You Have A Type B+ Personality |
B+ You're a pro at going with the flow You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer A total joy to be around, people crave your stability. While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity. Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done You're passionate - just selective about your passions |
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
one of those quiz-thingys
Thanks, Tam for this one. My personality type is also probably going to be my most common grade this year...
Monday, September 26, 2005
Hey there, May I Touch You in the Spirit of Pleasantry?
Law school can actually be funny. Like the case of the guy who accidentally jabs someone in the eye with a stick, while trying to referee a dog fight. And sometimes judges are funny in their cases. Scalia is almost always making little insults to the other Supreme Court justices. This post's title comes from a case that we read, which stated that consent is implied when "touching in the spirit of pleasantry."
But there's a dark side to the legal cases too. And just for amusement's sake, I've decided to keep an occasionally updated tally on the body count in my classes. Well, at least in the reading in my classes. The current stats:
Civ Pro: 0 (Probably a major reason the class is so boring.)
First Year Lawyering: 0 (But I've heard a few threats to the instructor)*
Torts: 17
Criminal: Depends how you count it. 24 regular cases. 1 fetus (the ruling held it didn't count as human). 492 killed in a fire.
For those who don't like counting, that equals 517 altogether.
So our total current body count is: 534
In other news, I'm also making a list of some ordinary words that law school has completely ruined for me. Please note that a lot of these are words people use all the time, but when I hear them, all I can think of is the applicable legal rule (actually, I usually think about how I don't remember the applicable legal rule, but you get the idea). I'm sure this list will grow about as fast as the number of dead people. The beginnings:
So the next time you see me, don't be surprised if I cringe when you say something like, "Quit provoking me! I wish you weren't so malicious--I'm liable to do something reckless!"
*That was a joke. Now that I'm in law school, I feel the need to cover myself in case anything really does happen. This must be what they mean about thinking like a lawyer.
But there's a dark side to the legal cases too. And just for amusement's sake, I've decided to keep an occasionally updated tally on the body count in my classes. Well, at least in the reading in my classes. The current stats:
Civ Pro: 0 (Probably a major reason the class is so boring.)
First Year Lawyering: 0 (But I've heard a few threats to the instructor)*
Torts: 17
Criminal: Depends how you count it. 24 regular cases. 1 fetus (the ruling held it didn't count as human). 492 killed in a fire.
For those who don't like counting, that equals 517 altogether.
So our total current body count is: 534
In other news, I'm also making a list of some ordinary words that law school has completely ruined for me. Please note that a lot of these are words people use all the time, but when I hear them, all I can think of is the applicable legal rule (actually, I usually think about how I don't remember the applicable legal rule, but you get the idea). I'm sure this list will grow about as fast as the number of dead people. The beginnings:
- Reasonable
- Negligent
- Reckless
- Case
- Strict
- Liable
- Memo
- Brief
- Malice
- Intent
- Provoke
So the next time you see me, don't be surprised if I cringe when you say something like, "Quit provoking me! I wish you weren't so malicious--I'm liable to do something reckless!"
*That was a joke. Now that I'm in law school, I feel the need to cover myself in case anything really does happen. This must be what they mean about thinking like a lawyer.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Wide World of Nothing
Oh, hello. I'm sorry I've neglected you. It's just that you're part of the outside world. A world that very easily gets left behind during law school. It's strange to me: I came to law school b/c I wanted to gain skills that will help me contribute to the world, and yet, I find that it's very difficult to really keep up with anything that occurs outside of this campus.
Yeah, I read the news on the internet. And the tv in the lounge is always on. But my contact with "the outside" is always haphazard, captured in glimpses between Harvard-related stuff. I am really craving some order and organization in my life. I want to know when my obligations will be. I want to make orderly progress through a list of things to do. But it seems that here, there's always something new popping up, and my plans never stay firm for long.
Just to give you an idea, I am now on the mailing list for: the HLS Democrats, HLS Catholic Students, HLS Women's Law Association, HLS Black Students Association, the HLS California Club, the Journal of Legislation, and the Civil Rights, Civil Liberties Law Journal. Heck, there might be a few more I don't know about. And I none of those groups have made it clear to me when their regular meeting times are.
I've also joined a "reading group." It's an opportunity to meet with a prof. and a few students to discuss some readings on a particular topic. No grades, no credit. Just extra reading. Why did that sound like a good idea?
Okay, back to my forgotten hobby: actually preparing for class.
Yeah, I read the news on the internet. And the tv in the lounge is always on. But my contact with "the outside" is always haphazard, captured in glimpses between Harvard-related stuff. I am really craving some order and organization in my life. I want to know when my obligations will be. I want to make orderly progress through a list of things to do. But it seems that here, there's always something new popping up, and my plans never stay firm for long.
Just to give you an idea, I am now on the mailing list for: the HLS Democrats, HLS Catholic Students, HLS Women's Law Association, HLS Black Students Association, the HLS California Club, the Journal of Legislation, and the Civil Rights, Civil Liberties Law Journal. Heck, there might be a few more I don't know about. And I none of those groups have made it clear to me when their regular meeting times are.
I've also joined a "reading group." It's an opportunity to meet with a prof. and a few students to discuss some readings on a particular topic. No grades, no credit. Just extra reading. Why did that sound like a good idea?
Okay, back to my forgotten hobby: actually preparing for class.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
World's Longest Post
I'm sitting in Civil Procedure with no wireless card, so I can't do anything on the internet. Yep, I'm actually drafting a blog entry in word processing in class. Truly, truly bored. Which is why this will be the longest blog entry I've ever done.
I thought some of you might want to get an impression of what law school life has been like so far. So here's a little slice of my life:
A few general observations: Socializing is *the* major activity. But reading lots and lots of cases comes a close second. I spend around 4 hours a day on reading, at least when I’m being good. The 2 and 3Ls tell me that reading starts going faster soon. I can't wait.
I have only one class Monday and Tuesday, but I have class all day Wednesday and Thursday. Fridays are only 2 classes, except that I have some extra make-up classes scheduled for the next few Fridays. Oh, and Mondays sometimes get extra meetings as well.
Here's my schedule today:
8:50 AM- Torts class. In Torts we study cases where people sue eachother over stuff. My professor is fun, but he does have a tendency to call on people, keep asking them questions, and be a little mean if they don't get the right answer. He says we're allowed to pass, but no one wants to try it.
10:17-- Torts is over. Walk to nearby building, complaining to section members (I take all my classes with the same group of people this year) about schedule and reading.
10:30 --Criminal law. My favorite class right now. I like the professor a lot; he's offered to talk with me about what I need to do to become a professor. Criminal law is just the most fun--it's like Law & Order every day. I haven't been cold called in any of my classes yet, but I do raise my hand occasionally, which perhaps keeps them at bay.
11:58--Woohoo! Lunch time! I didn't eat breakfast today, so I'm starved. I drop off my Torts and Crim book at my dorm, put in my Civ Pro book. The backpack is still heavy. The campus cafeteria is always packed, so I go to the neighborhood pizza shop to get some pasta. Unfortunately it's jammed too.
12:40 -- I get my food--spaghetti and meatballs--and cram it down, while watching CNN analysis of the John Roberts confirmation hearing. Funny that I'm so busy with law school, I hardly have time to pay attention to major legal issues.
It was the same way with Katrina. I knew it was happening, but I was so busy it hardly seemed real. Now we have some Katrina survivors living in our dorm building. Much more real.
1:15-- Civil Procedure (aka Civ Pro). We're talking about cases we read last week. It's harder to be interested once you've read ahead. In Civ Pro, we get called on in panels. That means we know ahead of time whether we'll be called on, although we can always raise our hands. It's hard to do the reading, really pay attention, when you know you have nothing to fear. Tomorrow's my day on panel; I'd better do the work tonight.
The rest of this hasn't happened yet, so I'll make an educated guess:
2:42-- Freedom. Civ Pro is over and I head back to my room. Probably I talk to some folks in my dorm for awhile. Check email. Make a list of things to do (ie. Call Mom, Do reading, Brush teeth, Eat.....) since I can't remember anything without writing it down now.
3:00-- Start reading. Eek! There's so much to do. I finish my 10 pages of Torts reading in 45 minutes, and then take a bathroom break.
3:55-- Having forgotten my ID card (necessary to swipe my way into the bathroom), I have to come all the way back to my room. Since the closest bathroom is in an adjoining building, it takes awhile. Even worse is when I go downstairs to the bathroom. When I do that, I can be gone forever talking to my friends who live on the 1st floor.
Now I'm back in my room and ready to work. An hour of Civ Pro reading, and I've made my way through 30 pages. Of course, I still have to type up the notes. And I still have 100 pages to go.
I've also ignored my First Year Lawyering homework. I haven't printed out the syllabus b/c it's in Microsoft Word, which I don't have on my computer. I've been meaning to buy it, or at least go to the computer center, but I have no time.
4:55-- Time to get dressed to go out. Tonight, I'm going to an cocktail party and book signing for a Harvard Law professor. We're meeting at 5:30, and I still don't know what to wear. Networking (some might say drinking) is very important.
That's something key to understanding life here. Most decisions are motivated by where the free food (or drinks) happen to be.
8:57--Home from the reception. I spent the whole time thinking about the work that I should have been doing. On the way in, I bump into some of my 1L pals on the way out to celebrate a birthday. I allow myself to be pulled into their tide, and I'm out the door again.
11:30-- After a few hours of yelling to talk to eachother at a bar, we determine that we must be responsible and come home. When we get back, we plop down in the lounge. We then proceed to talk about things we won't remember tomorrow.
1 am-- Fall into bed. Set alarm. I figure I'll get all my reading done during my breaks tomorrow.
Repeat.
I thought some of you might want to get an impression of what law school life has been like so far. So here's a little slice of my life:
A few general observations: Socializing is *the* major activity. But reading lots and lots of cases comes a close second. I spend around 4 hours a day on reading, at least when I’m being good. The 2 and 3Ls tell me that reading starts going faster soon. I can't wait.
I have only one class Monday and Tuesday, but I have class all day Wednesday and Thursday. Fridays are only 2 classes, except that I have some extra make-up classes scheduled for the next few Fridays. Oh, and Mondays sometimes get extra meetings as well.
Here's my schedule today:
8:50 AM- Torts class. In Torts we study cases where people sue eachother over stuff. My professor is fun, but he does have a tendency to call on people, keep asking them questions, and be a little mean if they don't get the right answer. He says we're allowed to pass, but no one wants to try it.
10:17-- Torts is over. Walk to nearby building, complaining to section members (I take all my classes with the same group of people this year) about schedule and reading.
10:30 --Criminal law. My favorite class right now. I like the professor a lot; he's offered to talk with me about what I need to do to become a professor. Criminal law is just the most fun--it's like Law & Order every day. I haven't been cold called in any of my classes yet, but I do raise my hand occasionally, which perhaps keeps them at bay.
11:58--Woohoo! Lunch time! I didn't eat breakfast today, so I'm starved. I drop off my Torts and Crim book at my dorm, put in my Civ Pro book. The backpack is still heavy. The campus cafeteria is always packed, so I go to the neighborhood pizza shop to get some pasta. Unfortunately it's jammed too.
12:40 -- I get my food--spaghetti and meatballs--and cram it down, while watching CNN analysis of the John Roberts confirmation hearing. Funny that I'm so busy with law school, I hardly have time to pay attention to major legal issues.
It was the same way with Katrina. I knew it was happening, but I was so busy it hardly seemed real. Now we have some Katrina survivors living in our dorm building. Much more real.
1:15-- Civil Procedure (aka Civ Pro). We're talking about cases we read last week. It's harder to be interested once you've read ahead. In Civ Pro, we get called on in panels. That means we know ahead of time whether we'll be called on, although we can always raise our hands. It's hard to do the reading, really pay attention, when you know you have nothing to fear. Tomorrow's my day on panel; I'd better do the work tonight.
The rest of this hasn't happened yet, so I'll make an educated guess:
2:42-- Freedom. Civ Pro is over and I head back to my room. Probably I talk to some folks in my dorm for awhile. Check email. Make a list of things to do (ie. Call Mom, Do reading, Brush teeth, Eat.....) since I can't remember anything without writing it down now.
3:00-- Start reading. Eek! There's so much to do. I finish my 10 pages of Torts reading in 45 minutes, and then take a bathroom break.
3:55-- Having forgotten my ID card (necessary to swipe my way into the bathroom), I have to come all the way back to my room. Since the closest bathroom is in an adjoining building, it takes awhile. Even worse is when I go downstairs to the bathroom. When I do that, I can be gone forever talking to my friends who live on the 1st floor.
Now I'm back in my room and ready to work. An hour of Civ Pro reading, and I've made my way through 30 pages. Of course, I still have to type up the notes. And I still have 100 pages to go.
I've also ignored my First Year Lawyering homework. I haven't printed out the syllabus b/c it's in Microsoft Word, which I don't have on my computer. I've been meaning to buy it, or at least go to the computer center, but I have no time.
4:55-- Time to get dressed to go out. Tonight, I'm going to an cocktail party and book signing for a Harvard Law professor. We're meeting at 5:30, and I still don't know what to wear. Networking (some might say drinking) is very important.
That's something key to understanding life here. Most decisions are motivated by where the free food (or drinks) happen to be.
8:57--Home from the reception. I spent the whole time thinking about the work that I should have been doing. On the way in, I bump into some of my 1L pals on the way out to celebrate a birthday. I allow myself to be pulled into their tide, and I'm out the door again.
11:30-- After a few hours of yelling to talk to eachother at a bar, we determine that we must be responsible and come home. When we get back, we plop down in the lounge. We then proceed to talk about things we won't remember tomorrow.
1 am-- Fall into bed. Set alarm. I figure I'll get all my reading done during my breaks tomorrow.
Repeat.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Must....Get....Some....Sleep...
Apparently they weren't kidding about the whole "work hard, play hard" thing around here. Lots of reading, lots of socializing. In fact, I need a bigger calendar to write in all the social events. Oh yeah, and the homework.
The weather here is really nice right now. Of course, it'll probably snow tomorrow, and I'll wish I hadn't jinxed it. I feel so lucky to be here, even with all the homework I have. The best thing so far has been getting to know all of the amazing students. I love the conversations--there's just never an end to the topics that can come up.
But the screen is going blurry on me, so I think it's a sign that bed needs to be in my very, very near future.
The weather here is really nice right now. Of course, it'll probably snow tomorrow, and I'll wish I hadn't jinxed it. I feel so lucky to be here, even with all the homework I have. The best thing so far has been getting to know all of the amazing students. I love the conversations--there's just never an end to the topics that can come up.
But the screen is going blurry on me, so I think it's a sign that bed needs to be in my very, very near future.
Monday, September 05, 2005
An Exciting Time
Things are going well here on the Eastern Front... We had Orientation, which was fun, and I've met so, so, so many people. There have been more social gatherings than I can count.
Classes start Tuesday. I still have plenty of reading to do, but that's what Mondays are for, right? I'll definitely write more later. Currently, sleep sounds inviting.
Classes start Tuesday. I still have plenty of reading to do, but that's what Mondays are for, right? I'll definitely write more later. Currently, sleep sounds inviting.
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