OCI and it's long painfully drawn out process is over

five million interviews--check
one million callbacks--check
telling about 150 attorneys the same answer to the same question about 150 times--check
flyouts done--check
eating way too much food--check
diet started to fight the call back expansion in my ass--check
really fabulous decisions to make--check
total inability to concentrate on anything--check check

Which brings me to utter and sheer panic on the thought that not only am I GROSSLY behind in the reading for all of my classes, but here it is the freaking END of October and I have started diddly doo dah on my outlines. Cwap! At least constantly missing class for other appointments is done, so I have a shot in hell of learning something.

Time flies when you are crazy

I can't believe it's been a week since my last post. I think mostly I was "present" last week, but I'm not sure that I got anything out of it. I'm still in callback heaven/trauma/hell--pick your poison. For what it's worth, in some very superficial way, I really am able to tell a difference between the firms just by talking with folks for 30-40 minutes for a whole morning at their firm. And happily, the firm I thought that I would love best is still far and away my first choice (please, let them give me an offer!). I say happily, because I kind of thought that I had this whole "impressions" thing with firms going on. You know, some sort of conglomeration of impressions of meeting them at a firm crawl, or on campus brown bag, or even first interviews. So far, my thougths really haven't changed. the only really positive thing that I've gotten out of some of the interviews is that there seem to be a lot of really incredible women attorneys in this town. And that's kind of fun.

My note is due tomorrow. dum da dum DA dum! I have officially met the minimum page count :) which is really what it is all about. OK not really. But seriously, I am so sick of the darn thing. I did want to be published, but honestly, turning it in tomorrow is nothing more than a ticky mark on my gigantic list of things to do. I've got about 5-8 more pages of stuff that I need to put into it this afternoon to solidify the whole thing. But it ain't pretty. And I'm honestly not all that particularly sure that it is useful to anyone. Gotta love going through this process only to discover that it was really a big fat waste of time.

Sigh, and at the end of classes last week, I tried to talk to a guest lecturer we've had for almost three weeks while our real prof is off galivanting somewhere and discoverd that guest lecturer dude really doesn't like me and rightfully so. I didn't know who he was the first day of class and he attended our lecture. i went to ask the real prof something and basically ignored this guy (I thought he was another student waiting a turn to talk to the prof). At some point during my conversation with the prof I realized this dude was in fact not a student and I did the chicken out thing and just finished my conversation and left. No apology, no backpeddling no nothing. And I've never apologized. And I feel kind of bad about that. Especially now that I know he really can't stand me. I don't like that. And I really don't like that realizing that is the only thing that has lit a fire under me to apologize. guh. ew. I'm a tiny little person. being a big person sucks.

To top my week off, my kid is sick yet again and now *drum roll please* she's got pneumonia. Lovely. That about makes my week. Thank heavens that our fall break is around the corner. Or I might have to step in front of a bus just to get some rest.

*raspberry*

Interviewing starts and other fun

I had my first few interviews today. I was much more relaxed this year than last year, so that in itself is a great thing, but now the trick is figuring out if that made me seem more personable. And I just have no idea. The bottom line for me is that I did not apply anywhere that I think that I would hate to work, but I did, out of desparation, apply to a couple of places that I think would not be as much fun or suited to what kind of practice and lifestyle that I want to pursue. So, as long as I get one offer which means then, at least one callback, I'm fine. But of course I have preferences. A top 5 if you will. i had firsts with 2 of my top five this morning. Now I guess there is nothing to do but wait.

On another somewhat related note: on occasion, I read a work/life blog for attorneys called Up to Par. They've pointed to another related blog (JD Bliss) with an fun billable hours calculator. It's always comforting to me to see that it isn't really that hard to hit targets for firms that I've applied to. Good thought.

A sense of entitlement?

So I've had the first "good" consequences of OCI come my way--a lovely gift in my mailbox from a firm. It wasn't a bad gift, but the letter that accompanied it kind of made my teeth hurt. Hooray for you, your shit doesn't stink. Congratulations on making law review. Ok, so perhaps that is not what is actually said, but that was pretty much the sentiment. I went home and showed my spouse the gift and we were both amazed that just because I made law review some lawyers think i should have a gift. it's an odd world here in the tiny law community.

After the "gift-day", I had an opportunity (read not mandatory but mostly) to hang out with some of the law review board people. First, they were all very nice. Sincerely nice. Which was great. Second, it was surreal. None of them would ever say that they were entitled to anything, but there is already this aura of "I'm going to be rolling in money" around a lot of them. And I think they all know that they are dripping with "smarts." It wasn't unpleasant per se, but it was odd. And I think that what made it seem odd to me was that I was supposed to be a grub-level member of this club. And I'm not sure if I really fit in with that, or if I really want to. I'm sticking with my first thought: it's just odd. Thank heavens they are nice. Otherwise, well I just don't want to think about it.

People think I know stuff

It's frightening, isn't it? how one little year of law school starts brother in law asking about his property problem or mom's contract problem or uncle's tort problem. It's also frightening that the school thinks I'm a model "law school mom". Yeah, I participated (as the voice of wisdom *snigger*) in a few 2L panels for the 1l orientation this last week. For the most part, it was a good experience. I do have some strategy for dealing with sick kids etc, but overall, I was a little concerned about the incoming class. They're so freaking quiet, except for their 2 class jerks. Seriously dude, don't ask in front of your whole class how to get yourself "hooked up" with a study group of the top students that were admitted. At least in my world, there are no "top" students once you start law school... not until your law school grades come out. LSAT and GPA mean crap. And some small, tiny, little person seriously is fixated on this? Gimme a break.

None of the questions were surprising. I think Law and Mommyhood had it about right when she said that the answer to all of the questions at these kinds of panels is "whatever works for you." I honestly don't think that I used any of the info or tips the 2Ls gave us last year, but I did have piece of mind after the panels. Just knowing that everyone does it differently and still survives was a nice security blanket.

I order the book that they forgot to tell us about from Barristerbooks.com. I'm the rep for them at my school, so I was able to use my rewards points that I earned to offset the cost of the book admirably well and have super fast shipping. So hopefully I will have it by Wednesday.

I'm about half way through my real estate transfer homework for the week, and so far it is really interesting. It's got my brain turning around why people use buyer's brokers at all. It would be tons cheaper for everyone in the long run if buyers just used an attorney. But that's a whole other topic.

Your lack of planning, unfortunately, is my emergency

Frustration with the administration once again. We've had our class book lists for about 2-3 weeks now. Which is why i was able to purchase all but one class's books online. The last book was no where to be found. So fine, I will buy it at the bookstore, but they don't have it yet. Lovely. Then I realized, wait just a sec, how can my class really have only one book that is only $25? Impossible. And of course I was right. I just saw the reading list for next week and shock of all shocks, there is an actual $100-ish case book for the class after all. And no, the bookstore did not order it all.

So I discover this at 5 something Friday night before the first week of class and am now scrambling to find it online. And I have, but the soonest I can get it is likely next Friday. Sigh. I hate stuff like this. it drives me batty.

Just call me June... Cleaver that is

I can't believe I just vacuumed my house while wearing heels. Wonders never cease.

Advice needed--keep commercial paper?

So, one of the blessigns of taking summer school is that I can slack off thereafter in terms of credits. One way to do this is just take 12 credits a semester. Another way is to take a really light fall, 10 credits-ish, and then take 13 or 14 to make up for it. After totally reorganizing my fall and spring schedule (and now I am MUCH more excited about my classes), I am taking (for sure) con law 2, real estate finance, and bankrupcty in the fall. I am currently signed up for commercial paper too. it's only two credits and it meets just once a week. My faculty advisor thinks that I should drop it. He pointed out that I will have a lot more going on with law review and interviews and that all of those classes are relatively challenging to really understand.

In my heart, I know he's right. And I am SO freaking tired right now. And my LR note has to be written by October 1. And it always takes me 2-3 weeks at the beginning of a semester to be able to read my cases quickly (there's just a huge upcurve on the lingo in a subject and deciphering what your prof thinks is imporant). The only reasons I want to take it are 1) I'm actually interested (I know, I'm a sicko), 2) I'm not sure if it will be offered next year, and 3) there are SO many interesting classes that I want to take and not enough time to take them in.

So what do you think?

hindsight and procrastination

hindsight:
I think (know) I am really going to regret doing the SBA thing. I really don't see eye to eye with the pres, who I am reasonably certain lives in outer space because he sure isn't a part of this world. Sigh. He's a leap before you look kind of guy... but in an odd way. He considers leaping off of three different cliffs, then picks one and goes. Sounds like looking first, but he doesn't and this is what is so frustrating. He's not a long term planner/thinker/dealer with consequences person. Double sigh. If I were not in an elected position, I would quit. Truly I would. Because the amount of mental pain I'm going to have to go through is just not worth it. Alas, I was a sucker and ran for soemthing. And now I'm stuck with it. And it's practically against my religion to just be a flake. I wish I didn't have such scruples. Oh well. I won't think about that today. i will think about it tomorrow.

Which brings us to procrastination.
I had family in town this weekend, so that means that since Wed last I have done practically zip, zero, doodah. Where to find inspiration to get on it? Threat of failing doesn't make me do, it just makes me freak out. Sigh. Quadruple sigh.

Still, it could be worse. I could have the bar tomorrow. good luck all you bar takers.

Drowning

I don't know when my summer got completely psycho, bit it is, and I tell you: It's killing me. Seriously I have slightly less than two weeks for 2 papers, one of which is awhole grade, the other is half my grade... the other half of that grade is multi-choice. and we all know how I feel about that and then I have the MPRE.

And to put a little icing on that ulcer, I've found out that my Law Review topic is due the first week in august and the first required submission (not first draft, read: publishable draft) is the first week in October.

Someone please come and shoot me now.

BTW--is anyone else having problems getting to volokh.com?

Do I really want to graduate when...

I see the shellshocked looking recent grads as they come into their last week or so of studying for the bar. Seriously, these people look spent, most look like they could use a shower, and the tension in the library is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Poor souls. Oh, the things to look forward to.

Holy Cats! Only three more weeks until...

• The MPRE
• finals are over, which means I owe 2 papers and a MC test

Suck. I'm in deep doodoo. Breathe.


____________________________________


Update: A fire is officially lit under my tush. I've just ploughed through 2 of the books I thought would help me on one of my papers. I'm hitting 2 more today and some law review articles.

I will survive.

Worst day of my life

Ok, so that was rather hyperbolic, but I am definately having a downer day. I feel like i have faield at my externship. I know that I am over-reacting, but I can't help but feel it's partly true. In the last 5 or so weeks I've written three things for the court. One that is polished and pretty... which the judge has yet to see. And two things that were drafts that the fulltime clerk wanted to see after I finished a draft. And that was it... a draft. I gave it to them and said... the citations need cleaning, and I need to do a serious organizational and grammatical edit. You know, this is a first draft. Sigh. So imagine my utter horror at THAT VERSION being given to the judge. Shit.

And I feel like the clerk I gave this stuff to now no longer thinks I can do anything. It was a first freaking draft. Lesson learned: when they say draft... they mean pretty damn close to finished. Sigh. Damnit. From a networking way, I just feel like these weeks were totally wasted. Shit.

Writing lessons:

• The passive voice is loved by me... i know this but I usually clean that up on edit. I need to write in active voice to start with.
• My transactional phrases at the sentence level suck. I usually forget the phrases and just go with the single word transition like rather or however or moreover... and those are lovely but there are lovely transitional phrases that read well too.
• i need to outline a wee bit more before I write... so i realize when two different claims have the same element ahead of time, so i don't write like an idiot.
• And i need ot spend less time researching and just start writing already.
  

Not a happy day for Joey. But hey, it's almost over, right?

trying to put a good face on it: I really have learned tons and tons about what good writing is and nuances on pleadings that i don't think i would have learned before.

still... it's going to be awkward to say why i don't have a letter of recommendation from this judge when it's interviewing time. At least I still have an "A" in my writing class to try and talk around.

I am cursed

Why why why!? I ask you again. Why? How is it possible that the one psychotic grade/rank gossiper in my school is the only person I see at campus tonight. She kidnapped me for almost an hour about the finer points of whether she would be number 3 or number 4. I don't give a rats ass. Don't tell me who got what. Don't tell me your ambitions... just don't talk to me.


On a happy note, I had a better grade than her in a class and I could see her visibly deflate at that. :) There is a god.

Stick a fork in 1L, I'm done

Seriously. I'm tried. That's really the only way to describe what I am feeling right now. Not euphoric, not relieved, just tired. And a little concerned if my speech will ever be the same again... I've been spitting out spoonerisms over the last week like it's going out of style. Seriously, I don't sound like a bright girl. So it is.

Tomorrow we are going on a family vacation for a week. Originally, it was going to be for a week and a half, but this way is better, so I have a few days to, you know, do laundry etc when we get back before I start my externship and Summer classes. I bought the two books I need for my ethics class today. Thank you amazon marketplace and half.com for saving me $70.

So we'll have radio silence for the next week or so here at the yayarolly. Enjoy your beginning of summer. I'm going to Disneyland.

The last phase of 1L hazing: law review write on

So I have mixed feelings about this whole thing. I am happy that I have more than a shot in hell of getting onto our law review because everyone has to write on. Grades factor in, but no one gets in solely on their grades. After this last round of finals, this is a very good thing for me.

And I had 2 happy restful days between turning in my paper and starting the write on. I watched about 6 episodes of Gilmore Girls, first season; hit major sales for suits and shoes, and generally vegged. Oh, and I reminded my daughter that I am in fact, her mummy.

So the bad thing is that I'm still tired and I don't want to work. But the good thing is that I am not confused. Really, I had this epiphany that I really, truly learned useful things this year that I will really, truly use in everyday practice. The write on is an interoffice memo that LRev gives you like you are an associate; they've done all the research for you. You just have to read through the research, ferret out the red herrings, and write the memo. When you think about it, it's pretty much the same thing that will happen to you as a summer associate... except you will have to do the research too.

In any case, after I read the assignment and read through a few of the cases, while I was and still am a little puzzled about some of the "terms of art" sprinkled throughout these cases (and we are NOT allowed to use a legal dictionary, sigh), I understood the main arguments we would need to make and was able to ignore the stuff that is just background noise. So score one for me. I can take a legal problem, break it down, and apply research to make my point.

I know I'm a sick puppy, but this is kind of fun.

ethical dilemma for law students and profs to weigh in on

So here's the ethical dilemma. I've come to find out that some people will write a verbose answer to a given topic in their outline like executive power or standing. Does everyone do this? Is it OK to do this. Most people that I've queried at my school say, well, you are allowed to bring in anything that is your own work product, so that would fit. But everyone seems to say that with an uncomfortable pinching look on their face.

Part of me says, well, great, if you want to put that much effort into your prep for the exam, go you. But the other part of me says, but wait, that saves them TONS of time on the test. They can't copy and paste, but they can transcribe quickly, which in the end might be unfair to people who come to the test with only an outline, which as I was taught in jr high, is not something containing complete sentences.

What do you tihnk? I'm really on the fence here. But I am leaning toward it not passing ethical muster. It's the gut reaction. It just feels wrong. I've found that siting down and taking timed practice tests are the only way to go because just writing it down once or twice helps me get started on the actual test. I'm not sitting there thinking I know this stuff, but how do I write it down best.

I truly welcome both sides here. Let me know what you think.

Wow, 1L classes are over

Seriously, this last year has to have been the fastest mad dash of time in my memory. But I made it through. Ironically enough, first day of class my daughter was dog sick and last day of class my daughter is dog sick. Which sucks generally. We're starting to talk about getting tubes in her ears, but I guess she is a little older than when they usually do it? I don't know. I just wish she didn't have to be sick so much, poor thing.

Which brings me to the firm declaration, that you, a mom, can go trhough law school and survive. Sometimes you feel like it is by the skin of your teeth, but nonetheless you come out OK.

I'm not going to talk about finals right now, I'll think of that tomorrow.

So 1L class recap for me:

favorite class: this is a toughy, it's a toss up between civ pro, contracts and property, leaning toward contracts.

least favorite class: Con law, hands down.

odd thing i learned that i didn't plan on learning: hmmm, 2 major ones I guess. law school is like jr high, complete with gossip or getting used to the administration, which is so not operating from a business model, but embracing gleefully an academic model (translation: talk, talk, talk, do nothing)

favorite prof: prof contracts. bless that woman and her love of the UCC. Don't worry prof contracts, I'll wait 'til you come back from visiting and take your other glorious UCC classes.

biggest nonacademic perk: amazing freaking people that I go to school with. really, there are only a few big stinkers. I'm touched when I think of the dear friends that I have made here. Surprised at some of them being 10 years my junior. But overwhelmed by the decency of my classmates. Here's to us, collegial atmospheres and just being who we are!

Oral arguments are over, thank heavens

Yeah, um that sucked. No really. That was just bad. I will say, I'm sure it could have been worse. But not by much. I was just not prepared for the line of questions that the "judge" threw at me.

To add insult to injury, my opponent is one of those annoying put herself up by putting you down kinds of people. And she likes to publish her victories. Which is annoying. I'm being small. But I got creamed by the judge. I don't know if I actually got creamed by my opponent because I think i was shellshocked at that point, so I didn't really follow her argument.

Can I go crawl into a hole now? Only if i take my conlaw hornbook with me.

agnabbit!!!!!!!

So you are won_ering what the hell '_agnabbit" is... well i'll tell you. What things are in common in these wor_s? _ogs, _inner, _elicious, _umb, _amnit... why yes, they are all missing a character at the front of the wor_. That is because... that character is no longer working on my _amn laptop.

Sigh. An_ my warranty plan is only goo_ mon_ay through fri_ay. Snarl! Coul_ this come at a worse time? So, I'm going out to buy a USB keyboar_ so that I can you know, finish the million things that I have to freaking type.