Who was I before I started studying for the bar exam? What did I do with myself? The exam is over now and I keep asking these questions because I find myself with an insane amount of free time. My two month packed schedule of studying, and studying and more studying has suddenly been wiped clean (for a week at least, then I start work). The whole bar exam process kinda took away my human-ness. For two months, I wasn't human. I was a not-so-well-oiled studying machine. Now I feel like a real person again and I don't know what to do with myself!
Three days post bar, I'm still exhausted. Mentally and physically. They are right when they say the bar is an endurance test. Imagine taking three law school exams back to back each day for 2.5 days. Yeah, that's EXACTLY what the bar exam is. I really need to just sleep for 24 hours straight to recover, but I have a toddler, and a husband, so that's not going to happen. I think I'll just be tired for a couple more days until I catch enough naps to fully re-energize.
Right now I'm enjoying the free time. I'm the kind of person who always takes on more than I should (see: lawschool & marriage & baby & commuter). I can take an empty day on my calendar and fill it with tasks in no time, hey it's a gift. I don't like to lay around. I thrive on feeling productive and collapsing exhausted into my bed at night. But for now, I'm kinda enjoying lazing the days away with my family. Granted, my idea of "lazing" involves: hosting a game night, chasing a busy 18 month old, trying out new recipes from Cooks Illustrated, half marathon training, baking salted oatmeal white chocolate chip cookies (my new favorite!), doing laundry and cleaning the house.
I can't believe I have to wait until April 30th to find out the results of the exam. I'm still living high off the fact that I finished in one piece. And I feel like I did well enough to pass- but you never know. You CAN'T exactly know when you failed to spot issues. I just never want to go through that again. That was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. If I had to choose between another emergency C-section with a brutal 2 week recovery or re-taking the bar exam, I don't know, it's a close call!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wait For The Beep, Yo
Hi, you have reached the blog of Cee.
I am unable to post a message at this time because I am either drunk, having wild "I haven't seen you in three days" sex or am in the middle of a 14 hour sleeping binge (I can't decide what to do first).
Leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I rejoin the land of the sober and responsible.
I am unable to post a message at this time because I am either drunk, having wild "I haven't seen you in three days" sex or am in the middle of a 14 hour sleeping binge (I can't decide what to do first).
Leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I rejoin the land of the sober and responsible.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Bar Exam: Day 2
SUBSTANTIVE PORTION IS OVER!
*Insert happy booty shaking dance*
Want the play by play?
No sleep. Almost all night. I tried to get to bed early (10pm) but I was tossing and turing in my bed until past midnight. I know I was tired but my mind was going a mile a minute and I couldn't turn it off! I even did my trick about reciting my commercial paper outline from memory- didn't work. I even used my imagination to mentally create a cowboy drama wherein I was being saved by a hunky cowboy. That ALWAYS works- but nope. I tossed and turned and tossed and turned.
I finally fell asleep past midnight but only to wake up again at 4:30. This time I couldn't get comfy. I was hot, then cold, then hot. Then I was itchy and them my limbs alternatively fell asleep on me. My eyes burned from staring at a computer screen all day. I finally fell asleep again after 5:20 but only to be awakend by a text message at 6am from my good intentioned husband. Fell asleep again at 6:30 and woke up to my alarm at 7. SUCKED A BIG ONE.
I'm so tired I can't even express. Literally, my mind cannot process words at this time. I can barely type this.
But it feels so good to be done with substantive portion of my bar exam! If I pass I never have to think about due process or evanescent evidence or indian tribal jurisdiction or felony murders (Oh my!). Thus far I've survived the almot de-robing of my first day, 14 hours of pure essay examination hell, one contracts problem disguised as a UCC sales issue (and actually, the verdict is actually still out on that one), the WEIRDEST crim pro problem I have EVER seen, a con law problem involving a mayor who defied a protective order and published private information (it was a con law problem! WHAT?!). My head is swimming with fact patterns. But I finally get to chill alittle. Tonight I only have to focus on one outline- ethics, that's it!
The only good thing about this exam is that during breaks I have bonded with other students like I never bonded with anyone during lawschool. Then again, I never had the chance to make a close friends during law school. All the students the past couple days have been friendly, and helpful and good for sharing a few nervous laughs. It was great. I felt really close to some new people and reconnected with old ones and never in my life have I loved law students and thought so highly of them before. Law students rock- I love their smart nerdy selves. It could be the tired talking but I want to give all the lawstudents in the world a big hug!
Tomorrow my exam ends at 10:15am. At precisely 10:30 you can expect to find me passed out and drunk in the hotel lobby hallway.
Just try to step OVER me and not ON me (hey, I'd do the same for you). Thanks.
*Insert happy booty shaking dance*
Want the play by play?
No sleep. Almost all night. I tried to get to bed early (10pm) but I was tossing and turing in my bed until past midnight. I know I was tired but my mind was going a mile a minute and I couldn't turn it off! I even did my trick about reciting my commercial paper outline from memory- didn't work. I even used my imagination to mentally create a cowboy drama wherein I was being saved by a hunky cowboy. That ALWAYS works- but nope. I tossed and turned and tossed and turned.
I finally fell asleep past midnight but only to wake up again at 4:30. This time I couldn't get comfy. I was hot, then cold, then hot. Then I was itchy and them my limbs alternatively fell asleep on me. My eyes burned from staring at a computer screen all day. I finally fell asleep again after 5:20 but only to be awakend by a text message at 6am from my good intentioned husband. Fell asleep again at 6:30 and woke up to my alarm at 7. SUCKED A BIG ONE.
I'm so tired I can't even express. Literally, my mind cannot process words at this time. I can barely type this.
But it feels so good to be done with substantive portion of my bar exam! If I pass I never have to think about due process or evanescent evidence or indian tribal jurisdiction or felony murders (Oh my!). Thus far I've survived the almot de-robing of my first day, 14 hours of pure essay examination hell, one contracts problem disguised as a UCC sales issue (and actually, the verdict is actually still out on that one), the WEIRDEST crim pro problem I have EVER seen, a con law problem involving a mayor who defied a protective order and published private information (it was a con law problem! WHAT?!). My head is swimming with fact patterns. But I finally get to chill alittle. Tonight I only have to focus on one outline- ethics, that's it!
The only good thing about this exam is that during breaks I have bonded with other students like I never bonded with anyone during lawschool. Then again, I never had the chance to make a close friends during law school. All the students the past couple days have been friendly, and helpful and good for sharing a few nervous laughs. It was great. I felt really close to some new people and reconnected with old ones and never in my life have I loved law students and thought so highly of them before. Law students rock- I love their smart nerdy selves. It could be the tired talking but I want to give all the lawstudents in the world a big hug!
Tomorrow my exam ends at 10:15am. At precisely 10:30 you can expect to find me passed out and drunk in the hotel lobby hallway.
Just try to step OVER me and not ON me (hey, I'd do the same for you). Thanks.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Bar Exam: Day 1
You know how hard it is to get on a plane nowadays with all those silly little rules like no tweezers, no more than 4oz of liquid, and no crack? Well that's about how ridiculous it is to get into the exam room on bar day. First let me back up a little...
I went to bed last night super early for me: 9am. I reviewed my trouble spots and fell into a pit of dispair. All evening I was a wreck. I couldn't eat anything. I was tempted to call home every hour and I even thought about running away and never coming back- but then I remembered how much I paid for my bar exam course, not to mention my education. I had two boughts of crying and went to bed in complete despair, certain that I would be walking to my execution the next morning.
Aside from the stomping from my upstairs hotel neighbor at 2am, and 3am and 4am, which served to interrupt me from three separate horrible nightmares about the bar exam, I actually slept well. I woke up kinda peppy and ready to tackle the exam. For some odd reason I had Garth Brook's "American Honky Tonk Bar Association" song stuck in my head and belted it out in the shower- revenge against Ms. Rude Upstairs Clunky Heels.
I am very particular about what I wear during exams. I HATE to be cold. But I don't mind being hot. I always wear a comfy hooded sweatshirt. But usually I have to wear a lightweight shirt underneath. I opted for a cute, but see through, thin shirt to go under my hoody. I wanted to REPRESENT so I wore my favorite law school hoody. I packed up my gear according to the letter I received stating what is and what is not allowed into the exam room: you can bring food if it is wrapped in a clear ziplock bag. You can bring your laptop, and a jacket and nothing else- not even a laptop case!
I got to the door after registration. But NO. I couldn't go in! My yogurt pretzels in my ziplocked bag were also in their original wrapper- NOT ALLOWED. They might be a pneumonic device of some sort- WHAT THE HECK (and I rarely swear people)? So I took threw the wrapper away. Oh wait- you have a water bottle in your ziplock bag. NOPE. NOT ALLOWED. Because it may be full of poison or liquid crack or, just as likely, performance enhancers. Ok, I tried one more time. BUT NO! I am wearing a HOODIE! Hoods are prohibited in the exam room in case I have my complete administrative law outline printed on the inside in .1, font you know?
I looked at the bar exam door bouncer (a frail old lady but she can still be a bounder- k?).
"I can't take this hoody off. My shirt is kinda see through and I might get cold. The paper doesn't say hoods are not allowed."
"Sorry you have to remove it. Or..."
"Or what? I think I choose "or" because I don't want the entire exam room to know the color of my bra."
"Or you can take these scissors and cut your hood off."
"WHAT THE F*CK!" (I didn't really swear but I felt it with all of my being)
I HATE YOU SNITCH! DIE! DIE! I JUST WANT TO TAKE MY FREAKING EXAM ALREADY!
"Can I at least wear my jacket, the paper says jackets are allowed" I sound pathetic and pleading as I hold up the paper for her to see.
"Does your jacket have a hood?"
"Gulp.....yes...."
"Then no. Oh and you can't bring your paper in either."
I WISH MANY PLAGUES UPON YOU- INCLUDING FROGS FALLING FROM THE SKY DIRECTLY ABOVE YOUR HEAD, LOTCUS INFESTATIONS AND THE DEATH OF EVERY FIRST BORN MALE IN YOUR FAMILY (hey, Moses gave me the idea).
So that is how all of the Washington State Bar exam takers got a preview of my umentionables through my thin, see through shirt.
But I survived day one and it wasn't too horrible. The first two sessions seemed kinda easy but session three kicked my butt. I felt like a whale came up from the floor and gobbled me whole and I had no way to escape but dig through layer after layer of his bulbous whaley blubber (sorry, seven hours of examination has left me crosseyed and delusional, I don't know what I'm saying).
I feel horrible for the guy next to me though. We had a contracts question, torts question and will question during the first session and he starts talking about how he's glad the UCC Sales question is over. Except it was a contract for a service, not a good, so that guy basically screwed himself on the first question (I was kind enough not to say anything- if he had told me I botched an entire question in the first session I would basically flip out).
Then we had family law, criminal procedure, and an LLC question. The last session was real property, civil procedure and a horrible crazy constitutional law problem. I think that was our weirdo tricky question so I'm crossing my fingers that the rest of the questions tomorrow are straight forward. Here's to being done with day one! Now time to hit the real bar for a virgin margarita...
I went to bed last night super early for me: 9am. I reviewed my trouble spots and fell into a pit of dispair. All evening I was a wreck. I couldn't eat anything. I was tempted to call home every hour and I even thought about running away and never coming back- but then I remembered how much I paid for my bar exam course, not to mention my education. I had two boughts of crying and went to bed in complete despair, certain that I would be walking to my execution the next morning.
Aside from the stomping from my upstairs hotel neighbor at 2am, and 3am and 4am, which served to interrupt me from three separate horrible nightmares about the bar exam, I actually slept well. I woke up kinda peppy and ready to tackle the exam. For some odd reason I had Garth Brook's "American Honky Tonk Bar Association" song stuck in my head and belted it out in the shower- revenge against Ms. Rude Upstairs Clunky Heels.
I am very particular about what I wear during exams. I HATE to be cold. But I don't mind being hot. I always wear a comfy hooded sweatshirt. But usually I have to wear a lightweight shirt underneath. I opted for a cute, but see through, thin shirt to go under my hoody. I wanted to REPRESENT so I wore my favorite law school hoody. I packed up my gear according to the letter I received stating what is and what is not allowed into the exam room: you can bring food if it is wrapped in a clear ziplock bag. You can bring your laptop, and a jacket and nothing else- not even a laptop case!
I got to the door after registration. But NO. I couldn't go in! My yogurt pretzels in my ziplocked bag were also in their original wrapper- NOT ALLOWED. They might be a pneumonic device of some sort- WHAT THE HECK (and I rarely swear people)? So I took threw the wrapper away. Oh wait- you have a water bottle in your ziplock bag. NOPE. NOT ALLOWED. Because it may be full of poison or liquid crack or, just as likely, performance enhancers. Ok, I tried one more time. BUT NO! I am wearing a HOODIE! Hoods are prohibited in the exam room in case I have my complete administrative law outline printed on the inside in .1, font you know?
I looked at the bar exam door bouncer (a frail old lady but she can still be a bounder- k?).
"I can't take this hoody off. My shirt is kinda see through and I might get cold. The paper doesn't say hoods are not allowed."
"Sorry you have to remove it. Or..."
"Or what? I think I choose "or" because I don't want the entire exam room to know the color of my bra."
"Or you can take these scissors and cut your hood off."
"WHAT THE F*CK!" (I didn't really swear but I felt it with all of my being)
I HATE YOU SNITCH! DIE! DIE! I JUST WANT TO TAKE MY FREAKING EXAM ALREADY!
"Can I at least wear my jacket, the paper says jackets are allowed" I sound pathetic and pleading as I hold up the paper for her to see.
"Does your jacket have a hood?"
"Gulp.....yes...."
"Then no. Oh and you can't bring your paper in either."
I WISH MANY PLAGUES UPON YOU- INCLUDING FROGS FALLING FROM THE SKY DIRECTLY ABOVE YOUR HEAD, LOTCUS INFESTATIONS AND THE DEATH OF EVERY FIRST BORN MALE IN YOUR FAMILY (hey, Moses gave me the idea).
So that is how all of the Washington State Bar exam takers got a preview of my umentionables through my thin, see through shirt.
But I survived day one and it wasn't too horrible. The first two sessions seemed kinda easy but session three kicked my butt. I felt like a whale came up from the floor and gobbled me whole and I had no way to escape but dig through layer after layer of his bulbous whaley blubber (sorry, seven hours of examination has left me crosseyed and delusional, I don't know what I'm saying).
I feel horrible for the guy next to me though. We had a contracts question, torts question and will question during the first session and he starts talking about how he's glad the UCC Sales question is over. Except it was a contract for a service, not a good, so that guy basically screwed himself on the first question (I was kind enough not to say anything- if he had told me I botched an entire question in the first session I would basically flip out).
Then we had family law, criminal procedure, and an LLC question. The last session was real property, civil procedure and a horrible crazy constitutional law problem. I think that was our weirdo tricky question so I'm crossing my fingers that the rest of the questions tomorrow are straight forward. Here's to being done with day one! Now time to hit the real bar for a virgin margarita...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
My Mind Is Running In Circles But At Least I Have Control Over My Legs
I'm refusing to do anymore barbri practice questions, they make my brain hurt and make me wish my mom just would have let me to go film school at Montana State Univeristy. I've decided at this point in time, all I will do is go over my 47 pages of notes and make sure I can recite the rule for each issue. I'm so TERRIFIED. I really just want to do this right the first time.
Why is the bar exam so scary? I mean I've been preparing for the past 2 months. I've listened to the lectures, I've done at least half of all the practice questions. I felt confident about each subject after I learned it. Why does this terrify me so much? I know it's just one necessary step along the way, like lawschool, like the LSATs, like undergrad. But it's the LAST stop and it's so intense.
I was never this scared about the LSAT. I was never this scared for the SATs. I was never this scared about a law school exam- not even my oral argument in front of a REAL King County Superior Court Judge. I was never this afraid about getting turned down by all the law schools I applied to. It's all in my head and I need to break this fear down before I walk into the room on exam day.
The only thing that keeps me going is knowing how AWESOME I will feel on Thursday at 10:15am (or maybe more like 3:00pm- after I get a good nap in). Until then I will probably continue to feel like I'm walking slowly toward a slaughter house. I can't wait until I don't have this darn thing to complain about anymore.
I been too mentally overstimulated the past couple nights and haven't been able to get to sleep right away. So I've been laying in bed reciting all the rules of commercial paper law to myself instead of counting sheep. It works surprisingly well as a brain tranquilizer. And the good thing is that I should be strong on that subject on test day(s)!
I went for my second run since deciding to train for the half marathon. The sun was on my face and I just ran. Not on a treadmil, confined in a room. I ran outdoors. Wild and Free and with no Destination. It felt incredible. The sweat, the sun, the rythmic pounding of my shoes on the pavement, the grass under my feet, my arms swinging freely at my side. It lifted my spirits and made me feel like I was in control again- in control of where I was headed. Why did I ever stop running? Did I forget how amazing it feels or was I crazy?
Hopefully the 3 pounds of peanut butter M&Ms I gained this last month will vanish quickly.
Why is the bar exam so scary? I mean I've been preparing for the past 2 months. I've listened to the lectures, I've done at least half of all the practice questions. I felt confident about each subject after I learned it. Why does this terrify me so much? I know it's just one necessary step along the way, like lawschool, like the LSATs, like undergrad. But it's the LAST stop and it's so intense.
I was never this scared about the LSAT. I was never this scared for the SATs. I was never this scared about a law school exam- not even my oral argument in front of a REAL King County Superior Court Judge. I was never this afraid about getting turned down by all the law schools I applied to. It's all in my head and I need to break this fear down before I walk into the room on exam day.
The only thing that keeps me going is knowing how AWESOME I will feel on Thursday at 10:15am (or maybe more like 3:00pm- after I get a good nap in). Until then I will probably continue to feel like I'm walking slowly toward a slaughter house. I can't wait until I don't have this darn thing to complain about anymore.
I been too mentally overstimulated the past couple nights and haven't been able to get to sleep right away. So I've been laying in bed reciting all the rules of commercial paper law to myself instead of counting sheep. It works surprisingly well as a brain tranquilizer. And the good thing is that I should be strong on that subject on test day(s)!
I went for my second run since deciding to train for the half marathon. The sun was on my face and I just ran. Not on a treadmil, confined in a room. I ran outdoors. Wild and Free and with no Destination. It felt incredible. The sweat, the sun, the rythmic pounding of my shoes on the pavement, the grass under my feet, my arms swinging freely at my side. It lifted my spirits and made me feel like I was in control again- in control of where I was headed. Why did I ever stop running? Did I forget how amazing it feels or was I crazy?
Hopefully the 3 pounds of peanut butter M&Ms I gained this last month will vanish quickly.
Friday, February 19, 2010
What Says "I'll Pass The Bar" Better Than A Scantily Clad Cowgirl?
My bar exam starts on Tuesday. 2.5 days of pure HELL. I check into my hotel Monday afternoon. Then Tuesday morning I have registration starting at 6am. The actual exam schedule looks like this:
Tuesday:
8:00-10:15 first session (Qts 1-3)
10:45-1:00 second session (Qts 4-6)
2:00- 4:15 third session (Qts 7-9)
Wednesday:
8:00-10:15 fourth session (Qts 10-12)
10:45-1:00 fifth session (Qts 13-15)
2:00- 4:15 sixth session (Qts 16-18)
Thursday:
8:00-10:15 seventh session (Qts 19-24) (Professional Responsibility)
OH GAWD HELP ME. At least I'm lucky that Washington doesn't have the MBE. I have 47 pages of handwritten notes to fully memorize. I have most of it down but I still have my trouble spots. I'm so excited that I'm nearing the end of this gawd-awful experience but I'm still a nervous wreck. The biggest reason why I don't want to fail is the fact that the passer's names are published and there's gonna be a heck of a lot of people looking for my name on that list, employers included. If I fail my first time is that grounds for terminating an employment contract?
In the meantime, I get by with help from Country Music Television. Especially this amazing video by Laura Bell Bundy (my bar exam pump up song):
I could watch this a million times and not get tired of it. She's so hot. I so want to be her- or at least have her cowboys :)
Tuesday:
8:00-10:15 first session (Qts 1-3)
10:45-1:00 second session (Qts 4-6)
2:00- 4:15 third session (Qts 7-9)
Wednesday:
8:00-10:15 fourth session (Qts 10-12)
10:45-1:00 fifth session (Qts 13-15)
2:00- 4:15 sixth session (Qts 16-18)
Thursday:
8:00-10:15 seventh session (Qts 19-24) (Professional Responsibility)
OH GAWD HELP ME. At least I'm lucky that Washington doesn't have the MBE. I have 47 pages of handwritten notes to fully memorize. I have most of it down but I still have my trouble spots. I'm so excited that I'm nearing the end of this gawd-awful experience but I'm still a nervous wreck. The biggest reason why I don't want to fail is the fact that the passer's names are published and there's gonna be a heck of a lot of people looking for my name on that list, employers included. If I fail my first time is that grounds for terminating an employment contract?
In the meantime, I get by with help from Country Music Television. Especially this amazing video by Laura Bell Bundy (my bar exam pump up song):
I could watch this a million times and not get tired of it. She's so hot. I so want to be her- or at least have her cowboys :)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Going For The Gold
(Or at least an honorary participant medal)
I'm OFFICIALLY committing myself to run the Seattle Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon at the end of June. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself! Running is (WAS) my passion. I ran in highschool after discovering my only athletic knack during the required mile run in gym class (all the other girls jogged at the bare minimum pace in groups while gossipping about boys while I, the geek that I was, ran alone and far ahead of the boys). I ran varsity cross country and track in college. I ran for fun. I ran for the personal challenge. I ran as if I was chasing an ice cream truck. I was always the happy runner too. Not the overly competitious one (such a better word than competative!). Not the one who was doing it because her dad wanted her to. Not the one who tried to impress her coach. I ran because I LOVED EVERY DAMN SECOND.
After college when I was no longer on a team, I felt like a part of my identity had disappeared. In order to compensate for that lonely, black hole in my heart, I continued running. When I started lawschool I ran an average of 6-8 miles per day my first semester. I trained for the Seattle Half Marathon (my first ever half and the longest race I'd ever attempted). It was amazing. I can't describe the feeling of crossing a finish line after 13 miles. I also can't describe the immense pain that followed the next day after throwing my back out from running too hard.
The half was my favorite distance. It was long enough to be a long distance race but not too long that it required a lot of time spent training. It also wasn't as overwhelming as a full marathon (I don't think I EVER want to do that). Seattle is a gorgeous place to run a half marathon and for a hill junky like me, it was perfect. A LOT of hills to accompany the evergreen trees, the water views and that beautiful waterfront skyline. I completed the race at my goal pace (7:21 minute miles) and listened to a great playlist (you CAN'T run a half without music- NO WAY!). The distance went by rather quickly too. You get caught up in the excitement, the cheering crowds, the hundreds (maybe thousands) of runners along side you of all shapes and sizes and ages.
I ran during my pregnancy (up until I started a summer job and had no energy to run). It kept me feeling in control of my drastically changing body. The fact that I stopped running at the end may have accounted for my 8lb, 8oz baby (I read that if you only run the first half of pregnancy your baby is likely to be bigger). After my son was born, however, I had too much on my plate to run. A c-section does a number on you mentally and physically as well. I couldn't bounce back. By the time I could officially exercise, I had gotten used to my non-running lifestyle and I never got it back.
Hopefully this half marathon challenge will set me back on track- with a little help from my new Nike+ Sportsband! I'm going to join the online running communties and keep track of my mileage online. I'm so excited! I also have an unworn pair of my favorite running shoe: Nike Pegasus. I can't wait to pull them out and hit the pavement!
[End of day dream]
But first, I have to take the bar exam. Then I have to figure out how I will fit my running workouts into full work days with a 2 hour commute and an 18 month old son.... hmmm.....
But my sportsband is so SHINY. And my running shoes are so CLEAN!
I'm OFFICIALLY committing myself to run the Seattle Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon at the end of June. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself! Running is (WAS) my passion. I ran in highschool after discovering my only athletic knack during the required mile run in gym class (all the other girls jogged at the bare minimum pace in groups while gossipping about boys while I, the geek that I was, ran alone and far ahead of the boys). I ran varsity cross country and track in college. I ran for fun. I ran for the personal challenge. I ran as if I was chasing an ice cream truck. I was always the happy runner too. Not the overly competitious one (such a better word than competative!). Not the one who was doing it because her dad wanted her to. Not the one who tried to impress her coach. I ran because I LOVED EVERY DAMN SECOND.
After college when I was no longer on a team, I felt like a part of my identity had disappeared. In order to compensate for that lonely, black hole in my heart, I continued running. When I started lawschool I ran an average of 6-8 miles per day my first semester. I trained for the Seattle Half Marathon (my first ever half and the longest race I'd ever attempted). It was amazing. I can't describe the feeling of crossing a finish line after 13 miles. I also can't describe the immense pain that followed the next day after throwing my back out from running too hard.
The half was my favorite distance. It was long enough to be a long distance race but not too long that it required a lot of time spent training. It also wasn't as overwhelming as a full marathon (I don't think I EVER want to do that). Seattle is a gorgeous place to run a half marathon and for a hill junky like me, it was perfect. A LOT of hills to accompany the evergreen trees, the water views and that beautiful waterfront skyline. I completed the race at my goal pace (7:21 minute miles) and listened to a great playlist (you CAN'T run a half without music- NO WAY!). The distance went by rather quickly too. You get caught up in the excitement, the cheering crowds, the hundreds (maybe thousands) of runners along side you of all shapes and sizes and ages.
I ran during my pregnancy (up until I started a summer job and had no energy to run). It kept me feeling in control of my drastically changing body. The fact that I stopped running at the end may have accounted for my 8lb, 8oz baby (I read that if you only run the first half of pregnancy your baby is likely to be bigger). After my son was born, however, I had too much on my plate to run. A c-section does a number on you mentally and physically as well. I couldn't bounce back. By the time I could officially exercise, I had gotten used to my non-running lifestyle and I never got it back.
Hopefully this half marathon challenge will set me back on track- with a little help from my new Nike+ Sportsband! I'm going to join the online running communties and keep track of my mileage online. I'm so excited! I also have an unworn pair of my favorite running shoe: Nike Pegasus. I can't wait to pull them out and hit the pavement!
[End of day dream]
But first, I have to take the bar exam. Then I have to figure out how I will fit my running workouts into full work days with a 2 hour commute and an 18 month old son.... hmmm.....
But my sportsband is so SHINY. And my running shoes are so CLEAN!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Identity Change (!!!)
I have some exciting news! Starting To Melt is getting a blog make-over! Woo hoo! After two years of a lame blogtitle and lame layout- it's about time! (If you are only born with a certain number of exclamation points to use throughout your entire life, I'm pretty sure I'm already in debt) !!!.
Not sure exactly when the change will happen but be prepared for something a little more exciting. I originally conjured this blog name out thin air with no special meaning or relevance behind the phrase other than I looked out the window one rare snowy day and noticed the snow was "starting to melt"- yes, I told you it was LAME. My intent was to eventually change it someday. Now someday has been two years in the making.
Expect Starting To Melt to slither out of it's old blog skin soon. :)
Not sure exactly when the change will happen but be prepared for something a little more exciting. I originally conjured this blog name out thin air with no special meaning or relevance behind the phrase other than I looked out the window one rare snowy day and noticed the snow was "starting to melt"- yes, I told you it was LAME. My intent was to eventually change it someday. Now someday has been two years in the making.
Expect Starting To Melt to slither out of it's old blog skin soon. :)
Monday, February 15, 2010
Just Had To Share
What my son did this evening... I forget how closely he watches us until he does something like grab his butt and say "ash!" ("ass") or grab the camera and do this:
Too Much Fun, Not Enough Bar Prep
File this under "Pictures I Don't Remember Being Taken"
(broom guitar in the bathroom?)
Last year I took charge and planned Valentine's Day. This year I decided to keep the tradition going. I think it's a great idea for the girl to plan Valentine's Day (unless you have a super romantic spouse/partner/"special" friend). I may be overgeneralizing but I think most girls fantasize about romantic evenings on Heart day and have certain standards for what they expect or want (even if they pretend they don't care). And I think planning a romantic Heart day terrorizes the crap out of most guys who have no idea what to do but don't want to dissapoint. Plus, don't most guys have enough pressure planning the anniversaries?
Either way, I think it's good to split the holidays/events so that you can share equally in the planning responsibilities. I realized that if I always plan Heart Day, I will NEVER be dissapointed! This way (1) I get the Heart Day that I REALLY want and (2) Husband can enjoy it too without all the pressure.
This year I got a plan rolling with my husband's friend's girlfriends and we planned a whole day of fun as a triple date. The day was planned in three stages (1) an underground tour of Seattle (2) a horse carriage ride downtown while covertly drinking wine in plastic glasses (covertly, until the second bottle when we were cheersing everyone within earshot) (3) dinner at the Wild Ginger- an awesome asian inspired restaurant where everything on the menu is to DIE FOR. The guys had no idea. Each new stage was a complete surprise.
We even caught an early enough ferry home so that we could end the evening with a girls v. boys Cranium match. It was a total blast...definatelt the best Heart Day EVER. Until next year ;)
(broom guitar in the bathroom?)
Last year I took charge and planned Valentine's Day. This year I decided to keep the tradition going. I think it's a great idea for the girl to plan Valentine's Day (unless you have a super romantic spouse/partner/"special" friend). I may be overgeneralizing but I think most girls fantasize about romantic evenings on Heart day and have certain standards for what they expect or want (even if they pretend they don't care). And I think planning a romantic Heart day terrorizes the crap out of most guys who have no idea what to do but don't want to dissapoint. Plus, don't most guys have enough pressure planning the anniversaries?
Either way, I think it's good to split the holidays/events so that you can share equally in the planning responsibilities. I realized that if I always plan Heart Day, I will NEVER be dissapointed! This way (1) I get the Heart Day that I REALLY want and (2) Husband can enjoy it too without all the pressure.
This year I got a plan rolling with my husband's friend's girlfriends and we planned a whole day of fun as a triple date. The day was planned in three stages (1) an underground tour of Seattle (2) a horse carriage ride downtown while covertly drinking wine in plastic glasses (covertly, until the second bottle when we were cheersing everyone within earshot) (3) dinner at the Wild Ginger- an awesome asian inspired restaurant where everything on the menu is to DIE FOR. The guys had no idea. Each new stage was a complete surprise.
We even caught an early enough ferry home so that we could end the evening with a girls v. boys Cranium match. It was a total blast...definatelt the best Heart Day EVER. Until next year ;)
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
A Mommy Moment
I always refer to Jacob as "my son" or "my baby" or "my big butt" (his pet name- I know, poor kid will be scarred for life). But today I had one of those moments where being a mommy kind of comes into perspective. It's hit me like a bag of bricks before, but today with him getting a big boy haircut, the moment seemed more poignant and kinda hit me where it hurts.
I realized that Jacob is not just something I possess or keep around for my own benefit (like most things in my life). He's not just an extention of me but he is becoming (and I guess he always has been) his own person. He has his own preferences. His own tastes. His own opinions about how the world should be. His own little personality is becoming more apparant each day. He tells us what he likes and doesn't like. He tells us what he wants and what he needs. He likes certain things to always be certain ways.
It makes me realize that I'm not just a parent because it's fun. Or because it's a hobby that I picked up some weekend when I was bored (although....no, won't go there). Or because it's a job I get paid to do. I do it because it's a responsibility. And a big one at that. I have to be responsible for another person. A PERSON. My baby is a PERSON. Wow, I have to soak that one up for a couple minutes to fully understand it.
Someday he'll be a grown up big man. He'll be someone's boyfriend. Someone's husband. Someone's dad. Someone's employee. Someone's best friend. I have to lay the ground work for all of that. I have to make sure he gets everythig he needs to grow big and strong and smart and caring and a responsible citizen. Phew. I'm tired just thinking of it.
And someday, he'll sit down in a therapists chair and complain about his life and the therapist will point to me. To everything I'm doing right now. It will be like a final evaluation of my parenting job. Scary, scary thought.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing alright. It seems like the line is fine between allowing Jacob to express himself and explore his own individuality and also making sure he gets what he needs. Am I teaching him right from wrong? Am I teaching him to use his brain but also to use his heart? Am I feeding him the right things and making sure he learns to share and clean up his toys while at the same time letting him be a kid and explore the world?
Man, I don't know. But I hope when he does sit in that therapist chair and that therapist makes him relive those early moments of his childhood, I hope he smiles. And laughs. And remembers childhood as one of his best times. And I hope he thinks about me and knows that he was (and is) loved. And I will be ok with the fact that I failed him in every other way. If I couldn't remember how to divide fractions, made him ride the bus to school with the bullies, if I cooked weird experiments for dinner or never took him to Disneyland or never let him have a puppy or forgot to teach him how to do his own laundry. I'd be ok with all those mega failures as a parent as long as he learned just one thing. That he was always loved and accepted by his failure parents.
I realized that Jacob is not just something I possess or keep around for my own benefit (like most things in my life). He's not just an extention of me but he is becoming (and I guess he always has been) his own person. He has his own preferences. His own tastes. His own opinions about how the world should be. His own little personality is becoming more apparant each day. He tells us what he likes and doesn't like. He tells us what he wants and what he needs. He likes certain things to always be certain ways.
It makes me realize that I'm not just a parent because it's fun. Or because it's a hobby that I picked up some weekend when I was bored (although....no, won't go there). Or because it's a job I get paid to do. I do it because it's a responsibility. And a big one at that. I have to be responsible for another person. A PERSON. My baby is a PERSON. Wow, I have to soak that one up for a couple minutes to fully understand it.
Someday he'll be a grown up big man. He'll be someone's boyfriend. Someone's husband. Someone's dad. Someone's employee. Someone's best friend. I have to lay the ground work for all of that. I have to make sure he gets everythig he needs to grow big and strong and smart and caring and a responsible citizen. Phew. I'm tired just thinking of it.
And someday, he'll sit down in a therapists chair and complain about his life and the therapist will point to me. To everything I'm doing right now. It will be like a final evaluation of my parenting job. Scary, scary thought.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing alright. It seems like the line is fine between allowing Jacob to express himself and explore his own individuality and also making sure he gets what he needs. Am I teaching him right from wrong? Am I teaching him to use his brain but also to use his heart? Am I feeding him the right things and making sure he learns to share and clean up his toys while at the same time letting him be a kid and explore the world?
Man, I don't know. But I hope when he does sit in that therapist chair and that therapist makes him relive those early moments of his childhood, I hope he smiles. And laughs. And remembers childhood as one of his best times. And I hope he thinks about me and knows that he was (and is) loved. And I will be ok with the fact that I failed him in every other way. If I couldn't remember how to divide fractions, made him ride the bus to school with the bullies, if I cooked weird experiments for dinner or never took him to Disneyland or never let him have a puppy or forgot to teach him how to do his own laundry. I'd be ok with all those mega failures as a parent as long as he learned just one thing. That he was always loved and accepted by his failure parents.
Apathy Beyond The Point Of No Return
When it comes to the bar exam, I am a crazy mixture of bored out of my mind and terrified to death.
I am seriously SO DONE with this crap. I'm sick of studying. I'm sick of the law. I'm sick of it all. I see bar exam questions and want to puke. This is ridiculous. I want my life back. I want to have a sense of dignity and autonomy and FREE TIME again.
I almost want to throw my hands in the air and say SCREW IT! I'll just make up the rest of the crap I don't know! I'm almost to the point of apathy. Being a stay at home housewife with no bar exam blues in sight is almost sounding too good to me (too bad I owe an elephant's weight in debt).
I have to force myself to keep tredging along. Force myself not to quit. Convince myself that it really does matter. There is a light at the end of the tunnel somewhere....maybe it just needs a new lightbulb?
Or another new pair of shoes?
I am seriously SO DONE with this crap. I'm sick of studying. I'm sick of the law. I'm sick of it all. I see bar exam questions and want to puke. This is ridiculous. I want my life back. I want to have a sense of dignity and autonomy and FREE TIME again.
I almost want to throw my hands in the air and say SCREW IT! I'll just make up the rest of the crap I don't know! I'm almost to the point of apathy. Being a stay at home housewife with no bar exam blues in sight is almost sounding too good to me (too bad I owe an elephant's weight in debt).
I have to force myself to keep tredging along. Force myself not to quit. Convince myself that it really does matter. There is a light at the end of the tunnel somewhere....maybe it just needs a new lightbulb?
Or another new pair of shoes?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Janet Jackson Teaches Contracts
Everyone in law school has had that one, unforgettable teacher. The one that scares the crap out of you but also makes you smile. The one that has left a lasting impression on you. The one that embodies the entirety of your lawschool experience: fear, passion, amazement, anticipation, and dread. That one teacher who makes the law come alive (if only for 50 minutes three times a week). The one that invests all he has into you and in return expects nothing but your best.
For me that teacher was Prof. Mahmud.
He would impound upon us the importance of an enforcable promise (if a hypothetical contract was not enforcable he would tell the hypothetical plaintiff to "go to hell"). He dressed up in a devil costume for an after school party he threw for us (inspired by "go to hell"). When he called on a student, he would cock his finger into the air as if he were wielding a hangun. If they got it wrong, he would aim and shoot right at their face (one guy messed up so badly, he found himself looking down the barrel of a two-handed rifle.)
This professor's story in itself is inspiring. He came to the US from India. His first job in the US was working for a Seven Eleven. He inspired a group of us to go down to New Orleans and help out in the wake of Hurrican Katrina. He told it like it was. No pretentious BS. He was a fan of alcohol and made it know to us all. His most commonly spoke phrase was "hell, damn, no!" That is by far my favorite "swear" phrase.
But as I prepare for the bar exam, one thing he taught me stands out far above everything else. Thanks to this man, I can be comforted by the fact that I will never fail to spot and analyze a "consideration" issue. Each time I see a contract formation problem, I remember his trick for learning consideration: he sang a Janet Jackson song.
"Ooh, ooooh, oooh. What have you done for me lately?"
Consideration must have legal value "WHAT."
It must be something untertaken by the promisee "have YOU."
Benefitting the promisor "done for ME."
That cannot be a prior obligation "LATELY."
Throw in some extra "oooh"s for good measure: "ooh, oooh, oooh!"
And that concludes the most useful blogpost I will ever write.
For me that teacher was Prof. Mahmud.
He would impound upon us the importance of an enforcable promise (if a hypothetical contract was not enforcable he would tell the hypothetical plaintiff to "go to hell"). He dressed up in a devil costume for an after school party he threw for us (inspired by "go to hell"). When he called on a student, he would cock his finger into the air as if he were wielding a hangun. If they got it wrong, he would aim and shoot right at their face (one guy messed up so badly, he found himself looking down the barrel of a two-handed rifle.)
This professor's story in itself is inspiring. He came to the US from India. His first job in the US was working for a Seven Eleven. He inspired a group of us to go down to New Orleans and help out in the wake of Hurrican Katrina. He told it like it was. No pretentious BS. He was a fan of alcohol and made it know to us all. His most commonly spoke phrase was "hell, damn, no!" That is by far my favorite "swear" phrase.
But as I prepare for the bar exam, one thing he taught me stands out far above everything else. Thanks to this man, I can be comforted by the fact that I will never fail to spot and analyze a "consideration" issue. Each time I see a contract formation problem, I remember his trick for learning consideration: he sang a Janet Jackson song.
"Ooh, ooooh, oooh. What have you done for me lately?"
Consideration must have legal value "WHAT."
It must be something untertaken by the promisee "have YOU."
Benefitting the promisor "done for ME."
That cannot be a prior obligation "LATELY."
Throw in some extra "oooh"s for good measure: "ooh, oooh, oooh!"
And that concludes the most useful blogpost I will ever write.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
My Law School Is Holding My Career Hostage
Lawschool was a long, winding road. So many ups and so many downs. Many hours in the library pouring over books, cramming information into my brain. Many hours sitting in the classroom soaking up knowledge from my professors. Just as many hours sitting on the ferry or in my car. And after all that it seems like my school isn't quite ready to forget me.
I paid over $100,000.00 (count the zeros!) for my legal education. In addition to spending the equivalent of half a mortgage on my education, I ate at the school food bar three times a week. Bought a coffee from the school each day. Purchased over-priced candy bars at the school bookstore. Bought countless hoodies, coffee mugs and car stickers (and a pair of socks to cover my hands the day I forgot my gloves). Donated my locker deposit as a graduation gift. Stuffed coins into the school vending machines and parking meters.
And now, after all that money down the drain and into the greedy coffers of my law school, how do they repay me?
They hold my diploma hostage for an unpaid $12 library fine.
I feel like I've just been kicked in the rear, with a steel toed boot handcrafted just for me by Life Sucks A Big One.
And THAT, my friends, is why you always pay your library fines.
I paid over $100,000.00 (count the zeros!) for my legal education. In addition to spending the equivalent of half a mortgage on my education, I ate at the school food bar three times a week. Bought a coffee from the school each day. Purchased over-priced candy bars at the school bookstore. Bought countless hoodies, coffee mugs and car stickers (and a pair of socks to cover my hands the day I forgot my gloves). Donated my locker deposit as a graduation gift. Stuffed coins into the school vending machines and parking meters.
And now, after all that money down the drain and into the greedy coffers of my law school, how do they repay me?
They hold my diploma hostage for an unpaid $12 library fine.
I feel like I've just been kicked in the rear, with a steel toed boot handcrafted just for me by Life Sucks A Big One.
And THAT, my friends, is why you always pay your library fines.
What's Your Favorite Suit?
Thanks everyone for turning me on to the Corporette site. It's pretty helpful and a great resource. But many of the suits on the site are either too expensive for me, not my size or not quite right for my age. I have no figure. No curves at all. Think of a 13 year old boy. That's me. Ok, don't think too much of a 13 year old boy- I do have nice legs, thank you very much (at least my husband says I have nice legs...).
Also, I am fairly tall. Not a giant but I definately need a bigger inseam if I want to wear heels. And I'm not too trendy. I prefer classic looks. They look better one me and don't really go out of style. When I try to take on a trend I just look like I'm trying too hard and I'd rather my clothes just kinda blend in nicely with the surroundings and become an extention of me, not stand out like OMG SHE'S WEARING A RED FEATHER BOA (even if all the cool kids are doing it).
I prefer sleek lines, no unnecessary frills, long inseam and NO WRINKLES. I can't wear clothing that wrinkles easily, it's my biggest pet-peeve. But I can't seem to find the right suit in an affordable price range. I don't mind forking over money for a good quality suit, but I'm not about to drop $400 on just a suit jacket. I'm a recovering student, you know. I have to ease my way into spending money again.
The biggest problem is that my lack of curves makes me look like I am swimming in most suits- so I need a retailer that offers smaller sizes (rather than merely directing me to their juniors section).
So, I was hoping everyone could chime in with their favorite women's suit(brand/style). I need to go suit shopping after the bar exam- any special places I should look? If you are on the less-curvy side of the scale, like me, I would especially love to hear from you!
Also, I am fairly tall. Not a giant but I definately need a bigger inseam if I want to wear heels. And I'm not too trendy. I prefer classic looks. They look better one me and don't really go out of style. When I try to take on a trend I just look like I'm trying too hard and I'd rather my clothes just kinda blend in nicely with the surroundings and become an extention of me, not stand out like OMG SHE'S WEARING A RED FEATHER BOA (even if all the cool kids are doing it).
I prefer sleek lines, no unnecessary frills, long inseam and NO WRINKLES. I can't wear clothing that wrinkles easily, it's my biggest pet-peeve. But I can't seem to find the right suit in an affordable price range. I don't mind forking over money for a good quality suit, but I'm not about to drop $400 on just a suit jacket. I'm a recovering student, you know. I have to ease my way into spending money again.
The biggest problem is that my lack of curves makes me look like I am swimming in most suits- so I need a retailer that offers smaller sizes (rather than merely directing me to their juniors section).
So, I was hoping everyone could chime in with their favorite women's suit(brand/style). I need to go suit shopping after the bar exam- any special places I should look? If you are on the less-curvy side of the scale, like me, I would especially love to hear from you!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Cat & Mouse
Jacob loves our cats. They drive us crazy but we keep them around because they are Jacob's only regular playmates (and our babysitters). He calls calls the kitties "key-eee" and it pretty much cracks us up. They don't mind him too much either (when he's not pulling their tails).
Monday, February 8, 2010
Why He Doesn't Let Me Out Of The House
Last weekend, my husband invited me to a community fund-raising auction for our local Rotary Club. His community organization is trying to raise funds to build a facility nearby and the proceeds of the auction were to partly benefit his organization. He likes to drag me along occasionally to these things for the mountains of entertainment I provide. Unlike him, I do not have an incentive to act appropriately and be socially conscious at these things because, well, it's not MY job at stake and I don't know these people.
His organization had an entire table at this function. People at the table included board members, constituents and one of his supervisors. We were BY FAR the youngest people there (I was so excited to have an excuse to buy a semi-formal cocktail dress and actually WEAR it!). I'd say we looked really classy- a big change from our usual sweat pants. Although, my husband has a problem wearing ties. He goes to http://www.howtotieatie.com/ and follows their picture tutorial but his tie knots still ended up being as big as a grown man's fist!
Anyway, so I had a grand ol' time chatting it up with the couple on either side of us. They were seasoned auction attendees and gave me all kinds of nice hints about how to win auction items. After two glasses of wine, I made a very loud anouncement to our table that I wanted to win item number 07- "Firefighter for a Day." I told the table I didn't have any real fires that needed to be put out but I wouldn't mind having a hunky fireman to look at. They laughed and my husband laughed along (very) nervously. Turns out, there wasn't a fireman for auction- the item actually involved BEING a firefighter for a day not HAVING a firefighter for a day- oopsy.
I shared my passions for firefighters, dry wine and horse back riding with the man and his wife seated next to me. I cracked jokes about my husband's funny looking ties and laughed at the auctioneer's crazy ability to talk fast.
Eventually a handcrafted wooden rocking horse came up for bid. I told my husband we had to get it for our son. He made me set a limit as to how high I would bid- seeing as how we aren't really rolling in the dough right now. It turns out someone else wanted that rocking horse too. We ended up in a bidding war with that person. To my husband's horror, I went way above my limit and eventually bid $500 for it. As the price escalated, my husband snatched the bid card from my drunken hands and sat on it.
That didn't stop me, as the auctioneer was calling "going once, going twice..." I reach frantically between my husband's legs and tries to pry the bidcard from under his crotch. The crowd was going wild. The auctioneer announced "someone distract him!" and people started clapping as I evetualy wrestled the card from my husband and lifted it high into the air in time to make an offer of $600. The other biddder (probably a distinguished Rotary Club member- yikes) offered $650 and my husband once again snatched the card away from me. I had a mini tantrum but I realized he was right and there was no way we could afford a $700 rocking horse.
No matter how tipsy I was at the time, I still cannot shake the image of the display we made in from of the local Rotary Club and friends. Me in my conservative cocktail dress trying to pry a bid card from between my husband's firmly closed legs. Then engaging in a tug of war fit for a toddler between his grasp and mine. Oh well, it couldn't have been too bad because by the end of the night I somehow managed an invitation to go to Vegas with some lady for her daughter's 21st birthday (wait, who was that and what just happened???).
Overall, I had a great time and my husband assured me he didn't think we did too much damage. Although, it turns out that the people sitting at our table weren't JUST board members, the guy I was talking to all night is the CEO of a local bank (and my dad, who works for our city is currently negotiating a real estate contract with him). Oh well, at least he will always remember me, even if he only remembers me as the drunken lush with a thing for firefighters.
His organization had an entire table at this function. People at the table included board members, constituents and one of his supervisors. We were BY FAR the youngest people there (I was so excited to have an excuse to buy a semi-formal cocktail dress and actually WEAR it!). I'd say we looked really classy- a big change from our usual sweat pants. Although, my husband has a problem wearing ties. He goes to http://www.howtotieatie.com/ and follows their picture tutorial but his tie knots still ended up being as big as a grown man's fist!
Anyway, so I had a grand ol' time chatting it up with the couple on either side of us. They were seasoned auction attendees and gave me all kinds of nice hints about how to win auction items. After two glasses of wine, I made a very loud anouncement to our table that I wanted to win item number 07- "Firefighter for a Day." I told the table I didn't have any real fires that needed to be put out but I wouldn't mind having a hunky fireman to look at. They laughed and my husband laughed along (very) nervously. Turns out, there wasn't a fireman for auction- the item actually involved BEING a firefighter for a day not HAVING a firefighter for a day- oopsy.
I shared my passions for firefighters, dry wine and horse back riding with the man and his wife seated next to me. I cracked jokes about my husband's funny looking ties and laughed at the auctioneer's crazy ability to talk fast.
Eventually a handcrafted wooden rocking horse came up for bid. I told my husband we had to get it for our son. He made me set a limit as to how high I would bid- seeing as how we aren't really rolling in the dough right now. It turns out someone else wanted that rocking horse too. We ended up in a bidding war with that person. To my husband's horror, I went way above my limit and eventually bid $500 for it. As the price escalated, my husband snatched the bid card from my drunken hands and sat on it.
That didn't stop me, as the auctioneer was calling "going once, going twice..." I reach frantically between my husband's legs and tries to pry the bidcard from under his crotch. The crowd was going wild. The auctioneer announced "someone distract him!" and people started clapping as I evetualy wrestled the card from my husband and lifted it high into the air in time to make an offer of $600. The other biddder (probably a distinguished Rotary Club member- yikes) offered $650 and my husband once again snatched the card away from me. I had a mini tantrum but I realized he was right and there was no way we could afford a $700 rocking horse.
No matter how tipsy I was at the time, I still cannot shake the image of the display we made in from of the local Rotary Club and friends. Me in my conservative cocktail dress trying to pry a bid card from between my husband's firmly closed legs. Then engaging in a tug of war fit for a toddler between his grasp and mine. Oh well, it couldn't have been too bad because by the end of the night I somehow managed an invitation to go to Vegas with some lady for her daughter's 21st birthday (wait, who was that and what just happened???).
Overall, I had a great time and my husband assured me he didn't think we did too much damage. Although, it turns out that the people sitting at our table weren't JUST board members, the guy I was talking to all night is the CEO of a local bank (and my dad, who works for our city is currently negotiating a real estate contract with him). Oh well, at least he will always remember me, even if he only remembers me as the drunken lush with a thing for firefighters.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Cure For The Bar Exam Blues
When it comes to studying for the bar exam, or facing any tedious task, it is best to just put one foot in front of the other. This, of course, is easier to do in a pair of cute new heels! So, when people ask me how I'm surviving through this dredgery, I just have to point to my feet.
That's right peeps, the cure for the bar exam blues: new SHOES!
That's right peeps, the cure for the bar exam blues: new SHOES!
This sexy pair of 2.5 inch heels was even ON SALE- (Cee- 5 points, Karma- 0).
And I can enjoy these so much more knowing that we are getting a major tax refund. I was an independent contracter at my firm over the summer and they withheld nothing from my paycheck. So I set aside 20% of each paycheck I earned (hardest thing EVER- like someone handing you a box of candy and telling you not to eat it!) in my own savings account. But looks like I get to keep it all (yay for dependents and tax deductions!). I feel like it's raining dolla billz!
The rest of that money will probably go towards paying off my credit cardz. Wait, who am I kidding? There are so many cute shoes left to explore... and 2 weeks until the bar exam :(
Friday, February 5, 2010
Proud Owner Of One Case List!
I talked to the officer manager at my firm to tie up some loose ends regarding my W-2 statement from last tax year. I told her how excited I was to being work in March. Part of me wanted to call just to make sure my offer really exists and that it's hasn't been some crazy fantasy 6 months in the making by my imagination. I expected to hear any one (or all) of the following:
"Sorry, we changed our minds, we don't have a job for you."
"The work you did on that big case last summer caused us to lose billions of $ for our client. We take back our offer because you suck at law."
"We just hired someone for your position."
"Associate position? What associate position? Are you off your meds?"
"We're gonna have to file a restraining order against you if you don't leave us alone."
But to my shock and surprise, she said this:
"We are looking forward to having you. The partners are already putting together a case list for you."
WHAT?
I have a case list?
I HAVE A CASE LIST!
OMG.
As I sit on my couch stuffing my face with Peanut M&Ms lamenting my bar exam woes and trying not to fall asleep during Barbri lecture (commercial paper- must stay awake!), my career is being determined! It feels like predestination. The cases which will begin my legal career are being pre-determined as we speak.
Oh man. I hope they are good cases. I hope they are challenging and complex and involve sexy legal theories like the Economic Loss Doctrine and Respendeat Superior.
I wonder if the clients are being told that I will be the associate on the case? Imagine that! Managing partner could be telling my very first client right now "Cee will be the associate on your case starting in March...?" I wonder what that client would think if they knew I was barely a graduate, sitting on my couch hour after hour, in my sweats, shoving M&Ms down my throat, crying, moaning and pulling my hair out over the bar exam? Not a pretty sight.
I know I can't officially practice law until I am sworn in. But it's so close. I can almost taste it. I cannot wait until March, my life will be so good in March- fancy suits, cute pumps, lawyer briefcase, planned depositions, drafting pleadings, meeting with REAL clients- MY clients. I just have to survive until then.
I almost (ALMOST) feel encouraged to study commercial paper now.
"Sorry, we changed our minds, we don't have a job for you."
"The work you did on that big case last summer caused us to lose billions of $ for our client. We take back our offer because you suck at law."
"We just hired someone for your position."
"Associate position? What associate position? Are you off your meds?"
"We're gonna have to file a restraining order against you if you don't leave us alone."
But to my shock and surprise, she said this:
"We are looking forward to having you. The partners are already putting together a case list for you."
WHAT?
I have a case list?
I HAVE A CASE LIST!
OMG.
As I sit on my couch stuffing my face with Peanut M&Ms lamenting my bar exam woes and trying not to fall asleep during Barbri lecture (commercial paper- must stay awake!), my career is being determined! It feels like predestination. The cases which will begin my legal career are being pre-determined as we speak.
Oh man. I hope they are good cases. I hope they are challenging and complex and involve sexy legal theories like the Economic Loss Doctrine and Respendeat Superior.
I wonder if the clients are being told that I will be the associate on the case? Imagine that! Managing partner could be telling my very first client right now "Cee will be the associate on your case starting in March...?" I wonder what that client would think if they knew I was barely a graduate, sitting on my couch hour after hour, in my sweats, shoving M&Ms down my throat, crying, moaning and pulling my hair out over the bar exam? Not a pretty sight.
I know I can't officially practice law until I am sworn in. But it's so close. I can almost taste it. I cannot wait until March, my life will be so good in March- fancy suits, cute pumps, lawyer briefcase, planned depositions, drafting pleadings, meeting with REAL clients- MY clients. I just have to survive until then.
I almost (ALMOST) feel encouraged to study commercial paper now.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
How My Legal Brain Works
I find that there are certain areas of law that my brain just "gets."
I'm really good at Contracts, Sales makes total sense to me, I have Wills down pat, Landlord Tenant law is right up my alley, and so is Insurance Law.
The things I have trouble with are things like Evidence, Criminal Procedure (shudder!), Criminal law, Corporations, Indian Law and Property topics like easements and covenants and all those crazy Simple Fee Defeasible estates (who was on crack when they invented those?!).
I am a really visual learner and there is a limit to how far my brain can wrap itself around intangible concepts. Sure, basically ALL of law is intangible. But law that plays itself out in an area of life were you can see it working or where I have personal knowledge- that I can handle. Whenever there is an underlying contract (whether oral or written) or some other document that governs rights and liabilities between parties, I'm right there. I'm ALL about that. I can understand concepts like "implied warranties of merchantability" or "implied warranties of habitatbility" or "insurable interest" or, my PERSONAL FAVORITES: the Mirror Image Rule, Perfect Tender and the Article 2 "Knock Out" Rule. Do you remember my crazy love affair with the economic loss doctrine? It's just so sexy!
Where I somehow have a basic understanding of how the law play out in real life- I understand the underlying actions of the parties- the law becomes tangible to me. I understand how people place orders with manufacturers. I understand why and how people write wills, I understand the underlying action of people renting apartments.
But criminal procedure? I have no idea what police men really do. I don't get search and seizure at all. I know the rule about inventory searches but WHAT THE HECK is it really? If I saw one I wouldn't even know. And evidence- hearsay? That's is just too intangible for me no matter what. Similarly the concepts of negotiatbility in Commercial Paper drive my mind into a crazy, abstract haze. I don't quite understand what Indian land is or how you can differentiate it. Why can't all reservation land be Indian land? The visual learner in me wants to actually go to an Indian reservation and figure out what a tribal court is, what public domain land really looks like.
So I guess the takeaway from this is my extensive shopping experience and skills have helped me better understand all commercial areas of law- contracts, sales, etc. In order to understand Criminal Procedure, I need to be arrested. In order to understand Indian law, I need to sneak into an Indian reservation and be hailed into their court. Commercial paper? forget it- who uses checks anymore anyhow? Evidence law? I need to watch more Law and Order.
Does anyone else have this problem? And how can I accomplish all these before the bar exam?
I'm really good at Contracts, Sales makes total sense to me, I have Wills down pat, Landlord Tenant law is right up my alley, and so is Insurance Law.
The things I have trouble with are things like Evidence, Criminal Procedure (shudder!), Criminal law, Corporations, Indian Law and Property topics like easements and covenants and all those crazy Simple Fee Defeasible estates (who was on crack when they invented those?!).
I am a really visual learner and there is a limit to how far my brain can wrap itself around intangible concepts. Sure, basically ALL of law is intangible. But law that plays itself out in an area of life were you can see it working or where I have personal knowledge- that I can handle. Whenever there is an underlying contract (whether oral or written) or some other document that governs rights and liabilities between parties, I'm right there. I'm ALL about that. I can understand concepts like "implied warranties of merchantability" or "implied warranties of habitatbility" or "insurable interest" or, my PERSONAL FAVORITES: the Mirror Image Rule, Perfect Tender and the Article 2 "Knock Out" Rule. Do you remember my crazy love affair with the economic loss doctrine? It's just so sexy!
Where I somehow have a basic understanding of how the law play out in real life- I understand the underlying actions of the parties- the law becomes tangible to me. I understand how people place orders with manufacturers. I understand why and how people write wills, I understand the underlying action of people renting apartments.
But criminal procedure? I have no idea what police men really do. I don't get search and seizure at all. I know the rule about inventory searches but WHAT THE HECK is it really? If I saw one I wouldn't even know. And evidence- hearsay? That's is just too intangible for me no matter what. Similarly the concepts of negotiatbility in Commercial Paper drive my mind into a crazy, abstract haze. I don't quite understand what Indian land is or how you can differentiate it. Why can't all reservation land be Indian land? The visual learner in me wants to actually go to an Indian reservation and figure out what a tribal court is, what public domain land really looks like.
So I guess the takeaway from this is my extensive shopping experience and skills have helped me better understand all commercial areas of law- contracts, sales, etc. In order to understand Criminal Procedure, I need to be arrested. In order to understand Indian law, I need to sneak into an Indian reservation and be hailed into their court. Commercial paper? forget it- who uses checks anymore anyhow? Evidence law? I need to watch more Law and Order.
Does anyone else have this problem? And how can I accomplish all these before the bar exam?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Could I Be The Next American Idol?
The other day I tried out for American Idol.
I don't know if my audition will make it on the show but at the very least I got a picture with my favorite judge (see below). I don't think I impressed them that much- I'm no bikini girl. And I mean it's pretty hard to impress Simon. But Randy gave me some good feedback...
So, you want to know what Randy said?
He said:
I don't know if my audition will make it on the show but at the very least I got a picture with my favorite judge (see below). I don't think I impressed them that much- I'm no bikini girl. And I mean it's pretty hard to impress Simon. But Randy gave me some good feedback...
So, you want to know what Randy said?
He said:
Bar Exam Spillover Into The Bedroom
Husband: "I'm going to bed now."
Me: "Is that a hint? Do you want something?"
Husband: "Maybe."
Me: "Ok, but I'm warning you now, I'm a little tired."
Once again, we're off to a great start...
[lying side by side]
Me: "Well... Are you gonna make your move?"
Husband: "It's your turn to make the first move. I made the first move last night."
Me: "Excuse me, I just put on a thong. That's a first move."
Husband: "Well....I turned off the light."
Me: "That doesn't count. It's not a substantial step in furtherance of..." (I've been reading too much criminal law and the attempted crime rules popped into my head).
Husband: "Well, I... I got into bed. AND I took off my socks."
Me: "That's not sexy."
Husband: "Well, I read in Cosmo that thongs aren't sexy anymore. People ruined them by wearing low rise pants and flashing their thongs when they bend down."
Me: "Are you saying I'm not sexy?!" (Totally overlooking the fact that he reads Cosmo.)
Husband: "According to Cosmo." (Punch him in the arm)
Me: "Ok whatever. But you still have make the next move."
Husband: "Nope."
Me: "Is that a repudiation? Are you wrongfully rejecting my goods? You initiated an offer. I accepted by performance AND I made a timely delivery. You gotta pay up!"
Note to self- Lawyer speak in bed...so not a turn on.
Me: "Is that a hint? Do you want something?"
Husband: "Maybe."
Me: "Ok, but I'm warning you now, I'm a little tired."
Once again, we're off to a great start...
[lying side by side]
Me: "Well... Are you gonna make your move?"
Husband: "It's your turn to make the first move. I made the first move last night."
Me: "Excuse me, I just put on a thong. That's a first move."
Husband: "Well....I turned off the light."
Me: "That doesn't count. It's not a substantial step in furtherance of..." (I've been reading too much criminal law and the attempted crime rules popped into my head).
Husband: "Well, I... I got into bed. AND I took off my socks."
Me: "That's not sexy."
Husband: "Well, I read in Cosmo that thongs aren't sexy anymore. People ruined them by wearing low rise pants and flashing their thongs when they bend down."
Me: "Are you saying I'm not sexy?!" (Totally overlooking the fact that he reads Cosmo.)
Husband: "According to Cosmo." (Punch him in the arm)
Me: "Ok whatever. But you still have make the next move."
Husband: "Nope."
Me: "Is that a repudiation? Are you wrongfully rejecting my goods? You initiated an offer. I accepted by performance AND I made a timely delivery. You gotta pay up!"
Note to self- Lawyer speak in bed...so not a turn on.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Take Caution Before Revealing Your Innermost Secrets
You all know me as the smart, sophisticated (*cough*) former lawstudent and child herder that I am today. (Doesn't "child herder" make more sense than "mother"- I swear I spend half of my mothering time diverting my toddler from things like: the coffee maker, kitchen knives, the bottle of KY-Jelly (TMI?) by my bed, tile-grout cleaning toothbrushes (which he loves to use to brush his teeth), and overly priced electronics). But there was a time, long, long ago when I was the shiny beacon of nerdiness. What's that? Ok, fine, I'm still a nerd it's just that I can hide it better in public. But sometimes evidence of my past nerdiness leaks out into the community, scarring my reputation for life.
My husband works for a well known community organization. He is very involved in the community trying to raise money for a campaign. He often takes rich and important people and elected officials on tours of their local facility to solicite donations. Since he drives a suped up, two door, turbo-ized (is that a word?) Ford Probe. He has to use MY car to take people on tours. For some odd reason, important rich people don't like to cram into the back of compact cars, dangling their legs out the passenger window with the sound of a million revved up motorcycle engines buzzing in their ear. Crazy rich peeps.
Often times these rich important people are lawyers (oh, someday!, that could be me!). They see my Seattle University Law and the Loyola University Chicago window stickers and like to make small talk.
Rich Lawyer: "So did you go to school in Chicago?"
Husband: "No. Actually that was my wife."
Rich Lawyer: "Did she grow up there?"
Husband: "No, she really just wanted to go to school in Chicago."
Rich Lawyer: "It's a great city."
Husband: "Yeah. When she was in highschool, her hero was Indiana Jones."
Rich Lawyer: "ok..."
Husband: "The character of Indiana Jones apparently went to school in Chicago. My wife had never been to Chicago before but she really wanted to go to school there because Indiana Jones did." (OMG- HUSBAND- SERIOUSLY?! DID YOU HAVE TO GO THERE!)
Rich Lawyer: "So is the SU Law sticker yours?"
Husband: "No, that's my wife's too. She's studying for the bar exam."
Rich Lawyer: "You mean your wife wanted to be a lawyer instead of an archaeologist like Indiana Jones?"
Husband: "Yeah, I guess. I know, she's weird."
If this keeps up, no reputable law firm in my county will want to hire me. THANKS HUSBAND. At least he didn't tell Rich Important Lawyer that I had the name "Indy" put on my higschool track sweatshirt.
My husband works for a well known community organization. He is very involved in the community trying to raise money for a campaign. He often takes rich and important people and elected officials on tours of their local facility to solicite donations. Since he drives a suped up, two door, turbo-ized (is that a word?) Ford Probe. He has to use MY car to take people on tours. For some odd reason, important rich people don't like to cram into the back of compact cars, dangling their legs out the passenger window with the sound of a million revved up motorcycle engines buzzing in their ear. Crazy rich peeps.
Often times these rich important people are lawyers (oh, someday!, that could be me!). They see my Seattle University Law and the Loyola University Chicago window stickers and like to make small talk.
Rich Lawyer: "So did you go to school in Chicago?"
Husband: "No. Actually that was my wife."
Rich Lawyer: "Did she grow up there?"
Husband: "No, she really just wanted to go to school in Chicago."
Rich Lawyer: "It's a great city."
Husband: "Yeah. When she was in highschool, her hero was Indiana Jones."
Rich Lawyer: "ok..."
Husband: "The character of Indiana Jones apparently went to school in Chicago. My wife had never been to Chicago before but she really wanted to go to school there because Indiana Jones did." (OMG- HUSBAND- SERIOUSLY?! DID YOU HAVE TO GO THERE!)
Rich Lawyer: "So is the SU Law sticker yours?"
Husband: "No, that's my wife's too. She's studying for the bar exam."
Rich Lawyer: "You mean your wife wanted to be a lawyer instead of an archaeologist like Indiana Jones?"
Husband: "Yeah, I guess. I know, she's weird."
If this keeps up, no reputable law firm in my county will want to hire me. THANKS HUSBAND. At least he didn't tell Rich Important Lawyer that I had the name "Indy" put on my higschool track sweatshirt.
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