Politics never cease to amuse me. As most people probably know, we are coming up on another election season in America. In Florida, Jeb Bush is term limited and is not running for Governor again. This has led to a spirited primary for both parties which will conclude in a couple of weeks. The Republican primary is pretty much decided already. Charlie Crist (notice the picture of Jeb Bush at the very top of the page...he's running as the "I'll continue Jeb's legacy" candidate) is probably going to beat Tom Gallagher (also notice the picture of Jeb Bush ast the top of the page...Republicans in Florida LOVE Jeb.). This is the fourth time Gallagher has run for Governor. I wonder if he will ever give up?
The closer race is in the Democratic primary. U.S. Rep. Jim Davis is running against State Senator Rod Smith (not the football player). Since the race is close, they are campaigning hard and running LOTS of commercials. The latest commercials each of them are running strike me as ironic and amusing (even though both commercials are pretty anti-Republican). Neither commercial really attacks the other candidate, rather each attacks a "Republican" policy. The first commercial I saw was Smith's (the state senator) and was about stem cell research. Then today, I saw a commercial from Davis (the U.S. Rep.) about a Florida hurricane insurance bill. The state guy is running an ad about a federal issue and the federal guy is running an ad about a state issue. I may be the only one, but I find that humorous.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Civic Duty
Early this summer, I received a lovely piece of mail: a jury summons. At the time, I was busy taking a class and studying for the bar exam...in Gainesville. I was NOT going to drive to Miami just to sit around all day while there were more important things to do. So I sent the jury people a nice letter explaining my situation and aksed them to postpone my service until August.
When I finally heard back from them, I was no longer "on call" (you call in each night to see if you are needed the next day). Since I had postponed my duty, they put me in the very first group which meant I had to be there bright and early (8:00 A.M.) Monday morning. Miami being what it is, I had to leave at 7:00 just to be on time.
When I arrived, there were TV monitors showing a video on the history of the Dade County courthouse. The video, which was intersting, ended by talking about the turkey vultures that camp out on top of the downtown building and how they like to hit targets other than the sidewalk. Lovely image, huh.
Aroud 9:00, a way too cheerful lady began giving instructions about the day and explained that if you are unemployed, you get paid. $15! About 10:00, they called the first panel (40 people) and I was lucky enough to be on it. We went out in the hall with the bailiff who organized us and gave us numbers (I was lucky #7) and took our jury questionaires. After standing around for about half an hour, we were taken down to the hall outside the courtroom...and waited.
I was not happy about being on jury duty. I was hoping that I would get dismissed early because I am a law student. But the cheerful lady informed us first thing in the morning that we would be there all day even if we were not selected from a panel. They would "recycle" us. But by this point, I was starting to look forward to getting in the courtroom and was actually glad to be part of the process. Jury duty is a big part of our democratic system and I am glad to get to do my part.
So, finally, about noon, the bailiff comes outside and said the judge was going to let us go get lunch and to be back about 1:30. I got something to eat and got back up to the courtroom about 1:10. I had a book and did not even notice time passing. At about 1:40, another bailiff (not the one we were originally assigned to) came out and asked those of us waiting if were were part of Judge X's panel. He counted and there were only 13 of us back. New bailiff sent us back to the jury pool room and said we would get further instructions. Of course, the bailiff and the 13 of us were wondering where the rest of the panel was. When I got back to the jury pool, a bunch of the other people from the panel where already in the room. They said they had been sent back by the original bailiff.
I was back 20 minutes early. I never say the original bailiff. I don't understand how you send a group of people to lunch, tell them to come back at a certain time, come to the meeting place at least 20 minutes early, tell those already back to leave, and then not come back at the appointed time to send the rest of the people back. Doesn't seem very logical to me.
About 30 minutes after returning to the jury pool, my entire panel was called out of the room. We were told that, numerically, we were no longer needed and were free to go. The catch was, there were still judges that had juries to pick, so we would forfeit our $15. I thought about for a couple of minutes. $15 was not worth sitting around for another 2+ hours.
I left pleased with the opportunity to serve. It is a civic duty. But as with anything else in our government, I don't know if the actual administration of the process should make me laugh or cry. Bureaucracy can make anything painful. I'll let you know what I think if I end up serving again. I found out that jury duty is an "annual obligation." Oh boy! I can't wait for my next summons!
When I finally heard back from them, I was no longer "on call" (you call in each night to see if you are needed the next day). Since I had postponed my duty, they put me in the very first group which meant I had to be there bright and early (8:00 A.M.) Monday morning. Miami being what it is, I had to leave at 7:00 just to be on time.
When I arrived, there were TV monitors showing a video on the history of the Dade County courthouse. The video, which was intersting, ended by talking about the turkey vultures that camp out on top of the downtown building and how they like to hit targets other than the sidewalk. Lovely image, huh.
Aroud 9:00, a way too cheerful lady began giving instructions about the day and explained that if you are unemployed, you get paid. $15! About 10:00, they called the first panel (40 people) and I was lucky enough to be on it. We went out in the hall with the bailiff who organized us and gave us numbers (I was lucky #7) and took our jury questionaires. After standing around for about half an hour, we were taken down to the hall outside the courtroom...and waited.
I was not happy about being on jury duty. I was hoping that I would get dismissed early because I am a law student. But the cheerful lady informed us first thing in the morning that we would be there all day even if we were not selected from a panel. They would "recycle" us. But by this point, I was starting to look forward to getting in the courtroom and was actually glad to be part of the process. Jury duty is a big part of our democratic system and I am glad to get to do my part.
So, finally, about noon, the bailiff comes outside and said the judge was going to let us go get lunch and to be back about 1:30. I got something to eat and got back up to the courtroom about 1:10. I had a book and did not even notice time passing. At about 1:40, another bailiff (not the one we were originally assigned to) came out and asked those of us waiting if were were part of Judge X's panel. He counted and there were only 13 of us back. New bailiff sent us back to the jury pool room and said we would get further instructions. Of course, the bailiff and the 13 of us were wondering where the rest of the panel was. When I got back to the jury pool, a bunch of the other people from the panel where already in the room. They said they had been sent back by the original bailiff.
I was back 20 minutes early. I never say the original bailiff. I don't understand how you send a group of people to lunch, tell them to come back at a certain time, come to the meeting place at least 20 minutes early, tell those already back to leave, and then not come back at the appointed time to send the rest of the people back. Doesn't seem very logical to me.
About 30 minutes after returning to the jury pool, my entire panel was called out of the room. We were told that, numerically, we were no longer needed and were free to go. The catch was, there were still judges that had juries to pick, so we would forfeit our $15. I thought about for a couple of minutes. $15 was not worth sitting around for another 2+ hours.
I left pleased with the opportunity to serve. It is a civic duty. But as with anything else in our government, I don't know if the actual administration of the process should make me laugh or cry. Bureaucracy can make anything painful. I'll let you know what I think if I end up serving again. I found out that jury duty is an "annual obligation." Oh boy! I can't wait for my next summons!
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Welcome Home
I'm home. We drove down from Gainesville on Sunday. In a bit of irony, the drive back from Gainesville was much like the drive up to Gainesville last year. On the way up last year, our drive was drastically slowed down by really heavy rainstorms between Orlando and Gainesville. This past Sunday, we were slowed down by rainstorms that we weren't able to leave behind until we got south of Orlando. And the traffic was really heavy as a result. But I am home now, safe and sound. Of course, the apartment is a wreck with all of my stuff.
Speaking of weather, I come home and what happens. A tropical storm forms and is taking direct aim at South Florida. When I went to bed on Monday night, the weatherman said there was a system with the potential to become a tropical storm, but it was expected to be a loosely organized low pressure system for several days. So of course, by yesterday after noon, Chris had formed and is expected to be a hurricane sometime today or tomorrow and could hit South Florida sometime Sunday. We are going to Nashville for the weekend for my brother-in-law's wedding. We are supposed to come back on Sunday. Julie is supposed to open school on Monday. If the storm is still headed for South Florida on Sunday, it is doubtful we will get back to Miami on Sunday. Julie really does not want to miss the first day of school. But if the storm is bad, or late, there won't be school on Monday. What a way to start the school year.
Weclome back to Miami. Should be a fun year.
Speaking of weather, I come home and what happens. A tropical storm forms and is taking direct aim at South Florida. When I went to bed on Monday night, the weatherman said there was a system with the potential to become a tropical storm, but it was expected to be a loosely organized low pressure system for several days. So of course, by yesterday after noon, Chris had formed and is expected to be a hurricane sometime today or tomorrow and could hit South Florida sometime Sunday. We are going to Nashville for the weekend for my brother-in-law's wedding. We are supposed to come back on Sunday. Julie is supposed to open school on Monday. If the storm is still headed for South Florida on Sunday, it is doubtful we will get back to Miami on Sunday. Julie really does not want to miss the first day of school. But if the storm is bad, or late, there won't be school on Monday. What a way to start the school year.
Weclome back to Miami. Should be a fun year.
Monday, July 31, 2006
That's it?
It's been a few days since the bar exam (almost a week actually), and I have not written about it yet. There has been a lot going on since then. I did write something on Wednesady night, but I did not have internet access at the time. So, here, below, are my first thoughts about the bar exam the first time I had a chance to sit and contemplate it for a few moments:
I am writing this at 1:30 on Wednesday night after the bar exam. Julie and I left Tampa as soon as the exam was over so we could go to church and then we came home. We just watched a movie and Julie went to sleep, so I came into the living room to take care of some stuff. I looked around the apartment and saw some boxes piling up, my backpack on the floor and realized I don’t have anything to do. And I don’t know how to deal with that. The bar exam is the pinnacle of what I have been preparing for. The entire arc of my educational life has pointed to the last two days. I’ve always known I would have to take the bar exam. But I only began to understand what it was about last summer when my friends, the people who went all the way through law school with me, were preparing for the exam. I would run into people on campus and hear about it from them. I would call friends to check on them and hear about it from them, as well. I really heard about it after the exam was over. Then I went to the LLM program and most of my classmates at UF had taken the bar exam. Although it wasn’t my top priority, it was pretty close to the forefront of my thoughts throughout the school year. Then for the last 7-8 weeks, the bar exam has consumed me. If I was awake, I was thinking about it. If was going to bed, I was thinking about it. If I was asleep, I was dreaming about it. Get the point? The bar exam has been my life. And now it is over. I just spent almost two hours watching a move and I don’t feel guilty. I’m not worried about what I’m going to cover tomorrow when I study. And I feel lost to an extent. Which leads to the longest wait of my life. Until the scores are released, I won’t truly know how I did the last two days. And it is possible I will have to do this whole process again in January and February. I have friends who are smart and generally hard workers who had to take the exam a second time. So I am certainly not taking anything for granted. But in the meantime, there are other things to do. We’ve got to get this apartment packed up so I can move home to Miami. I have to finish my paper for the LLM. I have to find a job. And that is one of the great things about life: it goes on. When you go through a major change, it will bring you some great surprises if you let. When you reach one pinnacle, a new pinnacle will appear with new challenges. You can’t allow these changes to slow you down. You have to be ready to embrace the new challenges rather than be paralyzed by fear or emptiness. So I am looking forward to finding out what is next, even though I don’t know what it is. But not right away. I think I will enjoy the liberation, for a few days at least. My mind and my body both need some much needed rest. Life will resume soon enough. But in the meantime, I am still contemplating the last year. It has been interesting. There are a lot of things about the last year I am going to miss. I am a very sentimental person and can get quite melancholy about sometimes. I may even write about it some.
I am writing this at 1:30 on Wednesday night after the bar exam. Julie and I left Tampa as soon as the exam was over so we could go to church and then we came home. We just watched a movie and Julie went to sleep, so I came into the living room to take care of some stuff. I looked around the apartment and saw some boxes piling up, my backpack on the floor and realized I don’t have anything to do. And I don’t know how to deal with that. The bar exam is the pinnacle of what I have been preparing for. The entire arc of my educational life has pointed to the last two days. I’ve always known I would have to take the bar exam. But I only began to understand what it was about last summer when my friends, the people who went all the way through law school with me, were preparing for the exam. I would run into people on campus and hear about it from them. I would call friends to check on them and hear about it from them, as well. I really heard about it after the exam was over. Then I went to the LLM program and most of my classmates at UF had taken the bar exam. Although it wasn’t my top priority, it was pretty close to the forefront of my thoughts throughout the school year. Then for the last 7-8 weeks, the bar exam has consumed me. If I was awake, I was thinking about it. If was going to bed, I was thinking about it. If I was asleep, I was dreaming about it. Get the point? The bar exam has been my life. And now it is over. I just spent almost two hours watching a move and I don’t feel guilty. I’m not worried about what I’m going to cover tomorrow when I study. And I feel lost to an extent. Which leads to the longest wait of my life. Until the scores are released, I won’t truly know how I did the last two days. And it is possible I will have to do this whole process again in January and February. I have friends who are smart and generally hard workers who had to take the exam a second time. So I am certainly not taking anything for granted. But in the meantime, there are other things to do. We’ve got to get this apartment packed up so I can move home to Miami. I have to finish my paper for the LLM. I have to find a job. And that is one of the great things about life: it goes on. When you go through a major change, it will bring you some great surprises if you let. When you reach one pinnacle, a new pinnacle will appear with new challenges. You can’t allow these changes to slow you down. You have to be ready to embrace the new challenges rather than be paralyzed by fear or emptiness. So I am looking forward to finding out what is next, even though I don’t know what it is. But not right away. I think I will enjoy the liberation, for a few days at least. My mind and my body both need some much needed rest. Life will resume soon enough. But in the meantime, I am still contemplating the last year. It has been interesting. There are a lot of things about the last year I am going to miss. I am a very sentimental person and can get quite melancholy about sometimes. I may even write about it some.
Monday, July 24, 2006
'Twas the night before...
Well, it's here. I'm in Tampa for the bar exam. Hard to believe it is already here. I drove down yesterday afternoon and it rained on me off and on the whole way. I hope that is not a prophetic metaphor for how the next two days are going to go. The time has gone by really fast. I did my first set of practice questions back on June 6 and I was listening to lectures before that. Somehow it is already July 24th. I tell you what, Christmas never comes this fast. I am just praying I don't end up with a lump of coal tomorrow.
But it is here and there is nothing else I can do. I just have to take what comes, do my best and hope it turns out well. My mind is about ready to burst. When it does, it is going to be like a broken dam and all kinds of information is going to come tumbling out. When it does, I just hope it all comes out at the right time and in the right order. And for good measure, I hope the right bucket of water is up there in the first place.
This process has been easier because of all my family and friends. There have been so many words of encouragement and expressions of confidence in my ability. I am grateful for the positive attitudes. At this point, I as afraid of letting them down as I am myself.
But now it is bed time. I was feeling a little giddy earlier. I love Christas and can never sleep on Christmas Eve. Julie just said, "tomorrow's not Christmas....you have to sleep tonight." She's right and I hope I can. (By the way...it just occurred to me...how ironic that today is the 24th and the exam is on the 25th.) So I am going to go now and get some shut eye so I can get this thing over with and hopefully get on with my life.
But it is here and there is nothing else I can do. I just have to take what comes, do my best and hope it turns out well. My mind is about ready to burst. When it does, it is going to be like a broken dam and all kinds of information is going to come tumbling out. When it does, I just hope it all comes out at the right time and in the right order. And for good measure, I hope the right bucket of water is up there in the first place.
This process has been easier because of all my family and friends. There have been so many words of encouragement and expressions of confidence in my ability. I am grateful for the positive attitudes. At this point, I as afraid of letting them down as I am myself.
But now it is bed time. I was feeling a little giddy earlier. I love Christas and can never sleep on Christmas Eve. Julie just said, "tomorrow's not Christmas....you have to sleep tonight." She's right and I hope I can. (By the way...it just occurred to me...how ironic that today is the 24th and the exam is on the 25th.) So I am going to go now and get some shut eye so I can get this thing over with and hopefully get on with my life.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Too tired for a creative title
The bar exam continues to creep closer and closer. And frankly, I don't care anymore. I don't care what the difference between and executed license and an easement is. I don't care what the difference between the Priviliges and Immunities Clause of Article IV and the Privileges and Immunities clause of the 14th Amendment is. I don't care if you are a licensee or a business invitee. Just leave me alone. (Sorry for all the legal lingo...I don't care for it any more than you do.)
The fact is, I am mentally exhausted. This is all consuming and it wears you down after a while. You get to the point where thinkgs are jsut swimming in your head and you hope it will come tumbling out in ther right order during the exam. The funny thing is, I've heard people say you just don't understand it until you've been through it yourself. I scoffed at the notion, but I'll be right there with them from now on saying the same thing. I am convinced that the bar exam is jut a form of legalized hazing. It's all just part of the process to become part of the fraternity. [To the Board of Bar Examniers: I'm just kidding. I understand that the bar exam is for the protection of the fine citizens of the state of Florida so they don't get screwed by unscrupulous people who don't know what they are doing. ;)]
Even though I have been consumed with the bar exam, I am still conscious of the fact that my time in Gainesville is quicly coming to a close. As I've said before, there are many things about this town and time in my life that I am going to miss.
One of the things I am going to miss is this beautiful girl:
She has been wandering around my neighborhood most of the time I've lived here. I'm pretty sure she "belongs" to a house a few doors down. But the guy hardly takes care of her. I'm pretty sure she is a pit bull, or at least a mix with some pit bull. I was cautious of her at first becuase of that, but she is very friendly and well mannered. I began giving here treats when I would come home. I would see her for a few days, then whe would disappear and then reappear at her time and choosing. My landlord does not allow pets, so my cat Emma was not allowed to come with me, even though we had planned on her staying with me. So this is the closest thing I've had to having a pet this year. I have enjoyed it. I am going to miss "my puppy."
The fact is, I am mentally exhausted. This is all consuming and it wears you down after a while. You get to the point where thinkgs are jsut swimming in your head and you hope it will come tumbling out in ther right order during the exam. The funny thing is, I've heard people say you just don't understand it until you've been through it yourself. I scoffed at the notion, but I'll be right there with them from now on saying the same thing. I am convinced that the bar exam is jut a form of legalized hazing. It's all just part of the process to become part of the fraternity. [To the Board of Bar Examniers: I'm just kidding. I understand that the bar exam is for the protection of the fine citizens of the state of Florida so they don't get screwed by unscrupulous people who don't know what they are doing. ;)]
Even though I have been consumed with the bar exam, I am still conscious of the fact that my time in Gainesville is quicly coming to a close. As I've said before, there are many things about this town and time in my life that I am going to miss.
One of the things I am going to miss is this beautiful girl:
She has been wandering around my neighborhood most of the time I've lived here. I'm pretty sure she "belongs" to a house a few doors down. But the guy hardly takes care of her. I'm pretty sure she is a pit bull, or at least a mix with some pit bull. I was cautious of her at first becuase of that, but she is very friendly and well mannered. I began giving here treats when I would come home. I would see her for a few days, then whe would disappear and then reappear at her time and choosing. My landlord does not allow pets, so my cat Emma was not allowed to come with me, even though we had planned on her staying with me. So this is the closest thing I've had to having a pet this year. I have enjoyed it. I am going to miss "my puppy."
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Scrambled Eggs
I told you yesterday my mind is muddled. Well even I'm not sure the extent I've mushed things up in the old noggin.
Remember those cheesy commercials from the 80's that showed an egg and said "this is your brain" then showed an egg frying in a skillet and said "this is your brain on drugs"? Well, I think they should show one at orientation at law schools. It would start out like the old drug commercial. But after showing the egg, the next seen would be a shot of a mixing bowl with hand vigorously beating some eggs with stuff flying everywhere and the voieover would say "this is your brain on the bar exam."
Recent Examples:
This morning as I was leaving the house, I discovered I had not locked the door or the deadblt before I went to bed last night. The really sad part is that is the second time that has happened in a week.
Also, while trying to leave the house this morning, I had to get out of the car, unlock the front door and retrieve something that I had forgotten. Not once but twice. The really sad part is that the object I retrievd on the second return trip into the house had been on my mind as I headed back into the house the first time, yet it still slipped my mind as I was trying to remember which key unlocks the front door.
Last week I called my mother and asked if they had returned home from a trip to Albuquerque. They had been back at least a week. It's not that we had not talked during that time. The sad part is I had talked to my mother that week, but I simply thought the phone call where she told me she was in Albuquerque had just happened a couple of days prior.
I have a feeling that the final scene of the law school PSA I proposed would be a pan full of dried out, burned scrambled eggs with the voiceover stating "this is your brain after the bar exam." But since I have not experienced yet, I'll reserve judgment. Who knows, it could even be worse than I imagine.
Remember those cheesy commercials from the 80's that showed an egg and said "this is your brain" then showed an egg frying in a skillet and said "this is your brain on drugs"? Well, I think they should show one at orientation at law schools. It would start out like the old drug commercial. But after showing the egg, the next seen would be a shot of a mixing bowl with hand vigorously beating some eggs with stuff flying everywhere and the voieover would say "this is your brain on the bar exam."
Recent Examples:
This morning as I was leaving the house, I discovered I had not locked the door or the deadblt before I went to bed last night. The really sad part is that is the second time that has happened in a week.
Also, while trying to leave the house this morning, I had to get out of the car, unlock the front door and retrieve something that I had forgotten. Not once but twice. The really sad part is that the object I retrievd on the second return trip into the house had been on my mind as I headed back into the house the first time, yet it still slipped my mind as I was trying to remember which key unlocks the front door.
Last week I called my mother and asked if they had returned home from a trip to Albuquerque. They had been back at least a week. It's not that we had not talked during that time. The sad part is I had talked to my mother that week, but I simply thought the phone call where she told me she was in Albuquerque had just happened a couple of days prior.
I have a feeling that the final scene of the law school PSA I proposed would be a pan full of dried out, burned scrambled eggs with the voiceover stating "this is your brain after the bar exam." But since I have not experienced yet, I'll reserve judgment. Who knows, it could even be worse than I imagine.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Good News:
I'm not sick. Whatever nastiness I had in my sinuses was gone by Saturday. Don't know what caused it. Don't care. I'm just glad it's gone.
Bad News:
Thursday was by far me best day for bar exam practice questions. My percentage was through the roof. However, it dropped precipitously on Friday and Saturday. It has since come back to normal, but I was not a happy camper this weekend and was in a foul mood. Almost foul enough to want to be sick still so I could do better on the questions.
Ugly News:
The exam is one week from today. Where did the time go? Didn't I just write something about 40 days? I can't believe it is already here (almost). On the other hand, I'm about to go crazy. My mind is pretty muddled and I need some time off.
I'm not sick. Whatever nastiness I had in my sinuses was gone by Saturday. Don't know what caused it. Don't care. I'm just glad it's gone.
Bad News:
Thursday was by far me best day for bar exam practice questions. My percentage was through the roof. However, it dropped precipitously on Friday and Saturday. It has since come back to normal, but I was not a happy camper this weekend and was in a foul mood. Almost foul enough to want to be sick still so I could do better on the questions.
Ugly News:
The exam is one week from today. Where did the time go? Didn't I just write something about 40 days? I can't believe it is already here (almost). On the other hand, I'm about to go crazy. My mind is pretty muddled and I need some time off.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Why Now?
My load was lighter this morning. Certainly in a literal sense. For the past few days, I've been carrying my backpack full of books: the Internal Revenue Code, 3 volumes of Income Tax Regulations, a textbook, etc. on top of my computer bag. But this morning, there was almost a bounce in my step as I only had the computer bag on my way into the library.
My load was also figuratively lighter. I certainly don't want to downplay the bar exam becuase it's importance is beyond measure. But having that last class and exam off my plate allow me to focus more narrowly now.
In light of that, I had a not fun discovery as I got into the shower this morning. My nose was running, there was slight tingle in my nose causing numerous sneezes, and I felt some congestion in my sinuses. I was not happy with this discovery. Could I realy be getting a cold? In the middle of July? I guess it could be allergies, but that does not make sense. It rained pretty hard yesterday which usually knocks allergents down, not stirs them up. So I am pretty sure I have a cold, or the beginnigs of one.
This is bad. It makes studying a more unpleasant experience. But it is worse because of the prospect of how long it will last. I've never been able to shake colds very quickly and symptoms seem to persist for quite some time. With the bar exam less than two weeks away, I'm wondering if I'll still be dealing with this then. First, it is bad because having your head bent over an exam sheet for 12 hours is not very comfortable when snot is trying to run out your nose. Second, I don't really enjoy the thought of 3,000+ bar applicants staring at me as I sniffle through the bar exam. (I'm not even going to entertain the thought of sneezing through the exam.)
So I am hoping that this unpleasantness will only last a day or two. Though the symptoms have been with me most of the day, they are not as bad as this morning. Let's just pray that today was an anomaly.
My load was also figuratively lighter. I certainly don't want to downplay the bar exam becuase it's importance is beyond measure. But having that last class and exam off my plate allow me to focus more narrowly now.
In light of that, I had a not fun discovery as I got into the shower this morning. My nose was running, there was slight tingle in my nose causing numerous sneezes, and I felt some congestion in my sinuses. I was not happy with this discovery. Could I realy be getting a cold? In the middle of July? I guess it could be allergies, but that does not make sense. It rained pretty hard yesterday which usually knocks allergents down, not stirs them up. So I am pretty sure I have a cold, or the beginnigs of one.
This is bad. It makes studying a more unpleasant experience. But it is worse because of the prospect of how long it will last. I've never been able to shake colds very quickly and symptoms seem to persist for quite some time. With the bar exam less than two weeks away, I'm wondering if I'll still be dealing with this then. First, it is bad because having your head bent over an exam sheet for 12 hours is not very comfortable when snot is trying to run out your nose. Second, I don't really enjoy the thought of 3,000+ bar applicants staring at me as I sniffle through the bar exam. (I'm not even going to entertain the thought of sneezing through the exam.)
So I am hoping that this unpleasantness will only last a day or two. Though the symptoms have been with me most of the day, they are not as bad as this morning. Let's just pray that today was an anomaly.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
No more pencils, no more books...
Well, not quite. But I did have my LAST final exam today. Pretty straightforward, no real curve balls. Which is good. I would like to go out on a high note. But this morning, I was so over it, I just wanted to pass. But I feel OK about it. We'll see in a few weeks I guess.
This will probably make me sound old, but times sure have changed. There were two exam rooms, one for people handwriting the exam and one for people typing their exams on their latops. I was in the handwritten room. Let's just say there was more than enough room. Over half the class was in the other room. Even I spent the last half of the semester typing my notes during class just to save the extra time my normal routine of taking written notes then typing them later. But I think today was good exercise for me. I wrote 20 pages of material. Hopefully that will keep me sharp for the essay portion of the bar exam.
But there is no rest for the weary. I'm going to decompress for a little bit, then it is right back to the bar exam. Time for the final push. The exam is two weeks from yesterday, so I have just under two weeks left. Then I have to finish a paper before this program is officially over. THEN I get to rest...after jury duty which is after a family wedding which is after I move. So I guess life never really stops, huh?
Life may not stop, but it is certainly going to be different. I still haven't figured out how to handle the no school thing. It's just part of my blood. And now that I am about to be done, Julie's about to start up. She needs to start working on her Master's in education. Will there EVER be a time when one of us is not in school? Between all the degrees and letters we are going to have, one might think we are a pretty smart couple. But I'm no so sure about that. If we were smart, we wouldn't be spending so much time in school and we'd spend more time together. I'm hoping her Master's program will be a little less intense than the J.D./L.L.M. since she won't be full time.
Oh well, the Merry Go Round just keeps on spinning and we just keep trying to grab that brass ring. Might as well enjoy the ride.
This will probably make me sound old, but times sure have changed. There were two exam rooms, one for people handwriting the exam and one for people typing their exams on their latops. I was in the handwritten room. Let's just say there was more than enough room. Over half the class was in the other room. Even I spent the last half of the semester typing my notes during class just to save the extra time my normal routine of taking written notes then typing them later. But I think today was good exercise for me. I wrote 20 pages of material. Hopefully that will keep me sharp for the essay portion of the bar exam.
But there is no rest for the weary. I'm going to decompress for a little bit, then it is right back to the bar exam. Time for the final push. The exam is two weeks from yesterday, so I have just under two weeks left. Then I have to finish a paper before this program is officially over. THEN I get to rest...after jury duty which is after a family wedding which is after I move. So I guess life never really stops, huh?
Life may not stop, but it is certainly going to be different. I still haven't figured out how to handle the no school thing. It's just part of my blood. And now that I am about to be done, Julie's about to start up. She needs to start working on her Master's in education. Will there EVER be a time when one of us is not in school? Between all the degrees and letters we are going to have, one might think we are a pretty smart couple. But I'm no so sure about that. If we were smart, we wouldn't be spending so much time in school and we'd spend more time together. I'm hoping her Master's program will be a little less intense than the J.D./L.L.M. since she won't be full time.
Oh well, the Merry Go Round just keeps on spinning and we just keep trying to grab that brass ring. Might as well enjoy the ride.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Did they buy tickets?
Southwest Airlines is experimenting with assigned seating to see if they can turn their planes around as fast as they normally do. Today was the first day of the experiment and results were mixed. Some people didn't like it. We fly Southwest all the time and will continue to do so regardless of how they board as long as they are so cheap. Of course, I would be upset if they did not accomodate us and let us sit together as the article says happened to some passenger. I'm sure that kink will get worked out by the end of the day.
But what caught my attention was the article said there were about two dozen reporters and photographers were at the gating chronicling the event. Am I the only one bothered by this? I'm not bothered if they had to buy tickets. But there should not be a media exception to who gets back into the gate area at an airport. If I can't greet my family at the gate when they arrive on a flight, some photographer should not be allowed back just because an airline is considering a change to its business model. This probably seems like a strange thing to worry about, but what can I say, I'm picky and principled.
But what caught my attention was the article said there were about two dozen reporters and photographers were at the gating chronicling the event. Am I the only one bothered by this? I'm not bothered if they had to buy tickets. But there should not be a media exception to who gets back into the gate area at an airport. If I can't greet my family at the gate when they arrive on a flight, some photographer should not be allowed back just because an airline is considering a change to its business model. This probably seems like a strange thing to worry about, but what can I say, I'm picky and principled.
Friday, July 07, 2006
No More
As of 10:25 A.M. this morning, I don't have to ever go to another class again. That's right, today was the last day of class and the last class of my eductational career. Of course there is still the matter of the exam next week and fitting in studying for it for a few brief moments. And who could forget the bar exam is less than three (THREE?) weeks away. And even though the bar examiners have not sent my application back with a letter telling me what a funny joke it was, I still have not been officially OKed to be a member of the bar. So there is still much to accomplish in such a short little time. But I can't help but pause and ponder that fact that my school career is over. Sure, there will be CLE's and other educational things to do, but I have no school left. I mean, I've been doing this since I was in kindergarten, except for a brief stint between undergrand and my MBA program. School has been my life. It's all I know. I'm not sure I'm going to know what to do with myself come August. I'm so used to buying books and getting supplies in order that I may feel lost about the third week of August. But I am also looking forward to no homework, no reading assignments and having my evenings to do as I please. I certainly expect to work hard (should someone ever do something crazy like offer me a job) and know there will still be long days and work brought home. But not EVERY DAY. Not hanging over my head constantly. So I am looking forward to the freedom and the ability to be refreshed and read things at my own pleasure. But I may lapse into confusion when I am not attending classes with everyone else. So if you see me wandering aimlessly around a college campus, just take my hand, guide me somewhere safe and call my wife.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
First week of July
Haven't posted in a while. Needless to say, I've been quite busy. Julie was here this weekdend and it wasn an eventful one. Saturday was July 1, of course. The significance of that date for me is twofold. First, it means I am moving home in less than a month. It's pretty exciting to turn the calendar page and see the date you've circled as an important date on the page. I'm ready to be home for good. Of course, the date has other significance, as well. I don't just have the 30th circled as the day I go home. I also have the 25th and 26th circled for the bar exam. Seeing those circles on the calendar is not so exciting. Rather, I feel a sense of dread. There is no way I'm going to learn it all before then. But I have no choice. Those days are coming like a freight train whether I like it or not!
We celebrated Julie's birthday over several days. Sunday night we went out to eat at the Melting Pot, Monday we watched fireworks on campus and yesterday we went out to Lake Santa fe with a bunch of people from church. That was after the free birthday lunch and more presents at Chick Fil A. Julie ended her birthday with her favorite activity by playing with some three foot sparklers someone brought to the lake. It was a good Independence Day and I think Julie would say it was a good birthday.
Of course, despite my protestations, she drove back to Miami today. Something about work and hiring teachers. I wasn't really paying attention as tried to get her to stay. But the fact of her leaving today also has its own significance. This is the last time she will be leaving Gainesville without me. (I know....awwwww....go get a tissue if you must.) I've got three weeks left before the bar exam. She'll be meeting me in Tampa and coming to Gainesville to help me pack and leave. Though we will have to drive to Miami in separate vehicles, we will be leaving together and closing another chapter in our lives.
We celebrated Julie's birthday over several days. Sunday night we went out to eat at the Melting Pot, Monday we watched fireworks on campus and yesterday we went out to Lake Santa fe with a bunch of people from church. That was after the free birthday lunch and more presents at Chick Fil A. Julie ended her birthday with her favorite activity by playing with some three foot sparklers someone brought to the lake. It was a good Independence Day and I think Julie would say it was a good birthday.
Of course, despite my protestations, she drove back to Miami today. Something about work and hiring teachers. I wasn't really paying attention as tried to get her to stay. But the fact of her leaving today also has its own significance. This is the last time she will be leaving Gainesville without me. (I know....awwwww....go get a tissue if you must.) I've got three weeks left before the bar exam. She'll be meeting me in Tampa and coming to Gainesville to help me pack and leave. Though we will have to drive to Miami in separate vehicles, we will be leaving together and closing another chapter in our lives.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Where to live next?
After this week, I am wondering if I should move to Dallas. Why should I move to Dallas? Because the Miami Heat won the NBA championship. Do I dislike the Heat so much that their title requires me to move? No. I was rooting against them, but that's not the exact reason I should move.
Since I moved to Miami, the Florida Marlins and Miami Heat have both won professional championships. Furthermore, I spend a year in Gainesville, and the Gators go and win the NCAA basketball tournament. I'm starting to think that my presence has something to do with a team's success. So I think maybe I should go to Dallas so the Cowboys can win the Super Bowl again. Or better yet, I should go to Los Angeles because the Dodgers have gone a lot longer without a championship than the Cowboys.
Of course, cynics and skeptics will point out that in that same time span, the Miami Hurricanes lost the Fiesta Bowl and have been unsuccessful in two trips to the Collge World Series. So it's just a theory. I'm still working on it. But if you want your team to win, just tell me where to go, help me find a job and pay for my move, and you'll be rewarded in no time.
Since I moved to Miami, the Florida Marlins and Miami Heat have both won professional championships. Furthermore, I spend a year in Gainesville, and the Gators go and win the NCAA basketball tournament. I'm starting to think that my presence has something to do with a team's success. So I think maybe I should go to Dallas so the Cowboys can win the Super Bowl again. Or better yet, I should go to Los Angeles because the Dodgers have gone a lot longer without a championship than the Cowboys.
Of course, cynics and skeptics will point out that in that same time span, the Miami Hurricanes lost the Fiesta Bowl and have been unsuccessful in two trips to the Collge World Series. So it's just a theory. I'm still working on it. But if you want your team to win, just tell me where to go, help me find a job and pay for my move, and you'll be rewarded in no time.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
40 Days
How long is 40 days? Is it a short time or a long time? Jesus spent 40 days in the desert being tempted. He also did not eat for that amount of time. During the flood, it rained for 40 days and nights.
I’m moving back to Miami in 40 days. When this occurred to me, I got very excited. I remember that first day I was here, how lonely I felt after Julie left and how long a year seemed at the time. As with most experiences, what seemed like a long time beforehand has flown by as I look back at it. Now I will be going home for good in 40 days.
But as I was pondering this, I began to view the number from different perspectives. I moved here on August 20 last year. I will be leaving exactly 3 weeks shy of being here a full year. That’s 344 days. 40 days is more than 10% of the number of days I will have lived in Gainesville. 40 days is more than a month, out of 11 months that am staying here. 40 days is almost six weeks. When I think about it terms of weeks, months or even a percentage of time, I realize I have left what could be considered a fairly significant portion of my time in Gainesville.
40 days could be considered a long time. For me, it doesn’t seem that long. I am ready to live under the same roof as Julie again. We have survived the time apart (so far) and have even had positive experiences as a result of this time. I’ll tell you this, though, it’s 344 days longer than I ever want to live apart again. But it also seems too short. I’m not necessarily ready to leave Gainesville. I’ve made good friends here. I have a great church home. There are things I haven’t done yet. Gainesville is surrounded by state parks and nature preserves that I would like to have visited, but haven’t had the chance or haven’t taken the opportunity to do so. Not to mention the fact that as each one of those days goes by, I’m that much closer to taking the bar exam and I still feel so far away from being adequately prepared.
So I look on the next 40 days with mixed emotion. While I hope it doesn’t rain for the next 40 days, and I certainly wouldn’t want to give up food that whole time, it will go by too quickly in some respects. In other respects it can’t get by soon enough. Regardless of the perspective, I know this: On the night of July 30 as I finally get to go to sleep in my own bed again, I will look back and wonder where the time went and be thankful for each one of the days. Thankful for the new experiences they have brought me. And thankful that they are behind me.
I’m moving back to Miami in 40 days. When this occurred to me, I got very excited. I remember that first day I was here, how lonely I felt after Julie left and how long a year seemed at the time. As with most experiences, what seemed like a long time beforehand has flown by as I look back at it. Now I will be going home for good in 40 days.
But as I was pondering this, I began to view the number from different perspectives. I moved here on August 20 last year. I will be leaving exactly 3 weeks shy of being here a full year. That’s 344 days. 40 days is more than 10% of the number of days I will have lived in Gainesville. 40 days is more than a month, out of 11 months that am staying here. 40 days is almost six weeks. When I think about it terms of weeks, months or even a percentage of time, I realize I have left what could be considered a fairly significant portion of my time in Gainesville.
40 days could be considered a long time. For me, it doesn’t seem that long. I am ready to live under the same roof as Julie again. We have survived the time apart (so far) and have even had positive experiences as a result of this time. I’ll tell you this, though, it’s 344 days longer than I ever want to live apart again. But it also seems too short. I’m not necessarily ready to leave Gainesville. I’ve made good friends here. I have a great church home. There are things I haven’t done yet. Gainesville is surrounded by state parks and nature preserves that I would like to have visited, but haven’t had the chance or haven’t taken the opportunity to do so. Not to mention the fact that as each one of those days goes by, I’m that much closer to taking the bar exam and I still feel so far away from being adequately prepared.
So I look on the next 40 days with mixed emotion. While I hope it doesn’t rain for the next 40 days, and I certainly wouldn’t want to give up food that whole time, it will go by too quickly in some respects. In other respects it can’t get by soon enough. Regardless of the perspective, I know this: On the night of July 30 as I finally get to go to sleep in my own bed again, I will look back and wonder where the time went and be thankful for each one of the days. Thankful for the new experiences they have brought me. And thankful that they are behind me.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
You can take the girl out of South Florida...
My wife has officially turned into a South Floridian. She went to see a movie a few days ago and as she was leaving the theater, she thought it was freezing outside. On the way home, she drove by a bank with an exterior time/temperature sign. It was 66 degrees! Now my wife has always been felt cold easily. But to describe 66 degrees as “freezing” just shows that the heat and humidity have gone to her head.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
hurricane, Hurricanes!
It's been a busy couple of days. Of course the big news has been Alberto, the hurricane that wasn't. Alberto has typified what it means to live in Florida in the latter half of the year. As of this weekend, Alberto was supposed to be nothing more than a mild tropical storm that did nothing more than bring much needed rain to an area that has been unusually dry and struggling with wild fires. Conditions quickly changed yesterday. In a matter of hours, Alberto's wind speed had increased to near hurricane strength. As I was walking to my car yesterday afternoon, I was surprised to see someone putting up plywood. I came home to find all of the 24 hour news networks talking about Alberto and the network news shows led their evening broadcasts with Alberto. Alberto, which had been poorly organized, was getting more organized and was certain to become a hurricane overnight. The good news was the storm track. The first predictions had Gainevsille squarely in the potential path. This was no concern if the storm remained a mild tropical strom. Fortunately, the storm track moved north as the storm intensified, making a direct hit on Gainesville less likely. However, many of the news shows had stationed their reporters in Cedar Key. This is a tourist island community about an hour southwest of Gainesville. Julie and I actually took a drive over there in the fall. Despite the change in the storm track, I was getting nervous. Throughout the evening, the rain and the wind were getting stronger, much like the other storms I've been through so far. By the time I went to bed, it had been raining for a couple of hours straight and was very strong with no signs of letting up. Everything had a really ominous feeling as I went to bed.
I was very surprised when I woke up. There was no rain, no wind and there was actually some sunshine breaking through the clouds. It seemed as if it was a typical morning following routine, overnight thunderstorms. According to the weather channel, the storm never reached hurricane status and had actually become disorganized and weakened from the night before. What a relief. Throughout the day, there were some quick squalls and some periodic strong gusts of wind. Gainesville hardly felt the effects other than a bunch of leaves on the ground and a few small, broken limbs. And I think most of the areas in the storm's path have fared well, other than some localized flooding. Of course, coastal areas have issues, even with a minor storm. But certainly no widespread damage.
There was another kind of storm brewing last night. The Miami Hurricane baseball team won a very exciting game to get to the College World Series. This was quite a surprise. Miami wasn't expected to do much in the playoffs this year. This is a team that got swept, AT HOME, by the Florida Gators early in the year. Florida ended up being the worst team in the SEC. Miami also lost 20 games in a season for the first time in many years. In fact, they have struggled with the move into the ACC for the last couple of years. Prior to the last two years, Miami was a baseball independent and did not have to play many games on the road and did not have to worry about a conference tournament at the end of the year. It has been quite an adjustment. But they got to the CWS anyway and it is quite an accomplishment. What is even more impressive is four of the eight teams in Omaha are from the ACC. That makes me feel a little better about the struggles in the ACC, knowing the ACC is a far superior baseball conference, at least for this year. And it also feels good that Miami beat Ole Miss, an SEC team, on the way to Omaha. Beating an SEC team always makes an accomplishment feel better.
The baseball game was a great end to my birthday. My family showed me extreme generosity, as always, and I had a lot of well-wishes. It felt really nice and I appreciate the attention.
Of course, all was not perfect yesterday. The U.S. soccer team got spanked by the Czechs, 3-0. Im not a soccer expert, so I can't really talk intelligently about the game. But it is hard to accept after all the hype. For several months, people have been talking about how much the team has improved. Well, they didn't live up to it and may be on their way to a repeat of 1998 (or worse, pulling a flop like France did in 2002, 0-3 with no goals scored). I would like to see soccer be more accepted in the U.S. and see our national team have some success on the international level. But laying an egg like they did yesterday will not accomplish these goals.
I was very surprised when I woke up. There was no rain, no wind and there was actually some sunshine breaking through the clouds. It seemed as if it was a typical morning following routine, overnight thunderstorms. According to the weather channel, the storm never reached hurricane status and had actually become disorganized and weakened from the night before. What a relief. Throughout the day, there were some quick squalls and some periodic strong gusts of wind. Gainesville hardly felt the effects other than a bunch of leaves on the ground and a few small, broken limbs. And I think most of the areas in the storm's path have fared well, other than some localized flooding. Of course, coastal areas have issues, even with a minor storm. But certainly no widespread damage.
There was another kind of storm brewing last night. The Miami Hurricane baseball team won a very exciting game to get to the College World Series. This was quite a surprise. Miami wasn't expected to do much in the playoffs this year. This is a team that got swept, AT HOME, by the Florida Gators early in the year. Florida ended up being the worst team in the SEC. Miami also lost 20 games in a season for the first time in many years. In fact, they have struggled with the move into the ACC for the last couple of years. Prior to the last two years, Miami was a baseball independent and did not have to play many games on the road and did not have to worry about a conference tournament at the end of the year. It has been quite an adjustment. But they got to the CWS anyway and it is quite an accomplishment. What is even more impressive is four of the eight teams in Omaha are from the ACC. That makes me feel a little better about the struggles in the ACC, knowing the ACC is a far superior baseball conference, at least for this year. And it also feels good that Miami beat Ole Miss, an SEC team, on the way to Omaha. Beating an SEC team always makes an accomplishment feel better.
The baseball game was a great end to my birthday. My family showed me extreme generosity, as always, and I had a lot of well-wishes. It felt really nice and I appreciate the attention.
Of course, all was not perfect yesterday. The U.S. soccer team got spanked by the Czechs, 3-0. Im not a soccer expert, so I can't really talk intelligently about the game. But it is hard to accept after all the hype. For several months, people have been talking about how much the team has improved. Well, they didn't live up to it and may be on their way to a repeat of 1998 (or worse, pulling a flop like France did in 2002, 0-3 with no goals scored). I would like to see soccer be more accepted in the U.S. and see our national team have some success on the international level. But laying an egg like they did yesterday will not accomplish these goals.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Military policy at its finest!
In a recent test, the government has been determining what items to include in military MRE's beginning in 2009. New items will include instant granola and vegetarian lasagna. However, as a result of the test, stuffed-cabage was rejected, apparently for morale purposes. As one marine put it:
Of course, this is too funny to be made up. Read about it here if you don't believe me.
You wouldn't want to be sleeping in a tent next to someone who had stuffed cabbage, would you, ma'am?
Of course, this is too funny to be made up. Read about it here if you don't believe me.
Who says cats aren't tough?
I love cats. As a guy, people sometimes find this amusing. Guys are supposed to like dogs, not cats. But I like them. Many guys think cats are too wimpy. Well, you need to read about Jack, the cat. This cat in New Jersey treed a bear! Twice! Not that my cat could do this. My cat would hide under the bed if she didn't get eaten. But cats, as a species, are tough!
Instant Information?
One of the great things about the internet is access to all kinds of information and the ability to do it quickly. This has revolutionized the sports world for the common fan. In the "old" days, the only sports coverage you got was in your local paper. And if you didn't live where the team of your interest was located, it was very difficult to get information about your team. With the advent of the internet, sports fans have that same access to quick information as other interenet users. You can be a fan of the Miami Dolphins living in Seattle and have no problems getting info on the Dolphins. College alumni who are displaced all over the country have immediate access to information about the old alma mater's upcoming game agains the arch rival. And therein lies the other interesting phenomenon in the sports world. In the past, fans pretty much only got local coverage of their own teams. Now, through the internet, it is possible to access information about upcoming opponents. Fans from all over can access the local paper of an opponent to learn about players, injuries and anything else. I am thinking about this today because there are preliminary news reports that Ben Rothliesberger, quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the defending Super Bowl champs, has been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. But the articles on ESPN, etc. don't have much information. I thought I would be clever and go the local paper, but apparently, I'm not so clever. I can't even get the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to load. I guess NFL fans all over the country are trying to do the same thing and have crashed the servers. So, it's back to the old days...waiting for ESPN.com to get information.
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