Because I have no one else to share this with...
I got a letter in yesterdays mail from a federal judge in Norfolk I had sent a resume too. I sort of assumed it was yet another "thanks but no" letter, a growing collection of which I have stuck to my fridge. But upon closer reading, he wants to talk to me! Hurray! A judicial clerkship would be pretty cool. I don't think it would pay, but I can get funding through the school and since it's in Norfolk, I wouldn't have to move so the crap pay would be more or less do-able.
I made a mitten last night. This time, I promise, a picture and pattern will follow. I love knitting mittens. A friend back in CA gave me the yarn back in the summer when we went up to this hippie hot-spring place, it's really beautiful yarn and I think it might actually be hand-spun. It's nicely heathered and still has lots of lanolin in it, perfect for outer-wear in a genuinely cold environment, so I'm making mittens and a hat for myself.
Now, back to contracts. We're still working on parol evidence, which my prof characterizes as "a sick rule." If he means sick in the sense that there are so many exceptions that the exceptions have exceptions, rendering the rule nearly pointless, I quite agree. But I find it oddly interesting, and there's an internal logic to the sickness that I'm starting to understand. Maybe I'm sick...I'm also the only person I know who doesn't break out in a cold sweat when someone brings up the rule against perpetuites...
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
Sittin' alone
I think my blog is turning in to a replacement for someone to really talk to...
Anyway, I did this mock interview program at school today put on by the career services people and some alums. My interview was at 2, and my last class got out at 11, so I was kind of bitter about having gone home, got in the lawyer-drag, hose and heels, and then driving back to campus for some fake interview that wouldn't have any hope of landing me a job, but it actually went really well and I feel strangely better about this whole job search/career thing. The lawyer I met with was really nice, said I comported myself very well and would be fine, reassured me about my grades, told me I should find a good job cuz I was good candidate, and then suggested I go in to litigation because I was very self-possessed, poised, and spoke well. That was kind of a nice bit of ego-boosting, and one I sadly needed.
I could use some advice about my summer plans though. The one promising job bite I had is back in CA, I have heard nothing back from them, and the situation just isn't going to be as comfortable as I had thought it would be. So probably, even if I get the offer, I'll end up turning it down if I manage to come up with some alternatives. I was invited to apply to a study abroad program run by one of the other law schools I was admitted to, they have a comparative law program in Oxford and an IP law program in Munich that both look really good and worth applying too. So, what do I do? CA, Oxford, Munich, or stay in VA? What would be the best career choice?
The sourdough bread turned out really well. My peel maneuvering is still somewhat lacking, so the loaf got a little deformed and developed a goiter, but it has the best crust I've ever produced, a great tang, and is nice and chewy and moist. I'm quite pleased.
Anyway, I did this mock interview program at school today put on by the career services people and some alums. My interview was at 2, and my last class got out at 11, so I was kind of bitter about having gone home, got in the lawyer-drag, hose and heels, and then driving back to campus for some fake interview that wouldn't have any hope of landing me a job, but it actually went really well and I feel strangely better about this whole job search/career thing. The lawyer I met with was really nice, said I comported myself very well and would be fine, reassured me about my grades, told me I should find a good job cuz I was good candidate, and then suggested I go in to litigation because I was very self-possessed, poised, and spoke well. That was kind of a nice bit of ego-boosting, and one I sadly needed.
I could use some advice about my summer plans though. The one promising job bite I had is back in CA, I have heard nothing back from them, and the situation just isn't going to be as comfortable as I had thought it would be. So probably, even if I get the offer, I'll end up turning it down if I manage to come up with some alternatives. I was invited to apply to a study abroad program run by one of the other law schools I was admitted to, they have a comparative law program in Oxford and an IP law program in Munich that both look really good and worth applying too. So, what do I do? CA, Oxford, Munich, or stay in VA? What would be the best career choice?
The sourdough bread turned out really well. My peel maneuvering is still somewhat lacking, so the loaf got a little deformed and developed a goiter, but it has the best crust I've ever produced, a great tang, and is nice and chewy and moist. I'm quite pleased.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Thinking is bad for my health
At least my mental health...I realized this afternoon that in 29 Februaries the only people to ever give me a real V-Day card or present have been family members*. That's pretty sad.
Other things I should avoid thinking about include summer plans, my career prospects, spring break, non-refundable airline tickets and my bank account, financial aid applications, and why my cat has suddenly decided that breaking out of the house sounds like a grand idea.
To avoid thinking, I've decided to attempt sour dough bread. Ok, I decided this several days ago, it takes awhile to get the starter going, but this afternoon I got the dough together and I am currently avoiding my crim law reading while waiting for the dough to rise. One nice thing about law school is that the good people over at LexisNexis and WestLaw give you free accounts. If you are not a legal person, this means nothing, but it's sort of like lawyer crack. They offer you prizes and cash and free online research and printing for 3 years, then send you out to a firm, a confirmed online research junkie, to run up astronomical bills you first year as an associate. To give you some idea, a single search can cost as much as $100. Anyway, I had a bunch of points on Lexis and was able to redeem them for Alton Brown's baking book, which got here earlier this week (see how this ties back to the bread? I'm not totally insane!). I've been lusting after this book for months, so I was quite excited that I was able to get it for free, as a byproduct of obsessive case reading, and as an added bonus is has a nice, non-scary recipe for a sourdough starter. We'll see how it turns out in a few hours, but I love the way this book is written. It satisfies all of the geek/science nerd parts of my brain without getting so technical that my law school addled brain can still follow it. He actually explains how everything works, which is important to understand in baking, and something that most baking (and bread in particular) books overlook. If you've ever seen GoodEats on the food network, you know what I'm talking about. Plus the recipes are interesting, and if the other recipes of his I've tried are any indication, tasty.
I just need to get an actual pizza stone. My terracotta tiles cracked with last batch of bread I baked. Not a huge deal, but it's a pain to work with cracked tiles. Unless someone knows where I can get refractory tiles or kiln shelves in the Tidewater area?
*Actually, last year, M. did give me a package of cherry chocolate cordials, but he gave me those a day late and they were in a Safeway bag. And those stupid cards with the nasty candy people are forced to leave on your desk in 3rd grade hardly count.
Other things I should avoid thinking about include summer plans, my career prospects, spring break, non-refundable airline tickets and my bank account, financial aid applications, and why my cat has suddenly decided that breaking out of the house sounds like a grand idea.
To avoid thinking, I've decided to attempt sour dough bread. Ok, I decided this several days ago, it takes awhile to get the starter going, but this afternoon I got the dough together and I am currently avoiding my crim law reading while waiting for the dough to rise. One nice thing about law school is that the good people over at LexisNexis and WestLaw give you free accounts. If you are not a legal person, this means nothing, but it's sort of like lawyer crack. They offer you prizes and cash and free online research and printing for 3 years, then send you out to a firm, a confirmed online research junkie, to run up astronomical bills you first year as an associate. To give you some idea, a single search can cost as much as $100. Anyway, I had a bunch of points on Lexis and was able to redeem them for Alton Brown's baking book, which got here earlier this week (see how this ties back to the bread? I'm not totally insane!). I've been lusting after this book for months, so I was quite excited that I was able to get it for free, as a byproduct of obsessive case reading, and as an added bonus is has a nice, non-scary recipe for a sourdough starter. We'll see how it turns out in a few hours, but I love the way this book is written. It satisfies all of the geek/science nerd parts of my brain without getting so technical that my law school addled brain can still follow it. He actually explains how everything works, which is important to understand in baking, and something that most baking (and bread in particular) books overlook. If you've ever seen GoodEats on the food network, you know what I'm talking about. Plus the recipes are interesting, and if the other recipes of his I've tried are any indication, tasty.
I just need to get an actual pizza stone. My terracotta tiles cracked with last batch of bread I baked. Not a huge deal, but it's a pain to work with cracked tiles. Unless someone knows where I can get refractory tiles or kiln shelves in the Tidewater area?
*Actually, last year, M. did give me a package of cherry chocolate cordials, but he gave me those a day late and they were in a Safeway bag. And those stupid cards with the nasty candy people are forced to leave on your desk in 3rd grade hardly count.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
The geese have returned
I have no idea where my neighbor-geese went off too, I assume someplace further south and warmer than it is was in these parts back in December, but the crazy Canadians are back, and just as suicidal as ever. Clearly, they do not suffer under the burden of non-refundable airline tickets like the rest of us.
As evidence that I have gone, or am beginning to go, over to the dark side, I'm starting to wonder if those non-refundable airline tickets might actually be a contract of adhesion and thus not actually enforceable, and if it's really worth arguing this point over a $308 plane ticket. I figure this means one of two things: 1 - I've lost my mind or 2 - I'm actually starting to understand this contract stuff. If it's option 2, I only wish this had happened before I took my final last semester, but c'est la vie. I'll do better this term, and if I can successfully recover my $308 from the airline that will surely be worth something.
As evidence that I have gone, or am beginning to go, over to the dark side, I'm starting to wonder if those non-refundable airline tickets might actually be a contract of adhesion and thus not actually enforceable, and if it's really worth arguing this point over a $308 plane ticket. I figure this means one of two things: 1 - I've lost my mind or 2 - I'm actually starting to understand this contract stuff. If it's option 2, I only wish this had happened before I took my final last semester, but c'est la vie. I'll do better this term, and if I can successfully recover my $308 from the airline that will surely be worth something.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Time marches on
It hardly seems possible that I left San Francisco just six months ago. Somehow it seems like I've been out here much much longer than that. At the same time, it's all gone so fast…at time I feel as though I've barely had time to blink. But here I am, a half a year later, a semester behind me, and well in to the last half of my first year.
For some reason I've been sick pretty much since I got back from the winter break. First it was an awful cold/flu from hell, and now I've got some messed up stomach bug and a fever. The main problem is the exhaustion, afternoon naps are all well and good but if I sleep for 4 hours in the afternoon I really would like to be awake later than 9:30 in the evening. I seem to be getting better though, so with any luck I'll be back to normal by the end of the week.
I've been knitting a pair of socks for Someone, and have decided to try the 2 socks on 2 circular needles method. So far, it seems to be working pretty well but can get quite confusing. I think the confusion is worth it though, I have a bad habit of knitting one sock and then never getting around to the second one, or not getting the second one done for 3 or 4 years. This way, both socks are in the same state of unfinishedness, both will be at the same gauge, and both will actually be the same length. All good things I thing. Size 0 needles though are a bit much…it must be love if I'm knitting the man socks on size 0's.
Must get back to my criminal law class. For some reason, this class is really offending my sense of justice and right and wrong. I'm really starting to think Hammurabi had the right of it.
For some reason I've been sick pretty much since I got back from the winter break. First it was an awful cold/flu from hell, and now I've got some messed up stomach bug and a fever. The main problem is the exhaustion, afternoon naps are all well and good but if I sleep for 4 hours in the afternoon I really would like to be awake later than 9:30 in the evening. I seem to be getting better though, so with any luck I'll be back to normal by the end of the week.
I've been knitting a pair of socks for Someone, and have decided to try the 2 socks on 2 circular needles method. So far, it seems to be working pretty well but can get quite confusing. I think the confusion is worth it though, I have a bad habit of knitting one sock and then never getting around to the second one, or not getting the second one done for 3 or 4 years. This way, both socks are in the same state of unfinishedness, both will be at the same gauge, and both will actually be the same length. All good things I thing. Size 0 needles though are a bit much…it must be love if I'm knitting the man socks on size 0's.
Must get back to my criminal law class. For some reason, this class is really offending my sense of justice and right and wrong. I'm really starting to think Hammurabi had the right of it.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Superhero School
My baby brother sent me this the other day:
Crisis of confidence, over.
The knitting and weaving carry on, in between reading cases about all the usual things. I'm making socks for Someone (toe up, from Brownsheep Wildefoot, with a simple 2X2 rib instep and cuff). In a few days, it will be 6 months that we have been together. Not a perfect 6 months, that much I will grant, but somehow, it's been...I don't even know. Perfect isn't the right thing (and the part of me that knows he will read this won't let me say as much), but it's been exactly what I needed, exactly what I've wanted. He makes me a better person, he lets me see the superhero my brother thinks I can be.
Just think, one day you will be protecting the lives of the innocent and helping to punish the evil doers. Sound like a superhero to me. So I guess when you think about it superhero school can't be easy or else everyone would be doing it.
Crisis of confidence, over.
The knitting and weaving carry on, in between reading cases about all the usual things. I'm making socks for Someone (toe up, from Brownsheep Wildefoot, with a simple 2X2 rib instep and cuff). In a few days, it will be 6 months that we have been together. Not a perfect 6 months, that much I will grant, but somehow, it's been...I don't even know. Perfect isn't the right thing (and the part of me that knows he will read this won't let me say as much), but it's been exactly what I needed, exactly what I've wanted. He makes me a better person, he lets me see the superhero my brother thinks I can be.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Moving...
Well, my blog is moving anyway. Please update bookmarks and links! As of now, I will no longer be updating to this page at the rcn.com address. The new URL is:
http://members.cox.net/heidigrace
Now back to fixing all the links I am sure I have broken...
http://members.cox.net/heidigrace
Now back to fixing all the links I am sure I have broken...
Saturday, January 14, 2006
How could I resist?
With applogies to Jen...
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the coolest book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.
"Corporal punishment in a public school may involve a constitutionally protected liberty."
Brought to you by the good people who wrote the Gilbert's on Constitutional Law. Nice.
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the coolest book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.
"Corporal punishment in a public school may involve a constitutionally protected liberty."
Brought to you by the good people who wrote the Gilbert's on Constitutional Law. Nice.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Doom, doom!!
Grades come out today. I already saw 2. Hopefully Contracts is, as I expected, my worst grade, but I did manage to score an honors grade in my legal skills class, so that's something. I'm not sure what exactly, as it does nothing for my GPA (which I think sucks the big one but oh well, it'll still look good on the resume).
Now I'm waiting for Crim Law to start, which I am woefully unprepared for, as I passed out last night while I was trying to do my reading. Stupid flu plague.
Now I'm waiting for Crim Law to start, which I am woefully unprepared for, as I passed out last night while I was trying to do my reading. Stupid flu plague.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
A few points I'd forgotten
1 - The food here seriously sucks.
2 - Don't get me started on the "produce," if you can call it that
3 - For the most part, I loath my classmates. It's very sad.
4 - Studying at school is hopeless (see #3)
Day 1 of Semester 2 went ok. Contracts got cancelled, which had me all irrationally annoyed, but was probably ok. I just got out of my first ever criminal law class, which was scary. The prof just launched into the lecture and discussion without so much as saying hello. She scares me a little, but I think it'll be an ok class.
Must try to get my Con Law reading done now. I passed out on the couch yesterday after I got home. This cold thing sucks, and not I have a fever blister to go with it. Nice. I feel like crap and I look deformed. What a way to start the new year.
2 - Don't get me started on the "produce," if you can call it that
3 - For the most part, I loath my classmates. It's very sad.
4 - Studying at school is hopeless (see #3)
Day 1 of Semester 2 went ok. Contracts got cancelled, which had me all irrationally annoyed, but was probably ok. I just got out of my first ever criminal law class, which was scary. The prof just launched into the lecture and discussion without so much as saying hello. She scares me a little, but I think it'll be an ok class.
Must try to get my Con Law reading done now. I passed out on the couch yesterday after I got home. This cold thing sucks, and not I have a fever blister to go with it. Nice. I feel like crap and I look deformed. What a way to start the new year.
Monday, January 09, 2006
So wrong
Starting the semester with the beginnings of a cold is just unfair and wrong on so many levels. I feel like crap. I blame this entirely on the whole airport odyssey getting back out here. Stupid airport.
Anyhow, aside from feeling like crap and being generally exhausted, and considering that I have not actually had a class yet, the semester has officially begun and so far so good. Or at least, so far, no new surprises. Classmates are still immature and annoying (why do I loath them so much? why?!), I still don't understand anything in my contracts book, and the homework load is already a bit scary. But oh well, I'm actually kind of excited about this. Torts and Civ Pro are over, and I get Criminal and Constitutional law this semester to replace them. Con law should be interesting, I'm excited about that one.
Last night, instead of doing the rest of my property reading, I warped my loom and wove a few sample rag coasters. I'm quite happy with how they turned out actually, and I think I have a better idea of how the warp colors interact with the rag colors, so that's something. Plus they are really fast to weave. Hurray! I think warping the loom took longer than the weaving, but I can put enough warp on by myself to do about 10 coasters at least, if not 12, so that should keep me busy for awhile.
In other news, I bought a scale yesterday at Cost Co. Eep. That was a scary wake up call, but looking back on it it's not really as bad as all that. I've managed to keep off nearly 40 pounds from my all time high, and seem to be within the new range of fluctuation, which is not to say I don't have some work to do, but it's manageable. My goal is really to get the range of fluctuation down a bit, the high end needs to be at least 10 pounds lower than it is now, and I'd like the range to be narrower, but that's an achievable goal. I've pretty much got to the point though where I'm doing this on my own. The leader at the one and only WW meeting that fits into my schedule is really irritating. She just grates on my every last nerve, and I can't bring myself to pay the weekly meeting fee to get that annoyed. Everyone there is really very nice, but so far away from my point in life that I don't relate to anyone in the least, which is sort of the whole point of going to the meetings anyway.
Must get myself ready for contracts class. Ugh.
Anyhow, aside from feeling like crap and being generally exhausted, and considering that I have not actually had a class yet, the semester has officially begun and so far so good. Or at least, so far, no new surprises. Classmates are still immature and annoying (why do I loath them so much? why?!), I still don't understand anything in my contracts book, and the homework load is already a bit scary. But oh well, I'm actually kind of excited about this. Torts and Civ Pro are over, and I get Criminal and Constitutional law this semester to replace them. Con law should be interesting, I'm excited about that one.
Last night, instead of doing the rest of my property reading, I warped my loom and wove a few sample rag coasters. I'm quite happy with how they turned out actually, and I think I have a better idea of how the warp colors interact with the rag colors, so that's something. Plus they are really fast to weave. Hurray! I think warping the loom took longer than the weaving, but I can put enough warp on by myself to do about 10 coasters at least, if not 12, so that should keep me busy for awhile.
In other news, I bought a scale yesterday at Cost Co. Eep. That was a scary wake up call, but looking back on it it's not really as bad as all that. I've managed to keep off nearly 40 pounds from my all time high, and seem to be within the new range of fluctuation, which is not to say I don't have some work to do, but it's manageable. My goal is really to get the range of fluctuation down a bit, the high end needs to be at least 10 pounds lower than it is now, and I'd like the range to be narrower, but that's an achievable goal. I've pretty much got to the point though where I'm doing this on my own. The leader at the one and only WW meeting that fits into my schedule is really irritating. She just grates on my every last nerve, and I can't bring myself to pay the weekly meeting fee to get that annoyed. Everyone there is really very nice, but so far away from my point in life that I don't relate to anyone in the least, which is sort of the whole point of going to the meetings anyway.
Must get myself ready for contracts class. Ugh.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Standing on my own two feet
Sadly, I have no pictures to show for my break and trip back to CA, but I got enough rest that I don't really care. I can't say it was the most blissful and idyllic of vacations, but it was good to be back home, to be with Someone, to work through some stuff, and end up feeling like I'm starting the year more or less on my feet with a good idea of where I'm going and how I'm going to get there.
All of my knit Christmas gifts went over well, which made me feel a lot better about having made everything. I don't know why I have this idea that handmade gifts are of less value and worth than bought things, I should know better by now than to devalue the work of my hands, but I still tend to assume that other people will see a handmade gift as something of less value. Everyone liked their hats and scarves and mittens and wine glass charm things, so that's good.
Somehow or other I've gotten inspired to weave for next year. I visited my favorite wool shop while I was at mom and dad's and they had some little woven rag rug coasters sitting on the counter which gave me all kinds of ideas. God knows I have enough fabric scraps to make a good pile of these for gifts next year. Maybe coasters, trivets, and table runners will be the project of choice. It's something different anyway, and will give me a chance to experiment with some new things.
I had two interviews for internships while I was out in CA, both of which went really well. One was with a company that does not actually have an internship program, but wants to try to put something together for me. Hurray! I really liked that group, by the end they were asking me if I wanted to come work with them and giving me all kinds of great tips for picking classes next term, so I think it went well. The best part is the office is about 5 miles down the road from Someone's house, which is convenient.
I've also been baking a lot of bread. Mom got me a great bread book for Christmas, which has been really helpful. I didn't have all the equipment I need at Someone's house, but I was able to apply some of the methods from the book and it improved the bread tremendously. I'm getting much better texture, nice crusts, and I think I'm starting to understand what's going on with the whole bread making process better so I've been able to adapt a few recipes quite successfully.
For now, it's back to school work, financial insolvency (where the hell is my loan refund check?! I have rent to pay people!), and the never ending battle to adjust to the weather out here, but somehow I feel like I'm able to stand again. The fear and terror of everything that I've been dealing with has been taking a toll on every aspect of my life, and I'm tired of it. As I was telling Someone the other night, we both of us have taken a huge leap, picking up and moving to new places and starting new and difficult things. We just didn't figure on what would happen when we landed in the new place, how broken and battered we'd be by the fall. I know it'll never be at hard as last semester was again, and that is a very comforting thought.
All of my knit Christmas gifts went over well, which made me feel a lot better about having made everything. I don't know why I have this idea that handmade gifts are of less value and worth than bought things, I should know better by now than to devalue the work of my hands, but I still tend to assume that other people will see a handmade gift as something of less value. Everyone liked their hats and scarves and mittens and wine glass charm things, so that's good.
Somehow or other I've gotten inspired to weave for next year. I visited my favorite wool shop while I was at mom and dad's and they had some little woven rag rug coasters sitting on the counter which gave me all kinds of ideas. God knows I have enough fabric scraps to make a good pile of these for gifts next year. Maybe coasters, trivets, and table runners will be the project of choice. It's something different anyway, and will give me a chance to experiment with some new things.
I had two interviews for internships while I was out in CA, both of which went really well. One was with a company that does not actually have an internship program, but wants to try to put something together for me. Hurray! I really liked that group, by the end they were asking me if I wanted to come work with them and giving me all kinds of great tips for picking classes next term, so I think it went well. The best part is the office is about 5 miles down the road from Someone's house, which is convenient.
I've also been baking a lot of bread. Mom got me a great bread book for Christmas, which has been really helpful. I didn't have all the equipment I need at Someone's house, but I was able to apply some of the methods from the book and it improved the bread tremendously. I'm getting much better texture, nice crusts, and I think I'm starting to understand what's going on with the whole bread making process better so I've been able to adapt a few recipes quite successfully.
For now, it's back to school work, financial insolvency (where the hell is my loan refund check?! I have rent to pay people!), and the never ending battle to adjust to the weather out here, but somehow I feel like I'm able to stand again. The fear and terror of everything that I've been dealing with has been taking a toll on every aspect of my life, and I'm tired of it. As I was telling Someone the other night, we both of us have taken a huge leap, picking up and moving to new places and starting new and difficult things. We just didn't figure on what would happen when we landed in the new place, how broken and battered we'd be by the fall. I know it'll never be at hard as last semester was again, and that is a very comforting thought.
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