The lotteries closed at 4:00pm today. I stayed up 'til 3 last night making an excel spreadsheet of all the courses that I want to take next semester, and then tried to order my selections for the multi-sections accordingly.
Still, this afternoon, at 3:30, I panicked and wondered if I was selecting the right courses. ABS and I were on emergency conference call for the next 30 minutes, while I changed my mind 4 times and finally submitted my final bid 1 minute before the lottery closed.
So, here's what I put down. We find out the results on Monday! Exciting! Scary!
1. Fall con law course with famous superstar law prof LT.
2. Fall con law course with young, not very famous but well rated prof DL.
3. Spring con law course with kinda famous, very wel rated prof RF.
4. Spring admin law course with famous superstar visiting law prof CS.
5. Spring admin law course with less famous but super-well-rated law prof DB.
6. Spring admin law course that meets at 8:00 AM with our beloved Law School Dean EK (who is also one of the highest rated profs in the school.)
7. Spring corporations course with the former Dean, RC, also a very popular teacher.
8. Fall corporations course with well-rated but not famous prof JR.
9. Spring Corporations course with Prof JH, with whom I met a few days ago. He is also very popular, but sadly I heard that in his course you don't learn any corporations.
10. Winter Evidence from well-known law and technology prof CN.
11. Winter negotiations workshop
12. Fall admin Law with conservative professor JM.
13. Another section of negotiations workshop, for spring.
14. Spring con law with Professor MM, who is reported very nice, but I have my doubts about her ability to teach con law.
15. Year-long con law course with very conservative, famous prof CF.
16. Federal courts in fall with our old crim law prof, DM.
17. Federal courts in fall with Professor MF, whom I don't know a whole lot about.
Sorry for boring you. This is mainly for my own records if I happen to read this a few months from now. :) Well, one way or another we find out on Monday, and I will check back in then.
:D Interesting mediation simulation this afternoon.
:( work work work, and procrastination!
4/29/2006
4/28/2006
Happy Birthday
My blog is exactly one year old today! Happy birthday, baby!
And here's to hoping that it (and you, my dear readers) will be here to celebrate its 2nd birthday! :)
And here's to hoping that it (and you, my dear readers) will be here to celebrate its 2nd birthday! :)
4/27/2006
Registration Madness
Well, after some weeks of unplanned postponement, the spanking new law school course registration website is finally accessible! For the next 48 hours, we get to enter the lottery for "multi-section" courses on the website.
Multi-sectioned courses, as their names suggest, are courses that are offered in more than one sections at the law school. They are generally considered to be the more important classes that "everyone" should take, or at least ones that the law school, while not requiring them, strongly "recommends" you to take.
This year is the beginning of a huge curriculum overhaul. There used to be be only 4 courses that were "recommended" by the law school: acconting, con law, corporations, and tax. (we also used to call these four courses "bundles", because these courses were bundled together and you had to take them all or drop them all... or something. This is all ancient history starting this year so I never really have to learn that system, thank god, because it sure sounded stupid).
But now the law school has dropped good ol' "Accounting" from the mix and added a whole bunch of others. So now the "multi-sections" are:
Tax (already took it! yoo-hoo, I mean boo!)
Con Law (offered in like a gazillion sections, many with big names)
Corporations
Administrative Law (our beloved Dean is teaching a section in the spring, which meets Thursdays and Fridays at 8 AM. Talking about weeding people out...)
Evidence
Federal Courts (I'm a little surprised this was included. It doesn't seem to have the same broad appeal as the other courses. It's mostly for people who want clerkships and the like. I suspect this is the pet project of my crim law prof (remember good ol' Professor M?), who is a vice dean and also teaches a notoriously hard section of federal courts.)
Negotiations Workshops (this also took me by surprise. I think it's a sign that alternative dispute resolution is really becoming mainstream these days.)
Anyway, you can be sure I'll be spending the next 2 days agonizing over this. Decision making is always hard for me.
:D yummy thai food tonight with ABS. Good convos as usual.
:( allergies; work.
Multi-sectioned courses, as their names suggest, are courses that are offered in more than one sections at the law school. They are generally considered to be the more important classes that "everyone" should take, or at least ones that the law school, while not requiring them, strongly "recommends" you to take.
This year is the beginning of a huge curriculum overhaul. There used to be be only 4 courses that were "recommended" by the law school: acconting, con law, corporations, and tax. (we also used to call these four courses "bundles", because these courses were bundled together and you had to take them all or drop them all... or something. This is all ancient history starting this year so I never really have to learn that system, thank god, because it sure sounded stupid).
But now the law school has dropped good ol' "Accounting" from the mix and added a whole bunch of others. So now the "multi-sections" are:
Tax (already took it! yoo-hoo, I mean boo!)
Con Law (offered in like a gazillion sections, many with big names)
Corporations
Administrative Law (our beloved Dean is teaching a section in the spring, which meets Thursdays and Fridays at 8 AM. Talking about weeding people out...)
Evidence
Federal Courts (I'm a little surprised this was included. It doesn't seem to have the same broad appeal as the other courses. It's mostly for people who want clerkships and the like. I suspect this is the pet project of my crim law prof (remember good ol' Professor M?), who is a vice dean and also teaches a notoriously hard section of federal courts.)
Negotiations Workshops (this also took me by surprise. I think it's a sign that alternative dispute resolution is really becoming mainstream these days.)
Anyway, you can be sure I'll be spending the next 2 days agonizing over this. Decision making is always hard for me.
:D yummy thai food tonight with ABS. Good convos as usual.
:( allergies; work.
4/26/2006
Day of Professors
A few weeks ago I made an appointment with Professor JH, a semi-famous guy and outspoken critic of the law and econ school. I had heard good things about him, and just thought I would drop by and chat. The appointment was today.
I guess I had some underlying anxiety about the meeting, because I kept on having nightmares about it last night. In one dream, it was almost time to meet him, but I realized that my skirt was too short, and frantically looked for something to cover myself. In another dream (may have been another part of the same dream), I was really late and his secretary wouldn't let me in.
Anyway.
The meeting actually went well. Prof. JH was really nice, very warm, and we just chatted for about 45 minutes. He is very charismatic, a very good listener, and makes you feel very important. ABS has been visiting him for a while and lean on him for advice. I can see why everyone likes him so much.
We actually didn't talk about anything that substantive. He asked a lot of questions about my background. He asked me what I thought of law school, then listened intently. I knew from a few others, and from his own writings, that he is quite critical of the hierarchy and culture in law school. My own experience at the law school hasn't been quite so negative, but it was still refreshing to hear his critique.
My main gripe with the law school, at this point, is really that there is no effort by anyone to unify what we are learning so far. I am beginning to see, obliquely, that contracts, torts, property, or even civ pro, and crim law, are all related somehow. Some of the same questions are asked. Some of the issues even blend in with each other (like nuisance law, or fraud). But they are still taught as these artificially discrete subjects, and no one teaches us how to look beyond the doctrines and at their unifying themes.
Well, anyway, we had a nice talk. He recommended some books, some other profs to check out, some courses to take. He invited me back. I had a very good time.
This evening, I went to dinner with my property prof and his wife, along with 3 of my classmates who won the dinner at the public interest auction. I think they had originally planned for a fourth person to come but the person had to be somewhere else this evening, so one of them sent out an email to a few people in the section, and I volunteered.
I don't usually hang out with these girls, but we are friendly with each other. The dinner was at an upscale French restaurant near my house, and the whole affair was very lovely. It lasted 2.5 hours though, so I have a lot of work to finish this evening.
:D roasted duck!
:( shirt that smells like Indian food.
I guess I had some underlying anxiety about the meeting, because I kept on having nightmares about it last night. In one dream, it was almost time to meet him, but I realized that my skirt was too short, and frantically looked for something to cover myself. In another dream (may have been another part of the same dream), I was really late and his secretary wouldn't let me in.
Anyway.
The meeting actually went well. Prof. JH was really nice, very warm, and we just chatted for about 45 minutes. He is very charismatic, a very good listener, and makes you feel very important. ABS has been visiting him for a while and lean on him for advice. I can see why everyone likes him so much.
We actually didn't talk about anything that substantive. He asked a lot of questions about my background. He asked me what I thought of law school, then listened intently. I knew from a few others, and from his own writings, that he is quite critical of the hierarchy and culture in law school. My own experience at the law school hasn't been quite so negative, but it was still refreshing to hear his critique.
My main gripe with the law school, at this point, is really that there is no effort by anyone to unify what we are learning so far. I am beginning to see, obliquely, that contracts, torts, property, or even civ pro, and crim law, are all related somehow. Some of the same questions are asked. Some of the issues even blend in with each other (like nuisance law, or fraud). But they are still taught as these artificially discrete subjects, and no one teaches us how to look beyond the doctrines and at their unifying themes.
Well, anyway, we had a nice talk. He recommended some books, some other profs to check out, some courses to take. He invited me back. I had a very good time.
This evening, I went to dinner with my property prof and his wife, along with 3 of my classmates who won the dinner at the public interest auction. I think they had originally planned for a fourth person to come but the person had to be somewhere else this evening, so one of them sent out an email to a few people in the section, and I volunteered.
I don't usually hang out with these girls, but we are friendly with each other. The dinner was at an upscale French restaurant near my house, and the whole affair was very lovely. It lasted 2.5 hours though, so I have a lot of work to finish this evening.
:D roasted duck!
:( shirt that smells like Indian food.
4/25/2006
Brush with Fame
I have a haircut appointment in 25 minutes -- not enough time to get anything done. For disciplined people, maybe they would read a chapter of tax or something. But for me, it takes 25 minutes just to get myself motivated. So am going to post instead.
Today was packed. Had property at 10:30, where the professor sped through two day's worth of reading. It's the end of semester so he is trying to play catch up. How irritating.
After property, went with S to a lunch with a McKinsey recruiter at a fansy restaurant in the Square.
Lunch was very interesting. The recruiter described to us the arduous interview process at McKinsey, and the corporate structure and culture. It sounds even more intense than law firms, and much harder to get in to boot. I did hear from S beforehand though that you eseentially kill any hope of a law career if you don't work in law as your first job. It seems hard to go down the consulting path.
Lunch was excellent. I had the most delicious grilled chicken salad in my life. No, seriously. They put some spices into the grilled chicken that I have never had before. And the chocolate mousse dessert afterwards was excellent too. I could get used to this. :)
But here's my brush with fame today. At lunch, this pretty blonde girl sat next to me, and we spoke a lot. She's a bit ditzy (mostly in her intonation and mannerisms; what she said was actually quite intelligent), very friendly, and quite talkative. We really seemed to hit it off. Then when lunch was over, she and I said goodbye and I realized that I didn't know her name.
It turned out that she was JB, a girl who was very very prominently portrayed in the law school parody a few months ago. In the parody, she was a central figure who is extremely superficial, ditzy, and evil, who started an elitist social club and wanted to take over the law school, or something.
I was shocked and amused to have met her in real life. She seemed so nice and quite down-to-earth, and I actually liked her a lot. Just shows you, once again, how stupid and unfair the whole parody thing was.
Anywayz, in the afternoon, had tax and then the last class for First Year Lawyering. I really won't miss that class. So glad that it's finally over. Then some of my classmates went to the FYL final party at a bar in the Square, while I came home.
Tomorrow will be another full day. 3 classes AND prof's office hours AND having dinner with our property prof in the evening (with 3 other girls in my section... this is related to the auction.)
:D Finally warmer these days!
:( weighed myself and gained nearly 10 lbs since the beginning of the law school! Need to somehow work the extra poundage off now.
Today was packed. Had property at 10:30, where the professor sped through two day's worth of reading. It's the end of semester so he is trying to play catch up. How irritating.
After property, went with S to a lunch with a McKinsey recruiter at a fansy restaurant in the Square.
Lunch was very interesting. The recruiter described to us the arduous interview process at McKinsey, and the corporate structure and culture. It sounds even more intense than law firms, and much harder to get in to boot. I did hear from S beforehand though that you eseentially kill any hope of a law career if you don't work in law as your first job. It seems hard to go down the consulting path.
Lunch was excellent. I had the most delicious grilled chicken salad in my life. No, seriously. They put some spices into the grilled chicken that I have never had before. And the chocolate mousse dessert afterwards was excellent too. I could get used to this. :)
But here's my brush with fame today. At lunch, this pretty blonde girl sat next to me, and we spoke a lot. She's a bit ditzy (mostly in her intonation and mannerisms; what she said was actually quite intelligent), very friendly, and quite talkative. We really seemed to hit it off. Then when lunch was over, she and I said goodbye and I realized that I didn't know her name.
It turned out that she was JB, a girl who was very very prominently portrayed in the law school parody a few months ago. In the parody, she was a central figure who is extremely superficial, ditzy, and evil, who started an elitist social club and wanted to take over the law school, or something.
I was shocked and amused to have met her in real life. She seemed so nice and quite down-to-earth, and I actually liked her a lot. Just shows you, once again, how stupid and unfair the whole parody thing was.
Anywayz, in the afternoon, had tax and then the last class for First Year Lawyering. I really won't miss that class. So glad that it's finally over. Then some of my classmates went to the FYL final party at a bar in the Square, while I came home.
Tomorrow will be another full day. 3 classes AND prof's office hours AND having dinner with our property prof in the evening (with 3 other girls in my section... this is related to the auction.)
:D Finally warmer these days!
:( weighed myself and gained nearly 10 lbs since the beginning of the law school! Need to somehow work the extra poundage off now.
4/24/2006
Rainy Monday
What is the Karen Carpenter song? "Rainy days and Mondays always get me down..."
Well, it's Monday, AND it's rainy. And cold. And windy.
I would complain, but I know that all too soon it will be so hot that I wish I could take my skin off.
A few notable things today:
- Went to my property professor's office hours and discussed law and philosophy with him. Professor S is a short and nerdy little man, in his 40s (?), though today up close he seemed much older. He is very much beloved by the students, because he is self-deprecating and funny, in a very dead-pan, dry sort of way. I have been meaning to talk to him for a while, though it's been hard to gather my thoughts and to have something substantive to talk about.
Prof S's wife is a philosophy professor at my Alma Mater, and he himself has a linguistics PhD. I asked him whether linguistics has helped him at all in his legal scholarship. He said that recently, it has, since both linguistics and law deals with the common problem of information costs.
He didn't elaborate that much since we were running out of time, but I have been thinking about that ever since.
I'm trying hard to come up with some kind of topic to write on next year. It's very hard to come up with something original, interesting, and narrow enough to be realistic.
- Boyfriend, bless his heart, cleaned the apartment today and moved furniture around, so our apartment is nicer. We have also been gradually buying more furniture, so our place is not so messy because of a lack of spaces to put our stuff. Already we are seeing much improvements.
- Because it's been rainy for the past few days, my allergy has been better. My allergy medication, however, don't seem to be that effective.
Okay, back to reading tax now.
:D coming home to a sparkling clean apartment.
:( ate too many pieces of free pizza in the afternoon. Now I feel all stuffed and grossed out.
Well, it's Monday, AND it's rainy. And cold. And windy.
I would complain, but I know that all too soon it will be so hot that I wish I could take my skin off.
A few notable things today:
- Went to my property professor's office hours and discussed law and philosophy with him. Professor S is a short and nerdy little man, in his 40s (?), though today up close he seemed much older. He is very much beloved by the students, because he is self-deprecating and funny, in a very dead-pan, dry sort of way. I have been meaning to talk to him for a while, though it's been hard to gather my thoughts and to have something substantive to talk about.
Prof S's wife is a philosophy professor at my Alma Mater, and he himself has a linguistics PhD. I asked him whether linguistics has helped him at all in his legal scholarship. He said that recently, it has, since both linguistics and law deals with the common problem of information costs.
He didn't elaborate that much since we were running out of time, but I have been thinking about that ever since.
I'm trying hard to come up with some kind of topic to write on next year. It's very hard to come up with something original, interesting, and narrow enough to be realistic.
- Boyfriend, bless his heart, cleaned the apartment today and moved furniture around, so our apartment is nicer. We have also been gradually buying more furniture, so our place is not so messy because of a lack of spaces to put our stuff. Already we are seeing much improvements.
- Because it's been rainy for the past few days, my allergy has been better. My allergy medication, however, don't seem to be that effective.
Okay, back to reading tax now.
:D coming home to a sparkling clean apartment.
:( ate too many pieces of free pizza in the afternoon. Now I feel all stuffed and grossed out.
Bleh...
I meant to write earlier, but the shadow of final exams looms large and I have been swamped, as usual. I was studying mainly for tax this weekend. I took a look at a sample tax exam yesterday, and reallized with dismay that I don't really know how to answer the majority of the questions. The exam for tax is 3-hours in class -- the worst kind, basically. It is open-book, but it might as well be closed since no one will have time to look anything up.
So I have been spending most of the time this weekend re-reading sections of the Internal Revenue Code, which really sounds worse than it is. Individual provisions of the tax code is actually not badly written, though many phrases still require copious judicial interpretation, phrases like "ordinary and necessary" and "away from home" and even the definition of "home" (which, just as a sidenote, is so ridiculously convuluted that even our toneless tax prof chuckled during class). Still, even when individual provisions are clear (at least as clear as language on an extremely boring subject is going to get, I guess), there are just too many of them. I think I have a good grasp on the individual concepts, but as the sample exams demonstrates, the real skill is to synthesize the knowledge and understand how these different sections intercept, interact, and sometimes contradict with each other and then apply them to complicated real life situations. Just like all other law school classes. Sigh...
Property reading these days has gotten mindnumbingly boring. Right now, we are doing equitable servitudes and restrictive covenants. Please don't ask me to explain what they are. Just saying these words put me to sleep. I'm sure there's a nice article on Wikipedia or something that will explain it all. :) It's not even the subject matter itself that is boring, but just the cases that are badly edited and convoluted and quotes chapter and verse from these incomprehensible covenants that no one (at least no law students) gives a damn about.
And to prove that I'm not just whiny for the sake of it, here's a sample sentence from one of those ridiculous opinions that I have had the misfortune to read:
"And the party of the second part for the party of the second part and the heirs, successors and assigns of the party of the second part further covenants that the property conveyed by this deed shall be subject to an annual charge in such an amoun tas will be fixed by the party of the first part, its successors and assigns, not, however exceeding in any year the sum of four Dollars per lot..."
Yeah, I'm not kidding. I read this sentence at 12:35 am and just cursed outloud. It's like, what?! Can these people write?! And what are those (not one, not two, but) THREE "party of the second part" doing first thing in that sentence?!?
Food-wise, this has been a good weekend. Boyfriend and I went to dinner with a whole bunch of couples in our section on Friday, to this little Italian restaurant tucked behind a dumpy looking Italian grocery store that turned out to be fantastic, and fantastically expensive ($40 per person! We did have wine and appetizer, but still...). ABS, his boyfriend C who's visiting him this weekend, RH and his wife S, DA and his boyfriend M, JM and her husband J, LC, and (weirdly) the director of the First Year Lawyering program and HER husband, were all there at a long table. So dinner was good, but also weird.
I also had drinks Friday night after dinner with J and her husband. We finished the night early and everyone felt tired.
This morning, Boyfriend and I had dim sum with J and her husband in B-town, at the Chinese restaurant that we always go to. It was delicious! After that, we came back and I played a few rounds of monopoly while contemplating property rules and taxing regulations in the game. :P Then started reading tax for real.
:D Playing indoor soccer on Friday with our sectionmates against another section and WINNING (for the first and only time this semester)
:( Rainy and cold all weekend. Too much work. Horrible allergies (though better in the past few days b/c of rain.
So I have been spending most of the time this weekend re-reading sections of the Internal Revenue Code, which really sounds worse than it is. Individual provisions of the tax code is actually not badly written, though many phrases still require copious judicial interpretation, phrases like "ordinary and necessary" and "away from home" and even the definition of "home" (which, just as a sidenote, is so ridiculously convuluted that even our toneless tax prof chuckled during class). Still, even when individual provisions are clear (at least as clear as language on an extremely boring subject is going to get, I guess), there are just too many of them. I think I have a good grasp on the individual concepts, but as the sample exams demonstrates, the real skill is to synthesize the knowledge and understand how these different sections intercept, interact, and sometimes contradict with each other and then apply them to complicated real life situations. Just like all other law school classes. Sigh...
Property reading these days has gotten mindnumbingly boring. Right now, we are doing equitable servitudes and restrictive covenants. Please don't ask me to explain what they are. Just saying these words put me to sleep. I'm sure there's a nice article on Wikipedia or something that will explain it all. :) It's not even the subject matter itself that is boring, but just the cases that are badly edited and convoluted and quotes chapter and verse from these incomprehensible covenants that no one (at least no law students) gives a damn about.
And to prove that I'm not just whiny for the sake of it, here's a sample sentence from one of those ridiculous opinions that I have had the misfortune to read:
"And the party of the second part for the party of the second part and the heirs, successors and assigns of the party of the second part further covenants that the property conveyed by this deed shall be subject to an annual charge in such an amoun tas will be fixed by the party of the first part, its successors and assigns, not, however exceeding in any year the sum of four Dollars per lot..."
Yeah, I'm not kidding. I read this sentence at 12:35 am and just cursed outloud. It's like, what?! Can these people write?! And what are those (not one, not two, but) THREE "party of the second part" doing first thing in that sentence?!?
Food-wise, this has been a good weekend. Boyfriend and I went to dinner with a whole bunch of couples in our section on Friday, to this little Italian restaurant tucked behind a dumpy looking Italian grocery store that turned out to be fantastic, and fantastically expensive ($40 per person! We did have wine and appetizer, but still...). ABS, his boyfriend C who's visiting him this weekend, RH and his wife S, DA and his boyfriend M, JM and her husband J, LC, and (weirdly) the director of the First Year Lawyering program and HER husband, were all there at a long table. So dinner was good, but also weird.
I also had drinks Friday night after dinner with J and her husband. We finished the night early and everyone felt tired.
This morning, Boyfriend and I had dim sum with J and her husband in B-town, at the Chinese restaurant that we always go to. It was delicious! After that, we came back and I played a few rounds of monopoly while contemplating property rules and taxing regulations in the game. :P Then started reading tax for real.
:D Playing indoor soccer on Friday with our sectionmates against another section and WINNING (for the first and only time this semester)
:( Rainy and cold all weekend. Too much work. Horrible allergies (though better in the past few days b/c of rain.
4/19/2006
Groggy
Still in a post-Ames daze. But slowly recovering.
Went to Professor D(my old civ pro prof)'s office hours this afternoon, and asked her about doing an independent writing project. Not necessarily with her, but I wanted to know which professor would possibly be interested in my topic. She was very very nice, and suggested a whole bunch of people I should talk to. She also suggested some fields that I should look into as well as articles that I should read. I'll be busy for the next few days...
Things are going well otherwise. I'm probably going to go to sleep early (or just earlier, since it's already almost 11) today to make up for all the sleep deprivation of the past few days.
Tax remains boring and kind of incomprehensible. I would do the reading and think that I understand, but then go to class and not able to follow the lecture. I'm really worried.
:D just made a yummy tomato and cheese omelette for myself.
:( work (I think this is going to be my :( for a while.)
Went to Professor D(my old civ pro prof)'s office hours this afternoon, and asked her about doing an independent writing project. Not necessarily with her, but I wanted to know which professor would possibly be interested in my topic. She was very very nice, and suggested a whole bunch of people I should talk to. She also suggested some fields that I should look into as well as articles that I should read. I'll be busy for the next few days...
Things are going well otherwise. I'm probably going to go to sleep early (or just earlier, since it's already almost 11) today to make up for all the sleep deprivation of the past few days.
Tax remains boring and kind of incomprehensible. I would do the reading and think that I understand, but then go to class and not able to follow the lecture. I'm really worried.
:D just made a yummy tomato and cheese omelette for myself.
:( work (I think this is going to be my :( for a while.)
4/18/2006
Done with Ames!
Done with Ames forever! Done with oral arguments! It wasn't that embarrassing!
It's apparently a very big milestone, so told us the judges who were judging our competition. Most of the oral arguments turned out to have been questions and answers, some of which were very hard. I tried to answer every one of them and did not have any embarrassing silences.
And it's over! All my all-nighters and practices paid off (I practiced a lot last night and tonight, and in fact didn't go to any of my classes today.) I was actually quite nervous before the thing.
After that, went out with a whole bunch of people to celebrate the end of an era. Last time we ever have anything to do with Ames again!
It's apparently a very big milestone, so told us the judges who were judging our competition. Most of the oral arguments turned out to have been questions and answers, some of which were very hard. I tried to answer every one of them and did not have any embarrassing silences.
And it's over! All my all-nighters and practices paid off (I practiced a lot last night and tonight, and in fact didn't go to any of my classes today.) I was actually quite nervous before the thing.
After that, went out with a whole bunch of people to celebrate the end of an era. Last time we ever have anything to do with Ames again!
4/16/2006
A Few Notable Things
Friday morning, S and I had a long conversation, the first time we reallly talked to each other in weeks, perhaps months.
He told me that he has a crush on this girl MT from our section. MT is a petite girl from California; pretty; spunky. He was asking me for advice and whining a bit, because apparently MT had been flirting a lot with him but it was hard for him to figure her out. S, I should add, is extremely inexperienced in the area of women and courtship. His parents are very traditional and conservative, and he is very shy. He has never had a girlfriend.
I gave him what advice I could (which was actually a lot). I felt ambivalent about the whole thing, partly because I don't really think that he and MT are a good match. Perhaps I'm also a little sour that I'm no longer the Coolest Girl In the Section for him, but ah well. That was never going to last anyway. :) On the other hand, I'm happy that we are talking again. S also seems a bit less immature than before. Perhaps the pleasurable pains of luuuuurve has given him more depth. :P
Friday afternoon, ABS and I worked furiously on and finished our memo for the competition. He printed it out and handed the copies in while I went to DPP's house to play scrabble. Lost again. DPP is at the height of his powers, and I'm too underslept (and know too few words).
Friday evening, had dinner with J. her husband, S, and AC. Then I met with a friend from college (not really a friend... more like a stalker... long story that I shall not waste time recounting here. Asking me if you are truly interested... which I doubt) and had a drink. Or two. Then I went to the Indian Bhangra event that J organized (in her new capacity as the co-prez of the South Asian Law Student Association, aka SALSA, heh).
Lots of Bhangra music, and a lot of very intense dancing from my classmates. I was mildly scandalized by how certain individuals were bumping and grinding and REALLY getting down. Everyone was drunk and touch-feely and there was a lot of sexual energy in the air.
A guy that I know casually from the law school, AS, was very obviously hitting on me. He was clearly very drunk, but not drunk enough to pass out, only drunk enough to be lonely and wanting someone. I liked him enough to not want to yell at him (he's usually nice when he's sober). I am also extremely bad at saying "no" to guys. So instead I tried to stick close to J and her husband and tried to avoid him. S, J, et al were very amused at the whole spectacle.
The night ended with him insisting -- really INSISTING -- that he walk me home. Of course nothing happened. He hugged me before he left and said that I needed to go to his party next week. Came back and felt tired and relieved.
Saturday: worked all day. That's about it.
:D Feeling close to S once again.
:( Too much work.
He told me that he has a crush on this girl MT from our section. MT is a petite girl from California; pretty; spunky. He was asking me for advice and whining a bit, because apparently MT had been flirting a lot with him but it was hard for him to figure her out. S, I should add, is extremely inexperienced in the area of women and courtship. His parents are very traditional and conservative, and he is very shy. He has never had a girlfriend.
I gave him what advice I could (which was actually a lot). I felt ambivalent about the whole thing, partly because I don't really think that he and MT are a good match. Perhaps I'm also a little sour that I'm no longer the Coolest Girl In the Section for him, but ah well. That was never going to last anyway. :) On the other hand, I'm happy that we are talking again. S also seems a bit less immature than before. Perhaps the pleasurable pains of luuuuurve has given him more depth. :P
Friday afternoon, ABS and I worked furiously on and finished our memo for the competition. He printed it out and handed the copies in while I went to DPP's house to play scrabble. Lost again. DPP is at the height of his powers, and I'm too underslept (and know too few words).
Friday evening, had dinner with J. her husband, S, and AC. Then I met with a friend from college (not really a friend... more like a stalker... long story that I shall not waste time recounting here. Asking me if you are truly interested... which I doubt) and had a drink. Or two. Then I went to the Indian Bhangra event that J organized (in her new capacity as the co-prez of the South Asian Law Student Association, aka SALSA, heh).
Lots of Bhangra music, and a lot of very intense dancing from my classmates. I was mildly scandalized by how certain individuals were bumping and grinding and REALLY getting down. Everyone was drunk and touch-feely and there was a lot of sexual energy in the air.
A guy that I know casually from the law school, AS, was very obviously hitting on me. He was clearly very drunk, but not drunk enough to pass out, only drunk enough to be lonely and wanting someone. I liked him enough to not want to yell at him (he's usually nice when he's sober). I am also extremely bad at saying "no" to guys. So instead I tried to stick close to J and her husband and tried to avoid him. S, J, et al were very amused at the whole spectacle.
The night ended with him insisting -- really INSISTING -- that he walk me home. Of course nothing happened. He hugged me before he left and said that I needed to go to his party next week. Came back and felt tired and relieved.
Saturday: worked all day. That's about it.
:D Feeling close to S once again.
:( Too much work.
4/13/2006
Happiness and Perfection
Someone once said that all happy families are alike, but unhappy families have their own unique miseries.
DPP's family is a happy one. Looking at him and L today at their seder, I wonder how they manage to be so picture-perfect so effortlessly. I don't envy them, because people don't envy others for things that are far out of reach. Mostly I sit in awe of them.
They are both smart, lively, and charming. Both of them have degrees from prestigious undergrad and grad schools. DPP is witty and smooth, while L is more bubbly and wholesome. (I swear that every time I look at her that word invariably comes into my mind.) Their parents were great friends and they were high school sweethearts. He is studying for his doctorate in English, something that I swear he was born to do. She is a law clerk for a federal judge. They have traveled widely and lived in France for a year. When they came back, they got married. She cried when he proposed. Their wedding was in July in Oregon, in a vineyard, on a beautiful summer day.
If I were more cynical, or knew them less well, I would think that there must be some flaw, some dark side, to them. Their happines must not be perfect. They must have some secrets, soem heartbreak, beneath the calm surface. But I know them. I have known DPP for nearly 9 years now, and Laura for almost that long, and they have always been like this: calm, confident, self-assured, HAPPY.
Their apartment is spotless. I believe that your environment reflects your soul, which is why my apartment is messy and badly furnished (seriously, I really do believe that. My soul is disorganized and cluttered and self-contradictory. There are too many things in there that would take me (or a psychiatrist) years to sort out). But theirs is well-ordered, clean, charming, lively, bright, a perfect symbol of their lives. There are always flowers in the vase, New Yorkers and NY Review of Books laid out neatly on the coffee table, and something yummy cooking in the oven. It's not that their apartment is just clean but devoid of life either. There are books everywhere, newspapers and notes, too. There are little decorations and photos and comfy chairs and bottles of wines... and yet, everything has its place.
Both of them like to cook. Last time I visited them, DPP's mother was there, and they were making challah together for their Shabbat dinner. Making challah from scratch! For Shabbat! Is there anything more wholesome than that? They experimented with making a garden in the backyard where they grew mint and peas. They hike in the park on Sundays. They are quirky... DPP love to sing and displays a guitar in the livingroom. In spite of being Jewish, he sings for an Episcopilian (I think) church every week and gives concerts periodically. They go to parties and concerts and museums and book-signings. They have many friends and a rich life. They are in love with each other after 12 years, and they are happy. Can you believe that such people really exist?
Happiness is an accident for me; there is always something precarious about it. It always makes me anxious because I am afraid that something disturb and overturn the balance. How can one be so sure? Perhaps DPP and L are extraordinarily lucky. Perhaps they are also very wise, and want what is within their grasp. But they are extraordinarily lucky because what is within their grasp is already so much. How many people find their love of their lives in high school? Even if they do, how many people will say to themselves: "I love her/him, but I'm young and want to see what else is out there?" only to realize years later that they've made a mistake? How many people are lucky enough to have what they want, and wise enough to treasure what they have?
DPP's family is a happy one. Looking at him and L today at their seder, I wonder how they manage to be so picture-perfect so effortlessly. I don't envy them, because people don't envy others for things that are far out of reach. Mostly I sit in awe of them.
They are both smart, lively, and charming. Both of them have degrees from prestigious undergrad and grad schools. DPP is witty and smooth, while L is more bubbly and wholesome. (I swear that every time I look at her that word invariably comes into my mind.) Their parents were great friends and they were high school sweethearts. He is studying for his doctorate in English, something that I swear he was born to do. She is a law clerk for a federal judge. They have traveled widely and lived in France for a year. When they came back, they got married. She cried when he proposed. Their wedding was in July in Oregon, in a vineyard, on a beautiful summer day.
If I were more cynical, or knew them less well, I would think that there must be some flaw, some dark side, to them. Their happines must not be perfect. They must have some secrets, soem heartbreak, beneath the calm surface. But I know them. I have known DPP for nearly 9 years now, and Laura for almost that long, and they have always been like this: calm, confident, self-assured, HAPPY.
Their apartment is spotless. I believe that your environment reflects your soul, which is why my apartment is messy and badly furnished (seriously, I really do believe that. My soul is disorganized and cluttered and self-contradictory. There are too many things in there that would take me (or a psychiatrist) years to sort out). But theirs is well-ordered, clean, charming, lively, bright, a perfect symbol of their lives. There are always flowers in the vase, New Yorkers and NY Review of Books laid out neatly on the coffee table, and something yummy cooking in the oven. It's not that their apartment is just clean but devoid of life either. There are books everywhere, newspapers and notes, too. There are little decorations and photos and comfy chairs and bottles of wines... and yet, everything has its place.
Both of them like to cook. Last time I visited them, DPP's mother was there, and they were making challah together for their Shabbat dinner. Making challah from scratch! For Shabbat! Is there anything more wholesome than that? They experimented with making a garden in the backyard where they grew mint and peas. They hike in the park on Sundays. They are quirky... DPP love to sing and displays a guitar in the livingroom. In spite of being Jewish, he sings for an Episcopilian (I think) church every week and gives concerts periodically. They go to parties and concerts and museums and book-signings. They have many friends and a rich life. They are in love with each other after 12 years, and they are happy. Can you believe that such people really exist?
Happiness is an accident for me; there is always something precarious about it. It always makes me anxious because I am afraid that something disturb and overturn the balance. How can one be so sure? Perhaps DPP and L are extraordinarily lucky. Perhaps they are also very wise, and want what is within their grasp. But they are extraordinarily lucky because what is within their grasp is already so much. How many people find their love of their lives in high school? Even if they do, how many people will say to themselves: "I love her/him, but I'm young and want to see what else is out there?" only to realize years later that they've made a mistake? How many people are lucky enough to have what they want, and wise enough to treasure what they have?
Take That, Uncle Sam!
Yay, I stayed up late last night and filed my tax returns. Sent out all relevant forms today. Big load off my mind.
I am getting all of my federal taxes and nearly all of my state taxes refunded, since my income is lowered by the fact that I was a student for the last four months of the year.
That tax class is useful for something after all. I learned about the educational tax credits I could claim, which increased my refund by over $1,200. Sweet.
Sadly, I found out last night that I owe my law school over $5,000. Sniff. The Lord giveth and then He taketh away!
Anyway, going to DPP's seder tonight, so have to run off. (I'm preparing a salad for the feast). Happy Passover all you Jewish (and non-Jewish) readers!
:D warm weather
:( my background file is deemed complete by the office that is hiring me for the summer, and is being sent to Washington for further investigations. I guess I should be happy about this, but why does it feel scary and creepy?
I am getting all of my federal taxes and nearly all of my state taxes refunded, since my income is lowered by the fact that I was a student for the last four months of the year.
That tax class is useful for something after all. I learned about the educational tax credits I could claim, which increased my refund by over $1,200. Sweet.
Sadly, I found out last night that I owe my law school over $5,000. Sniff. The Lord giveth and then He taketh away!
Anyway, going to DPP's seder tonight, so have to run off. (I'm preparing a salad for the feast). Happy Passover all you Jewish (and non-Jewish) readers!
:D warm weather
:( my background file is deemed complete by the office that is hiring me for the summer, and is being sent to Washington for further investigations. I guess I should be happy about this, but why does it feel scary and creepy?
4/12/2006
Getting to Yes! Yes! Yessss!
I have been very busy but also very productive. What took up the bulk of my time the past few days has been the contracts/negotiations contest ABS and I decided to enter on Friday.
The issues in the competition turned out to be extremely complex. The negotiation is about a university and a law school arguing over the law school leaving its current campus (which the university owns and leases to the law school) to move to another town somewhat more remote than the current location.
We represent the law school, and our opponents represent the university. We of course each have our list of demands.
The host of issues involved in the move include: buiding and financing new law school facilities, building and financing new student housing, developing a commericial district that would enhance student life, constructing an additional gym and student center for the law school, the timing of the move, and many other miscellaneous demands and pet peeves borne out of the law school dean's resentment at having to move.
We quickly found out that on many of these issues our opponents and we are on opposite sides, so a lot of compromises and creative solutions were called for. After meeting for 2 hours on Sunday, our opponents and we spent another 3 hours yesterday negotiating intensely. We reached an agreement on most of the issues, but there are a few issues, mostly about money, that we keep bickering about. We are going to meet again tomorrow, hopefully no longer than 3 hours.
I have also started drafting parts of the contract today, since we will be judged on the quality of the contract we produce. It's damned hard to write a good contract! Well, I suppose it's just hard to write in a clear, elegant, and precise way in general.
But still, I really feel like I'm learning a lot, and the whole negotiations proccess, though exhausting, is not un-fun.
The issues in the competition turned out to be extremely complex. The negotiation is about a university and a law school arguing over the law school leaving its current campus (which the university owns and leases to the law school) to move to another town somewhat more remote than the current location.
We represent the law school, and our opponents represent the university. We of course each have our list of demands.
The host of issues involved in the move include: buiding and financing new law school facilities, building and financing new student housing, developing a commericial district that would enhance student life, constructing an additional gym and student center for the law school, the timing of the move, and many other miscellaneous demands and pet peeves borne out of the law school dean's resentment at having to move.
We quickly found out that on many of these issues our opponents and we are on opposite sides, so a lot of compromises and creative solutions were called for. After meeting for 2 hours on Sunday, our opponents and we spent another 3 hours yesterday negotiating intensely. We reached an agreement on most of the issues, but there are a few issues, mostly about money, that we keep bickering about. We are going to meet again tomorrow, hopefully no longer than 3 hours.
I have also started drafting parts of the contract today, since we will be judged on the quality of the contract we produce. It's damned hard to write a good contract! Well, I suppose it's just hard to write in a clear, elegant, and precise way in general.
But still, I really feel like I'm learning a lot, and the whole negotiations proccess, though exhausting, is not un-fun.
An Epiphany of Sorts
I think I'm over my fear of being catagorized politically now. I am fairly certain I'm a liberal, and I can't stand the Bush administration (well the latter I have known for a long time, but the liberal part I have not been certain about until recently). I am comfortable saying this. And I think I should be involved with the American Constitution Society asap.
4/09/2006
New Obsession
I'm now officially obsessed with the V for Vendetta storyline. I ordered the original graphic novel by Alan Moore a few days ago from amazon.com. It came today (along with another book about legal writing that is being neglected on the shelf), and I already read all of it today, instead of doing real work like reading tax or property.
V is such a complex character -- tender, sophisticated, and wise, and yet at the same time cruel, cold, and manipulative. The movie didn't focus on the latter, possibly negative aspects, and many of his possibly questionable motives and actiosn were glossed over and instead made into a tale of redemption through love or something like that.
At the end of the comic book, England was descending into chaos, and V's counterpart Detective Finch walks alone into the fog on a lonely road. The movie's ending, in retrospect, was much too optimstic and Hollywood-like, and therefore not subtle and complex as the original novel.
In other news, ABS and I entered into a weeklong negotiations / contracts competition on Friday at our law school. The competition is open to all 1Ls and involves negotiating in teams of two with another team based on confidential memos that each team receives.
The issue is about a law school negotiating with a university over its proposed relocation to another campus. The law school is demanding a lot of things from the university in return for being forced to move, such as improved student housing, control over the buildings, development of business districts around the school, etc.
... Hmmm... Why does that sound familiar...?
Our teammates are two guys from another section, one of whom has two blogs online. I wonder whether he will blog about the competition and about us? Hopefully they will be rational and easy to deal with.
By the end of the week, the two teams will need to have drafted a contract and worked out the details. We will be judged on the clarity, comprehensiveness, and creativity of our contract and whether we each achieved our individual objectives. It sounds like a LOT of work, but also may be a lot of fun.
:D salmon sashimi!
:( work!
V is such a complex character -- tender, sophisticated, and wise, and yet at the same time cruel, cold, and manipulative. The movie didn't focus on the latter, possibly negative aspects, and many of his possibly questionable motives and actiosn were glossed over and instead made into a tale of redemption through love or something like that.
At the end of the comic book, England was descending into chaos, and V's counterpart Detective Finch walks alone into the fog on a lonely road. The movie's ending, in retrospect, was much too optimstic and Hollywood-like, and therefore not subtle and complex as the original novel.
In other news, ABS and I entered into a weeklong negotiations / contracts competition on Friday at our law school. The competition is open to all 1Ls and involves negotiating in teams of two with another team based on confidential memos that each team receives.
The issue is about a law school negotiating with a university over its proposed relocation to another campus. The law school is demanding a lot of things from the university in return for being forced to move, such as improved student housing, control over the buildings, development of business districts around the school, etc.
... Hmmm... Why does that sound familiar...?
Our teammates are two guys from another section, one of whom has two blogs online. I wonder whether he will blog about the competition and about us? Hopefully they will be rational and easy to deal with.
By the end of the week, the two teams will need to have drafted a contract and worked out the details. We will be judged on the clarity, comprehensiveness, and creativity of our contract and whether we each achieved our individual objectives. It sounds like a LOT of work, but also may be a lot of fun.
:D salmon sashimi!
:( work!
4/08/2006
Public Interest Auction Update
Last night was a huge affair. The theme was movies, and the suggested attire was "Hollywood glam." I did my best interpretation of that. Most people did not dress up, but the few who did still made my once-familiar classmates seem exotic and exciting.
I was outbid on all large items that I wanted at the live auction, such as a weeklong stay at a Colorado cabin, gala dinners with profs, and ritzy romantic dinners at local posh restaurants. Most of these things went for thousands of dollars, many of which to professors.
What I did end up buying were from the silent auction. They are:
- lunch with public interest fellow
- spa gift certificate
ABS, whose only desire was an Arrested Development script signed by the entire cast, got his wish for about $350. He is going to present the script to his boyfriend who loves the show on his birthday. S, who is crazy about 24 and Jack Bauers, got a 24 script signed by the entire cast for $400. When I saw him at the silent auction bidding for this, he had a semi-crazed look in his eye that kept most of the bidders away. The one guy who dared to bid against him gave up when S began raising him by the $50s.
Sadly, no one wanted my scrabble services, or S's Gamecube services, or AK's Pacman services. Ah well.
Here are how much some of the items went for last night:
- Four Red Sox Tickets against the Toronto Blue Jays: $1,000.
- Dream Winter Getaway to Squaw Valley in Colorado: $2,200.
- Sailing with a pair of married professors to a famed vacation island nearby: $800.
- Graduation or end-of-the-year party for 30 at the house of a famed bankrupty professor, where she promised to tell your mother that "not since Oliver Wendell Holmes has there been such a brilliant legal scholar like you," $2,200.
- Weeklong stay in January at a beach home in Australia (their summer time!), to be used any time between 2006 and 2010: $2,800.
- Private viola concert by contracts professor: $400.
- Weekend at cabin in Colorado with roundtrip ticket: $1,200.
- Poker night for 8 at an IP/tech law professor's house, with stakes all paid for: $1,000.
- Bluegrass music with a well-liked lawyering professor who will buy you and your seven friends all the drinks: $900.
- Quebec chateau 5-night getaway for 14 people, plus $250 gift certificare: can't remember what the exact amount was, but pretty sure it was more than $1,800 so. (I thought this was a particularly good deal, but sadly, I didn't coorindate in advance with any of my friends.)
- Bowling with our beloved crim law professor M, with drinks provided, for 8 people: $700. MH, a blonde girl from our section, won that one.
- Romantic dinner at very posh, upscale French restaurant near the Law School, with a weekend night stay at a HiIton nearby: $900.
The faculty spoof video was played, where I had some minor parts. People liked them. After the auction, had a very late night having a late night dinner/snack and chatting, with ABS, chez moi. ABS didn't leave until 3:30, and I didn't go to bed until 4 AM or so and woke up today circa noon. And I think I will arrange my OWN romantic dinner at posh restaurant with Boyfriend soon, since I'm sure I can arrange it for under $900.
:D weekend!
:( work!
I was outbid on all large items that I wanted at the live auction, such as a weeklong stay at a Colorado cabin, gala dinners with profs, and ritzy romantic dinners at local posh restaurants. Most of these things went for thousands of dollars, many of which to professors.
What I did end up buying were from the silent auction. They are:
- lunch with public interest fellow
- spa gift certificate
ABS, whose only desire was an Arrested Development script signed by the entire cast, got his wish for about $350. He is going to present the script to his boyfriend who loves the show on his birthday. S, who is crazy about 24 and Jack Bauers, got a 24 script signed by the entire cast for $400. When I saw him at the silent auction bidding for this, he had a semi-crazed look in his eye that kept most of the bidders away. The one guy who dared to bid against him gave up when S began raising him by the $50s.
Sadly, no one wanted my scrabble services, or S's Gamecube services, or AK's Pacman services. Ah well.
Here are how much some of the items went for last night:
- Four Red Sox Tickets against the Toronto Blue Jays: $1,000.
- Dream Winter Getaway to Squaw Valley in Colorado: $2,200.
- Sailing with a pair of married professors to a famed vacation island nearby: $800.
- Graduation or end-of-the-year party for 30 at the house of a famed bankrupty professor, where she promised to tell your mother that "not since Oliver Wendell Holmes has there been such a brilliant legal scholar like you," $2,200.
- Weeklong stay in January at a beach home in Australia (their summer time!), to be used any time between 2006 and 2010: $2,800.
- Private viola concert by contracts professor: $400.
- Weekend at cabin in Colorado with roundtrip ticket: $1,200.
- Poker night for 8 at an IP/tech law professor's house, with stakes all paid for: $1,000.
- Bluegrass music with a well-liked lawyering professor who will buy you and your seven friends all the drinks: $900.
- Quebec chateau 5-night getaway for 14 people, plus $250 gift certificare: can't remember what the exact amount was, but pretty sure it was more than $1,800 so. (I thought this was a particularly good deal, but sadly, I didn't coorindate in advance with any of my friends.)
- Bowling with our beloved crim law professor M, with drinks provided, for 8 people: $700. MH, a blonde girl from our section, won that one.
- Romantic dinner at very posh, upscale French restaurant near the Law School, with a weekend night stay at a HiIton nearby: $900.
The faculty spoof video was played, where I had some minor parts. People liked them. After the auction, had a very late night having a late night dinner/snack and chatting, with ABS, chez moi. ABS didn't leave until 3:30, and I didn't go to bed until 4 AM or so and woke up today circa noon. And I think I will arrange my OWN romantic dinner at posh restaurant with Boyfriend soon, since I'm sure I can arrange it for under $900.
:D weekend!
:( work!
4/06/2006
Surprise Party / Friends / Snow / Auction
It's late, so my post tonight is going to be kind of more random than usual.
AC organized a surprise birthday for GW, her bestfriend in the section, and invited all of us, including S, JE, CB, the guy GW is dating, and some others. We went out to a sports and games bar in B-Town, played pool and foosball, and had a very good time. On the subway, AC showe us some photos on her iPod from December at the section dinner. I am startled to see how far we have come, and how far away that seemd (only four months ago!).
Also, looking back at these older photos of me, I realized that I have gained quite a lot of weight in the past few months. It's all this eating out that is making my waist thicker and my thighs bigger, and my face rounder. So I made another resolution today to eat less and exercise more.
****************
I am happy and sad tonight. Happy because I have made so many good friends in law school, people that I enjoy hanging out with and talking to. I am not only being inducted into a profession, I am being included in a larger social circle with my future colleagues and friends.
Sad because there are certain people that I wish I were closer with but am not. There are people that you feel you could make a connection with, yet they drift inexorably away from you, because of bad timing, the wrong chemistry, other factors. I wish I could be more casual or more fatalistic about these things.
*****************
It snowed today. Can you believe it? Just last week it was supposedly 70 degrees here, and today fat snow flakes were falling from the sky. I was appalled and amused, and decided that if New England were a woman, she would be my kind of chick.
*****************
The public interest auction is tomorrow night. It should be interesting. I have a lot of stuff that I want to bid on, and some stuff that I want to possess desperately. I looked at the auction listings and some stuff is amusing. Someone in my section is auctioning "an easement to his right foot." Lots of professors are auctioning off dinners and parties and wine tastings and desserts. There are also quite a few spectacular experiences listed, including tickets to NBA games and major league baseball, 7-course wine tasting, Colorado or Quebec vacations, and the like.
There are also a lot more plebian things, of course, like rides to the grocery store and the airport, hula dancing lessons, squash lessons, or just a home-cooked meal by a fellow law student.
I will keep you posted on what I succeed or fail to get.
*****************
:D Got my fingerprinting done and sent off my security clearance forms in, FINALLY!
:( So late and my sleeping schedule is further messed up!
AC organized a surprise birthday for GW, her bestfriend in the section, and invited all of us, including S, JE, CB, the guy GW is dating, and some others. We went out to a sports and games bar in B-Town, played pool and foosball, and had a very good time. On the subway, AC showe us some photos on her iPod from December at the section dinner. I am startled to see how far we have come, and how far away that seemd (only four months ago!).
Also, looking back at these older photos of me, I realized that I have gained quite a lot of weight in the past few months. It's all this eating out that is making my waist thicker and my thighs bigger, and my face rounder. So I made another resolution today to eat less and exercise more.
****************
I am happy and sad tonight. Happy because I have made so many good friends in law school, people that I enjoy hanging out with and talking to. I am not only being inducted into a profession, I am being included in a larger social circle with my future colleagues and friends.
Sad because there are certain people that I wish I were closer with but am not. There are people that you feel you could make a connection with, yet they drift inexorably away from you, because of bad timing, the wrong chemistry, other factors. I wish I could be more casual or more fatalistic about these things.
*****************
It snowed today. Can you believe it? Just last week it was supposedly 70 degrees here, and today fat snow flakes were falling from the sky. I was appalled and amused, and decided that if New England were a woman, she would be my kind of chick.
*****************
The public interest auction is tomorrow night. It should be interesting. I have a lot of stuff that I want to bid on, and some stuff that I want to possess desperately. I looked at the auction listings and some stuff is amusing. Someone in my section is auctioning "an easement to his right foot." Lots of professors are auctioning off dinners and parties and wine tastings and desserts. There are also quite a few spectacular experiences listed, including tickets to NBA games and major league baseball, 7-course wine tasting, Colorado or Quebec vacations, and the like.
There are also a lot more plebian things, of course, like rides to the grocery store and the airport, hula dancing lessons, squash lessons, or just a home-cooked meal by a fellow law student.
I will keep you posted on what I succeed or fail to get.
*****************
:D Got my fingerprinting done and sent off my security clearance forms in, FINALLY!
:( So late and my sleeping schedule is further messed up!
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