Let's Get One Thing Straight...
Me. I like girls. Yeah, that's the wittiest thing I could think of for an intro...
Anyway, things are going quite well these days. I feel like I have a solid handle on my classes. Rehearsals for the fall musical, The Wild Party have started, and I do love a good musical. I get to play "Phil," which should be a particularly fun character for me to play. He's one of the lover/brothers. Seedy! I've gone to my mandatory sub-cite training for journals. The very idea of proofreading footnotes gets me all hot and bothered. I'm not entirely sure yet which article(s) I'll be working on, or any kind of timeline, so that's a tad worrisome to Anal Retentive Andrew (I do love my Perry Ellis day planner). I'm really cutting myself off there. As much as I would love to do things like improv or the Prison Legal Asssisstance Program, I just can't. This isn't college or high school (although it does feel like it in so many odd ways). Plus, I have been thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to go to really cool speakers, like the World of Law Series that had the panel on criminal lawyers. Now that got me all hot and bothered. In an "I can see myself pursuing this career" kind of way. And today we had a screening of the movie "Rikers High" about the jail high school in New York City's Rikers Island. Very challenging stuff.
Don't forget that I need to have some kind of a life! I don't know what I would do without my Project Runway viewing parties. Probably cry. Even when the episode is terribly anti-climactic (Come on! Somebody has to get cut. Cheap). Or the late nights at the bar in the middle of the week. Ah, nothing like kicking back a few beers or several gin & tonics with your friends. Especially when Journey is playing in the background. And when you bribe a girl to grab Savith's ass. Hilarious! Nothing like making an awkward friend feel even more awkward (see Teddy).
Not really anything on the ol' "Lady Friend" front, but hey, that's probably for the best. Priorities, right? Now excuse me while I play "All By Myself." Hey, don't stop believin'...
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
It's soooo difficult being me...
Ok, not really. I mean, let's face it, there are some great perks: you have the ruggedly handsome good looks, the style, the metabolism, the wit, I'm a great package. In fact, lately I've been thinking it's Cloud Nine. Life is great. Well, life is great, but perhaps not quite as great as I was led to believe. I mean, everything was all fun and games, until someone lost an eye. Just read Scott v. Shepherd (Oh man, a Squib-Case joke would have killed in Torts).
So what has happened to the fun and games? Well, they're still there. I'm still hanging out with the super-cool Section 3 posse (as well as a few outsiders). There are still wild shindigs (such as our booze and Taboo fest outside the Hark), dinner parties (thanks for hosting, Silvia!), Project Runway viewings, and law school events with tons of free food and drink. So, the fun and games are still there. They haven't disappeared.
Here's what has happened: now there's too much going on. The first two weeks of school were great: I had everything balanced, things were going swimmingly. Now, we're in the thick of things. Ginormous piles of readings and assignments that seem pointless are met with the desire to get involved. What with all of the kick-ass guest speakers (Office of Public Interest Advising with Bryan Stevenson's incredible speech), the journals and organizations I want to get involved with (American Constitution Society, Civil Rights Civil Liberties, Law & Technology... this is the problem with a school with unbelievable opportunities), there just isn't enough time in the day. So who really suffers here? All of the ladies vying for this Man-Candy. Seriously, I need to fend them off with a stick.
But I'm not complaining. Not by a longshot. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm happiest when I'm busy. And when I'm eating something deep-fried. And when there's a pony. Hopefully, all three. But the important thing is I always make time for the things that are most important to me. Chances are, if you're reading this, you might just fall in that category. So feel special. Now get over yourself. Psh, how can someone be so narcissistic?
Ok, not really. I mean, let's face it, there are some great perks: you have the ruggedly handsome good looks, the style, the metabolism, the wit, I'm a great package. In fact, lately I've been thinking it's Cloud Nine. Life is great. Well, life is great, but perhaps not quite as great as I was led to believe. I mean, everything was all fun and games, until someone lost an eye. Just read Scott v. Shepherd (Oh man, a Squib-Case joke would have killed in Torts).
So what has happened to the fun and games? Well, they're still there. I'm still hanging out with the super-cool Section 3 posse (as well as a few outsiders). There are still wild shindigs (such as our booze and Taboo fest outside the Hark), dinner parties (thanks for hosting, Silvia!), Project Runway viewings, and law school events with tons of free food and drink. So, the fun and games are still there. They haven't disappeared.
Here's what has happened: now there's too much going on. The first two weeks of school were great: I had everything balanced, things were going swimmingly. Now, we're in the thick of things. Ginormous piles of readings and assignments that seem pointless are met with the desire to get involved. What with all of the kick-ass guest speakers (Office of Public Interest Advising with Bryan Stevenson's incredible speech), the journals and organizations I want to get involved with (American Constitution Society, Civil Rights Civil Liberties, Law & Technology... this is the problem with a school with unbelievable opportunities), there just isn't enough time in the day. So who really suffers here? All of the ladies vying for this Man-Candy. Seriously, I need to fend them off with a stick.
But I'm not complaining. Not by a longshot. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm happiest when I'm busy. And when I'm eating something deep-fried. And when there's a pony. Hopefully, all three. But the important thing is I always make time for the things that are most important to me. Chances are, if you're reading this, you might just fall in that category. So feel special. Now get over yourself. Psh, how can someone be so narcissistic?
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Bane of My Existence:
Ah, the ever expanding, ever irrational list that is "The Bane of My Existence." Some of you might even be on it (you know who you are). And now, I think I can already add another child to that woeful family. Civil Procedure.
I enjoy Professor Desan, don't get me wrong. However, I seem to have very little idea what we are talking about in class, and if I do understand what we're talking about, why we're talking about it is another matter entirely. I expected it to be dry and mind-numbing, such as any course with the word "Procedure" in the title might warn. However, that's not really my problem. Although, I must say, reading 19 different Federal Forms was quite dry (except for the one on Merchant Marines. That one was interesting). Anyway, my point is this: I feel awash in a sea of jibberty-jabber. I need foundation; grounding; stability. Perhaps that's my problem: I'm expecting something that doesn't really exist here. Ok, strong possibility that I actually need to form my expectations to the outer world. But what will that do to bolster my delusions of grandeur? Nothing. Perhaps I'm just afraid that when Professor Desan calls on me on Friday (that being the day my group is up), I won't have a clue what to say and embarrass myself. Ok, I'm used to embarrassing myself, that's not a problem in and of itself. I mean, how many times have I worn women's clothing in public? Don't answer that. (Besides, it's strictly a comfort issue). It's also the biggest workload of the other classes: three hours of reading each night, easily.
Well, all I can do is prepare, prepare, prepare. After all, maybe if I give it time, it will grow on me. Of course, the same thing can be said for cancer.
[Editor's Note: Ok, the class on Friday wasn't all that bad. Plus, I was able to laugh off my fumble. 9/16/06]
Ah, the ever expanding, ever irrational list that is "The Bane of My Existence." Some of you might even be on it (you know who you are). And now, I think I can already add another child to that woeful family. Civil Procedure.
I enjoy Professor Desan, don't get me wrong. However, I seem to have very little idea what we are talking about in class, and if I do understand what we're talking about, why we're talking about it is another matter entirely. I expected it to be dry and mind-numbing, such as any course with the word "Procedure" in the title might warn. However, that's not really my problem. Although, I must say, reading 19 different Federal Forms was quite dry (except for the one on Merchant Marines. That one was interesting). Anyway, my point is this: I feel awash in a sea of jibberty-jabber. I need foundation; grounding; stability. Perhaps that's my problem: I'm expecting something that doesn't really exist here. Ok, strong possibility that I actually need to form my expectations to the outer world. But what will that do to bolster my delusions of grandeur? Nothing. Perhaps I'm just afraid that when Professor Desan calls on me on Friday (that being the day my group is up), I won't have a clue what to say and embarrass myself. Ok, I'm used to embarrassing myself, that's not a problem in and of itself. I mean, how many times have I worn women's clothing in public? Don't answer that. (Besides, it's strictly a comfort issue). It's also the biggest workload of the other classes: three hours of reading each night, easily.
Well, all I can do is prepare, prepare, prepare. After all, maybe if I give it time, it will grow on me. Of course, the same thing can be said for cancer.
[Editor's Note: Ok, the class on Friday wasn't all that bad. Plus, I was able to laugh off my fumble. 9/16/06]
Saturday, September 09, 2006
My First Week:
Ah, I have forgotten how glorious the weekend is. After all, during the summer, when I had no job or real responsibilities, it was one great big weekend. But no more! After my first week of law school, I am back to cherishing those two days like the last french fry in the bag.
So, what is it like so far? I'm glad you asked. It's definitely a different feel from college. I go to the same classes with the same 70+ people, so there's some quick bonding within the section. Especially over our confusion with Civil Procedure. It's certainly a relief to know that everyone is just about as lost as I am (for now, anyway... I'm sure that will get better, right?). The really nice thing about Professor Desan is that she breaks up the class into 6 panels, and each day a panel is responsible for the material. While anyone can volunteer to answer, she only 'cold calls' people from that days panel. So, if you're not in the panel, you don't have to worry about being called out of the blue. Unlike in Criminal Law. Professor Weinreb calls on volunteers and the seating chart. (Oh, that's right. We have seating charts again. Ah, the comfort that comes with order and predictability in an otherwise crazy world. Can you tell I'm borderline OCD/anal retentive?) Weinreb doesn't seem to be cruel about it, but then again, I haven't been called on yet. He is very much the classic, old-school law professor (who still calls students Mr. and Ms.). I really enjoy the material, but then again, I'm a crim junkie (hence the criminology major). The last real class that I have is Torts. So far, the class amounts to "good-touch/bad-touch" (ok, not really...). I really enjoy many hypotheticals that Professor Arlen tosses tosses out at us. She's the professor with the sense of humor. She's a visiting professor from NYU, and commutes here every week. I think since she wants to teach here, she's really trying to win us over. I'll take it! The last class I have is Legal Research and Writing. Since this one is pass/fail, I don't think anyone takes it seriously. Our teacher is Sonja Starr, who looks like a cross between Amy Poehler and Reese Witherspoon. The LRW classes are taught by fellows that want to become professors, and this is the first big step. Sonja seemed pretty nervous and a little awkward, so I hope she becomes more comfortable. The whole class is rooting for her.
So that's what my classes have been like. Once I'm out of class, I head over to the library for several hours. I'm definitely not used to spending several hours on studying every night, so I've been trying to get in good study habits now (I sure as hell can't coast like I did for undergrad.). Time sure flies when you're spending 3 hours of reading per class each night. But that's not the end of it. There's always something to do at night, most of which involve food and drink. The best ones offer free food and drink. The core crowd from Section 3 has been pretty good about going to events and planning our own. We don't go out every night (like some certain sections that will remain nameless), but we're pretty tight already.
So, it's been a week. A hard week. But a damn good week nonetheless.
Ah, I have forgotten how glorious the weekend is. After all, during the summer, when I had no job or real responsibilities, it was one great big weekend. But no more! After my first week of law school, I am back to cherishing those two days like the last french fry in the bag.
So, what is it like so far? I'm glad you asked. It's definitely a different feel from college. I go to the same classes with the same 70+ people, so there's some quick bonding within the section. Especially over our confusion with Civil Procedure. It's certainly a relief to know that everyone is just about as lost as I am (for now, anyway... I'm sure that will get better, right?). The really nice thing about Professor Desan is that she breaks up the class into 6 panels, and each day a panel is responsible for the material. While anyone can volunteer to answer, she only 'cold calls' people from that days panel. So, if you're not in the panel, you don't have to worry about being called out of the blue. Unlike in Criminal Law. Professor Weinreb calls on volunteers and the seating chart. (Oh, that's right. We have seating charts again. Ah, the comfort that comes with order and predictability in an otherwise crazy world. Can you tell I'm borderline OCD/anal retentive?) Weinreb doesn't seem to be cruel about it, but then again, I haven't been called on yet. He is very much the classic, old-school law professor (who still calls students Mr. and Ms.). I really enjoy the material, but then again, I'm a crim junkie (hence the criminology major). The last real class that I have is Torts. So far, the class amounts to "good-touch/bad-touch" (ok, not really...). I really enjoy many hypotheticals that Professor Arlen tosses tosses out at us. She's the professor with the sense of humor. She's a visiting professor from NYU, and commutes here every week. I think since she wants to teach here, she's really trying to win us over. I'll take it! The last class I have is Legal Research and Writing. Since this one is pass/fail, I don't think anyone takes it seriously. Our teacher is Sonja Starr, who looks like a cross between Amy Poehler and Reese Witherspoon. The LRW classes are taught by fellows that want to become professors, and this is the first big step. Sonja seemed pretty nervous and a little awkward, so I hope she becomes more comfortable. The whole class is rooting for her.
So that's what my classes have been like. Once I'm out of class, I head over to the library for several hours. I'm definitely not used to spending several hours on studying every night, so I've been trying to get in good study habits now (I sure as hell can't coast like I did for undergrad.). Time sure flies when you're spending 3 hours of reading per class each night. But that's not the end of it. There's always something to do at night, most of which involve food and drink. The best ones offer free food and drink. The core crowd from Section 3 has been pretty good about going to events and planning our own. We don't go out every night (like some certain sections that will remain nameless), but we're pretty tight already.
So, it's been a week. A hard week. But a damn good week nonetheless.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Orientation, Ho!
Since Thursday, my calendar has been chock-full of activities. That's because it's 1L Orientation, and it's a blast! Between meeting really great people and having a ton of events to attend, I have been keeping busy, to say the least.
On Thursday, everything kicked off with a welcome by our section leader, Professor Singer (he'll be teaching Property in the Spring). After some discussion on a few cases that were assigned reading, we took off for a campus tour. Then, it was section photo time. I was sporting my Gap blue-and-purple-striped shirt, with khakis. Truly, a vision to behold. After which, we all chowed down at lunch. The last official business of the day was registration, which included paperwork, ID photos, and getting a bunch of free mugs, bottles, key-chains, etc. Throughout all of this, I was meeting a lot of people. Sure, it was the same conversation a thousand times :"Where are you from? Where did you do go to school? Are you coming right from undergrad? Could you please remove your hand?" (Ok, maybe not that last one.) With the beginnings of a core group of friends, a bunch of us met up for dinner, followed by the welcome celebration at the Kong. (Free drink tickets for 1Ls!). The place was packed! Makes sense if you invite 500+ people to a bar for free drinks. The scorpion bowls were the house signature: a large bowl filled with punch and various amounts of alcohol. A tad underwhelming, but not bad. My voice hoarse from trying to hold conversations in a packed bar, it was time to call it a night.
Friday: Our sample property class began with more discussion on the cases from Thursday. Professor Singer was really good about trying to get us to relax. However, it seemed a little intimidating. The classroom was a large lecture hall, and the seats are outfitted with microphones that you have to speak into in order to be heard. It looked more like a congressional hearing rather than a lecture hall. After class, we were divided up into groups of about 13 to go to lunch with our student advisors. I don't know how, but it lasted from 11:00 until 3:00. We went to the North End of Boston for some damn fine Italian food. We were all ready for a nap when we had to head back for Dean Kagan's welcome speech. It was your basic : "The students are our greatest resource... this is going to be the most important time of your life so far... have a great year." This was followed by a reception at "Hogwart's" as it is affectionately called (Annenberg Hall really does look like its cousin). Ah, free food and wine. Harvard certainly knows how to dish out the good food and drink. It was basically a swank cocktail party for about 500 people. After a good nap and some cleaning, a bunch of us headed to the Gypsy Bar in Boston for another event hosted by HL Central. That night, all the 1Ls didn't have to pay cover and stood in a separate, faster line. Do we have connections or what? It was a pretty snazzy bar, complete with dress code. The club was outfitted with a number of plasma TVs with fashion shows, and there was a jellyfish tank behind the bar. We were able to snag a table. Again, conversation wasn't easy, but we still tried. After a rocking good time, I grabbed a cab back home at 1:30.
Saturday: What better way to start your day after an evening of carousing than with a brewery tour? I certainly don't know of one. A bunch of us from Section 3, and others, met up at 10:30 to go over to Harpoon Brewery, and began tasting at noon. I'm a bigger fan of wine tasting, myself, but it was still a lot of fun. Afterwards, we all went our separate ways, then met back up again a couple hours later for dinner and a movie with the section. Professor Singer had pizza, salad, soda, and Local Hero. Odd movie that nobody had seen (except Singer), but it was amusing, and we had a good discussion after. When all that was over, some of us headed over to the Cambridge Common for some more drinks and conversation that lasted until 1:00 AM.
So, that's been my very busy couple of days. Food, drink, and great people. I have been really pleasantly surprised by how nice and social everyone is. Even though it's the same basic questions when meeting people, it's amazing how diverse the class is. We come from all over the country, all over the world, with so many different backgrounds. Of course, with our real classes beginning on Tuesday, I'm sure we're going to have a heck of a lot more to talk about then!
Since Thursday, my calendar has been chock-full of activities. That's because it's 1L Orientation, and it's a blast! Between meeting really great people and having a ton of events to attend, I have been keeping busy, to say the least.
On Thursday, everything kicked off with a welcome by our section leader, Professor Singer (he'll be teaching Property in the Spring). After some discussion on a few cases that were assigned reading, we took off for a campus tour. Then, it was section photo time. I was sporting my Gap blue-and-purple-striped shirt, with khakis. Truly, a vision to behold. After which, we all chowed down at lunch. The last official business of the day was registration, which included paperwork, ID photos, and getting a bunch of free mugs, bottles, key-chains, etc. Throughout all of this, I was meeting a lot of people. Sure, it was the same conversation a thousand times :"Where are you from? Where did you do go to school? Are you coming right from undergrad? Could you please remove your hand?" (Ok, maybe not that last one.) With the beginnings of a core group of friends, a bunch of us met up for dinner, followed by the welcome celebration at the Kong. (Free drink tickets for 1Ls!). The place was packed! Makes sense if you invite 500+ people to a bar for free drinks. The scorpion bowls were the house signature: a large bowl filled with punch and various amounts of alcohol. A tad underwhelming, but not bad. My voice hoarse from trying to hold conversations in a packed bar, it was time to call it a night.
Friday: Our sample property class began with more discussion on the cases from Thursday. Professor Singer was really good about trying to get us to relax. However, it seemed a little intimidating. The classroom was a large lecture hall, and the seats are outfitted with microphones that you have to speak into in order to be heard. It looked more like a congressional hearing rather than a lecture hall. After class, we were divided up into groups of about 13 to go to lunch with our student advisors. I don't know how, but it lasted from 11:00 until 3:00. We went to the North End of Boston for some damn fine Italian food. We were all ready for a nap when we had to head back for Dean Kagan's welcome speech. It was your basic : "The students are our greatest resource... this is going to be the most important time of your life so far... have a great year." This was followed by a reception at "Hogwart's" as it is affectionately called (Annenberg Hall really does look like its cousin). Ah, free food and wine. Harvard certainly knows how to dish out the good food and drink. It was basically a swank cocktail party for about 500 people. After a good nap and some cleaning, a bunch of us headed to the Gypsy Bar in Boston for another event hosted by HL Central. That night, all the 1Ls didn't have to pay cover and stood in a separate, faster line. Do we have connections or what? It was a pretty snazzy bar, complete with dress code. The club was outfitted with a number of plasma TVs with fashion shows, and there was a jellyfish tank behind the bar. We were able to snag a table. Again, conversation wasn't easy, but we still tried. After a rocking good time, I grabbed a cab back home at 1:30.
Saturday: What better way to start your day after an evening of carousing than with a brewery tour? I certainly don't know of one. A bunch of us from Section 3, and others, met up at 10:30 to go over to Harpoon Brewery, and began tasting at noon. I'm a bigger fan of wine tasting, myself, but it was still a lot of fun. Afterwards, we all went our separate ways, then met back up again a couple hours later for dinner and a movie with the section. Professor Singer had pizza, salad, soda, and Local Hero. Odd movie that nobody had seen (except Singer), but it was amusing, and we had a good discussion after. When all that was over, some of us headed over to the Cambridge Common for some more drinks and conversation that lasted until 1:00 AM.
So, that's been my very busy couple of days. Food, drink, and great people. I have been really pleasantly surprised by how nice and social everyone is. Even though it's the same basic questions when meeting people, it's amazing how diverse the class is. We come from all over the country, all over the world, with so many different backgrounds. Of course, with our real classes beginning on Tuesday, I'm sure we're going to have a heck of a lot more to talk about then!
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