Attn Everyone I Know - I'm sick of being told - "You'll pass!" You don't know that. And every time you say it, the Cali Bar Folks feel a sharp pain in their sides and dock me another point off each of my essays. So stop... please.
On the bright side, I won't get kicked out of Biglaw for my lack of billable hours. I just got pulled into a new case that will suck my life away for quite some time. At least after the first 10 billable hours dinner is on the firm. Sadly, I may miss out on my upcoming work retreat at some posh little resort in order to spend an entire weekend at the office. But who really wants to play lawn tennis when you can work on some pimp ass litigation-related materials? Oh right, me.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Suddenly I see
Apparently we're about 45 days from the bar results. I'm pretty sure Cali is the last one to give them out. At this point I've convinced myself I failed it. I'm not a moron, but then again, I did fuck up that whole lesser-included offense thing. So there's that. The results come out on a Friday. Two days later is my birthday. I'm going to a long lunch that Friday afternoon to start the binge drinking, which will likely continue through the weekend. Awhile back, I asked a friend of mine if I could come visit him over my fail-the-bar-birthday weekend. He said no. Why? Because either I'm going to fail and be miserable the whole time, or I'll pass and make his life look like shit in comparison. (I'm paraphrasing there.) I know I won't want to call anyone out in Cali to hang out that weekend, as the vast majority of my friends are wanna-be lawyers... and who wants to call to report that they have failed the bar? Or call to say that you have passed --- only to find out your friend failed. I'm fucked. But for better or for worse, I've got a bottle of Barolo all lined up for the event.
Today marked the start of the billable year - Holla! Not like this is a good thing, as my department is really slow right now. I have 50 hours of time to use up on research activities that don't get billed to a client but count towards my billable hours, but that will be burned through in a little over a week. 8 hours billed a day BLOWS. I end up wasting an insane amount of time during the day, so I have to pull 10 hour days to get my 8 hours in. My effectiveness rate is increasing, but I still feel guilty when I disappear to go to Starbucks or grab lunch. Granted, I have my nifty blackberry with me at all times, but what if a partner were to walk by my empty office? I'm 26, I'm a profesional, but sometimes I feel like I'm twelve.
I'm starting to think I could get away with never having to buy lunch during the week. There's always a meeting or presentation to go to over the lunch hour, and food is always provided. I could stock up on rolls for the days that don't happen to have a lunch event. It's sad, I make a small fortune and I'm trying to find ways around buying lunch. And not because I want to make student loan payments... because I want to do more shopping at Banana Republic and Coach.
The good news about work is that I seriously love my group... the personalities all match really well, the partners seem to actually like me, and the group is small enough that I'll actually get some billable work from time to time. I did a lot of work for them when I was a summer, so I believe I may have earned some respect back then.
Then again, once I fail the bar all of this goes to hell.
Ah well.
Today marked the start of the billable year - Holla! Not like this is a good thing, as my department is really slow right now. I have 50 hours of time to use up on research activities that don't get billed to a client but count towards my billable hours, but that will be burned through in a little over a week. 8 hours billed a day BLOWS. I end up wasting an insane amount of time during the day, so I have to pull 10 hour days to get my 8 hours in. My effectiveness rate is increasing, but I still feel guilty when I disappear to go to Starbucks or grab lunch. Granted, I have my nifty blackberry with me at all times, but what if a partner were to walk by my empty office? I'm 26, I'm a profesional, but sometimes I feel like I'm twelve.
I'm starting to think I could get away with never having to buy lunch during the week. There's always a meeting or presentation to go to over the lunch hour, and food is always provided. I could stock up on rolls for the days that don't happen to have a lunch event. It's sad, I make a small fortune and I'm trying to find ways around buying lunch. And not because I want to make student loan payments... because I want to do more shopping at Banana Republic and Coach.
The good news about work is that I seriously love my group... the personalities all match really well, the partners seem to actually like me, and the group is small enough that I'll actually get some billable work from time to time. I did a lot of work for them when I was a summer, so I believe I may have earned some respect back then.
Then again, once I fail the bar all of this goes to hell.
Ah well.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
I owe my soul to the company store
Well, it's been a week and a day since I began work at the firm. The first day back was a little odd... I had the first day jitters along with the confidence of knowing I wasn't on the chopping block. It was a little before noon when I was escorted to my office. Sitting down for the first time sort of gave me the chills. My name on the door (and not an officemate along with me like I had over the summer) - I had a few minutes alone there before lunch, and just sort of sat there, staring blankly at the computer thinking - only 8-9 years before I make partner. Or something like that. Part of me still thinks I don't really deserve all this... that I've perpetuated some huge hoax on the firm, that I'm not intelligent enough to pull this off. A week later, I'm buried in a huge project, and I still think any minute that a senior partner will walk into my office and tell me that I've already fucked up the research (even though I have yet to turn anything in yet). Paranoia, ftl.
Anyways... on a brighter note...
I love my blackberry. I got it the second day, and just holding it in my hand made me happy. Granted, I'm not entirely sure how to use it yet, but it's already come in handy (to notify a co-worker I'd be a few minutes late one morning). And it has the added perk of making me look like a pretensious asshole. I'm one of those blackberry people... next up, the bluetooth in my ear 24/7 (I own one, but don't use it, yet).
I managed to get a few lunches last week for free. That's right, ease the old summer into the new gig by paying for the first two days...
I have a retreat for work coming up already - and I've heard those can be entertaining. Plus, I love stealing all of the toiletries from the hotel room. Who needs 15 shower caps? I do!
As for the cat - he's still alive. And needy. Apparently he doesn't appreciate me being gone for 11 hours each day. When I get home, he meows until I feed him, then proceeds to sit behind me on the couch while I watch C-Span on Tivo (and by C-Span, I mean old episodes of Dawson's Creek). Yes, he's neglected. But aren't we all.
Enough random rambling... Andi is about to take ecstacy. Bad call.
Anyways... on a brighter note...
I love my blackberry. I got it the second day, and just holding it in my hand made me happy. Granted, I'm not entirely sure how to use it yet, but it's already come in handy (to notify a co-worker I'd be a few minutes late one morning). And it has the added perk of making me look like a pretensious asshole. I'm one of those blackberry people... next up, the bluetooth in my ear 24/7 (I own one, but don't use it, yet).
I managed to get a few lunches last week for free. That's right, ease the old summer into the new gig by paying for the first two days...
I have a retreat for work coming up already - and I've heard those can be entertaining. Plus, I love stealing all of the toiletries from the hotel room. Who needs 15 shower caps? I do!
As for the cat - he's still alive. And needy. Apparently he doesn't appreciate me being gone for 11 hours each day. When I get home, he meows until I feed him, then proceeds to sit behind me on the couch while I watch C-Span on Tivo (and by C-Span, I mean old episodes of Dawson's Creek). Yes, he's neglected. But aren't we all.
Enough random rambling... Andi is about to take ecstacy. Bad call.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
So I got the letter...
And the Bar Gods have been merciful - they will accept my answers despite them being 30 minutes late.
It's good to know that when I fail on Nov. 16, it won't be because of a technicality.
It's good to know that when I fail on Nov. 16, it won't be because of a technicality.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
I'm not dead...
I just was half a world away on my bar trip - and I have yet to make it back to LA to check to see if the Bar Gods have responded to my letter. So no news yet.
Friday, July 27, 2007
I needed to be rescued
Ok - so I wrote up a letter, printed out confirmations of my upload times (they hadn't magically changed to before the deadline, however), and drove over to the State Bar to deliver the letter to the admissions people. They didn't have much to say, other than that I would get a letter telling me what they were going to do.
The good: Apparently there is at lease some discretion on the part of the bar to accept late answers. I was "only" a half hour late, dropped off a letter to the bar within an hour of uploading my answers, etc.
The bad: I have a really lousy excuse.
At least if they send me a letter telling me I'm screwed, I'll know in advance that I have to prepare for the Feb 08 bar. Sure beats waiting until November.
One of the girls I used to work with back before I moved out to Cali called me when she read the blog (thanks KA/MD) - that helped a bit. I know this whole thing is out of my hands at this point, that my luck sucks, that it's my own damn fault, etc. I even wrote an e-mail to my law firm director of attorney hiring, to see what happens if I don't pass. I think we get a second chance at it, but I'm not sure.
The worst part of all of this - I think I did enough to pass. I missed some issues (attempt as the lesser included offense for murder, for example) - but most of my answers were half-way decent. If they don't accept them, I don't even get the 40 for showing up - it's a zero. I have yet to talk to my parents, but they aren't going to be impressed. And they'll be worried I'll kill myself (which I won't, life goes on).
I'll deal with whatever they decide. Hopefully the begging in the letter to the director was enough. If not, well... not sure yet. Maybe it won't have hurt to learn all those damn CA subjects.
The good: Apparently there is at lease some discretion on the part of the bar to accept late answers. I was "only" a half hour late, dropped off a letter to the bar within an hour of uploading my answers, etc.
The bad: I have a really lousy excuse.
At least if they send me a letter telling me I'm screwed, I'll know in advance that I have to prepare for the Feb 08 bar. Sure beats waiting until November.
One of the girls I used to work with back before I moved out to Cali called me when she read the blog (thanks KA/MD) - that helped a bit. I know this whole thing is out of my hands at this point, that my luck sucks, that it's my own damn fault, etc. I even wrote an e-mail to my law firm director of attorney hiring, to see what happens if I don't pass. I think we get a second chance at it, but I'm not sure.
The worst part of all of this - I think I did enough to pass. I missed some issues (attempt as the lesser included offense for murder, for example) - but most of my answers were half-way decent. If they don't accept them, I don't even get the 40 for showing up - it's a zero. I have yet to talk to my parents, but they aren't going to be impressed. And they'll be worried I'll kill myself (which I won't, life goes on).
I'll deal with whatever they decide. Hopefully the begging in the letter to the director was enough. If not, well... not sure yet. Maybe it won't have hurt to learn all those damn CA subjects.
I'm fucked
Woke up at 9:30 AM to upload my answers... and no internet connection.
Screwed around with it for an hour, got them finally uploaded at 10:30 AM, 1/2 hour after the deadline.
I feel sick.
I called the state bar, they told me to write to the director, but it looks like I've failed the bar.
Screwed around with it for an hour, got them finally uploaded at 10:30 AM, 1/2 hour after the deadline.
I feel sick.
I called the state bar, they told me to write to the director, but it looks like I've failed the bar.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Remember me, every so often, promise me you'll try
Apparently my prior post didn't work... so here's an abbreviated version:
1) I'm sick of JOAN, whoever she is, and the sick relationship she has with our main proctor.
2) The MBEs cracked me up - actually, any time I see "Dumpor" I crack up.... or a girl taking naked pictures of another girl (without her knowledge???)... or the EPC of the 5th. And the fuck-ton of Ds (as Biff pointed out) - well, that didn't crack me up at the time... but now it's funny.
3) I think the afternoon session was easier for me, aside from some really odd questions,that I won't post here yet I get fined, put in jail, get disbarred (assuming I pass), or get a Rule 12 violation.
4) I'm tired. One more day.
1) I'm sick of JOAN, whoever she is, and the sick relationship she has with our main proctor.
2) The MBEs cracked me up - actually, any time I see "Dumpor" I crack up.... or a girl taking naked pictures of another girl (without her knowledge???)... or the EPC of the 5th. And the fuck-ton of Ds (as Biff pointed out) - well, that didn't crack me up at the time... but now it's funny.
3) I think the afternoon session was easier for me, aside from some really odd questions,that I won't post here yet I get fined, put in jail, get disbarred (assuming I pass), or get a Rule 12 violation.
4) I'm tired. One more day.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
I’m not sure how this all got started, but I can tell you exactly how it will end.
End of day one.
So the worst part of the exam has got to be waiting for the proctors to pick up materials... it's like waiting to de-plane once your flight has landed, only to find out that you have to wait for another plane to leave your gate. Minutes seem like hours, especially since I smoke. Anyways...
This morning was 3 hours of essays - all of which suprised me in some way or another. The first was a landlord-tenant problem. I actually think I did relatively well on that one, having had it drilled into my subconscious during property first year. I spent an extra 5 minutes of so on it, and listed off a fuck-ton of issues, especially defenses to paying rent - although I probably should have emphasised more that the "defenses" were really just mostly counterclaims. But I hit a bunch of shit and did a good job on it. Go me.
The second was a torts question - product liabilty and negligence. I really wasn't expecting torts, and I had convienetly forgotten the elements to PL, so I made them up. Some of the stuff I made up was correct - foreseeabilty - others, well, not so much. But I think I managed a 65 on it. Oh yeah - so the question asked if a MTD shoudl be granted, and I pretty much fell over when I couldn't figure out the standard for granting a MTD. What I used was - taking all the facts as true in P's complaint, does P still have a claim? But something about the question just didn't seem right.
Last up was evidence, and I probably did the worst here - given my ability to not want to point out why 24 of the 26 exceptions DON'T apply. In addition, I was somewhat pissed the evidence essay wasn't California specific. I inserted some CA distinctions, but I doubt I was even supposed to do that as the call of the question didn't ask for it. Apparently a number of other people did the same thing as me. Fuck you, Bar People, for making me focus on these things only to ignore them come exam time. Through me a bone. But.... no matter what - I got a 40!!!!!
The afternoon was the performance test, a PR question. I'm hoping this means PR won't be tested in the essays on Thursday - but my ability to predict is clearly not good - so it will most likely be a full essay. I wasn't totally happy with my organization of the essay response - I did more of a law shit first, then apply second in seperate sections - when I probably should have "weaved" more. But - 40!!!!! I left the PT portion early - as I was feeling slightly out of it - but I think it went ok.
Tomorrow is the MBEs. I was hoping to have the motivation to do some practice MBEs tonight, but I just don't want to think right now. Besides, I highly doubt that my ability to get 70 - 80% will drop to an unacceptable level should I ignore them tonight. I ran into some co-workers from last summer that were out here taking the bar and had dinner with them tonight, so instead of studying, I'm just going to ponder the latest gossip, read some Harry Potter, watch some shitty TV, and pass out - probably by 10. I'm already dreading how tired I will be come Thursday. Argh.
And to close - fuck the bar.
So the worst part of the exam has got to be waiting for the proctors to pick up materials... it's like waiting to de-plane once your flight has landed, only to find out that you have to wait for another plane to leave your gate. Minutes seem like hours, especially since I smoke. Anyways...
This morning was 3 hours of essays - all of which suprised me in some way or another. The first was a landlord-tenant problem. I actually think I did relatively well on that one, having had it drilled into my subconscious during property first year. I spent an extra 5 minutes of so on it, and listed off a fuck-ton of issues, especially defenses to paying rent - although I probably should have emphasised more that the "defenses" were really just mostly counterclaims. But I hit a bunch of shit and did a good job on it. Go me.
The second was a torts question - product liabilty and negligence. I really wasn't expecting torts, and I had convienetly forgotten the elements to PL, so I made them up. Some of the stuff I made up was correct - foreseeabilty - others, well, not so much. But I think I managed a 65 on it. Oh yeah - so the question asked if a MTD shoudl be granted, and I pretty much fell over when I couldn't figure out the standard for granting a MTD. What I used was - taking all the facts as true in P's complaint, does P still have a claim? But something about the question just didn't seem right.
Last up was evidence, and I probably did the worst here - given my ability to not want to point out why 24 of the 26 exceptions DON'T apply. In addition, I was somewhat pissed the evidence essay wasn't California specific. I inserted some CA distinctions, but I doubt I was even supposed to do that as the call of the question didn't ask for it. Apparently a number of other people did the same thing as me. Fuck you, Bar People, for making me focus on these things only to ignore them come exam time. Through me a bone. But.... no matter what - I got a 40!!!!!
The afternoon was the performance test, a PR question. I'm hoping this means PR won't be tested in the essays on Thursday - but my ability to predict is clearly not good - so it will most likely be a full essay. I wasn't totally happy with my organization of the essay response - I did more of a law shit first, then apply second in seperate sections - when I probably should have "weaved" more. But - 40!!!!! I left the PT portion early - as I was feeling slightly out of it - but I think it went ok.
Tomorrow is the MBEs. I was hoping to have the motivation to do some practice MBEs tonight, but I just don't want to think right now. Besides, I highly doubt that my ability to get 70 - 80% will drop to an unacceptable level should I ignore them tonight. I ran into some co-workers from last summer that were out here taking the bar and had dinner with them tonight, so instead of studying, I'm just going to ponder the latest gossip, read some Harry Potter, watch some shitty TV, and pass out - probably by 10. I'm already dreading how tired I will be come Thursday. Argh.
And to close - fuck the bar.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Was it a dream?
After a few nights of relatively peaceful sleep, last night I had another bar-related nightmare. For some reason I was in South America, and due to a storm couldn't make it back in time to take the CBX (after pleading with the airlines, checking alternate routes that took me through Florida and Kansas, crying, etc.). I blame it all on the BarBri story of the guy who missed the first day of the exam because he was a day off on his schedule. I woke up this morning in a panic - and double-checked to make sure today was in fact Monday, not Tuesday, as well as that the exam started Tuesday. I can already tell that tonight won't be an easy night's sleep. At least I'm not stuck in South America.
Anyways, after the minor freak out this morning, I sat around my apartment for a bit before deciding to deal with traffic to get breakfast at a little diner I found on google. I very rarely eat breakfast, but I do tend to consume truckloads of bacon when studying for an exam, and I've been lacking in that department lately with my diet of PB&J and coffee. The food was good - eggs, hashbrowns, and 4 glorious slices of bacon. The service was pretty good too. Perhaps I have that whole - "Be nice to me, I'm taking the bar exam tomorrow" look about me. Or perhaps they were just pitying me because I was dining alone. Either way - yeah for bacon.
This past weekend the so-called "sense of serenity" hit me - or, put differently, I've sort of given up. I did a few more mini-outlines on Saturday and Sunday, looked over a few essays, but overall I think I know enough to pass. During one of my all-to-frequent study breaks playing World of Warcraft, I was turned into a sheep for the first time... yeah, in game apparently the mages can turn people into sheep. I think it was a sign from BarBri. Despite my refusal to follow the paced program, I've hit sheep status with a day or two to spare. I rock on most of the MBEs, I lie like a pro during essays, and I randomly insert phrases like: reasonable person, qualified immunity, convenience of the parties, irresistible impulse, respondeat superior, and res ispa loquitur. I know I'm going to blow an essay, and I'm okay with that. I get a 40 for just sitting down, and a 45 if I talk about my ex-boyfriend dumping me and mention a ring (provided it's a property question). Yes, I could have done more, and no, I shouldn't have starting reading Harry Potter or playing WOW. If I fail, it will be my fault for not doing more - but I think I did enough to feel comfortable about this thing.
So tomorrow, after the first day, I'm going to re-read this, then tell everyone why it is that I'm going to fail. Confidence only goes down from here.
Good luck to everyone!
Anyways, after the minor freak out this morning, I sat around my apartment for a bit before deciding to deal with traffic to get breakfast at a little diner I found on google. I very rarely eat breakfast, but I do tend to consume truckloads of bacon when studying for an exam, and I've been lacking in that department lately with my diet of PB&J and coffee. The food was good - eggs, hashbrowns, and 4 glorious slices of bacon. The service was pretty good too. Perhaps I have that whole - "Be nice to me, I'm taking the bar exam tomorrow" look about me. Or perhaps they were just pitying me because I was dining alone. Either way - yeah for bacon.
This past weekend the so-called "sense of serenity" hit me - or, put differently, I've sort of given up. I did a few more mini-outlines on Saturday and Sunday, looked over a few essays, but overall I think I know enough to pass. During one of my all-to-frequent study breaks playing World of Warcraft, I was turned into a sheep for the first time... yeah, in game apparently the mages can turn people into sheep. I think it was a sign from BarBri. Despite my refusal to follow the paced program, I've hit sheep status with a day or two to spare. I rock on most of the MBEs, I lie like a pro during essays, and I randomly insert phrases like: reasonable person, qualified immunity, convenience of the parties, irresistible impulse, respondeat superior, and res ispa loquitur. I know I'm going to blow an essay, and I'm okay with that. I get a 40 for just sitting down, and a 45 if I talk about my ex-boyfriend dumping me and mention a ring (provided it's a property question). Yes, I could have done more, and no, I shouldn't have starting reading Harry Potter or playing WOW. If I fail, it will be my fault for not doing more - but I think I did enough to feel comfortable about this thing.
So tomorrow, after the first day, I'm going to re-read this, then tell everyone why it is that I'm going to fail. Confidence only goes down from here.
Good luck to everyone!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
They called you failure's art
I just received the following e-mail from my father:
"Good luck on passing the bar this week, and always know that we're proud of you. I know how hard you've worked for this now go get it. Remember that if it doesn't go well we still love you. DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PS If you should fail don't bother to call or come home again, we'll disown you! LOVE DAD"
Gotta love that sense of humor.
"Good luck on passing the bar this week, and always know that we're proud of you. I know how hard you've worked for this now go get it. Remember that if it doesn't go well we still love you. DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PS If you should fail don't bother to call or come home again, we'll disown you! LOVE DAD"
Gotta love that sense of humor.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Blood of christ is dripping in to the eyes of the world again
The following quote just came up on my gmail -
"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday." (Don Marquis).
No kidding. And I suck at art. Anyways...
As I took the elevator downstairs this morning, a random person in my building, who I had never met before, decided to talk to me:
Random: "What are your plans for the day?"
Me: "Studying."
Random: "For what?"
Me: "I take the bar exam in a few days."
Random: "I'll pray for you."
Me: (Slight laughter.) "Thanks, I need all the help I can get."
Random: "Jesus is the only help you need. I'm alive because of him."
Me: "Um... Well, thanks."
Random: "God bless you."
--------------------------------
Ok... so I'm an atheist, but that didn't really bother me. What bothered me was the whole "I'm alive because of him" bit. Now, if I were to believe in a higher power, I would think that we ALL were alive because of him, right? So was it really necessary to point it out to me? Wouldn't a simple "good luck" have done the trick?
Then again, maybe she's right, and BarBri was the driving force behind the "God is dead" chain of thought. Instead of studying for the last two or so months, I should have been praying. Well - praying to something other than the World of Warcraft gods in order to level. (I'm now a lvl 30 undead warlock btw - sweet.)
---------------------------------------
The other bloggers have been posting their final review schedules. The Grand Poobah's seems bar far the most intense - about 15 hours a day until the bar. I'm shooting for 9-10 hours of actual study time. Today and tomorrow I'm going to make my one page charts for all of the subjects, and then spend Saturday through Monday outlining essays (most of which I skipped over during the paced program). During law school I always tended to cram at the end - including a number of all-nighters (thanks to me convincing myself that if I fell asleep I'd miss my alarm in the morning and never wake up). Sleep hasn't come easily lately aside from those days when I start drinking at 2:00 PM, so today I bought some sleeping pills which I will try out tonight. More important than cramming is going to be getting at least 6 hours of sleep a night and waking up at 6:30 each morning.
-------------------------------------------
Finally, if I don't pass the bar, I know what the reason will be - lack of my lucky vodka. During law school finals, I brought in one of those one-shot mini bottles of vodka to each exam. Not to drink it - just to have it there. The running joke was if I ever felt completely fucked, I could always just take a shot. It was meant as a joke - which most people got - aside from one of the law school professors who later notified one of the deans of the school about my "excessive drinking" including the whole bottle in the exam thing. As a result I got a call from the dean to go over my drinking problem. She apparently didn't think the whole vodka thing was as funny as I did, and was convinced I had a 1.75 in there with me. I found it entertaining though, especially after I pointed out to her my GPA (which would have been really impressive if I was a raging alcoholic.) Anyways, I still brought in the vodka to finals, and did well - never having to resort to its contents. Perhaps I'll stick it in my pocket or something - or at least the label. Unless we get frisked at the door, which is a definite possibility.
"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday." (Don Marquis).
No kidding. And I suck at art. Anyways...
As I took the elevator downstairs this morning, a random person in my building, who I had never met before, decided to talk to me:
Random: "What are your plans for the day?"
Me: "Studying."
Random: "For what?"
Me: "I take the bar exam in a few days."
Random: "I'll pray for you."
Me: (Slight laughter.) "Thanks, I need all the help I can get."
Random: "Jesus is the only help you need. I'm alive because of him."
Me: "Um... Well, thanks."
Random: "God bless you."
--------------------------------
Ok... so I'm an atheist, but that didn't really bother me. What bothered me was the whole "I'm alive because of him" bit. Now, if I were to believe in a higher power, I would think that we ALL were alive because of him, right? So was it really necessary to point it out to me? Wouldn't a simple "good luck" have done the trick?
Then again, maybe she's right, and BarBri was the driving force behind the "God is dead" chain of thought. Instead of studying for the last two or so months, I should have been praying. Well - praying to something other than the World of Warcraft gods in order to level. (I'm now a lvl 30 undead warlock btw - sweet.)
---------------------------------------
The other bloggers have been posting their final review schedules. The Grand Poobah's seems bar far the most intense - about 15 hours a day until the bar. I'm shooting for 9-10 hours of actual study time. Today and tomorrow I'm going to make my one page charts for all of the subjects, and then spend Saturday through Monday outlining essays (most of which I skipped over during the paced program). During law school I always tended to cram at the end - including a number of all-nighters (thanks to me convincing myself that if I fell asleep I'd miss my alarm in the morning and never wake up). Sleep hasn't come easily lately aside from those days when I start drinking at 2:00 PM, so today I bought some sleeping pills which I will try out tonight. More important than cramming is going to be getting at least 6 hours of sleep a night and waking up at 6:30 each morning.
-------------------------------------------
Finally, if I don't pass the bar, I know what the reason will be - lack of my lucky vodka. During law school finals, I brought in one of those one-shot mini bottles of vodka to each exam. Not to drink it - just to have it there. The running joke was if I ever felt completely fucked, I could always just take a shot. It was meant as a joke - which most people got - aside from one of the law school professors who later notified one of the deans of the school about my "excessive drinking" including the whole bottle in the exam thing. As a result I got a call from the dean to go over my drinking problem. She apparently didn't think the whole vodka thing was as funny as I did, and was convinced I had a 1.75 in there with me. I found it entertaining though, especially after I pointed out to her my GPA (which would have been really impressive if I was a raging alcoholic.) Anyways, I still brought in the vodka to finals, and did well - never having to resort to its contents. Perhaps I'll stick it in my pocket or something - or at least the label. Unless we get frisked at the door, which is a definite possibility.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
And we all freaked out, what a shame
PT review - what are the first two lines that MUST be included in an affidavit, which the CBX folks won't tell us about? I have no clue, and considering that this is the only PT prep I'm going to do, any help would be appreciated.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
On My Own from Les Mis - Bar Taker's Edition
On my own
Pretending Conviser’s beside me
All alone
I read with him til morning
Without him, I keep on bombing essays
And when I lose my way I close my eyes and hope I die soon
MBEs
Aren’t easier when sober
Wrong answers are circled on my paper
Despite practice, essays are full of fake rules
And all I see Conviser forever and forever
And I know it’s only in my mind
That I’m talking to myself and not to him
And although I know I’ll fail the bar
Still I say there’s a way for us
I love him
But when the bar is over
He is gone
The PTs just a PT
Without him, I’m guaranteed to repeat
I’m giving up though everyone keeps telling me “You’ll pass this!”
I love him
But every day I’m learning
In BarBri, I only was half-listening
Without me, graders will go on grading
The world is full billables that I will never know
I love him
I love him
I love him
But only if I pass
Pretending Conviser’s beside me
All alone
I read with him til morning
Without him, I keep on bombing essays
And when I lose my way I close my eyes and hope I die soon
MBEs
Aren’t easier when sober
Wrong answers are circled on my paper
Despite practice, essays are full of fake rules
And all I see Conviser forever and forever
And I know it’s only in my mind
That I’m talking to myself and not to him
And although I know I’ll fail the bar
Still I say there’s a way for us
I love him
But when the bar is over
He is gone
The PTs just a PT
Without him, I’m guaranteed to repeat
I’m giving up though everyone keeps telling me “You’ll pass this!”
I love him
But every day I’m learning
In BarBri, I only was half-listening
Without me, graders will go on grading
The world is full billables that I will never know
I love him
I love him
I love him
But only if I pass
Monday, July 16, 2007
You will burn in hell for all your sins
TWO UPIAs -
Uniform Prudent Investor Act
Uniform Principle and Income Act
Go to hell, uniform act creators.
Uniform Prudent Investor Act
Uniform Principle and Income Act
Go to hell, uniform act creators.
I am certain I've become broken, bruised, and numb
The only thing I could think about when I woke up this morning was Harry Potter. No, not the new book, which comes out Saturday (and I've ordered with very slow delivery as to not get my hands on it until after the CBX) - but the sorting hat. You know, from the first book/movie. Harry sits down, and basically begs the hat not to put him in Slytherin-- "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin..."
I'm basically doing the same thing every time I study for the bar - especially when it comes to the essay questions... "Not Con Law, not Con Law." Even as I'm sitting here writing this, Con Law creeps into my subconscious. There's an old episode of Dawson's Creek on (don't ask, the CBX does funny things to everyone) - and there is a beauty contest that Pacey (a guy) wants to enter. State action? Intermediate scrutiny? What about a Capeside residency requirement? Quote from the show: "There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that allows you to enter this pageant!"
Despite the BarBri promise that Con Law turns out to be one of the easiest MBE subjects, it's consistently the area I perform the worst in. Granted, the Chem-Chem outline was lost on a plane when I left for a mini-vacation right after BarBri started, but I don't know if that would have made much of a difference.
Today I'm going to try to change all of that by going to coffee and covering Con Law for most of the day. It's just so much easier to do the things I tend to get right - Community Property essays, Crim Law MBEs. I need to get over that - a week from tomorrow is the bar - so I'll save the "Not Con Law!" begging for right before I fall asleep each night, and prepare for the worst if that doesn't work.
I'm basically doing the same thing every time I study for the bar - especially when it comes to the essay questions... "Not Con Law, not Con Law." Even as I'm sitting here writing this, Con Law creeps into my subconscious. There's an old episode of Dawson's Creek on (don't ask, the CBX does funny things to everyone) - and there is a beauty contest that Pacey (a guy) wants to enter. State action? Intermediate scrutiny? What about a Capeside residency requirement? Quote from the show: "There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that allows you to enter this pageant!"
Despite the BarBri promise that Con Law turns out to be one of the easiest MBE subjects, it's consistently the area I perform the worst in. Granted, the Chem-Chem outline was lost on a plane when I left for a mini-vacation right after BarBri started, but I don't know if that would have made much of a difference.
Today I'm going to try to change all of that by going to coffee and covering Con Law for most of the day. It's just so much easier to do the things I tend to get right - Community Property essays, Crim Law MBEs. I need to get over that - a week from tomorrow is the bar - so I'll save the "Not Con Law!" begging for right before I fall asleep each night, and prepare for the worst if that doesn't work.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
A different kind of pain
My coffee shop is having an event with the two art galleries that surround it, complete with security guards, wristbands, and a bunch of really odd looking art folk. And loud music. So much for me getting anything else useful done today. It's hard to concentrate when I have to worry about waiting in line for 20 minutes each time I want to use the bathroom.
If it's like this again tomorrow I may just sit in my car and cry.
If it's like this again tomorrow I may just sit in my car and cry.
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