Sins

I haven't had much to write about this week... but I got this in an e-mail from my roommate and spent about 10 minutes dying laughing, so I thought you would enjoy it.
Happy Weekend!

Overwhelmed

Despite being my last semester of law school, this is my busiest one yet.
The first three weeks of this semester have been NON-STOP, and I'm trying hard not to get overwhelmed... mostly by reminding myself that in 15.5 weeks, I'll be GRADUATING.
Praise the Good Lord!!!

As opposed to the typical law school classes where you can dick around all semester and then cram before the final (i.e. biz orgs last semester... didn't attend half the classes, never read, and busted my ass for a week before the final with some old kick ass outlines and got a B+),  3 of my 4 classes this semester have lots of assignments due throughout the semester instead of just a big final at the end. I usually prefer it this way (I do better on assignments than I do on finals!), but I am stressing this week!

My clinic is crazy busy... who knew there was so much working preparing a defense for a death penalty case?! (Just kidding... obviously I knew it was a lot of work. But really? Omg, there is a lot of work). I really enjoy my clinic and the work that I'm doing (aside from some of the students in it with me, but that's a whole 'nother can o worms), so I really don't mind it. I am also taking a writing-intensive drafting class, and a bar prep class that has lots of practice exams and questions.

In addition to all this I've been working 20+ hours a week at a firm, (I'm bored to tears, but ooooh boy do I love $), I joined Junior League, and I've been going through my volunteer training for CASA.
CASA usually won't take up as much time as it has during the last month - the training is INTENSE! (9-4 four Saturdays in a row and 3 hours of courtroom observations).

Add into all this an hour + at the gym 6 days a week and I am just plain worn out. I have 11 pounds to go in 15.5 weeks. Totally do-able, but no time for slacking!

This week and next are especially crazy... which is why I am SO SO SO excited that I am going to be in Hawaii in 1 week! I am probably going to sleep the entire time I will be so worn out. It will be a wonderful trip. (Don't worry, I'll be taking the laptop with me and will be doing work while I'm there, but I would much rather do work in Honolulu than Chicago in February!)

Hope everyone else is staying sane... I'm trying... although I might not be able to stay that way for long! Ahhh! :)

Weigh-In Wednesday

So I bought a new scale and (sadly!) it's weighing me at 5 pounds more than my old one was. And I know this one is correct because I weighed my two 5-pound dumbbells and it said they were 10 pounds. So I actually weigh 5 pounds more than I thought I do.
How's that for a bummer?
And yes, I know, a number is just a number and it doesn't really matter. I know, I know, I know. 

This week: - .5

Total: -19 (1 more pound til pre-Christmas weight!)

As always - for those of you who care -

WEDNESDAY:
45 minute spin class
15 minutes elliptical

THURSDAY
1000 calories burned during this workout... it was aaaamazing.
10 minute warmup on the bike
35 minutes alternating running/walking on the treadmill (3 miles total)
15 minutes on the stairmaster
Weights - shoulders, chest, triceps

FRIDAY
10 minutes on the bike
20 minutes running/walking on the treadmill
15 minutes on the elliptical

SATURDAY
Day off for CASA training and the Illinois game!

SUNDAY
Day off for terrible hangover

MONDAY
45 minute spin class
15 minutes on the elliptical

TUESDAY
5 minute warmup on the bike
35 minutes alternating running/walking on an incline
20 minutes elliptical

Proud to be an American, Proud to be a Republican

I normally don't read the Huffington Post, but like the article they wrote about Cindy McCain's decision to pose for NoH8. (for those of you who don't know, the NoH8 campaign is basically Adam Bounska, famous photog, taking pics of celebs coming out and speaking out against Propsition 8, the amendment banning gay marriage).
You can read the article here.

Cindy, shocking to many, came out and posed. The picture is here:

*pic from the huffington post

Daughter Meghan had been public in her support for marriage equality for a long time, and I love that her mother came out in support too. I think this is huge for the Republican party. The party is changing. These are not your grandfather's Republicans... these are my Republicans.

As I've written so many times before... I still just can't understand why gay marriage is such an issue in this country. Who cares? If you're against it, don't get one!
My personal solution would be to stop giving tax breaks for marriages and start taxing it. (bitter single girl rant commencing...) Married people already get dual incomes to live off of, let them pay taxes on it. Maybe if people (gay AND straight!) knew they were going to pay more in taxes, they'd think a little harder about getting married, and maybe 50% of marriages wouldn't end in divorce.


As for the criticism that it's "too late"... I disagree. Maybe it's too late for John McCain, but honestly, who cares? It's never too late to support equality. And I love that John McCain came out and distanced himself from his wife's position... it makes it even more awesome that she posed. I'm sure it wasn't easy for her to say "sorry hubs, but this is what I believe, sorry if it's not what you believe." I hope to have that kind of marriage one day...

And honestly... my BIGGEST beef with all of this... WHY is this being made into a REPUBLICAN issue? I don't see Michelle Obama posing for NoH8 or coming out and sharing that despite her husband's refusal to support gay marriage, she disagrees. Where are the democrats on this?! They've got a majority in Congress, why aren't they passing marriage equality?

I think this has to do with age... as more of MY generations gets older and gets into office, things will change. We are more open-minded than our parents (isn't that always the case?). The problem is NOT that Congress is made up of Republicans like John McCain. The problem is that that Congress is made up of 73 year olds like John McCain.

The Republican party is changing. The Republican party is me, and Meghan McCain, and Cindy McCain, and I am prouder than ever to be a Republican.

Weigh-In Wednesday

Here we are... another Weigh-In Wednesday! A very exciting weigh-in Wednesday!!!!

This week: -4.5 pounds

Total: -18.5 pounds

I'm almost down to where I was before Christmas! Whoowhoo! Good thing, since I'll be in Hawaii in just 15 short days! Hooray!
I knew once I got back in the groove of my routine that the weight from Christmas break would come off quickly, yay!

And as usual, for those of you who care - this week's workouts:
WEDNESDAY
5 minute warmup on the bike
35 minute run/walk on the treadmill (3 miles)
20 minutes on the stairmaster
Weights - Shoulders, Chest, Triceps

THURSDAY
Day off... spent eating lots and drinking WAY too much. Whoops.

FRIDAY
10 minute warmup on the bike
25 minutes on the stairmaster
30 minutes on the elliptical

SATURDAY
10 minutes on the bike
15 minute run on the treadmill (5.5mph 1% incline)
15 minutes on the stairmaster
15 minutes on the elliptical
25 pushups
Weights - legs

SUNDAY
Wimpy Workout... I was lazy.
15 minutes stationery bike
20 minutes stairmaster
15 minutes elliptical

MONDAY
45 minute spin class that was an ass whipping
20 minutes elliptical

TUESDAY
15 minutes on the bike
Weights - back and biceps
30 minutes on the elliptical

Send good thoughts my way...

First off - I loved all your comments on DVR! The cable man came and set it up this morning and I'm good to go! I already have Biggest Loser and The Good Wife set to record for tonight since I have stupid class that causes me to miss both of them.
I am so excited about it!

Now... on to what is on my mind today. For my clinic at school I am working on a case. It's a guy who is currently doing 40 years for first-degree murder (he's accused of being the lookout), but he is innocent. The only evidence against him was a confession he signed after being coerced by the police after 30+ hours in custody without a lawyer or his mother (he was only 16 years old and this was in the days of known coercion and torture by the Chicago Police). There are lots more details that I could give to tell you about how awful it is, but I won't.

Tomorrow morning we find out if we get an evidentiary hearing.
If we do we will be busy busy busy preparing to show the judge evidence that he's innocent. If we convince the judge, we can get him a new trial and hopefully get him out of jail! If the judge doesn't grant the hearing, we go to work on an appeal.
This client has been in jail for 17 years and I would LOVE for his mom to be able to call him with good news after tomorrow morning.

I'm all for putting people in jail... as long as they are guilty. And I would love to get this guy OUT!

Can you imagine doing 17 years in jail for something you didn't do? Or can you imagine being his mother? I spoke to her this morning... she has stood by her son all these years. Can you imagine going to hearing after hearing and being shut down by the court, when you knew your son was innocent?  Can you imagine still having hope after failed appeals?

I certainly can't, and I hope I never have to...

Big Things are happening at Casa de Legally Fabulous

Tomorrow morning, the cable man is coming to install DVR!

It's only an extra 10 bucks a month, so I decided to go for it. Mostly because this semester I have class on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, so I completely miss Biggest Loser (the only reality TV I watch!), and have to miss the first part of Grey's. (tough life, I know)
I usually would just watch the shows online the next day, but Biggest Loser doesn't put the shows online for 7 days! So annoying.


What shows am I missing that I need to start recording? (I only have basic cable, so anything on HBO, Showtime, etc., I have to netflix!). I already watch Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, and Biggest Loser. (okay, so maybe I lied when I said I didn't watch a lot of TV... apparently I do).

I'm a little nervous about this, since I've never been a big TV watcher... what if I turn into a total couch potato now that I have the ability to record all of these shows?!

How I know law school has changed me...

So I was coming home from the gym at about 9:00 tonight (I love working out on Friday nights - the gym is so dead!), and as I pulled up to my building there were 2 cop cars parked in the circle drive and 2 more were pulling up.

My first thought?

"Man, I wonder if anyone needs a lawyer"

Not "gee, I hope everything is okay" or "hope there isn't a mass murderer running through the halls" or "hope no one got robbed!".
Nope, all I thought was that I could be living amongst potential clients.

First Day of Work

I start my new clerking gig today. This job is actually a job that a friend from school is finishing up. He got a new job clerking somewhere else, so he is moving on and recommended me to take over his position for the semester.

This and next week are his last weeks, so he's going to be transitioning/training me before he leaves so the attorneys don't have to waste their time teaching me what to do and how the office works, etc.
Our friends have all been cracking up at the thought of us working together (he and I have fairly similar jackassish personalities and he often refers to me as the "sister he never wanted") and I don't blame them.
Actually I'm sure we'll be fine. As long as they don't serve beer in the office... otherwise it could get ugly.
Last night we were g-chatting about the plans for tomorrow - what time I was going to come into the office, what we were going to do for my "training", etc., and he said:

Friend: well i think you have gchatting down pat,

so that will cut down a lot of the training time

Ahhh yes.... I think I am more than qualified for this position.

Weigh-In Wednesday

It felt good to get back in the gym and back into a sort of a routine this week! Being home always throws everything off.

This week: - 1

Total: -14

I am super annoyed with these numbers. Yes, a loss is a loss. I know that. Better than a gain. Whatever. But I spent a lot of time in the gym this week. I KNOW that the problem with why I can't lose weight is because I eat like a linebacker. I realize this. It doesn't make it any easier to stop eating like a linebacker!

This weeks goals: Stop eating everything I can get my paws on. Also, today at the gym I am going to lift weights for the first time in probably three months. I need to get back into a lifting routine! Just my luck, Gina over at The Fitnessista posted a weight lifting routine today! I am going to start on that this afternoon. It's short and nothing I haven't done before, so it'll be a good addition to my regular 5 days of cardio per week! It's time to get this weight OFF and make a change in my body, damn it!

For those of you who care, this week's workouts:

WEDNESDAY

20 min on stairmaster

15 min on treadmill

20 min on elliptical

THURSDAY

Day off

FRIDAY

Excelllenttttt cardio -

5 minute warmup on the stationery bike

25 minutes on the stairmaster

15 minutes on the treadmill (5 min run at 1% incline, 6mph, 5 min walk at 10% incline, 4.2 mph, 5 min run at 1% incline, 6mph)

20 minutes on the elliptical

50 pushups

100 crunches

SATURDAY

2 mile walk with the dog (I know it was 2 miles because I used my new Garmin forerunner! Whoo!!). Then was too lazy to do anything else. Whoops.

SUNDAY

5 minute warmup on the bike

25 minutes on the stairmaster

10 minute run on the treadmill (5.5 mph, 1%incline)

20 minutes on the elliptical

MONDAY

45 minute spin class

15 minutes on the elliptical

TUESDAY
10 minutes on the stationery bike
30 minutes on the stairmaster
25 minutes on the elliptical
50 pushups

How'd everyone else do? How are the resolutioners doing? While I hate the gym being crowded, I love seeing people losing weight!

Interview Recap

So this afternoon I had an interview for a clerking position for this semester.

I got all gussied up (actually that's not entirely true... I did not wear lipstick or eyeliner and I did not tease my hair or spend any time in velcro rollers. Hello! I'm trying to look professional here!)

I put on a suit dress and button down shirt (no jacket, everyone at the firm dresses pretty casual), tights, and heels, and got in a cab to head downtown. As I sit in the cab on Lake Shore Drive, I realize that I have a HUGE run up the back of my tights. Awesome.
I semi-panicked for a moment because I didn't have enough time to go home and put on a new pair of tights, and it's not like I could take them off and go bare-legged (bare legs in January in Chicago? Even hookers in Chicago wear tights this time of year!). So I just sucked it up and went in to my interview with a run in my tights.
Luckily my interviewer was wearing jeans and a sweater (told ya it was casual), so it was no big deal.

And, much to the dismay of Legal Diversions, I got the job. I'll be starting on Thursday. Guess you weren't quick enough to "steal" this one away from me.

Snagged tights be damned.

"Kind of materialistic, a little vapid, and generally...unpleasant."

"Kind of materialistic, a little vapid, and generally...unpleasant."

I found this little gem and just had to share it with you guys. I'm seriously cracking up

http://legaldiversions.blogspot.com/2010/01/reasons-to-go-to-law-school.html

I have NO IDEA who this person is. Never seen this blog before. I just got a google alert with my blog name e-mailed to me tonight and this came up.

I can't even think of anything witty to reply, because I'm laughing too hard.

I'm not asking you guys to go over there and tell him what an asshole he is.

But if you feel so inclined, go right ahead.

XOXO,

The fabulous one who never claimed not to be materialistic, vapid, or unpleasant

I work out with crazies

So I got an iPod Nano for Christmas from my grandparents. I asked for it because, while I have a lovely iPhone that works just fine, sometimes when I go to the gym I don't want to have my phone on me. (I know those of you who know my in real life are calling BS on this, as you did when I mentioned I got the iPod for Christmas, HOWEVER, when I'm on the treadmill sometimes I just want to be alone in my misery. Also, iPhone is heavy and doesn't hold charge well. Nano is light and easy to bring to the gym!). Okay so anyway... back to the story.

So first thing I notice when I bust out my shiny new iPod Nano (it's PINK! I know you're shocked!), is that it has a little video camera! See? (this is obvs not a picture of my PINK! iPod, but a pic I found on the internet to demonstrate to you that there is a camera! on my iPod!)

This is weird for a couple reasons...

first off - why the hell do you need a video camera on your iPod?!

Second of all - the camera is in the most inconvenient place ever. Steve Jobs - if you're reading this - your people failed. When you hold the iPod in your hand, as you would to take a video, your hand totally covers the nifty little video camera! It should be in the TOP corner, like the camera lens on my iPhone!

But ANYWAY... now that the background information is out of the way, on to the point of the story.

SO - just four short days after I got my shiny new iPod and thought "Well that's dumb, who needs a video camera on their iPod?!" this woman hopped on the treadmill in the row in front of my elliptical at the gym.

The video is a little bumpy at first because I started taking it while actually elliptical-ing, but I quickly stopped to I could really capture what was happening.

Grades are in...

I don't think I've ever even written about grades on the ole bloggy, because really? who the hell cares?

However, this semester I made my best grades ever, and feel compelled to share that with you all. Whoo! Ha.

I even managed to make a B+ in Business Organizations.... How in the hell that happened, I will never know. That class was ridiculously hard and is a legit curved class. Sooo I make better grades in classes about corporate law than my criminal law classes.... this bodes well for my future.

However - in my humble 3L opinion, grades still don't matter for shit. The kids who have been making all A's since we were 1L's still don't have jobs for after we graduate. The kids who have been making C's since we were 1L's still dont' have jobs for after we graduate (yup, that's me! but hey! I got a B+ in Biz Orgs!!! B+++++!!!!!!!!).

The moral of the story (especially for you 1L's and 0L's) is simple: Don't try.

The kids who do the bare minimum and go out drinking and have fun (me!) have the same employment prospects as those who bust their asses in the miserable law library all day and night.

And when we are ALL unemployed 6 months from now, the kids who spent all of law school in the library are going to be way behind me as far as what bars to hang out at and who has drink specials on what night (hell0, we'll be unemployed! deals are a must!), etc.

And on that note, I'm off to spend my Saturday at CASA volunteer orientation. I figure if I'm not employed I might as well figure out some other ways to occupy my time/make the world a better place, etc.

Reason #897,999 not to go to law school...

because when you graduate, take the bar, pass the bar, and are STILL unemployed the following January, your ridiculous parents are going to make you run ridiculous errands.

This is exactly what happened to a friend of mine. Although he graduated in May of 09, has passed the bar, and is eagerly awaiting employment, none has come his way just yet. So yesterday, when I received an e-mail titled "Why did I have to drive to St. Louis today?", I knew it was going to be a good one.

You see, THIS is why he had to drive to St. Louis:

His dad (pictured) collects M&M figurines. He found the elusive blue man on ebay in St. Louis, the missing piece to complete his collection. It would cost $500+ to ship, but when you have an unemployed son, why not make him drive the TEN HOURS round trip to St. Louis to pick it up?!

No, I'm not joking about any of this. I was DYING laughing when I got the e-mail. Dying.

The m&m man is now proudly displayed amongst his red, yellow, green, and blue brethren in their garage. I have requested a picture of them all together. Will post it as soon as I receive it.

Oh, and for those of you thinking about going to law school? YES, it really is that difficult to get a job. Don't go.

Weigh-In Wednesday

Aaaaand we're back to regularly scheduled Weigh-In Wednesdays!

It has been 3 weeks since my last Weigh-In Wednesday... and what a 3 weeks they have been.

I am sad to report that I gained 7 pounds in these three weeks.

The worst part? I still worked out all the time while I was home for Christmas.

So if anyone thought I was kidding when I said that I was a bottomless pit/gain weight like a linebacker - here is your proof.

Nonetheless, here are the stats:

Today: +7 pounds

Total since January 3, 2009: -13 pounds

I'm actually not too discouraged... unfortunately I expected this. I can tell how my clothes fit, and I know what I've been eating. (Garbage! a lot of it! oops).

So after I hit "Publish Post" I am off to Whole Foods to stock up on fruits and veggies, and then it's off to the gym. Because 4 weeks from tomorrow I'll be on my way to Honolulu, and I have 10 pounds to lose before then.

Back to Chicago

Driving back to Chicago... Dog in tow.

Back to regularly scheduled blogging and Weigh-In Wednesday tomorrow!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Partner Let me upgrade you

In the words of Beyonce, it's time for me to upgrade....

I am one of those people who ALWAYS has their watch on. I have to know what time it is, all the time. For a while in high school and college I was buying semi-cheap watches (like $50-$75 each) that would end up breaking every couple of months.

If I haven't mentioned it before I am REALLY hard on pretty much everything I own. I RUIN things. That's why I buy nice things. They last longer. (I know this seems dumb to some people. Whatever.)

Since I worked at Nordstrom summers and breaks throughout college, I always used that time to stock up on nice things with my discount. I lusted after a nice Michele watch ALL SUMMER the summer before junior year of college. So did another girl who also worked with me. By the end of the summer we had talked each other into buying the watches, obviously buying them from each other so we could get the commission off of it. So we did it. We bought our beautiful watches. And in the 4.5 years since then, I have never regretted it. I LOVE that watch.

Here's a pic of the watch, from Nordstrom.com

Over this Christmas break, I noticed that the battery was dying in my watch and the time was off, so I took it in to Nordstrom. While I was there, having my scratched up but faithful watch looked at, I saw this baby:
And I died.

I tried it on, and I just knew that I had to have it.

It is actually a little bit cheaper than the original watch, but I love it even more!

SO - I sent the old watch out to have the battery replaced and the crystal face (which was pretty scratched up) replaced. My mom is going to buy the old and spruced up watch from me, so I'm going to use that money towards the new one.

I'm also going to use ebates and get 3% cash back from nordstrom.com! Wahooo! (not a member of ebates?! You should be! go to www.ebates.com, sign up, and start getting cash back when you shop online!)

I'm going to get my credit cards paid off next week (whoopsies), then order this baby. I have been wearing my Polar heart rate monitor as a watch for the last few days. ick! Can't wait for a sparkly new watch! Happy New year to Me!