Some TLC

My friends and I at law school always joked that our significant others should form a support group. They really put up with a lot over the three years of law school. Planning date nights around memo deadlines and journal assignments, dealing with us when we are stressed-out or are acting self-centered, listening to us talk about law school all the time. No wonder so many people broke-up with their significant others during law school, and there were even a few divorces.

And just when many significant others may have thought the worst was over, here comes the bar exam--where we work even longer hours and are probably more stressed out than the past 3 years combined. I bet they didn't even think that was possible.

It really makes me feel lucky that I have such an understanding and supportive boyfriend. I actually have not been feeling as stressed out right now, but I still study long hours. Even though Alex's work and apartment is only a few blocks away from my class, I only get to see him around 2x a week, and will probably see him less in the next few weeks.

Yet, despite my neglect, I get a knock on the door today. It was Alex with 2 bags of Trader Joe goods and an orchid to spruce up my study space. I was so happy, I almost cried (instead I just took a picture- this picture didn't even have everything). Yummy microwavable Indian food, fresh fruit, granola bars, soups, mochi balls, flaxseed chips, hummus, chocolate covered espresso beans, and more.

As one of my friends said, these guys really do deserve medals.

Paying Homage to the Rotisserie Chicken

Yesterday, after a long class and long commute back home on the bus because of another metro incident, I was starving and I knew I did not have a lot of food at home. As I contemplated my options, I resisted the urge to get fast food at the fried chicken wings on sale at Giant- knowing that I would regret it later.

What could I eat now? What would satisfy me before another big night of studying? Then I saw it, the rotisserie chicken. (fortunately, Giant sells half rotisserie chickens for people like me)

It may seem silly to glorify a little chicken and write a whole blog post about it, but for me, it is one of my ultimate comfort foods. It was probably because growing up, my mom or dad cooked almost every meal. We hardly ever did pizza or takeout, except when we had a babysitter, but we would have the rotisserie chicken if someone was not going to cook. Oftentimes my mom would pick one up at Costco while she was waiting for us to finish piano lessors or my dad would get one on his way home from work.

In fact, I distinctly remember it being our first meal after moving from Minnesota to California. We were in our little condo on our first night in our new states, and we went to the grocery store and got a rotisserie chicken, baguette, and salad. And that's the exact meal that I got at the grocery store last night.

Unlike a lot of the Vietnamese food my mom would cook, this was the meal that I partook in as well. I was the pickiest eater when I was younger. But I would always be so happy when someone carved off that top piece of chicken breast just for me. I would eat all the chicken first and save the crispy skin for last. I still eat it the same way.

[picture taken at the Fisherman's Warf farmer's market last year]

Murphy's Metro

It seems like anything that could go wrong, has gone wrong on the red line of the metro. Last Monday there was the metro accident. This Monday someone committed suicide right before rush hour. And today, as people were pushing to get into the metrocar, a woman hit her head and had a seizure. They had to unboard the train and run it on a single line during afternoon rush hour. Fortunately, I think she is ok now, but it is so sad.

Needless to say, it has been a rough two weeks for the DC metro system, which besides occasional track work at inopportune times, is usually highly regarded by residents and tourists. Some of these events are part of the domino effect--metro accident means that trains are running more slowly, and therefore are more full, which lead to more pushing and shoving. I just wish people would relax and learn that even waiting 10 minutes for the next train, while annoying, is not the worst thing in the world.

I know for me, it has been somewhat of a reality check. While I get impatient waiting for the metro with really annoying teenagers or very loud tourists, and I am thinking that I need to get back home to do a billion more practice questions, it's a reminder that there are bigger things than just a test.

Hopefully things will cool down a little bit after the Forth of July weekend (pray there are no disasters then). I have a feeling that I will be reuniting with my friend the bus this weekend or convincing Alex to drive me. And lucky that I have afternoon classes, I will be avoiding rush hour for the next few weeks as much as I can. I hope metro incidents, like celebrity deaths, only come in threes.

[Picture courtesy of David Fettig at PublicDomainPictures]

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Now that Al Franken is the official junior-Senator from Minnesota (represent!), President Obama and Congress have a lot more pressure to get things done. One of these things is fulfilling Obama's promise to repeal "Don't ask, Don't tell."

I feel like this is a big test for the Obama administration, because even things like passing the stimulous package do not have directly visible results like repealing this provision would. We see results, or we don't. It has also gotten a lot of publicity lately, with some compelling examples of how we are losing talented soldiers due to this policy when we most need them:

Exhibit 1: Lt. Daniel Choi, a West Point graduate who specialized in Arabic languages and a combat veteran of the Iraq War. After coming out, he was discharged from the military, a decision that military administrative board recommended today. He the President of "Knights Out," an alumni association for gay West Point grads, and continues to fight the policy.

Exhibit 2: Anthony Woods, West Point and Harvard grad/Iraqi War Veteran (mentioned before here), who was discharged from the military. He is now running for Congress in California, with one of his platform issues being repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

and when all else fails . . .

Exhibit 3: The West Wing, Season 1, Let Bartlet Be Bartlet (one of my favorite episodes)
Admiral Fitzwallace [to Tate and Thompson]: We’re discussing gays in the military, huh?
Major Thompson: Yes sir.
Fitzwallace: What do you think? [silence] I said what do you think?
Major Thompson: Sir, we’re here to help the White House form a possible-
Fitzwallace: I know. I’m asking you what you think.
Major Tate: Sir, we’re not prejudiced toward homosexuals.
Fitzwallace: You just don’t want to see them serving in the Armed Forces?
Major Tate: No sir, I don’t.
Fitzwallace: ‘Cause they oppose a threat to unit discipline and cohesion.
Major Tate: Yes sir.
Fitzwallace: That’s what I think too. I also think the military wasn’t designed to be an instrument of social change.
Major Tate: Yes sir.
Fitzwallace: The problem with that is that what they were saying to me 50 years ago. Blacks shouldn’t serve with Whites. It would disrupt the unit. You know what? It did disrupt the unit. The unit got over it. The unit changed. I’m an admiral in the U.S. Navy and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...Beat that with a stick.
----------------------
I love Fitz.

Obviously this is a very tough situation. I can see where the military is coming from as well, and I could imagine that shoving a policy down the military's throat would not be a good idea. I mean, even President Bartlet couldn't do it in the liberal fantasyland of West Wing. But here is to hoping that a real President can work something out to reverse this policy.

Don't Freak Out

Don't freak out.

I have it written on an index card sitting above my desk, and I might have to write it on the first page of my test so that when I get to a question that I do not know, I don't freak out.

One of the biggest mental hurdles of the bar exam is coming to terms with the fact that no matter how hard you study, you cannot just know it all. You can make and review a billion flashcards, outline every subject, make charts and graphs, do all the assignments Barbri gives, but it is impossible to know it all. There is just too much. Just as important as learning the materials is knowing what to do if you get to the test and do not know it.

As one lecturer pointed out, this concept is the most difficult for law students who did well to grasp. I think he rightly pointed out that people who tended to do well in law school were used to going into a test feeling like they knew everything based on preparing for that one test. Since most professors liked to test on material they covered in class, things appeared manageable and there never seemed like there were any surprises. So many of us are not used to getting a test with a question and having no idea how to start. Out of the dozens of tests that I took in law school, I can only think of one that I ever thought was "unfair" (and my Professor was really crazy).

But alas, law school exams and the bar exam are two completely different things. I am really trying to take the advice of the lecturers who advised us to keep practicing, and working through that feeling of the unknown. What to do when I get to an essay where I have no idea what they are talking about (make up rules, apply all facts, argue both sides, get stuff on paper with headings) or a multiple choice problem that is challenging (try to remember the rule, use process of elimination, and just move on and don't harp on that one question).

And like they said, chances are that if I do not know it, neither do most of the people around me. "Don't turn into a puddle on the ground. Sit up in your chair and answer the question!" -Prof Honisgberg.

Perhaps in all the craziness of the bar exam, there is a life lesson for those law students like me who like to prepare and have control of every situation. That can only get you so far.

[sorry for the bad quality of the picture. I use my phone's camera when I am too tired to get out my real camera]

California Dreamin'

Flights booked. In California from July 26-August 18.

I will be slightly busy from July 29-31 with that pesky bar exam that I am taking in Ontario; but after that is FREEDOM. It will be so weird from going from my strict all-day study schedule filled with lectures, practice tests, and essay assignments to absolutely nothing. I cannot wait.

California to-do list:

• Visit brother/extended family up in the Bay area.
• Visit friends who are still around.
• Eat in-n-out and good Mexican food.
  
• Get a little more tan.
• Sleep-in.
• Go shopping for new work clothes.

There is a light at the of the tunnel. Or in the words of Paula the property lady, there are ponies.