So what is my only wish this year? World peace? No more hungry children? Nope. My only wish is that I do well on Finals. OK, so that's a little self-serving, but it is my wish, right?
It is amazing to me that the semester is over. I was officially done with classes last Friday (Dec. 4th). I have two weeks worth of finals to look forward to now. Here's the schedule:
Wednesday, Dec. 9th -- Property
> 3 hour cumulative exam
> Essay questions
Friday, Dec. 11th -- Torts
> 1 1/2 hour cumulative exam
> Essay questions
Tuesday, Dec. 15th -- Contracts
> 1 1/2 hour cumulative exam
> Essay and multiple choice
(these aren't your grandma's multiple choice, either - they're HARD!)
Thursday, Dec. 17th -- Criminal Law
> 3 hour cumulative exam
> Essay questions
Wish me luck.
I got my Contracts mid-terms back last week and I actually did pretty good. I was surprised because I thought that I totally bombed it. On the written midterm there was a possible 60 points. Some people got as low as a zero on it (some got a negative score, which she graciously bumped to a zero). The average score was in the 20-30's (that's less than a 50%). I actually ended up getting a 47. The high was a 52, I believe. So I was happy about that. For the multiple choice exam I got 7 out of 10. Respectable. That's actually what the majority of students got (although I think some people got as low as 1).
So I'm feeling pretty good about Finals. I've been putting in a lot of time making outlines and doing practice problems, so hopefully it will all pay off.
We really haven't had much time to do anything with anybody lately because I've had so much going on. I did hang out with Mike a couple of times a couple weeks ago. Heidi went to the New Moon premiere with a bunch of women from the Stake so I stayed home and watched Trey. Mike came over and we went to dinner and hung out for awhile. The next night we had the missionaries over, so we invited Mike to come eat too. His wife is up in Canada getting ready to have the baby. Mike is staying in Laramie until school's out, and then he'll join her. In the meantime, we figured we'd try to keep him company, since he doesn't have his wife around.
Heidi got called as the 2nd counselor in the Young Women. A week later they "promoted" her to 1st counselor. That will keep her busy. So far I think she's enjoyed it. She's nervous about having to teach, but I'm sure she'll do great.
Little Treysen is getting to be not so little. It's amazing how much he's grown and developed in the few short months we've been here. He climbs on everything! I have to remember to close our bedroom door because he'll climb up on my desk. He's getting brave! In fact, a few weeks back he decided to try and climb out of the crib. That didn't work so well for him, but there were no major injuries.
His vocabulary is expanding rapidly! When I ask him, "What's your name?" he'll say "Bub-ba" or "Bub...s." It's fun to witness. It seems like he learns a new word everyday.
Well, that's all I have for now. I better get back to my practice questions. Look for our Christmas card in the mail (special thanks to Mark and Deb for taking the great pictures)! The next time I post, I'll have some info on Finals. Until then...
Light At The End Of The Tunnel
Well, it's hard to believe, but the semester is getting close to the end. Quite honestly, it has flown by. I only have like three weeks of class left. Weird. That means that the pressure of finals will soon be upon me. Oh, well. Such is life.
I actually had a pretty busy week. Tuesday I turned in my 15 page rough draft of my open memo. We are given a fact pattern and some issues to research and then we go out and find cases and do all the research ourselves (instead of being given the cases). The research itself probably ate up about 8-10 hours of my time and then writing it probably took 4-5 hours. It's actually pretty fun, it's just trying to find the time. I had my tutorial (where I meet with my professor and go over my paper) on Friday. It went well. He told me, "Blair, I tell you this in confidentiality. Your section on the non-compete agreement was probably the best one in the whole class." Awesome. Of course, by referring to "confidentiality" he meant not telling my classmates. So I should be safe posting it here since none of my classmates know this blog exists.
I also had an oral exam for Torts on Friday as well. This was unlike anything I've ev
er done. I arrived at Professor Burman's office where is secretary handed my three or four pages that contained a complex fact pattern. I had thirty minutes to go over the facts and put together a Tort's case. It was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be. After the thirty minutes, I went into his office and sat down with him for twelve minutes and explained my case using the concepts learned in class. He would interject at times and ask questions. He's a really nice guy, so that made it more comfortable, but no less difficult. I'm not sure how I did on it. I guess I'll find out on Tuesday. I did pretty good on the written exam, so we'll see how I did on the oral.
The picture on the right is Professor Burman - my Torts professor who gave me the oral exam.
Now I have to get ready for yet another Contracts exam on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. How heartless is that? Oh, well, at least I will have a few days to completely forget about it. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to spend the break doing outlines for Property and Criminal Law. But at least we'll get to come back to Utah! (Keep your fingers crossed that the roads will be decent.)
In other news, everything is going good on the social front. A couple weeks ago we went over to the Toy's house (yes, that's their real name) and had dinner. Josh Toy is a 2L and I talk to him all the time at school. His wife, Miri, is really nice as well, and they made an awesome dinner!
The next day we went to Corona Village with Brittany and Sam from my class. They are both really nice as well. We've been planning on going out with them for a few weeks now, so it was cool to finally hook up.
Mike and Leslie came over this past Thursday and hung out for awhile before Leslie heads back to Canada to have their baby. They left Friday and Mike is returning back tonight to finish out school while Leslie stays up there with her family. As soon as school's out, Mike will be heading up there. Unfortunately, he will have to be back for the Spring semester while Leslie remains there for a little while longer. They've had some disagreement on what to name the baby. Mike wants to name him Frank because it is a family name. Leslie isn't to thrilled with that and wants to name him Rex. I guess we'll see what the final verdict is when the baby comes. They're both really cool and I wish them the best!
Here at home not much has changed. Little Trey Bug is getting bigger and smarter everyday. He knows how to say "Juice" now and will go to fridge and wait for someone to get it out for him. The cutest thing he says is, "Boot.........sth." Basically, "boots" with long pause and a lisp. What a fun kid. Nothing better than coming home at night and have him run to the door while I bend down so he can give me a BIG hug. It's my favorite part of the day. Makes all the hard work worth it.
Well, that's all the updates I think I have for now. I'll let you all know when more "exciting" stuff happens. Try to contain yourselves. Patience is a virtue.
I actually had a pretty busy week. Tuesday I turned in my 15 page rough draft of my open memo. We are given a fact pattern and some issues to research and then we go out and find cases and do all the research ourselves (instead of being given the cases). The research itself probably ate up about 8-10 hours of my time and then writing it probably took 4-5 hours. It's actually pretty fun, it's just trying to find the time. I had my tutorial (where I meet with my professor and go over my paper) on Friday. It went well. He told me, "Blair, I tell you this in confidentiality. Your section on the non-compete agreement was probably the best one in the whole class." Awesome. Of course, by referring to "confidentiality" he meant not telling my classmates. So I should be safe posting it here since none of my classmates know this blog exists.
I also had an oral exam for Torts on Friday as well. This was unlike anything I've ev
er done. I arrived at Professor Burman's office where is secretary handed my three or four pages that contained a complex fact pattern. I had thirty minutes to go over the facts and put together a Tort's case. It was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be. After the thirty minutes, I went into his office and sat down with him for twelve minutes and explained my case using the concepts learned in class. He would interject at times and ask questions. He's a really nice guy, so that made it more comfortable, but no less difficult. I'm not sure how I did on it. I guess I'll find out on Tuesday. I did pretty good on the written exam, so we'll see how I did on the oral.The picture on the right is Professor Burman - my Torts professor who gave me the oral exam.
Now I have to get ready for yet another Contracts exam on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. How heartless is that? Oh, well, at least I will have a few days to completely forget about it. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to spend the break doing outlines for Property and Criminal Law. But at least we'll get to come back to Utah! (Keep your fingers crossed that the roads will be decent.)
In other news, everything is going good on the social front. A couple weeks ago we went over to the Toy's house (yes, that's their real name) and had dinner. Josh Toy is a 2L and I talk to him all the time at school. His wife, Miri, is really nice as well, and they made an awesome dinner!
The next day we went to Corona Village with Brittany and Sam from my class. They are both really nice as well. We've been planning on going out with them for a few weeks now, so it was cool to finally hook up.
Mike and Leslie came over this past Thursday and hung out for awhile before Leslie heads back to Canada to have their baby. They left Friday and Mike is returning back tonight to finish out school while Leslie stays up there with her family. As soon as school's out, Mike will be heading up there. Unfortunately, he will have to be back for the Spring semester while Leslie remains there for a little while longer. They've had some disagreement on what to name the baby. Mike wants to name him Frank because it is a family name. Leslie isn't to thrilled with that and wants to name him Rex. I guess we'll see what the final verdict is when the baby comes. They're both really cool and I wish them the best!
Here at home not much has changed. Little Trey Bug is getting bigger and smarter everyday. He knows how to say "Juice" now and will go to fridge and wait for someone to get it out for him. The cutest thing he says is, "Boot.........sth." Basically, "boots" with long pause and a lisp. What a fun kid. Nothing better than coming home at night and have him run to the door while I bend down so he can give me a BIG hug. It's my favorite part of the day. Makes all the hard work worth it.
Well, that's all the updates I think I have for now. I'll let you all know when more "exciting" stuff happens. Try to contain yourselves. Patience is a virtue.
Night Of The Living Dead
So let me start off by saying that I am STOKED that NBA basketball has started back up! FINALLY! The Jazz play the Nuggets tonight at 8:30. Can't wait.
Well, let's see what's happened since last I posted...
School is still going great. I got my Torts paper back and I got a B+ which was above the average. I think that there was only like 3 people that got in the A range. I got my closed memo back in my legal writing class and I got an 83 out of 10. That may not seem like that's all that impressive, but there was only a couple of people that even got in the 80's. Everyone else was lower. So I was pleased with that too.
I took my Contracts exam last Monday. What an intense way to start the week! Everybody in my class was stressed. By Monday morning everybody looked like they hadn't slept or bathed in days. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought. It was a 60 minute written essay exam. I don't know how I did, but I felt pretty good about it. In the past, there have been people that have received a -3 on the exam. That's right, NEGATIVE three. I won't find out my results for like 5-6 weeks. Oh, well. At least I don't have to stress about it.
All along, I've planned on trying to transfer to Utah or BYU after this year. I've decided that I will also try to transfer to UNLV. I hate the snow and cold. I'm willing to put up with it if that means we can move back to Utah, but that's the only legitimate justification for putting up with winter. So the only other option is to transfer someplace warm!
We are counting on coming to Utah for Halloween, but the snow has been so bad here, I'm starting to doubt that it will be possible. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because we have been counting on it. I know Heidi will be devasted if we can't.
Let's see what else has been going on. Trey has been learning Chinese by watching his favorite TV show - "Ni-
hao, Kai Lan." He won't watch TV for more than a minute or two unless Kai Lan is on. He'll sit for the full 30 minutes and watch. He goes around saying "Ye ye" which means "Grandpa." He walked around saying "Boots" and "Momboo" for awhile, so now we call him "Boots Momboo." We figure it's a good secret agent name. "The name is Boo. Boots Momboo." He also discovered how fun olives are. He'll put them on his fingers and eat them off. Typical kid.
Heidi is still cooking up some GREAT dinners. I always look forward to coming home and eating whatever she has made. She's a natural cook. Sundays are my days to cook. A couple of Sundays ago I made sweet pork burritos and they tasted EXACTLY like Costa Vida! We had the lime rice and spicy ranch dressing that tasted the same too! It was awesome. I've been on this bread kick lately. I've made cinnamon rolls, carmelized onion foccacia bread, soft pretzels, and different varieties of bread. If I wasn't going to law school, I'd go to culinary school. It's a nice stress reliever before the school week starts again
Well, we never got to hang out with Sam and Britney a couple weekends ago because we had our Contracts test on Monday that they were cramming for. However, we went to dinner with Mike and Leslie again the other night. We went to Corona Village here in Laramie. They have some EXCELLENT Mexican food!
There is another couple in our ward, Josh and Miri, that we were going to hang out with this past Saturday, but we had to cancel because we decided to go down to Denver to check out the Zombie Crawl (I'll get to that in a second). Josh is a pretty cool guy that I talk to all the time at school (he's a law student too). Hopefully we'll be able to hang out with them next week.
I went and played basketball at Half Acre Gym on campus last week. It was nice to get out and run again. It was a lot of fun, but I'm out of shape (I haven't played ball in about a month and a half). Some of the LDS law students invited me to come play last night, so I went and checked that out. That was pretty fun too, but not quite as competitive as I would have liked. I'll probably switch off playing there.
Anyway, cross your fingers that the roads will be clear on Friday!
Well, let's see what's happened since last I posted...
School is still going great. I got my Torts paper back and I got a B+ which was above the average. I think that there was only like 3 people that got in the A range. I got my closed memo back in my legal writing class and I got an 83 out of 10. That may not seem like that's all that impressive, but there was only a couple of people that even got in the 80's. Everyone else was lower. So I was pleased with that too.
I took my Contracts exam last Monday. What an intense way to start the week! Everybody in my class was stressed. By Monday morning everybody looked like they hadn't slept or bathed in days. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought. It was a 60 minute written essay exam. I don't know how I did, but I felt pretty good about it. In the past, there have been people that have received a -3 on the exam. That's right, NEGATIVE three. I won't find out my results for like 5-6 weeks. Oh, well. At least I don't have to stress about it.
All along, I've planned on trying to transfer to Utah or BYU after this year. I've decided that I will also try to transfer to UNLV. I hate the snow and cold. I'm willing to put up with it if that means we can move back to Utah, but that's the only legitimate justification for putting up with winter. So the only other option is to transfer someplace warm!
We are counting on coming to Utah for Halloween, but the snow has been so bad here, I'm starting to doubt that it will be possible. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because we have been counting on it. I know Heidi will be devasted if we can't.
Let's see what else has been going on. Trey has been learning Chinese by watching his favorite TV show - "Ni-
hao, Kai Lan." He won't watch TV for more than a minute or two unless Kai Lan is on. He'll sit for the full 30 minutes and watch. He goes around saying "Ye ye" which means "Grandpa." He walked around saying "Boots" and "Momboo" for awhile, so now we call him "Boots Momboo." We figure it's a good secret agent name. "The name is Boo. Boots Momboo." He also discovered how fun olives are. He'll put them on his fingers and eat them off. Typical kid.Heidi is still cooking up some GREAT dinners. I always look forward to coming home and eating whatever she has made. She's a natural cook. Sundays are my days to cook. A couple of Sundays ago I made sweet pork burritos and they tasted EXACTLY like Costa Vida! We had the lime rice and spicy ranch dressing that tasted the same too! It was awesome. I've been on this bread kick lately. I've made cinnamon rolls, carmelized onion foccacia bread, soft pretzels, and different varieties of bread. If I wasn't going to law school, I'd go to culinary school. It's a nice stress reliever before the school week starts again
Well, we never got to hang out with Sam and Britney a couple weekends ago because we had our Contracts test on Monday that they were cramming for. However, we went to dinner with Mike and Leslie again the other night. We went to Corona Village here in Laramie. They have some EXCELLENT Mexican food!
There is another couple in our ward, Josh and Miri, that we were going to hang out with this past Saturday, but we had to cancel because we decided to go down to Denver to check out the Zombie Crawl (I'll get to that in a second). Josh is a pretty cool guy that I talk to all the time at school (he's a law student too). Hopefully we'll be able to hang out with them next week.
I went and played basketball at Half Acre Gym on campus last week. It was nice to get out and run again. It was a lot of fun, but I'm out of shape (I haven't played ball in about a month and a half). Some of the LDS law students invited me to come play last night, so I went and checked that out. That was pretty fun too, but not quite as competitive as I would have liked. I'll probably switch off playing there.
Anyway, cross your fingers that the roads will be clear on Friday!
Party Like A Rock Star!
Where has the time gone? I don't know if Heidi agrees with me, but I think that time is flying! Maybe it is because I feel like I can never get everything done that I need to!
I'll be honest. I'm a little nervous. I have a Contracts midterm coming up on Monday. I guess now is the time to prove that I really know what I am doing. But do I? I like to think so. Only time will tell. My contracts professor is actually pretty intense. She got really mad at us the other day because she thinks that we don't read or study the cases. She told us, "You all think that you're just a bunch of g** d*** rockstars and you don't need to study or do anything!" I thought it was kind of an unfair assumption. I truly think that most everyone reads and studies. The problem is when she calls on people to answer questions, they don't seem to know the answer. However, I think it is because she is so intimidating! Oh, well. I guess the tests will show who really does know their stuff. The test will cover: offer, acceptance, consideration, promissory estoppel, and option contracts. That's a big load! So wish me luck.
On the family side of things, my little Trey bug is getting smarter and smarter! He blows me away everyday! He can locate his eyes, nose, hair, ears, fingers, toes, cheeks, chin, bum, and...weiner. He walks around saying "mom" and "addy." So freakin' cute. If he has a poopy bum, he'll go into his room, grab a diaper, and bring it out to Heidi so she can change him! Whenever we bless the food he will bow his head until the prayer is done. He helps me do the laundry by handing me clothes from the hamper or I'll hand him clothes from the washer to put in the dryer. He also helps unload the dishwasher by handing me all the utensils, dishes and stuff so I can put it away. He usually won't leave until the job is done! He's the most loving little boy I've ever met. Sometimes I'll whisper in his ear, "go give mommy loves" and he'll hurry off to find her to give her a hug and kisses. There is numerous times when he'll randomly walk up to Heidi or myself, just to pat our cheeks or legs and give us a hug. What a guy. I don't know what it would be like without him. It's been great having him around.
On the social front, things are going good too. This past Saturday we went out to the Indian restaurant with Jared (my school buddy) and his wife Ellen. The service was terrible but the food was incredible! They are both good conversationalists so the evening went well. This coming weekend we're going to hang out with Sam and Brittany from my class (yes, the Brittany I mentioned in my last post). Sam is from Brazil. He's a cool guy. Brittany is one of the few members here. She's from Delaware. So that should be fun too.
Anyway, other than that there's not much else to say. I turned in a couple of papers this past week. A three pager in torts and a ten pager in legal writing. So I am staying busy. I'll let you know how my mid-term and this weekend goes next time. So look forward to that.
I'll be honest. I'm a little nervous. I have a Contracts midterm coming up on Monday. I guess now is the time to prove that I really know what I am doing. But do I? I like to think so. Only time will tell. My contracts professor is actually pretty intense. She got really mad at us the other day because she thinks that we don't read or study the cases. She told us, "You all think that you're just a bunch of g** d*** rockstars and you don't need to study or do anything!" I thought it was kind of an unfair assumption. I truly think that most everyone reads and studies. The problem is when she calls on people to answer questions, they don't seem to know the answer. However, I think it is because she is so intimidating! Oh, well. I guess the tests will show who really does know their stuff. The test will cover: offer, acceptance, consideration, promissory estoppel, and option contracts. That's a big load! So wish me luck.
On the family side of things, my little Trey bug is getting smarter and smarter! He blows me away everyday! He can locate his eyes, nose, hair, ears, fingers, toes, cheeks, chin, bum, and...weiner. He walks around saying "mom" and "addy." So freakin' cute. If he has a poopy bum, he'll go into his room, grab a diaper, and bring it out to Heidi so she can change him! Whenever we bless the food he will bow his head until the prayer is done. He helps me do the laundry by handing me clothes from the hamper or I'll hand him clothes from the washer to put in the dryer. He also helps unload the dishwasher by handing me all the utensils, dishes and stuff so I can put it away. He usually won't leave until the job is done! He's the most loving little boy I've ever met. Sometimes I'll whisper in his ear, "go give mommy loves" and he'll hurry off to find her to give her a hug and kisses. There is numerous times when he'll randomly walk up to Heidi or myself, just to pat our cheeks or legs and give us a hug. What a guy. I don't know what it would be like without him. It's been great having him around.
On the social front, things are going good too. This past Saturday we went out to the Indian restaurant with Jared (my school buddy) and his wife Ellen. The service was terrible but the food was incredible! They are both good conversationalists so the evening went well. This coming weekend we're going to hang out with Sam and Brittany from my class (yes, the Brittany I mentioned in my last post). Sam is from Brazil. He's a cool guy. Brittany is one of the few members here. She's from Delaware. So that should be fun too.
Anyway, other than that there's not much else to say. I turned in a couple of papers this past week. A three pager in torts and a ten pager in legal writing. So I am staying busy. I'll let you know how my mid-term and this weekend goes next time. So look forward to that.
Lawyer Joke
My Torts professor digressed from our discussion the other day in class to tell us this joke:
An airplane carrying the pilot, a 12-year old boy, a doctor, a priest, and a lawyer suddenly found themselves in danger - the plane malfunctioned and a crash was imminent. On board the plane were only four parachutes, so the group quickly got together to decide who would get the chutes.
The doctor spoke up, "I'm a doctor and I save people's lives, so I should get a parachute." They all agreed, so he grabbed one and jumped out.
Next, the priest spoke up, "I'm a priest and I save people's souls. T
hat's even more important, so I should get a parachute." They all agreed, so he grabbed one and jumped out.
Next, the lawyer spoke up, "I'm one of the smartest men in the world, so I should get a parachute." He then quickly grabbed one and jumped out.
With only one parachute left, the pilot turned to the 12-year old boy and said, "Well, you're young and have your whole life ahead of you. You take the parachute." The boy quickly responded, "It's OK. We can both take a parachute. The smartest man in the world just grabbed my backpack."
An airplane carrying the pilot, a 12-year old boy, a doctor, a priest, and a lawyer suddenly found themselves in danger - the plane malfunctioned and a crash was imminent. On board the plane were only four parachutes, so the group quickly got together to decide who would get the chutes.
The doctor spoke up, "I'm a doctor and I save people's lives, so I should get a parachute." They all agreed, so he grabbed one and jumped out.
Next, the priest spoke up, "I'm a priest and I save people's souls. T
hat's even more important, so I should get a parachute." They all agreed, so he grabbed one and jumped out.Next, the lawyer spoke up, "I'm one of the smartest men in the world, so I should get a parachute." He then quickly grabbed one and jumped out.
With only one parachute left, the pilot turned to the 12-year old boy and said, "Well, you're young and have your whole life ahead of you. You take the parachute." The boy quickly responded, "It's OK. We can both take a parachute. The smartest man in the world just grabbed my backpack."
Goodness Sakes! and Tummy Aches
It's been a little while since my last post. As you probably have guessed, I've been pretty busy. School got a little more hectic and I've been putting in about 60+ hours per week trying to keep up. I don't get home until after 7:00 now. I'm still keeping up with my school work, so that's good.
I have a Contracts test coming up in the next couple weeks and I have a feeling that it is going to be brutal. It all makes sense in theory, but when you get under a time constraint and you have to put the application into words, it gets a little tricky.
The home life has been good, although I feel like I'm getting less and less time with my family. Poor little Trey Bug has had the stomach flu for the past few days. We gave him a blessing and I think he's pretty much over it now. We only had to wash our love seat three times, our carpet and Trey's crib twice, and our kitchen floor once. Where does all that puke come from? Poor kid. But he's back to being his happy-go-lucky self now.
The social life is still alive and well. It seems like Heidi is meeting new people all the time. A really nice girl in my class, Brittany, came over and talked to her for a while the other day at a school chili cookoff. They really hit it off and Brittany has reminded me every day that she wants to get together with Heidi. So that should be a good way for Heidi to be able to get out of the house.
As for me, I've made a new buddy, Jared. I sit by him in all my classes. We get along great and our personalities really mesh. We're constantly exchanging cynical remarks. He's been good to study with and get input from.
This past Saturday he convinced me to get up early on Saturday
and go running with him up in the mountains. I'm not a distance runner so I was hesitant, but I eventually conceded. Big mistake. I haven't worked out, played basketball, or done any serious bodily movement (except turn pages of books) in about two months. Yet, for some reason I agreed to go on a four mile run, UP the mountain, at 8,200 feet elevation. What was I thinking? I kept up for the most part, but I was dead by the time we were heading back and ended up walking most of it. Right now my quads, calfs, feet, hips, and lower back are all VERY sore. It makes me walk a little funny (of course, everyone in Wyoming has a funny, cowboy walk. So maybe I just blend in now). It was nice to have the conversation with Jared, but maybe next time we can leave the running out!
and go running with him up in the mountains. I'm not a distance runner so I was hesitant, but I eventually conceded. Big mistake. I haven't worked out, played basketball, or done any serious bodily movement (except turn pages of books) in about two months. Yet, for some reason I agreed to go on a four mile run, UP the mountain, at 8,200 feet elevation. What was I thinking? I kept up for the most part, but I was dead by the time we were heading back and ended up walking most of it. Right now my quads, calfs, feet, hips, and lower back are all VERY sore. It makes me walk a little funny (of course, everyone in Wyoming has a funny, cowboy walk. So maybe I just blend in now). It was nice to have the conversation with Jared, but maybe next time we can leave the running out!Other than that, not much else is going on. We're just trying to make the best of our time here in Laramie and looking forward to Heidi's family coming to visit us this weekend! I'll have more to update at that time!
Oh, I know people have had a problem posting comments. I've been trying to get that all sorted out, but I don't know if I have yet. Please do me a favor and try to post something. If it doesn't work, send me an e-mail and let me know what is going on. Thanks!
Check, Please!
So to start off, I've got some good news from school. I have a Contracts class that is VERY intense. My professor demands a lot from us with our reading, in-class answers, and homework. Her teaching method must be pretty effective though, because everyone in the class puts in extra time just to make sure they can keep up with her standard. I'm sure it's going to pay off in the end because I'm definately learning what I'm supposed to!
Anyway, the other day we had to turn in our case briefs for her to check. She handed them back to us along with the grade breakdown. Basically there were four possible grades. An "X" which meant that either you didn't turn it in or your brief was atrocious. A "Check Minus" which meant that you got credit for turning in your brief, but it wasn't very good and lacked a lot of the reasoning necessary. Next, is a plain ol' "Check." This meant that you did an average job for a first year law student. You met her expectations, but still lacked quite a bit. And last was a "Check Plus" which meant: "Exceeded expectations for beginning law student." I'm sure you know what I'm about to say. Yup. Yours truly got a check plus! There's 83 students in my class and only 16 got a check plus. 33 got a check. 25 got a check minus. 6 got an X. So that's a good start.
Anyway, it's amazing that it has been four weeks of school already! I guess a few weeks passed me by while my nose was buried in law books. It's been a far different experience thus far than I thought it would be. I was warned that law school would be extremely stressful, difficult, and I would never see my family. But, that's not how I would describe my experience so far.
My stress level has been relatively low (after all, I don't know what there is to stress about).
Law school hasn't been especially difficult either. Granted, I haven't had any tests yet. But the material we've covered seems pretty straight forward and I understand what's being taught (at least as far as I know!).
And finally, I actually see my family more now then I did before. I get to come home for lunch every day, I have Saturday and Sunday to spend the entire day with them, and I get home from school about six or seven every night. That's more time then when I was working full time!
So far, so good. I've had no problem getting motivated to read and study for hours on end because I'm really enthralled with the subject matter. So, hopefully I can keep it up. If there's any changes, I'll let you know. Stay tuned.
Anyway, the other day we had to turn in our case briefs for her to check. She handed them back to us along with the grade breakdown. Basically there were four possible grades. An "X" which meant that either you didn't turn it in or your brief was atrocious. A "Check Minus" which meant that you got credit for turning in your brief, but it wasn't very good and lacked a lot of the reasoning necessary. Next, is a plain ol' "Check." This meant that you did an average job for a first year law student. You met her expectations, but still lacked quite a bit. And last was a "Check Plus" which meant: "Exceeded expectations for beginning law student." I'm sure you know what I'm about to say. Yup. Yours truly got a check plus! There's 83 students in my class and only 16 got a check plus. 33 got a check. 25 got a check minus. 6 got an X. So that's a good start.
Anyway, it's amazing that it has been four weeks of school already! I guess a few weeks passed me by while my nose was buried in law books. It's been a far different experience thus far than I thought it would be. I was warned that law school would be extremely stressful, difficult, and I would never see my family. But, that's not how I would describe my experience so far.
My stress level has been relatively low (after all, I don't know what there is to stress about).
Law school hasn't been especially difficult either. Granted, I haven't had any tests yet. But the material we've covered seems pretty straight forward and I understand what's being taught (at least as far as I know!).
And finally, I actually see my family more now then I did before. I get to come home for lunch every day, I have Saturday and Sunday to spend the entire day with them, and I get home from school about six or seven every night. That's more time then when I was working full time!
So far, so good. I've had no problem getting motivated to read and study for hours on end because I'm really enthralled with the subject matter. So, hopefully I can keep it up. If there's any changes, I'll let you know. Stay tuned.
Funny Case -- Hooters Waitress Sues Manager
Former Hooters waitress Jodee Berry sued her ex-employer for breaching its promise to award a new Toyota to the winner of an April 2001 sales contest.
Berry alleged that her manager, Jared Blair, told the waitresses at the Hooters where she worked at the time that whoever sold the most beer at each participating location during April 2001 would be entered in a drawing, the winner of which would receive a new Toyota. As the contest progressed, Blair allegedly told the waitresses that he did not know whether the winner would receive a Toyota car, truck, or van, but that she would have to pay any registration fees on the vehicle.
In early May, Blair informed Berry that she had
won the contest. He proceeded to blindfold her and lead her to the restaurant's parking lot. Waiting for her there was not a Toyota car, truck, or van, but a doll of the character Yoda from the Star Wars movies - a “toy Yoda.” Blair laughed. Berry did not. Berry sued for breach of contract and fraud. Hooters answered that Blair was only joking. [This excerpt was from the Nevada Law Journal (3 NVLJ 526) "You Asked For It, You Got It...Toy Yoda: Practical Jokes, Prizes, and Contract Law."]
Long story short, the waitress won the case and was able to go to a Toyota dealer and pick out any Toyota she wanted!
We went over this case in my Contracts class. I thought it was funny so I decided to pass it along.
Berry alleged that her manager, Jared Blair, told the waitresses at the Hooters where she worked at the time that whoever sold the most beer at each participating location during April 2001 would be entered in a drawing, the winner of which would receive a new Toyota. As the contest progressed, Blair allegedly told the waitresses that he did not know whether the winner would receive a Toyota car, truck, or van, but that she would have to pay any registration fees on the vehicle.
In early May, Blair informed Berry that she had
won the contest. He proceeded to blindfold her and lead her to the restaurant's parking lot. Waiting for her there was not a Toyota car, truck, or van, but a doll of the character Yoda from the Star Wars movies - a “toy Yoda.” Blair laughed. Berry did not. Berry sued for breach of contract and fraud. Hooters answered that Blair was only joking. [This excerpt was from the Nevada Law Journal (3 NVLJ 526) "You Asked For It, You Got It...Toy Yoda: Practical Jokes, Prizes, and Contract Law."]Long story short, the waitress won the case and was able to go to a Toyota dealer and pick out any Toyota she wanted!
We went over this case in my Contracts class. I thought it was funny so I decided to pass it along.
Just Call Me "Esquire"
So I've been really jazzed about something I just learned the other day. I've been telling everyone about it. I found out that the proper name given to those in the legal profession is "esquire"! How freakin' awesome is that?! (sorry for using the f-word there, Brenda... :O) So in three years when I finally get my J.D., I will formally be known as Blair Tal Wardle, esq. And I expect you all to address me as such. No, I kid. But it is pretty cool...and you can call me that if you want.
I'm still going strong in school and it is as busy as ever. I've been pretty consistent with staying at the library and studying until about 6:00 pm everyday (although some days I end up bringing some homework home). I think I'm figuring out how to be a little more efficient, so that helps.
We've been studying some pretty interesting stuff. I'll spare you the in-depth analysis, but here's just a few points of law I've learned that I thought were pretty interesting (please ignore the flower bullets. They come with the layout!):
I'm still going strong in school and it is as busy as ever. I've been pretty consistent with staying at the library and studying until about 6:00 pm everyday (although some days I end up bringing some homework home). I think I'm figuring out how to be a little more efficient, so that helps.
We've been studying some pretty interesting stuff. I'll spare you the in-depth analysis, but here's just a few points of law I've learned that I thought were pretty interesting (please ignore the flower bullets. They come with the layout!):
- Assault and battery are SEPARATE charges
Battery involves making actual physical contact with another person, and assault is causing someone to have appprehension about imminent bodily contact
** So here's something for you to think about --> considering those definitions, is it possible for someone to be assaulted without battery? ** - Battery doesn't necessarily have to be physical contact with the body directly
We read a case where a guy was charged with battery simply for grabbing another guy's dinner plate! - A contract can be legally binding even if you think it's a joke
We read a case where a guy was joking with his friend about selling his property to him. They wrote it on the back of a bar receipt and the court enforced it! - If you own mineral rights to your land, your neighbor can drill a well near the property line and legally pump all the oil out from underneath your property
- And finally... Criminal law is becoming VERY intriguing to me
We just read a case about a korean lady that shot a 14 year old girl in the back of the head for shoplifting orange juice and only got 6 months of probation...and I agree with the sentencing! I'll see if I have time to post it on here so you can get the details and see what I'm talking about.
Anyway, that's the law school side of things. I've been trying to give updates about family life and social life too, so I'll make a few comments about that before I sign off.
Last Wednesday we had the Nish's over to our place. It was pretty fun. We ate a little pizza, played some Wii, and talked. Heidi and I aren't used to this kind of thing, so we felt a little out of our element. We're both pretty socially introverted and don't like to bother with inviting people over, but we're trying to turn over a new leaf over here in Laramie. They're a really cool couple, so I hope we get to hang out more often.
As for the family side of things, we were able to have a good extended weekend with our family. It sure was nice to be home with all of my favorite people in the world. We drove to Tremonton Friday right after school got out and arrived about 8:00 pm. I got to play basketball with Dane and my old work buddies. It was a pretty relaxing weekend, but unfortunately I still had homework that needed to be done (which, you'll be happy to know, I finished). On Monday we had to drive home, but not before eating at Goodwood Barbecue in Ogden with Mom, Dad, Fritz, Brenda, George, and LaVada. It was a nice finish to a great weekend. I was truly happy to see everyone again.
I got thinking about it, and we'll be home at least once a month, every month until the end of the year. We were already home in September, we'll be home for Halloween in October, Thanksgiving in November, and of course, Christmas in December. So living this far away, so far, hasn't turned out to be that bad.
And finally, I'll leave you with some VERY GOOD NEWS!
My dear, ol' mom talked with the county attorney that she works for (Box Elder County), and he said that I could come and intern there this summer! WOO HOO! That means we'll be moving back for at least three months this summer! If everyone keeps their fingers crossed for us, it may be a permanent move back to Utah (if I can transfer back to BYU or the U - we'll see).
Well, it's always best to leave on a good note, so I'll consider that my cue. Roll credits.
Release the Hounds!
I'm into my second week of law school and things are still going good. I'm starting to get some pretty big work loads. On Monday I only have two classes so I'm done at 12:00. However, Tuesdays are my busiest days - FIVE classes. So I usually have a busy day studying on Monday. After taking about a half hour to come home, eat lunch, and see my family, I get back to studying. Yesterday, I got back to school at 12:30 and ended up staying there until 7:30 pm! I only got up twice during that span to get a drink of water (about a one minute break). That's a whole lot of studying! Interesting thing is, when I'm doing my work, time just flies! Before I knew it, it was 7:30! (Truth be told, I actually didn't get it all done. I neglected my reading for legal writing. But I figured I could get away with it this one time...and I did.)
The material is so awesome to study! I'm loving every second of it. So far we've read a pretty substantial number of cases (I've listed them on the left side), with a variety of situations. I really enjoy coming home and talking to Heidi about them and getting her take on it. We usually agree.
Speaking of Heidi, she has turned out to be freakin' Betty Crocker! She's an amazing cook! We've had some excellent dinners here in Laramie, courtesy of Miss Crocker herself! Tonight was Chicken Curry and it was cooked perfectly with the perfect proportions! We've had Ranch Enchiladas, pizza, baked cheesy potato crisps, just to name a few. She's so good to have dinner ready for me when I get home. What a great wife, eh? I couldn't be doing this without her.
As for the social situation, we went up to the ward campout this past Friday. We got to mingle with some more of the ward members. In fact, we met a girl who was friends with Kaylyn - Shane's (my buddy) wife. Small world. We did have a tense moment on the trip though. We left town with less than a quarter tank of gas in the Element and we had to drive UP the mountain about 45 minutes. The gas light came on half way there. ** gulp ** I didn't think that we'd make it back but I coasted in neutral most of the way back and the Hallewells followed us just in case. By the time I pulled into the gas station, my needle was far below the empty line! (Dad would have shook his head in disgust if he would have known!)
Wednesday we're having another couple from the ward over to play the Wii. The Nish's. They live in the same complex as us and they just moved here too (from Canada). Cool couple. They're expecting a baby soon. Also, since they're from out of the country, neither is allowed to work. He goes to school and she stays home all day. So Heidi has someone nearby she can do stuff with, if she wants.
Well, other than that there's not much else to say. Heidi is posting our apartment pics on her blog, so that's something you can check out. We had dime-sized hail the other day! That would be worth putting some pictures on for! I'll have Heidi put it on her blog.
For now, I better go. My professors have "released the hounds" and I better get running or I'll get devoured! ** yipe! **
The material is so awesome to study! I'm loving every second of it. So far we've read a pretty substantial number of cases (I've listed them on the left side), with a variety of situations. I really enjoy coming home and talking to Heidi about them and getting her take on it. We usually agree.
Speaking of Heidi, she has turned out to be freakin' Betty Crocker! She's an amazing cook! We've had some excellent dinners here in Laramie, courtesy of Miss Crocker herself! Tonight was Chicken Curry and it was cooked perfectly with the perfect proportions! We've had Ranch Enchiladas, pizza, baked cheesy potato crisps, just to name a few. She's so good to have dinner ready for me when I get home. What a great wife, eh? I couldn't be doing this without her.
As for the social situation, we went up to the ward campout this past Friday. We got to mingle with some more of the ward members. In fact, we met a girl who was friends with Kaylyn - Shane's (my buddy) wife. Small world. We did have a tense moment on the trip though. We left town with less than a quarter tank of gas in the Element and we had to drive UP the mountain about 45 minutes. The gas light came on half way there. ** gulp ** I didn't think that we'd make it back but I coasted in neutral most of the way back and the Hallewells followed us just in case. By the time I pulled into the gas station, my needle was far below the empty line! (Dad would have shook his head in disgust if he would have known!)
Wednesday we're having another couple from the ward over to play the Wii. The Nish's. They live in the same complex as us and they just moved here too (from Canada). Cool couple. They're expecting a baby soon. Also, since they're from out of the country, neither is allowed to work. He goes to school and she stays home all day. So Heidi has someone nearby she can do stuff with, if she wants.
Well, other than that there's not much else to say. Heidi is posting our apartment pics on her blog, so that's something you can check out. We had dime-sized hail the other day! That would be worth putting some pictures on for! I'll have Heidi put it on her blog.
For now, I better go. My professors have "released the hounds" and I better get running or I'll get devoured! ** yipe! **
** Whew! **
Well, here I am, three days into law school and I haven't freaked out yet! Actually, things are going really good. I was afraid that there would be so much "homework" that I wouldn't be able to stay on top of everything, but it hasn't been like that at all. I go to school about 7:45 am and stay until about 6:00 pm. Not bad. Typical work day (and let's face it - I'd rather be studying law than working at a real job!). The time has been flying by for me (I'm sure Heidi disagrees) because the time is so valuable for me now (Economically speaking, scarcity creates value. My time is now scarce, and therefore it is valued more. Hence, it seems to fly by, because there's not as much to go around now. But I digress). Some days I only have two classes, but spend six hours reading and studying. Other days I have five classes in a day and therefore only get a few hours of studying (Strangely enough, every single day has a different schedule. Weird.)
I've thoroughly enjoyed it thus far, though. I thought that perhaps I might get burned out on all the intricacies of law, but nope. I've really loved classes and, more surprisingly, I've really enjoyed reading the material. But best of all, I get to spend the whole evening (about 6:00 - midnight) with Heidi and Trey. I didn't think I'd have much time for them, but FORTUNATELY, I've had just as much time with them as I did when I was working full time. Except now I get Saturdays off (Can I get a big WOO HOO?! Go on. Even if you're at an office or alone at the computer reading this, I want you to give me a "WOO HOO!" even if you just whisper it. C'mon. I need the encouragement, and I'll know if you didn't!).
We've become pretty good friends with the Hallewells (Troy and Jamie). He's a 3rd year law student and she has a degree in education. They are a very energetic, fun, and social couple and I've really enjoyed getting to know them. We will be going over to another couple's house
tomorrow (the Studyvins) and will be attending the ward campout (although we won't be staying over) at a park up in the Snowy Range Mountains nearby. So socially, we're trying to get our foot in the door. We went to a law school BBQ tonight (for all the law students). We didn't really talk to anyone other than the Hallewells, though. It was kind of a culture shock for me because they had two kegs of beer for everyone to drink (keep in mind, the event was sponsored by the law school). I watch closely to see which of my classmates partook, and surprisingly (to me at least), everyone choose beer for their beverage. It's certainly different than a BYU BBQ, I'm sure (Three words: green Jell-o and rootbeer).
Well, anyway, that's the story thus far. We're settling in for the time being. I've been working out a scheme to get back to Utah via BYU Law. I've been corresponding with the admissions lady who complimented me on how well I handled being on the wait list. When I told her that I'd be applying to transfer, she told me "I'll watch for it." Keep your fingers crossed!
I've thoroughly enjoyed it thus far, though. I thought that perhaps I might get burned out on all the intricacies of law, but nope. I've really loved classes and, more surprisingly, I've really enjoyed reading the material. But best of all, I get to spend the whole evening (about 6:00 - midnight) with Heidi and Trey. I didn't think I'd have much time for them, but FORTUNATELY, I've had just as much time with them as I did when I was working full time. Except now I get Saturdays off (Can I get a big WOO HOO?! Go on. Even if you're at an office or alone at the computer reading this, I want you to give me a "WOO HOO!" even if you just whisper it. C'mon. I need the encouragement, and I'll know if you didn't!).
We've become pretty good friends with the Hallewells (Troy and Jamie). He's a 3rd year law student and she has a degree in education. They are a very energetic, fun, and social couple and I've really enjoyed getting to know them. We will be going over to another couple's house
tomorrow (the Studyvins) and will be attending the ward campout (although we won't be staying over) at a park up in the Snowy Range Mountains nearby. So socially, we're trying to get our foot in the door. We went to a law school BBQ tonight (for all the law students). We didn't really talk to anyone other than the Hallewells, though. It was kind of a culture shock for me because they had two kegs of beer for everyone to drink (keep in mind, the event was sponsored by the law school). I watch closely to see which of my classmates partook, and surprisingly (to me at least), everyone choose beer for their beverage. It's certainly different than a BYU BBQ, I'm sure (Three words: green Jell-o and rootbeer).Well, anyway, that's the story thus far. We're settling in for the time being. I've been working out a scheme to get back to Utah via BYU Law. I've been corresponding with the admissions lady who complimented me on how well I handled being on the wait list. When I told her that I'd be applying to transfer, she told me "I'll watch for it." Keep your fingers crossed!
And Now The Fun Begins...
So that's it. The orientation is over. You'd think I would be pretty glad to get that over with, right? WRONG. All that means is that the real work begins. Oh yea, and now it counts! I've never felt more pressure in my entire life. It is very weird. I don't even know how to explain it, but it is a very intense feeling. I mean, think about it. If I fail then I have blown over $40,000 in tuition and books, I have spent countless dollars in preparation and moving expenses, I have imposed additional stress and discomfort on my family, the list goes on and on. Never before in my entire life has the stakes been so high and the goal so excrutiatingly difficult to acheive. I'd ask you to wish me luck, but it's going to take far more than luck!
Today was pretty laid back, as far as orientation goes. We did a service project this morning and I helped out on the school farm (am I really turning into a redneck already?). We pulled weeds, dug up thistle, and harvested crops. Just call me Cletus - YEE HAW! It was good, though, because I was able to bond a little bit more with some fellow classmates.
After the farm, we went back and worked on our case briefs. Apparently, over the next three years I will be writing literally hundreds and hundreds of case briefs. That's alright with me, though. I think they're actually pretty fun and interesting.
Following that they had the hour and a half session for the spouses, so Heidi and Trey Bug came to the school for that. I know what you're thinking - what did they do with Trey? Did he sit through that? And the answer is: Are you kidding me?! Of course he didn't! I had to go relieve Heidi of her duties so she could attend the class. Unfortunately, the class wasn't quite what I hoped it would be for her. I guess they were pretty negative about what these poor spouses will have to face and only gave Heidi more fear and apprehension. She's been handling things so amazingly and I know that she's trying to bottle up all her emotions so that it won't affect me. She's the best wife a law student could ask for, and I can't imagine going through this with anyone else but her. I hope she knows how much I've appreciated her support and cooperation with this whole situation (and if she didn't, she does now!).
We had a BBQ afterwards where Heidi got to meet some of my fellow classmates, and then that was it. Orientation is over. **sigh** As I mentioned before, now the real grind begins. In fact, here's a list of the reading assignments that are due on the FIRST DAY OF CLASS! (Seriously, homework on the first day?)
Legal Writing - 23 pages
Torts - 13 Pages
Property - Two Supreme Court Cases (approx. 12-15 pages)
Legal Research - 23 Pages
Contracts - 17 Pages
And there's still one more class that I haven't heard from yet, that will inevitably be making an assignment as well. The thing is, in undergrad I could easily get away with not reading. In law school, you have to come prepared with notes, a marked up book, and they randomly call on you to explain what you read. So it's not like just skimming the pages will suffice. This requires active reading! No shortcuts here.
Well, I'll be starting that tomorrow probably. So if I find some time, I'll let you know how it goes. This post is already way too long, so I'll sign off here.
Today was pretty laid back, as far as orientation goes. We did a service project this morning and I helped out on the school farm (am I really turning into a redneck already?). We pulled weeds, dug up thistle, and harvested crops. Just call me Cletus - YEE HAW! It was good, though, because I was able to bond a little bit more with some fellow classmates.
After the farm, we went back and worked on our case briefs. Apparently, over the next three years I will be writing literally hundreds and hundreds of case briefs. That's alright with me, though. I think they're actually pretty fun and interesting.
Following that they had the hour and a half session for the spouses, so Heidi and Trey Bug came to the school for that. I know what you're thinking - what did they do with Trey? Did he sit through that? And the answer is: Are you kidding me?! Of course he didn't! I had to go relieve Heidi of her duties so she could attend the class. Unfortunately, the class wasn't quite what I hoped it would be for her. I guess they were pretty negative about what these poor spouses will have to face and only gave Heidi more fear and apprehension. She's been handling things so amazingly and I know that she's trying to bottle up all her emotions so that it won't affect me. She's the best wife a law student could ask for, and I can't imagine going through this with anyone else but her. I hope she knows how much I've appreciated her support and cooperation with this whole situation (and if she didn't, she does now!).
We had a BBQ afterwards where Heidi got to meet some of my fellow classmates, and then that was it. Orientation is over. **sigh** As I mentioned before, now the real grind begins. In fact, here's a list of the reading assignments that are due on the FIRST DAY OF CLASS! (Seriously, homework on the first day?)
Legal Writing - 23 pages
Torts - 13 Pages
Property - Two Supreme Court Cases (approx. 12-15 pages)
Legal Research - 23 Pages
Contracts - 17 Pages
And there's still one more class that I haven't heard from yet, that will inevitably be making an assignment as well. The thing is, in undergrad I could easily get away with not reading. In law school, you have to come prepared with notes, a marked up book, and they randomly call on you to explain what you read. So it's not like just skimming the pages will suffice. This requires active reading! No shortcuts here.
Well, I'll be starting that tomorrow probably. So if I find some time, I'll let you know how it goes. This post is already way too long, so I'll sign off here.
A Terrible Father Or A Terrible Lawyer
Day two has come and gone. I have a feeling I'm going to miss the orientation days once the major classwork begins. **sigh** Today was a much less stressful day than yesterday. It was more general information about how to manage stress, student services, and our swearing in to the honor code.
We had the president of the Wyoming Bar Association come and talk to us a little bit about being a lawyer and he had a really interesting comment. A girl in the class asked him how he manages to balance his career and his family. This is what he said: "I could have been a really great lawyer. But with a family, that's not possible. You can either be a really great lawyer and a terrible father, or you can be a really great father and a terrible lawyer." He claimed that he thinks (and hopes) that he's found the right balance. Although he may not be the best lawyer in the country, he also is able to be with his family more often. So I thought that was kind of interesting and applicable to me.
I als
o had to buy books today. Ouch. You might as well have kicked me in the groin and mugged me cause that's what it felt like! $800 later, I'm ready to begin the semester. It's unbelievable the expenses that come with being a law student, and even more unbelievable how difficult it is to actually secure financial aid for yourself. I don't know how other people are doing it, but it has been an ongoing cause of stress for me! But, I think we'll get it all figured out and be just fine in the end.
The financial aid advisor spoke to us today and had an interesting quote as well, "You should live like a student today, so you don't have to live like a student later." Point taken.
Well, tomorrow is our community service project and I've been assigned to help on the farm! YEE HAW! We also have the concurrent session with our spouses to discuss how NOT to get divorced. Later that evening is the BBQ, so Heidi will finally get to meet some of my fellow classmates. Should be fun!
Anyway, I'm going to sign off so I can go cry into my pillow about how freakin' poor we are! Just kidding (I'll save that for bedtime). :O)
We had the president of the Wyoming Bar Association come and talk to us a little bit about being a lawyer and he had a really interesting comment. A girl in the class asked him how he manages to balance his career and his family. This is what he said: "I could have been a really great lawyer. But with a family, that's not possible. You can either be a really great lawyer and a terrible father, or you can be a really great father and a terrible lawyer." He claimed that he thinks (and hopes) that he's found the right balance. Although he may not be the best lawyer in the country, he also is able to be with his family more often. So I thought that was kind of interesting and applicable to me.
I als
o had to buy books today. Ouch. You might as well have kicked me in the groin and mugged me cause that's what it felt like! $800 later, I'm ready to begin the semester. It's unbelievable the expenses that come with being a law student, and even more unbelievable how difficult it is to actually secure financial aid for yourself. I don't know how other people are doing it, but it has been an ongoing cause of stress for me! But, I think we'll get it all figured out and be just fine in the end.The financial aid advisor spoke to us today and had an interesting quote as well, "You should live like a student today, so you don't have to live like a student later." Point taken.
Well, tomorrow is our community service project and I've been assigned to help on the farm! YEE HAW! We also have the concurrent session with our spouses to discuss how NOT to get divorced. Later that evening is the BBQ, so Heidi will finally get to meet some of my fellow classmates. Should be fun!
Anyway, I'm going to sign off so I can go cry into my pillow about how freakin' poor we are! Just kidding (I'll save that for bedtime). :O)
Is That All You Got?
I'm feeling a bit masochistic after my first day of orientation. It was a lot to take in - they definately tried to scare me to death, and the warned extensively about how grueling the next few months were going to be. And you know what? I liked it!
Boy was it A LOT of stuff to process, but it got me really excited. Hearing the instructors use the legal lingo and talk about the law got me thinking "yea, I want to be like that!" So that's good news.
Here's a few little interesting tidbits from my nine hours of orientation today:
Boy was it A LOT of stuff to process, but it got me really excited. Hearing the instructors use the legal lingo and talk about the law got me thinking "yea, I want to be like that!" So that's good news.
Here's a few little interesting tidbits from my nine hours of orientation today:
- We are the first law class in UW's history to have a female majority. That's right. There's more women in my class then men.
- The Dean of the school reminded us that we were all likely the top of our undergraduate class (that's why we're actually in grad school) and probably were used to getting A's. However, he wanted us to inform our significant other that we will definately need some consoling when grades are handed out at the end of the semester. The average grade for the 1L's is a C and we really shouldn't expect anything above that. Ouch. That will be a hard pill to swallow.
- We will probably be putting in 2-3 hours of study for each hour of class we have (and sometimes 4-5 hours!). Let's see...I'm no mathematician, but I have 16 hours of actual class time per week. So if I have to put in, say, an average of three hours of study per one hour of class that's... gulp... 48 hours of study time combined with my 16 hours of class time for a total of... double gulp... 64 hours per week. I hope not. But we'll see how it goes.
Well, I think that's it for now. I need to go spend some time with my family while I have it, so I'm going to wrap this post up now. I'll see if I have some time tomorrow to write about day #2 of law school boot camp.
The Calm Before The Storm
Hallelujah! My Internet works (for how long - nobody knows). Just in time to post a few quick thoughts about my big day tomorrow.
How am I feeling? I don't really know. A few days ago I was feeling pretty nervous, but I'm doing a lot better now. I'm pretty excited to start learning law and going over cases (I know, I know. I'm a geek. I've gotten used to that fact). I know that they're going to throw a whole bunch of B.S. at me tomorrow trying to scare me and it will probably work. But once I start getting into the thick of it, I'll be able to be more comfortable and right now that's the image I'm picturing in my head.
I am really sad to be leaving my family home. I've had like three weeks to spend with Heidi and Trey and I've loved every second of it. I am the most happy when I'm with them and I'll be sad to be away for so many hours a day. But I suppose this sacrifice is necessary in order to give them the kind of life they deserve. I couldn't have gotten this far without them!
We're starting to find a few friends here. Sunday we attended church at our new Snowy Range Ward and met some very nice people (there was only about 40 people in attendance!). We invited over for card games on Sunday which we spent with three other couples from the ward and a bunch of kids. (Just as a side note - Trey came up behind a five year old kid, wrapped his arms around the kid's face, and promptly tackled him to the ground! Even on the ground he wouldn't let go of the kid - who was bawling! Hilarious. You had to see it.) On Monday, another couple in the ward invited us over for dinner. He is a third year law student and he gave me a lot of good advice. They are a very nice couple that I hope we will get to spend more time with.
Well, I'm just about ready for tomorrow. I got my laundry all done so I'm ready to sport my back-to-school attire. Actually, Trey helped me. The cute little kid would go get one piece of clothing out of the dryer at a time and bring it to me to fold. He stuck with it until all 20+ garments were hand delivered to me in the bedroom! What a little helper.
Well, I better get back to my family. This may be my last un-busy night for a while and I want to cherish the time while I have it. I'll see if I can find some time this week to post about my orientation.
P.S. I feel strangely like Doogie Howser (minus the old school blue screen computer). Blairgie Wardleser J.D. Not quite the same ring to it, but it'll do.
How am I feeling? I don't really know. A few days ago I was feeling pretty nervous, but I'm doing a lot better now. I'm pretty excited to start learning law and going over cases (I know, I know. I'm a geek. I've gotten used to that fact). I know that they're going to throw a whole bunch of B.S. at me tomorrow trying to scare me and it will probably work. But once I start getting into the thick of it, I'll be able to be more comfortable and right now that's the image I'm picturing in my head.
I am really sad to be leaving my family home. I've had like three weeks to spend with Heidi and Trey and I've loved every second of it. I am the most happy when I'm with them and I'll be sad to be away for so many hours a day. But I suppose this sacrifice is necessary in order to give them the kind of life they deserve. I couldn't have gotten this far without them!
We're starting to find a few friends here. Sunday we attended church at our new Snowy Range Ward and met some very nice people (there was only about 40 people in attendance!). We invited over for card games on Sunday which we spent with three other couples from the ward and a bunch of kids. (Just as a side note - Trey came up behind a five year old kid, wrapped his arms around the kid's face, and promptly tackled him to the ground! Even on the ground he wouldn't let go of the kid - who was bawling! Hilarious. You had to see it.) On Monday, another couple in the ward invited us over for dinner. He is a third year law student and he gave me a lot of good advice. They are a very nice couple that I hope we will get to spend more time with.
Well, I'm just about ready for tomorrow. I got my laundry all done so I'm ready to sport my back-to-school attire. Actually, Trey helped me. The cute little kid would go get one piece of clothing out of the dryer at a time and bring it to me to fold. He stuck with it until all 20+ garments were hand delivered to me in the bedroom! What a little helper.
Well, I better get back to my family. This may be my last un-busy night for a while and I want to cherish the time while I have it. I'll see if I can find some time this week to post about my orientation.
P.S. I feel strangely like Doogie Howser (minus the old school blue screen computer). Blairgie Wardleser J.D. Not quite the same ring to it, but it'll do.
Settling In
This will be my first official post on my blog! Woo hoo!
We've officially been in Laramie for a full week now (although it seems like longer). We're slowly getting our stuff put away and making our apartment feel more like a home (although Heidi, understandably, refuses to call anything but Utah home!). The apartment is a lot smaller than our last place, but it is nice and new. We're finding places to store everything and when we finally do get everything all unpacked and cleaned up, it should feel pretty cozy.
My law school introduction classes start Wednesday! To be perfectly honest, I'm pretty nervous and apprehensive. I've been warned for years about how grueling law school is, and I'm about to find out. I'll be fine once I get settled into the grind, though. I had this uneasy feeling when I left for my mission and when I first started college. It's more fear of the unknown than anything.
It'll be nice to meet some other people too, so we don't feel so abandoned out here. We'll go check out church tomorrow at our new ward - Snowy Range Ward. Church starts at 9:00 (ugh!). There are only two church buildings in the entire town, but it looks like there's six wards (ok, nine if you count the singles wards). So we'll see how that goes.
We'll see what next week brings.
We've officially been in Laramie for a full week now (although it seems like longer). We're slowly getting our stuff put away and making our apartment feel more like a home (although Heidi, understandably, refuses to call anything but Utah home!). The apartment is a lot smaller than our last place, but it is nice and new. We're finding places to store everything and when we finally do get everything all unpacked and cleaned up, it should feel pretty cozy.
My law school introduction classes start Wednesday! To be perfectly honest, I'm pretty nervous and apprehensive. I've been warned for years about how grueling law school is, and I'm about to find out. I'll be fine once I get settled into the grind, though. I had this uneasy feeling when I left for my mission and when I first started college. It's more fear of the unknown than anything.
It'll be nice to meet some other people too, so we don't feel so abandoned out here. We'll go check out church tomorrow at our new ward - Snowy Range Ward. Church starts at 9:00 (ugh!). There are only two church buildings in the entire town, but it looks like there's six wards (ok, nine if you count the singles wards). So we'll see how that goes.
We'll see what next week brings.
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