Sunday Afternoon

I have done everything wrong this week. Everything. I forgot to go to a class (didn't check my schedule for the time and then showed up at the time I thought the class should be). I have not studied at all (though I have managed to do all of my readings). I have not worked on any of the long term things like outlining which I know I should be doing right now. I forgot my memo comments at school in my gym bag, so I wasted 2 hours taking the bus to school and back to pick up the notes. I got really drunk last night (I need to learn to eat before I drink -- this never used to be a problem, I just don;t have as much time to eat these days). I was a drunken asshole also. I should have gone home after dinner, but I didn't and I was in a bar with a scowl on my face just being a hater. I picked a victim and let her have it just cause. I was such an ass!!!!

On the bright side, I have not been studying because I have been very social. I baked a cake for one friend, decorateda shirt for another and hosted some ladies for the debate and made them dinner too.

I'm not gonna get upset or freak out. I am just glad that I am flying back from the wedding Saturday on Saturday. I can't afford to waste any more time. I should be editing my memo not writing this blog.

the great depression

I can track my packrat nature to the Great Depression. My grandmother lived through it. She was also, later, a working single mother to two young girls in the early 50's. She was poor enough that my mother and aunt lived with a foster family for a year or so after my grandparents divorced. She, much later, died having enough wealth enough to put me into college and help my cousins buy their first home. She would never throw things away. She was always hoarding canned food. Always. So does my mom. I'm not so big on the canned foods, but I can't throw anything away for fear that I wil need it.

And now as I accumulate loans and pay hundreds of dollars per month in interest, and look out to an ever worsening economy, with bleaker job prospects for myself and my husband, I begin understand my grandmother a bit better. Realtive to what she lived through, I am spoiled spoiled spoiled. Grandma would always tell me how hard times were when she was younger, that I should learn to make preserves to save the good parts of wormy apples and how lucky I was to have all sorts of food to eat. I never imagined not having enough, nor could I understand as a 6 or 7 year old what a difficult time my mom was actually having making ends meet.

The picture is coming into focus gradually . . .

This was from last week

I'm having one ofthose nights where I just really want to zone out, but I cannot. My iPod is on song shuffle and it is taking me smoothly through Michael Penn, Gustavo Cerati, Natalie Merchant, NIN, Nirvana, Lil Wayne and then on to Simon & Garfunkel. It's been a really nice ride. I am in a mellow mood, trying to get all me reading done and the Pod has given me great mellow tunes. Even a mellow Stones track. No need to jump up and turn down the volume. And my Property reading is pretty interesting. Who is this Judge Kosinski? Pretty interesting dude. I remember reading a letter purported to be from him on http://underneaththeirrobes.blogs.com/ graciouusly acepting the nomination for sexiest judge. Hilarious. His opinions are a good read too.

So not quite done with my memo. Uh scratch that -- not even started. Talked ot a classmate and, god bless her soul, she went to the Prof and got some of it straightened out for us. NO answers, but we were pretty much barking up the wrong tree. Back to the drawing board. And the Pod is still giving me love (actually just soda stereo "ella uso mi cabeza como un revolver").
If it keeps this up, I will keep studying just ot hear what comes on next. It's the little things that get me through.


OH WAIT! I totally have to say something about our Student Bar elections.
(Pear Jam ballad to Journey ballad -- the pod keeps giving)

What I learned in Law School

1. I look a whole lot younger than I am, and I act that way too.
2. If you want to do your business at school, use the 3rd floor library bathrooms.
3. I have absolutely no concept of time except that I am running out of it.
4. I hate feet and people who take off their flip flops and put their dirty feet on an ottoman inches from me and my stuff
5. Eat too much, drink too much and don't exercise and the pounds really accumulate (I'm too old for all those calories)
6. Free food is easy to find but not really worth it (see above)
7. Watch what you say and how you approach people because you never know who they are or who they will be (this is a general life rule I should have gotten by now)
8. TV is overrated, except for cable series
9. Nancy Botwin is most likely a criminally negligent mother
10. People on the bus are rude, especially other law students (my neighbors) who NEVER say excuse me while pushing past you in a crowded bus
    

link lovin

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/16E.Noakes.html


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-barstudy8-2008sep08,0,1316504.story

Letter to a New Lawyer

Dear Lag Liv,

Hi. I'm ----, a shinyhappy 1L at ----.

I've been wanting to write to you for some time now and since I am currently not studying, here goes. I've been reading your blog since I started getting acceptance letters and was trying to figure out what I was really getting myself into. I've read the whole thing, and wanted to thank you for your candor and insights into marriage, law and motherhood. Hopefully my husband and I will welcome our first child some time next year and I will be the one to go to school/work and he will be the house parent. I, like yourself, love challenging and rewarding work and will be a studying/working mom and wouldn't have it any other way. But, I'm also scared- afraid that I will miss my child and have some major regrets.

So thanks for articulating your fears and your personal debates. I really can't tell you how much your blog has done for my courage. It's easier for me to push my doubts aside when I see that you (and a New Duck and Magic Cookie, et aliae) have done what I will do -- balance law school, baby, good job and a happy marriage. It seems that you've achieved this through hard work, rigorous self reflection and an exploration of doubts and fears rather than by breezing through on the blithe ignorance implicit in the "I can have it all" 'feminist'(whatever that is) motto.

Thanks for being honest, emotional and a Democrat (very important for moms issues I think) and sharing it on your blog.

I (maybe mistakenly) turned down a very generous scholarship to UT in favor of ---- (I'm a Cali girl by birth), but am very seriously considering settling in Austin after school since my aunt, uncle and sister-in-law will all be there. I'd appreciate any advice on which corporate law firms you found were family friendly down there.

You can find my ramblings here http://lalawlion.blogspot.com/ .

All the best to you, JP and Landon,

Caviar Kisses and Champagne Dreams

I'm enjoying a glass of bubbly left over from the wedding. I got 2 cases of the stuff thinking that everyone would drink that (and the mini smartwaters cause it was supposed to be hot). NOT. A case of white and a case of red both gone in an hour or so. I understand, the sauvignon blanc was one of the best I have ever had -- not too grassy or too grapefruity, just crisp citrus goodness. Thanks to Meryll and J & V wines in Napa for helping me pick my wines out.

So I finally feel like I am comefortably back in the saddle after the wedding shenanagins. All caught up on reading and tomorrow I should be all good with note typing and I finally got all the bills paid (totally at the last minute cause who knew my ccard company works on central time which I learned cause I got locked out of the website for forgetting my password).

I'm really enjoying this whole law school experience. The material is great and I have just read 2 opinions that down right are hilarious. Property seems to be my strong point but I don't think I can take any of the credit -- I have a great teacher. She very well might be a political conservative, who can tell. I noticed one of her notes (she wrote our book) about how one property law in practice favors the wealthy white collar worker over the menial, female worker (in who gets to keep stuff you find while on the job). I talked with her in her office the other day about to Native Ameriacn property cases and she was very open to talking about political biases in cases and then I just laid it out. My stuff -- black white race relations, my own struggles and even told her the long story of my film, making it, 9/11, going broke and sticking my head in the sand for 6 years (more like in a bottle). Well, I think she likes me! I like her too and really appreciate how she treats us in class.

Today I went to another prof's office hours. He is a total spazz and his class is fun, but I didn't think I'd vibe with him. Who am I kidding I like everyone (unles I HATE them). He also seems much smaller in his office (he's pretty short). So I've pretty much gotten to know all of my profs a little bit. I am also trying really hard to get to know my fellow students and a little bit about them. I should pretty much know everyone at the end of the 3 years (getting to KNOW 300+ people is not an easy task). They are all so interesting. Yeah for ----- picking a really interesting and truly diverse (religious, economic, sexual, racial, left and right handed, gender, vegan and meatatarian, political, even down to the introverted and extroverted) group of people. My life is definately better and will improve for having known these people.

I really want to write up a summary of the David Freeman's climate/energy lunch talk from a week or so ago. When I have a better handle on my notes (i.e. typing up the useful stuff from my handwritten ones) I will post my notes from his insightful and pithy talk.

Oh, and I really want to go back to New York. I need my subway!!! BitterNY wants a car and he wants a mini cooper. I'd do electric, but he won't have that. I'm trying to be sympathetic to his guyness, but I really want to be a responsible consumer and that means not having an oil guzzling car.

Life cannot subsist in society but by reciprocal concessions.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) British author.

If you are not very clever, you should be conciliatory.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) British politician and author.

A lean compromise is better than a fat lawsuit.

George Herbert (1593-1632) British poet.

Compromise. Such an adjustment of conflicting interests as gives each adversary the satisfaction of thinking he has got what he ought not to have, and is deprived of nothing except what was justly his due.
Bierce, Ambrose
1842-1914 American Author Editor Journalist The Devil's Dictionary

All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter.

Edmund Burke (1729-1797) British political writer.

the other Boelyn girl

Or how we cannot decide on a movie.

I was in the library for 7 hours today and did not even get close to finishing what needed to be done. I don't plan on spending that much time in the library every Sunday, but I am catching up from the wedding shenenagins. I have just given into the fact that I have to do every little bit of reading for Property. My prof wrote the book. She asks in class about all of the authority cited in the opinion. There's no just getting the story of the case and glossing over the details.

So I took copious notes for tomorrow and downloaded 150 extra pages of reading to flesh out some of the topics. All of it is interesting so I don't feel like any of this is pointless.

Actually, I finally feel like I am learning enough that I can ask questions. This week is a whole new story.

My study partner and I have an ambitious schedule for Crim so that we can take practice exams asap. I don't want to let him down. I have no idea how we got to be study partners. He's a quiet small Jewish guy and I'm, well, me. Very different. But, we both were attracted to some scent of smarts and cunning waftinf off of the other. I certainly had many other people I already knew to choose from. He may have know others too. We will see how it goes. All we talk about is school and I don't know him at all. And I like it that way.

the aftermath

got married. kinda read ahead. kinda didn't. want to spend time with my husband but too much to do. finding old friends on facebook from film school and wondering what the hell i am doing here. in. law. school. must finish property reading and start on all the study ahead for the test things. but wasn't transformers a great movie and who's hotter megan fox or shia labeouf? shia cause she is shagging b.a.g.

no time for presidential shenanigans.

will post my report from an amazing lunchtime talk about energy. must make effort and put foot where mouth is -- my gas pedal has to be electric. good luck convincing hubby.

need to remember to write about how my family is offensive and how i offended my new inlaws at the wedding. but it was the best wedding ever and i've been to tons. congrats me for a job well done.

also congrats to my fellow classmate who retook the lsats in june and got a 173 and scored a spot at ----. who the f--- knew u could do that. takes balls. i would never have had the balls. she has cojones grandes and i salute her.

i'd also like to give props to my fellow class mates who have been so nice. i like law school cause there are so few people who suck. everyone is so accomplished and interesting -- loving every awkward minute. im evenlosing my punctuation now. hope to recver by the weekend