Well, with the end of so many things, I think 1105 blog posts may be quite enough. I may start another blog and if you know me, by all means feel free to contact me for it. But I think this blog has run its course and it is time for something new.
So on that note, my friends...
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Don't make me come down there, I'll thump your skull for ya!
Friday was exhausting somehow!
Done with court--and with a great resolution, no less. I finally had a judge I like, and that's not to say he always gives us what we want. I've seen him on real bad days for sure, and the man is not without his biases. But I do at least trust him to fucking listen, which is more than I can say for some. My client was three hours late, but legitimately thought he was supposed to be there at noon. (And for someone who is unfamiliar with the system, this is not at all as unbelievable as it may sound at first to some of us.) I was just thrilled that for no real reason, I was still there.
Anyway, we got the deal we wanted, thanks also to a very reasonable ADA. My client was less than thrilled about supervised probation, but you gotta take what you can get. This was a client who also insisted on wearing a doo-rag in court and which we had to clear with the court officers to keep a shitstorm from ensuing. (No hats in court, obviously.) I was seriously set to explain that it had religious affiliations for him and was the functional equivalent of a yarmulke, but somehow, the judge did not rip into him. (I'm assuming one of the officers mentioned it before we got back in.) No one is more thrilled than I not to have had heard myself make that argument. For what should have been a fairly straight-forward case, this was the one time where the client himself was so much of a handful that, should you be getting PAID, you would have earned Every. Goddamn. Dollar. And it's not his fault, really. For one thing, he had legitimate objections about the system. Not really the time and place to make a scene about it though, thanks.
In any case, it was a great resolution and the judge even thanked my client for his service (ex-military). And in fact I do think the charges were trumped up bullshit, resulting in no small part both from extreme PTSD and douchebag fuckwit officers who overreacted and probably made things far worse than they had to be.
In any case, I got the fuck outta that building before it collapsed on me. I can never catch a break in there usually, so it was a fitting last day.
I tried to stay at school to close out files and transfer my motion to suppress, but after my final evaluation meeting and finally getting lunch, I was at the computer when my body decided it was DONE. I was just so exhausted, and waking up shortly after 4am no doubt was a factor as well. (I didn't mean to, but it happens a lot on court days.)
So I went home. The carpet, which we had just had shampooed courtesy of our building for re-signing our lease waaaay back when, was still wet. So dang, I had to curl up on the sofa, where I was immediately joined by two cats. I only slept for about fifteen minutes for some reason, so I mostly caught up on Castle and Jon Stewart.
But it was bedtime before 11.
Oh, and those carpets? One thing you can count on your cats for...barfing in both rooms less than 12 hours later. THANKS, GUYS!
I am currently cite-checking my mother-fucking NINETY-FIVE PAGE chapter I've written on international economic law that's due tomorrow at 12. I'm running through a handful of No Reservations that have stored up on faux-Tivo. Currently watching the Japan one (it's called "Tokyo" even though half of it is in Kyoto?) and man, does it make me nostalgic! *Sigh!*
Done with court--and with a great resolution, no less. I finally had a judge I like, and that's not to say he always gives us what we want. I've seen him on real bad days for sure, and the man is not without his biases. But I do at least trust him to fucking listen, which is more than I can say for some. My client was three hours late, but legitimately thought he was supposed to be there at noon. (And for someone who is unfamiliar with the system, this is not at all as unbelievable as it may sound at first to some of us.) I was just thrilled that for no real reason, I was still there.
Anyway, we got the deal we wanted, thanks also to a very reasonable ADA. My client was less than thrilled about supervised probation, but you gotta take what you can get. This was a client who also insisted on wearing a doo-rag in court and which we had to clear with the court officers to keep a shitstorm from ensuing. (No hats in court, obviously.) I was seriously set to explain that it had religious affiliations for him and was the functional equivalent of a yarmulke, but somehow, the judge did not rip into him. (I'm assuming one of the officers mentioned it before we got back in.) No one is more thrilled than I not to have had heard myself make that argument. For what should have been a fairly straight-forward case, this was the one time where the client himself was so much of a handful that, should you be getting PAID, you would have earned Every. Goddamn. Dollar. And it's not his fault, really. For one thing, he had legitimate objections about the system. Not really the time and place to make a scene about it though, thanks.
In any case, it was a great resolution and the judge even thanked my client for his service (ex-military). And in fact I do think the charges were trumped up bullshit, resulting in no small part both from extreme PTSD and douchebag fuckwit officers who overreacted and probably made things far worse than they had to be.
In any case, I got the fuck outta that building before it collapsed on me. I can never catch a break in there usually, so it was a fitting last day.
I tried to stay at school to close out files and transfer my motion to suppress, but after my final evaluation meeting and finally getting lunch, I was at the computer when my body decided it was DONE. I was just so exhausted, and waking up shortly after 4am no doubt was a factor as well. (I didn't mean to, but it happens a lot on court days.)
So I went home. The carpet, which we had just had shampooed courtesy of our building for re-signing our lease waaaay back when, was still wet. So dang, I had to curl up on the sofa, where I was immediately joined by two cats. I only slept for about fifteen minutes for some reason, so I mostly caught up on Castle and Jon Stewart.
But it was bedtime before 11.
Oh, and those carpets? One thing you can count on your cats for...barfing in both rooms less than 12 hours later. THANKS, GUYS!
I am currently cite-checking my mother-fucking NINETY-FIVE PAGE chapter I've written on international economic law that's due tomorrow at 12. I'm running through a handful of No Reservations that have stored up on faux-Tivo. Currently watching the Japan one (it's called "Tokyo" even though half of it is in Kyoto?) and man, does it make me nostalgic! *Sigh!*
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
That would hurt my feelings if I had them.
Well I think that's enough rejection for the day. I got a text from Friend B because we had applied to the same government agency, and she had checked her online status to find she had not been hired. I checked and found I had met the same fate as well. I can't say I was surprised, but I had really wanted the job. So I wasn't exactly disappointed, but it's still sucky and frustrating. B said it quite well.
EA: "I like how it says 'not professionally recommended.'"
B: "That's the nicest way to say REJECTED."
...
B: "Well, fuck it, at least we know."
EA: "I feel as if it should be a little more honest and just say 'didn't even really consider.'"
B: "The federal government is like that guy in high school who shot up 5 in and 30 lbs in a year and suddenly started getting hit on by all the popular girls. It doesn't realize that all these ivy leaguers are going to use it for experience and then peace out."
EA: "Jesus, you just nailed it. I love you. I hope it spends its early 20s longing and pining for the chance it had with me."
B: "Yeah, except by the time it realizes it's hired a bunch of crayon-eaters, we will be baristas."
And then no shit, about five minutes later I got a rejection notice from my new (?) graduate university denying my scholarship application. I seriously considered just hiding under the bed.
But then my client called me and while he understands whatever happens on Friday happens, I think he is also freaking out a little. I know how he feels. Albeit, for far different reasons. Or maybe not. We're both afraid of screwing up his future, my way just involves less heroin.
EA: "I like how it says 'not professionally recommended.'"
B: "That's the nicest way to say REJECTED."
...
B: "Well, fuck it, at least we know."
EA: "I feel as if it should be a little more honest and just say 'didn't even really consider.'"
B: "The federal government is like that guy in high school who shot up 5 in and 30 lbs in a year and suddenly started getting hit on by all the popular girls. It doesn't realize that all these ivy leaguers are going to use it for experience and then peace out."
EA: "Jesus, you just nailed it. I love you. I hope it spends its early 20s longing and pining for the chance it had with me."
B: "Yeah, except by the time it realizes it's hired a bunch of crayon-eaters, we will be baristas."
And then no shit, about five minutes later I got a rejection notice from my new (?) graduate university denying my scholarship application. I seriously considered just hiding under the bed.
But then my client called me and while he understands whatever happens on Friday happens, I think he is also freaking out a little. I know how he feels. Albeit, for far different reasons. Or maybe not. We're both afraid of screwing up his future, my way just involves less heroin.
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
I'm going to get drunk and then I'm going to have a three course meal where each course is a kind of dessert.
Here's a 1996 song that never gets old! Again, no actual "video." There was one--it was even the "official" video--but it looked like it escaped from 1987 and the sound was total crap.
A pill! Could be birth control, could be ecstasy...waiting for a day off to find out!
Classes are officially over! I have one final, one take home and two big court dates.
I already got an email acceptance, but it was still nice to get the giant envelope in the mail from a really decent university accepting me into their LLM program! I still don't know if I'm going to accept because it depends on funds. It also involves moving to D.C., which could be a good city for what I want to do. If nothing else, it can't hurt to add a better university name to the resume. As my friend B was told during an interview with a government agency, "This isn't exactly the Cadillac of resumes..."
Which is a frustrating comment when we can't all go to Harvard. (And frankly, though it would probably have gotten me a job, I really never had any desire to go to Harvard. (Yes, we're imagining a world where they would have wanted me.) I was incredibly impressed with the faculty where I went to school. So there.)
Completely unrelated, I realized you know your music library is getting to an unruly size (though still 1/8th the size of your dad's!) when you hear a cover of a song on TV and think huh, I liked that. So you look it up and see the original is by Snow Patrol and you're all, hey, I have a bunch of Snow Patrol. And you do. And you totally already own the song.
It might be a little on the squishy side, but I try not to discriminate.
Don't watch the "video" unless you like reading the lyrics along with your music?
It's Katharine McPhee covering it, but I do NOT watch Smash, let's make sure that's very clear.* That show looks fucking awful. Like Glee for Broadway people but with trite dialogue and thin, mostly directionless story lines. I wouldn't be caught dead.
Anyway. Also completely unrelated, I've been playing on Twitter more lately. (Prior to the start of finals, so no, it's not merely procrastination...) I still try to watch my language since my university mentor follows me. :/ But now Vince Clarke (of Erasure) is following me! (Obviously I started following him first.) And maybe he follows 8,000 people but that's not the point. I like it when cool people are neat enough to follow you back. ;) That was a big highlight in a day filled with writing about international economic law.
Ok, gotta get through this week. Motion on Friday followed by a final the next day. And I would feel better about the motion if MY CLIENT WOULD STOP GETTING ARRESTED. So in addition to our case, he has two additional open cases with similar charges involved. The judge cannot consider the untried open cases in determining punishment. Which reminds me of my old trial professor's jury instructions: "Ladies and gentlemen, here is a skunk. You can consider its fine fur and its black and white tail while making your decision. But you must NOT consider its wretched odor." Good luck with that.
*But seriously, what were they thinking with that Bollywood number last week? Man, I took a pee break AND got another wine and it was still going on. So it was long AND embarrassingly unrelated to anything in the show. Also, maybe the best part about watching the show--if one did--was getting to read scathing TLo honesty the next day. (Like yeah, who gives a fuck about Julia's family drama? NO ONE.) And if I watched that show, I couldn't agree with their last post more.
I already got an email acceptance, but it was still nice to get the giant envelope in the mail from a really decent university accepting me into their LLM program! I still don't know if I'm going to accept because it depends on funds. It also involves moving to D.C., which could be a good city for what I want to do. If nothing else, it can't hurt to add a better university name to the resume. As my friend B was told during an interview with a government agency, "This isn't exactly the Cadillac of resumes..."
Which is a frustrating comment when we can't all go to Harvard. (And frankly, though it would probably have gotten me a job, I really never had any desire to go to Harvard. (Yes, we're imagining a world where they would have wanted me.) I was incredibly impressed with the faculty where I went to school. So there.)
Completely unrelated, I realized you know your music library is getting to an unruly size (though still 1/8th the size of your dad's!) when you hear a cover of a song on TV and think huh, I liked that. So you look it up and see the original is by Snow Patrol and you're all, hey, I have a bunch of Snow Patrol. And you do. And you totally already own the song.
It might be a little on the squishy side, but I try not to discriminate.
Don't watch the "video" unless you like reading the lyrics along with your music?
It's Katharine McPhee covering it, but I do NOT watch Smash, let's make sure that's very clear.* That show looks fucking awful. Like Glee for Broadway people but with trite dialogue and thin, mostly directionless story lines. I wouldn't be caught dead.
Anyway. Also completely unrelated, I've been playing on Twitter more lately. (Prior to the start of finals, so no, it's not merely procrastination...) I still try to watch my language since my university mentor follows me. :/ But now Vince Clarke (of Erasure) is following me! (Obviously I started following him first.) And maybe he follows 8,000 people but that's not the point. I like it when cool people are neat enough to follow you back. ;) That was a big highlight in a day filled with writing about international economic law.
Ok, gotta get through this week. Motion on Friday followed by a final the next day. And I would feel better about the motion if MY CLIENT WOULD STOP GETTING ARRESTED. So in addition to our case, he has two additional open cases with similar charges involved. The judge cannot consider the untried open cases in determining punishment. Which reminds me of my old trial professor's jury instructions: "Ladies and gentlemen, here is a skunk. You can consider its fine fur and its black and white tail while making your decision. But you must NOT consider its wretched odor." Good luck with that.
*But seriously, what were they thinking with that Bollywood number last week? Man, I took a pee break AND got another wine and it was still going on. So it was long AND embarrassingly unrelated to anything in the show. Also, maybe the best part about watching the show--if one did--was getting to read scathing TLo honesty the next day. (Like yeah, who gives a fuck about Julia's family drama? NO ONE.) And if I watched that show, I couldn't agree with their last post more.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Hey, you almost knocked over your alcohol with your knife.
So apparently the Boston Marathon people are letting people defer their entry until next year because it is going to be unseasonably hot. Someone I work with is running for the first time and was not especially thrilled with the warning email that went out, since she's nervous anyway. I believe the words, "SPEED KILLS" were in there. (Which of course makes me think of Annie screaming at the car in Halloween.) They're keeping the finish line open an extra hour as well. Temperature predictions keep climbing, but they're saying it will get up to 86.
LOOK AT ALL THE CRAZIES.
Only a high of 79 for the following day, with a low of 49...which is when I will be at Fenway for the first time! Rangers @ Red Sox! Hot dogs, beer, and a Boston cap. The calories won't count because it will be a necessity...like eating chocolate and beer in Belgium.
SPEAKING OF WHICH. Near my Massage Envy in Dedham is a big shopping center, Legacy Plaza. I stopped in after my massage (read: work on my neck, ugh) because I was expecting a phone call from an alumni and I wanted somewhere quiet-ish to chat and not be on the road. I had a glass of wine at Aquataine while we talked...but I was parked across the way from Chocolate Therapy. Well, what do you think happened?
It's a small shop and several of the truffles seemed to be on the small side, if you ask me. But looking at my loot, maybe not. They are not cheap, that's for sure. But they are made locally, all organic, lots of gluten free, some even sugar free (I did not get those but I hear you simply cannot tell). The left side of the counter is all what they made in house and 95% of it is all dark chocolate. I enjoy dark, but I don't always seek it out. However, I had to get the sea salted caramel (the bestseller by far), gen mai chai (2), honey hops, earl grey...and there was one with some kind of cheese in it?? I have not sampled it yet.
The right side of the counter has more milk chocolate variety still made locally, just not by them. I got a few as well...a lemon number, something called "the envelope" (peanut butter), and sticky bun truffle.
Anyway. RECOMMEND. Best chocolate shop in Boston. Err, uh, Dedham. Whatever. Close enough.
Now to convince myself to go running and work on my research rather than watch TV and eat chocolate with red wine. Dammit. Stupid law school.
I would also like to beat the shit out of Carly Rae Jepsen or whoever made Call Me Maybe go viral. That is some catchy shit with the depth of a used wad of Bubbilicious...the neon pink kind.
LOOK AT ALL THE CRAZIES.
Only a high of 79 for the following day, with a low of 49...which is when I will be at Fenway for the first time! Rangers @ Red Sox! Hot dogs, beer, and a Boston cap. The calories won't count because it will be a necessity...like eating chocolate and beer in Belgium.
SPEAKING OF WHICH. Near my Massage Envy in Dedham is a big shopping center, Legacy Plaza. I stopped in after my massage (read: work on my neck, ugh) because I was expecting a phone call from an alumni and I wanted somewhere quiet-ish to chat and not be on the road. I had a glass of wine at Aquataine while we talked...but I was parked across the way from Chocolate Therapy. Well, what do you think happened?
It's a small shop and several of the truffles seemed to be on the small side, if you ask me. But looking at my loot, maybe not. They are not cheap, that's for sure. But they are made locally, all organic, lots of gluten free, some even sugar free (I did not get those but I hear you simply cannot tell). The left side of the counter is all what they made in house and 95% of it is all dark chocolate. I enjoy dark, but I don't always seek it out. However, I had to get the sea salted caramel (the bestseller by far), gen mai chai (2), honey hops, earl grey...and there was one with some kind of cheese in it?? I have not sampled it yet.
The right side of the counter has more milk chocolate variety still made locally, just not by them. I got a few as well...a lemon number, something called "the envelope" (peanut butter), and sticky bun truffle.
Anyway. RECOMMEND. Best chocolate shop in Boston. Err, uh, Dedham. Whatever. Close enough.
Now to convince myself to go running and work on my research rather than watch TV and eat chocolate with red wine. Dammit. Stupid law school.
I would also like to beat the shit out of Carly Rae Jepsen or whoever made Call Me Maybe go viral. That is some catchy shit with the depth of a used wad of Bubbilicious...the neon pink kind.
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
Best thing about Z land? No more stupid Facebook status updates. "Rob Curtis is gearing up for Friday." Who cares?
There's no two ways about it, our case got dismissed due to extreme douchebaggery. That's it, pure and simple. The ADA on the case is a fuckin' clown. As a constituent of the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I continue to be utterly appalled at this man. I have seldom witnessed such half-assery in all my life and I can barely keep a straight face when he opens his mouth.
We had a fantastic judge (I never get fantastic judges on my cases, wth?!) and as a bonus, figured out during the lobby conference that he loathes (as do many judges) the ADA. Back out into the courtroom. The case got called and the ADA was in another courtroom. "If he's not here in five minutes, I'm dismissing it." (So hard not to let out an "oooooh!") He gets in, case gets called again. Wanders up to the mike, judge asks what's been decided. ADA says he has no idea. (The conference was with a different ADA.) ADA says "isn't there a tender?" No. Sidebar. Judge says "You have no case. Pretrial probation?" ADA refuses, insists on a harsher sentence and claims not ready for trial (which is a flat-out lie that everyone knows is a lie because we just had a fucking conference.) The judge asks again, but the ADA won't budge. The judge practically growled, "Dismissed for want of prosecution!"
And we barely got to utter a word! That was hours and hours of work but it was a fucking stupid case to begin with that should have never been prosecuted. Such is life.
Completely unrelated, I am digging the new Norah Jones/Danger Mouse collaboration. Curious to check out the new album Little Broken Hearts on May 1, but here is one cut:
I got it off All Songs Considered while running the other day. (Yeah, you read that right. It was either that or work on my international economic law chapter I'm re-drafting. That's what it takes these days.)
And now I get to go prep a mock closing for class tomorrow. ARE YOU SERIOUS? I'm opting for The Rainmaker. All he really does is show a video (which, in real life, would probably be the best way to go, it's visually engaging and pretty gut-wrenching if it were real), so I figure I can re-do without sucking.
Also, still trying to keep a little research plugging along on the Boston bucket list. Things to Do in Boston Before You Die. Although skip Mike's Pastries. You can do better in the North End, although my favorite place, Lyndell's, is no longer there. Modern Pastry is great but it's cash only.
I need to do the Sam Adams and Harpoon breweries. And the globe thing looks cool!
I can totally leave here not having done the St. Paddy's Parade. Really should do the Freedom Trail though, you know? Sox Game is on for mid-April! So there's definitely a couple things left to do! But another research beast due Thursday, so not this week.
The only other thing left to do today (aside from WORK) is to cancel my job interview. Goodbye, Massachusetts!
We had a fantastic judge (I never get fantastic judges on my cases, wth?!) and as a bonus, figured out during the lobby conference that he loathes (as do many judges) the ADA. Back out into the courtroom. The case got called and the ADA was in another courtroom. "If he's not here in five minutes, I'm dismissing it." (So hard not to let out an "oooooh!") He gets in, case gets called again. Wanders up to the mike, judge asks what's been decided. ADA says he has no idea. (The conference was with a different ADA.) ADA says "isn't there a tender?" No. Sidebar. Judge says "You have no case. Pretrial probation?" ADA refuses, insists on a harsher sentence and claims not ready for trial (which is a flat-out lie that everyone knows is a lie because we just had a fucking conference.) The judge asks again, but the ADA won't budge. The judge practically growled, "Dismissed for want of prosecution!"
And we barely got to utter a word! That was hours and hours of work but it was a fucking stupid case to begin with that should have never been prosecuted. Such is life.
Completely unrelated, I am digging the new Norah Jones/Danger Mouse collaboration. Curious to check out the new album Little Broken Hearts on May 1, but here is one cut:
I got it off All Songs Considered while running the other day. (Yeah, you read that right. It was either that or work on my international economic law chapter I'm re-drafting. That's what it takes these days.)
And now I get to go prep a mock closing for class tomorrow. ARE YOU SERIOUS? I'm opting for The Rainmaker. All he really does is show a video (which, in real life, would probably be the best way to go, it's visually engaging and pretty gut-wrenching if it were real), so I figure I can re-do without sucking.
Also, still trying to keep a little research plugging along on the Boston bucket list. Things to Do in Boston Before You Die. Although skip Mike's Pastries. You can do better in the North End, although my favorite place, Lyndell's, is no longer there. Modern Pastry is great but it's cash only.
I need to do the Sam Adams and Harpoon breweries. And the globe thing looks cool!
I can totally leave here not having done the St. Paddy's Parade. Really should do the Freedom Trail though, you know? Sox Game is on for mid-April! So there's definitely a couple things left to do! But another research beast due Thursday, so not this week.
The only other thing left to do today (aside from WORK) is to cancel my job interview. Goodbye, Massachusetts!
Friday, March 30, 2012
It smells like leather and Teddy Roosevelt and wistfulness.
Blogger has changed its editing format. I hate change. IT WAS FINE. It's just annoying now and reeks of someone trying to justify their job. Plus, did I mention? I hate change.
It's awful nice outside considering it's supposed to snow tonight. *eyeroll*
BOSTON BACON AND BEER FEST TICKETS GO ON SALE NEXT WEEK! :D And I'm in the special pre-sale group. NATCH.
I'd rather be home in Denton at Jazz Fest, but there it is. Got to do it last year, but this year I will be one week out from my motion to suppress. Hopefully for realz this time.
I wrapped up all my motions for trial on Tuesday. The chances of going to trial are in fact slim, but my time in court has taught me to expect the unexpected. And my director said it best when I was prepped to do my motion to suppress: "There are only two things of which you can be sure. First, someone's going to throw you a bone. (Meaning in their testimony. Meaning: LISTEN.) Second, something unexpected is going to happen." The second thing has proven true Every. Single. Fucking. Time. So being able to roll with shit is probably the most important quality to have if you do litigation. (Personally, I'd say a close second is the Wil Wheaton mantra, "Don't be a dick." But sadly, not everyone seems to subscribe to that belief.) /sadface
Also, choosing not to care about the future today. It is too nice out. Althoughmy bartender someone just told me the megamillions powerball whatever is going for half a billion dollars tonight. Sounds like as good a time to play as any...? #ultimatefantasy
Also, completely unrelated: cute TLo posting on Jon Hamm. ;)
It's awful nice outside considering it's supposed to snow tonight. *eyeroll*
BOSTON BACON AND BEER FEST TICKETS GO ON SALE NEXT WEEK! :D And I'm in the special pre-sale group. NATCH.
I'd rather be home in Denton at Jazz Fest, but there it is. Got to do it last year, but this year I will be one week out from my motion to suppress. Hopefully for realz this time.
I wrapped up all my motions for trial on Tuesday. The chances of going to trial are in fact slim, but my time in court has taught me to expect the unexpected. And my director said it best when I was prepped to do my motion to suppress: "There are only two things of which you can be sure. First, someone's going to throw you a bone. (Meaning in their testimony. Meaning: LISTEN.) Second, something unexpected is going to happen." The second thing has proven true Every. Single. Fucking. Time. So being able to roll with shit is probably the most important quality to have if you do litigation. (Personally, I'd say a close second is the Wil Wheaton mantra, "Don't be a dick." But sadly, not everyone seems to subscribe to that belief.) /sadface
Also, choosing not to care about the future today. It is too nice out. Although
Also, completely unrelated: cute TLo posting on Jon Hamm. ;)
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Allergies are real! If I have a strawberry, my throat shuts up faster than a girl in math class!
Ahh, another installment in the research beast done. To be turned in in a few hours and then returned to me in a week with "wtf is this?" edits. Ok, the edits aren't that harsh. Hopefully they'll stay that way.
My second giant research project is suddenly due next Thursday. I really should have knocked a chunk out over spring break. I did not. In fact, I have not really touched the goddamn thing all semester. And yet I am relatively calm. Like, I'm so fucked with this one there's no real reason to get worked up about it. O.o
It has gotten annoying cold again up here. Like, it's supposed to fuckin' snow Friday-Saturday. Do what you gotta do, Boston, but I expect 70 degree weather and sunshine come April 17, okay? Kthxbai. It's bad enough it doesn't look like Yu Darvish or Derek Holland will be pitching for my game, but I suppose I'll live. (I'm supposed to be rooting for the other side anyway...!) I am looking forward to getting my official Fenway ballpark cap, that I know.
In other totally scintillating news, my bridesmaid dress fits! I aimed low but somehow it fits? I can even zip myself up. I was freaking myself out as I unwrapped it--even if I got the size about right, what if it just totally didn't fit in an unforgiving way? You can't alter ugly. And it's halter but it's not a tie halter--it's got two buttons to fasten it. That is usually not for me since I'm shorter. But the damn thing fits like a glove! (Well, close enough.) And naturally D just went back to NYC on Tuesday--he missed it by a day and it got here a month early! And FTW? It's actually not bridesmaid-dress-material. I could seriously wear this thing again somewhere. It's black, but also incredibly forgiving if one has a bit of a belly one does not wish to display. WITHOUT BEING A PREGNANT DRESS! They couldn't have picked better dresses for the variety of women in the wedding.
The mental battle between DC and Austin continues to rage. TX would be the obvious choice if I thought for one moment I could land a job in human rights/international law ANYWHERE. So I resorted to flipping a coin and it kept coming up tails (Austin). I like to flip a coin not for the result but because as soon as it's in the air, you know which side you hope it lands on. And I didn't really have that. Goddammit!
Ok, off to play with jury instructions for Tuesday. Trial #1! Too bad I am merely co-counsel. Having said that, I kinda secretly hope the motion to dismiss gets denied so we get to go through a real trial. At lead counsel's stress expense, sure, but I know he wants it, too.
My second giant research project is suddenly due next Thursday. I really should have knocked a chunk out over spring break. I did not. In fact, I have not really touched the goddamn thing all semester. And yet I am relatively calm. Like, I'm so fucked with this one there's no real reason to get worked up about it. O.o
It has gotten annoying cold again up here. Like, it's supposed to fuckin' snow Friday-Saturday. Do what you gotta do, Boston, but I expect 70 degree weather and sunshine come April 17, okay? Kthxbai. It's bad enough it doesn't look like Yu Darvish or Derek Holland will be pitching for my game, but I suppose I'll live. (I'm supposed to be rooting for the other side anyway...!) I am looking forward to getting my official Fenway ballpark cap, that I know.
In other totally scintillating news, my bridesmaid dress fits! I aimed low but somehow it fits? I can even zip myself up. I was freaking myself out as I unwrapped it--even if I got the size about right, what if it just totally didn't fit in an unforgiving way? You can't alter ugly. And it's halter but it's not a tie halter--it's got two buttons to fasten it. That is usually not for me since I'm shorter. But the damn thing fits like a glove! (Well, close enough.) And naturally D just went back to NYC on Tuesday--he missed it by a day and it got here a month early! And FTW? It's actually not bridesmaid-dress-material. I could seriously wear this thing again somewhere. It's black, but also incredibly forgiving if one has a bit of a belly one does not wish to display. WITHOUT BEING A PREGNANT DRESS! They couldn't have picked better dresses for the variety of women in the wedding.
The mental battle between DC and Austin continues to rage. TX would be the obvious choice if I thought for one moment I could land a job in human rights/international law ANYWHERE. So I resorted to flipping a coin and it kept coming up tails (Austin). I like to flip a coin not for the result but because as soon as it's in the air, you know which side you hope it lands on. And I didn't really have that. Goddammit!
Ok, off to play with jury instructions for Tuesday. Trial #1! Too bad I am merely co-counsel. Having said that, I kinda secretly hope the motion to dismiss gets denied so we get to go through a real trial. At lead counsel's stress expense, sure, but I know he wants it, too.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Anthony's not crazy about the lace. He said it looks like "dead white lady."
From 3/23...
Well I am very excited to see my Tokyo bff tonight! He is coming in via train from NYC for a conference this weekend. I really won't get to see him at all after tonight, but he gets a bed at my place anytime. ;) I am thinking cheapeats at Grendel's Den if we can get there in time for the half-off happy hour I abused so frequently in my 1L year of law school.
It has been really gorgeous weather here lately. Sadly, it is something I often get to look at with the windows open while I do, for example, a torts survey quiz for my bar class. :/ I haven't done anything torts-related in two years. And I wasn't all that good with torts back then, either. Whoops.
I did get to watch a fairly interesting murder trial yesterday. I had never been in the Suffolk Superior Courthouse before. It is far less sexy than the courthouse next door where the SJC sits. And then there's my municipal courts building where I work, which is the weirdest building in how much space it actively wastes. It's sort of mystifying. So in any case, I had to observe a trial for class (criminal) and you know, why not go big. So I picked the one murder trial off the list, because the other murder trial was already in jury deliberations. That probably should have jogged my memory, but alas, no.
So my murder trial involves an Allston stabbing from 2009. I know where it happened and I've been over there many times--however, the murder occurred at 2:20am, so I am not especially worried. I saw two cops get cross-examined and it was very interesting. I definitely have opinions about the quality of both sides, but this may not be the appropriate place to say either way.
And while I was in there, I realized the jury that was deliberating in the other trial across the hall was for the September 2010 Mattapan massacre. The jury had been deliberating for seven days, and it was apparently unheard of that on the sixth day the jurors unanimously voted to continue another day. They were 11-1. There were 19 charges involved (two defendants, so 10 and 9 charges, as it turns out) and as we know now, they had all agreed to acquit one guy but could not agree on the other guy. As it turns out (or as I've read on the internets), they all wanted to convict the other guy except that one juror. But that juror would never give reasons and wouldn't even properly consider evidence until other jurors would explain that you sort of have to consider the evidence. I can't believe no one murdered that juror. They did not acquit the second man, however, and I do understand (well, appreciate is probably the better word) the outrage of the families of the victims.
The verdict came down, my case had to suspend for the day due to (amongst other things) needing to have the officers on hand for the event. There were tons of cameras and spectators but also lots of family members--mostly victims' family members. It was not a pretty sight.
Ok, so I wrote all that yesterday. Tokyo bff is here now and we had a very nice evening. I got caught up on some fairly frustrating drama that has arisen with his fiance's sister. Family drama! But otherwise things are well and the big wedding (notwithstanding said family drama) is soon to be upon us with hopefully no hitches or problems. I am working all day today in the hopes of getting to relax a little after 8 when he's done. For which I should probably pick up a bottle of red!
Also, at the suggestion of the professor for whom I work, I have just somewhat whimsically applied to American University's LLM program. Hey, they accepted me for their dual program in 2009, here's hoping this can be a plan D? Or with a scholarship, Plan A? But before it's considered complete, I also have to harass professors for YET. ANOTHER. letter of recommendation. Oh well.
Well I am very excited to see my Tokyo bff tonight! He is coming in via train from NYC for a conference this weekend. I really won't get to see him at all after tonight, but he gets a bed at my place anytime. ;) I am thinking cheapeats at Grendel's Den if we can get there in time for the half-off happy hour I abused so frequently in my 1L year of law school.
It has been really gorgeous weather here lately. Sadly, it is something I often get to look at with the windows open while I do, for example, a torts survey quiz for my bar class. :/ I haven't done anything torts-related in two years. And I wasn't all that good with torts back then, either. Whoops.
I did get to watch a fairly interesting murder trial yesterday. I had never been in the Suffolk Superior Courthouse before. It is far less sexy than the courthouse next door where the SJC sits. And then there's my municipal courts building where I work, which is the weirdest building in how much space it actively wastes. It's sort of mystifying. So in any case, I had to observe a trial for class (criminal) and you know, why not go big. So I picked the one murder trial off the list, because the other murder trial was already in jury deliberations. That probably should have jogged my memory, but alas, no.
So my murder trial involves an Allston stabbing from 2009. I know where it happened and I've been over there many times--however, the murder occurred at 2:20am, so I am not especially worried. I saw two cops get cross-examined and it was very interesting. I definitely have opinions about the quality of both sides, but this may not be the appropriate place to say either way.
And while I was in there, I realized the jury that was deliberating in the other trial across the hall was for the September 2010 Mattapan massacre. The jury had been deliberating for seven days, and it was apparently unheard of that on the sixth day the jurors unanimously voted to continue another day. They were 11-1. There were 19 charges involved (two defendants, so 10 and 9 charges, as it turns out) and as we know now, they had all agreed to acquit one guy but could not agree on the other guy. As it turns out (or as I've read on the internets), they all wanted to convict the other guy except that one juror. But that juror would never give reasons and wouldn't even properly consider evidence until other jurors would explain that you sort of have to consider the evidence. I can't believe no one murdered that juror. They did not acquit the second man, however, and I do understand (well, appreciate is probably the better word) the outrage of the families of the victims.
The verdict came down, my case had to suspend for the day due to (amongst other things) needing to have the officers on hand for the event. There were tons of cameras and spectators but also lots of family members--mostly victims' family members. It was not a pretty sight.
Ok, so I wrote all that yesterday. Tokyo bff is here now and we had a very nice evening. I got caught up on some fairly frustrating drama that has arisen with his fiance's sister. Family drama! But otherwise things are well and the big wedding (notwithstanding said family drama) is soon to be upon us with hopefully no hitches or problems. I am working all day today in the hopes of getting to relax a little after 8 when he's done. For which I should probably pick up a bottle of red!
Also, at the suggestion of the professor for whom I work, I have just somewhat whimsically applied to American University's LLM program. Hey, they accepted me for their dual program in 2009, here's hoping this can be a plan D? Or with a scholarship, Plan A? But before it's considered complete, I also have to harass professors for YET. ANOTHER. letter of recommendation. Oh well.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Wow, sometimes you can just SMELL a horrendously shitty day on the way, can't you...
Hey, for a day that started in court with me meeting my colleague's eye as the judge took the bench in a silent "fuuuuuuuuck" moment, it has been okay. (The list wasn't ready before 9 so we had no idea who was assigned to our courtroom.) It's this judge I actually really want to like (and I guess I do as a person, who knows), and at least she's very polite, but her prosecutor roots are painfully obvious. We never attempt to resolve cases in front of her if we can help it, which often involves getting creative on the fly. (Or rather, being prepared ahead of time to be creative.) But the inefficiency of the government was on my side today and they ended up wanting more time to get me the resolution I wanted. Hooray. Of course, now May is starting to look ugly court-wise. SO MUCH FOR FINISHING EARLY.
Some of my clinic mates are thinking about getting a house on the Cape the week after finals, and I admit I'm curious. I'm not sure I want to be around anyone for that length of time?? But they're good people and I still haven't seen the Cape!
I do feel like I am trying to knock out Boston and Massachusetts bucket list items in anticipation of probably not staying here. (And the Boston list is also for help in assessing where to take the fam. Example: there is a "Dark Side of Boston" tour. I'm in!) I will have to post them along the way, for my own memory if nothing else. I'm sure there are already posts in the past few years I could read and basically feel like a first-time reader. One thing I do not ever have to do is the St. Paddy's parade. I'd sooner cut myself. One thing I do not ever have to do again is be in the crowd for the Boston Marathon. I didn't even do that on purpose, but once it was too late I was all "eh, fuck it." NO. Throngs of people. Fucking annoying people with cowbells. NO.
I'm in the midst of coming up with a Boston bucket list but it's also....(drumroll, please)....RESTAURANT WEEK! Which is actually two weeks. And that makes total sense to me, y'all. And really, that is its own bucket list in a way, right?
Some of my clinic mates are thinking about getting a house on the Cape the week after finals, and I admit I'm curious. I'm not sure I want to be around anyone for that length of time?? But they're good people and I still haven't seen the Cape!
I do feel like I am trying to knock out Boston and Massachusetts bucket list items in anticipation of probably not staying here. (And the Boston list is also for help in assessing where to take the fam. Example: there is a "Dark Side of Boston" tour. I'm in!) I will have to post them along the way, for my own memory if nothing else. I'm sure there are already posts in the past few years I could read and basically feel like a first-time reader. One thing I do not ever have to do is the St. Paddy's parade. I'd sooner cut myself. One thing I do not ever have to do again is be in the crowd for the Boston Marathon. I didn't even do that on purpose, but once it was too late I was all "eh, fuck it." NO. Throngs of people. Fucking annoying people with cowbells. NO.
I'm in the midst of coming up with a Boston bucket list but it's also....(drumroll, please)....RESTAURANT WEEK! Which is actually two weeks. And that makes total sense to me, y'all. And really, that is its own bucket list in a way, right?
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
As far as I'm concerned, anyone who goes into the Battery to do some damage deserves a medal.
So this happened last night...
All of Back Bay lost power last night during a giant transformer fire next to the Hilton around 6:30. All the green line T-stops in that area are getting skipped and power won't be restored til tonight. I heard about it yesterday evening--it affected a surprising amount of the city--and decided to opt out of hitting Superior Court this AM for a trial viewing. Apparently things are up and running there after all, but nothing wrong with tomorrow AM instead! Also, it seems all the Berklee students are giddy about some of their exams having to be postponed now. (The music school has exams? Anyway.)
This is what it looked like last night with that whole chunk of town dark. The city also seemed to be relieved that there wasn't any rioting. O.o
In diet related news, I got an email yesterday that the Bacon & Beer Fest is the last weekend of April. It's going to be at House of Blues, which seems weird to me. Another venue I dislike. (The one in Dallas is great, the one here...eh, again, too big.) Although for B & B purposes, perhaps big is ok. Big would be great, actually, if it weren't for all the fucking people. Isn't that always the way, though?
Also. A friend of mine posted a picture of something she had been sent and was eating. I had to ask. Wicked Good Cupcakes. If I told you, "cupcake in a jar," you'd probably think, "that actually sounds kinda...gross?" But then what if I said, "Chocolate Guinness and Baileys?" Well hell, I'd at least be curious. In any event, they almost look too big. 8oz of cupcake.
Sigh, time to get some work done today instead of goofing off. Kinda been doing the latter all week... :/
All of Back Bay lost power last night during a giant transformer fire next to the Hilton around 6:30. All the green line T-stops in that area are getting skipped and power won't be restored til tonight. I heard about it yesterday evening--it affected a surprising amount of the city--and decided to opt out of hitting Superior Court this AM for a trial viewing. Apparently things are up and running there after all, but nothing wrong with tomorrow AM instead! Also, it seems all the Berklee students are giddy about some of their exams having to be postponed now. (The music school has exams? Anyway.)
This is what it looked like last night with that whole chunk of town dark. The city also seemed to be relieved that there wasn't any rioting. O.o
In diet related news, I got an email yesterday that the Bacon & Beer Fest is the last weekend of April. It's going to be at House of Blues, which seems weird to me. Another venue I dislike. (The one in Dallas is great, the one here...eh, again, too big.) Although for B & B purposes, perhaps big is ok. Big would be great, actually, if it weren't for all the fucking people. Isn't that always the way, though?
Also. A friend of mine posted a picture of something she had been sent and was eating. I had to ask. Wicked Good Cupcakes. If I told you, "cupcake in a jar," you'd probably think, "that actually sounds kinda...gross?" But then what if I said, "Chocolate Guinness and Baileys?" Well hell, I'd at least be curious. In any event, they almost look too big. 8oz of cupcake.
Sigh, time to get some work done today instead of goofing off. Kinda been doing the latter all week... :/
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
By the way, you have milk in your fridge that's so bad, it's now good cheese.
Sarah tickets!!
I have a ticket to the Vermont and Boston shows. :D But in truth, I will probably sell the Vermont ticket. It went on sale before Boston and I hate the Boston venue. So I was being safe. But I can't really afford both. Also, Vermont...well, it is not as close as one might hope. Plus that show is general admission, which I really despise. (That means you have to get there really, really early if you want to be anywhere near the stage.) And driving to Vermont during bar prep time is a bit indulgent, to say the least.
I would love to drag a sister or two up for the Vermont show, but since everyone will be here for graduation in May...well, that's a bit much to ask!
I did snag myself a fifth row seat to the Boston show, and I will just have to live with the venue. It's where I saw Sara Bareilles and it's where I will graduate. It's on the water and quite pretty, it's just such a large venue. (Note to those attending graduation: bring some Sudoku, a flask, some cyanide pills...)
More importantly, wedding season is increasingly upon us. I won a gym membership at my friend's auction for the Boston marathon, so I shall be putting it to good use soon! My bridesmaids dress is theoretically due at my door sometime next month, and while it looks pretty forgiving, best to err on the side of slim. There are going to be tons of photos, so that's probably enough to put the fear in me.
Then Friend L is getting married in August, though I am waiting to buy my plane ticket since I'm not sure where I'll be flying from! She is ok with me posting her dress (more views) and I think it is gorgeous and lovely.
It also strikes me as very her and also precisely in the vein of what she was seeking.
More difficult is S's wedding, taking place one year from June! It will be here, but wow, who knows where I'll be! I really hope to be able to make it, and S just purchased her dress the other day from Kleinfeld's in NYC.
Apparently the pics don't do it justice, but I think it's amazing and again, very S. (I wish I could do strapless!)
In less exciting news, I've got an interview for early April for the job I may not want. It's going to be over an hour. I have been forewarned by multiple people, including the woman who scheduled it, that one of the two panelists gives grueling interviews. Some people had this woman for their mini interview, I seem to have landed her for the big interview. Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffin' glue.
It is very, very pretty in Boston this week. It is also spring break. Restaurant Week typically coincides, but not this year for some reason. Apparently it starts next week. That is probably for the greater good, because otherwise I doubt very little would get done (not that I'm plowing through much at the moment, obviously)! But it will be so hard to resist indulging more than I should. And then that thought always reminds me that the Bacon & Beer fest is also due in April...dammit!
I have a ticket to the Vermont and Boston shows. :D But in truth, I will probably sell the Vermont ticket. It went on sale before Boston and I hate the Boston venue. So I was being safe. But I can't really afford both. Also, Vermont...well, it is not as close as one might hope. Plus that show is general admission, which I really despise. (That means you have to get there really, really early if you want to be anywhere near the stage.) And driving to Vermont during bar prep time is a bit indulgent, to say the least.
I would love to drag a sister or two up for the Vermont show, but since everyone will be here for graduation in May...well, that's a bit much to ask!
I did snag myself a fifth row seat to the Boston show, and I will just have to live with the venue. It's where I saw Sara Bareilles and it's where I will graduate. It's on the water and quite pretty, it's just such a large venue. (Note to those attending graduation: bring some Sudoku, a flask, some cyanide pills...)
More importantly, wedding season is increasingly upon us. I won a gym membership at my friend's auction for the Boston marathon, so I shall be putting it to good use soon! My bridesmaids dress is theoretically due at my door sometime next month, and while it looks pretty forgiving, best to err on the side of slim. There are going to be tons of photos, so that's probably enough to put the fear in me.
Then Friend L is getting married in August, though I am waiting to buy my plane ticket since I'm not sure where I'll be flying from! She is ok with me posting her dress (more views) and I think it is gorgeous and lovely.
More difficult is S's wedding, taking place one year from June! It will be here, but wow, who knows where I'll be! I really hope to be able to make it, and S just purchased her dress the other day from Kleinfeld's in NYC.
Apparently the pics don't do it justice, but I think it's amazing and again, very S. (I wish I could do strapless!)
In less exciting news, I've got an interview for early April for the job I may not want. It's going to be over an hour. I have been forewarned by multiple people, including the woman who scheduled it, that one of the two panelists gives grueling interviews. Some people had this woman for their mini interview, I seem to have landed her for the big interview. Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffin' glue.
It is very, very pretty in Boston this week. It is also spring break. Restaurant Week typically coincides, but not this year for some reason. Apparently it starts next week. That is probably for the greater good, because otherwise I doubt very little would get done (not that I'm plowing through much at the moment, obviously)! But it will be so hard to resist indulging more than I should. And then that thought always reminds me that the Bacon & Beer fest is also due in April...dammit!
Thursday, March 08, 2012
Three words--double bag it.
Wow, maybe litigation isn't for me. Being in court has not caused me to think this, but rather it's my horrible listening skills.
I remember doing additional listening skill exercises as a child with my mom because my standardized test scores showed it was the lowest area (but I'm sure they were still totally awesome scores because I can think whatever I want). But she had gotten these supplemental materials to help me because that's what good mommys do, and one evening we were working on them. She read a short passage and I had to write down answers involving a particular story about a new roller coaster ride and the name of it was "Blue Prince" but somehow I ended up writing something about "blueprints" in an answer. And I've really always had this sort of problem.
Well, fast-forward to twenty years later and I'm here I am trying to log into a bar's wireless network (I left my phone at home but was determined to go out and have BBQ and some beers in Davis because it is SEVENTY DEGREES IN BOSTON TODAY and I just turned in a giant ass-pounder of a research project. Like, the kind where I think my eyes are bleeding by the end. So I know it's nothing new for me to randomly day-drink, but just tryin' to fill in the details). ANYWAY. I pop into a bar because it has giant open windows and I need to check my email to make sure my professor hasn't emailed me to be all WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS.
And so the following conversation ensued:
"Do you have wireless?"
"Yes! The guest network is 'giraffe36' and if that doesn't work, the private network is 'giraffebeer36.'
Time passes. None of the passwords work.
I turned my laptop around to show the bartender, in case there needed to be caps or numbers spelled out or I possibly fucked up the spelling of 'giraffe.'
"Like this?"
"Well, yeah, but 'draft.' So, 'draftbeer36.' We have 36 beers on draft."
AH YES. BECAUSE SEE, THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE. But "giraffe" was totally a logical thing to assume. Yes.
I mean, nothing takes you down twenty pegs faster than something like that. Especially when you're then all, "HAHAHA, uh yeah, I was wondering...I mean, I thought 'giraffe36' was cute and all...I'M A LITTLE DEAF."
But what I desperately wanted to say was, "I ACTUALLY DID NOT GO TO A SPECIAL SCHOOL."
SIGH.
I remember doing additional listening skill exercises as a child with my mom because my standardized test scores showed it was the lowest area (but I'm sure they were still totally awesome scores because I can think whatever I want). But she had gotten these supplemental materials to help me because that's what good mommys do, and one evening we were working on them. She read a short passage and I had to write down answers involving a particular story about a new roller coaster ride and the name of it was "Blue Prince" but somehow I ended up writing something about "blueprints" in an answer. And I've really always had this sort of problem.
Well, fast-forward to twenty years later and I'm here I am trying to log into a bar's wireless network (I left my phone at home but was determined to go out and have BBQ and some beers in Davis because it is SEVENTY DEGREES IN BOSTON TODAY and I just turned in a giant ass-pounder of a research project. Like, the kind where I think my eyes are bleeding by the end. So I know it's nothing new for me to randomly day-drink, but just tryin' to fill in the details). ANYWAY. I pop into a bar because it has giant open windows and I need to check my email to make sure my professor hasn't emailed me to be all WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS.
And so the following conversation ensued:
"Do you have wireless?"
"Yes! The guest network is 'giraffe36' and if that doesn't work, the private network is 'giraffebeer36.'
Time passes. None of the passwords work.
I turned my laptop around to show the bartender, in case there needed to be caps or numbers spelled out or I possibly fucked up the spelling of 'giraffe.'
"Like this?"
"Well, yeah, but 'draft.' So, 'draftbeer36.' We have 36 beers on draft."
AH YES. BECAUSE SEE, THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE. But "giraffe" was totally a logical thing to assume. Yes.
I mean, nothing takes you down twenty pegs faster than something like that. Especially when you're then all, "HAHAHA, uh yeah, I was wondering...I mean, I thought 'giraffe36' was cute and all...I'M A LITTLE DEAF."
But what I desperately wanted to say was, "I ACTUALLY DID NOT GO TO A SPECIAL SCHOOL."
SIGH.
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
I thought I heard the door at 3 am. Those are the sounds of true love.
Wow, I think the last time I watched CNN on purpose was in Japan? Ok, I guess I turn it on during the elections. But seriously, it's weird to see it outside The Daily Show context, it's kind of awful.
How the fuck is Rick Santorum winning? Part of me thinks Romney will still pull it out, but I'm so torn. I almost want Santorum to win because you've got to be fucking kidding me. And then I think about the second Bush election. O.o As Bill Maher put it, "I don't trust this fucking country."
(Editor's Note: In retrospect, I think this was before they added in previously won delegates, because I don't think RS was ever winning... And such is the problem with news channels like CNN--way too much time and money somehow equals watered down news...and boy, do they love their OTT technology.)
Oh, wait, I think Mittens is winning now. Whatever.
I actually made a really yummy shrimp/pineapple/cashew stir fry tonight, despite burning the jasmine rice 1 1/2 times. And then I sort of melted the trashbag trying to toss it out. It's amazing I managed to get the food in my mouth later, the way things were starting to go. And I wasn't even drinking! No shit, y'all, I do everything better when I drink. I used to think it was just pool, but apparently it's life.
So I have Rangers/Red Sox tickets for April! Very excited about that. First Red Sox...hell, first baseball game. But seriously, I have this problem where I always think about a torts case we read my first year. Girl got to the game in the seventh inning, sat down, and about 1.5 minutes later, took a ball right in the face and had to have reconstructive surgery and couldn't sue. (Something about obvious risk, yadda yadda.) And basically, they figured out that there was nothing she could have done--no movement or reaction--to prevent it. The ball was that fast. So here's hoping that doesn't happen twice.
And then the week before that, The Ting Tings are coming to The Paradise, which is the same club where I saw Fountains of Wayne. Perfect size venue, $25, yay!
And I'm trying to milk April, because May is starting to look like one ugly-ass bear. Giant research project due the 3rd, motion to suppress (hello again) the 4th, and my final exam the 5th--in fact I am having to have it moved from the 4th to the 5th because of court. Awesome. So what a great beginning to that month...
Though the plus side is, of course, getting to see family for graduation! I will just keep thinking about that part...
How the fuck is Rick Santorum winning? Part of me thinks Romney will still pull it out, but I'm so torn. I almost want Santorum to win because you've got to be fucking kidding me. And then I think about the second Bush election. O.o As Bill Maher put it, "I don't trust this fucking country."
(Editor's Note: In retrospect, I think this was before they added in previously won delegates, because I don't think RS was ever winning... And such is the problem with news channels like CNN--way too much time and money somehow equals watered down news...and boy, do they love their OTT technology.)
Oh, wait, I think Mittens is winning now. Whatever.
I actually made a really yummy shrimp/pineapple/cashew stir fry tonight, despite burning the jasmine rice 1 1/2 times. And then I sort of melted the trashbag trying to toss it out. It's amazing I managed to get the food in my mouth later, the way things were starting to go. And I wasn't even drinking! No shit, y'all, I do everything better when I drink. I used to think it was just pool, but apparently it's life.
So I have Rangers/Red Sox tickets for April! Very excited about that. First Red Sox...hell, first baseball game. But seriously, I have this problem where I always think about a torts case we read my first year. Girl got to the game in the seventh inning, sat down, and about 1.5 minutes later, took a ball right in the face and had to have reconstructive surgery and couldn't sue. (Something about obvious risk, yadda yadda.) And basically, they figured out that there was nothing she could have done--no movement or reaction--to prevent it. The ball was that fast. So here's hoping that doesn't happen twice.
And then the week before that, The Ting Tings are coming to The Paradise, which is the same club where I saw Fountains of Wayne. Perfect size venue, $25, yay!
And I'm trying to milk April, because May is starting to look like one ugly-ass bear. Giant research project due the 3rd, motion to suppress (hello again) the 4th, and my final exam the 5th--in fact I am having to have it moved from the 4th to the 5th because of court. Awesome. So what a great beginning to that month...
Though the plus side is, of course, getting to see family for graduation! I will just keep thinking about that part...
Saturday, March 03, 2012
Yeah, we're gonna go. He's about to get real handsy and uh, a little racist.
In an effort to delay actual work, I decided to catch up with my criminal tribunal case from the summer. I was totally stoked to see the motion I had mostly written, researched and submitted was TOTALLY decided in our favor! (Like, in late October. Molasses.) The prosecution did not violate its obligations under a particular rule. It was actually really interesting because it had to do with how we were cross-examining. Idiot defense attorney kept making the same objections and finally the judges had us each draft our interpretation of the rule at hand, citing to case law (from our own court, which is fairly limited, all things considered). My initial reaction was wtf, we get to cross how we get to cross. But apparently this rule has British origins in which you have to "put your case" to opposing witnesses, regardless of what they can really testify to. Which is crazy, if you ask me...
Well, in any case, the judges found we didn't violate our obligations, so [redacted] can suck it.
Nothing much else to report. It has been SNOWING finally! Neat. But there's been enough warm weather teasing lately that I'm quite ready for spring. Also, being crotch-deep in Vermont snow was all the winter I need for this year AND next.
Also, there's a bridesmaids dress on its way for which I need to shed some pounds as well as a little post-graduation beach time that will require me to not look pregnant. So it's time to drink...well, somewhat less.
I did get a call for a second interview at a job I'm not convinced I should take. And I'm only one of two people in my clinic to get that call so far. OF COURSE. Why does it have to be so predictable? I'm going to start thinking about the job I REALLY want as if it's a mediocre prom date and then maybe they'll call?
I am also thinking of my good law school friend who lost her grandmother a few days ago, went home, and is about to lose her other grandmother in the next 48-72 hours. What a weekend for her. :(
Also, I have done no work today. FTW.
Well, in any case, the judges found we didn't violate our obligations, so [redacted] can suck it.
Nothing much else to report. It has been SNOWING finally! Neat. But there's been enough warm weather teasing lately that I'm quite ready for spring. Also, being crotch-deep in Vermont snow was all the winter I need for this year AND next.
Also, there's a bridesmaids dress on its way for which I need to shed some pounds as well as a little post-graduation beach time that will require me to not look pregnant. So it's time to drink...well, somewhat less.
I did get a call for a second interview at a job I'm not convinced I should take. And I'm only one of two people in my clinic to get that call so far. OF COURSE. Why does it have to be so predictable? I'm going to start thinking about the job I REALLY want as if it's a mediocre prom date and then maybe they'll call?
I am also thinking of my good law school friend who lost her grandmother a few days ago, went home, and is about to lose her other grandmother in the next 48-72 hours. What a weekend for her. :(
Also, I have done no work today. FTW.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Shouldn't you be holding the crucifix? It is THE prop for martyrs.
I believe the phrase I am looking for is "pissing down snow."
Super pretty, though.
Trying to figure out a time slot for a grueling interview for a legal job I don't want that pays less than a management position in retail. HIGH! FIVE!
Ready for beach now, please.
Super pretty, though.
Trying to figure out a time slot for a grueling interview for a legal job I don't want that pays less than a management position in retail. HIGH! FIVE!
Ready for beach now, please.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
And nobody's going to tell him how to run his unit--least of all the Harvard mouth in his faggoty white uniform.
And it's The Artist!
Yay! I'm not tremendously excited either way, it was cute and a good film...but none of the films nominated really seem to be of the sort that will stand the test of time, in my opinion.
Regardless, it was a solid and good (if uber-safe) Oscar show. Billy Crystal again next year, please.
Good-night, y'all.
Yay! I'm not tremendously excited either way, it was cute and a good film...but none of the films nominated really seem to be of the sort that will stand the test of time, in my opinion.
Regardless, it was a solid and good (if uber-safe) Oscar show. Billy Crystal again next year, please.
Good-night, y'all.
No! He covets. That is his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? Do we seek out things to covet? Make an effort to answer now.
I think there is an inner-circle drinking game going on where everyone drinks when someone says "Scorsese"?? I love confusing introduction segments.
I thought this was a neat shot. GEORGE!
Ok, y'all. I think Gaz has about a mouse fart's chance in hell of winning. But nonetheless, I am glad he was nominated. How APPALLING, really, that this is his first. :/ The man has been my very favorite actor for probably about fifteen years.
Having said that, I do actually really hope Jean Dujardin wins. I'm telling you, his facial expressions are just great.
And he DOES! :D What a tremendous win. Once in a while, they get it right. (Sorry, Gaz.)
Leading lady time!
Rooney Mara SHOULD get it, but I think Viola Davis may be the frontrunner and Meryl Streep may be the favorite "underdog" to snake it? My bets are on Viola.
WHA?? Meryl snags it! I'm mean, don't get me wrong...it's Meryl. And she is, as always, a very lovely lady with a wonderful acceptance speech. <3
I thought this was a neat shot. GEORGE!
Ok, y'all. I think Gaz has about a mouse fart's chance in hell of winning. But nonetheless, I am glad he was nominated. How APPALLING, really, that this is his first. :/ The man has been my very favorite actor for probably about fifteen years.
Having said that, I do actually really hope Jean Dujardin wins. I'm telling you, his facial expressions are just great.
And he DOES! :D What a tremendous win. Once in a while, they get it right. (Sorry, Gaz.)
Leading lady time!
Rooney Mara SHOULD get it, but I think Viola Davis may be the frontrunner and Meryl Streep may be the favorite "underdog" to snake it? My bets are on Viola.
WHA?? Meryl snags it! I'm mean, don't get me wrong...it's Meryl. And she is, as always, a very lovely lady with a wonderful acceptance speech. <3
You better take a GOOD LOOK, cause I'm gettin' two things: PISSED OFF AND CURIOUS.
See? This is the unfortunate Brad hair I mentioned. Also. I do think Angelina is a stunningly beautiful woman. HOWEVER.
It's her arms. The camera adds ten pounds? REALLY? She must look like the Crypt Keeper in real life.
Also, she kept striking this pose all night, including when she took the stage to announce. The winners promptly mocked her. And rightly so.
Also, those "ashes" I mentioned earlier?
I did not lie!
It's her arms. The camera adds ten pounds? REALLY? She must look like the Crypt Keeper in real life.
Also, she kept striking this pose all night, including when she took the stage to announce. The winners promptly mocked her. And rightly so.
Also, those "ashes" I mentioned earlier?
I did not lie!
Little kids will be looking under their beds - "Damien might be under there!"
The Paradise Lost series is almost assuredly single-handedly responsible for setting the West Memphis Three free.
So in all honesty, though I knew it wouldn't win, I am utterly repulsed that it should be overlooked. If there was ever a more impressive impact, a more impressive demonstration of what film can do, I simply cannot imagine one greater than this.
So in all honesty, though I knew it wouldn't win, I am utterly repulsed that it should be overlooked. If there was ever a more impressive impact, a more impressive demonstration of what film can do, I simply cannot imagine one greater than this.
He died in bed? Whose bed? A prostitute?
Ok, the Cirque du Soleil number just has my mouth hanging open. HOW. Just...HOW?! I'm in pain just thinking about it.
I believe in two things: discipline and the Bible. Here you'll receive both. Put your trust in the Lord; your ass belongs to me. Welcome to Shawshank.
Hugo snags the first two, cinematography and art direction. Hmm. Ah, but The Artist comes back with costume design! I'm not feeling super-passionate about most of the categories tonight, but given my choices, I'm happy to support The Artist, particularly for Best Actor. (Even though Gary Oldman is nominated, I know, I know, what's wrong with me.)
Dammit, we still have to watch A Separation, Friend L! That was the first of only two sure wins tonight. (Christopher Plummer will be the second.)
Ohhhhhhhhhh, and Jessica Chastain is the silly blonde from The Help, in addition to being in Tree of Life. She got around this year, apparently. (I mentioned her in a lower post--she's got one of my fave dresses of the night.)
Aw yay, Octavia Spencer wins Best Supporting Actress! (I'm 3 for 3 and that one was a win.) She's all verklempt!
Great dress, too, though this photo fails to capture the detail.
Dammit, we still have to watch A Separation, Friend L! That was the first of only two sure wins tonight. (Christopher Plummer will be the second.)
Ohhhhhhhhhh, and Jessica Chastain is the silly blonde from The Help, in addition to being in Tree of Life. She got around this year, apparently. (I mentioned her in a lower post--she's got one of my fave dresses of the night.)
Aw yay, Octavia Spencer wins Best Supporting Actress! (I'm 3 for 3 and that one was a win.) She's all verklempt!
Great dress, too, though this photo fails to capture the detail.
Hate makes you impotent, love makes you crazy, somewhere in the middle you can survive.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. They should get Billy Crystal to host every year, it's the only time it's just right! Just the right mix of goofy puns, charm, nostalgia, and self-deprecating humor. <3
If she calls, just be gentle, you know? Like you're really happy to hear from her. Like you miss her. Women love that shit.
I switched over to ABC from E! because why would you watch E! when you can watch Tim Gunn? Nina Garcia is co-hosting and it's weird. First of all, this sort of hosting gig is really not her niche. Also, I think someone slipped her some Valium? She's talking S L O W L Y. (And since I started writing this twenty minutes ago or so, she seems to have just disappeared altogether?)
Anyhoo, Tina is looking pretty great. Rock it, girl.
And JLo is seriously smokin' in this, but again, isn't this a variation on something Beyonce already wore that was green? Whatever, at least the girls seem to be secure.
Ugh, somehow Brad's hair is managing to look greasy but soft all at the same time. Ultimately, I just desperately want him to cut it.
Ok, Sandy, I sort of hate you a little bit for being in that appalling turd of a sorry fucking excuse for a film, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. And I do not love this dress--I sort of want to, but...I can't pretend it's not dumpy. However, the back is super low and swoopy, so that part is awesome.
Y'ALL! STOP SWOONING OVER THIS DRESS! This is, quite frankly, a fucking ugly dress. I respect the coral color, but it's just...yeah, man, it's ugly. Sorry. Michelle Williams is a great actress who gives horrid interview. And the dress is just not working for me.
I love how everyone is sort of hoping and demanding Billy Crystal does his old-school mega-musical-production like he used to. Amen!
It is something pretty spectacular to be able to pull off gold metallic. And I think, as we're all aware, Meryl can do anything.
And more importantly, who keeps inviting Gwyneth?
Anyhoo, Tina is looking pretty great. Rock it, girl.
And JLo is seriously smokin' in this, but again, isn't this a variation on something Beyonce already wore that was green? Whatever, at least the girls seem to be secure.
Ugh, somehow Brad's hair is managing to look greasy but soft all at the same time. Ultimately, I just desperately want him to cut it.
Ok, Sandy, I sort of hate you a little bit for being in that appalling turd of a sorry fucking excuse for a film, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. And I do not love this dress--I sort of want to, but...I can't pretend it's not dumpy. However, the back is super low and swoopy, so that part is awesome.
Y'ALL! STOP SWOONING OVER THIS DRESS! This is, quite frankly, a fucking ugly dress. I respect the coral color, but it's just...yeah, man, it's ugly. Sorry. Michelle Williams is a great actress who gives horrid interview. And the dress is just not working for me.
I love how everyone is sort of hoping and demanding Billy Crystal does his old-school mega-musical-production like he used to. Amen!
It is something pretty spectacular to be able to pull off gold metallic. And I think, as we're all aware, Meryl can do anything.
And more importantly, who keeps inviting Gwyneth?
He's the only man I know who can strut sitting down.
Oh holy jesus, Melanie Griffith looks eighty. The only explanation for this has got to be a serious shit-ton of drugs.
Ok, I have to say...Ryan Seacrest is the best sport ever. I seriously continue to loathe Sascha Baron Cohen, and I fucking cannot fathom why he is funny to people. There is nothing okay about SBC, he just comes off as a complete fucking asshole.
So I just watched him accidentally-on-purpose dump a giant urn of "ashes" all over Seacrest, who--to his immense credit--really kept his shit together and played it off totally cool even though you could pretty much feel the I WANT TO FUCKING KILL YOU coming off him in waves. Seacrest may be a complete douchebag, but way to roll with that one.
Oh, Emma. No, no, no.
Didn't Nicole totally do this dress a few years ago (probably in pink) and wasn't that when we all learned this is not a good idea?
Also not a fan of Rooney Mara's dress, however awesome SHE may be.
This is apparently Jessica Chastain from Tree of Life, which I have not been able to bring myself to watch. But fabulous dress, honey.
Ok, I have to say...Ryan Seacrest is the best sport ever. I seriously continue to loathe Sascha Baron Cohen, and I fucking cannot fathom why he is funny to people. There is nothing okay about SBC, he just comes off as a complete fucking asshole.
So I just watched him accidentally-on-purpose dump a giant urn of "ashes" all over Seacrest, who--to his immense credit--really kept his shit together and played it off totally cool even though you could pretty much feel the I WANT TO FUCKING KILL YOU coming off him in waves. Seacrest may be a complete douchebag, but way to roll with that one.
Oh, Emma. No, no, no.
Didn't Nicole totally do this dress a few years ago (probably in pink) and wasn't that when we all learned this is not a good idea?
Also not a fan of Rooney Mara's dress, however awesome SHE may be.
This is apparently Jessica Chastain from Tree of Life, which I have not been able to bring myself to watch. But fabulous dress, honey.
Who put Playboy in the bathroom?
Seriously, why is men's fashion so boring. George may have been wearing the same tux for the past eight years and I would never know. I think it's also always Armani.
I have no idea who this is (well, apparently it's Nancy O'Dell, but that still means nothing to me) but I am totally digging her dress. God knows I could never pull off yellow, but it is still totally awesome. Or rather, it would be if it were almost any other color?
And I think Shailene Woodley from The Descendants has a really unusual but flattering and classy dress that this photo simply does not capture. It looks like ass here but trust me, it works.
And don't hate me, but I'm kinda curious about Mirror, Mirror, but mostly because it looks so awful it might be kind of awesome?
I am also fairly sure that Julia Roberts is going to be straight up painful as hell.
I have no idea who this is (well, apparently it's Nancy O'Dell, but that still means nothing to me) but I am totally digging her dress. God knows I could never pull off yellow, but it is still totally awesome. Or rather, it would be if it were almost any other color?
And I think Shailene Woodley from The Descendants has a really unusual but flattering and classy dress that this photo simply does not capture. It looks like ass here but trust me, it works.
And don't hate me, but I'm kinda curious about Mirror, Mirror, but mostly because it looks so awful it might be kind of awesome?
I am also fairly sure that Julia Roberts is going to be straight up painful as hell.
What's your damage, Heather?
Oscar time! Keeping an eye on the live blogging over at Go Fug Yourself as well. Looking forward to DRESSES. ;)
Yes, I know Lane isn't nominated. Ask me if I care.
Yes, I know Lane isn't nominated. Ask me if I care.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Staring into the Brown & Williamson building--it's dark except the 10th floor. That's the legal department. That's where they fuck with my life.
I fucking hate bitchy little ADAs. Fuck all of them. Yes, we get to "waltz in and out" of court, but our case work is far more intensive. You just have to stand up there and read a fuckin' police report (which I assure you is so scintillating for everyone) and then read someone else's recommendation, argue some law REALLY BADLY (by which I mean WRONGLY), and then be a grade-A douchebag and make me wait indefinitely because it makes you feel like a superior fuck. GOOD! JOB!
Anyway.
Driving to Rhode Island tomorrow for a job interview (the job would not be in RI) and then I am being "kidnapped" for the weekend to Vermont by Friend S & Friend L for a skiing thing. I am so very glad for those ladies. ;) I will be inside drinking, not thinking about my case, watching Oscar flicks with L, maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe reading a non-law book?? Dare I say that out loud??
Also time to get on the bar review ball. :((((
And Oscars on Sunday night!! :D
Anyway.
Driving to Rhode Island tomorrow for a job interview (the job would not be in RI) and then I am being "kidnapped" for the weekend to Vermont by Friend S & Friend L for a skiing thing. I am so very glad for those ladies. ;) I will be inside drinking, not thinking about my case, watching Oscar flicks with L, maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe reading a non-law book?? Dare I say that out loud??
Also time to get on the bar review ball. :((((
And Oscars on Sunday night!! :D
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
We all end up in the same place. All that's left is...our wikipedia entry.
Oh my god the weekend was brutal. Actually it was equal parts excruciating and fantastic. I took part in the world's largest moot court competition and was part of the most difficult regional round, the Northeast Regional. You can guess why it sucks nuts that hard, and luckily I didn't get screwed to the wall by Harvard, Columbia, BC, Cornell, etc. We went up against four other schools with which I was less familiar, but I shall refrain from naming them.
The first round we all thought we did great but it turned out that while we had a better memorial, the scoring on the arguments (the oral part) was totally in their favor. It was surprising. Although then they won top ten memorial. WTF. A lot of the scoring felt like that. Lots of WTF. Not that we had any business making it to the final rounds, mind you.
That was some motherfucking exhausting, stressful shit, though. The first day was hard--watching two of my teammates go first and having a fairly docile bench, then going in the afternoon ourselves and (we all saw this part coming) having a relentless bench--one guy in particular clearly relished pressing things and being an all-around dick. I really didn't mind him, to be honest. Especially after what I saw the next day.
So the next day my partner E and I got the fairly nice bench--one guy really liked me and I got the highest scores all around. (Not that they were awesome scores, but still. WINNING.) Oh, and apparently I made opposing counsel cry. :/ I don't think I REALLY did--I think she made herself cry. And she's YOUNG. But I was told after our round that she was in the loo in tears. I had called her out during my round on facts she had mis-characterized (and using that word) which is a fairly diplomatic way to do it. And it wasn't even that big of a deal. Who cares? But they got up on rebuttal and tried to distinguish it...yeah, the judges were like, and how does that even help your case? They brought up two other boring points and we, in turn, simply waived sur-rebuttal. (Which is the equivalent of saying they didn't have anything worth responding to.) IT'S NOTHING PERSONAL, GIRL.
But what might have made ME cry was the following round my teammates endured. One guy, one judge, was just a flat-out asshole who clearly loathed the applicant position. He was somewhat harsh to the other side as well, but nowhere near to the extent he was with us. I have the utmost respect and admiration for both my teammates for getting through that round with grace and dignity. Even though when D sat down he said that for the first time, he physically wanted to vomit.
But honestly, as we sat in the law firm conference room to hear the top results, I looked at E and said, "If we make the next round, I am going to cry/kill all of you." I'm pretty sure we all felt the same way.
We did not make it and promptly headed out and got a really good bottle of champagne for 3 and a soda (E does not drink).
We went back for the score reports and drink ceremony around 8:30 and somehow wound up at dinner with some fairly annoying people. My teammate M was already quite...um...well, she was very inebriated. And they were annoying her. So she was directing her attention to her phone and would frequently head outside to text. The one annoying girl leaned over to me and said, "Is she devastated about losing?" I am so proud I kept my shit together. Though the four of us did have a good laugh about it in the cab later.
In fact, I told this same girl that before heading to the ceremony I had been loving the chance to curl up in the giant hotel bed and watch House and The Closer on TV. (She seemed delicate, I omitted the part about my flask.) She said, "I still can't watch TV yet, I'm too devastated." And in all honesty, this was a team that we--we who were not even all that good--had totally creamed earlier. Again, age is everything. PERSPECTIVE, HONEY. GET SOME.
I think one of my favorite things was having dinner with D's parents the second night of the competition. D is half Chinese/half Korean and his parents live close to the city, so they came in and took us for Korean barbecue. It's the closest I can get to Don Don's without flying to Japan. And of course, it's Korean, so there are tons of side-dishes and it's different because you put the meat in a lettuce leaf, roll it up, etc. OMFG IT WAS SO GOOD. And his parents were really, really lovely. ADORABLE. And our coach (who had to leave half-way through the last day, so she missed out on champagne!) is also Korean, so she didn't even pretend to make a show when the parents paid for everything. (Particularly given our lame stipend the school gives us, I was very thankful!) And the restaurant was filled to the brim and I didn't see a single white person. I SHALL go back!!
Ok, this was my break and now I have to go desperately prep for a motion to suppress. :/
The first round we all thought we did great but it turned out that while we had a better memorial, the scoring on the arguments (the oral part) was totally in their favor. It was surprising. Although then they won top ten memorial. WTF. A lot of the scoring felt like that. Lots of WTF. Not that we had any business making it to the final rounds, mind you.
That was some motherfucking exhausting, stressful shit, though. The first day was hard--watching two of my teammates go first and having a fairly docile bench, then going in the afternoon ourselves and (we all saw this part coming) having a relentless bench--one guy in particular clearly relished pressing things and being an all-around dick. I really didn't mind him, to be honest. Especially after what I saw the next day.
So the next day my partner E and I got the fairly nice bench--one guy really liked me and I got the highest scores all around. (Not that they were awesome scores, but still. WINNING.) Oh, and apparently I made opposing counsel cry. :/ I don't think I REALLY did--I think she made herself cry. And she's YOUNG. But I was told after our round that she was in the loo in tears. I had called her out during my round on facts she had mis-characterized (and using that word) which is a fairly diplomatic way to do it. And it wasn't even that big of a deal. Who cares? But they got up on rebuttal and tried to distinguish it...yeah, the judges were like, and how does that even help your case? They brought up two other boring points and we, in turn, simply waived sur-rebuttal. (Which is the equivalent of saying they didn't have anything worth responding to.) IT'S NOTHING PERSONAL, GIRL.
But what might have made ME cry was the following round my teammates endured. One guy, one judge, was just a flat-out asshole who clearly loathed the applicant position. He was somewhat harsh to the other side as well, but nowhere near to the extent he was with us. I have the utmost respect and admiration for both my teammates for getting through that round with grace and dignity. Even though when D sat down he said that for the first time, he physically wanted to vomit.
But honestly, as we sat in the law firm conference room to hear the top results, I looked at E and said, "If we make the next round, I am going to cry/kill all of you." I'm pretty sure we all felt the same way.
We did not make it and promptly headed out and got a really good bottle of champagne for 3 and a soda (E does not drink).
We went back for the score reports and drink ceremony around 8:30 and somehow wound up at dinner with some fairly annoying people. My teammate M was already quite...um...well, she was very inebriated. And they were annoying her. So she was directing her attention to her phone and would frequently head outside to text. The one annoying girl leaned over to me and said, "Is she devastated about losing?" I am so proud I kept my shit together. Though the four of us did have a good laugh about it in the cab later.
In fact, I told this same girl that before heading to the ceremony I had been loving the chance to curl up in the giant hotel bed and watch House and The Closer on TV. (She seemed delicate, I omitted the part about my flask.) She said, "I still can't watch TV yet, I'm too devastated." And in all honesty, this was a team that we--we who were not even all that good--had totally creamed earlier. Again, age is everything. PERSPECTIVE, HONEY. GET SOME.
I think one of my favorite things was having dinner with D's parents the second night of the competition. D is half Chinese/half Korean and his parents live close to the city, so they came in and took us for Korean barbecue. It's the closest I can get to Don Don's without flying to Japan. And of course, it's Korean, so there are tons of side-dishes and it's different because you put the meat in a lettuce leaf, roll it up, etc. OMFG IT WAS SO GOOD. And his parents were really, really lovely. ADORABLE. And our coach (who had to leave half-way through the last day, so she missed out on champagne!) is also Korean, so she didn't even pretend to make a show when the parents paid for everything. (Particularly given our lame stipend the school gives us, I was very thankful!) And the restaurant was filled to the brim and I didn't see a single white person. I SHALL go back!!
Ok, this was my break and now I have to go desperately prep for a motion to suppress. :/
Monday, February 13, 2012
That's why he doesn't have any enemies--only his friends hate him.
I always wake up to NPR on the radio. I often listen and/or continue to sleep, which can make for interesting dreams. (And the occasional confusion during the day where I have to wonder if certain current events actually happened.) The past two mornings' lead stories have been alternating between Whitney Houston and the ongoing problems in Syria and I'm surprised it hasn't yielded stranger dreams. How disappointing.
On the other hand, the lead story on Sunday (Sunday is very hit or miss, it's usually so awful it makes me leap out of bed to make it go away) was that the U.N. had just declared Honduras the most violent country in the world, largely stemming from "the military coup that ousted a democratically elected government." That sentence right there is basically the entire basis for my oral argument that's coming down in a few days. Thank you, NPR, for making me want to vomit mere moments after waking me up. You're the best.
On the other hand, the lead story on Sunday (Sunday is very hit or miss, it's usually so awful it makes me leap out of bed to make it go away) was that the U.N. had just declared Honduras the most violent country in the world, largely stemming from "the military coup that ousted a democratically elected government." That sentence right there is basically the entire basis for my oral argument that's coming down in a few days. Thank you, NPR, for making me want to vomit mere moments after waking me up. You're the best.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
I was playing like one of those little wind-up monkey toys. They booed us off the stage, Phil! Jimmy couldn't even hear how off-key he was.
Oh, man. That line was all I could think of after my oral argument practice today. I got up and I was making an effort not to look at my notes but I was also just OFF somehow the minute I started arguing. Just...OFF. And I finally just stopped halfway through to be like, YES, I KNOW I SUCK I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. (It's practice, in case you missed that, but still not something to do at this stage of the game.)
And it really just felt like that moment in That Thing You Do! where Guy gets the beat wrong right off and they never recover. I tried to tell myself it was good to have at least one shitty practice, but let's not look too deeply into why that could ever serve any purpose.
I have to book my train tonight and then we're off Thursday and get back Sunday. We are coming back early Sunday even though the semis and finals are Sunday afternoon. (It's called reality, y'all.)
And next week I have a real fucking motion to suppress and I'm sort of shitting about that. I have a giant research project due Thursday as well (which is obviously getting delivered to her the day before). And our clinic exercise this week WOULD be fun if it wasn't a time suck.
So for our exercise this week we have to pull a cross-examination from TV, movies, or literature and re-do it. We have this same exercise at the end of the semester with closings. So no, I'm not going to pull a cross from A Few Good Men or My Cousin Vinny. (Well, I guess you could use the public defender's cross from MCV, but let's at least be a little challenging, shall we?)
I'm not going to lie, I just went out and bought the first season of The Good Wife expressly for this. I mean, I love that show and wanted to own it anyway, so win win. But I thought it would be a great show to pull a cross from that could be re-done for reality, since it's always good but it's done for TV. It was tempting to use Carey's first cross when he nearly pukes and asks all of two questions. I also really wanted to use her cross from season 2 when she mistakenly asks a convict "what else" his attorney had said to him. Man, was that a mistake--first rule of cross is don't ask questions you don't know the answer to. But it was only two minutes, so I don't think I can get away with that in class.
The only movie I think I'd use is Anatomy of a Murder, which has a similar issue. I won't spoil the film here, but let's just say somebody gets royally fucked by doing an improper cross. And it's great. And you know how I feel about Jimmy Stewart but I still like this movie.
I also rented ...And Justice for All! in an effort to track down a cross-exam. I've never seen it before and if you haven't either, you know it just as that movie when Pacino's all "I'M out of order?! YOU'RE out of order!! THIS WHOLE COURT'S OUT OF ORDER!!" I'm halfway through and so far I have these three things to say. 1) OMFG, the 70s music is OUT. OF. CONTROL. Almost worth it right there. 2) Al Pacino was one very fine-lookin' young man. I've seen plenty of his early films before but somehow it's more striking here. Gotta be the hair. Ok, I just looked it up. Apparently the man was 39. Not buying it. My math or brain or imdb.com must just be wrong. 3) I've forgotten after that. Oh, yes. MELODRAMA, baby. "Don't you care?? Don't you CARE?!" DRAMA.
The plus side of this week will be the potential to have drinks with Drew Saturday night. Fingers crossed. (Make that--drinks with Drew and I will be content/happy/pleased with my performance. Let's aim HIGH, doll.)
UPDATE: Just for one last kick in the nuts, I got an email notifying me that Kat Edmonson is playing in NYC (she lives there now) Sunday night at 7pm. OF COURSE SHE IS.
And it really just felt like that moment in That Thing You Do! where Guy gets the beat wrong right off and they never recover. I tried to tell myself it was good to have at least one shitty practice, but let's not look too deeply into why that could ever serve any purpose.
I have to book my train tonight and then we're off Thursday and get back Sunday. We are coming back early Sunday even though the semis and finals are Sunday afternoon. (It's called reality, y'all.)
And next week I have a real fucking motion to suppress and I'm sort of shitting about that. I have a giant research project due Thursday as well (which is obviously getting delivered to her the day before). And our clinic exercise this week WOULD be fun if it wasn't a time suck.
So for our exercise this week we have to pull a cross-examination from TV, movies, or literature and re-do it. We have this same exercise at the end of the semester with closings. So no, I'm not going to pull a cross from A Few Good Men or My Cousin Vinny. (Well, I guess you could use the public defender's cross from MCV, but let's at least be a little challenging, shall we?)
I'm not going to lie, I just went out and bought the first season of The Good Wife expressly for this. I mean, I love that show and wanted to own it anyway, so win win. But I thought it would be a great show to pull a cross from that could be re-done for reality, since it's always good but it's done for TV. It was tempting to use Carey's first cross when he nearly pukes and asks all of two questions. I also really wanted to use her cross from season 2 when she mistakenly asks a convict "what else" his attorney had said to him. Man, was that a mistake--first rule of cross is don't ask questions you don't know the answer to. But it was only two minutes, so I don't think I can get away with that in class.
The only movie I think I'd use is Anatomy of a Murder, which has a similar issue. I won't spoil the film here, but let's just say somebody gets royally fucked by doing an improper cross. And it's great. And you know how I feel about Jimmy Stewart but I still like this movie.
I also rented ...And Justice for All! in an effort to track down a cross-exam. I've never seen it before and if you haven't either, you know it just as that movie when Pacino's all "I'M out of order?! YOU'RE out of order!! THIS WHOLE COURT'S OUT OF ORDER!!" I'm halfway through and so far I have these three things to say. 1) OMFG, the 70s music is OUT. OF. CONTROL. Almost worth it right there. 2) Al Pacino was one very fine-lookin' young man. I've seen plenty of his early films before but somehow it's more striking here. Gotta be the hair. Ok, I just looked it up. Apparently the man was 39. Not buying it. My math or brain or imdb.com must just be wrong. 3) I've forgotten after that. Oh, yes. MELODRAMA, baby. "Don't you care?? Don't you CARE?!" DRAMA.
The plus side of this week will be the potential to have drinks with Drew Saturday night. Fingers crossed. (Make that--drinks with Drew and I will be content/happy/pleased with my performance. Let's aim HIGH, doll.)
UPDATE: Just for one last kick in the nuts, I got an email notifying me that Kat Edmonson is playing in NYC (she lives there now) Sunday night at 7pm. OF COURSE SHE IS.
Monday, February 06, 2012
Love and hate are two horns on the same goat. And you need a goat.
From what I understand (though I could be wrong), after the game last night, I don’t think anyone got slammed to the ground by police or took a rubber bullet in the eye and died, so that’s good. I think a lot of it had to do with how we lost—apparently everyone filing out of bars and onto the trains last night was just somber and depressed. After seeing the Rangers botch the sixth World Series game so spectacularly and seeing how goddamn depressing that was, I can understand. And I’m not even a sports person. So with that in mind, I think I will be avoiding my clinic professor today and just bother him tomorrow.
I will be in NYC for the latter half of the week and weekend next week for my international competition. I am lucky in that I really like my other three teammates and the coaches are all nice. We are going to lose and we are going to lose huge, and that is fine. (Seriously, we’re in New England, think about it. I think there is a particular NY school that shall remain unnamed that wins the entire thing every year. And this is a world-wide competition. Though this portion will just be regional, sadly.)
We have practice every Sunday very early and this past Sunday we finally had one of the real international law coaches back again (and I shudder to think how awful our arguments may be substantively) so we feel a little...underprepared to say the least. But we also had a guest coach who had been in the competition before and he gave me an interesting (good?) compliment, but I should explain first, otherwise it will probably sound horrible.
The other coaches are quite fond of saying “fake it til you make it.” (We also had to write briefs for our arguments but those were due early January and long out of our hands.) Finally I said, “Yes, but we’re not going to go up there and just make shit up, right?” (Or something to that effect.) And the guest coach basically said, “do what you gotta do.” I think part of it is because international law is so mushy and also this is an oral competition, meaning advocacy and successfully selling what you’ve got is most of the battle. So I got up there (at practice) and barely got to stick to the structure of my argument since the main coach interrogated me nearly the whole time.
Afterwards, during feedback, (which was mostly positive but I also still need to research a few things), the guest coach said, “You have an amazing skill to be able to continue talking even when you have no idea what you’re talking about!”
Luckily, this was also buttressed by the main coach saying I am very quick on my feet and that can go over quite well with a bench.
The guest coach's compliment (which is how it was meant) is still funny, particularly since I probably thought I did know what I was talking about most of the time? But yeah, mostly I knew I just had to answer and sell it. Lots of the judges at this thing don't know international law (but some absolutely do, so there's that) so they can be fooled. Though these are also the same judges who will want to know precisely what article of which convention says what. Or will ask you questions that are TOTALLY irrelevant. So no matter what, there is suckage to be had. Sigh.
UPDATE: I did end up having to run some questions by my clinic professor. It was a little like talking to someone who'd just been stunningly dumped by their true love.
I will be in NYC for the latter half of the week and weekend next week for my international competition. I am lucky in that I really like my other three teammates and the coaches are all nice. We are going to lose and we are going to lose huge, and that is fine. (Seriously, we’re in New England, think about it. I think there is a particular NY school that shall remain unnamed that wins the entire thing every year. And this is a world-wide competition. Though this portion will just be regional, sadly.)
We have practice every Sunday very early and this past Sunday we finally had one of the real international law coaches back again (and I shudder to think how awful our arguments may be substantively) so we feel a little...underprepared to say the least. But we also had a guest coach who had been in the competition before and he gave me an interesting (good?) compliment, but I should explain first, otherwise it will probably sound horrible.
The other coaches are quite fond of saying “fake it til you make it.” (We also had to write briefs for our arguments but those were due early January and long out of our hands.) Finally I said, “Yes, but we’re not going to go up there and just make shit up, right?” (Or something to that effect.) And the guest coach basically said, “do what you gotta do.” I think part of it is because international law is so mushy and also this is an oral competition, meaning advocacy and successfully selling what you’ve got is most of the battle. So I got up there (at practice) and barely got to stick to the structure of my argument since the main coach interrogated me nearly the whole time.
Afterwards, during feedback, (which was mostly positive but I also still need to research a few things), the guest coach said, “You have an amazing skill to be able to continue talking even when you have no idea what you’re talking about!”
Luckily, this was also buttressed by the main coach saying I am very quick on my feet and that can go over quite well with a bench.
The guest coach's compliment (which is how it was meant) is still funny, particularly since I probably thought I did know what I was talking about most of the time? But yeah, mostly I knew I just had to answer and sell it. Lots of the judges at this thing don't know international law (but some absolutely do, so there's that) so they can be fooled. Though these are also the same judges who will want to know precisely what article of which convention says what. Or will ask you questions that are TOTALLY irrelevant. So no matter what, there is suckage to be had. Sigh.
UPDATE: I did end up having to run some questions by my clinic professor. It was a little like talking to someone who'd just been stunningly dumped by their true love.
Sunday, February 05, 2012
Two for flinchin'.
Judging from the screams two apartments over, I could tell something was up with the game...apparently we were winning, and then with one minute to go...whoops.
Either way, I'm sort of expecting to be one of the only people not hungover (hell, one of the only people present) in family law tomorrow morning...
UPDATE: As the game finished, I heard numerous noises from various apartments. The way our apartments are set up, I always felt like someone could get murdered next door and you'd never know. I shudder to think what's going on in various bars across this town right now. :/
Either way, I'm sort of expecting to be one of the only people not hungover (hell, one of the only people present) in family law tomorrow morning...
UPDATE: As the game finished, I heard numerous noises from various apartments. The way our apartments are set up, I always felt like someone could get murdered next door and you'd never know. I shudder to think what's going on in various bars across this town right now. :/
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
The flight to Cuba...was that 0600...in the morning?
So I did not get to see The Daily Show. I had a lot of work to do and I waited to see who the guest would be...it was some corporate law professor from Yale Law School who, now that I've seen it on TV, seemed as though he lost a bet in being on there in the first place.
Oh but tonight? Tonight the guest is Brad Pitt. NATURALLY.
But I have clinic classes on Wednesday so that was just never an option.
On the plus side I think I have to go to some awkward people-auction thing tomorrow night briefly for my colleague's marathon sponsorship thing. Mostly I will drink and feel bad for acquaintances being auctioned off and leave as soon as possible.
And next week I am going with Friend L to a bridal salon to check out various gowns that may or may not help her in deciding if her favorite pick will ultimately work out. I have decided that this is probably a good litmus test if you were unsure if you liked someone or not. Obviously I wasn't wondering, but it occurred to me because I am looking forward to it! It will be fun (not to mention new territory for me) and I can't wait to see how the gowns work out. I would post a pic of the favorite dress at the moment, but I'm not sure what the rules are there.
Otherwise, I'm just pecking away at two clients' cases (well, three, but the third is on hold for a couple weeks) and the international competition coming up in 2 1/2 weeks. And we're just getting actual substantive feedback for the first time tomorrow. I will spend the time thinking of other words for "shit show."
The stress is manageable, although D did ask me the other day what I wanted to do after graduation. (Meaning, I assume, where did I want to practice, work, serve fries?) The predicament (family in Texas, uncharmed by my current state, continued interest in international law (best suited to D.C., good luck), still having to figure out where to take the bar) remains the same, I have no news for him. No offense to D, but that question has taken on a whole new level of stress I never imagined while loathing it at university.
The job thing should make these decisions easier, not harder. Alas.
Oh but tonight? Tonight the guest is Brad Pitt. NATURALLY.
But I have clinic classes on Wednesday so that was just never an option.
On the plus side I think I have to go to some awkward people-auction thing tomorrow night briefly for my colleague's marathon sponsorship thing. Mostly I will drink and feel bad for acquaintances being auctioned off and leave as soon as possible.
And next week I am going with Friend L to a bridal salon to check out various gowns that may or may not help her in deciding if her favorite pick will ultimately work out. I have decided that this is probably a good litmus test if you were unsure if you liked someone or not. Obviously I wasn't wondering, but it occurred to me because I am looking forward to it! It will be fun (not to mention new territory for me) and I can't wait to see how the gowns work out. I would post a pic of the favorite dress at the moment, but I'm not sure what the rules are there.
Otherwise, I'm just pecking away at two clients' cases (well, three, but the third is on hold for a couple weeks) and the international competition coming up in 2 1/2 weeks. And we're just getting actual substantive feedback for the first time tomorrow. I will spend the time thinking of other words for "shit show."
The stress is manageable, although D did ask me the other day what I wanted to do after graduation. (Meaning, I assume, where did I want to practice, work, serve fries?) The predicament (family in Texas, uncharmed by my current state, continued interest in international law (best suited to D.C., good luck), still having to figure out where to take the bar) remains the same, I have no news for him. No offense to D, but that question has taken on a whole new level of stress I never imagined while loathing it at university.
The job thing should make these decisions easier, not harder. Alas.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Your brother's not very polite, Eyeball.
So I like to try and see all the Oscar flicks, right? That won't be happening this year. Not because of time, but because I just learned the hard way that mindless devotion to some ridiculous goal often results in seeing really shitty movies.
I would like to draw your attention to Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. Or rather, I wouldn't.
It wasn't offensive, mind you, it was no Forrest Gump, but it was pretty awful. In fact, after twenty minutes I was seriously considering walking out and getting my money back. But I was with D AND in the middle of a fairly crowded row. Then Viola Davis showed up and was easily the most entertaining thing yet.
But oh my god. I want those two hours back like you can't imagine. It's not even worth dignifying with a passionate rant ripping it to shreds because quite frankly, its own emotional core is cheaply ripped from the devastation of a real event and doesn't merit the energy.
In fact, here, Manohla Dargis of the New York Times says it far better than I:
Ms. Davis is such a good actress and such an empathetic screen presence that it’s difficult not to weep along with her, even as you wonder why. Crying is one of the great pleasures of moviegoing, but tears can be cheap. Much depends on your personal triggers, how you respond to having them pulled, who’s working those triggers and for what reason. In some movies a weeping woman is a routine cliché, but when an actress like Ms. Davis cries it can feel very close to home. You may think about your own heartbreaks. And Ms. Davis, a practiced weeper, has herself become a trigger (all those snotty tears she wept in “Doubt”). Max von Sydow, who plays Oskar’s grandfather, if more accurately his sidekick, and who brings natural gravitas to any role, is another.
The images from Sept. 11 of course remain profound triggers for many of us. Some of that day’s most vivid imagery appears in the movie: there are snippets from real television news reports, but there’s also an aestheticized re-creation of a falling man that’s mirrored, with stunning imbecility, by a shot of Oskar joyfully soaring into the air on a swing. There’s also a scene in which Linda, after receiving a call from Thomas, who’s trapped in one of the towers, gazes in horror out her office window at the burning buildings. The shot is obviously composited, but it’s nonetheless a jolt because the buildings reverberate so intensely. It’s this intensity — and our deep emotional responses — that the movie tries to appropriate for itself.
And worse than just being emotionally cheap and awful, it's also kind of fucking boring.
And should you deign to rest the weight of your story on the shoulders of a child, he probably shouldn't be irritating and you should probably try to make me care about him.
So after that horrendous shitshow of a film, how could I possibly be expected to sit through War Horse or Tree of Life? FAIL.
I would like to draw your attention to Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. Or rather, I wouldn't.
It wasn't offensive, mind you, it was no Forrest Gump, but it was pretty awful. In fact, after twenty minutes I was seriously considering walking out and getting my money back. But I was with D AND in the middle of a fairly crowded row. Then Viola Davis showed up and was easily the most entertaining thing yet.
But oh my god. I want those two hours back like you can't imagine. It's not even worth dignifying with a passionate rant ripping it to shreds because quite frankly, its own emotional core is cheaply ripped from the devastation of a real event and doesn't merit the energy.
In fact, here, Manohla Dargis of the New York Times says it far better than I:
Ms. Davis is such a good actress and such an empathetic screen presence that it’s difficult not to weep along with her, even as you wonder why. Crying is one of the great pleasures of moviegoing, but tears can be cheap. Much depends on your personal triggers, how you respond to having them pulled, who’s working those triggers and for what reason. In some movies a weeping woman is a routine cliché, but when an actress like Ms. Davis cries it can feel very close to home. You may think about your own heartbreaks. And Ms. Davis, a practiced weeper, has herself become a trigger (all those snotty tears she wept in “Doubt”). Max von Sydow, who plays Oskar’s grandfather, if more accurately his sidekick, and who brings natural gravitas to any role, is another.
The images from Sept. 11 of course remain profound triggers for many of us. Some of that day’s most vivid imagery appears in the movie: there are snippets from real television news reports, but there’s also an aestheticized re-creation of a falling man that’s mirrored, with stunning imbecility, by a shot of Oskar joyfully soaring into the air on a swing. There’s also a scene in which Linda, after receiving a call from Thomas, who’s trapped in one of the towers, gazes in horror out her office window at the burning buildings. The shot is obviously composited, but it’s nonetheless a jolt because the buildings reverberate so intensely. It’s this intensity — and our deep emotional responses — that the movie tries to appropriate for itself.
And worse than just being emotionally cheap and awful, it's also kind of fucking boring.
And should you deign to rest the weight of your story on the shoulders of a child, he probably shouldn't be irritating and you should probably try to make me care about him.
So after that horrendous shitshow of a film, how could I possibly be expected to sit through War Horse or Tree of Life? FAIL.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Markinson's gone, there is no Markinson.
So no trial for us! We got a call really late in the game that our client was (amongst other things) off his meds and, in fact, gone.
My friend who is lead counsel got a call from the caseworker while I was stapling my final motions (natch) and at one point he leaned over and made a motion with his hand. At first I thought he was telling me to stop with the papers because he couldn't hear. Then I realized he was saying stop with the papers because it doesn't matter.
On the plus side, our client did go back to his caseworker but because he had been off his meds for more than a handful of days, there was no way he could go to court and certainly no way you'd put him in front of a jury. It takes time to stabilize with what he's got. It's frustrating, I'm sure, to be in his condition because he went off his meds in the first place because he was feeling so good. So he felt like he didn't need them anymore. Apparently, this is extremely common with people who take meds to be on an even keel and doesn't surprise me in the least.
But it was very bad timing.
On the plus side, we still went into court and had to argue to keep a warrant from issuing (cause he's not there like he's supposed to be) and we tried to argue a few other things as well. We had a fairly decent judge and we won the small battle, which was the most important thing for the client at this stage.
So since the night before trial opened up considerably, I thought I'd see The Artist.
Surprising to no one, it was fantastic and very cute.
I was a little nervous because it was a packed theater, so I was worried people would be easier to hear mumbling, hacking, etc., since it's a 98% silent movie. There is music, however, so I probably had nothing to fear. But what was great was that the audience was not only held captive and completely silent, they were really into it.
I know because there was one moment in particular (no spoilers) that was quite an intense set-up and there were more than a handful of sighs of relief afterwards. Hee hee, it actually made me giggle and made the whole thing even better. Ah, sigh, it's so rare when an audience actually is a good thing.
Also, some useless trivia for you--the house they use for the leading lady's house was actually Mary Pickford's house. (And at one point the leading man is watching an old silent film of his, but I recognized it as Douglas Fairbanks' The Mask of Zorro.)
I don't think I would go so far as to say I need to own it, but I could easily sit through it again. Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo were really perfect. I will be severely disappointed if either is not nominated by the Academy on Tuesday and furthermore, I think Dujardin abso-fucking-lutely deserves the win. What great expressions.
But here's a clip about everyone's favorite star...Uggie the dog! I start to feel a little bad right about the time in the clip where he rides the skateboard standing up, but then again, he also probably has a fairly pampered life. And the kissing thing is ridiculously adorable, I'm sorry.
My friend who is lead counsel got a call from the caseworker while I was stapling my final motions (natch) and at one point he leaned over and made a motion with his hand. At first I thought he was telling me to stop with the papers because he couldn't hear. Then I realized he was saying stop with the papers because it doesn't matter.
On the plus side, our client did go back to his caseworker but because he had been off his meds for more than a handful of days, there was no way he could go to court and certainly no way you'd put him in front of a jury. It takes time to stabilize with what he's got. It's frustrating, I'm sure, to be in his condition because he went off his meds in the first place because he was feeling so good. So he felt like he didn't need them anymore. Apparently, this is extremely common with people who take meds to be on an even keel and doesn't surprise me in the least.
But it was very bad timing.
On the plus side, we still went into court and had to argue to keep a warrant from issuing (cause he's not there like he's supposed to be) and we tried to argue a few other things as well. We had a fairly decent judge and we won the small battle, which was the most important thing for the client at this stage.
So since the night before trial opened up considerably, I thought I'd see The Artist.
Surprising to no one, it was fantastic and very cute.
I was a little nervous because it was a packed theater, so I was worried people would be easier to hear mumbling, hacking, etc., since it's a 98% silent movie. There is music, however, so I probably had nothing to fear. But what was great was that the audience was not only held captive and completely silent, they were really into it.
I know because there was one moment in particular (no spoilers) that was quite an intense set-up and there were more than a handful of sighs of relief afterwards. Hee hee, it actually made me giggle and made the whole thing even better. Ah, sigh, it's so rare when an audience actually is a good thing.
Also, some useless trivia for you--the house they use for the leading lady's house was actually Mary Pickford's house. (And at one point the leading man is watching an old silent film of his, but I recognized it as Douglas Fairbanks' The Mask of Zorro.)
I don't think I would go so far as to say I need to own it, but I could easily sit through it again. Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo were really perfect. I will be severely disappointed if either is not nominated by the Academy on Tuesday and furthermore, I think Dujardin abso-fucking-lutely deserves the win. What great expressions.
But here's a clip about everyone's favorite star...Uggie the dog! I start to feel a little bad right about the time in the clip where he rides the skateboard standing up, but then again, he also probably has a fairly pampered life. And the kissing thing is ridiculously adorable, I'm sorry.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
You get all the fun stuff.
This line from Sneakers got stuck in my head after my morning.
Got to court for docket duty (being appointed to new clients) and we got a great judge. Got a client. Got RE-ASSIGNED to the courtroom next door with my LEAST favorite judge. He's actually somewhat fair most of the time, he just loves to make everyone feel like they suck (the attorneys). And as long as my guy gets out, whatever. It's just frustrating.
It's just been one of those days. Not bad or anything. Just...a lot on my plate. Fingers crossed we get to drop our next court date in February, meaning the end of my semester will be a lighter load and I can seriously focus on the bar. Because right now I keep thinking about hiding a lot. Like a lot.
On the plus side, being in court forced me to wash my hair. For the first time in three days. Hey! It looks good!
Ok, back to cramming the last of my Islamic law reading. I got to this part in the reading about macrocosmic and microcosmic law and GLAZED THE FUCK OVER. I have no idea what the fuck is going on. #whatelseisnew
Got to court for docket duty (being appointed to new clients) and we got a great judge. Got a client. Got RE-ASSIGNED to the courtroom next door with my LEAST favorite judge. He's actually somewhat fair most of the time, he just loves to make everyone feel like they suck (the attorneys). And as long as my guy gets out, whatever. It's just frustrating.
It's just been one of those days. Not bad or anything. Just...a lot on my plate. Fingers crossed we get to drop our next court date in February, meaning the end of my semester will be a lighter load and I can seriously focus on the bar. Because right now I keep thinking about hiding a lot. Like a lot.
On the plus side, being in court forced me to wash my hair. For the first time in three days. Hey! It looks good!
Ok, back to cramming the last of my Islamic law reading. I got to this part in the reading about macrocosmic and microcosmic law and GLAZED THE FUCK OVER. I have no idea what the fuck is going on. #whatelseisnew
Monday, January 16, 2012
Honey that is so sweet...no.
If we lose our motion to dismiss Friday and have to go to trial, I am officially doing nothing Friday night but drinking and watching The Artist.
Or maybe In the Land of Blood & Honey. PERSPECTIVE. IT WILL GIVE ME SOME.
In all fairness, I will feel sort of cheated if the motion to dismiss is granted. This is a ton of work (I was at school all day prepping with co-counsel and our director). The burden isn't even on me (well, in argument--I still have a ton of research that is solely my responsibility and on which huge parts of our argument are based) but it is still taking up all my time and making other things...challenging.
So I thought I'd blog a little!
And I have a docket day this week (new clients), why the hell not.
Tomorrow I also have my Islamic law class. This was not a good idea. I mean, it's really interesting, but it's also really completely fucking new, I'm very much out of my depth. All the white people in class seem to be in the same boat, based on our brief little "why are you taking this class" survey last time. Then there are people who raise their hand and give answers that make me wonder, "Um, why are you bothering with this when you already seem to have more than a really solid grasp on these concepts..." Of course they should take the class, though, it's a new offering and no one really knew/knows what to expect.
I just know I can't pronounce shit in the readings and the spelling of things is often quite interchangeable and the pronunciation is often no help when desperately trying to decide what he's talking about in the readings.
I also apparently have to give a speech tomorrow night about my summer at a school function thrown by my fellowship people. There is, at least, free booze. On the downside, a lot of my favorite professors will be there, so I want to sound awesome. So definitely having a beer or two first.
And for one last kick in the nuts, I had to take my measurements to fax in my bridesmaid dress form today. THANKS. Which reminds me, "flask garter" is currently topping my birthday wish list.
Or maybe In the Land of Blood & Honey. PERSPECTIVE. IT WILL GIVE ME SOME.
In all fairness, I will feel sort of cheated if the motion to dismiss is granted. This is a ton of work (I was at school all day prepping with co-counsel and our director). The burden isn't even on me (well, in argument--I still have a ton of research that is solely my responsibility and on which huge parts of our argument are based) but it is still taking up all my time and making other things...challenging.
So I thought I'd blog a little!
And I have a docket day this week (new clients), why the hell not.
Tomorrow I also have my Islamic law class. This was not a good idea. I mean, it's really interesting, but it's also really completely fucking new, I'm very much out of my depth. All the white people in class seem to be in the same boat, based on our brief little "why are you taking this class" survey last time. Then there are people who raise their hand and give answers that make me wonder, "Um, why are you bothering with this when you already seem to have more than a really solid grasp on these concepts..." Of course they should take the class, though, it's a new offering and no one really knew/knows what to expect.
I just know I can't pronounce shit in the readings and the spelling of things is often quite interchangeable and the pronunciation is often no help when desperately trying to decide what he's talking about in the readings.
I also apparently have to give a speech tomorrow night about my summer at a school function thrown by my fellowship people. There is, at least, free booze. On the downside, a lot of my favorite professors will be there, so I want to sound awesome. So definitely having a beer or two first.
And for one last kick in the nuts, I had to take my measurements to fax in my bridesmaid dress form today. THANKS. Which reminds me, "flask garter" is currently topping my birthday wish list.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Oh, nothing, just a little something to the security camera. A little gift for the boys in the basement.
Ugh, The Descendants, really? :/ I mean, it was enjoyable, but Best Picture?? (Not that any of the other contenders in the category really jumped out at me...)
Anyway, good night, y'all!
Anyway, good night, y'all!
I know what guilt is. It's one of those touchy-feely words people throw around that don't mean anything... You know, like "maternal" or "addiction."
Man, I think I fell asleep a little just listening to Michelle Pfeiffer describe War Horse.
I really need to see The Artist! And I'm very glad to see it's winning things left and right! <3
RANDOM! The Deschanel sisters...Emily and Zooey!
Rooney Mara, from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. She's currently my pick in this category, but to be fair, I have not seen Tilda Swinton nor Meryl Streep's entry.
She was really, really amazing, though. I admit I was surprised she opted for the black number, considering the role, but she looks great in any case.
But speaking of SWINTON.
And in a move that surprises NO ONE...Meryl Streep takes it! She's always gracious and lovely and fucking awesome, so I'm never sad. HAHAHA, and they had to bleep her! +50 bonus points, honey. (I think she forgot her glasses at her table, she was ticked at herself.) LMAO, "I want to thank God...Harvey Weinstein...the punisher (Old Testament, I guess)!"
And there goes The Artist with a Best Picture (Comedy/Musical) win!! Complete with Uggie (the Asta-esque dog) trying to steal the show during the speech. ;)
I really need to see The Artist! And I'm very glad to see it's winning things left and right! <3
RANDOM! The Deschanel sisters...Emily and Zooey!
Rooney Mara, from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. She's currently my pick in this category, but to be fair, I have not seen Tilda Swinton nor Meryl Streep's entry.
She was really, really amazing, though. I admit I was surprised she opted for the black number, considering the role, but she looks great in any case.
But speaking of SWINTON.
And in a move that surprises NO ONE...Meryl Streep takes it! She's always gracious and lovely and fucking awesome, so I'm never sad. HAHAHA, and they had to bleep her! +50 bonus points, honey. (I think she forgot her glasses at her table, she was ticked at herself.) LMAO, "I want to thank God...Harvey Weinstein...the punisher (Old Testament, I guess)!"
And there goes The Artist with a Best Picture (Comedy/Musical) win!! Complete with Uggie (the Asta-esque dog) trying to steal the show during the speech. ;)
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