Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Yeah.. well, I think your a princess...

The heat is on and my patience has run away with my mind.

In 20 days I have 5 pieces of assessment due, does not sound too bad.. but on top of normal classes, 25-30 hours a week of crumbing schnitzels, the law ball, maintaining a relationship and everything else, there is not much time left to play house keeper.

I use the kitchen, quite a bit. I am also the only one who cleans the kitchen up after everyone else. The last few days there has been no time. The flat mate who we will call Princess Bambi as he is the stereotype of gay that many people believe gay men are* (clean and neat freaks, this guy uses a saucer when he has his herbal tea...wtf), is throwing little bitch fits. I apologised for the messy kitchen and all I got was a filthy look...

I wanted to scream the following:

When did you last scrub the shower - never
Clean the toilet - never
Sweep/vacuum the floors - once... 5 months ago!
Mop the floors - NEVER!
Who cleans every inch of this house because you and Mr. Ovum are lazy and think that all the mess is made by anyone but yourselves? ME!!

Give me a *&^ing break you little twat (bring on the google hits).

Yes in the time I took to write this blog I could have washed a dish or two someone else dirtied, but that does not give me the same satisfaction as this little rant has.

limiting the cutlery, glasses and dishes to one of each - Obiter

* Princess Bambi is an ex-dancer, is about 5ft nothing, has a serious superiority compelx and a nasty attitude.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Puberty v Law School

I have been in a funk since losing the moot, I poured my heart and soul into it. Only to lose. Now I am mostly over it, it was an experience and I am glad I did it.

It got me to thinking about how this experience has been a lot like puberty, so here is my comparisons:

Procreation / Understanding

Puberty: Every waking moment you think of getting some, even if your not yo will say you are.
LW: You spend most of every day trying to wrap your head around something, when you speak to other students, you mostly pretend to others that 'yeah, I can cite the test for using extrinsic material off the top of my head..

Hormone fulled mood swings / Stress induced fits of rage

Puberty: Your right, they are all tools who just don't understand you. You go cry about it, but you will get over it at the next injustice you suffer through.

LS: Your tired, your over caffeinated all you want to do is sleep, but shit is due tomorrow and you don't get it. So you lash out at those that love you (see rice fight). Every. little. thing. pisses you off.

Awkward moments

Puberty: Guys, you know what I am talking about. I figure girls have at least one repeating moment.

LS: Even being called upon and babbling does not compare to above.

Who wins? at least the worst of puberty is over in a couple of years, law school is going to last 5.5 years....

At least my voice will only break once- Obiter

Monday, August 23, 2010

There are two ways to look at this:

Losing my first competition moot court can lead to two conclusions

1: It was a complete waste of a week, I am now behind on eveything becuase of the time and effort I devoted to the moot.

Or

2: I now know what I need to imporve on for the next one (it was very, very close. the judges took 15 minutes to work out who should win), losing could give me the motivation to really ace it next time. Feedback included:


- I talk too fast (I swear, I have been told this since I could talk, I am on this earth to learn how to slow down)
- More structure to the arguement
- I have a great 'court' voice...wtf?
- I make good eye contact
- Don't read off a script


I can't choose, it is still to fresh in my mind that I lost and apparently I hate losing...

Now to do the neglected torts, contracts, foundations and crim work (was it really worth it?) - Obiter

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Sleep is for...

Sleep is for the weak and uncafinated.

I have 3 days left before moot court, assessments are due soon too. There is also the butt load of weekly work to do. I have been averaging about four hours sleep a night for the last week.

Going to go sue Goldie Locks for trespasss - Obiter

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

How Embarassment.

The universe likes to mess with me.

This is how yesterday went.

8:30: Get up, make coffee and calm nerves about interview

10:00 Get to work (the interview was to be held at my workplace)

10:01 Boss 'I did not tell you the interview is tomorrow now, did I?'

No you did not.... To his credit, he then jumped on the phone and organised for us to drive to their office, in a about 2 hours. It was a small grace that I had some study with me. Boss's car is broken so we will take my car. Before people get into my car for a lift I always state "Sure no problem, on the proviso you make no comment about the state of my car" (which is not ... well it ... OK there is no rotting food and its is just paper and clothes. When you are the only person who cleans up after 2 others somethings gotta give).

10:20 My black shoes which have been worn three times broke - yay for me! I can't go to the interview looking like I have hobo shoes.

11:00 After a quick drive to shops to buy new shoes (I had money on the day before pay day...this is how I suspect the universe is not just screwing me over, just messing with me)

12:00 Drive Boss and I to law firm.

I had done my research I knew what lawyers practiced in what area, I knew their names by face ect. The partners name is Curls (clearly not his real name).

12:10 Partner comes out and I shake his hand..

OO: Hi my name is Curls.. no... your Curls, my name is Obiter.. (it was only one better then babbling incoherently)

PC: ..we will get to that.

12:10-1:00 - Boss and Curls talk shop, for ages, I get introduced at some point, I think he glanced at my resume, at some point I was informed it would be unpaid work, but I was welcome on board any time I wanted to start.

I got the job, sure it will actually cost me money to get from home to there to my paying job and back but hell it's more than most first years in my position.

1:01: Curls asks for a lift to the cafe he is having lunch at, Boss told him that was fine. I blurted out the standard disclaimer....does my brain engage at all?

1:10 We walk to my car, Curls has one look and said 'Um, it's OK the cafe is just down the road'

ARGH...

I have enrolled in the moot court, I have under 5 days to get it together, three of those days are full time work. I normally have a class right now, but I have lost my keys (I suspect they are in the wash, which I cannot stop for another hour and a half), so I am not going anywhere. On the bright side, I now have an extra 4 hours to do the moot court work (I will attend another class on Friday).

P.S
The firm deals with chasing debts from businesses, from what I glanced off the conversations they enjoy nailing people to the wall... probably not the firm I will be working at forever.

I will kill the key fairy if she does not make those bastards reappear soon - Obiter

Friday, August 13, 2010

Where is the PANIC button?

I need to slam my head on it.

I have been working with Old Chef for two years. There is really nothing left to say, we can work a very busy night and only exchange 3 words 'behind','hot' and 'plates?'.

Smoke breaks can be awkward, 15 minutes of silence, it's a long 15 minutes.

OO: Hey, your brother is a barrister, does he need a bitch for the summer?
OC: .....?
OO: You know a dog's body for three months over the summer break.
OC: My Brother is not a lawyer....
OO:...Oh

OC: But the owners BFF is a lawyer - go ask him.
OO: Will do.

So I toddled out to the owner.

OO: I am about to shmooze you.
BOSS: Smooze away.
OO: I am looking for some work in the legal industry, I hear your friend is a solicitor.
BOSS: Take a seat.

At this point he picks up the phone, and I start to feel sick. I have no resume, I have no clothes, while Boss man is a great guy (have been working with him for three years, could get away with blue murder but I don't because he is a good guy) but not always the most proactive person. At best I was just procrastiating avoiding more knife work, I honestly was just fishing in a puddle to kill a bit of time. They make small talk and an interview is set up for Tuesday.

SHIT, SHIT, SHIT.

I am excited, nervous, and stressed out now. Looks like no contracts work will be done this weekend.

Hoping I don't turn into a boiled egg on Tuesday - Obiter

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Smug smirks and Law students

Some times I get the overwhelming desire to punch people in the face, gender holds no bars.

Let me explain.

many of the 1L's are fresh from high school, they are the bright sparks, high achievers and generally been told just how smart they are and have never experienced otherwise. Good for them. However at times the pole needs to be removed from their asses.

I had been working in the real world in a number of different industries before making it to law school, boy do I know how it feels it be dumb, dumb as dog shit dumb, failed most of high school dumb. As a consequence at times I am not so sure of my intellect and ability to comprehend things. When I do speak up it is mostly because I have carefully considered what I am going to say and how it works (to be honest this is generally restricted to uni, in social situations my mouth engages well before the brain has clucked into gear).

Twice this week I have been paired with these 'bright sparks' and twice I have made a contribution and been smirked at. Twice I have been right on the money. As I can't remove the poll and smack them in the face with it, this will have to do.

Elections are in full swing - Need to go read policy and get angry at both parties, Obiter.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

If karma was a dog, I would probably be poking it with a big stick.

On my way from the gents to the law library, I saw some guy in a suit headed towards a moot court, half of the back of his suit was tucked into his pants. I chose to say nothing, for no good reason. I help little old ladies off the bus, I help them up stairs, I don't know why I would let this guy walk to a moot court with his suit tucked into his pants.

Today I enrolled in my first moot court comp, this should be interesting..

Crim B:

I had special prep for the criminal moot court/tute a few days ago. I spent hours and hours pouring over cases and legislation (s 598(c) CC has got to be the most convoluted section I have had to read so far). By the end of it all I had pretty much come to the conclusion that I was immensely stupid for not being able to find a solid argument eitherway, the questions are normally drafted to be agurged both ways at least a little convincingly. The other guy on special prep was the legal genius from contracts, this guy turns most if not all tutes into a conversation between himself and the tutor each week. Needless to say I was worried about looking extra stupid in comparasin to this kid. Turns out, as the tutor put it 'you could drive 5 trains though this loop hole'. I not only managed to get a good grip on the issues and facts but could to a small point rebutt some of the savant like kids arguement, woohoo for me!

At the moment I feel like everything is going really well, unlike the shit fight that was first semester.

the lawschool pot is only on light simmer - Obiter

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Week 3 - yet to have an attack of the crazies

Week three is almost over, things are going really well, too well?

Torts B:

Today my tutor looked like she was fresh from a safari, I think she drinks tea, you know, she just has that 'look'.

I have somehow managed to stay on top of the readings, cases and understood the legislation, this semester I am doing my own outline. So far it has been working really well, who knew actually doing the work from scratch would be so helpful...?

Foundations B:

This semester is all about legal research and writing, not substantive law. What a relief, it frees up time for more guilt laden procrastiation.

Contracts B:

So here we are again, contracts. I loath contracts with every fiber of my being. I have a much better tutor this semester, to the point where I actually understand what she is talking about. My class is Monday morning from 9-11, my week really is all down hill from there, thats a plus.

Criminal B:

Not much to report here. This week instead of having a contract tute we had an online exercise thing, it is a series of videos followed by multichoice questions. My only isse with the videos is that they were made in the last 80's by students with thick Aussie accents (seriously we don't sound like that ... 'ay mate') and mullets.

Work:

I go there, I get paid to play with kinves, I go home.

A few days ago I downloaded (and paid for!) the new Scissor Sisters album, it freaking rocks!! Loaded with enuendo.



Any Which Way - ... no talk of commitment when I recieve your shipment ...

I have a Contracts book to slam against my shell - Obiter