How I Got Through Law School

The following is a VERY LONG POST intended for potential law students or current law students struggling through life as a "non-traditional" student and wondering how I managed.

I often get email asking for my advice. A recent reader sent me a whole list of questions, and I have answered them personally, but wanted to post them, too. Maybe someone will find them useful, or at the very least, not a terrible way to kill ten minutes. (Yes, ten - I told you it was a long post!)

First - for anyone with who is a partner of a law student, or law-student-wanna-be, be sure to check out my partner's blog, especially the archives - 2005 was my first year of law school from her perspective. (You will appreciate my sections below about how much it sucks to be a partner of a law student!)

Now, here is some of my best advice for making it through law school with a partner, and/or kids, and/or a full-time job:


First - mostly B's is totally good. At my school, the curve is forced that way. Period. You will get some A's, some C's, mostly B's. There are exceptions. Mostly, those of us working, and/or with kids, will not be among the exceptions. Once you can accept that, you will feel better. You are a non-traditional student and have to accept a different level of competence than you would have if you were not in your current situation. Even if you only have a partner to deal with, and are in your mid-30's, you are "non-traditional." You probably have more responsibilities than your 20-something classmates. You are now swimming in a pond of really freaking smart fish, and you may not be among the fastest of your peers. I was not. I always used to be before law school. It sucks, but is one of those things that I had to learn to accept. I had no energy to worry about it. I could only do my best....and school was only one of the balls I had in the air.



You do have an option. You can quit after your first year if you really think you will not want a career for which having a JD will help. You are probably already in debt, but it gets SO MUCH WORSE with every passing year, and lawyers do not make as much as people think. Still, I am glad I went. I loved the challenge. I know the JD will open doors for me. It will work out in the long run. I have to believe that. You must decide that for yourself. Really talk to other lawyers about their lives and careers. Most are very happy to talk to students about what they do and how they got there. Take some time to decide if this is best for you. Always believe you have choices in life.

OK. How did I do it?

1) I looked at the commitments I made as if there were no choice but to follow through with all of them. (Funny since I just told you to always believe you have choices! True, but I chose to follow through with my commitments and plans.)

I had my family. Sundays were for them. Period. No homework that day. I talked to my partner and my kids on the phone everyday, usually a few times a day.

I had certain hours I worked. I went to work. I did my job. The family needed money to live on - I was earning it. No choice. Then I had to go to class and pay attention. Not blog, not surf, just pay attention - take notes - participate when I wasn't completely lost or brain dead. I often felt as if I was both. Still....all I could do was my best under the circumstances.

Having ALL of my time so committed in some ways made my routine very easy. There were no choices to be made. I couldn't go have a drink after class. I didn't have time for law review. Some of that sucked a lot. I often wanted my biggest worry to be about where I was going drinking on Friday night, like some of my classmates, but that was not the path I'd chosen. I'd done that 15 years earlier.

2) I figured that homework was not optional. The assignments were not suggestions. They were what I had paid a huge amount of money to get to do to learn what I needed to learn. Did it help me during class? Sometimes. Did it help me during exams? Sometimes. Did it help me to learn the language of lawyers, how to think like a lawyer, help me to immerse myself in this odd culture of the law? Definitely. Indoctrination is part of the game.


How did I find the energy?

1) Sometimes it was very hard. During first year, I often took 15 minute naps in my car between work and school. I ate too much sugar and drank too much caffeine.

2) In my last year, I learned to regularly take walks, eat better, and pop a packet of Emergen-C in a bottle of water instead of opening a can of Coke.

3) A friend of mine really got involved in raw foods. She swears that is what helped her get through it all. It was probably an excellent idea. Her fruit smoothies definitely were better for her in the middle of class than my chocolate chip cookies.

How did I make my relationship last?

1) I am not sure. My first year was complete hell on our relationship. We fought a lot over I don't even know what. Mostly I had left her pretty much to be a single mom with a 6-month-old and a 3-year-old. She still expected me to pick up my share of the household duties. I couldn't do that and go to school and work. She had too much to do, and so did I. Neither of us was well-prepared for what that meant emotionally, nor did we have the outside support that some have. We had some family that occasionally helped with the kids. It was not nearly enough. So, we fought, we took out our frustrations on each other. To make up for the hell, we went to Disneyland twice during the summer after first year and really reconnected.

2) Everyone says once you have kids, make sure you still make time for each other. Have date nights, whatever. Same goes for law school. Make dates with each other. Keep them. Talk about law school AND other things in life. Your partner does not know what you are going through and really cannot relate, but remember, you also cannot relate to what she is going through. You have to both try to share what you are going through without getting defensive. It is really hard. I'm still not very good at it.

3) Being a partner of a law student sucks. They (you know - THEM) are teaching us to be even more difficult, argumentative and arrogant than we likely already were. So, not only are we difficult and stressed out, but we cannot make our partners the number one priority in our lives, even if we want to, even if they deserve it. To get through school, something's gotta give, and unfortunately, it is often the time you spend with your partner. Be sure to carve out some time for her each week. Make your partner a priority - but if she insists on being your top priority all the time - it just won't work.


4) Law school does a number on your self-esteem. Most of us are used to being at the top of our class. Most of us are suddenly forced into mediocrity. Our writing that has been our strength is suddenly crap. We are tested in a high stress situation that doesn't necessarily reflect what we've learned - do your best in three hours and here is your grade for the entire 16 weeks of work. All of that, plus add that most of us are wondering if the loans will be worth it and what we will really do when we get out. All of that forces us to be....well....probably not the best partners. Keep that in mind. It is easy to blame the other person for your own short-comings. Arguing and feeling guilty are distracting, but everyone has distractions. I sometimes think if I'd not been dealing with family stuff, my grades would have been higher. Maybe, but that is not where I am in life.

5) We had already been married for 11 years when I entered law school. We had two little kids. That is a lot to walk away from. So, that solid foundation was strong enough to last even through the big fights.

6) It really does get better after the first year. The first year of law school weeds out those that really want to be there and can handle it from those who don't or can't. It probably also weeds out the relationships that can't handle the really tough times. I know at least one guy from my "pod" of 40 that divorced after first year.

7) Sometimes - do something fun and spontaneous, and forget school for a day or two. Take your partner on a surprise trip somewhere. Go to a concert. Anything. Enjoy each other. Then get right back on track with your school work so you don't fall behind.

How did I mentally manage it all?

1) Sometimes I didn't.

2) Sometimes I fought with my partner. Sometimes I wanted to run away from it all. Sometimes I said things I shouldn't say. Later, I apologized.

3) Sometimes, I called on an old friend to let her know I was drowning, and she'd throw me a lifeline. Keep in touch with your friends, especially those outside of law school. They are at least insane in a totally different way than your law school friends.

4) I blogged. I came up with creative summer projects that had nothing to do with the law. I found I need to be creative to balance out the intense academic demands.

5) Seek Balance. Everyone tells us that. What the heck does it mean? For me, it meant trying to be really present with what I was doing at that moment - playing with my kids, doing my work, studying, whatever. It also meant making time for work and for fun. There has to be some fun to keep you going. Some things had to be given up - like dusting or spending time with "have to" friends or family. There was only time for really important stuff. It meant some semi-important stuff had to be let go. Really unimportant stuff - gone! You hope you can go back and pick up the stuff you didn't want to let go, but had to, like maybe a hobby. In a few years, maybe you'll be interested and have time for it - but for now, prioritization is important.

6) I wanted to drink. I rarely did. Law school with all the wine and beer receptions and luncheons sets us up to drink too much. Be careful. Drunk people do not make good first impressions.


How can I improve my test-taking skills?

1) I never signed up for BarBri before the bar exam. Given how useful their bar course was, I probably should have, plus it would have locked in a lower bar review course price. I think that using their study guides might be useful. Many of us during bar review said we wished we'd had some of the tips we were learning then during law school, particularly those surrounding essay questions.

2) Talk to professors. They want to help us learn. Look at where you could have improved your exam grades. If your school offers resources, take advantage of them. (I never did any of this, nor did I ever feel that I had time to go back and look at what I'd done. That would have meant taking time away from family or from the current homework. Seems like I could never get off the ride long enough to adjust my safety gear. Might it have helped my overall GPA? Maybe.)

3) Some things that are so foreign now just get easier and there is no way to learn it without simply doing it. We learn by doing and by being immersed in the culture.


What suggestions do I have for not losing it mentally?

1) Just after the bar doesn't seem like a great time to answer that as I am not sure that I did not lose it! Bar aside, though, for keeping the course during law school -

2) Go back up to the answers under "how did I mentally manage it all."

3) Talk to your friends. Talk to your partner. Talk to your classmates. They are going through much of the same crap you are going through. It's just that most of us don't talk about it. We all want people to think we've got it all together. Or maybe we just don't even have the time to wonder if our classmates are feeling the same way. They are. I accidentally stumbled upon this enough times to know that if I was going through it, so were others. During our first year, we were all fighting with our partners. Find out - then you can all laugh -or cry - about it together.


That's it!

I certainly did not do everything right, nor was I a huge academic success. I was a good student, I learned, I passed, I freaking graduated!

Would it have been easier without a job, a wife, kids, all of the trappings of adulthood? Certainly. Can it be done with all of these elements? Absolutely.

The Bar Report

Where to begin?

It has been a week since I finished the bar. I think that calls for a drink....at a.....wait for it....bar!

OK, so, the bar experience was a mix of fear, excitement, and facing the unknown in what was the culmination of a four-year educational experience. The first day I was excited, somewhat nervous, and ready to go. There were about 500 of us, most in a large conference room, packed nearly on top of each other at row after row of long tables with barely enough room for our laptops and testing materials. There were four (?) large air conditioning units that had been installed especially for our event. They were blowing out blissfully cool air....for a while.

Most of us arrived at least an hour early for check in. Waiting was hard. It was already about 80+ degrees outside, so wandering around outside in search of fresh air was all but pointless. Still, everyone had their own method of coping at that point - talking, joking around, remaining totally silent at their spot, wandering, smoking....let me say, never has smoking seemed so appealing. I did a bit of everything...mostly walking, and talking with a few friends, and people nearby whom I had just met. I remembered to breathe deeply, and shared the advice with a friend desperate for any advice on coping.

One former classmate was mostly concentrating on keeping his breakfast down. I felt really bad for him.

The morning went well, and by lunch, I think most of us were feeling pretty good. The performance exam and one set of essays were done. I was happy to have had lots to say, and felt like I was doing well. Our career and alumni services hosted a lunch at a nearby restaurant. That was nice, and a chance to chat with friends about their plans for the rest of the summer.

By afternoon, the room had gotten HOT. Lots of people were complaining. I had made the unfortunate decision not to change into my shorts that I had brought with me even though I had gone to my car where I could have gotten them (see previous melted bottle picture). Truthfully, there would not have been much time though, and the bathroom lines were insane! Fortunately, I was so focused, and somehow, by the grace of god, remained pretty cool most of that day. I noticed by the last 45 minutes so so, that it was pretty hot. Still, I made it through and by the end of that day I was feeling GREAT! Day One Down!!

I had gotten two of my least favored topic areas - Partnerships and Tax - and had managed to remember enough to answer the questions and meet my character limits. I may not have aced every one, but certainly felt at least minimally competent.

Then came Day Two. Let me say that "minimally competent" felt like the theme for this day. That and HOT. No - HOT. We started the day at 8:00am at 82 degrees in the conference room. This was multiple choice question day (MBE). 100 questions in three hours. Lunch. 100 more questions.

I had done a lot of practice tests. I had been scoring well. I thought I would feel better about this part. At the end of three hours I was left feeling SO DONE that I was not sure how I would be able to come back and do more after lunch. I had no idea how I was doing. I was pretty sure if I had to read another property question I was going to scream, which would surely get me kicked out of the test.

Lunch was a much more somber experience this day. We all looked and felt pretty beat up. It was somewhere over 90 degrees outside, but I did not hear how much over. I knew we were heading for 107, which I later found out we reached.

I ate lunch. I took deep breaths in the shade near the pool. I put some Emergen-C in a cup of ice water and enjoyed the cool tartness as it cooled off my insides. About 1:30 we started the final section of the Bar Exam.

The final section.....three more hours and that was it. The end of four long years. Excitement and fear blended with the heat. I realized within moments just how hot it was. We were easily above 90 degrees in the conference room. I seriously considered that there might be people passing out or throwing up from heat exhaustion. Focus. OK - Fifi wants to kill her husband (intent) and gets her boyfriend to bring his gun (conspiracy), they drive over with the gun (this is a significant step if that is important)....I plan on going to get ice water when I get to question 18. I am so hot that it is difficult to focus, but I make myself visualize what is happening in each hypothetical. I haven't come this far to blow it because of the damn heat. Question 18 - and I am right near the ice water and the bathrooms. Excellent!

I eat ice through the rest of the exam, which works to keep me cool enough to finish - thank God!

At the end, I have no clue how I did. At some points, I felt eerily confident about the answers. The blessings of the many friends, and even strangers, praying for clarity for me? If so, I'll take it! Some questions, I struggled over, and finally saw the nuance that made the difference - I think. Some questions - guess and go.

Then it was over.
A friend and I exchanged relieved high fives, words of "thank god it is over," and danced around the fact it - the big IT - the whole law school experience was really over. I think we were both dazed. I know I was exhausted and sad that I didn't feel better than I did. We'd been warned we would feel terrible and have no idea how we'd done. That was exactly right.

Results will not be out until September 25th. Torture.

I have a lot of post-bar thoughts to share, but for now, will just say, "Congrats" to all my fellow bar-takers. Funny - it doesn't feel much like "congrats" in this strange limbo that we are in - but I suppose it is.

Also - to my friends and family who helped me through this insanity, thank you. You all deserve a special post of your own. The bar creates its own special kind of craziness - and those closest to us bar-takers get the disease spread over them like an air-borne virus. Hmmm....I'm smiling to myself....pleased with my analogy. Hope you are, too.

Survived!

This is from the first day of the bar.

It was a lovely water bottle given to us as a gift on our way in. It was filled with candy and a granola bar.

I tossed it in my car over lunch. About 40 minutes later:




Several of us agreed that it was symbolic of what was happening to us.

I will attempt a more detailed post tomorrow.

What Duties do Dogs Owe Their People?

So, as it ends up, I wasn't done with my pre-bar posting, yet!

Had to share this:

I woke up several time last night and each time there was something "element sounding" running through my head. You know, like to prove negligence you need duty, breach, causation and damages. At one point, I woke up wondering if a dog breaches his duty of loyalty when he...well, I don't know when he does what because about that time my conscious mind interupted the flow and told me that dogs can't be charged with breaching a corporate officer's duty of care or of loyalty.

I like that my mind is working on this stuff while I am asleep. I hope it's getting most of it right! I don't want to end up writing about doggie liability on my exam...

Have a fun weekend everybody!

Fellow Bar Takers - remember - We GET to take the Bar Exam. Most people in the world never get such an opportunity. Before long we will be the experienced lawyers saying to the new graduates, "Oh, you're taking the bar! I'm sorry. Even after years of therapy, I still wake up with nightmares about that."

Again - new friends and old - thank you for your support!

The Marathon is About to Begin

I am oddly lacking in things to say today.

The periodic feelings of panic are fairly short-lived (today) and I am keeping them at bay by sticking to my study plan. I woke up this morning with a clear idea that I needed to start memorizing elements and that is how I would spend the weekend. I later realized I'd really already been doing this, but in my foggy, barely awake state, I hadn't put together what I had been doing with what my subconscious was telling me needed to be done. To be sure, there is still much memorization to be done, but it will get done.

Tomorrow morning Wife and Kids leave to head up north where they will stay with her sister while Boy Wonder attends day camp all week with a cousin who lives up there. This will leave me alone from the time I get home from a brief stint at work on Friday - I suspect it will be around noon or 1:00 - until I leave for the exam Tuesday morning. Lots of time to just cram! I actually may end up going to a movie Monday afternoon with my Mom, if I am at the point of diminishing returns on the studying, or just need a sanity break.

Lots to be done, but I have a plan. Nothing like a plan to give the illusion of control!

In case I don't get back to blog - good luck to everyone out there who is also taking the bar - and thank you to my friends and family who have been so supportive during this time of insanity!

Stress and the Faulty Latch

You know when you think you are handling stress really well then something creeps up and taps you on the shoulder and shouts: BOO!?

That's been my day. I woke up after a fairly good night's sleep, but my legs were so tense that it felt liked I'd climbed a mountain the day before. To the best of my recollection, I had not.

Later, reading through Civ Pro essay answers, I found my breathing becoming rapid and my pulse racing. "Knock it off. This is no time for panicking." I tried breathing deeply. Deeply. Deeply. Deeply....

After regaining consciousness*, I felt more calm, but noticed I had bumped my head on the side of the refrigerator that sits in my office. Due to a faulty latch, the door had come open, which is why I'd bumped my head on it when I'd passed out. I started wondering if I could sue the manufacturer in strict liability so they could not use my own negligence against me. We all know that contributory negligence is not a defense to strict liability. Still, since my damages were, well, nonexistent, I guess there would be no point. I swung the door of the frig' the rest of the way open and grabbed a Coke.

That hit the spot. Now if only I had some rum....


*Fictional account intended for humorous purposes.

For my non bar-prepping readers, the "faulty latch" is a scenario that keeps popping up on practice test questions, which is why I think I am so dang amusing, and you may just be thinking I am weird.

Civil Procedure Personality Quiz Results

Yes, I do realize I am blogging instead of studying, thankyouverymuch.

This is in honor of finishing up tax law (for now) and moving on to civil procedure. By the way, expenses of doing business illegally are generally deductible, with some exceptions.

Which Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Are You ?

I AM RULE 8(a)!

"You are Rule 8, the most laid back of all the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. While your forefather in the Federal Rules may have been a stickler for details and particularity, you have clearly rebelled by being pleasant and easy-going. Rule 8 only requires that a plaintiff provide a short and plain statement of a claim on which a court can grant relief. While there is much to be lauded in your approach, your good nature sometimes gets you in trouble, and you often have to rely on your good friend, Rule 56, to bail you out."

By they way, I also did this quiz in December of 2005, and posted the results on my blog. I was the same rule then. I am nothing if not consistent. I can't easily link to it, but trust me, it's there. This rule is so seriously me.

Not Freaking Out

This is me today - not freaking out. (OK, well really it is Boy Wonder about 4 years ago, cute, right?) I don't know that I know much more about tax law than I did earlier today. I worked on it for a while, then switched to an MBE practice test, worked a bit, and now am about to go do an hour or so of taxes, followed by Civ Pro.

I know how to live!

I am either in serious denial, or actually feeling like I might be ready for this thing in a week. Either way, being able to sleep and breathe are really good things.

I reserve the right to freak at any time in the future.

Tax Class

Good Morning, Blog Friends!

Today's topics will be Federal Income Tax and Civil Procedure. We'll be starting with tax law since I know many of you, like me, avoided this class like the plague.

Wait, where are you all going? Don't the topics sound stimulating enough? C'mon - here we go, "Gross income is any accession to wealth, clearly realized, over which the taxpayer has complete dominion."

The Tax Code says that gross income includes "all income, from whatever source derived."

Wait! Come back! We haven't gotten to the good stuff, yet. You must report your illegal income, too! Congress wants its share of EVERYTHING and the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination will not shield you or your income from that prostitution ring or your highly profitable international drug smuggling operation.

All right. G'bye. I'll see you later. I'll just be here. Studying tax. Alone.

Do Not Try This Without a Safety Harness

What a wild ride bar prep is. Really, it is everything a good ride should be - it's physically intense, offers dramatic rises and falls, allows you to become emotionally engaged, and makes you want to scream, if only you could catch your breath!

Saturday I was down - poor practice test scores. Today I am up - really good pracice test scores and making good headway on essay topics. WHEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As much fun as this is, I think I'd prefer a monorail - riding high above it all, all the time.

Being Responsible May Only Get You Smacked in the Face

Picture this:

Recent law school graduate who has been studying like crazy for the bar exam decides to do the responsible thing and go check out the hotel in which the test will be administered. It seems like a good idea to make sure of the location, parking...etc..and if you are a believer in conscious creation or visualization or any of that, it helps to have a very concrete picture of the desired goal. In this case - feeling calm and being successful while taking the bar exam.

OK. Said graduate/bar applicant speaks to hotel staff who directs her to the main banquet room that most students will be in - says she'll have someone unlock the door. Very nice. Walk through the hotel that was probably fairly nice in its day, but has become somewhat run down. Still, decent enough, with the bonus of not being downtown where parking would be very difficult and expensive.

A helpful hotel worker unlocks the door. Small talk is made about the bar exam, and others who have similarly asked to check out the room. A casual question is posed by about the assumption that power strips, or something, will be provided for all of the test-takers needing to plug in laptops.

"Uh...no, I don't think so. We could run a few extensions and try to help out anyone who needs to plug in."


WHAT????????

The room starts to spin.

Applicant tries to remain calm. This does not make sense. NO ONE has a laptop battery that will last for the duration of day one - which even if a person shut down during breaks and instruction periods is about 7 hours. We cannot possibly be expected to run on our batteries.

Applicant thanks the man and goes back to helpful front desk person. She has no clue but suggests that catering could answer questions after 8:00 tomorrow morning. "So could the Oregon State Bar" thinks the applicant. Surely they would not do this to us after making us spend $140 on software and leading us to believe we could use our laptops.

Visions of hand-cramping as she tries to write 9 essays, and a performance test fill applicant's head. She tries to remember to breathe deeply. This "reassuring" trip has not proven to be as calming as she'd hoped.

P.S. - Catering assured me this morning that Hollywood Lighting is providing power (glorious power!), so no worries about plugging in laptops. *WHEW* Think there might be a case for negligent infliction of emotional distress had I actually suffered physical injury. Who even HINTS that there might not be power for the bar exam?

My Life Has Become A Thriller

See the zombie in the lower left corner, the one with the blue face, screaming with a terror unknown to mere mortals? THAT is me today. I just had my *ss kicked by a practice MBE half-day test. I nearly reached the goal, but not quite. My score is the same as our practice test a week ago. No improvement despite the studying and practice tests. That was NO improvement, as in zero, zip, nada. Thing is, I thought I was doing really well. What does that mean? That I am confident in my ignorance? Great.

I decided to do a quick post to try to shake off the bad feelings so I can go figure out what all I did wrong. I realized I'd not yet posted about Michael Jackson's death. I have to say, along with many, I have been quite disturbed by it. So sad that that this man with such genius, who was about to embark on what undoubtedly would have been a huge comeback tour, had his life ended so abruptly.

It seems like he was such a big part of my younger years. When I was in high school, who didn't have a copy of Thriller, Bad, and Off the Wall? This was the soundtrack to our lives. I don't think anyone really knows "what happened" with Michael Jackson over the past many years. Lots of people have made judgments, but very few really had insight as to the reality of who he was and what all he went through. One thing for sure - his music will be remembered for a very, very long time.

I think picking up a few CDs, such as the Thriller 25th Anniversary Edition, is something I'd like to do. Everything I had was in vinyl and has since been given away. It would be fun to have the music to listen to, to remember the past, and enjoy in the future.

For those who don't remember, in addition to the wicked title soundtrack (LOVED the Vincent Price voiceover!), songs included on this "album" were:

1. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ~ Michael Jackson
2. Baby Be Mine ~ Michael Jackson
3. Girl Is Mine, The - (featuring Paul McCartney) ~ Michael Jackson
4. Thriller ~ Michael Jackson
5. Beat It - (featuring Eddie Van Halen) ~ Michael Jackson
6. Billie Jean ~ Michael Jackson
7. Human Nature ~ Michael Jackson
8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) ~ Michael Jackson
9. Lady In My Life, The ~ Michael Jackson
10. Vincent Price Excerpt - (from "Thriller" voice-over session) ~ Michael Jackson
11. Girl Is Mine, The - (previously unreleased, 2008, featuring Will.i.am) ~ Michael Jackson
12. P.Y.T. - (previously unreleased, 2008, featuring Will.i.am) ~ Michael Jackson
13. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - (previously unreleased, 2008, featuring Akon) ~ Michael Jackson
14. Beat It - (2008, featuring Fergie) ~ Michael Jackson
15. Billie Jean - (Kanye West mix) ~ Michael Jackson
16. For All Time - (previously unreleased) ~ Michael Jackson

Apparently sales of Michael Jackson's music is setting records like crazy, and he is likely to be the best selling artist for 2009. Sad he's not here to enjoy it. His music is on sale many places right now. There's no time like the present to go pick up a CD or two, or maybe download some tracks onto your MP3 player. Hey - that is a great idea!

First, I must go figure out all the RIGHT answers to the MBE questions I got wrong. That should only take me until Monday.

Friday Night Frustrations

It's 6:37 on a Friday evening.

I am reviewing Secured Transactions and still plan to at least get started on Ethics. (About time I got into ethics, right? *grin*)

I am tired of this.
I don't want to be here studying anymore.
I want to be enjoying a nice, cool adult-beverage, laughing at something nonsensical, and not thinking about the bar exam.

All right. Whining over. Back to purchase-money security interests. Thank God for Prof. Newell and my crazy friend who talked me into taking Secured Trans this past semester!

Wii are Finding Distractions

Sometimes, when a person should be doing other things, they inexplicably find themselves surfing the net. Now, I'm not saying this has ever happened to any of you, but if it had, you might suddenly find yourself watching Laverne and Shirley clips on YouTube or reading about some cool technological innovation on a Ted Talk, or just searching for the meaning of life.

Google: meaning of life.

Probably you won't find anything helpful, but it could keep you entertained for quite some time, if you were to accidentally be surfing and come across such things.

Today - look what I happened across:




That's right - Wii Sports Resort. All the fun and games of a resort at a very small fraction of the price with no chance of being sunburned or getting hit in the head with a frisbee by some wild kid with bad aim...oh, wait, cut that last one.

This game, currently on sale at Buy.com comes with some sort of super sensitive "MotionPlus" accessory to make the Wii remote even more sensitive and precise. Games featured include a water scooter, swordplay, Frisbee, basketball, wake boarding, table tennis, golf and canoeing. There are a total of 12 games. There is a cool video on Amazon, if you want to check out a bit more of the details.

Anyway, this looks about 937x more interesting than studying for the bar. Still, seems like I should probably be doing that latter thing. Bad internet for distracting me.

Good thing I've not signed up on FaceBook, yet. Just imagine how distracting that would be!

Wow

SO MUCH STUFF TO REMEMBER!!!


Think I need this:

Bar Study Update

Some of you know I'd had some trouble sleeping for a couple nights. This was new for me as sleeplessness has never been one of my stress indicators. Nothing quite like having it take two hours to fall asleep and then be awakened a short time later by a cat jumping on the bed and then be awake for another hour..."Hello, my mind is awake now."

I am happy to report that the past two nights have been much better.

What I've learned:
- Breathing deeply and slowly is way better than fast and shallow.
- Nearly any conversation can lead to elements of a crime.
- Keeping to my schedule gives me the illusion of control.
- Getting up earlier gives me more hours in the day.
- During the very limited hours I am doing "work-work," it is best that someone else double-check what I am doing because my brain only has so much room for important details. Right now, if it's not on the bar, it probably is not important enough to take up space.
- It was worth taking a four-hour study break yesterday to go to my kids' swimming lessons and Vacation Bible School end-of-camp social event. I am so proud of of how well they are both doing!

OK, here's two more random pictures from the past few years. The princess was probably about a year ago, and the photo strip of me and my boy was taken right before I started law school:






OK - time to study Admin Law. :)

What's in a Label?

As has been noted, and probably directly observed, I have been finding humor and intrigue in almost any subject that passes me by these days. Might as well enjoy the insanity while it lasts! Twice in the past week the topic of label makers has come up. Now, I say to you, who doesn't enjoy a good label maker?

We have one at home that we used probably 4+ years ago to mark a variety of small bins containing kid toys ("castle parts," "Mr. Potato Head," "building toys," "misc. small toys") and adult items("tools," "batteries," "emergency supplies"). Boy Wonder went crazy making and using "stickers" with the label maker - and we soon needed refills! At work, I use one to make file labels - way easier than using the printer, and frankly, more satisfying. There is something fun about punching in the letters and seeing the white strip come shooting out, printed all nice and neat.

(For Bonus Points - who remembers the old style label makers that had red or blue plastic ribbon and the letters were punched into it so they ended up raised? I know, I am showing my age!)

A really good label maker used to run close to, if not over $30. Now, you can get a really nice one on sale for under $20. This one I found is a Brother - good brand, tons of features, and is actually just a newer version of the one I use at work. Nice machine, totally reliable, and this one will even print on super narrow tape so you can label CD spines. Nice!

Now that I am thinking about this, I realize I should get ours out now that Boy Wonder has learned to read and is getting decent at spelling. I bet he would have a blast. On second thought, he still loves "stickers." Not sure I would want him to use his new skills labeling every piece of furniture we have!

Property Sucks but My Kids are Cute

I dislike property questions quite a bit. Present estates - future interests - I don't know. Go see a wills and trusts lawyer, not me.

FSDPOR - Frank Sinatra Doesn't Prefer Orville Redenbacher.
Fee Simple Determinable Possibility of Reverter.

Some of you know what I am talking about.

Hey - random photo - how cute is this? From January 2005 - before I even started law school:



and so we have equal time for cuteness - my little rock eater:



They are growing up so fast!

From One Subject to Another

Today my mind is resting easier.
The medication must have kicked in. *grin* Just kidding.

A friend sent me some links to Ellen on Youtube from a 2007 show. She is so funny. This is part 4 ... and the end of part 5 had me barely able to breathe. You gotta love Ellen.

Ir's good to actually NOT be receiving more information to study and to be able to focus on memorizing and practicing. The practice questions are kind of fun, in a completely warped, what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-you-people kind of way.

Wasn't UP an incredible movie?

"Squirrel!"


Really - amazing storyline, fantastic imagery, appropriate humor, tackling seriously deep issues - the life we hope for and the life that happens when we aren't looking, making good on promises, and all blended with really likable characters. Amazingly good stuff.

OK, so I am bouncing a bit. It's OK - spot the issue - tackle it - move on. It's a strategy.

Things Come and Go So Quickly Around Here

I get that I am the only one truly fascinated by my own mental gymnastics and delusions as I slog through this insanity known as bar prep. Still, my readership has been steadily increasing as of late, so I appear to be amusing at least a few people, or at the very least, serving as a momentary distraction from one's own bar prep hell. Either way, welcome!

I am serious when I say I am fascinated by my own processes through this particular passage. Am I the only one who feels a bit as though they are on speed (just guessing, not confessing) and could jump from topic to topic to topic, none having anything to do with the law, all the while enjoying the pictures running through my head bringing together scenes of the past, present and possible future?

OK, yeah. When put like that, maybe it does sound a bit crazy. Still, I bet more of you than not know what I am talking about. Wife accused me of ADD and hopes it ends when the bar does. I told her I wasn't so sure. I kind of enjoy this somewhat altered sense of consciousness....although I could do without the panicky feelings that sometimes accompany it.

One of the things that keep popping into my mind is that cute little computer that I blogged about several weeks ago - the Samsung NC-10 Netbook. I really want, but don't terribly need one. It is currently on sale at Buy.com for $379, plus free shipping. The price keeps coming down! By the time I decide I can afford one, there will be something even better on the market though, right?



This is a really sweet machine though - 8 hours of battery life, 10.2 inch screen, nearly full-size keyboard with all of the keys in the right place (some netbooks move around the non-alpha keys to make them all fit), and 160 GB hard drive. I also operates on the Windows XP Home system, which many of us are not crazy about, but does mean it is Windows compatible, and we can load our Office applications onto it. It weighs under 3 pounds, is smaller than pretty much all of my law books ever were, and comes in a lovely blue. (It is also available in pink for an extra $20.)

All the convenience of a laptop computer, combined with ultra-portability, long battery life and it is aesthetically pleasing. What more could one want from a new tech toy?

OK, right, something that could morph from one object into another, similar to BOB on Monsters vs. Aliens. (I took the kids to see it for the second time yesterday. Genius movie!) That would be cool. See....mind wandering again, but look how much fun I am having!

The MBE and Mind Games

Yesterday, along with approximately 30,000 other people nationwide (according to BarBri), I took the practice MBE. This is 200 multiple choice question, which we do in two 3-hour sessions. It is grueling, exhausting, and meant to simulate our actual MBE test day. By about question 35, I was thinking “This is about enough questions. If we could stop here, that would good.” By 50 questions my eyes were getting tired and English no longer felt like my first (and only) language. I took a quick bathroom break to see if the words would begin to make sense again. By question 75, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel (a train?), but was slightly behind timewise and had to speed up. By question 85, I was pretty sure I would finish right on time, but my sense of “knowing” vs “totally guessing” was now overpowered by the latter impression.

Lunch was a very much needed break. We all were feeling beat up and unsure of how we were doing. Good. Normal. We’ve been told, for the bar exam, we want to be sheep. Follow the pack. Do what everyone else does. Don’t draw attention to your answer (especially essay and performance exam answers). OK. (This, by the way, goes against everything every good teacher has ever taught me. Thank you, Mr. Getsinger, my 9th grade History teacher, who first warned in very plain language against the dangers of going through life like sheep.)

The second set of questions was much the same, with the sense of relief nearly approaching exhilaration by question 175 because I’d almost made it through, and was exactly on time. At the end, I was brain-dead and mostly just wanted to go drink.

A drink, or four, with a friend would have been awesome!

Instead I went to work.

Since it was impractical to go drinking, it seemed better to get paid than to sit in what, by that time of day, would be terrible traffic. Once at work, I was walking around in a stupor and I suddenly experienced a sense of what I’d later categorize as my life flashing before my eyes. OK, not before my eyes really….it was all inside my head, of course. It wasn’t even my whole life – just random bits. It started with a high school friend of mine and me singing “Sweet Transvestite” from the Rocky Horror Picture Show as a myriad of devoutly religious and patriotic little old ladies insisted on helping us across the street at a leadership camp. Then there were snippets of other events – my best friend in high school not talking to me because I’d started dating her barely ex-boyfriend (yes, boyfriend...it was before I became enlightened), Wife’s back surgery, the birth of my son….about that point I became aware of what was happening, thus stopping the flow. It occurred to me that it was probably not good that my life was flashing before my eyes...doesn't that usually precede death? I rationalized that it was just my anxiety level coupled with exhaustion. Still...it was very strange. There was no sensible reason for these unrelated images to have suddenly popped into my head.

Or was there? Even though it was only a practice exam, in some ways, it was a very intense day. It was a gauge of where I am and how close it is to where I need to be in two more weeks. It was mentally exhausting. So, my defenses were down…and now that I am writing these words, I see these events are connected:
They were all things that scared the hell out of me.

They were all frightening on different levels, for very different reasons, but traumatic, just the same.

I know the little old ladies don’t sound frightening, and I don’t think of the leadership camp as scary, but I think being enmeshed for a week with a lot of very religious, conservative people freaked me out. It freaks me out thinking about it right now.

Wow...the mind is an amazing place. It brought together for me these random times in my life that I was frightened on some level, and I’d made it through. That’s pretty cool, if you think about it. It's as if my mind is saying: I can do this. I have skills.

I found out this morning my scores on the MBE were right at the average, as were my essay scores from last week. I’m right where everyone else is….and since most of us pass…..this is a good place to be. I will study my ass off for the next two weeks, and be in great shape come July 28th and 29th.

Laverne and Shirley - A Brief Tribute

A co-worker sent me a youtube link that, although totally unrelated, reminded me of the incredible dynamic duo of Laverne and Shirley, and their friends, Lenny and Squiggy. As a result, I've been listening to Lenny and the Squigtones, and a variety of scenes from Laverne and Shirley. There was some seriously good entertainment!

Now, for fun - here are the lyrics to the their classic theme song. (Have we forgotten the importance of a great theme song?) I think it is appropriately inspirational for those of us going through the bumpy ride that is bar prep:


Spoken: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Schlemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated.

We’re gonna do it!
Give us any chance, we’ll take it.
Give us any rule, we’ll break it.
We’re gonna make our dreams come true.
Doin’ it our way.

Nothin’s gonna turn us back now,
Straight ahead and on the track now.
We’re gonna make our dreams come true,
Doin’ it our way.

There is nothing we won’t try,
Never heard the word impossible.
This time there’s no stopping us.
We’re gonna do it.

On your mark, get set, and go now,
Got a dream and we just know now,
We’re gonna make our dream come true.
And we’ll do it our way, yes our way.
Make all our dreams come true,
And do it our way, yes our way,
Make all our dreams come true
For me and you.

Today's Lecture - Hazard to My Health

Today's Barbri lecture, and tomorrow's, was an unexpected video. I have heard that in many parts of the country, videos are all the students get. I cannot imagine having to pay what I paid for video-only lectures. Today's was the worst. This woman, speaking on wills and trusts, did not even attempt jokes. Most try to keep us amused. They know we are bored, getting tired, and are under a lot of stress. Today's lecturer was no-nonsense, and no fun. Most of us were looking at each other with looks of WTF painted across our pained faces.

During one of our ten-minute breaks, a short trip to the restroom had me eyeing the cool, hard tile on the wall, entertaining thoughts of banging my head against it repeatedly until I fell to the floor, unconscious. That seemed preferable to going back to the lecture.

Perhaps, not surprisingly, I did not choose the head-banging option. I listened. I underlined. I somehow stayed awake. I think I'll opt to just read the lecture notes for tomorrow and NOT put myself through the torture again.

Three Weeks and Counting

Three weeks to go. Not that I am counting. Oh, heck, of course I am. This is the last week of bar review classes. We have just three substantive lectures, plus some practice test/review days. I know that all the information I need has pretty much been laid out for me. It's all in a book and learning to apply it in order to answer the questions is just a matter of practice and repetition. The big deal is making sure I have enough time, and use it very wisely over the next three weeks. Just the fact I've made it this far without needing drug rehab, is a good thing. It bodes well for the future.

I am really glad formal review ends and leaves us with two weeks on our own to do with as we each will. I think the stress level will be through the roof by the time test days roll around, and I doubt it would be good to keep so many freaked out people together. Too much crazy in one place. I think I will be able to stick to my schedule as it has been, studying in the morning, working a bit in the afternoon, spending a bit of time searching the government job site , and then studying more into the evening and night. This gives my brain a rest in the middle of the day - plus gives us an income. I don't think a person can effectively study 12 hour in a row anyway. This is what I say now. In one more week, who knows how I will feel? Certainly more freaked out than I do right now. Right now, it is Sunday night, it's been a good weekend, the kids are sleeping peacefully, and all is good.

4th of July Weekend

Ah, Blessed Sun! We finally had a gorgeous week here and I no longer feel that
long distance moving will soon be necessary. Although, Wife just called into the house that it is kind of cold outside(she's playing FarmTown on her laptop outside and I am on the computer that lives in our kitchen. Quite a difference from last night when we were outside, watching fireworks at 10-11 and were hot in the long sleeve shirts we were wearing to keep the mosquitoes at bay. It was in the 90's over the weekend, but supposed to only be 68 degrees tomorrow. Really? C'mon - let's at least stay consistently over 72, OK?

We have had a really nice 4th of July weekend. Studying, reading for pleasure, playing with the kids in our blow-up pool, a BBQ with my mom and step-dad, neighborhood fireworks that were fun to watch (but we are still astounded at the money people invest in such things) and even a movie enjoyed at home with the kids. Good weather, good food, family fun. Life is good.

An Evening Report

Thoughts for the evening:

Here it is almost 7:00pm. I've listened to a three-hour lecture on property law, worked for a few hours, outlined the notes from said lecture, and now must choose between answering questions on contracts or listening to more of the lecture, which is available online. I'm tempted to do the latter just to get it almost over with and then tomorrow can just work, work, work - or rather - study, study, study without attending the lecture.

It's been a weird summer so far. The nice weather has only just started and I am SO GRATEFUL for the sun. I was so tired of the clouds that I was about to log on to Westgate and make reservations for anywhere sunny! Some of my classmates find it hard to study with the nice weather, because they want to be out in it, which I would love, too, but I get so much energy from the sun, I'm happy to have it coming in my window, driving in it, taking short walks....any bit I can get! I cannot even imagine how depressing studying for the winter bar would be. Ugh. Pretty sure it would depress me into a coma.

Anyway, it is a beautiful night. The sky is still bright blue outside my window, and now, it is time to go listen to part three of property law. I know - many of you are jealous beyond words. Try to handle it and I will not gloat too much. :)

New Name and Bar Thoughts

I see that some of you have noticed my recent name change from Adventures of Law School Mama to Adventures of Out Law Mama. Wife and I both liked the play on words - being an "out" lesbian and also being "out" of law school. I'll keep it for awhile and test drive it. Let me know if you like it or not!

I see I touched a sensitive spot asking who was wigging out over the bar. I can't imagine why! Today I was reading my information about sitting for the exam, the prohibitions, check in times, etc. and noticed the date that results will be available: September 11. Really? The Board of Bar Examiners couldn't have adjusted that just a bit for the sake of the bar-takers' sanity?

I think all of us preparing for the bar, and those who love us, all will need a really good vacation when this is all over. Somewhere without law books, with an abundance of sunshine and fun to be had. I am all over the idea of Orlando vacations for us all, but know many of us will have to settle for something a little closer to home. Not sure what that will be for our family - maybe just a few days of family time in August, and something better once that BIG JOB is finally landed!

Anyone Wigging Out Over the Bar?

It would be really easy to eat and drink my way through bar review. There is almost no time that doesn't seem like a good time for chocolate and alcohol. Still, in an effort to be somewhat healthy and avoid the need for diet pills, I'm trying to turn to more fruit and nuts, and only occassional chocolate and margaritas.

One of my mentors asked me yesterday if any of my classmates were acting really weird. She says during her bar review days, she had a few classmates that totally wigged out. Two moved in together to eat, drink and sleep bar subjects. They started taking the super supplement of the day. She said by the the time the bar exam came around their pupils were like pinpoints and they had totally weirded out - but they passed!

I think we all have had our days of wigging out a bit and wondering how the heck we are going to keep all of this information in our heads and not totally lose our minds from the pressure. I've been feeling oddly calm lately. I think it is going to be good. I'm going to hang onto that....now where did I put my supplements?

No News is....Good!

You know what? It really is OK to just shut off the news for a while. In fact, it is healthy. All the gurus of conscious creation and positive thinking are on this band-wagon, and I am a true believer. Sometimes, especially during otherwise stressful times, there is no point in adding to your anxiety level by hearing about the bombings, the murders, the diseases, the Mesothelioma cancer, the child abductions....need I go on? We stopped getting the newspaper a while back - partly because there was no time for it, partly because it was a waste of paper that just ended up in the recycle bin, and partly because we'd had enough bad news.

I'm not saying to stay ignorant for the rest of your life, but a break from the news can be a really good thing. If not that, even limiting the input - maybe hit the headlines on a few news sites once per day - just enough to stay informed. Try it for awhile and see if it improves your mood. It has worked for us on the occassions that we've tried it!

Man-Eating /Woman-Eating Bugs

Have people in other parts of the country noticed an unusually large number of mosquitoes, or similarly unpleasant pests this spring/summer? The mosquitoes have been terrible this year! They are huge, blood-hungry and merciless. Last Friday at my sister's wine night, in full swing and down one-fifth of tequila by the time I joined around 9:20, after my studies, the whole family had nearly been eaten alive and had been forced inside despite the pleasant temperature outside. The next night something got me so badly that I actually had a goose-egg on my forehead from it. I looked like I'd walked into a wall.

I have heard that certain skin care products are good for keeping away the biting bugs. We hate to use nasty chemicals and did mix up a batch of eucalyptus oil spray in hopes that will work for outdoor times in the future. Seemed to work on Sunday...oh, wait, we weren't home on Sunday! (Ha-ha!) If anyone has any natural suggestions, let me know!

Mid-summer Wedding

Have I mentioned that Wife's brother is getting married the weekend after the bar? He is. His fiance has been planning this big "garden party" wedding for months now. The guests are expected to wear garden attire - but I take it that does not mean grubby shorts and gloves - I think I need to get some linen slacks and maybe I already have a shirt that will work, but I doubt it. I think just being upright at that point will be quite an accomplishment for me! I believe the bride and groom are wearing traditional garb - a tuxedo and formal wedding dress. There will be garden party games, lemonade and gardens for strolling. I'm sure it will be nice, plus a nice getaway for our family after the stress of the bar. We may take an extra day or two for ourselves before coming home from the festivities.

As for our kids, this is the big reference point for the summer - as in "After Uncles James' wedding, Mama will not have to go to school anymore!" Just one more month to go, and this will all be over!

Ramblings After Tax Law

Today I survived four hours of Income Tax law.


I just don't know what else to say about that.

Once all this law school/bar prep stuff is over and "normal life" begins, I am kind of worried about the stuff I am going to find out needs attention/repair/replacement at home. After about the first year or two of law school, Wife realized she could not really count on me to come home and take care of home repair stuff because there simply was not time, so she took care of most things by either doing them herself or calling a repair person. I noticed the other day how loose the faucets are in the kids' bathroom. I think I was notified of this problem over a year ago. I suspect new ones will be in our future. They don't need to be Danze faucets, though they could be....so long as they are new! Let's just hope we can wait and do this on our own time schedule and not that of the household gremlins! I think the humans of our household could use the attention first!

Simulated Exam Day

Today in BarBri review we did one performance exam and six essay questions. I was dreading it and not sure it would be a good use of my time since I've not studied some of the early subjects for weeks now. I imagined I might look at the questions and remember nothing. I did not dread it so much that it caused me to study on family day, or wake up early to study, or anything like that. I didn't even dread it enough to bail out. I suppose "dread" was not the correct word. Maybe it was simply causing me apprehension. (..of immiment, harmful offensive contact? Was I assaulted?) Nonetheless, I went, stuck out the whole day, and am glad I did.

I think overall, I did fairly well. I know I forgot a few buzzwords and an element here and there, but mostly, I actually remembered quite a lot. It was really good to see that I've actually learned a lot of the past four years - and clarified it over the past four weeks. Today was about trying, sitting for nearly the length of time of one of our "real days" will be, and seeing where we are right now. I don't know when we will get the feedback, but am hoping I have achieved or am close to achieving "minimal competence" in at least most of the subjects covered today.

After the simulated exam, I was fairly tired, and an hour or so later came down with a non-simulated headache. Eye-strain, I think mostly. Anyway, I am putting in my hours at work, minus this little posting diversion, and will actually get home relatively early to see Wife tonight. No homework tonight since we already put in a grueling, but well spent day.

Random Thoughts from the Roller Coaster

"Oh my gosh this is insane! There is too much to learn. Too much pressure. Not enough time. Can't breath...."

"Calm the #%$?# down."

"OK, better. Bar schedule day is not so bad. I get to sleep in an hour later than work/law school life - way back before May. I see Wife and kids every morning. I take the dogs for a walk every morning and sometimes one or both kids comes with us."

"Dogs - I know you want to go for a walk. I told you we were going. We've done this routine for nearly 5 weeks now and every time we do not go until I have eaten my breakfast, brushed my teeth and gone to the bathroom. It does not help to whine, nor does it speed up the process for you to come into the bathroom with me and put your paw on my hand (boxer trait). I am perfectly capable of going to the bathroom by myself."

"BarBri lecturers - I do appreciate your attempts at humor, whether successful, or not. I appreciate the funny sayings, the songs, the mnemonic devices, and anything you can do to keep the information coming at a good pace while not boring me into a coma."

"Wife, I am teetering on the edge right now, and am sorry that I sometimes lose it over stupid things like letting the neighbor boy join us for dinner. Any little thing can throw the whole tower off balance, you know? Fixing one more plate and dealing with another human being seemed like a lot at the time. It was not, it ended up nice, and the kids all had fun."

"Coconut margaritas from Applebee's are really good and I may have to make my own."

On that happy note....I will soon be off to study....

Hanging on the Bar

I decided I should do a quick post tonight in the event that I am actually bored to death during tomorrow's contract lecture. I am suffering through a series of three lectures (the longest set we have) and they are all 3 1/2-4 hours long. Contracts is just not that entertaining, nor is the lecturer, who I am sure is perfectly competent, but won't win an Entertainer of the Year award. Today was day two of this series. This has been our first set on video only. I know now that I STRONGLY prefer a live person, even when they are somewhat annoying.

Today the sun was out. This is good as the cloud cover has had me seriously contemplating the California Bar - though my classmates are encouraging that I make the switch to Hawaii. Somewhere where the weather will not cause me to commit any of the various criminal acts that we are studying.

OK - back to Torts essays.....

Oddly Calm

Over the past couple of days I have been feeling oddly calm. I had a day or two that I was a little manic, and people at work were beginning to worry about my sanity, but then it was over.

I have taken in the advice from one of our lecturers about having a positive attitude, and thinking of bar prep and taking the bar as something I *GET* to do, not something I *HAVE* to do. If I really stop and think about it, there are a lot of people who want to go to law school that never get in. I think our school admits about 10% of all applicants. I was fortunate to get to go to law school, and really, I frequently took note of that. Now, I *GET* to take the bar exam. (Convinced, yet? I almost am.)

Also, reading another blogger's post about calming down made me laugh and was right on the mark. I don't have the link right here, but go look under comments to my posting entitled: Pep Talk from the Bar Review Folks.

Anyway, I am feeling pretty good right now, and right now is all we really have. Good enough.

So, now that Boy Wonder has had his last day of First Grade and it is officially summer, the rain has started, and it is supposed to stick around for a while. Great. The good part is it means we don't have to water the lawn and gardens.

Wife and I both hate messing around with the hose and sprinklers. Such a pain! Maybe someday we will have in-ground sprinklers, or some kind of cool recycled water watering system. For now, we have a hose with a sprinkler, we move it around the yard as needed, and wind up at the end of the day. BUT WAIT!! Look at this really cool thing I just found:



It is a No Crank Water-Powered Hose Reel. How cool does that sound? It uses stored up water power to reel the hose back in when you are ready. I am thinking this sounds like a huge amount of fun - and not just because it would be funny to watch the dogs chase the hose as it is winding itself up. I hate hassling with winding up the hose. I usually end up wet, or dirty, or the wound-up hose looks like a complete mess because I somehow have managed to wind against the natural curves of the hose...UGH!

For the last couple years we had a flat fabric-like hose that wound up inside a case....or rather, *I* wound them up inside the case. I often had to do it more than once, because if the hose doesn't quite wind right, or too much water is still in the hose, you have to start over or it won't all fit on the reel. It decomposed right off of its fittings this year, so we had to go buy a new hose and a rack to store it on at the side of the house. We'd considered a reel, but wasn't sure what would work well, or how it would fit by our house. Now that I see this No-Crank device, I think this would be the one to buy. I can just see myself at the end of the day, flipping the switch and happily watching the hose wind itself up as I sip the last of a cool, refreshing adult beverage. It's even on sale at Buy.com - a $10 rebate is available. If anyone knows anything about these fun-looking reels, let me know. Who doesn't love a fun yard gadget?

Summer's Here for Boy Wonder

Boy Wonder is officially a Second Grader!

As you can see if you check Wife's blog, he has had a very exciting day and is thrilled to be a big Second Grader. His grades were excellent and he has been placed in the accelerated class for next year. He is so proud, and of course, so are his moms. It doesn't seem very long ago that we were bouncing him around in a Baby Bjorn and singing him to sleep. (OK, truth be told, we sometimes still do that last one.)

Now it is on to summer fun for Wife and the kids. Days of blow-up pool fun, ice cream cones, day camp, reading on the patio, patio furniture covers, and when I am home, we'll light up the barbecue, and probably have some great nights spent in the tent set up in the backyard. (Some of those mornings I'll be rushing off to bar review for the day, but hey- get your fun where you can.)

Happy Summer!

Pep Talk from the Bar Review Folks

Yesterday during our bar review class, we got a "pep letter." It is sort of a "we know you are going crazy and want to kill yourself, but don't" message. It was kind of nice to know this is the point that we will all start feeling crazy, and losing our glasses, or our minds, or something equally valuable.

I am feeling somewhat stressed, and I know that it will get crazy, but will all be OK in the end. I'm mostly OK, but have started hearing my co-workers say - "You need to get some sleep," and "You are fun when you are stressed." Sad part is, I AM getting sleep. My mind just doesn't really have a lot of room to focus well on anything but bar subjects, and even those are still very out of focus. At least everyone knows, in theory, what I am going through and I don't think the expectations are particularly high right now for my daily functions.

In only 7 short weeks, I will be returning to my normal life, or rather, I will be discovering what the heck normal even looks like. "Normal" may be a constantly changing thing for a while....normal for during law school, normal for bar review, normal before I have a new job, normal for after I find a new job. Who said "The only thing constant is change."? True enough.

Who knows? A few short months from now, I could be starting a new job with new responsibilities, new routines to figure out, new co-workers, new health insurance and a return of premium life insurance, along with a host of other benefits. I will NOT be going to school at night - or in the morning. I will be coming home at night to see my family.....or maybe working late because it is a new job paying the big bucks that will help repay those darn student loans...I repeat, who knows?

Help! I Have Bar Brain!*

Today I lost my glasses.

Last night at 9:00 when I left work, where I study at nights, I had them. I know because I use them to read, and was reading as part of my study plan. (Osmosis seems unlikely to work.) This morning, when I went to get my glasses out of my bag to read in the parking lot prior to class, they were not there.

Now, normally, when I am done studying, I put my glasses in their case, which sits on my desk, then they go into my book bag. Therefore, they should have been there this morning. They were not. I used my old pair, which I still had with me because I just recently transitioned to new ones, figuring my new ones must be on my desk at work. When I arrived at work, there they were not.

I searched all over my work area, in my drawers, the workroom, the bathroom, called wife and had her check all over the house, I searched the car three times, and my book bag countless times. I asked my co-workers. I almost asked our maintenanc man who was chatting in our lobby. I even checked the ground near yesterday's parking spot, halfway expecting to find a sad, squashed blue case with what remained of my glasses, but no.

I finally decided I would have to give up the search, start work, and hope they found their way to a Lost and Found over the next few days. That is when I checked an overhead storage bin in my file cabinet. It is a space I do not even open once per week. There sat my glasses, in their case, safely tucked away.

WHAT?

It was good that I had put them away. Why at 9:00 last night that had seemed like the appropriate place to put them, I have no idea.

Wife says it is like I have pregnancy brain - but it is really bar brain. Yes, I guess that is it. Wow - it is awfully early in bar review to have already lost the part of my mind that is able to function in the real world - the world outside of bar preparation.

I wish Wife and I could just get away alone somewhere for a few days together - just to rest and reconnect and give my bar brain a break. I know she could use it, too. No kids. No dogs. No cats. No responsibilities. Certainly no bar review materials. A resort? A hotel? Motel? There are nice rv parks. I wouldn't be picky.

OK, OK, maybe in 7 more weeks.....

*Credit for the term "bar brain" is properly attributable to Wife.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Has-Been?

I told Wife two nights ago that I would clarify my remark about mindless TV. She is not the only one who gets sucked into it. I, too, have had my share of guilty pleasure moments, sucked into something that later made me want to take a shower. For instance - My Fair Brady, and Scott Baio is 45...and Single. We don't watch the big shows that seemingly everyone is watching, like Idol and Dancing with the Stars, but give us the dirt on some obscure star from the 70's...or the 90's...and apparently we're all over it.

Bar Review is going fine. We listen to lectures, fill out blank spaces in the workbooks as we listen, put the info into our own outlines later in the day, then do practice questions or practice essays until late into the night. I am doing OK without a laptop computer as I just use my work computer after work. I do see people at school though, with their sleek Macs with all the extra Mac memory, and I do have a little Mac-envy. One of these days, I will get a new laptop, but probably not until I really need it for work or something. Technology changes so fast, I may as well wait to see what I need and then get the latest and greatest at that point.

Now, let's see what's on the trashy cable channels....(just kidding - back to work!)

A Little Mindless Entertainment

Sometimes mindless television is a really good thing.

Sometimes your brain is just too full to digest anything of substance.

Wife recently found some reality show about Tori and Dean, as in Tori spelling and her husband. It is kind of interesting in a voyeuristic sort of way.

On the whole though, I don't really like the reality tv shows, and you can only watch repeats of Frasier so many times. Our current standby entertainment is The West Wing.

Now, to call this "mindless entertainment" is not really accurate. It's politics - often heavy stuff - but still - it is passive - and that is nice. We hadn't gotten involved with The West Wing when it was actually on the air, but Wife's brother got the entire 7 season set for Christmas and encouraged us to take it home and watch it. We are now almost done with Season 3 and it is really good!



It took a few shows to start caring about the characters and getting to know their personalities and relationships, but now we are totally hooked. Martin Sheen is an awesome President with a heart, and wicked intelligence. (Quite the contrast with the real President of the US at the time - early 2000's.) Rob Lowe is a handsome, smart attorney-turned-speech-writer. Stockard Channing occassionally appears as the First Lady, and she plays the part with grace and humor. So many of the cast I do not know, but have come to love.

The show is well-written, funny, and still so relevant - in fact, some of the problems they were worried about or were dealing with are things we now see the results of and wish the past administration would have had the forethought of the television writers. I hear in later seasons there is a character that was based on Obama who goes on to run for President. (Forgive me if I have some of the details incorrect here - we haven't gotten that far, yet!) I'm looking forward to seeing those episodes.

Anyway, I highly recommend the series and if you see the very nicely packaged box set on sale, it is sure to give you at least 112 hours of good, thought-provoking entertainment.

10:00pm and I am ready for bed

...so what am I doing posting?

Wife pointed out to me that there was something amiss in my last posting, so I had to go in and correct it. OCD much?

Hey - if I didn't do it tonight, it might not get done, you know?

Well, all is quiet here. Wife is already in bed, kids have been asleep for hours, even the dogs and cats are already out. I guess I best go join them. If I am really living right, I will not have to move a cat, or a dog, to get into my side of the bed!

Bar Review

Wow. Bar Review is Fun.

Wait....let me redo that.....imagine the voice of the monotone teacher in The Wonder Years, or on Ferris Beuller's Day off....now let me try it:

Wow. Bar Review is Fun. (Note the capital letters for emphasis.)

No, seriously, the classes/lectures are actually quite good. Everything you should have learned in law school and spent weeks and weeks on, condensed into a few short pages. Crazy. The lectures are packed and filled with all relevant information.("Evidence that is relevant has a tendency to make the existence of any fact of consequence more or less probable." See how much I've learned?) No fluff. No chit chat. All essential stuff. So far, most of the lecturers have been very good, some are downright entertaining, and clear. BarBri knows what they are doing.

The down side - too much information in a very short period of time. I think many of us, me included, are already starting to feel overwhelmed. Saturday was bad for many of us, from what I hear. Today we have recovered and are back for more, ready to face the challenges of this odd reality we have signed up for.

I've come up with one unique idea for study strategy, but first I have to go back in time a bit.....For my birthday I got a very cool MP3 player that I love. It is blue, and very cute. See:



Wife found it on sale locally, and got if for me because I had complained that my last one did not have any words, so there was no way to search for or group songs. Sometimes you don't want to listen to Def Leppard followed by Cher and then songs from High School Musical 2. Just saying....anyway, this one plugs into a little auxiliary plug in my car, and presto, access to all of my MP3 songs.

Now, on to my study strategy - I noticed the other day that my MP3 player also has a voice recording feature. I was thinking this might be a 15-30 second memo feature, but the manual says you can record lectures, or whatever. We cannot record our BarBri lectures, but I am thinking of recording myself reading my own outline or sample answers from one of our books, and then listening to that when I am in the car. So much of the bar is remembering key phrases that I think this would be useful. Seems like a very handy feature that I will have to test out soon. Just one more thing to love about my MP3 player. That, and it's blue. Wife has the same one in pink. It's good to be made happy by something as simple as a color choice. :)

No testing the voice recording feature tonight though. Tonight, as every night, I will take about 2 hours to outline what we learned in lecture today, then work on a couple essay questions, then do some multiple choice questions. Then I will go home...be home by 9:30 hopefully....see Wife for a short time, then sleep. I have a full night ahead!

Wii are having fun now!

The kids and I have had great fun playing with Wife's brother's Wii game system wheneven we visit, but Wife and I have told the kids it was far too expensive for us to get our own. Well, I received a good bit of money as graduation gifts, and decided the whole family should reap in the rewards of our long, hard struggle, and so we used the money to buy a Nintendo Wii and some games. The game system seems to be about the same price everywhere. It is on sale most places for $249. If you click on the previous link, it will lead you to a place where that price includes free shipping!



The Wii is great fun! For anyone living in a cave, or in law school, for the past few years (several of my classmates have not heard of it), Wii is an interactive game system that connects to your tv and responds to your movements via a remote, or other devices such as game mats or balance boards. The game package that comes with most systems I have seen is Sports - which includes things like bowling, one of Wife's personal favorites, golf and baseball. We also got Carnival - which provides a TON of the kinds of games you'd play at a carnival - ring toss, dunk tank, skee ball, throwing a ball at a stack of clown-shaped pins to knock them over....all of those fun games that cost way too much to play on the midway. Well, this is a chance to get good at them! Boy Wonder loves to earn points to win virtual prizes, including crazy hats and such for your character to wear. (You get to personalize your own character for game play across all games.)

We've also had big fun playing Mario Cart, which is a racing game. Boy Wonder and I love racing each other - choose your character, your vehicle, and it is off to the races on all sorts of crazy courses! The last game we bought was Outdoor Challenge. This one hooks to a mat and you can do individual or team challenges, or do head to head competition. These games involve things like running and jumping over hurdles, racing through a mine on a runaway cart, rafting through a pipe, and climbing a rope up a waterfall. Boy Wonder and I had Wife in stitches as she watched us racing and jumping this past Sunday morning. It was fun, and I broke a sweat before I'd even had a cup of coffee! This was some serious exercise! Our Princess is still a bit young for most games, but she still enjoys helping where she can, and watching the action.

This has been a great gift for us all and is sure to provide hundreds of hours of fun for our family. Next purchase will be Wii Fit. Just about everyone we run into who already has Wii tell us we HAVE TO get it!

Post Graduation Report

As you will see, I took off a week from blogging following graduation. Let me say, graduation weekend was wonderful! Graduation was all it should be. Well, OK, the speakers could have been more inspirational, the ceremony could have been shorter, but overall - fun, meaningful, and all the ritual should be.

Wife, kids, Mom and Step-Dad were all there....and our kids did great! They were in the stands for 4 hours, including wait time before the ceremony, and they were so well-behaved. Wife did a great job of packing food and activities for them(OK, son's DS especially!), and they certainly did us both proud! I am very happy since this way, Wife could experience and enjoy my graduation, too.

I won't recap everything since Wife already did such a great job on her blog! I will say that I was wrong about me not having a big drunken bash. Well, OK, so it was not exactly that - but I will say Wife and I had quite the good time enhanced by a considerable amount of alcohol. :) Between a great party hosted by my mom and one of my sisters, the attendance of lots of family and friends, and a nice barbecue with Wife's family in our backyard afterwards, the Sunday after graduation was most excellent!

I am now one week into formal bar review through BarBri. It is going to be a very intense several weeks, but after four years of law school, another couple of months is not all that daunting. The bar exam itself....well....I can do it! That is my mantra...I can do it and I will pass!

Now that I am officially a graduate, looks like I'll be needing a new name for this blog. Any suggestions?

Graduation Weekend!

It's finally here. The Big Day. Graduation.

I sense that my graduation weekend will look much different than that of many of the daytime students, but maybe similar to many of my FORMER evening classmates. No drunken bashes for me - but good, happy times with my family. Tomorrow is graduation. Yippee!! It is followed by a short children's graduation that acknowledges the sacrifices of our families and what an accomplishment this is for us all. Nice, right?

Sunday my mom has put together a celebration with all of my family and a few friends, and some of Wife's family is even coming, which is surprising, and really nice. After the late afternoon event, we'll probably end up in our backyard, hanging out with the family from out of town, maybe barbecuing or ordering a pizza. The weather is supposed to be nice and I think it will be a wonderful weekend!

Congrats to all of my FORMER (yes, I am getting a kick out of that) classmates and their families!

Really, Truly Graduating

Yesterday I received my final grades and it is official - I am really, truly graduating. Wow. Four years. I'm actually about to graduate from law school. Technically, I guess I already have. The degree has been earned....all that's left is "walking." (Isn't that a funny term for graduation - walking? Used as in, "Are you walking?" meaning will you be participating in the graduation ceremony?) I now can put the initials, J.D. after my name.

Someone where I worked asked when they could start calling me "doctor." I work at a school of nursing, and getting your doctoral degree is a big deal, and then you get to be called "doctor." I told her whenever she would like! :) After four years, why is "counselor" the title we get? It is somehow unsatisfying. Yes, yes, technically I suppose "counselor" is accurate....but couldn't the same be said of any doctor degree - MD, PhD - don't we all counsel others based on our knowledge and opinions?

So not the point of this post. The point is - I am actually graduating! Bar review starts next Tuesday, but for now, I am celebrating one victory at a time!