Small Victories ...

Those unfortunate people who accompanied me while I attempted to find the Cheesecake Factory when I lived here three years ago will be quite proud of my accomplishment tonight: I drove to the restaurant without making a wrong turn, without finding myself lost in the parking lot at the Pentagon, and without shedding a single tear. Hold the applause, please. And maybe, just maybe, if anyone ever visits me here, I could repeat the feat. OK technically my roommate deserves the credit as all-star navigator, but I did the actual driving, so that should count for something ...

And The Creatures At My School ...

I know I already posted once today, but this occurrence just had to be reported. Today I found an ant crawling through the pages of my notebook. Yes, an ant. A little black ant. I squished it, of course, but ew. So, just one question: How do paper ants compare to book worms on the list of intelligent insects?

The People At My School ...

So for one day at least, Socrates and I could be friends. I made it nearly two weeks here without being called on, but my luck ran out yesterday in the class with my most intimidating professor. I knew I would be called on when he started going down my row, so of course for the 10 minutes before, my cold and sweaty hands could not type and my foggy brain could not concentrate on anything other than my impending humiliation. However, I luckily got an easy question (one the professor had warned us about no less) and I managed to say something that evidently made at least a shred of sense because he told me I got it right and moved on. I anticipate a nightmare speaking-in-class scenario somewhere in my future, but I avoided it for one more day ...

The same professor took a poll of my class (about 110 students) that showed some interesting information about the people at my school:

• 23 described themselves as "somewhat" or "very" conservative
• Only 1 viewed the country as "clearly headed in the right direction," while 86 found it "clearly" or "somewhat" headed in the wrong direction
• 107 expect their grade point average to be at least a B this semester (too bad they grade on a curve and this will be highly unlikely to occur!)
• 52 believe a woman should have a right to abortion in "all or almost all" situations
• If the 2008 presidential election were held today, 43 would vote for Barack Obama, 27 would vote for Hillary Clinton, 8 would vote for John McCain and 8 would vote for Mitt Romney. (No one else received more than 6 votes.)

So I expect to have some interesting discussions over the next three years ...

Hugging Can Be Hazardous ...

I consider law school a success already, in that it has now provided me with a semi-legitimate reason to avoid my least favorite social practice: superfluous hugging. Now, before people start calling me a misanthrope, let me clarify. I like hugging in some varieties: the I-am-dating-you variety (and my mom breathes a sigh of relief), the you-are-closely-related-to-me variety (another sigh of relief from my mom) and the we-are-really-good-friends variety. What I do not like (and basically avoid if at all possible) are those other types of hugging that happen so often: the we-only-met-two-hours-ago-but-I-paid-for-your-dinner variety and the we-once-spoke-to-each-other-in-high-school variety, to name just two of the many, many examples. Well, in my torts class today, we read a case about a man who gave a "friendly, unsolicited hug" to a rather shy person. This jovial fellow just wanted to be friendly, I am sure. But this seemingly harmless little hug injured the poor girl's face and caused it to be paralyzed on one side. Yes. I am not lying. You can look up the case yourself: Spivey v. Battaglia. I feel so vindicated ...

Shortbread Fingers And Digestives ...

I survived my first real week of law school! Hooray! I must say, I have never, in my entire nerd existence, studied more than I did in the last seven days. When I say I did nothing but eat, sleep, study, and go to school for the first three days of the week, I am seriously not exaggerating. But I think I see the light now.

And speaking of seeing the light, I am currently reading cases about a few people who have seen the light (and gone towards it) in an entirely different way (this one being the way where they end up not among the living). This week alone I learned that cannibalism cannot be tolerated in jolly old England, but that the queen (the old one, not the current one) sometimes pardoned cannibals anyway. (I knew I loved that country for a reason! And I have another reason below.) I also learned that a persuasive ruling can convince me that one particular murderer should only be given probation instead of her original 10-year sentence. (In my defense, I think she killed the girl in what she believed to be self defense. But still.)

Along with murders, I am reading about many other unpleasant events, too. As I typed up my summary of one case last night, I had to include words that I am embarrassed to say made me embarrassed to type. (OK, we know I embarrass VERY easily. But still.) This could pose a problem. What if a professor calls on me to discuss one of these uncomfortable cases? To prepare for just that situation, I am now compiling my favorite euphemisms. Thanks to my professor, who used this in class today, I have chosen my first one: "reproductive behavior."

Now, finally, to my other reason for loving England: food (no surprise there). Happily for me, a store right across the street sells the British treats I love best, so I can now purchase them anytime I have a bad day, a good day, or just a Friday. Shortbread fingers! Digestives! And Haribo peachies (the good triangular kind) ...

"Oh Tree, I Feel Sick"

I take a break from ranting about rain and forlorn study spaces to mention some choice gems from the day. First, I am happy to report, we have clouds but no rain so far today. (At least not when I had a glimpse of a window. Which quite honestly has not been all that much. But I only care about rain when I am in it. Which I am currently not.) Next, I have discovered a lovely study space. I am not going to reveal where, just in case I have an Internet stalker who also happens to attend my school. But I feel much better about the state of school thanks to said study table. Now to the title. I am not sick, and I have no friends or family members named Tree. But one man did feel sick, quite suddenly, while driving a vehicle. He turned to his wife, named Tree. (Actually Teresa. Tree is a nickname. But that does not matter.) He said, "Oh Tree, I feel sick." Then he fainted and crashed the car. Then the two women in the backseat (one of whom had never even driven a car, by the way) sued him because they flew out of the car and became injured. Then the judge ruled on the case. Then my professor made us read it. And now I will give my three (actually I think I now have five) blog readers a chance to experience A Law School Class:

Wise Professor: What happened in this case? Tell me the facts.
Student: We can skip this part. I just typed it above.
Wise Professor: OK then smarty pants (actually I have met no self-respecting law professor who would say that. I embellished the story a bit to add some flavor) then what do you think of this case? Should the defendant be held liable in this case?
Student: I am not sure. The defendant did cause an injury to those two women who do not drive. I feel bad for them, since they will suffer the consequences of the injuries they received at no fault of their own.
Wise Professor: So the man who fainted, through no fault of his own, should be liable?
Student: No. I don't know.
Wise Professor: OK, I will give you another example. If someone reads your blog and laughs so uncontrollably that he falls from his chair and injures himself, should you be held liable?
Student: No ...

And now you see why I should really be studying instead of blogging ...

I Need A Better Umbrella ...

Disclaimer: This post sounds like a really long complaint. For the record, I actually really like school so far. But normal occurrences do not make for interesting tales, so I am posting the more interesting elements of the day so far ...

So Day Two of law school and I am already drenched, literally and figuratively. First, the weather: rainy. Very rainy. Then the humidity: very humid. (I think 90 percent. Or maybe higher. Or maybe in the rain it reaches 100 percent. I am not sure about that.) Then, my red umbrella: small and slightly broken. It basically works, but every so often one side dips and trickles all the water down on me, my backpack, and my new shoes (Keds, and very comfy ones at that). Then the sweat factor. When a person walks in the rain as fast as possible in an attempt to get out of the rain, all while carrying a slightly faulty umbrella, a really heavy backpack, a lunch sack, a sweatshirt and a purse, that person becomes really really sweaty. I made it to class on time (actually, 10 minutes early, though basically the entire class got there at least 11 minutes early, so on time seems relative) though thoroughly soaked. And then class starts and the sea of assignments and cases just keeps swelling ...

My First Day ...

Well, I just survived my first class. Not such a frightening experience, actually. I really like the professor, especially because he does not "cold call" people. Other professors evidently just randomly and Socratic-ly call on poor innocent students (the one in my next class, I fear) but this one gives a bit of warning. Anyway, I am now "studying" (I have my computer on and my book open, so there) in a study room somewhere in the law school ... though I really have no idea how I got here and where I should go from here to make it to my next class. I must say this study room does leave a bit to be desired. It smells like Italian food and stale fabric, and the carpet could really use a vacuum. I left the door slightly open, too, since I am not sure about the protocol around here. I mean, can I shut the door and keep the room and its 10 chairs all to myself, just me, my enormous backpack and my Target sack lunch (peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with pretzels and an apple)? Or must I appear friendly and social, and keep the door wide open for whoever happens to seek out this corner of the school? I am just not sure ...

Home Sweet Home ...

I really like my new apartment. Since the previous tenants owned cat(s), the apartment complex repainted, put in new carpet, and made it feel practically new. (Luckily, I have discovered no signs of cat life here. I only know about the cats because our neighbors told me. They evidently really like this place, too. They have lived here for 42 years.) I love the leafy view out our windows, which makes me feel less like I live in the land of cement. My roommate and I have had a grand time settling in, but now that we have homework, our home decorating days have passed. Anyway, I think our apartment now looks the way it will look for the next year ... with the exception that in the photos I am posting here, we had not yet acquired mass quantities of books and papers. So imagine the desks overflowing with those lovely items and that makes these photos quite accurate ...

A Real Law Student Now ...

According to George Washington, I am now an official law student. I have a student ID card, a student number, a locker ... more on that later, a class schedule and homework. Yes, barely eight hours into school (actually, eight hours into orientation ... classes do not start until Monday) I have homework. And I know I am a real law student because I am already avoiding that homework. Instead of reading the two cases I am supposed to be reading, I am blogging and watching the West Wing and planning what I am going to eat for dinner. (Caesar salad, I believe, with the pre-cooked chicken strips that make my life easier these days. I really miss the George Foreman grill.) Now back to the locker. I have one, and I even have a locker partner, luckily my roommate. And why do I need a locker? To store my $776.13 worth of law school books. YES. I spent nearly $800 on my books, which I cannot even carry. So I put half of them in my locker, and then carried the other half home in a conveniently awkward blue plastic crate. My arms still hurt from the experience, which could explain how I am justifying my current lack of studying. I plan to keep following my old rule for as long as possible: Only do one unpleasant task per day. Today, that task would definitely be carrying the really heavy crate the two blocks from the bookstore to my locker, the three blocks to the Metro, the three escalators to and from the Metro, and the three blocks from the Metro to the apartment. Ouch. I must say, a very helpful 2L guy did carry my crate for one of those blocks. But my arms still hurt ...

Library of Congress ...

Today being the last Monday (well, for a while) that I can actually enjoy books, instead of seeing them as a torture device, which I anticipate will happen quite soon, I made a visit to my favorite library: The Library of Congress. I really love all libraries, but this one in particular. I love the amazing ceiling and walls, many of them yellow, with their inscriptions of the names of famous authors and great statements about books and writing. And with the Capitol across the street and the Supreme Court right next door, the location could not be better. I have not found a photo to do the library justice, so I am not posting one. Instead I am posting a photo of the adorable orchids I received today ...

A Lady Writing ...

"Flower Beds in Holland," Van Gogh

"The Houses of Parliament, Sunset," Monet

Today I broke from my new daily ritual of sleeping in until 9 a.m., lounging around until noon and then going to Target/IKEA/Bed, Bath & Beyond to spend more money on things that may or may not be vital to my new existence. So of course I did not give up the sleeping in or lounging around (we all know how much I enjoy wearing my pajamas for as long as possible), but instead of going to the store, I went to the Mall with a Capital M. Yes. I went to the National Gallery of Art. Now, I have been there a few times, and I have been to many other art museums (well, not that many, but the main ones in London, Paris, New York ...) and I know that I do not love art museums and appreciate them the way some people do. This time I wanted it to be different. I even read a book about the history of art before I moved here in a valiant attempt to love art museums. Now, I do not hate art museums. I actually like them. I can just only take them in small doses. (I get overwhelmed with so much standing and realizing that while I like the painting I am staring at, I do not know nearly enough to properly appreciate it.) Today's dose consisted of first, a trip to the museum cafe. If I am going to have a chance at appreciating art, it will NOT be with a growling stomach. Then I just went to a few sections of the museum, the ones I knew I would like (thanks to my book). I only lasted about an hour (including the eating, I am afraid) but I managed to choose three favorite pieces of art. I have pasted two of them above ... obviously, I went to the French section of the museum ... but my real favorite I could not find a postcard of to scan and post. So I will describe it. It is a Vermeer called "A Lady Writing" and it depicts a woman wearing a yellow coat of sorts writing at a table. Unfortunately, the lady looked quite ugly, but I liked her all the same ...

Hang It All And Save The Wall ...

When I wake up tomorrow morning, I will have slept in my new apartment for an entire week. And finally, after seven days of moving stuff, buying stuff, and hanging stuff, I see the end of worrying about stuff, at least the physical kind, for now. So in honor of my new roommate, a former math teacher, I will sum up my latest experiences and expenditures in numbers:

Miles traveled to reach new apartment: About 2,500 (I think ... )

Steps hauling stuff from car to new apartment: About two bazillion

Trips to Target in the last 7 days: 3

Trips to IKEA in the last 7 days: 2

Trips to Bed, Bath & Beyond in the last 7 days: 4

Number of times we have called maintenance: 3 (They respond well, fyi)

Number of Command strips purchased in the last 7 days: At least 26

Which brings me to the title of this post. Thanks to my brilliant sister and those scientists at 3M, Command strips now hang eight pictures, six metal curtain rod hooks and two plastic hooks in my apartment. Seriously! OK, so the six metal curtain rod hooks actually have some other support, too, but that story would take too long to tell. But I am definitely converted to Command. If this law school thing does not work out, I might just paste this post in my resume and beg the people at Command strip central for a PR job ...

Thank You, Zions Bank ...

OK, after only one week of blogging (actually, not even one week) I gave in and made it viewable to the entire universe. But this does NOT mean I want to be linked to the other blogs I read. As someone who spends WAY too much time investigating online details about other people, I still would really rather stay as anonymous as possible. I blame working at a bank for my phobia of all things security, identity, and Internet related. While I can thank the bank for the creation of the fabulous Callee Alley, and for making me learn how to make videos, check my credit report, and use the track changes feature on Word, those radio scripts I spent hours writing contained lots of scary statistics that made me want to cower in a corner, not open my life to the world. However, in an effort to make this blog readable to the people bored at work and those who do not have a gmail account, here goes nothing ...

Take Me Out To The Ball Game ...

People who really know my quirks know that I feel quite patriotic when I go to a baseball game. (Though anyone who has accompanied me to a game can attest that I actually like the idea of baseball more than the actual game.) Anyway, if the Salt Lake Bees can inspire such patriotic feelings, imagine my elation at going to a baseball game in Washington, D.C.! And then imagine that I ate a hot dog at said game. Yes, on Friday, we went to a Washington Nationals game, my first foray into professional baseball watching. Of course, I enjoyed eating the hot dog much more than I enjoyed watching the game ...

The Road Now Traveled ...

I am writing from Gettysburg, one night before I officially begin my new life in Washington, D.C. I have made quite a journey since I (obviously, with lots of help) packed up my Dad's truck and my trusty Ford Focus with everything I own ... in the rain, which certainly reflected the mood, but which I really would not recommend to anyone considering such a task. Along the way, we saw Nauvoo and Kirtland and survived one overflowing toilet and a broken hotel room door. And now, we are settling down to an episode (OK, probably multiple episodes) of the West Wing, which I find quite appropriate for the final night of our journey ...