Bar Review, the Sober Kind

Everyone at law school jokes that they have obsessive compulsive tendencies or have super Type-A personalities. I almost wonder how you could be in law school and not have these characteristics.

It seems like in this world, you have to be this way, ready for things months in advance. Your first year you look for summer jobs before your first semester grades even come back. During the summer after your first year, you are already applying and interviewing for jobs for after your second year. During your second year summer, many people try to impress their bosses to get an offer to come back over a year later, after the bar exam. And during January of your last year of law school, you are filling out applications and signing up for classes for the bar exam in July.

Today I went to my first bar exam information panel, where they gave us general advice about mentally and physically surviving the test. Here were some of my favorites:

• Pack an extra pair of earplugs just incase someone near you throws up. Then you can stick them in your nose. (I swear, I am not making this up).
• If you see someone breaking down and crying, just keep walking unless it's your best friend. It sounds horrible, but you have to take care of yourself that day.
• Do not wear a leopard print suit to take the Virginia bar, which requires courtroom attire. They turned away a woman from New Jersey who did so.
• If you ever lose confidence in your ability to pass the test, just go down to your local courthouse to see some lawyers in action. You will realize that if they could pass the bar, so can you.

Despite the horror stories, everyone on the panel survived. And nearly 90% of our school passes the bar so I am not really stressing out about failing. It's just a matter right now of getting through the 20 page character and fitness application right now. Anyone want to be a reference for me?

The Ball (aka Political Prom)

As excited as everyone was about the Inauguration itself, the most questions I have received about that day have been about the ball I went to. Although it was not an official ball with President Obama and Michelle in attendance, I still had a great time. Here is a breakdown of the night:

• The Event: George Washington University's Fifth Inauguration Ball
• Cost of the Event for the University: $575,000 to cover renting the Omni's seven ballrooms, transportation, coat check, live bands, and food.
  
• Number of attendees: 5,4000, including 20 ambassadors
  
• Best quote of the night: Tonight is not about you and me, or what our relationship is. Tonight is about the new President of the United States! --Female yelling this at a male at the coat check.
• The Dress: Calvin Klein dress, originally $200 that I got at Filene's Basement for $50. Thank you 40% New Year's sale + 20% coupon.
• The Shoes: Heels that I have not worn since my high school prom.
  

Generally Speaking

All I can say is that if I wish I was able to blog about the cases I get to work at my university's General Counsel's office. The things that go on behind the scenes at an institution is pretty remarkable. But alas, confidentiality.

Inauguration Day to Night

Day: Walking 2+ miles to the Capitol at 5:30am in snow boats, enduring freezing temperatures, wearing 4 layers of clothes with hand and foot warmers, waiting 6 hours for the inauguration, watching the 44th President of the United States take the oath of office, playing on the frozen reflecting pool, watching President Obama's great speech.

Night: Attending George Washington University's Inaugural Ball at the Omni, strolling through 4 ballrooms in high heels, nibbling on minature desserts, dancing to Obama's theme song- Signed, Sealed, Delivered, consoling some students who had a little too much to drink, oohing at the ice sculptures, arriving back home at 1am.

What an all-around long, but amazing day.

And of course, more pictures are on my Flickr account.

Inauguration Day

Our view of President Barack Obama's Inauguration, front and center.

And the view in back of us of two million people.
My favorite inauguration-watching buddy.

We Got the Silver Ticket

Look what Alex and I procured today. Two tickets to tomorrow's inauguration.

Thank you to . . .

• My mom for telling me this morning her friend had inauguration tickets, which ended up being a false alert but nonetheless inspired me to look for last-minute tickets.
• David for giving me the head's up the Senator Dianne Feinstein's office was giving out unclaimed tickets in the afternoon.
• Congresswoman Anna Eshoo for giving me an internship four years ago, which helped me navigate the Hill today on our mission.
• Congressman Buck McKeon's office for shooting us down so quickly so we didn't waste our time in the ultra-long Congressional lines, but instead at the shorter Senate lines.
  
• Alex for being my partner-in-crime and motivating me to stand in line and not give up.
• The nice man who came all the way from San Diego with his family for the inauguration and kept me company and hopeful while I waited in Boxer's office.
  
• All the Californians who reserved tickets, but did not come pick up their tickets.
  
• Senator Dianne Feinstein for one silver-section ticket.
• Senator Barbara Boxer for the other silver-section ticket.

Happy Inauguration Eve! Look for us on TV tomorrow.

We Are One (half million) Concert

"I came here from Missouri. There was no way I was missing this." That is what I heard a father say, walking his kids to the Lincoln Memorial at 9am this morning. The concert may have been over five hours away and the temperatures may have hovered around the freezing point, but everyone was excited to come out today for the big "We Are One" Concert. We were lucky enough to get seats in the frong quarter of the Mall. Here is the crowd behind us:
The long wait went by surprisingly fast with the company of a dozen of my friends. One of my friends asked if this is what Woodstock was like; for law students and political junkies, this may be the closest thing. I am not sure when will be the next time I will be at a concert with hundreds of thousands of people, braving the elements. Here are some of us, all bundled up.
It was a lot of fun seeing stars like Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, and, Samuel L. Jackson, Queen Latifa, listen to Martin Luther King III at the same place his father spoke, watch Jamie Foxx's great impression of Obama, and sing-along to U2, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks (American Pie was a crowd pleaser, no matter what other people say), John Legend, Beyonce, and more. I loved that the line-up was as diverse as the crowd. And of course, everyone was really excited to see the guest of honor, President Elect Barack Obama, speak:
Tomorrow I will probably rest up a little bit for the even bigger festivities on Tuesday. You can check out more pictures from today on my Flickr Photostream.