tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126487692024-03-23T13:10:26.910-05:00Yayarolly goes to law school (and graduates!)A 30-something's adventure in law school and bar exam prepJoeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-70031241394297069562008-08-19T17:43:00.002-05:002008-08-19T18:05:45.025-05:00Advice to 1Ls: part oneSo you've likely started or will within the next week. You're wondering what to expect: of your classmates, of your professors and classes, just how long will it take you to read all of your assignments, if you really need to read everything, how different it is from undergrad, and if you're making the right decision by starting down this path. This is all normal. In fact, a healthy worry will motivate you just enough to work hard without cracking. And without making enemies along the way.<br /><br />First things first: get friends. I don't mean <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">BFF</span> types, I mean people who are in most or all of your classes who you think there is a shot in hell that you can trust. Exchange phone numbers and emails. This will make it easy on you when in your second week of school disaster seems to strike: <a href="http://yayarolly.blogspot.com/2005/08/thoughts-for-new-orleans.html">hurricane </a><a href="http://yayarolly.blogspot.com/2005/09/shock-concern-and-relief.html">Katrina</a>, <a href="http://yayarolly.blogspot.com/2005/08/its-different-being-mom-in-law-school.html">child ill with no</a> <a href="http://yayarolly.blogspot.com/2005/09/no-wonder-my-grey-hair-is-multiplying.html">other childcare</a>, <a href="http://yayarolly.blogspot.com/2005/09/no-wonder-my-grey-hair-is-multiplying.html">general feeling like you are well in over your head</a>.<br /><br />Second: decide to take the high road. If enough of your classmates do, you can really make your law school experience far more pleasant. Example: decide from the get go that if you notice someone is absent from class one day, just send them your notes. This will usually start a chain reaction. I thought that everyone in law school did this and was amazed to discover that not only does it not happen... it didn't even happen in the other classes at my school. Also, don't be the class gossip or be too quick to judge. I decided in my first or second week that I had the <a href="http://yayarolly.blogspot.com/2005/08/i-made-it-through-first-week-of.html">class ass</a> in 3 of my classes. I didn't. I had a really wonderful person who genuinely, honestly knows just about everything about everything. He was an acquired taste, but no one who got to know him would have said that he was anything but a tremendous fellow. The type who would interrupt his own study time to tutor you on something if you needed help. Bottom line: give everyone a break and they'll give you one too.<br /><br />Third: Don't let other people's study habits guide you. This is NOT undergrad. I repeat: This is NOT undergrad. This is much, much harder. Just because you didn't study in undergrad and got a 4.0 does not mean that is going to happen in law school. It won't. You will need to study. How much? I would recommend doing every last horrible thing that is on each of your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">syllabi</span>, at least until you feel comfortable with everything. You don't know what's important yet. You don't know that you need to know one set of things to not embarrass yourself in class and a totally different set of things to get As on the finals. You also don't know how (likely anyway) how to study for a whole semester where your grade comes down to one lousy final. Be flexible. Come up with a plan and try it out. If it isn't working, you can change it. But be proactive. Try <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">something</span> for a week and if at the end it isn't "speaking to you," stop and change. I'd say you have until your fall break to hammer this down. I changed about 3 weeks in. I learned that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">unfortunately</span> I'm a read it, write it, hear it kind of girl. Sucks. Takes a lot of time. But what I didn't understand until after my first set of finals was that my method:<br /><blockquote><ul><li>Reading the cases (and highlighting with different colors to keep me actively reading), </li><li>Then briefing (more and more brief as I learned what my profs wanted when they would interrogate me in class), </li><li>Then attending class, taking notes, and participating, and finally, </li><li>Spending 5 minutes after class organizing my class notes with my own</li></ul></blockquote><br />made it so that on the finals, I really knew the stuff. Outlining was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">solidifying</span> knowledge, not learning anything new. And I got more points on the finals because I didn't spend any time dithering around in my outline. I wrote the entire time because I knew it cold. In classes where I didn't do that, I simply didn't perform as well. End of story. That's probably overkill for a lot of folks, but it worked for me.<br /><br />Stay tuned for part two.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-18090166515693236102008-08-19T17:34:00.003-05:002008-08-19T17:43:32.031-05:00Keeping in TouchI'm getting used to the grown up's life again, and only paused for a moment this morning to realize that this is the first year that I wasn't down at my school either being oriented or being an orienter. :) It's the odd stuff that hits me now and again that I am really truly well and done with school and will only return for the occasional alumni stuff they host.<br /><br />The bar is really just a distant bad dream now. I guess everyone feels that way now. I've had a few emails over the past few days from my little group of bar study buddies talking about getting together in the next month for a barbecue as a last gathering.<br /><br />Finishing law school is so different for me than when I finished undergrad or even high school for that matter. I just simply never made friends as tight as I did in law school, but it's so different. It's more difficult to stay in touch with guy friends who are married or my single gal pals when I'm trying to figure out how to carve plenty of family time out of big firm living. I expect that in 10 to 15 years, law school friends will be much like my undergrad friends: I still regularly talk with 2 from undergrad (and 1 from high school). I think I just generally suck at keeping in touch. But I suppose I will run into people with relative frequency just in the course of practicing law. I think it's just a bizarre change whenever one set of circumstances so defined who you were and what you did just by the sheer enormity of the time and commitment it was and that those circumstances seemed to vanish in an instant.<br /><br />I'm probably not making much sense. But it's been turning in my head, so I thought that I would share.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-532897508569031972008-08-05T09:38:00.002-05:002008-08-05T09:41:44.476-05:00So where do we go from here?Well, I obviously go to work :) But I was actually speaking of this blog. I had thought that I would post one final post about how the bar went, but I feel like there is a little but of unfinished business. So, I will definitely come back to post if I pass or not. And if not, *gulp*, I will likely post about the re-studying process. I also plan to do so if and when I have to take another state's bar if we move (high likelihood).<br /><br />In the interim, there is an assortment of "things I wish I would have known before . . ." posts that I will throw on here from time to time.<br /><br />Thanks for tuning in.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-66293079379863872272008-08-04T15:11:00.002-05:002008-08-04T15:23:42.574-05:00The bar is over<div class="postcolor" id="post-112032">Barf. It was hideous. It was heinous. It was horrible, and that's just talking about the head proctor (who we are all convinced would give <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolores_Umbridge#Dolores_Umbridge">Dolores <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Umbridge</span></a> a run for her money!). Although after reading <a href="http://jnstarla.blogspot.com/">Jeanne</a>'s post about her <a href="http://jnstarla.blogspot.com/2008/07/bar-done.html">experience</a>, maybe we got Dolores-light.<br /><br />The essay and "professionalism" tests were non-stop fun. I think I did <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ok</span> on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">MPTs</span>. I was glad that I had done several practice ones and understood just how fine-grained they wanted the organization to be.<br /><br />The essays were, well, shite--in a word. We had one particularly nasty article 3 meets article 2 meets agency question. But there were really only bits and pieces of questions that I felt unsure of. My ethics essay was not fab. I can never get straight all of the conflict rules. Perhaps I should have tried harder? In short, I felt like someone was beating me up all day. I encountered three different questions in different essays on areas that I decided were just so minute, so out of date, so obscure that they would never test them, so i didn't commit them to memory. Seriously! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Argh</span>! So ye-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">olde</span>-essay day was thoroughly disheartening. But at least I didn't have computer problems like one of my friends did, which just sucks. I did get to answer everything... whether it was right is another matter entirely.<br /><br />The fun part for me about the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">MBEs</span> is realizing that our new out of state contracts prof who took the bar with us didn't even get all of the contracts practice test questions correct. Why is that fun? Because it is a testament to the fact that the questions are usually about some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">nitpicky</span> little detail that you never learned because it's too ridiculous. Sigh. The morning session I thought wasn't too bad, and I had thought at lunch that I just might pass. But then the afternoon questions were about a million times harder. Everyone came out looking like someone had just killed their puppy.<br /><br />Now 8-10 weeks of waiting. Nothing I can do about it now, right? The first thing that I did the morning after the bar was go pack up all of my bar stuff and tape and label the box. Hopefully I won't be cracking that puppy open for this same jurisdiction, but the spouse is pretty intent on going back to get his master's here in the next few years. And, of course, the program he's interested in we don't have in our state. Sigh. I won't think about that now.<br /><br />Today is the first day that I've felt pretty damn human and normal since, well since I can't remember when. And it's nice. It's nice that it is well into the afternoon and I am still in my pajamas.<br /><br /></div> <!--IBF.ATTACHMENT_112032-->Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-91348297079939033562008-07-27T20:45:00.002-05:002008-07-27T20:50:42.263-05:00The Oddness of Finality and SuprisesI'm about ready to pack up for what I am realizing is the very last time I will study at ye olde school. It's odd. When I cleaned out my law review office after graduation, it wasn't odd so much as relief. But as I was packing up my thousand barbri books and cleaning out my locker tonight, for whatever reason the whole "doneness" of it hit me. (Assuming of course, that I don't fail the bar anyway :|) It's the first time I've really felt that the whole law school experience has finality. I'm actually done. I have my diploma and at the end of this week, I will have no reason to regularly darken its hallways.<br /><br />On another semi-related note. I ended up studying with a small group of people just by virtue of proximity than I had planned. It just sort of happened, and it was honestly the best part about doing this whole horror that is bar study. I knew them all before but was only close friends with a couple of them. I don't know why this turning out this way pleased me so much, but I found as I got ready to leave that in some twisted way, I was going to miss them. After all, I've seen them much more than I've seen my own fam for almost 10 weeks.<br /><br />10 weeks. I hope it was worth it.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-17738623384648860402008-07-26T21:43:00.002-05:002008-07-26T21:50:17.409-05:00I can do one more hour because I've done this for 2 bloody monthsThat's my rationale. That's what I am chanting to myself all day today, what I will no doubt be chanting tomorrow and possibly monday. Today was the first day that I have felt like i was about to vomit or tremble myself right out of my seat. The icky butterfly feelings in my forearms. The uncontrolled shivering that I notice when I'm not cold. The super shallow breathing just one step away from hyperventilating. That was today.<br /><br />I've been worried before. I've been freaked out. But they were momentary break downs. This is all-encompassing fear. And I'm entertained at how distracting that is. I have a study list a mile long of "things to do before the bar" that is very clearly not going to happen. And I've embraced that. But I do have to get at least some of it done. Sigh. And that is why I'm chanting to myself: you've done this for 2 months, you can do another hour, another 30 minutes, another 5 minutes. My life is being measured from accomplishment of mini-goal to mini-goal.<br /><br />I need this to be over.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-34081674106197091762008-07-24T10:39:00.002-05:002008-07-24T10:47:57.607-05:00Tired. And almost beyond worrySo after my splat last week, the hubby put away my computer and books and made me play for about 18 hours (including 9 hours of rocking sleep in there). It was fun and much needed. And I think I've been overall more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">productive</span> and sane this week because of it. Which is good because my beloved daughter did what she does when the stakes are high and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">murphy</span> is just waiting for a chance to show me his mightiness: she got unbelievably ill. Sigh. She's on the mend now, but honestly, I could have called this. Without fail. And of course, hubby is in the middle of long work hours for his special projects that come up twice a year. Naturally. So it's been a kid-juggling fest. And that has not helped my anxiety. But it has helped me focus when I am working. Except for this particular moment :)<br /><br />Earlier this week, I took last summer's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">PMBR</span> simulated <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">MBE</span>, and I feel comfortable with my score. Not ecstatic, but it could <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ahve</span> been worse. And it was a a good <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">exercise</span> because now I feel free to do one mixed set a day and other wise pick 3-4 subjects, take my reduced outline and reduce it to a page... then take that and put it on one note card. Then take at <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">least</span> 5 essays (just outlining at this point, who has time to write them out?). And then I get instant feedback on whether i need to add something to my cards. One card per topic.<br /><br />Beginning <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">sunday</span>, all of my topics should be reduced to cards and then it will be all about remembering mnemonics and doing a million essays until I can't stand it Monday afternoon. And then, I'll stop. Nothing after Monday at 6 pm. I'll take my cards with me in the car to the bar exam, and i might sift through them because I'll need something in my hands, but that's it.<br /><br />That's it. And that's why I say almost beyond worry... there isn't a whole lot that I can do about the big picture now, except keep to my plan.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-20773070195792122642008-07-19T14:49:00.003-05:002008-07-19T14:55:46.018-05:00SplatThat's the sound of me hitting the wall. Seriously. I cannot feign indifference, cheerfulness, determination, or anything else that might get me through this particular moment. My concentration today is simply non-existent; my mind simply wanders away whenever I attempt to make it focus. I've tried to write an MPT, take MBEs, reduce a couple of big outlines and an essay. Nothing is working.<br /><br />And the more that I focus on nothing working and acknowledging that I have the attention span of a 2 year old, the more depressed I get. i don't want to be here. i don't want to study. I called the fam to see what they were up too, and woke the spouse. They're having a nap. Doesn't that sound lovely. I just want to be doing something other than what I am doing. And I know that big picture, I only have to do this 9.5-ish more days (the study part... not the test part). But that doesn't change the way that I feel. It's getting to me. The monotony. The extreme boredom. The sheer level of difficulty that is prepping for the bar.<br /><br />I'm not trying to have a whine here, although that's probably how it's coming out. I'm trying to express the blackness that has become my soul. Ok maybe that's overly dramatic. Just a tidge?? But this is the one thing that no one prepped me for with bar study: the total emotional upheaval that is my life hour to hour. That part is exhausting too.<br /><br />End whine. (I know I said it wasn't one, but let's all be realistic, shall we?)Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-52003969940030690262008-07-19T11:51:00.004-05:002008-07-19T12:00:32.017-05:00Statistics and other meaningless numbersThat's what my life has been reduced to these days. I'm holding at 60% with con law. I'm between 80-90% in Torts and Crim law. I've been too afraid to go back to evidence and see if my panic-induced 3-day evidence fest earlier this week was fruitful.<br /><br />I've worked MPTs. I'm starting in earnest to essay a lot. (That was never a verb until the bar.) I've perused the stats from the simulated national Barbri MBE exam... where i was entertained and unsurprised to see that I was in the 10th perentile for evidence impeachment questions and in the 96th percentile overall for torts (are you kidding me?). It seems that my <a href="http://yayarolly.blogspot.com/2008/07/first-major-freakout.html">freak out</a> and subsequent intense study of the 8.5 x 14 book for torts was not a waste of time.<br /><br />I've got my day broken up into equal segments for studying. I'm carefully reducing my caffeine consumption so that the days of the test (where we are not permitted to bring anything at all to eat or drink into the test), I won't crash hard without my usual 10 am, 2pm caffeine fixes.<br /><br />I'm sleeping, less or more or badly or not at all. I'm not seeing my family. My daughter is missing me. And I've lost count of how many times I've said "in August, we can do that sweetie."<br /><br />And of course the most interesting number in my life at the moment: days left until the bar=10. It's a nice round number, isn't it?Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-38055396015204937782008-07-17T09:22:00.003-05:002008-07-17T09:32:16.309-05:00A plug for a calming bar taker site and the next phaseThis <a href="http://calbar07.blogspot.com/2007/12/advice-exam-days.html">post </a>on game day thoughts had me breathing a little slower and easier this morning. Thank you <a href="http://calbar07.blogspot.com/">Biff </a>for your comment... and allowing me to find your blog. I appreciated your perspective.<br /><br />Today begins "the rest" of all that I can do. I've often thought that if I do all that I can do, I will pass the bar. I'm not sure if I'm doing "all" I can do, but dammit, I'm trying pretty hard.<br /><br />So here is the plan for phase "the last." Memorize. Practice. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. I've been goign through by subject to figure out what bits 'o law I won't be able to just regurgitate unless I do some hard core memorization of the 4 (or 5?, see why i need to do this) elements of an express trust. So I'm making a list of those and then handwriting them onto stuff that is going to decorate my house. Then I'm going to make a list of "order of review" to make sure that when I'm driving or working out or having another bout of insomnia, I can run through everything.<br /><br />And when my brain feels squishy and sore, I'll stop input and take a few practice tests. Everyday. Some fully written, some just for the delightful experience. And then, well then, it'll be game time<br /><br /><br />(Is anyone else having issue with blogger this morning? It's playing mind games with me on links!!??)Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-41470428952925764912008-07-16T13:28:00.003-05:002008-07-16T13:31:51.787-05:00TornI had a true moment of hyper-ventilation type of anxiety this morning as my daughter so cheerfully pointed out to me that i have 2 weeks before I can play with her at the zoo.<br /><br />Two weeks. I'm really torn now that I'm facing that. On the one hand, I'm tired, I'm cranky, I miss my family, and I'm sick to death of doing this all day, everyday. On the other, two weeks so does not seems like enough time to get everything into my head that I need to. There is too much. I'm acknowledging as I write outlines now that I'm not putting in as much detail about some of the smaller issues as I was a week ago. It's a nod to the shortness of time and the finiteness of my memory. And it's scary. Because I have to accept that if that issue comes up on the test (I'm really thinking essays here), I will forego those points. And I'm not sure how many points I'm going to be able to forego and still get the job done.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-45117103733595573812008-07-15T22:19:00.003-05:002008-07-15T22:30:58.054-05:00Where does the focus go?I just read <a href="http://rubyredslipper.blogspot.com">Anastasia's</a> commentary on her <a href="http://rubyredslipper.blogspot.com/2008/07/studying.html">oh-so-unproductive day</a>. And laughed. Because, yeah, that was my day too, until about an hour ago. Then I hit a spurt of energy. And then it stopped and I checked my blogroll.<br /><br /><br />Sunday was an exceptionally good study day. Lots of learning. Lots of accomplishment. Yesterday was less so. Harder to focus, less accomplishment, less motivation. Today has been basically a joke. No focus, almost no accomplishment, and totally devoid of motivation. The one bright spot in my day was watching a particularly anal classmate of mine suck usually reasonable people into his "essay guess fest." My favorite thing about this particular anal idiot is that he's so certain that he's right. About everything. Sigh. But especially about the bar stuff. He's actually foregoing studying certain subjects that he is, and I quote, "sure will NOT be on the bar, because there's just no possible mathematical way."<br /><br />What i really love about that statement is that 1) i'm going to score better than him on those essays if they do show up, 2) if enough of them show up, he won't pass, and 3) how can you say that, especially this year considering that the MEE is, for the first time, offering the MBE subjects. My state has historically rarely tested MBE subjects on the essays. But if you talk to folks who took the february bar, THREE of the MBE subjects were essays. So, I get that I'm mocking him for trying to predict the essays by essentially predicting that we will have more MBE subjects than in the past, but I'm also no dumb bunny, and I'm going to know at least enough about all of the areas to answer and get some points.<br /><br />End rant. End detour from studying. And now, back to the oh-so-fascinating realm of admin law (some one get me a razor!).Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-31107485162639854442008-07-13T17:36:00.003-05:002008-07-13T17:44:04.647-05:00Not much to say other than that I am tiredThis really is a sick sort of marathon. The insomnia is now ever present, and I felt somewhat in good company when several classmates ended up in an impromptu discussion about their favorite sleep-inducer: wine, benadryl, some omni-somthing, nighttime tylenol, etc. I don't know why it's comforting, but it is. I've only dosed the benadryl a couple of times so far . . . in total desparation to make the mneumonic devises and random elements stop running through my brain.<br /><br />I'm to the point now too where I realize how much I am missing out on. And my daughter is NOT thrilled. I've played up a lot of the "in august, we will do: x, y, z special mommy/daughter stuff." But that only puts a bandaid on for so much.<br /><br />I took last night off to be with the fam and with some close friends of ours. Even in myhaze, I still kicked can playing Settlers of Catan. I love that game... especially when I win.<br /><br />I was above the "average" threshold on the simulated MBE, which made me take one step away from the cliff I feel like I am perpetually standing on these days. My evidence score was absolute puke though. God help me, but I am NEVER going to figure out exactly when extrinsic evidence can and cannot come in. Oddly, but happily, my best score was in torts, so it is good to know those few days I spent really hammering it and reading the huge honking outline really helped.<br /><br />I've also got about half a dozen friends who are now aware of how sucky Barbri's state materials are. We are each taking the ones we think are more likely than not to show up and checking the statutes... it's a pain, but it's turning out to be very very worth it, and it sucks a little bit less since we have divided it up. I'm still astounded at how wrong they are on major points of law in every subject. Truly amazing.<br /><br />Now, I'm ducking my head back into my studying: this evening's dish: wills. Mmm mmm good.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-84756829190606958322008-07-09T22:12:00.003-05:002008-07-09T22:34:07.374-05:00Just what exactly did I pay Barbri more than $2000 for?Cause where I'm sitting at the moment, I couldn't answer that question. Seriously?!?! I became thoroughly irritated earlier this week when a friend of mine was reducing her familiy law outline and got a puzzled look on her face. Fortunately for us, she used to work for the state legislature and had something stick in her brain about a funky family law issue that Barbri had under our state's distinctions. Well, after about 3 minutes on westlaw, she found out that the funky "state law distinction" had been REPEALED! ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO. HELLO!?! WTF? I died a little inside. It's a frequently tested issue. And now my state does it like everyone else instead of bizarro. And Barbri, well, either they are lazy and cheap and didn't want to spend the resources to update my state's law or they knew they didn't have to because where the hell else am I supposed to go? Sift through my state's code and common laws in all my spare time? Right.<br /><br />So fast forward to today, when we began our simulated exam. My first complaint is, really, I have to grade them? And I get the infeasibility of grading so many essays in any kind of a timely manner. Fine. But then, if you don't, Barbri, you owe me a point break down of the answers, and failing that, you owe me model answers actually written in the blasted format that you keep harping on about being so damn important. It is lame and excessively insufficient to merely give me what amounts to a bulleted list of issue-spotting with an occasional rule thrown in. All I can see is that I did worse than I thought, but I'm not sure how necessarily to make it better. So thanks for nothing on that end. Oh, and by the way, it would be nice if you updated the answers that claim to be specific to my state like on my ethics essay. It was half-assed at best and completely WRONG on two of the three points. So thanks again. Glad I've been studying that and that the lecturer you sent for the ethics stuff had done his homework for 2008 and could tell me what the law is now.<br /><br />And how is it even imaginable that it will take you 9 days to return my "graded" scantron? It's a scantron for crying out loud. Me taking it 3 weeks before the test so that you can give me my score 1.5 weeks before the test seems like a total waste of everyone's time. Of course, I can and will mark my answers in my book so that I can grade it the next day.<br /><br />But what is it that I paid you so much money for?<br /><br />I don't get it. I'm sure the lecturers don't come cheap, at least not the really big ones that give you cred. But you dupe them a million times, so the recurring cost there has got to be pretty minimal. And the many forests killed in the printing of the books, yeah, that's probably not cheap either. Room rentals. Graders (who are worthless... it's a joke when everyone in my class gets the same number grade each week with a note that says: "good writing, but check the law.") The "local" attorney who is supposed to . . . yeah, I've still got no idea what he was supposed to actually do for us.<br /><br />When I sit back and look at what I thought the real value would be in your course, it was for the state law stuff. Which is usually horribly inadequate, disjointed, and evidently wrong because at least some of it hasn't been updated in a while. The rest of the stuff you provide, meh. I could buy your books off ebay or a classmate. I could poke myself with a stick to make sure that I didn't fall asleep reading the big outlines which would more than compensate for not hearing most of the lectures. It's the state law stuff that I don't have time to google and westlaw for the myriad subjects that my state tests.<br /><br />It's a good thing that courts generally don't second guess the value of consideration because I'd be on that like peanut butter on a kid.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-57235431630255122322008-07-07T10:53:00.002-05:002008-07-07T11:01:55.422-05:00Because I don't want to study tortsStealing another meme. This time movies. Thanks to Z over at <a href="http://zuska.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/a-movie-meme/">Balance of Power</a> and E. McPan at the <a href="http://emcpan.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html#6797028999788943894">Neutral Zone Trap</a>. Let's see how many new classics (according to <a href="http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20207076_20207387_20207063,00.html">Entertainment Weekly</a>) yayarolly is up on.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Pulp Fiction (1994)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Titanic (1997)</span><br />4. Blue Velvet (1986)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Toy Story (1995)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)</span><br />7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)</span><br />9. Die Hard (1988)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Moulin Rouge (2001)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />12. The Matrix (1999)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />13. GoodFellas (1990)</span><br />14. Crumb (1995)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>16. Boogie Nights (1997)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">17. Jerry Maguire (1996)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">18. Do the Right Thing (1989)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">19. Casino Royale (2006)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">20. The Lion King (1994)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">21. Schindler's List (1993)</span><br />22. Rushmore (1998)<br />23. Memento (2001) <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />24. A Room With a View (1986)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">25. Shrek (2001)</span><br />26. Hoop Dreams (1994)<br />27. Aliens (1986)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">28. Wings of Desire (1988)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />30. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)</span><br />31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">32. Fight Club (1999)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />33. The Breakfast Club (1985)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>34. Fargo (1996)<br />35. The Incredibles (2004)<br />36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">37. Pretty Woman (1990)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)<br />39. The Sixth Sense (1999)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">40. Speed (1994)</span><br />41. Dazed and Confused (1993)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">42. Clueless (1995)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">43. Gladiator (2000)</span><br />44. The Player (1992)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">45. Rain Man (1988)</span><br />46. Children of Men (2006)<br />47. Men in Black (1997)<br />48. Scarface (1983)<br />49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)<br />50. The Piano (1993)<br />51. There Will Be Blood (2007)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />53. The Truman Show (1998)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">54. Fatal Attraction (1987)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">55. Risky Business (1983)</span><br />56. The Lives of Others (2006)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">57. There’s Something About Mary (1998)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">58. Ghostbusters (1984)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />59. L.A. Confidential (1997)</span><br />60. Scream (1996)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)</span><br />62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">63. Big (1988)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>64. No Country For Old Men (2007) <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />65. Dirty Dancing (1987)</span><br />66. Natural Born Killers (1994)<br />67. Donnie Brasco (1997)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">68. Witness (1985)</span><br />69. All About My Mother (1999)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">70. Broadcast News (1987)</span><br />71. Unforgiven (1992)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">72. Thelma & Louise (1991)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">73. Office Space (1999)</span><br />74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)<br />75. Out of Africa (1985)<br />76. The Departed (2006)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">77. Sid and Nancy (1986)</span><br />78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">80. Michael Clayton (2007)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">81. Moonstruck (1987)</span><br />82. Lost in Translation (2003)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)</span><br />84. Sideways (2004)<br />85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)<br />86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">87. Swingers (1996)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)</span><br />89. Breaking the Waves (1996)<br />90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004) <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />91. Back to the Future (1985)</span><br />92. Menace II Society (1993)<br />93. Ed Wood (1994)<br />94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)<br />95. In the Mood for Love (2001)<br />96. Far From Heaven (2002)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">97. Glory (1989)</span><br />98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)<br />99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)<br />100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)</p><p>I'm surprised. I'm such a classics Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn kind of girl. Half is pretty respectible. And of the ones that I haven't seen, I'd say I actually only want to see a handful. And now, back to negligence. Damn.<br /></p>Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-80707173831941864082008-07-05T13:37:00.005-05:002008-07-05T13:57:30.411-05:00Sloppiness and Being Discovered and Illusory AnonymitySo, sloppiness: A few years ago, I had a struggle <a href="http://yayarolly.blogspot.com/2006/07/wow-it-finally-happened-post-that-i.html">with a post</a> that I wrote, which I ultimately decided not to post. I remember being really disappointed that I had finally reached that moment where self-censoring caused me to not post about something, full stop. I had that same sort of struggle last week. I wrote something up that I thought was funny, accurate, a bit sardonic and would be appreciated by many in years to come. But I was uncomfortable with a couple of the negative things I wanted to say. And frankly, I blame my squeamishness on having studied bloody torts for the few days before I posted. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. In any case, despite my gut telling me not to do it, I posted it. Then I worried over it. As I was sitting at school the following day, I checked on it and discovered some random, fairly rude comments (not at me, agreeing with me actually) but they were said in a flippant sort of way that made me more uncomfortable than I already was, and I was miffed at where they came from. Then I discovered that the post had been picked up elsewhere. And I was really uncomfortable.<br /><br />So i decided, after discussing it hypothetically with a friend at school, that I would pull it. I just didn't have the extra mental energy to worry about it. In hindsight, it was probably ok, but still, i don't need any extra crap turning in my head these days. So I'm glad that I pulled it.<br /><br />Fast forward a few days though where I sit down with my best law school friend who wanted to smack me upside the head because the other friend I had my "blog hypo" with told the other that I had a blog. She hadn't previously known about it. That's right folks. I was outted. By my own sloppiness. I mean, I know that you can never do the "I have a friend" kind of hypo and get away with it. But I'm still entertained that after keeping this blog for 3 years, I never once told anyone anything about it. And as far as I know, none of my law school compadres read it or connected it with me. Which is how I had wanted it. So now, the cat is out of the bag, and those two are sworn to secrecy.<br /><br />I know that blogs are not anonymous, no matter how much you try to make them so. it's relatively easy to figure out at least the exact location of a blogger. But you still hide behind the anonymity wall you construct. I've often thought of the irony of how much freedom anonymity gives you to tell it like it is... while nearly crippling you into being "content free" in order to maintain that anonymity. It's what made me decide for once and for all that yayarolly's doors will close August 1. I'll leave the blog up in case there is anything remotely useful to someone else later on. And I'll probably get it printed into a keepsake book for myself at <a href="http://www.blurb.com/">blurb<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></a>. But with law school on the shelf, it will be time to move on.<br /><br />I'm still undecided as to whether I will start a new blog that looks at me as a whole picture: professional, mommy, wife, hobbies etc. But I'm struggling with the whole anonymity thing still. I certainly don't want to get fired, or worse. But I also don't want to write so that I end up being content free. It's tricky. But I love to write. The year that I didn't write on this blog, I was actually writing fiction. So see, I can't just stop writing. :)Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-43830711516586120132008-07-04T16:11:00.002-05:002008-07-04T16:21:11.593-05:00First major freakoutIt happened <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Wednesday</span> night... after I had spent what felt like the better half of my life studying torts, and I was still scoring between 30 and 33%. Um, yeah. No <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bueno</span>. i had been about 3 giggles away from crying for a few days. The tension and the exhaustion and the anxiety were all weighing on me heavily. And so on my way home from studying and taking the test, the tears started rolling, and I was in near hysterics by the time I got home. I just knew that I was going to fail the bar. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Beause</span> with as many torts questions, I couldn't possibly get enough "extra" answers right in other areas to make up for it. Or that was my line of thought anyway.<br /><br />Happily my family had time for a group snuggle and then took me out to a late dinner and a chocolate milkshake. nothing is ever as bad when thought of over a chocolate milkshake. So I picked myself up, and dusted myself off, and started all over again (Name that Rogers/Astaire movie). I had actually also spent a lot of time reducing property (and am now the proud owner of a 1 page property outline :)) so before despairing altogether, i decided to take another property test. I was concerned that my entire method of studying wasn't working and if it wasn't, I was out of ideas of what to do differently. And I'm glad that I took that rational, double-check approach because my property score went up a lot. Then i took a mixed subject test and laughed out loud at the results:<br /><ul><li>All K and property questions right</li><li>1 evidence question wrong</li><li>3 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">crim</span> and 3 con law questions wrong each</li><li>and all torts <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">questions</span> wrong but 1</li></ul>Clearly, I just don't get torts. So I am sticking with my original plan, although I admit that I am about 2 days behind now. (Freak outs are such a time <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">suckage</span>.)<br /><br />That's about all that I have to report. Studying for the bar blows.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-23254144450108359542008-06-26T19:41:00.004-05:002008-06-26T23:08:15.180-05:00I have a planSince tomorrow is the last day of lectures, and our practice test is in a little less than 2 weeks, I made myself a plan. I'm not sure just how realistic it is, but it will give me a shot at going through everything once more before the practice test. Then hopefully that will give me enough direction to know what to really beat into my brain for the few weeks between the practice test and the real deal. Ever get the feeling that the bar is really just testing you on your time management and organizational skills... well, duh, that's what the MPT is, but the rest of it is really the same too. Because if you didn't have lovely time and org skills, you'd never be able to get enough of the law in all the million areas in your head before the bar.<br /><br />Edited to add the plan, duh!<br /><br />So I whipped out a calendar and scheduled a couple of things per day. Generally, for the next 5 days, I am taking one MBE subject a day and making flashcards based on the black letter law in the explanations to the answers of the MPQ1 tests that I have already taken. I'm trying to NOT get carried away because 1700 flashcards are a bit on the useless side. Instead, I am going through and doing cards for stuff that's kind of tricky (like exceptions to exceptions in topics I'm not as good at) and things that always come up as an answer but I don't know what it means. For example, in real property, negative reciprocal covenants came up as an answer (almost always wrong) on several MBE questions. So I made sure to get down what the heck it is and what the elements are for enforcing it. And now, I know it. :)<br /><br />During those same five days, I will also be reading through my class notes on non-MBE topics that are always tested on my bar. It's just a read through for refresher, not for locking it into the memory vault.<br /><br />After I'm done with the flashcards, I'm doing 1 MBE a day (some I've scheduled for 1.5) to make my first pass at reducing the classnotes and outlines into something more manageable and memorizable. I will also still be reading a set of non-MBE topic classnotes each of those days. And that pretty much takes me right up to the simulated test. Oh, and I will do an hour worth of MBEs<br /><br />After that, my plan is less firm. Obvioiusly, I will need to reduce the non-MBE topics, and I will hopefully be able to see which MBE topics I need to focus on. But I hope to spend the bulk of the last two weeks before the actual bar taking a million practice tests. So there. This is all just the plan. I'll let you know if it's too much (or too little, but I highly doubt that).Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-58508310534933468092008-06-25T14:36:00.002-05:002008-06-25T14:41:05.939-05:00Surfing the Benadryl WaveSuck. I got a nasty cut from a can this weekend and got a tetanus shot yesterday. And a nasty allergic reaction to it. Sigh. So I took the benadryl they told me to take. And promptly napped for 4 hours. I've always been a light weight with any kind of "drowsy" drug. So, let me revamp my study plan for the day as I try to drag my sorry butt out of bed.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-32315403289082518712008-06-25T11:12:00.001-05:002008-06-25T11:14:01.539-05:00So glad I never took admin law in schoolSeriously, I might have had to drink heavily before and during the class. I could not have been more bored at the Barbri lecture for it. Don't get me wrong. The lecturer actually was pretty good, but the subject seriously. Just too boring for words.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-18738347279513227062008-06-22T15:00:00.002-05:002008-06-22T15:31:23.598-05:00Eep! It's real! I'm taking the bar in less than 6 weeks!It's odd, isn't it, the very strange things that make upcoming events finally seem real to you. I received an email from my state's bar several weeks ago letting me know that 1) I passed character and fitness, 2) I'd been issued an applicant ID and password, and 3) I was required to download, register, and take a mock test off software I would be using on the exam. I ignored that email when I got it. I wasn't ready for the sinking feeling that I knew it would give me.<br /><br />Well, today, I could no longer ignore it as the deadline for completing those tasks loomed before me. So, I did it. And all the while felt my blood begin draining from my body and nausea set in. It's real. I'm taking the lousy bar. And it's coming up FAST.<br /><br />On a helpful note though, thinking about the software deadline made me remember a deadline with my firm who wants several thing from me by the end of this month.<br /><br />So the tip of the day: don't let studying for the bar get in the way of remembering what's important: being able to take the bar by completing the state's instructions in a timely manner and being able to start working after you take it by finishing the firm's instructions in a timely manner. :)Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-17658278840854437092008-06-21T17:04:00.002-05:002008-06-21T17:23:38.904-05:00Catching the flashcard waveWell after seeing <a href="http://divineangst.com/archives/2008/06/flashcards_yay.html">Ks enthusiasm for flashcards</a> and reading a <a href="http://irrationalbasis.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/a-quick-note-about-studying-with-flashcards/">great post on their usefulness</a> (thanks for the link K), I decided to jump on the flashcard bandwagon.<br /><br />So far, i feel like I am getting something out of it. But I think that I may be taking a back door, so I thought I would share my method. I'm going through my state and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">MEE</span> essay booklets and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">MPQ</span> book making flashcards out of answers to problems and essays that I have already taken and struggled with (although I am making a few for areas with lots of exceptions, just to be sure that I have them solid). It just struck me as a more useful place to start than just trying to go through the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">conviser</span> or my class notes. I am also adding my state's law anywhere applicable (e.g., my state has a preponderance standard NOT clear and convincing for how to rebut the assumption that a husband is the biological father of a child where the mommy is married).<br /><br />I like it so far because I feel like I am really concentrating on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">nitty</span> grittiness of the elements and I also have the impression (illusion?) that I am grappling with the material more because I am carefully evaluating whether I really understood something in an answer or got lucky. It also appeals to my lack of concentration in any one area sort of mentality these days because, for example, I'll get to a secured transactions essay and have to parse through 2/3 of the question dealing with contracts stuff and 1/3 dealing with secured transactions.<br /><br />And most importantly for me, I feel no obligation to go through them again and again later. My learning style has always been: read it, hear it, write it. Which is very annoying because it takes a lot of time, but I am successful that way. And I shouldn't try to fix what isn't broken.<br /><br />So hooray for feeling like I'm actually getting something out of today's study session.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-46540666370548262492008-06-18T13:40:00.002-05:002008-06-18T14:02:28.639-05:00I thank you, no. I'd rather drive.I never thought that I would live to see the day that I would willingly, almost happily, decline to participate in any air travel. Naturally, for work, I will have no choice, but for personal travel, I don't have to do it. And unless it's an exceptional case, I'm not going to. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/12/AR2008061203914.html">This </a>article illustrates why.<br /><br />You know, I've put up with no longer being able to bring water with me to the airport that costs me a small per unit cost because I buy at costco and instead having to spend $2 at the airport to know that I can have a drink when I get thirsty on an airplane. Because heaven only knows when the flight attendants will get around to it. And I've put up with longer security lines, ridiculous rules about baggies, and having air shot up my skirt as part of the anti-terrorist campaign. Fine. A pain in the butt, you betcha, but fine. But I'm drawing the line now. I will NOT pay $2 on the plane for water or soda or $5 for some food on a cross country flight that <span style="font-style: italic;">isn't</span> at a mealtime. I just won't.<br /><br />I had big plans to go visit my dearest friend on the other side of the country right after the bar. We were going to boat, lay around, and generally let our small children make our plans for us for about two weeks. But I can't now. Not when it will cost nearly $1000 to fly myself and my daughter there... and of course, that doesn't include any baggage or comforts on the flight. I miss my dear friend, but I simply can't afford that price tag right now, nor do I have any desire to deal with the drama that flying has become.<br /><br />In my early childhood, I lived overseas and travelled more miles than I can conceive of flying for the rest of my life. It was before southwest, even partly before the rules about no smoking on flights. It was when there were free headsets and you had hot meals and lots of snacks and drinks. It was when flight attendants were there, and knew that as their job description, to make the passengers as comfortable as possible. As I grew up and we moved back to the states, I travelled less and less and began noting the differences each flight that I took. All of a sudden, the seats were smaller, the leg room disappeared, the flight attendants looked bothered if you asked them for anything at all and sharply told you they were not there for your comfort but only for your safety. But air travel was less expensive because I could choose to be entertained and cattle-carred to my location on Southwest. And I didn't mind so much forgoing the hot meals and other nice amenities because of the price break. But then the price started creeping up and I noticed that everyone cost abou tthe same and every airline treated you the same (like shit) and flew even less. (I do like Jet Blue but even they are getting really expensive and they simply don't have enough routes to places I need to go yet.) And then there was 9/11. And the whole experience just became one uncomfortable pain in the ass.<br /><br />We still flew, at least once a year, and then there was this spring. Our flights over the ocean and back again for our amazing vacation were a new low. Delta outdid themselves on horrid service and little to no amenities. I think the lowest point was where they put out a variety of 2 liter beverages, inclyding water and said "serve yourself" and so I did... and when I came back for my third trip in 5 minutes, I got a sternly worded "you're only entitled to your share." I haven't wanted to punch a woman like I did in that moment for years. And she didn't apologize when I explained how I was getting drinks for my whole family and that my daughter, who had SLEPT through the first beverage service was dehydrated and needed TWO WHOLE DIXIE CUPS of water.<br /><br />So when I read about the baggage fees, I decided that I would pay more for a ticket on an airline that didn't do that. And then the thing with the drinks came out, and I just decided that it was enough. One of the airlines PR people said "oh, people won't stop flying; they'll just pack lighter." Really? Have you talked to your customers lately. I have several good friends plannig driving vacations instead this year. Even with the price of gas because the airline hassle is simply not worth it. And people are used to driving even long distances. In college I drove 6 hours home about once a month. In high school, I drove 4 hours to the beach about once a month. And on random vacations, I've generally held the rule that I can go anywhere happily that I can reach in about 12 hours.<br /><br />So yeah, after the bar, I will be taking a vacation, by car somewhere I hadn't been planning on going. And I'll cringe at the pump and think "at least the airlines didn't get my money."Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-77539615318759045152008-06-16T17:09:00.002-05:002008-06-16T17:45:19.163-05:00Open Letter to BarbriDear <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Barbri</span>,<br /><br />I am dissatisfied. I am dissatisfied with most of your product. I shelled out the couple of thousand for your bar review course for a couple of specific things: 1) the materials (books, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">cd</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">dvd</span>, lectures), 2) the services ("grading" of practice essays and a simulated practice exam), and 3) your schedule. Allow me to illustrate why I am dissatisfied.<br /><br />First, for being a gigantically, fear-instilling box of materials, they are, well, a little light on some of the most important parts. Out of the thousands and thousands of pages that you sent, maybe 200, if I'm feeling really generous maybe 300 pages are actually specific to my state. They are shoved at the beginning of my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">conviser</span>, usually with no rhyme or reason as to where it goes in the big or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">conviser</span> version of the main outlines. You rarely show us "hey, dummy, this is what is different!" This is what I needed from you. I learned the federal and majority rules and odd minority rules in law school; what I was expecting from you was help with my <span style="font-style: italic;">specific state's laws</span> since you know, I am after all taking MY STATE'S bar! However, at this point, I do realize that however paltry your assistance is for my own state law, it is surely much better than I could have gathered on my own over the course of the summer.<br /><br />The essays are maddening. The conflicting <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">instructions</span> from my essay lecturer to many of the comments given by the content lecturers are irritating. Should I or should I not argue both sides?<br /><br />The lecturers. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Hmm</span>. Many of them are excellent. Some of them are less so. And a few are down right obnoxious. (Of course, maybe I wouldn't find them as obnoxious if the guy you hired to push the DVD in the player and click play wasn't hard of hearing and we didn't have to listen to the damn lectures at top decibel until our ears ring.) Almost all of the workbook fill-in-the-blank materials are great. In fact, I think the 4 lectures I had without that were the worst and bespeaks laziness on the part of whoever was responsible for creating them (which I have gathered is the lecturer).<br /><br />Second, the services are half-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">assed</span>. As I look at it, other than the "materials," you have said that you will grade my essays and practice test, provide proctors for the lectures, and a local attorney <span style="font-style: italic;">available</span> to answer our local questions. It is not extraordinarily helpful for me to get the same grade again and again (which all my friends get as well, coincidence? I think not) that basically tell me, great writing, great organization, but the law is wrong. No kidding. The law is wrong? The law that YOU told me not to memorize yet??? Shocking result. And could we get a couple of proctors who, I don't know, do anything other than press play and volume up? I went to the night lecture a couple of times when I had conflicts, and I could kiss that proctor. He puts on the board at the get go: "This lecture is x minutes long." I like that because even if it's awful, I know BEFORE to call kiddie backup or can just mentally prepare myself for a nastily long haul. He also puts up a reminder of when the next essay is due or if something has come back. He's useful. He's not just taking up space, and his hearing, happily is better than his day time <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">compadres</span>. Now, I could harp on the local <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">attorney</span> thing, especially his particularly awful lecture on essays (all stuff you should have learned in high school), but I'll just highlight the main problem: coming in once a week (or more like every 9 or 10 days) for 15 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">minutes</span> right before the morning lecture = less useful.<br /><br />Third, the lectures run too long without warnings (and sometimes appropriate breaks) and the self-paced schedule is ridiculous in light of the goals YOU told us when we started.<br /><br />When the lectures last more than the 3.5 hours listed on the schedule. We need to know about it--in advance. Why do I separate this out? Because it is not the lecturers' fault that you marked ONE SINGLE day on my calendar notifying me that we were going to go an extra half an hour. People have outside commitments: <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">whether</span> child care, work, or countless other obligations. If I'm told that the lectures will end everyday by 12:30, except for the one time noted on my calendar that will go until 1:00, then I PLAN MY LIFE accordingly. It has been exasperating to have lecture after lecture go anywhere between 15-45 minutes over the scheduled time. And in an effort to make up time, some of the longest lectures (I'm looking at YOU evidence) make the breaks only after much longer intervals than normal. This is hard stuff. A normal person only has so much room in his head and attention span to fill that space. It's no good to have the wiggles for 20 minutes at a time as the lecturer goes over and a student thinking: hope my babysitter can stay a little longer, or hope the partner will understand that I'm late, or dammit I have to pee! Now, I understand that because you <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">retape</span> new lectures every year (which I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">grateful</span> for) makes it impossible for you to know when you make up the initial schedules how long the time is going to run. But would it kill you to have a place on the web site that we could check for updates? Then those of us with other commitments could continue to plan our lives around you, but with far more accuracy.<br /><br />And last, but certainly not least, and currently most dear to my heart, your self-paced program is unrealistic and fairly demoralizing. You should build a one day break in every week. People would perform better if they had a chance to rest. Or even use it as a chance to catch up. My biggest problem with the self-paced program is that it starts to feel like a bunch of meaningless exercises. You told us not to worry about memorizing right now. To be a robot and just follow the schedule, that July is the time for memorizing. And I get that to a certain extent. But writing essay after essay that tests me on the exception to an exception to the rule? It's just demoralizing. And panic-inducing. Maybe that's what you want: if everyone panics then they will try harder to be superman and keep your schedule. But, I'm telling you, it's a waste of time. Instead of coming to the exact opposite conclusion and spending a full 30 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">minutes</span> articulating carefully the rules and the reasons why... only to discover it's some obscure rule that I read in the big <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">outline</span> and wasn't mentioned in the lecture and therefore not reviewable when I reviewed my lecture notes. I understand that those kinds of questions are fair game on the bar. But perhaps, for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">every one's</span> sanity (not to mention making the grading a wee-bit more worth the time), how about assigning us the constitutional law question that talks about <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">ANYTHING</span> we covered in the lecture instead of some weird criminal law point on ineffective assistance of counsel and appeals. After all, I thought the point of the essays now was to get us used to the funky <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">faux</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">IRAC</span> for the bar . . . and NOT to memorize and therefore be able to regurgitate the right answer to weird questions.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Yayarolly</span>, one dissatisfied customerJoeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12648769.post-84311592173910127782008-06-12T10:19:00.003-05:002008-06-12T10:27:38.830-05:00Being a law mom has always yielded unexpected benefitsAnd today is no exception. This week is my daughter's limbo week: school ended last week and camp <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">doesn't</span> start until next week. The first part of this week she went with the in-laws and her cousin to Yellowstone. And has come back acting more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fiercely</span> independent than normal. Sigh. In any case, I'm going to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Barbri</span> night class tonight and tomorrow night since she is back now.<br /><br />Plans for today: walk/ride to park and play for a few hours; catch a bus to the library/eatery/movie theater area for library browsing, lunch, and Horton Hears a Who (I'm too cheap to watch it in the expensive theater... my daughter thinks that movies only cost a dollar.). Then bus back and craft time to make something for daddy's day. And then make dinner together and play 1950s housewife and daughter with dinner ready when hubby comes home. Of course, reality will come crashing back rudely as I dash out the door with a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">tupperware</span> of the hot supper and bolt to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">barbri</span> class. :)<br /><br />I think key to that laundry list 'o fun up there is the noticeable lack of study time. Which i had a little anxiety about until about 30 minutes ago when I talked with my daughter about today. And really, her excitement is too infectious to not get caught up in.<br /><br />So today, being a law mom is helping me (forcing me) to take a much needed break and enjoy the day.Joeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15717565730524910678noreply@blogger.com0