Improvilaw

Whoa! Where the hell have I been?

2010-08-16T21:39:00.000-06:00

Seems like I haven't had a second to spare since I moved here and started working.

At this point, I don't think it makes a whole lot of sense to keep working on this blog. I have moved on to a new place in my life. The new place is pretty damn great, but it's pretty damn busy too.

I am going to leave the blogosphere to a new group of anxious law students filled with trepidation for now.

My only advice after going through the experience of law school as a non-traditional student? Don't do it unless you are 100% sure what you want to do afterward, and that your passion for that area of the law will sustain you through the experience. Because it's not very likely that following your passion will lead to immediate financial rewards. I am not starving, but I sure am not rich either.

Good luck to all of you. See you in cyberspace!

Update

2010-01-03T17:13:00.000-06:00

Hi there! As you can imagine, I have been really busy with getting used to my new job, unpacking and the Holiday season.

I really like my new city, and am figuring out where things are. I am not really used to having such reduced variety for shopping. I am a big "shop local" girl, and there aren't that many options for that here. There is only one organic grocery. It's expensive, but I am trying to support it as much as possible. Conveniently, it is located four blocks from my work.

As for work, I will post more about that soon.

Found an apartment

2009-11-25T18:59:00.000-06:00

The past few days have been spent apartment hunting in smallish town in the middle of nowhere. After several Google Maps sessions, I have definitely determined that my new town is at least 1.5 hours from everywhere. And by everywhere, I mean all the places where I have friends, or that have really cool stuff going on. Unfortunately, I am moving to a place that's not that exciting.

It also has some of the weirdest rental real estate ever. Tons of tiny houses near my work, but 90% are disgusting, and the other 10% are tiny, or have sky high heating costs or both. So we ended up taking a place in an apartment complex on the edge of town. The lucky part is that we looked at this place Wednesday and were shown a deluxe unit with a ton of amenities. We couldn't afford it. So we also looked at a 2 bedroom that was small, but had a nice kitchen and 2 bedrooms. When we went back to look at it again as the clock was ticking on our decision, the manager decided to give us the deluxe unit for the smaller unit's price. So we got a 1,200 square foot apartment, with 2 bathrooms and a 2 car attached garage. For only $750 including heat. This is about $140 less than I paid for rent during law school, but for a nicer place.

That's exciting. Now, I just need to figure out how to lure my friends to come and visit.

Update on my "getting pushy" post

2009-11-20T09:27:00.000-06:00

As you might remember, I emailed a potential employer (who I had interviewed with before) a couple weeks ago. The idea was that I wanted to find out if I had a chance to work at that org, in a town that's much closer to friends and family, before I took the job in the middle of nowhere. Well, I accepted my job on the 16th, and the other place emailed me on the 17th, telling me they wanted to interview me. Argh!

I am happy to have a job, but a little peeved that it took this other organization 2 full weeks to get back to me. Yes, I would prefer living in a town closer to home and friends, but that old saying about a "bird in the hand" still holds true. So I am getting used to the idea of living in the middle of the state, and having to drive about 3 hours to visit anyone I know.

And when it comes time for me to job hunt again, hopefully the economy won't be so bad, and I will have more flexibility when accepting offers, and won't get pushed into accepting a job before all my other options have been explored. I also have learned that public interest employers move slowly, and to take that into account when I am looking.

Sorry for my absence

2009-11-19T12:15:00.000-06:00

I know I haven't posted in a while, but I have been pretty busy. Lately, I have been "Twittering Professionally" which means I post tweets about news in my field, and of things that are interesting to me as a lawyer. So, Twitter is taking up a lot of time. I have found a lot of professional contacts on Twitter, and really enjoy it. As a result of me being so "into" social networking, the state bar has kind of put me in charge of managing our division's presence on Facebook and Twitter. (Mostly because the rest of the board has no idea how this stuff works.) This is great, as I love social networking and think that working on this project can help me make a name for myself with the general state bar leadership.

Yesterday, I went to the town in the middle of the state where I will be working. I need to find a place to live, as I am starting work on December 1. It was strange....lots of older, very small houses for rent "downtown" and newer apartment communities in the so-called "burbs" which are really about 5 miles from downtown. Because we are unable to make a decision yet, we are going back Sunday and staying in a hotel through Monday to look for places again. I love the idea of renting a house, but only if it has a kitchen big enough to cook a meal in, and doesn't smell like cat urine. Both of these have been a problem thus far.

I got a job offer!

2009-11-05T22:06:00.000-06:00

So, I guess my email was not necessary. Got home today and there was a job offer in the mail. I haven't accepted yet, so all I will say is that it is a legal services organization in a non-major city. The position itself is absolutely ideal. I will be providing direct services to people who are too poor to afford legal representation otherwise. And doing a lot of consumer and landlord/tenant and public benefits law. All areas I really like.

I am pretty psyched!

Risky Business

2009-11-05T11:07:00.000-06:00

So, I have finally done something that I had avoided in my job search so far - I got pushy.

Why?

I had interviewed for a job at a public interest org in July, and didn't get the job. And they recently posted another job for that same location. Actually, I have interviewed 5 times for jobs at this same organization, in many different locations. And I didn't get any of the jobs. One rejection was b/c they hired a transfer from another office. Another was because the subject area they wanted to hire someone for was unfamiliar to me. I know they hired a 2006 grad from another school for one of the positions. One interview just went badly for reasons I can't explain here, but was fallout from my previous life hiring attorneys as an office manager.

So, I wanted to find out whether I had any chance whatsoever of employment at this org. And I emailed to ask just that. Very nicely and professionally, but I did. My email went something like this:

"Dear Ms. Employer: I met with you in July regarding a position with your office. Since then, I have been volunteering at ABC Public Interest Org and working with XYZ Org. Recently, I saw your office posted a new staff attorney opening. As I mentioned during our previous meeting, I am very passionate about working as a legal services attorney, and am still interested in working for your office because of my many connections to the area. Would you be willing to reconsider me for a position in your office? I have attached my resume to refresh your recollection of our previous meeting. Thanks in advance for your consideration. Sincerely, Improvilaw"

This is risky as hell, but had to happen. If this org really has no intention of hiring me, a lack of response to my email will verify that. However, if I was their second choice the last time I applied, I am hoping that they will contact me and say so. Doing this scares me, but it's even more frightening to send in my materials and wait a month or more to find out what's going on.

Fingers crossed.

Things that are more important than money

2009-10-25T21:03:00.000-06:00

Here is a great post on "The Simple Dollar" about 15 things the author found are more important than money.

The short list:

Experiences
Wisdom
Marriage
Friendships
Physical health
Mental health
Personal passions
Communication
Self-reliance
Security
Helping others
Personal growth
Thankfulness
Hobbies
Spirituality

At a time in my life when I have less money than I ever have, (seriously - this includes when I was 16 years old!) I can truthfully say that all of the above have become really vitally important to me. And I have also noticed that as I concentrate on some of these things, and worry about finances less, that I am happier overall.

While my hobbies have changed during this period of unemployment, I still have the time to do some things I really enjoy, like going for long walks, playing tennis and reading novels (from the library, of course). I also am very lucky to have a wonderful man in my life, whose unwavering faith in me gets me through even the worst days. My meditation practice keeps me sane and keeps stress levels down, and I have wonderful friends, both near and far.

No matter what your situation is, take a minute to contemplate this list, and you will notice, as I did, that life is pretty good.

Networking FAIL

2009-10-21T23:50:00.000-06:00

Tonight, I went with my friend L, a biglaw attorney, to a pro bono event in town. The event was billed as a "celebration" of pro bono efforts by local attorneys, but it really was just a "hey, you should do pro bono work" push from local legal services orgs. Nothing special, and nothing that I haven't participated in before when I was a project assistant to the law school's pro bono project.

When I arrived, the temperature in the room was about 75 degrees. Stifling in a fully lined business suit. Ugh. Talk about uncomfortable! Even worse, some of my classmates who are working at firms in the area were there, and it was slightly awkward. When I am dealing with people who are naturally introverted like some of these people, I feel obligated to take the lead in conversations, asking questions about their lives and practices, even though I could care less. I just hate awkwardness.

During one of the "speeches" the presenter started saying, "I am going to go around the room and ask people to introduce themselves and say what organization they are with." And I almost had a heart attack. Was I going to have to admit to a room full of people with jobs that I didn't have one? The thought made me sick to my stomach. I know that lots of new grads are still looking for work, but I think I was the only person there without an organization's name under theirs on the stick-on name badges they gave us. Well, the speaker meant that she wanted people from the non-profits who were angling for help to introduce themselves, and I was relieved. Incredibly relieved. For some reason, when I am around a bunch of people who graduated when I did, and 6 out of 7 have jobs, I hate being the odd woman out.

It made me feel like a loser. Big time.

So much so that I passed up any further chance to network with those in attendance, and fled with my friend right after the speeches were done. This is totally not like me, and is very telling as to my state of mind when it comes to my career these days. And that is just....sad.

I am attending a training session for the bar's "lawyer assistance program" on Friday, and I am going in there with guns blazing, and will try to network my butt off, unemployment be dammed!

Ways to keep busy during unemployment

2009-10-17T14:06:00.000-06:00

As my period of unemployment goes on (and on) I have gotten a little better at finding things to do that are more fulfilling (and slightly more productive) than the hand wringing and hoping that had been occupying me in the past 4 months. What have I been up to?

Twitter: I have started more carefully following the legal (ish) things that interest me and tweeting about them. I think that Twitter can provide me with some good networking opportunities, if I am using it correctly. Part of that is tweeting about things that actually matter, rather than just a random mindstream of my thoughts.
Working out: I have been forcing myself to get out and walk every day. I think it keeps no-job anxiety at bay.
Connecting: Getting better at reaching out to friends that I haven't seen in a while, and not just those in the legal profession. Regular contact with regular people is good for my outlook. Overexposure to a bunch of other stressed-out recent grads is not.
Learning: I have signed up for some free seminars and CLEs. This will give me some new things to talk about at interviews and keeps my mind engaged.
Housecleaning: Getting my stuff in order keeps my sister's basement from feeling like, well, a basement.

Job interview on Monday went well

2009-10-14T09:22:00.000-06:00

I had a job interview on Monday in the middle of the state to work at a legal services non-profit. As usual, the interviewers tended to focus on the one area that I am lacking, rather than the many areas where I have a good amount of experience.

When I was a 1L, I tried to get into the school's consumer law clinic. Since consumer law is the one thing I knew I really liked when I was a paralegal, I thought that doing that clinic was a great way for me to expand my knowledge and get some real experience. Before law school, I had worked on a few cases at my old firm, and really loved fighting sub-prime lenders who had sloppy bookkeeping practices and unfair loan terms. However, I did not get into the clinic. That year, they took 6 out of the 72 people who applied. It was by far the most competitive clinic. What bugged me is that the students who were admitted to the clinic really did it "for the experience" and didn't have the same burning interest in the subject matter that I did. After law school, NONE of them decided to pursue it professionally.

And I missed the one opportunity I would have had to actually appear in court as a law student. And potential employers never let me forget it. At my interview, they asked why I didn't have this experience. I explained that our school only allows clinical students to represent clients under the student practice rule. Since my summer job was with the government, but wasn't supervised by a clinical professor, I wasn't allowed to appear in court. I attended a lot of hearings, but never appeared on behalf of a client until an externship my 3L year.

Since about 1/3 of our students did clinicals, and I would guess that at least 60% got some court time through them, I am at a disadvantage with legal services organizations.

At the time, our career advisers said this wasn't a big deal, but apparently it was. I am hoping that the organization I interviewed with can look past this and see that I have a broad base of public interest experience and am passionate about doing this work.

Otherwise, it will be more months of unemployment for me.

I am not funemployed!

2009-10-06T11:13:00.000-06:00

I was reading an article about 20 somethings who are "funemployed" and the blogger who is taking credit for coining that term. And I got mad. The funemployed are young professionals who were laid off and are using their savings and unemployment compensation to do things they "always" (how long can that be when you are 26?) wanted to. Like going to Turkey, and taking pilates classes and getting massages. The article even discusses one guy who bought himself a $3,000 road bike when he lost his job. WTF?

I am not sure if I am mad because I am not receiving unemployment compensation and can't join them, or if their cavalier attitude about not working and taking money from the government is just rubbing me the wrong way. The article talks about these people using unemployment to "find themselves." Isn't that what they were supposed to be doing in college?

Even worse is that this phenomenon and the publicity surrounding it may take away from the plight of those without financial resources to withstand extended unemployment, or those without health insurance, or people whose student loan creditors won't take no for an answer. We are still out here America. Living in our sisters' basements!

P.S. I get that the term funemployment is meant to make being out of work less depressing, but taking it to the extremes mentioned above is just ridiculous!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2009-10-04T09:40:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was my Grandma's 85th Surprise birthday party. She is an amazing woman, raising 4 kids by herself and supporting them with only a 9th grade education after my grandfather died just a few years after he returned from fighting in World War II. Since "Grammy" lived with my family for about 8 years, my sister and I are closer to her than most of our other cousins, and we were thrilled to be able to celebrate this milestone with her.

At the party, she mentioned again how proud she was that I was able to get a law degree, something that was unheard of during her youth, and quite rare even in my mother's generation. Grammy isn't easily impressed, and a compliment from her is always heartfelt, and gives the recipient immediately warm fuzzies.

When I was in law school, there were a few students like me who were first generation college graduates. I wonder if they feel strange like I did, discussing their degrees & aspirations with family members who had no clue what goes into completing an advanced degree. I hope that my cousins' children (and maybe my own) will see that they can do whatever they want in life, despite no one else in the family having done it before. Corny, but true.

Phone interview went well

2009-09-30T21:39:00.000-06:00

So, I had my phone interview today, and it went pretty well. I still got hammered on the "why here?" question. I answered by saying that I want to stay in-state, and would love to start my career in MediumTown, where I would be centrally located in the middle of the state.

They responded by reminding me that MediumTown is nothing like CollegeTown or BiggestCity I have lived in before. I fired back by saying that my parents live in a town of 1,400 people, and I love that place as much as anywhere I lived before. That seemed to satisfy them. If that comment gave them the impression that I am not from BiggestCity, so be it.

Otherwise, the interview was great. They were very impressed by my work publicizing the CCRAA (College Cost Reduction and Access Act) and my interest in consumer law. Which was excellent.

I have an in-person interview in 2 weeks. Yay!

Just knowing that there is a possibility of a job in my future puts me in a great mood!

Online job hunting

2009-09-28T21:04:00.000-06:00

Did my semi-weekly sweep of the government job sites. Nearby cities, counties, the state job board, even the usajobs.gov site. Nada. Couldn't find a thing that I am remotely qualified for.

The one thing I have learned through all this job hunting is not to waste my time applying for government jobs unless I meet at least some of the qualifications. Trying to emphasize similarities between what they are asking for and work I have actually done never gets me interviews.

A friend sent me a job posting paying $27,000 to work as a housing counselor. I think at this point, I would rather work as a paralegal. If I have to take a non-attorney job, I would rather that it pay a decent wage. I know that most Americans would love a job paying $27K, but not those with $110,000 in student loan debt!

Phone interview next week!

2009-09-26T10:28:00.000-06:00

I have a phone interview with another legal services organization. This one isn't very familiar to me, because it's in the middle of the state, in a city I have visited only a couple times in my life. Since I know that housing law is part of the position, I am going to spend tomorrow re-reading those statutes, in the hope I might be able to talk more intelligently at the interview on this topic.

From what a former employee of the organization said, the managing attorney seems to just let staff attorneys follow their interests and take some cases that are out of their job description, but in the attorney's area of "expertise." I am hoping that this means I could take some consumer law cases if I worked there.

There will be, as usual, the question about my connections to the area. I hate this question. Why? Because at this point, I would take a job in Nebraska if it was offered to me. I could care less about location - I just want a damn job. So I think I am going to just flat out say, "I think I can make anywhere my home, as long as I am here in my home state, and my work is interesting." Or something like that.

Any tips from readers on how you handle interview questions like that???

Forecast: continued unemployment

2009-09-24T10:48:00.000-06:00

The worst thing about the legal profession is that you can go on the state bar's website and see who got the jobs that you unsuccessfully interviewed for. I really wish that this wasn't possible. I would rather believe that the person who got the job I coveted was a superwoman (or man) who practically invented public interest law. I don't like knowing that the winner of my job is an ordinary student, who is no more qualified than I am. That means that I have to take a hard look at why I didn't get the job instead, and there are no easy answers to that question.

I am starting to think that I must be terrible at interviews. During law school, I would get almost every job I interviewed for. That streak was broken when I started looking for post-grad work. Obviously, I am not selling myself very well at these things. I just need to find out where I am going wrong.

Ugh.

Networking

2009-09-23T08:48:00.000-06:00

As a 3L, I was a project assistant for the law school's pro bono program. The program is just getting off the ground, and having some growing pains. The program is supposed to match attorneys with students to work on a pro bono case together, but generally there either are not enough cases or not enough attorneys to match up all the students.

Now that I am a graduate of that fine institution, I attended the "kickoff" meeting yesterday to show my support, and unabashedly do some networking with the lawyers I knew would be there.

I met two great ones who both worked for the non-profit that wants to phone interview me next week. They gave me some good information, within the confines of the whole, "I don't want to say anything very negative about my old employer" thing.

This morning, I went on LinkedIn and made sure I added both to my list of "connections." Not sure if doing this kind of thing has paid off so far, but I am hoping it will someday.

Using Social Media in a Nonprofit Job Search

2009-09-22T11:18:00.001-06:00

Leveraging Social Media in a Nonprofit Job Search

Shared via AddThis
I loved this article about the use of social media like Linked In, Facebook and Twitter in a job search. I plan to incorporate some of these suggestions myself.

Readers: How do you use these social networking sites professionally?

Taking a Paralegal Job to Ride out the Recession?

2009-09-21T22:01:00.001-06:00

I have been sending out resumes and networking my ass off lately.. Today, I got a call from a headhunter, asking about whether I would take a position as a paralegal working on a short term document processing project. The pay is almost as much as our local Legal Aid group pays. (Without the benefits and super coolness of public interest law.)

This is tempting because:

I haven't worked since April.
I haven't been able to spend any money on anything but bills and insurance since May.
I would love to get out of the house a bit more.

However, I am not sure that an employer that needs someone for 2-3 months would be very pleased if I left after a month. I mean, what do I do if I get a real job? I would have to quit, and I hate putting anyone in a bad position, as it could burn a bridge I might need later.

We shall see....

Google Webmaster is hilarious

2009-09-18T12:38:00.002-06:00

So I tried out the Google Webmaster gadget that is part of the Blogger Dashboard and found some interesting stuff. Like the most searched term to get to this blog is "Burger King Secret Menu." I thought I was known for my honest take on law school and life afterward, but my real claim to fame is knowing that you can order "off menu" at fast food restaurants.

Great!

Best Value Law Schools

2009-09-17T11:47:00.000-06:00

OMG - the National Jurist ranked my law school in the top 25 for best value. Well, so far it hasn't exactly paid off. Maybe in a normal (non-recession) economy it would, but not right now.

What's interesting about the list of the top 50 is that the school with the highest US News ranking is Texas (followed by Minnesota), but most of the schools listed as great values are those ranked in Tiers 3 and 4 by US News. Not a single Harvard Law School or Yale to be found on the list.

My question is this: If the "prestige" of many of these "best value" schools is so low, how are they worth it to attend? If you graduate in the middle of your class at my school, you are probably unemployed right now. That's not a good value at all. I doubt that many Harvard grads are unemployed right now, regardless of class rank. Yet here I am waiting for a job to come my way.

I also have to laugh about the statistic of 90+ percent of grads from my school being employed. Not this year!

Consumer law: getting out of your cell phone contract

2009-09-17T10:59:00.000-06:00

Most recently law school graduates, and those just beginning law school have probably moved recently. And, if you are like me, you desperately want an IPhone, instead of whatever you are using now. That usually means switching cell phone networks. But, if you are in the middle of a contract, getting out means early termination fees. There is a great article with video about how to get out of your contract early.

Ideas for doing this include:
1) Waiting for the cell provider to change the terms of the contract, which sometimes means you can cancel without penalty,
2) Complain frequently about service issues and log your complaints,
3) Use a lot of roaming minutes, if your cell provider pays for them. They might find it is cheaper to let you out of the contract rather than keep paying for you to roam, or
4) Move to an area with no service for that provider.

As soon as I get a job, I am going to ditch my current service, and get a nice juicy Iphone!

I got offered a job

2009-09-15T23:36:00.000-06:00

My friend is a lawyer, and he needs a legal assistant. In Colorado.

If this job pays more than $40,000, I would seriously consider moving there and taking it. I have no interviews coming up, and only 2 outstanding applications.

This state isn't doing it for me, and I absolutely loved Colorado when I stayed there for a week in 2007.

Sad that I would consider this, but I am.

Thoughts?

Major case of the blahs

2009-09-12T15:16:00.000-06:00

I seem to be suffering from a major case of the blahs this week. Or maybe it's just boredom. Part of it may be that I got rejected from 4 different jobs this week. I also have been spending way to much time by myself. I thought when I moved back to my home city, that friends who live here would want to do stuff all the time, and that my social calendar would go back to being full, like it was when I lived here BLS (Before Law School). But my friends are getting older and most of them have children, which takes up a lot of time. Four of them had babies while I was in school. So that means they are pretty much unavailable. And others just found other friends to hang out with since I wasn't there, and forgot what it was like to have me around.

Or something.

I tell myself this stuff so that I don't start feeling too pitiful about hanging out in my sister's basement so much.

When I worked full time, I was also in school part-time, and volunteered registering voters about 15 hours a week during half the year. I would fantasize about how great it would be if I didn't have to work and could have my days to myself.

Except I never fantasized about doing so without any money and while living with my sister. It's not the wonderland I imagined. I do get out sometimes, to accompany my sis to the grocery store, or take my nephew to his soccer games or even go visit friends once in a while. But the image of taking yoga classes and becoming fluent in multiple foreign languages really can't happen without good old money.

I wish I could barter my legal skills for a fabulous fall wardrobe and a gym membership and Spanish tutor and find a way to fill up my days. (I really do have some legal skills, ya know?)

Recently, I got an email "from" President Obama, encouraging people to volunteer as an homage to the 9/11 victims. So I went on the local volunteer website and sent out some emails. Hopefully, someone will let me volunteer and that should be a good outlet for my nervous energy. This pity party certainly isn't that fun!

Public interest law blog

2009-09-08T16:51:00.004-06:00

If you are a wanna be public interest lawyer, you should check out the Equal Justice Works blog. One of the contributors, Heather Jarvis, is an expert on student debt and its impact on public interest careers. I had the opportunity to meet with Heather last year, and she was very informative. The blog itself contains all kinds of interesting stories about students working in public service internships over the summer, loan repayment options and career choices.

For those who don't know, I also have a lot of information about student loan repayment options, how to find out how much you owe, and ways to use the Income Based Repayment and Loan Forgiveness options set forth in the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about your loans.

What does Facebook know about you?

2009-09-05T11:04:00.002-06:00

If you're like me, you don't read most of the privacy notices that are attached to the applications you include in your profile on Facebook. All those quizzes you take also include a caveat that the developers will be accessing your profile, which, in most cases contains a lot of private information.

The Consumerist blog posted a link to a quiz that you can take to educate yourself on privacy issues on Facebook. The hilarious part is that you have to go to Facebook and allow access to your profile to even take the quiz.

Law schools and judicial clerkships

2009-09-05T10:59:00.002-06:00

This handy chart from the always questionable US News shows the rankings for law schools placing students in judicial clerkships after they graduate. My law school is doing a poor job, placing less than 10% of students. Meanwhile, the University of North Dakota is kicking ass, placing right behind Yale with 28% of students in clerkships. Wow!

I wonder what they are doing that my school isn't? Oh yeah, probably providing decent mentorship of students, and assisting them beyond a one-hour "hey, clerkships are good, try and get one" class.

The interesting part of this is that my career services counselor said that only the top 10% or so of our students could get these positions. Yet, 28% of those at UND are doing it. And of those people, that can't be the top 28% of the class. (Some of those grads have to be taking jobs in law firms or public interest orgs) Therefore, it seems that, yet again, the view of our career counselors is skewed by their own experiences, rather than what actually happens.

Ouch!

2009-09-04T20:08:00.002-06:00

I feel like I am becoming a prime example of why we need health care reform in this country. I lost my health insurance (the one that cost me about $150 a month from the university) in mid-August.

Now I have noticed that when I jog or go for a long (over a half hour) walk, pain radiates around my right foot. That's the same foot that I dropped a box on a month ago when we were moving. But the toe itself doesn't hurt, it just looks a little swollen.

I have also had a mystery abdominal pain today. I am assuming it's because I ate some bad fish or something, but the thought of not being able to get any of this checked out unless I suffer a bureaucratic nightmare with the public assistance office bugs me. So I have pretty much put off looking into that. But I am going to have to, on Tuesday.

It's probably psychological, but these little mystery ailments are annoying me. So is the fact that so many selfish people in this country would rather see others suffer than pay an extra penny of tax money. Even though their own health care could improve, and they might not ever have to pay more for it. I just think that people who are comfortable and who have money forget what it's like to not have much, or never have experienced that at all.

A former classmate of mine indicated in a facebook post that people were doing "risk assessment" to decide whether the risk of having a health problem was worth paying for health insurance. However, his equation is based on his own experience as the child of an attorney, who has never been impoverished or without insurance in his whole life. And future leaders like my classmates are the ones that could be setting policy in this country in the years to come. And that scares me more than pain in my foot or tummy ever could.

Hello....Hello Hello is there anybody out there?

2009-09-04T11:08:00.002-06:00

Sometimes, I use my blog like a diary, then remember that other people can and sometimes do read this thing. It's difficult to worry about what I write when I am not even sure anyone is reading it.

I sometimes wish that I had a whole bunch of readers so that I would be inspired to actually carefully consider what I write, and maybe even edit stuff before I post it. I think I am going to try at least for now, to marginally increase my readership by commenting on some other law student/law grad blogs. I could use the company.

Going too far

2009-09-03T11:12:00.001-06:00

Yep, I am totally desperate for a job. But I have to keep reminding myself that I went to law school for a reason, and that reason didn't include doing icky things like insurance defense. I just can't and I won't. I applied for a job that a friend of a friend recommended, and it turns out that the guy doesn't want someone to do "some family law and contracts work." It's insurance defense and some collections.

There is a line to be drawn, and for me, it's right there. I just can't spend my days helping insurance companies cut/reduce/eliminate benefits to people. Blech!

Awesome site for goofing around online

2009-08-31T12:10:00.002-06:00

Mensa has a great site filled with "brain teaser" games. I had no idea! These games are keeping me company while I waste a beautiful day fretting about the mail.

Check out the games by clicking here.

I really liked the "hangman" type game called "Wordsense" and the awesome trivia game.

Waiting for rejection letters to arrive

2009-08-31T12:06:00.003-06:00

I had 4 different jobs that were supposed to "let me know" by the end of the month. Today is the end of the month. I have not received telephone calls from these potential employers, which obviously means that they hired someone else.

But, since my mail has been held up for a month now, I was still holding out a tiny bit of hope. (That's an Obama voter for you!) Now, I am anxiously sitting in the living room, scoping out the street for the mail truck.

Not getting mail for a month does something to a person. In my case, it causes insanity.

Please get here soon mail carrier. I can't take it much longer!.

Need some advice?

2009-08-28T10:55:00.002-06:00

The coolest/most annoying thing about having a law degree has to be that everyone seems to want free information about legal stuff. In the past week, I have given out a lot of information:

1) Explaining the ins and outs of lawyers' trust accounts to a law school buddy.

2) Explaining to my sister's neighbor (I guess he's my neighbor too now) that the judge in the case he is a juror for won't speak to him without all the parties there, and that a casual chat probably cannot occur while the case is at trial.

3) Chatting with the fiance's parents about grandpa's deterioration and the need to look into options for his finances, etc. since he now has had dementia episodes.

4) Telling an acquaintance that they may need to file a bankruptcy.

While this is cool, none of it is earning me any money. It does, however, make me feel smart and useful, which is just as good as money in my book. (Other than the fact that self-esteem doesn't pay for 4 new tires.)

Officially giving myself permission to freak out

2009-08-28T10:47:00.002-06:00

I have had an issue with the post office not forwarding my mail since I moved in with my sister almost a month ago.

First they said that there was a processing error, and they noted the date to start forwarding the mail incorrectly. That was last Thursday. They told me they would send the mail this week.

It's now Friday, and no mail yet. I called yesterday and left a message for someone to call me about this.

The big problem? I have 3 different jobs that said they would make a decision by the end of the month. If they have rejected me already, I would sure like to know. If they haven't, I could still have a little hope that maybe the hiring process is a little delayed. I don't want to be a nag, and send them emails, only to find out that they hired others. This is quite a quandry.

I am going to give these employers until Tuesday (or until my forwarded mail arrives, whichever happens first). If I don't hear anything by then, I am going to contact them again.

I hate this stuff. I just need a job!

Had a life this weekend

2009-08-24T19:32:00.002-06:00

This weekend, I splurged and actually left the house and spent a little of my dwindling cash supply. On Friday night, the fiance' and I went to play board games at a friends house.
Cost = $0

On Saturday, we were treated to a Packer game to celebrate the future father-in-law's retirement. Of course, mother-in-law told us to buy a bunch of snacks and stuff and then bought more anyway, wasting a bunch of money, but since the game was free (and super fun) I counted it as a wash.
Cost = $25.00

Sunday, I went to Zoo Ala Carte, which basically means walking around and looking at animals and eating. It was $10 to get in and I spent another $10 on food. Had a good time with a friend I haven't seen in a long time, so it was worth it.
Cost $20

Today, I went running errands with my sister, and didn't spend a thing, which is fortunate, since my money is running low. Tomorrow, I am using the old food stamps to get some groceries. We ate an eggplant frittata for dinner tonight that was my idea, but was poorly executed by my sister. She served french toast as a consolation food, but I just couldn't handle syrup at 6 pm. :)

Jobs jobs and more jobs

2009-08-17T14:07:00.003-06:00

I just got an email that a non-profit I know is hiring in the town where I went to law school. The position is about 50% volunteer management and recruiting. This is the same thing I did with both my project assistant job in law school and in my volunteer work. I think I have a good chance of getting it. Keeping my fingers crossed.

There's no place like home and I don't have one

2009-08-15T20:03:00.003-06:00

I moved in with my sister on August 1. Into her basement to be exact. Beforehand, I idealized what this would be like, imagining taking my little nephew to the zoo and museum and parks to play. I thought my sister and I would have heart-to-heart talks over tea in the morning. I thought that all my friends in my hometown would be lining up to hang out with me.

None of this has happened. Instead, I have spent quite a bit of time by myself, reading, organizing and surfing the internet. My sister and her husband's household is usually in a state of chaos. Keys get lost, checking accounts are not balanced, meals are unplanned - causing my sister to visit the grocery store about 4 times a week. I get lots of mini-lectures about:

turning off lights,
turning off the outside water (after I do my chore of watering the plants and lawn daily),
making sure water doesn't seep into the loose floor tile in the bathroom,
making sure I rinse my recyclables before putting them in the bin,
not turning on the dehumidifier in the basement unless my brother-in-law thinks it should be,
and on
and on
and on.

I haven't committed any of the above infractions, but my sis and her husband sure have. And I don't say a thing.

Not to sound ungrateful, because I am happy not to be homeless.

But I am not happy about being treated like a 15 year old, and I don't like that the family eats everything I buy from the store (with my much-needed foodstamps), even when they know I bought the stuff. I also just miss having my own home, A HOME.

There really is no place like it.

Keeping my head held high

2009-07-21T09:42:00.002-06:00

I have been kicked in the teeth more than a few times this past couple weeks. Sometimes, it's hard to hold your head high when you feel like there is a 20 pound weight dangling from a rope around your neck.

To mitigate my lack of income, I am moving into my sister's house next week. And it doesn't feel very good to have to rely on my family for anything. I was always that independent kid, who moved out at 18 and never asked for a penny from my parents. When I needed to move, I even did that on my own, managing to heft a couch down two flights of stairs and get it into the moving van. It probably took me about 8 years longer to finish my education because I didn't ask for and didn't receive any help to pay for it. But I did it. I think that's why I am having such a hard time lately accepting help. The food stamps were one thing, but moving in to my sister's basement is quite another. It has to happen though, so I guess I should continue cracking jokes about it to make myself feel better.

The other fun thing this past week was finding that I didn't get a job when a classmate posted on her facebook status that she was the one selected for it. Ouch! To be honest though, I didn't feel the job was a good fit for my interests and skills. However, I just want a fucking job. Is that too much to ask? I am smart and a hard worker. I networked my ass off for months, and that's what you are supposed to do, right?

Looking at all this from a more positive perspective....I am very lucky to have a sister who will take me in, and enough money to put my stuff in storage for 2 months. Not getting that job hurt, but maybe that's the universe telling me it wasn't the right job for me. Also, I am fortunate that one of my best friends from law school is going through much of the same anxiety with me. Having someone to commiserate with makes a huge difference.

Lastly, a word to those who have applied to law school: don't even consider doing this unless you really love the law, don't mind a decrease in your self-esteem and are ready to stick to your ideals at the expense of your financial life. It's tough out there. Figure out why you want to do this. If it's because it's all you ever wanted, then go for it. If it's because you have a degree in English Lit and don't know what to do with yourself, you are in trouble.

If I didn't really care about access to justice and helping people get it (no matter what their income is) I think I would have died from the stress of law school and job hunting.

Food stamps

2009-07-15T23:01:00.001-06:00

The joy of food stamps. Who knew I would be getting them after law school and feel so little shame about it. Just kinda sucks that it has to be this way, but until I get a job, I need to eat.

The amount of cash in my household is very very low. Looking forward to cashing in our "piggy bank" this week.

Sad.

Hey, you aren't baby spinach

2009-06-14T21:37:00.002-06:00

Dear readers:

As a public service, I must tell you about an imposter in our midst. Recently, I was at the farmer's market and bought some "baby spinach." (Quotes intentional) I got it home and started cooking it to add to my already delicious pasta dish for dinner.

But it smelled a little....weird. I thought I was just being a freak about it, and that maybe it was just really really fresh. NOT.

It tasted really pungent and not in a good way. Turns out, that we have a green named tatsoi masquerading as my beloved spinach. And this tatsoi is no spinach my friend.

Tatsoi has been described as mustard like, and a bok choy variant. What it really is, is just straight up yucky. Sorry to all the tatsoi lovers out there, but I call shenanigans.

Still jobless

2009-06-07T09:50:00.001-06:00

So, I didn't get that terrific job. They called after the second interview and said that they decided to hire a transfer applicant from one of their other offices. Even worse is that our career services lady mentioned in an offhand way when I saw her the next day that she knew they were going to hire the transfer person. WTF? Gee, thanks for letting me know that before I bought a new suit for the second interview. Like I have money laying around for that. Yeah, right.

I feel frustrated with the whole job situation. I went to a really good law school, and did OK. I was on law review. I was involved in student orgs. I did two externships, one with the Appellate Court. I did everything I was supposed to do, and yet I am sitting here in June with no job, and a pending food stamp application.

I think things would be better if my significant other had a job, or was even remotely employable. But he really isn't. They aren't hiring in his field, and he is just frozen with fear, acting like that's a good excuse to do nothing. He keeps just searching for the same job over and over. When I mentioned a decent paying entry level position, he just said, "But I have that test to work for the unemployment division next week. What abouot that?" What about that you idiot? Odds are, even if he kicks ass at the test, there will be hundreds of other applicants. It's very frustrating to deal with someone who thinks he can only apply to one fucking job at a time.

As for me: I had an interview working for a firm that wants to start up a bankruptcy practice. The interview went OK, but they really (from a business standpoint) should hire someone other than me. And I know that. And it's OK. But OK doesn't pay the damn rent. Speaking of which, I have no idea how that will happen next month.

Shit.

Interview today

2009-05-20T09:26:00.002-06:00

I have a second interview today, at a place in my hometown, where I would really like to work. It is a place where I could really make a difference. According to the lawyers working there who attended my first interview, there is a ton of work to be done, and there will be a TON of court time. This actually excites me.

There is a video of some of those involved with this organization talking about the project I am interviewing for posted on the net. It's an hour long, and I have been watching it (again) this morning, desperately trying to come up with new questions to ask at the interview. That is the tough part as I "used up" my 4 good questions at the last interview.

Does anyone have any "go to" questions for public interest interviews?

(I already used up questions about funding, grants, and the project's legislative advocacy.)

Graduation

2009-05-15T18:25:00.002-06:00

What else can I say right now. I had such a hectic last couple weeks:

getting the public interest award from the bar,
job application due dates,
finally get the OK to get admitted to the bar,
an interview,
an exam, then a paper due the next day, then a mock hearing yesterday,

And now...I finally graduated.

It hasn't sunk in yet. I don't know when it will. I feel so exhausted and happy and I want to hurry up and find those classmates who are leaving town soon, so I can say goodbye and wish them well.

And I want to get back to "real life." The life I left behind wasn't based on "book" learning: it was about the lessons you learn from going through births and deaths and marriages and relationships. The law still seems like a big bunch of theory with a question at the end that won't be answered until I am actually able to help someone with my degree.

Not to say I haven't had a life while in law school, but it was one that centered around classmates and classes and intellectual growth, and trying to figure out how to best use the things about practicing law that I am good at and to decipher the hard parts enough to get through them.

I thought the giant question mark would scare me, but it really is a world of possibility.

And I am ready to take that on.

LMAO

2009-05-09T08:46:00.002-06:00

Yep, I have been feeling a little bad about not having a job, but I found this blog, which makes me feel like a million bucks in comparison to some poor saps out there.

My favorite of course, is the infamous naked wizard gets tazed video, for obvious reasons.

Hilarious Celebrity Apprentice Quote

2009-05-05T10:27:00.003-06:00

In the board room:

Ivanka Trump: "These are the things that most project managers wouldn't forgo the opportunity to be a part of."

Brady (former Playmate) "I didn't "forgoo" anything."

Wow. This woman is an idiot. LOL!

Finally - my paralegal experience pays off

2009-05-05T09:05:00.003-06:00

Throughout law school, I have been shocked and sometimes upset with how easily my fellow law students and potential employers have dismissed my years of paralegal experience. I worked hard at that job. I helped build a firm from the ground up. I happened to have worked for someone who trusted me and who gave me a long rope (which I sometimes attempted to wrap around my own neck out of frustration. That enabled me to develop an advertising mechanism that doubled the net profit of the firm from that point on. I hired and trained staff, including attorneys. I learned how to handle conflict, both with clients and the sometimes ornery opposing counsel in our cases.

Frankly, I kicked ass at that job. The owner told me I had to go to law school because I had a knack for the business and communication portions of law practice. I was successful, and sometimes, when the joblessness brings up that tiny bit of fear about the future that sometimes ebbs when I feel stressed, I wish I could go back to that job.

Which makes it even harder when the skills I honed there are so easily disregarded as unimportant. Paralegals really are the ones running most law firms. They provide continuity, mediate disputes among staff, ensure quality work product and keep the firm on an even keel.

This morning, I got a call from a firm I applied to. Granted, I didn't really want to start applying to jobs at law firms, but it's a small planitiffs' firm, which doesn't offend my public interest sensibilities. The woman who called immediately told me that the firm had decided to hire someone with 3-5 years of experience, but that they loved my resume and experience, and wanted to consider my paralegal experience as fulfilling that requirement. Hallelujah!

The scary thing is that they want someone who can start up a bankruptcy/debtors' rights practice for them. I have a ton of experience in this area, but not as an attorney. The thought of doing all of that on my own scares me, but is also exciting. In this economy, bankruptcy is booming, and I should take advantage of my knowledge in that area.

I really just want to save the world though.

Still jobless. Have company.

2009-05-03T23:42:00.002-06:00

So, update is that I am still job hunting. The good news is that:

a) I am by far not the only one. Some of my smartest, most competent friends and family are still looking too, so I don't feel too inadequate because of my unemployment.
2) I have an interview in my hometown for a job on Wednesday. Please God, let me get that job. It pays almost nothing, but it's doing really good, important work.

The job is at a legal services place, and I would probably have to improve my ability to speak Spanish by about a million percent if I got it, but I think I could really love the work. Can you imagine loving your job? I didn't used to, but I can see loving this. Helping people eliminate barriers to employment is a great thing. Who wouldn't want that job?

OK, the bad thing is that I can't let myself get too excited about it. Period. A crushing defeat might be too much for me right now. How about a tenuous optimism? That sounds very good.

My own ecomonic crisis

2009-04-25T19:11:00.002-06:00

So, I am running out of money. Fast. I knew when I started law school that my savings would be out by the middle of this school year, and that I would have to rely 100% on student loans. Then my significant other lost his job.

And it has been rough. No spring break trips for us. While classmates headed to Florida and Mexico and other warm destinations, we went on a day trip an hour away to visit friends. I am not complaining - I had a good time. It just is hard to have two people in my household looking for jobs, and being so incredibly low on money. His car needed a new transmission 2 weeks ago. We actually found out about that $1700 bill the same day he got into an accident with an uninsured driver. There goes $2,200.

I figured out that we will be out of money entirely by the middle of June, and I will have to start waitressing or something. No shame in that, but it is a little odd for someone with a law degree to be waiting tables again.

One step forward, two steps back.

He went to a teachers job fair this morning. Said that he handed out his resume and chatted up some people, but no one was interviewing people with his specialty area. I am happy that he went. I think that both of us need to improve our confidence - and you can't do that staying at home!

For those soon-to-be law students reading this, be aware that these are bizarre times. Normally, more than half my class would have jobs by now. Normally, I would have a damn job by now. However, before you go to law school, think about what you would do if you couldn't find a job after. Seriously.

Who knew?

2009-03-03T22:24:00.002-06:00

Who knew that after high school, an Associates Degree and a B.A. I would finally catch "senioritis" now? While I like one of my classes, the other two are downright painful at times. I do the reading, but my heart's not in it anymore. I can barely sit through our student government meetings, as the closeminded attitudes of my schoolmates are now unbearable. I need to be done with school. Seriously.

Thank god I don't have a job, or I would really be slacking off!

The most amazing room in the Student Union

2009-02-17T15:12:00.003-06:00

My friend is doing a panel at the law school today. And her bus lets her off at the Student Union. So I decided to study here for a while. I went upstairs and found this amazing room. Very quiet, with windows overlooking the lake, but not so many windows that its distracting.

I have been getting a lot done here. I might just stay.

In other news, I still don't have a job. Since that's the way things have been for a while, I guess it is not news after all.

Wide world of Apathy

2009-01-29T17:35:00.003-06:00

Reading this blog, you might think that nothing has happened in the past 30 days, but lots of stuff has...I have just been too busy, lazy and apathetic to blog about it. I think it might be good that I am spending enough time living life that I don't have energy left to write about it.

We have a new President, and he's got a tough job ahead of himself.

I went to New Orleans, and loved the experience again, especially the friends, legal work and food part.

When I returned from New Orleans, I found that my boyfriend is the recession's newest victim, and we are now much much more impoverished than we were before.

More on all this later. I am in Worker's Comp class right now, and I should be trying to learn some things.

Well well well, who do we have here

2008-12-31T09:48:00.002-06:00

It's me! Sorry for the really really long absence, but I just got really really busy! While we were on hiatus, the following happened:

The boyfriend's sister had a beautiful baby girl.
I finished the semester.
I took my Real Estate exam. It went OK.
I took my Tax exam. It was insanely hard. More on that later.
Finished the Court internship. Judge said he would happily give me a reference. Great!
Holidays were fun. Spent time with family. Mildly irritated by some in-laws.
Got Wii Fit. In pain from Wii Fit.
Tonight is New Year's Eve. Going out to dinner with some wonderful people, than drinks here at the apartment. Still feeling the holiday vibe.
No job yet. Actually, not much available in the way of jobs for me yet, but I knew that choosing gov't or public interest would cause that. Still hanging in there.

I keep getting teary-eyed about Obama's win

2008-11-05T22:12:00.004-06:00

So, I kinda knew I would cry when Obama won the election. Actually, while I hoped he would win, I was still skeptical that we could pull it off. I think that I was a little burned out after 2 terms with the Moron. I also think that's how I kept getting dragged into phone banking and GOTV calls for him and HeadCount.

What I wasn't expecting is how touched everyone is about this victory. I feel so proud of our country for picking the smarter candidate and seeing past the Republicans' poisonous rhetoric.

I have been watching news shows like crazy (we cancelled our cable TV, effective tomorrow so we could still get election coverage) and every time they show someone else cry about this election, I do too. I even cried watching Jesse Jackson and he gets on my nerves normally Who knew that Oprah's runny mascara could move me so much?

I guess I am the official election crybaby. And damn proud of it.

Obama's grandma passed away

2008-11-03T16:38:00.002-06:00

Sometimes, life just isn't fair. After sacrificing for and encouraging Obama so much, his grandma died last night/early this morning.

I can't imagine the terrible and strange mix of grief and anticipation for tomorrow that Barack and family must be feeling. It seems like such a shame that his Grandma won't get to see him become president.

Rest in peace Grandma Dunham.

Justice for workers = exciting for lawyers!

2008-10-29T10:52:00.003-06:00

Some deliverymen in New York City were getting ripped off by their employer. The guys were working tons of hours and only getting $520 per month from their employer, the Saigon Grill. Turns out that they only made about $2 an hour. They sued with the help of a public interest law organization and won a multi million dollar verdict.

Check out the New York Times story.

This is the kind of thing that makes me excited to practice law!

So close, yet so far away!

2008-10-20T18:30:00.003-06:00

Graduation is less than 6 months away now, but I still have a ton to do.

Found out recently that I might be able to do some updating to my law review article and get it published in a different journal or even the newsletter for an organization I am in. That involves a TON of work, but I might do it.

I also am up to my ears in regular school work because I took a 4 day "vacation" to Detroit to attend that conference. I am planning to stay at the library until 9:30 tonight as part of my "catch up" plan. Same with tomorrow. Hopefully, I can manage not to flunk out before I graduate!

Going to the Motor City

2008-10-15T20:15:00.002-06:00

So, I am going to a conference this weekend in Detroit. In a Toyota Corolla. I don't care what the motor city thinks about my foreign car. It gets damn good gas mileage.

I have to laugh about how a momentary decrease in gas prices makes everyone forget that last month, that stuff was $4 a gallon or more. I haven't forgotten, and my hatred for spending money on stuff that is consumed means that I will drive itty bitty cars the rest of my life!

New school year, new jobs, new hope?

2008-09-23T12:10:00.003-06:00

So, I am finally quitting my legal research job to work as a project assistant for the school's volunteer lawyer/law student partnership project. I am excited for the new opportunity and because this job enables me to do something other than staple printouts.

I also am working with another student at school to get the law school to offer a new class. We were thinking of "Survey of Public Interest Law." Basically, we are trying to get some clinical profs to teach us a little bit of what we missed when the school decided never ever to offer 80% of the public interest classes listed in their brochure.

An email to two of the professors today yielded really enthusiastic responses. I am really excited about the prospect of being taught stuff I want to learn for once! I hope we can make this happen.

Back on the voter registration bandwagon

2008-09-19T07:02:00.002-06:00

So, I am getting back on the horse so to speak, and registering voters again tonight at a show here in town. I said that it was time for me to direct my energies elsewhere, but the org really needed help, and I couldn't say no.

However, I am not sure how I am going to feel watching someone else do the job that I used to have. Ah, nostalgia.

Well, at least this makes me feel like I am doing SOMETHING about this election. Seems like most of my peers, for all their shit-talking, don't get involved at all, in anything, other than just...talking.

Blog readers, post in the comments about how you are getting involved this election season.

Can I please just shut the hell up?

2008-09-15T18:25:00.003-06:00

If I am not the one in charge, and the one in charge isn't doing a splendid job, why can't I just shut the hell up? I have no idea, but I really wish I could. It's not my fault that things might be a little screwed up, and I don't have to make sure that every damn thing I am involved in is just exactly perfect. Who the hell died and made me judge? No one, that's who. So I am just going to have to learn how to be a "member" of things, and not in charge of them.

I was the one who wanted to be more employee and less boss. Why is it so hard for me to get used to this?

I am getting published!

2008-08-30T16:09:00.003-06:00

An article I co-wrote on debt management is going to appear in my state bar's monthly magazine. I am pretty excited about this development. However, there have been recent changes in the law (the prez recently signed HR 4137 which gives debt relief in exchange for 3 year commitments for prosecutors and public defenders) that aren't covered in the article.

For some odd reason, the bar is publishing it as is.

I am just happy that something I contributed to is getting published.

Dear summer....why did you leave me?

2008-08-25T11:57:00.001-06:00

Apparently, summer is packing its bags and is on its way out the door. Why oh why does it have to leave so soon? I was just getting the hang of grilling my meals outside instead of cooking them on a stove. I had just gotten used to spending more time outside my apartment than inside. I was done working and had nothing in front of me but two weeks of relaxation.

Now, I have an afternoon today to get organized before I leave for my vacation. I return Friday to book buying, reading assignments and job hunting. And then school starts.

I am just not ready.

Fame!

2008-08-21T19:55:00.002-06:00

Actually, Hall of Fame. Or "Halls of Fame" as the case may be. I am going on a road trip next week to see the Rock and Roll and Football Halls of Fame. I am totally psyched. I think this will be a great pre-school road trip and the perfect start to my 3L year!

If you have been to either one, or are from Ohio, please leave info/advice/warnings/etc in the comments.

P.S. Though it looks odd, it is correct to say "Halls of Fame" and NOT "Hall of Fames."

Grammatically yours,

Improvilaw

Book sale!!!!!!!

2008-08-21T12:01:00.003-06:00

Oh yes, it's that wonderful time of year again, when I unload a whole bunch of books that I don't need anymore. My readers were very kind last year, and helped take a bunch of these off my hands.

Buying used books is environmentally friendly, as you are helping me "recycle."
Buying used books helps you save money
Buying used books means that you don't have to trudge to the law school bookstore.

Check out the list of books below:
Listed as Title/Edition/Author/Retail/My price

Evidence: Exam Pro 2^nd Michael Graham $30 $20

Civ Pro: Legalines 5^th Keyed to Yeazell $20 $1

Anatomy of a Lawsuit Revised Peter Simon $23 $12

Contract Law/Prob& UCC 3^rd Scott and Kraus $40 $5

Contract Law:Capability Problem 2^nd Danzig and Watson $31 $10

Contracts: Examples & Explanations 2^nd Blum $40 $15

Contracts: Casenote Legal Briefs Keyed to Murphy $28 $15

Understanding Torts 2^nd Diamond/Levine $25 $12

Black’s Law Dictionary Deluxe 8^th Garner $108 $75

Contact me if you are interested.

Job market looking bleak for "firmies"

2008-08-11T07:10:00.002-06:00

For my classmates who are looking to work in big firms after graduation, things aren't looking so good this year. Only one or two local firms were on the 3L OCI list.

That means that these people might actually have to use their brains, and come up with a list of firms and addresses to send *gasp* snail mail resumes and cover letters to. Oh the humanity! They are going to have to do a real job hunt, not just go across the street to interviews with 2nd year associates who don't have a clue about what's going on.

On the other hand, I feel like I should be more worried about finding a job, but I am not. Many of the public interest employers I want to work for need more help in a bad economy. They also don't hire until winter. For now, I am just making my mail merge list of employers, and doing a lot of networking.

Questions about UW Law

2008-08-03T20:31:00.003-06:00

I have had a couple inquiries via email and one in the comments about UW Law in general and my situation specifically. I can tell you that the one thing I have learned in law school is that you just never know.

I have gotten interviewed for jobs where I didn't meet their criteria at all. I have been not been offered positions that I was qualified for because of not having grades the employer wanted, but exceeding all other qualifications. I have had employers offer me paying school-year positions based on my summer work when I least expected it.

I don't know much about law firm jobs because I rarely apply to any. I like 40-50 hour weeks, and think that I didn't bust my ass at law school just to continue to do so as a nameless cog in a giant legal machine for the next 30 years. I have a ton of interest in doing very "non-traditional" stuff with my degree. Like starting a non-profit which saves other non-profits time and resources. Or counseling other people considering a second career. Or working on the technology side of law practice. Or saving the world.

I have a lot of dreams, but not many solid goals, other than following my passion for people wherever it takes me.

If you are seeking further information about UW Law, feel free to email me. Or leave your email addy in the comments and I will get back to you. I love talking to people about my experience, but I want to remind my readers that every person is different, and so are their job prospects and hopes and goals and thoughts about law school, the legal profession and success.

My biggest education in law school has been the one I gave myself - about it being a great thing to be different. About shattering the status quo. About going against the grain and doing my own thing.

Are you gonna vote?

2008-07-26T12:49:00.003-06:00

So, I am going to be adding a "Register to Vote" button for HeadCount to my blog. As some of you may know, I started working for HeadCount in 2004 when the org first started, registering people to vote at music concerts and festivals all over the midwest. I had a great time doing this, and eventually worked my way up to Outreach Director in 2007. However, being in charge of outreach at a time when the organization needed to grow exponentially to prepare for the 2008 election and law school didn't go well together. My grades took a big hit from working so hard for HeadCount and I resigned my position in January 2008 to let more available people take over.

The good news is that HeadCount is still going strong, and voter registration is a cause which is still near and dear to my heart.

So, please click on the button on the right side of the page, and check out the site. You can register to vote, or even volunteer to help others exercise their own right to vote.

This is outrageous [attempt to go green content]

2008-07-08T22:26:00.002-06:00

My boyfriend and I are trying our best to recycle everything and to stop using so much stuff. So, we are now trying really hard not to buy bottled water. We got a Brita filter for Christmas and have been refilling water bottles or using Nalgene bottles for our daily intake of H2O.

We had to replace the filter today and I discovered that Brita filters can't be recycled here in the U.S. Chlorox owns Brita in the U.S. and they haven't started a recycling program here like they have in Europe.

There is a petition online to get them to recycle these plastic things. Check it out.

Time to start working soon

2008-05-30T12:27:00.002-06:00

So, I start working on Monday. Many of my friends at school started over a week ago. My employer for the summer wanted me to wait (vacations or something for my supervisor). So I have had some time on my hands. I went camping for a few days. I went to the Chocolate Festival in Burlington. I went to a fabulous dinner with my mentee. I got to spend my best friend K's birthday with her, and commisserate and have a great time talking about the "good old days" before both of us started collecting all these degrees and life got so crazy. I have read one mystery novel already and am in the middle of another. I have done a lot of shopping for work clothes.

I still haven't found my damn passport yet though. I have to get on that.

Monday is coming too soon!

Hillary for....Supreme Court?

2008-05-23T10:25:00.002-06:00

This article in the ABA Journal intrigues me. It discusses the possibility of Barack Obama cutting a deal to get Hillary Clinton out of the race by promising to make her his nominee for the Supreme Court. This would be more exciting for me personally than her being President. For some reason, a SCOTUS Justice is much more intellectual and interesting than a President. I think that our friend George had a lot to do with my perceived "dumbing down" of the Presidency.

Bo-battiness

2008-05-10T22:13:00.003-06:00

I found today that I have gained 25 pounds since I quit smoking. Add that to the few that I gained in the first part of 1L just from eating crap, and that makes me about 30 pounds heavier than when I started law school. And, I was already heavy.

I am now at the "Fatty Bobatty" stage. I don't like it. My brother gets married in July, and I had to admit to his finance that I was just too fat to fit into the bridesmaids dresses she selected. (She responded by kicking me out of the wedding party. Nice - huh?)

Now, I either need to drop some weight or buy something to wear to the wedding itself. I am afraid that I won't be able to find something suitable. So, it's workout time. And stop eating swedish fish because they are easy to sneak into the library. Time to buckle down.

Time limits and law school exams

2008-05-07T14:27:00.003-06:00

For the second time this semester, I took an exam that I could have used at least another half hour to complete. Professors write exams where most students write until the very second time is called. As a result, I usually submit answers that are formatted poorly, and that include either too much information, or not enough.

I am a "ponderer." I like to think things through and determine the best course of action, not just a "good" course of action. This personality and law school exams are like oil and water. They just don't mix. This means that I take exams in areas of the law that I am familiar with and enjoy, but give the professor the impression that I am clueless about them in the end.

Why can't they just give us more time on the exams? If they are worried about those students who write too much, they can give us a word limit. That won't hurt anyone. I welcome it actually. The real skills they should be testing are those that apply to the real world. In real life, a client doesn't ask your opinion and expect a thorough response in 3 hours or less. They want an idea of their options during the meeting, and a well thought out response later. What we really should be asking of students is that they THINK about things and keep written work to a reasonable length.

What do you think?
Discuss.

Panic at the library!

2008-05-02T16:33:00.002-06:00

No, it's not a hip new band, it is a plague upon my law school. It's happy fun finals time, and I made the mistake of staying in the law school to study because I didn't want to get rained on.

Then people started rolling in here at about 10am. My 2 hours of beautiful quiet and solitude with Trusts and Estates were destroyed in a matter of minutes by the palpable anxiety of my fellow students.

This semester I had managed to stay out of the fray. I even studied near the undergrads yesterday. Why did I deviate from my plan?

Oh the humanity! I just want to be somewhere laid back and calm.

I am going home to take a nap.

Semester, quit ending so fast!

2008-04-29T20:27:00.003-06:00

Dear Mother Time (I am a feminist - get over it!),

I am not ready for exams. I am however, ready for spring (that means no frickin' snow). I am totally ready to work, but I am not ready to finish school. What I am asking here is that you either slow down, or grant me that additional hour or so that I desperately need.

Especially because I have a trusts and estates exam this weekend.

Sincerely,

Improvilaw

Professor, quit talking so fast

2008-04-28T08:58:00.003-06:00

I hate that at the end of the semester, when you start feeling a little worried about exams and the depth of the knowledge in the course, the professor starts talking really fast. They always try to cover material that they really don't have time for at this point in the semester and it is infuriating.

Dear Professors: Stay on task early in the semester so you have PLENTY of time to get through the material. Alternatively, you can just not test us on the material covered the last 2 weeks of class. You have at least 2 degrees. Get your shit together and follow your own syllabus - please! Your failure to shut down stupid questions the rest of the semester and to allow the class to lag isn't my problem or my fault. Quit punishing me for your lack of time management.

Sincerely,

Improvilaw

Sorry about the lack of posts

2008-04-25T12:40:00.002-06:00

Sorry about not posting for a while. Life got in the way of blogging. I also have been a little overwhelmed lately. The end of the school year brings a lot of work with it. I have classes where I missed some reading and need to make sure I have looked at everything. I have outlines to make. There are end-of-year parties and dinners to attend. Clinic clients' cases needed to be wrapped up if possible.

That means that a lot of stuff falls by the wayside. Like getting my hair cut. For some reason, I haven't been able to get a haircut appointment that will stick. I have had stylists cancel my appointments twice this month. I am thinking that I don't have time to make a new appointment now, so cute hair will have to wait until the end of May.

I am looking forward to camping season already. I am thinking about taking off for the woods right after my last exam.

I forgot how much I like doing plays and stuff

2008-04-07T08:59:00.004-06:00

Last night was our law school's annual "skit" show. Basically, we poke fun at law school classes, professors and culture in general. I got "excused" to get out of the law review election a little early to do the show. I played a "Gunner Phone Sex" operator (on stage) and a talking locker (Offstage). It was a ton of fun. I got to enjoy my inner "ham" and really enjoyed it. When I was younger, I used to do that kind of thing all the time. It was nice to do something through the law school that had nothing to do with academics, or my career or even social justice for once. Not that I don't love being in those kinds of things, it is just a different thing.

This was just for me.

Speaking of which, I gave myself a gift this week and decided not to run for SBA again. I just gained a few hours a week back! The rest of 2008 is going to be about me taking back my life from the beast of law school.

As the law review election turns

2008-03-26T07:42:00.004-06:00

Never before has any event been so fraught with intrigue and drama. Never before has doing so much work been so unrewarding. Never before have I soooooo not wanted Mr. T and Mr. R to be my bosses.

What am I talking about? The upcoming law review elections. The most qualified people are too socially inept to run for anything. The egomaniacs are out in full force though, shaking hands with members who they never had time for before, and saying childish things like, "you should vote for me because my shoes are cute."

Personally, since the Editor in Chief of this thing is my likely boss, I would really like someone smart, but also a skilled manager. This is hard to find in law school. Many students call "extensive work experience" the one summer they spent stuffing envelopes for some senator, or the one year they worked as a paralegal at their dad's law firm between undergrad and law school.

They also foolishly hold the elections the same day as our annual skit show. That means that I only could be cast in two skits. They had better finish this lame election by the time the show starts!

White women can jump

2008-03-10T08:05:00.003-06:00

Sometimes, my trusts and estates instructor will jump up and down with excitement. She also refers to her husband and two dogs regularly and liberally. She should probably lay off the caffeine. While some people get really irritated with her over-enthusiasm, at least it keeps us awake! She also uses a lot of overheads, which I like.

Do any readers want to comment on what they like/don't like in professors?

Student (dis) Organization

2008-03-07T15:10:00.002-06:00

I am a joiner. I love joining all kinds of groups. I am a social person. Here at law school, I have been involved in SBA, a journal and all kinds of student organizations.

The one thing I have learned is that getting a group of flakey 20 somethings to make a decent effort at anything is nearly impossible. One-upmanship tends to carry the day, rather than actual accmplishments.

It is exhausting.

My friend has cancer and it sucks

2008-02-26T10:17:00.003-06:00

My friend has cancer. Prostate. He's only 41. He has a new wife and two daughters and they just had a new baby, and it just isn't fair.

This isn't one of those stories where he starts treatment and the cancer retreats into oblivion, off to victimize someone else. This is a story where the fucking cancer hangs on, and spreads and scares the shit out of me and the rest of his family and friends. This is a story about what happens when you watch David battle Goliath, but you are so close, you see the fear in his eyes and it makes you doubt whether everything really will be OK.

But this is no time for fear and doubt. So you both buck up and try to act like those feelings don't exist and keep shoving hope in their place.

So anyway, my friend has cancer and it sucks. But he won't for long. And maybe the one good thing about this is that for all of us, it puts all of the petty bullshit back into its place - to the "it doesn't matter" pile, and reminds me that the really important stuff are the simple things.

Family, friends, laughter, love. Hope.

The Oscars

2008-02-24T22:46:00.002-06:00

Unlike the more prolific blogger, Ms. Althouse, I don't think this show sucks. Their little montages of past Oscar telecasts have actually been a welcome relief from the poorly written, and not very funny little vignettes they normally do.

I also found some of the past speeches (and the one by the girl from "Once") to be very inspiring. Must be because law school isn't providing much inspiration these days.

My life has turned into a Hitchcock movie

2008-02-23T10:43:00.002-06:00

I have been having sinus headaches of increasing intensity all month. On Thursday, everything really got bad. I woke up with a killer headache. I threw another fistful of ibuprophen in my mouth and went on with my day. I have gotten used to having a slight throbbing under my cheeks all day. I went to my 4:30 meeting, but was feeling a bit nauseus, which I chalked up to over indulgence in coffee.

Then, I was sitting in the law library afterward, doing some reading and taking notes. I looked down at my book, and it looked crooked, like things do when you are drunk and get bed spins. I felt incredibly ill, like I was about to pass out. I was so dizzy, it took me a few minutes to collect myself enough to go outside and call the school health clinic.

The nurse who called me back says that I probably have an inner ear issue caused by the sinus trouble, which is causing (wait for it) Vertigo! I have seen the Hitchcock movie before, but I never realized what was involved with this ailment until it happened to me.

Needless to say, I haven't been able to work on the second draft of my law review article, which is due tomorrow. I haven't really been able to read anything at all. Just typing this blog post is making me feel sick.

I am rocking the earth

2008-02-21T11:24:00.004-06:00

Rock the Earth is a grassroots organization started by my friend Marc to respond to threats to the environment by using the legal system to create change. It raises funds and educates people about its mission by tabling at music concerts and festivals all over the country and by partnering with a variety of musicians. The dedication of Rock the Earth's staff and volunteers is truly inspiring!

There is a contest by Patagonia to give a non-profit $5,000. All you have to do is click the radio button for "Rock the Earth"

Please click here and help a terrific organization get more funding!

The legal clinic

2008-02-21T09:17:00.002-06:00

This semester, I am working one of our school legal clinics for 3 credits. That means 12 hours week, I have to be in the clinic working on cases. The problem right now is that I only have one case. And there is nothing to do for it right now. I have a letter to the client that is awaiting approval from my supervising attorney, but that's about it. I haven't talked to the client in over a week because I have to send the "Terms of Representation" letter first.

We are also required to keep a journal of our experience. While blogging is kind of like keeping a journal, my blog is about law school and life during law school, not a super narrow topic like the clinic. Our journal entries have to be turned in weekly, in "memo" format, and include suggested topics like, "things that made me feel like a real lawyer this week" or "what being a good lawyer means to me." Very corny, and very difficult to write when my clinic experiences have been so limited.

I am hoping that I get more clients soon. I consider the clinic to be another "job" and don't like being idle during my workday.

Forced participation

2008-02-20T09:06:00.002-06:00

My unpopular opinion: I love it!

I love the Socratic method or having members of class "on call" but I greatly prefer to "suprise" method most.

I think that forcing people to participate makes the class go faster, and raises the bar as far as my own learning. Sometimes, I think you need to be "under the gun" in order to make sure you do your reading on time, and actually think about the material.

It can be downright painful when a professor asks a question and no one answers. While other students seem to hate being called on, I would rather be slightly nervous about it than be embarrassed that people don't respond.

Have to vote today

2008-02-19T13:46:00.001-06:00

So basically, my disappointment in the Obama rally means that I will probably vote for Clinton, but I am not 100% right now.

I really wish that I felt more strongly about either one.

I did laugh at the student who had a banner on the overpass this morning reading, "Hope doesn't pay my tuition."

Have an opinion on the policies of both? Comment and help me decide!

Is the legal profession filled with ignorance?

2008-02-18T10:19:00.006-06:00

I found many of the comments regarding this story at Abovethelaw.com to be terrible.

The post describes a student at the University of Alabama law school having what appears to be a problem with mental illness during class. Funny that a few people use the archaic term "nervous breakdown." I find it interesting that a profession so obsessed with using exacting language is so sloppy when referencing what occurred with this poor student.

The comments seem to reflect a lot of ignorance regarding mental illness and a TON of insensitivity. I worry that I will be practicing law with these people in a few years. The worst part is that many of them seem to hide behind the anonymity of the internet. What does that concern me? I would rather know who the jerks are rather than have them hiding among us.

Another view is that the posters who were so rude may have been expressing fear of mental illness couched in insensitivity. Maybe the ignorant comments were really made by people suffering from some type of stress disorder themselves. It's a shame that the members of this profession can't be more sympathetic and put competition aside in favor of collaboration and caring.

I am an emotionless robot (aka: I wasn't moved by Barack Obama)

2008-02-17T16:40:00.002-06:00

So, I went to the big Barack Obama rally here last week. After standing in a really really long line and getting to my seat, only to have to sit there for another 2 hours, I will admit that I wasn't in a great mood. I was hoping I would be inspired though. I also incorrectly assumed that I would be treated as an educated American and have the candidate's policy positions elaborated upon. I was wrong on both fronts.

The rally was aimed at brainless college students. There was no real policy discussion at all. Just Mr. Obama saying the equivalent of, "war sucks, and I am cool" and "I will help you with stuff you want." I was unimpressed, but this strategy seemed to work well on the army of 18-20 year old students there.

I know, I know - I live in a college town and candidates cater to their audience. I just felt like I was in the midst of a commercial, not a political event. They even alternated songs from various music genres to ensure that everyone would feel "included." This just felt fake to me.

Hillary Clinton was supposed to be here today, but that was canceled due to bad weather. I guess I am going to continue being undecided and make a game time decision at the polls on Tuesday.

Please dear readers: convince me! If you feel strongly about either candidate, please comment. I need help making a decision and soon!

I am an undecided voter

2008-02-12T16:02:00.000-06:00

For the first time in my life, I am an undecided voter. I know! It shocks me as much as it must surprise you. I try very hard not to make politics about stupid stuff - whose hair is cuter, or who can spew the most rhetoric. I try to make it about issues, but the candidates sure don't. Primary season seems to be more about sound bites than anything, and that doesn't make it any easier to make up my mind.

When I do those "candidate selection tools" they always seem to say that I should vote for Hillary Clinton. But she was on the board of Walmart, and we all know how much I (and others) hate Walmart.

It seems that Obama has "captured the youth vote," but he kinda freaks me out. He is pretty young (46 or so) to be spouting all of this MLKish rhetoric. Hillary is only 5 years older, but isn't fortunate to have the "boyish appeal" that Obama does. Many of my classmates seem decided already, and they are voting Obama. I am nervous about his lack of experience. I just can't see myself voting for someone who has only 3 years of Senate experience. I am not convinced yet.

I also find it funny that people don't call him by his first name. Only her. I wonder why that is? To differentiate from Bill Clinton, or is it something else.

Anyway, Barack Obama is going to be visiting on campus today, and I want to check him out in person. Maybe my women's intuition will tell me who to vote for if I am in the same auditorium as he is. I want to see a Democrat in the White House again, but is Barack our man? I think I should see for myself!

Give me oatmeal or give me death

2008-01-31T09:20:00.000-06:00

I am so in love with these Quaker Oatmeal Express Cups right now. They are sweet without being too sweet, mildly nutritious (4 grams of fiber!). HOT, and filling enough so that I am not eyeing the candy machine before lunchtime.

For some reason, the only place to find them is at Target. So, I am forced to go to Target more often now. Oh, the humanity! (I love Target)

I just wanted to ask a damn question!

2008-01-30T14:53:00.000-06:00

Many times, as soon as the class ends, a bunch of students rush up to the professor with questions. Today, I had a question and decided to be proactive by letting the prof know (before class started) that I wanted to talk to her after class. I asked if I could avoid the crush of students and if I could "sign up" for the first slot and ask my question and get out of there. She agreed, and told me we would meet in another room as soon as she got packed up.

Then class ended and I stood there waiting for her to get "packed up" while a crush of students rushed up and asked their questions. What did being proactive get me? A 28 minute wait to ask a simple question.

I wasn't happy.

Then, got an email from a friend (someone who asked a question of the prof after class) "apologizing" for me having to wait, and saying that she heard I "was mad at those who rushed up to the prof." Now, the only people who heard me complain about the professor being tardy for her office hours were two people I would call acquaintances. And I never complained about students - only about the professor herself. Why would my classmates try to stir up fake drama like this? See, this is what I don't like about law school. It's not the work, it's bullshit like this. Let me tell you, it is not an isolated incident. People have so little contact with the real world, that their only topic of conversation is each other. I just wish they would leave me out of it. I am sick of hearing others' gossip and I don't want to be included in it either!

To avoid being the victim of gossip and dragged into drama created by a classmate's need for "excitement", I have been withdrawing from a lot of socializing with people at school. This goes against my natural personality, which is to want to be friendly and chatty. It's sad that I feel this way about my fellow classmates.

Class at 8:50 a.m.

2008-01-28T09:03:00.000-06:00

When I worked full time, I had to be there at 9:00 am and usually barely made it there on time. Now, I have class at 8:50, and while I get here early, I still hate waking up earlier than 7:30 am. I am not a morning person. Ick!

Right now, at the beginning of the semester, everyone is here on time. In another month, this room will be half full. Why even have class this early? Whatever happened to night classes?

Oh, and about New Orleans

2008-01-24T16:35:00.001-06:00

Readers who know me in 3D also know that I made a second trip to New Orleans the week before school restarted. I was working with a terrific organization called the Student Hurricane Network. As its name suggests, the org was started by a bunch of law students and has grown into a national movement of sorts.

It was terrific to be there again. I even ventured out by myself to a show at the legendary Tipitinas. Since I was 18 years old, I have been hearing about this place and to see a New Orleans-based band there was Epic for me. I didn't even mind that I was by myself, I just let the music carry me away to funkland. Glorious!

Someone asked me the other day, "why New Orleans again?" I went originally out of maybe a sense of morbid curiosity and a willingness to help some people who seemed to need it. I now consider myself to have a special bond with that place.

It reminds me of myself. Screwed up but lovable. Old, but not in a bad way. Colorful, and sometimes over the top. Gaudy and garish but lovely and unique. Maybe needs some work, but at least the work is worth doing. There is something great there that is still worthwhile. :)

At least that's what I see.

I was so moved my first time there by the sights and sounds and feelings and a feeling of "we have to do something about this" that I couldn't wait to return. I was hoping the other students who went felt the same, but I am not sure they did. Maybe I would have felt the same way about the city 13 years ago. We shall see how many return for the next trip.

I spent way too much money eating and drinking. Now, reality has set in, and it's time to buckle down.

Back to school

2008-01-24T16:26:00.001-06:00

This semester I am taking:

Trusts and Estates (3 credits)
Constitutional law (3 credits)
Equal Employment Law (4 credits)
Bankruptcy Law (3 credits)

I also have

Law Review (2 credits)
A clinic (3 credits)

Doing the math, that's 18 credits. I was never even brave enough to attempt 18 credits in undergrad! Well, for someone who hasn't been in school full time since 1993, I think I am doing OK.

Now, for balancing all of those credits with Student Bar Association, a job with a legal research company and working for the legal writing department in the law school...

Well, at least I am not bored!

Despite stomach virus, I keep writing, and writing....

2008-01-05T14:17:00.000-06:00

Somehow, the significant other and I caught some kind of stomach virus. He has been sick for 3 days, but I just started feeling icky night before last. It sucks, because I just cannot afford to be ill right now.

I couldn't go to the library yesterday because I, um had to be near....well, you know.

Now, I am scrambling to write 16 pages in two days. Yikes! If this were undergrad, no problem. But these law review people want actual quality work. What were they thinking when they let me in?

Well, back to drinking pink medicine and wishing I could trade tummies with someone.

I have to write at least 25 pages in the next 4 days

2008-01-02T22:20:00.000-06:00

Before law school, the longest paper I had to write at my undergrad (other than a sloppy 20 page independent study paper) was about 8 pages. I have to produce a 200-footnote, coherent, logical and hopefully publishable 40 page Comment by the 7th. I have made significant progress, but sometimes the fear that I won't complete it on time scares the hell out of me. I woke up this morning and immediately thought, "holy sh*t, I have to find a new source for the statistics in my paper!" before I even lifted my head off the pillow.

Maybe I need more sleep, or I just need to get this paper done!

Not a creature was stirring

2007-12-30T12:14:00.000-06:00

I swear, there are 5 people in our university's main library right now. It's incredible. I am loving the complete lack of undergrad girls running around trying to take cell phone calls in the corners. It is literally as quiet as a mouse (other than my typing, which seems unreasonably loud today).

I might actually be able to get some work done today!

Take my books, please

2007-12-28T17:14:00.000-06:00

As part of my ongoing effort to rid my house of clutter and also to procrastinate as much as possible, I spent much of today putting a bunch of books and study aids up on ebay. I should have been writing, but whatever.

So, if you have $3.99 to burn and have an aching need to learn about Property or Civil Procedure, these books might be for you.

Check out my ebay auctions here. Here is the shortlist:

Black's Law Dictionary
Going to Law School? Readings on a Legal Career
Property: Examples & Explanations
Legalines: Civil Procedure
Get Into Law School
Property: Gilbert's Law Summaries
Law School Confidential