I had my second set of interviews this morning, this time with 5 different attorneys. I think it went pretty well. I think I gave the answers they wanted to hear--and they were the truth.
I haven't heard anything back from the recruiter yet, but I really didn't expect to today. I imagine that they will want to compare notes among the people I interviewed with before making a decision.
But . . . when I was sending out my follow-up emails, the most senior partner with whom I met today (but not the one I would be working under) immediately responded (before I even had my other emails drafted!) and said that he hoped that I heard something positive soon and that I would be a good addition to the firm!!!
He seemed to be the one grilling me the hardest this morning--although he was very nice, as was everyone else--so I was thrilled to receive such a positive response from him.
S0--do I respond to this response???
Also, one of the associates that I met with is from my hometown and said there were a few others there from our hometown. And he also knows someone in my current firm and has heard some of the stories.
I am very impressed with this firm. I will definitely take the job if offered. Still trying not to get my hopes up, but it is getting harder not to be optimistic. Fortunately, I have out-of-town depos for the next two days which will keep my mind occupied (and me out of the office!)
4/27/09
4/23/09
Self-Analysis
When I took trial ad in law school we covered a mini-part of a trial in each class section (e.g. the opening statement or cross examination.) We would "perform" in front of our classmates, who would critique our performance, and then we would review a videotape of our own performance with one of the instructors so that we could see our problem areas for ourselves.
It was a sometimes embarrassing, but always valuable experience. I learned that my pitch rises and I speak too fast when I am nervous. My accent comes out when I am trying to be sympathetic. And I tend to make a face that implies that I don't believe what anyone is telling me--which isn't such a great thing when examining one's own client.
So it was with some trepidation that I popped in the CD from my first video-taped deposition today.
I went sooooo slowly. I bet the other attorneys were about ready to strangle me. Definitely need to work on that. I almost sounded like I was speaking to young children--which is a good way to PO the people I have to depose.
And I sound like I am 12 years old. Not sure what to do about that--other than to take up cigarette smoking in an attempt to acquire that sultry Kathleen Turner voice that I get when I have a bad cold. Actually, it seemed like my voice sounded a bit more mature once I became a little irritated with the deponent. So maybe I need to go into my depositions a little PO'd. I also sped up a bit. Apparently I talk too fast when I'm nervous or when I am irritated.
Otherwise, I did ok. I have read enough deposition transcripts to know that short and concise is much better than long and rambling, so I avoided that pitfall.
Hopefully no jury will have to sit through my painfully slow cross-examination--but at least I got the chance to see where I need to improve.
It was a sometimes embarrassing, but always valuable experience. I learned that my pitch rises and I speak too fast when I am nervous. My accent comes out when I am trying to be sympathetic. And I tend to make a face that implies that I don't believe what anyone is telling me--which isn't such a great thing when examining one's own client.
So it was with some trepidation that I popped in the CD from my first video-taped deposition today.
I went sooooo slowly. I bet the other attorneys were about ready to strangle me. Definitely need to work on that. I almost sounded like I was speaking to young children--which is a good way to PO the people I have to depose.
And I sound like I am 12 years old. Not sure what to do about that--other than to take up cigarette smoking in an attempt to acquire that sultry Kathleen Turner voice that I get when I have a bad cold. Actually, it seemed like my voice sounded a bit more mature once I became a little irritated with the deponent. So maybe I need to go into my depositions a little PO'd. I also sped up a bit. Apparently I talk too fast when I'm nervous or when I am irritated.
Otherwise, I did ok. I have read enough deposition transcripts to know that short and concise is much better than long and rambling, so I avoided that pitfall.
Hopefully no jury will have to sit through my painfully slow cross-examination--but at least I got the chance to see where I need to improve.
4/22/09
A change of fortune
I have a final interview scheduled for Monday morning. I heard back from the recruiter today and she said that the feedback she received was very positive. I don't have all of the information yet, but from what I have been told, this interview will be with several of the partners. I am still a little stunned that this seems to be going so well.
In other news, I just reserved a cabin for Mother's Day weekend. We haven't had any road trips in a while, and I thought we were due. I don't need any stuff and told DH that a trip with the fam would be the perfect gift. We are going to rent canoes and spend the day on the river. Hopefully no kids go overboard, as we have never tried something like this before. Best of all, the whole trip will cost about $300 plus gas.
In other news, I just reserved a cabin for Mother's Day weekend. We haven't had any road trips in a while, and I thought we were due. I don't need any stuff and told DH that a trip with the fam would be the perfect gift. We are going to rent canoes and spend the day on the river. Hopefully no kids go overboard, as we have never tried something like this before. Best of all, the whole trip will cost about $300 plus gas.
4/20/09
LC and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Did not sleep at all last night. Apparently my husband was replaced by Darth Vader in the middle of the night, and no amount of shoulder punches could make it stop. (But he may have some bruises this morning.)
Woke up half an hour early this morning so that I could go into the office early to review some files that I was unexpectedly unable to open from home this weekend. Saw on the news that the highway that makes up 98% of my commute was completely backed up, so decided to forego my early arrival so that traffic could clear.
Was halfway through flat-ironing my hair when my flat iron just stopped working for no apparent reason. So I got to go to work with half frizzy, half straight hair. Made a feeble attempt to pull it pack in such a way that it was not evident to the entire world that I had only straightened half my hair. Don't really think I succeeded.
News said that the earlier problem on the highway was gone. Dropped the girls off, and hopped on the highway only to find myself at a complete standstill. Apparently there were now 2 new problems. Should have just gone in early.
Sat in traffic for an hour before abandoning the highway for a side-street. Sat through a traffic light 5 times, with all of the other highway abandoners. Finally made it through the stoplight and was traveling at a whopping 46 miles an hour for all of 20 seconds.
Got pulled over. Speed limit was 30. Cop took off with my driver's license and when he returned, I tried to plead my case. He said he had already written the ticket and there was no going back.
So I got a speeding ticket with 2 days left on my deferred adjudication for my last ticket. Now I will have to pay both tickets in full. Well, unless I plead not guilty on this one. The cop did say that he wouldn't testify against me. (Ok, so you will get in trouble if you don't give me a ticket, but it's ok to agree not to testify? Sounds fishy to me.)
Finally made it to work 15 minutes late. (So much for my original plan for an early arrival.)
Found out that the court granted my motion to join two new international parties to a case, but denied my motion for continuance. Trial is the second week in June. So I have less than two months to effect service under the Hague Convention and bring the foreign parties in before trial. (Fingers crossed that I don't screw up service.)
Let out an enormous sneeze shortly before lunch. And peed on myself. Yes, carrying two babies at the same time has taken its toll on my bladder. But this has never happened at work before. Note to self: don't try to hold it until lunch every again.
The rest of my day was blessedly uneventful. Thank goodness Monday is almost over.
Woke up half an hour early this morning so that I could go into the office early to review some files that I was unexpectedly unable to open from home this weekend. Saw on the news that the highway that makes up 98% of my commute was completely backed up, so decided to forego my early arrival so that traffic could clear.
Was halfway through flat-ironing my hair when my flat iron just stopped working for no apparent reason. So I got to go to work with half frizzy, half straight hair. Made a feeble attempt to pull it pack in such a way that it was not evident to the entire world that I had only straightened half my hair. Don't really think I succeeded.
News said that the earlier problem on the highway was gone. Dropped the girls off, and hopped on the highway only to find myself at a complete standstill. Apparently there were now 2 new problems. Should have just gone in early.
Sat in traffic for an hour before abandoning the highway for a side-street. Sat through a traffic light 5 times, with all of the other highway abandoners. Finally made it through the stoplight and was traveling at a whopping 46 miles an hour for all of 20 seconds.
Got pulled over. Speed limit was 30. Cop took off with my driver's license and when he returned, I tried to plead my case. He said he had already written the ticket and there was no going back.
So I got a speeding ticket with 2 days left on my deferred adjudication for my last ticket. Now I will have to pay both tickets in full. Well, unless I plead not guilty on this one. The cop did say that he wouldn't testify against me. (Ok, so you will get in trouble if you don't give me a ticket, but it's ok to agree not to testify? Sounds fishy to me.)
Finally made it to work 15 minutes late. (So much for my original plan for an early arrival.)
Found out that the court granted my motion to join two new international parties to a case, but denied my motion for continuance. Trial is the second week in June. So I have less than two months to effect service under the Hague Convention and bring the foreign parties in before trial. (Fingers crossed that I don't screw up service.)
Let out an enormous sneeze shortly before lunch. And peed on myself. Yes, carrying two babies at the same time has taken its toll on my bladder. But this has never happened at work before. Note to self: don't try to hold it until lunch every again.
The rest of my day was blessedly uneventful. Thank goodness Monday is almost over.
4/19/09
Crickets Chirping or Are My Neuroses Showing?
The recruiter called me Friday morning to ask how the interview went. I was surprised that she had not heard from the firm. I haven't worked with a recruiter before, but DH has, and he says that they usually speak with the employer very soon after an interview--he has had second interviews scheduled within an hour of leaving a first interview.
I am mildly concerned, but before I left the interview, the office manager told me that she would compile the notes of all of the people with whom I met and send them to the powers that be. She also said that she would be out of the office on Friday and Monday. Since the interview wasn't over until 4:00 on Thursday, there is a good chance that she didn't have a chance to talk to anyone about my interview before she was gong to be out of the office for two days.
I interviewed with a total of 8 people, in pairs, except for the named partner and the office manager. In addition to the named partner, I met with two other partners and 4 associates. The named partner was a little hard to read. He asked if I was used a legal assistant. I told him that I did, most of my legal assistant's assignments come through me, and that we work closely together. Then he said that he didn't like for his junior associates to use legal assistants, because he wants them to know how to do things for themselves. Oops--but I think I did ok, because I confidently stated that there is nothing that my legal assistant does that I am not perfectly capable of and comfortable doing.
He also asked if I used a dictaphone--in a way that suggested that I might be expected to use a dictaphone. I responded that I had never used a dictaphone and that I preferred to do my own typing because I think as I go and type just as quickly as I could dictate to someone. This was, apparently, the correct response, because he went on to tell me that everyone there did their own typing.
Overall, I think that interview went well. The named partner and I are from the same part of the state, which offered some common ground.
In the interview with the next two partners I was asked when I graduated from undergrad. (10 years before graduating from law school.) Which begged the question, what was I doing during that 10 years. The female partner seemed quite impressed that I had gone through law school and was building my career with 3 children, and the male partner didn't seem phased by this information. I think that interview went well.
Two of the persons with whom I interviewed had worked with an associate that I now work with and were obviously aware of Big Boss's reputation. Hopefully this will help me by offering a legitimate basis for wanting to leave. Because I was asked by every different group of people why I was leaving.
Of course, I didn't want to say anything negative about my firm, so I followed the recruiter's instructions and stated that I was seeking more manageable hours. I explained that I was given a target of 170 when I was hired, but it has since been made clear that I am expected to bill 200+. I repeated over and over that I have absolutely no problem billing 170-180.
I hope that this is the correct course of action to take. I am afraid that complaining about work load makes me look like a slacker, but I tried to make really clear that I like what I do, I like working, I just don't want to work 200 hours/month. And they repeatedly stated that their 167 requirement is a true 167 and they have a set bonus structure for anyone who goes over.
There are, of course, about a jillion reasons why I want to leave, but I can't really give any of them without looking unprofessional or like a whiner. So I do hope that my firm's reputation is sufficient to add a little weight to my reason for leaving.
What I liked about the firm: They have gone paperless and everything is scanned in. (My firm does not scan incoming documents. If I want to see a pleading from another party, I have to go to the hard file.) They also give everyone two monitors so that they can view one doc while working in another--and they all raved about how much they like this system.
I was also impressed that even junior associates were involved in the hiring process--it shows me that they really care about making a good fit for the entire practice group. In my firm, I never know we are getting a new associate until the day they show up for work.
There was nothing that I didn't like about the firm--well, except for the televisions in the lobby. It seemed very unlawyerish--but I think they are trying to project a high-tech image.
Anyway, the office manager said that if they were interested, a second interview with several more partners would likely be required. And she couldn't give me a time frame on when they would try to make a decision--which leads me to believe they may be on the fence and want to interview a few more candidates. Not a good sign for me--I have never been hired when I am competing with a pool of candidates--all of my law-related hirings have been "on the spot."
But I'll try to keep my insecurity in check--at least until late in the week.
I am mildly concerned, but before I left the interview, the office manager told me that she would compile the notes of all of the people with whom I met and send them to the powers that be. She also said that she would be out of the office on Friday and Monday. Since the interview wasn't over until 4:00 on Thursday, there is a good chance that she didn't have a chance to talk to anyone about my interview before she was gong to be out of the office for two days.
I interviewed with a total of 8 people, in pairs, except for the named partner and the office manager. In addition to the named partner, I met with two other partners and 4 associates. The named partner was a little hard to read. He asked if I was used a legal assistant. I told him that I did, most of my legal assistant's assignments come through me, and that we work closely together. Then he said that he didn't like for his junior associates to use legal assistants, because he wants them to know how to do things for themselves. Oops--but I think I did ok, because I confidently stated that there is nothing that my legal assistant does that I am not perfectly capable of and comfortable doing.
He also asked if I used a dictaphone--in a way that suggested that I might be expected to use a dictaphone. I responded that I had never used a dictaphone and that I preferred to do my own typing because I think as I go and type just as quickly as I could dictate to someone. This was, apparently, the correct response, because he went on to tell me that everyone there did their own typing.
Overall, I think that interview went well. The named partner and I are from the same part of the state, which offered some common ground.
In the interview with the next two partners I was asked when I graduated from undergrad. (10 years before graduating from law school.) Which begged the question, what was I doing during that 10 years. The female partner seemed quite impressed that I had gone through law school and was building my career with 3 children, and the male partner didn't seem phased by this information. I think that interview went well.
Two of the persons with whom I interviewed had worked with an associate that I now work with and were obviously aware of Big Boss's reputation. Hopefully this will help me by offering a legitimate basis for wanting to leave. Because I was asked by every different group of people why I was leaving.
Of course, I didn't want to say anything negative about my firm, so I followed the recruiter's instructions and stated that I was seeking more manageable hours. I explained that I was given a target of 170 when I was hired, but it has since been made clear that I am expected to bill 200+. I repeated over and over that I have absolutely no problem billing 170-180.
I hope that this is the correct course of action to take. I am afraid that complaining about work load makes me look like a slacker, but I tried to make really clear that I like what I do, I like working, I just don't want to work 200 hours/month. And they repeatedly stated that their 167 requirement is a true 167 and they have a set bonus structure for anyone who goes over.
There are, of course, about a jillion reasons why I want to leave, but I can't really give any of them without looking unprofessional or like a whiner. So I do hope that my firm's reputation is sufficient to add a little weight to my reason for leaving.
What I liked about the firm: They have gone paperless and everything is scanned in. (My firm does not scan incoming documents. If I want to see a pleading from another party, I have to go to the hard file.) They also give everyone two monitors so that they can view one doc while working in another--and they all raved about how much they like this system.
I was also impressed that even junior associates were involved in the hiring process--it shows me that they really care about making a good fit for the entire practice group. In my firm, I never know we are getting a new associate until the day they show up for work.
There was nothing that I didn't like about the firm--well, except for the televisions in the lobby. It seemed very unlawyerish--but I think they are trying to project a high-tech image.
Anyway, the office manager said that if they were interested, a second interview with several more partners would likely be required. And she couldn't give me a time frame on when they would try to make a decision--which leads me to believe they may be on the fence and want to interview a few more candidates. Not a good sign for me--I have never been hired when I am competing with a pool of candidates--all of my law-related hirings have been "on the spot."
But I'll try to keep my insecurity in check--at least until late in the week.
Deposition Gold
Friday I took depositions of a corporate rep. and employee in a case that should be straightforward, but is turning into a circus. About 2 minutes in, while working through my standard introductory questions I hit the jackpot. The question: "What did you do to prepare for your deposition today?" The answer, "I just looked through my notes." He just happened to have his entire file with him--which had never been produced. So the deposition was shut down for 30 minutes or so while we went through the file, which included numerous internal emails that were quite beneficial to us.
I've taken 15 or so depositions and this is the first time I have had such a stroke of luck. The depo ended up taking 3 times longer than it would have otherwise, and I gathered some great information.
The second deposition did not go quite as well. The employee was tense and I really had to dig to get answers. We got off on the wrong foot when I asked the standard, "have you ever been arrested or convicted?" He instantly disliked me for delving into his personal information. I think I better move that question to the end of my question list in the future.
I've taken 15 or so depositions and this is the first time I have had such a stroke of luck. The depo ended up taking 3 times longer than it would have otherwise, and I gathered some great information.
The second deposition did not go quite as well. The employee was tense and I really had to dig to get answers. We got off on the wrong foot when I asked the standard, "have you ever been arrested or convicted?" He instantly disliked me for delving into his personal information. I think I better move that question to the end of my question list in the future.
Reminder -Secretary's Day is this week
I didn't hear about it until about 3:00 the day before last year, so I thought I'd pass it along. I'm sending my secretary orchids. Last year I did a fruit bouquet, which she seemed to like.
4/16/09
Exhausted
Hit the ground running, as usual, this morning. My interview was this afternoon, and I had a number of things that I had to get done beforehand.
The interview was with 7 different attorneys plus the office manager and lasted 3 hours. I think it went well, but I am a terrible judge. But I managed not to say anything inappropriate--as I am prone to do in interviews.
The firm I interviewed with seems to be the polar opposite of my current firm. Developing relationships with your coworkers is encouraged (fraternization is largely discouraged at current firm--in fact I have been specifically instructed not to speak to certain attorneys.) They say that their billing target is accurate and few go over, although there is a bonus structure in place for those who exceed their target hours. They have a well defined partnership track and marketing people to help young associates develop their rainmaking skills. And it looks like I could eventually spread out from the particularized practice group that I would be going into. Everyone I interviewed with was very nice, and I was impressed that they involved even junior associates in the hiring process.
But having to be in "go" mode for 3 hours is exhausting, and I was worn out before I even made it back to the office to complete my day.
I had a couple of projects to finish and then I needed to prep for 2 depos tomorrow once I got back to the office. But, of course, little things kept popping up. And Partner called at 5:55 to tell me that we MUST send discovery out first thing in the morning. It wouldn't take more than an hour, but it was 6 and I still hadn't started prepping for my depos tomorrow.
Then Partner asked why I wasn't attending a certain event tonight. My response: "Yeah, like I have time for that!." I'm pretty sure I pissed him off. I think it came out snarkier than I intended. Or maybe is was subconscious snark.
I gathered what I needed to prepare for my depos, and finally left the office at 7:30, home by 8:00.
Had dinner and spent about 5 minutes with my kids and then had to start sending out thank you emails to the 8 people with whom I met today. It is tough to come up with 8 unique "thanks for meeting with me" emails.
It's now after 9:30--still haven't prepped for my depos tomorrow. Arrgghhhh!
I am getting really, really tired of working all the time. I am trying to set boundaries, but I can't pull back and meet my deadlines and obligations to my clients. I really hope this interview went well.
The interview was with 7 different attorneys plus the office manager and lasted 3 hours. I think it went well, but I am a terrible judge. But I managed not to say anything inappropriate--as I am prone to do in interviews.
The firm I interviewed with seems to be the polar opposite of my current firm. Developing relationships with your coworkers is encouraged (fraternization is largely discouraged at current firm--in fact I have been specifically instructed not to speak to certain attorneys.) They say that their billing target is accurate and few go over, although there is a bonus structure in place for those who exceed their target hours. They have a well defined partnership track and marketing people to help young associates develop their rainmaking skills. And it looks like I could eventually spread out from the particularized practice group that I would be going into. Everyone I interviewed with was very nice, and I was impressed that they involved even junior associates in the hiring process.
But having to be in "go" mode for 3 hours is exhausting, and I was worn out before I even made it back to the office to complete my day.
I had a couple of projects to finish and then I needed to prep for 2 depos tomorrow once I got back to the office. But, of course, little things kept popping up. And Partner called at 5:55 to tell me that we MUST send discovery out first thing in the morning. It wouldn't take more than an hour, but it was 6 and I still hadn't started prepping for my depos tomorrow.
Then Partner asked why I wasn't attending a certain event tonight. My response: "Yeah, like I have time for that!." I'm pretty sure I pissed him off. I think it came out snarkier than I intended. Or maybe is was subconscious snark.
I gathered what I needed to prepare for my depos, and finally left the office at 7:30, home by 8:00.
Had dinner and spent about 5 minutes with my kids and then had to start sending out thank you emails to the 8 people with whom I met today. It is tough to come up with 8 unique "thanks for meeting with me" emails.
It's now after 9:30--still haven't prepped for my depos tomorrow. Arrgghhhh!
I am getting really, really tired of working all the time. I am trying to set boundaries, but I can't pull back and meet my deadlines and obligations to my clients. I really hope this interview went well.
4/9/09
Strange day
I emailed in that I had an appointment and would be late coming into the office. I left the "appointment" part vague and ambiguous, as I always do, which enables it to cover a host of personal issues.
My plan was to drive to my office, park at the top of my parking garage where I would get decent cell phone reception, and take the call there so that I could immediately go to work afterward.
Thank god it was a phone interview. 10 minutes before the interview was scheduled, I started having hot flashes, clamminess and cramping. No, it wasn't nerves--I think it was a stomach bug or food issue. Anyway, I made it through the interview, but turned around and went right back home because I was not fit to be in the company of other human beings.
Who knows what my bosses though, first with the mystery appointment, then calling in sick altogether. Fortunately, it seems to have passed quickly and I was feeling much better by late afternoon.
Anyway, the interview went very well. I already have an in-person interview scheduled for next week. I'm kind of shocked, considering how poorly my interviews usually go. I liked what I heard and think the change would be positive. My only reservation is that I would be focusing on a single practice area, whereas now I get a pretty decent variety of cases. If I had to name my favorite practice areas, this probably wouldn't make the top 5 list--but I have had a couple of cases of this genre and I don't dislike this area of law.
My plan was to drive to my office, park at the top of my parking garage where I would get decent cell phone reception, and take the call there so that I could immediately go to work afterward.
Thank god it was a phone interview. 10 minutes before the interview was scheduled, I started having hot flashes, clamminess and cramping. No, it wasn't nerves--I think it was a stomach bug or food issue. Anyway, I made it through the interview, but turned around and went right back home because I was not fit to be in the company of other human beings.
Who knows what my bosses though, first with the mystery appointment, then calling in sick altogether. Fortunately, it seems to have passed quickly and I was feeling much better by late afternoon.
Anyway, the interview went very well. I already have an in-person interview scheduled for next week. I'm kind of shocked, considering how poorly my interviews usually go. I liked what I heard and think the change would be positive. My only reservation is that I would be focusing on a single practice area, whereas now I get a pretty decent variety of cases. If I had to name my favorite practice areas, this probably wouldn't make the top 5 list--but I have had a couple of cases of this genre and I don't dislike this area of law.
4/8/09
The Guilt
So I have a phone interview scheduled tomorrow at 10:00. Which is a pretty inconvenient time as far as not interrupting my work day goes. I'm not quite sure how to handle it. I can 1) go to work and then disappear for an hour to do the interview; or 2) just go into work and say I had an appointment.
I am pretty sure somebody will notice if I try to disappear for an hour--Big Boss's secretary sits right outside my door--so he spends a good deal of time right outside my door (which is why I can't just take the call in my office in the first place.)
But I just feel so dishonest saying that I have an appointment--like they'll know what's going on. Not to mention that I will have to create another mystery appointment if they actually like me and want to do a real interview. And I'm pretty sure Big Boss would fire me on the spot if he caught a whiff that I was looking elsewhere.
And then there is the guilt. Despite my unhappiness, I feel this incredible pressing guilt just for looking at other jobs--and the thought of actually leaving makes it worse. Maybe its narcissistic, but I feel like I have the most knowledge of several of my cases and I think it will be tough to get someone else up to speed. And I feel so guilty at the though of leaving my firm in a bind--because I know that we are so incredibly busy right now. And I am sort of attached to certain cases--although there are a few that I will happily leave behind.
But something has got to give. I billed 225 hours last month and I am already on track for a repeat performance. That is too damn much. And I don't sleep anymore. I wake 50 times a night worried about my cases, or something I missed, or one of the 5000 things I still need to do, or whether I made a mistake that is going to get me fired (not that I screw up that often, but a number of firings (not layoffs) at my firm have unnerved me ).
Anyway, I'll do the interview and we'll just have to see what happens from there.
I am pretty sure somebody will notice if I try to disappear for an hour--Big Boss's secretary sits right outside my door--so he spends a good deal of time right outside my door (which is why I can't just take the call in my office in the first place.)
But I just feel so dishonest saying that I have an appointment--like they'll know what's going on. Not to mention that I will have to create another mystery appointment if they actually like me and want to do a real interview. And I'm pretty sure Big Boss would fire me on the spot if he caught a whiff that I was looking elsewhere.
And then there is the guilt. Despite my unhappiness, I feel this incredible pressing guilt just for looking at other jobs--and the thought of actually leaving makes it worse. Maybe its narcissistic, but I feel like I have the most knowledge of several of my cases and I think it will be tough to get someone else up to speed. And I feel so guilty at the though of leaving my firm in a bind--because I know that we are so incredibly busy right now. And I am sort of attached to certain cases--although there are a few that I will happily leave behind.
But something has got to give. I billed 225 hours last month and I am already on track for a repeat performance. That is too damn much. And I don't sleep anymore. I wake 50 times a night worried about my cases, or something I missed, or one of the 5000 things I still need to do, or whether I made a mistake that is going to get me fired (not that I screw up that often, but a number of firings (not layoffs) at my firm have unnerved me ).
Anyway, I'll do the interview and we'll just have to see what happens from there.
4/6/09
Big Brother is Watching
So today the IT dude cornered me in my office and said, "Did you tell [paralegal] that it was ok to go on Facebook."
"Um, well, I told him to do a Google search on a couple of people that I am trying to find, and I mentioned that they might pop up on MySpace or Facebook."
"Well, we aren't supposed to use Facebook."
"Well it's not like he was just surfing. We are trying to locate witnesses and I told him to do it. Sometimes you end up on Facebook or MySpace. I was just Googling the guy I deposed this morning, and my search took me to Facebook."
"Well, not everybody uses Facebook for searches--they are clicking on links and watching videos. And we sent out an email about not going on Facebook."
"This was not the case with [paralegal]. I told him to do the search, and I will defend him to the powers that be if necessary. By the way--how do you know he was on Facebook--are you monitoring our internet activity?"
"Yes--we see what sites you visit and how long you are there."
Nice. This doesn't surprise me, but it does piss me off. I don't even do anything that should worry me on my work computer--and it still feels like an invasion of privacy. And I know they have every right to do what what they want, but it just feels icky.
"Um, well, I told him to do a Google search on a couple of people that I am trying to find, and I mentioned that they might pop up on MySpace or Facebook."
"Well, we aren't supposed to use Facebook."
"Well it's not like he was just surfing. We are trying to locate witnesses and I told him to do it. Sometimes you end up on Facebook or MySpace. I was just Googling the guy I deposed this morning, and my search took me to Facebook."
"Well, not everybody uses Facebook for searches--they are clicking on links and watching videos. And we sent out an email about not going on Facebook."
"This was not the case with [paralegal]. I told him to do the search, and I will defend him to the powers that be if necessary. By the way--how do you know he was on Facebook--are you monitoring our internet activity?"
"Yes--we see what sites you visit and how long you are there."
Nice. This doesn't surprise me, but it does piss me off. I don't even do anything that should worry me on my work computer--and it still feels like an invasion of privacy. And I know they have every right to do what what they want, but it just feels icky.
4/4/09
Life is grand . . . really
I stayed home from work yesterday because TT woke up with a sore throat and fever. The doc confirmed my suspicion that it was strep. She has consistently had a temperature above 102, despite the constant rotation of Tylenol and Motrin.
TT woke up vomiting at 2:00 a.m. And her temperature had spiked to 104.8. So we medicated her again and gave her a warm bath to more quickly reduce her temperature. (My kids always have really high temperatures when they are sick, so I did not freak out too much.) I kicked DH to the couch and moved TT to my bed so that I could keep an eye on her. And of course got no sleep--that kid snores like a freight train.
Then, today DH took the Behemoth in for an inspection ($39). And left $700 later. We'd considered trading it in a month or so ago because it is getting up in years and mileage, but decided that since it was running well and I really like it, we would just hang on to it. Now I remember why we were thinking of getting a new car.
So, work sucks + 12K to the IRS + sick kid + $700 in car repairs = this week has been freakin' fantastic.
TT woke up vomiting at 2:00 a.m. And her temperature had spiked to 104.8. So we medicated her again and gave her a warm bath to more quickly reduce her temperature. (My kids always have really high temperatures when they are sick, so I did not freak out too much.) I kicked DH to the couch and moved TT to my bed so that I could keep an eye on her. And of course got no sleep--that kid snores like a freight train.
Then, today DH took the Behemoth in for an inspection ($39). And left $700 later. We'd considered trading it in a month or so ago because it is getting up in years and mileage, but decided that since it was running well and I really like it, we would just hang on to it. Now I remember why we were thinking of getting a new car.
So, work sucks + 12K to the IRS + sick kid + $700 in car repairs = this week has been freakin' fantastic.
4/3/09
Holey Moley
I finally got around to doing our taxes last night. I've always done our taxes--even when DH was doing a lot of contract work and we were taking a home office deduction. And we have only owed taxes once--even though each year we increased our withholdings to avoid a refund.
I knew going in that this year would be different. For starters, our income doubled--so I was pretty sure that we were going to jump into a new tax bracket. And I was contract for the first 2.5 months of the year-so I knew we would owe for that plus the amounts DH earned for contract work (he usually builds a couple of websites a year for small businesses.)
But I was not prepared to owe $12K.
Apparently our new income means losing the child tax credit, and any deduction for student loan interest (which is capped at $2500 anyway, I paid more than 4x that!) That is what is killing me--the only reason that I have a high income is because I have student loans out the wazoo!
And our mortgage interest and deductions for taxes barely made a dent in the amount owed. Apparently the government wants me to quit paying on my student loans and buy a much larger house if I want to reduce my taxes.
Anyway, I hope that I have screwed something up. For the first time ever, I am paying someone to do my taxes. I hope that they can at least find enough additional deductions to pay for themselves! And that they can tell me what I need to do next year to avoid a repeat scenario.
I knew going in that this year would be different. For starters, our income doubled--so I was pretty sure that we were going to jump into a new tax bracket. And I was contract for the first 2.5 months of the year-so I knew we would owe for that plus the amounts DH earned for contract work (he usually builds a couple of websites a year for small businesses.)
But I was not prepared to owe $12K.
Apparently our new income means losing the child tax credit, and any deduction for student loan interest (which is capped at $2500 anyway, I paid more than 4x that!) That is what is killing me--the only reason that I have a high income is because I have student loans out the wazoo!
And our mortgage interest and deductions for taxes barely made a dent in the amount owed. Apparently the government wants me to quit paying on my student loans and buy a much larger house if I want to reduce my taxes.
Anyway, I hope that I have screwed something up. For the first time ever, I am paying someone to do my taxes. I hope that they can at least find enough additional deductions to pay for themselves! And that they can tell me what I need to do next year to avoid a repeat scenario.
3/31/09
Throwing my hat in the ring again
I met with a recruited today. She has a specific position in mind for me, and I think our meeting went well, but we'll see. I am really trying not to get my hopes up, which you will understand if you were around back when I was job-hunting the last time around.
The job is pretty much what I do now, although a bit more particularized. But their hourly requirement is 160--and supposedly it's a true 160 and not the 170-but-we-really-want-to-see-200 that I am dealing with right now. Anything above = extra bonus. It is about a 5% pay increase--so not much, but worth moving for when combined with a better working environment and more reasonable billing requirements. And my googling tells me that the better working environment is not just recruiter-hype--this place has been named on a couple of "best places to work lists."
Anyway, like I said, we'll see. I am notoriously bad at interviews and after the horrible, terrible, awful, no good job-hunting experience that I had coming out of law school, I don't really have any expectation that the first apple I bite will be the magic one.
The job is pretty much what I do now, although a bit more particularized. But their hourly requirement is 160--and supposedly it's a true 160 and not the 170-but-we-really-want-to-see-200 that I am dealing with right now. Anything above = extra bonus. It is about a 5% pay increase--so not much, but worth moving for when combined with a better working environment and more reasonable billing requirements. And my googling tells me that the better working environment is not just recruiter-hype--this place has been named on a couple of "best places to work lists."
Anyway, like I said, we'll see. I am notoriously bad at interviews and after the horrible, terrible, awful, no good job-hunting experience that I had coming out of law school, I don't really have any expectation that the first apple I bite will be the magic one.
3/29/09
Today is better
I spent most of yesterday in a funk--partially out of exhaustion and mostly because of my job situation. But I fiddled with my resume and contacted a couple of recruiters who had contacted me in the past unsolicited.
One of them emailed back this morning and said that she had several positions that might work for me. Just the slightest hint of an opportunity filled me with hope and made my day better. I don't think I realized how much my job was beating me down until it all came to a head this week.
She asked for a contact number and I sent it, along with instructions regarding the best time to call me. Because Big Boss hovers outside my door anytime I am on the phone or someone is in my office. Last week he came in and started giving me instructions while I was on the phone with one of our corporate clients! (He has also instructed me not to have conversations with particular associates and staff members--I wasn't kidding about the jealous boyfriend thing.)
One of them emailed back this morning and said that she had several positions that might work for me. Just the slightest hint of an opportunity filled me with hope and made my day better. I don't think I realized how much my job was beating me down until it all came to a head this week.
She asked for a contact number and I sent it, along with instructions regarding the best time to call me. Because Big Boss hovers outside my door anytime I am on the phone or someone is in my office. Last week he came in and started giving me instructions while I was on the phone with one of our corporate clients! (He has also instructed me not to have conversations with particular associates and staff members--I wasn't kidding about the jealous boyfriend thing.)
3/28/09
Too far
I officially hate my job. I love what I do, and I'm good at what I do. But the environment in which I work is toxic, and it has finally gotten to me. I haven't posted about this before in case my anonymity was blown, but at this point, I just don't care.
The turnover in my firm is astronomical. It is no secret in the local legal community that my boss is particularly difficult to work for. But I have been floating along because my boss seems to like me and his tirades are generally directed elsewhere. Still, the entire office is on pins and needles when he is present and breathes a huge sign of relief when he is out.
I am the only associate working on the majority of Big Boss's and Partner's cases. There are a couple of new associates, but they work exclusively on one big case. So I get to work on everything else. I have been incredibly busy lately, because several of our cases are ramping up for summer trial settings and we have a couple of new cases that we are trying to get a handle on. I had three significant motions that required responses within a 1 week period.
Big Boss got PO'd with me because I didn't have one motion, with a 12-day deadline, turned around quickly enough to send to the client before filing (it was complete on a Friday and due on a Wednesday). Two days later, Partner was PO'd because I had not completed what turned out to be a 15-page privilege log that required the review of two boxes of documents, 3 days before the deadline. And in the middle of all of this, Big Boss was in my office every 5 minutes giving me inane tasks that could have been done by his secretary more quickly and just as effectively. Neither one seems to have a clue how much I am doing--even though both have asked and I honestly told them that I can't take anything else on and still make my deadlines.
Part of the problem is that Big Boss freaks out if I work on a project that is not exclusively his. He will then come and load me up with stupid stuff for his cases. A few weeks ago, Partner was called out of town and was unable to attend a scheduled meeting with our consulting expert. I was to take the meeting, along with another attorney who was only tangentially involved with the case. When I told Big Boss that I had a meeting that day he said, "We'll I don't think you'll be in that meeting, because I need you to meet with me during that time." After he had just given a 4-hour time frame of his availability, only one of which would have been consumed by my meeting.
Oh, but here's the kicker...15 minutes before my meeting with the expert, Big Boss disappears. He finally reappears an hour later, eating an ice cream cone. And then another hour later, he cancels his meeting. So, there was absolutely no reason in the entire world that I couldn't have met with our consulting expert. How whacked is that? I felt like I was dealing with a jealous boyfriend. And the other Partners just said, "Oh, well, that's just how he is."
Then, he tried to get me to agree in writing that I would put in 200 hours this month--because I only billed 175 last month and that was too low. (Umm, no, not doing that.) Are you freaking kidding me? When I was hired I was told that there were no billing guidelines, but to try too hit 170. I usually average 180. I wouldn't have accepted this position for this pay if I were expected to bill 200 hours every month. I will do what is required to meet my deadlines (and it looks like I will hit 200 this month anyway), but I am not going to do it in perpetuity.
And then yesterday, I got a call from the school nurse that SS wasn't feeling well. I decided to go pick her up instead of calling the nanny because I had already put in at least 50 hours this week, everything I had planned for the rest of the day could be done from home, and I hadn't seen the kids all week.
I went to tell Partner that I was taking off and he gave me the evil eye. Even another associate commented on it. He has 4 kids--and a wife who stays at home. Guess he doesn't have to deal with kid stuff. Ignoring the evil eye, I was packing up to head out when I got a call from the receptionist to meet Big Boss up front in a conference room. I had no idea what for.
It turned out that he wanted me to sit in on a meeting with a new client. And I had no opportunity to tell him that I was on my way out. Fortunately, about 10 minutes into the meeting he sent me out to have a copy made. I was able to call DH and have him deal with the SS situation.
But the whole ordeal left me feeling like the loser-mom of the year. I never play the kid card. My kids have been remarkably healthy this year, and I haven't missed any time from work because of them. There was no reason for the silent, but obvious, flak from Partner.
Part of the reason that I wanted a professional career is to have some modicum of flexibility over my schedule. The majority of what I do, I can do from home so it shouldn't be a big deal to take off early on a Friday to deal with a sick kid. But this is one of those firms that insists on face time--if you're not at your desk you must not be working. (Big Boss's secretary can barely leave her desk. He actually got her a scanner so that she doesn't have to leave to make copies. I expect a port-a-potty next.)
I am so frustrated with my job right now. I put in 110%, but I am not willing to turn my whole life over to my job. The only night this week I saw my kids before bedtime was Friday. I am not cool with that. But apparently Partner and Big Boss think I should be working more. I can't complain about having too much to do if I'm not putting in 200 hours/month.
So my plan for this weekend (in addition to drafting a cross-claim, an MSJ, 2 affidavits to support the MSJ, 2 client reports, and discovery responses) is to update my resume and start the whole job search all over again. Of course, this is not the ideal climate to be job-hopping, but I have too. I'm generally a tough cookie with no tolerance for whiners, but this week has brought me to tears (silently, in the bathroom). No job has ever done that before--and I've had some really crappy jobs.
The turnover in my firm is astronomical. It is no secret in the local legal community that my boss is particularly difficult to work for. But I have been floating along because my boss seems to like me and his tirades are generally directed elsewhere. Still, the entire office is on pins and needles when he is present and breathes a huge sign of relief when he is out.
I am the only associate working on the majority of Big Boss's and Partner's cases. There are a couple of new associates, but they work exclusively on one big case. So I get to work on everything else. I have been incredibly busy lately, because several of our cases are ramping up for summer trial settings and we have a couple of new cases that we are trying to get a handle on. I had three significant motions that required responses within a 1 week period.
Big Boss got PO'd with me because I didn't have one motion, with a 12-day deadline, turned around quickly enough to send to the client before filing (it was complete on a Friday and due on a Wednesday). Two days later, Partner was PO'd because I had not completed what turned out to be a 15-page privilege log that required the review of two boxes of documents, 3 days before the deadline. And in the middle of all of this, Big Boss was in my office every 5 minutes giving me inane tasks that could have been done by his secretary more quickly and just as effectively. Neither one seems to have a clue how much I am doing--even though both have asked and I honestly told them that I can't take anything else on and still make my deadlines.
Part of the problem is that Big Boss freaks out if I work on a project that is not exclusively his. He will then come and load me up with stupid stuff for his cases. A few weeks ago, Partner was called out of town and was unable to attend a scheduled meeting with our consulting expert. I was to take the meeting, along with another attorney who was only tangentially involved with the case. When I told Big Boss that I had a meeting that day he said, "We'll I don't think you'll be in that meeting, because I need you to meet with me during that time." After he had just given a 4-hour time frame of his availability, only one of which would have been consumed by my meeting.
Oh, but here's the kicker...15 minutes before my meeting with the expert, Big Boss disappears. He finally reappears an hour later, eating an ice cream cone. And then another hour later, he cancels his meeting. So, there was absolutely no reason in the entire world that I couldn't have met with our consulting expert. How whacked is that? I felt like I was dealing with a jealous boyfriend. And the other Partners just said, "Oh, well, that's just how he is."
Then, he tried to get me to agree in writing that I would put in 200 hours this month--because I only billed 175 last month and that was too low. (Umm, no, not doing that.) Are you freaking kidding me? When I was hired I was told that there were no billing guidelines, but to try too hit 170. I usually average 180. I wouldn't have accepted this position for this pay if I were expected to bill 200 hours every month. I will do what is required to meet my deadlines (and it looks like I will hit 200 this month anyway), but I am not going to do it in perpetuity.
And then yesterday, I got a call from the school nurse that SS wasn't feeling well. I decided to go pick her up instead of calling the nanny because I had already put in at least 50 hours this week, everything I had planned for the rest of the day could be done from home, and I hadn't seen the kids all week.
I went to tell Partner that I was taking off and he gave me the evil eye. Even another associate commented on it. He has 4 kids--and a wife who stays at home. Guess he doesn't have to deal with kid stuff. Ignoring the evil eye, I was packing up to head out when I got a call from the receptionist to meet Big Boss up front in a conference room. I had no idea what for.
It turned out that he wanted me to sit in on a meeting with a new client. And I had no opportunity to tell him that I was on my way out. Fortunately, about 10 minutes into the meeting he sent me out to have a copy made. I was able to call DH and have him deal with the SS situation.
But the whole ordeal left me feeling like the loser-mom of the year. I never play the kid card. My kids have been remarkably healthy this year, and I haven't missed any time from work because of them. There was no reason for the silent, but obvious, flak from Partner.
Part of the reason that I wanted a professional career is to have some modicum of flexibility over my schedule. The majority of what I do, I can do from home so it shouldn't be a big deal to take off early on a Friday to deal with a sick kid. But this is one of those firms that insists on face time--if you're not at your desk you must not be working. (Big Boss's secretary can barely leave her desk. He actually got her a scanner so that she doesn't have to leave to make copies. I expect a port-a-potty next.)
I am so frustrated with my job right now. I put in 110%, but I am not willing to turn my whole life over to my job. The only night this week I saw my kids before bedtime was Friday. I am not cool with that. But apparently Partner and Big Boss think I should be working more. I can't complain about having too much to do if I'm not putting in 200 hours/month.
So my plan for this weekend (in addition to drafting a cross-claim, an MSJ, 2 affidavits to support the MSJ, 2 client reports, and discovery responses) is to update my resume and start the whole job search all over again. Of course, this is not the ideal climate to be job-hopping, but I have too. I'm generally a tough cookie with no tolerance for whiners, but this week has brought me to tears (silently, in the bathroom). No job has ever done that before--and I've had some really crappy jobs.
3/22/09
Weekend Business
This weekend has been busy, but not overly hectic. Lounged for a bit yesterday morning, then decided to sort through the girls' dressers to evaluate the need for new spring clothes and weed out the outgrown, faded and holey clothes that they always manage to wear whenever I am not around to object.
Half their jeans have holes in the knees, so I decided to cut them off into shorts and capris. Of course, I didn't want plain old cutoffs--so I headed out to buy fabric to make ruffles and ribbon for trim. I turned one pair into the cutest skirt for the twins using this guide. Making the skirt was a snap, but it took a full hour to rip the seams out of the jeans. I added a ruffle to the bottom using pink fabric with black polka dots and added a matching ribbon belt. Freakin' adorable.
All three girls were invited to a birthday party last night, so DH and I got to go out to dinner sans kiddos. We went to a new Mexican place and got a table on the patio overlooking the lake right at sunset. It was nice. I may have had more margaritas than necessary--but only because the waiter brought by a free one that didn't have a home. Who am I to turn down a free margarita?
Took the kids to Disney on Ice this afternoon. You've got to respect someone who can twirl another skater over his head while dressed like a lion. It was a nice girlie afternoon. (I could only get 4 tix--but I think DH was relieved.)
I need to look at some work stuff--but I am obviously delaying with this pointless post. I've been going 90 miles an hour for the last few weeks, and I really need a break. Unfortunately, now is not the time, because I have deadlines that would be impossible to meet if I took any time off. And I do appreciate my position--I know that there are many, many lawyers right now who wished they had the problem of too much to do.
Half their jeans have holes in the knees, so I decided to cut them off into shorts and capris. Of course, I didn't want plain old cutoffs--so I headed out to buy fabric to make ruffles and ribbon for trim. I turned one pair into the cutest skirt for the twins using this guide. Making the skirt was a snap, but it took a full hour to rip the seams out of the jeans. I added a ruffle to the bottom using pink fabric with black polka dots and added a matching ribbon belt. Freakin' adorable.
All three girls were invited to a birthday party last night, so DH and I got to go out to dinner sans kiddos. We went to a new Mexican place and got a table on the patio overlooking the lake right at sunset. It was nice. I may have had more margaritas than necessary--but only because the waiter brought by a free one that didn't have a home. Who am I to turn down a free margarita?
Took the kids to Disney on Ice this afternoon. You've got to respect someone who can twirl another skater over his head while dressed like a lion. It was a nice girlie afternoon. (I could only get 4 tix--but I think DH was relieved.)
I need to look at some work stuff--but I am obviously delaying with this pointless post. I've been going 90 miles an hour for the last few weeks, and I really need a break. Unfortunately, now is not the time, because I have deadlines that would be impossible to meet if I took any time off. And I do appreciate my position--I know that there are many, many lawyers right now who wished they had the problem of too much to do.
Nope. I don't have a competitive streak
Is it perverse that I get a thrill when I get to draft a response that pummels the other side? Really, it doesn't happen all that often. Generally there are not-so-clear cut issues that have to be craftily argued. And while I enjoy the challenge of the craftily argued motion, it is really more fun to pick apart the other side's motion apart and hammer them into the ground. Or maybe it's only fun when opposing counsel has been especially uncooperative.
I have drafted two such responses this week. The first was a response to a motion filed by a truly incompetent lawyer. He's a solo, he hasn't been practicing very long and I don't think he generally practices litigation. He is clearly not familiar with the federal rules and has never even glanced at the local rules.* I might feel sorry for him for getting in over his head, except that he he has made a number of gaffes that lack of experience can't excuse, and his client is paying for them. I think he has just realized that he dug himself into a hole, and is now desperately trying claw his way back out. Unfortunately, I think his hole is just getting deeper.
The second response is to a motion filed by a large local firm. I'm pretty sure that a first-year drafted the motion, which shouldn't be a problem, but the partner overseeing him dropped the ball. Once again, a basic procedural rule was violated, so that his motion cannot be granted. At all. I don't know if it was unfamiliarity with the rules or just an oversight, but somebody screwed up. I do feel bad for the young lawyer that will probably get blamed--he is a nice guy. But these guys have been very uncooperative. And even without the screw-up, I probably could have defeated the motion.
*Advice for young lawyers: Always get a copy of the local rules--especially in federal court. They are generally available online, unless you are in a tiny district out in the boonies. The federal district in which my case is pending has lengthy local rules--some of which modify the federal rules. And local rules contain info like page limits, filing requirements, mediation requirements and other information to keep you from harming your own case.
I have drafted two such responses this week. The first was a response to a motion filed by a truly incompetent lawyer. He's a solo, he hasn't been practicing very long and I don't think he generally practices litigation. He is clearly not familiar with the federal rules and has never even glanced at the local rules.* I might feel sorry for him for getting in over his head, except that he he has made a number of gaffes that lack of experience can't excuse, and his client is paying for them. I think he has just realized that he dug himself into a hole, and is now desperately trying claw his way back out. Unfortunately, I think his hole is just getting deeper.
The second response is to a motion filed by a large local firm. I'm pretty sure that a first-year drafted the motion, which shouldn't be a problem, but the partner overseeing him dropped the ball. Once again, a basic procedural rule was violated, so that his motion cannot be granted. At all. I don't know if it was unfamiliarity with the rules or just an oversight, but somebody screwed up. I do feel bad for the young lawyer that will probably get blamed--he is a nice guy. But these guys have been very uncooperative. And even without the screw-up, I probably could have defeated the motion.
*Advice for young lawyers: Always get a copy of the local rules--especially in federal court. They are generally available online, unless you are in a tiny district out in the boonies. The federal district in which my case is pending has lengthy local rules--some of which modify the federal rules. And local rules contain info like page limits, filing requirements, mediation requirements and other information to keep you from harming your own case.
3/14/09
You can be a carnie!
That's what PS said to me as I was standing in the bathroom complaining that I was growing a beard. (Seriously--why didn't anyone tell me that I would start turning into a man once I turned 30?)
My kids are growing into real people--with senses of humor that are can be appreciated by someone over the age of 12. Although I miss the cuddly sweetness of their baby and toddler years, it is fun to watch them grow into smart, funny people.
A couple of weeks ago I had to take the twins to a birthday party out in the boonies on a Friday night. I gave my GPS to my inlaws, so I had to go old school with the Google maps. I called PS on my way home from work and she got on Google maps and found what I needed because we were going to have to leave again the second I got home. And then, once we were in the car and realized that we left the maps at home, she called DH and took down directions from him while I was driving. I told her that I was so amazed that she had developed from this sweet but useless little baby blob into an actual helpful person who could figure things out.
I have to say, I think I made some pretty amazing little people.
My kids are growing into real people--with senses of humor that are can be appreciated by someone over the age of 12. Although I miss the cuddly sweetness of their baby and toddler years, it is fun to watch them grow into smart, funny people.
A couple of weeks ago I had to take the twins to a birthday party out in the boonies on a Friday night. I gave my GPS to my inlaws, so I had to go old school with the Google maps. I called PS on my way home from work and she got on Google maps and found what I needed because we were going to have to leave again the second I got home. And then, once we were in the car and realized that we left the maps at home, she called DH and took down directions from him while I was driving. I told her that I was so amazed that she had developed from this sweet but useless little baby blob into an actual helpful person who could figure things out.
I have to say, I think I made some pretty amazing little people.
3/10/09
Because y'all are always so helpful with this kind of thing . . .
My paralegal's wife is having their first baby tomorrow. What should I get them? (And don't say a gift card--I know that is the obvious answer, but I'd like to go more personal. (And yes, I get the irony of asking complete strangers to help me pick out a personal gift for another complete stranger.))
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