Yay - It's official!

June 30, 2011

Dear Ms. Christine Elizabeth Harding Hart:

Congratulations! The Degree Progress Department is pleased to inform you that your Juris Doctor degree has been conferred and posted to your academic transcript at the University of Southern California. The conferral date of your degree is May 13, 2011.

Your diploma has been ordered [I ALREADY GOT IT - BUT WE HAD TO PROMISE TO GIVE IT BACK IF WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY PASS OUR CLASSES] and will be mailed to your permanent address of record, unless you already made other arrangements (hold for pickup, or mail to your local address.) Note: If the address had a 90007 zip code, your diploma will be held for pickup. If you have not received your diploma or pick up notice by August 4, 2011 please contact the Diploma Office at (213) 740-7070, or by email to diplomas@usc.edu.

[I deleted the part about ordering transcripts]

Again, congratulations on this achievement. You have completed a demanding course of study and we are proud to have you join that select group of individuals who are graduates of the University of Southern California.

Degree Progress Department
University of Southern California


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Graduation

It's rather strange to think that I've graduated from law school.  It was just yesterday I was starting this blog to chronicle the application and decision process. Unfortunately I don't really have time to think about it because I start intense study for the Bar tomorrow. So, before life takes an even more hectic turn, I wanted to get some pictures up of graduation, since I will be disabling my Facebook very soon.

Me & Jackie

 

Me & Maisha

Nanny, Jon & Mom

Curtis & his parents - Robin & Jeffrey

Me & Kevin, a close friend 1L year who transferred to Penn, but was awesome enough to come for our graduation!

Me and one of my favorite Professors

Me & Curtis

Me & Jon (he was in a good mood that day, I swear!)

Nanny, me and Mom

The entire family crew at Graduation

Curtis, Me, Jackie, and Josh (Jackie's Boyfriend)

Celebrating the following day at Disneyland!

My celebratory hat :-)

April 2011 - The month of fun

April is shaping up to be good - and it better be, since the three months after that will be finals and the Bar...
3/31: Wicked at OC performing arts center
4/8: Law Prom (not for sure going but thinking about it)
4/13: Turrentine Reception (honoring students who received clerkships...more about that later ;-)
4/14-17: Trip to DC w/ Juls to see Tracy (super exciting - I love visiting that city)
3/22: 3L Gala
3/24: Easter (my favorite holiday)
3/27: Order my cap and gown!!!

Of course, I have papers to write and finals to study for, but that's all secondary :-)

Done with 2L!!!

When I started this blog, I was starting the application process for law school. It's amazing how time flies. Since that time, I

- got engaged
- got into law school
- decided on a law school
- left work
- started law school
- got Obama elected (lol)
- got married
- worked 1L summer
- started 2L year
- externed at the Ninth Circuit
- FINISHED 2L Year!

Ahead of me, I have
- work 2L summer
- get a job offer (I hope)
- (possibly) apply for clerkships
- start and finish 3L year
- Graduate!!!!
- Take the bar
- etc., etc.

I've always wanted to go to law school and become a lawyer, so I'm very excited that I am one year and (hopefully) one bar exam away from finishing my goal. While my final today did not go as well as I hoped, I felt really prepared and am generally happy to be done. At this point, I'm ready to start my summer job in Menlo Park on June 7th. In the meantime, I plan to do some casual reading, lose some weight, and get my life organized for the next phase.

Have a good weekend :-)

Update!

It's been awhile! I thought I'd post the pictures I've taken lately to describe how I've been doing. These pictures are somewhat out of order, and I'm not in very many, but they are descriptive.

In March, Curtis and I went to the Pac-10 tournament semifinal, because (shockingly!) both of our teams are playing. Of course, they lost, but we had a fun Friday date night. We even got to see a friend that we went to high school with who played baseball at Stanford!

As per tradition, my dad and I dyed eggs on the night before Easter. Believe or not, but those are actually brown eggs that we dyed, and they turned out pretty cool! Unfortunately, we forgot to hide them the next day for my little cousins to hunt, but at least we kept up the tradition. When asked by my mom how much longer this tradition would go on, I basically said that my dad will never be off the hook, he will be dying eggs with my children someday :-). Otherwise, Easter was a nice time, got to see a lot of family that I hadn't seen in awhile and it was pretty fun.

Yes, we tried out the iPad on opening day! We were eating breakfast at the Grove and decided to check it out before we ate. The place was packed but the gadget is pretty cool. I'm seriously considering a purchase later this summer of the 3G version... but I also want a new iPhone so we'll see...

My mom and I went to see Syracuse play (and LOSE!) in the Sweet 16 in Salt Lake City! It was an awful game, but we had a really nice time in the city, and I got to see 2 of my sisters-in-law and my nephew! So, it was a really nice time away from home in a nice hotel and great company.

My dad and Curtis made Caramel Crème brûlée - it was delish. I think the favorite part for them was the blow torch.
Curtis' parents redid Curtis' old room at their house and it looks soo nice. Curtis stayed there while I was in SLC. We had to take pictures for the rest of the fam.

Curtis and Louis are taking the GMAT next week! They are actually in class tonight. I will be very happy when they finish, since it has taken over our lives. But, I'm so thrilled for them that they have taken this step. I can't wait to hear how they did (GMAT gives you your score as soon as you finish)

Lastly, this is the view from my office on a rainy day. My externship comes to an end in 2 weeks, and then I will have a month off before I start my summer job. I'm still trying to decide whether I should try and do something with that much time, but the jury is still out. Perhaps a trip is in store? I'll admit that I am now ready to be done, and am looking forward to my last year of school, ever.

If you're keeping score, our wedding anniversary is almost a month away! We're actually going to be in the bay area that weekend for a wedding, and so we will celebrate our anniversary by going to Stacks in Menlo Park and then hanging out in the Stanford area. It's going to be a nice time together before we are apart for 10 weeks while I am working in Menlo Park.

Anyway, have a good weekend! I'm off to the Bay Area on Saturday to see the Stanford Spring Game at Kezar Stadium. Hopefully I'll have pictures to share when I get back.

Moot Court

There are times in which I realize that when you're in law school, you're learning a new language, and so when I describe something that I'm doing, people who are not crazy, sleep-deprived, stressed, addicted to sugar, caffeine, etc. might not know what I'm talking about.

Moot Court is basically appellate oral argument before a panel of judges. Last year all of the first years had to argue before the "California Court of Appeals" on a trade secret issue. That was for a grade, and also to qualify for the Moot Court Honors Program. I was one of the 40 that qualified, and now I am getting ready for the preliminary rounds.

This time I'm arguing before the US "Supreme Court", which in the preliminary round is 3 practicing attorneys (for the final round the school usually recruits 3 Federal court of appeals judges). There are two issues and two students on each side. I am arguing about the 4th and 5th Amendment of the Constitution. I get 15 minutes to speak, during which the judges frequently interrupt me with questions that I have to answer. You have to be knowledgeable, charming, and able to think on your feet. I'd like to say that I'm good at all three, but generally I get dinged on the "knowledgeable" part - especially this year.

The issue is interesting, but the answer is far from easy. The essence of it is: you can be stopped by a police officer and asked questions without being unlawfully "seized" - a Fourth Amendment violation. But, you can't be interrogated while under arrest without receiving your Miranda warning (you have the right to be silent, anything you say can and will be used in a court of law...you have a right to an attorney...etc.etc.). So the question is, can you be detained by an officer to the point at which it isn't an unlawful seizure but you should have received your Miranda warning? I spent most of my time this semester arguing for my paper that you don't have to be given the warning (that was my assignment, not my choice), BUT -- you have to argue both sides. On Tuesday I argued for the government, and tonight I'm arguing for the defendant. There is a ton of case law on this issue, but no clear answers, especially from the Supreme Court, which is why the issue was chosen.

The real rounds start in about a week, but this week we had practice rounds and it's been pretty difficult, especially to argue the side that I actually wrote about. We'll see how tonight goes when I do my off-brief. After the preliminary rounds, 16 students are chosen to compete next semester, and a winner is chosen in March. Perhaps if I get to the next round I'll be arguing the other issue: is a prohibition of sex toys a violation of the Fifth Amendment Due Process Clause right to privacy? But for now, I'm focusing on the rights of a criminal defendant and trying to make sure I'm able to articulate a decent argument.

Unrelated note: this weekend I am up north for Homecoming! Hopefully I will remember my camera this time and will put some pictures up on the blog when I'm back.

Monday Updates 10/19/09

Not much to report, but I have a few pictures so I thought I'd post.

Family Weekend - we spent Saturday and Sunday in Mission Viejo. It was really nice to be there and had a good time. Some highlights included going to the driving range, playing basketball, eating great food, and hanging out with our families. We brought home our wedding album which was fun to look at with our parents. We'll probably be back in 2 weeks for Halloween, and we're looking forward to that.

(that's my dad, and my golf bag, which is pink :-)

School - is going well, much different than the first year. I'm doing a lot more writing than last year, which is good practice but not very fun. I'm still applying for externships for second semester, in lieu of taking classes.

Married Life - I always get asked "how's married life?!" Well, it's good, definitely different. I'm glad that we waited until we were married to live together, because it's a wonderful experience that would have already happened. At the same time, it can be a hard adjustment, figuring out how to divide up the chores, how much time to spend together, versus apart, etc. We're also in a unique situation with me in school, because it means that I'm home a lot, whereas Curtis works 40-45 hours a week and spends 10 hours a week in the car commuting. But, as time goes on I think we've adjusted, and it's a work in progress. And at the end of the day, we're still very much in love, and have a great deal of respect for one other, so we're good :-).

Future plans - next weekend is Stanford Homecoming! We're very excited about that. We're driving up on Saturday (the game is at night), will do the homecoming tailgate and game, stacks in the morning and then head back. We're also hoping to get to Disneyland for Halloween time before the end of the month. And then it will be November and time to buckle down for finals.

Have a good week!

I got a job!

I will be spending the summer of 2010 back in the Bay Area!

I got an offer today to work at my old firm, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, as a summer associate next year! I immediately accepted, and will be working primarily in the Employment Group! I am so excited about being back at Orrick - the people are wonderful and the work is exciting. And I love Silicon Valley, it's a great place to live. Plus it means I get to hang out with people I have truly missed during law school.

I don't have any other details yet - but I'm thrilled to have this opportunity. It is one giant step in the direction of graduating and becoming a practicing lawyer in the Bay Area!

Have a good week :-)

Monday Updates - 8/24/09

Today is the first day of my second year! It's amazing how time flies. I thought I'd do a quick update while I'm waiting for my first class to begin (Business Organizations). 

Law School - 

It's funny how much less prepared I am for the second year. I don't have any books, I don't have a locker, and I don't have parking. But at least I'm here. I'm hoping to spend the next few days getting all of that straightened out. I'm taking four classes: Biz Orgs, Criminal Procedure, California Civil Procedure, and Evidence. I'm also doing Moot Court so I will be sufficiently busy. 

Job Search - 

OCI (On-Campus Interviewing) went as well as expected. I knew that I would be lucky to get any callbacks because of how selective the employers are this year, and I got one. It was with a firm in San Francisco, which is an exciting prospect. I interviewed last Wednesday. I doubt I got an offer, since I haven't heard anything yet, but you never know. I also have an interview this Friday with my old firm, and I am very excited about that. It's a great job opportunity, and I will be happy to see everyone again. On top of that, I need to start applying for externships with the local judges for next semester.

Life - 

I have been very busy the last few weeks. Marjorie's wedding was a week ago and this past Saturday we had an open house at her local church. It was fun spending time with the bride and groom since we didn't see as much of them last weekend when we were in Utah. I am looking forward to a quiet weekend though after my trip to the bay area this Friday. 

Have a good week! 

The next couple of weeks

I can't believe August is almost here! I was really looking forward to it in June, but now looking at the calendar I wouldn't mind having another week of normalcy. Here's the rundown of my schedule from now until the start of school on August 24:

This week is fairly normal, but this weekend I'm spending most of it in Mission Viejo, and Sunday night in San Diego. We have our first in-person meeting of the WRBLSA (Western Region Black Law Students Association) Board, which should be fun. Monday morning I'll travel back to LA for my last 3 days of work.

Thursday August 6 may involve a trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain - we'll see how ambitious I am. August 7-8 I will be in the bay area/San Francisco! I'm doing a quick trip so visit with my Orrick friends and do an interview with another firm in the city (although it's for a position in LA - figures). I will be back on the night of the 8th, which is also my birthday.

I start on-campus interviews on August 10 and go through August 13. Right now I have 11 interviews scheduled but that may go up/down depending on how things play out. Curtis and I are going to Utah for his sister Marjorie's wedding Aug. 14-17th. The following week, which is right before school starts, should be quieter. Then the craziness of law school begins again on the 24th!

Have a good week!

Update

Hi everyone,

I didn't expect to be updating during finals but so much has happened that I figured I'd post something quick.

On Saturday my grandmother passed away. She was my father's mother and it was rather shocking. She had numerous chronic health problems, but it was still very sudden. My grandma was on the Oceanside City Council for 8 years and a prominent person in the community. You can read an article about her life here.Saturday was a difficult day. Curtis drove up to LA to take me and one of my uncles who flew into the LAX to my aunt's house in Oceanside. Sunday was a little better, I stayed at my parents' house with my brother so that my parents and grandmother (mom's mom) could go to the Oceanside to plan the service, which is this Saturday. Being around my brother always cheers me up, no matter what's going on.

I had my first law school final today, and it really went as well as it could have. I felt very prepared and didn't feel like I needed more time. Luckily crim was the one class that I had spent a lot of time studying for weeks in advance. I feel much less confident about property, but I have 2 days (and tonight) to be ready. It's likely that my Constitutional Law final on Monday will get moved to the make-up day since this weekend is the service and everything.

I did get good news last Thursday: I got hired to be a part-time research assistant for two professors at the law school, for the summer and fall. They are a husband and wife, and I took Civil Procedure with the husband last fall. He liked me so much that I didn't even have to interview for the job! I filled out my paperwork today so that I can get started as soon as finals end. So summer will be very busy but I think the experience and the extra money will be really beneficial.

In other news, I going to see an orthopedist tomorrow. Because apparently finals and family stuff isn't enough, so I have a hurt foot! It started hurting a little over a week ago, I saw a doctor on Thursday who gave me crutches and told me to stay off of it (which has been...difficult to do). So I'm curious to see what the orthopedist says. One suspicion is that it's a stress fracture, but an x-ray will not show that for another week. It only really matters because I can't exercise on it and because I'm wearing 4 in. heels on May 23.

Speaking of the wedding, we are up to about 137 guests. It is about 19 days away, and Curtis and I are really excited, despite our recent loss. Not too many nerves yet, they're being spent on law school. But we are very happy that we will finally be a family (officially) in a few short weeks after being together for more than six years. And I'm happy that Curtis got to know Grandma and that we know how excited she was about our wedding.

That's all, I just wanted to record my thoughts on recent events. I hope you have a good week.

Wednesday Updates - 4/1/2009

Happy April! I'm getting married next month...crazy!

Weekend - The highlight of my weekend was attending Law Prom in Hollywood. It's a formal the school has every year. It ended up being quite the crazy night, and we spend half of Sunday recovering before I had to finish my last paper for legal writing. Here's a picture :-)


I had fun curling my hair for the event. Since I'm cutting most of my hair off after the wedding, it was good to do something fun with it before it all went away.

Law School: April means outlining time! I have to buckle down and spend my spare time studying for exams. At this point I'm trying to clean up my apartment and get personal things done so that I can focus on studying. And I'm starting to organize my school stuff so I can prepare for exams.

Wedding: we've started receiving the RSVP's! We have about 25 people attending so far, not bad for the first week. There are a few things I need to get done this weekend (contact the DJ for one) and then I'll probably go (mostly) quiet until finals are over.

Have a good week!

Monday Updates - 3/9/09

Hello again! I'm procrastinating going to the gym, so here we go:

Weekend: Curtis and I went to the mall on Saturday. He needed a new suit so we did that and while we were there I (finally!) got a new wallet and a case for my iphone so I don't destroy it at the gym. On Sunday I stayed in, studied and baked cookies.

School: Good news is I just finished Legal Research for the year. I wish I felt better about the exam, but I don't think I could have prepared any better. Unfortunately with the exception of Spring Break next week, school is about to get a lot more rigorous. I have my last paper due for legal writing on March 30th, and then starting in April I'm preparing for finals. (mark your calendars: I'm officially done with my 1L year May 14th!)

Summer Employment: I'm still waiting to hear from a couple of potential employers, but the good news is I have an offer to work at the Disability Rights Legal Center in Downtown LA! I'm very excited as this is a great opportunity. The only downside is that it is unpaid, but I am looking into finding grants.

Wedding: Lots of movement on the wedding front - I ordered and received my wedding ring on Friday. I love it and I try it on once in awhile ;-). I ordered the invitations on Saturday finally. I am now getting ready to make my to-do list over spring break, since that's really my last opportunity to get much done. I might post a blog with my checklist later tonight. I'm also very excited about the two showers that are being thrown in my honor over spring break - it's great to have the festivities actually begin.

Health/Wellness: No word on the celiac blood test yet. I am seeing an allergist (for unrelated symptoms) tomorrow afternoon so I might find out. In the meantime I've been eating a lot of gluten-rich food. Curtis keeps teasing me saying that if I find out that I don't have it I'll have to then work on losing all the weight I gained thinking I did. One somewhat distracting thing is all the headaches I've been having the last couple of weeks. Some of you know that I have this funny habit of getting headaches on Saturday mornings. Well - I had a severe headache on Friday and a more normal one on Saturday morning this week. It could be anything from dehydration to caffeine withdrawal to the amount of gluten I'm consuming (which can apparently cause headaches). I'm obviously taking measures to be more hydrated, which is difficult since I'm back at the gym on a regular basis, and I'm drinking much less caffeine, so we'll see what happens.

That's all for now. Have a good week!

Monday Updates! - 3/2/09

Hello! I'm back for today. It's amazing how busy life has been lately. Here we go:

Weekend: I had a paper due this morning so I had low expectations for this weekend. However, I was able to attend the Public Interest Law Foundation Auction put on by USC Law every year. It was really fun watching students bid on dinners with faculty members and with prominent attorneys, all in the name of public interest. Unfortunately, the fun came to an end on Saturday when I woke up with a severe headache. I was unable to do anything most of the day, although I managed to make it to Pinkberry that night. On Sunday Curtis and I went to brunch and I spent the day finishing my paper.

School: School is tougher this semester because we have so many other distractions. We're trying to find jobs this summer, network, and get involved in school organizations. And there is at least one class, Property, that is pretty difficult to learn, so I'll be putting in a lot of work during April figuring that everything out.

Wedding: We had the tasting about a week ago. We got to choose all of the dishes that would be served, and we tasted the salads and main courses. I have to order the invitations as soon as possible. I also updated my registries and will be doing the cake consultation soon. I'm excited for my bridal showers this month, and I think it's crazy that the wedding is about 80 days away! I'm getting really sentimental and excited about getting married, I even told Curtis yesterday to let me know if I am being too sappy (he said I was OK so far).

Other: First, I finally purchased a gym membership at my complex, and I really like it so far because my schedule is such that the gym is really quiet when I'm there. I'm generally doing 2 miles on the treadmill and then a half hour of weights/resistance exercises. I'm probably in the worst shape of my life, so it's quite the challenge, but a fun (and healthy) hobby.

Second, I had my blood drawn last Friday for Celiac Disease. I'll find out whether it's positive either late this week or early next. If it's positive I will be eating gluten-free going forward. As most of you already know, my dad and brother were diagnosed with it several years ago. I have no idea whether I will be diagnosed, but in the meantime I am eating all of my favorite foods that contain gluten (pita chips, Nestle's break-and-bake cookies, pancakes, Pizza Hut, beer). If diagnosed, I will probably stop eating gluten immediately (although I am undecided as to what to do about my wedding cake - it will depend on what the bakery can do). I do not have severe day-to-day symptoms that indicate the disease, but it was worth testing given the family history since eating gluten can result in long-term damage if undiagnosed. I'll keep the blog posted when I know.

That's it for now...have a good week!

Tuesday Updates - 1/27/09

Flowers from Curtis :-)

As much as I hate to see time fly, I'm happy that this month is almost over. It's been really busy, really tough, and the whole time I was waiting for grades (we'll get to that later).

The first big announcement is that I'm going to Portland this weekend!! I had the opportunity to attend the Western Region Black Law Students Association (BLSA) Convention. Anyway I'm leaving on Friday, attending events on Friday night and all day Sunday, and then I'll see my cousin (and bridesmaid) Molly for a few hours before I fly back. I'm very excited about the opportunity to attend a BLSA event and the chance to get out of town for a few days (it's been so long since I've really traveled). Anyway, I'll have pictures next week :-).

Weekend: My dad and I went to Stanford Leading Matters at the LA Convention Center all day Saturday. It was a really great experience that I recommend to anyone who is affiliated with Stanford. They're having one in SF later this year and in Orange County either next year or in 2011. There were two paneled sessions with current faculty and we got to choose which ones to go to. My dad and I went to one on the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and one on foreign policy in the new administration. Pretty soon all the talks should be on iTunes and I plan to give CD's of some of them to a few professors. After the talks there was a reception and dinner. They showed some incredible multimedia programs on giant wide screens, and had sets that resembled the Stanford quad. I got a picture of the quad and of one of the desserts offered.


Overall, it was a great experience that I'd definitely recommend.

Law School: Law School is BUSY, but I think I've finally hit my stride in terms of energy and motivation. I had a really hard time getting into the groove this time around. I don't know whether it was because I was worried about grades, or because I was probably still sick, but I was extremely tired and had a lot of trouble sleeping. And whenever I don't sleep...I start going a little nutty.

I finally got all my grades and the good news is that I'm happy with my performance this semester. I'm still in the job application process but no where near the end of it. I had a mock interview with a local attorney earlier tonight that was a great - she gave me some very useful advice. My classes are getting more interesting. One new thing this semester is that I'm working in a study group with three other women in my section. We are meeting weekly to go over class material. So far it's been a really effective use of study time, and it doesn't hurt that we all enjoy each other's company.

Wedding: nothing new on the wedding front, other than that I made a few insignificant changes to the website.

Other: 2 big things that I'm missing this week because of school are the Stanford vs. USC and the Stanford vs. UCLA basketball games, both in LA. I'm extremely bummed, and it's likely that I won't even be able to watch the games on TV, so please cheer on my behalf if you do watch (or, in the alternative, cheer against Kal, who is also playing both USC and UCLA this weekend).

And I've joined Twitter. My ID is ceh2011 if you want to follow me :-)

Have a good week.

Monday Updates - 1/19/09

Happy MLK Day! I hope you have the day off. I woke up at 10:45 and will be watching CNN inauguration coverage all day. 

Weekend: Friday was pretty low key, I drove down to Mission Viejo for the weekend. Saturday Curtis and I went to California Adventure and Disneyland in the evening. It was my first time on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which was much scarier than I thought it would be! On Sunday I relaxed with my family and watched the Eagles lose their chance at the Superbowl (sigh...). And then I headed back up to LA to chill out before class starts again. 

Wedding: I also got a lot of wedding stuff done. I tried on a pair of shoes with my dress that I think I'm going to keep! I scheduled my food tasting and my dress fitting. And, a few weeks ago I took pictures of my reception location and I realized that I hadn't posted them yet. Here they are: 

I hope the weather is as good as it was over Christmas! 

This week I'll be watching the inauguration in my Constitutional Law class at school. I'll probably DVR the entire thing from home too since I have class tomorrow until 2:45. It's exciting that we will have a new President tomorrow, one that so many people are excited and *hopeful* about.

Have a good week :-) 

Tuesday Updates - 1/13/09

Sorry for the late Updates, it was tough getting back into the school routine yesterday.

Weekend:
I had a very fun weekend. On Saturday Curtis, me, Curtis' dad, and Nick went to a tux shop to order tuxes for the wedding party and VIP's. I was very happy with what Curtis picked, I think he and the guys are going to look great. After that my dad and I drove down to Oceanside (78 degree weather, convertible top down, :-) for my Grandpa's 79th birthday party. My aunt has two new pets!

Drago:
and Jose!

My dad and I had fun playing with the new pets, I have always liked pet snakes (not that I want one) and the bearded dragon was awesome.

On Sunday I watched The Dutchess while packing up to go home. If you like period dramas, this is a good one. Predictable yet intriguing plot, with an interesting ending. Then on Sunday I headed back up to Los Angeles and back to the whirlwind that is law school.

Law School:
This semester I'm taking Constitutional Law, Property, Criminal Law, Legal Profession, and the usual Legal Research and Writing. So far I like all of my professors, and I even got called on in my Conlaw class and did fine. So I'm hopeful that this semester will be as good, if not better than the last.

I got my first grade from last semester yesterday, in Civil Procedure, and I was very excited about it. I'm very grateful and am now anxiously waiting for my 4 other grades.

Movies:
My ambitious winter break movie list was just too ambitious for me. It's amazing how easily time gets filled up, and how an illness can derail many of your plans. But I did manage to see 2 movies on the list:

Australia - the more I think about this movie, the more I love it. I just think it was so genuine and sentimental, and the scenery is gorgeous. I've always liked Baz Luhrmann movies (Moulin Rouge!, Romeo & Juliet...) and this was no exception. Plus, it's a really good story with many different and overlapping themes. Overall, it is definitely a movie I want to see again and eventually own.

Frost/Nixon - The thing that comes to mind when I think of this movie is how good the acting was. I think Frank Langella had an uncanny ability to embody Nixon's perspective. It was compelling and exciting, which is quite something for a predictable plot, not unlike what I've heard from people who've seen Valkrie. Overall I wasn't as awestruck as I was when I saw Australia, but I still enjoyed and appreciated this movie.

That's all for now. Have a good week!

Monday Updates - 1/5/2009

First Monday Updates of 2009! I'm very proud that I've been blogging now for over a year. I hope you've enjoyed my posts.

Health:
This is the fourth day of this cold I have. It's been really frustrating because these last few days were my chance to go shopping, organize my apartment, do a lot of working out, and gear up for school to start again, and you know how it is when you're sick, you don't want to do anything. So hopefully I'm on the tail end of the illness.

School:
1 more week until the madness starts again, and thus far I don't know what books I need, nor what my grades from last semester are. However, I NEED to start working on finding a job for this summer. I'm not happy about it, just because there is enough hanging over my head during the first year, but it's not going to go away.

Wedding:
We had a planning meeting last night that was very productive. Now I have this long list of things that need to get done in the next week. I'm hoping to schedule all my appointments either during this month or over spring break. I can't believe that we have less than 5 months to go - we're so excited.

Weekend:
I didn't do much because I was sick, but I did go to a shooting range with Curtis and his dad! It was the first time I had ever fired a gun, and at first I was really nervous, especially since it was really crowded at the range that day (one of the employees said that it had been busy ever since Obama was elected - how silly is that?). Anyway, it was a fun experience and something that I've always wanted to try. I spent the rest of the weekend in front of my parents' TV watching NFL wild card games and college basketball.

That's all for today, have a good week!

1 more final

This morning I had my second-to-last final, Torts. Overall there were not any major disasters, although I don't think I managed to come up with anything too brilliant either.

The bummer about this particular final is the fact that now all I have to study for is Civil Procedure (Friday). It's notorious for being one of the hardest first year classes, and it's definitely the class that I have the least grasp of. However, it is also the one class where my 2 years of law firm experience helps, and so I am familiar with topics that I otherwise would have no clue about. The key issue over the next 2 days is how to apportion time between studying and sleeping. I'm going to try and get a full night of sleep tonight, but I think it's 6 hours tomorrow and Thursday. I'm trying to treat it like the times we had a large brief to file and were working late the week before. If you keep telling yourself that it'll be over soon, you can push through the exhaustion.

One thing is for sure, there will be a lot of celebrations going on starting around 1PM on Friday :-P.

Updates

Yesterday was a little too weird to put it all together for a blog post -- I feel much better this morning.

Basically since my last update I've been studying all the time. My friend Aysha would come over after school, we'd make dinner, talk through a class, and be done at around 11PM. It's tiring to say the least, so I was happy to sleep in this morning. I think my parents were worried when they didn't hear from me for several days!

I had my first final yesterday morning, Contracts. The one annoying thing about our finals schedule is that even though you have to be there by 8:20, but you actually have to be there even earlier so that you can get a seat you want (something either in the front or on an edge so you're not in between a ton of people frantically typing). Between that and the insomnia that I got the night before, I was running on coke zero and a little coffee (and there are no breaks during the exam).

The great thing about the final was that with the exception of a few concepts on the multiple choice, I didn't feel like I was struggling to remember everything on the exam. Everything was pretty intuitive and it was stuff that I had practiced a lot the day before. Unlike yesterday's exam, the rest of my exams are mostly open book (some multiple choice sections aren't) so I'll be able to spend more time understanding the concepts.

After the final two of my friends and I went to an Asian fusion restaurant in downtown LA that was really good...we were able to get some good laughs in over lunch before we headed home to sleep and start studying again.

Next is LLE (law, language, and ethics) on Friday morning, which is basically a philosophy course on theories of law and theories of adjudication. I'll let you know how it goes!