Do Not Try This Without a Safety Harness

What a wild ride bar prep is. Really, it is everything a good ride should be - it's physically intense, offers dramatic rises and falls, allows you to become emotionally engaged, and makes you want to scream, if only you could catch your breath!

Saturday I was down - poor practice test scores. Today I am up - really good pracice test scores and making good headway on essay topics. WHEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As much fun as this is, I think I'd prefer a monorail - riding high above it all, all the time.

Being Responsible May Only Get You Smacked in the Face

Picture this:

Recent law school graduate who has been studying like crazy for the bar exam decides to do the responsible thing and go check out the hotel in which the test will be administered. It seems like a good idea to make sure of the location, parking...etc..and if you are a believer in conscious creation or visualization or any of that, it helps to have a very concrete picture of the desired goal. In this case - feeling calm and being successful while taking the bar exam.

OK. Said graduate/bar applicant speaks to hotel staff who directs her to the main banquet room that most students will be in - says she'll have someone unlock the door. Very nice. Walk through the hotel that was probably fairly nice in its day, but has become somewhat run down. Still, decent enough, with the bonus of not being downtown where parking would be very difficult and expensive.

A helpful hotel worker unlocks the door. Small talk is made about the bar exam, and others who have similarly asked to check out the room. A casual question is posed by about the assumption that power strips, or something, will be provided for all of the test-takers needing to plug in laptops.

"Uh...no, I don't think so. We could run a few extensions and try to help out anyone who needs to plug in."


WHAT????????

The room starts to spin.

Applicant tries to remain calm. This does not make sense. NO ONE has a laptop battery that will last for the duration of day one - which even if a person shut down during breaks and instruction periods is about 7 hours. We cannot possibly be expected to run on our batteries.

Applicant thanks the man and goes back to helpful front desk person. She has no clue but suggests that catering could answer questions after 8:00 tomorrow morning. "So could the Oregon State Bar" thinks the applicant. Surely they would not do this to us after making us spend $140 on software and leading us to believe we could use our laptops.

Visions of hand-cramping as she tries to write 9 essays, and a performance test fill applicant's head. She tries to remember to breathe deeply. This "reassuring" trip has not proven to be as calming as she'd hoped.

P.S. - Catering assured me this morning that Hollywood Lighting is providing power (glorious power!), so no worries about plugging in laptops. *WHEW* Think there might be a case for negligent infliction of emotional distress had I actually suffered physical injury. Who even HINTS that there might not be power for the bar exam?

My Life Has Become A Thriller

See the zombie in the lower left corner, the one with the blue face, screaming with a terror unknown to mere mortals? THAT is me today. I just had my *ss kicked by a practice MBE half-day test. I nearly reached the goal, but not quite. My score is the same as our practice test a week ago. No improvement despite the studying and practice tests. That was NO improvement, as in zero, zip, nada. Thing is, I thought I was doing really well. What does that mean? That I am confident in my ignorance? Great.

I decided to do a quick post to try to shake off the bad feelings so I can go figure out what all I did wrong. I realized I'd not yet posted about Michael Jackson's death. I have to say, along with many, I have been quite disturbed by it. So sad that that this man with such genius, who was about to embark on what undoubtedly would have been a huge comeback tour, had his life ended so abruptly.

It seems like he was such a big part of my younger years. When I was in high school, who didn't have a copy of Thriller, Bad, and Off the Wall? This was the soundtrack to our lives. I don't think anyone really knows "what happened" with Michael Jackson over the past many years. Lots of people have made judgments, but very few really had insight as to the reality of who he was and what all he went through. One thing for sure - his music will be remembered for a very, very long time.

I think picking up a few CDs, such as the Thriller 25th Anniversary Edition, is something I'd like to do. Everything I had was in vinyl and has since been given away. It would be fun to have the music to listen to, to remember the past, and enjoy in the future.

For those who don't remember, in addition to the wicked title soundtrack (LOVED the Vincent Price voiceover!), songs included on this "album" were:

1. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ~ Michael Jackson
2. Baby Be Mine ~ Michael Jackson
3. Girl Is Mine, The - (featuring Paul McCartney) ~ Michael Jackson
4. Thriller ~ Michael Jackson
5. Beat It - (featuring Eddie Van Halen) ~ Michael Jackson
6. Billie Jean ~ Michael Jackson
7. Human Nature ~ Michael Jackson
8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) ~ Michael Jackson
9. Lady In My Life, The ~ Michael Jackson
10. Vincent Price Excerpt - (from "Thriller" voice-over session) ~ Michael Jackson
11. Girl Is Mine, The - (previously unreleased, 2008, featuring Will.i.am) ~ Michael Jackson
12. P.Y.T. - (previously unreleased, 2008, featuring Will.i.am) ~ Michael Jackson
13. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - (previously unreleased, 2008, featuring Akon) ~ Michael Jackson
14. Beat It - (2008, featuring Fergie) ~ Michael Jackson
15. Billie Jean - (Kanye West mix) ~ Michael Jackson
16. For All Time - (previously unreleased) ~ Michael Jackson

Apparently sales of Michael Jackson's music is setting records like crazy, and he is likely to be the best selling artist for 2009. Sad he's not here to enjoy it. His music is on sale many places right now. There's no time like the present to go pick up a CD or two, or maybe download some tracks onto your MP3 player. Hey - that is a great idea!

First, I must go figure out all the RIGHT answers to the MBE questions I got wrong. That should only take me until Monday.

Friday Night Frustrations

It's 6:37 on a Friday evening.

I am reviewing Secured Transactions and still plan to at least get started on Ethics. (About time I got into ethics, right? *grin*)

I am tired of this.
I don't want to be here studying anymore.
I want to be enjoying a nice, cool adult-beverage, laughing at something nonsensical, and not thinking about the bar exam.

All right. Whining over. Back to purchase-money security interests. Thank God for Prof. Newell and my crazy friend who talked me into taking Secured Trans this past semester!

Wii are Finding Distractions

Sometimes, when a person should be doing other things, they inexplicably find themselves surfing the net. Now, I'm not saying this has ever happened to any of you, but if it had, you might suddenly find yourself watching Laverne and Shirley clips on YouTube or reading about some cool technological innovation on a Ted Talk, or just searching for the meaning of life.

Google: meaning of life.

Probably you won't find anything helpful, but it could keep you entertained for quite some time, if you were to accidentally be surfing and come across such things.

Today - look what I happened across:




That's right - Wii Sports Resort. All the fun and games of a resort at a very small fraction of the price with no chance of being sunburned or getting hit in the head with a frisbee by some wild kid with bad aim...oh, wait, cut that last one.

This game, currently on sale at Buy.com comes with some sort of super sensitive "MotionPlus" accessory to make the Wii remote even more sensitive and precise. Games featured include a water scooter, swordplay, Frisbee, basketball, wake boarding, table tennis, golf and canoeing. There are a total of 12 games. There is a cool video on Amazon, if you want to check out a bit more of the details.

Anyway, this looks about 937x more interesting than studying for the bar. Still, seems like I should probably be doing that latter thing. Bad internet for distracting me.

Good thing I've not signed up on FaceBook, yet. Just imagine how distracting that would be!

Wow

SO MUCH STUFF TO REMEMBER!!!


Think I need this:

Bar Study Update

Some of you know I'd had some trouble sleeping for a couple nights. This was new for me as sleeplessness has never been one of my stress indicators. Nothing quite like having it take two hours to fall asleep and then be awakened a short time later by a cat jumping on the bed and then be awake for another hour..."Hello, my mind is awake now."

I am happy to report that the past two nights have been much better.

What I've learned:
- Breathing deeply and slowly is way better than fast and shallow.
- Nearly any conversation can lead to elements of a crime.
- Keeping to my schedule gives me the illusion of control.
- Getting up earlier gives me more hours in the day.
- During the very limited hours I am doing "work-work," it is best that someone else double-check what I am doing because my brain only has so much room for important details. Right now, if it's not on the bar, it probably is not important enough to take up space.
- It was worth taking a four-hour study break yesterday to go to my kids' swimming lessons and Vacation Bible School end-of-camp social event. I am so proud of of how well they are both doing!

OK, here's two more random pictures from the past few years. The princess was probably about a year ago, and the photo strip of me and my boy was taken right before I started law school:






OK - time to study Admin Law. :)

What's in a Label?

As has been noted, and probably directly observed, I have been finding humor and intrigue in almost any subject that passes me by these days. Might as well enjoy the insanity while it lasts! Twice in the past week the topic of label makers has come up. Now, I say to you, who doesn't enjoy a good label maker?

We have one at home that we used probably 4+ years ago to mark a variety of small bins containing kid toys ("castle parts," "Mr. Potato Head," "building toys," "misc. small toys") and adult items("tools," "batteries," "emergency supplies"). Boy Wonder went crazy making and using "stickers" with the label maker - and we soon needed refills! At work, I use one to make file labels - way easier than using the printer, and frankly, more satisfying. There is something fun about punching in the letters and seeing the white strip come shooting out, printed all nice and neat.

(For Bonus Points - who remembers the old style label makers that had red or blue plastic ribbon and the letters were punched into it so they ended up raised? I know, I am showing my age!)

A really good label maker used to run close to, if not over $30. Now, you can get a really nice one on sale for under $20. This one I found is a Brother - good brand, tons of features, and is actually just a newer version of the one I use at work. Nice machine, totally reliable, and this one will even print on super narrow tape so you can label CD spines. Nice!

Now that I am thinking about this, I realize I should get ours out now that Boy Wonder has learned to read and is getting decent at spelling. I bet he would have a blast. On second thought, he still loves "stickers." Not sure I would want him to use his new skills labeling every piece of furniture we have!

Property Sucks but My Kids are Cute

I dislike property questions quite a bit. Present estates - future interests - I don't know. Go see a wills and trusts lawyer, not me.

FSDPOR - Frank Sinatra Doesn't Prefer Orville Redenbacher.
Fee Simple Determinable Possibility of Reverter.

Some of you know what I am talking about.

Hey - random photo - how cute is this? From January 2005 - before I even started law school:



and so we have equal time for cuteness - my little rock eater:



They are growing up so fast!

From One Subject to Another

Today my mind is resting easier.
The medication must have kicked in. *grin* Just kidding.

A friend sent me some links to Ellen on Youtube from a 2007 show. She is so funny. This is part 4 ... and the end of part 5 had me barely able to breathe. You gotta love Ellen.

Ir's good to actually NOT be receiving more information to study and to be able to focus on memorizing and practicing. The practice questions are kind of fun, in a completely warped, what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-you-people kind of way.

Wasn't UP an incredible movie?

"Squirrel!"


Really - amazing storyline, fantastic imagery, appropriate humor, tackling seriously deep issues - the life we hope for and the life that happens when we aren't looking, making good on promises, and all blended with really likable characters. Amazingly good stuff.

OK, so I am bouncing a bit. It's OK - spot the issue - tackle it - move on. It's a strategy.

Things Come and Go So Quickly Around Here

I get that I am the only one truly fascinated by my own mental gymnastics and delusions as I slog through this insanity known as bar prep. Still, my readership has been steadily increasing as of late, so I appear to be amusing at least a few people, or at the very least, serving as a momentary distraction from one's own bar prep hell. Either way, welcome!

I am serious when I say I am fascinated by my own processes through this particular passage. Am I the only one who feels a bit as though they are on speed (just guessing, not confessing) and could jump from topic to topic to topic, none having anything to do with the law, all the while enjoying the pictures running through my head bringing together scenes of the past, present and possible future?

OK, yeah. When put like that, maybe it does sound a bit crazy. Still, I bet more of you than not know what I am talking about. Wife accused me of ADD and hopes it ends when the bar does. I told her I wasn't so sure. I kind of enjoy this somewhat altered sense of consciousness....although I could do without the panicky feelings that sometimes accompany it.

One of the things that keep popping into my mind is that cute little computer that I blogged about several weeks ago - the Samsung NC-10 Netbook. I really want, but don't terribly need one. It is currently on sale at Buy.com for $379, plus free shipping. The price keeps coming down! By the time I decide I can afford one, there will be something even better on the market though, right?



This is a really sweet machine though - 8 hours of battery life, 10.2 inch screen, nearly full-size keyboard with all of the keys in the right place (some netbooks move around the non-alpha keys to make them all fit), and 160 GB hard drive. I also operates on the Windows XP Home system, which many of us are not crazy about, but does mean it is Windows compatible, and we can load our Office applications onto it. It weighs under 3 pounds, is smaller than pretty much all of my law books ever were, and comes in a lovely blue. (It is also available in pink for an extra $20.)

All the convenience of a laptop computer, combined with ultra-portability, long battery life and it is aesthetically pleasing. What more could one want from a new tech toy?

OK, right, something that could morph from one object into another, similar to BOB on Monsters vs. Aliens. (I took the kids to see it for the second time yesterday. Genius movie!) That would be cool. See....mind wandering again, but look how much fun I am having!