Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everybody! I'm signing off for the next two weeks. While I'm gone I will be:

• Wrapping presents
  
• Seeing friends
  
• Decorating Christmas cookies with my nephew
  
• Travelling to Arkansas with the boyfriend
  
• Going to Santa Fe to play Santa Claus
  
• Walking the farolitos and singing Christmas carols
  
• Going to Christmas Eve Church Service
  
• Opening presents
  
• Relaxing and making merry!
  

I hope everyone has a fantastic couple weeks, regardless of what/how/if you're celbrating.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

All The News That's Fit To Print

Bad news: my pants are too tight.
Good news: the next size up is still huge. Whew!

The rest is all good news:

• I *almost* am done with my Christmas shopping- just my baby brother left to buy for, and I know what I'm getting him and where to get it.
  
• A dear law school friend wants to go to Cabo San Lucas for spring break. Her Mom has a timeshare there. Um, YES.
  
• It's time! Christmas! I can now start doing fun things like wrapping presents and relaxing a little! YAY.
  

New Look and Christmas Knitting

Woman Obsessed got a face lift this morning. I kind of like the clean lines... Who knows how long this will last!!!

What is it about Christmas and knitters that makes us all insane? Cruising blogland I see dozens of knitters who appear to think that the can get an entire year's worth of knitting done in December. IT'S CRAZY. I knit two presents- one was done in mid-November, the other last night. That was enough to send me over the edge! People think my knitting is cute, but most don't care whether a gift is hand-knitted or not (and I have it on good authority that most would even prefer NON-handknitted presents).

SO why do we do this to ourselves?

Things I Have Learned This Semester

In no particular order:

• Finals still suck.
  
• I need to brief each and every case as I read it. Create a separate file and brief the dang case. Makes studying for finals go waaaay faster.
  
• There is no such thing as a good multiple choice exam in law school. Virtually everything we learn is: Rule, exception, exception to the exception and so on and so forth. There's just no way to write a decent multiple choice exam.
  
• Having good professors makes SUCH A HUGE DIFFERENCE. I'm as stressed as I was last spring, yet I'm not on the verge of taking out any of my professors. This is progress, people.
  
• It will all get done. It doesn't ever seem like it will, but it does.
  
• I know more than I think I do. It's usually just a matter of going over the informaton again at the end of the semester. That and getting totally stressed out and cranky with everyone I love. Ya'll know how it is!
  
• Knitting is a good non-verbal activity to help switch gears before I go to sleep. Helps prevent psycho "I can't figure out how to footnote what I'm wearing tomorrow because there isn't any state action in my Mom's car" type dreams. Which, incidentally, should be avoided at all costs.
  
• I should take handwritten notes during class. It helps me focus on what's really important instead of transcribing the class. Also means lower quantity of higher quality prep for finals. AND, means I won't be surfing the web during class. Which, um, was a problem this semester.
  

DONE!

I feel like singing Handel's Messiah! WOOHOO!!!!!

I had nightmares all last night about this morning's exam- dreamt that I kept applying the civil procedure II analysis to other classes- con law, torts (from first semester first year! yikes!), civil procedure I... It was a big bummer.

But the test went ok, I think. The professor used one question off an exam from a couple years ago, that I had looked over but not worked in depth. But even seeing the facts again helped. The second question is based on a case that is currently pending before the state supreme court- he sent us a link to the court of appeals decision so we can see how they handled the issues. Um, I don't even want to look because it will reveal what I missed on the exam and I just don't need to know right now.

I also finished my last law review cite checking exercise of the semester- WOOT!

So.... I am officially on vacation. I have a massage at 5:30 and then miscellaneous around the house and Christmas stuff to attend to. YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!

How do YOU deal with stress?

Two down, one to go. 48 hours and counting. Almost there...

Aside from the obvious coping mechanisms(eating, procrastinating, knitting), When I get REALLY STRESSED, I rewrite the lyrics to well-known songs. Sometimes it's nursery rhyme songs, like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, sometimes it's old Beatles tunes... Something where people know the tune because I usually send an e-mail to someone saying: "To the tune of..." and include the lyrics. Gets a laugh and a "you're nuts" every time!

If the song lyrics don't work, I write really bad poetry. Usually Haiku. Although for a while I specialized in Sonnets about the hideous woman I worked for at my last job before law school. She was quite the muse, let me tell you. And I got really strict on the formal rules- thematic rules, rhyme schemes, iambic pentameter... Kinda fun, actually, trying to force my frustration into a very formal structure- helped me get out of "oh poor me" mode and laugh at the situation.


Edited to add: Things haven't even progressed to the song lyric phase this exam period! Though I thought about if for a minute this morning...

This is PROGRESS, people!


Edited again to add: Oh yeah, I ripped out that sock. The lovely green fabulous one a few posts back. I screwed up the gusset decreases, then tried to rip out a few rows, had trouble getting the stitches back on the needle. Then I realized that I didn't like the fabric- working on too big a needle- and despite the fact that they fit perfectly, I wasn't going to be happy with the floppy fabric. Oh well. It was the right decision. But now I can't knit socks till my size 3s are free again!

Another knitting project waiting in the wings...

I'm not knitting much on this either, courtesy of finals, so I'll blog about it!

This is the "Airy Scarf" Pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts with stockinette blocks instead of all garter. The pattern calls for Rowan Kidsilk Haze, which I have, but I wanted to use my Tilli Tomas Disco Lights Yarn. Glorious stuff- 100% silk with matte sequins in the same color strung throughout.





The color is waaay more accurate in the first picture, but you can see the sparkles better in the second.

I'm such a sucker for sparkly yarn!

Butter Fingers

I've been doing a *wee* bit of typing recently.

I am terrified that I am going to type "pubic use" over and over agian on my Con Law exam instead of using the much more politically (and technically) correct "public use."

Back when I was a technical writer, I'd had a really long couple days at work trying to get a product out. I knew it was time to quit for the day when I misspelled "technology" in such a way that spellechecker suggested "gynecologist" as the correct spelling....

Hey, That's Interesting.... Not.

It is actually kind of interesting that so many dormant commerce clause cases involve milk.

It is not interesting that I am noticing this at 11:00 on a Friday night.

I live SUCH an exciting life! All finals, all the time, baby.

Retro Rib Socks

One exam down, two more to go. A week from today I will be halfway done with lawschool. WHEEEEEE!

Have I rapsodized about these socks yet? No? WELL....



Pattern: Retro Rib Socks from Winter 2004/05 Interweave Knits. I'm knitting them from the toe up, and am going to attempt an inverted heel flap courtesy of the instructions in Sensational Knitted Socks. Also, sport weight yarn calls for mods to the pattern- fortunately, Alison over at the Blue Blog already did the math! Thanks Alsion!

Yarn: Plain and Fancy Sheel and Wool, Sport Weight. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Lovely stuff. Slightly variegated, butter soft... Yummy yummy yarn.

Here's a better view of the patterning:


Not that I'm knitting on these right now. In fact, I'm blogging about them precisely because I CAN'T knit on them and study for evidence at the same time. Now that you mention it, I can't study evidence and blog at the same time. Dang. I guess it's time to get back to work!!!

Birthday Goodness and a MEME!

First off, what a FABULOUS birthday! Highlights were lunch with Meg, flowers, and fabulous dinner with my family.

Meg is brilliant. My present was a whole sweater's worth of recycled CASHMERE yarn. How WONDERFUL?!?!?



According to my McMorran Yarn Balance, it's about 1000 yards of light worsted wieght fabulousness. What should I make with it? It's not quite enough for a sweater on it's own... I'm thinking maybe a raglan with different colored sleeves? Or I could make a sweater and stripe it with something else...

This is such a fabulous gift. First, it's totally Meg- a wonderful thrift store find. Second, it's totally me. Baby blue cashmere? HELLO? AND, it's totally our mutual fiber obsession. I can't imagine a more perfect gift.

Except for these:



Gorgeous tulips from the BF. I love tulips. I love the BF!

AND, I've been TAGGED for a MEME by none other than Scout!

So, I have 2 knitting spots. One is in the living room, where I sit on the couch (not usually covered in the Christmas quilt, but it's December...)



From this spot, I can chat with Mom in her blue chair and watch TV.



The other spot is in my room, in my comfy chair.



My basket of projects and VIP stash is under the table.



From here, I can see my currently very messy room and Scooter as he stalks me.




I'm tagging: Meg, Rebecca, Froggy, Jeannie, and Beverly.

Stop! I can't breathe- laughing too hard!

If you haven't read Today's Harlot, stop whatever you're doing and GO. GO NOW.

I had tears streaming down my cheeks, side splitting from laughing too hard.

Man. Now THAT'S funny.


And thanks for all the happy birthday wishes! It's a GREAT DAY!!!!

29 and holding.

Happy Birthday to me! Today I turn 29 years old. My Mom will call me at 8:13 am mountain time to tell me all about the day I was born, just as she does every year. I love it. Apparently it was bitter cold in Santa Fe that day, just like it is right now... It had started snowing as my parents drove to the hospital at 11:00 the previous night, and when they put me in my Mom's arms it was a major blizzard.

29. That means I turn 30 next year. I don't mean to have the Bridget Jones style breakdown about turning 30, but there are some things on my mind, now that it is firmly within sight. I'm not where I thought I'd be at 29. I always imagined myself married with a munchkin or two by the time I hit 29. I am currently neither, and it doesn't look like either will happen by 30.

On the plus side, at 30 I will graduate from law school and start a fabulous new career. Now THAT'S something to be excited about. Almost like the end of the job wilderness. After spending my 20s drifting from job to job and town to town, I am looking forward to building a real career.

So what am I doing to celebrate?

Well, I'm housesitting in Corrales, and I noticed that the quilting store out here has a gigantic sign that says: "GOT YARN!" Sooooo. I'll cruise by there and see what they've got. Having lunch with Meg, followed by running a few errands and studying a little Con Law. Knit Night then dinner at Graze with Mom and my Brother. The weather is gorgeous, if nippy, so it actually feels like winter. I love that. Too bad there's no snow- skiing would be an absolutely perfect way to spend a birthday. Maybe next year! For the scary big 3-0!

Mini Sweater Ornaments.

Mini Sweater Ornaments.
Originally uploaded by woman obsessed.

I love these things!!!

Pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, using up random bits of scrap yarn. These take about an hour and a half each and are really cute. I've made 2 more since I took this photo...

Gift Yarn!

Gift Yarn!
Originally uploaded by woman obsessed.

Meg gave me this gorgeous handpainted yarn as a thank you for watching her kitties before Thanksgiving.

It's spectacular! The yarn is handpainted 50/50 silk and wool. Like buttah. The colors are amazing- deep brick red, fuschia, and browns all blended together. My colors, baby!

Now I just have to figure out what to do with it....

Thoughts On the Law

Since I should be studying, I am spending lots of time thinking about things that DEFINITELY won't be on any of my exams. Natch.

Doing my mock trial this fall, I was really struck by the complete and total disconnect between what we do in law school and what happens in a courtroom. I have spent the last 18 months reading appellate case after appellate case, trying to discern the abstract legal rule and how it works when applied to various sets of facts. At trial, you just tell a good story about your client and... get this... you never even mention the law. There is no talk of rules, no talk of what the Supreme Court has held in the past, no discussion of what elements I have to prove in order to win... It's all just a story.

It's WEIRD.

Also. Law Review.

Really? Not so bad. I will know the Blue Book inside and out, which is a handy skill for lawyers to have. I'm learning a TON about class action law, which is moderately interesting. It's kind of nice to be able to dive so deep into a single topic. By the time my case note is finished, I will have written a 100+ page survey of class action law and and how the New Mexico Court of Appeals was correct in this one certain case. I might have come to a different conclusion, but that doesn't mean it was an abuse of discretion...

And legal writing?

I'm a very detailed writer. I tend to gather all the quotes I want to use, put them in an order that makes sense, and write text around the quotes. Not the most efficient way to do things, but it helps me get an argument out with plenty of support for each point. Just saying.

Cawfee Tawk

Law Review: fabulous resume builder or Chinese water torture?

Discuss.

Uh, OK.

So, I woke up late today. Rolled out of bed, ran my fingers through my hair, cringed when I looked in the mirror, and walked out the door anyway.

And I've gotten more compliments on my hair today than almost ever before.

What gives? Maybe the slovenly look becomes me... Which is good, because there will be a lot of it in the next 2 weeks!

Note to Self:

Don't even think about putting contacts in between now and the end of December 16. 12+ hours a day in front of a computer + indoor heating vents = notsogood.