Rogue Slayer Law Student Lawyer with Snark Movie Fan

The approach of summer, in addition to kicking off Teva season, is also creating in me an urge to dust off my long-neglected guitars.  The poor things have been languishing in their cases in the basement since I started school 2.5 years ago.  I'm sure they get quite jealous of the attention The Girl gives to her drum kit, as they're in the same room.  My piano is in the same room, also neglected.  The poor thing hasn't even been tuned in years.  Maybe this summer…

I'm pleased to learn, however, that The Guyfriend and one of my coworkers at the new job are getting together musically.  The Guyfriend's a bass player extraordinaire, and the coworker's a drummer with a band looking for a bass player with chops and imagination.  I've got a brand new pair of roller skates, you've got a brand new key… (Who can name that singer?  Who here sang that line rather than simply reading it?  'Fess up.  I sang it while writing it, and yes, I am a child of the 60s.)

It's supposed to be in the low 70s today – ahhhh.  It's Teva season!  I dug a pair out of the closet this morning, but was quite distressed that I couldn't find the nice new pair my sister sent me at the end of last season.  I've been waiting all winter to wear them, but instead I'm wearing last year's pair.  At least my feet can breathe and I can feel all kicked-back and relaxed while I field calls and e-mails from the customers nearing go-live on their installations and who want to recount for me again the issues that we discussed yesterday and that we let them know during yesterday's Thursday weekly status call would be done by the end of the day Monday and we'll let them know when they're ready to test.  It was very important that given these facts that they test them at 7 am today so they can let us know that they're still not finished.  I know.  They'll be ready to test by Monday.  I'll let you know when to test. 

But now I have my Teva's and all is right.  I'll just sip my decaf and assure the client that it will be ready soon and I'll let them know when to test.

The Girl seems to think that the new pair arrived at the end of the summer before last, and that the pair I'm wearing IS the "new" pair.  Hmm.  Oh well, at least I have shoes and a pair of feet to put in them.  Summer's almost here.

Fun flick.  Matthew McConnaghey is a successful 35-year-old Porsche-driving boat broker who still lives with his parents, played by Kathy Bates and Terri Bradshaw.  They want him out, but at the same time they make his life cushy.  No rent, no chores, she makes him pancakes and bacon for breakfast every day, packs his lunch, cleans his room, does his laundry and delivers it neatly folded to his room, etc.  When they learn through recently adult child liberated friends of Sarah Jessica Parker, who contracts with similarly-situated couples to assist their grown up but not grown up sons with whatever issues are keeping them from moving out of the house, they gleefully contact her and do the dance of joy when she promises an exit by June 15.

Of course hijinx ensue when the pair develop possibly real feelings for each other, friends get involved in the mix, and related whackiness with forces of nature and the way things "should be." 

Sounds formulaic, but it works.  And it includes an excellent variation on the requisite romantic comedy big chase scene, utilizing a remote audience to build tension and turn the Shortest Big Chase Scene into one of the best done.

Reality Check:  The Girl loved it as well.  It's one we'll be owning.

I've been trying to simply things in my life.  Makes them easier to maintain and organize.  Last week I brought my computer home after Monday's classes, since the scroll pad still isn't working (that's a whole other, continuing saga, hopefully to be resolved today) and since I was doing a presentation in my Tuesday class so really wouldn't be taking notes, Wednesday's classes were cancelled for the Dark Shadow of Jurisprudence, and I only have one class on Thursday.

I got out of the building and home so much faster not packing up the notebook and adapters, then waiting for the elevators at school and the parking garage because my bag is so heavy.  The downside of not having the computer with me is that my handwriting is so bad that if I don't copy over my notes to the computer shortly thereafter, I can no longer read them.  So before Thursday's class I grilled a classmate about his Palm keyboard, which he's been using our entire time at school (three years now – yikes!).  He loves it, and let me try it out.  Mine arrived Wednesday evening. 

I got to try it out in class last night, and after some initial getting-used-to's, it was great!  Once I got the hang of the keyboard shortcuts for formatting (I have Documents To Go, which includes Word and Excel, on the Palm) and changing programs, I flew.  I was able to take many more notes than if I were struggling with penmanship, I was out of there in a jiffy, and when I got home I just synched it up and my notes were complete!

I think my next target in the quest for streamlining is this blog.  It's gotten a little too top-heavy with extras and doodads.  And it's really hard to navigate on a handheld.  By the way, if you have a handheld and don't yet have Avantgo, get over there now and sign up for a free account.  I've had mine since shortly after I got the Palm, and it's heaven.

Anyway, off the techie plugs and back to the zen of blogging.  Watch for some changes.  Let me know what you think. 

Along with being one of my favorite movie lines (Cher, to Nicholas Cage in Moonstruck), "Snap out of it!" is also an accurate assessment of what I need to do with my blogging, and really all internet connectivity, hiatus.  I've now had both my sister and my sister-in-law contact me in distress out of concern that something disastrous has happened to me.  All because I haven't blogged.

I've just been really busy and feeling less on top of things lately.  Go to work, go to school, go to work, go to school.  The good news is I really do think I've snapped out of it.  I'm feeling great about the job I started in December, I'm really jazzed about school, and I think The Girl's finally coming around to accepting the idea of my starting my own law practice.  There –I've said it for the world to hear.  I want to hang my own shingle.  It won't be for a couple of years, since the current schedule is to graduate in May 2007, take the bar in July 2007, get my passing results in October-November 2007 and be sworn in around February-March 2008.  But it's never to soon to start planning.  One of my classes this semester is Law Practice Management, and it's all about opening and running a law practice.  The final project each of us has to hand in is a business plan for said practice.  Every week we have to research some facet of the process, whether it's researching who's already practicing in the geographic area we've picked, digging into the daily details of a specific area of practice (What exactly do I need to do to handle a divorce case?  What forms need to be filed where and when?  What are the usual fee arrangements for attorneys for this type of case in my location?), or getting prices on office equipment, software, telecommunication lines, advertising, etc.  It's been a real confidence builder as each week goes by and we see more and more that we really can do this. 

So, I've got lots of stories built up.  Hopefully I'll stay snapped and you'll get to read them.

Justice Scalia: Bright Light or Night Terror?

Justice Scalia: Originalist or Prince of Stagnation?

Justice Scalia: Privacy in Retrograde

However you look at him, he's in Boston today and tomorrow at my school.