cold. hot. cold. hot.

I'm blogging from the library. Usually iy is freezing in here. Right now, even my ears are hot. I am having a dangerous week of I-don't-wanna!. I can't really fight the urge to sleep. And when I finally closed my eyes at 9:50 PM last night, I commenced a night of left-right-left tossing and turning. Didn't get up early to do my reading as planned. Things are a bit wack with me to say the least.

This week has also been the week of amazing speakers (and great free lunches). I have been to 2 ACS presentations and I am now excited about public interest lawyersing. Or, at least what would be my brand of public interest lawyering since I am going to the biggest and baddest firm that I can find. (Antonia Hernandez was talking yesterday about the need for PI minded people in big firms to help guide and foster their pro bono efforts.) Monday was a panel of lawyers working in city government all over California. They had different paths to their jobs and one even started at a big firm (the myth is that you can't get a public interest job if you go to a firm because that demonstrates that you are not comitted). They all spoke of the progerssive possibilities in governemnt doing thigs that sound pretty basic -- like getting the government to enforce its own laws (like preventing credit card companies from taking advantage of the citizens of a praticular locality, election adn voting issues, and environmental issues where action might mean suing the Fed or the EPA).

What I came away with is that a progressive agenda does not have to look freakishly liberal. There are lots of smaller battles to be won in the war. I also came away with excitement and a warm heart. There was so much positive energy and (dare I say it) love in the rooms for both days of presentation. Here were people who loved their jobs. They were fighting the good fight and had time to spend with their families. They also were part of a larger community of people (like-minded or not) working for the greater good. So maybe there is something to this lawyering thing. Looks like there are so many more options than I have ever imagined. I will keep going to these lectures to hear about the paths taken by those before me (who maybe can now help me get a job!).