In preparation for PS's slumber party this weekend, DH and I decided to go in and help her really clean her room. PS is a packrat, so we have to do this a couple of times a year. (The last housekeeper we had decided on her own to clean under PS's bed and came out crying--seriously!) She saves every scrap of paper or wrapper saying, "I can use it for a craft or a science experiment!" My grandmother apparently fosters this behavior, because PS had all kinds of weird stuff that appeared after spending the summer with my grandparents. PS has paper and junk stuffed everywhere possible--in her bins and baskets, drawers, dresser, nightstand, and of course, under her bed. It isn't gross stuff--she isn't allowed to have food in her room--it's mostly just paper. But we filled four big trash sacks with stuff from her room.
Apparently her packrat tendencies have led her to filch stuff from the rest of the house and bury it in her room. I found three half-boxes of Kleenex, a Ziploc full of placticware, a bunch of cellophane treat bags leftover from a party, leftover valentine treat bags, two rolls of scotch tape, a roll of packing tape, the dog's nail clippers, a wreath hanger, about a million q-tips, and the hole punch that I really needed for her birthday party invitations last weekend.
WTH? Why on earth does a kid need all this stuff. And while they are minor things, it is really irritating to know that you just bought Kleenex or tape and then not be able to find it. I guess I now know where to look.
DH thinks she has a sickness and is going to end up like those crazy people on tv that fill their houses full of crap and just keep bringing in more. I honestly don't know where she gets this compulsion (yes I do, it's from my grandparents who have never thrown out anything, ever), but it's not from me. When I no longer need something, I donate it or trash it. I don't like clutter and do not have a house full of junk or nick-knacks (how the hell do you spell that?) So why is my daughter becoming crazy klepto packrat girl?
9/27/07
9/26/07
Validation
This is exactly what I have been bitching about for the last few months.* It's like I have been validated. I'm not just a big whiner--there really is something going on. This article could have been about my school. A T1 school, which claims an average starting salary at something like $98K, and swears 98% of its graduates are employed 6 months after the bar. I already knew the employment numbers were skewed because if you don't have a job, the school will create one for you. There are law graduates essentially working a secretaries to different departments within the school. Wonder if they are reporting what they are getting paid--cause it sure ain't anywhere near $98K.
I have tried to be brutally honest about my plight (which is why I sound so whiny so much) to try to counteract the too-sunny pictures painted by the law schools. I graduated with honors from a T1 school and do not have a job--and I know of many in the same boat. I did externships, clinics, mock trial and worked for less than what I pay my nanny all to gain practical experience and make myself more marketable. The jobs aren't there and the law schools are being deceptive by implying that there are plenty of jobs and they pay big bucks.
* Thanks to PT-lawmom for the link.
I have tried to be brutally honest about my plight (which is why I sound so whiny so much) to try to counteract the too-sunny pictures painted by the law schools. I graduated with honors from a T1 school and do not have a job--and I know of many in the same boat. I did externships, clinics, mock trial and worked for less than what I pay my nanny all to gain practical experience and make myself more marketable. The jobs aren't there and the law schools are being deceptive by implying that there are plenty of jobs and they pay big bucks.
* Thanks to PT-lawmom for the link.
9/24/07
Cafeteria Nazi
I went to have lunch with PS today, since it is her birthday and I was conveniently not working. The way they run the cafeteria drives me batty. Actually their disciplinary procedures do in general. At least three times while I was there the cafeteria nazi turned off the lights--meaning the kids can't talk. It's their friggin' lunch (half) hour. They are supposed to talk about all the things they aren't supposed to be chatting about while in class. These kids are in school 7 hours a day. They get lunch plus one 15 minute recess. It is absolutely ridiculous not to let them talk at lunch time.
Oh, and if they get in trouble at school, they lose their recess. Even my first graders--and the same last year when they were in full-day kindergarten. If they don't complete their work or have any disciplinary issues they lose recess. Did any of the geniuses who came up with this plan ever consider that perhaps if the kids had a chance to break for a little while they might be able to focus better--eliminating both the slow-work and the disciplinary problems? I am an adult, but I have to stop and regroup (like just getting up from my desk to go to the bathroom or to get a coke) after I have worked for a couple hours. When I come back I am always better focused. And yet we are expecting 6 year old kids to work for 3 hours and lose their only break if they start to get rowdy or work too slowly.
Can they not come up with a more creative punishment than taking away free time. I don't think recess is a reward--I think it is a necessity. And kids have to be able to chat during lunch if you don't want them chatting in class.
Speaking of...over lunch PS informed me that she had to write her name on the board for talking this morning. Honestly, I could not give a flying flip--she never, ever gets in trouble. It kind of makes me happy that she was misbehaving a little bit and not being miss goody-goody. (I know that sounds weird, but PS is very into following the rules, so much so that it almost makes her sort-of socially awkward.) I was also pleased that she felt ok telling me this--and not freaked out that she was going to be in trouble. I just told her to stay out of trouble for the rest of the day so she didn't lose any recess time. (I mean, I can't tell her that I didn't care that she got in trouble at school--I had to maintain my mom face, but I didn't make a big deal out of it.)
Oh, and if they get in trouble at school, they lose their recess. Even my first graders--and the same last year when they were in full-day kindergarten. If they don't complete their work or have any disciplinary issues they lose recess. Did any of the geniuses who came up with this plan ever consider that perhaps if the kids had a chance to break for a little while they might be able to focus better--eliminating both the slow-work and the disciplinary problems? I am an adult, but I have to stop and regroup (like just getting up from my desk to go to the bathroom or to get a coke) after I have worked for a couple hours. When I come back I am always better focused. And yet we are expecting 6 year old kids to work for 3 hours and lose their only break if they start to get rowdy or work too slowly.
Can they not come up with a more creative punishment than taking away free time. I don't think recess is a reward--I think it is a necessity. And kids have to be able to chat during lunch if you don't want them chatting in class.
Speaking of...over lunch PS informed me that she had to write her name on the board for talking this morning. Honestly, I could not give a flying flip--she never, ever gets in trouble. It kind of makes me happy that she was misbehaving a little bit and not being miss goody-goody. (I know that sounds weird, but PS is very into following the rules, so much so that it almost makes her sort-of socially awkward.) I was also pleased that she felt ok telling me this--and not freaked out that she was going to be in trouble. I just told her to stay out of trouble for the rest of the day so she didn't lose any recess time. (I mean, I can't tell her that I didn't care that she got in trouble at school--I had to maintain my mom face, but I didn't make a big deal out of it.)
Nine
Today PS turns nine. It's hard to believe it has been that long since I first saw my fat happy baby. It was right about this time of the morning when my water burst all over the doctor's office--which DH still rates the #1 funniest thing he has ever seen in his life. Still didn't put PS in any big hurry to make her arrival, though. I had 8 hours on a pit drip and two and half hours of pushing before the doc finally had to vacuum her out. (I still have no hips at all, and she was an 8 lb. baby.)
So now she is nine and already acting like a moody, sulky pre-teen (shouldn't I have at least a couple more years?) I almost cut her party completely because of her bad attitude, but DH thought that was too harsh. So yesterday we went out to pick up supplies for her party this weekend. We had to stop by Petsmart for guinea pig bedding, and I made the mistake of letting her look at the kitties up for adoption. They had a litter of adorable, playful 7 week old kittens, and PS got to hold one of them.
PS has been asking for a cat for several weeks now and we have been resisting. Mainly because SS has asthma and both twins have allergies and we don't want to commit to an animal without knowing how they will react. They haven't really been around cats, so I don't know how they affect their allergies. Also, I am not thrilled with the idea of a litterbox in the house. It just seems like there's not a good place to put one.
So anyway, in a moment of weakness, seeing her with the sweet little kitten, I told PS that if she were willing to spend her birthday money on it, maybe her dad would reconsider letting her have a cat. Yeah, I know, nice of me to make him the heavy--and of course it still doesn't solve the potential allergy problem. (Although the lady in the adoption center said if you get a kitten and start giving them baths when they are little it will cut down on allergens. Makes sense--anyone know if it's true?) DH said no, and PS spent the rest of the day pouting and sulking. Which royally pissed me off, since I spent all day working on stuff for her party.
By the end of the day her attitude had improved, but this morning she was asking about getting a cat again--arrrggghhh.
9/22/07
So Happy It's the Weekend
I finally finished my project--yea! I am so glad to be done. I haven't heard yet if they have another project for me. The partner I am working with was out most of the week and said she would look over my stuff this week and get back to me by Monday. I hate not knowing what I will be doing next week.
Meanwhile, I had an interview yesterday morning with a DA's office in a mid-size suburb. I think the interview went well, but who knows. My mom status came out when the interviewer asked if I went straight from college to law school. But she has three kids, too, and we agreed that it probably worked out best to have kids before going to law school. And obviously she knows that you actually can be a good lawyer and have kids. Overall, I think we had a good rapport, but she said that she had 20 interviews for 2 positions, and many were my classmates. The bad news is that that suburb is far north, and my suburb is far east, and it took me an hour and a half to get there in morning traffic with no major snafu's. We would definitely have to move if that worked out--and selling our house in this market is not appealing.
Also yesterday I got a call for another interview. It is for a staff att'y position in the criminal courts in Big City. I think it would be great experience and probably a good jumping point to go to the DA's office or private practice.
Of course both of the above positions would be at least a 30% pay cut from what I am making right now as a temp. But I think that I would like what I was doing a lot more and have cushier hours. Besides, I still don't know exactly where this temp position is headed. At least some more doors are finally opening.
Meanwhile, I had an interview yesterday morning with a DA's office in a mid-size suburb. I think the interview went well, but who knows. My mom status came out when the interviewer asked if I went straight from college to law school. But she has three kids, too, and we agreed that it probably worked out best to have kids before going to law school. And obviously she knows that you actually can be a good lawyer and have kids. Overall, I think we had a good rapport, but she said that she had 20 interviews for 2 positions, and many were my classmates. The bad news is that that suburb is far north, and my suburb is far east, and it took me an hour and a half to get there in morning traffic with no major snafu's. We would definitely have to move if that worked out--and selling our house in this market is not appealing.
Also yesterday I got a call for another interview. It is for a staff att'y position in the criminal courts in Big City. I think it would be great experience and probably a good jumping point to go to the DA's office or private practice.
Of course both of the above positions would be at least a 30% pay cut from what I am making right now as a temp. But I think that I would like what I was doing a lot more and have cushier hours. Besides, I still don't know exactly where this temp position is headed. At least some more doors are finally opening.
9/19/07
Mortification
Tonight PS brought home her writing notebook to finish a story that she had started. She also shared with us some of her other writing exercises, one was on her favorite memory.
"On my dad's birthday a lady dressed like a bunny came to our house and sang a song."
OMG--I nearly died. What must her teacher think?
Yes, it's true, for DH's 30th birthday I hired a singing telegram dressed like a playboy bunny. I very tame, non-risque bunny. The company I hired normally didn't even do that sort of thing, but when I explained what I wanted and that there would be children and grandparents present, they agreed. I did it because DH's mom did it for his dad for his 30th birthday (which is especially hilarious because DH's parents are veeerrrryyyy conservative). DH remembered his dad's bunny, and I thought it would be a fun tradition to carry on.
The look on DH's face when he opened the door to the bunny was priceless. We had already managed the huge surprise of a party--his family lives 300 miles away, so smuggling them all into town and getting him out of the house was tricky--and it was the icing on the cake.
On a sadder note, today is my baby brother's 30th. He still hasn't spoken to me since the Spring Break fiasco. I'm pretty pissed at him for not giving me so much as a phone call to congratulate me for, ya know, the whole law school thing. But maybe I'll try to be the bigger person and give him a call.
"On my dad's birthday a lady dressed like a bunny came to our house and sang a song."
OMG--I nearly died. What must her teacher think?
Yes, it's true, for DH's 30th birthday I hired a singing telegram dressed like a playboy bunny. I very tame, non-risque bunny. The company I hired normally didn't even do that sort of thing, but when I explained what I wanted and that there would be children and grandparents present, they agreed. I did it because DH's mom did it for his dad for his 30th birthday (which is especially hilarious because DH's parents are veeerrrryyyy conservative). DH remembered his dad's bunny, and I thought it would be a fun tradition to carry on.
The look on DH's face when he opened the door to the bunny was priceless. We had already managed the huge surprise of a party--his family lives 300 miles away, so smuggling them all into town and getting him out of the house was tricky--and it was the icing on the cake.
On a sadder note, today is my baby brother's 30th. He still hasn't spoken to me since the Spring Break fiasco. I'm pretty pissed at him for not giving me so much as a phone call to congratulate me for, ya know, the whole law school thing. But maybe I'll try to be the bigger person and give him a call.
9/14/07
Today was a good day
I got moved into the office today. I was anticipating a cubicle buried deep in the bowels of the firm reminiscent of my last job.
Oh no, I got a real office. With a view!!! I can see rooftop swimming pools from my office. And the cars below look like ants. And it was stocked with every color and size of post-its and binder clips and every other office supply I could ever imagine..
And they had a computer all set up for me. They had already set up an email account and put in a firm signature that designated me as "Attorney". (Ummm, can they do that? I'm pretty sure I can't call myself an attorney until I get my license. Might need to look into that.) And they sent in a trainer to teach me how to use their file management software and how to log into the servers from home. And I had to set up voicemail. I was so not expecting firm email and voicemail.
Oh and to top it off I got paid-woohoo! It is the biggest paycheck I have ever received in my entire life. It's nice to be a contributing member of society and to be getting paid to do it. But I am gonna be so brokenhearted if (look at me being optimistic!) they decide they don't need me anymore.
Oh no, I got a real office. With a view!!! I can see rooftop swimming pools from my office. And the cars below look like ants. And it was stocked with every color and size of post-its and binder clips and every other office supply I could ever imagine..
And they had a computer all set up for me. They had already set up an email account and put in a firm signature that designated me as "Attorney". (Ummm, can they do that? I'm pretty sure I can't call myself an attorney until I get my license. Might need to look into that.) And they sent in a trainer to teach me how to use their file management software and how to log into the servers from home. And I had to set up voicemail. I was so not expecting firm email and voicemail.
Oh and to top it off I got paid-woohoo! It is the biggest paycheck I have ever received in my entire life. It's nice to be a contributing member of society and to be getting paid to do it. But I am gonna be so brokenhearted if (look at me being optimistic!) they decide they don't need me anymore.
9/13/07
Heart Palpitations
I went to get the mail today and immediately noticed the return address for the Board of Law Examiners. Oh Crap! What did I do? Bar results aren't due for another 6 weeks. Maybe they let you know (really) early if you fail.
Whew! They were just making sure they had my name right for my law license. How nice of them to assume I was going to pass. Well, except for the little footnote at the bottom informing that if I did not pass, I would only have 3 weeks to register for the Feb. bar.
Whew! They were just making sure they had my name right for my law license. How nice of them to assume I was going to pass. Well, except for the little footnote at the bottom informing that if I did not pass, I would only have 3 weeks to register for the Feb. bar.
9/12/07
Movin' on up
When I picked up my assignment yesterday, pseudo-employer offered to set me up with a work space if I preferred to work in the office instead of at home. I told them I would consider it and get back to them. There were a lot of factors to consider and I wanted to discuss with DH.
Working downtown would mean the expense of childcare, the expense and hassle of commuting, paying for parking, planning for lunch, getting dressed in a suit which = dry cleaning expenses.
On the other hand, if I am in the office I am visible. They get to know me. I am more likely to get continuous assignments--and more importantly the potential for full-time employment. And they have hinted that this could be a possibility. The fact that they are willing to go to the trouble of setting me up with a work space seems to confirm this. Why would they bother for a 50 hour project?
I really think I would be an idiot not to work in the office just for the visibility aspect. And they pay me enough for one hour to cover my nanny for the day (since it's just after school care). Besides the added bonus of re-employing the nanny before she finds another position. Oh yeah--and I always wanted to work in a big, shiny building downtown.
So I told them that I wanted to accept their offer to start working in the office. They will let me know when my space is set up.
P.S. They were not concerned AT ALL with the number of hours I billed on the first part of the project. I was all worked up for nothing.
P.P.S. Yes, I know my colors still look like a psychedelic cat barfed on the screen. I'll try to deal with it this weekend. And, PT LawMom if you see this, please read my comment to your comment in the previous post.
Working downtown would mean the expense of childcare, the expense and hassle of commuting, paying for parking, planning for lunch, getting dressed in a suit which = dry cleaning expenses.
On the other hand, if I am in the office I am visible. They get to know me. I am more likely to get continuous assignments--and more importantly the potential for full-time employment. And they have hinted that this could be a possibility. The fact that they are willing to go to the trouble of setting me up with a work space seems to confirm this. Why would they bother for a 50 hour project?
I really think I would be an idiot not to work in the office just for the visibility aspect. And they pay me enough for one hour to cover my nanny for the day (since it's just after school care). Besides the added bonus of re-employing the nanny before she finds another position. Oh yeah--and I always wanted to work in a big, shiny building downtown.
So I told them that I wanted to accept their offer to start working in the office. They will let me know when my space is set up.
P.S. They were not concerned AT ALL with the number of hours I billed on the first part of the project. I was all worked up for nothing.
P.P.S. Yes, I know my colors still look like a psychedelic cat barfed on the screen. I'll try to deal with it this weekend. And, PT LawMom if you see this, please read my comment to your comment in the previous post.
9/11/07
Ummm, yeah...it's a work in progress.
But I don't have any more time to fiddle with it right now. And I haven't figured out how to do edits in blogger w/o making them live.
Tip o' the Day
Don't use the "next blog" feature in the Blogger header. I was thinking that my blog needed an updated look, so I wanted to browse a few blogs to look at their headers. Using the link above is a bad idea. On the third blog I browsed, VirusScan caught three viruses. Hope there weren't more that didn't get caught.
9/10/07
Well, I haven't been fired yet
Finally got a call late today. They need a few things clarified, but didn't say anything about how long I took. I will probably need to pick up additional documents tomorrow and then I can set to work on the rest of the task.
So this is good. I am back to having work to do--and making money isn't a bad bonus. Actually it's a really good bonus. PS is begging for a robot for her birthday later this month. I really, really want to get her the Lego Mindstorms set, but it is $250--much more than I was planning to spend. But it is educational and I know she would love it, and so I think I might be able to splurge with the extra income from this project.
So this is good. I am back to having work to do--and making money isn't a bad bonus. Actually it's a really good bonus. PS is begging for a robot for her birthday later this month. I really, really want to get her the Lego Mindstorms set, but it is $250--much more than I was planning to spend. But it is educational and I know she would love it, and so I think I might be able to splurge with the extra income from this project.
9/9/07
Why I have a dead guinea pig in my freezer.
Last week PS's BFF and her little sister (same age as the twins) spent the night. They liked our guinea pig so much that they went out and bought out that very day (because apparently these parents are the type to buy animals on their children's whims). So BFF's mom called and asked me for tips on the newly acquired piggie. During the conversation I mentioned that we had another guinea pig that had gotten sick and died even after a trip to the vet and my diligent efforts to nurse it back to health.
So fastforward to this Saturday. DD goes to BFF's house for her birthday party. During the party DD calls and says, "Mom, BFF's guinea pig is sick, what do we do?" Yeah, because I am totally qualified to diagnose sick guinea pigs. I said, "Well, when yours was sick I held her to keep her warm and and fed her with a syringe." So BFF's mom gets on the phone and says, "What do I do, here eyes are closing...oh no, I think she's gone. Yeah, she's getting stiff now."
Yes, the guinea pig died in the middle of the little girl's birthday party, in front of a whole room full of little girls. Kinda put a damper on the whole party.
So, since the guinea pig was purchased last week, BFF's mom can return her to get a refund or replacement. But she needs to be frozen in the meantime. BFF's mom has only the freezer attached to the fridge. It's full and she doesn't want her girls finding it. So it's in my chest freezer, resting peacefully in a Hello Kitty shoe box.
So fastforward to this Saturday. DD goes to BFF's house for her birthday party. During the party DD calls and says, "Mom, BFF's guinea pig is sick, what do we do?" Yeah, because I am totally qualified to diagnose sick guinea pigs. I said, "Well, when yours was sick I held her to keep her warm and and fed her with a syringe." So BFF's mom gets on the phone and says, "What do I do, here eyes are closing...oh no, I think she's gone. Yeah, she's getting stiff now."
Yes, the guinea pig died in the middle of the little girl's birthday party, in front of a whole room full of little girls. Kinda put a damper on the whole party.
So, since the guinea pig was purchased last week, BFF's mom can return her to get a refund or replacement. But she needs to be frozen in the meantime. BFF's mom has only the freezer attached to the fridge. It's full and she doesn't want her girls finding it. So it's in my chest freezer, resting peacefully in a Hello Kitty shoe box.
9/4/07
Well, I sort of have a job
I had my interview for the contract position today. It was with a mid-size firm in a big shiny building with a fantastic view of downtown.
They started out saying, "If we decide to offer you the position," and ended by telling me to come back tomorrow at noon to sign an engagement and confidentiality agreement. But they only want me to do the first step of the project so that they can judge the quality of my work before going further. Can't blame them for that. I just hope I'm up to par--I've always been a little insecure about my writing (law school will do that to you) and they wanted someone with law review experience--not me.
The good news--it pays well. It gives me something to do. They might have more projects for me after this one. This could open other doors. And I can work from home in my jammies.
The bad news--I might screw this up. It's only temporary. It is going to be really boring. Because I am working from home, I don't need my nanny, and I am really worried that I am going to lose the nanny.
They started out saying, "If we decide to offer you the position," and ended by telling me to come back tomorrow at noon to sign an engagement and confidentiality agreement. But they only want me to do the first step of the project so that they can judge the quality of my work before going further. Can't blame them for that. I just hope I'm up to par--I've always been a little insecure about my writing (law school will do that to you) and they wanted someone with law review experience--not me.
The good news--it pays well. It gives me something to do. They might have more projects for me after this one. This could open other doors. And I can work from home in my jammies.
The bad news--I might screw this up. It's only temporary. It is going to be really boring. Because I am working from home, I don't need my nanny, and I am really worried that I am going to lose the nanny.
9/3/07
Because, you just can't sleep with a lizard.
That was my response to, "Why can't I sleep with Sticky?" Sticky is the tiny little Gecko that a friend brought over and the girls begged to keep. I found a Ball canning jar and poked holes in the top to make Sticky a temporary habitat. The girlies the took her (him? PS asked me to google gender identification in lizards, but I never got around to it) outside and caught three grasshoppers half the size of Sticky and added some woodchips (to climb on!) and grass.
When I went to tuck in TT, there was Sticky (and grasshoppers) sitting in the bed. I'm pretty open to critters in the house, but I draw the line at lizards in bed.
Oh, and the twins are asking to have their ears pierced. (There will be no pigeon-holing them as girlie-girls or tomboys. They are an awesome mix of both.) I'm not sure how I feel about this. I am very much against piercing babies. But they aren't babies anymore. I had mine pierced when I was just a little older than they are now, and it worked out ok. But I rarely ever wear earrings now--or any other jewelery for that matter, drives DH crazy that I don't wear my wedding ring. Still, it seems like such a big girl thing. And it is poking holes in their bodies--permanently!
PS meanwhile has absolutely no interest in piercing anything. She doesn't want to have anything to do with anything that causes pain. Smart girl.
When I went to tuck in TT, there was Sticky (and grasshoppers) sitting in the bed. I'm pretty open to critters in the house, but I draw the line at lizards in bed.
Oh, and the twins are asking to have their ears pierced. (There will be no pigeon-holing them as girlie-girls or tomboys. They are an awesome mix of both.) I'm not sure how I feel about this. I am very much against piercing babies. But they aren't babies anymore. I had mine pierced when I was just a little older than they are now, and it worked out ok. But I rarely ever wear earrings now--or any other jewelery for that matter, drives DH crazy that I don't wear my wedding ring. Still, it seems like such a big girl thing. And it is poking holes in their bodies--permanently!
PS meanwhile has absolutely no interest in piercing anything. She doesn't want to have anything to do with anything that causes pain. Smart girl.
8/31/07
Thanks Bob
In a fit of excitement last night, Bob managed to land a paw right on my face with the full force of his 50 lb. doggie body behind it. I now have two lovely red welts going down my right cheekbone.
So no, I haven't been blogging because I have in fact been wallowing. I seriously sit on my ass all day. On Wednesday I slept til noon. Well, I got up and fixed the girls' breakfast and did their hair, and then went back to sleep once they left for school. I never sleep past 7:30--what is that about?
I have an interview next week for a temp job. It is a short term project, but it pays well. The only problem is that I may have slightly exaggerated my qualifications for this position. When I said that I had experience drafting Daubert motions in products liability cases. I have actually drafted one Daubert motion for one products liability case. But it was a multi-party case with multiple experts all rolled into one motion.
I'm really not one to exaggerate my abilities. I don't know what came over me. My biggest problem is usually that I am too honest. Anyway, we'll see if I can make it through another interview without screwing it up. Meanwhile, I will be researching this weekend to make sure I don't look like an idiot if they start quizzing me about my experience. Which would be a lot easier if I still had Westlaw/Lexis access.
So no, I haven't been blogging because I have in fact been wallowing. I seriously sit on my ass all day. On Wednesday I slept til noon. Well, I got up and fixed the girls' breakfast and did their hair, and then went back to sleep once they left for school. I never sleep past 7:30--what is that about?
I have an interview next week for a temp job. It is a short term project, but it pays well. The only problem is that I may have slightly exaggerated my qualifications for this position. When I said that I had experience drafting Daubert motions in products liability cases. I have actually drafted one Daubert motion for one products liability case. But it was a multi-party case with multiple experts all rolled into one motion.
I'm really not one to exaggerate my abilities. I don't know what came over me. My biggest problem is usually that I am too honest. Anyway, we'll see if I can make it through another interview without screwing it up. Meanwhile, I will be researching this weekend to make sure I don't look like an idiot if they start quizzing me about my experience. Which would be a lot easier if I still had Westlaw/Lexis access.
8/27/07
What I'm reading
In response to Zuska's recommended reading, I thought I'd post what I've been reading and what's on my to-do list. Since the bar I have read:
Harry Potter--of course, and I loved it.
Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg (of Fried Green Tomatoes fame). Fannie Flagg is always good for a hilarious, lite read. This was no exception.
I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson. Just finished this one. It was a hilarious and honest look at balancing work and motherhood. I really liked this book, but didn't care for the ending.
On my nightstand:
Boomsday by Christopher Buckley. Found it at the library and picked it up because it is by the author of Thank You for Smoking and that movie was great.
The Supreme Court: The Personalities and Rivalries that Defined America by Jeffrey Rosen. Just in case I feel like reading something lawyerly
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. Because is was only a buck at the used bookstore and it's supposed to be good.
The Mammoth Cheese by Sheri Holman. Another $1 book, and the title intrigued me.
And finally, read recently (as in within the last year):
Atonement by Ian McEan. I really liked this book and could totally see it becoming a movie when I read it (which it is now.) I had previously read Saturday by McEwan and almost gave up. Saturday was very slow going, but finally picked up about 2/3 of the way through and ended up ok. Atonement kept a much better pace.
And if you prefer something trashy:
The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. This is my dirty little secret--I am seriously embarrassed to admit reading these books. But they are freaking hilarious. And it was nice to have something lite and easy to wind down with after studying all day. I can easily knock out one of these books in just a couple of hours. But I don't recommend anything else by this author. My mom left me a book not from this series and it was the absolute most ridiculous thing I have ever read.
Harry Potter--of course, and I loved it.
Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg (of Fried Green Tomatoes fame). Fannie Flagg is always good for a hilarious, lite read. This was no exception.
I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson. Just finished this one. It was a hilarious and honest look at balancing work and motherhood. I really liked this book, but didn't care for the ending.
On my nightstand:
Boomsday by Christopher Buckley. Found it at the library and picked it up because it is by the author of Thank You for Smoking and that movie was great.
The Supreme Court: The Personalities and Rivalries that Defined America by Jeffrey Rosen. Just in case I feel like reading something lawyerly
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. Because is was only a buck at the used bookstore and it's supposed to be good.
The Mammoth Cheese by Sheri Holman. Another $1 book, and the title intrigued me.
And finally, read recently (as in within the last year):
Atonement by Ian McEan. I really liked this book and could totally see it becoming a movie when I read it (which it is now.) I had previously read Saturday by McEwan and almost gave up. Saturday was very slow going, but finally picked up about 2/3 of the way through and ended up ok. Atonement kept a much better pace.
And if you prefer something trashy:
The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. This is my dirty little secret--I am seriously embarrassed to admit reading these books. But they are freaking hilarious. And it was nice to have something lite and easy to wind down with after studying all day. I can easily knock out one of these books in just a couple of hours. But I don't recommend anything else by this author. My mom left me a book not from this series and it was the absolute most ridiculous thing I have ever read.
So, this is what I did today
I started to wallow, but a friend that I haven't spoken with in forever called and that seemed to pull me out of my funk.
Because I though the girls needed freshly baked cookies to celebrate the first day of school. And so they came home and we sat and ate cookies and talked about their day and it was nice.
So, then I did this...
The line is from stitching the two images together because I don't happen to have a 12' X 12' scanner. This is the first time I have scrapped in about 8 months, and the picture is old because I don't think I have had prints made since Christmas.
And then I did this...
Because I though the girls needed freshly baked cookies to celebrate the first day of school. And so they came home and we sat and ate cookies and talked about their day and it was nice.And then I applied for the only new job that I have found today.
And here is my current game plan. If nothing is happening by the end of this week, I am going to email all of the firms in my town seeking temp work. There are only a dozen or so firms here, and they are all small or solos. Is that too weird? I have never done the blast resume thing, because I don't think it's particularly efficient or effective. But I think it could work since this is a small suburb fairly remote from the city.
What am I supposed to do now?
The girlies started school today. And I am home. I am not accustomed to being home alone. All day long. I don't know what to do with myself. I guess there's always more painting, organizing and cleaning. But my house is more organized that it has been since I moved in. And the laundry is caught up. (That is a miracle around here. Laundry is the bane of my existence.)
I really thought I'd have a job by now. I have pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I will not find an attorney position before bar results. So now I am looking for any kind of temporary or contract legal work. I don't really care as long as it gets me out of the house. If I stay here I will wallow.
I am angry. I am angry at the Career Services Office for doing so little to help the 80% of us not in the top 20%. It seems like the only thing they manage is to organize OCR. I am angry at everyone in the law school for not warning us. For not telling us ahead of time that we would not have jobs on graduation--that we would not be able to get jobs for a full 6 months after graduation. For not telling us that we would be on our own in finding a job if we don't make the OCR cut. I am angry that they misrepresented starting salaries. According to my school, the starting salary in private practice is $90K. In reality, the starting salary at a small firm or in government is $50K or less. A mid-size firm might net you $80K. The large firm salaries are so elevated that they skew the rest of the results.
I know my blog is a downer lately. But I do this more for me than for you. I want to be able to one day look back at this emotional rollercoaster--and hopefully laugh. And at least for now, venting helps a little bit.
I really thought I'd have a job by now. I have pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I will not find an attorney position before bar results. So now I am looking for any kind of temporary or contract legal work. I don't really care as long as it gets me out of the house. If I stay here I will wallow.
I am angry. I am angry at the Career Services Office for doing so little to help the 80% of us not in the top 20%. It seems like the only thing they manage is to organize OCR. I am angry at everyone in the law school for not warning us. For not telling us ahead of time that we would not have jobs on graduation--that we would not be able to get jobs for a full 6 months after graduation. For not telling us that we would be on our own in finding a job if we don't make the OCR cut. I am angry that they misrepresented starting salaries. According to my school, the starting salary in private practice is $90K. In reality, the starting salary at a small firm or in government is $50K or less. A mid-size firm might net you $80K. The large firm salaries are so elevated that they skew the rest of the results.
I know my blog is a downer lately. But I do this more for me than for you. I want to be able to one day look back at this emotional rollercoaster--and hopefully laugh. And at least for now, venting helps a little bit.
8/23/07
I am Betty Freakin' Crocker
Last night I had to make banana chocolate-chip muffins with crumb topping because I had not yet managed to haul my butt to the grocery store and my poor starving children would have nothing for breakfast. Yes, they are as delicious as they sound.
Today I finally made it to the store. In anticipation of someday being employed, I am experimenting with bulk cooking. We got in the habit of eating out way too much while I was in school, and it was good for neither our health nor our budget. So while I have all this leisure time, I am trying to stock up.
Last week I cooked up 3 lbs. of ground beef with onion and then froze meal-size bags flat in the freezer. (Flat defrosts quicker.) I can have a meal on the table in 15 minutes by defrosting the beef to throw into spaghetti sauce, mexican pile-up, goulash, etc.
Today I bought 6 lbs of chicken breast. I kept one lb out and have it sitting in a marinade for sesame chicken tonight--yum. The other 5 lbs are in the crockpot with about a cup of broth, and onion and some pepper. I'll freeze part of it as is to go into pasta, salads or other quick dinners. The rest I am making into chicken pot pie (I have a yummy and easy chicken pot pie recipe), chicken enchiladas, and chicken spaghetti to be frozen and defrosted later. I bought aluminum pans to put them in so that I can have the nanny put them directly in the oven (again assuming I ever have a job).
I'll probably spend about 2 hours preparing meals today (plus the half hour I already spent), but I'll have one meal on the table, three in the freezer and at least 5 packets of cooked meat for a quick dinner. Some people do this once a month, and it is an all day event. You can google OAMC or Once A Month Cooking for recipes, but I found that a lot of them are full or cream soups and cheese and other artery clogging ingredients. Pretty much anything you can freeze will work, and I prefer to use my own tried and true recipes.
Today I finally made it to the store. In anticipation of someday being employed, I am experimenting with bulk cooking. We got in the habit of eating out way too much while I was in school, and it was good for neither our health nor our budget. So while I have all this leisure time, I am trying to stock up.
Last week I cooked up 3 lbs. of ground beef with onion and then froze meal-size bags flat in the freezer. (Flat defrosts quicker.) I can have a meal on the table in 15 minutes by defrosting the beef to throw into spaghetti sauce, mexican pile-up, goulash, etc.
Today I bought 6 lbs of chicken breast. I kept one lb out and have it sitting in a marinade for sesame chicken tonight--yum. The other 5 lbs are in the crockpot with about a cup of broth, and onion and some pepper. I'll freeze part of it as is to go into pasta, salads or other quick dinners. The rest I am making into chicken pot pie (I have a yummy and easy chicken pot pie recipe), chicken enchiladas, and chicken spaghetti to be frozen and defrosted later. I bought aluminum pans to put them in so that I can have the nanny put them directly in the oven (again assuming I ever have a job).
I'll probably spend about 2 hours preparing meals today (plus the half hour I already spent), but I'll have one meal on the table, three in the freezer and at least 5 packets of cooked meat for a quick dinner. Some people do this once a month, and it is an all day event. You can google OAMC or Once A Month Cooking for recipes, but I found that a lot of them are full or cream soups and cheese and other artery clogging ingredients. Pretty much anything you can freeze will work, and I prefer to use my own tried and true recipes.
My husband is the Supreme Awsome Computer Geek of the Universe
I have been having trouble with the power jack on my laptop for awhile. I had to contort the cord into all sorts of weird positions to get it to connect inside the jack. Two nights ago I had the cord strung up through my toes to maintain tension while the battery charged. It was not pretty.
I tried replacing the cord, but it didn't help. The problem was in the jack. Unfortunately, the power jack is soldered into the motherboard and replacing it is not nearly as easy as it should be.
Yesterday it quit working completely. No matter how I tried to position the cord I couldn't get any power, and of course, the battery was dead. My laptop was rendered a worthless rock with all my very valuable data (like links to everyone else's blogs) trapped inside.
But DH came to my rescue. He salvaged the power jack from the motherboard I blew up. Then he spent all night breaking my computer down into a hundred million little pieces. Seriously, this stupid tiny little part (about 1 square cm) could not be any more difficult to get to. It took 10 minutes to replace the part and 3 hours to take my laptop apart and put it back together.
And somehow, miraculously, it worked. I no longer have to string my power cord up through my toes. And there were only three screws left over.
I tried replacing the cord, but it didn't help. The problem was in the jack. Unfortunately, the power jack is soldered into the motherboard and replacing it is not nearly as easy as it should be.
Yesterday it quit working completely. No matter how I tried to position the cord I couldn't get any power, and of course, the battery was dead. My laptop was rendered a worthless rock with all my very valuable data (like links to everyone else's blogs) trapped inside.
But DH came to my rescue. He salvaged the power jack from the motherboard I blew up. Then he spent all night breaking my computer down into a hundred million little pieces. Seriously, this stupid tiny little part (about 1 square cm) could not be any more difficult to get to. It took 10 minutes to replace the part and 3 hours to take my laptop apart and put it back together.
And somehow, miraculously, it worked. I no longer have to string my power cord up through my toes. And there were only three screws left over.
8/22/07
BItchfest
So I received a response back from my thank you email, which sounded pretty much like a blow off. They were very polite and told me what a great asset I will be to the legal community and wished my luck on my bar results. Which seems to imply that 1) they do not intend to see me again before bar results; and 2) they do not think I will be a great asset for their firm.
So it is back to job hunting (as if I ever really stopped). I am trying very hard not to fall into the depths of depression and self-pity. It is hard not to think that I made a terrible, terrible mistake. My family was doing fine before I decided to flit off to law school. If I am not employed by the time my loans come due things will be very, very bad. I thought that I would be making things better for my family, but from where I sit right now, I have only made things worse.
And the optomists are bugging the shit out of me. The perfect job just hasn't come along yet--it will all work out. How do you know that? How do you know that I won't get stuck in some crappy-ass job that I hate because it is the only job that I can get? I actually liked law school, and there are several areas of the law that I would really enjoy wroking in. But none of them seem to be heading my way.
I have applied for about 40 jobs since late March. Since then I have had 2 interviews. How am I ever going to get my foot in the door at this rate? Once the kids are back in school next week I will start looking for contract work.
So it is back to job hunting (as if I ever really stopped). I am trying very hard not to fall into the depths of depression and self-pity. It is hard not to think that I made a terrible, terrible mistake. My family was doing fine before I decided to flit off to law school. If I am not employed by the time my loans come due things will be very, very bad. I thought that I would be making things better for my family, but from where I sit right now, I have only made things worse.
And the optomists are bugging the shit out of me. The perfect job just hasn't come along yet--it will all work out. How do you know that? How do you know that I won't get stuck in some crappy-ass job that I hate because it is the only job that I can get? I actually liked law school, and there are several areas of the law that I would really enjoy wroking in. But none of them seem to be heading my way.
I have applied for about 40 jobs since late March. Since then I have had 2 interviews. How am I ever going to get my foot in the door at this rate? Once the kids are back in school next week I will start looking for contract work.
8/21/07
Let's talk about $ex, baby
Oh yes, tonight we had The $ex* Talk. Because PS's BFF's mom informed me today that after the girls' sleepover last week she found a spiral full of pen1s drawings. I so did not know we were there yet. PS doesn't even turn 9 until next month, but most of her friends will be 10 in the next few months. And I'm so protective about what she is exposed to. But all three girls have been fascinated with pen1ses since we got Bob. (The dog--and he gets excited a lot.) FortunatelyBFF's mom was cool about it and we both chalked it up to normal curiosity. But we both thought that we should talk to the girls to make sure that they understood $ex and anatomy on our terms.
We were going to the library anyway, so I picked up a book. I had bought PS "The Care and Keeping of You" about a year ago, which is an excellent resource for explaining a girl's changing body. But I needed something that went a little further to explain pen1ses and $ex. The book I found had lots of drawings demonstrating how your body changes during puberty, how a pen1s works, and how $ex works.
Overall I think it went well. Until we got to the page about contraception. I explained that that is what you used if you were going to have $ex but didn't want to have a baby. PS asked, completely bewildered, "But why would you want to do that?" To which I responded, "Because sex is fun." And then I had to add, "But you should not have sex until you find someone that you really love." She then informed me, "Destiny told me her parent's aren't married." And I had to explain that you don't have to be married to have sex or have babies, but most people think that you should be. The most important thing is that you do it with someone that you love.
I refuse to demand abstinence or preach waiting until marriage. For one thing, it's just not realistic. But I hope that by being honest and keeping the lines of communication open with my daughters they will talk to me when these issues arise. At least I know I am doing better than my mom. My $ex talk, when I was 17, consisted of "be sure you have $ex with lots of men before you get married so that you can make sure you are $exually compatible with your husband." That is some damn awesome parenting.
*I'm not a prude, just trying to avoid the perv hits.
We were going to the library anyway, so I picked up a book. I had bought PS "The Care and Keeping of You" about a year ago, which is an excellent resource for explaining a girl's changing body. But I needed something that went a little further to explain pen1ses and $ex. The book I found had lots of drawings demonstrating how your body changes during puberty, how a pen1s works, and how $ex works.
Overall I think it went well. Until we got to the page about contraception. I explained that that is what you used if you were going to have $ex but didn't want to have a baby. PS asked, completely bewildered, "But why would you want to do that?" To which I responded, "Because sex is fun." And then I had to add, "But you should not have sex until you find someone that you really love." She then informed me, "Destiny told me her parent's aren't married." And I had to explain that you don't have to be married to have sex or have babies, but most people think that you should be. The most important thing is that you do it with someone that you love.
I refuse to demand abstinence or preach waiting until marriage. For one thing, it's just not realistic. But I hope that by being honest and keeping the lines of communication open with my daughters they will talk to me when these issues arise. At least I know I am doing better than my mom. My $ex talk, when I was 17, consisted of "be sure you have $ex with lots of men before you get married so that you can make sure you are $exually compatible with your husband." That is some damn awesome parenting.
*I'm not a prude, just trying to avoid the perv hits.
I don't know
How my interview went, that is.
It did not start off well. First, no one knew I was coming. The HR manager with whom I was corresponding claimed I never confirmed. Umm, yes I did and I have the email to prove it.
But I still got to meet with the department head, and the interview went pretty well. The position is with a mid-size civil litigation firm that is expanding into family law. Family law isn't my top choice, but at least I would get some litigation experience, and at this point I'm not too picky. And I have experience in family law. This firm wanted an experienced attorney, but the department head said that the experience I had was great and shouldn't be an issue.
She also seemed impressed with my psych background, which actually is sort of useful for family law. Her main concern was finding someone who felt comfortable interviewing clients.
So everything was going great and I though we were getting along well. Until she asked what I wanted--like salary or hours. And I made the mistake of telling the truth. I said that I was willing to compromise a higher salary for lifestyle and that I would like to have dinner with my family more often than not. I emphasized that I was perfectly willing to do what was needed from home after my kids were in bed, but I think that I had already sunk my ship. Heaven forbid that there is an attorney who wants to be home by 6:00 pm at least 3 nights a week. I think they tricked me--all their talk of how family friendly they were. And I got too comfortable and fell for it. I should know better by now.
So anyway, she said that I would have to have a second interview with a partner before any decisions were made, and that the HR manager should contact me within a few days. I guess we'll see. Meanwhile, I sent a follow-up email trying to clean up all the messes without making it look like that was what I was doing.
It did not start off well. First, no one knew I was coming. The HR manager with whom I was corresponding claimed I never confirmed. Umm, yes I did and I have the email to prove it.
But I still got to meet with the department head, and the interview went pretty well. The position is with a mid-size civil litigation firm that is expanding into family law. Family law isn't my top choice, but at least I would get some litigation experience, and at this point I'm not too picky. And I have experience in family law. This firm wanted an experienced attorney, but the department head said that the experience I had was great and shouldn't be an issue.
She also seemed impressed with my psych background, which actually is sort of useful for family law. Her main concern was finding someone who felt comfortable interviewing clients.
So everything was going great and I though we were getting along well. Until she asked what I wanted--like salary or hours. And I made the mistake of telling the truth. I said that I was willing to compromise a higher salary for lifestyle and that I would like to have dinner with my family more often than not. I emphasized that I was perfectly willing to do what was needed from home after my kids were in bed, but I think that I had already sunk my ship. Heaven forbid that there is an attorney who wants to be home by 6:00 pm at least 3 nights a week. I think they tricked me--all their talk of how family friendly they were. And I got too comfortable and fell for it. I should know better by now.
So anyway, she said that I would have to have a second interview with a partner before any decisions were made, and that the HR manager should contact me within a few days. I guess we'll see. Meanwhile, I sent a follow-up email trying to clean up all the messes without making it look like that was what I was doing.
8/20/07
Jesus Saves*
But apparently I do not. I drafted several documents for my last job that I knew would be good samples for me to use later, or writing samples (properly edited, of course) if necessary. I saved them all on a flash drive, which I cannot find anywhere. This is the problem with technology getting smaller--you can't find it if you lose it. WWJD? Back up the damn flash drive onto something that can't get lost.
My problem is that I do not have a good writing sample. I have an interview tomorrow and although they have not asked, I wanted to have a writing sample available just in case. My best sample is a memo I wrote for an international law course. Unfortunately, we were working in conjunction with the DOJ and signed confidentiality agreements stating that we would not even discuss subject matter of our papers. It was tough research, I worked hard and made a good grade. The most infuriating part is that the point of the paper is now completely moot--the issue has been very publicly resolved. But I'm still thinking I can't use that memo.
Everything else I have is crap. I did a response to a MSJ for the DA's office. But looking back it is terrible. My arguments were good, but the style was terrible. I was using a sample from an old form book (it's the government, you didn't get to use Westlaw unless you had a darn good reason.)
I have a couple of very basic motions that I drafted for my clinic, but I don't think they will be helpful. It didn't occur to me to keep anything I did in my first job.
Argh. I hope DH can miraculously find the flash drive tonight. I'm pretty sure I let him borrow it and haven't seen it since.
Oh yeah, and in case you were wondering, the concert was great. It was nice to get out.
*Jesus and Satan have a discussion as to who is the better programmer. This goes on for a few hours until they come to an agreement to hold a contest, with God as the judge. They sit themselves at their computers and begin. They type furiously, lines of code streaming up the screen, for several hours straight. Seconds before the end of the competition, a bolt of lightning strikes, taking out the electricity. Moments later, the power is restored, and God announces that the contest is over. He asks Satan to show what he has come up with. Satan is visibly upset, and cries, "I have nothing. I lost it all when the power went out." "Very well, then," says God, "let us see if Jesus fared any better." Jesus enters a command, and the screen comes to life in vivid display, the voices of an angelic choir pour forth from the speakers. Satan is astonished. He stutters, "B-b-but how? I lost everything, yet Jesus' program is intact. How did he do it?" God smiled all-knowingly, "Jesus saves."
My problem is that I do not have a good writing sample. I have an interview tomorrow and although they have not asked, I wanted to have a writing sample available just in case. My best sample is a memo I wrote for an international law course. Unfortunately, we were working in conjunction with the DOJ and signed confidentiality agreements stating that we would not even discuss subject matter of our papers. It was tough research, I worked hard and made a good grade. The most infuriating part is that the point of the paper is now completely moot--the issue has been very publicly resolved. But I'm still thinking I can't use that memo.
Everything else I have is crap. I did a response to a MSJ for the DA's office. But looking back it is terrible. My arguments were good, but the style was terrible. I was using a sample from an old form book (it's the government, you didn't get to use Westlaw unless you had a darn good reason.)
I have a couple of very basic motions that I drafted for my clinic, but I don't think they will be helpful. It didn't occur to me to keep anything I did in my first job.
Argh. I hope DH can miraculously find the flash drive tonight. I'm pretty sure I let him borrow it and haven't seen it since.
Oh yeah, and in case you were wondering, the concert was great. It was nice to get out.
*Jesus and Satan have a discussion as to who is the better programmer. This goes on for a few hours until they come to an agreement to hold a contest, with God as the judge. They sit themselves at their computers and begin. They type furiously, lines of code streaming up the screen, for several hours straight. Seconds before the end of the competition, a bolt of lightning strikes, taking out the electricity. Moments later, the power is restored, and God announces that the contest is over. He asks Satan to show what he has come up with. Satan is visibly upset, and cries, "I have nothing. I lost it all when the power went out." "Very well, then," says God, "let us see if Jesus fared any better." Jesus enters a command, and the screen comes to life in vivid display, the voices of an angelic choir pour forth from the speakers. Satan is astonished. He stutters, "B-b-but how? I lost everything, yet Jesus' program is intact. How did he do it?" God smiled all-knowingly, "Jesus saves."
8/19/07
See you at the show
DH and I are going out tonight--yea! I bought him concert tickets for his b-day--which was right before the bar, so not much celebrating then. He is out with the girls getting them a movie and Happy Meals for their night in with the sitter. Why do I always feel the need to bribe my children when I go out? It's not like they care, they are just thrilled to see the nanny again. DH and I only go out alone maybe 2-3 times a year (something we really need to work on), so it's not like this is a regular thing. I guess I just feel like they should get a treat if we are going to be out having fun.
8/17/07
Why yes, I do have too much time on my hands
I did the Superhero Quiz, mostly because my girls are so into superheroes. But this is a fairly accurate description. I have become so used to going 100 mph that I don't know how to slow down. Since getting back from my post-bar trip, I have been cleaning, organizing and of course painting. Oh yeah, and I do find superheroes kinda boring. But I am kinda bummed that I got such a boring superpower. I always wanted to be invisible.
Your Superpower Should Be Super Speed |
 You're quick witted and fast to act. You're mind works at warp speed. From your perspective, everyone else is living in slow motion. You get so much done, people have accused you of not sleeping. Definitely not a couch potato, you feel a bit crazy if you're not busy doing something. Why you would be a good superhero: You're be the first on the scene... and likely to finish the job before anyone else shows up Your biggest problem as a superhero: Being bored by everyone else. Including other superheroes! |
Bowling Zen
Took the day off from painting yesterday. The girls were going stir-crazy and I though they needed to have some fun since there is only one week of summer left before school starts. We wracked our brains for something fun to do. It has been 104 outside all week, so outdoor activities were not happening. No kid movies we wanted to see at the local theater. Tried to talk them into the art museum, but the twins thought it would be boring. They wanted to go to the Science museum, but there is a special exhibit that DH wants to see so we wanted to wait for him. Finally, I spotted free passes to the bowling alley sitting on top of the microwave. The kids thought it sounded like great fun, and with free passes it would be pretty cheap.
I bowl maybe once every two years and I have never been very good. I am lucky to hit 100. But something overtook me and I suddenly became a good bowler. I was sending them straight down the middle of the lane every single time. I had three strikes and two spares. (Maybe that's not too impressive, but it is really good for me.)
This was especially entertaining because a 20-something single guy took the lane next to us. He seemed amused at our group of girls trying to bowl. He was trying to show off, sort of pitching his ball down the lane. And I was kicking his ass. I think he got embarrassed, because he started off friendly but he got quieter and quieter as I continued to out-bowl him.
We are now considering joining a family bowling league. How cheesy is that? We would so not be competitive (the kids were really terrible), but it would be a fun family thing, I think.
I bowl maybe once every two years and I have never been very good. I am lucky to hit 100. But something overtook me and I suddenly became a good bowler. I was sending them straight down the middle of the lane every single time. I had three strikes and two spares. (Maybe that's not too impressive, but it is really good for me.)
This was especially entertaining because a 20-something single guy took the lane next to us. He seemed amused at our group of girls trying to bowl. He was trying to show off, sort of pitching his ball down the lane. And I was kicking his ass. I think he got embarrassed, because he started off friendly but he got quieter and quieter as I continued to out-bowl him.
We are now considering joining a family bowling league. How cheesy is that? We would so not be competitive (the kids were really terrible), but it would be a fun family thing, I think.
8/15/07
Can you hear the sound of hysteria?
I love the "real" version of this song, but this is freakin' hilarious!
8/14/07
My kids apparently have not read Tom Sawyer
They seem to think painting is fun and keep pestering me to let them help. Two six year olds and an 8 year old are hardly helpful. Well, the 8 y.o. is somewhat helpful, but the little ones are just in the way.
Meanwhile, it's a darn good thing I went to law school, because I do not have a future as a painter. I am the sloppiest painter ever. And I don't mean the paint on the walls--I mean the paint that I get everywhere else. My hands are covered in primer and it won't come off. Last night the bottoms of my feet were completely covered--how the heck did that happen?
I'm having to prime all of the walls because they are disgusting. Seriously, you would think that we live in absolute filth by looking only at the walls. There is a continuous streak of grime 2 1/2' from the ground. Apparently small children cannot walk through a room without running their hands along the wall.
So I am already tired of painting and I have a lot left. It will take at least the rest of this week and probably a good part of next week, too. If I were smart I would have waited until I had a job and paid someone to do this. But I just couldn't take the grime (or sitting home doing nothing.)
P.S. I have an interview next week. Trying not to get too excited. Seems unlikely that something would come of my first interview.
Meanwhile, it's a darn good thing I went to law school, because I do not have a future as a painter. I am the sloppiest painter ever. And I don't mean the paint on the walls--I mean the paint that I get everywhere else. My hands are covered in primer and it won't come off. Last night the bottoms of my feet were completely covered--how the heck did that happen?
I'm having to prime all of the walls because they are disgusting. Seriously, you would think that we live in absolute filth by looking only at the walls. There is a continuous streak of grime 2 1/2' from the ground. Apparently small children cannot walk through a room without running their hands along the wall.
So I am already tired of painting and I have a lot left. It will take at least the rest of this week and probably a good part of next week, too. If I were smart I would have waited until I had a job and paid someone to do this. But I just couldn't take the grime (or sitting home doing nothing.)
P.S. I have an interview next week. Trying not to get too excited. Seems unlikely that something would come of my first interview.
8/13/07
Arghhhhh!
So I had been corresponding over the weekend with a firm that claimed to have a contract attorney position. They asked me to call this morning, so I did. It turns out that their contract position was not a contract position at all. It was office sharing. I would pay them for space in their offices. The would not pay me at all, but I would get referrals for whatever walked through the door that was not in anybody else's area of practice. I would essentially be going solo.
I am a little irritated. I would not have pursued this if they had plainly stated it was an office sharing arrangement. I think they were misleading in advertising this as a contract position. Although I have considered something similar as my emergency backup plan, I really feel like I need some experience and a regular paycheck right now. And I couldn't do this until November anyway (which they knew). And if I were going to do an office sharing arrangement, it would not be 40 miles from my home.
Stupidheads!
I am a little irritated. I would not have pursued this if they had plainly stated it was an office sharing arrangement. I think they were misleading in advertising this as a contract position. Although I have considered something similar as my emergency backup plan, I really feel like I need some experience and a regular paycheck right now. And I couldn't do this until November anyway (which they knew). And if I were going to do an office sharing arrangement, it would not be 40 miles from my home.
Stupidheads!
8/12/07
My Week in Review
So posting is spotty because, as previously mentioned, my life is boring now. But in the last week I have:
- Returned to the human race. The bar turned me into a troll. Virtually every part of my body needed to be shaved, waxed or depilitated (is that a word?). I had 3 inches of roots to be colored. My feet were so rough they were catching on the sheets at night. So earlier in the week the girls and I did mani/pedi's while watching Bridge to Terebithia.* My feet are now smooth and my toes are Hot Magenta. The next night I colored my hair and did the routine eyebrow wax while the color set. I am overly blessed in the eyebrow area. Think Brooke Shields in 1983. I swear I always look like I've had a face lift when my brows are done. And whole head is the same color again, and those pesky greys have gone back into hiding.
- Bought school supplies. 4 stores. $150.
- Bought Webkinz. 4 stores. $35. And I am an awesome mom because as soon as DD's friends have come trickling in from their vacations, their first question is, "What Webkinz do you have?"
- Cleaned. The junk drawer, the pantry, the spice cabinet (2 jars of ginger, 2 jars of poppy seeds, 3 jars of cloves. I never cook with any of these things), my bedroom, most of the downstairs.
- Lost 3 lbs. With minimal effort. But I purged the house of all the bad stuff. And by purging I mean I ate the last 1/3 of the box of oreos and the last 1/2 of the ice cream.
- Job Hunted. 15 resumes. 1 rejection. 1 nibble. (A contract position that would be a long commute so not necessarily a good thing.) 1 job that I would really like and that I am really well qualified for and doesn't require bar.
- Bought Primer and a Sample of Paint. I figured as long as I am unemployed I would paint the downstairs. I am now in knee deep because I have 1' test patches of "dapper tan" on various walls. My house is an open floor plan so I have to do the whole downstairs in one swoop. 1500 sq. ft. of wall by my (probably incorrect) calculation.
8/9/07
I feel so loved
The girls keep asking me when Lucy is coming back. Lucy is the nanny. I should probably be offended by this, but I am pretty sure they are only asking because I make them do chores, eat their veggies, and limit tv time to 30 minutes a day.
On the bright side, it's nice to know the kids love their caregiver. She is like a grandmother to them. I just hope she doesn't find another job while I am looking for a job. One more reason why I really need to start working.
On the bright side, it's nice to know the kids love their caregiver. She is like a grandmother to them. I just hope she doesn't find another job while I am looking for a job. One more reason why I really need to start working.
8/8/07
8/7/07
The trials of the unemployed
I have spent the last three hours applying for jobs. I have applied to a grand total of -------5 jobs. Job hunting takes forever. I researched and compiled a list of about 20 jobs last night. So today all I have to do is minor edits to my stock cover letters and fax, print or email. Ha! There is a lot more faxing and printing than emailing. Why oh why is it so hard for lawyers to accept the virtues of email? I can dash off an email in literally 1/5 the time it takes to fax. Perhaps I am just inept, but it takes forever for me to send a doc through the fax wizard. Even good old fashioned printing takes less time.
Maybe by the end of the day I'll have my 20 resumes out. Or maybe the end of the week.
Maybe by the end of the day I'll have my 20 resumes out. Or maybe the end of the week.
8/6/07
My life is boring now
I feel like I have regressed back to being a SAHM. I've had that life, and I was happy to be home with my children when they were young, but I would never want to go back to that. Today I went to the pet store for critter food and then the grocery store. I will start cooking again. I also started looking into a weight loss plan and joined sparkpeople.com. I gained about 10 lbs. while in law school, and when I started I was still carrying around 10 lbs of baby weight. I am hoping to drop about 20 lbs. by the time bar results come out in November. So this is my life now--with entirely too much focus on food.
I am thrilled to have time with the kids before joining the real world, but my elation is really dampened by not knowing exactly when I will be rejoining the real world. I am purposeless right now and I hate it. I don't exactly want a job that starts tomorrow, but I would love to know that I had a job waiting within the next few weeks. There is absolutely no way that I can wait until November to start working. I am ready to start the next phase of my life. I am done with law school and the bar (hopefully), and I am ready to move on. I hate this empty limbo purgatory phase.
I know this post sounds whiny. It is really more frustrated than whiny. I loved law school and I love practicing law. I just want to get started.
I am thrilled to have time with the kids before joining the real world, but my elation is really dampened by not knowing exactly when I will be rejoining the real world. I am purposeless right now and I hate it. I don't exactly want a job that starts tomorrow, but I would love to know that I had a job waiting within the next few weeks. There is absolutely no way that I can wait until November to start working. I am ready to start the next phase of my life. I am done with law school and the bar (hopefully), and I am ready to move on. I hate this empty limbo purgatory phase.
I know this post sounds whiny. It is really more frustrated than whiny. I loved law school and I love practicing law. I just want to get started.
8/4/07
Back to Reality
Despite my whining about not getting to take an exotic vacation, my post-bar trip was perfect. We took off to the cabin that my grandfather built shortly before I was born. I spent most of my childhood vacations there, but haven't been in at least 10 years. But I felt like I had never left, and still knew exactly where to find all the secret spots I loved as a kid. It was so much fun to show my kids the place I loved so much growing up.
The cabin is in a remote area, 30 miles and an hour drive from the nearest town. It is nestled into the side of a mountain, overlooking a valley with a small pond. There are a dozen or so other cabins in the area, but most were unoccupied while we were there, so we had the whole mountainside while we were there. Two of the girls and I caught our first fish (and we squealed like little girls when we did--we are not exactly outdoorsy), and we hiked to the top of the mountain. We also hiked to a tiny hidden cemetery where nearly all of the graves are more than 100 years old.
There was no tv or cell phone reception. I didn't even bother taking my laptop. It was the perfect post-bar trip. Completely stress-free and relaxing.
Next week I re-start the job search, deep clean my house, and start preparing for the kiddos to go back to school.
The cabin is in a remote area, 30 miles and an hour drive from the nearest town. It is nestled into the side of a mountain, overlooking a valley with a small pond. There are a dozen or so other cabins in the area, but most were unoccupied while we were there, so we had the whole mountainside while we were there. Two of the girls and I caught our first fish (and we squealed like little girls when we did--we are not exactly outdoorsy), and we hiked to the top of the mountain. We also hiked to a tiny hidden cemetery where nearly all of the graves are more than 100 years old.
There was no tv or cell phone reception. I didn't even bother taking my laptop. It was the perfect post-bar trip. Completely stress-free and relaxing.
Next week I re-start the job search, deep clean my house, and start preparing for the kiddos to go back to school.
7/27/07
Finally made it to the dentist
Yes, I did have an abscess--which I had pretty much figured out. Nothing else hurts that much. I'd rather give birth again. The root was dead and the tooth was necrotic. I don't know how something that is dead can hurt so much. And the Dentist had just seen me twice within the last 6 weeks about that very tooth. I'm thinking he missed something, but he was so nice and accommodating that I didn't call him out on it. I think I am tired of being in cranky lawyer mode.
Anyway the dentist did a partial root canal and will finish the job in a couple of weeks after we get back from our trip. The root canal wasn't too bad. But the numbness hasn't worn off yet. On the bright side, I got even better pain meds. And two new antibiotics, since the last one didn't do anything for the infection.
So I got to combine two of the most painful experiences of my life. Yea me. Years from now I will be telling all the newbies, "Yeah you think you had it tough, I took the bar with an abscessed tooth."
Anyway the dentist did a partial root canal and will finish the job in a couple of weeks after we get back from our trip. The root canal wasn't too bad. But the numbness hasn't worn off yet. On the bright side, I got even better pain meds. And two new antibiotics, since the last one didn't do anything for the infection.
So I got to combine two of the most painful experiences of my life. Yea me. Years from now I will be telling all the newbies, "Yeah you think you had it tough, I took the bar with an abscessed tooth."
7/26/07
It's over
I was more than a little concerned after the morning session. The bar examiners were playing curel mind games with us. We are supposed to have 12 essays. 2 wills, 2 UCC, 2 family law, 2 business associations, 2 property (1 usually oil & gas), 1 consumer law & 1 trusts or guardianships. The essays are always given in pairs with the two odd ones together.
When I opened my essay booklet I had no freakin' clue what area of law it was testing. That seemed like a bad sign. But I had the common sense to look at the next question to determine what the pair was. The next question was consumer law. So the first should have been trusts or guardianships. It was definitely not a trusts or guardianships. I put it aside and did the other 5 questions. They were strange. Odd details. The damn commercial paper question didn't ask about holder in due course or negotiability--which are about the only things I have to say about commercial paper. The other UCC was all about repossession--I think I did ok, but I'm not sure I hit all the notice requirements. The first property question left me completely clueless--I answered it like a contract question (it was about an option on a land contract). I was thrilled to see an oil & gas question. At least I understand and can answer oil and gas. Finally got back to the initial mystery question and determined it was about agency. WTF? Agency isn't supposed to be paired with consumer law.
The afternoon session went much better. I felt really comfortable with all of the essays. Nothing crazy like this morning. But no trusts/guardianship questions. As I was leaving, a girl I didn't know said, "Wasn't there supposed to be a trusts or guardianship question on here? There wasn't was there?" No apparently the bar examiners just wanted to screw with us.
Now I am exhausted. I will veg until I pass out. Tomorrow I may sleep till noon. I am so ready to disappear to the mountains--no TV, no internet, no cell phones (but running water and electricity, I'm not crazy). Just me and HP (oh yeah and the family--I missed my little rugrats!)
When I opened my essay booklet I had no freakin' clue what area of law it was testing. That seemed like a bad sign. But I had the common sense to look at the next question to determine what the pair was. The next question was consumer law. So the first should have been trusts or guardianships. It was definitely not a trusts or guardianships. I put it aside and did the other 5 questions. They were strange. Odd details. The damn commercial paper question didn't ask about holder in due course or negotiability--which are about the only things I have to say about commercial paper. The other UCC was all about repossession--I think I did ok, but I'm not sure I hit all the notice requirements. The first property question left me completely clueless--I answered it like a contract question (it was about an option on a land contract). I was thrilled to see an oil & gas question. At least I understand and can answer oil and gas. Finally got back to the initial mystery question and determined it was about agency. WTF? Agency isn't supposed to be paired with consumer law.
The afternoon session went much better. I felt really comfortable with all of the essays. Nothing crazy like this morning. But no trusts/guardianship questions. As I was leaving, a girl I didn't know said, "Wasn't there supposed to be a trusts or guardianship question on here? There wasn't was there?" No apparently the bar examiners just wanted to screw with us.
Now I am exhausted. I will veg until I pass out. Tomorrow I may sleep till noon. I am so ready to disappear to the mountains--no TV, no internet, no cell phones (but running water and electricity, I'm not crazy). Just me and HP (oh yeah and the family--I missed my little rugrats!)
7/25/07
Just a little PSA
Thanks to Alexis for the tip. I thought this warning was worth passing along. Be careful what you blog.
The MBE, she is a bitch
I thought the morning session was really tough. But maybe its because I was a little bleary eyed. I did not sleep at all last night. I was having major dental pain, despite taking pain meds way more often than I was supposed to. I think I'm becoming an addict.
The afternoon session went much better, but it's so hard to guess how you did on the damn thing.
Tomorrow, 12 essays. This is what has me the most concerned. I have lost all my cockiness of last week. The wait until November is going to be hell.
I'm ready to be done with the crappy hotel and return home. I have a dentist appointment on Friday. We are supposed to be heading to my grandfather's cabin in the middle of nowhere on Saturday--I guess we'll see what the dentist does to me.
The afternoon session went much better, but it's so hard to guess how you did on the damn thing.
Tomorrow, 12 essays. This is what has me the most concerned. I have lost all my cockiness of last week. The wait until November is going to be hell.
I'm ready to be done with the crappy hotel and return home. I have a dentist appointment on Friday. We are supposed to be heading to my grandfather's cabin in the middle of nowhere on Saturday--I guess we'll see what the dentist does to me.
7/24/07
I Survived Day 1
The MPT went better than expected. I put minimal time into preparing for it, but I think I did ok. The biggest problem was time management which I think was universal because one issue had several factors to analyze. No one left early.
The P&E was harder than I anticipated. A few of the questions seemed to fall out of the clear blue sky. I had worked several practice P&E's and had not seen anything like them. I know I got at least 75% right. Since it's short answer, it's pretty easy to gauge how you did--unlike the MBE where you have no freaking clue.
My plan was to go back to my room and review for tomorrows MBE. I had the choice of studying from the uncomfortable sofa, the desk with the too short chair, or the big comfy bed. Of course I chose the big comfy bed. And fell right to sleep. I don't feel too badly about it because I didn't sleep great last night. We are about 5 miles from an airport, and apparently all southbound planes pass directly overhead. And there is a train somewhere that went by at least 5 times last night--and I swear blew its horn for five minutes each time. And I am walking distance from a baseball stadium. And there was a game last night. And apparently everyone likes to blow their horns when they leave. So anyway, I figure the nap was well deserved, and I'll blog while I shake off the grogginess.
My plan was to go back to my room and review for tomorrows MBE. I had the choice of studying from the uncomfortable sofa, the desk with the too short chair, or the big comfy bed. Of course I chose the big comfy bed. And fell right to sleep. I don't feel too badly about it because I didn't sleep great last night. We are about 5 miles from an airport, and apparently all southbound planes pass directly overhead. And there is a train somewhere that went by at least 5 times last night--and I swear blew its horn for five minutes each time. And I am walking distance from a baseball stadium. And there was a game last night. And apparently everyone likes to blow their horns when they leave. So anyway, I figure the nap was well deserved, and I'll blog while I shake off the grogginess.
But to put things into perspective, on this day 6 years ago I made this, which is a far greater accomplishment than even passing the bar could be:
7/23/07
Good Luck to all the other bar takers
I am now tucked away in my bar hotel. We start tomorrow with a half day of MPT and Procedure & Evidence. It is sort of surreal that it is finally here.
I had previously complained that they started us off with the easiest stuff and a half day only to wind up day three with a full day of essays. But now I am kind of glad they are easing us into it. I am not too freaked out about tomorrow. And I am glad that I have that half day in the solace of my hotel to catch up since I was out of it all weekend.
Ugh. I can totally hear the guy in the room next to me peeing. Now I am going to be paranoid every time I have to go. I am so not impressed with this hotel. But at least it has free internet.
I had previously complained that they started us off with the easiest stuff and a half day only to wind up day three with a full day of essays. But now I am kind of glad they are easing us into it. I am not too freaked out about tomorrow. And I am glad that I have that half day in the solace of my hotel to catch up since I was out of it all weekend.
Ugh. I can totally hear the guy in the room next to me peeing. Now I am going to be paranoid every time I have to go. I am so not impressed with this hotel. But at least it has free internet.
7/22/07
My life sucks
Still in a lot of pain. I do not know what is going on, but I guess I am going to have to actually see the dentist in the morning. I don't know what that is going to accomplish because there is absolutely no way on earth I am undergoing any kind of dental procedure tomorrow. Meanwhile, I am still popping pain pills which is causing me to sleep half the day. I have not worked any practice problems in two days, but I have gone through every single one of my 700 or so flashcards.
I am trying to convince myself that since I have treated this like a marathon I should be adequately prepared despite my inability to function the last two days. I usually find comfort in numbers, and this is what I am relying on right now.
My state's bar passage rate for first-timers: 80%
My school's bar passage rate: 90%
Bar passage rate is highly correlative to quality of school and grades.
I have put in about 400 hours of preparation (including time sitting in barbri).
I have worked about 1500 MBE's.
I have worked about 75 essays.
I have read the whole dang conviser.
I went to all barbri lectures.
I reviewed and condensed notes from lectures into flashcards and flowcharts.
I am averaging about 80% on practice MBE's.
I am praying all that is enough. I am terrified that because the last minute push never happened it will kill me. I am also terrified that I will be in major pain when I take the test because I can't take pain medication. My biggest fear has always been that I would get some mystery illness when the time came.
Yeah, I know my blog has been an emotional roller coaster for the last few weeks. And now it sounds like I've gone off the deep end. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I will return to normal and not the emotional ranty bitchy whiner of the last two months.
I am trying to convince myself that since I have treated this like a marathon I should be adequately prepared despite my inability to function the last two days. I usually find comfort in numbers, and this is what I am relying on right now.
My state's bar passage rate for first-timers: 80%
My school's bar passage rate: 90%
Bar passage rate is highly correlative to quality of school and grades.
I have put in about 400 hours of preparation (including time sitting in barbri).
I have worked about 1500 MBE's.
I have worked about 75 essays.
I have read the whole dang conviser.
I went to all barbri lectures.
I reviewed and condensed notes from lectures into flashcards and flowcharts.
I am averaging about 80% on practice MBE's.
I am praying all that is enough. I am terrified that because the last minute push never happened it will kill me. I am also terrified that I will be in major pain when I take the test because I can't take pain medication. My biggest fear has always been that I would get some mystery illness when the time came.
Yeah, I know my blog has been an emotional roller coaster for the last few weeks. And now it sounds like I've gone off the deep end. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I will return to normal and not the emotional ranty bitchy whiner of the last two months.
7/21/07
Feeling a bit better
My dentist does not keep Saturday hours but I called his emergency number. He wasn't even in town, but called me in antibiotics and pain pills. The pain is finally under control, but I am so sleepy. TT and I just took a 2 hour nap on the sofa. Not exactly helping with my studying, but I'm hoping that the much needed rest is almost as valuable as studying. I haven't slept in weeks. When I get stressed I have crazy hallucinogenic dreams. At least 3-4 times a night I wake up sitting straight up in bed thinking that I am fighting something off.
Hopefully by tomorrow the antibiotics will have kicked in and I can lay off the pain pills. (I did not inform my dentist that I had already started antibiotics from an old prescription that I had never finished. Fortunately he prescribed exactly the same thing. Yeah, I know that's bad and that you are supposed to take the whole thing--but I have a terrible time remembering to take pills.)
Meanwhile, I have decided that this whole episode is psychosomatic. It seems every time I get really stressed I get some kind of an ailment. Like my last round of finals where I had three back to back and developed the worst migraine of my life. I really hope that I am right about the psychosomatic thing, because if not I am pretty sure I am going to need a root canal. The pain is stemming from a tooth that was recently filled for the second time and is waiting for a crown once I am done with orthodontics.
Hopefully by tomorrow the antibiotics will have kicked in and I can lay off the pain pills. (I did not inform my dentist that I had already started antibiotics from an old prescription that I had never finished. Fortunately he prescribed exactly the same thing. Yeah, I know that's bad and that you are supposed to take the whole thing--but I have a terrible time remembering to take pills.)
Meanwhile, I have decided that this whole episode is psychosomatic. It seems every time I get really stressed I get some kind of an ailment. Like my last round of finals where I had three back to back and developed the worst migraine of my life. I really hope that I am right about the psychosomatic thing, because if not I am pretty sure I am going to need a root canal. The pain is stemming from a tooth that was recently filled for the second time and is waiting for a crown once I am done with orthodontics.
7/20/07
I'm a big fat whiner
Yesterday morning I developed this pain radiating from my teeth on the right side of my mouth. It would come and go, but got progressively worse throughout the day. Tylenol was not helping at all. Finally before bed I was in enough pain to take the Vicodin left over from my gum surgery. (I usually have a fairly high pain tolerance and avoid taking strong pain meds.) It did not help much and I woke several times during the night and even took a second pill.
I called my orthodontist first thing this morning and he got me in immediately. (He is so sweet--he even sent me a note wishing me good luck on the bar.) We both thought that my TMJ splint just needed to be adjusted. (This plastic guard thing I wear to keep me from clenching and aggravating the TMJ while I study for the bar.) Well, he fixed that this morning, and I am still in major pain.
I have not had dental pain like this since I had a tooth abscess a few years ago. I am pretty sure I don't have any cavities or abscesses because I just saw my general dentist about two weeks ago. But I just can't imagine this much pain merely from clenching. The only thing that has helped at all is a heating pad on my face.
I do not need to be losing study time right now. And what the heck am I going to do if this pain is not gone by Tuesday??? I guess I will try my general dentist in the morning--I think he has Saturday hours. And in the meantime I will sit here and feel sorry for myself. I so do not need this right now.
I called my orthodontist first thing this morning and he got me in immediately. (He is so sweet--he even sent me a note wishing me good luck on the bar.) We both thought that my TMJ splint just needed to be adjusted. (This plastic guard thing I wear to keep me from clenching and aggravating the TMJ while I study for the bar.) Well, he fixed that this morning, and I am still in major pain.
I have not had dental pain like this since I had a tooth abscess a few years ago. I am pretty sure I don't have any cavities or abscesses because I just saw my general dentist about two weeks ago. But I just can't imagine this much pain merely from clenching. The only thing that has helped at all is a heating pad on my face.
I do not need to be losing study time right now. And what the heck am I going to do if this pain is not gone by Tuesday??? I guess I will try my general dentist in the morning--I think he has Saturday hours. And in the meantime I will sit here and feel sorry for myself. I so do not need this right now.
7/16/07
One Week
One week from tomorrow is the beginning of the end. It's also the twins birthday--so I will have to make up for my absence by spoiling them rotten.
I think that if the bar were this week instead of next that I could pass. (Oh god, I hope I haven't just jinxed myself.) I took a practice test from NCBE (the people who write the MBE) and got a 167. I have done pretty well on all of my practice essays--and I have done at least 6 in each subject. The only thing I am still struggling with is commercial papers--but I figure that if I just list the elements of negotiability and holder in due course I can squeeze out enough points to get by.
I almost wish the damn this was this week because I am so tired of studying for it, but there are still some areas that need work. I'd like to build up enough of a cushion to deal with any curve balls. And to walk out of the test feeling like I passed--is that possible? I heard rumors last year that many had a feel for how they did.
Anyway, I feel like I have reached bar zen. We'll see if it sticks around for the rest of the week. And if come November I am looking back on this post with horror at my own stupidity. To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, the biggest threats are things that you don't know you don't know.
I think that if the bar were this week instead of next that I could pass. (Oh god, I hope I haven't just jinxed myself.) I took a practice test from NCBE (the people who write the MBE) and got a 167. I have done pretty well on all of my practice essays--and I have done at least 6 in each subject. The only thing I am still struggling with is commercial papers--but I figure that if I just list the elements of negotiability and holder in due course I can squeeze out enough points to get by.
I almost wish the damn this was this week because I am so tired of studying for it, but there are still some areas that need work. I'd like to build up enough of a cushion to deal with any curve balls. And to walk out of the test feeling like I passed--is that possible? I heard rumors last year that many had a feel for how they did.
Anyway, I feel like I have reached bar zen. We'll see if it sticks around for the rest of the week. And if come November I am looking back on this post with horror at my own stupidity. To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, the biggest threats are things that you don't know you don't know.
7/15/07
Yeah, I'm a little cranky these days
This afternoon I was hunkered down in my little study closet working commercial papers essays (which were kicking my ass). And this jackass decides he needs to enter the study room next to mine to take a phone call. A 15 minute phone call. About nothing seemingly important enough to require that he disturb my studying.
The study rooms are not soundproof at all. I could hear every single word of his conversation as if he were sitting right next to me. (Apparently the girl he had been seeing was "decently cute." WTF does that mean? I think that comment pissed me almost as much as the fact that he was disturbing me.) I was trying to ignore him, but it just kept going on and on. I could feel my face flush with rage. I was seriously contemplating telling him to shut the fuck up. And then he started to wind it up. And finally he got off the damn phone and went back to his table outside the study rooms.
About that time I finished and had to use the bathroom. I shot him the evil eye on the way past. And then on the way back both he and his buddy were staring at me. I couldn't resist--I popped off, "For your information, these study rooms aren't sound proof at all." Them, "uh, ok." Me, "Yeah, I could hear every single word of your conservation. Really, we can all hear you." Them, "ok, we get it." I'm sure my bitchiness will entertain them for the evening.
The study rooms are not soundproof at all. I could hear every single word of his conversation as if he were sitting right next to me. (Apparently the girl he had been seeing was "decently cute." WTF does that mean? I think that comment pissed me almost as much as the fact that he was disturbing me.) I was trying to ignore him, but it just kept going on and on. I could feel my face flush with rage. I was seriously contemplating telling him to shut the fuck up. And then he started to wind it up. And finally he got off the damn phone and went back to his table outside the study rooms.
About that time I finished and had to use the bathroom. I shot him the evil eye on the way past. And then on the way back both he and his buddy were staring at me. I couldn't resist--I popped off, "For your information, these study rooms aren't sound proof at all." Them, "uh, ok." Me, "Yeah, I could hear every single word of your conservation. Really, we can all hear you." Them, "ok, we get it." I'm sure my bitchiness will entertain them for the evening.
7/12/07
Life in Solitary*
Ok, I am less freaked out than I was on Monday. The rest of the week has gone pretty well. Except today. I do not know what the hell is up with the property essays. There is no consistency, no common threads. I worked eight property essays today and none of them had anything in common. Except Oil & Gas. Yes, I am fortunate enough to live in a state that tests oil & gas law and apparently the bar examiners love it. Apparently the bar examiners also like to keep things interesting in property and test every freaking nuance. And of course they don't seem too interested in testing the stuff I already have to learn for the MBE.
On the bright side I have learned that I am really good at making crap up and it being pretty darn close to the actual right answer.
*Ran into a friend in the library who referred to studying for the bar as being like solitary confinement. That is pretty darn accurate. I spend 8 hours today by myself in a room the size of a closet.
On the bright side I have learned that I am really good at making crap up and it being pretty darn close to the actual right answer.
*Ran into a friend in the library who referred to studying for the bar as being like solitary confinement. That is pretty darn accurate. I spend 8 hours today by myself in a room the size of a closet.
7/9/07
For the first time, failure is an option
I haven't every really considered failing the bar. I mean, I have never in my life failed at anything I put at least a half-assed effort into. And so far in my studies I have managed to stay just ahead of the curve--and pretty much exactly where I need to be to pass.
Except now I have only two weeks left. Two Weeks. And I feel like I have plateaued. Even if I am at a borderline passing point, any surprises could be disastrous. I need to be way ahead of the curve at this point, but I am not doing any better than I was at the very beginning. I think I have forgotten half of what I have learned.
My studying today did not go well. I was working contracts questions, which is my second worst subject. I got the worst scores I have ever received. (With the tiny consolation that I was working only advanced questions.) Then I did an essay--which I felt only so-so about. Only when I went to grade the essay did I discover that I had already worked the exact same problem at some point in the last 6 weeks! How the hell did I not recognize it? How the hell could I not know the answers when I had already worked the same damn thing?
This is not looking good for me.
Except now I have only two weeks left. Two Weeks. And I feel like I have plateaued. Even if I am at a borderline passing point, any surprises could be disastrous. I need to be way ahead of the curve at this point, but I am not doing any better than I was at the very beginning. I think I have forgotten half of what I have learned.
My studying today did not go well. I was working contracts questions, which is my second worst subject. I got the worst scores I have ever received. (With the tiny consolation that I was working only advanced questions.) Then I did an essay--which I felt only so-so about. Only when I went to grade the essay did I discover that I had already worked the exact same problem at some point in the last 6 weeks! How the hell did I not recognize it? How the hell could I not know the answers when I had already worked the same damn thing?
This is not looking good for me.
The Return to Chaos
DH and the girlies finally made it home yesterday after extending their stay an extra day. It was nice to have them all back and I blew off my study for the rest of the day to hang out with them. They were full of snuggles and hugs and kisses.
Then at 4:00 this morning TT came down to tell us that SS had thrown up. And TT had diarrhea.
Since barbri is over, today was supposed to be the first day of the final crunch, where I spend all day in the library. Instead, I called the nanny and told her not to come in because I'm not going to make anyone else deal with my barfy, runny kids.
So, in a showing of excellent parenting, they will be plopped in front of the tv recuperating all day while I try to get as much done as possible with three kids in the house. I am trying to keep them at arm's length because I so do not need to get sick right now, but the damage has probably already been done considering how snuggly they were yesterday.
Then at 4:00 this morning TT came down to tell us that SS had thrown up. And TT had diarrhea.
Since barbri is over, today was supposed to be the first day of the final crunch, where I spend all day in the library. Instead, I called the nanny and told her not to come in because I'm not going to make anyone else deal with my barfy, runny kids.
So, in a showing of excellent parenting, they will be plopped in front of the tv recuperating all day while I try to get as much done as possible with three kids in the house. I am trying to keep them at arm's length because I so do not need to get sick right now, but the damage has probably already been done considering how snuggly they were yesterday.
7/8/07
The timing is right--and quiet
So I have been considering a silent timer for practice and the real thing, but a quick search revealed that the silent timers are about $30. I am inherently cheap and not about to spend that much cash on something that I will only need for the next couple of weeks and when I can foresee no possible future use.
That same search also led me to a message board where someone suggested a timer from Radio Shack from which the noise-making device could be removed.
So think morning, as I am setting my kitchen timer to start my practice MBE's I started thinking, surely it wouldn't be that hard to remove the noise maker. I'm a smart girl and I'm married to an engineer.* It took me all of two minutes to take out the two screws, identify the noise-maker (a round piece about the size of a quarter), and cut the wires. A-ha, silent timer.
Of course, now my kitchen timer is completely useless, but it think it was about $5 to begin with. Also, if you decide to try this at home, make sure your timer can be set for as long as you need. Mine only goes up to 99 minutes--something I failed to consider before I started snipping wires.
*The engineering thing is an inside joke. When DH got his master's in software engineering the undergrad valedictorian went on and on and on about how awesome engineers are and how theirs is the hardest program ev-ah and how engineers are going to take over the world.
That same search also led me to a message board where someone suggested a timer from Radio Shack from which the noise-making device could be removed.
So think morning, as I am setting my kitchen timer to start my practice MBE's I started thinking, surely it wouldn't be that hard to remove the noise maker. I'm a smart girl and I'm married to an engineer.* It took me all of two minutes to take out the two screws, identify the noise-maker (a round piece about the size of a quarter), and cut the wires. A-ha, silent timer.
Of course, now my kitchen timer is completely useless, but it think it was about $5 to begin with. Also, if you decide to try this at home, make sure your timer can be set for as long as you need. Mine only goes up to 99 minutes--something I failed to consider before I started snipping wires.
*The engineering thing is an inside joke. When DH got his master's in software engineering the undergrad valedictorian went on and on and on about how awesome engineers are and how theirs is the hardest program ev-ah and how engineers are going to take over the world.
7/7/07
I hate crim law!!
It is the only area I score below average in. The great irony being that crim law is what I have the most actual experience in and my top choice for a job is working for the DA's office.
Maybe if I didn't have to memorize three freaking bodies of law I could figure this crap out. I mean, first we have the imaginary common law that is not applicable--oh, anywhere. Then we have the MPC--again imaginary law not applicable anywhere. And finally we have my state's law, which I have to know for procedure & evidence, but not the MBE which only tests imaginary law.
Take conspiracy. I miss this one because I thought, "gee, there was an overt act, so there must have been a conspiracy." Oh wait, no, that is the law in the imaginary MPC jurisdictions, not in the imaginary common law jurisdictions. Arghhhh.
I think I need to go get a snow cone.*
*We have this new place that I swear has figured out how to make actual snow for their snow cones. And I don't even like snow cones because they are so sweet, but I discovered vanilla which is absolutely yummy. Like snow ice cream. Just thinking about it makes me less cranky.
Maybe if I didn't have to memorize three freaking bodies of law I could figure this crap out. I mean, first we have the imaginary common law that is not applicable--oh, anywhere. Then we have the MPC--again imaginary law not applicable anywhere. And finally we have my state's law, which I have to know for procedure & evidence, but not the MBE which only tests imaginary law.
Take conspiracy. I miss this one because I thought, "gee, there was an overt act, so there must have been a conspiracy." Oh wait, no, that is the law in the imaginary MPC jurisdictions, not in the imaginary common law jurisdictions. Arghhhh.
I think I need to go get a snow cone.*
*We have this new place that I swear has figured out how to make actual snow for their snow cones. And I don't even like snow cones because they are so sweet, but I discovered vanilla which is absolutely yummy. Like snow ice cream. Just thinking about it makes me less cranky.
7/6/07
WooHoo--Last day of barbri
Definitely cause for celebration, but at the same time it really emphasized how little time there is left.
For last day entertainment a mystery dog began running around the barbri room. The speaker was pretty much oblivious until the dog ran across the stage, followed by a little boy. Finally after being chased by at least three adults and the kid, the dog was caught and the lecture resumed.
No, I am not making this up. And I have absolutely no idea where the dog or the kid came from.
For last day entertainment a mystery dog began running around the barbri room. The speaker was pretty much oblivious until the dog ran across the stage, followed by a little boy. Finally after being chased by at least three adults and the kid, the dog was caught and the lecture resumed.
No, I am not making this up. And I have absolutely no idea where the dog or the kid came from.
7/5/07
This is why I did not want to screw around with my hormones
Yeah, I'm breaking my promise to avoid girlie tmi.
I went to the store today and bought mac 'n cheese, mashed potatoes, and Ben & Jerry's. (Remember DH and the kids are out of town, so I am only shopping for me.) Clearly these are not the dietary selections of a hormonally balanced woman. Or one who doesn't want an ass the size of a blimp.
And my boobs are killing me in a way that usually only comes along with pregnancy. I swear I have gone up a cup size, and I definitely do not need help in this area. On the bright side, I don't think I've been too bitchy, but maybe that's just because I don't have anyone here to bitch at.
Meanwhile, I am getting a lot accomplished in my empty house. DH is considering staying an extra day and I am not really fighting it
I went to the store today and bought mac 'n cheese, mashed potatoes, and Ben & Jerry's. (Remember DH and the kids are out of town, so I am only shopping for me.) Clearly these are not the dietary selections of a hormonally balanced woman. Or one who doesn't want an ass the size of a blimp.
And my boobs are killing me in a way that usually only comes along with pregnancy. I swear I have gone up a cup size, and I definitely do not need help in this area. On the bright side, I don't think I've been too bitchy, but maybe that's just because I don't have anyone here to bitch at.
Meanwhile, I am getting a lot accomplished in my empty house. DH is considering staying an extra day and I am not really fighting it
7/4/07
My legislators have their priorities straight
I am so thrilled to learn that my state has passed a statute allowing trusts for the benefit of our animal friends.
I mean, they still can't figure out school finance and the lottery program is insolvent, but damn I'm happy to know that I can provide for Bob in my afterlife.
I mean, they still can't figure out school finance and the lottery program is insolvent, but damn I'm happy to know that I can provide for Bob in my afterlife.
Home Alone on the Fourth of July
PS finally decided she was ready to come home, so DH took the rest of the week off and he and the twins headed to Hometown to visit his parents and retrieve PS. I have four days all to myself. This might sound like heaven if I weren't studying for the bar--but I actually have a lot to do.
This is the last week of barbri, and my goal is to catch up on all barbri assignments by the end of this week so that I can really dig in and review and practice for the last two weeks. I'm not so far behind that this is unmanageable, but I won't have a lot of time to slack, either. I would be a lot better off if I could leave the house to study today, but since nothing is open, that's not gonna happen. I'm just going to have to fend off the urge to nap that tends to overtake me when I study from home.
This is the last week of barbri, and my goal is to catch up on all barbri assignments by the end of this week so that I can really dig in and review and practice for the last two weeks. I'm not so far behind that this is unmanageable, but I won't have a lot of time to slack, either. I would be a lot better off if I could leave the house to study today, but since nothing is open, that's not gonna happen. I'm just going to have to fend off the urge to nap that tends to overtake me when I study from home.
7/3/07
The F Word
This video if fucking hilarious. F Word - ebaumsworld.com
Maybe because I am expert at incorporating at least 4 forms of the word into a single sentence when driving in 5:00 traffic.
Maybe because I am expert at incorporating at least 4 forms of the word into a single sentence when driving in 5:00 traffic.
7/2/07
He is trying to send me over the edge
I will admit that I am a little touchy lately. But I swear DH just encourages it. We got into a tiff tonight over something completely ridiculous. But instead of leaving me alone to let it burn off, he has to follow me from room to room pestering me. Because in his tiny pea brain that makes things better. THAT DOES NOT MAKE THINGS BETTER. Leave me the hell alone when I am pissed off at you!
6/30/07
Tonight at LC's place
We got the girls a cheap plastic hockey set at Target. As soon as we got home, they raced inside to put on socks so they could slide around on the kitchen floor and try out their new gear. (There has been non-stop rain here for days, so outdoor activities are out of the question.) After a few minutes I hear an indignant TT yell, "Hey, she's not letting me have my turn!" To which SS, in her snottiest voice replies, "That's what hockey's all about!"
6/29/07
I got my bar admission ticket today
I think I'm going to hyperventilate. Ready or not, this thing is happening.
I read on some blog a while back that you shouldn't consider the bar to be the most important test that you ever take. After all, the author argued, you had to pass many threshold exams to reach this point.
To this I say, bullshit. I had not yet invested 3 years of my life and a hundred grand when I took the LSAT. Had I done poorly, I would have found another line of work--likely incurring far less debt and certainly a lesser time commitment. And while I had to pass many law school exams to graduate and reach this point, it is very difficult to flunk out of law school, and one failed exam would have at most delayed my graduation by a semester. Failing the bar delays my entry into the profession by at least 6 months--but the grim reality is that if you can't pass the first time around, you're chances of passing the second time are bleak. And if I fail I will be faced with loans coming due, no job, and a return to the hell I am living right now.
So, yes, this is the most important exam of my life. And I will allow myself to indulge in a mini freak-out as I ponder this.
I read on some blog a while back that you shouldn't consider the bar to be the most important test that you ever take. After all, the author argued, you had to pass many threshold exams to reach this point.
To this I say, bullshit. I had not yet invested 3 years of my life and a hundred grand when I took the LSAT. Had I done poorly, I would have found another line of work--likely incurring far less debt and certainly a lesser time commitment. And while I had to pass many law school exams to graduate and reach this point, it is very difficult to flunk out of law school, and one failed exam would have at most delayed my graduation by a semester. Failing the bar delays my entry into the profession by at least 6 months--but the grim reality is that if you can't pass the first time around, you're chances of passing the second time are bleak. And if I fail I will be faced with loans coming due, no job, and a return to the hell I am living right now.
So, yes, this is the most important exam of my life. And I will allow myself to indulge in a mini freak-out as I ponder this.
6/27/07
Somber Mood
The DA's office where I interned just got a death penalty conviction. I worked on the case while it was still in the early stages--reviewing witness statements, videos, police reports and started putting together the trial notebooks. It was the last case I worked on before my internship ended, and the prosecutors who tried it have kept me updated on its progress.
I'm not quite sure how I feel right now. I am pro death penalty, and the guy definitely deserved it. (There was no question that he was guilty--there was a video-taped confession and many eyewitnesses. No chance of a wrongful conviction.) But it feels strange to have had even the most minimal involvement in something that affects life and death. I can't imagine the emotions that the jurors must run through. Even though they must believe in their decision, it is an awfully heavy burden to bear. It is saddening to think how many people are affected by one man's stupid actions. He not only destroyed the lives of the victim and the victim's family, but he also destroyed his own life and his family's life. Not to mention the emotional impact on everyone else involved with the case.
I'm not quite sure how I feel right now. I am pro death penalty, and the guy definitely deserved it. (There was no question that he was guilty--there was a video-taped confession and many eyewitnesses. No chance of a wrongful conviction.) But it feels strange to have had even the most minimal involvement in something that affects life and death. I can't imagine the emotions that the jurors must run through. Even though they must believe in their decision, it is an awfully heavy burden to bear. It is saddening to think how many people are affected by one man's stupid actions. He not only destroyed the lives of the victim and the victim's family, but he also destroyed his own life and his family's life. Not to mention the emotional impact on everyone else involved with the case.
6/26/07
Not for boys, update
So, I called my doc today and apparently it is no big deal to schedule my period around the bar exam. What a great time we live in, when a woman can say, "Ya know, I just don't feel like dealing with my period next month. I think I just won't have it." Seriously though, I really don't like screwing around with my hormones, so I don't anticipate that this will be a regular event.
This is now the end of my public service announcement regarding periods and the bar. I promise no more girlie TMI for a very long time.
This is now the end of my public service announcement regarding periods and the bar. I promise no more girlie TMI for a very long time.
6/25/07
If you're a guy, just skip this one
OK, I'm about to reveal more about me than you ever wanted to know, but I decided to go forward since I'm sure I'm not the only bar taker dealing with this issue.
So my period started today--which puts me right on schedule to have it during the bar. I think that is my worst nightmare. First, PMS the week before the bar can't be a good thing. Believe me, no one will want to be within 10 miles of me. But more importantly, is having the actual event during the bar. You have to put your tampons in a ziplock baggie for all the world to see. (Not that that's a big deal for me. For god's sake I've given birth. Sitting in stirrups in front of a room full of people while your coochie expands to something big enough to pass a watermelon pretty much kills the modesty gene.) But there is also the mechanics of dealing with it. My periods have been extremely heavy since I had the twins. I will not be able to go three hours without dealing with it. I do not want to lost time for the exam because I have to leave the room every hour.
So, I guess I have two options. Suck it up and deal with it, or use birth control to manipulate my period. I'm not regularly on BC, but I have a scrip that the doc gave me to try to combat the Monster Period. I quit taking it because it turned me into the Queen Bitch of the Universe. Which brings me to the question, do I really want to screw around with my hormones in the month before the bar exam? I think I'll call my OB/GYN tomorrow to get his opinion.
Arghhh--sometimes being a woman truly sucks.
So my period started today--which puts me right on schedule to have it during the bar. I think that is my worst nightmare. First, PMS the week before the bar can't be a good thing. Believe me, no one will want to be within 10 miles of me. But more importantly, is having the actual event during the bar. You have to put your tampons in a ziplock baggie for all the world to see. (Not that that's a big deal for me. For god's sake I've given birth. Sitting in stirrups in front of a room full of people while your coochie expands to something big enough to pass a watermelon pretty much kills the modesty gene.) But there is also the mechanics of dealing with it. My periods have been extremely heavy since I had the twins. I will not be able to go three hours without dealing with it. I do not want to lost time for the exam because I have to leave the room every hour.
So, I guess I have two options. Suck it up and deal with it, or use birth control to manipulate my period. I'm not regularly on BC, but I have a scrip that the doc gave me to try to combat the Monster Period. I quit taking it because it turned me into the Queen Bitch of the Universe. Which brings me to the question, do I really want to screw around with my hormones in the month before the bar exam? I think I'll call my OB/GYN tomorrow to get his opinion.
Arghhh--sometimes being a woman truly sucks.
6/24/07
Bar Prep Day --oh, who the hell knows anymore.
So posting has been a little spotty lately. Partly b/c I'm busy w/ barbri, and partly b/c I don't do anything but bar prep and my life is now pretty damn boring. But if anyone cares here is the synopsis of the last week.
We finally got an essay assignment to be submitted to barbri for grading. It was a Wills essay, and we were told to wait until after the Wills lecture to complete it. So I did as instructed. And the damn thing was on statutory issue dealing with life insurance that was not covered at all in our Wills lecture. So yeah, that was helpful. I'm dying to see the comments, since I know everything I said was wrong.
Did the practice MBE on Friday. I got 62% which doesn't thrill me. I was kind of surprised since I have been averaging in the low 80's on barbri introductory problems, the mid to upper 60's on barbri intermediate problems, and the mid 60's to low 70's on PMBR problems. I was somewhat consoled by the review lecture which informed us that last year the average raw score was 108 (making my 124 not seem so bad) and that the practice was more difficult than the real thing should be. I hope they're right. It was tough--not just the questions, but the endurance required to concentrate for three hours. I definitely need to be practicing for longer stretches.
In other news I'm still jobless. I got the rejection letter from NMBC DA's office last week. I was kind of surprised, but not really disappointed--I really didn't want to move there and the horrific interview didn't leave me feeling warm fuzzies for them. Still, it was a hit to my self esteem. They had 50 openings. If I can't get a job at a place with terrible pay and 50 openings, what else is left?
Meanwhile, DH started job hunting last week. He has already had one interview and many phone calls and emails. Apparently he is a hot commodity. It's not helping my loser self-image, but I am happy for him because he really needs a change, and an increase in pay will certainly make life a little less tense if my student loans come due before I am gainfully employed.
We finally got an essay assignment to be submitted to barbri for grading. It was a Wills essay, and we were told to wait until after the Wills lecture to complete it. So I did as instructed. And the damn thing was on statutory issue dealing with life insurance that was not covered at all in our Wills lecture. So yeah, that was helpful. I'm dying to see the comments, since I know everything I said was wrong.
Did the practice MBE on Friday. I got 62% which doesn't thrill me. I was kind of surprised since I have been averaging in the low 80's on barbri introductory problems, the mid to upper 60's on barbri intermediate problems, and the mid 60's to low 70's on PMBR problems. I was somewhat consoled by the review lecture which informed us that last year the average raw score was 108 (making my 124 not seem so bad) and that the practice was more difficult than the real thing should be. I hope they're right. It was tough--not just the questions, but the endurance required to concentrate for three hours. I definitely need to be practicing for longer stretches.
In other news I'm still jobless. I got the rejection letter from NMBC DA's office last week. I was kind of surprised, but not really disappointed--I really didn't want to move there and the horrific interview didn't leave me feeling warm fuzzies for them. Still, it was a hit to my self esteem. They had 50 openings. If I can't get a job at a place with terrible pay and 50 openings, what else is left?
Meanwhile, DH started job hunting last week. He has already had one interview and many phone calls and emails. Apparently he is a hot commodity. It's not helping my loser self-image, but I am happy for him because he really needs a change, and an increase in pay will certainly make life a little less tense if my student loans come due before I am gainfully employed.
Recently heard at LC's house:
Last night I was watching Charlotte's Web (the saddest book/movie ever) with the twins and their cousin who is 2 months younger. At the end, just when I am starting to get teary, TT asks, "Why is she dying?" Cousin pops up, " 'Cause sometimes spiders get squished and sometimes they just die all by themselves." To which SS replies, "Yeah--like old people."
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