Red Headed Stepchild

also known as RAP. The rule against perpetuities. Im told that it is used in the real practice of law very rarely. Rarer than a prom night virgin. Rarer than a cool law student at this school. Why not study something for 59.2 hours that will comprise at the very most, 4 percent of our final. Why you ask? Because we are all insecure. I see those gunners eyeing my study habits, wondering if I am the only one who understands it. The truth is that no one really does. Not attorneys, not students, and definitely not myself. But I wont tell anyone else that. Law school on a daily basis is a pony show. It doesnt matter what you know, it matters how you carry yourself. Much like the real world, the majority of students here spend more time bragging about outlines, test supplements, and how much lipstick they left on the prof's ass after their office hour. I try my best not do immerse myself in it, but i am only human. Of course I tell them im acing everything. Anything less would be uncivilized. Let the peons think they know it. Exam time is what counts. The big dance is what counts. So for now, RAP gets pushed to the side for more important matters. The attractiveness of Torts seductively eludes me. Im not the only one though. Such easy material that gets complex based on the hypo. Very tough to study for.
Tonight, my first law school halloween party. If i make it there. My friends and i have been sitting here sticking post its on eachother for hours. Torts is coming along. I think i am going to dress up as a salt shaker/battery and go to the party as Assault and Battery. (drum solo). And most of you thought I was incapable of telling a good joke. Normally there is usually someone that tries to dress up as a play on words. I once saw a man dressed up as a table with a condom, a beer, and a alarm clock on it. He was a one night stand. Pretty creative, but no one wants to dance with a guy wearing a table. Then there always the guy who dresses up as a very distasteful character. A had a black friend of mine who showed up at our halloween party as a slave. The proverbial music stopped at that moment and everyone blushed. Hopefully my costume of Richard Simmons wont be too offensive.

Blonde moment of the week

We are all entitled to a moment like this. I have been hunting for a good 2nd restatement of contracts that can be easily accessed. Little to my knowledge there was an excellent one in the back of one of my textbooks. Serves me right for not looking through the entire part of the book.

Caviar and Nyquil Dreams

Everyone is sick. Im at that point where it could go either way. Dose after dose of Vitamin C and lots of water. This nyquil is really making my thoughts strange. I wonder why so many people in law school are unhappy but yet they keep doing this over and over. Everyone claims to dread going to the library. This is the stuff dreams are made of. We get the rare chance to have a career where you can be paid to argue, if you so choose. People will pay you tons of money to get up there and roast someone. Granted, you have to develop the skill, but I believe that when push comes to shove, no amount of schooling will replace instinct. The day I get to dance in front of the jury is going to be a good day.

AT&T is the devil

The only goddamn phone call i was waiting on went straight to voicemail. Ive had it. Enough with their fucking microsoft tactics. "we are the biggest company, so we can deliver a shitty, product, have subpar customer service, and we will get away with it because your alternatives are even worse." Im done with below the belt companies. I signed up to be taken of ATT's specific mailing list and what did i get? More emails, text messages, and junk mail ads from them. The devil works for ATT. They shouldnt have messed with my personal life. They will be sorry...

Gaining Momentum

Midterms are finally over. With a good grade in each, I feel confident that I am picking up the relevent topics in class. Today I went and met with Professor Property who happens to be the son of the founder of our school, a judge, and a very interesting well spoken guy. We talked future interests for a while, then transitioned into litigation, and eventually it came to the finer things in life, women and beer. His advice was simple, which I am reluctantly sharing with you all. Find a part of the law you love. Shh, dont tell anyone. I am looking forward to being a litigator, and hope that my contribution to the court room will be both entertaining and inspiring as the lawyers I am posturing myself around are.

Its time to start building momentum to head into the last part of the term with. Many students in our class are dropping like flies. We are covering the most substantive parts of the curriculum and many students are gone, absent, and not paying attention. A little extra work now should help in the long run. The one thing 1L's forget, or maybe even dont know how to do, is relax. The insecurity of leaving your books behind and relaxing eats away at you. It nags your soul into submission. Ive learned to take breaks. Ive learned that the weekend can be catchup time, but it also can be get ahead time. What is the point of studying 8 hours after class when your brain is not ready to learn? Its almost futile in my opinion. So this week I put the pen down early, relaxed, and planned my next few weeks. Saturday morning, bright and early, I will be in the library blazing ahead, and solidfying the material.

I remember reading 1L the summer before I came to school. The chapter about learning to love the law really stuck with me. I am at that point, maybe for the first time in my career when I am actually interested in the material, and for all the right reasons. I dont look at a long assignment anymore with dread. I look at it as a chance to know something not too many people get to know in their lifetime. Cheesy, I know, but true. When you go through this year of hell, you will understand how it changes the way you think.

My favorite uncle sent me 86lbs of canned goods in the mail today. I would say that if anybody in the local midwest needs some soup, or chili, c'mon over. Life is good. Hope it snows soon.

Amerikuh, F*%# Yeah!

Team America is the funniest movie I have ever seen. The comedy gets pretty silly, but Parker and Stone's timing is impeccable. I have never laughed so hard in my life. The marionettes were done beautifully and the soundtrack added to the hilarity. I might even go to see it again.

Sitting here chugging through Future Interests. Not the most exciting stuff in the world, and not the simplest either. Add a few hot chicks sitting in the library, coupled with my hangover and we have the right ingredients for a very unproductive day.

Blew off some steam last night and went clubbing. Drank canadian beer until it gave us accents, and then walked home in 35 degree rain. My Beavs are playing horrible this season so the game isnt even televised this weekend.

Gonna sit in the hot tub tonight and chill.

Party Time

Midterms out of the way, Mock trial meeting done, its time to unwind. Almost halfway through the term. I feel confident that my study habits are good, but are they great? I need that extra edge.

The hype of Team America will hopefully live up to the expectations i have for anthing the south park creators produce. Its been a while since ive seen a truly funny movie.

Miss my dog, family and friends, but know this will pay off big time in the near future.

2nd Down and Goal

midterm two is out of the way. I only have Torts left tomorrow. Most schools dont give midterms exams, but im glad that mine does. They are only 10% of our final grade, so the outcome is negligible for the most part, but the motivation that they inspire is worth many more pecentage points.

It will be nice to take a break for a few hours this weekend and catch up. Gonna go watch Team America tomorrow and then back to the grind stone. Im loving this experience, even in its temporary mediocrity. It beats working.

The psychic Midterm

Well, I just got done taking my midterms for next week. Thats right. They were tough. Oh wait..I forgot that it isnt possible to know how a test is until you take it. Your tuned in to, yet again, another installment of my "daily interactions with Morons." A classmate came up to me and actually wanted an answer. Im really not trying to be cynical, but if we dont prescribe a small dose of darwinism, these people might actually look both ways and not get hit by that train. When did lightning's aim become so off?
So, I let the student have it. "how the hell should i know how midterms are gonna be?", I replied. "well, um, i guess i". I didnt even wait around for the answer. The point to this true story is that there is only so much crap a reasonable person can take, and I had reached my fill that day. I suppose there are some that would say im an asshole for this, but then again, you are the same halfwits that keep asking me if i think class will be hard tomorrow.

I wonder if kerry will be good next november?

Magic Beans and Nemesis II

Im halfway through a bag of chocolate covered expresso beans, and time is breezing by. Wired to the point that i cant stop drinking water. Torts outlining. Midterms next week. Everyone here is frazzled. Whats the big deal? I wonder if I had gone to a more prestigous school would they still use the school name in the multiple choice questions? Probably not. I shouldnt have rejected harvard.

My nemesis is now my good buddy. We even exchange outlines. I have a new one though (we shall call him Nemesis II)and i punked him in class the other day. He tried claiming that he figured out something, which in fact, our contracts prof had actually pointed out. I timed my remark just right, and the class was laughing on my command.

I think i will be a worthwhile citizen and watch the debate tonight. I think law students contribute more to the gross GDP of Columbia more than they do the US. May the rest of this country drink a cup and realize how bad W is messing up this country. At least he's giving Leno job security.

inspiration and perspiration

A friend of mine sent me this quote that I liked. It is true and shapes my daily life. Back to the books.

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes." -Unknown

life is good

i feel guilty leaving the library at 10 pm. The pervasive insecurity monster that all law school students face snuck up behind me last night and scared me too. Classmates are dropping like flies. Suddenly the cool club hoppers arent so cool anymore. In fact, they arent even here anymore. You ever read flashcards while you brush your teeth? I put the Model Penal Code up in my bathroom, and Common law homicide next to my sink. Every inch i can gain over that next test taker. I dont wish them failure. I just want that internship waiting for me at the firm after i get a 3.5+. As if that was easy enough. Throw a cheerleader in the mix. Man, I love law school.