Today has just been such a good day! Catherine and I had our 5K to end homelessness today. I know that I'm not in the best shape right now because I didn't run very much over Christmas break, so I only had one goal: to run the entire 3.1 miles without stopping, regardless of how fast or slow we went. And we both did it! I know that's not really very far at all, but the thing is, when I go for runs, I usually either go solid for 2 or 2 and a half miles, or do 4-5 miles but with some breaks to stop and walk. I'm just not very good at any kind of real distance running, and never have been, as much as I do enjoy getting out there and running as much as I can. So it's rare for me to do 3 miles without stopping, and that definitely felt like an accomplishment. The temperature this morning when we started? Approximately 16 degrees. It was SO COLD that we were seriously considering just skipping the whole race and going out to breakfast instead--the kind of cold where you can't feel your fingers and toes and your breath is coming out in gusts and your skin is getting chapped from the wind. I was like, what HAVE I gotten us into, since doing this race was my idea! But of course once we started running we got a little warmer. And it was worth it A) to be able to sprint full-speed across the finish line and B) together with all the other runners, to raise over $38,000 to fight homelessness in this part of the state.
And then we got to go out for breakfast. We went to this fantastic little hole-in-the-wall cafe that neither of us had ever been to before, and were so hungry that we ordered, between us, fresh-squeezed orange juice, French toast, some of their delicious coffee, an amazing omelet with red onions, garlic, and veggie cream cheese, fried potatoes, and their specialty sage-quinoa grits. It was so delicious, and we're definitely going to remember that spot to go back again!
Then this afternoon, we practiced for the client counseling competition for a few hours with our 2L teammates, and we had a very productive practice and it's all kind of coming back to me from doing it last year, so I feel like we will be ready for Jacksonville in two weeks to do regionals. And now, I'm basically sitting on my couch watching Friends but I am so tired/ sore that I think I will be heading for bed very soon.
Hope you all had a great Saturday!
Showing posts with label my life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my life. Show all posts
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Back in the Swing of Things
And suddenly, the semester is back in full swing and I'm every bit as busy as I was last semester. This week's to-do list includes things like:
- do laundry ASAP (actually, this has reached the level of an emergency situation. I needed to do it 5 days ago. Now I really, really need to do it.)
- work on my divorce mediation notebook
- start the crash course in First Amendment law before the client counseling competition and start helping to coach the 2Ls in how to conduct the client counseling session
- finish editing globalization and trade manuscript
- email multiple people to set up informational interviews
- prepare direct examinations for trial practice
- prepare petitioner's argument for Friday's moot court practice
- speed-read the Fair Labor Standards Act section of as many of the 200 team briefs as I possibly can before competition in one month
- join a small group at church
- do a few final runs to prepare for Saturday's 5K
And I could go on, but you get the idea. But even though I sometimes wish I had more time to sleep and/ or watch TV, I 100% prefer running around to meetings and classes and the gym and working on projects all day to sitting around bored (as was the case over Christmas break). Right now, I'm also on a mission for the next few days. There's an attorney who works about an hour and a half away from here that I'm dying to meet because we have both my undergrad and my law school in common, and I feel strongly that he will be a great resource for me in getting a job, so I emailed him last night to ask if we could meet. I then found out in a semi-stalkerish fashion that he's running the same 5K as me on Saturday, so now I'm determined to meet him on Saturday. I just sense that he is a resource I don't want to miss out on in my job search, and that he could, and will, help me a lot. I know that meeting important people for coffee to discuss careers after you've both run a 5K and could use a shower is not really how you're supposed to network, but I feel like it's how I'm going to do it anyway! Updates to come soon.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Final Semester
Well, life is officially back to normal, which actually feels really good. While I love the whole stretch of time between Thanksgiving and going back to school/ work after the new year, it feels great to just get back into my normal routine after the annual month and a half long break from that routine due to exams and the holidays. And I might be in the minority on this, but I LOVE January. Sure it's cold, but it's brimming with new possibilities and is goal-setting heaven for a Type A person like me.
So, here's what's going on with me now and in the next couple of months:
1) Yes, this is indeed my last semester. I graduate in May, and even though I know this term will end up being just as busy as any other, at least at the outset it's academically the lightest semester I've had in longer than I can even remember. I'm taking advanced litigation drafting, divorce mediation, trial practice, torts II, and a family law seminar, and I will only have one real exam and one paper, so that's good. Most of the classes are skills courses that will involve things like putting on an entire trial and writing court documents, rather than the normal law school class that involves learning tons of case law and legal theory. So it will still be a challenge, but a different kind of challenge, and all of those classes are incredibly relevant to my future career. I've also had exposure to most of the subject matter at some point already, so this semester is mostly about nailing down the advanced skills. For example, I already know how to write almost all the types of documents on the syllabus for litigation drafting because there's not much I didn't write last summer at work, but I know I still need to get a lot more comfortable with quickly pulling together things like pretrial orders and ante-litem notices. I'm also hoping to audit one of the bar prep courses (I can't actually take it for credit because I can't take any more credits than I'm already taking.)
2) I'm doing Moot Court this semester and am really excited about it! We have the best people on our team and I'm already good friends with all of them, so I'm excited to work with each of them. Our competition problem is about the legality under the Fair Labor Standards Act of unpaid internships--incredibly relevant, timely, and also something that matters personally to most 20-somethings who have taken on at least one, if not many, unpaid internships. And best of all, we get to go all the way to Seattle to argue our case at regionals! If I literally had gotten to pick any city in the U.S. for our regionals to be held at, I would have picked Seattle.
3) As of today, I'm jumping back into eating healthy and exercising. I'm not going to be obsessive about it or go paleo or anything like that, but I just want to be conscientious about trying to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. Today, for example, I made salmon with honey and cracked black pepper and glazed carrots. I am planning to have smoothies for breakfast almost every morning and I am stocked up on Greek yogurt, juice, and frozen fruit to make that happen. And Catherine and I have started training again because we are doing a race soon! It is a 5K that raises money for an organization that fights homelessness, and it's in just two weeks. This was something I signed up for in my "I need to do something that matters with my life" moment about a week and a half ago. I made some other exciting plans then too, such as what I want to do to celebrate my 25th birthday, but more about that later. I'm determined to get outside my own little bubble this semester and volunteer more and do more for others. There's a whole big world of needy people out there, and I can't continue to stay comfortable in my own little corner of it.
4) In addition to the whole running thing, I really want to do a lot more strength training this year. There are few health benefits I can even think of that can't be acquired by regular visits to the weight room, even though I know a lot of women who are scared to try it for fear of "bulking up." (But ladies, that's not even a possibility because we don't produce enough testosterone. Just putting that to rest.) But the best thing about strength training is that it makes you burn more calories at rest--like, while you're sitting on your couch watching The Bachelor--than you would if you weren't doing it. What's not to like?
5) Catherine and I are also going to Jacksonville in a few weeks to compete in a client counseling competition! The topic is First Amendment law, and I know we need to prepare for it, BUT it's hard not to look at the trip as a beach vacation on the law school's dime. But we need to try to do a decent job at the actual competition, of course, and then there will be beach time.
6) Possible trips to Chicago, Albany (GA), and the beach are also in the works over the next few months. LOTS of traveling about to happen.
7) I want to read 50 books (or more) this year. I just read The Rainmaker by John Grisham, and it was excellent. Now I'm working on his book The Street Lawyer, and also Ben Mezrich's book Bringing Down the House.
8) I'm going to at least test out becoming a morning person this month/ year. I'd like to try at least three weeks straight of getting up no later than about 6am and immediately diving into early morning productivity. If I'm not into it after that, I'll just go back to being a night owl and sleeping in a little later, but I've heard so many people rave about the early-morning thing that I have to try it.
9) Anna and I talked about this while she was here--we want to celebrate our daily lives more. Not just the big things or the big accomplishments, but the little things too. I'm calling this my "celebrate because it's Tuesday" philosophy. Every day deserves to be appreciated, not just, for example, weekends or vacation days. So we're going to try to stop and smell the roses more/ watch more sunrises/ light more candles/ wear the pretty jewelry and use the pretty dishes just because.
Thanks for reading!
So, here's what's going on with me now and in the next couple of months:
1) Yes, this is indeed my last semester. I graduate in May, and even though I know this term will end up being just as busy as any other, at least at the outset it's academically the lightest semester I've had in longer than I can even remember. I'm taking advanced litigation drafting, divorce mediation, trial practice, torts II, and a family law seminar, and I will only have one real exam and one paper, so that's good. Most of the classes are skills courses that will involve things like putting on an entire trial and writing court documents, rather than the normal law school class that involves learning tons of case law and legal theory. So it will still be a challenge, but a different kind of challenge, and all of those classes are incredibly relevant to my future career. I've also had exposure to most of the subject matter at some point already, so this semester is mostly about nailing down the advanced skills. For example, I already know how to write almost all the types of documents on the syllabus for litigation drafting because there's not much I didn't write last summer at work, but I know I still need to get a lot more comfortable with quickly pulling together things like pretrial orders and ante-litem notices. I'm also hoping to audit one of the bar prep courses (I can't actually take it for credit because I can't take any more credits than I'm already taking.)
2) I'm doing Moot Court this semester and am really excited about it! We have the best people on our team and I'm already good friends with all of them, so I'm excited to work with each of them. Our competition problem is about the legality under the Fair Labor Standards Act of unpaid internships--incredibly relevant, timely, and also something that matters personally to most 20-somethings who have taken on at least one, if not many, unpaid internships. And best of all, we get to go all the way to Seattle to argue our case at regionals! If I literally had gotten to pick any city in the U.S. for our regionals to be held at, I would have picked Seattle.
3) As of today, I'm jumping back into eating healthy and exercising. I'm not going to be obsessive about it or go paleo or anything like that, but I just want to be conscientious about trying to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. Today, for example, I made salmon with honey and cracked black pepper and glazed carrots. I am planning to have smoothies for breakfast almost every morning and I am stocked up on Greek yogurt, juice, and frozen fruit to make that happen. And Catherine and I have started training again because we are doing a race soon! It is a 5K that raises money for an organization that fights homelessness, and it's in just two weeks. This was something I signed up for in my "I need to do something that matters with my life" moment about a week and a half ago. I made some other exciting plans then too, such as what I want to do to celebrate my 25th birthday, but more about that later. I'm determined to get outside my own little bubble this semester and volunteer more and do more for others. There's a whole big world of needy people out there, and I can't continue to stay comfortable in my own little corner of it.
4) In addition to the whole running thing, I really want to do a lot more strength training this year. There are few health benefits I can even think of that can't be acquired by regular visits to the weight room, even though I know a lot of women who are scared to try it for fear of "bulking up." (But ladies, that's not even a possibility because we don't produce enough testosterone. Just putting that to rest.) But the best thing about strength training is that it makes you burn more calories at rest--like, while you're sitting on your couch watching The Bachelor--than you would if you weren't doing it. What's not to like?
5) Catherine and I are also going to Jacksonville in a few weeks to compete in a client counseling competition! The topic is First Amendment law, and I know we need to prepare for it, BUT it's hard not to look at the trip as a beach vacation on the law school's dime. But we need to try to do a decent job at the actual competition, of course, and then there will be beach time.
6) Possible trips to Chicago, Albany (GA), and the beach are also in the works over the next few months. LOTS of traveling about to happen.
7) I want to read 50 books (or more) this year. I just read The Rainmaker by John Grisham, and it was excellent. Now I'm working on his book The Street Lawyer, and also Ben Mezrich's book Bringing Down the House.
8) I'm going to at least test out becoming a morning person this month/ year. I'd like to try at least three weeks straight of getting up no later than about 6am and immediately diving into early morning productivity. If I'm not into it after that, I'll just go back to being a night owl and sleeping in a little later, but I've heard so many people rave about the early-morning thing that I have to try it.
9) Anna and I talked about this while she was here--we want to celebrate our daily lives more. Not just the big things or the big accomplishments, but the little things too. I'm calling this my "celebrate because it's Tuesday" philosophy. Every day deserves to be appreciated, not just, for example, weekends or vacation days. So we're going to try to stop and smell the roses more/ watch more sunrises/ light more candles/ wear the pretty jewelry and use the pretty dishes just because.
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Currently . . .
These posts on what people are currently doing/ feeling have been traveling around the blogosphere for a long time now . . . I'm stealing that idea and putting my own spin on it. Here's what's going on in my life, currently:
Excited About: Christmas. Duh. AND seeing my best friend from high school when she comes to visit me in less than three weeks!! And drinking hot chocolate on the couch with my sister while watching lots and lots of Hallmark Christmas movies that are totally reminiscent of the movies described here.
Working on: Nothing. And let me tell you, it is amazing.
Craving: Barbecue-chicken goat cheese quesadillas from this little hole-in-the wall Mexican place in Atlanta.
Texting: Juliana, Catherine, Maria, Ashley, and Jennifer. These ladies typically hear from me at least once a day each.
Inspired by: My grandparents, who have been married for SIXTY years, as of today. Isn't that fantastic?
Wanting: To find a job that I won't feel embarrassed about when people at dinner parties ask me, "What do you do?" To have something awesome to tell those people. With minimal stress and "why did I decide to get a law degree?!!" panic attacks.
Needing: To do exactly what I'm doing now: catch up on sleep, truly relax for more than 2-4 days for the first time in seven months, and be with my family.
Watching: All the crime/ FBI/ forensics shows on Netflix.
Proud of: One of my best friends, who just landed her dream job! Way to go Catherine!
Listening to: A bunch of Matt Redman. And Justin Bieber's Christmas CD.
Loving: Being done with my fifth and penultimate semester of law school.
Reading: A Moment of Truth by Lisa Scottoline. Mercy by Jodi Picoult. And yes, I did just go back and re-read my favorite Babysitter's Club book of all time: Stacey and the Mystery of the Empty House. It was sooo good.
Excited About: Christmas. Duh. AND seeing my best friend from high school when she comes to visit me in less than three weeks!! And drinking hot chocolate on the couch with my sister while watching lots and lots of Hallmark Christmas movies that are totally reminiscent of the movies described here.
Working on: Nothing. And let me tell you, it is amazing.
Craving: Barbecue-chicken goat cheese quesadillas from this little hole-in-the wall Mexican place in Atlanta.
Texting: Juliana, Catherine, Maria, Ashley, and Jennifer. These ladies typically hear from me at least once a day each.
Inspired by: My grandparents, who have been married for SIXTY years, as of today. Isn't that fantastic?
Needing: To do exactly what I'm doing now: catch up on sleep, truly relax for more than 2-4 days for the first time in seven months, and be with my family.
Proud of: One of my best friends, who just landed her dream job! Way to go Catherine!
Listening to: A bunch of Matt Redman. And Justin Bieber's Christmas CD.
Loving: Being done with my fifth and penultimate semester of law school.
Reading: A Moment of Truth by Lisa Scottoline. Mercy by Jodi Picoult. And yes, I did just go back and re-read my favorite Babysitter's Club book of all time: Stacey and the Mystery of the Empty House. It was sooo good.
Merry Christmas!!
Monday, November 4, 2013
A Day in the Life of a Law Student
I don't know about you, but I love reading "day in the life" descriptions for people . . . I just think it's so interesting to get a glimpse of what someone does every day, especially if they have a career that I'm not familiar with. So in that vein, I thought I'd give you a day in my life. I don't know if some of you might be thinking about going to law school, or just wondering what a law student's typical schedule looks like. My first year of law school involved MUCH more reading and studying. This year involves a lot more editing manuscripts for law review and event planning for Moot Court, and I spend substantially more time on those tasks than I do on actual classes/ schoolwork.
So here was my Monday:
7:30am: I got up, showered, had an apple with peanut butter and my multivitamin, checked my emails, and got ready. I usually get up anywhere between 7 and 9 depending on when I actually went to bed. If I stay up till 2 getting things done, which I do about twice a week, I will get up at 9, but usually I go to bed around 12:30.
8:45am: Drove to campus. I live about two minutes away, which is amazingly convenient. I spent the next hour finishing up a manuscript before my 9:40 remedies class.
9:40-10:40am: class
10:40-noon: I worked on editing the business associations article I just got assigned this morning.
noon-1: class
1:00: I went back to my apartment, made and ate lunch, took out the trash, got books for my afternoon class, and just chilled for a little bit and read a magazine.
2:00: headed back to campus for legal ethics class and then went to class
3:20: met with IT to figure out how to do some editing on the Moot Court website and reviewed and approved our contract with the caterer for the banquet we're hosting after the competition (competition is NEXT weekend. I'm kind of freaking out). I sent some emails trying to coordinate getting bailiffs for the competition and figuring out the team pairings for the preliminary rounds, and just generally putting out a LOT of fires related to that.
4:30-6: finished editing the business associations article. Well, I need to give it at least one more run-through. But the serious editing is done.
6pm: came home and made/ ate dinner (a turkey sandwich, some surprisingly good Campbell's clam chowder, and grapes, in case you're wondering)
6:30-8:15: studied for my remedies class
8:30-9:30: gym
10-11pm: vacuumed, mopped my kitchen and bathroom floors, did a bunch of dishes, scrubbed my countertops and sink, and just generally did some serious and much-needed cleaning
And as we speak, I'm writing this post, trying to make a little more progress on my remedies outline (exams are in one month--don't even remind me), giving myself a French manicure because tomorrow I'm going to this really important networking event and need to look at least somewhat pulled together, and hopefully watching a little Netflix before I go to bed. Tomorrow I need to get the ball rolling really early because I will be gone for the networking event from 4-10pm (it's 2 hours away), which means I need to go to the gym first thing in the morning, and I have a law review meeting at 9:30am and also HAVE to edit and distribute the bench brief (summary of the competition problem and relevant case law for the Moot Court judges) no later than tomorrow. I also have a major advanced legal research project due on Thursday afternoon and am going to see a movie with friends on Wednesday night and haven't started the project, so I might need to get some stuff done on that tomorrow.
Anyway, this is a pretty typical day for me! I don't know if I made you all want to come to law school or totally turned you off to it, but this is my everyday life at the moment, and I'm doing my best to enjoy it as much as I can.
So here was my Monday:
7:30am: I got up, showered, had an apple with peanut butter and my multivitamin, checked my emails, and got ready. I usually get up anywhere between 7 and 9 depending on when I actually went to bed. If I stay up till 2 getting things done, which I do about twice a week, I will get up at 9, but usually I go to bed around 12:30.
8:45am: Drove to campus. I live about two minutes away, which is amazingly convenient. I spent the next hour finishing up a manuscript before my 9:40 remedies class.
9:40-10:40am: class
10:40-noon: I worked on editing the business associations article I just got assigned this morning.
noon-1: class
1:00: I went back to my apartment, made and ate lunch, took out the trash, got books for my afternoon class, and just chilled for a little bit and read a magazine.
2:00: headed back to campus for legal ethics class and then went to class
3:20: met with IT to figure out how to do some editing on the Moot Court website and reviewed and approved our contract with the caterer for the banquet we're hosting after the competition (competition is NEXT weekend. I'm kind of freaking out). I sent some emails trying to coordinate getting bailiffs for the competition and figuring out the team pairings for the preliminary rounds, and just generally putting out a LOT of fires related to that.
4:30-6: finished editing the business associations article. Well, I need to give it at least one more run-through. But the serious editing is done.
6pm: came home and made/ ate dinner (a turkey sandwich, some surprisingly good Campbell's clam chowder, and grapes, in case you're wondering)
6:30-8:15: studied for my remedies class
8:30-9:30: gym
10-11pm: vacuumed, mopped my kitchen and bathroom floors, did a bunch of dishes, scrubbed my countertops and sink, and just generally did some serious and much-needed cleaning
And as we speak, I'm writing this post, trying to make a little more progress on my remedies outline (exams are in one month--don't even remind me), giving myself a French manicure because tomorrow I'm going to this really important networking event and need to look at least somewhat pulled together, and hopefully watching a little Netflix before I go to bed. Tomorrow I need to get the ball rolling really early because I will be gone for the networking event from 4-10pm (it's 2 hours away), which means I need to go to the gym first thing in the morning, and I have a law review meeting at 9:30am and also HAVE to edit and distribute the bench brief (summary of the competition problem and relevant case law for the Moot Court judges) no later than tomorrow. I also have a major advanced legal research project due on Thursday afternoon and am going to see a movie with friends on Wednesday night and haven't started the project, so I might need to get some stuff done on that tomorrow.
Anyway, this is a pretty typical day for me! I don't know if I made you all want to come to law school or totally turned you off to it, but this is my everyday life at the moment, and I'm doing my best to enjoy it as much as I can.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Law School Bucket List
So I just got back a little while ago from this joyful, laughter-filled catch-up coffee date with one of my best friends, who I only saw once all summer as we worked in different cities. I feel like every time we get together, the conversation is full of ridiculous and hilarious stories dating from our childhoods to the present, lots of confessions that start with "so I've never really told anyone this before, but . . . " and hopeful discussions of all our aspirations for the future. We moved from Starbucks over to Panera for dinner because we literally talked for about 6 hours. She was going to use some of the time to study for the MPRE exam next week, but, oh well, that will have to happen another time! I am feeling so blessed right now to have such a great friend in my life.
We started talking about everything we want to accomplish in our last year of law school, because our time here runs short as we see graduation on the not-so-distant horizon. We came up with SUCH a great 3L bucket list/ goals list. Some of them are her ideas, some are mine, and some of them (#1 and #3, anyone?) are never going to actually happen. But they might. So here's our list:
1) Go skydiving. I mean, there's a place we can do it that's only an hour and a half away.
2) Volunteer at a local soup kitchen.
3) Join the local all-women's roller derby team.
4) Volunteer at one of the local Habitat for Humanity events.
5) Take every advanced skills course we can possibly take (I'm thinking advanced litigation drafting, advanced civil procedure, tort law seminar, pretrial practice, and divorce mediation. Now that I'm pretty sure I want to do trial law and domestic relations/ personal injury work, I have a much better idea of the classes I need to be taking).
6) Go to trivia night at the Mellow Mushroom. This is what all the cool people are doing.
7) Invest significant time and energy into building strong friendships with the 1L and 2L students, and into mentoring them, giving them advice, and ministering to them. Be one of those people that the younger students look up to, trust, and confide in.
8) Go regularly to high-intensity training and Zumba classes on main campus.
9) Get up early and go running downtown on a regular basis.
10) Volunteer at the local adoption agency/ crisis pregnancy center.
11) Keep getting as much job experience as possible. We decided that developing practical lawyering skills was a lot more important than grades, although ideally, we'd do well with both.
12) Go to local bar events and network without being awkward. (This is going to be hard, because we are two of the most awkward people EVER.)
13) Get in shape and become those people who can do, like, 60 pushups in one minute.
14) Run a half-marathon.
15) Embrace leadership positions in various student organizations that we're involved in.
16) Go to her family's lake house for a weekend.
17) Actually look cute and make an effort when we're on campus. There have been times when I go days on end without wearing makeup/ doing anything with my hair, especially during finals, but this year, I just kind of want to look pulled together!
18) For me: ask the cute guy I met last week out on a date already.
So that's some of our ideas for the year ahead . . . I'll keep you all posted if we make any progress on this list!
We started talking about everything we want to accomplish in our last year of law school, because our time here runs short as we see graduation on the not-so-distant horizon. We came up with SUCH a great 3L bucket list/ goals list. Some of them are her ideas, some are mine, and some of them (#1 and #3, anyone?) are never going to actually happen. But they might. So here's our list:
1) Go skydiving. I mean, there's a place we can do it that's only an hour and a half away.
2) Volunteer at a local soup kitchen.
3) Join the local all-women's roller derby team.
4) Volunteer at one of the local Habitat for Humanity events.
5) Take every advanced skills course we can possibly take (I'm thinking advanced litigation drafting, advanced civil procedure, tort law seminar, pretrial practice, and divorce mediation. Now that I'm pretty sure I want to do trial law and domestic relations/ personal injury work, I have a much better idea of the classes I need to be taking).
6) Go to trivia night at the Mellow Mushroom. This is what all the cool people are doing.
7) Invest significant time and energy into building strong friendships with the 1L and 2L students, and into mentoring them, giving them advice, and ministering to them. Be one of those people that the younger students look up to, trust, and confide in.
8) Go regularly to high-intensity training and Zumba classes on main campus.
9) Get up early and go running downtown on a regular basis.
10) Volunteer at the local adoption agency/ crisis pregnancy center.
11) Keep getting as much job experience as possible. We decided that developing practical lawyering skills was a lot more important than grades, although ideally, we'd do well with both.
12) Go to local bar events and network without being awkward. (This is going to be hard, because we are two of the most awkward people EVER.)
13) Get in shape and become those people who can do, like, 60 pushups in one minute.
14) Run a half-marathon.
15) Embrace leadership positions in various student organizations that we're involved in.
16) Go to her family's lake house for a weekend.
17) Actually look cute and make an effort when we're on campus. There have been times when I go days on end without wearing makeup/ doing anything with my hair, especially during finals, but this year, I just kind of want to look pulled together!
18) For me: ask the cute guy I met last week out on a date already.
So that's some of our ideas for the year ahead . . . I'll keep you all posted if we make any progress on this list!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Pictures from the Summer
For anyone wanting to know a little bit more of what I've been up to this summer, here are some pictures:
Nothing quite like downtown Asheville at twilight! Glad I could make a quick stop here on the way to a family reunion a couple weeks ago.
Wine, cheese, and dessert night with my sister . . . so fun
Family reunion in Illinois....gotta love those cornfields
Baseball, fireworks, and friends for the Fourth of July!
Skyline view from one of the highest points in the city
One of the most photogenic buildings.
Great and relaxing hiking trails . . . who knew these were only 10 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of downtown?
Hope you all have had wonderful summers!
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Happy Happy Happy :)
Yesterday was about 100 times better than any other day I have had so far at this job, and I have been in the best mood ever since because I think I'm going to A) make it in the hardest and most stressful position I've ever had, and B) come to really enjoy it.
For one, the women in the office are just the best. Besides me, we have a 26-year-old attorney, a 65-year-old office manager, and a 30-year-old paralegal. They're all great, and I finally got to the point this week where I was warming up to them, feeling truly comfortable around them, and feeling like I could just be myself and not have to stress constantly about how I was presenting myself and about every word that came out of my mouth (and, it takes a lot of energy to monitor yourself like that all the time). Yesterday afternoon, most of the senior attorneys were out of the office (including, ahem, my difficult boss), and a couple clerks had taken the day off, so the four of us ladies crowded around in the paralegal's office and "filed papers" while talking and laughing about random stuff until we were all almost in tears. I can't tell you how much I needed to laugh like that. I don't know very many people in this city except for people from work and a couple law school friends who are also here, and so for the past few weeks, I haven't spent much time with people that I know really well and am really comfortable with. To put it simply, I haven't laughed nearly enough in that time because I've been so on my guard with all these new people. But yesterday I finally opened up and was sharing stories with them and laughing till I was about to wet my pants. It was great, therapeutic, and the best stress relief in the world.
And for another thing, I do feel like the Boss and I will have some issues this summer, but for the most part, I think I'm learning how to deal with him. So far, I've focused on being very direct, having very pointed questions, and not wasting a second of his time whenever I need to speak with him about anything, and that seems to be working ok. Oh, and I always bring a legal pad and a pen to take notes before I go talk to him about anything. (Life tip: Always, always have paper and something to write with before you talk to any senior attorney. Or else you'll be like me on my first day, when I was talking to one of the attorneys and didn't have a pen and started picking around on his desk and moving his keys and Post-its looking for one, and he was giving me the "Do NOT touch my stuff" look. Yeah, don't do that.) I'm not sure why this is the case, but my boss also never cusses when he's talking just to me, which is really nice because he normally does it all the time. Also, it's helped me a lot to realize that some people act the way he does because they're actually very insecure, and I think he's no exception. I've been trying to understand why he is the way he is, and to just realize that it is what it is, and poking some lighthearted fun at him with the ladies has helped too. :)
And to top it all off, yesterday A. and I totally dominated in court! (Just FYI, I'm going to start following that blogging convention of referring to some people by first initial only because I'm not sure if I should throw the names of everybody in the firm out there for the world. But that way I don't have to refer to everyone as "senior attorney 1," "senior attorney 2," etc.) Obviously I didn't get to actually argue the case or do the cross-examination or anything, but I basically prepared everything: I wrote questions for direct and cross-exam, I outlined all the issues, I selected all of our exhibits, etc. And I was really thrilled that one of the items A. introduced into evidence was something that was my idea to bring up! I was just like, I really think you need to use this item on cross-exam to impeach the witness and then get it into evidence. She ended up using it on both direct and cross-exam, and indeed, it got into evidence. She did a fabulous job all around, so I can't take too much credit for it, but it's kind of nice to know that my trial technique actually got successfully used!
So anyway, that's why yesterday was by far my best day of work so far, and I hope it's a harbinger of things to come. Today, I'm probably going to go see a movie or something, or do some fake shopping (the kind where I don't buy anything because I don't really have any money). And I need to once and for all get my room here in some semblance of order--I never really unpacked and put away everything I moved up here, like, 2 weeks ago. That changes today. And I'm finally putting up those posters and doing my decorating!
For one, the women in the office are just the best. Besides me, we have a 26-year-old attorney, a 65-year-old office manager, and a 30-year-old paralegal. They're all great, and I finally got to the point this week where I was warming up to them, feeling truly comfortable around them, and feeling like I could just be myself and not have to stress constantly about how I was presenting myself and about every word that came out of my mouth (and, it takes a lot of energy to monitor yourself like that all the time). Yesterday afternoon, most of the senior attorneys were out of the office (including, ahem, my difficult boss), and a couple clerks had taken the day off, so the four of us ladies crowded around in the paralegal's office and "filed papers" while talking and laughing about random stuff until we were all almost in tears. I can't tell you how much I needed to laugh like that. I don't know very many people in this city except for people from work and a couple law school friends who are also here, and so for the past few weeks, I haven't spent much time with people that I know really well and am really comfortable with. To put it simply, I haven't laughed nearly enough in that time because I've been so on my guard with all these new people. But yesterday I finally opened up and was sharing stories with them and laughing till I was about to wet my pants. It was great, therapeutic, and the best stress relief in the world.
And for another thing, I do feel like the Boss and I will have some issues this summer, but for the most part, I think I'm learning how to deal with him. So far, I've focused on being very direct, having very pointed questions, and not wasting a second of his time whenever I need to speak with him about anything, and that seems to be working ok. Oh, and I always bring a legal pad and a pen to take notes before I go talk to him about anything. (Life tip: Always, always have paper and something to write with before you talk to any senior attorney. Or else you'll be like me on my first day, when I was talking to one of the attorneys and didn't have a pen and started picking around on his desk and moving his keys and Post-its looking for one, and he was giving me the "Do NOT touch my stuff" look. Yeah, don't do that.) I'm not sure why this is the case, but my boss also never cusses when he's talking just to me, which is really nice because he normally does it all the time. Also, it's helped me a lot to realize that some people act the way he does because they're actually very insecure, and I think he's no exception. I've been trying to understand why he is the way he is, and to just realize that it is what it is, and poking some lighthearted fun at him with the ladies has helped too. :)
And to top it all off, yesterday A. and I totally dominated in court! (Just FYI, I'm going to start following that blogging convention of referring to some people by first initial only because I'm not sure if I should throw the names of everybody in the firm out there for the world. But that way I don't have to refer to everyone as "senior attorney 1," "senior attorney 2," etc.) Obviously I didn't get to actually argue the case or do the cross-examination or anything, but I basically prepared everything: I wrote questions for direct and cross-exam, I outlined all the issues, I selected all of our exhibits, etc. And I was really thrilled that one of the items A. introduced into evidence was something that was my idea to bring up! I was just like, I really think you need to use this item on cross-exam to impeach the witness and then get it into evidence. She ended up using it on both direct and cross-exam, and indeed, it got into evidence. She did a fabulous job all around, so I can't take too much credit for it, but it's kind of nice to know that my trial technique actually got successfully used!
So anyway, that's why yesterday was by far my best day of work so far, and I hope it's a harbinger of things to come. Today, I'm probably going to go see a movie or something, or do some fake shopping (the kind where I don't buy anything because I don't really have any money). And I need to once and for all get my room here in some semblance of order--I never really unpacked and put away everything I moved up here, like, 2 weeks ago. That changes today. And I'm finally putting up those posters and doing my decorating!
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Let the Craziest Summer Ever Begin
Y'all, I don't even really know how to process the last few days. I think I have quite honestly gained more life experience in the past week than I had in my entire previous life (well, almost). I started my new job. I prepared depositions and drafted motions and complaints and discovery responses and petitions. Yesterday, I went to court to file the petition I wrote and sat in on a deposition that I prepared for my supervising attorney, so that was a good feeling.
The week was pretty chaotic at the front end, because I wasn't actually able to move into my summer apartment until Tuesday night, even though I had to start work on Monday, so I had a 2-hour commute Monday morning, stayed at a hotel Monday night, and finally moved in after work Tuesday. A friend had graciously invited me to stay at her place Monday night, but it would have taken at least an hour to fight my way through traffic back to her apartment on Monday night, and I was so tired after getting up at 5am that that was just not happening. In fact, Monday night I believe I actually stated at one point that I was so tired that I would give someone, anyone, my debit card in exchange for a place to sleep. It has been a pretty exhausting week and I'm already really looking forward to the Florida beach vacation I am planning for the end of summer.
The past few days, I've realized that there's no need for a speed limit in this city because you'll never be able to go faster than 20 mph, about had a claustrophobic panic attack when I couldn't figure out how to get out of my parking deck on Wednesday morning, drunk cheap wine out of plastic cups because I don't have my real dishes here yet, eaten grapes for dinner and Chick-Fil-A at 4:30am, been hit on by some of the sketchiest guys, had awkward conversations in elevators, and had the scariest conversation EVER with my new boss ("I want you guys to be aggressive and productive and work on 40 cases a day"). I've become the case manager for 46 clients, been more tired than I thought was humanly possible, finally made it back to the gym because I desperately missed exercise after my post-finals workout hiatus, ran into alums who interviewed me for my law school scholarship at Publix (awkward), and driven by myself to courthouses in other counties even though I don't really know my way around THIS county yet and only really know how to get to and from work. I've gotten chocolate on my good suit and blisters on my heels from my new shoes.
But there have been highlights. This city is amazing in its own way. I don't really think I would pursue living here long-term necessarily, but this week has convinced me that I could live here for real, and be happy doing it. I live within walking distance of pretty much anything I could want to do, eat, read, visit . . . libraries, art museums, Thai food, coffee shops, etc. And what's not to like about this view?! This picture was taken from my apartment window:
This weekend I have to finish officially moving in to my new apartment--and yes, even though I'm only living here for 2 months, I'm hanging posters and decorating because life's too short to not decorate. Or at least, that is my philosophy.
I feel like this summer is going to be a season for me to learn how to work as a real attorney and to work harder than I ever have in my life, learning how to do long hours and deal with high stress on the job and fuel it with a lot of coffee. I'm already definitely feeling like I'm going to have time and energy for work but maybe not too much else, except on weekends. The firm I work at is known for being one of the most fast-paced, aggressive litigation practices in the state. I'm not sure I would want to keep up this pace forever and have this sort of high-stress position for a permanent job, but I do know that I will pretty much be ready for anything Future Boss throws my way after this.
But here's what's most important to me about all this. I am facing my fears. I have always been terrified to live here and terrified to work in a firm like the one I'm working in now. But I'm doing it anyway to prove to myself that I can, and to get experience that I can't get just anywhere. When I accepted this position way back in November, I strongly felt led to do so and that it was exactly what God wanted me to do, even though it made no sense at the time (Why would I go THERE and do that?) But I'm learning that all things are possible with God. ALL things. Even this. Even me living in a huge city and having a stressful job with a heavy case load. ALL things. I can't say enough about how God has abundantly met every single need I have had this week, including, yeah, getting out of that parking deck! He has helped me with everything from the little things, like finding a place to eat or get groceries, to the big things, like finding favor with my bosses. He has provided, He has been there, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
The week was pretty chaotic at the front end, because I wasn't actually able to move into my summer apartment until Tuesday night, even though I had to start work on Monday, so I had a 2-hour commute Monday morning, stayed at a hotel Monday night, and finally moved in after work Tuesday. A friend had graciously invited me to stay at her place Monday night, but it would have taken at least an hour to fight my way through traffic back to her apartment on Monday night, and I was so tired after getting up at 5am that that was just not happening. In fact, Monday night I believe I actually stated at one point that I was so tired that I would give someone, anyone, my debit card in exchange for a place to sleep. It has been a pretty exhausting week and I'm already really looking forward to the Florida beach vacation I am planning for the end of summer.
The past few days, I've realized that there's no need for a speed limit in this city because you'll never be able to go faster than 20 mph, about had a claustrophobic panic attack when I couldn't figure out how to get out of my parking deck on Wednesday morning, drunk cheap wine out of plastic cups because I don't have my real dishes here yet, eaten grapes for dinner and Chick-Fil-A at 4:30am, been hit on by some of the sketchiest guys, had awkward conversations in elevators, and had the scariest conversation EVER with my new boss ("I want you guys to be aggressive and productive and work on 40 cases a day"). I've become the case manager for 46 clients, been more tired than I thought was humanly possible, finally made it back to the gym because I desperately missed exercise after my post-finals workout hiatus, ran into alums who interviewed me for my law school scholarship at Publix (awkward), and driven by myself to courthouses in other counties even though I don't really know my way around THIS county yet and only really know how to get to and from work. I've gotten chocolate on my good suit and blisters on my heels from my new shoes.
But there have been highlights. This city is amazing in its own way. I don't really think I would pursue living here long-term necessarily, but this week has convinced me that I could live here for real, and be happy doing it. I live within walking distance of pretty much anything I could want to do, eat, read, visit . . . libraries, art museums, Thai food, coffee shops, etc. And what's not to like about this view?! This picture was taken from my apartment window:
This weekend I have to finish officially moving in to my new apartment--and yes, even though I'm only living here for 2 months, I'm hanging posters and decorating because life's too short to not decorate. Or at least, that is my philosophy.
I feel like this summer is going to be a season for me to learn how to work as a real attorney and to work harder than I ever have in my life, learning how to do long hours and deal with high stress on the job and fuel it with a lot of coffee. I'm already definitely feeling like I'm going to have time and energy for work but maybe not too much else, except on weekends. The firm I work at is known for being one of the most fast-paced, aggressive litigation practices in the state. I'm not sure I would want to keep up this pace forever and have this sort of high-stress position for a permanent job, but I do know that I will pretty much be ready for anything Future Boss throws my way after this.
But here's what's most important to me about all this. I am facing my fears. I have always been terrified to live here and terrified to work in a firm like the one I'm working in now. But I'm doing it anyway to prove to myself that I can, and to get experience that I can't get just anywhere. When I accepted this position way back in November, I strongly felt led to do so and that it was exactly what God wanted me to do, even though it made no sense at the time (Why would I go THERE and do that?) But I'm learning that all things are possible with God. ALL things. Even this. Even me living in a huge city and having a stressful job with a heavy case load. ALL things. I can't say enough about how God has abundantly met every single need I have had this week, including, yeah, getting out of that parking deck! He has helped me with everything from the little things, like finding a place to eat or get groceries, to the big things, like finding favor with my bosses. He has provided, He has been there, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Adventures in the Windy City
I had such a great time in Chicago with Lauren! It was so good to see her for the first time in a really long time. We were finally able to talk and talk and catch up on everything, and I was able to see where she lives (technically Evanston, IL, but she's a short train ride away from Chicago).
Here are some pictures and highlights from the trip:
The obligatory "my view from the airplane" photo.
We went to the Chicago Symphony on Thursday night! Which, of course, was outstanding.
We spent awhile exploring the Art Institute of Chicago . . . they have a great Picasso exhibit right now.
Some iconic landmarks . . . skyscrapers and the Bean!
Some of the city's famous deep-dish pizza: with all the cheese, it's probably a heart attack on a crust, but it sure was delicious!
Walking on the beach by Lake Michigan.
And touring Northwestern University.
We had a really good time going to a lot of fun shops, including one of the American Girl retail outlets, and we warmed up from the chilly weather in this little coffee shop:
The weekend also included lots of great conversations, touring the lab where Lauren works, going to a free wine tasting in Evanston, Monopoly games, Redbox movies, and lots of great food. I hope I get to go back sometime!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Done.
I am DONE with my second year of law school. 2/3 of the way there! Everyone says that 2L is the year they "work you to death," and I don't know whether that's true or not, but I can honestly say that I've worked harder this last semester than I ever have in my life, with the possible exception of my last couple months of college when I was finishing my thesis. So I feel good about being done and good about what I've accomplished, and I am promising myself not to stress out about grades. At least not yet. I won't get them for at least a month anyway, so I might as well enjoy being blissfully unaware. Besides, I feel good about my performance on all my exams, and that's what matters at the moment.
Yesterday was my chores and errands day, and suffice it to say that I got my to-do list down from three pages to one by this morning: pay credit card bills, do laundry, turn in various forms to various people, return rented textbooks at UPS, clean, donate stuff to Goodwill, return library books, catch up on emails, etc.
And now I have 11 days of a hard-earned vacation before I start work. First stop: Chicago to see Lauren! Lauren and I were roommates for two years at W&L (I know, same name. It got confusing for people). But I have not seen her since a couple months after graduation--almost two years--and I absolutely cannot wait.
You know you're a real adult when you're flying into O'Hare airport by yourself and your mother isn't entirely freaking out. (Or maybe she is and just hasn't said so). I'll be sure to post pictures when I come back!
Yesterday was my chores and errands day, and suffice it to say that I got my to-do list down from three pages to one by this morning: pay credit card bills, do laundry, turn in various forms to various people, return rented textbooks at UPS, clean, donate stuff to Goodwill, return library books, catch up on emails, etc.
And now I have 11 days of a hard-earned vacation before I start work. First stop: Chicago to see Lauren! Lauren and I were roommates for two years at W&L (I know, same name. It got confusing for people). But I have not seen her since a couple months after graduation--almost two years--and I absolutely cannot wait.
You know you're a real adult when you're flying into O'Hare airport by yourself and your mother isn't entirely freaking out. (Or maybe she is and just hasn't said so). I'll be sure to post pictures when I come back!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Study Break Musings
I never want to take three law school exams in four days again in my entire life! It's pretty exhausting/ miserable. And I still have one left on Tuesday and a paper to finish.
But there's been some silver linings during this crazy week, like:
But there's been some silver linings during this crazy week, like:
- amazing conversations about gender equality, race relations, religion, and other stuff that matters the day before one of my exams.
- fitting 5,014 words on my one-page, front-side-only cheat sheet allowed for my domestic relations exam . . . winning
- nude flats from Target for only $12 . . . shoes for the office this summer.
- skinny vanilla lattes and study sessions at Starbucks that turn into laugh sessions.
- going to the new Goodwill that I've never been to before, the one that looks like people went on shopping sprees at Target and then donated their stuff
- having a few free moments to finally do some serious, much-needed journaling (those moments where you finally put into words something you've needed to write about for years . . . that's what I'm talking about).
- telling a friend, who I've never talked about matters of faith with before, that I'm a Christian, and having her say, "Oh, that's what I thought."
- Having a friend who comes by my apartment to drop off a double chocolate cupcake to brighten my intellectual property study marathon (by the way, random fact for you: The craziest thing I've learned in intellectual property so far is that someone actually tried to patent a system where people would use color-coded bracelets to indicate to the world whether they were single or not so as to "limit the embarrassment of rejection"! Yes. This is a thing--look it up!)
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Halfway There
2 exams down, 2 to go! I finished my take-home exam for statutory law yesterday and it was HARD. It was probably the most comprehensive, integrative written work I've done so far in law school, incorporating statutory provisions, administrative regulations, contract law, constitutional law, procedural rules, and a whole lot of other stuff in one 12-page motion for my hypothetical client. Then this morning I had my final for wills, trusts, and intestate succession. The questions themselves weren't hard exactly, but it was literally impossible to finish in 3 hours. I don't think anyone finished. We had 9 short essays and three long essays, and those just aren't all getting done in a 3-hour period. This one didn't really seem to be about how much you knew so much as how well you could strategize to earn the most points in the least amount of time--so a couple of the harder questions or issues I pretty much skipped over entirely. I figured if I wasn't going to have time to finish anyway, I'd rather spend my time answering the questions that I was sure I had the right answer to.
So anyway, after my 4:14am bed time last night (and 6am wake-up call today), I am pretty pooped. I tried to take a nap this afternoon but it was one of those "too tired to sleep" occasions and it didn't really work out. I should be studying right now for domestic relations but I just can't look at another book right now. So, I'm aiming for a good night's rest tonight and starting fresh tomorrow. Maybe if I study really hard in the morning I'll take myself out to a movie tomorrow afternoon. A girl's got to have a break once in awhile, right?
And blog readers, this is a really random addendum to this rambling post but I just want to take this chance to tell you all how much I really appreciate you all. I know who some of you are, and others I don't know. But I'm so grateful that you let me share this crazy law school life with you and that you keep coming back to read my posts. It is my hope--and in fact my prayer--that my musings on life and what God is teaching me during this season in my life will reach you when and how you may need them, and will be a blessing to your life. Thank you for reading!
So anyway, after my 4:14am bed time last night (and 6am wake-up call today), I am pretty pooped. I tried to take a nap this afternoon but it was one of those "too tired to sleep" occasions and it didn't really work out. I should be studying right now for domestic relations but I just can't look at another book right now. So, I'm aiming for a good night's rest tonight and starting fresh tomorrow. Maybe if I study really hard in the morning I'll take myself out to a movie tomorrow afternoon. A girl's got to have a break once in awhile, right?
And blog readers, this is a really random addendum to this rambling post but I just want to take this chance to tell you all how much I really appreciate you all. I know who some of you are, and others I don't know. But I'm so grateful that you let me share this crazy law school life with you and that you keep coming back to read my posts. It is my hope--and in fact my prayer--that my musings on life and what God is teaching me during this season in my life will reach you when and how you may need them, and will be a blessing to your life. Thank you for reading!
I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will NOT be shaken.
--Psalm 16:8
Friday, April 26, 2013
Finals Time
As of yesterday, I am FINALLY done with classes, so I have a full, undisturbed day to prepare for exams today. It is such a relief to be done because by the last couple weeks of the semester, you get to the point when all you want to do is actually study for your exams, but every time you sit down to get something done, you have another class to go to. So, classes are done done done and it feels so good.
I have today, tomorrow, and Sunday to prep for a whirlwind week of exams. Monday at 9am I get a copy of my statutory law take-home final, which is due at noon Tuesday and requires me to write a 12-page motion to dismiss (oops! don't know how to do that) based on statutory provisions I'll be given. I've been told to expect it to take me by far the better part of the 27 hours I have to take it. So, Tuesday afternoon will be last-minute studying for my exam in wills, trusts, and estates, basically described like this: 9 short answer questions, average of 15 topics that have to be discussed in each short answer, plus 3 long essay questions, average of 30-40 topics that have to be mentioned in each, all in 3 hours. (Not exaggerating about the topics, by the way--the short answer we discussed in class had 15 components--you need to talk about testamentary freedom, default takers, incorporation by reference, revocable trusts, the intestacy statutes, transfers to minors, ERISA, the advance directives, custodian accounts, and the pension plans, among other things. Don't know what all that stuff is? Well, neither do I, so it's all good.) Then a week from today I have my domestic relations exam. That's a little more run-of-the-mill, with everything about marriage, divorce, child support, custody, alimony, etc., but it has its own challenges (anybody know what the putative spouse doctrine is? How about condonation? Or a qualified domestic relations order?) Then after that exam, it's on to studying intellectual property like there's no tomorrow because I haven't exactly kept up with that material over the term. That one is on May 7th, May 8th I'm revising my appellate brief for writing group all day, and then I will be DONE and flying to Chicago to see one of my college BFFs. I can't wait!
I have today, tomorrow, and Sunday to prep for a whirlwind week of exams. Monday at 9am I get a copy of my statutory law take-home final, which is due at noon Tuesday and requires me to write a 12-page motion to dismiss (oops! don't know how to do that) based on statutory provisions I'll be given. I've been told to expect it to take me by far the better part of the 27 hours I have to take it. So, Tuesday afternoon will be last-minute studying for my exam in wills, trusts, and estates, basically described like this: 9 short answer questions, average of 15 topics that have to be discussed in each short answer, plus 3 long essay questions, average of 30-40 topics that have to be mentioned in each, all in 3 hours. (Not exaggerating about the topics, by the way--the short answer we discussed in class had 15 components--you need to talk about testamentary freedom, default takers, incorporation by reference, revocable trusts, the intestacy statutes, transfers to minors, ERISA, the advance directives, custodian accounts, and the pension plans, among other things. Don't know what all that stuff is? Well, neither do I, so it's all good.) Then a week from today I have my domestic relations exam. That's a little more run-of-the-mill, with everything about marriage, divorce, child support, custody, alimony, etc., but it has its own challenges (anybody know what the putative spouse doctrine is? How about condonation? Or a qualified domestic relations order?) Then after that exam, it's on to studying intellectual property like there's no tomorrow because I haven't exactly kept up with that material over the term. That one is on May 7th, May 8th I'm revising my appellate brief for writing group all day, and then I will be DONE and flying to Chicago to see one of my college BFFs. I can't wait!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Big City Living
I love these few moments of quiet and peacefulness in the early morning, when I've got sunlight streaming in through my window, some cereal and fruit, and some uninterrupted time to think, read, pray, and plan my day. Before I leave for church I want to pull together a study plan for this entire week, as my first exam is a week from tomorrow. And I have 3 exams next week, which I don't really want to think about at all!
This week has been a little bit of a whirlwind, but it's been good, because I got some very important things taken care of once and for all--such as finding and signing a lease on an apartment for the summer. I finally was able to drive into the city yesterday, look at the place, and sign all the paperwork, and I can't tell you what a relief it is to know that my home this summer isn't going to be the Best Western or Holiday Inn!
And just like that, I, the self-declared small-town girl who's never really wanted to live in a big city, will be living right smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest cities. There will be skyscrapers right outside my 9th floor window and the dull roar of traffic on the street far below. I couldn't be closer to the rhythm of city life. I've never wanted to live in a big city because I've always been afraid. Afraid of not knowing my way around, afraid of driving in heavy traffic, afraid of not being able to keep myself and my stuff safe from unsavory characters, afraid of the constant noise, chaos, and activity. The introvert in me who prefers my quiet spaces--my early mornings, untarnished by the chaos of the day--is still a little afraid. The girl who has struggled in the past with a fear of driving that's pretty much borderline driving anxiety disorder (is that a thing? It should be, because I have it, or at least I have had it before) is still a little afraid of waking up in the morning and fighting my way through the traffic and trying not to get lost or have an accident.
But the job I wanted was there, not here and not somewhere else. And I felt God telling me that it's time to face this fear, once and for all, because I can't let it hold me back forever. And telling me that the only way to eventually do something unafraid is to first do it afraid. I mean, think about it. The first time I went to school, rode a bike, spoke in front of people, had a job interview, went to a college class, and spent the night in my own apartment all have something in common--I was totally terrified. But imagine if I never did any of those things because I was afraid. I'd never get to the point where I am now--where every single one of those things feels like second nature.
So I'm still afraid, but I decided that this is the summer that big city living gets stricken from my laundry list of fears. I don't predict that I'll end the summer as an absolute convert to that lifestyle or wanting to pursue it long-term after graduation, but that's ok. I just need to know that if I want to or need to, I can. So I'm not going to just live on the outskirts, in a suburb, allowing myself the bare minimum necessary exposure to the place--I'm going to live in the middle of it. Where I can open my window and practically touch the skyscrapers next to me.
This week has been a little bit of a whirlwind, but it's been good, because I got some very important things taken care of once and for all--such as finding and signing a lease on an apartment for the summer. I finally was able to drive into the city yesterday, look at the place, and sign all the paperwork, and I can't tell you what a relief it is to know that my home this summer isn't going to be the Best Western or Holiday Inn!
And just like that, I, the self-declared small-town girl who's never really wanted to live in a big city, will be living right smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest cities. There will be skyscrapers right outside my 9th floor window and the dull roar of traffic on the street far below. I couldn't be closer to the rhythm of city life. I've never wanted to live in a big city because I've always been afraid. Afraid of not knowing my way around, afraid of driving in heavy traffic, afraid of not being able to keep myself and my stuff safe from unsavory characters, afraid of the constant noise, chaos, and activity. The introvert in me who prefers my quiet spaces--my early mornings, untarnished by the chaos of the day--is still a little afraid. The girl who has struggled in the past with a fear of driving that's pretty much borderline driving anxiety disorder (is that a thing? It should be, because I have it, or at least I have had it before) is still a little afraid of waking up in the morning and fighting my way through the traffic and trying not to get lost or have an accident.
But the job I wanted was there, not here and not somewhere else. And I felt God telling me that it's time to face this fear, once and for all, because I can't let it hold me back forever. And telling me that the only way to eventually do something unafraid is to first do it afraid. I mean, think about it. The first time I went to school, rode a bike, spoke in front of people, had a job interview, went to a college class, and spent the night in my own apartment all have something in common--I was totally terrified. But imagine if I never did any of those things because I was afraid. I'd never get to the point where I am now--where every single one of those things feels like second nature.
So I'm still afraid, but I decided that this is the summer that big city living gets stricken from my laundry list of fears. I don't predict that I'll end the summer as an absolute convert to that lifestyle or wanting to pursue it long-term after graduation, but that's ok. I just need to know that if I want to or need to, I can. So I'm not going to just live on the outskirts, in a suburb, allowing myself the bare minimum necessary exposure to the place--I'm going to live in the middle of it. Where I can open my window and practically touch the skyscrapers next to me.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Dealing with the "Deal With It" Pile
I don't know about you, but I have a huge "deal with it" pile most of the time--partly a literal pile, in the sense that I seem to always have an enormous stack of paperwork and mail to be organized and filed, and partly a metaphorical one--all those stressful "to do's" that never seem to get done and languish on my to do list for weeks, just waiting for me to have the courage to tackle them. Yes, courage, because I don't put off the simply unpleasant things as much as the stressful things--having important make-or-break conversations, sending out professional emails where I'm worried about the response I'll receive, applying for jobs, taking care of finances, etc.
But yesterday, I decided that it was time to Deal With It. First, I was already pretty motivated because of all the extra time I now have because of the competition being done. Next, I decided that I need to free up as much time as I possibly can for studying for finals. And on a side note, doing too much is a real pride issue for me that God has been working on my heart about. I like feeling like Superwoman and making myself out to be the girl who can handle everything and multitask and juggle responsibilities like no other. To me, "I don't know how you handle everything" is a bigger compliment than it really should be. But I can't be Superwoman right now, not like I ever could anyway! And while I really hate saying no and relinquishing responsibilities because I struggle with feeling like it's a sign of weakness, God is slowly but surely teaching me that sometimes, I have to do that and He's asking me to do that.
So, I emailed people at my job in the admissions office and told them that I just wouldn't be able to work anymore this semester because I need time to study. As I knew they would be, they were very understanding, and just like that, I had another 6 hours a week freed up. From there, everything started falling into place, everything I've neglected to deal with in the past few weeks. I emailed the firm where I'm working this summer and confirmed that A) I still have a job (huge sigh of relief), and B) I will start work on May 20th. I had an important conversation with a friend about an issue I've been putting off forever because I've been worried about it damaging our friendship. But as I should have predicted, she was so kind and understanding about it. I sent out a bunch of other emails that had been building up, finished up my FAFSA to get financial aid for next year, applied for some additional loan money to help me with housing deposits and such for the summer, got my eyebrows and lips waxed, got gas, deep cleaned my bathroom, and returned my library books.
Once I got even one of those things done, it was just such a relief that I wanted to keep plowing through all those things that have piled up for so long. I mean, I know exactly why I've put off most of those things: because I'm worried about how they're going to turn out. I had not dealt with the financial aid because I was worried I wouldn't be able to get the loan I needed. I hadn't emailed the firm because I was freaked out that there would be some glitch with me working there that they would tell me about last minute. I hadn't talked to my friend because I was concerned she'd be upset about a decision I'd made. But as I just did one thing after another, I felt more and more relieved going through my day. Every single one of those things that I've literally been on the verge of losing sleep over turned out to be not a big deal after all.
Moral of the story? Just do it because it probably won't be nearly as bad as you're making it out to be. And I need to learn how to relinquish some of the control, how to be ok with saying I can't, and how to stop identifying so much with everything I DO and start learning that I don't have to do everything and be everything. And neither do you.
But yesterday, I decided that it was time to Deal With It. First, I was already pretty motivated because of all the extra time I now have because of the competition being done. Next, I decided that I need to free up as much time as I possibly can for studying for finals. And on a side note, doing too much is a real pride issue for me that God has been working on my heart about. I like feeling like Superwoman and making myself out to be the girl who can handle everything and multitask and juggle responsibilities like no other. To me, "I don't know how you handle everything" is a bigger compliment than it really should be. But I can't be Superwoman right now, not like I ever could anyway! And while I really hate saying no and relinquishing responsibilities because I struggle with feeling like it's a sign of weakness, God is slowly but surely teaching me that sometimes, I have to do that and He's asking me to do that.
So, I emailed people at my job in the admissions office and told them that I just wouldn't be able to work anymore this semester because I need time to study. As I knew they would be, they were very understanding, and just like that, I had another 6 hours a week freed up. From there, everything started falling into place, everything I've neglected to deal with in the past few weeks. I emailed the firm where I'm working this summer and confirmed that A) I still have a job (huge sigh of relief), and B) I will start work on May 20th. I had an important conversation with a friend about an issue I've been putting off forever because I've been worried about it damaging our friendship. But as I should have predicted, she was so kind and understanding about it. I sent out a bunch of other emails that had been building up, finished up my FAFSA to get financial aid for next year, applied for some additional loan money to help me with housing deposits and such for the summer, got my eyebrows and lips waxed, got gas, deep cleaned my bathroom, and returned my library books.
Once I got even one of those things done, it was just such a relief that I wanted to keep plowing through all those things that have piled up for so long. I mean, I know exactly why I've put off most of those things: because I'm worried about how they're going to turn out. I had not dealt with the financial aid because I was worried I wouldn't be able to get the loan I needed. I hadn't emailed the firm because I was freaked out that there would be some glitch with me working there that they would tell me about last minute. I hadn't talked to my friend because I was concerned she'd be upset about a decision I'd made. But as I just did one thing after another, I felt more and more relieved going through my day. Every single one of those things that I've literally been on the verge of losing sleep over turned out to be not a big deal after all.
Moral of the story? Just do it because it probably won't be nearly as bad as you're making it out to be. And I need to learn how to relinquish some of the control, how to be ok with saying I can't, and how to stop identifying so much with everything I DO and start learning that I don't have to do everything and be everything. And neither do you.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Catching Up on Life
Y'all: I HAVE MY LIFE BACK!!! Meaning, I am finally done with Moot Court and will no longer have to spend every night in practice plus countless more hours every week researching constitutional law and the Defense of Marriage Act. We had our competition yesterday and today, and while my team didn't make it to the finals, I am so so proud of everyone. We ALL gave the best arguments we've ever given this weekend. There's nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of getting up in front of the judges, knowing you know your stuff, and being able to respond to whatever questions they throw your way. Our case was based on the real arguments being heard before the Supreme Court these past couple weeks concerning the constitutionality of DOMA. Our competition rules prohibited us from listening to or reading any of the real oral arguments, so now that it's done, my teammates were like, "I can't wait to go listen to the actual arguments!" Sorry, not me--after pouring everything I've got into this for three months, I'm not sure I ever want to hear about DOMA again! But I'll take a break for awhile and I'm sure sometime I'll check those arguments out.
She has lived in South Korea since 2010, and this is only the second time I've gotten to see her since then, so any time I get with her is pretty precious! As usual, we talked and talked and talked--and talked some more--about absolutely everything: our love lives or the lack thereof, my school, her job, future plans, philosophy, God, psychology, American culture, Korean culture, and what's going on the Supreme Court today (somehow that seems to be our usual list of topics). We also went to some thrift stores, driving around a lot more than was really necessary because I kept missing my turns because we were too absorbed in the conversation. And going back to one of our favorite activities from high school, we went to the mall and tried on endless dresses and took some photos of ourselves in our favorites. Here's mine (love the dress, it's from Charlotte Russe):
This is us. These people are like family now (I mean, I've spent tons more time with them since January than I have with my actual family!)
Anyway, I could not be happier that it is done. Don't get me wrong, I have learned so much and it was so worth it to do this competition, but I'm ready to once again have time for my life, like studying for exams in a few weeks. School, sleep, and pretty much everything else has been put on the back burner for this competition, and I need to get back in balance.
I feel like this is going to be a long rambling blog post, but I just feel like there is so much I want to catch my readers up on (there's also a TON of blog posts I've been wanting to write but just haven't had the chance to put them in words yet, so hopefully there will be some good stuff coming soon). Here's some other things that have been going on with me:
The law review book that my article got published in finally went to press! I got 30 little booklets with just my article in them, as well as one copy of the full edition that included it. So that was pretty exciting to see what I wrote in print:
I got to spend a day over spring break with my lovely best friend, Anna, in Asheville:
She has lived in South Korea since 2010, and this is only the second time I've gotten to see her since then, so any time I get with her is pretty precious! As usual, we talked and talked and talked--and talked some more--about absolutely everything: our love lives or the lack thereof, my school, her job, future plans, philosophy, God, psychology, American culture, Korean culture, and what's going on the Supreme Court today (somehow that seems to be our usual list of topics). We also went to some thrift stores, driving around a lot more than was really necessary because I kept missing my turns because we were too absorbed in the conversation. And going back to one of our favorite activities from high school, we went to the mall and tried on endless dresses and took some photos of ourselves in our favorites. Here's mine (love the dress, it's from Charlotte Russe):
Anna and I had lunch at my favorite restaurant in Asheville, this cute little hard-to-find place called Tomato Jam Cafe. This is their amazing chicken salad sandwich with goat cheese and cranberry mustard:
And she brought me a gift bag of Korean goodies! :)
The rest of spring break (well, the part when I wasn't at school getting ready for the competition) I mostly just hung out with Mom and Dad, relaxed, watched some movies, worked on some class outlines, did some pleasure reading, etc. I finished John Grisham's book The Confession (very good but missing the plot twist I was expecting. Oh well, I can't blame the book for not ending the way I hoped it would!) Speaking of reading, I just put in holds at the local library for about 10 books now that I'll finally be able to do some regular reading again--I can't wait.
Anyway, here's what's on the agenda for the next few weeks: study for exams, get ready for my summer job, finish some law review assignments, and also try to relax and enjoy the spring weather we're finally just starting to have. Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Make Time.
So, here's my hopefully inspirational thoughts for this week:
I don't have time to blog.
I don't have time to exercise.
I don't have time to eat healthy.
I don't have time to read intellectually stimulating books.
I don't have time to keep my apartment clean.
I don't have time to read the Bible and pray regularly.
And I'm guessing you don't either. We all have huge commitments and demands on our time, whether it's jobs, school, children, our families, volunteer work, or something else. In my case, I spend about 60 hours a week, and often more, reading cases, preparing oral arguments, doing my work-study job, editing manuscripts, getting ready for meetings, writing papers, preparing for exams, reading, reading, and reading some more. That's just regular law school life, and I would assume that many of you readers have very similar demands on your time no matter what your main responsibilities are.
And I so often fall into the trap of just saying "I don't have time": no time to do any of the things I mentioned earlier, things that are really important to me, good for me, and/ or necessary for keeping my life running smoothly. But it's occurred to me lately: so what? So what if I don't have time? I never have enough time in my day. There will always be an excuse available if I choose to rely on one, and I'm kind of tired of settling for my typical excuses and ready to be better. If you wait till you have time, it will never happen. Make it happen anyway. Go to the gym anyway. Spend some time in prayer anyway. Just do it anyway.
I don't know exactly what this will look like for you, or even what it will look like for me, since I'm just now really starting to make a concerted effort to fit in the Really Important Things no matter how busy I am, regardless of the fact that my Moot Court competition is this Friday and I have an important paper due Thursday. For me, today it meant that I spent 20 minutes running the stairs in my 10-story apartment building even though the day was too jam-packed to make it to the gym. It looked like me coming home from Moot Court practice at 9pm and baking sweet potatoes and cooking brown rice and ground turkey to have food ready for healthy meals the next couple days. It may mean spending less time online to squeeze out a few minutes for prayer, or delegating or rearranging some tasks to get work done as efficiently as possible so that truly important things get done. I am ready to stop settling for less than my best, to stop making excuses, and to stop acting like a busy schedule is a reason to avoid taking care of my home, body, mind, and spirit.
You're always going to be too busy. Just do it. Make time.
I don't have time to blog.
I don't have time to exercise.
I don't have time to eat healthy.
I don't have time to read intellectually stimulating books.
I don't have time to keep my apartment clean.
I don't have time to read the Bible and pray regularly.
And I'm guessing you don't either. We all have huge commitments and demands on our time, whether it's jobs, school, children, our families, volunteer work, or something else. In my case, I spend about 60 hours a week, and often more, reading cases, preparing oral arguments, doing my work-study job, editing manuscripts, getting ready for meetings, writing papers, preparing for exams, reading, reading, and reading some more. That's just regular law school life, and I would assume that many of you readers have very similar demands on your time no matter what your main responsibilities are.
And I so often fall into the trap of just saying "I don't have time": no time to do any of the things I mentioned earlier, things that are really important to me, good for me, and/ or necessary for keeping my life running smoothly. But it's occurred to me lately: so what? So what if I don't have time? I never have enough time in my day. There will always be an excuse available if I choose to rely on one, and I'm kind of tired of settling for my typical excuses and ready to be better. If you wait till you have time, it will never happen. Make it happen anyway. Go to the gym anyway. Spend some time in prayer anyway. Just do it anyway.
I don't know exactly what this will look like for you, or even what it will look like for me, since I'm just now really starting to make a concerted effort to fit in the Really Important Things no matter how busy I am, regardless of the fact that my Moot Court competition is this Friday and I have an important paper due Thursday. For me, today it meant that I spent 20 minutes running the stairs in my 10-story apartment building even though the day was too jam-packed to make it to the gym. It looked like me coming home from Moot Court practice at 9pm and baking sweet potatoes and cooking brown rice and ground turkey to have food ready for healthy meals the next couple days. It may mean spending less time online to squeeze out a few minutes for prayer, or delegating or rearranging some tasks to get work done as efficiently as possible so that truly important things get done. I am ready to stop settling for less than my best, to stop making excuses, and to stop acting like a busy schedule is a reason to avoid taking care of my home, body, mind, and spirit.
You're always going to be too busy. Just do it. Make time.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Spring is Finally Here . . .
Yesterday I had to do a little "spring photo tour" of all the blooming trees, flowers, and other spring-like things. Here are some pictures:
Last night, some friends and I went down to one of the local colleges to see all the hot air balloons they had set up. It had the atmosphere of a city-wide picnic on the hill, as tons of people came out and spread out the blankets and lawn chairs, ate dinner, and watched the sun set, and then the balloons glowed in the dark.
Then today, it was church and spending the afternoon at a friend's baby shower. I went to Barnes and Noble to the children's book section to get her some books for when her little girl gets here, and was so excited to see that some of my all-time childhood favorites are still popular today: like the Frog and Toad series, the Berenstain Bears, Amelia Bedelia, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Dr. Seuss. I may have gone a little crazy picking out books, but I was just so excited that the next generation is still going to have quality children's books.
Not sure I'm ready to deal with Monday just yet, but tomorrow won't be so bad because I am really excited about 1) finally getting back to my favorite Monday boot camp workout class that I haven't been able to go to for two months because of scheduling issues, and 2) the Biggest Loser finale!! It's going to be great.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
I Want to Go to the Beach.
So I woke up this morning with a huge beach craving/ a craving for all things spring break-related! Like this beach:
You can't see it too well, but my friends and I had written "Spring Break '09" in the sand. Ah, the memories. Our law school break is the week after next, but I don't think any beach trip is in the cards this year because our Moot Court team will be here practicing for most of the week (since our competition is the week after that). But maybe we can take a day trip to Tybee Island or somewhere fun. In the meantime, I guess I'll just need to listen to my best spring break playlist and power through the rest of the work that I need to finish up in the next couple weeks. The end of the semester crunch time is already upon us, even though exams don't actually start till the end of April. But with only 4 and a half actual weeks of classes left and the fact that it takes about 6 weeks to prepare for a batch of law exams . . . well, you do the math, since that's not my strong suit!
So, getting ready to go do some outlining for wills, trusts, and estates, find a gift for my friend Bethany's baby shower, hone my Moot Court arguments, work on domestic relations, and prepare for some meetings next week. Tonight I'm going with some people to this festival with hot air balloon rides, live music, and other entertainment, so that will have to be my motivation to be very productive today. Have a wonderful Saturday!
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