Finally. I was a very gracious loser. When they announced the other team's name, I clapped and grinned and offered heartfelt congratulations and tried not to look overly thrilled. Then I went home and put my pj's back on and did not give it another thought. Being done with that competition marks the last difficult, challenging, stressful task of my law school career. Other than finals at the end of the semester. But those are months away and I shan't worry over it now.
Now on to finding a job.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
27 Going On 17
me: Wait, don't put those there.
Joe: Why not?
me: The top drawer? What if my mother or your mother or somebody looks there and finds them? Put them somewhere less obvious.
Joe: Uh, babe, we've been together for 9 1/2 years, you're 27, I'm 30, and now we're living together. Honestly, the jig is up.
Joe: Why not?
me: The top drawer? What if my mother or your mother or somebody looks there and finds them? Put them somewhere less obvious.
Joe: Uh, babe, we've been together for 9 1/2 years, you're 27, I'm 30, and now we're living together. Honestly, the jig is up.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Who Has Time To Think of a Title?
Hey. Hi. What's up? I am exhausted. Turns out going to school full-time and working two part-time jobs is a wee bit tiring. Just a wee. Wee's a funny word. I've had a lot of coffee. This week sucks.
I am going to sum up this week so that in the future, when I think I'm busy, I can look back on this and laugh at myself because how stupid is future me? So stupid. This is busy, future me. Get a clue.
Today a friend asked me how my week from hell was going and I replied that next week would be better and then I realized that, no, in fact, next week is the same! This is the new normal. I bought more coffee.
Monday
Woke up early to meet a buddy for pedicures and a pre-class breakfast (this part wasn't so bad)
Two hours of class
Worked the closing shift at the store
Two hours of reading for next day's classes
Laundry
Tuesday
Woke up at 6:30
Caught the train downtown to go to a breakfast at the firm I felt was important to attend
Stayed for an hour, caught the train back to school
Three hours of classes
Caught the train downtown to go back to the firm to work for the afternoon
Caught the train back home
Went to Target, Old Navy, and Ikea to run some errands
Stopped at liquor store, inquired about frequent shopper punch card, bought liquor anyway
Had 140 pages of reading to do for classes, fell asleep after 10 pages
Wednesday
Woke up at 8:00
Opened the store, worked until 2:00
Four hours of classes
Got a call that the girl who was supposed to work the closing shift at the store did not show up
Back to the store to close
Home by 9:20
(normally, I would have another 50 pages of reading to do Wednesday nights, but not going to classes tomorrow)
Thursday
Will wake up at 6:00 and go to NYC to attend a meeting at the UN for one of my classes
(will miss 3 classes to do so which means finding time to listen to the recordings of each class to get notes)
Lunch with professor at the UN
Travel home from NYC
Need to go to the library
Apartment desperately needs a deep cleaning
Pack
Friday
Will wake up at 6:30
Catch the train downtown
Work at the firm all day
Catch the train home
Drive to upstate New York to visit Joe and my cousins
I requested off this weekend, but normally I would work either Saturday or Sunday at the store too.
I also currently have a 22 item To Do list that includes such gems as "register for bar exam" and "file state taxes" and "prepare for the next round of oral argument." Strangely, "look into prescription pills" is not on the list. Soon enough.
I am going to sum up this week so that in the future, when I think I'm busy, I can look back on this and laugh at myself because how stupid is future me? So stupid. This is busy, future me. Get a clue.
Today a friend asked me how my week from hell was going and I replied that next week would be better and then I realized that, no, in fact, next week is the same! This is the new normal. I bought more coffee.
Monday
Woke up early to meet a buddy for pedicures and a pre-class breakfast (this part wasn't so bad)
Two hours of class
Worked the closing shift at the store
Two hours of reading for next day's classes
Laundry
Tuesday
Woke up at 6:30
Caught the train downtown to go to a breakfast at the firm I felt was important to attend
Stayed for an hour, caught the train back to school
Three hours of classes
Caught the train downtown to go back to the firm to work for the afternoon
Caught the train back home
Went to Target, Old Navy, and Ikea to run some errands
Stopped at liquor store, inquired about frequent shopper punch card, bought liquor anyway
Had 140 pages of reading to do for classes, fell asleep after 10 pages
Wednesday
Woke up at 8:00
Opened the store, worked until 2:00
Four hours of classes
Got a call that the girl who was supposed to work the closing shift at the store did not show up
Back to the store to close
Home by 9:20
(normally, I would have another 50 pages of reading to do Wednesday nights, but not going to classes tomorrow)
Thursday
Will wake up at 6:00 and go to NYC to attend a meeting at the UN for one of my classes
(will miss 3 classes to do so which means finding time to listen to the recordings of each class to get notes)
Lunch with professor at the UN
Travel home from NYC
Need to go to the library
Apartment desperately needs a deep cleaning
Pack
Friday
Will wake up at 6:30
Catch the train downtown
Work at the firm all day
Catch the train home
Drive to upstate New York to visit Joe and my cousins
I requested off this weekend, but normally I would work either Saturday or Sunday at the store too.
I also currently have a 22 item To Do list that includes such gems as "register for bar exam" and "file state taxes" and "prepare for the next round of oral argument." Strangely, "look into prescription pills" is not on the list. Soon enough.
Monday, February 7, 2011
There's Something About Them
What he has to say is pretty amazing, but that photo? Wow.
I love the end of the week links on A Cup Of Jo. She always comes across the best stuff.
I love the end of the week links on A Cup Of Jo. She always comes across the best stuff.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
There's a Lot of Screaming In My Head
I am very blessed to have two very supportive parents who apparently truly believe I am pretty great. They have told me all my life how smart and how capable and how talented I am and how anything is possible. This has completely screwed me up. Apparently, I have taken their constant praise and positivity and ingrained it so deeply upon my soul that I now feel absolutely no need to prove myself whatsoever. They have buoyed me up to the point that I am completely content. I am neither ambitious nor competitive. Sure, I like to be right, but I don't need to win. I have no need or drive to be partner at a law firm. I do not aspire to argue before the Supreme Court. Some attorneys live for the opportunity to try a case, go to court, prove their mettle, beat the other guy into submission. I will be quite content in my office, drinking coffee in front of the computer, writing the great arguments and then letting someone else go make the other side wish they hadn't put a suit on that morning. I just don't have that gene. I like recognition, sure, but I don't need to be the best. I like myself just fine without having to convince anyone else. I promise I am going somewhere with this.
As a requirement of graduation, we have to compete in a school-wide moot court competition. Basically, you have a teammate and there's a legal issue with two parts to split between you. You're assigned which side of the case to argue and you do research and write a brief. So far not so bad. Then you have to argue your side of the case in front of a panel of judges who question you about your argument while you grip a podium and shake uncontrollably. That's my style anyway. Some prefer cool confidence, but I find it not to be nearly as effective as almost passing out.
You get a course credit to commemorate the work you did in competing, leading most to just do enough to earn their credit without aspiring to win the thing. I certainly fell into that camp. Not competitive, not ambitious. Just give me my credit so I never have to do this again. Oprah is on and I'm sleepy.
But we advanced to the next round. As a reward, we got to argue our case again in front of another panel of judges. I shook less, yet did not find the experience more pleasant. We advanced again. Each time we reasoned that at least we could put it on our resumes. That's good, right? Makes it kinda worth it? I still just want to sleep.
At the beginning, there were about 95 teams of two. When Ash and I got down to 16 teams left, we thought surely this would be the end. We worked hard each time we had to argue because we did not want to embarrass ourselves. I at least have pride, if not ambition. Ash hates to lose so that drove her, but neither of us expected to keep advancing.
At the end of last semester, we advanced to the top 8. You know what your reward is for that? You get to keep going during spring semester and you earn another credit. Oh, also? Now you have to re-write your brief arguing for the other side. They want to see what you're made of. Oh, and also? Now you will argue twice in one day - in the morning for Petitioner and in the afternoon for Respondent in front of actual local court judges. Try to keep which side you're on when straight, please, and also don't pee your pants. You lose points for that.
We spent the last week of our Christmas vacation re-writing the brief to counter every argument we had made the first time. Last Saturday, we argued again twice. Tummies flipping, minds racing, but no shaking anymore. They let the first year students in to watch. So they can see that this is how it's done. No one tell them that I have no idea what I'm doing. Only four teams would advance, and we had absolutely no expectation that we would be one. This was enough, further than we had ever planned or expected. Quarter-finals will look lovely on a resume.
We advanced again. And won the award for best written brief. At the next round, we argue in front of federal court judges brought in special for the occasion. My stomach is already unhappy about it whenever my brain thinks about it. This is when I wish I had the competitive, ambitious gene. That maybe once my parents would have indicated that I had something to prove. But instead they loved me unconditionally and have done me a great disservice. I just want to pull the covers over my head and make my belly stop churning. Have I mentioned I am terrified every single time I get up there? Have I mentioned some law school competitive types think this is fun? Have I mentioned that some law school people are crazy?
Is it too late to bow out gracefully? You can have the credits back and I will go with my original resume.
I am very proud of us and it is exciting. Exciting kind of like being in the middle of a bar fight is exciting. There's a lot of thrilling action but any minute you might get punched in the stomach and lose your lunch.
Next argument is in 26 days. You can come. Please bring a bucket and a cool compress.
As a requirement of graduation, we have to compete in a school-wide moot court competition. Basically, you have a teammate and there's a legal issue with two parts to split between you. You're assigned which side of the case to argue and you do research and write a brief. So far not so bad. Then you have to argue your side of the case in front of a panel of judges who question you about your argument while you grip a podium and shake uncontrollably. That's my style anyway. Some prefer cool confidence, but I find it not to be nearly as effective as almost passing out.
You get a course credit to commemorate the work you did in competing, leading most to just do enough to earn their credit without aspiring to win the thing. I certainly fell into that camp. Not competitive, not ambitious. Just give me my credit so I never have to do this again. Oprah is on and I'm sleepy.
But we advanced to the next round. As a reward, we got to argue our case again in front of another panel of judges. I shook less, yet did not find the experience more pleasant. We advanced again. Each time we reasoned that at least we could put it on our resumes. That's good, right? Makes it kinda worth it? I still just want to sleep.
At the beginning, there were about 95 teams of two. When Ash and I got down to 16 teams left, we thought surely this would be the end. We worked hard each time we had to argue because we did not want to embarrass ourselves. I at least have pride, if not ambition. Ash hates to lose so that drove her, but neither of us expected to keep advancing.
At the end of last semester, we advanced to the top 8. You know what your reward is for that? You get to keep going during spring semester and you earn another credit. Oh, also? Now you have to re-write your brief arguing for the other side. They want to see what you're made of. Oh, and also? Now you will argue twice in one day - in the morning for Petitioner and in the afternoon for Respondent in front of actual local court judges. Try to keep which side you're on when straight, please, and also don't pee your pants. You lose points for that.
We spent the last week of our Christmas vacation re-writing the brief to counter every argument we had made the first time. Last Saturday, we argued again twice. Tummies flipping, minds racing, but no shaking anymore. They let the first year students in to watch. So they can see that this is how it's done. No one tell them that I have no idea what I'm doing. Only four teams would advance, and we had absolutely no expectation that we would be one. This was enough, further than we had ever planned or expected. Quarter-finals will look lovely on a resume.
We advanced again. And won the award for best written brief. At the next round, we argue in front of federal court judges brought in special for the occasion. My stomach is already unhappy about it whenever my brain thinks about it. This is when I wish I had the competitive, ambitious gene. That maybe once my parents would have indicated that I had something to prove. But instead they loved me unconditionally and have done me a great disservice. I just want to pull the covers over my head and make my belly stop churning. Have I mentioned I am terrified every single time I get up there? Have I mentioned some law school competitive types think this is fun? Have I mentioned that some law school people are crazy?
Is it too late to bow out gracefully? You can have the credits back and I will go with my original resume.
I am very proud of us and it is exciting. Exciting kind of like being in the middle of a bar fight is exciting. There's a lot of thrilling action but any minute you might get punched in the stomach and lose your lunch.
Next argument is in 26 days. You can come. Please bring a bucket and a cool compress.
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