So, I had some awesome friends in for the weekend which a) was fun, b) forced me to go to the beach (it was a real struggle to get me there), and c) was fun. Jocelyn, Sarah, and Winslow seemed to enjoy themselves, too. Which just means that my friends should all come visit me. Just try not to come all at once because with four there is room, five might be a squeeze, but I know that I have more than five friends so you wouldn't all fit.
I had forgotten what going out and being confident in yourself around the people you are with is like. Since having moved here to go to school, on the rare occasion that I go out, I never know if people find me fun/cool/entertaining/"insert other positive adjectives here" or if they tolerate me because I offer to drive sometimes. With true friends, like Jocelyn, Sarah and Winslow, I knew that they liked me for me and they know me well enough to tell me to do stuff, rummage through my refrigerator, call me weird, tolerate the fact that I say "there's my school" every time we pass it (about twenty times), and make me laugh. I felt truly at ease and really let myself enjoy it, even the hangover.
The best part, now that I've thought about it, was that we didn't spend the whole time reminiscing about the way things were or "remember that one time when...", not that we didn't do that, but that we spent a lot of time looking forward at our individual lives and at how our friendship has and will continue to change. I realized that I do miss them terribly, but I am also aware that even if I moved back to the east coast, it would not be the same as it ever was. We're all making new decision and thinking about the next five years in very different ways. We're all contemplating more long term decisions like careers, kids, marriage (if you're not already married), finding a place to live for longer than a year or two. Not that any one of us had answers but we certainly had questions.
We did "gossip" in that way that I found out how some of my friends I haven't seen and I never write are doing. I also got to share some updates about the first year DC crew, so I felt somewhat "in the know." That was good to hear about the further adventures of life as I used to know it. To those of you out there that I heard about: congratulations on the good stuff and good luck with the new stuff and try not to drive too fast. To those of you I got to give the update on: congratulations on the good stuff and good luck with the new stuff from Jocelyn, Sarah, and Winslow (if you've met him (which you may have but he's asked for anonymity on the internet)).
We also played poker. Jocelyn is extraordinarily lucky on deals, no matter what game you're playing. Don't play her for money. Winslow and Sarah play too much poker and know too many games so I never remember the rules to anything. This makes me a patsy. Play me for money.
We went out drinking, like for reals drinking. I got the hic-ups for about an hour, we played with a sharpie at the bar (Sarah to the waitress: "Where can we get good tattoos around here?", Waitress to Sarah after looking at the four of us in our sharpie splendor (mostly the others as I am too afraid of "permanent"): "You might want to stick to the sharpie."), we got bum rushed out with the heard at closing time, and the next day was a long process of recouping for some (my trash can misses you). Then we went to the beach. I think I could only do that once a quarter as I hate the hic-ups.
On Sunday, we went on the quest of the "Amusement Park" for Jocelyn and fish tacos for Winslow. Since I didn't take either of them to TJ to drink as expected (because that's what you do when you come to San Diego, right?), it was only right. The amusement park is really a boardwalk type area that has a roller coaster that was made of wood and built in the 1940s. It is just mellow enough that I liked it, but still no too boring for those with a greater sense of adventure. Then we went on the tilt-a-whirl and tried to take pictures of each other while the ride was in motion. Winslow said that made him feel like Saturday morning (not so good). Then we staggered away, me complaining of "neck pain" because I am getting old, and Sarah and Jocelyn managed to find a greasy taco place which served up some grub, including the long awaited fish tacos.
Then they left, and I felt sad. Then I started looking to see if there were reasonably priced apartments in the beach areas because I live near a McDonald's, the Vietnamese grocery, and my school. There are, so the next one to visit may have an easier time getting to the beach. Finding parking, however, is another matter.
In contrast, I went out with some folks from school last night (for a couple of beers and dinner) and I realized that while they were cool people that I genuinely like, I still feel guarded around them. This is a personal flaw that only I can fix. I cannot keep hoping that I will magically have friends like Jocelyn, Sarah, and Winslow because those friendships didn't just happen. It took time to get there and a willingness to expose my flaws to them and it was more then worth it.
And I still don't know where the salt from our table went...really, I have no idea.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Really, I'm fine
So, for the last week I have supposed to have been working on writing my memo for my law review application. It is a 10 page document, written like a legal memo, based on research they have provided in a 132 page packet. Let's just say that procrastination wins all the time when I am the opponent. I got it done, but I didn't sleep much Thursday night.
Thus, I slept a lot Friday night, just before going to bed. Were I went to read myself back to sleep, which I couldn't. 4 am is a great time of day, really it is. Just not for being awake. Even my late night neighbors know that. So, finally I fell back asleep and I got up at 2pm. Then I cleaned. Got through the living room, minus my desk. My 10' x 10' living room really shouldn't take 3 hours to clean, but that's how long I took. Now, I just need to clean the rest of my apartment. Hopefully it won't take as long because I would like to at least like to find out something about this city I live in, in case anyone wants to come visit me ever.
However, having a clean apartment for visitors is nice too...
Let's see, updates.
1) I am officially no longer in my first year of law school. Woohoo.
2) The boy's sister got married last weekend and I was there. The day after finals. I cannot say I really got a break that weekend. I did however hear a lot of people ask me when he and I would be getting married. By lots of people I mean four people, repeatedly through out the reception. They were his cousins who I met at Thanksgiving and they were very persistent. Unfortunately the boy was not sitting at the same table. Not because he was supposed to be at a different table, but because sometimes it is easier to just acquiesce to circumstances. So, I sat with the parents, cousins, and family patriarch. No pressure there.
That night, I helped prepare a brunch for the next morning with the boy's mom and the boy. I also helped more the next morning before I left to come back and work on the writing assignment, right as people were showing up for the brunch.
3) I read a whole non-law book! Woohoo! Not a challenging book, but good read called Inkheart. Along the lines of a kids book with some very interesting themes about evil, imagination, and family.
4) The boy is in Australia right now and will move down here when he gets back. So, I really need to do some apartment hunting, and I should maybe get rid of come stuff so that there is room in a closet that I apparently will have to share. Oh, and I should tell my parents.
5) I am working as a judicial intern this summer. I am nervous, excited, daunted, and unsure. I start next week. We shall see.
...beware the groove...
Thus, I slept a lot Friday night, just before going to bed. Were I went to read myself back to sleep, which I couldn't. 4 am is a great time of day, really it is. Just not for being awake. Even my late night neighbors know that. So, finally I fell back asleep and I got up at 2pm. Then I cleaned. Got through the living room, minus my desk. My 10' x 10' living room really shouldn't take 3 hours to clean, but that's how long I took. Now, I just need to clean the rest of my apartment. Hopefully it won't take as long because I would like to at least like to find out something about this city I live in, in case anyone wants to come visit me ever.
However, having a clean apartment for visitors is nice too...
Let's see, updates.
1) I am officially no longer in my first year of law school. Woohoo.
2) The boy's sister got married last weekend and I was there. The day after finals. I cannot say I really got a break that weekend. I did however hear a lot of people ask me when he and I would be getting married. By lots of people I mean four people, repeatedly through out the reception. They were his cousins who I met at Thanksgiving and they were very persistent. Unfortunately the boy was not sitting at the same table. Not because he was supposed to be at a different table, but because sometimes it is easier to just acquiesce to circumstances. So, I sat with the parents, cousins, and family patriarch. No pressure there.
That night, I helped prepare a brunch for the next morning with the boy's mom and the boy. I also helped more the next morning before I left to come back and work on the writing assignment, right as people were showing up for the brunch.
3) I read a whole non-law book! Woohoo! Not a challenging book, but good read called Inkheart. Along the lines of a kids book with some very interesting themes about evil, imagination, and family.
4) The boy is in Australia right now and will move down here when he gets back. So, I really need to do some apartment hunting, and I should maybe get rid of come stuff so that there is room in a closet that I apparently will have to share. Oh, and I should tell my parents.
5) I am working as a judicial intern this summer. I am nervous, excited, daunted, and unsure. I start next week. We shall see.
...beware the groove...
Friday, May 19, 2006
And out...
Today, I finished my last final of my first year. I was plesantly surprised with how it turned out. No need to cry afterwards. Merely, a need to drink. Which I did. In the parking lot with a few classmates. For two hours.
I was OUTSIDE!!!!!
Thus, I got a sunburn for being in cloudy to sunny outdoors. My first sun related issue since moving here to "sunny southern california." I think that says something about my reclusive nerdiness. Or maybe it doesn't. I don't know, and I don't care.
Three hour naps in the middle of the day to "sleep it off" are awesome.
Woohoo!
I was OUTSIDE!!!!!
Thus, I got a sunburn for being in cloudy to sunny outdoors. My first sun related issue since moving here to "sunny southern california." I think that says something about my reclusive nerdiness. Or maybe it doesn't. I don't know, and I don't care.
Three hour naps in the middle of the day to "sleep it off" are awesome.
Woohoo!
Monday, May 15, 2006
2 down 2 to go
I am an ubernerd!!!!! (I don't have umlauts, which makes me sad that I cannot express the proper vowel mutation, which expresses my ubernerdiness.)
I realized at some point last night while not sleep because the overwhelming panic that I could not accept a B in the class that I took the final for this morning. (Which sounds like this smorning in my head so I could not figure out if I spelled it properly, hee hee.) For those not in "the know" there is a hard curve in the first year of law school, and, like most law schools except Harvard, the bell of the curve sits on the B. Only 18% of the class can get above a B+. I want to be in that 18% because since everyone asks me to explain stuff they don't understand in my property class, I think that I am "too good" for a mere average rating. However, the panic sets in when I thought about the paucity of studying for that final. Additionally, the entirety of the above worries me on many levels, mostly the whole "Ego" being developed. I really need to get over myself.
Speaking of which, I have to study for a test that will, inherently kick my ass, only to be followed on Friday by a test that will kick my ass and my brain, repeatedly, with spiky things on its feet. Think of the fanged protector of the cave that gives the location of the grail. That will make you laugh if you have any sense of humor worth having. Particularly if you remember "Tim" describing it.
Now I must get to work.
PS Taco Bell and 13 hour days in the library are not an appropriate combination. Ulcers and 13 hours in the library and ulcers and Taco Bell are. Odd...
I realized at some point last night while not sleep because the overwhelming panic that I could not accept a B in the class that I took the final for this morning. (Which sounds like this smorning in my head so I could not figure out if I spelled it properly, hee hee.) For those not in "the know" there is a hard curve in the first year of law school, and, like most law schools except Harvard, the bell of the curve sits on the B. Only 18% of the class can get above a B+. I want to be in that 18% because since everyone asks me to explain stuff they don't understand in my property class, I think that I am "too good" for a mere average rating. However, the panic sets in when I thought about the paucity of studying for that final. Additionally, the entirety of the above worries me on many levels, mostly the whole "Ego" being developed. I really need to get over myself.
Speaking of which, I have to study for a test that will, inherently kick my ass, only to be followed on Friday by a test that will kick my ass and my brain, repeatedly, with spiky things on its feet. Think of the fanged protector of the cave that gives the location of the grail. That will make you laugh if you have any sense of humor worth having. Particularly if you remember "Tim" describing it.
Now I must get to work.
PS Taco Bell and 13 hour days in the library are not an appropriate combination. Ulcers and 13 hours in the library and ulcers and Taco Bell are. Odd...
Friday, May 12, 2006
I am not dead, yet
I have just completed my first of four finals. I have not been posting here because a) I'm lazy and b) I know that I should be spending my time doing more studying and less procrastinating.
The funny thing about the second reason is that well, it doesn't always seem to work out that just because I'm not doing one procrastination that I'm not doing all the rest. In fact, I was, but well, now in the next 7 days I must prepared for and take 3 three hour exams that will decide my whole grade for a class I've been going to for four months. Therefore, blog procrastination is added to the list of things acceptable to do.
There is nothing funny about the first reason, except that well, if you know me, which you probably do if you're reading this, you know that I'm not lazy about everything, just selective things like keeping up to date with my friends. Sorry about that.
Here are things I would like to rant about:
1) I work at the school library as my work study. Since I work the circulation desk, my time spent in the books is limited to "shelf reading" and reshelving certain types of books. Shelf reading involves going into certain portions of the stack (the areas were we reshelve no less) and make sure that the books are in order, by call number then by volume number. The areas we reshelve in and "read" in are the series of reporters that are put out by court reporting publishers by volume. Therefore, we're making sure that books are in their proper order from 1 to whatever number it ends at before the publisher starts recounting and naming the series 2nd or 3rd, etc. Not terribly challenging work for someone going after an "advanced" degree.
You would think that, but you'd be WRONG.
I can't tell you how many books I've had to move because people cannot figure out that if the book they have in their hand says 435 in big numbers on the outside it belongs after 434 and before 436, where the big hole they left was created when they pulled the book out is, not after 146, where they put it. Is it really that hard? Now I know that people don't always pay attention and therefore just put books back where ever, and well, bully for them, but I am also firmly convinced that these are the same people that complain that the books they need are never in the right place or reshelved quickly enough.
Or they complain that the print card machine needs fives and ones and we never have change (it's not our machine or our responsibility, except when it breaks).
I really just don't like people.
2) If it is clearly "study for finals in the library time," popping your gum for two hours should be reason for me to beat you. Not turning off your cell phone ringer, well, then "grave bodily harm" is justified. Not turning off your cell phone ringer, answering the phone call in the carrels, and proceeding to have a conversation that starts with "I'm in the library" and lasts more than 30 seconds without you leaving the study area where "no cell phones can be used here" is clearly marked, well, you're risking your life. Seriously.
3) DHL can bite my ass.
4) I am conscious hypocrite. (I don't have my cell phone on in the library or snap gum, but I do look down on people for interrupting everyone or being rude, and I do that.) I think that's worse than just being a hypocrite. I must fix this, but I don't know how.
5) The more people I talk to in law school the more I realize there are people here that I like and I should be more social. And they should all stop trying to transfer to other schools.
6) I broke my coffee grinder the day before finals and don't have any ground coffee in my house, you try to tell me that God has no sense of humor.
Now, onto property studies, unless there is something else I need to do...
The funny thing about the second reason is that well, it doesn't always seem to work out that just because I'm not doing one procrastination that I'm not doing all the rest. In fact, I was, but well, now in the next 7 days I must prepared for and take 3 three hour exams that will decide my whole grade for a class I've been going to for four months. Therefore, blog procrastination is added to the list of things acceptable to do.
There is nothing funny about the first reason, except that well, if you know me, which you probably do if you're reading this, you know that I'm not lazy about everything, just selective things like keeping up to date with my friends. Sorry about that.
Here are things I would like to rant about:
1) I work at the school library as my work study. Since I work the circulation desk, my time spent in the books is limited to "shelf reading" and reshelving certain types of books. Shelf reading involves going into certain portions of the stack (the areas were we reshelve no less) and make sure that the books are in order, by call number then by volume number. The areas we reshelve in and "read" in are the series of reporters that are put out by court reporting publishers by volume. Therefore, we're making sure that books are in their proper order from 1 to whatever number it ends at before the publisher starts recounting and naming the series 2nd or 3rd, etc. Not terribly challenging work for someone going after an "advanced" degree.
You would think that, but you'd be WRONG.
I can't tell you how many books I've had to move because people cannot figure out that if the book they have in their hand says 435 in big numbers on the outside it belongs after 434 and before 436, where the big hole they left was created when they pulled the book out is, not after 146, where they put it. Is it really that hard? Now I know that people don't always pay attention and therefore just put books back where ever, and well, bully for them, but I am also firmly convinced that these are the same people that complain that the books they need are never in the right place or reshelved quickly enough.
Or they complain that the print card machine needs fives and ones and we never have change (it's not our machine or our responsibility, except when it breaks).
I really just don't like people.
2) If it is clearly "study for finals in the library time," popping your gum for two hours should be reason for me to beat you. Not turning off your cell phone ringer, well, then "grave bodily harm" is justified. Not turning off your cell phone ringer, answering the phone call in the carrels, and proceeding to have a conversation that starts with "I'm in the library" and lasts more than 30 seconds without you leaving the study area where "no cell phones can be used here" is clearly marked, well, you're risking your life. Seriously.
3) DHL can bite my ass.
4) I am conscious hypocrite. (I don't have my cell phone on in the library or snap gum, but I do look down on people for interrupting everyone or being rude, and I do that.) I think that's worse than just being a hypocrite. I must fix this, but I don't know how.
5) The more people I talk to in law school the more I realize there are people here that I like and I should be more social. And they should all stop trying to transfer to other schools.
6) I broke my coffee grinder the day before finals and don't have any ground coffee in my house, you try to tell me that God has no sense of humor.
Now, onto property studies, unless there is something else I need to do...
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
What I learned today
This week (4/24-4/30) is Turn-off your TV week. I just learned about it from people who noticed that no one participates who watches TV anyway. I think I figured out why, there are no TV commercials telling us to turn-off the TV for a week. Only commercials telling us how vital this week's TV will be for my viewing pleasure (except the shows that are in rerun even though they never seem to have new episodes -- I'm looking at you Criminal Minds). Obviously, it didn't work on me because I know what the commercials this week are...
Speaking of turn-offs, we're learning about rape this week in criminal law. Well, let's just say that there is a reason why it is so drastically under reported. The process of proving rape is well, awful to the victim at best. The law is "getting better" though. Only two states still hold that a husband can never rape his wife. How modern. I don't know which states, but after I finish my finals I might remember to find out and mention it. Just because I am very irritated. (OH, and in the other 48 states, only 12 have completely abolished spousal immunity.) Trends shunning the old laws requiring resistance (physical and/or verbal) are softening. And "virtually every" state has enacted rape-shield laws that prevent inquiries into a victims past sexual history or reputation for "lack of chastity." Not that defense lawyers haven't try to say that they aren't constitutional laws, but they lose. I am angry and don't want to sit through a class discussion on it unless everyone realizes how damaging this process is to the victim and how wrong the old laws are. One final less "men are the bad guys" oriented comment, recent rape laws are gender-neutral showing that both men and women can be victims and aggressors. This is the right thing to do, especially now that incapacitation of the victim is also grounds for rape.
Ooof, I'm all in a fluster because I get so upset...
Okay, I also learned that feminists try to pass legislation in Minnesota and succeeded in passing legislation in Indiana declaring pornography illegal because it all subjugates women. Any thing that depicts sex, not just the stuff that actually shows women being subjugated, is banned. Well, the US Supreme Court said that's a violation of free speech. I agreed. I can't express why my visceral reaction to the argument about pornography just made me reject it, but it did. I just don't think that porn has that much influence that watching a movie where a woman is subservient to a man will cause all men to treat all women poorly because they're being shown a fantastic world where that happens. Like regular movies, TV shows, role expectation, and other things don't do that enough. Perhaps I am just upset at the focus and attention on porn and not the underlying societal expectations (which I admit are getting better, but in the 1970s when this legislative push was occurring was not as far along as it is).
Perhaps learning this stuff isn't good for me, but well, sometimes it's good to get the blood pumping out of irrational irritation at the "man." Especially if I'm going to be a lawyer and regularly encounter such things in the workplace. Yeah, the law profession is still a little behind the ball even though two woman have sat on the Supreme Court. Some judges may not "appreciate" a woman lawyer wearing a pantsuit in their courtroom. Bollox on them.
Some times when I have a groove going, I throw myself out of it. So long as I don't pull anything when I do it, the world's alright.
Speaking of turn-offs, we're learning about rape this week in criminal law. Well, let's just say that there is a reason why it is so drastically under reported. The process of proving rape is well, awful to the victim at best. The law is "getting better" though. Only two states still hold that a husband can never rape his wife. How modern. I don't know which states, but after I finish my finals I might remember to find out and mention it. Just because I am very irritated. (OH, and in the other 48 states, only 12 have completely abolished spousal immunity.) Trends shunning the old laws requiring resistance (physical and/or verbal) are softening. And "virtually every" state has enacted rape-shield laws that prevent inquiries into a victims past sexual history or reputation for "lack of chastity." Not that defense lawyers haven't try to say that they aren't constitutional laws, but they lose. I am angry and don't want to sit through a class discussion on it unless everyone realizes how damaging this process is to the victim and how wrong the old laws are. One final less "men are the bad guys" oriented comment, recent rape laws are gender-neutral showing that both men and women can be victims and aggressors. This is the right thing to do, especially now that incapacitation of the victim is also grounds for rape.
Ooof, I'm all in a fluster because I get so upset...
Okay, I also learned that feminists try to pass legislation in Minnesota and succeeded in passing legislation in Indiana declaring pornography illegal because it all subjugates women. Any thing that depicts sex, not just the stuff that actually shows women being subjugated, is banned. Well, the US Supreme Court said that's a violation of free speech. I agreed. I can't express why my visceral reaction to the argument about pornography just made me reject it, but it did. I just don't think that porn has that much influence that watching a movie where a woman is subservient to a man will cause all men to treat all women poorly because they're being shown a fantastic world where that happens. Like regular movies, TV shows, role expectation, and other things don't do that enough. Perhaps I am just upset at the focus and attention on porn and not the underlying societal expectations (which I admit are getting better, but in the 1970s when this legislative push was occurring was not as far along as it is).
Perhaps learning this stuff isn't good for me, but well, sometimes it's good to get the blood pumping out of irrational irritation at the "man." Especially if I'm going to be a lawyer and regularly encounter such things in the workplace. Yeah, the law profession is still a little behind the ball even though two woman have sat on the Supreme Court. Some judges may not "appreciate" a woman lawyer wearing a pantsuit in their courtroom. Bollox on them.
Some times when I have a groove going, I throw myself out of it. So long as I don't pull anything when I do it, the world's alright.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Three things to make me think, but not in that challenging way
1) M&M is not the wholesome family candy that I thought it was. I just saw the TV ad about the new M&M's candy bars and well, I was off-put by the way they implied that they arrive. Candy should not get it on. Period.
2) Umm, there was a number two, but I can't remember. Something about a commercial...
3) No matter how bad ass you think you are and no matter how cool rocker your look is, it is woefully overturned by the fact that you're playing the accordian.
That is all.
2) Umm, there was a number two, but I can't remember. Something about a commercial...
3) No matter how bad ass you think you are and no matter how cool rocker your look is, it is woefully overturned by the fact that you're playing the accordian.
That is all.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Sometimes you're disappointed for a reason
and it's the best reason possible.
So, two major things of note.
First, the job fairy came to visit me and and said she has something for me which I would like. It doesn't pay, but I do get credit for it and it's actually the type of job I think I would like post school. So, we're about to find out about the "real world" of the law for the summer and I get to pay extra tution just to see what it's like. It's a backhanded sort of "we're always happy to take more of your money" sort of thing where I pay to school to give me credit for an externship and they did nothing to get me or educate me the entire time. I do have to take another class at some point to "justify" the credit, but that class is its own set of credits and a separate grade. I think. I will need to find this sort of thing out, but that's for after learning the Constitutional law that means nothing.
Secondly, I have agreed to move in with the boy this summer. Major step, minor panic attack. But, hey, I should know early if this whole thing is "the real thing" given my advancing age. (In the last three weeks I have been accused of being thirty more than once.) It's just one big scary thing and well, I just sort of deliberated for a long time then rashly made my decision one night. That's pretty much how I've made most the major decisions in life, and while I always wonder "what if" I have never truly been all that disappointed in the long run. I know this is part luck, but I like to think that once there's a well thought out decision in my subconscious, I just run with it and that's why it seems rash, even to me. I also recognized that while I'm going through the changes my psuedo rash decisions cause, I always get a little down and regret making changes to my life. Hopefully this won't happen in this case because well, he's gonna be living with me.
I must go see an opera sometime because the music sounds fasinating...
So, two major things of note.
First, the job fairy came to visit me and and said she has something for me which I would like. It doesn't pay, but I do get credit for it and it's actually the type of job I think I would like post school. So, we're about to find out about the "real world" of the law for the summer and I get to pay extra tution just to see what it's like. It's a backhanded sort of "we're always happy to take more of your money" sort of thing where I pay to school to give me credit for an externship and they did nothing to get me or educate me the entire time. I do have to take another class at some point to "justify" the credit, but that class is its own set of credits and a separate grade. I think. I will need to find this sort of thing out, but that's for after learning the Constitutional law that means nothing.
Secondly, I have agreed to move in with the boy this summer. Major step, minor panic attack. But, hey, I should know early if this whole thing is "the real thing" given my advancing age. (In the last three weeks I have been accused of being thirty more than once.) It's just one big scary thing and well, I just sort of deliberated for a long time then rashly made my decision one night. That's pretty much how I've made most the major decisions in life, and while I always wonder "what if" I have never truly been all that disappointed in the long run. I know this is part luck, but I like to think that once there's a well thought out decision in my subconscious, I just run with it and that's why it seems rash, even to me. I also recognized that while I'm going through the changes my psuedo rash decisions cause, I always get a little down and regret making changes to my life. Hopefully this won't happen in this case because well, he's gonna be living with me.
I must go see an opera sometime because the music sounds fasinating...
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Hello grand world
Some day I will learn to do my taxes before April 5th, check my voicemail more than once a week, and return emails faster. Until that day, I will regret my failure to improve when important things happen and I miss out.
This week's conversation with the judges went much better than the last, but as I don't actually recall anything that I've said to either set, I won't post a "transcript" of this weeks interaction. Fortunately, I am done with that. Now there are only a few weeks to finals and then I have officially finished my first year of law school. There is a long stream of explitives that should be inserted here, but I won't because it's unproductive and my break's about to end. Suffice to say, I still don't know what I want to do with my law degree and I am not prepared to take finals in five weeks. Enough said.
PS I think my biological clock just started quietly ticking.
This week's conversation with the judges went much better than the last, but as I don't actually recall anything that I've said to either set, I won't post a "transcript" of this weeks interaction. Fortunately, I am done with that. Now there are only a few weeks to finals and then I have officially finished my first year of law school. There is a long stream of explitives that should be inserted here, but I won't because it's unproductive and my break's about to end. Suffice to say, I still don't know what I want to do with my law degree and I am not prepared to take finals in five weeks. Enough said.
PS I think my biological clock just started quietly ticking.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
One Week, One Post, One half-assed attempt at life
So, to sum up counselor, you know what you're talking about, have the case law memorized, know the record inside and out, and still cannot convince me you know what you're talking about because you always say "I believe" and "ah" and sound unconfident when you're forced to talk for more than thirty seconds at a time.
Yes your honor, that's true. However, it should be noted that the conversation and panic going on inside my head that never comes out into the courtroom is probably more telling of why I shouldn't win.
Why is that counselor?
Well, your honor, because it says "oh shiznit, that's one of the fatal flaws in my arguement on a merits level...I think this judge is trying to make me look stupid...may be I actually am stupid...wait, what am I saying, I am answering the question and I am not aware of the words coming out of my mouth...sigh, I don't know what I'm doing in law school..."
I see, and tell me again why we should modify our policy to agree with you?
My brain is saying that it's because you gave me the idea for the argument in other decisions, my mouth however is trying to be more eloquent with that fact and a bunch of crap keeps pouring out. So, basically, you should agree because I can just keep talking about this.
Interesting counselor. Is there anything else I should know?
Yes you honor, everyone elses arguments, I gave them those too, so I should be credited with any good points my colleague may have made even though you don't know that and I'm not supposed to help with substance. I just can't help it. That's really why I should win.
Thank you counselor.
No, thank you, your honor.
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, I'm in law school.
Yes your honor, that's true. However, it should be noted that the conversation and panic going on inside my head that never comes out into the courtroom is probably more telling of why I shouldn't win.
Why is that counselor?
Well, your honor, because it says "oh shiznit, that's one of the fatal flaws in my arguement on a merits level...I think this judge is trying to make me look stupid...may be I actually am stupid...wait, what am I saying, I am answering the question and I am not aware of the words coming out of my mouth...sigh, I don't know what I'm doing in law school..."
I see, and tell me again why we should modify our policy to agree with you?
My brain is saying that it's because you gave me the idea for the argument in other decisions, my mouth however is trying to be more eloquent with that fact and a bunch of crap keeps pouring out. So, basically, you should agree because I can just keep talking about this.
Interesting counselor. Is there anything else I should know?
Yes you honor, everyone elses arguments, I gave them those too, so I should be credited with any good points my colleague may have made even though you don't know that and I'm not supposed to help with substance. I just can't help it. That's really why I should win.
Thank you counselor.
No, thank you, your honor.
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, I'm in law school.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
all work and no play makes erin bitchy
So, on Sunday, I pulled the first non-drinking related all-nighter in approximately 7 years. It was not fun. I however, was funny that morning and had the mind of a pea brained bird that afternoon. I could barely accomplish the task of doing my laundry. That is not a good thing. However, I was cheerful for the majority of the day, even if I couldn't remember why I had walked into the kitchen for the third time (it was to eat, each time).
Today, however, is actually worse. Since I spent the afternoon yesterday not getting anything done while trying to remember to get stuff done and falling asleep for short periods of time, I could not fall asleep until after 1am. I got "up" at 7 got to school by 8:15 to do the stuff I hadn't accomplished yesterday and proceded to fall asleep at a desk at the library for five minutes. There was a tiny bit of drool, which is always amusing. However I am not easily amused today. Instead, I am not fond of people and their annoying traits are highlighted in gross exageration. I do not like people today. Unfortunately, people are necessary. Stupid necessary things.
I had something else to say....
OH, I remember, did everyone else out there know that the Golden Girls Theme song actually was a song? I keep hearing it on the radio (I listen to a radio station that plays a lot of variety of music from the 60s to today and you can go from Captin and Tennile to Jack Johnson to ACDC in fifteen minutes which is very much up my alley) and there are a bunch of verses and the chorus is longer than the TV show indicated. I always thought the song was written for the show, but aparrently it was release like a real song (sort of like the Friends theme). I really wish that I had known that earlier in life for some reason. I also enjoy the fact that it startles me everytime I hear it and then episodes go through my mind...ah, to have cable someday...
Declaring that you're funny inherently means that you're not that funny. I should know, I do it all the time.
Today, however, is actually worse. Since I spent the afternoon yesterday not getting anything done while trying to remember to get stuff done and falling asleep for short periods of time, I could not fall asleep until after 1am. I got "up" at 7 got to school by 8:15 to do the stuff I hadn't accomplished yesterday and proceded to fall asleep at a desk at the library for five minutes. There was a tiny bit of drool, which is always amusing. However I am not easily amused today. Instead, I am not fond of people and their annoying traits are highlighted in gross exageration. I do not like people today. Unfortunately, people are necessary. Stupid necessary things.
I had something else to say....
OH, I remember, did everyone else out there know that the Golden Girls Theme song actually was a song? I keep hearing it on the radio (I listen to a radio station that plays a lot of variety of music from the 60s to today and you can go from Captin and Tennile to Jack Johnson to ACDC in fifteen minutes which is very much up my alley) and there are a bunch of verses and the chorus is longer than the TV show indicated. I always thought the song was written for the show, but aparrently it was release like a real song (sort of like the Friends theme). I really wish that I had known that earlier in life for some reason. I also enjoy the fact that it startles me everytime I hear it and then episodes go through my mind...ah, to have cable someday...
Declaring that you're funny inherently means that you're not that funny. I should know, I do it all the time.
Monday, March 20, 2006
What I did over my spring break...
Well, well, well, one more week of my life I will never get back. What do I have to show for it?
I did work for pay at the library for 20 hours. This means I will get paid for those 20 hours. Too bad I've already spent that money.
I submitted 9 applications to intern for judges. So far, only one rejection letter (which by the way was recieved four days after the application was dropped off, now that's efficient). Still don't have a job. I am expecting the rest of the rejections soon.
I spent too many waking hours re-reading everything I've read for the last two months. This is a very slow way to go about getting stuff learned. However, in criminal law I am about 3 weeks in, in constitutional law I am about 2 weeks in, in civil procedure I am about 4 weeks in and for property law I am 1 week in. This may seem like quite an achievement until you put in the fact that I still have to go to class and do the whole reading thing for my current assignments, not just get caught up on the last two weeks. I am at a loss as to how to qualify this work product for the week.
My apartment is shiny clean. Except the kitchen, which has a large counter space full of paper. This is the only part of cleaning that I have to do. Except that I will need to clean everything again next week and I need to laundry again. Woe is me.
So, in conclusion Spring Break was a wash. But, I did go to Costco which always brings me joy, if not samplings of some bomb ass cheese.
Now, I have no time left to spare and must being the ridge schedule that is my afternoon's persuit of getting further caught up and not behind. Plus I just got lotsa work along with a bitch slap when I got my brief back. Must go soak in the misery.
Why isn't there a magic job fairy who grants us all our wish of finding a job that we want to do?
I did work for pay at the library for 20 hours. This means I will get paid for those 20 hours. Too bad I've already spent that money.
I submitted 9 applications to intern for judges. So far, only one rejection letter (which by the way was recieved four days after the application was dropped off, now that's efficient). Still don't have a job. I am expecting the rest of the rejections soon.
I spent too many waking hours re-reading everything I've read for the last two months. This is a very slow way to go about getting stuff learned. However, in criminal law I am about 3 weeks in, in constitutional law I am about 2 weeks in, in civil procedure I am about 4 weeks in and for property law I am 1 week in. This may seem like quite an achievement until you put in the fact that I still have to go to class and do the whole reading thing for my current assignments, not just get caught up on the last two weeks. I am at a loss as to how to qualify this work product for the week.
My apartment is shiny clean. Except the kitchen, which has a large counter space full of paper. This is the only part of cleaning that I have to do. Except that I will need to clean everything again next week and I need to laundry again. Woe is me.
So, in conclusion Spring Break was a wash. But, I did go to Costco which always brings me joy, if not samplings of some bomb ass cheese.
Now, I have no time left to spare and must being the ridge schedule that is my afternoon's persuit of getting further caught up and not behind. Plus I just got lotsa work along with a bitch slap when I got my brief back. Must go soak in the misery.
Why isn't there a magic job fairy who grants us all our wish of finding a job that we want to do?
Saturday, March 11, 2006
One more thing
For those of you who loved the Dark Crystal, Labryinth, and Never Ending Story movies of your youth, I highly recommend Mirrormask. It is really cool and you should watch it.
Clearly I am concentrating very hard.
Clearly I am concentrating very hard.
What I plan to do with my Spring Break
Well, since I am back at school I now have the luxury of what is called "spring break." It's been so long since I had one, I don't think that I properly know what to do with it. This is my plan:
Get caught up on the non-reading part of law school, i.e. take reading notes on everything I've read so far and/or brief cases read for class thus far, type up notes (I'm so old that I don't type in class, it's all hand written), start class outlines, edit my brief (which is a very law school thing to do).
Continue the hunt for summer employment. I never realized how happy I would be to get a job I wouldn't be paid for till now. Also, going to summer school simply to finance that unpaid work seems, well, particularly nerdy.
Try to get stuff together to put in for judicial internships. This is where coming to San Diego helps me. Since this is the largest city in the southern California area (LA is technically central) and the county seat, there are many, many courts and judges here. I want one of them to hire me.
Work at the library. I am working 20 hours, mostly in the morning, because that's the most number of hours I'm allowed to work according to the ABA. Why they care how much I work is beyond me, but supposedly it's to prevent law firms from working students to death during the school year. However, summer associates can be put through the ringer. It helps with billing 27 hours in one day.
Clean my apartment. Still needing to dust. Perhaps my laundry should be properly put in drawers as well.
Here's a sampling of what other people from my section are doing for spring break:
Going to Vegas
Going to Mexico
Going home
Going on a cruise
Going to visit friends in other cities
I think there is a distinct difference in approaches that is due to my lack of recent experiences with spring break. Also, many of my breaks were planned for me by the softball team. They made us go places where it was (usually) warmer than Iowa to play softball in polyester pants. So, I really don't have any experience in the whole "plan a spring break" area.
Thinking about it did bring back the happy memory of being stuck at Grinnell House for a week because I lived too far from home to go back for a week. Fortunately, I had a cohort to be stuck with and we had complete run of the place because there was NO ONE there -- this included the kitchen where there was a big fridge made of stainless steel. We went to Perkins and bought pies -- one for her and one for me (I think I got one anyway). We ate them for every meal. It was great. We also laughed a lot. I miss that level of friendship.
Right now I am procrastinating and not doing my non-reading work. I am at the library. I am always at the library.
I also keep forgetting that it is only Saturday of spring break. I keep thinking it is Monday. So sad.
Oh, and for those of you who can count, which obviously I can't, the fifth favorite snack is goldfish crackers (see below). They make me sing. Not that anyone cares enough that it was pressing to get that information out there; I just can't let some things go.
I think powerbars should be more filing.
Get caught up on the non-reading part of law school, i.e. take reading notes on everything I've read so far and/or brief cases read for class thus far, type up notes (I'm so old that I don't type in class, it's all hand written), start class outlines, edit my brief (which is a very law school thing to do).
Continue the hunt for summer employment. I never realized how happy I would be to get a job I wouldn't be paid for till now. Also, going to summer school simply to finance that unpaid work seems, well, particularly nerdy.
Try to get stuff together to put in for judicial internships. This is where coming to San Diego helps me. Since this is the largest city in the southern California area (LA is technically central) and the county seat, there are many, many courts and judges here. I want one of them to hire me.
Work at the library. I am working 20 hours, mostly in the morning, because that's the most number of hours I'm allowed to work according to the ABA. Why they care how much I work is beyond me, but supposedly it's to prevent law firms from working students to death during the school year. However, summer associates can be put through the ringer. It helps with billing 27 hours in one day.
Clean my apartment. Still needing to dust. Perhaps my laundry should be properly put in drawers as well.
Here's a sampling of what other people from my section are doing for spring break:
Going to Vegas
Going to Mexico
Going home
Going on a cruise
Going to visit friends in other cities
I think there is a distinct difference in approaches that is due to my lack of recent experiences with spring break. Also, many of my breaks were planned for me by the softball team. They made us go places where it was (usually) warmer than Iowa to play softball in polyester pants. So, I really don't have any experience in the whole "plan a spring break" area.
Thinking about it did bring back the happy memory of being stuck at Grinnell House for a week because I lived too far from home to go back for a week. Fortunately, I had a cohort to be stuck with and we had complete run of the place because there was NO ONE there -- this included the kitchen where there was a big fridge made of stainless steel. We went to Perkins and bought pies -- one for her and one for me (I think I got one anyway). We ate them for every meal. It was great. We also laughed a lot. I miss that level of friendship.
Right now I am procrastinating and not doing my non-reading work. I am at the library. I am always at the library.
I also keep forgetting that it is only Saturday of spring break. I keep thinking it is Monday. So sad.
Oh, and for those of you who can count, which obviously I can't, the fifth favorite snack is goldfish crackers (see below). They make me sing. Not that anyone cares enough that it was pressing to get that information out there; I just can't let some things go.
I think powerbars should be more filing.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Melinda Made me
Melinda has forced my hand by calling me out. Thusly, I respond (also I just don't want to do my homework).
What Were You Doing Ten Years Ago?
I couldn't even remember when 10 years ago was, but because Melinda and Laurie both reminded me we were sophmore's in college, it's vaguely familiar. I was living in a house full of women who were not perfectly compatable. I think I was speaking to only a few of them at the time (who both knowledge of this blog and I love them both to this day). It's possibile that I had just instituted the mandatory dish night rule and was trying to block the smell of celery from ever reaching me. I was also determining that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and writing pretentious short story/free style poetry that is better left unshared. Oh, and I was playing softball in the pretty, blue floored PEC, looking forward to traveling to Florida with a group of girls I didn't think that I'd like (execpt for the three or four girls that were cool in the same geeky way I was).
What Were You Doing One Year Ago?
Oddly enough, still trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. However, instead of being in school at the time, I was looking to go back. So, I had just finished scrambling to apply to a bunch of schools and getting my financial aid information together. So, I was sitting on my thumbs waiting to hear how my life would play out. And here I am now, still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.
Five Snacks You Enjoy-
Cheezits -- all time greatest!!! good with peanut butter and humus or plain
Ice cream -- yummmmmmm
Red Vines licorice -- which occassionally is not a snack but a meal
apples with peanut butter -- mostly it's for the peanut butter which I have been known to eat by the spoonful. Or maybe no one knew and I'm finally admitting
Five Songs To Which You Know The Lyrics-
I don't really recognize that I know all the words to a song (or many songs back to back) until I realize that I've sung along to the whole song, but I do know that I know these because I've been able to sing them in public into a microphone (with some liquid courage, of course):
Hit me with your best shot -- Pat Benatar
Fancy -- Reba McIntyre
I will survive -- Gloria Gaynor (which I almost attributed to Gloria Steinum, hmm)
Outside the karaoke nightmare, I know:
A bunch of country songs (I will not admit to knowing them outside of the safe and private space that is a blog)
Also many songs by The Who, Bare Naked Ladies, Black Eyed Peas, Dar Williams, and a whole bunch on the radio now because when I listen they aren't hard to get stuck in your head and they are exactly "complicated" to remember
Don't ask me what kind of music I like because I like music, except some stuff.
Five Things You Would Do If You Were a Millionaire-
Pay off my parent's mortgage
Buy a house so that I could decorate it how I wanted. I wish to paint walls.
Pay for law school.
Force many of my friends to go on vacation somewhere cool with me by paying for it. I'm thinking Brazil sounds neat.
Start some sort of trust that grows my millions into billions and gives it all to good people who are trying to make bad stuff stop happening in their neighborhood. Oh, and they would buy one big peace of land needing conservation and find a way to turn it into a place for kids to come and learn about that ecosystem. Possibly, one in every state, if the trust handlers were good enough.
Five Folks I'm Tagging for This Beeotch
I don't know enough people who blog, so um, Dan, you're it. Everyone else should start a blog (or tell me about theirs) and start with this.
What Were You Doing Ten Years Ago?
I couldn't even remember when 10 years ago was, but because Melinda and Laurie both reminded me we were sophmore's in college, it's vaguely familiar. I was living in a house full of women who were not perfectly compatable. I think I was speaking to only a few of them at the time (who both knowledge of this blog and I love them both to this day). It's possibile that I had just instituted the mandatory dish night rule and was trying to block the smell of celery from ever reaching me. I was also determining that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and writing pretentious short story/free style poetry that is better left unshared. Oh, and I was playing softball in the pretty, blue floored PEC, looking forward to traveling to Florida with a group of girls I didn't think that I'd like (execpt for the three or four girls that were cool in the same geeky way I was).
What Were You Doing One Year Ago?
Oddly enough, still trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. However, instead of being in school at the time, I was looking to go back. So, I had just finished scrambling to apply to a bunch of schools and getting my financial aid information together. So, I was sitting on my thumbs waiting to hear how my life would play out. And here I am now, still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.
Five Snacks You Enjoy-
Cheezits -- all time greatest!!! good with peanut butter and humus or plain
Ice cream -- yummmmmmm
Red Vines licorice -- which occassionally is not a snack but a meal
apples with peanut butter -- mostly it's for the peanut butter which I have been known to eat by the spoonful. Or maybe no one knew and I'm finally admitting
Five Songs To Which You Know The Lyrics-
I don't really recognize that I know all the words to a song (or many songs back to back) until I realize that I've sung along to the whole song, but I do know that I know these because I've been able to sing them in public into a microphone (with some liquid courage, of course):
Hit me with your best shot -- Pat Benatar
Fancy -- Reba McIntyre
I will survive -- Gloria Gaynor (which I almost attributed to Gloria Steinum, hmm)
Outside the karaoke nightmare, I know:
A bunch of country songs (I will not admit to knowing them outside of the safe and private space that is a blog)
Also many songs by The Who, Bare Naked Ladies, Black Eyed Peas, Dar Williams, and a whole bunch on the radio now because when I listen they aren't hard to get stuck in your head and they are exactly "complicated" to remember
Don't ask me what kind of music I like because I like music, except some stuff.
Five Things You Would Do If You Were a Millionaire-
Pay off my parent's mortgage
Buy a house so that I could decorate it how I wanted. I wish to paint walls.
Pay for law school.
Force many of my friends to go on vacation somewhere cool with me by paying for it. I'm thinking Brazil sounds neat.
Start some sort of trust that grows my millions into billions and gives it all to good people who are trying to make bad stuff stop happening in their neighborhood. Oh, and they would buy one big peace of land needing conservation and find a way to turn it into a place for kids to come and learn about that ecosystem. Possibly, one in every state, if the trust handlers were good enough.
Five Folks I'm Tagging for This Beeotch
I don't know enough people who blog, so um, Dan, you're it. Everyone else should start a blog (or tell me about theirs) and start with this.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
...but I'm feeling much better now
I have often repeated that line and am referencing Judge Harry Stone's father (as in Night Court) who was crazy but got better. He remained a highly unusual man, and you didn't actually know that he was Harry's father until the character had been around for about 2 seasons or so. People never get the reference which leads me to believe either I was a very advanced grade schooler who watched a grown up show that no one else watched, or I have wasted much of my brain power storing random trivia from my grade school days that others don't care about or remember. But, I digress.
So, as noted in my last update over a week ago, I haven't been getting a lot of sleep. I can add to that now that the sleep that I do get is of two types: 1) the sleep of the dead in which you put your head down and instantly you realized that the alarm clock has been snoozing for 30 minutes and you need to get up, or 2) the sleep of the nightmare where you have nightmares about everything that is stressing you out and some of it is absurd but you wake up unsure if you just had a dream about arguing a point of law from a case you've read twice in the middle of a psychedelic flashback or if it really did happen. In the case of the second sleep, I never can determine if I am more disturbed by the fact that I have the brain that dreams so vividly about case law or that I can't distinguish between the dream and the reality. I think it's the first part.
I have also noted that I have formed opinions about Olympic athlete’s as individuals I have no right to make because I don't know them outside of their interviews. Still, they annoy me and I stand by my dislike. (It is also interesting to note that I am much more likely that my dislike will be strong and my appreciation and amazement will be fleeting. So fickle am I.)
I am also allergic to everything in the whole world. I know this because I have been dealing with a rash on my face for the last week. I think I got it from being alive. Actually, I am pretty sure that I got it from my towel. That sounds really gross, but I am fairly certain that the towel had not been in use for an excessive period of time because I have four towels plus some extra "I won't use them for me but I'll keep them around just in case towels" so I change them with regularity. It appears that I become hypersensitive to the towel at some point and now I must deal with a rash for the next week and a half. This didn't used to happen in college at which time I lacked the plethora of towels and did my laundry at a shame-able rate. This I find dumb. As I get older I am supposed to get better not worse. That's how the saying goes and it wouldn't be a saying if it wasn't true.
But, more to the allergy point, I have also discovered that the single place that I have not had an allergic reaction to something is the deserts of the southwest. Instead, I got what I call the heat flu because it was worse than heat sickness but not so life threatening or rapid onset as heat stroke. I am also certain that if I stayed in the deserts I would find I am allergic to something there too. Especially since my towel seems to the cause in this case. (I also haven't dusted in a while and it's always pollinating season in San Diego, so I doubt it's just the towel.)
That is sadly all that I have to talk about because no one out there probably cares about the distinctiveness requirement for proof of fame in a trademark case. Unfortunately, my professor does so I must too.
I long for normalcy. Supposedly...
So, as noted in my last update over a week ago, I haven't been getting a lot of sleep. I can add to that now that the sleep that I do get is of two types: 1) the sleep of the dead in which you put your head down and instantly you realized that the alarm clock has been snoozing for 30 minutes and you need to get up, or 2) the sleep of the nightmare where you have nightmares about everything that is stressing you out and some of it is absurd but you wake up unsure if you just had a dream about arguing a point of law from a case you've read twice in the middle of a psychedelic flashback or if it really did happen. In the case of the second sleep, I never can determine if I am more disturbed by the fact that I have the brain that dreams so vividly about case law or that I can't distinguish between the dream and the reality. I think it's the first part.
I have also noted that I have formed opinions about Olympic athlete’s as individuals I have no right to make because I don't know them outside of their interviews. Still, they annoy me and I stand by my dislike. (It is also interesting to note that I am much more likely that my dislike will be strong and my appreciation and amazement will be fleeting. So fickle am I.)
I am also allergic to everything in the whole world. I know this because I have been dealing with a rash on my face for the last week. I think I got it from being alive. Actually, I am pretty sure that I got it from my towel. That sounds really gross, but I am fairly certain that the towel had not been in use for an excessive period of time because I have four towels plus some extra "I won't use them for me but I'll keep them around just in case towels" so I change them with regularity. It appears that I become hypersensitive to the towel at some point and now I must deal with a rash for the next week and a half. This didn't used to happen in college at which time I lacked the plethora of towels and did my laundry at a shame-able rate. This I find dumb. As I get older I am supposed to get better not worse. That's how the saying goes and it wouldn't be a saying if it wasn't true.
But, more to the allergy point, I have also discovered that the single place that I have not had an allergic reaction to something is the deserts of the southwest. Instead, I got what I call the heat flu because it was worse than heat sickness but not so life threatening or rapid onset as heat stroke. I am also certain that if I stayed in the deserts I would find I am allergic to something there too. Especially since my towel seems to the cause in this case. (I also haven't dusted in a while and it's always pollinating season in San Diego, so I doubt it's just the towel.)
That is sadly all that I have to talk about because no one out there probably cares about the distinctiveness requirement for proof of fame in a trademark case. Unfortunately, my professor does so I must too.
I long for normalcy. Supposedly...
Friday, February 17, 2006
A day in the life of me
So, I will recap yesterday to give my four friends who read this site a hint of the reason why it takes 6 days to come up with a new post. It is a recap from midnight to midnight because there is stuff to say about the wee hours of morn that exist.
12:00am -- begin writting substantive outline due at 9am this morning which I have supposedly been working on all week, but really have been trying to get the information that will create the substantive part of the outline all week.
12:15am -- get frustrated by my inability to start and play "one game" of minesweeper"
12:45am -- start writting substantive outline, again
1:30 am -- continue writing substantive and start the debate of how substantive is substantive and if the 5 points really matter that much in the long run, begin the hearts game to play while "gathering my thoughts"
1:45 am -- force the shut down of hearts as thought seem to not be gathering themselves.
4:00 am -- finish substantive outline, which includes the line "find case support for this point" in more than one place. Somehow, I am fairly certain that this is not part of the whole "substantive" definition, yet I don't care as it is 3:30 am and I have reading and another 4 page "memo" to write for my 9am class.
4:30 am -- finish reading for 9am class and choose bed over ever dealing with my computer again. Make plans to wake at 6:30, eat McDonalds breakfast and be at school by 7 when the library opens.
7:00 am -- realize I have turned my alarm off in my sleep and will be disregarding the need to shower in order to do the work thing.
7:30 am -- arrive in style at library and start typing frantically all the while realizing 1) I am allowed to skip a few of these writing assignments over the course of the semester, 2) I am making up the crap I am writing and know that it is acctually the exact opposite of the point of the mental exercise in which I am supposed to be engaged, and 3) most of my classmates are coming in and out of the computer lab doing the same dang thing
8:45 am -- decide that the half paragraph I have just typed is the equivalent of a page, or as close to it as I am going to get and print the dang thing. 3 pages does not equal 4, but I don't care.
8:50 am -- walk across parking lot to time stamp "substantive" outline and turn in
8:52 am -- sign up for a mandatory conference w/ Prof for whom I just spent four of the wee hours trying to put together an outline for (a conference which I didn't get the email about because I've only been on the computer looking for things to do for the last 8 hours, but heard from the classmate who turned in her assignment when I did)
8:55 am -- walk into Crim Law where zombies and over-caffinate hyper spazs seem to have taken over my classmates, spend next five minutes talking about how little sleep we all got and how none of us feel prepared to do anything that day
9:00 am -- proceed to learn from a man who is considered to be one of the smartest professors at the Law School who has also teaches philosophy as a guest professor on occassion. He tries to teach me criminal law. I try to avoid looking stupid on a regular basis by taking copious notes which don't tell me anything because it is a truly socratic class that leads to the conclusion that there really is no answer.
10:08am -- class ends head to 10:30 classroom to do the reading that I didn't get to last night.
10:30am -- Civil Procedure class begins. I am still trying to finish the reading while taking notes. The professor that I have for this class is considered a leading scholar in California Civil Procedure, and has written the only available casebook on the subject. Fortunately, this is just general civil procedure and he his a great teacher. I take notes that make sense and get through the reading far enough to almost participate in class. I do not get called on because I volunteered so much last semester that this semester we are "letting someone else have a chance" -- yes I am that girl.
11:45 am -- Professor finishes class 5 minutes early woohoo! So, I head to the car to switch books then to the deli to buy lunch
11:55 am -- pull out the reading for Constitutional law which is swimming with words that I cannot read like "this" and "is" while I eat my sanwich which says it has mustard on but I can't taste it which is frustrating because I like mustard
12:05 pm -- classmate joins me stating that I will not be doing the reading anymore because she wishes to distract me. I agree to the plan and we plot the demise of a particular classmate who drives all other students and most professors up the frickin wall. Much joy is shared.
12:30 pm -- part ways with classmate as she goes to switch her books and I go to put my coffee cup in the car which I meant to do before when I switched my books out
12:35 pm -- arrive in classroom for Constitutional Law to do more reading. Get through about two pages when classmates start arriving and we begin to talk. Discussion turns to the fact that no one can participate in the class because they don't know what's going on and don't think doing the reading is important. I become further convinced that someday I will be the only one there for class in my area of the classroom.
1:05 pm -- Australian professor (who is teching American Constitutional law without having gone to a US law school) starts class late because he is always late, even though he comes into the room on time he leaves and then comes back late
1:20 pm -- realize that even though I am about 50 pages behind in the reading, I will be fine because well, so's the class. Besides there are about 10 of us who participate in class, including me, and he never picks on you when you're wrong
2:50 pm -- class is done for the day. Determine that I am exhausted and will not continue on studying at the library today, I will go home. Discuss with classmates about going out on Saturday by inviting myself to classmate's birthday party. Make it better by offering to take her to Costco to pick up party supplies.
3:05 pm -- decide that I need to buy a new highlighter and other stuff so head to Costco to do it (a five minute drive from school). Decide that Costco is awesome, but it's a good thing if I don't got more than once a month as I buy too much stuff because I'm at costco. Bought many things that I will need in the future, but don't need today. Cannot buy forty day supply of Claritin-D because it's illegal to sell that many boxes as once by state law, settle for the allowed 20 day supply and realize that it's great for business because you have to come back more often. Also, if I was going to make meth out of it, do you think I would also buy two button downshirts and organic lettuce and not some other product used in making meth at the same time? (In OR, they take a record behind the pharmacy counter of your name and license because the state requires that it get tracked. They sell 30 day supplies there.)
4:25 pm -- arrive home (Costco is about a five minute drive from my house), take three trips from car to 2nd floor apartment because I just went to Costco. Take trash out (twice) as I return to car
4:40 pm -- determine that since Costco did not have highlighters and I like to go to places that aren't school I will go to Office Depot. Spend a crap ton of time trying to figure out what type of highlighter to buy because none of them are labeled with markings like "will not bleed through the page making it appear that the other side is highlighted" except one which I bought the last time which was more like a glue stick (without the glue attributes) than a highlighter. More accurately it was like a tube of lipstick, simply applies color on top of the page by placing some sort of solid colorant stuff on it. After that, I realized I needed more notebooks in which notes would be taken. Wander around Office Depot (pronounced as though it rhymes with the kitchen item) looking for legal pads that aren't legal size (couldn't find them in either size) and end up finding a travel USB drive that is on wicked good sale with much storage space. Get the clerk to open the case and procure me the last one with the rebate. Ask the clerk where legal pads are ("oh, you mean the ones that tear from the top" ???) and get directions to the one aisle I didn't go to because I didn't realize there was anything there. Pick-up a bunch of the office depot brand which are on clearance (24 pads w/ 50 pages...that should get me through March). Pay and leave.
5:45pm -- return home hoping that new highlighters won't bleed through paper.
6:00pm -- apartment is too quiet and turn on tv with my property book out to catch up on reading and do reading for tomorrow (highlighter does not bleed, minor moral victory for the day accomplished)
8:00 pm -- with book still out and tv still on, try to read but have gotten about two pages into the reading
8:30 pm -- bake a potato in the microwave. Decided that precooked chicken strips that say not to use after 2/2/06 should still be used because they only look weird because the carmel coloring is bleeding out (or at least that what I've told myself).
10:00pm -- having turned the page once and watch a throughly facinating CSI episode (it gets better sometimes when it sort of relates to law school stuff, which the rerun did in an odd, baby selling sort of way) decide to call the boyfriend to chat for a while
10:03 pm -- boyfriend is currently boarding a plane to go to Vegas and spend the entire time drunk. I get short lecture on not drinking and driving on Saturday. Made mental note that he needs to piss off. Share my moral victory which does not seem to impress him so decide he should get on the plane and I will seriously do my reading now.
10:10 pm -- try to read, turn tv back on get through about 4 pages
11:30 pm -- I realize Letterman is on which makes it late, decide to wait til top 10 is read. Am pleased with the number of "Cheney was drunk and shot somebody jokes"
12:15 am -- decide that I must sleep now will do the property reading later and go to bed
That is why no one ever hears from me. It's all minesweepers fault.
Chicken must thaw faster...
12:00am -- begin writting substantive outline due at 9am this morning which I have supposedly been working on all week, but really have been trying to get the information that will create the substantive part of the outline all week.
12:15am -- get frustrated by my inability to start and play "one game" of minesweeper"
12:45am -- start writting substantive outline, again
1:30 am -- continue writing substantive and start the debate of how substantive is substantive and if the 5 points really matter that much in the long run, begin the hearts game to play while "gathering my thoughts"
1:45 am -- force the shut down of hearts as thought seem to not be gathering themselves.
4:00 am -- finish substantive outline, which includes the line "find case support for this point" in more than one place. Somehow, I am fairly certain that this is not part of the whole "substantive" definition, yet I don't care as it is 3:30 am and I have reading and another 4 page "memo" to write for my 9am class.
4:30 am -- finish reading for 9am class and choose bed over ever dealing with my computer again. Make plans to wake at 6:30, eat McDonalds breakfast and be at school by 7 when the library opens.
7:00 am -- realize I have turned my alarm off in my sleep and will be disregarding the need to shower in order to do the work thing.
7:30 am -- arrive in style at library and start typing frantically all the while realizing 1) I am allowed to skip a few of these writing assignments over the course of the semester, 2) I am making up the crap I am writing and know that it is acctually the exact opposite of the point of the mental exercise in which I am supposed to be engaged, and 3) most of my classmates are coming in and out of the computer lab doing the same dang thing
8:45 am -- decide that the half paragraph I have just typed is the equivalent of a page, or as close to it as I am going to get and print the dang thing. 3 pages does not equal 4, but I don't care.
8:50 am -- walk across parking lot to time stamp "substantive" outline and turn in
8:52 am -- sign up for a mandatory conference w/ Prof for whom I just spent four of the wee hours trying to put together an outline for (a conference which I didn't get the email about because I've only been on the computer looking for things to do for the last 8 hours, but heard from the classmate who turned in her assignment when I did)
8:55 am -- walk into Crim Law where zombies and over-caffinate hyper spazs seem to have taken over my classmates, spend next five minutes talking about how little sleep we all got and how none of us feel prepared to do anything that day
9:00 am -- proceed to learn from a man who is considered to be one of the smartest professors at the Law School who has also teaches philosophy as a guest professor on occassion. He tries to teach me criminal law. I try to avoid looking stupid on a regular basis by taking copious notes which don't tell me anything because it is a truly socratic class that leads to the conclusion that there really is no answer.
10:08am -- class ends head to 10:30 classroom to do the reading that I didn't get to last night.
10:30am -- Civil Procedure class begins. I am still trying to finish the reading while taking notes. The professor that I have for this class is considered a leading scholar in California Civil Procedure, and has written the only available casebook on the subject. Fortunately, this is just general civil procedure and he his a great teacher. I take notes that make sense and get through the reading far enough to almost participate in class. I do not get called on because I volunteered so much last semester that this semester we are "letting someone else have a chance" -- yes I am that girl.
11:45 am -- Professor finishes class 5 minutes early woohoo! So, I head to the car to switch books then to the deli to buy lunch
11:55 am -- pull out the reading for Constitutional law which is swimming with words that I cannot read like "this" and "is" while I eat my sanwich which says it has mustard on but I can't taste it which is frustrating because I like mustard
12:05 pm -- classmate joins me stating that I will not be doing the reading anymore because she wishes to distract me. I agree to the plan and we plot the demise of a particular classmate who drives all other students and most professors up the frickin wall. Much joy is shared.
12:30 pm -- part ways with classmate as she goes to switch her books and I go to put my coffee cup in the car which I meant to do before when I switched my books out
12:35 pm -- arrive in classroom for Constitutional Law to do more reading. Get through about two pages when classmates start arriving and we begin to talk. Discussion turns to the fact that no one can participate in the class because they don't know what's going on and don't think doing the reading is important. I become further convinced that someday I will be the only one there for class in my area of the classroom.
1:05 pm -- Australian professor (who is teching American Constitutional law without having gone to a US law school) starts class late because he is always late, even though he comes into the room on time he leaves and then comes back late
1:20 pm -- realize that even though I am about 50 pages behind in the reading, I will be fine because well, so's the class. Besides there are about 10 of us who participate in class, including me, and he never picks on you when you're wrong
2:50 pm -- class is done for the day. Determine that I am exhausted and will not continue on studying at the library today, I will go home. Discuss with classmates about going out on Saturday by inviting myself to classmate's birthday party. Make it better by offering to take her to Costco to pick up party supplies.
3:05 pm -- decide that I need to buy a new highlighter and other stuff so head to Costco to do it (a five minute drive from school). Decide that Costco is awesome, but it's a good thing if I don't got more than once a month as I buy too much stuff because I'm at costco. Bought many things that I will need in the future, but don't need today. Cannot buy forty day supply of Claritin-D because it's illegal to sell that many boxes as once by state law, settle for the allowed 20 day supply and realize that it's great for business because you have to come back more often. Also, if I was going to make meth out of it, do you think I would also buy two button downshirts and organic lettuce and not some other product used in making meth at the same time? (In OR, they take a record behind the pharmacy counter of your name and license because the state requires that it get tracked. They sell 30 day supplies there.)
4:25 pm -- arrive home (Costco is about a five minute drive from my house), take three trips from car to 2nd floor apartment because I just went to Costco. Take trash out (twice) as I return to car
4:40 pm -- determine that since Costco did not have highlighters and I like to go to places that aren't school I will go to Office Depot. Spend a crap ton of time trying to figure out what type of highlighter to buy because none of them are labeled with markings like "will not bleed through the page making it appear that the other side is highlighted" except one which I bought the last time which was more like a glue stick (without the glue attributes) than a highlighter. More accurately it was like a tube of lipstick, simply applies color on top of the page by placing some sort of solid colorant stuff on it. After that, I realized I needed more notebooks in which notes would be taken. Wander around Office Depot (pronounced as though it rhymes with the kitchen item) looking for legal pads that aren't legal size (couldn't find them in either size) and end up finding a travel USB drive that is on wicked good sale with much storage space. Get the clerk to open the case and procure me the last one with the rebate. Ask the clerk where legal pads are ("oh, you mean the ones that tear from the top" ???) and get directions to the one aisle I didn't go to because I didn't realize there was anything there. Pick-up a bunch of the office depot brand which are on clearance (24 pads w/ 50 pages...that should get me through March). Pay and leave.
5:45pm -- return home hoping that new highlighters won't bleed through paper.
6:00pm -- apartment is too quiet and turn on tv with my property book out to catch up on reading and do reading for tomorrow (highlighter does not bleed, minor moral victory for the day accomplished)
8:00 pm -- with book still out and tv still on, try to read but have gotten about two pages into the reading
8:30 pm -- bake a potato in the microwave. Decided that precooked chicken strips that say not to use after 2/2/06 should still be used because they only look weird because the carmel coloring is bleeding out (or at least that what I've told myself).
10:00pm -- having turned the page once and watch a throughly facinating CSI episode (it gets better sometimes when it sort of relates to law school stuff, which the rerun did in an odd, baby selling sort of way) decide to call the boyfriend to chat for a while
10:03 pm -- boyfriend is currently boarding a plane to go to Vegas and spend the entire time drunk. I get short lecture on not drinking and driving on Saturday. Made mental note that he needs to piss off. Share my moral victory which does not seem to impress him so decide he should get on the plane and I will seriously do my reading now.
10:10 pm -- try to read, turn tv back on get through about 4 pages
11:30 pm -- I realize Letterman is on which makes it late, decide to wait til top 10 is read. Am pleased with the number of "Cheney was drunk and shot somebody jokes"
12:15 am -- decide that I must sleep now will do the property reading later and go to bed
That is why no one ever hears from me. It's all minesweepers fault.
Chicken must thaw faster...
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Sleep is for the dead
So, I have finally adjusted to the 4 hour of sleep average. It makes me a very weird person. Sometimes I have a 30 second fuse and sometimes I just make ridiculous statements. Not that anyone can tell the difference between a well-slept and tired me, they think I'm weird all the time. Someday, however, my body will simply shutdown and stop letting me only get a few hours of sleep. Hopefully it won't be in the middle of finals.
I have discovered that I expend a lot more energy on school then most of my classmates. I just don't understand how some of them can spend so little time and why I spend so much. Some of it comes from the compulsion to play computer games while I should be typing stuff up, but some of it is out of a geuine need to be able to get into deeper meanings of stuff. Still, I am not sure that they pay off is worth it.
I just got my grades a few weeks ago. While they are nothing to sneeze at, I am still not 100% sure they are equalivalent to the level of effort put in. Unfortunately, law school reminds you on a regular basis that for the first few years, you are your grades to employers. So, trying to find a job this summer is less fun that I would like to admit. I don't think that my grades will bar me from getting a job, it's just that 1Ls are less likely to be hired to start with and then grades make a huge difference after that. So I start stressing about that, which leads me to stress about everything else. Which then leads to me staying up too late studying and questioning if it's at all worth the future heart problems.
I am playing softball again this season. I still can't throw because my shoulder is not ready for it, but I am playing first base which is great. My hitting is crap. Stupid third baseman keeps playing his position so I hit it to him. It is good stres relief. This weekend I am going to try being social and go to a beach party! I am going to the beach! I have lived on the coast since August and I have yet to go to the beach. How dumb is that? Well, today it shall be remedied. Hopefully, the sewage spill I heard about yesterday is not where the party is planned. Lets here it for me not getting sand in my beer!
Oh, and I was named employee of the month at the library. How ridiculous is that?
I have discovered that I expend a lot more energy on school then most of my classmates. I just don't understand how some of them can spend so little time and why I spend so much. Some of it comes from the compulsion to play computer games while I should be typing stuff up, but some of it is out of a geuine need to be able to get into deeper meanings of stuff. Still, I am not sure that they pay off is worth it.
I just got my grades a few weeks ago. While they are nothing to sneeze at, I am still not 100% sure they are equalivalent to the level of effort put in. Unfortunately, law school reminds you on a regular basis that for the first few years, you are your grades to employers. So, trying to find a job this summer is less fun that I would like to admit. I don't think that my grades will bar me from getting a job, it's just that 1Ls are less likely to be hired to start with and then grades make a huge difference after that. So I start stressing about that, which leads me to stress about everything else. Which then leads to me staying up too late studying and questioning if it's at all worth the future heart problems.
I am playing softball again this season. I still can't throw because my shoulder is not ready for it, but I am playing first base which is great. My hitting is crap. Stupid third baseman keeps playing his position so I hit it to him. It is good stres relief. This weekend I am going to try being social and go to a beach party! I am going to the beach! I have lived on the coast since August and I have yet to go to the beach. How dumb is that? Well, today it shall be remedied. Hopefully, the sewage spill I heard about yesterday is not where the party is planned. Lets here it for me not getting sand in my beer!
Oh, and I was named employee of the month at the library. How ridiculous is that?
Monday, January 30, 2006
I don't know why
but my gmail thought this was the most appropriate link to give me while I was checking my email.
http://ask.yahoo.com/20060130.html
I hope you have all learned a valuable lesson.
http://ask.yahoo.com/20060130.html
I hope you have all learned a valuable lesson.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Things I've learned...
Not related to school (per se).
In the last few months, I have learned a lot by moving away from what I'd known for so long to be home. The most important of which is...wait, I don't want to rank them.
First, I have learned, or more accurately come to more fully realize the extend to which, I am a know it all. I can justify it by saying that I only tell everyone what I know because I want everyone else to have equal access to the information. Sometimes I am wrong too. Still it doesn't really matter when what everyone else hears is me trying to be smarter/better then them or even worse when they think I am a kiss ass because of it.
Second, I am constantly afraid of being judged and not liked. This semester we had to pick partners for our major project in Lawyering Skills class. I was afraid that no one would want to work with me because nobody likes me. This is silly and irrational, but so am I some times. I have always held the hidden fear that people simply tolerate me because I hang around and sometimes have helpful things to say but if they had their druthers they wouldn't really hang out with me. However, I also realize that this isn't true because I have great friends from all parts of my life that insist on trying to keep in touch with me despite the fact that I never write them email or call them back.
Third, I work really hard and earn the praise and grades that I get so I shouldn't be ashamed of them. I just informed two of my classmates that I am at school studying for about 12 hours a day on average (literally I told them about five minutes ago) and I got looks of "are you crazy." But, this is my work ethos. I don't have nearly enough fun here, but I know when I leave I will have taken something away from this experience that is that much more ingrained. Fun is for later or earlier in actuality. So, when I get recognition for making those efforts I shouldn't be ashamed of the public nature of it. Even if it feeds into the first to problems that I have noticed about myself.
Finally, I can find a way to adjust and meet new people if I am forced. I still need to do a lot of work to get to the point where I am truly open to people and not guarded so high when I first meet them. But, I can, when in the situation where it is required of me, talk to people, make them laugh, find out valuable pieces of information so as to blackmail them, umm wait, scratch that last part...Anyway, the point is, I am not a socially inept as I think I am. I just have some things to tone down and other things to get over. But, who doesn't have things to get over.
In the last few months, I have learned a lot by moving away from what I'd known for so long to be home. The most important of which is...wait, I don't want to rank them.
First, I have learned, or more accurately come to more fully realize the extend to which, I am a know it all. I can justify it by saying that I only tell everyone what I know because I want everyone else to have equal access to the information. Sometimes I am wrong too. Still it doesn't really matter when what everyone else hears is me trying to be smarter/better then them or even worse when they think I am a kiss ass because of it.
Second, I am constantly afraid of being judged and not liked. This semester we had to pick partners for our major project in Lawyering Skills class. I was afraid that no one would want to work with me because nobody likes me. This is silly and irrational, but so am I some times. I have always held the hidden fear that people simply tolerate me because I hang around and sometimes have helpful things to say but if they had their druthers they wouldn't really hang out with me. However, I also realize that this isn't true because I have great friends from all parts of my life that insist on trying to keep in touch with me despite the fact that I never write them email or call them back.
Third, I work really hard and earn the praise and grades that I get so I shouldn't be ashamed of them. I just informed two of my classmates that I am at school studying for about 12 hours a day on average (literally I told them about five minutes ago) and I got looks of "are you crazy." But, this is my work ethos. I don't have nearly enough fun here, but I know when I leave I will have taken something away from this experience that is that much more ingrained. Fun is for later or earlier in actuality. So, when I get recognition for making those efforts I shouldn't be ashamed of the public nature of it. Even if it feeds into the first to problems that I have noticed about myself.
Finally, I can find a way to adjust and meet new people if I am forced. I still need to do a lot of work to get to the point where I am truly open to people and not guarded so high when I first meet them. But, I can, when in the situation where it is required of me, talk to people, make them laugh, find out valuable pieces of information so as to blackmail them, umm wait, scratch that last part...Anyway, the point is, I am not a socially inept as I think I am. I just have some things to tone down and other things to get over. But, who doesn't have things to get over.
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