he getting so big

Derek is growing up too fast. John and I want to give him coffee in order to stunt his growth, both physically and mentally!

He stopped kissing us at school drop-off a couple of years ago. If we don't kiss around the corner before heading on to the street the school is on, forget it. We get some kind of sideways hug and he runs off. His last year has been trying to go to school by himself. He is dying to have us just leave him at the bus stop and let him walk all the way by himself. I usually cross the street and let him go the rest of the way by himself, only because there is a crossing guard on his school's street. And I still walk far enough so I can see him go inside the building. Only just see him because he runs all the way once he leaves him.

We just started giving him an allowance and he's trying to save up to buy a Wii, but only until tempted by a bag of chips! I've also begun letting him go to the bodega by himself. I used to wait on my door stoop and watch him go and come back. Before that, I'd go with him and wait outside, because I can see in. Last weekend, I let him go all by himself while I stayed home. The bodega is 2 doors down on our side of the street and they know us very well. There are always a couple of old men sitting down on the sidewalk and they've rescued him from falling off his scooter and bike enough times to know who he is and who his parents are.

Gone is my little boy. I miss him. This kid is great and his vocabulary slays me. But I miss the little kid I had all to myself for nearly 4 years before we moved here. I think that last year we were in Trinidad was one of the best in terms of me and him. I knew I was going to have to share him soon and I lapped up as much time being with him as I could.

He's so much fun, and so funny. He can't tell a joke to save his life but he is learning about puns and he is hysterical. I really like hanging out with him and sometimes it makes me sad that the time is coming when he won't want to hang out with me.

My mother was such a big part of my world. My friends adored her and she ferried us all over the place. She hung around, but I never really felt she was cramping my style. You know, as much style as my skinny-ass self had in those days. So, no style!

But she always knew where I was, until I was about 17 or so and I got fed up of her and her craziness. She was different when my friends were around, so I encouraged them to be around a lot!

I really don't want Le Pie to think of his mummy the way I think about mine. I want him to be happy with the choices I made for him and us. He likes hearing about when it was just us in Trinidad, but he remembers very little.

He has no memory of ever seeing his birth father and it came as a huge shock to me when he told his Daddy he was angry with his birth father for not wanting him. He didn't ask me and that he asked at all made me feel like a failure. To make it worse, I've had 8+ years to prepare what I was going to say and when the time came, I was lost.

He asked when he was going through a really hard time (he's had a hard year - growing up is no fun sometimes) and it was difficult to juggle that particular conversation with what brought it on and then to discuss it in the context of everything that was troubling him.

I don't think I did as well as I could have. In hindsight, I should have discussed it with John about what we were going to say before just starting to talk. Both at home and at school it's drilled into him about making good choices and dealing with the consequences of when you don't. We tried to weave the conversation using what we've already been teaching him to understand. We tried to tell him that his birth father made his own choices and it had nothing to do with him, that he left long before Le Pie was born.

Still, it was heartbreaking. I dragged my ass on that for a long time. I really felt like I didn't do as well as I should have on it.

But, kids are resilient. He came out of all his troubles, just as bouncy as ever, and that whole mess is tabled for now.

He's not much of a talker of feelings and we've been trying to talk about that some more at home. But sometimes I feel he thinks we put too much emphasis on things he really doesn't want to deal with. But, hey, that's life, kid. And that's what parents do. They drive you insane.

But it has been one amazing experience watching him grow up. He's so cute and I still love kissing his face. I could nomnomnom those cheeks all day if he would let me. And his nosey is the cutest nosey in the world.

I find it hard to believe sometimes he is 8. He's going into 4th grade in September and that's his school's last year of elementary school. I don't know how much of this I can take. Soon there will be girls. Or boys. Requests for money for dating and liming with friends. A curfew. Snazzy clothes. Fewer conversations with his mam.

When he was smaller, I used to look forward to him growing up. Now, I wish he'd slow down a little.

waiting for simon pegg

and he came!

I found out ages ago, via his Twitter feed, that he has a book coming out and will be doing a signing tour in the States. Wha??? No where did I hear he was writing a book. When did that happen?

I love Simon Pegg. And by extension, Nick Frost, Edgar Wright and Jessica Hynes. I saw "Hot Fuzz" somewhere along the way a couple of years ago. I think it popped up in my Netflix recommendations based on my Morse and Inspector Lewis rentals. Whatever!

That movie changed my life!

Ok, maybe nothing quite so dramatic, but I fell in love with 3 men that day. I immediately set out to buy the DVD, realized I bought the wrong one and then set out to buy the 3-disc set! I eventually sent the first one to my son back in Trinidad. Derek's a bit young for the blood, gore and ... who am I kidding? Have you seen the video games this kid plays?

Hot on the heels of "Hot Fuzz" I rented "Spaced" which is kinda the first really big thing the 3 men did together and nearly died laughing. Somehow sensing kindred spirits, I convinced the husband to give his sister and her g/f the box set as a gift. I actually don't own it myself, but will be seeking to rectify that very soon.

Anyhoo, after that, anything Simon Pegg was in was a must-see. Edgar Wright-directed as well but I didn't care for "Scott Pilgrim", I'm very sorry to say. I couldn't make it through the entire movie.

I've seen "Star Trek", "Mission Impossible III", "Run Fatboy, Run", "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People" multiple times. Funnily enough, I've only see "Shaun of the Dead" once. I loved it, but felt that "Hot Fuzz" better captured the love b/w Pegg and Frost and the direction was more kick-ass. I know "Shaun" is Pegg's baby, but no where does it say it also has to be mine.

So I began to follow his Twitter feed a few months back and the man is hysterical. John turned me into a bit of a comic-book geek and I tend to soak up any info when he talks. So I manage to get quite a bit of what Pegg's referring to. I think it would be amaze-balls to get Pegg and my husband in a room together.

When I reached the bookstore yesterday, I got there later than I intended because I got into a rant I seriously regret now and it made me stand in one place far too long screaming irrationally. I had to jump into a cab to get to the Strand on Broadway and E12th St and the line stretched around 2 corners. I went inside to buy a book for Jess but they were sold out! They said I would be able to get one when I go into get my own signed, if they don't sell out.

I was already angry and left the store so I wouldn't yell at the poor woman doing her job. Although I wrote my name on mine, I thought I'd send that to Jess if I get it signed because at least I'd have met him. I could always buy another copy later on.

So I waited. And waited. And waited. I wound up chatting with the woman in front of me and the man behind me in the last half hour or so and we all had a funny time sharing our silly celeb sightings and movies we liked. And how we'd stand in line for David Tennant!

That does not mean I didn't suffer for the first 2 and a half hours. Right in front of me, just before the woman I wound up speaking to, was 3 guys and 2 women. Red shirt came with his mom and the 3 other people might have been together. I isolate red shirt because he made sure to talk non-stop for 3 hours about everything under the sun. Oh man, I wished John was there! Never before have I ever wanted my husband to verbally bitch-slap someone as I did yesterday.

The guy talked incessantly about comics, movies, actors and spoke about none with any real knowledge. I knew more about comics than he did. The 3 people whom he met in the line couldn't get a word in edgewise and the girl with them looked so bored. I've seen some big-mouths in law school, but this guy is going to make me look at them with a great deal more affection. At least, they're in law school. He admitted he's a mama's boy. He also said Vin Diesel is the biggest D&D geek. He also said lesbians make the best friends for straight guys because when a guy is down, the girl will cradle them and it's a free feel-up. That's when I pulled out my iPod and put the volume on the highest so Lady Gaga's "Telephone" would drown out his sickening voice.

Anyhoo, I finally made it inside and my hand was shaking so bad I could barely take a picture. When I got up to Pegg, I couldn't say a word. Thank God I offered to get Jess a book as well because when he opened the book to sign it he asked where's Jess and I was still standing at the table after he signed mine. (Oh, he did say my name and said he liked it!) I said she's my sister-in-law and we had a cheery chat about her being in Oregon and not there.

Oh my God, he was a doll. He made everyone laugh so hard and hammed it up for cameras when he could. He didn't pose for pictures but let everyone take as many as they would like. He stayed to sign every book. I left at 10:30, when the store closed, and he was still there. I didn't get my book signed till close to 10 (after getting there about 6:15!) and there was still a snaking line behind me.

Someone asked what if he left before he got to us. I had read the book, "Nerd Do Well", and said that he really understands what it means to stand in a line to meet someone and has done it himself, even after he became a big star. I was willing to put money down that if there were people still waiting after 10:30, he was going to keep signing. And he did. There was no line outside the store when I left, but there were still people inside the store waiting.

His book is very funny and sweet. He writes lovingly about Nick Frost and his mum. I want my sons to feel that way about me when they get older. Pegg writes about calling his mum to tell her exciting things happening to him, and he's in his thirties!

Quite frankly, the best bit of the book is a self-indulgent story where Simon Pegg is a Bruce Wayne-type who has an adventure while the real Pegg writes his autobiography. It's split up throughout the book and you get a bit of the story every few chapters into the memoir. It's a stand-alone story and just the kind of thing everyone wants to write about himself or herself. It made me laugh out loud in so many places. I really wish I had told him how much I enjoyed that.

But, he signed my book, and Jess', and I took a couple of decent pix and recorded a bit of his silliness. He thanked people for waiting so long and took a few seconds to personalize every single person who stood in front of him. It was totally worth it.

field trip

My Contracts professor organized a trip to the 1st Appellate Division court today. A bunch of us from his class and 3 peeps from other sections showed up to get a small tour of the court house and sit in and watch appellate arguments. This court hears all kinds of appeals and since everyone appeals, this court is a busy one.

My shoes were giving me blisters and I was in agony for the 6-minute tour we got. I actually threw the shoes away afterwards. You do not want to see my toesies, who really hate me now.

The court house is just ornate. It still has much of the original marble and structure from when God was a small boy. For whatever reason, and I can't say I minded much, they kept the cloakrooms where lawyers hung their coats and top hats. It's right next to the the Western Union telegraph booth!

We were given the mini-show round by a sitting judge, who then took us into the room the 5 appellate judges use to discuss the cases after hearing the oral arguments. They get the attorneys' briefs and bench memos from their team of lawyers which give a recommendation about the outcome and they have about 4 or 5 days before hearing the arguments to read all that mess. Power to them!

My professor asked a very interesting question: if they get the info beforehand and a recommendation, and read all the briefs themselves, what good does the oral argument do? Attorneys rarely have more than 10 minutes, and even 10 minutes is a lot, to state their case and their briefs are hundreds of pages long. I'm not sure she gave a proper answer to the question. I think maybe the lawyers use the oral argument to sway the judges on a small matter of law or fact they might have overlooked. Or hammer home public policy. At least that's what my Legal Writing professor said last semester.

A lot of what I saw went against much of what said Writing professor said last semester! In fact, the judge even told us that if we're going out for Moot Court don't use ANYTHING we saw as an example! Too funny.

For example, it was hammered home not to talk over the judge's question. I practically have that tattooed on the back of my hand! Every single lawyer bull-dozed right over judge's questions!

The cases were actually interesting, and not too bad to follow, given that we were not aware of any of the facts beforehand. One case had to do with the Housing Authority and the Appellant lawyer kept referring to his client as "horrifically disabled". He said this multiple times and I cringed every time because one of the sitting judges is a member of the disabled community. He looked like a real show-off because when he asked for rebuttal time, he got a resounding "No" from the presiding judge. Ack!

Another case had a student intern for the appellant. The presiding judge told her supervisor to give her an A!

There were a couple of contract and employment law cases, which were fun. It's nice to know what all the terminology means and how it's being applied. Lots of interpretation, statutory and contractual. That was the best part, in my book. One case had the trial judge ruling that the contract had a clear and plain meaning. The appellant argued that there was another "plain" meaning, and it only has to be plausible, so parol evidence has to be admitted. Loved it!

There was even a procedural issue. A complainant did not move for default judgement at trial, when he should have, and now the other side wants the case dismissed but the respondent is going on about it! It was too funny. I wish I could have laughed out loud over that one.

The longest case was the most confusing. I think it had to do with lawyers! Ok, if the judges couldn't get the issue, how am I supposed to? I think what was going on is that the City... ok let's start from the beginning. If someone cannot afford an attorney, one is provided for them. By Legal Aid, because there is no Office of the Public Defender in NY. Fine. If, for some reason, LA cannot provide an attorney, the judge appoints one pro bono from lawyers in the court. Private practice lawyers are supposed to give up some of their hours to pro bono work. Apparently, NY wants to re-draft the system to do something else. What, I am not rightly sure, but it involves some brouhaha with the Bar Associations.

The last case was a tort medical malpractice case, which was boring and took about five minutes in all.

But it was great hearing the lawyers. Apart from that long case, no one spoke for more than 5 minutes. At the beginning, all the lawyers have to be present, regardless of when they are appearing, and request their time. Most asked for 5 minutes, some appellants asked for rebuttal time as well. There were 18 cases on the calendar, but only 10 were actually heard, as the others were only submitting the written briefs. Oh, 1 set of lawyers just stuck around, for nearly 2 hours, just to make sure the judges do not rule on their case as it is being heard before the Court of Appeals on Thursday! The presiding judge thanked them for waiting so long.

It wasn't the cat fight between lawyers you'd think it could be. In fact, many of the opposing lawyers shook hands and chatted. There was a full viewing house and most of the place got up and left after the Bar Association case. Maybe they knew what was going on!

The judges were awfully nice, not like the ones I had for Moot Court. Even when lawyers were talking over them, THEY hushed and waiting for the lawyer to finish. I wonder how much tattoo removal costs?

holidaying-pet

Has it really only been 10 days since my last final? It seems like forever. This month is really dragging on.

I've been so not a law student for the past 10 days, apart from grade-panic! I've cooked nearly every day this week (not today, I tired!), did laundry, cleaned the kitchen and trying desperately to keep it clean. I really want to put away the living room, but I want to watch tv even more. Guess which wins?

I start back school next Wednesday with Drafting for Contracts. Corporations starts the following week. I got a locker assignment and am going later to store my books and pick up some stuff from the copy center.

I gave up one of my 2 summer jobs, for reasons I cannot list here. But it was the right thing to do. The other job keeps me hip-deep in research and I work from home. No complaints there.

It's been nice to spend time with Derek. We've had tons of family time since I've been home, going out every weekend. My birthday is coming up, as is our outing to Yankee Stadium, which is my birthday gift to the husband. I'm really looking forward to that as it's my very first night game.

Other than that, I will plod along until friends return from places abroad and summer finals start to heat up. I'm so relaxed, I can wait for the tension, thank you very much.

lazy pet

God, it feels so good not to be studying or heading off to school or worrying about heading off to school and studying! It's going to start back in 2 weeks but I am taking advantage of the guilt-free time off while I can!

I slept till well after 11 today. I took Derek to the doctor and came home and made dinner and watched "M", an excellent Fritz Lang film which just stunned me with it's terrific-ness. Tomorrow is more of the same. Actually, less. I am waking up early to take Der to school but fully intend to come back home and sleep in between loads of laundry! And watch tv in between that!

And now that I've seen Ralph Macchio end his run on "Dancing with the Stars" I am going to hit the bed, where I will read for a while, then play Solitaire which always puts me to sleep. Thank you and g'night.

when does a 1L stop being a 1L

When I finish my last exam on Monday? When I get grades? When I finish summer courses? When I drop dead from being so tired?

I feel bone-weary. I can hardly keep my eyes open. It's been a long couple of weeks. I blame Crim Law. No. I'm seriously not going to let that go. It's to blame for cancer as far as I care.

I start one of my summer jobs on the 23rd. It's just a part-time writing gig, working from home. I'm taking all of next week off, once Lawyering is over. Sleeping, mostly, whenever I feel like it.

The back pain is starting to ease up a little. It was bitchin' during the Property final. I had to sit perfectly upright for the heating pad to hit the sore area and it wasn't the most conducive to typing. You know that lovely hunched over the keyboard position you must assume during an exam as you furiously type away the issues? Yeah. Not for Mummy Pet. I looked like I was wearing a corset!

I'm looking forward to next year. I'm a Campus Advocate, so I get to brief the new newbies on the ins and outs. I start to specialize, which should be fun, especially since I have no excuse for bitching as I chose the courses I will be taking. I've managed to do a couple of things that require non-legal writing, so I won't forget how to write like a person. Plus Law and Literature.

Even summer should be interesting, in spite of having to wear a suit in 90º weather! I won't be posting about where I'll be working and any real specifics about the job, but I do have a job and I wanted it and was thrilled to get it. But it will stay off of FB and this blog. I don't think it's secret or sensitive, just good form and it's better to be safe than sorry. Sadly, it means that the husband will bear the brunt of any ranting! But, what are husband for?

hopefully last crim law post

The final was yesterday. It was not in the least bit surprising. After setting exams for 25+ years, the dude cannot come up with anything new. Lucky for me.

I was so relieved, for most of it. I did have 2 moments of panic. I killed the Patterson analysis during my prep but in the exam, I completely blanked on a hugely important step. I had about 10 minutes left during the planning time (he gives us an hour to read and plan before we can actually start typing) and I lay back in my chair and began to pray. I repeated over and over, "C'mon, Petal, you know this." I got worried that someone might hear me so I took a bathroom break I didn't actually need. I went and sat in the stall and said it louder! No dice.

I couldn't sit there for more than a couple of minutes so I went back and hoped by the time I get to the question, I'd remember the damn thing. I had actually got to about three-quarters way done with my answer when it hit me. I was so relieved. This is was one question I should not have had any trouble with and I was reasonably happy with my answer.

The other issue was an approach dealing with felony murder. I remember the barest bones but I couldn't remember the application of the analysis. Nothing brought that sucker back at all.

I had a 3rd issue that had nothing to do with me. A law school exam is usually a fact pattern followed by a question. The fact pattern is very important in that it contains all the information you need to spot the issues. Every piece of information is there for a reason. In this exam, there was a fact pattern that threw in 2 last names (or first names, I have no idea) that were not present anywhere else in the pattern, which was in the form of a newspaper report. Now, I had a serious problem with this. In a Crim Law essay, I reasoned, you'd need witnesses and expert testimony and I had no idea who these 2 people were. The info was nice, yes, but to whom am I supposed to attribute it?

So I called a proctor. They gave me a form and I filled it out. They said they would contact the prof and bring back an answer for me. Let's just say that my experience with this man did not fill me with hope. The form provides a stock answer and anything that is outside that answer has to be announced to the entire class. Guess who sent back the stock answer, which is really no answer at all? Give the girl a kewpie doll.

This man is so disrespectful. That was such a glaring mess. What the hell was I supposed to do with it? I really didn't have time to guess who these people were and I had to just leave it. I was really surprised that no one else raised the issue and a couple of people I spoke to after the exam didn't seem to even notice it.

There is nothing I can do about it now. I thought about taking it to Academic Affairs, but I don't know that it will change anything, especially if no one else cares. I should stop caring as well. The exam is over and I don't ever have to see this man again. But this class raised such ire in me that I cannot explain. I feel like I have to teach my Crim Law for the Bar and I am paying a hell of a lot of $ to get educated about what I need to practice. Gone are the days of theory. I recently sat in front of the school's Dean who talked about preparing attorneys for practice. Clearly, someone didn't get the memo. I know nothing about rape, robbery and we never had any debate about outcomes in a case, many of which were screaming for a different kind of analysis. I have no idea why he is allowed to continue to teach 1Ls Crim Law. Let him glory in his field and leave the Crim to people who can teach it.

I have no interest in Crim Law and never will, but I expected this class to be the most interesting of the lot. I expected the most debate over judicial opinions. I expected a professor who would smile as he saw his students pretend to be prosecutors and defense lawyers and argue points of law. I got nonce of that!

I really need to find a way to let this go. It's over. Time to focus on the exams from classes I enjoyed.

i are going through a "grah"

A grah is an especially black period of bad luck. If you believe in that sort of thing.

I lost my wallet. I had my NY ID and green card in it and that is the most tiresome and frustrating part of it. Replacing my green card could take up to a month, or more, and I cannot get New York ID without it.

I'm bummed about the rest of the stuff but mostly because I cannot do anything about the lost credit and insurance cards. John is primary holder in everything and he has to make all those phone calls. I'm staying out of his way for the next few days.

I called the one card in my name and got that sorted. They even checked to see if any purchases were made yesterday, when I didn't use the card at all. Thankfully, nothing.

I think I lost it getting out of a livery cab in the rain yesterday morning. But I remember taking out the money to pay the cab and putting the wallet back into my pocket. I took money out before we got to our stop and I didn't get any change, so had no reason to take the wallet back out. It was raining really hard and I was so mad that I had to get out of bed to take Derek to Saturday Club in that mess and then find out when I got there that there was no Saturday Club because of the long Easter weekend and then take him back home. But I could swear I put the wallet back into my pocket before I left the cab.

I looked all over the house this morning. It's a pretty big wallet, so it can't fall behind a crack or something. It's also brand-new and just the day before I was telling John how much I loved it because it was so big.

These things happen to people every day and there is no reason for me to shut down over it. The green card thing is troubling, but I will be sending in the request tomorrow morning and praying after that. My new card will be arriving on Thursday and I can stay home to wait for it. In the meantime, finals are looming and I need to focus and study and stay out of John's way!

Oh, and I lost one of the rubber thingies on my ear buds this morning. Thank goodness I will be getting a new iPod and headphones next Saturday. But it's hell on my ear till then.

no job, no glory

So I've been a bit worried that I have no summer job while most people in my class have found some kind of internship or externship. I'd really like a part-time anything at this stage. Anything legal, that is.

I am taking 2 classes over the summer. Corporations is on Tues and Thurs nights and Drafting for Contracts is during the day on Wednesdays. Not the greatest schedule in the world, but I think I can get away with just taking Wednesdays off, depending on the job.

I discovered an excellent opportunity for a dream internship, but its out on Long Island. Even with the angel on my shoulder trying to at least get me an interview, I wouldn't blame the guy for not even wanting to give that to me. The commute can be up to 2 hours, if I choose to get as close to his practice as I can, and it would mean half days two days a week and one whole day off. Who wants that, no matter how great she thinks she is? There's more to think about than the angel.

I've been applying everywhere. I've gone outside my field of interest now and even applying for research jobs. Nothing is uninteresting or isn't something I can learn from, but no one is even getting back to me.

I attended a session by the Career Services office that offered suggestions about tweaking a resume and following up on jobs already applied for. They seem to think that I still have time since I can apply for jobs after exams and still get 8 weeks on a gig if I start July 1. Sound advice, no doubt, but there are things in there that don't make that realistic for me. And what about a holiday with my family? I should be getting 2 weeks off between summer exams and the start of school that I can use to go see my sisters-in-law in Portland. Or our friend Drew in Colorado. Or go to New Paltz. Or have Chris come to visit. Or sleep late.

But, I tweaked my resume and if I'm lucky, I might get to make myself a bit more marketable. But I'm stopping in the middle of next week because I have to study. I needwanthavetoget better grades and the job hunt is just slowing me down.

Monday

So I met with a couple of practicing lawyers and sitting judge yesterday and none of them even ever heard of choice retribution. Just wanted to throw that out into the void.

1L is winding down. Bang pointed out on his calendar "This is how long we have as 1Ls" and I guess it's not really sinking in right now. I'm really excited about 2L, but I still have finals to get through.

My depression is not good. I haven't felt this bad since my days at the Guardian, when all I wanted to do was sleep. Right now, that is exactly what I want to do, and want to do it all the time. I black out when I go to bed and wake up unrested and sleepy. I feel like I haven't slept well in days.

I feel unprepared for finals this time around. There is so much going on and my attention is split in so many directions and I'm just unfocused and unmotivated. So many people are getting away with so much shit in here, it isn't funny. It's actually kinda scary. I'm running out of coping skills and it might be time to tweak the meds.

Of course, posting this vulnerability on a public blog might be fodder for my classmates, all two of them who read it!

A good thing was mini moot court this morning. A few people from my writing class got together and we practiced our advocacy skills. One person spoke while the others acted as judges, firing questions. It went really well. The only problem was that we've been dealing with this all semester and we're out of questions to ask. There's only so much a 1L can anticipate and we are trying to find exit strategies for all kinds of questions. The practice is good, nevertheless, and if Major Moot Court didn't have that pesky writing requirement, I'd so go out for it!

first step to 2L-ness

To say this week has been stinking from the word go is a grand understatement. I have been feeling distant and lonely and very depressed. Home is not the salve it should be and school is pressure because finals are coming up.

A not-sucky thing was a Labor and Employment Law Society event I went to last night. I had fun, learned a lot and made a couple of contacts. I also discovered this morning that I am the Vice President of the Society, having contested the post unopposed. That was nice to wake up to.

One other tiny sliver of a silver lining and that was 2L registration last night. I managed to register with relative ease and only had 2 issues. I got closed out of Professional Responsibility and my Spring part of Explaining Law to the Public was showing up as an error. Both got sorted before I went to bed shortly after 1 a.m. Assistant Registrar Raymond Grant is a rock star, a god, a saint and an angel who walks on earth.

So here's the line-up:

FALL
Explaining Law to the Public I
Professional Responsibility
Evidence
Employment Discrimination
Memo and Brief Writing
Justice Action Center Colloquim course

SPRING
Explaining Law to the Public II
Sexuality and the Law
Employment Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Law & Literature
Intro to Constitutional Law

Now I'm exhausted. I have an interview with Prof Contracts from last semester for a TA position and I do not feel like I could put together a coherent sentence. I also have the Leg Reg reading for tomorrow morning and there is an event I'd like to attend this evening. But I am so tired and bleary-eyed. And midnight registration has very little to do with it.

tonite's the nite

The day every 1L looks forward to: registering for 2L! Actually, the last day of exams is probably more on track with reality, but go with me here.

We register at 12:01 am for the 2L year. Yep. You read right. Tonight. I'm sure there's some great reason that has to do with a server, but, motherfucker, I rather be sleeping.

Here's a good one. I almost would be. I thought registration was tomorrow night and made plans to suit. I happen to overhear someone talking about tonight and wondered if they got some kind of special permission to register 24 hours ahead. Who do I have to blow to get that?

Turns out, I wuz so wrong, I couldn't be wronger if I was a baseball! I can't imagine what I would have done if I came to school in the morning and realized I had not registered and everything I wanted was closed off!

I think I'm fairly safe in the classes I've chosen for my concentration. What worries me are the mandatory classes I have to take: Evidence, Professional Responsibility and Constitutional Law. Everyone wants this professor or that, and I am no different. I've done some asking around about profs I don't know for the first 2 courses and think I made some good choices.

The other classes should be easy enough to swing, I hope. It's getting a bit nerve-wracking as the day draws to a close. I'm glad I will be at Labor and Employment Law Society shindig tonight (even though I'm very sleepy) because it will help pass the time. I'll get home after 10 and will annoy the husband until it's time to register.

I fully expect to be wired afterwards and asked John to take the kid to school in the morning. I don't have to be in school till 2, so I can sleep nice and late. Hopefully, it will be a happy sleep.

Larissa

When you heard her talk, you looked around for Patty or Selma. Or that woman Cheri Oteri played on SNL. You knew that voice meant you ball was never coming back from over her fence. Or you WALKED past her driveway. Never ran. And you left her dog alone.

But when you turned around, what you see is Gorgeous. Heavy brown hair, with reddish tones, bedroom eyes and slim thighs. Her beauty was like a Lara poem and it was no mistake her mother named her Larissa. Next to her, nearly always, was Martha. Not even her clunky gray wrap could hide her stunning body. She chose to uglify herself, tying her dirty blonde hair into a tight ponytail, which only emphasized her well-scrubbed, All-American, girl-next-door face.

But that voice. That Old Bostonian with a hint of Adirondacks cultivated only by years of smoking 2 packs a day since she was 14. Larissa got invited to her first boy-girl party and cadged a pack of her mom's smokes to make an impression. She kissed her first boy and he told everyone he fingered her during two minutes in the closet and she got a "rep". A week later, she kicked him in the 'nads and the jokes stopped. To her face, at least.

She met Martha in college and they were never apart. But they'd been not apart for nearly nine years and life had grown into a comfortable routine. However, their bodies synced for the last nine years meant that they got their periods at the same time. One night a month, they came alive. Tampax-buying night also meant cheap boxes of Chardonnay from the Piggley-Wiggley and mozzarella breadsticks from Pizza Hut.

undecided about blog post title

So I found out that there are slots open in a project-based learning course and I applied for it. It's a 2-semester course and I had to pore over my schedule yet again. I signed up for a second class over the summer. I'm now taking Drafting for Contracts and Corporations and all the classes are from 6-9-something at night!

I'm also job-hunting like crazy. My Judicial Externship does not seem to be panning out and I am now panicking about summer employment. I'm applying all over the place but most places would have already filled their summer vacancies and I'd be lucky to get an interview at this stage. Personally, I won't die without a job. Professionally, it feels like suicide.

I am excited about the project course, which does mean that I will have one less exam per semester! However, I had a look at my Spring exam schedule and I have 3 exams in 3 days! Ack!

and so it begins

Man, I miss "Babylon 5"!!!

The gunning is in full force now that we're all competing for fewer class spaces next year. I knew it was coming, but it still hit me splat in the face. I guess I have no interest in not helping people, but I'm also not really advertising the fact.

It's seems a little less real, this semester, that exams are so close. A month left of school. A month left of classes.

Also, 2L registration is next Thursday. I just found out I got into the Justice Action Center and I'm seriously waffling about joining. I just spoke to a classmate, someone who has no stake in it whatsoever, and he gave me some good advice about joining. However, I had re re-adjust my Fall schedule and give up Professional Responsibility. What that does mean is that I don't have a class that starts before 2 for the entire Fall semester!

Also, no class on Fridays for the entire academic year!

I also realize that a lot of people I know will no longer be in many of my classes. It looks like my field of study is not the most popular choice! It will be tough to keep in touch even though we will be in the same place at the same time. And I will have to make new friends all over again. I guess that can go in the plus column for the JAC.

Machel at MSG

Just to put it out there, this is the first blog post using the Mac. We all welcome Lady Di to the fold. *crowd goes wild*

Also a warning: I is a Trini writing like a Trini, so read at your own risk of understanding.

Ok, Back to Bom.

On Wednesday, March 24, I saw a link on a friend's FB page to the NY Times about Machel Montano playing at the Garden on Friday, March 26. I didn't even stop to think. I immediately set the ticket-buying process in motion and called the husband to make sure we didn't have plans for Friday night or he didn't have plans of his own. I tell you, if he did, I was going to pull every feminine wile I had and beg, borrow and steal the rest to convince him to change HIS plans. His dream of a threesome was thisclose to coming true!

But, he didn't, I pressed buy! Gots me a front circle seat. A couple of years ago, I saw Machel at the same place and bought a cheap seat in the back. This time, I wanted him to sweat on mih!

I got to the Garden just minutes before 8, the scheduled start time, so I was glad not to have to wait for the to start. Mistake.

First up was Treveni, or some such band, I really couldn't tell you, and two Indian boys from the Bamboo calling the people place Madison Square GardenSZ. Fellas, if all you too stupid to pronounce the name of the biggest venue you will ever play, go back home and play at the Nagar. Dem boys was too happy to tell we that it was the first time Chutney ever make it to the Garden, and I coulda dead from shame. First of all, Machel did bring Drupati Ramgoonai when he was here the last time and, yes, she sing "Roll up de Tassa", the chutniest of all chutney soca next to "Lotay La", and wine up she waist all how. Dese two mooks couldn't wine for nothing. It really ent have no second of all.

Then they was finally done and I began to breathe once more. You getting the feeling I against chutney? Well, yes. I against chutney. Chutney soca, maybe, since its aim is actually a fusion of the two styles. But singing lawa music and calling it chutney isn't my cup of tea. It is divisive and promotes a hypocrisy I cannot stand. These same coolie people does let they daughter go to chutney shows and wine they ass down to the ground and love it, but wouldn't let the same girl children go to a tent or play mas because they might rub up on a black man. Kiss my ass, yes.

Ok. Back to Bom.

I got happy too soon, because the 2 boys announce Rikki Jai: "I say Rikki, you say Jai!". I sit down. Wait, I was already sitting down. No matter. I pull out my phone. Thank God I charged it before I left home. Rikki went on about how he didn't mind coming 2nd last year because he save the good stuff for the $2m pot this year. I hear so much about that $2m that I was ready to vomit. More about that to come.

Then Rikki Jai reminded us that we been fans for 20 years. And he bus out "Hold de Lata Mangeskar, gimme soca", and I realize I knew all the words and remember Rikki Jai in he two-tone shirts and shiny pants. He still favoring the shiny-ness, as per his suit, but all a we old now.

He sing something else and I can't tell what it is because I never hear it before and I was deep in "It" on my Android Kindle.

Then some announcer come on and try to tell some rather racist jokes and I steups up and started to play Solitaire. Like they feel we needed an intermission after half an hour of Chutney. I ready to cuss.

It was 9 o'clock before Mr. Man decide to grace the stage. Keep in mind MSG does kick he out at 11, so why he wasting my time with a shit DJ, I just didn't know.

Well, I have very few complaints after that. I jump. I wine left. I wine right. I wine down and I wine back up. It was just bes'. I seriously coulda get charge! (Btw, that is a kick-ass song! I like it more than "Advantageous" and not just cuz I in law school and de song name "Illegal"!)

Oh, and there was a tiger. Yes, a tiger. I am not sure what the hell that was about. Machel come on stage, get in a cage, and presto, zappo, there was a tiger in the cage. They wheel the cage off and Machel rise up from below the stage. Huh. I did try not to study it, but it really was just weird.

He could still wine and I had forgotten how charming his smile was. He wore what look a pair of pants made from vinyl. He even say, "Mih pants cyah take too much, eh!" He looked a little paunchy, but he was as dutty as ever.

After he kill we with the 2011 songs, he start to go back in times. He sang a couple songs by people who have died, Wayne Rodriguez and $hel $hok, and he bus out nearly all the Xtatic big tunes. Farmer was there, and Peter Lewis. And since I know Machel since he small and was "Too Young to Soca", that was my favorite part of the night.

Nah, I lie. He start the cannibal roar from "Congo Man" and I nearly die dead. Then Sparrow come out and I scream so hard, I had to take a drink of water. Sparrow looked so frail, his pigeon-toe chip look like a old man shuffle now. He was old when I was small, but his voice was still so powerful. "Congo Man" is my all-time favorite Sparrow calypso and I still remember when I was old enough to understand what the lyrics meant. Shock and awe! Especially when he drop the "You lie!" on you. Genius!

Then you can't have a King without a Queen, so Rose come out. I've never been a Rose fan. Not because I didn't like she, but she wasn't really on my radar. I knew "Fire in you Wire" and "Tempo" (which I love because my mother from San Fernando!). She was out of my picture when I was growing up.

She sing the two songs (really, the only ones I know!) and Machel call back out Sparrow and presented them with plaques and saluted them blah blah. All a dat was nice, but you can't have Trini without commess. I don't know what Rose story was, but it didn't look like she cared to share the stage with Sparrow and when she get she plaque, she ramble on and on about Australia and New Zealand and flying the flag dere and how Machel is she son and he go fly the flag blah blah. Every time we think she done (and poor Sparrow think she done too because he keep raising his mike to thank Machel) she have something more to say. Or repeat. She just said the same thing about 6 or 8 times.

Finally, she shut up. Sparrow bus out some Midnight Robber lines for the boy and the crowd went wild. Even Machel look stunned. Then, he turn around and shuffle off. But Rose look like she vex she get upstaged and open she mouth again. I pull out meh phone. She say Machel go bring home a Grammy and she left. Fina-fucking-ly.

Machel also brought Benjai and Patrice. I didn't know who she was, either, but I wine anyway. Speaking of wine, Machel's winer girls (sorry, HD dancers) was just boss. And Miss Brittney. I hope he paying that girl well because she might not have children later on in life. She have one sweet ass, though. Every time the winer girls (sorry, HD dancers) come on stage, I was mesmerized!

So, the fete start to wrap up and Machel start he spiel about the government and the $2m and I didn't really want to hear any Kamla ass-kissing. He say how people asking him how he going to spend the money and he say he give $100K to a children's charity. I pick up my coat and start walking out. That is not how I want to see Machel stroking he self.

Then he call Kernal Roberts out from behind the drums. He is Lord Kitchener's son and is the musical director for Machel's band (in whatever incarnation it is). Machel announced when he get he money from the government, he is giving one million dollars to Kernel ("Kernel, boy, you is not a thousand-aire, you is a millionaire). I didn't see Kernal's face when Machel made the actual announcement, but I turned around right after and saw the shy boy watching the ground. I really didn't know what to make of that. A search on the Guardian's website got me some more info about the man and it look like he was a force to be reckoned with from long time.

But, I was already at the door, having made the long trek from the first circle, through the sold out Theater. I was hot, sweaty, hungry and wired. This concert wasn't as good as the last one, which was the best show I've ever seen, anywhere, by anybody, but it was still a slice of home. I had a real good time. Ask my broken body. It'll tell ya!

third-wheely

It's hard making friends. There's no Mummy to hold your hand just before you enter the school doors telling you how awesome you are and how everyone in the room is going to see it too and before you know it, you'll make friends and you won't even remember that you were so worried no one would like you. Just talk to someone, she'd say, and it's easy peezy lemon squeezy after that.

It took a long time to get the friends I gots. I had the best group of friends in high school and it really hurts that we're not in touch other than the odd, weird FB post now and then. In fact, if they check their feeds, I'm pretty sure they know far more about my life than I know about theirs.

I had the best group of friends at University. I keep in touch with only 2 of them now. One just evolved past me into an outlook of life I didn't really care for. One just seems to have disappeared. One got married and seemed to have stopped talking to all his female friends. It was hard to get him to pick up a phone even before that. It was a small group, but we loved each other and really accepted one another for who we really were and didn't demand any kind of unattainable characteristic.

I think I was too caught up in my job at the Guardian to make those kinds of friends. I got a couple of amazing friends out of that time in the media, but I was almost out the door and was pretty much a loner by then. I could barely face myself, let alone the insides of others.

Teaching... well... the less said about that they better. But I did meet some fine women there and one of them is still in my heart. And Table 5 will always have a place there, even though we have fallen out of touch. They were like a grown-up version of my high school friends and I miss them all.

Moving to NY almost broke me. I could cut the loneliness with a dull knife. I left behind 2 of the best people I've ever known and it was crushing. Slowly, it got better, but I've never really opened up to any one here, even now.

Law school is a real trip. I see people around me already forging those law school friendships for life and I feel so distant. One reason I enjoyed being back with A and B was that I could really be myself and just let go. I could talk about what was troubling me, make fun of things and just talk a lot of nonsense that I know they would understand.

I'm too old for this place. They are too young for me. I am left out because I just don't care about the things they care about. I've done it already. It's as simple as that. I did all this already. I have no time for drinking, partying, watching people with suspicion or judging a person by the clothes he wears. And I have a ready-made fuck at home.

I have met people I like but the gulf is so wide, sometimes I wonder if I'll fall in. This really wasn't what I thought would be the thing that affected me the most about law school. I'm also not sure how to let it go. I can't ignore it, because I feel it, but I know there's nothing to be done about it, so do I just wait it out? It's bound to go away?

Stay tuned.

present and future

So keeping up with this semester's work isn't enough. I am choosing courses for my 2L year. I've already revised my schedule 3 times and I'm hoping I get into everything I want. The real challenge comes in the actual application, which we do at midnight (wtf is that about?) on April something-or-other.

Yes, I am taking it seriously. Academic Affairs give us a list of things to do in making choices and learning more and I've done everything. I met with multiple professors and asked for advice. I met with students who are pursuing my field of interest. I've gone to Center info sessions. I've read, emailed, cried.

As for this semester, ees ok, I guess. Crim prof is helping us out with outlining and exam prep, but his classes are still tough to understand. It's frustrating, and it doesn't help I have no interest in the field, so it's hard to bring enthusiasm. Well, I have no interest in pursuing Property either, but I love that class. Ah well.

Bang pointed out that, as of last Tuesday, we have 36 more days as 1Ls. Sigh. Today is Focus Day for Admitted Students and I remember my day fondly. I'm still excited about being in law school, and I am enjoying myself hugely. I think planning my 2L schedule is pretty sobering and it's no more 1L coddling from hear on out. Prof Crim Law pointed out that now is the time to change the way we do things, like study or read cases, before they become bad habits next year.

Right now, though, I'd really like to go home and take a nap!

for posterity and our children

I just wanted to overshare.


@John Hwang
‎5: the number of inches (approximately) of the bone my dog swallowed.

8: the number of religions I've adopted to pray he doesn't need surgery.

Petal Maharaj Hwang
‎*giggle* your dog swallows bone *giggle*

John Hwang
Bitch, the dog could die.

Petal Maharaj Hwang
You gave him the bone!

John Hwang
Yes, but with specific instructions, in writing, not to swallow it.

Petal Maharaj Hwang
Put a bone in your mouth and see if your first instinct isn't to swallow it!

John Hwang
Proves what you know. I just did, and I managed to get the bone out of my mouth before it was halfway down.

Petal Maharaj Hwang
That only means that your technique is poor and you need to practice.

progress! progress. progress?

Second semester is in full swing and I guess I am too. I'm confident and not at the same time. I go to every single class as prepared as I can be. I do the reading, I try to look beyond the cases and the get to the analysis in terms of the subject matter as a whole. I am trying to study in the way the professors tailor their classes. But is that enough?

I've already spent every weekend except this one at school. The only reason I didn't go this weekend was that I used my free time on Friday to prepare for Monday and Wednesday's Criminal Law classes and brought my Property book home. I've been headachey a couple of days last week and slept like a dead woman yesterday during the day. It was the best nap I've ever had and I really didn't want to wake up. I was in Derek's bed and I was so cozy and warm and no one was home and I didn't have to do anything. But up I gots. I wanted popcorn for some reason.

So I just took the day off yesterday. It wasn't really my intention. I intended to study and do laundry, but I did neither. But I was so relaxed and didn't think about school at all. When John and Der came home, I cuddled with John on the sofa and watched tv with him for most of the evening.

But the headache came back this morning b/c I still have the Property reading to do and no BB to spur me into action. We spend large chunks of the weekend together, holed up in a classroom, studying and just listening to each other. It's a very quiet form of encouragement and I find I miss her this weekend.

Let's see. What else has been going on?

Lawyering. What a class. What do I say about that? Nothing that I can write on a public blog while being a lawyer-in-training. As for the work, we have 3 interviewing simulations to complete for the semester and the first is on Tuesday. I have to interview a "client" about her loss of unemployment compensation. I've prepared my questions and will dust off the lawyer-shoes.

I've been trying to work towards finals and my prep is pretty straight-forward for Crim and Prop, but Legislation and Regulation is going to be a challenge. I like the class and it takes a bit for me to get through the reading, but I soldier on and through. I'm not sure how to start to prepare for the final exam, though. It's one of those things where he could ask anything and I can't imagine how.

Crim is something else. The prof is universally disliked, although I've been wondering. He's been kinda pleasant when he's not teaching. He always smiles when he sees me and says hi and chats and laughs with students when they talk to him before and after class. He has a very abstract way of teaching and he teaches more philosophy than what I expected from this class. I certainly expected the class to be more animated, especially since a good two-thirds of the students were really looking forward to it. Not so much now, I think. It's becoming more a chore to go to this class, especially since I have duck-egg interest in Crim Law.

I've signed up for 2 summer courses: Drafting for Contracts and a Judicial Externship. I went to my K prof for some advice and was so glad that my choices (which I had already made!) lined up exactly with what he told me. I'm looking forward to spending my summer in a State Civil Court and learning how to draft an airtight contract. Good times ahead!

Personally: I cleaned out my FB friends list and it was long overdue. I thought of getting rid of FB altogether and just keeping the blog and Twitter, which are more private. I haven't actually stopped thinking of that option.

terrors

I have a lot going on in my head these last few days. I am not happy with the reflection semester one's grades have on my ability, preparation and all-round general brilliance. I have been actively working to improve my approach and habits, even though it's only heading into the 3rd week of classes.

It starts from Day 1. But I'm wondering if I'm slipping back into complacency b/c work at the beginning of the semester is easier than it looks and I feel like I can handle it. I've already given up most of both days of the weekend and had a talk with John about putting more of myself into school and less at home. He's told me not to worry and assured me I don't need to feel overwhelmed or guilty about anything.

Overwhelmed. There is my biggest problem, the root from which all my depression grows. A long time ago, something bad happened and I just couldn't cope with it. I didn't know what to do, so I cried until it actually hurt my chest and I finally went to a doctor.

Over the years I've fought with it and mostly lost. The worst of it came when I moved to NY. I thought being a single mother, mostly friendless with no family or money or love or someone to lean on was the absolute worst thing that could happen to me. And it was. But moving here gave that sucker a real run for its money.

I don't think I was entirely over being alone with Derek. To be thrust into another huge life change just took it all out of me. I don't think I'm ever really going to let go of the terror I felt being so alone and being the only person a little person has to depend on, but I've let some things go over the last 5 years and I've certainly come to terms with the fact that there are things I CAN'T let go. It's now a part of who I am.

Making some kind of peace with myself and the husband has made me less afraid of not being able to cope. I've found that there isn't much that can overwhelm me.

Until now, that is.

I think about the work for the semester and it's no longer doing it week to week. Now it's about preparing for finals all the way. But there's more than that. There is a brief and an oral argument and client interviews. Plus looking for a job. It's so much. Just applying for jobs is a full-time gig and is a huge time-sucker. I've done everything for a Judicial Externship but finish my writing sample and I can't submit that till I meet with someone from the Writing Department, which is sometime this week. Then I have to meet with last semester's professors. Then I have to meet with my Career Advisor at some point.

Time-suckers. I still have to eat and sleep. And shower. And Derek.

Overwhelmed. I don't cope well with being overwhelmed. It terrifies me that I cannot control things, even thing I can objectively handle. I just frighten myself out of the ability.

Deep breath.

that john steinbeck sure knew his robbie burns

Because all my best-laid schemes definitely awry did go!

I'd been feeling crappy for a few days last week, but thought it was the allergies giving me grief. I kept trying to study but couldn't seem to focus, not because I was distracted but b/c I just felt fuzzy. On Saturday, I sneezed non-stop. Oh no! Head cold. Blah!

I wish it was a head cold!

By Sunday, I was flat out dead. Shaking like nobody's business. I was so cold, John had to pull out the huge thick quilt we only use for company! I was already fully dressed, socks and all, plus sheet and a quilt! And a John! It was bad. I don't think I've been this sick since I moved here and had the Winter of Death, where I was sick for about 4 months straight!

Every bone in my body was screaming at me in agony. That day is really a blur now. I'm pretty sure I didn't make it out of bed all day. Most of Monday as well. I managed to email the Profs and a couple of other commitments I had but I mostly couldn't move. I didn't eat until Tuesday, when I felt like I could look at food without wanting to yak. I've always found it funny you can be nauseous when you have no food in your stomach. Even water made me want to throw up. Ginger ale helped and it was all I cared to imbibe for about 3 days. Maybe 2. I think on Sunday, I forced down a bowl of cereal and on Monday, half of a boiled egg. Maybe.

Then came the headaches and cold sweats. I woke up twice on Monday night soaked through. I had to change clothes and everything. My nose has not stopped running and every time I coughed, even now, my head hurt. My face was so congested, I had to soak a washcloth in cold water and place it over my eyes to get some relief. I cannot remember when I felt this ill. I still feel crappy all over and probably sound just as bad.

Derry came home all miserable yesterday. He was fed up of outside food and really wanted some Mummy foody, because it's "the best"! Aw. I felt really sorry for the little guy. He had some of the early symptoms of my flu, tummy upset and grumpiness, so I dragged myself up and made him spaghetti and meatballs. Mercifully, I already had the meat seasoned in the fridge and all I had to do was make it, but it was still very tiring and I had to sit down afterwards. It took a bit longer to do, as a result.

He ate some, but his tummy was really giving him hell. So he had a yogurt and just sat still until bedtime, rare for our Pie, let me tell you. Both he and I had to tell John to stop making us laugh because we're too sick to laugh out loud. Seriously. Tummy aches, coughing, headaches... laughing should not hurt!

I tossed around last night a lot. I know it's anxiety about school. John is getting upset that I haven't been back, but I'm fighting between being weak and not wanting to get pnuemonia and really really wanting to go back. I've missed two classes and feeling lost because I wasn't even able to prepare for them, so it's not even like I know what the hell happened.

I'm doing my best to go in later today. I have a class at 4:30, but it's so cold outside, I'm really worried about how I'll fare. But I have stuff to pick up at school and since Monday is a holiday, I have some time to catch up. I'll have to stay at home, because there is more snow expected, but I'll manage. I'll feel a lot better, physically and mentally, once I can ease my mind that I'm catching up with the reading and not giving myself a handicap so early in the semester.

Pray for Mojo.

upward and onward

I understand it's not the done thing to talk about your grades on your blog. I don't think enough people read my blog to really get into the kinds of uproars I've seen on the blawgosphere. But, I'm going to not post the actual grades on here except to say I got nothing lower than a B- and I am not happy.

Bang (one of my study buddies is becoming a good friend and his last name starts with Ba and we decided to create an empire called Bang: his Ba plus my ng! Mostly, we just call each other Bang!) pointed out that I know what I need to do to improve. He's not wrong, but I'm a little uncertain about what to do.

I'm disappointed because I was hoping to grade into Law Review, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen, even if I get straight As this semester. I'm trying not to think about that so much.

But I have to try to put this behind me and focus on this semester and the new challenges. Prof Crim is living up to his reputation thus far. I spoke to an alum and when I said which professor I had for Criminal Law, there was definite faces and hesitations. Prof Crim seems unapproachable. Since I have no desire to get into Criminal Law, I have no problem keeping my distance from the man and just doing the work to get out of the class.

Prof Property is very nice. None of the others have been in touch so far. Well, to say Prof Crim got in touch is a bit much. He just posted the readings online and it's a good thing I was checking. Prof Prop sent us a very nice email and told us where to find what we need. I'm not saying we're not supposed to be proactive, but every professor so far has sent at least a "welcome to my class" email. Ah well. We'll see.

I am looking forward to going back. Monday will be my first day back in school since the break began. I have to pick up a book at the bookstore, get 2 supplements from the Copy Center and attend a meeting. I think I'll be spending the day there since I have to go to a City Bar event later in the evening.

The break has been nice and relaxing. I watched a lot of tv and read many books. I hung out with Pie and I wish I could have had a date with the husband. We got to spend Christmas Eve together as Pie went off to Grandma's, but we spent most of it hiding his presents and doing nothing much. But we all had a pretty decent time. I am looking forward to seeing Bang and BB and a few other classmates and hearing about their vacations. It'll be good to be back.