Boots & Pants & Boots & Pants

It's not that life hasn't been bloggable lately. It's just that my brain hasn't been able to translate those bloggable moments into words. Words are hard.

Two weekends ago, I went to Dallas and it was everything I needed it to be. I went for an engagement party, but that was the justification for spending the gas money to get there. Spending all my time silently disagreeing with nearly everyone is exhausting. I feel like I might understand locked-in syndrome just a teensy bit. So, weary & in serious need of some friendly souls, I packed my weekender & the Hydes were generous enough to provide shelter + alcohol + love. I squeezed in a college party where I took tequila shots with strangers + an engagement party where I saw nearly everyone dear to my heart + brunch on brunch on brunch. It was beyond perfect & I was so busy treasuring every moment that I took zero pictures. I'm the best blogger ever. 

This is the only evidence I have from that weekend.
Names remanded because I love these people too much to publicly shame them like that. 

The next weekend, I went home for Halloween. Augie is just old enough to go trick-or-treating, but not quite understand what is happening. Hi-larious. Plus, this happened:

Gretel was not taking any crap from Hansel. 

I picked up all of my winter clothes beeeeeecaaaaaaause: IT'S SWEATER WEATHER.

However, Houston is a fickle bitch. I just don't trust her to continue acting like it's fall, so I'm keeping some regular clothes handy. I just want to reemphasize that I hate it here. 

This past weekend was devoted to scholarly pursuits & achievements of all kinds:

I'm completely up-to-date on one of my outlines. 
Just a few measly sections to go over in class, and the entire thing will be done. I also got a bit done on an incredibly important memo due before Thanksgiving. As of this week, my official-hopefully-I'll-actually-follow-it finals study schedule begins. If all goes according to plan, I'll be spending my weekends completing my outlines and my weeks studying them. Goodbye, cruel world. 

I've only listened to the new T. Swift album.
Such scholarly. Much pursuits. SHE GETS ME. Seriously, I've listened to this + the radio once, but then I turned it off because they weren't playing Taylor. I spent one night last week drinking wine, laying on the floor of my apartment, and singing along at the top of my voice. I know you're all incredibly interested, so here are my faves: Wildest Dreams + Style + Clean. gottagolistenagainkthnxbye.

I'm back to Gold level on my Starbucks card.
Yes, I'm considering that an achievement. My bank account might disagree, but whatevs.

I ate a s'more.
Guys, the bar is super, super low when it comes to achievements. You've gotta cut me some slack. 

The 5 People You Meet in Law School

Quick recap of this week:

• Spent way too much money on the down-payment on a Bar Prep course...that I won't be taking for 3 years
• Learned that I'm beyond terrible at legal writing (which is 60% of my grade in one class)
• Received information about applying for internships...for next summer
• Read approximately 1,000 pages of soul-crushingly boring case law & history

In short, screw the hell out of this nonsense.

I'm 7 weeks into law school. That simultaneously feels like eons & no time at all. The semester is whizzing by -- time flies when you're having no fun at all! -- and I feel slightly ready to give a firm-ish status check. This topic has been broached many a time by better blogs than mine, but I know that y'all just love hearing me say things. 

The 5(+) People You Meet in Heaven Law School

1. Da Gunner

Take cover when the professor asks questions -- hands being raised at such high speeds have been known to cause injury. Gunners usually have a pretty solid grasp of what's going on, and they want everyone aware of it. No one's best friend, but probably good to exchange niceties in case you need some non-professorial help later. 

2. That Guy
Not quite smart enough to be a gunner, but thinks he can fake his way to the winner's circle. Most often, that means raising questions in class that slow. everything. down. As in, hypotheticals. "So hypothetically, if plaintiff had been able to stop in mid-air before he fell on the defendant and was able to negotiate terms of payment for not squishing defendant, would there have been an enforceable contract?" Legitimate question from last week. 

3. Erin Brockovich
There's always a cause. When they find out you aren't thinking about public interest law, they will treat you like a leprous combination of the Grinch & Scrooge. That is, until they hear how much that associate position at V&E pays. 

4. The Benchmark
Also known as the canary in the mine. When you're doing at least as well as this person, everything's swell. You know you need to step up your game when they can explain something better than you. They haven't started outlining yet? If you've done one class, you're good to go. They've already started their brief? Get to it. I think the key is to be one step ahead of The Benchmark at all times. Aim for the minimum + 1. 

5. Peter Pan
Ah, undergrad. It was a beautiful time. But youth is fleeting and most of us have accepted that life must go on. Peter Pans treat law school like Undergrad 2.0, going out in Midtown every weekend, talking about their high school athletics, & discussing Greek life. 

At some point, you've got to change out of your leggings + XL t-shirt, and grow up. That point is now.

6. The Mid-Life Crisis

The awkwardly old person. Mine happens to be a former OB/GYN baby boomer. It's bad enough being in school; having the person next to you be older than your parents is just not okay. At this point, you can feel the entire class shift our gaze to her when we discuss any case before 1890: Let's just ask the person who was around for this. It's disconcerting when we take notes via our computers & she whips out a feather quill. This woman is easily within 10 years of retirement. So, just a casual question: WHAT DID YOU DO WRONG THAT LAW SCHOOL WAS A BETTER CHOICE THAN BEING A DOCTOR? 

And then there's me: the resident relatively-apathetic-while-still-freaking-out, fairly-bright-but-definitely-learning-her-limitations, future-JD-seeking-future-MRS law student blogger. 

Sue me. 

A special treat:

All About That Case

Because you know
I'm all about that case
'Bout that case, no settle
I'm all about that case
'Bout that case, no settle
I'm all about that case
'Bout that case, no settle
I'm all about that case
'Bout that case

Yeah, it's pretty clear, I ain't on law review

But I can fake it, fake it

Like I'm supposed to do

'Cause I got that journal that all the 2Ls chase
And all the right cites in all the right places

I see all the gunners workin' that Mock Court stuff
We know that shit ain't real
C'mon now, make it stop
If you got coffee, coffee, just raise it up
'Cause every inch of you is stressed
From the bottom to the top


I couldn't finish it. I'm weary of finding analogies to law school, and I am fairly behind on reading for class. BUT this song has been running through my head since I started school and it kept turning into a weird parody, so I'm hoping that writing it down will exorcise it from my mind.

Now I'm off to study, workout, and run errands because they were not joking when they said there's no rest for the wicked -- and I decided to become a lawyer. #lawyerjokesfordayz

If you're ever so lucky, I'll find the time & effort to write a real post this weekend. Cross your fingers...