Tuesday, September 29, 2009
In light of my upcoming appearance at the Mid-South Invitational at MTSU, I've decided to set myself a goal. I figure at least for the first round I judge I will wear a suit, and my old one looks pretty shabby. So I've decided that, since I will need one for interviews soon, I'm going to put back some money to buy a new one. But I don't want to buy a new one while I'm still sort of big, only to have to have it tailored or buy a new one because I've dropped a few sizes. That would be impractical. So I'm going to wait and get one in November, before the tournament.
New Goal: Drop 2 sizes by November 13th
New Plan: No more skipping workouts just cause I don't feel like hitting the gym; No more skipping Friday work outs unless I go home and no more skipping weekends (even if it means hitting the treadmill at the 'rents house); no more crappy eating habits due to classes and work
So like the title says I've set myself back, and that means that I am major disappointed in myself. I usual routine is to work out 3 or 4 times a week, depending on how busy I am; I've been working out Monday through Thursday, and I was making progress. Well, I didn't work out last weekend, and then yesterday I didn't feel good and was just not feeling into the idea of hitting the exercise bike. I've got to do something different, but my only other choice is the elliptical and at the moment that hurts my knees way too much. Well today I got on the bike and barely made my old time, much less my current time. I was hurting so bad that I had to quit. I was so frustrated that I was nearly in tears because I feel like I sabotaged myself and set myself back. It's hard enough for me to lose weight as it is; I don't need to make it any more difficult for myself. I'm kind of pissed at myself because today I treated myself to a Frosty at lunch, and I've been sort of crappy with my dieting, so I just made things worse. Also, Nic needs a good ab workout, other than just crunches because they don't seem to work very well. I'm trying a new idea from Jacob, but I'd like some others.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Long Weeks and Even Longer Weekends (Also, long entries)
1 comments Written by Nic at Friday, September 25, 2009It has been a long week. I arrived earlier in the week to find in raining in L-ville, and it has been raining almost nonstop since I got here. That means that I have been walking to and from the parking lots in the rain with no umbrella because I discovered that my MTSU umbrella, which I had been carrying since my sophomore year in undergrad, was bent beyond repair. I refuse to pay $10-$20 on campus for an umbrella or to drive all over town looking for a cheap place to buy one. Today when I go to Wal*Mart after the structured study group I fully intend to buy an inexpensive one because there has been no word on when it is supposed to stop raining. In fact it is still pouring outside as I type this entry. As though my current location needed to be in danger of even more flooding issues. Also, it is not fun to have to wiggle your way into your car with your books and laptop bag while it is raining because the people parked around you don't seem to understand that you put your car between the lines on the pavement that mark your parking space. I try to be nice and not scratch their pretty little plastic car with the door of my big metal tank, so it takes twice as long to get in that it should. I'm not a small woman, and so I have to wiggle my hips and do a strange combination of dance and contortion in order to squirm my way into my blazer.
I usually don't complain about my hair or anything, but seriously this wet weather has turned me into a gigantic fuzzball. Also, it makes it take twenty or thirty minutes longer to get ready, and all that time is wasted when I step outside the apartment. My hair is all frizzy, wavy, and out of control, and it gets in my way. I've got the layers in this mess, and they are really a pain lately because I can't just pull it all back and leave just my bangs. Instead it all falls out and the ponytail just looks like I've never brushed my hair. And it's difficult to get anything done when I keep having to push my hair out of my face. I guess I will have to invest in some headbands or bandanas, which is a bit ridiculous because I have sort of short hair. Also, I am definitely having Mindy, the brilliant woman who cuts my hair, fix it so that I don't the extra layer on top; hopefully that will fix this mess. Low maintenance, but still attractive, hair is a must for Nic while she is in law school.
I've discovered that I live among some ridiculously ill-mannered reavers undergrads who run down the halls of the apartment building screaming at each other and play whatever they pretend is music extremely loud. I honestly thought there was a fight right outside my door the other night because there was a group of boys outside yelling obcenities at each other, but it turned out that they were apparently just joking around. Nic was not amused. Also, as it turns out, my bedroom window is right next to the balcony, and one night at around midnight when I was so drained I couldn't think and the last of my caffiene had finally worn off I wound up listening to some guy talking for thirty minutes about how he thought he loved some girl. Last night I retreated to my bedroom in attempt to avoid the pounding music from my neighbors. I arrived home Tuesday afternoon to the sounds of some strange hip hop music that was so loud that I could hear it all the way in the laundry room with three dryers and two washers going. I swear it's ridiculous. Why does the entire apartment have to hear what you are listening to?
Yesterday I checked my rent situation, which has been out of whack since I got to KY six weeks ago, to discover that it is huge mess and has gotten worse. So now when I get back from my shopping I have to call them and jump through all their hoops so that I can get that taken care of because I can't leave it unsettled. As though I had time to deal with that stupidity, which I will not get into other than to say that they are charging me rent for two apartments and I only live in one. On top of that I have got to get my rough draft done this weekend, and so I will be spending almost all my time hiding in the apartment writing. My current goal for the weekend, besides making sure my class stuff is done, is to have a complete draft of the memo done and have my outlines all caught up. This should be enough to keep me completely busy.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
First of all, in undergrad I took McDaniel courses, had Clyde for quite a few classes, and did mock trial, which were actually really good preparation for the adventure that is law school. There is a lot of reading and studying, and I spend at least three to four hours a night with the laptop up, my casebooks out, and a set of highlighters. This is just in preparation for class discussions; I have to brief between two and four cases per class in order to keep up, and then I go back and type up my briefs and compile my notes after each class in order to be able to create my outlines, which are very important. having McDaniel has taught me to read massive amounts of material, synthesize it for class discussion, and to manage my time between readings well. Mock Trial gave me something extra to balance, and learning that art of balancing it all has really helped me get through, I will talk about that later in this entry though.
Outlines are also very important for studying for finals, which begin right after Thanksgiving Break. So I guess I should explain why I am already working on them with finals so very far away. In law school you cover a large amount of material in a relatively short amount of time, which means that if you wait too long to get started on compiling your notes from class then you will spend the last three weeks of classes in full on panic mode worrying about how you will study your wide and varied notes thoroughly enough to be able to pass your finals. So I started outlining about a week and a half ago, and I spend at least an hour and half, often more, updating them after we finish a chunk of information in class. I have a separate spiral notebook for each class, and I am currently writing out my outlines, but when it gets closer to crunch time I will be typing them up and reorganizing them so that I get a second massive dose of working through the materials. It's not fun or exciting, but it is important.
I've been spend a good two hours a night every other night working on my Closed Memo for BLS. Now you might think that working on a memo would be a quick task that would take an hour max to finish. And you would be wrong. The memo is actually a 1600 words or less monstrosity that is right now looming over my head and haunting my like Jacob Marley. It's due October 5, and I am only about 1/3 of the way through my draft. It seems that every time I try to make some progress on it I get stuck. I did, however, finish my statement of facts, and it actually looks like it might be right. The thing has four basic parts, and I haven't even really gotten deep into the hardest part of it. But with a little more perseverance I should be able to get through it. It's frustrating, but not impossible.
I've made several discoveries over the past six weeks. First of all, there is an art to being able to balance law school and the rest of life, and I'd like to think I am doing a fairly good job of it. I manage to stay pretty much caught up and ahead in classes, find time to talk to Jake and the family on a regular basis, eat decent and pretty healthy meals, have at least an hour or so of relaxation every other day or so, and make time to go down to the fitness room in the apartment building for a workout. I have only had one melt down, and that was over something that was not completely law school related. Now if I could just find time to read my new Dan Brown novel; I'm afraid I will start reading it and get nothin' done until I finish it. They aren't lying to you when they tell you that law school is a full time job. But it is managable. I even figured out a way to be able to occassionally go home to TN in order to visit my family and the boyfriend. My "To Do" list grows, but with a bit of hard work I can keep it pruned down. I'm managing to keep up.
I've discovered that there are a lot of different kinds of law students around here, and then there are just plain strange people. I sit by a variety of characters, and at some point I will have to make a list of the "species" I've encounted. For now I'll just tell you about a few of the more annoying ones. First, there are the entitled people; I figure they feel entitled to two or three chairs to theirselves no matter how busy and crowded the room is, since they insist on not putting their bags on the floor and will use an extra chair just to put their bags in. Half the time those bags are ratty old things that are just not that delicate. There are also the people who sit next to you in class and smack their gum. I have nothing against eating in class or drinking in class, I do it all the time, especially if I'm running late and breakfast for me is a couple of Pop Tarts and a bottle of water. I at least try to eat quietly. But honestly, if you can't chew your food or gum quietly and must make loud smacking sounds as you roll spit and gum/food in your mouth, just refrain from eating in class because its distracting to those of us who are trying to pay attention so that we are not caught off guard when the professor calls on us. No one is going to accept "I'm sorry I couldn't hear the question over the cow next to me chewing its cud." as a reason for not having the anwer. In addition to these, we also have some of the same kinds of people you have in undergrad, like the guy in the front or back of the room who will without fail complicate the issue at hand an insert random commentary based on his life experience.
Well considering the length of this post, which is crazy long, I'd say my blogger's block is broken.
Monday, September 14, 2009
So I thought that I would treat my readers to a bit of poetry. I guess the movie Saturday night inspired me a bit, and I finally got around to refining a piece I'd written few months ago. I'm pretty sure it is not my best work, but here it is.
Sometimes you don't marry your first love.
Sometimes you keep walking by him.
Sometimes he's right in front of you
but you'll keep missing Mr. Right.
Sometimes love takes a second glance.
Sometimes love needs a second chance.
There is a sudden turn sometimes;
sometimes everything changes.
Take a second look;
maybe stop this time.
Cause sometimes, sometimes
love takes a second glance
and you have to give it a second chance.
Often you wonder if its worth the wait
especially when its always late.
So you close your eyes and walk on by
giving up on seeing whats never there.
One too many broken hearts
one too many forgotten dreams
You look right at the answer
but then you look away.
You think its just another mistake.
Sometimes love takes a second glance.
Sometimes love needs a second chance.
There is a sudden turn sometimes;
sometimes everything changes.
Take a second look;
maybe stop this time.
Cause sometimes, sometimes
love takes a second glance
and you have to give it a second chance.
And then you open your eyes,
you say its the last shot this time,
vowing that there will be no more pain,
hoping he's not the same
as every chance you've taken.
He's reaching out to you
and you're letting go.
You fall and hope he catches you.
Your heart is wide open one more time
and let him in for one more try.
Sometimes love takes a second glance.
Sometimes love needs a second chance.
There is a sudden turn sometimes;
sometimes everything changes.
Take a second look;
maybe stop this time.
Cause sometimes, sometimes
love takes a second glance
and you have to give it a second chance.
Take a second look;
maybe stop this time.
Cause sometimes, sometimes
love takes a second glance
and you have to give it a second chance.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The movie was great actually, and if you haven't seen I highly recommend that you do so immediately. Both Meryl Streep and Amy Adams were incredible, and Streep was absolutely dead on really. I did find Julie's obsession with Julia a bit strange, but it didn't take away from the overall effect of the movie. In fact I sort of understood why she clung to her the way she did, considering the effect of the stew dish she mentioned. Honestly, I identified with the film because I love to cook, and I would love to learn to cook as well as the two leading characters could. There was also the fact that Julie was a struggling writer with an unfinished novel. We left the movie starving, and I really had the urge to cook something with lots of butter. If I had the time and the fundage, I would definitely love to embark on the challenge of cooking my way through some famous cook's cookbook in a year. But alas, law school makes you both broke and busy. Over all I think this is definitely on my list of movies I will require on DVD when it comes out. Also, while I may not buy it since I have a mad long list, this is also on my books I must read list.
I wish that I could write a blog that spoke to people the way that Julie's did or that I could write something important at all. I guess maybe I can hope for doing something important in the legal field instead. Any way, it's back to the books for me, my Civ Pro text is mocking me as we speak.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Woke up this morning to find that Jacob had emailed me a recording of him singing happy birthday; his voice tends to make me melt, and it was something special. Nice to hear the voice of someone you love when you live far from home.
Well I'm all moved into my new Bettie Johnson apartment, which is really nice even if its a little small. I unpacked as much as possible last night and did the last of my property for the week as well as my contracts, which will allow me to work on typing up my briefs and fleshing out my notes in those classes. There is going to be a workshop on outlining Thursday, and I've already planned ahead so that I could attend because I have no idea where to begin with that yet. I also wanted to get unpacked and caught up so that I could hit the gym in the new building when I got back from class today. Maybe I'm a freak, but I'm actually really excited about hitting the gym on a regular basis. Working out and getting healthy is part of my birthday present to myself. I bought work out clothes because I know I will feel better if I look better. It was an amazing work out, even if it was a short one. I did 30 minutes on an exercise cycle before my knee started to feel like someone stabbed it with a hot knife. Tomorrow I will definitely be shooting for longer and doing a little more stretching.
I feel pretty good actually, a touch sore in places but that is to be expected. Starting my workout today was an amazing and excellent birthday present. I turned 22 today, and I am taking control of my life in ways that I can. That means I am learning to manage my stress levels, eat healthy, and treat my body better. I'm setting goals that are reasonable instead stupid and dangerous. I am teaching myself to take the time to relax when I need to relax, and I'm working on managing my time better. If I can learn take control of the things I can control and let go of the things that are out of my hands, I can learn to live a healthier and happier life. And that's the plan.
Happy Birthday to Nic!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
It's been three weeks, pretty much, and I am finally getting into a rhythm. I have figured out how to manage all my work and my books are filled with brightly colored highlighter. I've got a study schedule that I try to stick to as best as I can. I've ordered a new laptop because there is something wrong with the screen of my current one. It's been a good one and has worked very well until now. I've got two blue/purple lines running down the screen, and shipping and repair will cost me more than its worth. Plus I can't be without my laptop for the week to two weeks for them to look at it and possibly determine that it can't be fixed. But the new one is completely customized with my free upgrades, and its super cute. I won't get it for a week or so, but my current lap top should last me until then. The hard part will transfering my notebook to the new one. Its a serious pain.
I am moving into my new apartment tommorrow afternoon, which is also a hassle. I finally got the apartment closer to campus, so I'm packing everything up, cleaning up the old apartment for inspection and moving fifteen minutes or so down the road. The new apartment is much nicer, even if its a bit smaller. I'm sort of excited about it, though the swapping the rent payments and making sure everything is straight money-wise is a royal pain.
I have tried to get ahead of the game with all my reading and briefing because it is a long weekend up ahead, and I would like some time to relax. It seems that I have just a little work this weekend because I don't have Legal Research for the next two weeks due to Lexis and West Law training, I've got almost all my Torts done for next week, BLS takes no time at all, and half my Property work is done. Contracts is the only class that I don't have my assignment for yet. That means that I can have Sunday off and part of Saturday as long as I work Friday night when I get back to TN and Monday night when I get back to my apartment, which I plan to do. Since Tuesday the 8th is my birthday, and I will be away from everyone, Jake and I are hopefully doing something Sunday. The family and I are doing things Saturday, or at least thats the current plan.
Other than some things I don't think I will talk about here, things have been going well for the last three weeks. I'm not behind in anything, though I do need to type some things up and fill in my notes. Those things won't take long really so I'm alright.
CC License
Chipped Polish & Wornout Jeans by Nic Roehrich is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.