick the “perp” in the first 10 minutes. I also laugh at the high-tech equipment and the efficiency. It doesn’t work that way in real life. The wo-men on the show are always dressed like they are going out for cocktails. They show up at a bloody crime scene in white pant suits and never get any blood on themselves. The whole crew drives Hum-mers, and they all get involved in solving the case. I thought crime solving was for detectives.

Exemplar: What’s your favorite Latin legal phrase?
Christoph: My favorite is “Res ipsa locquitor.” It means “the thing speaks for itself.” It is the legal equivalent of “dah.” My favorite non-Latin legal phrase is “Acting stupid is not a crime in Michigan. They had to find a different crime to stick on you.”

Exemplar: In your opinion, what’s the most remarkable thing about EMU?
Christoph: I am always amazed at how many of my colleagues from food service are still working at Eastern. Larry Gates, Ann Klaes (’81) and many others started when I was food service director. I still stay in touch with them, and we discuss food service issues and trends. I have been away for 20 years but I still know many of my former co-workers. The more things change, the more they stay the same.