Words from the Wise

A defense attorney told me today: "If you're defending a DWI trial, during voir dire, if there happens to be a guy out there with a tattoo, you want him. Chances are really good that he's been drunk."

A Belated Resolution

Each January I entertain the idea of making resolutions for the new year, but I'm never serious about them. Or I'll think of a really easy one and just half-ass it for about a month before it disappears altogether. This year will be different. Last year opened up a lot of things to me, and since I'm single once again, I have the time and energy to devote to a resolution. There's just one with some ways to make it happen...

Make myself healthier.

How?

1. Eat better.

--I have a weird eating schedule when I'm in school because of time constraints. So, I need to find a good schedule of good foods and eat them regularly.

2. Get out of unhealthy relationships when I first realize they're unhealthy.

--Heartbreak is one of the worst feelings ever... this past month has been awful, and I'm not about to feel that way again for a very long time.

3. Work out a lot more.

--This time last year I was doing yoga a few times a week consistently for a couple of months until I got kind of sick and never really got back into it again. Now is the time to start doing it again to keep myself sane.

4. Study more.

--Since I'm doing a victory semester, this is really the last semester I have to really give my GPA another boost before I apply to law school. My second try at the LSAT is five months away and there's no way I can have another mental breakdown before it.

5. Surround myself with my best friends.

--Four of my very best friends are graduating in May. Two are going up to NYC, one to Austin, and the other to grad school in either California or Colorado. All of us don't really have that much time in the same place so we're going to make this semester the very best!

6. Try to read more books for fun.

--I've always loved reading. College has made it more and more difficult to read for fun. All the stress to come is going require reading as an escape.

But, first and foremost, I need to kick this black lung I've had going since before finals. It will not go away so I'm finally going to the doctor tomorrow. We'll see how that goes.

Merry Christmas

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

(And Happy Bowling for those of you with teams in bowl games!)

What a Start to Christmas Break

Since I have returned home for break, I've cut my finger while slicing a bagel, burned a knuckle trying to put a pizza in the oven, and now I have a black eye.

These are my two dogs, Macy and Bear. Macy is a 2 year old Portuguese Water Dog and Bear is a 9 month old, 80 pound Bouvier des Flandres.

They both get really really excited when I come home and come downstairs in the mornings. Bear doesn't realize how big he is so it can be painful when he starts jumping around all excitedly. Yesterday morning when I came downstairs, I bent down to pet Bear and he jumped up and his head smacked my face in just the right spot. I noticed the bruising a couple hours later.

And that's how I have a black eye for Christmas.

Happy Graduation

I get a text from Crackberry this morning saying:

-- So walking across the stage first gives me the right to say I graduated first in my class, right?

Me: Absolutely. Why did you get to walk first?

Crackberry: Because when I walked in I naturally sat in the front row front seat for the business section and wrote reserved on it--nobody asks questions.

So, congratulations to all of my friends graduating today! Especially you, Crackberry.

So Over Finals

Last night I woke up every hour or so because my throat hurts so bad and Tylenol PM doesn't do the trick. I'm almost done being sick over finals--and by that I mean, finals are almost over, not that I'm feeling better.

On a lighter note: I'm wondering if law schools will admit me solely based on the scores I've gotten in the law-related classes I've taken in college? The judge's legitimately scary mix of hypotheticals was no match for me. (And then I dreamt my dad got arrested for too many speeding tickets and I got a NG. A-thank you.)

A Wish for Good Grades

I love my school for many reasons. My dad hates it primarily for one reason (any guesses?). Like many of my school's higher-ups, our Provost is hysterical. His genuine warmth, kindness, and humor come second only to our Chancellor. People at big state schools don't get to know that about those who run their schools. They're lucky if their professors can pick them out from a crowd of 300. Maybe those of us at small private schools pay for the chance to be a friend instead of just another face among the crowd, but I don't mind that at all. My professors know that I try hard in their classes by incessantly emailing them and coming into their offices. At big schools, some people try hard by buying class notes from someone to make up for not going to class (ahem, Crackberry).

During the week of finals before Christmas Break, our Provost emails out a Christmas card. It may just be my love of Christmastime, but Christmas cards are one of my favorite things. The Provost may not give a little extra personal piece of advice in the ones he sends, but they still put a smile on my face when I see the email pop up in my inbox. I'd like to share this year's card with those who read this, in hopes that this advice will apply to you as well! (Another bit of advice: Spilling your entire plate of eggs on your couch is not a good way to start a 24-hour study period.)