"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

-- The Dalai Lama

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Get Me, I'm a Law Student

So this post isn't going to be anything resembling polished or possibly even coherent, but I wanted to post something about how law school is going.

I had this crazy fever for about 12 days, and it continued through orientation, the intense weekend of reading and the first day or so of class. I was frustrated, exhausted and just not wanting to "do this." I was seriously questioning my decision to go to law school, my ability to balance my health and law school, and my desire to be at law school at all.

I did finish all the reading though, and stayed caught up and did the briefing and even volunteered some information in that first Contracts class. I spent quite a bit of time paralyzed with fear at the thought of being called on, and although I still haven't been called on I do feel more confident and think I'll muddle through somehow when the time comes.

I'm sure someday, probably soon, I will look back at the sentence I'm about to write and I'll do something like laugh or cringe but: I like law school.

That's all I have time for right now. Oh, except for I'll mention that I don't have class on Fridays and that is frakking awesome. (That one was for the Battlestar Galactica fans among us.)

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Oh, Man!

I can't believe I forgot to post about the great CD I got from T Sinister! I don't have time right now, as I need to go to school and get my computer all set up on their internets. But! I will right this oversight asap. Promise.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Blawg Review Map - Update

Please read about the Blawg Review map here.

Now It Just Needs A Name...

Ah, the joy of having things that work. My new computer - which arrived early - is a pleasure. It's fast and can do the whole wireless thing which I've never had before. Also it matches my new phone, and we all know how important that is.

I have been having a great time hanging out in Oregon. We've been to many touristy places in and around Portland, and took a day trip up to Seattle via the train. Flowers are beautiful and super cheap here which is such a nice change, and the Farmer's Markets are incredible. We went to the big one in Portland (the Saturday Market) and the fantastic smaller one here in Lake Oswego. (I know I'm going a little heavy with the glowing adjectives, but they really are accurate.)

Orientation starts Thursday. I was really, really nervous but now I'm just more anxious to just get started than anything else. Having a nice computer helps.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Houseguests coupled with a slowly dying computer have made luxuries like blogging difficult. The house is slowly returning to its pre-guest state, however, and my shiny new computer is arriving on the 24th. Of course orientation starts on the 25th and life as I know it ends - but at least I'll be tethered to the new laptop and blogging will be terribly convenient.

It's been fun hearing about others' first days of law school experiences. I'll be sure to add to the fray when it's my turn.

Friday, August 05, 2005

Safe and Sound

We're finally, finally here in beautiful Oregon. I don't know what everyone was talking about when they said we would experience a dreary, grey existence here in the Pacific Northwest - we have seen nothing but sunshine since we've arrived.

We absolutely love our apartment and our complex. Everything is nicer than I even expected - and I came in with high expectations. Our neighbors are wonderful, we have a beautiful view from our balcony and the property managers did all they said they would with the place (new carpet, appliances, etc.) We couldn't be more pleased with how things have turned out here.

Of course getting here came with its share of bumps and bruises. We blew a tire on the trailer in Wyoming. Interestingly we have had car problems both coming and going through this small town before. J commented that it's like our own little automotive Bermuda triangle. Anyway, that took four hours to straighten out. So J, me, the little dog and the fish spent one sixth of a day sitting in the cab of a Penske truck in the middle of Wyoming. I did get some of my summer assigned reading done, so at least there was a tiny bit of productivity happening during the ordeal.

This left us way behind schedule. We didn't even make it out of Utah before we had to stop and sleep a little bit. We ended up not in the nice reserved camping spot in Caldwell, Idaho but the party central location of Ogden, Utah: the park and ride off of I-84. Kids were coming and going, presumably with 40s, at all hours of the night. We stayed there from about 10pm to 3am and then pressed on.

Miraculously, and to the credit of J's seemingly superhuman moving abilities, we made it to our new town before the end of business day on Monday the first. We picked up our keys, stashed the truck and slept on the living room floor. We set the alarm for four, but that didn't happen. We were up by five, though, and again because of J's incredible moving stamina we had everything we own in the apartment by about 5pm and had the Penske truck out of our possession forever by 6:30.

And then we got lost for two hours trying to get back to our new house. Portland highways are very different than what we are used to. We found that it is very hard to just get off at an exit and get back on going the opposite direction. We did finally make it home that Tuesday evening and soon fell asleep crammed in between the moving boxes.

Ever since, we've been putting stuff away, putting stuff back together and getting used to the new town. I know I've already said it, but we absolutely love it here. It's so green, quiet, and just plain pleasant. This was the best decision we've ever made - other than getting married, of course!