Sonic Care to the Rescue

I mentioned a long time ago that I had bought a Sonic Care toothbrush from my dentist. It was expensive but it is worth it! I started having trouble with my gums and was getting fussed at by my dentist and hygienist for not flossing enough. That is never fun. They talked me into getting a Sonic Care. I have been using it for over six months now and wow! I went back to the dentist this past week and was worried. With law school and everything, I have let a lot of things slides, including flossing. I was worried about getting fussed at again. I walked in and warned the hygienist, that I had fallen down but promised to do better. (What I didn't tell her is that I hadn't flossed once in six months. That is how crazy my life has been with school.) I sat in the chair, waiting to get the lecture, but at the end of the appointment, she said I had done well! My mouth looked wonderful. The dentist even said my gums looked great! Well it has to be because of the Sonic Care, because as I said, I had not flossed once.

I Love Memorial Gym!

Memorial Gym at Vanderbilt University is a jinx to opposing teams. It has a raised floor, which I think is wonderful, and I think it is unusual. I don't know if that is what jinxes other teams, but it happened again tonight. Vanderbilt Men's team beat the University of Tennessee, the number one team in the nation. Vanderbilt has beaten a good handful of number one teams in the past. I was so proud of the Dores! Don't get me wrong: I have serious allegiances and love for both schools. You wouldn't believe how much. But on the basketball court, I tend to be a Vanderbilt fan. In football, however, when there is a match between the two schools, I am a Big Orange fan through and through. But tonight I am happy for Vanderbilt. Go Commodores!

Intent to Take the Bar

I just finished my first step towards taking the bar exam. (Unless you want to count four years of law school.) I printed off and filled out the Intent to Take the Bar Exam form. I am not sure why we have to send a check for $80 along with that, just to tell them we are planning on taking the bar. Wouldn't just filling out and sending in the form be sufficient? But we have to pay them $80 for that? This year has had so many extra expenses that it has been very hard. So, I have paid for that, and paid for my two bar reviews, which is the major expense. Now I have to pay for the bar exam application and the background check, which are several hundred dollars apiece. Do they think money grows on trees or something?

Playing the Grade Waiting Game

The agony and the torture. I am waiting on two final grades. One will be a good grade--I just don't know if it will be an A or a B. I am so hoping for an A, but it is hard to get an A at my law school. The other grade is probably going to be a bad grade--I just hope not a failing grade. I don't want to have to come back next year just to take that stupid course over. I was hoping to have one or the other grade back today. But no posting as of yet.

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Update as of a few hours later. I did get my grade in First Amendment law and it is.....an A! I am so thrilled! I wanted an A in there so badly. An A in First Amendment is fitting for a lifelong journalist and a First Amendment zealot. I can celebrate and be happy while waiting for the other grade. I know that one will not be an A.

Please Mr. Postman

I always loved that song--no matter who sings it! I live in a condo building, and we have a group mailbox out front. I never thought much about it until I noticed some really nice commercial mailboxes on the Web that would give our building a more distinguished look. We are always looking for ways to update our building, but newer and nicer mailboxes is not something we have thought about before. Our reserves are a little down right now, but I may bring that up as an idea for next year.

On the same Website, there were some really nice residential mailboxes. My favorites were the Victorians, the Daulhaus, and the Gaines Classic column versions. They almost look like antiques. Another interesting kind was the Mayne Signature Plus Post. The mail box is built right on top of a wooden post. That would look nice in many subdivisions.

Nice looking mailboxes can really spiff up a property! My parents live in a very nice subdivision and most of the houses have some kind of specialty mailbox.

Translating the Courtroom

I heard a presentation the other night about the importance of having a qualified interpreter for non-English speaking defendants in the courtroom. I knew that would be important, but I hadn't given it much thought beyond that. The presentation included a video clip about an interpreter and her client who was being charged with stealing. The interpreter did a very poor job of interpreting the judge's questions, and the defendant ended up pleading guilty to stealing even though she had a good explanation for what happened. But the judge never heard this explanation. (It was not a jury trial.)

The presentation went on to say that there is a difference between a registered and certified interpreter. A certified interpreter takes it a step further and interprets the proceedings simultaneously. Similar to how sign language interpreters interpret a play simultaneously to the audience, I believe.

Freak Bikes

I am taking a breather from school for a few days and doing some much needed housework and catching up on on Nashville Scene reading. In one of the issues, they answered a question I had had for some time. Who are the guys riding the interesting, wierd bikes around town? I would usually see guys riding these bkes in Hillsboro Village, and would always do a doubletake. The bikes are tall, and unusual. Engineer types, I thought.

Well, maybe they are engineering types, but they are members of The Rat Patrol, and they make freak bikes. Apparently there are similar groups of people all over the country. In the article, they mentioned that Nashville is not a good city for bikeriding. Too many hills and too few bike lanes, and hard to get bike parts. One of their main tenets: to remain essentially disorganized.

Moot Court Blues--Episode 9

Our team had to make a motion for a new trial last week, but the "judge"--our teacher--ruled against us. As he explained when we earlier lost our case, we just had bad facts. And as the saying goes, "bad facts make bad law." So it was an exercise in futility; in real life we would have never made this motion. But it was an exercise in practice for us. We are also going back over the rules of civil procedure, criminal procedure, and evidence in moot court. Although it is easy to complain about that, as it is just more reading we have to do, it is valuable. Going over the rules again at this point is a bonus, as we will need to know the info for the bar exam.

BarBri Paid Off

I whipped out my debit card today and paid off the balance owed on my BarBri review course. I did it today for a couple of reasons: I received my IRS tax refund this morning and I wanted to pay it off before something happened to that money. Knowing me, something could happen to that money easily! The other reason is that I thought it would be a good show of confidence in myself to pay it off--to act "as if" I know already that I passed the test I took last week. The test I think I did badly on. But the test I think I passed. It is such a load off my mind to have that review course paid off. It is very expensive and I was worried I could not afford it. And not taking it is not an option. Now I can stop worrying about that and start thinking about other things!

Can't Keep My Eyes Open

Law school has caught up with me. After three tests fairly quickly in a row, I am exhausted. I had my most recent test last night, and then I had to attend a dinner tonight. I got home about 9 p.m., hoping to do some housework, but sat down at my computer and got sleepy fairly quickly. I laid down on the sofa and bam! Fell asleep. Just like I have done almost every night. I read an article in the paper a little while ago that said if people are sleep deprived night after night, it might become impossible for them to catch up on sleep. I am doomed.

Craig's List Prostitution Sting

Nashville saw 18 arrested in a Craig's List prostitution sting recently. Apparently these Craig's List stings have been going on around the country. Unbelievably, I know a couple of people on the list. I almost didn't look at it thinking I wouldn't know anyone, but was then surprised. I feel badly for those I know, even though they did it to themselves. Just for fun, I looked at the "casual encounters" listings on Nashville's Craig List. I wouldn't in a million years go meet these people who I don't know like that. I guess I just don't understand why anyone would put themselves in that position.

Feeling Insecure About Secured Transactions

Once again today, I overslept and I am panicked about my secured transactions exam next week. I am mad that I overslept, but then again I was exhausted. Maybe I will be more productive being rested. I am sure that is true, but still it is time I can't get back. The subject doesn't seem complicated, but there is too much material to read in the time allotted. I have to get my groove on.

Dueling Bar Reviews

As time is winding down towards graduation, the bar exam is looming on everyone's mind. (Actually, we still have quite a few hurdles to get through in school first, but looming it is still.) Today, I got not only one welcome, but two welcomes, one each from PMBR and BarBri. PMBR was thanking me for having paid in full and letting me know about their early 6 day practice session. Barbri was letting me know that I still owe megabucks for their review. Up until today, I was sweating bullets on how to pay for it. I had earlier set aside some money for it, and like the financial genius I am, I have frittered it away. Luckily, I also got an email today saying that my tax return, electronically filed, had been accepted by the IRS. That is good news indeed, as it will totally pay for my BarBri course. I am so grateful--I don't know how I could have paid for it otherwise. For some odd reason, I am looking forward to taking the courses (but not to the bar exam itself).

Law & Order: Pulled From the News

I had always heard that the show Law and Order comes directly from the news page. I like the show but never pay enough attention to it to have seen that for myself. But tonight I am watching the Criminal Intent marathon, and they have an episode about an astronaut who drives long distance in a diaper to stalk her lover's girlfriend. lol.

Oh my gosh! The next episode looks like one based on Anna Nicole Smith. Directly from the news page!

Moot Court Blues--Episode 8

In our moot court class, we have to do appellate arguments. I like a like a fool agreed to be the one on our team to deliver the argument. I thought that was fine and fair. But yesterday I found out that we will be arguing in front of a panel of real judges. Damn! Double damn! I had totally forgotten that! It is not for a while, so I can figure out what I need to do. But right now, I don't have a clue. Maybe I can find some examples of appellate arguments online and use those as a guide.

AAARRggghhh!

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On a better note, I was studying yesterday at Panera Bread, one of my favorite spots, and someone who had already passed the bar noticed I was studying law. He offered and did send me his outlines from his bar study. So nice! I have found law students to be so helpful and congenial to one another, something most people wouldn't expect. A total stranger giving me his outlines! So nice.

Is John McCain Bad for Business?

That was the question posed on the MSN.com website yesterday. Most of the messages on the discussion board indicated yes, pointing to the fact that conservatives feel that he is liberal.

As an aside, I take issue with the fact that conservatives say that democrats /liberals are bad for business. They just have no idea how many successful business people are democrats. (Hint: a lot)

I think what is bad for business is having a president who is incompetent. And any of the candidate hopefuls would be better than Bush.

Another thing that annoys me is the talk that the democrats are fighting among themselves now. What? There is no fighting. Most demos would be fine with either Hillary or Barack.

It is the republican party that is having the meltdown. They are becoming irrelevant. In good free enterprise terms, they are being cast aside by the market. They are voted off the island.

Go Dems Go!

Go Dems Go! Go Dems Go! Oh wait, tomorrow is Super Tuesday and is just the primary. If Obama wins or Hillary wins--either way--I win!

Go Dems Go!

First Amendment vs. Super Bowl

Once again, I am not watching the Super Bowl game. My excuse this year is that I am studying for my First Amendment law final. I am cementing in my head the concepts behind student expression et al: the Tinker test, the Fraser test, etc.

The Tinker test states:
--"School officials can censor student expression only if they can reasonably forecast that the expression "materially disrupts classwork or involves substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others."

The Fraser test states:
--"School officials can regulate student speech if vulgar, lewd, or plainly offensive."

The Hazlewood standard:
--"Educators do not offend the First Amendment by exercising editorial control over the style and content of student speech in school-sponsored expressive activities so long as their actions are reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns."

Bong Hits for Jesus exception (from Morse v. Frederick) to the above trilogy:
--Schools can "restrict student expression that they reasonably regard as promoting illegal drug use."

I am taking a break and watching the halftime show--Tom Petty. He is great--I have seen him in concert before. So far, no displays of lewd, vulgar, or plainly offensive actions, like some claimed in previous halftime shows. So, if this were in the student realm, it would pass Fraser!

Countdown to a Law Final

I am sitting here on Friday night, drinking wine, watching Real Time With Bill Maher. I am crazy about him. What a cutie. He is my favorite comedian, and I love his insight into politics.

All around me my condo is a big mess. Dishes piled up. Clean clothes that need to be put away. My kitchen table cluttered with junk mail. My bathroom sink dirty and cluttered. I hope to get to these things this weekend. But tonight I am chilling. And enjoying the fact that I took a conflict of laws test this past week and closed out that course. At least I hope. It was a tough course. The teacher was great but he probably made it tougher than need be. But on the other hand, he has plenty of courtroom experience and knows how tough real conflict of laws situations can be. If you mess up, you could lose your client's lawsuit, and then you might need to call your malpractice carrier.

I think I did OK on the test. But who really knows, as he is known to be a hard grader. Despite the fact I think I did OK, I am disappointed that I didn't study more or harder. As usual, I did not keep up with the weekly reading. I didn't even read all of the cases. I honed in on the material about 3 weeks ago and pretty much lived and breathed my notes and outlines since then. That sounds like a lot, but it wasn't. A few hours before the test, I was still reading some stuff for the first time. Not good! The saving grace is I am a good test taker, and being a journalist, I can cull information quickly out of difficult documents.

As it got closer to test time, I kept streamling my strategy. When it was still three weeks out, my goal was to read everything and understand it perfectly. Well that didn't happen!

I then ditched the idea of reading the book, but still had the goal of reading all of the Westlaw cases. Well that didn't happen!

I then thought I would read through several long outlines, read all of Legalines and Aspen Case briefs, plus my notes. Well, I had to drop the idea of the long outlines and settled for reading through a couple of shorter outlines. I did read all of Legalines but only about half of the Aspen case briefs.

I also wanted to listen to all of the class lectures I had recorded. I did pretty well there--I got to listen to all but the last two.

I took the day off from work the day of the test. It was like every other test day I have had. I always plan to stay up almost all night the night before and then end up falling asleep on the sofa about 1 a.m. Then move to my bed about 4 a.m and set the alarm for about 7 a.m. The alarm rings and I keep hitting the snooze button until about 8 a.m.

Mad at myself for oversleeping, I leap out of bed and put the coffee on. Luckily, my tunnel vision and special test-day clarity sets in, as it always does, and I actually put in a good day of study. I keep streamlining my study strategy, minute by almost minute, as the clock ticks down to exam hour. About an hour and a half before the test, I feel that I finally have to get dressed and get something to eat. I face the reality that I still have much to learn and not enough time to do it in.I take a final survey and give up reading and settle for memorizing the pertinent restatement law.

Remarkably, I memorize the restatement law quickly and still have time to apply makeup and walk my dog before I head to school for the night exam. Driving over in the car, I run through the restatement law in my mind and some other lists of things I know I will have to regurgitate on the exam.

I walk into class with only a couple of minutes to spare. He passes out the test. I look at the test, all essay, and in usual fashion, freak out. I think I don't know anything. I sit there, sad, knowing that this will keep me from graduating and I will be back in this seat next year.

But again, typically, I start making notes on my scratch paper and realize I do know some of this, OK maybe more of this than I first thought.

I gauge my time in order to finish the test in time. My handwriting is poor, and I have to scratch out a lot of passages and rewrite them. I am afraid my essays are disjointed, as I keep thinking of things to write, and making additions, and unlike a computer, there is no "do-over."

But as the test period progresses, I get more and more relaxed as I realize the test is doable. I even have time to daydream a little! I feel badly for at least one or two other people in the room who are visibly upset at the test.

I do the extra credit and turn the test in, and join some fellow students for a celebratory drink. I think I did OK, but not great. But I only need OK and feel that this is actually great in terms of the amount of time I had to study.

I guarantee you this will be the same process I will go through at least five more times before I graduate.