101 Wednesday, #2

Remember that time I told y'all I would start doing 101 Wednesdays, but then didn't update for a reallllly (ridiculously, embarrassingly) long time? Yeah. I'm not really sorry, but I can pretend I am.

I was going to do it, but then I carried on living my life. 

Good news is that leading my life consisted of tackling a few things on my list. Specifically, I can report that I crossed off numbers 4, 19, 59, 78, and 92 and started on quite a few more. And here is my synopsis of living my life and crossing things off lists (which is my FAVORITE)....

Like smiling, only with lists

4) Pass Texas Bar Exam: I found out on 05/02/13 that I passed. I'd like to be all cool and say I was really reserved and totally expected to pass, but the truth was I was drunk because that was the only way my mother could tolerate me that day (thus she enabled my margarita habit) and that I nearly had a stroke in the backseat of my own car (she was driving, given my impaired condition) when I heard the joyous news. I got sworn in this Monday (05/13/13).

Pretty sure I did something akin to this in my car.
The spinning may have been because of margaritas, though. 

19) Participate in a 5K: a few weeks before I took the Texas Bar Exam, I was clearly experiencing a bout of dementia, and thus signed up to run in a local 5K benefiting the Lion's Club Camp (great cause, people). I then ran it THE WEEKEND AFTER MY BAR EXAM. I'm going to let that sink in for a second. To say this was ambitious was an understatement, especially given my tendency to hate running and life in general after such a harrowing event.

Then I went, and I won the damn thing. It was 3.35 miles long (a quarter mile longer than the 5K is supposed to be), and I ran it in 28:02, which means I actually ran faster than a 27 minute 5K, which has always been a goal I wanted to meet. I even got an award and everything. (Note: I won the entire woman's event, and that was partially because the fast awesome beasts of women were running the 10K and left me to my rookie 3.1 miles, but DAMMIT, I'LL TAKE MY AWARD AND MY CONGRATS AND THAT IS THAT.)

59) Drink the requisite 8 glasses of water every day for a week: I started trying to do this around the beginning of January, and around the end of March, I not only started doing it, but I made it a habit. I'm now drinking 8-10 (or more) glasses of water every day, and I'm glad I embarked upon one thing that may benefit my health in the long run.

Now if only I could break my horrible crack and list addictions...

78) Roast marshmallows around a campfire: my little brother was slated to have a sleepover for his 12th birthday, complete with marshmallows and ghost stories and all that. I made him adorable invitations to said event, which he went and distributed to his friends..including GIRLS. :) Imagine my mom's chagrin when one of the girl's moms texted her inquiring about the "co-ed sleepover"  (all in good fun). Long story short, everyone came over, a good time was had by all, and I ate those GINORMOUS marshmallows normally reserved for chubby bunny games at church lock-ins.

(Also, if you never played chubby bunny in a church lock-in, I don't particularly feel sorry for you, because it ruins your ability to enjoy marshmallows for a really long time while simultaneously making you unattractive to the opposite sex for however long it takes them to mindbleach your grotesque and contorted face from their memories.)

92) Meet up with at least one of my twitter friends in real life: while taking the Texas Bar Exam, I got to meet Zilly and Amby!!!! THIS WAS AWESOME. THEY ARE AWESOME. I lerve them. And I am now resolving to meet more of my twitter friends in real life. Kayla, YOU'RE NEXT.

(Amby and I went out for dinner the night before the exam, which calmed my nerves, and she gave me an adorable "bar exam gift bag" which was precious and awesome and DID I MENTION I LERVE HER? Zilly was kind enough to cart my ass down to the testing site and not strangle me when I got too annoying--because let's not lie, I'm annoying and those tests don't exactly bring out the best qualities in people.)

Making Short-Term Goals

I recently read a post by one of my friends discussing various (financial) goals she made for herself and accomplished, and it made me seriously consider the state of my own affairs/life. Yes, I've graduated from law school and passed the bar, and yes, I've been scrambling to find a job, but I haven't really sat down and analyzed my goals in a logical, coherent way. I'm a person who bites off more than she can chew, and I tend to overwhelm myself with goals, which is why I rarely make them. I, instead, mostly focus on the little things day by day, and hope that I eventually reach the big picture.

While I realize a large part of my frustration has to do with the (shitty) economy and lack of (respectable) legal jobs for new graduates, there has to be a better way of approaching my joblessness and mounting desperation resulting from the realization that I may be, quite possibly, a true member of the boomerang generation. Thus, I sat down and asked myself DATES I'd like to have certain things materialize by, and what I would need to do in order to accomplish those goals. This was difficult, because a lot of my aspirations have everything to do with other people and their decision to hire me, which is something I can only marginally control.

Nonetheless, I've created a list of goals that I hope to realize within the next few months. Here goes....

These months are the tentative dates I hope to have these particular things accomplished by, and while there are some big ticket items on there, I realize I may not accomplish things in this order. However, there's nothing I like better than crossing stuff off a list, so wish me luck.

What goals are y'all seeking to accomplish in the next few months?

Barbri, Day 3

Today's Barbri preview focused on Constitutional Law and Evidence and OH MY GOD I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AND WE'RE ALL GONNNNNNNAAAA DIIIIIIEEEEEEEE.

But for reals, it was (again) totally demoralizing, although definitely not surprising, with regard to how little I know. Completely.

Notes from today:

1) Got to see the Criminal Law teacher again...he reminds me of Steven Colbert, and makes my day better. Particularly when he uses the mnemonic device BARRRRRRK (okay, I added a few extra Rs in the there, but he is totally awesome).

2) As a side note: mnemonic is THE WORST AND HARDEST WORD IN THE ENTIRE WORLD TO SPELL.

3) Also got to see the majorly awesome Torts prof again, but he wasn't as organized for Constitutional Law and it gave me the sadz.

4) Went and printed off study tips for approaching the MBE. Panic attack is likely to ensue any moment now.

5) Constitutional Law is going to suck, and I don't care what the guy said--I'm not going to be the majority of people who get 24/33 correct because I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO REMEMBER ALL THIS INFORMATION AND STUFF IT INTO MY HEAD AND MAKE IT STAY THERE. (I'm pretty sure this info leaks out of my ears at night.)

Tomorrow we are set to take a 100 question, 3 hour practice test. Lots of people aren't showing up to the school tomorrow because they can do it at home. I know better than this. I would sleep until eleven, play with shiny things, cuddle with my dogs, and then take eleventy billion hours to try to get through it. So I'm dragging my happy ass to the school tomorrow, because if I don't have the discipline to take it at home, you bet your sweet bippy that I'll have the discipline to haul my ass somewhere that ensures I do. And no, that's not sarcasm.

In other news, I think I'm going to be taking a nice weekender for Memorial Day, and may even get the chance to yell FREEEEEBIRD in a setting that's suitably appropriate. White trash nirvana? Oh hells to the yes. Am I okay with this?

FREEEEEEEEEEBIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRD!!!!!!!!!

(duh)

Poor Decision-Making Lawyers of Tomorrow (PDMLT)

My very first day in my Legal Writing class, my classmates and I were expected to stand up and tell everyone else our name, where we were from, our undergrad degree choice, and why we chose law school. Below are a list of reasons people gave...(and my reasons for shooting many of these rationales down)

1) "I want to help people"--while this is certainly a worthwhile endeavor, many burn out before they even truly get started. If you want to help people, you need to reassess this job, because the law isn't fair, and sometimes it isn't even just. Bleeding hearts? They break.

2) "I want to make money'--HA. If you do, somehow, make 120K a year, I hope you like NOT having a life. And doing menial work. And generally not having time to enjoy the money you've made. Of course, considering how difficult it is to even obtain a job, the amount of money ain't exactly enticing.

3) "My parents are both lawyers"--Maybe you'll at least have a job after law school. You'll also be practicing in their shadows for the rest of your life. Or have to listen to them talk about how you messed something up.

4) "I like to argue"--So does my mom. That doesn't mean she's schlepping off to law school every single day. This is probably the stupidest reason EVER to go to law school. You want to force others to put up with your bad habits because you believe it's necessary to the practice of law? Ever heard the phrase you catch more flies with honey? Well, I'm not in the business of catching flies, but if I were, I wouldn't be doing it by screaming at them.

5) "I've wanted to do this since I was 5 years old"--I wanted to be a unicorn when I was five years old. What do five year olds know, anyway?

6) "I didn't want to have to look for a job in this shitty economy"--legitimate enough, but have you read about the job opportunities that await us after law school? They're not looking so hot. And now you have an extra 70K of law school debt riding on your shoulders. 

7) "I can't do anything with a degree in Women's Studies"--again, true, but why the hell didn't you think of this BEFORE you finished undergrad? I've also found that people going to law school because their undergrad degree sucks are generally not that interested in the practice of law.

And my favorite one (and probably the most legitimate reason for one of my incredible peer's decision to enroll)?

8) "Have you ever seen My Cousin Vinny?"

New Semester=New Year's Resolutions

Even as a child, I always loved the first day of school. I loved new pencils and paper, new binders, new bookbags, and the smell of classrooms the first time you walked into them. I loved the new chalk, and the clean chalkboards, and the way it was still dark outside when I woke up the first time in my new grade. My mom and dad fostered this love with pancakes and Beauty and the Beast backpack, and new school clothes. And to this day, I love the first day of school.

Which is why I'm sad that tomorrow is my last first day of school. Tomorrow, I'll wake up early, ride the bus to my classes, and maybe even pack my lunch. I'm come home to a dog who's glad to see me, and with shittons of work already assigned. And, like always, I'll take this time to write a list of New Year resolutions, because, let's be real: a school year is a more definitive change than the first of the year. I'll probably break them, but for a little accountability, I figured why not put them on my blog for the entire blogging community to see? So, without fail, as I have done every single year since Kindergarten, I'm making my list:

1) I will be organized -- I make this promise every single year. I'm actually a whole lot better at the whole organization thing than I was in Kindergarten. Back then, my desk was disgusting and I forgot my homework all the time and left my lunch on the table at my house. I still do this, actually (although not as much). Perhaps this will be the year I can get a handle on everything, as I now have a lot more stuff to be responsible for and organized about. This includes my house, my car, my locker, my desk, my bookbag....well, you get the picture....

2) I will be active -- as I get older, my metabolism slows down more. I get complacent. My ass gets bigger. I'm marginally disciplined about my health, but perhaps this will be the year I actually start actively participating in sunrise yoga. I really want to. I do. But it's at 6:00 in the morning. Perhaps I'll fall back on my Jillian Michaels' yoga tape and sleep in a little more. Regardless, my dog is overweight and I'm not getting any younger, so I'm definitely resolving to start putting myself first in the health department. (No, I'm not resolving to lose weight or work out more. I actually work out more than you'd anticipate, and I'm at a very good weight. I just want my mind to be more centered, to participate in a 5K in under 27 minutes, which won't happen by itself, and not forgo the gym to finish that brief.)

3) I will figure out what I want to be when I grow up -- this is a first on the list. The clock's now ticking. Obviously, I will be a lawyer. I enjoy criminal law. I also like eating. I'm not that picky, but as there are limited career options out there for me, I'd really like to find something that I enjoy doing and not make peanuts doing it. I've even considered auditioning at a cattle call for one of the legal dramas. Maybe even write for one. God knows I'm not lacking in the imagination department. Regardless, I'd like to pursue a career. And anyone who has watched Chris Rock's standup routine knows there is a difference between a career and a job.

4) I will read for my classes -- let's  not kid ourselves. This one will probably fall by the wayside at least a time or two. Or five. Don't judge me. 

5) I will make memories -- I have a limited amount of friends. My mom likes to say I'm socially inept. She's right. I find a few, and I'm good with that. So this year, I'm saying fuck making new friends (because I may, and I may not), and building memories with the ones I've got.

I'm sure I'll add to this list, and I'm going to make a list of more insignificant things that will play second fiddle to these. Regardless, this is going to be a good year.

Because I said so.

Old friends and new beginnings

Went to an old roommate's wedding this weekend. Caterwauled  Sang during the ceremony. Drank during the reception. A good time was had by all, and I enjoyed getting to see people I hadn't seen for several years. We told old war stories, laughed about our most ridiculous memories, and generally felt old because people are getting engaged/married/having babies and it's not shocking anymore.

And because we're reaching the points in our lives where we are actually carving out our career paths. And considering class reunions (yes, it's still a few years away, but STILL). And losing our metabolisms and having to work super hard to maintain our girlish figures. And contemplating our late twenties rather than our early twenties.

Growing old doesn't have to be terrifying though. I've been able to meet people who are restarting their lives in law school at 40, and by God, they are having the times of their lives getting along just fine. Every day, I see women who bust their ass in the gym and look/feel better at 45 than they did at 20. There's a chance to learn, to live, and to enjoy life in such a way that you don't consider when you're barely twenty.

This is really just an aside though. The wedding was beautiful, my friend was GORGEOUS, the dress was fantastic. Open bar=cha-ching. And I figured out what I'm going to do for my creative summer project (stay tuned, Budget Blonde).

And (drum roll please)....I totally booked airfare and a rental car for Orlando. Up next....timeshare points galore.

BEST.SUMMER.EVER. Can I get an amen from the front?

Summer vacay on the cheap

Leonidas and I have been weighing our options regarding summer vacay. He's a notorious spender, while I'm a total cheapskate spendthrift. This would seem to be a good thing, as I would presumably put him on the "straight and narrow," and influence him positively to spend his money wisely. This isn't the case though, because Leonidas equates a deal to a cheap alternative to something better something too good to be true. At any rate, we've decided to go somewhere hot and fun and QUICKLY, because we only know his schedule a few days in advance. We've opted for Florida, and we're thinking Orlando. This means beach access, as well as some time at Disney and Universal Studios. It also means a few cocktails, some good food, and some cheesy souvenirs for Maxine, Danny, Cyd, and Calvin.

I'm envisioning our days starting something like this:

Followed by some of this:

And a lot of these:

And ending like this:

 

In short, I'm anticipating paradise. And between my parent's timeshare points, Allegient Airlines cheap fare, and the fantabulous company of the ever-entertaining Leonidas, it's sure to not disappoint!


Any suggestions from my fellow cheapskates spendthrifts on good deals down in Florida? (Too bad, Leonidas....my cheapness reigns supreme.)

Sometimes, I just like to gloat....

I've got a few other blog entries in the works (mostly bemoaning how much lawyers that make me read shit on subjects they've mangled beyond human recognition SUCK), but I figured y'all could do with an update (I would have done it last night, but I went to bed at 10:00 like a geriatric lady). My summer goes something like this:

May: BUSY BUSY BUSY--no time to think; no time to relax; no time to play.
June: BUSIER BUSIER BUSIER--got to finish work; have a big event I have to go to; no time for vacay.
July: DEAD DEAD DEAD--this is the month I really need to find a job for the rest of the summer, lest I sit around on my ass eating hohos and watching reruns of Glee (which at this very moment, sounds like heaven) for the rest of the summer. I've got a wedding in New Orleans to attend (whoop whoop), a vacation to possibly plan, and a crazy family to attend to (and by attend to, I mean leach on for a little while and benefit from their craziness in such a way that finishing law school doesn't seem quite so bad).

August, I'm planning for school to start, getting some volunteering in, and by God, I've GOT to network so I may potentially have a job after my 3L year. No more fucking around--I needs to make some monies. I don't need lots of monies....just some. Pleaze? (I will start talking in lol catz if need be to get a damnable job.)

Other than this, I'm assessing different blog subjects to address in my limited experience with the law. Mostly it consists of bitching (which seems to be the norm), worries about the economy (check out the bitter lawyer's blog to see how common this one is), and sheer idiocy because I love the law and my current job (this is not common, and even though I hate some of the idiot briefs I read and have lawyer's necks I want to wring, the people here are awesome, the workload is manageable, and I'M LEARNING HOW TO BE A LAWYER, Y'ALL!).

I guess, in a nutshell, I can say I'm enjoying life. I like getting up at the buttcrack of dawn, playing with my dogs (who I shall now call Crackers), packing my lunch and gym bag, and being an ADULT! It's neato, without the pressure of actually making money (thanks Danny and Maxine!).

Yep. Life's pretty awesome right now.