Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Time Keeps on Slippin'

I had been doing so well blogging at least once a week. Then it was time for school to start. I got my summer work finished and had nary a break before Fall classes started. So far I only like 1 of my classes. I'm not crazy about Arbitration or Business Organizations, possibly because I have so little interest in the topics. Arbitration freaks me out because it requires small assignments all through the semester and I am used to be able to slack off all semester and then cram for an exam.

Normally I am grateful for small assignments because it means your grade is based on multiple opportunities to excel, but I know I am going to get a B no matter how hard I try so I would prefer to be lazy and just take an exam. At least we are encouraged to work with a friend on arbitration assignments, because my friends are crazy good at (and interested in) drafting arbitration agreements.

I think my gender/sexuality/law class is going to be really interesting, but I find myself getting pretty ticked off at the readings. Today we discussed the documents published by the Catholic and Mormon churches about homosexuality. I felt a surge of anger reading the steps these churches ask you to take if you are gay. Still, perhaps through these studies I can develop better tools for discussions with those who do not believe in gay rights, without resorting to screaming matches.

I have not started my clinic at the public defender office yet, but I am concerned about how busy it is going to keep me. We have to do 12 trials  on our own! The odds of that even happening seem so slim as it is, and I of course wouldn't feel ethical encouraging clients to go to trial just to meet my course requirements! I wonder (somewhat naively) if previous students have done such a thing?

Things on the weight loss track have been terrible. I have actually gained a couple of pounds. I got a Fitbit and started using it, but I don't think that it is helping much. Having a set goal for steps per day assumes that you are able to work out every single day. Otherwise, you look down at the device on your hip and see that barring a full-blown workout you are a failure for the day. I ordered the workout which is just one level below P90X, so I am going to give that a try. It arrives today, hopefully it will sufficiently kick my butt.

All in all, I am definitely not into the swing of things yet. Hopefully in another week or so I will be used to school (and not taking a nap every day).

Monday, August 6, 2012

Slippery Summer

Summer is one slippery sucker, ever slipping away while I'm not looking. I have less than ten hours left on my internship at the public defender office and one ten page paper left to write. I have procrastinated so much on the paper it's ridiculous. It will only take a little while to do, but it's just so B-O-R-I-N-G. I am not interested in the topic at all. It's even ON POINT with my chosen field and I still can't bring myself to give a crap. Why, you ask? Because MURDER TRIAL. I am going all Dooce with the all caps today, aren't I? The murder trial is ramping up and I am having fun working on it, but the pressure is starting to build. I may get to go out there soon to do some intensive trial prep, but for now it's all stressful last minute discovery.

Before I know it, school will be starting up. It's crazy. Do you realize what fall of 3L means? BAR APPLICATION. Holy mother of crap, I have to start that mess. It's easier said than done, given my multiple name changes and dozens of jobs in the last ten years. Frankly the thought is stressful to me, even more-so than the actual bar exam. That will change soon I'm sure.

I had this whole plan in my head (and on paper, and on the Internet) that included getting in shape before school started. I pictured walking into class after the summer all fit and sexy and everyone would be super jealous. With only 2 weeks to go, that is not going to happen. Some dear friends from law school got married over the summer in Wisconsin, so they are doing a big reception in September. It will be dinner and dancing and a great time, so I'm going to shoot for that date to wow my friends. Tonight at 10pm I actually got on the treadmill and ran/walked for 20 minutes and then did my physical therapy. My PT is kicking my ass, almost like a personal trainer. Hopefully I can keep it up so that I can lose some weight, but at this point I am starting to wonder if my hormonal issues contributing to infertility might also be affecting my weight loss. I'm considering seeing a specialist and getting a full hormone panel done. Who knows, maybe the weight loss will correct that too, but maybe the hormone fix will correct the weight issue? It's a vicious circle.