Homework

I have spent the last 7 hours reading 20 pages for my class tonight. 20 freaking pages took me 7 hrs. Granted I was at work and we were relatively busy, but that is still ridiculous.

I had a 9am class this morning that lasted just under 2 hrs. When I left home, gas prices were about $3.00. When I drove back home, less than 2 hrs later, they were up to $3.20. I'm scared now to drive home tonight for fear that the gas prices might just put me in such a tizzy that I drive off the road.

I'm leaving tonight to go back home and clean out my parent's house. They want my shit gone regardless of the fact that I'm moving back in with them in less than 4 months while I study for the bar. I'm hoping that I can escape, go see a couple movies, and perhaps a friend or 2. My midnight escape locals are no longer available. I used to go and spend hours at Wal-mart decompressing from the day and just enjoy not being at my house. I have since sworn off Wal-mart and refused to go there. Additionally, there is a 24 hour grocery store not too far from my house, but I have an ex who still works there. I guess I'll just have to suck it up or go to the 24 hour vigil chapel at my old church.

Classes are really not making me happy this semester. I am sitting in my night class right now and staring at the back of Mini's head. Mini is a person that I have a very bad history with. And just after it was too late to switch seats, my prof passed out a fucking seating chart so now I have to stare at Mini's head all fucking semester. I see Mini and I get all sad and then I get all mad and then I get sick to my stomach and then I get distracted by something and then I see Mini again and the cycle starts all over.

My class is almost over, so I'll post again when I get back from my parent's house. Maybe I'll have some interesting stories since I'm going to a locale where there are tons of New Orleans refugees (technically they aren't really refugees, but since the press is using that term, I'll use it too).

First day of Classes

My first class was rather brutal. The professor started out boring and by the end of the class I was trying my hardest not to fall asleep. He even went into theory and jurisprudence shit; talking about HLA Hart and other philosophers. I have my entire day scheduled away. I need a day where I can sit and do absolutely nothing. Thursday september 8th will be that day. I am going to do nothing but sit at home, do pedicures, manicures, and watch Murder She Wrote.

Here is today's schedule:
8-9 - work
9-10:40 - class
10:45-12:45 - work
1-5 - volunteer
5:30-7:30 - class
7:45-9:30 - class
9:40 - movie!!!

Tomorrow is almost as bad. I'm booked solid 8a-10p except for a 3.5 hr break from 4-7:30. Plus I have a 45min meeting during that time. Talk about major yuckage.

Maybe my next class won't be as boring.

Oh, and class dynamics have changed NONE! The girl who bobs her head still bobs her head. The guy who sits in the back row still sits in the back row. Etc!

Who is the fairest journal of all?

The immediate response would be Law Review...

I was at a law school social gathering not too long ago and this very subject came up. My school has 3 types of journals. First is the Law Review, second are the journals who publish on paper but aren't as "prestigious" as Law Review and third are the journals who publish online (lets call those "quasi journals"). Now, the social gathering had participants from all three types of journals and all three voiced their opinions.

LR said that LR isn't all it's cracked up to be and that some of its members have their heads up their asses, but that it certainly was better than the other types of journals (in not so many words).

Paper said that her journal was under-appreciated by the administration. She gets a decent amount of money, but it isn't anything compared to what LR gets. She is proud of her journal and believes that her journal does loads to make this school what it is.

Quasi said that this school is getting better because of it's reputation of having lots of secondary journals. We have 6 journals (I think) and half of them are quasi journals. All three have published only one volume. One of those three is impossible to find online (not a good sign considering that is the only way it was published). Another's last issue was in 2003. The third allowed two dingbats onto its masthead. I take that back. Only one is a dingbat. The other is a douchebag. Quasi admits that people who consider these journals to be a great addition to our school probably do not know that they are only published online or that they have only published one volume. However, she is steadfast in her belief that there is little difference between LR and the quasi journals. She is severely mistaken.

Until recently I believed that there wasn't much difference between LR and the paper journals. That was before a certain someone took over leadership of one of the paper journals. An incompetent leader does not bode well for this journal's future and I'd be surprised if they published even one volume this year. Or, if indeed a volume is published, it will probably be because of this incompetent leader's sole work product. This leader cannot delegate and cannot multitask. Either a volume will be published and Leader's grades will severely suffer, or Leader will suffer a major breakdown and no volumes will be published. Maybe I should start a pool.

In my unbiased opinion (since I belong to no journals and do not wish to be part of any of them), I believe that although LR is a bit over-rated, a bit over-funded, and its members a bit over-idolized (especially by employers), it still is the fairest of them all.

Back to school - Day 1

I know the title of my blog says that I'm addicted to school, but to be honest, this kinda sucks. I didn't have any classes today, the first day of school, but I did have to go to school to conduct some business. As I wondered around the building, the smell of new blood was in the air - 1L blood. *evil laugh* There is the harry potter looking 1L who wore a charlie brown shirt, you know, the yellow one with the black squiggly. There is the guy with the hat-cocked-to-the-side (and I am convinced that Blondie won't be able to rectify that no matter how hard she tries). Then there was legally blonde #153,683 with her bleach blonde hair and 4 inch pumps with pink bows on them. THEN some chick came in with her swim suit on. She had it on with those tiny shorts and a tube top that barely covered the bathing suit itself (2 piece of course). I'm sure they are all fabulous people, but their visual first impressions left something to be desired. The icing on the cake though are all the returning 2Ls and 3Ls who have to come chat with you no matter how many I-don't-like-you-vibes you send to them.

I also found out that the person I hate most at this school is going to be in my wills and trusts class. Yuck! Oh, and the guy who doesn't wash his hair still hasn't washed his hair and he still smells. I guess some things will never change.

Me no excited about school starting.

I'm trying to get my first day assignments done but I'm having tons of trouble. Silly things like blogging are getting in my way. I guess it's time to chop-chop!

Missouri is not quite missery, but driving there is

I am in Missouri visiting my nephews. They are adorible in every way. I cannot imagine cuter boys. One is almost two and is already a classical music snob. He will ask for "Bach Cello" (the Bach cello suites), or "Valkuries" or "Firebird" or "Shas-kovitch". He can recognize the difference between them and can even identify specific instruments within the pieces. He's insanely smart. He also knows all 50 states, what they are called and where they go in his little wooden puzzle. When you ask who lives in Oregon, or in Texas, or in New York, he knows which family member lives in each. He's calling for me right now. I'm his little slave right now and will meet all his little desires, which usually include painting, markers, puzzles, or performing in the drum band we formed.

I will update more when I'm bored at school, but for right now I'm in complete bliss being my nephew's slave.

Trip to visit the fam (part 2)

My actual trip to visit my family was fun. My aunt and uncle now live in the country and on a lake, so it was quiet, peaceful, and relaxing (except for when my parents were patronizing me). I managed to take my 94 year old grandfather out for a paddle boat ride. We picked blue berries from the other side of the lake right before it started to pour down rain. Grandpa was a good sport though. However, everyone else thought that I was trying to drown my him. The next day I took the same boat ride with my aunt but without the downpour. We saw the Boston Symphony play a mostly (completely) Mozart concert at Tanglewood and got to sit on the lawn which is way more fun than sitting in the shed. I also got to see my only cousin and her kids.

My Grandpa moved into an elderly community-type place which is really nice. It reminds me a lot of the upscale dorm I lived in my first year of college. My grandpa has a 2 bedroom apartment and managed to take most of the stuff from his house, shove it into that apartment, and make it look magnificent. I have to say it is weird seeing all the stuff from my grandparent's house in a small apartment, but my grandpa is happy, and that is what is really important.

My parents spent most of Saturday and all of Sunday complaining about all the "shit" I still have in their house. See, they want to remodel the upstairs and can't until all my shit is gone. I actually like my shit (that's probably why I kept it in the first place) and so we are butting heads. The solution is that I am going to spend my labor day weekend at home, not having fun, but cleaning out the upstairs and getting it ready to remodel. Now I'm moving back home for 2 months starting in December and I have to say that if I spend these 5 days cleaning out their house and no remodeling occurs between now and December, I will have someone's head on a platter. That, and my parents better feed me well and take me shopping labor day weekend.

School is starting soon. People are coming back into town and first day assignments are posted. I still have to finish my job (only 3 more days of work - WHOOP!) and then I have a 10 day trip where I'm going to babysit one nephew, coddle another, and allow my mother to drive me crazy. I feel like there is no time to relax. I need to learn how to say no, how to know my own limits, and how to relax. Anyone have any suggestions? Anyone?

I never get to see Taz anymore. See, we are dating, but I only get to see him once a week for a couple of hours so it doesn't feel like we are dating. It makes me sad, but the reason for the lack of together time is because he is preparing for his auditions. I really hope he gets one of these jobs. It would mean me re-arranging my life or at least considering re-arranging my life, but it would make him happier, which is key.

My dad on marriage:

Dad: When are you two going to get married?
Me: I have no idea.
Dad: So how do you know that Taz isn't stringing you along?
Me: I guess I don't know.
Dad: Well how can you find out?
Me: I don't know, but if you think of any suggestions, let me know.
Dad: Well you could get pregnant. That's usually a good way to find out if someone is stringing you along.
Me: Daaaaad!

Taz on marriage:

After telling Taz about my dad's comments.
Taz: So when are we going to get married.
Me: How about tomorrow.
Taz: Sure, I'll drive down.
Me: Are you serious?
Taz: Sure.
Me: For real?
Taz: Yeah. Are you going to call me on it. Cause I'll do it.
Me: Well I think there is a 3-day waiting period to get a marriage license, but I could pick up the application and bring it up when I come visit you tomorrow. We could fill it out.
Taz: Sure! *giggle*

So I think I am going to pick up the form, but not mention it and see if he mentions it. I don't yet know if I'm serious, but... well I don't know. I'm not as adverse to marriage as I was a year ago, but it still does mildly frighten me.

Trip to visit the fam

Beware: This post is mostly bitching.

I got home from a full day of travel and beside my bed was a pile of cat fur. See, before I left, I got my cat a new groomer, a zoom groom. Some how it magically collects cat hair off the cat. It is seriously impressive. Well, blondie graciously volunteered to take care of my cat and while she was there, she zoom groomed a pile of hair off of my cat and put it on my floor. She deserves the embarrassment of having the picture posted here. The green thing is a ankle-less sock for size reference. Maybe next time she'll take the two minutes to throw the pile of cat hair into the trash. Blondie, you know I love you!



More later - a client just walked in...

The &*$% Bar Exam!

So I discovered that my bar review class is starting on December 19th. Unfortunately I have a final on Dec. 20th and graduation is on Dec. 22nd. Then I have to drive to back to Texas. So basically, I may have to miss the first week of bar review work. That also means that I might be driving back on Christmas day (talk about blowing chunks). That really doesn't bode well. :( I don't know what I'm going to do. Plus, there is this whole thing with my cat. My parents won't let my cat stay at their house while I study for the bar, so I may just have to leave my cat with a friend or board him for 2 months, or pay for an apartment for 2 months for the sole purpose of keeping my cat there. Did I mention that this really isn't a great thing. I don't know how this is going to work. I'm not excited either.

On a funny note, I was talking to my dad the other day and he asked how I was and how Taz was. Then he asked how "we" were. I told him that we were still dating. I suppose I could have been more specific, but I felt no reason to be. Then he asked me what Taz's intentions were. When I told him that I did not know what they were and he said, "Tell that boy that he is squandering my daughter's best years". Taz, Blondie, and I got a lot of laughs out of that one. "Squandering my daughter's best years." That has got to be the quote of the summer.

I have not done a damn thing on my med school applications in a very long time. I know that is bad, but I'm not motivated right now. The scary thing is that everything needs to be done by Sept. 1st. All my letters of recommendation have to be in, my secondary applications need to be in, and I need to have all this shit taken care of. Sept. 1st is my self-given deadline. However, Aug. 30th is also the deadline for the texas bar application. So basically I need to get my butt in gear and work on this crap like I've never worked on crap before. Lord help me! I mean I could file my application after Aug. 30th, but I'd be throwing away $150 since that is the late fee. Grrrrrrrrrrr. As it turns out (I just checked it out), the Texas bar application is incredibly easy. It is 38 pages, but I could honestly fill it out in less than 3 hours (and that includes the research I'd need to do). I no longer have any excuses. I guess that will be my project for my weekend in NY. Then I can make my dad pay for the application fee. I'm always thinking. :)

I'd write more, but my brain is fried. I think that I may have to press the reset button a couple of times before school starts to make sure that everything is running correctly. This summer was supposed to be a break, but working 50hrs a week is not a break. Some times you just can't see the most obvious things. Duh!