sick day

i am going back to bed.

Edited to add: 1:11 woke up. Feeling better

Edited to add Friday: Ohhh, that was written way too soon. Very ill.

MILS #34

The Weekly MILS (Moms In Law School) Roundup is hosted on a rotating basis between PT-LawMom and A Little Fish in Law School blogs. We aim for Sunday posts.

This week, its up at Pt-Lawmom's.

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If you’d like to have your blog added to the MILS blogroll for weekly review or would like us to consider a specific post, drop the hostess(es) an email or leave a comment at our sites. Expecting Moms in Law School are welcome!
Hat tip as always to the “original” Roundup — Evan Schaeffer’s Legal Underground and Divine Angst.
And of course, to the founder of this round-up, Saramel (retired).

Into it

Regarding a comment I received on a recent post:

"Woah - you're seriously into it! I guess I'm just not that into law school . . . I mean, I show up . . . but that's as much commitment as I'm willing to give to the experience at this point!

Well, the commenter (LSHM) has her own stuff going on -- young baby, husband in Iraq -- that makes that attitude totally understandable. In fact, I WAS in LSHM's shoes for the first semester of 1L. Though I was not nearly as funny as she is.

Heck, a lot of people feel that way about law school who don't have anything major going on in their lives other than law school. I get it. I do.

The thing is, yeah, I'm pretty into law school. I sometimes think I short change the experience, especially when I feel overwhelmed and depressed and frustrated.

It could be that I spent too long in a career I didn't enjoy ... in a career that many lawyers opt into when they discover they hate the law. I've been told by many I'm doing it the wrong way -- that I am supposed to become a lawyer, hate it, then become a teacher.

But yeah, I like law school. I like thinking about the law and solving problems and seeing how it all fits together. I like the challenge of it.

Just wish I had a job.

Literal humor

Clownfish is getting to the point that he can make original jokes on his own, not just the garden variety funny things that kids say accidentally. And he is so proud of himself too.

Recent example:

BS: We have to wrap you up warm today -- don't want you to freeze and turn into a little ice cube.

CF: Yeah, don't want you to be a Papa... a Papa-sickle... you're a Popsicle!!! Mommy, I called Papa a Papa-sickle Popsicle if he gets cold!!!

The post in which I say unoriginal things about the nature of writing a law review article

Reading over the last few weeks of posts, a new reader might think I dropped out of law school or something.

It is not like my identity as “law student” is less all consuming. Quite the contrary – I eat sleep and breathe law school, except when I don’t. I just haven't much wanted to write about it lately.

The final draft of my law review Note is due on Monday. I have set aside this weekend for some quiet weeping, teeth-gnashing, garment-rending, and Bluebooking. Maybe its true of all law students who do journal – we spend months and months living and breathing this topic and then hate the result of our writing.

I am pretty sure its not going to be published. I am also pretty sure I don’t want it to be.

I don’t feel like its good enough and I’m not wholly sure I agree with my own conclusions. I’ve had people offer to read it and critique it, but I am loath to have anyone read it. I didn’t even want to send it to my professor / advisor because I respect him too much.

I am not the only person who feels this way about her own writing, right?

In other law reivew news, we have e-board elections coming up. I’ve applied for three positions (as suggested by the journal), none of which is Editor in Chief. I applied for jobs I think in keeping with my talents -- research and criticizing other people's grammar is in, business management is out. I’ll keep you posted.

Basilisk

Thank you, xkcd, for enabling me to use my "Harry Potter" tag again.

That was awesome. Almost as awesome as a "Republicans for Voldemort" bumper sticker.

Or a vanity plate that says HORCRUX.

Pre-schooler Skills

Things a Clownfish can do at 3 and a half:

• Cuts with safety scissors, uses glue, and prefers blue paper to all other colors.
• Identifies all his letters, both upper case and lower case.
• Gets mad at me when I refer to lower case letters as "little" because his teacher said they were "lower case."
• Writes "upper case" A, B, N, W, M, H, O, Q, Y, P and R and occasionally D; lower case r, n, o, i, l, d (but only d, and not b, p, or q). Maybe a few others. Definitely not e. He has an aversion to e.
• Happily substitutes upper case when he can't do a lower case to create most of his name, Papa and Mommy.
• Like to "couple up" his letters -- which is a term he got from Thomas the Tank Engine meaning "join together." This process quickly makes his writing illegible when he does it.
• Counts to his mid-20s. Has the number/word/quantity concept up to 10 at least.
• Counts items with one-to-one correspondence (not sure what else to call it... like if you have a picture of 10 gumdrops, he counts each one only one time. In my teaching days, I knew first graders who couldn't do that.)
• Learns the words to songs pretty quickly and does a mean impression of Billy Joel singing the Piano Man chorus, complete with totally out of tune harmonica playing.
• Prefers broccoli to french fries.
• Given the option, he'll put A-1 steak sauce on any meat . . . including Chinese food.
• Go down the "scary tunnel slide" at the park.
• When the mood strikes, carry on a short phone conversation.
• Pick out his clothes and put on underwear, sweat pants, socks, and shoes. (I still do shirts).
• Put on and take off / throw away his bedtime pull-up diaper.
• Reads all individual letters, but sight-reads only his name consistently, and often Mommy and Papa.

Things I have learned from him:

• If you pretend your hand is a lobster trying to take his snackie, two hand-shaped orcas will exact their vengence. Beware the orcas, they look like dolphins but are black and white and have teeth that will eat you.
• Told me today he wants to be like Austin from Backyardigans and have a pack filled with all the things he needs to race around the world, including a water bottle and band-aids. "But first mommy, we have to find a desert."
• A-1 steak sauce does NOT taste good on Chinese food.
• Apparently, in those first few seconds of peeing, it is really hard for boys to not to hit the wall, floor, or the back of the seat.

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This may not have been the most interesting blog post of the year, but this blog has become my baby-book in a way. I am terrible at keeping up with the scrapbook, so I'll probably eventually just print a bunch of these posts and stick them in there.

It'll provide plenty of ammunition for his therapist.

MILS #33: In her own words

Welcome to the Weekly MILS (Moms In Law School) Roundup. It is hosted on a rotating basis between PT-LawMom and A Little Fish in Law School blogs. We aim for Sunday posts, though I am posting a bit early this week. Next week, it'll be back at PT-LawMom's place.

The theme this week: In Her Own Words*

• the girl who made law review but thought it was going to be paid 2L Wannabe.
• keep any predictable comments with Freudian references to yourself One New Duck.
• I am really awake now! Dakota
• Don't they know I am a law student at the end of her tether? Diary of a Law School Mom.
• I'm papering the town with my resume. Proto Attorney.
• The maternal urge knows no reason. Lag Liv.
• I find it deeply disturbing that Screech now has a sex tape you can buy Law Student Hot Mama.
• Wednesday was a blur. Magic Cookie.
• This year I am going to walk….because I can. Merits of the Case.
• You Rock kids All Around the Whole World! Peanut Butter Burrito.
• That’s the word I’ve been looking for. PT Lawmom.
• I LOVE my new boobs! Starting to Melt.

* Wherein I pull quotes from MILS blogs, hopefully out of context in a way that makes you want to click, and call that a theme. Yep, shamefully lazy. Expect to see this theme repeat.

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If you’d like to have your blog added to the MILS blogroll for weekly review or would like us to consider a specific post, drop the hostess(es) an email or leave a comment at our sites. Expecting Moms in Law School are welcome! Hat tip as always to the “original” Roundup — Evan Schaeffer’s Legal Underground and Divine Angst. And of course, to the founder of this round-up, Saramel (retired).

Wash, rinse, now what?

Socks before shoes.
Bra before top.
I think I need a checklist.

In the shower this morning, I had to stand and think to try to remember if I had already washed my hair.

Things that don't happen

A friend told me yesterday

As a lawyer, you'll spend a lot of time preparing for things that never
happen.

Had my first experience with that. Six hours of my life I'll never get back.

Maybe I should keep a running total?

Ever have one of those days

where you look at yourself and say

This is not my life.


I am having one right now.

Most unpleasant.

MILS #32

Welcome to the Weekly MILS (Moms In Law School) Roundup. It is hosted on a rotating basis between PT-LawMom and A Little Fish in Law School blogs. We aim for Sunday posts.

Its up at Pt-LawMom's place... and I think she suggests I alter my orientation.

Check it out.

My post meme

Law Student Hot Mama (author of "Law School Sucks and So Do Lawyers" and one of the recent additions to the MILS round up) tagged me for a meme.

I noticed A New Duck and LSHM herself had difficulty with this because of a dearth of material as new bloggers; at well over 300 posts, I have the opposite problem.

So here it is: The My Posts Meme

I found myself going back farther in time because I am too close to my recent posts . . . its hard to know what I'll find funny or particularly reflective of a time until that time is past. These don't represent my best (because most of my posts are of the 'meh' variety) but they were fun to look back on.

Family: This post from June of last year sums up the conflicting feelings I have about boo boos.

Friends: Laughter was a commodity in short supply during my 1L year, but sem#n trees bring out the best in everyone.

Me: I was torn between talking about my v&gina or my insanity. I'll let you pick.

Something I love: Ironically, punctuation*

Anything: Ohhhh, one of my favorite moments from 1L, for the benefit of my newer readers.


* * *

Tagged: CM at Magic Cookie because she might do it, Useless Dicta to make her post, and Silly Little Law Student because I'd love to see which posts she chooses. The two newer acqaitances I've made in the blog world have already been tagged, so I'll just go with Lag Liv and Ismael. I'm such a scofflaw. EDIT: Didn't realize Lag Liv was already tagged. Going after Nicolle.

Spreading the love beyond the MILS because I have a feeling they'll all get tagged eventually.

Here are the rules: Post about the meme and link back to the person who tagged you and go back to your archives and link to your five favorite posts.
Link One: must be about family
Link Two: must be about friends
Link Three: must be about yourself
Link Four: must be about something you love
Link Five: can be anything you choose

** Tag five other people (at least two must be new acquaintances so that you can get to know them better). Let the person know that you tagged them by leaving a comment.

_________________________________
* Really, being ironic.

Conversations with boys

My dad: So how much longer til you're a lawyer?

Me: A year and a half of classes, then I have to pass the bar.

My dad: Ah, well, I've passed a lot of bars in my day (*beat*) Come to think of it, no, I hardly ever pass bars. I tend to go in and check them out.

* * *

My brother: So, congrats on the new class rank. Mom told me. I guess that makes you XX percent better than the other lawyers. You know what they call lawyers who graduate the bottom of their class? Esquire.

Me: Only if they pass the bar.

My brother: What's it matter? You're all gonna flood the unemployment rolls in about two years. Speaking of, no job yet, huh?

(Note: My brother is working on a grad degree in some esoteric (read: unemployable) field and has never held a real job in his life. Pot? Hello? This is the kettle. You're black.)

* * *
Me: Hey, why don't I make dinner tonight?
Bullshark: So are you calling for pizza or calling for wings?
* * *
Clownfish: I am pretending to be a goose! Honk! Honk!
Me: (just arriving home) Well come, give me a hug.
Clownfish: I can't! I have wings! I don't have arms! I'm a goose! Honk! Honk!

My only email of the day

Subject line: [Random classmate from my 1L section] took the "Old school Disney" movie quiz

Contents: It took [classmate] 9 days 4 hours to finish the quiz. Compare your score!


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Best Facebook spam ever.

MILS #31: Super!

Welcome to the Weekly MILS (Moms In Law School) Roundup. It is hosted on a rotating basis between PT-LawMom and A Little Fish in Law School blogs. We aim for Sunday posts. Next week, it'll be back at PT-LawMom's place.

And now for this week's theme:

Have you noticed that all of the advertisements for the last week were related to the Super Bowl, but because of licensing or something, were not able to say Super Bowl? Like come on down and buy a new television to watch the Big Game! The Really Big Game! The Big One!

Made me wonder if they had no thesaurus on hand -- they could find no other approriate synonym for Super than Big. I've got a few suggestions . . .

"I'm Super, Thanks for Asking" Edition:

Boobs are splendid. A New Duck.
So are penises. Law student hot mama.
So is "manually expressing". Peanut Butter Burrito.

(The Google hits alone are going to be priceless)

Abstaining from the Mommy wars is brilliant. Lag Liv.
Calgon is transcendant. 2L Wannabe.
Sports ignorance is bliss. A New Duck.

Not so Super:

Getting fired for having a baby? Proto Attorney.
Needing undergrad repellant. Starting to Melt.

Super Cute B&by Shots:

Business in the front, party in the back. Peanut Butter Burrito
Fabulous 4000 words. Lag Liv.
Outstanding bathtime Proto Attorney.
"Gah" I want that! Magic Cookie.

Plus Super Tuesday is this week. Rock the vote or something.

___________________________
If you’d like to have your blog added to the MILS blogroll for weekly review or would like us to consider a specific post, drop the hostess(es) an email or leave a comment at our sites. Expecting Moms in Law School are welcome!
Hat tip as always to the “original” Roundup — Evan Schaeffer’s Legal Underground and Divine Angst. And of course, to the founder of this round-up, Saramel (retired).