Breakin’ Down the Block

I’ve hit a bit of a blogger’s block recently, probably because I’ve been so busy with classes; between reading cases for class discussions, outlining notes for finals, which I know are months away but I have to start early, and writing my first memo, which sounds deceptively short, I haven’t had much time to breathe. I barely had time to work in my workout, which consisted of the 1/2 mile walk to classes and the 1/2 walk back last week because I had car trouble. Any way, I figured I would give my readers a little information about what its like to be in law school and some bits of wisdom/snark that I’ve picked up recently. After all this is week six of fourteen.

First of all, in undergrad I took McDaniel courses, had Clyde for quite a few classes, and did mock trial, which were actually really good preparation for the adventure that is law school. There is a lot of reading and studying, and I spend at least three to four hours a night with the laptop up, my casebooks out, and a set of highlighters. This is just in preparation for class discussions; I have to brief between two and four cases per class in order to keep up, and then I go back and type up my briefs and compile my notes after each class in order to be able to create my outlines, which are very important. having McDaniel has taught me to read massive amounts of material, synthesize it for class discussion, and to manage my time between readings well. Mock Trial gave me something extra to balance, and learning that art of balancing it all has really helped me get through, I will talk about that later in this entry though.

Outlines are also very important for studying for finals, which begin right after Thanksgiving Break. So I guess I should explain why I am already working on them with finals so very far away. In law school you cover a large amount of material in a relatively short amount of time, which means that if you wait too long to get started on compiling your notes from class then you will spend the last three weeks of classes in full on panic mode worrying about how you will study your wide and varied notes thoroughly enough to be able to pass your finals. So I started outlining about a week and a half ago, and I spend at least an hour and half, often more, updating them after we finish a chunk of information in class. I have a separate spiral notebook for each class, and I am currently writing out my outlines, but when it gets closer to crunch time I will be typing them up and reorganizing them so that I get a second massive dose of working through the materials. It’s not fun or exciting, but it is important.

I’ve been spend a good two hours a night every other night working on my Closed Memo for BLS. Now you might think that working on a memo would be a quick task that would take an hour max to finish. And you would be wrong. The memo is actually a 1600 words or less monstrosity that is right now looming over my head and haunting my like Jacob Marley. It’s due October 5, and I am only about 1/3 of the way through my draft. It seems that every time I try to make some progress on it I get stuck. I did, however, finish my statement of facts, and it actually looks like it might be right. The thing has four basic parts, and I haven’t even really gotten deep into the hardest part of it. But with a little more perseverance I should be able to get through it. It’s frustrating, but not impossible.

I’ve made several discoveries over the past six weeks. First of all, there is an art to being able to balance law school and the rest of life, and I’d like to think I am doing a fairly good job of it. I manage to stay pretty much caught up and ahead in classes, find time to talk to Wash and the family on a regular basis, eat decent and pretty healthy meals, have at least an hour or so of relaxation every other day or so, and make time to go down to the fitness room in the apartment building for a workout. I have only had one melt down, and that was over something that was not completely law school related. Now if I could just find time to read my new Dan Brown novel; I’m afraid I will start reading it and get nothin’ done until I finish it. They aren’t lying to you when they tell you that law school is a full time job. But it is managable. I even figured out a way to be able to occassionally go home to TN in order to visit my family and the boyfriend. My “To Do” list grows, but with a bit of hard work I can keep it pruned down. I’m managing to keep up.

I’ve discovered that there are a lot of different kinds of law students around here, and then there are just plain strange people. I sit by a variety of characters, and at some point I will have to make a list of the “species” I’ve encounted. For now I’ll just tell you about a few of the more annoying ones. First, there are the entitled people; I figure they feel entitled to two or three chairs to theirselves no matter how busy and crowded the room is, since they insist on not putting their bags on the floor and will use an extra chair just to put their bags in. Half the time those bags are ratty old things that are just not that delicate. There are also the people who sit next to you in class and smack their gum. I have nothing against eating in class or drinking in class, I do it all the time, especially if I’m running late and breakfast for me is a couple of Pop Tarts and a bottle of water. I at least try to eat quietly. But honestly, if you can’t chew your food or gum quietly and must make loud smacking sounds as you roll spit and gum/food in your mouth, just refrain from eating in class because its distracting to those of us who are trying to pay attention so that we are not caught off guard when the professor calls on us. No one is going to accept “I’m sorry I couldn’t hear the question over the cow next to me chewing its cud.”  as a reason for not having the anwer. In addition to these, we also have some of the same kinds of people you have in undergrad, like the guy in the front or back of the room who will without fail complicate the issue at hand an insert random commentary based on his life experience.

Well considering the length of this post, which is crazy long, I’d say my blogger’s block is broken.

It’s Summer Time

So I’m running out of awesome creative titles for my posts. Please ignore the failure of topic titles.

As my days at Middle have come to a close, I find myself remembering that I’ve got to take care of some housekeeping. I was reminded this morning as I tried to access my campus email, to have my messages forwarded, and could not use my pipeline account to access my email. Gasp, Middle is severing ties, at least until they want me to wear that t-shirt and send them money. So now, I need to give them an email address to forward my mail, tell Facebook to use my new email address, make it stop sending notifications, and let everyone know that they can contact me through the new email, which is conveniently attached to my little used AM account. That reminds me, it’s time I started using that again. There is a lot to do as summer begins in earnest,and I find myself now officially a college grad. I’m waiting on the LSAC to post my LOR, which is way longer than it should; it’s got me incredibly frustrated because without the letter I can’t apply to this last law school and if I can’t get in there I have to wait a year for law school, which I really don’t want to do for reasons I will get to later.

I’ve decided I will try to start my little fictional blog project, and everything is set to do so. I’ve got the three main characters mapped out, a few minor characters planned, and a couple of plot lines I want to play through.  I even know how I will set up the blog. I have just one problem. I can’t think of a title. Since Andi, the main character, is to be a writer, I want the title to make at least a small reference to writing. At the moment I am toying with the following idea “Worn Jeans, Chipped Polish, and Brand New Pens”, but that feels really wordy. I want it to suit her sort of low maintenance persona; Andi is the kind of woman who wears well broken in jeans, her nail polish is always chipped, her room is a mess, and yet she always has a new pen to write with and a can always find it. So if you have idea for a title, throw it my way.

Like I said earlier, it’s summer time, and that means planning a mini vacation. My aunt gave me a time share for graduation, but she didn’t get the info to me very fast, so I’m flailing about trying to plan a time and location, which depends on availability. I’d like to go to Myrtle Beach, since I’ve never been and it’s a pretty place, but I may not get to go there. I need to find a place and get it all settled pretty quick since plans will have to be made around the vacation, like rescheduling hair appointments and things. Yeah, this paragraph is short and bland and pointless.

Monday was Memorial Day, and we spent the day at my nanny’s; there was some cooking to be done and a quilt that needed laid out so that she could set it together. Wash was also in attendance; he came that evening after he got off work. We had a really good time, and Wash fit in very well. Buddy, the massive rottie, took to him very quickly and with absolutely no problems. Buddy usually at least growls at strangers, but he just  leaned on Wash so that he would pet him. It was barbecue and laughs, and if there hadn’t been mosquitoes it would’ve been perfect. Wash played football with the kid brother, and after Mom and the kid left, Wash and I wrestled around with the ball for a while. Wash and my Nanny talked about stuff, and I tried not get eaten alive by the bugs. Everyone seems to like him a lot, and I’m pretty sure they do. That’s good, because I happen to love him, a lot. As always pictures are on my Flikr; they are in the Memorial Day 2009 set.

Wash is part of the reason I don’t want to wait a year for law school. You see waiting a year for law school means adding a year to the wait to make Wash and I permanent, something we are planning to do eventually. It’s not really smart to try and start a life while I’m in law school, since I can only work 20 hours a week and will be super busy, and he’s in grad school, especially considering that we may very well be at different schools to finish off our educations. Three years is a long enough wait, but now, unless I get very lucky, it looks like at least four years. Yes, dear readers, I lack patience, and I always have. Honestly, after all the hurdles and all the pain I’ve had in my life, finally things are looking up again. I’m happy with Wash, and I want to make things permanent; this whole mess with law school and complications is getting old. I guess it’s just that when you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. If there weren’t things that made it too difficult, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t mind making it permanent in a year, when he graduates college. Alas for the complications. Anyway the rain is pouring now, and I’ve rambled on for long enough.

Quote of the day: “I want to cry like the rain
Cry like the rain
Shine like sun on a beautiful mornin’
Sing to the heavens like the church bells ringin’
Fight with the devil and go down swingin’
Fly like a bird, roll like a stone
Love like I ain’t afraid to be alone
Take everything that this world has to give
I want to live” -”I Want to Live” Josh Gracin

I will not ask the world to stop turning

It always takes me forever to get a post up. I’ve been meaning to post this for a while, but I got very busy with finals and preparing for graduation. That’s right, Zoe has a degree in political science. I’m just waiting for grades to be posted to make it official. I’ll get to that later. I guess it will start from the beginning.

Since posting the last entry  a lot has happened. I attended the Mock Banquet, where I watched Wash officially named secretary of the organization and I was actually given the Pillar of Mock Trial award. Hard to believe I will actually be remembered, to be perfectly honest. I highly doubt they will miss me all that much. Something bigger happened that night, more important. Wash said he loved me, and I will talk about that more in a minute.  I thought a lot about the project from the last post, and I think that I may put up poll about it. I wrote two final papers and took three final exams.  Saturday I walked across the stage in my black robe and mortar board, and I now have a bachelor’s degree. That my readers is a brief summary of current events in my life. So let’s talk about some stuff in more detail.

I have this incredibly defined vision of that character I was talking about in the last entry. She’s a brilliant writer, at least she hopes, and is far from perfect. I’d really like to try this little project, especially since until I am able to find work, which is unlikely because people are not interested in hiring only for the summer, I will have a lot of time on my hands. If the project were successfulthen I would have plenty to do. However, I have chickened out because if I get zero readers then its been another failed experiment that wasn’t really worth my effort. Anyway, this is not a particularly interesting segment of the blog so I will move on to something else.

Like I said earlier, the night of the mock trial banquet, which was a few weeks ago, Wash said those three little words. I was really surprised, more so at myself, because I was able to say it back and mean it. I know it sounds like I am being melodramatic, but I wasn’t sure that I would feel this way again, and yet I do. I love him, readers, with all my heart. It’s a huge step forward, and it’s one I am so glad that we are taking. It’s different with Wash, and not in a bad way. You see, Wash is a bit more old-fashioned than I am, but I don’t mind. In fact perhaps its better this way. He doesn’t believe in sex before marriage, and while I have definite views that aren’t exactly the same, he’s more than worth the wait. The reason I think that it may be better this way is that if we wait we are more likely to know that its right. I don’t have doubts, not at all, but I do know that I don’t want to rush into something we aren’t ready for. There are limits and lines drawn, and I try my hardest to remember where they are. It’s a matter of experience, something I have quite a lot of actually; been there, done that, got the t-shirt and key chain. I digress. I have given this man my heart, and I have opened up in a way that I thought I never would. I hope some day we have a future together, one where we are at ease and the lines and limits are a thing of the past. I would not mind spending my life with him, and I hope some day I can. There is this big log house, with a private upstairs, spiral staircase, wrap around porch, front porch swing, and garden in back that is just calling out to be built, and I want to build it with him.

I took a step in that direction Saturday when I graduated. I invited Wash to come to breakfast with part of my family, since he would be sitting with them at graduation. He met my mother, little brother, Nanny, and her husband G at breakfast, and as we were waiting for Wash and G to get umbrellas, my Nanny looks at me with this grin on her face and says “He likes you an awful lot.” I nodded in agreement. She then says “He more than likes you.” I told her I knew that. And then, she nearly gives me a cardiac. “You are going to be telling us something soon. I mean it won’t be long, will it?” For a moment it did not dawn on me that she was talking about becoming engaged, and then it hit me. I thought I was going to die. We aren’t there yet, I mean we are working on it, but we are not there yet. Besides, Wash and I have already talked about how it would probably not be a good idea to get married while I am in law school. I sputtered and explained that to her. My Nanny is an incredibly perceptive woman. Wash went with me to see my Grandmama, and he seems to have made a favorable impression on everyone thus far. Like I said, we are making strides.

Graduation was long, or it felt that way. From standing in the ‘ready room’ waiting to march in the procession, to the stifling gym where we all thought we were going to suffocate. I wound up talking to a few classmates from my polisci courses and then sitting around complete strangers, except for that weird guy who sat behind me. The reader mispronounced my name, which was awesome, and then I couldn’t find my family. I hate the MC a lot, but luckily I will only need to be back long enough to go to Wash’s graduation next year. I should be in law school by then. I still don’t officially graduate untilt he grades are posted, but I’m pretty sure I did. It will be Wednesday before I know for sure. After the ceremony Wash took me home to change then we went out to celebrate. We wound up going to see his paternal grandmother, so now I’ve met her, and then to this really great little burger place in the Boro. After that we just hung out all night, mainly because there is nothing to do in this town.

Well that’s it for now, readers. I’ve bored you long enough, and the man I love, also known as Wash, has sent me a text.

Quote of the Day: “Just so you don’t get complacent we’ve left you a few things to do: AIDS, world hunger, and world peace. And in your spare time you can try to solve global warming and the economic crisis” ~ Brigadier General Terry M. “Max” Haston, talking about the Class of 2009 and what they will face at Spring Commencement 2009, MTSU.

And the Beat Goes On

So, readers, it’s time for a little update on what’s been happening in my life. Lately  you’ve just been getting random updates without much substance, so I’ll give you a much meatier post. Beware, this thing could have some serious length to it.

Let’s start with some things that are ending. Thursday night is mock trial banquet, since much to Wash’s dismay mock prom was canceled; that means there will be no formal wear on the Zoe, which is why Wash is a bit disappointed. Instead we will do dinner at the Chinese restaurant like always with awards and laughter and story telling. It will be my last mock trial banquet, as this was my last season. Mock has caused me a lot of stress over the years; well that is an understatement. But it’s also been a lot of fun. I’ve met a lot of great people, and really it’s how I got to know Wash. It’s done me a lot of good as well.  I’ve grown stronger as a public speaker, and I’ve learned how to write and argue much better than I once could.  The other thing that’s ending is my college career; you see I am graduating in May, on the 9th, and I will become an MTSU Alumnus instead of a college student. It’s a scary thought, I’m not going to lie. I will, God willing, find myself in a more cutthroat and difficult environment next semester, law school. But I do have an amazing support system in my friends, my family, and Wash.

Thinking of law school, I’m at the moment praying that when I get my applications in near the middle of the week it will not be too late. I’m really hoping that I get accepted at UT Knox’s law school because I missed the deadline for my dream school. Fate handed me a raw deal, and I have been so swamped that filling out applications wasn’t low on the to do list because I have to graduate first. So I haven’t been able to get all my stuff taken care of. At the moment I am terrified that I am too late and that I will be out of luck until next year; I’m scared to death that I won’t get into law school and will have to wait a year, which means first of all I will be off my parents’ insurance due to my age and second of all I will have to find a full time job, that I will only work a year, in this lousy, job poor economy. I’m also afraid that some thing will happen that will prevent me from going all together. I know, weird right, Zoe is scared. But it happens.

I went to the doctor a few weeks ago and discovered that I am a great deal heavier than I thought, which means I am really cracking down on my habits. No more two or three cokes a day, even if its a diet coke, and no more eating bunches of junk. Starting tomorrow I will be keeping “health journal” where I will write down everything I eat and all the exercise I do. I’m hoping it will inspire me to get healthier and excercise more; I’m going to be watching to see how my eating habits and work out habits balance out and working for a better balance that will help me trim my waist line and tone up. No matter how many times Wash tells me I’m beautiful and not fat, the fact reman I’ve let myself get fat and I’ve got to stop it.

On Wash and Zoe front things are moving as they have been, toward a future that makes me smile. At the moment we are on the quest for the perfect song to be our song. After all if we ever do get married or anything someday, we’ll need a song to play, and besides its always nice to have a song that suits you. Wash insists that it be a duet, so that we can sing it together, but I don’t have the same confidence in my singing ability that he does. Wash has a great voice, and I love it when he sings to me. But I just don’t think I have that kind of ability, I know once upon a time had I worked with my voice I could’ve been good. Either way, I guess with practice I might be ok. He wrote a song for us, and it was really cute and sweet, but it shall not be our song. The search is on for a song that suits us, and it’s harder than I thought. He invited me to Panama City Beach this summer, but its a family vacation, and I just don’t think I’m ready for that, not yet anyway. Not to mention the fact that as much as I love the beach I’m not so into being fat in a swimsuit in front of him and his family, which is an argument Wash cannot understand. Next year though, next year I just might  because then we will have been together a little over a year and a half, and I will be more aquainted with his family and the like. And hopefull I will be less fat. This year we will make other plans to do things, and we will still have fun. I look forward this summer and having the time to spend with Wash.

Oh, and at some point tonight I will showcase my latest culinary adventure.

Quote of the Day: “Forget regret or life is yours to miss” – Rent

Prom All Over

Yes, dear readers, you read the title correctly; Zoe, the college senior is blogging about prom. Why, you ask, a look of confusion on your face. Well, you see, Mock Trial is having prom this year, instead of our banquet, which is the usual plan at the end of the season. We normally all get together and go to a restaurant where we eat and give out awards, then we just go our separate ways. Not this year. This year we are going to all wear formal attire and have a prom, which is an idea spawning from our secretary Rache, which means it’s time to buckle down and see if I can’t fit Zoe, the consummate tomboy, back into a dress that is icy blue and puffy. Yes, I wore  puffy ball gown to prom my senior year. It was affectionately named the Cinderella dress, and it was huge, the skirt takes up most of my bed. It was so big that we had to take my date’s Explorer instead of the awesome Crossfire to prom because I wouldn’t fit in the little sports car. This means that it will be difficult to get into Wash’s Civic and buckle up because I’m pretty sure the dress has not shrunk in size.

The problem is that I have not shrunk in size, and I am at least a dress size or two bigger than I was senior year of high school. SoI’m hitting the treadmill and the ab lounge; I’ve eaten the last of my V-day candy from Wash, and now I’m eating very little in the way of junk food and I’ve had only a few diet cokes. I was drinking too many cokes, and I am now drinking more water and slimfasts instead. I’ve got until May 2, the day of Mock Prom, to lose enough inches to fit into that dress, and it won’t be an easy task. I’m have to really work on it and work hard. I can’t really afford to buy a new dress, nor do I want to buy another dress that I know I will never wear again. Honestly, if I really could afford it I would buy a new one because the Cinderella dress has too much froufrouy to suit my personality. But I suppose that I will just make do and get all dolled up in the froufrou dress. I’m going to do my own hair instead of spending a fortune on my hair this time. All I really need is to buy is shoes and probably some sort of jewelry.

And yes, Wash is my date for Mock Prom, and I’m a bit afraid that my huge dress will not fit in the Civic. I am excited for Mock Prom, though a might concerned that I will not be able to get into my dress. I’ve got a long way to go to get into the thing. But I think it will be fun to get all pretty again and really pretend to be a real lady. Most times I shout at people who call me a lady and inform them rather quickly that I am no lady. But hey, I am an actress. So I’d better get back to work on my mock trial and fixing my lunch. Then it’s to the treadmill and ab lounge.