So, I got a call today from my contact at Legal Aid. She informed me that I am being presented with an award tomorrow for performing the most pro bono hours in a certain county. How is that possible? It's not in Big City where I practice, or in the suburb where I live. It is one county over from where I live, and I did pick up a pro bono case there last year. One. And it was not a complex or particularly time-consuming case.
The first thing I asked her, was "are you sure?" And she assured me that she was. Apparently nobody steps up for pro bono work in that county, and it is one where there really is a great deal of need. I interned in the district attorney's office there when I was in law school. As a second year law student I got to work on two capital murder cases (one was a death penalty case, and yes, the D was sentenced to death), a first degree murder, an aggravated kidnapping by a meth dealer (I think I know how to build a meth lab now) and plenty of other drug and child molestation cases. No chance in heck I would have been able to work on those kinds of cases in Big City--their interns worked on DUI cases. But this county is rural and poor and overrun with drug problems--and there were only 4 ADAs
Anyway, I really do not feel like I deserve any kind of award. But the legal aid contact was pushing hard for me to attend. She said that that they already had the plaque engraved and that they had already paid for me to attend the bench/bar conference tomorrow where the awards are being presented. And so I guess I will go and graciously accept an award I don't deserve (and pick up some free CLE credit!).
But I had to reschedule a meeting with a current pro bono client to attend. Can you say irony?
4/24/11
Nice break
Happy Easter to all who celebrate.
We spent our weekend in a little cabin on the edge of a river with the most fantastic multi-level deck that leads town to a fishing dock. Despite predictions, the weather remained clear, and we had a great time.
DH and the kids caught lots of fish while I sat on the deck watching a reading, frosty beverage in hand. I decided to re-read the Harry Potter series. I have only been through the series once, and I started when I was pregnant with the twins--so about 10 years ago. The last book came out the week before I took the bar exam--can you imagine what torture that was? It is fascinating to re-read Book 1 and pick up on all of the hints and bits of foreshadowing. And it is so amazing to realize how carefully J.K. Rowling must have planned to be able to tie it all together. I very rarely re-read book (because there is always something new and unknown that I want to read!), but I'm so glad to have picked this series up again. My goal is to get through it before the last movie come out.
Anyway, we also fit in a short canoe trip and about 5 miles of hiking. We tried to stick with the easy hiking trails because of TT's arm, but at one point she decided to take off running at top speed. The kids were about 20 yards ahead of us, and I heard PS yell "don't run!" and then I heard TT crying. She had tripped and landed face-down, right on top of her splinted arm. She was covered in mud, scraped up her uninjured arm, and had a big gash on her knee. But the splint seems to have protected the broken arm. Lesson learned: don't take kids with broken arms on any trails--or even let them outside--until they are completely healed.
I wish the weekend were longer. I'm not ready to start another week.
We spent our weekend in a little cabin on the edge of a river with the most fantastic multi-level deck that leads town to a fishing dock. Despite predictions, the weather remained clear, and we had a great time.
DH and the kids caught lots of fish while I sat on the deck watching a reading, frosty beverage in hand. I decided to re-read the Harry Potter series. I have only been through the series once, and I started when I was pregnant with the twins--so about 10 years ago. The last book came out the week before I took the bar exam--can you imagine what torture that was? It is fascinating to re-read Book 1 and pick up on all of the hints and bits of foreshadowing. And it is so amazing to realize how carefully J.K. Rowling must have planned to be able to tie it all together. I very rarely re-read book (because there is always something new and unknown that I want to read!), but I'm so glad to have picked this series up again. My goal is to get through it before the last movie come out.
Anyway, we also fit in a short canoe trip and about 5 miles of hiking. We tried to stick with the easy hiking trails because of TT's arm, but at one point she decided to take off running at top speed. The kids were about 20 yards ahead of us, and I heard PS yell "don't run!" and then I heard TT crying. She had tripped and landed face-down, right on top of her splinted arm. She was covered in mud, scraped up her uninjured arm, and had a big gash on her knee. But the splint seems to have protected the broken arm. Lesson learned: don't take kids with broken arms on any trails--or even let them outside--until they are completely healed.
I wish the weekend were longer. I'm not ready to start another week.
4/20/11
At least tomorrow is a fake Friday
Well, yesterday sucked and today wasn't much better.
I spent my morning in a settlement meeting. We were so close, I really thought it was a done deal. And then opposing counsel demanded a term that we just couldn't agree to. Everything fell apart from there. Argh.
Headed back to the office for 2 hours, which was just enough time to resolve another case. At least I accomplished something today.
But bitchy secretary just had to stop by my office and start prodding me: "So, you kid's arm really was hurt, huh? I guess you were wrong about it not being broken. I bet you feel really bad about not taking her to the doctor." I just gave her the evil eye, because all of the responses I was thinking in my head (like "fuck off, bitch") would have been inappropriate from an HR standpoint. (And the only reason she knows any of this is because she eavesdrops on my telephone conversations.)
Left the office at 2:15 to pick TT up at 3 for our 3:45 appointment. Somewhere in there we had just enough time for ice cream. Yay! Waited for 30 minutes to see a doctor for 2 minutes who decided that we only needed a splint, not a cast. That was good news. Casts are itchy and can't get wet. At least TT can take the splint off to bathe...and scratch.
Came home, played a raucous game of Boggle (we're all about the scatological humor) and sent the girls off to pack for our trip this weekend. Then I checked the weather, and it is supposed to storm all weekend. Fantastic. So much for hiking and canoeing. Hopefully we can still squeeze in some fishing (fortunately TT casts with her right hand--it's the left that is broken--because she has been begging to go fishing). And I guess we'll be packing up the Boggle.
After this week I am REALLY looking forward to a weekend in a cabin with a bottle of wine and trashy magazines.
I spent my morning in a settlement meeting. We were so close, I really thought it was a done deal. And then opposing counsel demanded a term that we just couldn't agree to. Everything fell apart from there. Argh.
Headed back to the office for 2 hours, which was just enough time to resolve another case. At least I accomplished something today.
But bitchy secretary just had to stop by my office and start prodding me: "So, you kid's arm really was hurt, huh? I guess you were wrong about it not being broken. I bet you feel really bad about not taking her to the doctor." I just gave her the evil eye, because all of the responses I was thinking in my head (like "fuck off, bitch") would have been inappropriate from an HR standpoint. (And the only reason she knows any of this is because she eavesdrops on my telephone conversations.)
Left the office at 2:15 to pick TT up at 3 for our 3:45 appointment. Somewhere in there we had just enough time for ice cream. Yay! Waited for 30 minutes to see a doctor for 2 minutes who decided that we only needed a splint, not a cast. That was good news. Casts are itchy and can't get wet. At least TT can take the splint off to bathe...and scratch.
Came home, played a raucous game of Boggle (we're all about the scatological humor) and sent the girls off to pack for our trip this weekend. Then I checked the weather, and it is supposed to storm all weekend. Fantastic. So much for hiking and canoeing. Hopefully we can still squeeze in some fishing (fortunately TT casts with her right hand--it's the left that is broken--because she has been begging to go fishing). And I guess we'll be packing up the Boggle.
After this week I am REALLY looking forward to a weekend in a cabin with a bottle of wine and trashy magazines.
4/19/11
Major Mommy Fail
Over a week ago my nanny called to tell me that TT had fallen at school and hurt her arm. The school nurse thought she was fine, but Nanny thought it looked swollen and said that TT was complaining about it a lot. So I left work early so that I could take a look and determine if she needed to go to an urgent care center (of course, it was 4:00 on a Friday afternoon and I wasn't getting in with my doc.) And because I have broken half the bones in my body and nobody (including the school nurse) ever believed I had a break--except my mom. ( And every time she said it was broken it really was.)
But when I got home it didn't look very bad. So I just hung out with her and watched to see if she was using or favoring her arm. I started tossing toys at her to see if she would catch them. And she really seemed fine. So I did not take her in.
Sometime last week, she fell at school (again) and hurt her arm (again). She has been falling a lot and has been getting big ugly bruises, so I called the doc to make an appointment. And they couldn't get me in until this Monday. Yeah, I was annoyed, but she still wasn't acting particularly hurt, so I didn't push it. Meanwhile, over the weekend, TT fell (again) while riding her bicycle and hurt her arm a third time
So Monday she finally got to see the doc, who took five vials of blood (for the clumsiness and unexplained bruising) and ordered an X-ray because she though TT's arm was pretty swollen (but not bruised, despite the giant bruises she has been getting everywhere else).
Today I got the results of both. TT's wrist is fractured and we have an appointment with an orthopedist tomorrow to have a cast put on. Yeah, totally missed that one. Apparently I did not inherit my mother's ability to diagnose broken bones. (I went more than two weeks with two broken feet last summer before I saw a doc, so I really should have know this.) God, I feel terrible. I felt like a mommy failure when PS first had to get glasses because I hadn't noticed sooner that she couldn't read anything. This is about a million times worse.
And while her bloodwork ruled out most blood disorders, her ANA count was very high, which can be indicative of an autoimmune disorder. We have been referred to a pediatric rheumatologist, but apparently, there is only one pediatric rheumatologist in all of Big City. (How is that possible?) So who knows how long it will take to actually get an appointment with this doctor. Meanwhile I am trying not to freak out. WedMD is not helping. But I did get some comfort from reading actual medical journals that seem to indicate a fairly high number of false-positives with this test.
Of course, adding to my worry is the fact that this child is an identical twin. Which means that if she does have something serious, there's a good possibility that her twin could have the same thing. Ugh. It sucks when you can't protect your kids from crap like this.
But when I got home it didn't look very bad. So I just hung out with her and watched to see if she was using or favoring her arm. I started tossing toys at her to see if she would catch them. And she really seemed fine. So I did not take her in.
Sometime last week, she fell at school (again) and hurt her arm (again). She has been falling a lot and has been getting big ugly bruises, so I called the doc to make an appointment. And they couldn't get me in until this Monday. Yeah, I was annoyed, but she still wasn't acting particularly hurt, so I didn't push it. Meanwhile, over the weekend, TT fell (again) while riding her bicycle and hurt her arm a third time
So Monday she finally got to see the doc, who took five vials of blood (for the clumsiness and unexplained bruising) and ordered an X-ray because she though TT's arm was pretty swollen (but not bruised, despite the giant bruises she has been getting everywhere else).
Today I got the results of both. TT's wrist is fractured and we have an appointment with an orthopedist tomorrow to have a cast put on. Yeah, totally missed that one. Apparently I did not inherit my mother's ability to diagnose broken bones. (I went more than two weeks with two broken feet last summer before I saw a doc, so I really should have know this.) God, I feel terrible. I felt like a mommy failure when PS first had to get glasses because I hadn't noticed sooner that she couldn't read anything. This is about a million times worse.
And while her bloodwork ruled out most blood disorders, her ANA count was very high, which can be indicative of an autoimmune disorder. We have been referred to a pediatric rheumatologist, but apparently, there is only one pediatric rheumatologist in all of Big City. (How is that possible?) So who knows how long it will take to actually get an appointment with this doctor. Meanwhile I am trying not to freak out. WedMD is not helping. But I did get some comfort from reading actual medical journals that seem to indicate a fairly high number of false-positives with this test.
Of course, adding to my worry is the fact that this child is an identical twin. Which means that if she does have something serious, there's a good possibility that her twin could have the same thing. Ugh. It sucks when you can't protect your kids from crap like this.
4/14/11
Cranky
I hate Word 2007. Hate, hate, hate it. I have had it on my machine for years, and i have never figured out the stupid ribbon menu. I can't freaking figure out how to do anything.
I have to file a brief with the state supreme court tomorrow. It's done--I just need to do the table of contents and table of authorities. I don't do these very often, and it is always a PITA. And for some inexplicable reason, I am far more tech savvy than my staff, so if I can't figure it out, it ain't gonna happen.
I started playing around with in in Word 2008 for Mac, and it worked ok, but the TOC wasn't picking up all of my tagged titled. And it kept changing the font--which is bad because the rules contain very specific font requirements.
So I thought I would just bring it home and work out the kinks on my PC, because I'm a PC girl and generally blame the stupid mac for all of my problems. But the Word '08 of Mac is about a million times more user friendly that the '07 on my PC.
But I'm about to throw my laptop out a window, so I guess I will have to figure it all out on my mac tomorrow.
It doesn't help that I am seriously hurting right now. I was rear-ended on my way to work on Tuesday. It didn't seem too bad--his car looks a whole lot worse than mine. But I was pretty sore, and by the end of the day, I made an appt with my doc. She gave me some scrips, but I didn't fill them, because I'm not big on taking drugs, and the pain was not unbearable. And then today I woke up and couldn't turn my neck. Now I have shooting pain in my neck and shoulders. I really want to take a muscle relaxer, but I was trying to finish formatting my stupid brief first.
And I had a hearing on a pro bono matter that left me fuming. The prosecutor flat-out refused to consider any evidence that was favorable to my client. Then she said, "my job is to decide guilt or innocence." Hmmm, I thought that was the jury's job. I'm pretty sure the prosecutor's job is to ensure justice is had. To me that means considering all of the evidence--not just the state's version of events. She also said (this is a juvenile truancy case), "I don't consider it bullying when it is many different kids doing it over a period of time. It's only bullying when it is one kid who repeatedly harasses another." WTF? She also refused to voluntarily turn over any discovery because "it's sounds like you are on a fishing expedition so that you can build a lawsuit against the school district." Again, WTF? When I worked in the DA's office we always turned over the entire file upon request. I think she is a bully, and most of the kids she deals with don't have the benefit of a lawyer.
I have to file a brief with the state supreme court tomorrow. It's done--I just need to do the table of contents and table of authorities. I don't do these very often, and it is always a PITA. And for some inexplicable reason, I am far more tech savvy than my staff, so if I can't figure it out, it ain't gonna happen.
I started playing around with in in Word 2008 for Mac, and it worked ok, but the TOC wasn't picking up all of my tagged titled. And it kept changing the font--which is bad because the rules contain very specific font requirements.
So I thought I would just bring it home and work out the kinks on my PC, because I'm a PC girl and generally blame the stupid mac for all of my problems. But the Word '08 of Mac is about a million times more user friendly that the '07 on my PC.
But I'm about to throw my laptop out a window, so I guess I will have to figure it all out on my mac tomorrow.
It doesn't help that I am seriously hurting right now. I was rear-ended on my way to work on Tuesday. It didn't seem too bad--his car looks a whole lot worse than mine. But I was pretty sore, and by the end of the day, I made an appt with my doc. She gave me some scrips, but I didn't fill them, because I'm not big on taking drugs, and the pain was not unbearable. And then today I woke up and couldn't turn my neck. Now I have shooting pain in my neck and shoulders. I really want to take a muscle relaxer, but I was trying to finish formatting my stupid brief first.
And I had a hearing on a pro bono matter that left me fuming. The prosecutor flat-out refused to consider any evidence that was favorable to my client. Then she said, "my job is to decide guilt or innocence." Hmmm, I thought that was the jury's job. I'm pretty sure the prosecutor's job is to ensure justice is had. To me that means considering all of the evidence--not just the state's version of events. She also said (this is a juvenile truancy case), "I don't consider it bullying when it is many different kids doing it over a period of time. It's only bullying when it is one kid who repeatedly harasses another." WTF? She also refused to voluntarily turn over any discovery because "it's sounds like you are on a fishing expedition so that you can build a lawsuit against the school district." Again, WTF? When I worked in the DA's office we always turned over the entire file upon request. I think she is a bully, and most of the kids she deals with don't have the benefit of a lawyer.
4/10/11
Weekend Ramblings
PS and I had matinee tickets to a local theater production, so we made a day of it and headed to the mall for lunch and a bit of shopping. It was a nice mom/daughter day.
Afterward we headed to a nearby running store that I have been meaning to visit ever since I broke my feet. $125 later and I was fitted with a sparkly new pair of Asics Gel Nimbus 12. (Doesn't that sounds like something Harry Potter would wear?) I have definitely never paid that much for a pair of running shoes, but it is much cheaper than a pair of robot boots. Interestingly, I was sized at 7.5. Every pair of shoes in my closet is a 9. Apparently I'm not a 9, I just have super-wide Barney Rubble feet and have been ordering up to compensate for them.
Then we decided to make a quick run into Central Market to grab a particular sauce that I use as a base in DH's favorite dish. Ha! That place is freaking nuts on a Sunday afternoon--comparable to Disneyland on a Saturday in June. There were people every where, and they weren't especially polite. And it's a maze like Ikea--once you're in, there's no leaving unless you find one of their super-secret exit passageways. And the trip was futile, because they no longer carried the sauce that I went in for (although a very helpful employee did help me locate a couple of similar products to experiment with). I definitely won't be visiting Central Market on a weekend again any time soon.
Finally made it home in time for dinner and to help TT out with her research project. Her topic is "volcanoes." Her teacher told me last week that TT was having trouble focusing her research. Ummm, ya think it's because her topic is "volcanoes."? That's pretty dang broad. I told TT that we needed to start an outline of what we are trying to learn about volcanoes. I also insisted that we research with books instead of doing broad internet searches. Stunningly, her research is suddenly more focused.
Meanwhile, I am becoming an expert on volcanoes when I need to be drafting a response to a petition for writ of mandamus that was requested by our state supreme court and is due in a week. I was making good headway on Friday until I got a call from our nanny telling me that TT had hurt her harm and that she thought it might be broken. I rushed home (and after observing TT for half an hour determined that her arm was definitely not broken), and intended to return to my writ response this weekend. But the weekend is almost over and I've made no more progress on my response. I see a late night in my near future.
Afterward we headed to a nearby running store that I have been meaning to visit ever since I broke my feet. $125 later and I was fitted with a sparkly new pair of Asics Gel Nimbus 12. (Doesn't that sounds like something Harry Potter would wear?) I have definitely never paid that much for a pair of running shoes, but it is much cheaper than a pair of robot boots. Interestingly, I was sized at 7.5. Every pair of shoes in my closet is a 9. Apparently I'm not a 9, I just have super-wide Barney Rubble feet and have been ordering up to compensate for them.
Then we decided to make a quick run into Central Market to grab a particular sauce that I use as a base in DH's favorite dish. Ha! That place is freaking nuts on a Sunday afternoon--comparable to Disneyland on a Saturday in June. There were people every where, and they weren't especially polite. And it's a maze like Ikea--once you're in, there's no leaving unless you find one of their super-secret exit passageways. And the trip was futile, because they no longer carried the sauce that I went in for (although a very helpful employee did help me locate a couple of similar products to experiment with). I definitely won't be visiting Central Market on a weekend again any time soon.
Finally made it home in time for dinner and to help TT out with her research project. Her topic is "volcanoes." Her teacher told me last week that TT was having trouble focusing her research. Ummm, ya think it's because her topic is "volcanoes."? That's pretty dang broad. I told TT that we needed to start an outline of what we are trying to learn about volcanoes. I also insisted that we research with books instead of doing broad internet searches. Stunningly, her research is suddenly more focused.
Meanwhile, I am becoming an expert on volcanoes when I need to be drafting a response to a petition for writ of mandamus that was requested by our state supreme court and is due in a week. I was making good headway on Friday until I got a call from our nanny telling me that TT had hurt her harm and that she thought it might be broken. I rushed home (and after observing TT for half an hour determined that her arm was definitely not broken), and intended to return to my writ response this weekend. But the weekend is almost over and I've made no more progress on my response. I see a late night in my near future.
4/8/11
Sum-sum-summertime
It seems like spring has just started, but summer is already moving toward us, full steam ahead. I've signed all three girls up for summer camp--in the same week!!! What are DH and I going to do with a week without kids? We could go for dinner or drinks every night. We could go to the theater, or the comedy club we've been meaning to try, or a baseball game. And we won't have to worry about rushing home to relieve the sitter. It will be like we get our own grown-up camp. And the kids will be having a blast.
I've also reserved a condo on the beach for a week at the end of the summer. We had tossed around a couple of ideas for a summer vacation, but this is the most economical. (I'm trying to reserve vacation funds so that we can take the kids on a cruise within the next year. Unfortunately, a trial just got set on the week I was shooting for, so we'll have to see how that plays out.) I'm so looking forward to a week on the beach--although August seems like a really long way off right now.
And by the end of summer I've got to make some major decisions about what I am going to do with the kids next year. My nanny is going off to college, and I just don't know if we still need a nanny starting next year. The twins will be in the 5th grade. PS will be in 8th--and 13. PS is super responsible and definitely doesn't need a babysitter. I have a little less faith in the twins, but they get home from school only about an hour before PS.
Also, our nanny helps out with the housekeeping and the kids laundry. That is huge. And she's available to run the kids around when they have after-school activities. Maybe I can just replace her with a housekeeper with light child care responsibilities, although in my experience it is tough to find someone who does both. At least I have a few months to figure this out.
I've also reserved a condo on the beach for a week at the end of the summer. We had tossed around a couple of ideas for a summer vacation, but this is the most economical. (I'm trying to reserve vacation funds so that we can take the kids on a cruise within the next year. Unfortunately, a trial just got set on the week I was shooting for, so we'll have to see how that plays out.) I'm so looking forward to a week on the beach--although August seems like a really long way off right now.
And by the end of summer I've got to make some major decisions about what I am going to do with the kids next year. My nanny is going off to college, and I just don't know if we still need a nanny starting next year. The twins will be in the 5th grade. PS will be in 8th--and 13. PS is super responsible and definitely doesn't need a babysitter. I have a little less faith in the twins, but they get home from school only about an hour before PS.
Also, our nanny helps out with the housekeeping and the kids laundry. That is huge. And she's available to run the kids around when they have after-school activities. Maybe I can just replace her with a housekeeper with light child care responsibilities, although in my experience it is tough to find someone who does both. At least I have a few months to figure this out.
4/6/11
Adventures in Babysitting
I answered the call of a friend who desperately needed a babysitter so that they could go visit her DH's mom in the ICU,where babies aren't allowed. It was well timed because I was already taking off early to pick my girls up from school because my nanny needed the day off because her mother was having surgery. And since so many people jumped in to help us out when MIL was sick, we appreciate the opportunity to pay it forward.
So I got to spend the evening with a 10-month-old bundle of adorableness, and my girls got a little babysitter training. They have never spent much time around babies, and none of them ever really played with baby dolls or shown any interest in babies. They still didn't show much interest in this baby. But I made PS feed him and change his diaper and I have a hilarious video of her trying to wrestle him into his pajamas. He was a really good sport during all of this.
I ordered a pizza for dinner, which was an experience in itself because Pizza Hut has the suckiest mobile app ever and would only let me have a pizza delivered to my home address. (I was babysitting at the baby's house.) I couldn't even fix it by logging in directly to their website on my phone, because they have an equally sucky mobile web page that also would not let me change my delivery address. Get with it Pizza Hut--surely you can find better programmers that this. I finally got a pizza ordered by, gasp!, using my phone and calling (although even that took two phone calls).
So the pizza guy rang the door bell and the dog started barking ferociously and the baby started fussing. I handed the baby to PS and squeezed out the front door to keep the dog from eating the pizza guy. Who was a 30-something white guy with a jeri curl and a KISS necklace. Who proceeded to tell me all about his own dog, and then run back to his car to grab his cell phone so that he could show me pictures of his own dog.
Finally got rid of the pizza guy, gave my kids pizza, and fed the baby some baby-cookies that he seemed to really like.
Despite the fact that he refused to go to bed when his mom said he would, he was a really good baby and so very cute. It was nice to spend an evening with a little one, but I'm pooped and so darn glad that my girls are big now. I truly have no desire to go back to having babies. They're just so much work--although it is a heck of a lot easier to chase after one than two.
So I got to spend the evening with a 10-month-old bundle of adorableness, and my girls got a little babysitter training. They have never spent much time around babies, and none of them ever really played with baby dolls or shown any interest in babies. They still didn't show much interest in this baby. But I made PS feed him and change his diaper and I have a hilarious video of her trying to wrestle him into his pajamas. He was a really good sport during all of this.
I ordered a pizza for dinner, which was an experience in itself because Pizza Hut has the suckiest mobile app ever and would only let me have a pizza delivered to my home address. (I was babysitting at the baby's house.) I couldn't even fix it by logging in directly to their website on my phone, because they have an equally sucky mobile web page that also would not let me change my delivery address. Get with it Pizza Hut--surely you can find better programmers that this. I finally got a pizza ordered by, gasp!, using my phone and calling (although even that took two phone calls).
So the pizza guy rang the door bell and the dog started barking ferociously and the baby started fussing. I handed the baby to PS and squeezed out the front door to keep the dog from eating the pizza guy. Who was a 30-something white guy with a jeri curl and a KISS necklace. Who proceeded to tell me all about his own dog, and then run back to his car to grab his cell phone so that he could show me pictures of his own dog.
Finally got rid of the pizza guy, gave my kids pizza, and fed the baby some baby-cookies that he seemed to really like.
Despite the fact that he refused to go to bed when his mom said he would, he was a really good baby and so very cute. It was nice to spend an evening with a little one, but I'm pooped and so darn glad that my girls are big now. I truly have no desire to go back to having babies. They're just so much work--although it is a heck of a lot easier to chase after one than two.
4/2/11
The craziest thing I heard all week
"I'm sorry, but my expert is not available on the day you noticed his deposition because he is going to Mount Ararat to help find Noah's Ark."
Seriously.
Seriously.
Another week, another weekend
It feels a little like I am living for the weekends lately. Not because I don't like my work, but because I am so busy during the week between work and the kids that I don't feel like there is any down time until the weekend.
I'm still busy at work, but not insanely busy like I was a month ago. I haven't eaten dinner at work lately, and that's a good thing.
But Thursday I was in depos in podunkville that lasted until 5:30, and then we had dinner at this fantastic little steak place.* I left my house at 7:30 Thursday morning and didn't start my drive home until 7:00 Thursday night. And I needed to pick up craft supplies for SS and TT to take to a SWAP meet for girl scouts on Friday. So I found a Hobby Lobby along the way, and popped in 20 minutes before they closed to gather supplies.
I got home at 9:00 and proceeded to hot glue millions (ok, 50) tiny swaps while watching the worst Grey's Anatomy ever. (Yes, SS and TT should have made their own swaps, but we were out of time, and they finished up Friday after school).
Speaking of this week's terrible entertainment, I finally watched Black Swan last night. Yuck! I had been so disappointed that I missed it in theaters and was really looking forward to it, and I just did not like it at all.
*Still doing the Nutrisystem thing. Still losing, albeit slowly. Would probably lose faster if I stuck a little closer to the plan, but there have been a lot of client meeting and out-of-office events that require lunch out. And weekends are killer for me, because we usually dine out at least once as a family and we tend to pick up something quick if we are out running around. But I've lost the 10 pounds that I put on this year.
I just ordered another month of food. Hopefully by then I'll be trained to eat healthier. NS forces me to eat more veggies and protein, and I think that lifestyle change is key. I looooove carbs, but they leave me hungry.
As for the NS food, the breakfasts and lunches are ok, but I really don't care for the dinners. I used up all of the breakfasts and lunches that I originally ordered, but I have several dinners left. And a ton of desserts. We've never really been dessert eaters, and when I snack, I usually want salty and NS only sent sweet stuff.
And it appears that I have unintentionally given up sodas. I don't remember the last time I had a Diet Dr.Pepper. I don't even want one any more. Weird.
I'm still busy at work, but not insanely busy like I was a month ago. I haven't eaten dinner at work lately, and that's a good thing.
But Thursday I was in depos in podunkville that lasted until 5:30, and then we had dinner at this fantastic little steak place.* I left my house at 7:30 Thursday morning and didn't start my drive home until 7:00 Thursday night. And I needed to pick up craft supplies for SS and TT to take to a SWAP meet for girl scouts on Friday. So I found a Hobby Lobby along the way, and popped in 20 minutes before they closed to gather supplies.
I got home at 9:00 and proceeded to hot glue millions (ok, 50) tiny swaps while watching the worst Grey's Anatomy ever. (Yes, SS and TT should have made their own swaps, but we were out of time, and they finished up Friday after school).
Speaking of this week's terrible entertainment, I finally watched Black Swan last night. Yuck! I had been so disappointed that I missed it in theaters and was really looking forward to it, and I just did not like it at all.
*Still doing the Nutrisystem thing. Still losing, albeit slowly. Would probably lose faster if I stuck a little closer to the plan, but there have been a lot of client meeting and out-of-office events that require lunch out. And weekends are killer for me, because we usually dine out at least once as a family and we tend to pick up something quick if we are out running around. But I've lost the 10 pounds that I put on this year.
I just ordered another month of food. Hopefully by then I'll be trained to eat healthier. NS forces me to eat more veggies and protein, and I think that lifestyle change is key. I looooove carbs, but they leave me hungry.
As for the NS food, the breakfasts and lunches are ok, but I really don't care for the dinners. I used up all of the breakfasts and lunches that I originally ordered, but I have several dinners left. And a ton of desserts. We've never really been dessert eaters, and when I snack, I usually want salty and NS only sent sweet stuff.
And it appears that I have unintentionally given up sodas. I don't remember the last time I had a Diet Dr.Pepper. I don't even want one any more. Weird.
3/27/11
Weekend in Review
Had dinner and drinks with a girlfriend on Friday night. Yay, girl time is good and its been way too long.
Saturday morning I suddenly decided that we needed to convert the closet-under-the-stairs into a pantry. I have no real pantry and my kitchen storage is grossly inadequate. Especially since I live 2 minutes from Costco and do 75% of my shopping there.
The closet-under-the-stairs had previously been used for coats and suitcases and whatever random crap got shoved in there when company was coming. But because of the coats in the front, and the angled wall at the back, the space wasn't being used well.
So I decided that we would put narrow shelving along both sides, with one large, low shelf at the back to make a walk-in pantry. We've spent about $75 in materials and a few hours. So far it looks great.
But DH is driving me nuts, because he clearly hates watching me use the drill (to screw in the shelves and brackets). I will admit that I am not the most skilled power tool user in the world and I am naturally clumsy. But I am capable, even if it takes me a little longer than it would take him.
I finally gave in and let him take over. But told him that our girls needed to see that women could use power-tools, too. So now he is teaching TT and SS how to use the drill, and they are finishing up our shelves. My new pantry should be stocked by the end of the day--woot!
We took a break on Saturday night to go see Lincoln Lawyer (I got cheap tix via Groupon, and the twins were at a sleepover, leaving the perfect opportunity for a date night.) It was ok, but it is so hard to watch lawyer movies and set aside my lawyer-self and just appreciate the entertainment value. But the Matthew McConaughey eye-candy was definitely worth seeing--even if he wasn't shirtless.
Came home to freshly baked brownies by PS. It's so nice when your kids get big enough to bake you brownies!
Overall, a good weekend.
Saturday morning I suddenly decided that we needed to convert the closet-under-the-stairs into a pantry. I have no real pantry and my kitchen storage is grossly inadequate. Especially since I live 2 minutes from Costco and do 75% of my shopping there.
The closet-under-the-stairs had previously been used for coats and suitcases and whatever random crap got shoved in there when company was coming. But because of the coats in the front, and the angled wall at the back, the space wasn't being used well.
So I decided that we would put narrow shelving along both sides, with one large, low shelf at the back to make a walk-in pantry. We've spent about $75 in materials and a few hours. So far it looks great.
But DH is driving me nuts, because he clearly hates watching me use the drill (to screw in the shelves and brackets). I will admit that I am not the most skilled power tool user in the world and I am naturally clumsy. But I am capable, even if it takes me a little longer than it would take him.
I finally gave in and let him take over. But told him that our girls needed to see that women could use power-tools, too. So now he is teaching TT and SS how to use the drill, and they are finishing up our shelves. My new pantry should be stocked by the end of the day--woot!
We took a break on Saturday night to go see Lincoln Lawyer (I got cheap tix via Groupon, and the twins were at a sleepover, leaving the perfect opportunity for a date night.) It was ok, but it is so hard to watch lawyer movies and set aside my lawyer-self and just appreciate the entertainment value. But the Matthew McConaughey eye-candy was definitely worth seeing--even if he wasn't shirtless.
Came home to freshly baked brownies by PS. It's so nice when your kids get big enough to bake you brownies!
Overall, a good weekend.
3/20/11
Together Again*
We sent PS to her great-grandparents' last week for spring break while SS and TT attended a fantastic day camp sponsored by our city.
PS has spent several summers with my grandparents, but it has been a couple of years since her last visit without us. I don't think that my grandparents realized that she has grown from a sweet 8-year old who was excited to visit with old people and become the Senior Center's mascot, to a moody 12-year old who just wants to hang out with her friends or play video games. She really thought she was roughing it because she had no internet all week.
And my grandparents were quite possessive and did not want to share her. By mid-week my dad had to intervene and insist that she be allowed to spend the night with my brother and his 4 girls. PS had been begging to see her cousins, and she had a great time with them. In the end, she also got to spend time with my dad and DH's dad. Of course, my mother never even tried to get in touch with her, despite the fact that she knew PS would be in town.
PS flew back home Friday afternoon. To celebrate our little family being reunited again, we went to the drive-through animal park yesterday and saw the zebras and giraffes and other critters I can't pronounce or identify, and then the dinosaur park where we walked in real dinosaur tracks, followed by some awesome barbecue and cobbler in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. It was our last, and only spring break hurrah, since my work schedule did not allow any time off, but we had a good time and came home tired and happy. And we have booked Easter weekend at the awesome cabin we visited last year, so we have at least a mini-vacation in the near-ish future. Yay!
*This is what was running through my head when I named this post:
PS has spent several summers with my grandparents, but it has been a couple of years since her last visit without us. I don't think that my grandparents realized that she has grown from a sweet 8-year old who was excited to visit with old people and become the Senior Center's mascot, to a moody 12-year old who just wants to hang out with her friends or play video games. She really thought she was roughing it because she had no internet all week.
And my grandparents were quite possessive and did not want to share her. By mid-week my dad had to intervene and insist that she be allowed to spend the night with my brother and his 4 girls. PS had been begging to see her cousins, and she had a great time with them. In the end, she also got to spend time with my dad and DH's dad. Of course, my mother never even tried to get in touch with her, despite the fact that she knew PS would be in town.
PS flew back home Friday afternoon. To celebrate our little family being reunited again, we went to the drive-through animal park yesterday and saw the zebras and giraffes and other critters I can't pronounce or identify, and then the dinosaur park where we walked in real dinosaur tracks, followed by some awesome barbecue and cobbler in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. It was our last, and only spring break hurrah, since my work schedule did not allow any time off, but we had a good time and came home tired and happy. And we have booked Easter weekend at the awesome cabin we visited last year, so we have at least a mini-vacation in the near-ish future. Yay!
*This is what was running through my head when I named this post:
3/17/11
Sick Day
So I took down my last two whiny posts, because I hate whining.
And I called in sick today because I have been feeling crappy all week (which undoubtedly contributed to the whining) and I'm just totally run down. And because today's project is the doc review, which I can do just as effectively from the comfyness of my couch and the coziness of my yoga pants as I can sitting in a suit at my desk in the office.
Hopefully an easy day and a nap will make me less cranky and whiny. The ability to breathe out of both nostrils would help a lot, too.
And I called in sick today because I have been feeling crappy all week (which undoubtedly contributed to the whining) and I'm just totally run down. And because today's project is the doc review, which I can do just as effectively from the comfyness of my couch and the coziness of my yoga pants as I can sitting in a suit at my desk in the office.
Hopefully an easy day and a nap will make me less cranky and whiny. The ability to breathe out of both nostrils would help a lot, too.
3/13/11
The Gift of a Sunday
We shipped PS off for a week with her great-grandparents. When I booked her 8:45 flight, I did not realize that today was the time change. It was an early morning.
I headed to work after dropping her off to prepare for a mediation on Monday. The first that I would be doing on my own. Despite one of my cases settling last week, my load has stayed heavy and the late nights have continued. I worked until 9:00 Friday finishing my mediation statement, and then took spent Saturday hanging with the kids--knowing that I would go in on Sunday to finish preparing for the mediation.
But as soon as I opened my email this morning I had a message informing me that the opposing party had filed for bankruptcy late on Friday, and so my case is automatically stayed. Bastards. Like they didn't know they would be filing for bankruptcy before I spent most of last week preparing for mediation and the trial that was set for next week. And I was really looking forward to my solo mediation. (And why didn't this email show up on my iphone yesterday?)
So I spent about an hour at the office responding to a few emails that I was too busy to deal with last week, and headed back home.
On the bright side, I now get to spend Sunday with my girlies--at least two of them. Looks like we're going to play laser tag. Nothing says family fun like shooting each other with laser beams!
I headed to work after dropping her off to prepare for a mediation on Monday. The first that I would be doing on my own. Despite one of my cases settling last week, my load has stayed heavy and the late nights have continued. I worked until 9:00 Friday finishing my mediation statement, and then took spent Saturday hanging with the kids--knowing that I would go in on Sunday to finish preparing for the mediation.
But as soon as I opened my email this morning I had a message informing me that the opposing party had filed for bankruptcy late on Friday, and so my case is automatically stayed. Bastards. Like they didn't know they would be filing for bankruptcy before I spent most of last week preparing for mediation and the trial that was set for next week. And I was really looking forward to my solo mediation. (And why didn't this email show up on my iphone yesterday?)
So I spent about an hour at the office responding to a few emails that I was too busy to deal with last week, and headed back home.
On the bright side, I now get to spend Sunday with my girlies--at least two of them. Looks like we're going to play laser tag. Nothing says family fun like shooting each other with laser beams!
3/12/11
Abstinence
I just got am email from PS's school informing me that they are bringing in an abstinence education speaker. For some reason, this just set me off. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, really--we are in an uber-conservative school district. But there has been absolutely no sex ed at all in PS's public school so far. And apparently this is all they're gong to get.
Guess what? Abstinence only programs don't work. Teenagers have been having sex since the beginning of time and they will continue having sex. And I can't with a straight face tell my kids not to have sex until they are married. I mean, what is my response supposed to be when they ask if I waited until marriage? The answer is, "no, but I waited until I was in a long-term relationship with someone that I really cared about, and I took the necessary precautions," which is really the best I can hope for my children.
Besides, I married really young--at 20. I would prefer that my daughters wait longer to marry. Although I don't regret my marriage or my children, I do wish that I had had a bit more time to be "free" in my twenties. If I could choose their paths (and of course, I can't) I'd hope they wait until their late twenties to marry. And is it realistic to tell a kid to wait until she has her graduate degree to have sex?
Of course I will encourage my daughters to wait until they are in the right relationship and mature enough to handle the emotional and physical consequences. And I will educate them about the consequences of having sex. PS already knows she wasn't planned--we were already married, but a baby definitely was not something I wanted in my immediate future--so even grown-ups can make mistakes with contraception.
I'm not naive enough to think my daughters will talk to me before having sex (although I really, really hope so.) But I will pay attention to what is going on in their lives, so that I'll have a clue when we are heading in that direction. And I will make sure they have the information they need to protect themselves and make good decisions. Because telling them, "just don't do it" isn't going to accomplish that.
Guess what? Abstinence only programs don't work. Teenagers have been having sex since the beginning of time and they will continue having sex. And I can't with a straight face tell my kids not to have sex until they are married. I mean, what is my response supposed to be when they ask if I waited until marriage? The answer is, "no, but I waited until I was in a long-term relationship with someone that I really cared about, and I took the necessary precautions," which is really the best I can hope for my children.
Besides, I married really young--at 20. I would prefer that my daughters wait longer to marry. Although I don't regret my marriage or my children, I do wish that I had had a bit more time to be "free" in my twenties. If I could choose their paths (and of course, I can't) I'd hope they wait until their late twenties to marry. And is it realistic to tell a kid to wait until she has her graduate degree to have sex?
Of course I will encourage my daughters to wait until they are in the right relationship and mature enough to handle the emotional and physical consequences. And I will educate them about the consequences of having sex. PS already knows she wasn't planned--we were already married, but a baby definitely was not something I wanted in my immediate future--so even grown-ups can make mistakes with contraception.
I'm not naive enough to think my daughters will talk to me before having sex (although I really, really hope so.) But I will pay attention to what is going on in their lives, so that I'll have a clue when we are heading in that direction. And I will make sure they have the information they need to protect themselves and make good decisions. Because telling them, "just don't do it" isn't going to accomplish that.
3/5/11
Life
My biggest cast settled on Friday. Yay! Now maybe I can get my life back. Or at least only worry about prepping one case for trial this month. Really, I would have much preferred to go to trial, but last week the Supreme Court of the Relevant State handed down an opinion that was directly on point and really decided our case for us. Such is the bane of a litigator's life--getting 3 weeks from trial and having your case go "poof," into thin air.
Meanwhile, I've lost 3 pounds doing the Nutrisystem thing. Not too overjoyed, since I expected to lose the first 10 pretty easily since I gained them so recently and I had otherwise been hovering at the same weight for the last 4 years. But at least I can button my jeans again.
I have learned that I have absolutely no willpower, though. (Ok, maybe I already knew that.) One of our Louisiana clients set us a king cake on Tuesday, and who am I to reject a mardi gras tradition? And then our copy service delivered freshly baked cookies along with my copy job--and I've never met a cookie I didn't like. And DH and I went to a concert last night, and well, we had to pick up dinner beforehand. And I met him for lunch on Thursday at our favorite taco place.
The Thursday lunch meeting was unplanned. But it was the first anniversary of MIL's funeral, and DH was having a rough week. Last Sunday was the anniversary of her death. Really, all of February was hard on the whole family. There were a lot of reminders of what her last month was like. She was in hospice and the rest of us were practically living there. It was certainly one of the most difficult experiences of all of our lives.*
It's hard to believe it's been a year. It doesn't feel like it. "They" say its supposed to get easier after a year. But I don't think its that simple. I'm not sure this mother's day is going to be any easier than the last one. But I guess, eventually, it will get better.
*The only thing that really compares is when I was pregnant with the twins. I was hospitalized with hyperemesis for most of the first 16 weeks, told to consider terminating before I starved to death, then the twins were dx'd with TTTS which has a 90% mortality rate if untreated and the only cure (there are other treatments but only one cure) is in-utero surgery, which at that time was considered experimental and only performed at 5 hospitals in the country.
Meanwhile, I've lost 3 pounds doing the Nutrisystem thing. Not too overjoyed, since I expected to lose the first 10 pretty easily since I gained them so recently and I had otherwise been hovering at the same weight for the last 4 years. But at least I can button my jeans again.
I have learned that I have absolutely no willpower, though. (Ok, maybe I already knew that.) One of our Louisiana clients set us a king cake on Tuesday, and who am I to reject a mardi gras tradition? And then our copy service delivered freshly baked cookies along with my copy job--and I've never met a cookie I didn't like. And DH and I went to a concert last night, and well, we had to pick up dinner beforehand. And I met him for lunch on Thursday at our favorite taco place.
The Thursday lunch meeting was unplanned. But it was the first anniversary of MIL's funeral, and DH was having a rough week. Last Sunday was the anniversary of her death. Really, all of February was hard on the whole family. There were a lot of reminders of what her last month was like. She was in hospice and the rest of us were practically living there. It was certainly one of the most difficult experiences of all of our lives.*
It's hard to believe it's been a year. It doesn't feel like it. "They" say its supposed to get easier after a year. But I don't think its that simple. I'm not sure this mother's day is going to be any easier than the last one. But I guess, eventually, it will get better.
*The only thing that really compares is when I was pregnant with the twins. I was hospitalized with hyperemesis for most of the first 16 weeks, told to consider terminating before I starved to death, then the twins were dx'd with TTTS which has a 90% mortality rate if untreated and the only cure (there are other treatments but only one cure) is in-utero surgery, which at that time was considered experimental and only performed at 5 hospitals in the country.
2/27/11
Fatty
I have been packing on the pounds over the last 6 weeks or so. I have been exceptionally busy at work and there have been way too many late nights which result in my picking up a fast-food dinner at 9:00 at night. Not a good way to live a long and healthy life.
Plus, none of my clothes are fitting properly anymore. My pants are just a little too tight across the ass, the pockets are sticking out instead of lying flat, and my suit jackets won't button anymore. Not to mention that the extra pounds have made my acid-reflux go out-of-control (and my doc won't refill my prescription for Protonix because it is apparently contra-indicated if you have flimsy bones that crack when you go jogging.)
I picked up about 10 pounds after I quit breast-feeding the twins (9 years ago). And another 10 in law school (4 years ago). And another 10 in the last 6 weeks. So, the 20 pounds I needed to drop have suddenly become 30, which just sounds a lot more ominous.
I have used Weight Watchers and SparkPeople and I think they are both good programs. But I just don't have the time (or the desire to make the time) to figure out what I can eat and what I can't, and log every bite that goes into my mouth. Calorie -counting is a lot of work. It gets easier, but the reboot is hard.
So today I signed up for Nutrisystem. Because it is easy. They send me food and tell me what to eat. I don't have to plan it, I don't have to count it, and I don't have to cook it. I know it's not a long term solution--but hopefully it will keep me from gaining any more over the next couple of months. I have two trial settings in March--so there is no break in my schedule coming soon, but life should calm down over the summer. And it's so much easier to eat healthy in the summer when fresh fruits and veggies are in abundance. (I could live on watermelon in the summer.)
Nutrisystem is a little pricey, but not as much as I was anticipating. And not so bad when offset by the amount I have been spending on fast food of late. My biggest concern is the taste. I really dislike processed frozen food. So that may be the deal-killer here. But it's worth a shot, or I'm going to have to start wearing yoga pants to work.
Plus, none of my clothes are fitting properly anymore. My pants are just a little too tight across the ass, the pockets are sticking out instead of lying flat, and my suit jackets won't button anymore. Not to mention that the extra pounds have made my acid-reflux go out-of-control (and my doc won't refill my prescription for Protonix because it is apparently contra-indicated if you have flimsy bones that crack when you go jogging.)
I picked up about 10 pounds after I quit breast-feeding the twins (9 years ago). And another 10 in law school (4 years ago). And another 10 in the last 6 weeks. So, the 20 pounds I needed to drop have suddenly become 30, which just sounds a lot more ominous.
I have used Weight Watchers and SparkPeople and I think they are both good programs. But I just don't have the time (or the desire to make the time) to figure out what I can eat and what I can't, and log every bite that goes into my mouth. Calorie -counting is a lot of work. It gets easier, but the reboot is hard.
So today I signed up for Nutrisystem. Because it is easy. They send me food and tell me what to eat. I don't have to plan it, I don't have to count it, and I don't have to cook it. I know it's not a long term solution--but hopefully it will keep me from gaining any more over the next couple of months. I have two trial settings in March--so there is no break in my schedule coming soon, but life should calm down over the summer. And it's so much easier to eat healthy in the summer when fresh fruits and veggies are in abundance. (I could live on watermelon in the summer.)
Nutrisystem is a little pricey, but not as much as I was anticipating. And not so bad when offset by the amount I have been spending on fast food of late. My biggest concern is the taste. I really dislike processed frozen food. So that may be the deal-killer here. But it's worth a shot, or I'm going to have to start wearing yoga pants to work.
2/24/11
Why I am superior to my male counterparts...
Because I can see the future.
Well, not really. But I can anticipate what might happen in the future and then plan my life so that if the possible becomes reality I don't have my ass in a sling. I can foresee a giant ice storm (especially when the weather guys tell us a week ahead of time that its coming) or that I might have a sick kid in the middle of flu season. I can foresee that one of these things (or any other random event) might occur on the day I have a deadline in a major case. And so I make sure that I do whatever I need to do before the day of the deadline in case one of these random events actually happens.
But the men I work with are absolutely incapable of doing this. I don't think it has ever crossed their minds to serve a document before the deadline--or to at least have it 100% ready to be served.
Last week I asked Partner at least 5 times, "We have a designation deadline next Tuesday, what do you want me to do?" And every single time his response was "I don't have time to think about that right now. We'll talk about it next week." And I said, "OK, but I am in depos all day Monday, so if you need my help, I won't be around."
And also last week I went to Big Boss and said, "We have a meeting on Tuesday with X. What do you need to to prepare for that meeting?" His response: "Nothing, just send the pleadings to X for his review before the meeting."
So guess what happens on Tuesday? At 9:30, Partner finally gives me the designations that need to be served. But this is a case where we represent 10 parties--so I have to prepare 10 distinct designations. Oh, and we have to file exhibit lists, too. So I have to prepare 10 distinct exhibit lists.
And then at 10:00 Big Boss starts preparing for the meeting with X. And comes barrelling into my office every 10 minutes asking me where such-and-such document is. And informs me that I need to re-read all of the memos that I have drafted for this case--(which includes at least a dozen highly pointed and lengthy memos).
And so this continues until 1:00 when the meeting actually starts and where I am held captive for the next three hours.
And then I resume preparation of my exhibit lists (which I had thankfully handed off to my fabulous paralegal before the meeting.) And Partner says, "why are you doing the exhibit lists first, the designations are the most important." To which I calmly reply, "Because the exhibit lists have to be filed and the designations do not. So the secretary can start efiling while I am finishing up the designations, and I won't have to stay here an extra hour waiting for her to file while leaving her twiddling her thumbs right now."
Yeah, the guys have tunnel vision. They work on one task at a time. Layering tasks to promote the most efficient use of time is not on their agendas.
I also gave the secretary a heads up about what we were serving, how big the mailing would be and who it was going to so that she could prepare her cover letters and have her envelopes ready to go. So that the second I had my documents ready, they could be compiled and mailed. I'm 99% sure none of the guys in my office have ever done this.
And so, we got it all done and secretary and I left the office by 9:00 pm. But I really hate scrambling at the last minute, and it all could have been completely avoided if either Partner or Big Boss had let me get started on these tasks last week. I swear they are in a competition to see who can kill me first.
Well, not really. But I can anticipate what might happen in the future and then plan my life so that if the possible becomes reality I don't have my ass in a sling. I can foresee a giant ice storm (especially when the weather guys tell us a week ahead of time that its coming) or that I might have a sick kid in the middle of flu season. I can foresee that one of these things (or any other random event) might occur on the day I have a deadline in a major case. And so I make sure that I do whatever I need to do before the day of the deadline in case one of these random events actually happens.
But the men I work with are absolutely incapable of doing this. I don't think it has ever crossed their minds to serve a document before the deadline--or to at least have it 100% ready to be served.
Last week I asked Partner at least 5 times, "We have a designation deadline next Tuesday, what do you want me to do?" And every single time his response was "I don't have time to think about that right now. We'll talk about it next week." And I said, "OK, but I am in depos all day Monday, so if you need my help, I won't be around."
And also last week I went to Big Boss and said, "We have a meeting on Tuesday with X. What do you need to to prepare for that meeting?" His response: "Nothing, just send the pleadings to X for his review before the meeting."
So guess what happens on Tuesday? At 9:30, Partner finally gives me the designations that need to be served. But this is a case where we represent 10 parties--so I have to prepare 10 distinct designations. Oh, and we have to file exhibit lists, too. So I have to prepare 10 distinct exhibit lists.
And then at 10:00 Big Boss starts preparing for the meeting with X. And comes barrelling into my office every 10 minutes asking me where such-and-such document is. And informs me that I need to re-read all of the memos that I have drafted for this case--(which includes at least a dozen highly pointed and lengthy memos).
And so this continues until 1:00 when the meeting actually starts and where I am held captive for the next three hours.
And then I resume preparation of my exhibit lists (which I had thankfully handed off to my fabulous paralegal before the meeting.) And Partner says, "why are you doing the exhibit lists first, the designations are the most important." To which I calmly reply, "Because the exhibit lists have to be filed and the designations do not. So the secretary can start efiling while I am finishing up the designations, and I won't have to stay here an extra hour waiting for her to file while leaving her twiddling her thumbs right now."
Yeah, the guys have tunnel vision. They work on one task at a time. Layering tasks to promote the most efficient use of time is not on their agendas.
I also gave the secretary a heads up about what we were serving, how big the mailing would be and who it was going to so that she could prepare her cover letters and have her envelopes ready to go. So that the second I had my documents ready, they could be compiled and mailed. I'm 99% sure none of the guys in my office have ever done this.
And so, we got it all done and secretary and I left the office by 9:00 pm. But I really hate scrambling at the last minute, and it all could have been completely avoided if either Partner or Big Boss had let me get started on these tasks last week. I swear they are in a competition to see who can kill me first.
2/20/11
Big kids
The twins returned dirty, exhausted and happy from their camp out this weekend. They have another one in two weeks, and are really looking forward to it. I also asked if they wanted to go to camp this summer and received an emphatic "Yes!"
PS seems a wee bit jealous and has been talking nonstop about her own girl scout experiences and her 5th grade campout with her school. I think this summer we will be sending her to the camp she attended for the 5th grade campout. It's a little pricey, but I think it will be good for her.
I've also been searching for day camps over spring break. I've enrolled the twins in a camp sponsored by our city that they have attended before and love. But PS has aged out. Apparently she has aged out of every spring break camp I can find. Just what are middle-schoolers supposed to do with a week off? I definitely do not like the idea of her sitting home alone playing video games for a week. DH and I both have long commutes and are gone at least 10 hours a day. And taking time off is not an option, because I have two trial settings the week after spring break. Looks like we may be shipping her off to Hometown. She will have a great time and enjoy seeing her cousins--I just need to make sure they aren't leaving town.
PS seems a wee bit jealous and has been talking nonstop about her own girl scout experiences and her 5th grade campout with her school. I think this summer we will be sending her to the camp she attended for the 5th grade campout. It's a little pricey, but I think it will be good for her.
I've also been searching for day camps over spring break. I've enrolled the twins in a camp sponsored by our city that they have attended before and love. But PS has aged out. Apparently she has aged out of every spring break camp I can find. Just what are middle-schoolers supposed to do with a week off? I definitely do not like the idea of her sitting home alone playing video games for a week. DH and I both have long commutes and are gone at least 10 hours a day. And taking time off is not an option, because I have two trial settings the week after spring break. Looks like we may be shipping her off to Hometown. She will have a great time and enjoy seeing her cousins--I just need to make sure they aren't leaving town.
2/18/11
Spring...is that you?
I left work at 2:00 today to pick up the twins from school and drop them off for their first-ever girl scout camp out. It was gorgeous outside! I opened up the sunroof and cranked up the stereo. (I heart Cake's version of "I Will Survive.") According to my car, it was 84 outside--hard to believe we were buried in ice just a couple of weeks ago.
Got the girls picked up and dropped off. They were bouncing-off-the-walls excited, and couldn't wait to ditch me. Meanwhile, I am trying not to think to hard about sending them off into the wilderness all alone (well, except for 22 of their closest friends and their 4 leaders.)
Now we're trying to figure out how to spend a Friday night with our only child. Nothing good at the movies. Maybe bowling. Maybe we'll just order in and play some Super Mario Brothers on the wii.
Got the girls picked up and dropped off. They were bouncing-off-the-walls excited, and couldn't wait to ditch me. Meanwhile, I am trying not to think to hard about sending them off into the wilderness all alone (well, except for 22 of their closest friends and their 4 leaders.)
Now we're trying to figure out how to spend a Friday night with our only child. Nothing good at the movies. Maybe bowling. Maybe we'll just order in and play some Super Mario Brothers on the wii.
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