Stare Decisis

New car!

2007-10-28T13:33:00.001-07:00

Well, after much shopping, etc., I bought this one: Mazda3 i sport in "sunlight silver." It is so cute, and fun to drive, and definitely within my budget. I did get the 2008 model. I figured since the last car I bought was the 95 Escort, when it was new, I could buy another new car. Brian, you weren't the only one who recommended this car, and you are so right!

Car shopping

2007-10-26T08:38:00.001-07:00

So I think it's time to trade in the old 1995 Escort and get something newer - I'm planning to go car shopping tomorrow. Anyone have any suggestions for something like the old Escort - smallish 4-door, but sporty? Affordable, reliable, and not too dowdy looking?

I hate car shopping, which is why I've been driving the same car for 12 years. If they were still making the Escort I'd probably buy that again, but I don't like the new Focus as much. Of course, that might change after I drive one.

Not a quitter

2007-10-23T16:02:00.001-07:00

Okay, so you aren't rid of me yet.

My judge will be swearing me in as an official member of the bar next Thursday. I'm excited, but also nervous. After all, this is what this whole 3+ year process has been about. I won't be serving clients yet - hopefully next year at this time, assuming I find a job - but this is still the last step in becoming a lawyer. My family will be there - my nephew has declared it to be an occaision that requires balloons.

One thing I have noticed while working at the court - if you get a bunch of lawyers in the room with a "new" lawyer - it's all bar stories. It is a common denominator.

I'm sending good thoughts to all of you still waiting for bar results!

The end?

2007-10-19T13:37:00.001-07:00

So I found out yesterday that I passed the character and fitness portion of the admissions process, and I can now officially be sworn in as a lawyer! They don't do a big ceremony here anymore, so I'm planning to have my judge swear me in, and I can have my family and friends there as well. We actually get admitted by mail, but we do have to be sworn by a notary, clerk or judge.

I'm still pondering what to do with this blog - I think I want to continue it to comment on various things. I will keep the archives up in any event, to prevent the domain from being taken over by spam.

I passed!

2007-10-05T17:05:00.001-07:00

Yay! I passed!

One more week...

2007-09-30T19:03:00.001-07:00

Bar results are supposed to be here by October 5 (definitely on the website by that afternoon), so watch this space.

I returned my Bar-Bri books for the "deposit" refund, and used that cash to buy a Nintendo DS Lite - it's so cute! The last handheld game system I had was the original GameBoy (not even the color version). I actually still have it, and it still works, but I thought it might be fun to have some new games. I love the little stylus thing. If anyone has one, and has recommendations for fun games that don't induce too much carpal tunnel, post in the comments or email me!

New Blog

2007-08-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

I feel ready to unveil my new blog to you all. I plan to focus on book reviews, but will probably also talk about TV, movies and whatever else strikes my fancy. I doubt very much I will focus much on law or law-related things, but who knows about the future? I will probably still post occasionally here, and I will post the bar results here in October, but feel free to visit me in the new place:

So Many Book Reviews

It is still anonymous, but my handle has changed.

Enjoy!

First Week

2007-08-10T18:02:00.001-07:00

I survived my first week of work. The first day was crazy, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. The other people at the court are great, the cases are interesting, and my boss is very supportive. Next week I'll get to start on research, as well as see some more hearings. I forgot how tiring the first few days can be - trying to remember everyone's names, and finding my way around the building took all of my concentration. I am enjoying it, and I know once I learn who everyone is and where everything is things will be run more smoothly.

Orientation

2007-08-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I did all of the new employee paperwork yesterday, and came home with a giant pile of brochures and a big binder labeled "Employee Manual." The HR people seem really nice. I start work Monday, but have my "New Employee Orientation" on Friday all day, which counts for our continuing education/ethics/sexual harrassment training, so that should be fun. Plus I have to be First Aid and CPR certified; the classes for that are later in the month. Three years of jeans and t-shirts has really affected my wardrobe. I called the secretary there to find out the unofficial dress code, so I think I'll be presentable. She said no suits, but I'm bringing a jacket for the first day just in case.

I know a lot of you are still looking for a job: good luck, and don't let them get you down. The job market is pretty rough, I know.

Decompression

2007-07-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to spend the last few days just relaxing, and for the most part I've succeeded. I've been cleaning up the piles of notes, etc., and getting the BarBri stuff together so I can send it back for my deposit. If I have to do this again, I'm not sure I'll do BarBri again. I'm keeping my flashcards and condensed outlines from the lectures, though, just in case. And the PMBR books of course.

I spent this morning baking chocolate chip cookies with my nephew. He pronounced himself the "best chocolate-chip cookie baker in the world."

Thursday I have to go downtown and do all of my "new employee" paperwork. I have reconsidered and will try to keep the blog open even after I start work, even if I can't talk about work. I'll need somewhere to talk about bar results, and the eventual new job search, after all!

Harry Potter

2007-07-26T18:45:00.001-07:00

I spent the afternoon reading the new Harry Potter book - bliss!

Day Two

2007-07-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

Finished! I celebrated by going out to my favorite Mexican restaurant, and having a delicious margarita. Yum.

This morning went pretty well, but I was really dragging after lunch and had to keep reminding myself to focus. I thought the questions were a bit easier than the PMBR practice ones (at least shorter!), so I'm really glad I did the PMBR class. Yesterday I ate lunch in my car, but today I sat with some friends out on the grass by the convention center because it was so nice out.

And no rain today - I walked out into the sunshine this afternoon, and felt like a huge weight had been lifted. It's all over but the waiting for the scores!

All I have planned for the next couple of days is - nothing. I'm going to relax, read, watch TV, sleep, whatever! And read the Harry Potter book, of course!

Day One

2007-07-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

Day one down - I feel pretty good about it, but I don't know how to tell. I wrote something for every essay (12 half-hour essays). I know I misstated some stuff, and missed some stuff, and made up some stuff. I remembered more than I thought I would. It was more time-pressured than I thought it would be. It was much quieter than I thought - I couldn't even hear the laptop typers on the other side of the gigantic convention center exhibition hall - all I could hear was the hum of the air conditioner. Okay, roar, but it was the perfect white noise.

It took me forever to get home because of course there was a gigantic thunderstorm just as we were leaving downtown, and I don't live near downtown.

I feel brain fried, so I think I'm going to get something to eat and veg out in front of the TV until I can go to sleep. MBEs tomorrow!

We are the Champions

2007-07-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

That's song was on the radio when I got in my car to go get coffee (okay, and donuts) this morning. That will be my theme song for the next few days.

Good luck to everyone taking the bar this week, especially those of you blogging along with me through all this. Special luck to Zuska and Law-rah - we've been together through law school, we can make it through this! Thanks to everyone who commented and stayed with me through this angst.

And special special thanks to Brian D., who has been the voice of reason to help me through.

Essays

2007-07-21T16:42:00.001-07:00

I would have more confidence in the BarBri model answers if they got the names of the people from the hypo correct in the answer.

I've been alternating feeling fine with freaking out today - right now I'm going to freak out until dinner, then study some more after that.

Should be?

2007-07-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

The other day we got an email from our local BarBri office and the first line was "About now, you should be overwhelmed, tired and scared to death." I find that less than helpful. "Should" is not the right word. I think "you are probably..." is what she really meant. Anyway, it was annoying. Today I got the Top 10 tips from Kaplan/PMBR, and I thought those were helpful. I always get caught by the correct statement of fact vs. correct statement of law trap. Also, I need to not change my answers!

Anyway, I'm too tired to worry today, so what's occupying my thoughts are what to pack for lunch for the big days. We technically should have an hour for lunch, but I don't want to worry about getting to a restaurant and back again in time, so I'm brown-bagging. Of course, it's still summer here, so that means something that can survive being in an ice chest for the whole morning, sitting in my car since we aren't allowed to bring any food into the test (unless we have a doctor's note.) Any ideas? I'm thinking yogurt and granola bars, and some fruit. And some chocolate, of course, as a mood booster.

I'm so jealous of anyone who gets to start reading the Harry Potter book. I wonder if it's possible to avoid spoilers for a whole week?

Tick tock

2007-07-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's only 5 days until the big day now. It's good to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I still feel there is no way I can get all of the information into my brain in time to spit it back out again next week. I'm still chugging along, though - memorizing, practicing - but there is always the fear that it isn't enough. I'm guessing it's normal to feel this way at this point, though.

Monday Monday

2007-07-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

I went bowling last night with my sister and her husband and my nephew - it was pretty fun. My nephew has an interesting technique - he just grabs the ball with both hands, scurries to the line and heaves the ball down the lane. They put the bumpers in the gutter so he wouldn't get any gutter balls, so that improved my game as well. Haha. But seriously, don't people know the proper bowling etiquette? Aren't you supposed to wait for the person in the lane next to you before you take your turn? We waited for the people on either side of us, but they acted as if we didn't exist. And they weren't all kids, either.

Anyway, contracts and con law for today - review, essays and some MBEs I guess. I made up a schedule for the rest of the week (which includes buying the Harry Potter book on Saturday. I'm giving it to my sister to read and she is instructed not to return it to me until after the bar exam.) If I follow the schedule, I'll have been through all of my outlines twice, and hopefully will finish the last of the MBEs in the PMBR red book. I guess I should look at the released questions, too. I need to at least outline some more essays, as well. It'll be a fun week!

Officially Graduated!

2007-07-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

I got my diploma today!

10 More days

2007-07-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

Only 10 days to go. I'm feeling a bit better today - I sat out on our porch to study yesterday and the day before. It's almost like being outside, and it's cool enough in the mornings (or after a little thunderstorm, as on Thursday) to make it nice. I'm also looking forward to going bowling with my sister and brother-in-law and nephew tomorrow evening. At least it's something besides studying to look forward to.

LOL - a little comic relief

2007-07-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

(Via A Girl Walks Into a Bar Exam)

Bar Exam LOL Cats (you'll need to log in to facebook)

Enjoy!

So tired

2007-07-11T12:02:00.001-07:00

Tired. I really hope I pass, because I don't want to have to go through this again, ever. But this is the crunch time, so we are supposed to push through. Two more weeks, then I can read normal books, watch TV, go shopping, go to the movies, talk to friends. Hopefully I'll also stop dreaming about the exam - last night it was Commercial Paper. Seriously, it hasn't been on the exam in 15 years (since they changed the format) - couldn't my brain help me by going over Property in my sleep? No, apparently not.

Does everyone else get upset when someone says "don't worry, you'll do fine" and the person is not one who has actually taken a bar exam? I don't know what they should say instead (definitely not "you're right, you are going to fail").

Random thoughts while studying for the bar

2007-07-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

What would professors use for hypos if it weren't for Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Homer Simpson, etc? I guess they are preferable to Vicky or Paula or Dave (Victim, Plaintiff, and Defendant as you all know).

I find myself so jealous of people with free time.

I get unreasonably upset whenever someone asks me to do something, and want to say "Can't you see I'm studying! I can't possibly empty the dishwasher!" Unreasonable.

Practice practice practice

2007-06-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

So I've been memorizing and flashcarding like mad, and doing the practice essays, but I've been skimping on the MBE questions, so I think that's what I should focus on this weekend. I also need to figure out my schedule for after Bar-Bri ends on Tuesday. And decide where I want to study. I'm thinking Starbucks in the morning, or the other coffee place I like, and the public library in the afternoon (it doesn't open until 10). And then home in the evening after dinner. And maybe I can fit in a walk at the indoor track as well.

It is supposed to be 113 on the 4th here - way too hot for me.

Marathon, not a sprint

2007-06-26T15:52:00.000-07:00

I don't think anyone who has not studied for the bar can truly appreciate the misery involved. I find that bar studying is invading my dreams (I dreamt of MBE questions on Secured Transactions. My brain could at least be helpful and help me with subjects that will actually be on the MBE). Even when I'm not studying, I think I should be, or I'm thinking of what I need to do next, etc. Although, sometimes I'm just deciding what coffee beverage to choose for the next day's class.

I gave up on riding the bus downtown - it took too long, and I got tired of dealing with other people. Seriously, my nerves are shot - I get annoyed at the slightest thing! I know it's stress, but I still am so edgy. I've been exercising, and trying to eat right. Maybe I should try meditation or yoga or something.

Chatty Cathy Pt. II

2007-06-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

Last week, the Property lecturer made an announcement at the beginning of the lecture to ask us not to talk to our seatmates during the lecture, unless it was really quickly and really quietly. That's fine, he really shouldn't have to tell us that. We didn't actually seem to have a problem with that except on the day we had a video lecture, when everyone acted like they were at the movies (but no cell phone calls at least). Anyway, what's funny about this announcement is that I didn't hear it, because I was...wait for it...talking to my seatmate. (We sit two to a table.). And when my friend at the table in front turned around to ask what he had said (she hadn't heard because she was talking to her seatmate), I had to tell her I didn't know, because I was talking. The person behind me told us. So of course, the four of us start laughing (because, you know, we didn't hear the announcement about not talking...). Not very disruptive, right?

Seriously, I do not normally talk during the lectures, but I could tell he was just doing announcements and we were just finishing up a conversation. The one and only time I ever had my name on the board in school (middle school) was for talking to a friend in class. After that I didn't get caught, I guess. I don't think I stopped talking (when the teacher wasn't anyway).

So anyway, the two people in front of me now use old fashioned IMing to talk. And by old-fashioned, I mean without computers. They keep a notebook open between them, and write back and forth. Ingenious. I hope they keep the notes to remember the experience by.

Tired

2007-06-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

We had the last part of our Property lecture today - yes, on a Saturday. 6 days of lecture is too much for me, and yet I feel the pressure of how little time we have to absorb so much information. Today was the first day I felt overwhelmed, but I think I'm just tired. I'm taking the rest of today off, and tomorrow morning I'll go run some errands, etc., before settling down to read what we are supposed to read for Monday.

Paced?

2007-06-05T19:15:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to follow the paced program for Bar-Bri. I am keeping up okay, although I haven't written the essays yet (only outlined), and I have added some of the PMBR MBE questions because the first few assignments seemed too short. I know, geek.

When I'm studying, I would rather be doing something else. When I'm not studying, I think I should be studying, and I come up with these ambitious goals for what I will accomplish by the end of the day. I'm hoping this is just a phase as I adjust to the schedule. I thought the paced program would help me not stress about what I should be doing, but it seems to be going too slowly to allow us to learn what we need to know. I guess I should trust the experts, eh?

Week 1

2007-06-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

of Bar-Bri, that is. We only had two days of lecture today, and one of those was the "introductory" lecture. And so far the paced program has been pretty easy on us, but I'm sure to fall behind. Well, technically I'm already behind because I didn't write the community property essays that were assigned (I outlined them instead). I did take that class in law school at least. Next week we have 6 days of lectures. Seriously, Saturday classes - ick. So the plan for today is to make an effort on what we are supposed to do by Monday.

My nephew just called to say they want to take me out for lunch to celebrate getting a job - it's so funny now that he can talk on the phone like a grownup (he's 4 1/2). Then we are going to Target and he'll probably talk me into buying him a toy or a book. So homework will have to wait for this afternoon!

Oh, and grades are finally up - mine were the same as they have been every semester so far, and I'm happy with them. My ending GPA is exactly the same as my undergraduate one. Weird.

A job!

2007-05-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

Remember the interview I went for on Tuesday? I got the job! I'll be clerking for a judge in the county juvenile court for a year. So that means after the bar I'll be closing down this blog. But you are stuck with me through the bar exam! Thanks for all of the good luck wishes!

How big is the Enterprise-D?

2007-05-30T11:04:00.001-07:00

Bar-Bri starts tomorrow, so what am I doing? Wandering aimlessly around the internet. But look what I found!

Have you ever wondered how big the Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation is? Wonder no more.

American Idol

2007-05-23T09:51:00.001-07:00

Butterflyfish has admitted on her blog that she watches American Idol, and I'll admit I have been watching it this season. I don't watch every season, but this one has been pretty good (once Sanjaya went away). My guess is Jordin will win - she should, she is the better singer. Blake is the more interesting performer, and perhaps second is better anyway - he might be able to keep better control of his career. Still, I'll only watch the last few minutes of the results show - way too much filler and commercials for me. I need a Tivo or DVR.

I haven't really started the bar studying yet - Bar-Bri is a week from tomorrow. I've been reading, watching TV, shopping, going out with friends, that sort of thing. I have a job interview on Tuesday, so wish me luck!

Location location location

2007-05-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

They emailed us the other day to tell us where our Bar-Bri class would be held. The law school is undergoing renovation starting a few days ago, so the usual lecture halls aren't available. So our class will be downtown at some hotel. As if parking at the university weren't enough of a challenge, now everyone has to deal with downtown. I think I'll still take the bus, but we'll see if that lasts through 110 degree days. Anyway, the law library will also be closed, so the challenge now is to think of somewhere else to study. Home is pretty much out - too may interruptions from my mother, too much TV and too much internet. The regular university library is also out, and here's why: at the law library, you could spread your stuff out, and leave it at the table while you went to get a drink or use the restroom. At the main library, you're lucky if people don't steal your stuff while you're at the table. Yeah, pretty bad. So I'm thinking of the city library branch near my house, because it's usually deserted. Of course there's always the St*rbucks down the street, too.

Anyway, Bar-Bri doesn't start until the 31st, so I'm taking advantage by reading fiction and watching movies. And also: Battlestar Galactica marathon yesterday, today and tomorrow, and a Heroes marathon on Saturday - yay for SciFi Channel!

Graduation!

2007-05-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

Graduation was fun yesterday, despite the 100 degree heat. My favorite professor was our chosen speaker, and he played the guitar and sang for us. Most of us had him for contracts our first year, and he played and sang for us then as part of a contract, so it was a nice personal touch. The crowd of family and friends seemed to enjoy it as well. I know my family whooped and cheered when I crossed the stage, but I didn't hear it - it was like I was in a bubble, just concentrating on not tripping! I remembered to turn toward the audience so they could get my picture, though.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers out there!

All Good Things...

2007-05-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

I turned in my last paper, and took my last final today. I'm too tired to feel very elated, but I think some sleep will help with that. And the pile of "fun" reading I've been accumulating. And the movies from Netflix. And some solid TV watching days.

There are some things about law school I won't miss: gunners, worrying about being called on, indecipherable casebooks, uncertainty, worrying about money.

There are some things I will miss: understanding the reasoning behind a case, the student schedule, engaging faculty, fun fellow students.

Our caps and gowns and hoods came in today, and I have my graduation dress - tomorrow I head to the mall in search of some shoes to wear.

And I'm not thinking about the piles of BarBri and PMBR books sitting on my bedroom floor - nope, not at all!

Last Class

2007-04-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

Today I attended my last law school class. On the one hand, I'm tired, and I'm glad classes are over. Law School is a marathon for sure. On the other hand, it seems like just the other day we were walking into our first law school class - Con Law - and trying to decipher Marbury v. Madison. (Kudos to the classmate who was on call that first day.) Three years has gone by so fast. And yet there is still more to do before I can really be a lawyer - finals of course, and the bar. And the stress is still there: no job yet, must pass the bar, etc. But I think law school has improved me: I can think on my feet better, and I've lost a lot of my fear of public speaking. I think my writing and analysis have improved. And I've met some amazing people - students and professors. Law school has been a roller coaster, but overall, the highs outweigh the lows.

Bar Prep

2007-04-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

I signed up for PMBR last week, and the books and "free" CDs arrived yesterday. Gah. Just looking at the giant book of questions makes me a little queasy thinking about what this summer will be like. I think I'm going to have to hide the box in the closet until after finals. And the Bar-Bri books haven't even arrived yet!

On the job front, I had an interview with a judge a couple of weeks ago, but haven't heard back yet. I have another interview with another judge this Friday. This will be after the big "loan repayment" seminar at school, which should be so much fun. Just thinking about the consolidation process makes me queasy too!

Winding Down

2007-04-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

The semester is winding down, but there is still so much to do! I still have a paper to write for Elder Law, and do a class presentation on it as well. I finally finished my character and fitness paperwork today - I just have to get my driver's license record from the DMV and get the whole mess notarized and copied and mailed. I paid for the Bar-Bri course, even though they don't know where it will be held here in town. They are starting construction on the law school immediately after finals (I am SO glad I'm graduating), so we'll probably be in a classroom somewhere else on campus. Which won't be so bad, except we won't have our lockers, or the law library, or familiar surroundings. Yes, they are closing the library for the summer.

We colored Easter eggs with my nephew this morning - very fun. He's looking forward to the treats on Sunday.

I can't believe there are only 2 and 1/2 weeks of school left before finals.

Book meme

2007-03-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

As seen at Badger Meets World:

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?
Paperback (either size) for reading on the bus, hardback for new books if I can't wait for the paperback edition or from the library.

Amazon or brick and mortar?
Amazon mostly, but also the local used bookstore (I'm a poor law student, remember?)

Barnes & Noble or Borders?
Borders is closer to my house, but I used to work at Barnes and Noble so I know where everything is there. Barnes and Noble has a better magazine selection.

Bookmark or dogear?
Bookmark - usually with a Post-it, or with one of those ubiquitous magazine subscription cards.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?
Ha. I do group by author, and somewhat by genre, but otherwise, it would look random to an outsider. I know where everything is, though.

Keep, throw away, or sell?
Throw away? Who would do that? Keep, sometimes sell/trade at the bookstore. Or give away to people.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?
Keep it! Why wouldn't you?

Read with dust jacket or remove it?
Off, so the pretty jacket stays nice.

Short story or novel?
Both.

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?
It's all good.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Harry Potter, for sure. I'm scheduling a break in bar study to read the new one when it comes out this summer.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
Makes no difference to me. If I'm up late reading, I'll let myself read until the end of the chapter if I really don't want to stop.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
Neither. I hate mysteries, because I can't stop myself from skipping to the end to see what happened. It's a sickness.

Buy or Borrow?
I don't care how I get the books, so long as I can read them!

New or used?
Either, but the used has to not be marked up, or smell like mold.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
All of the above.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
Either.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?
Whenever! I read on the bus on the way to and from school, and then before bed. Or while I'm watching TV. Or when I should be studying. Really, it's an addiction.

Stand-alone or series?
Series only if the quality stays good throughout. Otherwise, stand-alone.

Favorite series?
Harry Potter, "A Matter for Men" series by David Gerrold (he's been promising us the 5th book for 15 years. I haven't given up.), Foundation (Asimov), Robot novels (Asimov), The Dark is Rising (Susan Cooper), Little House on the Prairie, Nancy Drew. I'm sure there's more.

Favorite children's book?
How could I choose only one?

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
Bellwether by Connie Willis

Favorite books read last year?
I read some good stuff by Stephen Baxter and John Scalzi.

Favorite books of all time?
Anything by Connie Willis, any of the series listed above.

Least favorite book you finished last year?
I'm not sure...

What was the last book you finished?
Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers (a re-read)

What are you reading right now?
I'm between books right now - I need to find something today.

What are you reading next?
See above.

Anyone's free to do the meme - or to just comment here!

Another quiz!

2007-03-16T17:18:00.001-07:00

Your Geek Profile:

Academic Geekiness: Highest
SciFi Geekiness: Highest
Movie Geekiness: High
Fashion Geekiness: Moderate
Geekiness in Love: Moderate
Internet Geekiness: Moderate
Gamer Geekiness: Low
General Geekiness: Low
Music Geekiness: Low

How Geeky Are You?

Hooray for Sci-Fi

2007-03-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

the channel, that is. Cox changed our cable lineup to finally add the Sci-Fi Channel, so now I can watch Battlestar Galactica when everyone else does. My sister and I had been dependent on a friend of hers who had digital cable to tape it for us each week, so we could see it at least in the same week it was aired, rather than waiting for the DVD to come out at the end of the season. They also added Court TV. Naturally, they gave us no notice of the change, but that is another story. I'm such a TV junkie that I would happily pay for all of the digital channels, if I were rich. Or even gainfully employed.

On the Bar Exam front, I sent Bar-Bri my payment (expensive!), and I've started on the Character and Fitness paperwork. We have to list every job since age 18, which turns out to be 16 jobs for me. I held a lot of part-time moonlighting jobs while also working full-time during the days: retail, data entry, etc. So I'll be filling out forms for a few days. Not to mention trying to track down addresses and contact info for all of them.

Spring "Break"

2007-03-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long absence. School has been keeping me pretty busy - so much for it easing up as a 3L. Last week we got to buy our caps and gowns, and the graduation announcements. I need to send my Bar-Bri payment, and decide which PMBR I'm going to take. I'm leaning toward the 3-day at a minimum. (Thanks for the advice, Brian.)

So it's finally Spring Break, and I have plenty to do. I have two papers to research and start writing, I need to do the Character and Fitness report, and I have to prepare for a deposition in Pretrial Lit. The worst part of the depo is that a professor is playing the witness role, because the student who was assigned is no longer playing the role.

I should also get some more resumes and cover letters out - I have a few hot tips on firms that are hiring. All of this is complicated by problems with our home internet connection. And I need to find a dress to wear for graduation. And shoes.

The Bar

2007-02-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how early the bar anxiety starts. I'm not worrying about the studying (much) but about the administrative parts of it. So since this blog will likely be my bar study blog as well, I'll tell you all what I've been up to:

I pre-registered for Bar-Bri as a 1L (I know) so I'm all set except for the paying part. I did win a partial scholarship through the student section of the ABA, so if you are a 2L or 1L, the registration fee for that is worth it if you qualify for the Bar-Bri scholarship. I got the registration/course reservation form from Bar-Bri a couple of days ago, so all that's left is to send that back with the $2000 check, and wait for the big box o' books to arrive.

I started the process for a bar study loan - the lender I chose has a multi-step process - call for pre-approval, then send in the form (no online form, apparently), then school certification I'm guessing. Hopefully that will all go smoothly.

I'm debating whether to register for PMBR - I psych myself out on multiple choice tests, so I think more time prepping for the MBE would be worth it, but I'm not sure I can face more lectures. Anyone have any thoughts on that?

I'm trying to think of places where I can study - not at home, and not at the library. I'm considering camping out at a friend's house while they are at work/school. I can't trust my mom not to interrupt me, or myself not to "just turn on the TV for a few minutes" so I think I'll need to get out of the house.

Pretrial Litigation

2007-02-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

I just finished the disclosure statement for our "client" in our Pretrial Lit class. I can't recommend this class enough - if there are any 1Ls or 2Ls reading this, sign up for this class. It will give you some experience in these things before you work at a firm (I definitely wish I had taken this as a 2L, but better late than never.) and will help solidify your understanding of the rules of civil procedure. I learn rules better if I can apply them or see them in action, and this class has been great for that.

I started this blog in the hopes of providing advice like this for other students, and I fear I've slacked off on this. This is partly because I no longer feel qualified to offer much advice. A lot of law school is "whatever works for you." So, take any advice I offer with that caveat. And I welcome other views in the comments!

More movies

2007-01-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

I watched "Little Miss Sunshine" last night. I thought it was good, but all of the hype had me prepared for something really great. I will say that I was sorry when it was over, which to me is a sign of a good movie. I would have willingly spent more time with these characters. Unlike some other movies (I'm looking at you, Superman Returns) that couldn't end soon enough.

Movies and other updates

2007-01-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to the movie theater and saw "The Pursuit of Happyness" - I can't recommend this movie enough. I haven't been to an actual theater in at least a year - I can't remember which movie was the last one. This was totally worth the overpriced ticket, overpriced popcorn, chilly theater and noisy patrons though.

I can't believe this is my last semester of school. I finally decided to drop Separation of Powers, so I'm only taking 13 units. I still feel really busy. Oh, and remember how expensive the books were this semester? A friend of mine gave me her old Antitrust book (same edition) so I returned the one I bought along with the Sep of Powers text, and got $187 back. Pretty good deal!

Still no job. I've started to worry about the bar - specifically how to pay for studying this summer. I really don't want to take out a loan, but the alternative is working during the semester, so I need to juggle my study schedule a bit.

The last first day of classes

2007-01-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

Well, sort of. I had one class last night, and two today. But one class doesn't meet until next Tuesday, and the other one doesn't start until the 22nd because of the holiday next Monday. I'm still trying to decide whether to drop a class: I have 15 units, which seems like a lot for 3rd year. I'm taking Family Law, Elder Law, Antitrust, Pretrial Litigation, and Separation of Powers. Plus a 1-week Supreme court seminar, and Law Review.

The Pretrial Lit class seems like it will be a lot of work, but also kind of fun. THere are two classes, so each class is one law firm on one side of the case. The premise is that the professor is the Partner, and the students are the associates who do all the work, from filing a complaint, through a motion for summary judgment, and ending with a settlement conference. I think if we really embrace it as "real" we can get a lot out of it and have some fun along the way. So we'll see.

Books!

2007-01-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

Our financial aid disbursed, so today I got to go buy my books for the semester. Three books, $300. What a racket. It was a little sad knowing that this will be the last time I'll have to buy books (unless I eventually go back for an LLM in Tax). Of course, one class doesn't have books listed, and one has a book listed that hasn't been published yet, so it's not really the last time yet. We also took down all of the Christmas decorations, and that's always a little sad too. I did finally get curtains in my room, though (I had blinds that let most of the sun in.) and I'm very happy with them. I got the "blackout" lining, so NO light comes in to disturb my sleep! Of course, that means the sun doesn't wake me up, so that might be bad. I am really glad about the curtains, though, because my mom put up some motion sensitive lights outside that are sensitive to cars driving by, and shine into my room, so now they won't wake me up during the night. We are working on adjusting them, but you know how that is.

So, classes start Wednesday, and two professors have posted assignments. I'll probably be doing those on...Tuesday.

You're on notice!

2007-01-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

Make your own!

As seen at The Neutral Zone Trap.

It's not a holiday without a plumbing problem

2006-12-29T16:05:00.000-07:00

The drains in our house backed up yesterday, and of course the plumber couldn't come to "snake" them until today, because it rained all day yesterday. Yes, it does rain here occasionally. So my mom and I got to spend the night in a hotel. I thought it was kind of fun, but my mom wasn't amused. I mean, we had free drinks last night, and a hot breakfast this morning, and HBO on the TV - what more could you want?

I got to babysit my nephew this morning. He has turned "Lego" into a verb. (He got Thomas the Tank Engine Legos for Christmas.) As in: "Auntie, can you Lego these two pieces together?" Too cute.

Edited to add: Yesterday was my 2 year blog-a-versary! Thanks to all of you for sticking with me!

Memories

2006-12-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

Christmas was hard: there are memories of my Dad everywhere. He loved my mom's cookies, and chocolate covered cherries. He was always the hardest family member to buy gifts for, and he usually let my mom pick out the gifts for us. Still, we managed a Christmas dinner with the family, and presents and stockings. We took the traditional picture of all of us around the dinner table, after taking half an hour or so to figure out the timer on the camera - again. I have a new MP3 player to load with music, and a new alarm-clock radio. My nephew got the toy garbage truck he wanted so desperately, as only a 4 year old can want. But of course it wasn't the same, and it's one more part of the process: what we have to go through to come out the other side, changed.

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you get whatever you asked Santa for! And don't forget to track Santa.

Does this mean I end up with Colin Firth?

2006-12-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

As seen at loco delectis:

Which Classic Female Literary Character Are you?

You're Elizabeth Bennett of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen!
Take this quiz!

Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

Finished!

2006-12-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

Exams are finally finished for the semester, and were they ever brutal! Now it's all Christmas preparation and fun stuff for a few days! Good luck to anyone who's still dealing with exams - I feel your pain!

Activity Sets

2006-12-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

We've been gradually decorating for Christmas this week. It's a nice procrastination method for me, although my mom has a LOT of decorations. We put out the nativity set yesterday - or as my nephew says, the activity set. For him it is an activity set, though, because he likes to rearrange the people, and introduce new characters: snowmen, bears, dogs, cats, santas - whoever is handy. He's also looking forward to making the gingerbread house next week. He has a pretty artistic eye, although he is of the opinion that the more gumdrops, the better. Who can argue with that?

I passed the MPRE!

2006-12-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

MPRE scores are out today - and I passed! I hope I can say the same for the Secured Transactions final I took today - I think I passed, but beyond that, I cannot say. Still, I don't have to take the MPRE again!

2006-12-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

No more Greg?

2006-11-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

I just saw on the Today show that Greg - the yellow Wiggle - is leaving the Wiggles due to health problems. Here's the official press release. My nephew loves the Wiggles, and it's one of the few kids shows that I enjoyed watching with him. Let's face it, the Wiggles are fun, and Greg was the cute one! I know they replaced the guy on Blue's Clues a few years ago, and kids seemed okay with that, so I guess replacing Greg will be okay.

And in other news, NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) has ended at last, so I will be returning to my less regular posting schedule. Thanks to all of you for your comments. And I'll try to post more often in the future, although not every day.

Television

2006-11-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

I admit it - I'm a TV junkie. Fortunately (or unfortunately) there isn't much worth watching these days. So, another list:

What I'm Watching

How I Met Your Mother - not as funny as Friends, but it definitely has it's moments.
Medium
Project Runway - although after Jeffrey won this last one, I may not watch anymore
Battlestar Galactica - I can't say enough how much I like this show
Re-runs of Buffy and Angel - I missed these shows the first time around
The Daily Show
The Colbert Report - I have a serious crush on Stephen Colbert.
I love when he makes himself laugh at his own cleverness.

What I Wish I had watched from the beginning:
Heroes - I guess I'll wait for the DVD, or summer reruns (if they show them in order)
Daybreak - This seems like a clever premise

Shows I wish I hadn't bothered with:
The Nine
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Shows I wish hadn't been cancelled already
Smith
this is why I didn't watch Heroes: I was sure it would be cancelled as soon as I started liking it. Go figure.

I'm sure some of you agree and disagree with me: post in comments!

Cost of Christmas

2006-11-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

According to the Christmas Price Index, the cost of buying all of the gifts in the Twelve Days of Christmas carol is at a 22 year high: $18,920.56. The items with the largest increases are the pear tree and the labor cost of the dancers, etc. The website is really quite clever.

Christmas Season

2006-11-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

This is my nephew's favorite time of year. Not because of the presents, but because of the Christmas lights everyone puts up. He loves to be driven around to look at all of the lights, and he keeps track of who has their lights up already, and who has the ones he likes the most. More people than I would have thought already have lights up, and it seems more and more people have elaborate displays in their yards: light up reindeer, those big snowglobes, trains, sleighs, etc., etc. When I was a kid we would drive around town one night to look at all of the lights, and sing carols along with a tape in the tape deck.

I love Netflix

2006-11-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

I watched An Inconvenient Truth on DVD yesterday - I highly recommend it. Who knew Al Gore could be so interesting? I also finished the first disk of How I Met Your Mother - Season 1, which I also highly recommend, for different reasons. Each episode is only 20 minutes long, for one thing, so you can easily use it as a study break. Don't do what I did, which was watch 5 episodes at once. Are there really 10 minutes worth of commercials when it airs "live"? Unbelievable.

Mall Madness

2006-11-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

I went to the mall with my mom this morning. It actually wasn't very crowded, which was nice. I bought some new headphones to connect to my laptop, in the hope that that will inspire me to chain myself to said laptop and work on my outlines. I did finally start yesterday, but honestly, you'd think I didn't have any finals at all with my work ethic. So now I'll try bribing myself with music.

Outlines

2006-11-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

I'm starting my outlines today, for real. After I post to the blog, and check bloglines, and do a little shopping, of course. Seriously, what happened to my motivation? If you see it, send it back to me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. We're off to a friend's house for the big dinner.

22

2006-11-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

Only 8 more days of the posting every day business.

Classes are over, so all that's left is the outlining. And the actual exams, of course. I have one more paper to edit for Law Review, and then that is over for the semester as well. Today I'm going to the bookstore with my nephew, and then we're having lunch downtown with my sister (his mom, of course). So homework will wait until this afternoon, I guess.

Jury Duty!

2006-11-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

I received a summons for jury duty in superior court yesterday! The report date isn't until after finals, so I don't have to postpone it for that. A few weeks ago I got a summons for federal court jury duty that would have required me to be on call for all of December. I asked for that one to be postponed until after school and the bar, so now I have to report in August, 2007. That seems a little strange, but okay. I have actually served on a federal jury, back in 2001. It was the week after September 11, so security was very tight. The trial was 3 weeks long. Since we couldn't discuss the trial until it was over, we spent our time solving the airline security problem, etc. If only someone had asked us.

3L

2006-11-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the last day of classes, and I have yet to start my outlines. I guess that's another thing that is different about third year - I know (or at least have some idea) how long it will take me to outline each class, and what I need to do for each one. They are all open book, for one thing, which changes how I do my outline. Rather than something to memorize, it is a reference to use during the exam. We get a whole reading week next week, so I know I'll have plenty of time. But part of me knows I should at least start this week, although maybe not today...

Favorite Books

2006-11-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

I love books - I have for as long as I can remember. A highlight of the weekend when I was little was to go to the library on Sunday afternoon, and stock up on a big pile of books. I would then spend the afternoon reading, usually finishing at least one of them before the end of the day. I am still a fast reader, especially of fiction, which is a blessing and a curse. So today, I thought I would give a random list of some of my favorite books. Feel free to agree, disagree or add your own in the comments! So, in no particular order:

childhood books:
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Little House on the Prairie books (my mom read these aloud to us)
A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle
I, Robot - Isaac Asimov (the first science fiction I read - I was in 5th grade)
The Dark is Rising series - Susan Cooper
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

Other books:
The Day for Damnation series by David Gerrold (still waiting for book #6)
The Harry Potter books
Bellwether by Connie Willis (sheep, chaos theory and romance!)
The Doomsday Book - another Connie Willis (the best time travel book)
Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer (not fiction, I know - so?)
The Amber series by Roger Zelazny (I would love to make the first one into a movie)
Beggars in Spain - Nancy Kress
The Foundation novels - Asimov (also the Robot ones)
Pride and Prejudice - Austen
Jane Eyre - Bronte
Memoirs of a Geisha

That's all off the top of my head right now...

Happy Birthday!

2006-11-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my nephew! I was there when he was born, and he's been a joy to me ever since. Today he's 4, and he's having his party here. 14 or so 4-year-olds with pizza and cake? Should be pretty fun!

Cookies!

2006-11-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

My nephew is over her for the morning (he's almost 4) and we are going to bake pumpkin cookies - yum! Outlines? What outlines?

Last day of (some) classes

2006-11-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

Today was the last day for two of my classes this semester. The only one left is my Monday class, which will meet next Monday and Tuesday, because Tuesday is a Monday. Like that's not too confusing for us. Anyway, we clapped for one professor, but not for the other - but I don't think that was because we didn't like him/her. I think it was because...no one started to clap. You need that one bellwether person to get it going, I think, and that person wasn't in our class.

Day 15

2006-11-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Well, it's day 15 of posting every day in November. And I'm out of material for today, so I'll just give you a link to a fun game: Subpoena Power.

Kid's say the funniest things

2006-11-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Today my nephew described one of the teachers at his preschool as "Mrs. Something-body else from the other-one class."

Mock Trial

2006-11-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Well, the trial is over, and it went pretty well. We actually won the case, which wasn't really the point, but fun nonetheless. We won a pretrial motion to exclude evidence, which was awesome. I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be, but I did learn that it's really important to know the hearsay objections like you know the alphabet - just automatic. Maybe that's just something that comes with more experience.

Law School Roundup

2006-11-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Evan for the inclusion in the Weekly Law School Roundup. Some of the other entries are hilarious, so go check it out!

Trial Ad

2006-11-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

Spent most of today working on the problem for basic trial. We get to make a motion to suppress some evidence based on what we think is a bad search, and we get to ask for the judge to take judicial notice of the fact that the moon was not out on the night in question. Cool, eh?

Mock Trial

2006-11-10T15:21:00.000-07:00

I have my "mock" trial for my basic trial advocacy course on Monday. It'll be in the real courthouse, in front of a real judge. Too bad I don't feel more like a real lawyer. We get to work in pairs, which is good, but I'll still be very glad when it's over. We have the defense side of a criminal case - couldn't be further from what I intend to practice, but oh well. Anyone have any tips?

Out of material

2006-11-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

This posting everyday business is harder than it looks - my life is not that interesting. Today all I have is the crazy lady talking loudly to herself on the bus (this is not the first time I've seen her). I'm afraid to tell her to hush because then she might think I want to talk to her, and I really don't. I think she's only partly crazy, because she does carry on conversations with people, but the rest of the time she just addresses the world at large. And then there's the little old guy who carries two satchels stuffed with papers - I've seen him several times on the bus. Are the papers a physical manifestation of his emotional baggage? I wonder.

What will they think of next?

2006-11-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

I went to the dentist for a cleaning today, and I had this new kind of flouride treatment. They squirt what looks like hair mousse (you know, like for styling?) in your mouth, and you have to swish it around for what seems like forever but is supposedly only 4 minutes. What is that? When he said he was going to do a fluoride treatment, I thought "Great, with those stupid trays that make me gag." But no - no trays, just the gagging! Very strange. This is why I hate getting my teeth cleaned - there's always some new torture method.

Speaking of torture...I'm so glad the Dems won back at least the House, and I hope the Senate. Here in my state, I'm proud that we rejected the proposed amendment to ban gay marriage, and passed a hike in the minimum wage. Of course, we also passed some unnecessarily punitive statutes regarding illegal aliens, but I guess one step at a time.

Election Day!

2006-11-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

I love election night - the endless speculating on the television, the results with 1% of precincts reporting, etc. I voted by mail, and I'm a little sorry I did. It's so fun to go to the precinct. I would have been pressed for time today, though, and we had a million propositions to vote on.

Where is everyone?

2006-11-06T14:03:00.000-07:00

Where are all the panicked 1Ls and overburdened 2Ls? Did everyone stay home today? Seriously, the library is almost empty, and the people I do see are all 3Ls. Very strange.

Ethics

2006-11-05T15:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday after the MPRE several of us were standing around talking, and one of our professors came over to chat as well. He asked us why we were at school on such a nice Saturday, and we told him about the MPRE. This led to a discussion of ethics classes in general, and we tossed around some ideas for improving the way it's taught. One idea was to have small sections teach it - very small classes rather than large lectures. Another was proposed by the professor: have each professor in the core subjects teach part of the rules of professional responsiblity as well. He suggested that if the ethical issues were simply incorporated into hypotheticals regarding that subject, we might get a "real world" exposure to how the issues really arise in practice. He admitted the drawback was that the professors would have to talk to each other to be sure the coverage of the topic was complete. Personally, I liked my ethics class because it was so small (8 people) and because she let us watch movies. Summer school is the way to go, people!

Whatever

2006-11-04T16:28:00.000-07:00

Well, the MPRE wasn't quite this bad, but it was not fun. At least it was only 2 hours. And we have to wait 5 weeks for the results, so by then I should have forgotten most of it.

I also managed to edit two note drafts for "my" writers (did I mention I'm a Student Note Editor). So now all I have for tomorrow is reading for classes, and preparing the whole mock trial for my basic trial class. Fun!

MPRE

2006-11-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess I'm ready for the MPRE tomorrow. I have my pencils and admission ticket (with passport picture attached), so I don't think I need anything else. It's only 2 hours, so I don't need snacks. I'll be really glad when it's over. And I pass, of course.

Can you tell I'm trying to post every day? My life isn't very exciting, though, so I'll have to come up with a gimmick...

Spring Schedule

2006-11-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

It's registration time again, and I know you are all wondering what I'll be taking for my final semester in law school. (Ha ha.) So here's what I registered for:

Antitrust
Family Law
Separation of Powers
Elder Law
The Supreme Court (1 week seminar)
Pretrial Litigation
plus Law Review.

You might notice the absence of Corporations/Business Orgs. I really intended to take that this semester, even though I don't purposely take bar classes. However, they decided to offer Bus Orgs on Wed/Thurs/Friday. Yes, Friday. So that was the defining thing. I've become accustomed to my long weekends, which I know will end as soon as I'm gainfully employed, and I wasn't about to give them up for a class I suspect strongly I will hate anyway. My schedule as it is now gives me Wednesday (except the evening) and Fridays free. I intend to enjoy that.

Also, it looks like a lot of classes, but two of them are only 2 credit, one day a week seminar-type classes. And I've promised myself I can drop any one of them if I wish.

So, any comments? Am I missing anything?

November!

2006-11-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe it is already November. If time is going this fast for me now, what will it be like when I'm 80?

The MPRE is Saturday, and I feel about half-prepared. I just don't want to have to take it again, even if there isn't a penalty aside from the registration fee. And the personal humiliation.

I decided to take a stab at NaNoWriMo (I won't link because the site is seriously overloaded today), and so far I have 1792 words toward the 50,000. It's terrible, of course, but I really wanted to try to have the freedom to write whatever I felt like. It's fun going for quantity, not quality, and telling whatever story happens into your head at the time.

Catching Up

2006-10-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

My early class was cancelled for today, and I'm taking advantage of that by also skipping my second class for the day, which means no class until this evening's Basic Trial Advocacy. It feels weird to skip class intentionally - I think I've only missed 6 or so classes in my entire law school career so far. I suspect that number will climb sharply next semester.

Today is (would have been?) my Dad's birthday, so I'm glad for being able to stay home. We never really did anything super special for the occasion for him, just cards and cake, but it is still weird.

Is anyone thinking of doing NaNoWriMo this year? I'm considering it, even though I know November is always crazy busy. But then I think next November I'll (hopefully) be working, so this might be my last chance. I also saw the suggestion of NaBloPoMo which is a commitment to write a blog post every day for the month of November.

MPRE

2006-10-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

I've signed up to take the MPRE in November, and attended the Bar-Bri review course this morning. It was moderately helpful. I'm not really stressed about the MPRE itself, which is probably a bad thing since I'm not motivated to study. So the Bar-Bri outline is a nice little condensed review for me. And the class was pretty good - it was a live lecturer, and he took the exam in August so has recent experience with what is on the exam. The substantive review was what you'd expect for 3 hours, and there weren't many exam tips, but it served the purpose for me. I took ethics during 1st year summer, so it's been awhile and I wanted a "live" review. I have no idea if this is what real Bar-Bri will be like, though...

Motivation

2006-09-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

When they say 3L is better than 2L, they aren't kidding. I feel much less stressed about school than I did at this point last year. Of course, that might be because I lack motivation to do much schoolwork - I've lost the fear I think. I don't worry as much about appearing unprepared in class - it's not life or death, for heaven's sake. (With the exception of the classes that do grade on class participation - those I do some work for). This might change around finals time, though.

I am stressed about finding a job, though. That isn't motivating me much at this point, either, but I'm sure it will.

What I really want to do is watch Battlestar Galactica all day (which I did yesterday - yay for Netflix), or just channel surf looking for bad movies. But I'll at least do some token work first, then goof off, then head to my sister's for a BBQ.

30 questions

2006-09-10T13:39:00.000-07:00

As seen at Frolics and Detours:

1. In two words, explain what ended your last relationship?

Apathy

2. When was the last time you shaved?

Yesterday morning

3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.?

Watching the Early Show

4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?

Catching up on blogs

5. Are you any good at math?

Anything but geometry.

6. What did you do on your prom night?

I was out of state on a trip with the Academic team. Yes, I was a geek in high school.

7. Do you have any famous ancestors?

No

8. Have you ever taken out a loan to pay for school?

Yeah, quite a few.

9. Do you know the words to the song on your myspace profile?

I don't have a song on my profile. They annoy me.

10. Last thing received in the mail?

Entertainment Weekly and bills.

11. How many different beverages have you drank today?

5 -- protein drink, OJ, coffee, soda, water

12. Do you ever leave messages on people's answering machines?

Why wouldn't I

13. Who did you lose your concert virginity to?

Tina Turner - but I was there to see the opening act, Level 42.

14. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?

Not usually

15. What's the most painful dental procedure you've had?

2 root canals

16. What is out your back door?

A little yard with a half-dead lawn

17. Any plans for Friday night?

Nothing special

18. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?

No, it makes it all frizzy and wild

19. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different kinds of popcorn?

Yes, yum!

20. Have you ever been to a planetarium?

Yes. It was a common field trip in elementary school, and I had an astronomy class in college in the planetarium, so I used to wander through every week.

21. Do you re-use towels after you shower?

Yes

22. Some things you are excited about?

My new cable internet

23. What is your favorite flavor of JELLO?

Orange

24. Are any of your great-grandparents still alive?

No.

25. Describe your key chain:

Car key, house keys, sister's house keys, and a keyring that is part of a circuit board

26. Where do you keep your change?

My wallet, or a jar in my room

27. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?

I did an oral argument in my Property class - about 80 people

28. What kind of winter coat do you have?

Lightweight khaki raincoat - it's the desert, we don't really need winter coats.

29. What was the weather like on your high school graduation day?

Hot and sunny, cooler at night.

30. Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed?

Closed

More Random Observations

2006-08-31T18:09:00.000-07:00

I've decided not to do OCI this year. Why? Only 1 firm here in town is even accepting applications from 3Ls, and I know I don't want to work there. Also, they've introduced a new "uploading" process for the applications, and it sounds much to glitchy (is that a word?) for me. So, thanks Career Services, I guess we're on our own as usual. I am applying for several judicial clerkships here in town though, so send good thoughts!

I've started going to the gym. Well, the city rec center, anyway. They have an indoor track that I've been walking around. They also have some gym equipment, but you have to attend a class there to be certified on the equipment, and I haven't managed to do that yet. The indoor track is nice though: it overlooks the basketball courts, and there are windows all around with nice mountain views. Most of the other walkers are much older than me, so I feel quite young and spry. I decided I needed something to deal with stress, especially looking forward to the bar next summer.

A political comment

2006-08-31T18:05:00.000-07:00

I know I'm not usually political on this blog, but I couldn't let this one get by. Donald Rumsfeld is accusing dissenters of moral confusion? Give me a break. However, Keith Olbermann says it better than I could: Here's his comments from last night's Countdown.

Blogger Beta

2006-08-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

You might notice I switched to Blogger Beta, and updated my template. I should update my blogroll as well, so if you read this blog and aren't on the list, please comment and remind me, especially if you have me linked from your site. I've lost track of the reciprocal links.

In which I join the 21st century

2006-08-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

We finally got cable internet installed today. Hooray! My mom was tired of me tying up the phone line on dialup. Honestly, I don't know how we managed this long with only one phone line and dial up on both computers.

School is going fine - most people I ducked the "how was your summer?" question, and those I did tell were very supportive. I'm grateful to those who commented on the prior post - your support means a lot to me as well.

Back to School

2006-08-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

So I'm blogging from the school library, trying to decide if I'm more excited or nervous about school starting. It felt good to get ready, get on the bus and go to school. Even the familiar weight of my backpack felt good - felt normal. Yet I'm afraid to talk to my friends, especially the ones who don't know about my summer, becuase of the inevitable question: "How was your summer?" I think for some, I will lie by omission, and just ask about their summer. But for others, I have to tell the bad news, and then feel bad because of course they had no idea when they asked such an innocent question. It's going to be a long day.

In an effort to lighten things up around here...

2006-08-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Your Linguistic Profile:

70% General American English

20% Yankee

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Dixie

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

The Long Hot Summer

2006-07-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

So, one more week of work, then two weeks off, and then back to school already. I'm still debating about my schedule, but I think I've settled on:
Trial Advocacy
Secured Transactions
[my state] civil procedure
Statutory Interpretation
Law Review (Student Note Editor)

It's a lot of code classes, but I think that's all I'm up for right now: clear rules, rather than theory.

I'm glad the summer is almost over - it's definitely not one I would repeat. I still don't feel like myself, but I think only time will heal. I will be glad to get back to school and see my friends. I'm so glad I wasn't trying to study for the bar this year.

Good luck to everyone taking the bar this week - sending positive thoughts out to all of you.

In which I reveal my eclectic yet mundane musical taste...

2006-06-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

Update: Okay, time's up. I'm putting in the answers for the rest. Thanks for playing along!

As seen at Legal Quandary

A.If you’ve got an iPod or similar technology, copy your Top 25 Most Played.
B. Then pick a lyric from each.
C. Post the lyrics on your blog.
D. Have commenters guess what the song is.
E. Either strike out the lyric once it has been correctly identified or place the guesser’s user name directly after the lyric.
F. Extra points for knowing the artist. Let’s not go overboard and try to figure out albums. I’m not even sure I could figure some of them out. Heck, some of the lyrics would stump me and I'm the one posting them.
G. NO INTERNET ASSISTANCE.

1.

If you could see what I have seen
Broken hearts and broken dreams
Whoa oh oh oh
Then I wake up and you're not there
Pain finds me everywhere
Oh, but you don't care...

Law Mommy has the right decade - 80's - and I added a few more lyrics...
of course, it's "Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone" - Glass Tiger

2.

And I offer no sympathy for that
Better off I sparkle on my own

"In the Rough" - Anna Nalick

3.

You were dedicated, you took the time
Wasn’t long before I called you mine

Frolics and Detours is right: Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson.

4.

Raised in the city under a halo of lights
The product of war and fear that we’ve been victimized

Otis is right: "St. Jimmy" by Green Day.

5.

If I had my way, I’d never get over you
Today’s the day I pray that we make it through

"Fall to Pieces" - Avril Lavigne

6.

Now that we know for sure they tell lies
When they say know one gets hurt and nobody dies
You know it’s hard to believe anything that you hear
They say the world is round

"Metal Heart" - Garbage

7.
We’re the same, and you don’t even know it
We’re afraid and we try not to show it
And you’re tired and I am too
So there’s only one thing you can do

"Hold On To Me" - Nina Gordon

8.

Oh they turn their heads embarrassed
Pretend that they don’t see
That’s it’s one misstep, one slip before you know it
And there doesn’t seem a way to be redeemed

ChickenMagazine is close - it's "Fallen" by Sarah McLachlan

9.

You left a stain
On every one of my good days
But I am stronger than you know
I have to let you go

Otis is right again: "Disease" by Matchbox Twenty.

10.
It never was and never will be
You don’t know how you’ve betrayed me

"Everybody's Fool" - Evanescence

~~11.~~

Like a blind dog without a bone
I was a gypsy lost in the Twilight Zone
I hijacked a rainbow and crashed into a pot of gold

Law Mommy even got the version right: "Who Says You Can't Go Home" Bon Jovi with Jennifer Nettles (from Sugarland)

12.

The hands of time have spoken for the chosen one
Cold steel glistens in the dawning sun

"Thin Red Line" - Glass Tiger

13.

I tried to kill my pain, but only brought more
So much more
I lay dying, and I’m pouring crimson red blood and betrayal

"Tourniquet" - Evanescence

~~14.~~

Good times for a change
See the luck I’ve had could make a good man turn bad

ChickenMagazine again with "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" by The Smiths.

~~15.~~

But it’s just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes

Law Mommy again with "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers

16.

Sink like a stone that’s been thrown in the ocean
My logic has drowned in a sea of emotion

"Be Still My Beating Heart" - Sting

17.

She’s been to private school, and she speaks perfect French
She’s got her perfect friends, oh isn’t she cool?

"Don't Bother" - Shakira

~~18.~~

In the outskirts, and on the fringes
In the corner, out of the grip

Kristine gets it with "Left of Center" by Suzanne Vega

~~19.~~

I don’t want to spend my time in hell
Looking at the walls of a prison cell
I don’t ever want to play the part
Of a statistic on a government chart

ChickenMagazine is correct: "Invisible Sun" by The Police.

20.

From the day we met, you made me forget all my fears

"Wrong Again" - Martina McBride

~~21.~~

I can’t stay on your life support
There’s a shortage in the switch
I can’t stay on your morphine
It’s making me itch

ChickenMagazine is close - it is Pink - Law Mommy gets the title "(Just Like A) Pill"

~~22.~~

And the sign said “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls.”

Kristine is right: It's "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel

~~23.~~

I’ve got a bowling ball in my stomach, and a desert in my mouth
Figures that my courage would choose to sell out now

ChickenMagazine gets it: "Crucify" by Tori Amos.

24.

And just when I thought time had set me free
Those thoughts of you keep taunting me

"Here I Am" - Air Supply (this song makes me think of 7th grade)

25.

And there’s no mountain too high, no river too wide
Sing out this song and I’ll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather, and stars may collide
But I love you, until the end of time

"Come What May" - from Moulin Rouge

I'll tag
Brian as "repayment" for stealing quizzes from him. Anyone else who wants to join in, feel free! Give credit to Legal Quandary, though!<

Stare Decisis

New car!

Car shopping

Not a quitter

The end?

I passed!

One more week...

New Blog

First Week

Orientation

Decompression

Harry Potter

Day Two

Day One

We are the Champions

Essays

Should be?

Tick tock

Monday Monday

Officially Graduated!

10 More days

LOL - a little comic relief

So tired

Random thoughts while studying for the bar

Practice practice practice

Marathon, not a sprint

Chatty Cathy Pt. II

Tired

Paced?

Week 1

A job!

How big is the Enterprise-D?

American Idol

Location location location

Graduation!

All Good Things...

Last Class

Bar Prep

Winding Down

Book meme

Another quiz!

Hooray for Sci-Fi

Spring "Break"

The Bar

Pretrial Litigation

More movies

Movies and other updates

The last first day of classes

Books!

You're on notice!

It's not a holiday without a plumbing problem

Memories

Happy Holidays!

Does this mean I end up with Colin Firth?

Blogroll Update

Finished!

Activity Sets

I passed the MPRE!

No more Greg?

Television

Cost of Christmas

Christmas Season

I love Netflix

Mall Madness

Outlines

Happy Thanksgiving!

22

Jury Duty!

3L

Favorite Books

Happy Birthday!

Cookies!

Last day of (some) classes

Day 15

Kid's say the funniest things

Mock Trial

Law School Roundup

Trial Ad

Mock Trial

Out of material