Karma

There's a man in my complex who feeds stray cats.  This bothers me for various reasons:

• It's a violation of the lease.  The lease clearly spells out that your are not supposed to feed stray animals so as not to attract more.
• Management knows who is feeding the cats, but does nothing about it.  The man is an attorney who threatened to sue if management actually enforces the lease.  It's people like him, people who believe they're entitled to do whatever they want by threatening lawsuits, that are what's wrong with our legal system.
• Stray cats are not taken care of.  By this I mean that they do not have flea or tick prevention treatments, they are not spayed or neutered, nobody cleans up after them, etc.  This means my dog can pick up fleas, ticks, and diseases from relieving herself the same place they do, not to mention the kittens that show up occasionally.

Last week, karma kicked in.  I was talking to one of my neighbors yesterday who happens to live a few doors down from this man.  Apparently, he took a step up from feeding the cats to trying to domesticate them.  Somebody should have told him this was a very bad idea.  Let's just say he used to have a lot of really nice leather furniture.  I know it's evil, but I couldn't help but smile.

Heroes

One of my brothers is training for a marathon and has recently started training with a running group.  One of his running partners shared this story with him, he shared it with me, and I decided that it was just too good not to share with anyone who happens to read this blog. 

When this guy started training, his plan was to run a 5K.  Shortly thereafter, one of his young children asked him if he was going to run a marathon.  Their conversation went something like this:

Child: Are you going to run a marathon?
Dad: No, I'm running a 5K.
Child: How far is a 5K?
Dad: It's 3.1 miles.
Child: How far is a marathon?
Dad: It's 26.2 miles.
Child: Oh.  Nobody in our family could ever do that.

He started training for the marathon the following day. 

I think this is a great story for many reasons, but mainly because of this father's determination to show his child that nothing is impossible.  This is what a real hero is -- someone who teaches children not to put limits on themselves, someone who teaches them to reach for that seemingly impossible goal.  We need a few more of these heroes. 

People of Walmart

I don't particularly like going to Walmart, mainly because it takes at least 30 minutes to get out of the store, even if you're only buying one item.  However, I must admit that Walmart makes for some interesting people watching.

I had to stop by yesterday to pick up a few things, and let's just say that it didn't disappoint.  It took me 45 minutes to get out the door, and I was only picking up something I had ordered online.  I thought it would be quicker if I didn't have to go find it, then wait in line to pay.  I was wrong.

As for the people watching, you had your typical women wearing way too little, men wearing mullets, and tattoos galore.  Now I have nothing against tattoos personally, but I never realized that many women had them on their breasts.  All I can say is, ouch!

One thing did catch my attention though, and not for a good reason.  I saw a kid, roughly 5 years old, in a diaper.  Yes folks, a diaper on a kindergartner.  I understand some kids have issues with the whole potty training thing, but seriously?  I admit I could be mistaken on the age, but not by much; this kid was at least 4 years old, and I think older.  Wow.  That's all.  Just, wow.

Christmas Already?!?!

I can't believe that it's already December 21st!  Christmas just sneaked up on me this year.  Maybe it's the weather - it's been in the mid-70s all week.  Maybe it's because I've been super busy - finals, graduation, bar prep.  Maybe it's the lack of Christmas decorations - I don't even have a tree!  Whatever the reason, I can't believe it's Christmas already.  I don't have a tree, I don't have any decorations up, and I haven't finished my Christmas shopping. 

But in the spirit of full disclosure, I should share that I don't plan on having a tree and I usually don't have my Christmas shopping completely done by now.  The Christmas shopping really needs to get done today.  I have a couple of things left to get, and I already know what they are, I just have to make it to the store.  I even have a few things that I purchased online that I haven't gotten around to picking up yet. 

As for the tree, I'm not doing one this year for two main reasons - I don't have a tree and I have a puppy.  First, for the last couple of years I've left town as soon as finals were over and headed to my parents' house for the holiday break.  I didn't bother putting up a tree because I didn't have time (too much studying) and I wasn't going to get to enjoy it anyways (I was leaving).  That's pretty much was happened this year, except my bar prep classes got in the way and my parents decided it would really just be easier for them to come up here.  Since plans were finalized, I haven't had time to go get a tree.  Second, my puppy likes to pull leaves off of plants and loves shiny things.  I can just imagine her grabbing a hold of either a branch or a decoration and pulling until the tree came crashing down.  So, no tree this year.  I do have a plant we could put presents under.  But then again, my puppy loves boxes and paper, so that might now work either.....

I'm sure we'll figure something out.  :)

Graduation Day

This weekend I graduated from law school.  Or I guess I should said, this weekend was my law school graduation.  I can't say I graduated until all grades are in (something which was pointed out about half a dozen times during the ceremony).  As far as graduations go, this was a good one.  And I'm not just saying that because it was mine. 

First was our entrance.  The graduation ceremony was held in a local church (which is absolutely beautiful!), with the actual ceremony in the sanctuary.  They had the graduates get ready in the room the furthest from the sanctuary, which I didn't understand until after we started our walk towards the sanctuary.  All our professors and deans had lined the hallways dressed in their robes and applauded and cheered as we walked through the tunnel they formed.  By far the coolest thing ever (at least as far as graduations go).  One of the great things about going to a small school is that you get to know the professors and they get to know you.  I got so many congratulations by name from my professors.  That was cool.

Second was the actual ceremony.  It was funny, it was poignant, it was short.  We got some good advice from the dean and guest speaker, and we got some good laughs from our class representative.  Everybody got hooded, no names were butchered, and hundreds of pictures were taken.  And it all took an hour and a half.  Another great thing about graduating from a small school is that you don't have to sit through a 4-hour ceremony for the 15 seconds that you actually care about.  Afterwards, the graduates headed outside for the class picture, and I joked around with the dean as he tried find a spot where he wasn't blocking any of us short people on the front row.  Refreshments and more pictures followed as we all hung around the courtyard with family and friends.

The rest of the day was also great as I got to hang out with my family.  We smiled at my niece's giggles as she was raised high into the air by my brother over and over, and then laughed as my brother realized he had broken a sweat and was too tired to pick her up anymore.  We headed to dinner at this small local Italian restaurant that has the best bread ever and enjoyed a nice family dinner with lots of great conversation.  I had plans to meet up with friends later that night, but was so tired after all the activities that I fell asleep on the couch around 8:00 p.m.!!

While I'm not technically a lawyer yet, this was a big step in getting there.  Keep your fingers crossed that all my grades come back somewhere above a D- and I can pick up my actually diploma soon. 

Little Old Ladies

I've had a very busy last couple of weeks, but now that things have finally slowed down, I thought I'd take a minute to share a story from about a week ago. 

I was at the post office and waiting my turn when I noticed a little old lady at the front of the line with a box on the floor at her feet.  When the postal employee called for the next person, the gentleman behind her offered to carry her box to the counter, and she graciously accepted his offer.  He was a rather young man, probably in his early twenties.  I couldn't help but think that his mom would be proud, and wonder if the lady had been concerned about how to get the box on the counter.

The lady was mailing a Christmas gift, but because it was wrapped, it needed to be placed in a box for shipping.  I watched as the postal employee put three different boxes together, each time carefully placing the lady's gift inside to see which one would be the best fit.  When she found the correct size, she taped the box together, packed the gift inside, and sealed it shut for the lady.  Then she was nice enough to address the package for her.  This might not seem like much, but at least at this post office, the postal employees never do this kind of thing, especially when they have a line of people waiting and they're the only one working at the counter.  They usually just point you towards the rack with all the flattened boxes and leave it up to you to figure out. 

But from the gentleman who carried her box, to the postal worker who helped her pack and address her shipment, to the customers who patiently waited in line, it was as if the holiday spirit hit everyone.  Instead of forcing a lady to either struggle with a box or ask for help, a young man decided to be a gentleman.  Instead of embarrassing a lady who didn't know how to put together a box and couldn't see well enough to address the small shipping label, the postal worker gracious did both for her.  Instead of impatiently tapping their feet and give the lady dirty looks, the other customers waited patiently while talking about all the Christmas decorations in the post office. 

It was nice to see everyone acting so compassionate.  I don't know if it was because everyone caught a bit of that holiday spirit, or because we all realized one day we would be that little old lady, but it was nice.  I hope it continues through the rest of the year.

Magic Bus

As I was driving to school today, I saw something new.  A bus was parked on the side of a street in downtown, completely covered with a red tarp. 

It made me wonder if someone was trying to hide the bus.  If so, they did a terrible job.  Actually, it made me wonder if some celebrity was in town.  Maybe that was their tour bus and they didn't want anyone to know in what hotel they were staying.  Either way, it was strange to see a large bus hidden under a red tarp in the middle of downtown. 

I mentioned this to a friend later, and she made a good observation.  I actually have no proof that there was a bus there at all.  I saw a tarp, roughly in the shape of a bus, but didn't see the actual bus.  Regardless of that small detail, I'm still going to claim I saw that bus.  :)

Another Eventful Weekend

Yes, I've been neglecting my little blog again, but this time I have a good excuse!  A friend from college got married this weekend, and another friend came to town and stayed with me so she could also go to the wedding.  What that means is that I had a lot going on last week and this weekend.

The festivities started Thursday night when Mehendi night.  That's when you all get together for food, music, and getting henna put on your hands.  Here's what my hand ended up looking like:

Friday was the Catholic ceremony, followed by the Hindu ceremony on Saturday.  Did I mention that my friend's flight was delayed and she didn't get in until 1:00 am?  And that we stayed up until 3:00 am talking?  And that my puppy woke us up early the next morning?  Yeah well, all that happened.  But I still had a blast!

Babies!!

Just a quick note to say congrats to my friends Casey and Thomas, who have both become first-time dads in the past two weeks.

First, a very large (and week overdue) Marshall made his appearance.  Then, it was as if Ava couldn't wait to meet her new friend as she arrived 6 weeks early!  While Marshall was a whopping 10 lbs, Ava was less than 5 lbs (and smaller than a football).  Both were home in a couple of days and mommys and babies are doing great. 

Congrats everyone!!

Manly Names

Since getting a dog a couple of months ago, I've met a lot more of my neighbors.  One thing I've noticed about my male neighbors is they really don't want you to think they're the ones who gave their dogs their unmanly names.  About a week ago, I met Bailey's dad, and yesterday I met Bogey's dad.  Both were quick to point out that they did not pick out those names.  It's actually kind of funny.  To give you a taste, here's my conversation with Bogey's dad:

Him: See, he does exist.  (I had heard Bogey, but never seen him before.)
Me: And he's really cute!  What's his name?
Him: Bogey, but I didn't pick it.

Really?  Do they think people will see them as less manly because they're dogs have names that they consider girly (or stupid)?  If the dog were named Butch or Spike, would he say it with pride in his voice?  Just curious.

Wrong Way Drivers

I'm not sure why, but it seems like there have been a rash of wrong-way drivers lately.  In fact, I've seen three in the past two days. 

Living in downtown, you get used to one-way streets.  And it's not uncommon to see a car turn the wrong way down one of these streets, drive about half a block, realize that they're going the wrong way, freak out, and turn into the nearest driveway, parking lot, or street. 

But this isn't what I'm talking about.  For example, this morning I was taking my dog out for a walk when I see a car turn the wrong way onto the street we're walking on.  There's a small hill about three blocks up, and vehicles disappear from view when they get over it.  That's where I lost track of this car.  At that point, it was still driving (rather quickly) the wrong way down a one-way street.  I was sure I was going to hear a crash at any moment, but luckily, I didn't.  I assuming that they turned off at one of the street a little ways up. 

So what have I learned from this?  Look both ways before crossing the street, even if it's a one-way street.

Fall

A few days ago, I listed the things I love about fall.  But today I'm remembering the things I don't like about fall.  My main problem with fall in Texas is that it takes about it month for it to fully become fall.  In the meantime, Mother Nature keeps going back and forth between 60-degree days and 90-degree days, with 40-degree mornings thrown in for good measure.  What that means is I spend much of this time getting sick.  Right now I'm enjoying my first cold of the season.  Oh joy.....

Graduation Time Already?

Yesterday, I got measured for my cap and gown and had graduation pictures taken.  I picked up my graduation packet and passed on ordering a ring.  All that's left is to order graduation announcements.  I can't believe I'm actually (almost) done!

The last two years have flown by.  Two years ago, I started my life over in a new city where the only person I knew was my brother.  I admit, that was a little scary.  But I survived and am loving life.  The last two years have been filled with joy and heartache, jokes and tears, roll-on-the-ground laughter and pull-out-your-hair stress.  I've made a lot of new friends and have reconnected with some old ones.  I've managed to find my way around a new city and even have some favorite local spot.  I've started a couple of blogs and dropped the ball on a couple of classes.  I've gotten a new puppy to keep me company and said good-bye to some people I love.

In two months, I will walk across a stage, pick up my diploma, celebrate with family and friend, and then......start studying for the bar.  My plans after graduation include crawling into a dungeon for the next two months and learning everything there is to know about Texas laws and procedures.  A few months after that, I (hopefully) will be celebrating again with family and friends when I get my results. 

Until then, I'm going to keep wondering, is it really graduation time already??

Fall is Here!

Fall has officially arrived in North Texas.  I woke up this morning and temperatures were in the 60s!!  As much as I love summer, it was time for some cooler weather.  I've noticed a couple of Christmas wreaths on door lately, and seeing those when its 95 outside just feels wrong (of course, I'm ignoring the fact that they're even out in September!!). 

In honor of fall arriving, I thought I'd take a minute to share the things that I love about fall:

• Walking to my car without breaking a sweat.
• Wearing long sleeves or a sweatshirt/jacket and not having people give you funny looks (you need these while indoors, but people look at you funny when you're wearing them outdoors in 90+ degree weather).
• Being able to use the oven again (cookies, brownies, and cake, here I come!)
• Playing tennis (or any other outdoor activity) without worrying about heatstroke.
• Watching the leaves turn colors.
• Extra blankets on the bed.
• Celebrating my birthday!

Family Weekend

This was a good weekend.  My parents came to town for a much needed weekend of togetherness.  I love these weekends, when you don't have anything planned but hanging out with the people you love. 

They arrived around lunch time Saturday, which of course meant our first activity was lunch.  We met up with my brother and sister-in-law and headed out to a local eatery for some good food.  We ate so much that nobody was hungry by dinner time.  My dad and I settled for late night sandwiches, and my mom skipped dinner altogether. 

That might have been the most exciting part of our weekend.  We (my parents and I) did a few more things that day, and we saw my brother and SIL for a little while on Sunday, but for the most part it was a very laid back kind of weekend. 

I miss having these kind of weekends.  Yes, I love living in Fort Worth and I like having busy weekends, but I miss just hanging out with family.  I think we all need one of those weekends every now and then.  I don't get them nearly as often as I used to, and nowhere near as often as I'd like, but that just makes me treasure the ones I get even more.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my niece's first birthday!  I can't believe it's been a year already.  I have literally hundreds of pictures of her, and that's not nearby enough.  Now that I think about it, I don't think I've gotten any new ones in a while.  I need to get on her parents about that.

Anyways, I was looking back at some of the pictures from when she was first born, when I first met her (at 4 days old), and everything since, and she sure has grown up.  I don't get to see her nearly as much as I'd like, but I treasure every opportunity.  I can't imagine the world without her now.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY B!!

Bike Thieves

Unfortunately, bike thieves have recently hit my complex.  I have always stored by bike inside my house, but lately I had been thinking I should move it to the bike racks.  It doesn't take up much room, but I don't have all that much room to begin with, so every little bit helps. 

And then I ran into a neighbor trying to figure out what size tire he should buy for his bike.  When I first bought my bike many, many years ago, I remember being told to always be sure and lock the frame and front wheel to the bike rack.  Now I know why.  Check out the pictures.

This bike belongs to my neighbor.  He locked the frame, but not the front wheel.  He now needs a new front wheel. 

However, he's still doing better than this other neighbor.  He locked the front tire, but not the frame. 

Looks like the thieves managed to build themselves a new bike.  So what did I learn from this?  I'm keeping my bike inside.

Mary Kay Car

Every time I see a pink car, I laugh and say that it's a Mary Kay car.  Well, today I saw an actual Mary Kay car.  And yes, it was pink. 

For some reason, I always picture old granny cars as Mary Kay cars, maybe because I always picture old grannies selling Mary Kay.  I know that neither is actually true, that's just what happens to pop into my head when I think of Mary Kay.  Anyways, this was a Cadillac SUV, and it wasn't anywhere near as pink as I thought it would be. 

For some reason, I always picture Mary Kay pink being the same as Pepto Bismol pink.  That's not true either.  This was a very light pink, almost pearly.  I actually really liked it and might even consider getting a car that color one day. 

Seeing as how all my assumptions about Mary Kay cars were wrong, how do I know this was really a Mary Kay car?  Well, I guess I can't be 100% sure, but it had a Mary Kay decal on the back.  I'm not talking about a bumper sticker or other sticker decal, it was an actual chrome decal.  That just made it seem more legitimate to me.  I'm sure I could probably find one online and stick it on my car, but who would actually do that?  But then again, who would buy a pink SUV?

New Blog

As some of you know, I recently got a new puppy.  Like most people that have something new, I talk about her a lot.  Instead of boring you with her antics and random puppy stories, I've started a new blog to track our adventure.  If you're ever in the mood for a funny puppy story, or want to laugh at me as I try to figure out how to take care of a dog without losing my mind, check out Puppy Adventures.  Hope to see you there (and back here!). 

Breaking in a New Barrista

I'm pretty sure the new barrista at my neighborhood Starbucks doesn't like me.  She did fine the first day, but she's had a few issues the last three times I've been there.

The first time, she was on the register and messed up with my gift card.  After I get my drink and am about to walk out the door, she calls after me.  I didn't know she was talking to me, so I kept going.  Another customer got my attention.  Apparently she didn't put in the payment right and I wasn't charged for the drink the first time and she couldn't figure out how to get past the screen.  I went back and paid, but I wasn't too happy because I was already in a hurry.  I'm sure if I would have said something, the manager would have given me the drink for free, but like I said, I was in a hurry.

The second time, I made her re-do my drink.  I never send drinks back, so you know there had to be something wrong with this one.  It wasn't a big deal, she just forgot to put the mocha in my mocha. 

Finally, this morning I get to the front and she says, "Your total is $3.72."  Since I know the prices for the various things I order, I know this is wrong.  I say, "No, my total is $3.30."  She gives me the strangest look, like she can't decide if I'm crazy or just joking with her and trying to pay less for my drink.  I think the girl on the next register heard me because she came over and told her she put it in wrong.  Girl #2 fixed it and charged me correctly.  When I walked past her again to leave after getting my coffee, she still had that odd look on her face.

Updated Blog

A while back, Blogger made changes to their blog site, giving you a lot more options for your blog design.  Today I decided to try out some of the changes....and I don't like the result.  Here's the problem, I don't really have time to mess with it right now, and I can't figure out how to get it back to how it was before.  Oh well.  I'm hoping to get it back to something decent (or at least something I like) soon, but bear with me in the meantime.

Lazy Carpet Cleaners

Like many apartment complexes, mine will clean your carpets for you whenever you renew your lease.  I recently renewed my lease, so I figured I'd take advantage and schedule that cleaning.

In preparation for their visit yesterday, I picked everything up off the floor.  They called shortly before arriving, so I decided to take the puppy and head out to run some errands and visit my sil while waiting for them to finish.  We came home a couple of hours later to clean (and damp) carpet.

Things looked good initially, but then I noticed a few things.  First, they didn't clean under the coffee table.  I didn't expect them to move the couch or bookcases or anything like that, but how hard is it to go under the coffee table.  Second, they didn't move the chairs; they just went around them.  Again, how hard is it to move a couple of chairs.  Finally, the went around the puppy's ball!!  I thought I had picked up everything, but I missed the puppy's ball, and they didn't even bother to kick it out of the way.  That's when I decided that these carpet cleaners are really lazy. Actually, I think it's more work to go around it than to move it out of the way.

If I had actually paid for the cleaning (yes, I know they just include it in the rent), I might be a little upset.  But yesterday all I could do was shake my head and laugh.

Cake Wrecks

I'm definitely not the most creative person, so I love when I come across creative blogs.  And if they feature cake, even better! 

Cake Wrecks is one of my favorite blogs of the moment.  Their tag line is "When Profession Cakes Go Horribly, Hilariously Wrong."  Basically people send in photos of cake they've ordered that bakeries have managed to mangle.  A classic example: Someone calls the bakery and makes the following request, "Please write 'Happy Birthday' and underneath that 'Jane' all in red."  However, what they get is a cake reading, "Happy Brithday & under neat that Jane all in read."

I think if I were to receive one of these cake wrecks, I would laugh.  But unfortunately there are plenty of wrecks wedding cakes too.  While I still laugh at those, I can imagine the bride and groom were not as understanding.

Earlier this week, they had a "lawyer" themed post -- it was like you were reading a commercial for a personal injury attorney.  Since I'm a soon-to-be lawyerly type, I thought it would be appropriate to mention it in my little blog.  If you're interested, click here to check it out.

Puppy Adventures

First, I'm going to apologize to anyone who likes to read this blog.  I recently got a puppy.  I tend to write about whatever is on my mind at the moment, and lately that has been the puppy.  What that means to you is that you'll probably be reading some puppy posts for a while.  But the good news is that you can always skip to a later post or stop reading (just be sure to come back eventually!).

Now that that's out of the way.....

Over the weekend, the puppy discovered rain puddles.  We spent the weekend at my parents' house, and we got some rain one night.  The following morning we went for a walk.  Since very few cars pass through the neighborhood, I let her off the leash so she could run around (and maybe get tired).  She's seen rain before, and she hates it.  In fact, she refuses to go out into the rain.  She's seen puddles before too, but nothing like the ones this weekend.  And apparently, now she LOVES rain puddles.  She loves to splash through them over and over until her legs and belly are completely soaked.  And then she loves to jump on me.  I kind of want to be mad at her for getting me all wet, but she's so happy and having so much fun that I can't make myself scold her (or stop her from running through the puddles).  Instead, I let her run around until she's tired, then we go inside and give her a bath so she doesn't smell like a wet dog.  It's amazing how something so simple can make her so happy.  :)

Confusing Street Signs

I spend Labor Day weekend with family and had a great time.  Unfortunately, every time I go visit family, it means I eventually have to drive back home.  Tonight I found myself driving with a ton of people who were obviously very confused about the meaning of two particular street signs: "Left Lane for Passing Only" and "Slower Traffic Keep Right."  I personally think they're pretty self-explanatory -- MOVE!!

I understand if you want to drive 50 mph in a 70 mph zone.  I understand if you like to drive slower once the sun goes down.  I even understand that sometimes you get on a freeway to avoid ONE traffic light.  I'm really ok with all of these, but why do you insist on driving in the left lane at the exact same speed as the car in the right lane?  Why is it that you insist on blocking all traffic behind you for miles? 

Anyways, in honor of those oh-so-confusing street signs, here are some truly confusing signs from around the web:

Photos by: www.majorlycool.com, www.thatsweird.net, jalopnik.com, strangepictures.net

New Adventure

I realize today that I haven't had many visitors in the past week and was a little sad, until I also realized that I hadn't really written much in the past week either.  I think those two things might be related.  The last week or so has been very hectic for me.  I started classes last Monday, got a puppy on Friday, and am starting a new job today.  Needless to say, blog writing has taken a temporary backseat.

So far classes have been manageable.  I wasn't too happy with my schedule originally; I have a lot of breaks between classes and I'm used to going straight through.  But during that first week, I've already decided that I really like my schedule, mainly because it allows me to read during the day before class as opposed to staying up late trying to get all the reading for the next day done at one time. 

So far the puppy has been mostly manageable.  She's a quick learner but I think I have my work cut out for me.  My brothers both have dogs, and I've wanted one for a long time.  I talked to my brother about it first, and he gave me some honest opinions and advice.  Luckily I can call him with dumb questions.

And so far I have no idea how the job is going to go.  More on that later.

Cars

Have you ever noticed how people tend to match their cars?  Beetles are owned by women, trucks bigger than F-250s are owned by men, minivans are owned by soccer moms, and Mazda Miatas are owned by young women and balding men.

A couple of days ago I saw something that threw me off -- a man in a suit getting into a Hummer.  For some reason, it just didn't fit.  When I think about Hummers, I think about younger people wearing T-shirts, jeans or shorts, and baseball hats, usually backwards.  I just don't think of a 40-year-old man in a suit.

What about you?  Anything in particular come to mind when you think of certain cars?

Moral Dilemma

As I was walking to my car this morning, I was faced with a moral dilemma -- do I kill the baby cricket or let it be? 

I guess I should start by mentioning that I hate crickets, bugs, and generally all things with more than 4 legs.  I try to let them be, but they tend to attack me.  My brother claims that they're more scared of me than I am of them.  He lies.  First, I've never attacked a bug, but plenty have attacked me and forced me to kill them in self-defense.  Second, when I'm scared of things, I tend to avoid them.  I don't go into their homes and bother them, but they have no problem coming into mine.  Finally, when I see a bug, I scream.  I've never heard a bug scream when it's seen me. 

So this morning I'm walking to my car and a little baby cricket (or small cricket-like creature) hops out in front of me.  I don't believe in killing babies of any kind, so I don't really want to kill it.  But babies grow up eventually, and bugs tend to attack me, so if I don't kill it I'm leaving open the possibility that it will one day come back and try to kill me.  Is it worth the risk? 

Luckily it hopped away before I could make my final decision.  I don't know if crickets have memories, but I'm hoping that if this particular cricket ever decides to attack me, it will remember the day I let it live and will leave me alone and go on it's merry way.

Dedication or Stupidity?

Around 8:30 tonight, I had a sudden craving for a Sonic slush.  By 9:00, I couldn't hold out any longer and headed out the door.

The first thing that hit me was the heat.  North Texas has had ridiculously high temperatures the last couple of weeks.  At 9:15, I passed by a bank that was flashing the time and temperature -- 98 F.  I know that you usually can't count on these signs to be accurate, but when got home I checked the Weather Channel and they were reporting 94 F.  Any way you look at it, that's hot especially for the sun already being down.

The second thing that hit me was the number of people that were out running and riding.  Unlike me, there are a lot of dedicated people around here when it comes to fitness.  It's not uncommon to see people running around here.  Most guys run alone; most girls run in pairs or with a dog.  But with the recent temperatures, people do what they can to avoid the heat, which means exercising after the sun goes down.  Most are relatively smart -- wearing light colored clothing, wearing something that reflects light, running or riding in pairs, staying on well-lit streets.  However, there was one group of cyclist that I have to mention, mainly because I almost hit them.

As I was pulling out of the driveway and into downtown, a group of about 5 cyclists rolled by.  And they were dressed all in black!  Who goes out for a bike ride in the middle of the night dressed in black??  I really hope they made it to their destination and back without getting run over.  Which brings me to my point, is this dedication or stupidity?  They had the fancy bikes, camelbaks, biking attire; you'd think there would be something in their closets that wasn't black. 

Joys of Summer

Strangely enough, one of the things I remember most fondly about my high school tennis days are the funky tan lines.  I've been playing quite a bit of tennis lately in this wonderful 100+ degree Texas heat, most of it at ridiculous hours.  I usually try to time my games, practice, etc., when it's not as hot, like right before the sun goes down.  But the last couple of weeks I've played in two tournaments, so I had no say on what time I was actually on the court.  The tournament directors were nice enough to start a few of my matches at 2:00 pm, also known as way-too-hot-to-be-doing-anything-but-sitting-in-the-AC pm. 

When preparing for a match when the sun is at its absolute hottest, it's really important to put on plenty of sunblock.  I slathered on the SPF 50 (and reapplied), but I tan REALLY easily, so I still got darker.  Here's where the funky tan lines come in:

• Like everyone else, I have a nice sock-line.  Unlike most other people, I wear an ankle brace on one ankle, so the sock-line is higher on one leg than the other.  
• Sometimes I wear shirt with sleeves, sometimes without.  Now I have a mini-farmer's tan going.
• I wore a shorter pair of shorts on Saturday than Friday, so I have two different shorts tan lines on my legs.
• And the most interesting part, or at least the part that leave the most funky tan lines -- I tan through my shirts, just not as dark as on exposed skin.  

While the funky tan lines do bring back some memories, they just are very attractive.  I guess I didn't care all that much back then, but I seem to be a little more vain now.  Oh well.  At least school starts in a few days and I'll be back to wearing long pants and jackets and hiding all those funky lines.  On the up side, at least I don't burn!

New Lesson: Read Directions

I learned a valuable lesson this morning that I admit I should have learned long ago -- read the directions, CAREFULLY! 

This morning I took my first official becoming-a-lawyer test, the MPRE.  For those of you who have no idea what that is, it's the Multi-State Professional Responsibility Examination.  For those of you who still have no idea what that is, it's the ethics portion of the bar exam, or at least an ethics exam that you have to pass in addition to the bar exam in order to practice law. 

The exam started at 9:00 am, which isn't that bad except that I'm used to getting up around 11:00 am.  I already knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep since I'm used to staying up late, but I was still awake at 3:00 am.  Not a good sign.  I finally drifted off to sleep somewhere around 3:30 am, just to be awoken by a blaring alarm about 10 minutes later, or at least that's what it felt like.  I crawled out of bed at 7:30, took a quick shower, ate breakfast, grabbed my exam admission ticket, and headed out the door.  Since the exam was being held in the Convention Center, which is two blocks from my school, I decided to park at the school so I could avoid looking (and paying) for parking.  I got to the school at 8:35 and started towards the Convention Center.

As I got closer and closer to the Convention Center, I noticed that a lot of people were heading in that direction, but none of them seemed to be other students.  There were a lot of families, a lot of people in church clothes, a lot of older people.  I looked at the admission ticket again (which has the location address) and noticed that it said to enter on Houston St.  I walked around to Houston St., but it still didn't look right.  I took a closer look at the admission ticket and finally noticed that the location is not the Convention Center, it's the CONFERENCE CENTER. 

The Conference Center is also on Houston St., but it's about 10 city blocks away, and I have just under 20 minutes to get there.  After a mini-panic attack, I started heading in that direction.  I made it there with 5 minutes to spare, grabbed a glass of water, and found my assigned room.  Lucky break #1 -- as long as you're in the door by 9:00, you get to take the test.  Lucky break #2 -- the instructions take about 15 - 20 minutes, just enough time for me to relax and get into test mode.

So all-in-all, I ended up walking just short of a mile each way.  And the kicker is that the Conference Center is less than 1/2 mile from my house.  It would have been so much easier if I would have just walked straight there; I would have been more relaxed and less sweaty when I got to the exam, I would have walked half the distance, and I wouldn't have felt like an idiot.  I guess that's what I get for not reading the directions carefully before walking out the door. 

Lazy Days of Summer

I'm about to say something I never thought I would -- I'm tired of lazy days.  Since summer school ended about 3 weeks ago, I've taken some time to visit family and friends, slept in (a lot), treated myself to whatever I wanted, caught up on some pleasure reading, and generally enjoyed my lazy days of doing nothing.  And now I'm tired of that.

I actually feel like I need to get back to school or work or something.  I'm tired of sitting around and doing nothing all day.  As strange as it sounds, I miss stress.  I know in a few short months there will be a day where I'm pulling my hair out wishing I was back in the lazy days of summer, but today is not that day.  Today I need an adventure.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I don't know if anybody has read "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," but apparently people (i.e., critics) seem to think it's a good book.  I'm going to have to disagree.  It's the book currently on my nightstand, and it's driving me crazy.

Have you ever started reading a book and just couldn't get into it?  Have you ever had a book that you didn't like but couldn't put down?  Well, that's this book for me.  I didn't like it from the start.  It might be because it's obviously translated and the dialogue just doesn't flow.  It might be because the characters have the strangest names (and there are A LOT of characters) and at first it's hard to keep everyone straight.  It might be because it's just boring.

I think one of the biggest problems I have with this book is that I have this feeling I'm just missing things.  It's based in Sweden, and there are a lot of cultural references that I just don't get.  And I have a feeling that those references are important to the story.  I understand what's going on and can follow the storyline, but I feel like I'm only following it superficially.

Aside from that, this book is driving me crazy because I can't put it down.  It's just interesting enough to keep me reading, to make me think, "This is about to get really good," but I never get to the really good part.  I keep thinking that if I turn another page, there's going to be some plot twist and I'm going to love it.  Well, I still don't love it, it's still hasn't gotten really good, and there hasn't been some plot twist, and every night I still reach for it and read a few pages before going to sleep.  Maybe tonight will be the night something interesting happens.

Vacation Planning

I've been working hard the last few years, and I think it's time I treated myself to a real vacation.  I started saving up about a month ago, and my original plan was to take a nice long relaxing trip after taking the bar in February, but I don't think I can wait that long.  So to anyone out there who is reading this, any vacation destination recommendations? 

Here are some guidelines:

• It's going to be a long weekend only, so as much as I'd love to go somewhere like Europe or Australia, that's just not going to be possible at the moment.  Maybe February.
• It's probably going to be in September or October, so no snow-required destinations.
• I plan on going alone, so nowhere where I'm going to feel like crap for not having someone special to be there with....unless the plan is that I meet someone special there.  =)

I guess that's pretty much it.  Anywhere you absolutely loved that I should go?  Anywhere you absolutely hated that I should avoid at all costs?

Family Time Gone Wrong

I hadn't been out to play tennis in a while, so this evening I grabbed my stuff and headed out to the neighborhood courts.  There are two courts, and I decided to hit against the wall on one of the courts.  On the other court, there was a father playing tennis with his two sons, probably around 7 and 11 years old.  At first, I thought it was really great that they were out playing together.  None of them were very good, but they looked like they were having a good time. 

Initially it reminded me of playing with my dad when I was younger, and then it didn't.  After the younger boy got tired or bored or whatever, the father and older boy decided to play a set.  That's when I decided that the father was teaching his son some bad lessons, and I'm not talking about tennis -- I've never seen a father cheat on his own child as much as this father did.  Either this father did not know the rules of tennis (which is entirely possible), or he just really didn't want to lose to an 11-year-old (which is more likely). 

Here's a quick run-down of what I saw in the course of about 15 minutes:

• A ball double-bounced on the father's side.  The son saw it and called it, but the father said he was wrong and refused to give him the point.
• Two balls hit by the son that were clearly in and were called out by the father.  Both were in by more than a foot.
• A ball hit by the father that was clearly out (again by at least a foot) and was called out by the son.  The father yelled at him about it until the kid changed his mind and said it was in.
• The father change the score three different times, each time taking a point or two away from the son.  

And this is what I noticed while I was hitting on the next court only half paying attention to them.  I wonder what else I would have noticed if I had been paying more attention.  All I can say is thank God my dad was never like this!  I actually enjoyed doing stuff with my dad and have no memories of him acting this way.  I hope this was just a dad having a bad day and he's not always like this.  But either way, I think he just showed his son that yelling, cheating, and bullying people is how you get your way.

New "Nephew"

I took a little break from blogging (and everything else) this past week and went to visit family and friends.  But now that I'm back home, I thought it would be a good time to introduce my new "nephew," Amos. 

In case you can't tell, Amos is of the 4-legged family-member variety.  He's an adorable 9-week old English bulldog that my brother and sister-in-law recently adopted.  I'm hoping he stays this cute as he gets older.

And the reason I call him my "nephew" is because of my dad.  Ever since pets became part of my brothers' families years ago, he has referred to them as my nieces and nephews.  The funny thing is he refuses to say they are his grandchildren or he is their grandfather.  But I'm their aunt.  Go figure.

Mad Lawyering Skills

Since I am not yet a lawyer (not even a baby lawyer), I am not allowed to give legal advice.  However, I thought I'd take a chance and help out a friend anyways.  She was having trouble with some pesky trespassers and heard that I had been too.  I got rid of them by posting a little something on my door.  I changed it slightly to apply to her particular pesky trespassers, and the result is below (minus their names).  She says it's worked up until now!  All I have to say is I've picked up some mad lawyering skills these last few years.  ;)

IN THE MATTER OF THE DOE HOUSEHOLD

On __________, 2010, this Court heard the following case and entered the following orders.

1. Parties

     The parties to this suit are:

     a. The DOE household, including but not limited to JANE DOE, JOHN DOE, and JIMMY DOE.

     b. Unknown six- and eight-legged intruders, including but not limited to ANTS, CRICKETS, GRASSHOPPERS, FLIES, and MOSQUITOS.

2. Findings

     This Court hereby finds that all insects, arachnids, and other creatures which have been or may be called pests, bugs, or insects (hereinafter PESTS) have trespassed on the DOE residence.

     This Court hereby finds that said PESTS have ignored repeated requests by the DOE household to vacate the premises.

     This Court hereby finds that said PESTS are in violation of natural law and Texas statute by entering a residence or other dwelling equipped with at least one of the following: air conditioning, heating, plumbing, walls, windows, and/or roof.

3. Orders

     Based on the above findings, this Court orders the following:

     a. All PESTS are hereby ordered to vacate the DOE residence immediately.  Any PEST found within the DOE residence after this notice is posted may remain in the residence only by mutual agreement between said PEST and an adult member of the DOE household.  Failing mutual agreement, said PEST is subject to the following sanctions:

          i. First offense - Immediately upon finding PEST within the DOE residence, said PEST is subject to the death penalty.

               1. Said death penalty may be carried out by any member of the DOE household, including but not limited to JANE DOE, JOHN DOE, JIMMY DOE, and any four-legged DOE family member.

               2. Said death penalty may be carried out by any means, including but not limited to Raid or similar chemical, or crushing with a shoe or other object.

               3. Said death penalty is determined not to be cruel or unusual punishment, regardless of the means chosen to carry it out.

               4. Said PEST is not entitled to a warning or trial before carrying out said death penalty.

          ii. Second offense - Not applicable.

     b. If a PEST is found within the DOE residence, all members of the PEST's immediate and extended family, as well as any neighbors, co-workers, and acquaintances of said PEST are subject to the same sanctions as PEST as outlined above. 

     c. The DOE household reserves the right to extend these orders to all property owned, rented, or leased by the DOE household, including but not limited to yards, patios, and garage or other parking areas.

     d. The DOE household members reserve the right to extend these orders to all property visited by the individual DOE household members, including but not limited to parks, schools, stores, and homes of others.

     e. Minor children of the DOE household are hereby ordered to obey adult members of the DOE household with reference to PESTS as follows:

          i. Minor children must carry out the death penalty on PESTS if so instructed by adult members of household;

          ii. Minor children must dispose of PESTS if so instructed by adult members of household, regardless of whether the above penalty was carried out by said minor child or an adult member of the household;

          iii. Minor children may not befriend PESTS;

          iv. Minor children may not invite or otherwise allow PESTS to enter or remain in the residence without prior written permission from JANE DOE;

          v. Minor children must immediately report any trespassing PESTS to an adult member of the household;

          vi. Minor children may not conceal whereabouts of trespassing PESTS.

4. Duration

This order is in effect until revoked in writing by JANE DOE or JOHN DOE.

5. Definitions

"Adult" means JANE DOE or JOHN DOE.

"Minor child" or "minor children" means any child of JANE DOE and JOHN DOE, regardless of age.

"Family member" means any current or future human, dog, or cat member of the DOE family.

"Pest" means any creature determined to be a pest by JANE DOE.  This definition may be changed by JANE DOE at any time without prior notice.

Stupid Warning Labels

While preparing for my last final, I came across my notes for defective warnings.  I'm sure you've seen some warning labels on random products and thought, "Are people really that dumb??"  Unfortunately yes, some people are really that dumb.  And I have to admit that lawyers are the reason we have a lot of those stupid labels.  If someone doesn't realize that using a hair dryer in the shower is dangerous (or just plain stupid -- how are you supposed to get your hair dry if water keeps falling on it?), then there will be a lawyer willing to sue because the hair dryer maker should have warned them about that particular act of stupidity. 

When we got to this particular topic, the professor brought along a list of his favorite stupid warnings and shared some with us.  He was literally laughing so hard, he started crying.  Here's a sample:

• On a hammer -- May be harmful if swallowed.
• On can of pepper spray -- May irritate eyes.
• In a microwave oven manual -- Do not use for drying pets.
• On a stroller -- Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage.
• On a box of rat poison -- Warning: has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice.
• On a chainsaw -- Do not attempt to stop the blade with your hand.

Thinking about all these brilliant attempts at avoiding lawsuits made me wonder what kind of gems I had lying around my house.  Here's what I found:

• On a hair straightener -- Do not use to straighten eyelashes.
• On a jar of peanut butter -- Allergy warning: Contains peanuts.
• On a bottle of stain remover -- Caution: Contains cleaning agents.
• On a can of Raid -- Do not apply to humans.

All I can say is, good to know.

Chain v. Local

Like many people, I think chains have turned our cities into carbon copies of each other.  When I'm traveling and I've forgotten to pack some essential, it's nice to know that right down the street there's going to be a Target or Walmart and that I'll be able to walk straight to the aisle I need without asking anybody where I can find this or that.  But what I don't like is that when I ask someone where's good place to eat, they point me to the nearest Chili's or Olive Garden.  I like both of these places, but what I'm looking for is something local, something I can't find in my own home town.  Many people can't tell me a good local restaurant, and that's just sad.

I like supporting local businesses if possible.  In Fort Worth, there are a lot of local eateries that I've been slowly discovering.  Since I usually go on someone else's recommendation, they're usually all really good too.  Some have long lines, but are definitely worth the wait.  The people who own and run these places have worked hard to get to where they are, and I wish there were more of them around.

But there's something about a chain too.  I'm writing this as I'm enjoying a cup of Starbucks.  Yes, Starbucks -- about as far from local as you can get.  About 6 - 8 months ago, a little local coffee shop opened about a block from where I live, and their coffee is really good.  But I still drive a couple of miles in the other direction to get Starbucks.  Why?  Because although this little shop has really good coffee, I never know when I'm going to be able to get any.  Their hours are constantly changing, they're not open at all on the weekends, and their service is horrible.

The last time I went, there was nobody in line in front of me, but the two ladies working refused to take my order!  They were not standing around, but they were not helping other customers either; they just thought it was more important to wipe down the counters and restock the cabinets than to help a customer.  They knew I was there, because each of them looked over at me a couple of times, but neither stopped what she was doing to take my order.  I waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and then I left.  As I got to my car, one of the ladies came running out of the shop, apologized for not taking my order, and begged me to come back in.  She said they were almost done and were about to help me.  For a shop that has almost no business, you'd think they'd try to be a little better as far as the customer service goes.  Well, I didn't go back in, and I haven't been back since.  It wasn't the first time they tried my patience, but it was the last.

Say what you will about places like Starbucks, they always have great customer service.  Or at least that has been my experience.  When I walk in the door, I'm greeted with a smile and a hello (not necessary, but still nice).  If they're busy doing something else, they stop what they're doing and help you (unless they're helping another customer, which is completely understandable).  On the rare occasion that they accidentally get someone else's order in front of mine, they apologize and hand me a coupon for a free coffee next time, and this is without me even pointing it out.  They were local once upon a time too, and over time they've managed to become what they are now.  I know a lot of people hate them, but they must be doing something right.  Unfortunately, I don't see this little local coffee shop surviving much longer.  With their constantly changing hours and their lack of customer service, I just don't see enough people being patient enough with them to keep coming back.  And that's a shame.

Talking Hands

How many people out there are incapable of talking without moving their hands?  Yep, me too.  I say it's hereditary.  I swear if we tied my mom's arms to her side, she would become mute.  I actually think this is kind of cute, but unfortunately can lead to some misunderstandings. 

I have one memory in particular that comes to mind to describe my mom's (and mine) animatedness (let's assume that's a word).  I was in junior high and riding in the car with my mom, my brother, and a friend.  My mom and brother were in the front seat having a normal conversation, and my friend and I were in the back having a completely different conversation.  Suddenly, my friend stops mid-sentence, stares at my mom and her eyes get really wide.  Then she slowly turns to me and whispers, "Why is your mom so mad?  What did your brother do?"

I guess I should also mention that my mom and brother were speaking in Spanish, and my friend couldn't understand a word.  Since my mom was so animated (and loud), and she couldn't understand what she was saying, she assumed my brother was getting yelled at for doing something bad.  I just laughed and explained that they were just talking about what to have for dinner (or something boring like that).

Thinking back at her reaction, I wonder how many times people have seen my mom and me (or other family members) in the car and assumed we were having a huge fight.  I've also noticed something random lately -- I'm also very animated when talking on the phone.  I'm not sure why; it's not like the person on the other end can see me.  For some reason it seems like I can get my point across better if I allow myself to use my hands.  I know, weird.

Movie Tavern

A friend first told me about Movie Tavern about 4 - 5 years ago.  It sounded like a great way to watch a movie.  And in case you don't know what they are, Movie Taverns are movie theaters and taverns in one (duh!).  Basically you get to watch a movie while enjoying a meal.  Just have a seat, place your order with your waiter, and sit back and enjoy.  They even have a full-service bar. 

There was one in Houston, but it was so far from home that I never got around to going.  Now that I'm in Fort Worth, there are 4 within about 10 - 15 minutes.  I've been meaning to go for a while now, but one thing or another always comes up.  I was planning on going this past week, but I got busy with school.  And now I'm getting started with finals, so I definitely don't have time. 

Next week, my last final is on Thursday, and then I have a class to go to on Saturday.  What does that mean?  That Friday is completely open!  And I just promised myself that I would finally go. 

Now I just need to figure out what to watch.  I think I'll sleep in and then catch a mid-day movie.  Friday's schedule isn't up yet, but based on Thursday's schedule, it look like my options are: Despicable Me, Grown Ups, Knight and Day, Predators, The Last Airbender, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, and Toy Story 3.  I'm not sure which I'll watch, but it won't be Predators or Twilight. 

If you've seen any of the above and enjoyed it, let me know!

Lovin' the Drama

I was sitting in the law clinic today when a fellow intern came into my office to discuss one of her cases.  While I obviously cannot divulge any information, let's just say we're lovin' the drama. 

There's just something about other people's drama that can be really entertaining.  Now I'm not saying that people deserve to have bad things happen or anything like that, it' just that some people insist on continually creating drama, and this particular family is full of those people.

Unfortunately, my clinic duty days are pretty much over.  That means I'm going to have to find another place to get my daily dose.  I'm open to suggestions -- soap operas, reality TV, or Jerry Springer?  Decisions, decisions.....

Things I Miss.....

Since starting law school, I've had to temporarily give up a few things that I truly love.  One of those is reading, or better put, reading for pleasure.  I love to read and I always have.  I think I may even have been born reading.

For the past 2 years, I've been a little too busy with law school reading to get in much of the fun reading.  I haven't given up fun reading completely; long ago (so long ago I don't even remember when), I started leaving a book on my nightstand and I read a few pages every night before going to sleep.  But what I miss are the lazy days of curling up on a couch with a good book and reading all day long, especially on cold or rainy days.  I miss not having to remember every detail of what I was reading.  Back then, when I remembered it was because it was an interesting book or an interesting detail, not because I might get called on the following day in class. 

Over the past 2 years, I have slowly read a few really good books a little at a time, but I'm looking forward to having an hour or two at a time of pleasure reading.  In 5 months, I'll be done with school.  In 7 months, I'll be done with the bar.  Until then, I'll just have to keep reading a few pages at a time.

Blog Visitors

One of the things I like about writing this blog is seeing how many people actually read it.  And the truth is, not that many.  I have a couple of followers, and a couple of people who read it on a regular basis.  A while back, I sent a mass email to friends and family to let them know about the blog.  I got a ton of hits from that email, and some have continued to read it since then, but most have not.  This could be because they forgot about it, they have better things to do, or they simply don't care.  I'm going to assume it's the first one. 

And for those of you who don't know, there's a lot of information that shows up on my end of the blog, like where people are visiting from.  I never know who is actually reading it, but I can guess.  For example, if I see Germany (or Italy or Holland), I know it's the Islas.  Other than that, there are too many people that could be visiting from Texas or California or Arizona to actually know who it is.  All the visits show up on a world map, and even if I don't know who's visiting, it's still pretty cool to see all the little pushpins appear and gradually grow.

The reason I'm mentioning all this is today I hit a milestone -- somebody did a Google search and ended up on my little blog!  This is actually more funny than exciting though.  They apparently searched for "blog" and "cross-dressing" and ended up on my post from a few days ago.  Something tells me that wasn't exactly what they were looking for.  ;)

Movie Suggestions

If you have Netflix, then you know that they suggest movies based on what you've watched in the past.  Occasionally there's actually one I'm interested in watching, but usually I've never heard of them.  I recently noticed that Netflix has started inventing new movie categories/genres.  Based on what I've watched in the past, Netflix has generated the following movie/TV categories/genres for me:

• Sentimental Romantic Movies
• Critically-Acclaimed Thrillers
• Feel-Good Comedies
• Workplace TV Dramas
• Witty TV Drama
• Romantic Comedies with Strong Female Lead

Whatever happened to categories like dramas, comedies, or action and adventure?

I also think it's funny that some movies/TV shows created multiple categories.  Apparently liking "The Office" means I like both feel-good comedies and witty TV dramas.  I'm not sure how it's a drama, but apparently Netflix thinks it is.

Gruff Cross-Dressing Grandma

As the semester is winding down, in most classes you start seeing the real-world application of what you've been learning.  In the school's law clinic, some students will get to go to court before the semester is over, some will not.  So that everybody gets some "court" experience, we hold a mock trial, complete with student attorneys, witnesses, and faculty playing judges.  The idea is to teach you how to make opening and closing statements, conduct direct and cross-examinations, object and make motions, and generally learn how a trial runs. 

The students were each randomly assigned to one of three courtroom and to each role.  Our client was a fictional grandmother trying to get legal custody of her two grandchildren who she was currently raising.  Their fictional mother was the opposition.  Because the students were randomly assigned to each role, we sometimes had males playing the role of the grandmother or mother.  In my case, my "grandmother" client was a fellow law student who is over 6' tall, has a beard, and was wearing a suit. 

Getting up in front of your fellow students is a very nerve-wracking thing.  My voice was very shaky as I made my opening statement, and my opposition admitted later she was extremely nervous too.  After opening statements I called my first witness, my "grandmother" client.  Just as he takes a seat on the witness stand, the judge says, with a completely straight face, "The Court will ignore that this witness is a cross-dressing grandma who needs a shave." 

At that moment we all nearly fell out of our chairs laughing.  Once we managed to compose ourselves, we were able to continue with the trial.  I don't know if the judge did this just to get us to relax; all I know is that we were definitely a lot less nervous when we started up again.  Unfortunately my poor partner's new name around the clinic is "Gruff Cross-Dressing Grandma."  I guess it just rolls off the tongue a lot easier than his old name.

Weekend Update

This past weekend was a busy one filled with family, friends, and wine as well all got together to celebrate my brother's recent marriage. 

I got to see my niece discover broccoli for the first time, and apparently it feels good on her teething gums.  I got to see my cousin's son walk for the first time (first time for me seeing him, not for him walking).  I got to see my brother's new niece follow him around like a little puppy (I think she has a crush on him).  I got to hear the news that there will be a new addition to my extended family soon (sorry, I can't share details until they do)! 

There were family I hadn't seen in months, and friends I hadn't seen in years.  One old family friend confused my brothers (they don't look that alike!).  Some friends of my brother kept staring at me.  Another friend claimed he and  his wife met me 5 years ago and faked being offended when I didn't remember them.  Of course, I haven't seen them in the 5 years in between. 

Mixed in were a couple of soccer matches (World Cup) and a few tennis matches (Wimbledon).  Both of the teams I cheer for are out of the World Cup, and there were a few upsets at Wimbledon. 

All in all, it was a great weekend.  But I'm dead tired and ready to get back to school!

Fashion

What I like about today's fashions is that you can pretty much wear anything and still be in style.  For example, you can wear a fitted shirt or a billowy blouse and still look good.  That really came in handy this morning when I put on a pair a jeans and realized that I had accidentally shrunk them.  They still fit but are a little too snug at the waist, creating that oh-so-lovely muffin-top look.  But grab a billowy blouse and problem solved!

Bumper Stickers

I like to think that the only reason people have bumper stickers on their cars is to make me smile, like they specifically think of me as they're sticking them on their bumper.  I've seen some good ones over the years, but I have a new favorite -- "My dog is smarter than your Honor student."

There are a few reasons I like this bumper sticker:

• My parents never put one of those "My child is an Honor student" stickers on their cars, and it annoyed me that other parents did
• I've met some pretty smart dogs, and some pretty dumb Honor students, so it might actually be true
• On the other side of the car was a bumper sticker that read "My child is an Honor student at xxxxxxx Elementary." 

And just for kicks, here are some other favorites, or at least some others that I can remember at the moment:

• I have not yet begun to procrastinate
• I don't repeat gossip, so listen carefully
• I'd be a morning person if it didn't start so early in the day
• I take full responsibility for my actions, except the ones that are someone else's fault
• I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm afraid of all the things hiding in the dark
• Automatic doors make me feel like a Jedi
• If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried

Father's Day

Today was a typical Father's Day for me.  I called my dad and wished him a happy father's day while wishing I was there to give him a hug.  A phone call will have to do this year.  Later I called my brother, who is celebrating his first father's day.  I'm sure his little girl made it a special one.


I had the greatest dad growing up.  I'm sure that's what everyone says, but in my case, it's actually true.  I remember my dad was the one who would read me bedtime stories and get rid of attacking insects when I was little.  He's the one who learned how to play tennis so that I would have someone to play with.  He's the one who risked whiplash as he patiently taught me how to drive a stick shift in the school parking lot.  There are too many memories to pick a favorite and I'm lucky enough to still be adding more. 

When I see my brother with his little girl, I think about all the memories they are making together, and I can't help but smile. 

To all the fathers and soon-to-be fathers, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Catching up

I can't believe I haven't written anything in more than 2 weeks!  But in my own defense, it's been a really busy 2 weeks.  I can't think of what I did during those 2 weeks, but I must have been really busy or I would have written something, right?

Here's the short version of my last 2 weeks:

• I had my first ever court appearance.  I now have a 3rd-year bar card, meaning I get to practice law under the supervision of a real lawyer.  I think it's a great idea, because you get to learn the ropes while someone holds your hand.  Most law students don't get this opportunity, because you have to get a lawyer to agree to "sponsor" you under their license.
• I made a trip home (with my brother and sister-in-law) to see my dad for his birthday.  We spent the weekend doing absolutely nothing, but we were together and that made it perfect.  I wish my other brother and his family would have been there too, but it didn't work out.  
• I finally got all my grades back for the spring semester.  I was getting pretty annoyed at my last two professors.  They have exams that were completely multiple choice and still couldn't manage to get the grades posted in a reasonable time.  Professors have 30 days from the exam to post the grades, and they took full advantage of that.  
• I decided to get off my butt and get back into shape.  Actually, I decided a long time ago, but I just recently started doing something about it.  And yes, technically I am in shape (round is a shape), but not a shape I'm particularly happy with at the moment.  
• I helped a friend out by masquerading as a judge (name "The Judge") and signed orders banning bugs from entering her house.  All bugs have been found guilty of trespassing and received the death penalty.  =)

There's a lot more that happened over the last 2 weeks, but that's all for now.  

The Real MIBs

Today, I saw the real-life men in black.

I was stopped at a red light in front of a federal building in downtown Dallas.  I looked over at the car next to me, and there they were -- two men were sitting in a black SUV wearing black suits, black ties, and dark sunglasses (quite possibly Ray Bans).  They even had the slicked back hair.

I guess they could have been something like the BAU since they usually ride around in black SUVs and I can't remember actually seeing the MIBs in black SUVs.  But the BAU doesn't usually wear the black suits.  I know that it's possible they were just two guys sitting in a car, but there was just something a little too familiar about them.  And it really doesn't help that they were in front of a federal building either.

I just thought I'd mention it before it was permanently erased from my memory. 

***************************************************************************************

The good guys dress in black, remember that
Just in case we're ever face to face and make contact
The title held by me, M.I.B.
Means what you think you saw, you did not see
So don't blink be what was there is now gone
The black suits with the black Ray Bans on

Walk in shadow, move in silence
Guard against extra-terrestrial violence
But yo we ain't on no government list
We straight don't exist, no names and no fingerprints
Saw something strange, watch your back
'Causes you never quite know where the M.I.B.s is at

Now from the deepest of the darkest of night
On the horizon, bright light enters sight tight
Cameras zoom, on the impending doom
But then like BOOM black suits fill the room up
With the quickness, talk with the witnesses
Hypnotizer, neuralizer, vivid memories turn to fantasies
Ain't no M.I.B.s, can I please?

Alright check it, let me tell you this in closing
I know we might seem imposing
But trust me if we ever show in your section
Believe me, it's for your own protection
'Cause we see things that you need not see
And we be places that you need not be
So go on witcha life, forget that Roswell crap
Show love to the black suit, cause that's the men in
That's the men in black

"Slacker"

I have a handful of very good friends who affectionately call me a slacker.  Or so I thought.  As it turns out, it might not be all that affectionately after all.  For some reason which only makes sense at 2:00 am, I decided to put my lawyering skills to work and find out exactly what it is that they mean by calling me a slacker.

A slacker is defined as a dodger.  A dodger is defined as a shifty person.  And shifty is defined as tricky, crafty, foxy, deceitful, untrustworthy.....  Hmmm.......  I'm thinking I don't like my friends.  Of course, it's always possible that I chose the wrong words to define.  Let's try this again.

A slacker is defined as a dodger.  A dodger is defined as a leaf hopper.  And a leaf hopper is defined as any of numerous, homopterous insects of the family Cicaclellidae that suck plant juices, many being serious crop pests.  Great, so now I'm a pesky little grasshopper.  I'm still not liking my friends.  Ok, let's try it ONE MORE TIME.

A slacker is defined as a dodger.  A dodger is defined as a shifty person.  Shifty is defined as foxy.  And foxy is defined as attractive, stylish, exciting and appealing.  Ok, I like my friends again.

Feeling Old

Normally, I like it when men act like gentlemen, when they open doors and pull out chairs and call you ma'am.  But someone called me "ma'am" today and it made me feel old.  I didn't like that.

I was in the elevator at school.  Just as the door was closing, I heard someone ask me to hold the elevator.  I did, and as he walked into the elevator, he said "Thank you, ma'am."  Normally, I would think this was just someone being polite.  But coming from a twenty-something that looks about 15, it just made me feel old.

So to prevent this in the future, here are my amended rules for gentlemen:

• Open doors
• Pull out chairs
• Say please and thank you
• Do what you say
• Don't call me ma'am

Thank you.  

p.s -- I reserve the right to amend these rules at any time without warning.  :)

National Adoption Day

Today I started working at the school's law clinic.  The clinic offers pro bono legal services, mainly in family law.  As I worked through my cases, mainly custody cases, I couldn't help but think back to last year's National Adoption Day.

Years ago, someone noticed how many children were waiting for permanent homes, living either in foster care or with other relatives.  Many of these families want to formally adopt the children, but they cannot afford legal services.  An adoption can take a long time to finalize, often years.  This is especially true when you have older children whose parents must have their parental rights terminated before the children can be adopted.  And the longer it takes something to be finalized, the more expensive it is for the client.  

Fort Worth, like many cities nationwide, participates in National Adoption Day.  On this day, participating courthouses are devoted entirely to finalizing adoptions.  In Fort Worth, this meant all ten family court judges put aside everything else and did nothing but give hundreds of children "legal" homes.  The entire courthouse was decorated, there were refreshments for the families, and all the children received books and toys.  When I arrived at the courthouse that day, I couldn't believe the sheer number of people.  There were grandparents adopting their grandchildren; there were foster parents adopting their foster children; there were brothers and sisters adopting their younger siblings; there were aunts and uncles adopting their nieces and nephews; there were grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbors welcoming the newest members of the family.  And of course, there were children everywhere! 

One family in particular caught my attention, probably because they were one of my cases.  It was a set of grandparents adopting their three grandchildren.  When I say it can take years to get adoptions taken care of, this is the family I'm thinking about.  These grandparents had actually wanted to adopt all five of their grandchildren.  However, they couldn't afford an attorney.  All of the attorneys that participate in National Adoption Day do so free of charge.  This means waiting lists.  By the time this family's number came up, the two oldest grandchildren were no longer minors. 

Attorneys are only a small part of the puzzle that must come together to make National Adoption Day work.  Most of these attorneys are fabulous, but some are not.  The attorney originally assigned to this family decided not to come to the courthouse that day.  Imagine how this family felt when after so many years of waiting, their dream was shattered minutes before they were to step in front of a judge.  The grandmother flagged me down about 15 minutes before their scheduled hearing, panicked because she couldn't find her attorney.  I quickly tracked down another attorney from the firm, who told me the attorney on the case was not coming to the courthouse.  They left if up to me to tell the family.  The grandmother was devastated, the grandfather was angry, the children were confused.  As I told them I would try to find them another attorney, I was worried this would not be possible since all the other attorneys had their own clients to worry about. 

My plan was to find my fellow law students and ask their assigned attorneys if they could help this family (and the other families my attorney was supposed to represent).  I never got to my plan.  Here is where the fabulous attorneys come in.  All of this was happening outside the courtroom where families and attorneys were meeting and waiting to be called.  As I left the family, I managed to take about three steps before I was stopped by a gentleman.  He noticed the family was upset and wanted to know if there was something he could do.  His name tag identified him as an attorney, so I told him the family's attorney was not coming to the courthouse.  That was all he needed to hear before he said he'd take the case.  I introduced him to the family and gave him the information he needed to represent them. 

A couple of people overheard me tell this gentleman the situation.  Some were family members or friends of other families, some were attorneys.  As soon as I stepped away from this family, I had four more attorneys volunteering to take the rest of my cases.  I'm sure if I had waited another five minutes, I would have had twelve more volunteers.  In the end, all the families were taken care of and all of the adoptions were finalized.  One attorney caused a family a lot of stress and potential heartache, but many more stepped up to guarantee them a happy ending. 

Facebook

I've decided that Facebook is the worst thing to come along in the past 15 years.  Why?  Because it's addictive.  If it were just a random site for updating your status, then it wouldn't be so bad.  If it were just a way to reconnect with long-lost friends or keep up with far-away family members, it would be fine.  But no, they had to go and make it fun.  They added photos and games and calendars and games and chatting and games and links, and did I mention games? 

Someone at school introduced me to Facebook.  I had received invitations to join from friends before, but I never really saw the point of it.  This friend convinced me that it would be a good idea to join in case I ever missed a class and needed a quick way to get in touch with people from that class.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.  But then she also showed me how to play games.  Big mistake. 

I'm a very good multi-tasker.  What this means is that I can hang out on Facebook while listening to my professors and taking notes.  And in case you don't buy this, I would like to mention that I made the Dean's List last semester....while playing on Facebook through some of my classes (but only the boring ones).  I also get bored relatively easily.  What this means is that I've tried a lot of different games on Facebook, and I'm always looking for something new to play.  =)

Red Light Cameras

For the record, I hate red light cameras.  In fact, I don't just hate them, I HATE them.  And no, I've never gotten a ticket from one. 

I remember when they started putting them up around Houston.  For a while, they were pretty limited, and I got pretty good at finding ways to avoid them.  Little by little, they started showing up at more and more places, but I was still pretty good at avoiding them.

Then I moved to Fort Worth.  Unfortunately, when you move to a new city, you really only know one way to get to most places.  I'm better now, but I still run into them every once in a while, especially when I go somewhere new.  I've been here for two years now, and I still haven't managed to find ways around all the cameras yet.  But give me another six months or so and I'll be set!

So why am I even talking about red light cameras?  Well, today I saw two firetrucks run red lights at intersections that have cameras and it just got me thinking -- do firetrucks get tickets from the cameras when they run red lights?

Changing Times

Tonight was the last night I will be playing with my softball team this season.  We have two games left, but unfortunately, my class schedule is going to keep me from making those games.  It's been a lot of fun, but I can't help but notice how my softball experience this season has been compared to those of my cousins and their families.

First, there's my Germany cousins.  They've spent the last couple of months playing softball in Germany (of course), the Netherlands, and Italy.  Yes, they live in Germany, which makes it a lot easier to get to those places, but still.  Then there's my Houston cousins.  They've been playing around Houston, but they've also spent the last few summers playing at nationals in Florida.  Then there's me.  The park I play at is about 10 minutes from my house, and that's if I get all the lights red.  The furthest we've gotten to travel is Field 4.  After the games, there's no sightseeing.  Instead, there's hanging out in the parking lot and having a beer with the rest of the team.  Things are definitely different.

Now I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy this season; I had a blast.  Win or lose, this team was just fun to be around.  I played third base all season and spent a good amount of time joking with the shortstop about us having the shortest infield in the league.  I'm about 5' tall; I'd guess he's about 5' 7".  The girl playing second is shorter than I am, and the guy playing first might be an inch or two taller than the shortstop.  He pointed this out about half-way through the season when the other team had just hit about 3 or 4 line drives just over our heads and out of our reach.  Luckily, we had a good season, so that helped keep everyone in a good mood.  The best thing about playing is that for a couple of hours a week, we all got to step on the field and away from the stress of law school.

I would love to go to Germany or Italy, or even Florida, but that would probably mean I wouldn't have been a part of the Green Team (that wore the yellow softball shirts) and I wouldn't have gotten to hang out in the parking lot and have a beer with my friends.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day in my family has always been a little, well, typical.  We call Mom, maybe send a card, maybe send some flowers.  I guess the only atypical thing about Mother's Day in my family is that my mom insists on celebrating it twice.  In Mexico, Mother's Day is always May 10th, regardless of what day of the week it falls on.  So Mom gets two Mother's Days: May 10th and whatever day Mother's Day happens to be in the U.S.  But she's a great mom, so I'm more than happy to let her celebrate it twice.

It seems like a lot of my friends are celebrating Mother's Day for the first time this year.  And in the past two weeks, I've learned that three friends are expecting.  Congratulations to all!

To all the mothers and future mothers, Happy Mother's Day!