A few days ago I said that the higher I go in my education, the more people I find like myself. Well, I've also discovered some very strange people, even stranger than me.
Just yesterday, one of my fellow interns who goes to my law school told me about a girl in her section who lit a menorah in the middle of a final exam last December. Yes, while everyone was furiously typing their exams, she stopped to light a menorah she brought from home. The professor was so perplexed, all he could do was ask her to do it outside. How I did not hear this story in a school where stories spread so quickly is beyond me.
Now I am all for being proud of your religion, and I even know how people can turn to their faiths to help get through arduous times like final exams. I still ask my priest for a blessing before finals. But practicing a religious ritual during a test when everyone is trying to concentrate shows a lack of social skills and a disregard for others. People are nice to her, yet she still seems to be in her own world that does not care about other people. It's like those people who ask a million questions (known as gunners) even though they aren't relevant to class and it slows down learning for everyone. Just go to office hours!
You just wonder if these type of people can change or if they're pretty set in their ways by their 20s. And you also wonder who will hire these people to be lawyers in the future.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
Foodie
Foodie is an informal term for a particular class of aficionado of food and drink. The word was coined in 1984 by Paul Levy and Ann Barr for their book, The Official Foodie Handbook. Gourmets simply want to eat the best food, whereas foodies want to learn everything about food, both the best and the ordinary, and about the science, industry, and personalities surrounding food. --Wikipedia
Although I've always loved cooking and watching Food Network, I didn't really become a foodie until more recently. I'm obsessed with Top Chef, know famous chefs, love trying new restaurants and dishes, search for fresh ingredients, saw Ratatouille, reading A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain, and have become a tad more adventurous.
Today, one of the lawyers in our office won a free lunch at a Thai restaurant. Even though I love pad thai, I decided to be different and try a very tasty duck dish in a basil and chili sauce. After watching Top Chef, I even noticed that I start to look at things like how the dish is plated, how the textures and flavors work together, etc.
Though some people brush off Top Chef as another reality show (or unfairly criticize it like Jamie Lee Curtis), this isn't just another show watching people sit around or compete for dates. Top Chef gives a behind the scenes look of something that we all enjoy: food. As someone who loves watching the creative process and just learning about different professions in general, its fascinating.
Top Chef has made me appreciate my food so much more. Now when I cook, even if its just for myself, I usually make quality food and plate it nicely. And Monday is sushi with the girls-- a food that I finally tried this Spring Break-- and that I now enjoy and think is one of the prettiest foods out there.
Although I've always loved cooking and watching Food Network, I didn't really become a foodie until more recently. I'm obsessed with Top Chef, know famous chefs, love trying new restaurants and dishes, search for fresh ingredients, saw Ratatouille, reading A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain, and have become a tad more adventurous.
Today, one of the lawyers in our office won a free lunch at a Thai restaurant. Even though I love pad thai, I decided to be different and try a very tasty duck dish in a basil and chili sauce. After watching Top Chef, I even noticed that I start to look at things like how the dish is plated, how the textures and flavors work together, etc.
Though some people brush off Top Chef as another reality show (or unfairly criticize it like Jamie Lee Curtis), this isn't just another show watching people sit around or compete for dates. Top Chef gives a behind the scenes look of something that we all enjoy: food. As someone who loves watching the creative process and just learning about different professions in general, its fascinating.
Top Chef has made me appreciate my food so much more. Now when I cook, even if its just for myself, I usually make quality food and plate it nicely. And Monday is sushi with the girls-- a food that I finally tried this Spring Break-- and that I now enjoy and think is one of the prettiest foods out there.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Power Hours
One thing I'll really miss when I move away from DC are the happy hours. Even if I don't eat or drink much at them, it's really nice to meet up with people after work and then ride the less crowded metro back home. I don't go often, but two happened to fall on today: An All-UC happy hour and a happy hour with the Vietnamese American Bar Association (VABA).
The UC one was fun even though it was crowded, and the VABA one was really nice. I immediately became the little sister, with them all giving me career advice and just joking around about general life stuff (like some of the women giving men pointers on pick up lines).
At the Happy Hours, I also remembered how small the world is. One of the VABA lawyers was actually the resident director of my freshman year dorm at UCLA. And then at the UC Happy Hour I saw 4 people from student government and 4 different people from Bruin Dems. Maybe I should make addendum to yesterday's entry and mention that you're more likely to have a stream of visitors to DC if you were/are a political junkie.
The UC one was fun even though it was crowded, and the VABA one was really nice. I immediately became the little sister, with them all giving me career advice and just joking around about general life stuff (like some of the women giving men pointers on pick up lines).
At the Happy Hours, I also remembered how small the world is. One of the VABA lawyers was actually the resident director of my freshman year dorm at UCLA. And then at the UC Happy Hour I saw 4 people from student government and 4 different people from Bruin Dems. Maybe I should make addendum to yesterday's entry and mention that you're more likely to have a stream of visitors to DC if you were/are a political junkie.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Home Away from Home
If you ever want to move across the country and get a lot of visitors, move to DC. People are always coming here for conferences, lobbying, grad school visits, or just for fun. We had so many friends staying with us at the beginning of the year that my law school friends joked that my roommate and I were running a hostel/hotel/bed & breakfast.
Luckily, since its summer I get to actually hang out with people; whereas during the school year I sometimes had to miss out on seeing some people or only see them for a brief period. My roommate's brother's fiance is staying with us this weekend, I have a friend from UCLA and one from robotics (yes, robotics) in town this weekend, and we have another friend from UCLA coming in next weekend. Wow, summer just got even busier, but in a fun way.
One of the reasons why I don't think I have ever felt homesick is because I constantly see people from home. It's actually one of the reasons why I didn't apply to the University of Minnesota law school, even though they have a good program and I have like 10 relatives who went to the U of MN. I thought, "No one would visit me in Minnesota!" I'm serious.
So this is an open invitation for any friends or family reading this to come visit. I most likely will be in California next summer so you have one month of summer and 2 school calendar years to visit while I'm here. I don't have much, but I can offer a comfy futon and a Captiol tour.
Luckily, since its summer I get to actually hang out with people; whereas during the school year I sometimes had to miss out on seeing some people or only see them for a brief period. My roommate's brother's fiance is staying with us this weekend, I have a friend from UCLA and one from robotics (yes, robotics) in town this weekend, and we have another friend from UCLA coming in next weekend. Wow, summer just got even busier, but in a fun way.
One of the reasons why I don't think I have ever felt homesick is because I constantly see people from home. It's actually one of the reasons why I didn't apply to the University of Minnesota law school, even though they have a good program and I have like 10 relatives who went to the U of MN. I thought, "No one would visit me in Minnesota!" I'm serious.
So this is an open invitation for any friends or family reading this to come visit. I most likely will be in California next summer so you have one month of summer and 2 school calendar years to visit while I'm here. I don't have much, but I can offer a comfy futon and a Captiol tour.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Just Do It
I've realized that as much as I like making lists of things to do and planning, sometimes I just need to jump in head first. Just thinking about writing my comment was far more stressful than actually writing it. I'll even admit that once I started researching and writing, it was actually fun.
The same goes with the job search. They have law students start thinking and applying for summer jobs a year in advance. When I had my list of things I needed to do looming over me, it was overwhelming. However, after I talked to my mom and she told me that there was a metrolink from our San Clemente house (by the beach and 70 degrees consistently) to downtown and that I could live there next summer, I had a sudden burst of motivation to update my resume. Once I did that, researching firms, talking to the career counselor, getting my resume, etc were all so much easier.
Note to self: Think less, do more.
The same goes with the job search. They have law students start thinking and applying for summer jobs a year in advance. When I had my list of things I needed to do looming over me, it was overwhelming. However, after I talked to my mom and she told me that there was a metrolink from our San Clemente house (by the beach and 70 degrees consistently) to downtown and that I could live there next summer, I had a sudden burst of motivation to update my resume. Once I did that, researching firms, talking to the career counselor, getting my resume, etc were all so much easier.
Note to self: Think less, do more.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Birds of Feather Flock Together
The further I go in my education and life in general, the more I feel like I am surrounded by people who are similar to me. This of course has its positive and negatives.
I take comfort in the fact that I have friends who think about all the permutations of VP for the 2008 candidates and friends who can name the eight presidents who a one-syllable last name. I take comfort in the fact that in law school, there are other people who like to color code, use post-it notes to organize their notes, and find an inexplicable joy in using footnotes. I like being around people who find nothing wrong with being nerds, who work hard, who want to change the world, and occasionally pencil in some time for fun.
But while being around people who are similar can bring out my positive attributes, it can also do the opposite. I am admittedly a competitive person and a workoholic, who is now surrounded by many people who are the same. It not only makes being workoholic seem ok, it pushes us to work even more. It's funny that as headstrong as law students are, their competitive nature manifests itself into a perverse kind of peer pressure.
For my externship class, we read an article about unhappiness in the legal profession, which largely stems from this competitive-workoholic-money obsessed culture. It's scary to read that lawyers are twice as likely to be depressed or alcoholics than the general population. (The whole report was a lot more disturbing but I'll spare you from all the stats).
I think I'm lucky that I have so many people in my life that aren't lawyers/law students and aren't like me. I have a family full of science-y people and friends who are less neurotic. People who will give me some perspective when I am stressed out about my classes, and a boyfriend who isn't afraid of slapping sense into me when I make uber nerdy adverse possession jokes.
I take comfort in the fact that I have friends who think about all the permutations of VP for the 2008 candidates and friends who can name the eight presidents who a one-syllable last name. I take comfort in the fact that in law school, there are other people who like to color code, use post-it notes to organize their notes, and find an inexplicable joy in using footnotes. I like being around people who find nothing wrong with being nerds, who work hard, who want to change the world, and occasionally pencil in some time for fun.
But while being around people who are similar can bring out my positive attributes, it can also do the opposite. I am admittedly a competitive person and a workoholic, who is now surrounded by many people who are the same. It not only makes being workoholic seem ok, it pushes us to work even more. It's funny that as headstrong as law students are, their competitive nature manifests itself into a perverse kind of peer pressure.
For my externship class, we read an article about unhappiness in the legal profession, which largely stems from this competitive-workoholic-money obsessed culture. It's scary to read that lawyers are twice as likely to be depressed or alcoholics than the general population. (The whole report was a lot more disturbing but I'll spare you from all the stats).
I think I'm lucky that I have so many people in my life that aren't lawyers/law students and aren't like me. I have a family full of science-y people and friends who are less neurotic. People who will give me some perspective when I am stressed out about my classes, and a boyfriend who isn't afraid of slapping sense into me when I make uber nerdy adverse possession jokes.
Draft 1: By the Numbers
First draft of my comment on No Child Left Behind waivers is done. Seeing as how I have lost the will to write anymore complete thoughts, I'll just stick with numbers:
Pages of Text: 13
Pages of Footnotes: 21
Total Pages: 34
Required Text to Footnote Ratio: 1:1.5
Actual Days of Writing: 4
Number of Footnotes: 78
Favorite Footnote: 54
States Who Dislike NCLB: Probably 50, especially Utah.
Times I Stayed at the Library Until Closing: 1
Cups of Coffee Consumed: 2
Movie Breaks: (Ocean's) 13
Times I used the word "supra": 31
Pages Printed for Research: ~1,500 (I'm guessing)
Children Left Behind While Writing This Comment: Hopefully None
Pages of Text: 13
Pages of Footnotes: 21
Total Pages: 34
Required Text to Footnote Ratio: 1:1.5
Actual Days of Writing: 4
Number of Footnotes: 78
Favorite Footnote: 54
States Who Dislike NCLB: Probably 50, especially Utah.
Times I Stayed at the Library Until Closing: 1
Cups of Coffee Consumed: 2
Movie Breaks: (Ocean's) 13
Times I used the word "supra": 31
Pages Printed for Research: ~1,500 (I'm guessing)
Children Left Behind While Writing This Comment: Hopefully None
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)