Warning, kinda gross girlie stuff.
I visited my OB/gyn today because I have periods from hell. He recommended endometrial ablation, which basically burns away the lining of the uterus. It is a minor day surgery that could make my periods disappear completely or at least make them substantially easier to deal with. For me, he said, there are no real negatives. (I believe this procedure is not recommended for anyone intending to have children.) If I have it done on Friday I will be back at work on Monday.
He had mentioned this before and I have researched it some and was instantly on board. I am not one to voluntarily undergo medical procedures, but I can't deal with having to be in the restroom every hour and ruining at least one outfit every single month.
So I am all set up to have this done in September.
I also visited my general practitioner regarding my gallbladder. (Two docs in one week is a miracle, I usually see one doc every two years.) I have an ultrasound on Monday and then will need to meet with a surgeon. I'm not so sure about gallbladder surgery. I don't want to give up a whole body part unless I am absolutely convinced that it what is causing my issues.
7/18/08
Oh no she didn't!
I have spent the last week trying to coordinate a deposition in a multi-party case. One attorney in particular has been a royal PITA and everyone has been dragging their feet and refusing to commit. I needed a commitment ASAP before everyone's calendar changed again. This morning I finally sent an email that I would notice the depos for the dates we have been discussing if I did not have confirmation of availability by 4:00 this afternoon.
At 3:40 opposing counsel called to ok the dates I had proposed and told me she would fax over a letter stating as much. By 4:30 I had the letter and asked my secretary to notice the depos. Secretary asked, "Does Partner want this to go out today?" I replied, "I don't know what he wants, but I need it to go out as soon as possible." Because I wanted to make sure that these dates are set in stone ASAP.
Ten minutes later Secretary comes by my office and says, "Partner said those notices don't need to go out today."
WTF? I was furious. You don't go around one supervisor to another because you don't want to do something. I know it was because she was afraid she would have to stay 5 minutes late (although it shouldn't take 10 minutes to notice depos.) And if she had an issue with not being able to get it done then she should have told me as much instead of going to Partner. Because Partner hasn't had to deal with PITA lawyer (who told me her calender was open "right this nanosecond") for the last week. I would have just done the f'ing notices myself.
At 3:40 opposing counsel called to ok the dates I had proposed and told me she would fax over a letter stating as much. By 4:30 I had the letter and asked my secretary to notice the depos. Secretary asked, "Does Partner want this to go out today?" I replied, "I don't know what he wants, but I need it to go out as soon as possible." Because I wanted to make sure that these dates are set in stone ASAP.
Ten minutes later Secretary comes by my office and says, "Partner said those notices don't need to go out today."
WTF? I was furious. You don't go around one supervisor to another because you don't want to do something. I know it was because she was afraid she would have to stay 5 minutes late (although it shouldn't take 10 minutes to notice depos.) And if she had an issue with not being able to get it done then she should have told me as much instead of going to Partner. Because Partner hasn't had to deal with PITA lawyer (who told me her calender was open "right this nanosecond") for the last week. I would have just done the f'ing notices myself.
7/14/08
Sickie
I woke up at 5:30 this morning with icky stomach stuff (I'll spare the details.) Tried unsuccessfully to go back the bed, and then tried unsuccessfully to shower and get ready for work. While I can usually push through most illnesses and get the job done, a stomach bug just really isn't the kind of thing you want to suffer through in a public place. And besides I don't want to risk infecting my co-workers. So I finally gave up and emailed-in sick.
PS is out of town, and today was the first day of the twins' day camp, so I have the whole house to myself--a rare luxury. I went back to sleep for a couple of hours and then finished off a novel and now I am a little restless.
I am feeling a little better and contemplated going to the office for a few hours, but I am feeling a little drained now, and there are still periodic waves of nausea. I don't really have anything that I can work on from home.
Since this little episode seems to be passing fairly quickly, I am somewhat concerned that it is an issue with my gallbladder rather than a bug. When I was pg with my twins, I was told that I had gallstones and should have my gallbladder removed 3 weeks after they were born. Of course, I didn't. My gallbladder wasn't causing my any problems, and I had 2 newborns to care for. I occasionally have a dull pain in the gallbladder area, but never severe enough to warrant a doctor's visits (I really hate going to the doctor).
But last Saturday I woke up with the most excruciating pain in my side. It hurt to breathe or move--a lot like it felt when I had broken ribs. I was actually on hold with the doc's answering service (which I have never called, except when I was going into labor, and even then, when my water broke in the middle of the night, I waited until 7 am to call so that I wouldn't wake the doc) when the pain suddenly subsided. So I hung up and went about my day without issue. But I am convinced that the pain was caused by passing a gallstone. I was writhing much like DH does when he has a kidney stone, except that it was definitely in the gallbladder area and not the kidney area.
And last Friday, I started feeling quite nauseated on the plane home from the hearing I attended. It, too, cleared up by the end of the day. All of this together leads me to believe that my gallbladder is acting up, rather than just a bug.
And to complicate my life further, I already have a visit with my ob/gyn scheduled for the end of the week, where I am likely going to demand that he blast away the lining of my uterus because my period has gotten so far out of control. We have discussed this before, but decided to try hormone therapy instead. It didn't work, and what should be a monthly inconvenience has become a major intrusion.
Think they can take my gallbladder and my uterine lining at the time? I don't want to take time off for two different procedures, although neither is very complicated. Of course this is all speculation based on my internet self-diagnosis, anyway.
7/12/08
What to get for the kids who have everything?
The twins' 7th birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and I don't have a clue what to get them. DH and I are going to take them to the amusement park for the day, but I think little kids need something they can unwrap on their birthday. And the amusement park thing is in lieu of a party--not really intended to be their "gift."
But my kids already have too much of everything, and I am concerned about fostering materialism. They have zillions of toys, CD players, game consoles, board games and about a million books. I considered getting them mp3 players, but I'm not sure they would really get much use from them since they already have the CD players.
I feel like I am just looking for something to spend money on.
I have this problem when I have to buy a gift for just about anybody. It seems like everybody has everything they need. Myself included. It infuriates my inlaws when they ask what I want and I never have an answer. But the truth is that I just don't need any more stuff--and neither do my kids. If they really feel they need to get me something, I'd prefer a Starbucks GC, so that I can get my morning lattes guilt-free (yes, I do feel a tad guilty when I hand over $5 for my morning coffee, because there has got to be a better way to spend $5), or a spa GC. I don't even want retail GC's, because they are just used to buy more stuff, which I don't need or want.
And so it is with my kiddos. Except not even a Starbucks or spa GC works for 7 year olds (although they did keep stealing sips of my Frap. this morning). I guess I'll keep thinking. The good news is that they are easily pleased. I can get them a pair of PJ's and a new box of 64 crayons and they would be just as happy as if I got them an ipod.
But my kids already have too much of everything, and I am concerned about fostering materialism. They have zillions of toys, CD players, game consoles, board games and about a million books. I considered getting them mp3 players, but I'm not sure they would really get much use from them since they already have the CD players.
I feel like I am just looking for something to spend money on.
I have this problem when I have to buy a gift for just about anybody. It seems like everybody has everything they need. Myself included. It infuriates my inlaws when they ask what I want and I never have an answer. But the truth is that I just don't need any more stuff--and neither do my kids. If they really feel they need to get me something, I'd prefer a Starbucks GC, so that I can get my morning lattes guilt-free (yes, I do feel a tad guilty when I hand over $5 for my morning coffee, because there has got to be a better way to spend $5), or a spa GC. I don't even want retail GC's, because they are just used to buy more stuff, which I don't need or want.
And so it is with my kiddos. Except not even a Starbucks or spa GC works for 7 year olds (although they did keep stealing sips of my Frap. this morning). I guess I'll keep thinking. The good news is that they are easily pleased. I can get them a pair of PJ's and a new box of 64 crayons and they would be just as happy as if I got them an ipod.
7/11/08
Why aren't there more women in the courtroom?
Women are now graduating law school in equal numbers with men. Yet litigation still seems to be a man's game. What is that about?
I first noticed the lack of women in the courtroom when I interned in the civil courts after my 1L year. There were only a handful of women who ever appeared in court--and I don't think I saw any woman try a case that entire summer.
When I interned in the DA's office, there were equal numbers of male and female prosecutors. But when I observed other matters during morning docket call (in a court of general jurisdiction) there were few women. In fact, the only women who appeared were there for family-law matters. Although this was a small, rural jurisdiction where there isn't much high-end civil litigation going on, anyway.
But today I was in a packed courtroom in one of the largest cities in the U.S. The men outnumbered the women at least 5 to 1. Most of the women were young associates, like me, who were accompanying their bosses. (Although I was actually alone today.) A couple more were ad litems. (One of the female ad litems was wearing a dark pin-striped suit jacket with khakis, a tank top and canvas platform wedges. The ones where the heels are made out of hemp or something. Really, how to you graduate from law school without enough sense to realize this is a huge fashion don't?) My fashion-related digression aside, my point is that civil courtrooms continue to be dominated by men.
Now, to be fair, they were mostly men over the age of 50. I certainly don't expect to see hoards of first and second year male or female associates arguing big cases. So perhaps part of the problem is that it is the most experienced attorneys who are filling the courtrooms. I am sure that there are far more male than female litigators in the 50-year-old range. And, in fact, of those young associates merely there for observation, there did appear to be more women than men.
So I guess the real question is, are there no women in the courtroom because there aren't yet enough experienced female litigators, or are women just not going into litigation--or staying in litigation, which I have been told numerous times is not an area amenable to balancing a family life?
I first noticed the lack of women in the courtroom when I interned in the civil courts after my 1L year. There were only a handful of women who ever appeared in court--and I don't think I saw any woman try a case that entire summer.
When I interned in the DA's office, there were equal numbers of male and female prosecutors. But when I observed other matters during morning docket call (in a court of general jurisdiction) there were few women. In fact, the only women who appeared were there for family-law matters. Although this was a small, rural jurisdiction where there isn't much high-end civil litigation going on, anyway.
But today I was in a packed courtroom in one of the largest cities in the U.S. The men outnumbered the women at least 5 to 1. Most of the women were young associates, like me, who were accompanying their bosses. (Although I was actually alone today.) A couple more were ad litems. (One of the female ad litems was wearing a dark pin-striped suit jacket with khakis, a tank top and canvas platform wedges. The ones where the heels are made out of hemp or something. Really, how to you graduate from law school without enough sense to realize this is a huge fashion don't?) My fashion-related digression aside, my point is that civil courtrooms continue to be dominated by men.
Now, to be fair, they were mostly men over the age of 50. I certainly don't expect to see hoards of first and second year male or female associates arguing big cases. So perhaps part of the problem is that it is the most experienced attorneys who are filling the courtrooms. I am sure that there are far more male than female litigators in the 50-year-old range. And, in fact, of those young associates merely there for observation, there did appear to be more women than men.
So I guess the real question is, are there no women in the courtroom because there aren't yet enough experienced female litigators, or are women just not going into litigation--or staying in litigation, which I have been told numerous times is not an area amenable to balancing a family life?
7/10/08
Tired
This week has been busy. I have about 10 cases and that are all taking off at once. It looks like it is going to be a busy fall.
Took PS to the airport today to spend a few weeks with my grandparents. It was her first time to fly alone. I felt ok about it since it was a 45 minute flight to a small, uncrowded airport in Hometown. Still I got teary when I had to let her get on the plane. That surprised me, because I am not typically emotional.
We had to leave the house at 6:15 this morning, which is before I usually even wake up, and now I am pooped. And tomorrow I have to fly to an out-of-town hearing at 6:15 am. That means I need to leave my house about 4:30 am. I think I'll turn in early tonight. Thank goodness tomorrow's Friday.
Took PS to the airport today to spend a few weeks with my grandparents. It was her first time to fly alone. I felt ok about it since it was a 45 minute flight to a small, uncrowded airport in Hometown. Still I got teary when I had to let her get on the plane. That surprised me, because I am not typically emotional.
We had to leave the house at 6:15 this morning, which is before I usually even wake up, and now I am pooped. And tomorrow I have to fly to an out-of-town hearing at 6:15 am. That means I need to leave my house about 4:30 am. I think I'll turn in early tonight. Thank goodness tomorrow's Friday.
7/2/08
Real lawyers don't cry
Big boss walked into my office this afternoon and yelled, "Don't you ever go crying to the goddamn Plaintiffs' lawyers because you can't handle a deposition." He was PO'd, but it, fortunately, was not directed at me.
Local counsel on an out-of-state case was supposed to be handling several depos this week. Apparently local counsel thought the Plaintiffs' lawyers were ganging up on her and ended up in tears in the deposition.
Seriously--what kind of lawyer starts crying in a deposition? If you can't take the heat from opposing counsel, you really should not have gone into litigation.
Besides the devastating impact that she has caused to her own career (she got yanked off a very big case), she is also doing nothing to help all the other female litigators. Is my boss going to think of this the next time he is scheduling depos and send a guy instead of me--a potentially hormonal female? I hope not.
Perhaps I sound unsympathetic, but it is frustrating to see a seemingly successful female lawyer flake out in a way that will leave the Good Ol' Boys saying, "yep, that's what you get with a girl."
Local counsel on an out-of-state case was supposed to be handling several depos this week. Apparently local counsel thought the Plaintiffs' lawyers were ganging up on her and ended up in tears in the deposition.
Seriously--what kind of lawyer starts crying in a deposition? If you can't take the heat from opposing counsel, you really should not have gone into litigation.
Besides the devastating impact that she has caused to her own career (she got yanked off a very big case), she is also doing nothing to help all the other female litigators. Is my boss going to think of this the next time he is scheduling depos and send a guy instead of me--a potentially hormonal female? I hope not.
Perhaps I sound unsympathetic, but it is frustrating to see a seemingly successful female lawyer flake out in a way that will leave the Good Ol' Boys saying, "yep, that's what you get with a girl."
6/28/08
6/25/08
So now they want me
I got a totally random, unsolicited call from a (reputable) headhunter today. Apparently they had a position that they wanted me to apply for. So after all those long months of looking for a job, now they are coming to me. I declined.
6/24/08
Need a post-vacation vacation
I flew in Sunday night and got home around 10:00 pm. I was at work by 8:30 the next morning. DH and the girls drove in Monday and got home about 5:00 pm. Because the fence had blown over, we had to figure out what to do with Bob until we can repair the fence next weekend. So we went and bought a giant dog kennel and were outside until 11:00 pm assembling it. Meanwhile the house is a disaster from unpacking everything.
Tonight I get home about 8:00 pm. DH then realizes that 1) he has a nail in his tire; and 2) he is missing two lug nuts; which leads to 3) one of the lug bolts is sheared off and must be completely replaced. DH's blue collar roots compel him to attempt all car repairs himself. But I convinced him that given this issue's intimate connection with the brake system that it was perhaps better suited for a professional. And he couldn't get the sheared bolt out.
Oh, and my suburban has a spare tire on right now, because we noticed a nail in it right before we were heading home from vacation , so that vehicle needs a tire repair, too.
And Bob the Superdog managed to escape from the kennel that we built last night, so DH had to try to fix that while waiting for me to get home.
Sometimes I feel like I am living in a sitcom.
Tonight I get home about 8:00 pm. DH then realizes that 1) he has a nail in his tire; and 2) he is missing two lug nuts; which leads to 3) one of the lug bolts is sheared off and must be completely replaced. DH's blue collar roots compel him to attempt all car repairs himself. But I convinced him that given this issue's intimate connection with the brake system that it was perhaps better suited for a professional. And he couldn't get the sheared bolt out.
Oh, and my suburban has a spare tire on right now, because we noticed a nail in it right before we were heading home from vacation , so that vehicle needs a tire repair, too.
And Bob the Superdog managed to escape from the kennel that we built last night, so DH had to try to fix that while waiting for me to get home.
Sometimes I feel like I am living in a sitcom.
Back from my vacation to 1957
And I have sunburns in weird places--like my hands and my earlobes (but not the tops of my ears where I actually put sunscreen.)
There were 15 of us in a 3 b/r cabin, 7 of whom were children ranging from 2 months to 9 years. MIL & FIL for one b/r and the couple with the baby got the other. That left the rest of us in a dorm-style loft sleeping in singles. I don't think I have slept in the same room with other adults since I was in college.
I generally get along well with the inlaws, but it was a little too much togetherness. I finally lost my cool when I realized that the men were completely taking advantage of the women-folk. By the third day I had not seen a man wash a single dish or prepare a meal. I hadn't even seen the father of the infant hold his baby, much less feed or change it. The third morning I encouraged DH to go fishing alone with his dad and the other guys. He had been dealing with the girls and their poles the entire time which made it tough for him to relax and actually get to fish. I had absolutely no problem watching the kids for the morning while the guys went out to fish in peace. We planned to meet up with them around lunch-time and grill out at the park where they were fishing.
So lunchtime arrived and we crammed all of the girls and children into my suburban and drove over to meet the guys. My SILs walked over to their husbands while I waited with the kids. When they returned they informed me that the guys wanted us to come back and get them once we had the grill going and lunch was about ready.
WTF? They couldn't reel in their damn poles and come help with either the kids or the lunch. I expressed my unhappiness with the guys treating them like their servants and not doing anything, but apparently the other women didn't agree with my POV. (One SIL even cleaned her DH's fish for him!)
Once we parked, I headed up the hill to have a little chat with DH. I was pretty sure he wasn't the one pulling that crap, but I needed to bitch someone out. One BIL overheard and hauled ass back to the campsite to help out. The others were oblivious.
Overall I was truly stunned at the way one SIL allows her husband to treat her. She waits on him hand and foot. Oh, and the kicker--she is a professional who probably makes 2 to 3 times what her husband makes. It will be interesting to see if things have changed a year from now when she is balancing life as a working mom. (She is the one with the 2 month old, first child, and her maternity leave ends next week.)
Despite the offenses to my feminist sensibilities, it was a nice trip. The area we were in was absolutely gorgeous. There was so much to do and so much history there. And I got to go whitewater rafting for the first time. I have always wanted to go and it was so much fun and a great way to view the scenery.
There were 15 of us in a 3 b/r cabin, 7 of whom were children ranging from 2 months to 9 years. MIL & FIL for one b/r and the couple with the baby got the other. That left the rest of us in a dorm-style loft sleeping in singles. I don't think I have slept in the same room with other adults since I was in college.
I generally get along well with the inlaws, but it was a little too much togetherness. I finally lost my cool when I realized that the men were completely taking advantage of the women-folk. By the third day I had not seen a man wash a single dish or prepare a meal. I hadn't even seen the father of the infant hold his baby, much less feed or change it. The third morning I encouraged DH to go fishing alone with his dad and the other guys. He had been dealing with the girls and their poles the entire time which made it tough for him to relax and actually get to fish. I had absolutely no problem watching the kids for the morning while the guys went out to fish in peace. We planned to meet up with them around lunch-time and grill out at the park where they were fishing.
So lunchtime arrived and we crammed all of the girls and children into my suburban and drove over to meet the guys. My SILs walked over to their husbands while I waited with the kids. When they returned they informed me that the guys wanted us to come back and get them once we had the grill going and lunch was about ready.
WTF? They couldn't reel in their damn poles and come help with either the kids or the lunch. I expressed my unhappiness with the guys treating them like their servants and not doing anything, but apparently the other women didn't agree with my POV. (One SIL even cleaned her DH's fish for him!)
Once we parked, I headed up the hill to have a little chat with DH. I was pretty sure he wasn't the one pulling that crap, but I needed to bitch someone out. One BIL overheard and hauled ass back to the campsite to help out. The others were oblivious.
Overall I was truly stunned at the way one SIL allows her husband to treat her. She waits on him hand and foot. Oh, and the kicker--she is a professional who probably makes 2 to 3 times what her husband makes. It will be interesting to see if things have changed a year from now when she is balancing life as a working mom. (She is the one with the 2 month old, first child, and her maternity leave ends next week.)
Despite the offenses to my feminist sensibilities, it was a nice trip. The area we were in was absolutely gorgeous. There was so much to do and so much history there. And I got to go whitewater rafting for the first time. I have always wanted to go and it was so much fun and a great way to view the scenery.
6/16/08
Vacation
We're taking off on Wednesday to a cabin in the middle of nowhere with all of my in-laws. The cabin is about a 15-hour drive from our house, but Hometown is a half-way point so we will stop there overnight. DH is getting stuck doing the first and last leg of the trip with the girls while I fly in to Hometown so that I can work Wednesday and Monday. It would be nice if we could all fly, but we really need the Suburban to haul all our crap.
Of course, we are totally not prepared. I told the girls to start packing, but I haven't checked what they have put together. I haven't done anything to get my own stuff packed and don't even know what laundry needs to be done.
And then there is all the critters. A neighbor has volunteered to take care of the kittens. (They are doing great, starting to open their eyes and so freakin' cute.) We are boarding Bob. We got an extended feeder for the fish. But the guinea pig-we forgot about the guinea pig. So tomorrow I will be scrambling to find someone to watch the guinea pig. Ack.
And of course I am trying to pack an entire week's work into 3 days. I didn't get home until 9:30 tonight--which didn't help with my packing situation. I have spent three days trying to figure out the million dollar question--literally. My research is directly related to whether my client has $1 mil potential liability or $2 mil potential liability. I think I finally found the definitive answer today, but it took forever and now I am behind on everything.
I should really try to get something done tonight, but really, I just want to go to bed. But if I don't do anything tonight, I have to do it all tomorrow. Wednesday I head straight to the airport from work. This is going to be a long short week.
Of course, we are totally not prepared. I told the girls to start packing, but I haven't checked what they have put together. I haven't done anything to get my own stuff packed and don't even know what laundry needs to be done.
And then there is all the critters. A neighbor has volunteered to take care of the kittens. (They are doing great, starting to open their eyes and so freakin' cute.) We are boarding Bob. We got an extended feeder for the fish. But the guinea pig-we forgot about the guinea pig. So tomorrow I will be scrambling to find someone to watch the guinea pig. Ack.
And of course I am trying to pack an entire week's work into 3 days. I didn't get home until 9:30 tonight--which didn't help with my packing situation. I have spent three days trying to figure out the million dollar question--literally. My research is directly related to whether my client has $1 mil potential liability or $2 mil potential liability. I think I finally found the definitive answer today, but it took forever and now I am behind on everything.
I should really try to get something done tonight, but really, I just want to go to bed. But if I don't do anything tonight, I have to do it all tomorrow. Wednesday I head straight to the airport from work. This is going to be a long short week.
6/11/08
What's that about nice girls?
Many of us read Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office a while back. One of the suggestions was Don't Feed People. So that immediately came to mind when I entered the kitchen this morning and saw a huge box of cookies and a note from the new (first-year female) associate saying, "I look forward to working with all of you."
Did she just commit corner-office suicide?
I think not. First, they were bakery cookies, not homemade. I think that was a smart move--you don't want to look too housewifey. Second, I think it probably sent a positive signal to the staff that she is a nice person. It's always good to get off on the right foot with the people who can really save your neck. And I think the attorneys--the ones who will actually determine whether she ever gets a corner office--probably didn't even notice. Or just enjoyed their yummy cookies if they did.
Did she just commit corner-office suicide?
I think not. First, they were bakery cookies, not homemade. I think that was a smart move--you don't want to look too housewifey. Second, I think it probably sent a positive signal to the staff that she is a nice person. It's always good to get off on the right foot with the people who can really save your neck. And I think the attorneys--the ones who will actually determine whether she ever gets a corner office--probably didn't even notice. Or just enjoyed their yummy cookies if they did.
A lawyer's thoughts on lawyers
I have been dealing with opposing counsel who is a real PITA. After three extensions, he wouldn't respond to discovery requests until we filed a motion to compel. Then he dumped 10,000 unidentified documents on us. (Be careful what you wish for - we took this case over from original counsel who had drafted very broad RFPs) Then we informed him that his production was not in conformity with the rules, so he produced a 165 page document purportedly ID'ing the documents. We have made numerous attempts to contact him to schedule a deposition and he will not respond. On Friday I guess I will notice the depo without his input and then probably have to file another motion to compel to actually get his client to attend.
This guy is coming off as totally unprofessional. Nothing about this case should require this much contentiousness. I don't know if he doesn't have his act together or if he is just generally an asshole.
Another opposing counsel called today with a rather mundane question. But I could hear her typing every time I said a word. She does this every freaking time she calls--its like she is recording everything I say. Then, because she is typing, she can't formulate her next question, so I am stuck waiting on her to type my answers and figure out what she is going to say next. Highly irritating.
Finally, I sent an email to a co-defendant's counsel. He responded within 10 minutes, answered my question and offered to send me the docs I needed when I didn't even have to ask. Even though we are on the same side of litigation, it is very possible that our clients may have claims against one another. Yet he was professional and courteous. Attorney #1 needs to take lessons from this guy.
This guy is coming off as totally unprofessional. Nothing about this case should require this much contentiousness. I don't know if he doesn't have his act together or if he is just generally an asshole.
Another opposing counsel called today with a rather mundane question. But I could hear her typing every time I said a word. She does this every freaking time she calls--its like she is recording everything I say. Then, because she is typing, she can't formulate her next question, so I am stuck waiting on her to type my answers and figure out what she is going to say next. Highly irritating.
Finally, I sent an email to a co-defendant's counsel. He responded within 10 minutes, answered my question and offered to send me the docs I needed when I didn't even have to ask. Even though we are on the same side of litigation, it is very possible that our clients may have claims against one another. Yet he was professional and courteous. Attorney #1 needs to take lessons from this guy.
6/10/08
In cae you were wondering...
The mama cat is nursing her babies. Maybe she is not feral, because she is letting us approach her now. We left out cat food, but she didn't eat all day, so PS and DH were able to hand fed her some of the kitten formula and some lunch meat. Not ideal, but nursing moms need to stay nourished. We are also trying to supplement the babies in case mom isn't making enough milk. We are thrilled that all of the babies have survived so far.
I talked to the lady who ran the cat shelter that we fostered for. Her shelter is now defunct, but she said that she could give us any supplies that we needed and help us find homes when they are weaned. She also has a cost efficient resourced for having them neutered.
So, if anybody out there wants a kitten, I have 6 and I'd be happy to overnight one (or two or three) to you!
I talked to the lady who ran the cat shelter that we fostered for. Her shelter is now defunct, but she said that she could give us any supplies that we needed and help us find homes when they are weaned. She also has a cost efficient resourced for having them neutered.
So, if anybody out there wants a kitten, I have 6 and I'd be happy to overnight one (or two or three) to you!
6/9/08
Our Grand Plan
We noticed the mama cat wandering around and decided that it would be best for her to take care of her babies. Except that we think she is feral, and we didn't want her to just come and take the babies, because we didn't know where she would take them and we didn't want the babies to die in the cool weather and rain.
A neighbor came by and tried to bait the mama with one of the kittens. The mama cat was getting pretty close when another neighbor drove up. After that it was clear that the mama cat was not going to come to us.
So the next great idea was to put the kittens (and some food) right by the front door, wait for the mama cat to approach and then slam the front door, trapping her inside. Yeah, that's right--my brilliant plan was to trap a feral cat inside my house. And it actually worked--although we had to wait for over an hour.
The mama cat dashed in and made a grab for one of the babies, and DH managed to shut the door. Of course she freaked once she realized she was trapped and jumped up on the table in my entry, knocking everything (mostly picture frames) to the ground. After a couple of frantic zips around the house she has hid beneath a chair.
Meanwhile we have relocated the kittens, food and a litter box (thankfully leftover from when we were fostering a few months ago) to the powder room where we have locked her in for the night.
If you are questioning my intelligence right now, yeah, so am I. Clearly I have no experience in this department. No, I don't know what I'm going to do with the mama cat tomorrow. But hopefully she will feed her babies tonight. I contacted the lady who ran the cat rescue that we used to foster for, and she said that only 50% of the abandoned kittens that she has had survive.
If you wish hard enough, sometimes your dreams do come true
PS is obsessed with cats. She talks all the time about getting a cat. She has cat posters all over her room. When we went to the library this week, she got books all about cats. So she pretty much thought it was Christmas morning when one of the neighbors knocked on the door to tell us that something was screaming in our flowerbeds. Turns out that something was a litter of kittens. It was pouring rain and they were getting soaked. They don't even have their eyes open, and look to be only a day or two old.
I have no idea what to do with a litter of kittens. I bought kitten formula and a bottle, but they won't take it. I'm terrified that they are going to die and that I will have to explain the circle of life to the kids. Besides the fact that keeping little little girls away from tiny kittens is almost impossible. Even if we get them to feed, I'm afraid my girls might love them to death.
It's always something around here.
I have no idea what to do with a litter of kittens. I bought kitten formula and a bottle, but they won't take it. I'm terrified that they are going to die and that I will have to explain the circle of life to the kids. Besides the fact that keeping little little girls away from tiny kittens is almost impossible. Even if we get them to feed, I'm afraid my girls might love them to death.
It's always something around here.
6/5/08
Summer has officially begun
Today was the last day of school so I took the day off to attend their awards assemblies and so that I could bring them home afterward. I always feel so badly for the 3 or 4 kids who are left at the end of the day just before the breaks.
But I have to say that I was shocked at all the parents bringing gifts and flowers to their kids. Has completing an elementary school grade become that big of a deal? These weren't even the 6th graders who would be moving on. One of the twins' first-grade classmates was gifted with a Webkinz and another with a huge bouquet of flowers. I suppose that it is possible that these kids accomplished something really great, like making the honor roll for the first time, but my hunch is that is not the case.
I guess I'm just of the mindset that I want my children to recognize their really important accomplishments. And if we over-celebrate every mini-milestone along the way that the big ones will lose their significance. I'm proud of my girls for all finishing the year with straight A's--but I also expect nothing less of them. So they didn't get anything special from me. But we did go to lunch and eat our ice cream first. And now I think we have to get out of the hose and go find something fun do do. Here's to 3 months of "I'm bored!"
But I have to say that I was shocked at all the parents bringing gifts and flowers to their kids. Has completing an elementary school grade become that big of a deal? These weren't even the 6th graders who would be moving on. One of the twins' first-grade classmates was gifted with a Webkinz and another with a huge bouquet of flowers. I suppose that it is possible that these kids accomplished something really great, like making the honor roll for the first time, but my hunch is that is not the case.
I guess I'm just of the mindset that I want my children to recognize their really important accomplishments. And if we over-celebrate every mini-milestone along the way that the big ones will lose their significance. I'm proud of my girls for all finishing the year with straight A's--but I also expect nothing less of them. So they didn't get anything special from me. But we did go to lunch and eat our ice cream first. And now I think we have to get out of the hose and go find something fun do do. Here's to 3 months of "I'm bored!"
An update . . .
. . . since my secretary post continues to be a hot topic. First, for clarification, I am in a mid-sized firm. We have 15-20 attorneys and probably 25-30 support staffers.
I spoke with the office manager yesterday. I told her that I wanted to be clear on what was to be expected from my secretary and other support staff and who I should be asking to do what. I told her that I didn't want to report anyone or cause trouble, but that there were some things that my secretary seemed reluctant to do and that I wanted to make sure that I wasn't out of line in asking her to do these things.
The OM responded that the secretary is responsible for any task that I need her to do that is not billable (or personal--but I have never seen anyone give a secretary a personal task at my firm). If it is something that can be handled by the file clerks or service center, then it is her job to distribute these tasks and ensure that they are completed. But there is nothing that she is not supposed to do.
I made clear that I preferred to handle things for now, and the OM was in agreement. She said that she would step in later, if I needed her to.
At this point, my plan is to be much firmer with my secretary when asking her to do tasks and I will deal with any issues when they occur. I think that confronting her with a list of screw-ups from the last couple of weeks is just going to generate hostility. I should have called her on them immediately.
As for the evaluation--well I'm not going to say anything negative because I just don't think that's fair since I haven't said anything to her before.
I spoke with the office manager yesterday. I told her that I wanted to be clear on what was to be expected from my secretary and other support staff and who I should be asking to do what. I told her that I didn't want to report anyone or cause trouble, but that there were some things that my secretary seemed reluctant to do and that I wanted to make sure that I wasn't out of line in asking her to do these things.
The OM responded that the secretary is responsible for any task that I need her to do that is not billable (or personal--but I have never seen anyone give a secretary a personal task at my firm). If it is something that can be handled by the file clerks or service center, then it is her job to distribute these tasks and ensure that they are completed. But there is nothing that she is not supposed to do.
I made clear that I preferred to handle things for now, and the OM was in agreement. She said that she would step in later, if I needed her to.
At this point, my plan is to be much firmer with my secretary when asking her to do tasks and I will deal with any issues when they occur. I think that confronting her with a list of screw-ups from the last couple of weeks is just going to generate hostility. I should have called her on them immediately.
As for the evaluation--well I'm not going to say anything negative because I just don't think that's fair since I haven't said anything to her before.
6/3/08
Just ask LC
I am somewhat obsessed with my sitemeter reports. Mostly with seeing how people get to my site. I've had two interesting searches this week.
1) "My supervising attorney has a drinking problem and is missing problems. As a legal assistant, what should I do?"
2) "pantyhose court necessary" Which I interpret to ask whether you have to wear pantyhose to court.
Any input reader(s)?
I have no freaking clue how to answer the first. I think an attorney would be ethically obligated to report such a situation. An assistant is probably not bound by the same ethical considerations, but I still think it is an issue that must be addressed. But there is the potential for retaliation. First rule of lawyering, CYA (cover your ass). Start documenting so that you have evidence when you go forward, in case it comes down to your word against his. Then make sure you are in a position to recover if you are retaliated against.
As to the second, I think it is probably a regional thing. I am in a pretty conservative area, but it gets hotter than hell in the summer. I have always worn hose with skirt suits in court, but I never wear hose with pant suits. When I worked in the DA's office, the female attorneys always wore hose, but visiting attorneys who were in court for hearings sometimes did not. I have seen very few female litigators in the civil courts (what the heck is that about?) and I really don't remember what they wore. I hate hose and try to find the sheerest ones possible, but I just don't think I would feel appropriately dressed in court in a skirt suit without hose.
1) "My supervising attorney has a drinking problem and is missing problems. As a legal assistant, what should I do?"
2) "pantyhose court necessary" Which I interpret to ask whether you have to wear pantyhose to court.
Any input reader(s)?
I have no freaking clue how to answer the first. I think an attorney would be ethically obligated to report such a situation. An assistant is probably not bound by the same ethical considerations, but I still think it is an issue that must be addressed. But there is the potential for retaliation. First rule of lawyering, CYA (cover your ass). Start documenting so that you have evidence when you go forward, in case it comes down to your word against his. Then make sure you are in a position to recover if you are retaliated against.
As to the second, I think it is probably a regional thing. I am in a pretty conservative area, but it gets hotter than hell in the summer. I have always worn hose with skirt suits in court, but I never wear hose with pant suits. When I worked in the DA's office, the female attorneys always wore hose, but visiting attorneys who were in court for hearings sometimes did not. I have seen very few female litigators in the civil courts (what the heck is that about?) and I really don't remember what they wore. I hate hose and try to find the sheerest ones possible, but I just don't think I would feel appropriately dressed in court in a skirt suit without hose.
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