if you'd only, if you'd only say yes

...hey, blog. Just thought I'd stop by with a little news (though anyone reading this probably already knows): I passed the bar! Huzzah. So all those weeks of studying/not blogging apparently paid off. I still have to muddle through the character and fitness application, but I'm fairly squeaky clean in that regard, so I'm optimistic.

Anyway, I wanted a little closure on here, in case this blog ends up being a chronicle of my law school experiences and nothing more. Maybe it won't--I'm hoping the urge to blog returns. It does, from time to time, but not strong enough to push me into actually writing something. But for now I can look forward to being a completely bar-certified attorney soon. Yay.

Oh, and I adopted a cat. Millie:

this door is always open

Hmm. Blog.

I've been kind of quiet lately, I know. Part of it is because a lot of what I'm doing is boring as sin (hello, barbri) or not really bloggable, or I feel weird about sharing it because this damn article of a month ago has made me a lot more self-conscious about what I write, made me question my motives, worry that I'm burdening you people with overshared details. But I guess that's all that a blog is, because I'm left with nothing else to say. I've started several posts that I ended up abandoning, I've actually told people in person stories I was going to save for the blog (is that weird, saving stories for the blog? oh, well), because I haven't had that "must blog!" urge in awhile.

...and shoot, this is sounding like a goodbye post. I'm not going away. I hope my blogging urge comes back. But I don't want to force it, either. So how about I promise you that I'll write more when I really have something to say? Till then, keep me on your blogrolls, or in your bookmarks if you're anti-RSS. I'll be back.

And you should get the new We Are Scientists album. I bet their old one's good, too--there are kittens on the cover, so how could it be bad? God knows when I'll be able to buy any other new music, let alone listen to it (narrrgh paycheck--August 25 is so far away), so the stuff I've got'll have to hold me till then. The new Death Cab is growing on me, too, for what it's worth.

And, um, because I opened the overshared door eighteen months ago, Foxy's gone. I really can't say more than that.

Anyway, more soon. Or later. 'Cause time means nothing.

you don't have to go home

Lots of stuff going on. I'm so behind on bar exam prep already, though I probably would be even if I hadn't taken last week off. I am going to kick NY Practice's ass even if it kills me, though.

And I think, having sat through my first in-class BarBri session today, that it's finally sinking in: I'm a f*cking LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE and I'm studying for the bar. I may have two months of ever-increasing hell in front of me, but it's a privilege to fight, isn't it? *salutes Conviser mini-review*

say do you remember

OMG.

Just back from the wedding, which was AWESOME, but the awesomest part?

One of the singers in the band came up to me afterward and was like, "Were you in [my law school]'s musical? Because I saw it at admitted students' weekend, and I'm starting there this fall!" And it totally MADE MY NIGHT. I have a fan! Sort of. Yay.

Now, if only he had convinced the band to play Fame...

but he left all the books to her

Yeah, so, hi. Little dusty around here, I know. I finished exams, I graduated, I ran off to Stratford, Ontario for four theater-packed days of Shakespeare Festival with my fambly (more on that soon), and now I'm about to embark on a weekend of wedding-related events for a college suitemate and her awesome beau. So, all that is by way of saying you'll probably hear more from me soon, most likely in the form of BarBri-related grousing (that's the bar exam prep class for you non-law school readers).

In the meantime, I've heard very, very mixed reviews of the new ("red") Weezer album, but I'll give them an A+ for their so-meta-it-hurts video for "Pork and Beans." In fact, by the time it concluded, I was left wondering if they were grasping too hard for memes...? Anyway, check it out, and happy Memorial Day:

never gonna give you pants

Quick update. Still alive. One exam to go, but it's a two-part exam, so it may as well be two exams. Meh. Then I have to finish my mediation journal (you'd think it'd be easy, if not fun, to self-analyze for 30 pages... but it's so not), and I'm done. Done! And I graduate in less than 2 weeks! Crazy!

Possibly again inadvisably, I saw another concert tonight: Jonathan Coulton with Paul & Storm. SO MUCH FUN OMG. Little irked at P&S, who played essentially the same set they played last December, and really, kids, it's only been six months--you're gonna have a lot of the same people at both shows. (But you can always play the cookie dough jingle. That gets a special exemption.) I do love their new DEJECTED ARRRR t-shirts, but I've placed a firm moratorium on concert t-shirt purchasing, as I'm mere months from entering the workforce for reals again, and I have enough band t-shirts right now to wear a different one each day for a month, probably.

JoCo played a somewhat different set, which meant no Ikea (disappointed arrrr), but we did get a rollicking First of May, and he rickrolled us on Mr. Fancypants (!), and I do very much adore the old standbys (Code Monkey, Skullcrusher Mountain, I Crush Everything, Re: Your Brains, Creepy Doll, Mandelbrot Set). I also had this weird thought on the bus ride home, listening to his recorded stuff--if I were a man-singer, I would want his voice. It's so perfect for pop songs. Just the right timbre, great non-falsetto high range--and let's face it, people prefer listening to dudes when it comes to pop music (and I'm being needlessly unfair to altos with this comment, but they're used to it, right?). Heck, I was ready to throttle the woman behind me who sang up the octave during the singalong chorus on... something... Skullcrusher Mountain? Just don't do it, lady. Haven't the dogs in the parking lot suffered enough?

Anyway, JoCo = great voice. And maybe I'm just thinking about it more now that I know he was a Whiff, and during my year in Whim I became all too familiar with the stigma against being the all-women group, so maybe I'll always have a little chip on my shoulder about it, because deep down I agree that I'd rather listen to them than me...? I'm digressing way too far and I need to go to bed, but the bottom line is that Jonathan Coulton can ruin a pony for me anytime, and tomorrow I need to learn more evidence than man (or woman) ever has before, so I'll quit while I'm ahead. Er, less behind. Whatever.

father to feckless son

When was the last time I attended a warm Free Cone Day? I think it must've been 2005. Seriously, I'm running my space heater right now; it's 37 degrees outside, and May is less than 24 hours away. Ohh, Chicago. I won't miss this.

But there's a lot I will miss in a city I've gotten to know so well these almost-three years. Like being able to hop up to Park West tonight from my apartment in under ten minutes to see Elbow/The Watson Twins. This may have been an inadvisable break from my federal jurisdiction studies, except that during the encore I realized maybe, if I'm not feeling prepared enough at the end of the day tomorrow to take the test Thursday, I could wait and take it next Wednesday, stopping Thurs night/Friday to start studying for Evidence... blerg. Having a scheduled exam next Monday morning really puts a damper on things.

Right, I was talking about a concert: well, I've only seen Elbow once before, almost two years ago exactly, and the two shows were diametrically opposed. Two years ago, we were sweating it up at the Double Door, surrounded by smokers and generally miserable. Tonight, I got to sit down, I had a great view, I was pleasantly chilly (see thirty-seven-degree weather comment, infra), I paid $6 for a beer (wait, that part's not preferable), and I got one hell of a show. They had horns, they had violinists/female harmony vocalists (the ladies did double duty), and they still had that fantastic live presence I remember from the previous show, no question. Guy Garvey is a charming frontman, with such a thick British accent that at times I legitimately could not understand him. "Leaders of the Free World" kicked major ass, and the song from their new album that I'm addicted to ("Mirrorball") was absolutely gorgeous, as was "Switching Off," an old favorite. During that song, I was suddenly reminded of driving in the rain to Cincinnati for one concert or another, listening to WOXY and probably en route to the Southgate House or something. I love that music provides a marker for moments in my life. I wish I had more time to just listen to music anymore. I think, once I'm done with law school/bar exam study, I'll get that wish.

Anyway, it was marvelous, the Watson Twins were great as well, and I need to go to bed.

Oh, and my Last.Fm is back. Only there's not going to be a lot to see there for awhile, because I deleted all my user data. A few too many law school musical backing tracks up there for my taste. Top player was R.E.M. at nearly 200 plays, followed by the Decemberists, Sufjan, and... Michael Penn? I don't actually remember the last time I listened to Michael Penn. Maybe I left it on repeat while I slept or something.

Off to bed. Time to kick some more fed jur ass tomorrow. Maybe an exam Thursday. Maybe not. I can't wait till I'm done. This is abysmal.

an American music anthology

A couple days ago I made reference to a mix cd I was making. It's not Exam Recovery; in fact, there were songs I explicitly did not include (though they may have been relevant) because I wanted to save them for BarExRec, when that happens--it will be a 2-CD set at least to make up for your patience, I promise.

Instead, it was for a mix cd exchange with some classmates on the theme of "The Future." Some people opted to make a mix explicitly for August 2008, post-bar exam; others of us took a longer view, and below is what I believe to be a musical allegory of my next year-and-a-half. If you want a copy, just let me know; if you want the more detailed accompanying literature describing my song choices, I can also provide that. However, I think enough of you know what my immediate plans are such that you can kind of figure it out yourself, and I like leaving a little to the imagination.

The Future, for Now track listing:

1. Oppenheimer – This Is Not a Test
2. Jim Noir – Don’t You Worry
3. Peter Mulvey – Charlie
4. Vampire Weekend – Oxford Comma
5. 1900s – See You at the Lights
6. Cake – Rock ‘n Roll Lifestyle
7. Sarah Harmer – New Enemy
8. John Vanderslice – Letter to the East Coast
9. Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers – 4th of July
10. The Long Winters – Scared Straight
11. Jude – I Will Not Die
12. I’m from Barcelona – Ola Kala
13. Nada Surf – Whose Authority
14. The Decemberists – Summersong
15. Counting Crows – Four Days
16. Rilo Kiley – Silver Lining
17. Over the Rhine – Ohio
18. Elbow – Leaders of the Free World
19. R.E.M. – Living Well Is the Best Revenge
20. The Submarines – You, Me, & the Bourgeoisie
21. The New Pornographers – Myriad Harbour
22. Cat Power – New York

you were always out

Holy crap. Am I really so jaded that when someone knocks on my door without prior notice, I get a burst of adrenaline as my first instinct is home invasion?

No, it's my across-the-hall neighbor looking for a screwdriver (which I don't have). And really, self, would a home invader knock first? Only if they're quite polite, I'm sure.

It's finals. That's what I'm blaming everything on. Final finals. Finally.

hardly underway

Tipsy on house wine from our end-of-year Journal dinner, listening to a mix cd playlist to make sure it flows ok (still room for 2-3 more songs if I'm so inclined--no, it's not exam recovery; that's gonna have to be bar exam recovery, I fear), skimming emails about a post-bar trip someplace sunny and warm...

...exams? What exams? Oh, those exams. Yeah, I'm on it.

Tomorrow.

so cold in this house

Sorry about the long time, no blog. I think I lead a dull life right now. Like, I'm reading journal student comments to figure out which ones we'll publish. Interesting to me, not so much to you. Or, like, I need a haircut, desperately. Or I need to register for PMBR before the end of the week, because my former prof recommended it as very useful and I trust her. You know, edge-of-your-seat, fascinating stuff like that.

But hey, this might be of interest: I think I ate some glass tonight at the Rock Bottom brewery! Awesome! I blame this on the Boy, because I was torn between the crème brulée and the pint glass sundae for dessert, and he wanted to share the sundae. I bet we wouldn't have mistaken the glass for ice in the crème brulée. So, anyhow, if you don't hear from me again, I'm probably suffering from massive internal hemmoraging, or whatever. Bonus: we got a free meal! Guess I should have had a second beer.

Anyway, I saw this video on SOMC today and LOVED it, so I'm sharing it with all of you. Enjoyable even for non-cat people, I promise.

flipped, turned upside down

Three years ago, I said to myself, "I want to do that."

And I did, three times. And this last time was magic, every minute, and I want so badly to do it again.

But now I don't know what to do with myself.

you don't even rate a footnote

So, R.E.M. fanclub presale tickets went onsale this morning. I didn't buy any.

Because--curse you, fate--the Chicago tourdate is the first day of my five-year college reunion. ARRRGH. And much as I fancy Michael Stipe and I are best buds, it's really not a choice at all--my friends come first, period. But it still breaks my heart.

I'm wearing my tour shirt from their magnificent '04 tour to show my solidarity both for the fanclub ticket sale and for the release of Accelerate today, which I'm about to listen to. I've heard lots of good things about the album, so I'm ready to be wowed. After all, music will provide the light we cannot resist, we cannot resist, we cannot resist.

the shadow of the modern machine

Back from Thailand!

And not sick with the flu anymore, thank god. The Tamiflu/Mucinex one-two punch is a winning combination--I was feeling much better by the end of that weekend. Thailand is a pretty amazing country, and I've discovered that it may not be possible for me ever to tire of Thai food. Mmmm. More soon, but I've been up for 25 hours right now, not counting the crappy hour or two of sleep I grabbed on one of my two flights today, and I've got a killer sleep-deprivation headache that needs to be kicked in the ass before I can attempt anything else.

Hope these last two weeks have treated you well, dear reader. It's pushing Spring here in Chicago, and that's all I could have hoped to return to. In other words, NO MORE SNOW. Mother Nature, you're on notice.

you cried and you cried and you cried and you cried

So, I have the flu. Again.

I have the flu again, and I leave for Thailand tomorrow.

If I don't die, you'll hear from me next when I get back in 2 weeks... though the law school musical is right when I get back, so who knows when you'll hear from me?

Anyway, on my way back from the doctor, I walked by the Hershey store, and realized that I'd seen those dresses they had in the window before. Yes, dresses. PROJECT RUNWAY dresses:



So cool! If you're in Chicago (and a fan of the show), you should definitely check them out. I don't recommend getting the flu, though. That part sucks. And it sucks doubly when you get it twice in two weeks.

Sigh.

just like we are, you'll be dust

How did I miss this last year? I realize I'm the last one on the Demetri Martin bandwagon (...ladies), but I've been a Travis fan for forever. Who knew they did a video together?



In other news, still busy, thanks, but I do believe there's a little light at the end of the tunnel. Or maybe it's the headlight of an approaching train! Nyuk nyuk.

when you're not home

I'm sorry I'm not writing here much these days. I'm kind of insanely busy right now. Like, if I've ever said that before, I didn't mean it. There is literally more that I have to do immediately, right now, due yesterday, etc than there are hours in which to do it. It's going to require some major triage on my part over the next several days to get over this hump--a lot of it is fallout from getting really sick last week and not having the wherewithal to do much of anything mentally, let alone physically. I think I might be feeling a little better now, as I've gotten kind of a second wind, but a second wind at 12:20 isn't much good at all when I need to go to bed so I can actually and for seriously get better.

So, yeah. I'm sorry. I'm also sorry that there hasn't been an exam recovery... yet. I mean it--I have songs, I just need to organize them, and maybe I'll be able to get to that while I travel to Thailand? It breaks my heart not to have sent this out, but it's a luxury compared to everything else that needs doing. This also applies to phone calls--if you're an out-of-town friend and you've called recently, I love you and I'm sorry I suck, and I will do my best to get in touch as soon as I can.

Anyway, the other thing I wanted to mention is that the TV show Breaking Bad is really amazing, and if you haven't been watching it, you should have. Unfortunately the season finale is next week (it only ran for, what, eight weeks?), so you've pretty much missed it if you haven't been watching AMC since January. But it's a very realistic depiction of what living with cancer must be like, and watching tonight's episode, it struck me that I haven't ever had anyone close to me go through chemo or anything like that. I knew what it entailed, vaguely, but I have a much better understanding of the harsh, difficult realities of it all. Also, I loved Bryan Cranston as Malcolm's dad back in the day, but he's even better here. So awesome.

Oh, and don't think because I've been watching one TV show that I don't know what I'm talking about re: my lack of time. It's a disaster, folks. Here's to hoping I can get through this week.

i've got a negative edge

A little haiku about my walk to school this morning:

outside MCA
slipped and fell, bruising my ass
winter, please, be gone

he's alive, he's alive

So, today in Evidence, my professor said that the first sentence of FRE 608(b) "throws you a hooker."

Um.

always doing damage control

SNOW DAY!

Well, Snow Couple-of-Hours--no evening classes tonight after 6pm. And it doesn't affect me at all, because I don't have Weds night classes (and our Very Special Wednesday Rehearsal continues apace), but it's still pretty great. I don't think I've had any classes canceled for weather since senior year of college.

I know there hasn't been much of note here recently, and I apologize. I'm a bit overcommitted this semester and things are just getting crazier and crazier. So, anyway, listen to the new R.E.M. single and check back later. Maybe I'll have more to add.

trading places with an angel

The Boy and I had an unintentional Christian Bale filmfest last night, courtesy of the inclement weather keeping us at home and the Redbox in our neighborhood Jewel. We've been behind on renting movies since our local Blockbuster shut down, but let me tell you--Redbox is AWESOME. $1 movie rentals! Selection isn't as all-encompassing as Blockbuster's was, but considering they were wanting close to $5 a rental, this is a MUCH better price. We got 3:10 to Yuma and The Prestige, both of which were GREAT. I've been going over and over the plot twists in the latter all day--no surprise that it was directed by Memento's Christopher Nolan. I also am not at all up on my Westerns--I think the only one I've ever watched was Shane, for Narrative Structures two years ago--but I wouldn't mind seeing more of the genre, since I really enjoyed 3:10 to Yuma. Anyway, Russell Crowe knocked it out of the park in Yuma, and I loved David Bowe Bowie's take on Nikola Tesla in The Prestige. And our man Mr. Bale did not disappoint in either. I remember enjoying The Illusionist when both of these magic-themed movies came out, but I'm not sure now which of them I liked better. I kind of want to watch The Illusionist again, perhaps this evening, as I think we're Redboxing it once more tonight--that is, if I ever get my schoolwork done. blerg.

Also, because I've been inundating the Boy with links right now and because he'd probably be happier if I were working on my portion of our trip-to-Thailand topic proposal, I'm entreating you to check out this NYMag article about the music industry's war on insider leaks. It's more fuel for my argument that music itself can't be the primary source of revenue anymore in music industry business models. It's neither practical nor feasible. Songs need to be viewed as promotional tools--a means to an end--rather than an end unto themselves. User expectations demand instant music availability, both in the time it takes to acquire music (i.e., the rise of downloading) and the time it takes for music to become available. People aren't content to wait around three months for an album to come out. Even though Radiohead got most of its press last fall from the "name your own price" aspect of its new album, perhaps equally remarkable was the rapidity with which it became available after we heard it was coming--something like two weeks, was it?

So, the bottom line: you want to keep leaks down? Then announce new albums when they're ready to go. I mean, I've known since Christmas that R.E.M. has a new record coming out in April. Why do I have to wait so damn long? I guarantee that thing's ready to go now and they're just holding it up for some sort of publicity campaign, or the tour, or whatever. But I want the music now. I still plan on shelling out big bucks to see them (and Modest Mouse! and the National!) at the United Center on June 6, and I'll surely buy some overpriced t-shirt or hoodie or whatever. They're making their money off of me one way or another. Why wait to give me my copy of their long-awaited new album?

Anyway. I have work to do, or I'd continue to soapbox on this stuff. You, dear reader, are devastated, I'm sure. Happy Superbowling--the Boy is rooting for the Giants, so I guess I am, too, but the Patriots seem untouchable this year. More importantly, can you believe it's been four years since NippleGate? Maybe Tom Petty will be wearing a lace corset under his outer garments...

sweet dreams, great teacher

Want to feed the hungry and build your vocab?

Check it out. I can't seem to break through level 45, but the night is young.

ohio's agriculture's based on grain

First Brad, then Heath. Geez. Rough week for celebrities.

I'm quite a bit more shocked/saddened by Heath's passing, mostly because he was the better/more famous actor, but also because I just loved 10 Things I Hate About You. The whole movie will be harder to watch, but particularly that wonderful, exuberant scene where he's singing to Kat in the stadium while she's at soccer practice, his running the lengths of the concrete benches and being carried off by security, so damn full of life--gah. Salon had a nice tribute to him that more or less sums up the way I feel about it--though I've only seen about three of his movies. I'm looking forward to his turn as the Joker, for what it's worth.

Anyway. There's a lot I could be talking about here, like R.E.M.'s shenanigans on the Lower East Side filming their video for "Supernatural Superserious," or the start of Wigmore Follies rehearsals, or volunteering with the kitties again--but my heart's not in it right now. So I'll leave you with two videos: the first, a trailer for Get Smart (which looks pretty darn good, and I'm getting over the casting of Anne Hathaway); and the second, a ridiculous ad for a pretty damn good beverage. But then, I'm generally a sucker for the Diet Dr. Pepper spinoffs.

over just before you look

I'm spending my Saturday evening watching Lasagna Cat and doing laundry.

What's new with you?

money was everything

Oh, my gosh. Brad Renfro has died.

You may remember, a scant year and a half ago, that I lamented his addictions on this very blog. I guess my sympathies weren't enough to save him.

Child stars, huh? The Boy and I caught part of an episode of VH1's Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew on Sunday, and SO MANY of them had great success at an early age and just couldn't deal with it.

So, yeah. Sad. Anyway. To lighten the mood, how about... a VIDEO kitten break? With one of Foxy's, um, addictions?

workers are going home

I am a hero of guitars. *metal sign*

Well, ok--I'm fairly awesome at Guitar Hero III (the Boy's birfday present)... on Easy. I'm still learning to handle Medium with any real grace/accuracy. It's SO MUCH FUN, though. Makes me want to get back to playing my real guitar. That way, maybe I'll stop co-opting the Boy's gift...

Otherwise, I survived the first week of classes (if anyone cares, those classes are Federal Jurisdiction ("Fed Jur"), Evidence, ITP Thailand ("trip to Thailand class"), and Mediation Practicum). Was not as productive overall as I'd hoped I'd be, but I'm not beating myself up over it. Yet, anyway. Went to court on Tuesday to do what I'd hoped would be my first mediation with real, live parties... only to find that no one needed us. Oh, well. Better luck next week?

I spent a good part of the day today socializing with kitties at PAWS Chicago--I did not adopt any kitties, but it was sorely tempting, I assure you. There were some very sweet, affectionate little boy and girl kitties available. Not to mention some really, really cute puppies and some good dogs that the Boy got to interact with. I've had to bail on one of my volunteer opportunities this semester because of a class conflict (er, a conflict with one of my classes, not an upstairs/downstairs thing), so I'm hoping to volunteer with PAWS at least once a week instead.

Also, this writers' strike is really bumming me out. Now the word on the street is that Scrubs might just... stop? Since this is the last season? Sad! Not a very dignified ending for that little show. I don't know what I'm going to do when I run out of Gossip Girl, Ugly Betty or Project Runway episodes. Cry, I guess. Then watch a lot of DVDs.

so many possibilities

Hey, kids. I'm back!

Mostly back to say that R.E.M.'s new album, slated for April release, will be called Accelerate, and "I'm Gonna DJ" is going to be on it, and they say that they recorded it quickly, according to this article. All of this leads me to believe that they've abandoned some of the studio overproduction that has plagued their last couple of albums, so I'm VERY optimistic that the ROCK sound of their live show will be evident in this new album. Next question: a tour? That I can attend? Pretty please?

Also, when Ken Stringfellow mentions in the article that he called Mike Mills for his birthday? Mr. Mills's birthday happens to be December 17, as is a certain other very important person's. Ahem. *tosses hair and preens*

Anyway, holidays were lovely, family is great, kitty is playful and seems to be doing well, I managed to catch a terrible cold from which I'm still recovering, friends descended upon Chicago and we tore up this city for New Year's, I pulled every muscle in my back playing Wii Sports yesterday (that says more about how out of shape I am than how vigorous the Wii games are), and I've been dithering online for the last hour and a half rather than doing my reading for tomorrow. So, really, nothing new.

Quick holiday movie update: saw The Golden Compass, Sweeney Todd, Beowulf, I Am Legend, and No Country for Old Men, all of which I enjoyed (though Sweeney Todd and No Country were the best of the bunch). Still want to see Atonement, There Will Be Blood, Juno, Charlie Wilson's War, and Walk Hard, among others. Chances are school will catch up with me before I see even half of those, but I guess that's what DVD rentals are for.

Finally: Britney, wtf? I stop reading my gossip blogs for a week and all hell breaks loose. No matter how stressed out I get, I can take solace in the fact that I have never been ambushed for an intervention by Dr. Phil, thank god.