Not too bad for a Thursday

Long long day at work, and I am sure this won't be the longest of my career. Being the new kid on the block means that whenever someone has a little thing that needs to be done on a project, and they'd rather not do it, they will bring it to me. I don't mind at all, because this is how you show them that you're competent and hopefully I'm already doing that. Granted, I already worked there before finishing school, so they already know. But it's nice, because now, I can definitely tell they're approaching me with a little bit more respect, and like I'm a peer more than a subordinate. Although, being in my position, I am in no position to say no. So, I'm swamped with work, and it's only my fourth day. That's the nice thing about having already worked there, I am swamped, but I am not overwhelmed.

So, today was a 12-hr day and I brought some work home, which is not getting done. I didn't realize that there was a new episode of The Office on today. But my next door neighbor, the cute liberal guy, told me that he thought I wasn't home yet, so he DVRed the show for me. After I ate a quick dinner, I went over and watched the show, and then hung out with the cute neighbor, exchanged a few good stories, and came back home. Now, I'm ready to go to bed, and I have not touched my work. I think maybe I'll go over some of it in bed, before I sleep tonight.

But let's just say, life is good. I can't tell you how much of a relief it is being done with school after 24 years of continuously being a student. And to think, there will be no more first days of school for me. I think 48 first days of class are plenty for anyone to say NO MORE! I'm ready to enjoy the good life of putting in a lot of hours into work, but getting paid, instead of paying for it. And you know, it ain't too shabby when the I get to hang out with a cute neighbor after a long day of work. I can get used to this!

It figures... my luck!

You know, my first day of freedom, and I was looking forward to my favorite TV night and me being able to watch completely guilt free, and guess what? My favorite shows are all REPEATS! Bullshit! That's what I have to say about it.

On a positive note, I had some guilty feelings earlier today, because for the past four years I've been a wreck, I've felt guilty every time I did something not school-related, because how dare I have fun when I have a ton of work to do? But during the day I slowly got over that feeling and I was overwhelmed with this: I can do whatever I want, whenever I want... well, until I have to go back to work. Not for another month. So there, TAKE IT!

I don't care what you think, and I don't care how hard your life is, I deserve this break more than anyone else right now. I started kindergarten when I was 3, and have been in school since then but for one semester. That's over 25 years of non-stop formal schooling. As I told my parents earlier today: I. AM. DONE. They thought they were being funny when they asked me when I will be starting med school. Like hell I will. When I finished grad school, I knew that I wasn't done, but I think anyone who likes academia should go to law school, it'll put a damper on your student spirit. IT. IS. OVER!

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Time to go watch some reruns. Booo!

The difference

The difference between studying for the Bar exam and for a law school exam is as follows:

- Law school exam: cram for one subject after having sat through a semester of class about the subject

- Bar exam: cram for 19 subjects, after having taken some of the subjects during first year of law school, and possibly having taken none of the other subjects while in law school

- Law school exam: three hours to write maybe 3 or 4 essays about one subject, knowing the professor will spend a lot of time trying to understand the point you're making when he/she grades your essay

- Bar exam: three hours to write 6 essays about 6 different subjects, knowing (we were told) the bar examiners will spend at most a minute and a half reading the essays to give them a grade to determine whether we get to practice law or not

Now, tell me that after spending nearly $100,000 on tuition and many MANY Friday and Saturday nights studying to get through law school, I have no right to break down and cry before Tuesday!

Insomnia and finals are no fun...

For the past few days I've had a chronic case of insomnia, and let me tell you, it's not fun. I'm not sure why this is happening. First, I thought that my stress about my criminal law final may be the cause, and anyone who has taken criminal law with the professor I have would understand why I would think so. But then, last night, after being done with that final, I thought, that's it, I'm going to sleep like a baby. Well, look at this, it's almost 2 am, and I'm sitting here posting an entry on my blog.

To add to the fun of insomnia, I have this great ability to pick up the most annoying rythmic sounds and make sure I don't miss a bit of them, that way, I can stay up even later and not fall asleep. For example, the people above me, move a lot, and their floors are squeaky, so I'm making sure I don't miss one movement they make. That way, I can curse them up and down for every squeak they make.

But the funnest part of all of this experience is the smoke alarm in the hallway outside my apartment. Apparently the sad little thing is running low on battery, so it's making that chirpy noise, which is really annoying. And, of course I listen and make sure I don't miss a chirp, that way I have something to curse at every 28 seconds. What I really want to do is set the little bastard on fire. Then we'll see who's boss. Of course that would be against the law probably. Like that one Friends episode where Phoebe's smoke alarm was doing that and she threw it away, then a fireman brought it back. Oh, now wouldn't that be nice? Have a fireman come over. I'm sure that'll fix my insomnia. Oooh, naughty ideas...

Anyway, a friend suggested I change the battery in the smoke alarm, and I said no. Now you see, I'm not cheap, and it's not at all the cost of the damn battery. It's the principle, it's basic property law. As my property professor (aka, my Property God) has taught us, things in the common area are the responsibility of the landlord. I'm just doing what my professor told me to do. Aw, I miss him already. Not that I'm not going to miss my criminal law professor, but I'm going to have him next semester, hopefully for one class only, unless I fail crim law and have to take it again, now that would bite!