I would rather be ...

Thanks to Tiffany, whom I borrowed this great pic from.

I would much rather be handling dogs than reading Uniform Commercial Code.

The Iditarod is off and running for 2007! Woo hoo! Martin Buser is currently in the lead, which makes me happy. He's a great guy. One time, must have been my first year seeing the Iditarod, Martin came in - he was about 5th at at the time I think. He pulled up - and mind you, this is after a week of mushing through just about the roughest terrain & conditions on earth. Exhaustion would be far too mild a word. He said hello to the throng of us watching him, then immediately started digging in his sled. He pulled something out, found my friend Jerri in the crowd, gave her a big hug and a gift he'd been carrying in his sled for her. He's just cool like that. I'd love it if he won, but it's all great.

And hopefully soon Rick will mush it and I can follow his progress and cheer for him from far away!

interview #2

I think I might actually have a shot at that job, the one with the evil, unnamed energy corporation. Both interviewers raved about their job, which I find pretty funny. "Look, I'm here. I'm a 1L not in the top 10% of my class, making me virtually unemployable, and you're interviewing me. What are the chances you need to convince me that your job is the BEST EVER?" But the main guy said three times that they pay him "very good money." Rock on. Pay me good money and I'm there. $25-$30/hour isn't as good as I made teaching, but it doesn't suck.

I guess it'll be a long few weeks until I hear about them both. But it's cool because it puts any other plans on hold - I don't have to be job-seeking while I'm waiting.

I didn't realize how many people applied who didn't get any interviews, so I guess I should be grateful for that. I think of my friend Philippe of many years ago who was looking for a university teaching job after finishing his PhD. As he said, "It takes just one. One yes is all I want."

And from this weekend, my classmate's girlfriend said she knows so many people who went to much worse schools than mine and who did very poorly, and yet they have really good jobs. So, my future's looking bright. Maybe not this summer so much, but eventually I will have a paycheck again, and the sun will shine on my bank accounts again.

And, I'm seriously reconsidering the masters in international development. I have this nagging feeling that it's not the best use of my time and resources. Such as the very limited resource in my life, patience.

Especially without chocolate. Man, it's rough. I did have two smores Saturday night, now I'm back on the wagon - and it's a rough, rocky wagon. Sucks.

consumer lust

Sometimes, I just gotta have it. This woman that I met this morning who'd been riding, whose husband made a killer early-morning fire, was wearing these in lime green. I just about fell over. WHAT ARE THOSE? I LOVE THEM!

Ariat Fatbaby. Must ... have ...

Purple's not a color this year, but red and lime are, and I'm all over it. Even if I have to drive to effing Covington instead of write my brief, I WILL get me some Fatbabies.

Welcome to Melder

It was a very nice weekend at 4B Ranch. We got there late afternoon, got set up and oriented. They had a BYOB saloon! And there were full bathrooms and fire pit, BBQ, and even a full open-air kitchen for use - but it was far enough away from where we camped that it was like roughing it without being rough. Our group headed out for a walk, and I lasted about 10 minutes before I announced I was heading off on my own.

Over the weekend, I saw a number of great birds, including Eastern bluebird, cardinal (male and female), red-headed woodpecker and another woodpecker species, and a flycatcher of some sort.

After my solo birding we had dinner - our guides were of the primitive camping mindset. Over an open fire we made little foil packets of raw hamburger, frozen vegetables, and chopped potatoes with a bunch of Tony Chachere's, followed immediately with smores.

And then it started to get COLD. We huddled around the fire, trying to stay up long enough to not be up all night. Got to hang out with other visitors to the ranch and had a good time, and I even got to practice my German. It got down to about 30 degrees - yes, below freezing. And I was of course fine, because I am an REI whore. But I slept with two layers in my -20 Sierra bag on a thermarest, wearing a hat and socks. Some of my miserable compatriots were less well-prepared and suffered miserably. I only woke up because my bag is a mummy and every time I try to toss and turn there's a problem, and I wake up and then go right back to sleep.

Morning was beautiful, and I got to lay there waiting for the edge to get off the chill while listening to a forest of birds. Breakfast, including some coffee because it was so damn cold, and about 10:00, half of us headed out on horseback.

I spent every childhood summer on horseback and I've been thrown at least twice. Maybe I'm just getting old, but when I got up on that horse and looked down CLEAR to the ground, it seemed mighty far. So we took off, and Midnight and I made some things clear such that I really was the boss and I wasn't going to tolerate his mischief (he kept trying to race to be first, or to head after the horses going back home - and when I first refused that he tried to run under low-hanging trees to knock me off - but I was having none of that and then he was the best-behaved horse there).

These were some feisty horses. Usually when I see trailride horses their personalities have been beaten out of them and they look physically miserable and spiritually dead. Not these horses - they seem to have a pretty damn good life with a whole huge pasture to play in and they were very well-fed and cared-for. But I don't think that they were necessarily the best horses for beginners. We had three students from China who just really couldn't control their horses, and the language barrier made it a problem. Their horses kept turning around and heading home, and the guide would chase them down and so forth. I ran out of patience, so when we had to chase one guy all the way back to the ranch to get another guide to help out, I said I'd stay behind. I'm happier closer to the ground anyway.

So, I had some great conversations with some real Cajun folks and I got some great recipes. Then I went out and looked at some more birds and walked around the huge pastures. We had lunch and when the other group went out to ride I chilled with a book and took a nap and chatted it up with the other people some more. Then we hopped in the van and rode along at 90 mph.

A very nice weekend! I liked being in National Forest again - all those logging roads and side trails are like home to me.

Unfortunately though, the Brownies didn't finish my paper for me while I was gone, so that is still here.

longevity and health

He was not exaggerating. The lawyer who works at the firm I interviewed with, who shows up every day and takes the stairs to her office on the 5th floor, started working at that firm in 1937!

I want a job at a place that will make me want to show up when I'm in my 90's.

That's amazing.

Of course, I'll probably HAVE to still be working in my 90's to pay off my student loan debt.

backpacking in New Orleans

I thought of Rick today ("Mr. Tiff") when I got an unsympathetic "pack it yourself" look. One time Rick and another teacher killed a caribou and packed it out on their backs. They were the real Eskimos there.

So I asked my classmate who's coming camping tomorrow how he's getting to the pickup spot. "Oh, we'll probably walk. We're not far away." "Neither am I, it's just ..." What I didn't want to say aloud is, I'm taking a couple heavy books with me. I'm going camping to read?

His neighbor suggested where I could park my car and walk over - and his suggestion was actually further than my apartment. "Yeah, I can walk, it's just ..."

"You'll start the backpacking part early." And he used a perfect tone to use with me - nothing annoying or patronizing about it. But still, a little part of me wanted to snap, "You need to shave your neck!"

I know he's right and I'm not sure when exactly I became SUCH a city girl as to think that for a weekend trip I can't carry all my gear. Yeah, that birding book is real heavy, but so what. Of course for a weekend isn't much less gear than for a week - I'm taking tent, sleeping bags, camer,a flashlight, binoculars, etc. And reading material. But I did stop myself from tossing in the laptop to get a bit more work done on my brief.

I added up my credits and time in school again and realized that I have to attend summer school in order to be able to get the Masters without increasing time at school. So, that's first priority though it's about the last thing I really want to do. But, if somebody were to call me up right now and offer me a great paying job for the whole summer, I'd do it and skip the masters. I already have one masters - why would I want another? Because I think I can learn interesting things in the international development program.

Even though the guy interviewing me today said I travel more than the 182nd Airborne Division. He's funny, that one.

Oh, and at this firm that won't hire me this year, the first woman to become a lawyer in Louisiana still works there. She's like 93 years old (maybe he was exaggerating) and still walks up the five flights of stairs to her office every day. That's awesome. "So what I hear you saying," I said, "Is that a career at your firm is a promise of longevity and health. You had me at king cake."

And no, there's no king cake in my pack.

Which, Jenny, I very much appreciate your offer. And I had a brilliant idea as I was walking today - how about a wedding king cake? It seems perfect for me, New Orleans, and the wedding kegger. Does anybody have to even ask what my wedding colors are? Purple green and gold, of course - which would only possibly be rivaled by black and gold if Dayton gets here and the Saints are doing so well again. We could be married in jerseys.

Although, I'm pretty upset that Joe Horn was released. That's a sad loss.

interview 1

Nice guys, great firm. 50 interviewed for 1 slot. Um, it won't be me. The only reason I got the interview was because of my teaching background - their mothers were both teachers.

But I'll be applying for that firm later, for next year.

The more I think about it, the less interested I am in working this summer. I don't have enough legal background to do anything very meaningful anyway. I could spend the summer volunteering while in summer school - I could hammer out a semester's worth of credits which would make the international development masters possible (just got accepted officially). This is my last chance - for next summer I *must* work. Most firms don't even accept 1L's - they want 2L's ... so there are many more possibilities for next summer. So, no need to sweat it. Sure, I'd love the income, but.

wedding kegger

I went to a bowling alley tonight for Alejandra's birthday. Everyone said, "Oh, how neat - it's all retro with the equipment."

Um, the last time I went bowling that was state of the art.

Good grief.

Ale and I have a "boys are stupid" conversation each time we meet. This time we had to cut it short because her Mr. Very Stupid was there - actually the one who invited me. He is just about the prettiest straight boy I've ever known.

So she asked about Dayton and our plans and all that, and was offended I haven't invited her to the wedding. "I swear to you, if I have money [she'll be back in Puerto Rico after this year], I will be here for your wedding." "Good. I need a witness at the courthouse."

Trish and Jessica were polite, but mortified. "You aren't going to have a big wedding?"

No. Quick trip the courthouse to take care of the formality.

"Well, what about the party after?" "Um, I haven't thought about it."

Jessica was all over that like white on rice. "I'll throw you a kegger!" "For my wedding?" "Yes! It'll be fun!" By the time I drove her home, she had the whole thing planned. "I'm not a very good baker, so I don't know how your wedding cake will be. But I'm a good cook." And she is, and she's Cuban - so it's very yummy food.

So stay tuned, blog fans. Apparently there will be a Most Excellent Wedding Party with keg (MEWP-k), and you're all invited. And Michele - no clean up for you this time. :)

Alejandra is the one good thing that came of my icky roommate - that's how I met her. Always a silver lining.

you thought you were having a bad day?

thanks Michele!

pulse: 78

That's fantastic news for me. It's not down to my "normal" below 60, but that's WAY better than the 98 I've been at. It doesn't feel like my heart is beating out of my chest. All very good.

And I got a draft of my second issue done last night, which means all I have to do is write my statement of facts, argument summary, issue statements, and then revise the whole damn thing. That's my goal before leaving town Saturday morning, and then I can set it aside for two days and come back to it on Monday with fresh eyes and hopefully it is something workable rather than total crap.

Ugh, ok, time to get ready to go pay to volunteer.