Priceless Opal

My Backpack Exploded

A law school bomb went off in my house today.

Note the extreme interest of the cats.

NPR...I love you

If you've been watching, or internetting the news today, you've heard that NPR has got itself in a bit of a bruhaha by firing renowned news analyst, Juan Williams.  Now, Juan Williams knows his stuff, but it turns out, he's also a bigot.  A bigot who gets nervous when he sees people in "Muslim garb" getting on the same plane as him.  And people are saying it's okay for him to say those things because that's how he feels, it's honest, and we need to be honest when we talk about these things...bullshit.

Side note, here is a fantastic site to check out...it's a bunch of Muslims, in some garb...

I'm all for being honest, but not when your honesty is defending Bill O'Reilly for saying that "Muslims killed us on 9/11."  I'm all for honesty but not when it only applies to this one group...although I think in the minds of people like Juan Williams, it applies to maybe Mexicans, feminists, Gays and Lesbians, and yes, even African Americans.  Why are people defending him for saying this about Muslims when it's certainly not right to say, "I get nervous when I get on a plane and see someone in Black/street/gang garb."  Maybe Juan Williams should be saying to himself,

"Hmm, I've been on several planes now where anyone could have been Muslim and still those planes have not blown up or crashed.  Maybe my view of Muslims is a bit skewed by media sources like Fox News and Bill O'Reilly.  Maybe I should go out and befriend some people who practice the Muslim faith.  Maybe I should see what it's all about before I decide that I'm afraid of it."

Now I know NPR is Liberal leaning, especially compared with that bastion of morality, knowledge and truth, Fox News.  But I stand by their decision.  This isn't the first time Juan Williams said something inappropriate, and it's certainly not the first time he has violated NPR's code of ethics which says journalists should not participate in media "that encourages punditry and speculation rather than fact-based analysis."  And besides, why should a news group like NPR have to support an "analyst" who does double duty with their complete opposite, Fox "News."

So, I was a rock; I ignored the Fall Pledge Drive, listening while they berated me to pledge my money...the money I use to buy the Top Ramen that feeds me.  But today I ask myself, what's more important, my "nutritional" well being, or my intellectual well being?  The $40 I just gave to KUOW seems to point to the intellectual.

Please, if you have any positive feelings about NPR's decision to fire Juan Williams, I urge you to pledge now.  I finally did.  I want a news outlet that doesn't just claim to be "fair and balanced"; a news outlet that may have liberal leanings, but leanings that I equate with intelligent, rational, kind thinking...even if Garrison Keillor wheezes through his nose when he exhales.

NPR is important, and if Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee are going to convince the federal government to revoke what funding it does provide (less than 2% of NPR's actual budget), they're gonna need my $40 bucks...and yours too.

Seattlites, click here for KUOW
Everyone else, find your station here and support it

Would like a bag for that?

I found this while going through my computer, from less pleasant days at the bookstore.  In this rainy season, this one goes out to all my TBP homies.

Would like a bag for that?

Correct Answers:

-Yes.

-Yes, please.

-No, thanks.

-No, thank you.

-I'm fine without one.

Incorrect Answers:
-Yes, it's raining.
-Oh, no! I don't take bags! Have to save the trees!
-That would be nice.(said with snark)
-Yes, I think it's going to start raining soon.
-Yes, I need to go to another store.
-Yes, I don't want you to think I'm stealing it.
-Yes, please...oh, don't you have plastic. Well, then no, I don't want a paper one...it's raining.
-Normally, I would say no, but I have the dog in the car.
-Oh, dear! I forgot my bag. I'm trying so hard to remember to bring my own bags. But I forgot it. So, I guess I should have one.
-Well...is it raining? I can't tell. Well, maybe, just in case it rains.

I ask this question over 100 times a day. I don't care why you do or do not want a bag. I don't care if it's raining, news flash...it's always raining. I don't care where you're going next or if you "normally say, 'no'". All I care about is getting you the bag with as little personal contact as possible. By the end of my shift, I wouldn't care if pigs were flying around outside and the bag was just to protect your book from flying pig feces. I just don't care.

Have You Heard?

I have a nephew...and I'm pretty sure he's cuter than your nephew.
























 Told you.

Getting Schooled Part II

Joy!  My favorite professor knows who I am!  She is so awesome! Smart, funny, invested in teaching, passionate about her subject.  I'm not gonna lie, I have a bit of a lady crush on her.  I haven't been to office hours, and she's never called on me, and I sit the last row, aaaaaalllllll the way to the side of the room (not on purpose, I just got there late on the first day and all the good seats were taken).  And she STILL knows who I am.  That's how much I talk in class.  I saw her on campus yesterday and she waved and said, "Hi."   Omigod!  It was like seeing a famous person!  And realizing the famous person knew who I was!

I spent my undergrad cowering in the shadows, never, ever volunteering an insight or a thought, and now I think what a sad waste.  I didn't have any professors to look to for recommendations or resources; it was like I was a ghost on that campus.  And now, I really believe that participating in class is one of the best ways to learn.  Maybe not raising your hand every two minutes, but actively listening, forming answers in your own mind, taking notes, engaging. 

Though, don't be misinformed, there are countless days where I am too shy to look people in the eye.  That terrified, little, younger me takes the reigns, and it's hard to wrestle them back from her.  In fact I think she may have been in the driver's seat all along during those the first few months of school.  But things are shifting.  I'm working more on being myself; not for anyone else, not to get people to like me, but because I like that version of myself.  And I've heard from others, that they think she's pretty cool too.

It's Finally Happened

I knew.  I knew, if I was just patient enough, waited long enough, and diligently charged my camera batteries...I knew the day would come when I would capture my very own lolcat.  Ladies and getlemen, I present for your consideration....lawlcat.

 

Socialism

As I grow older, the difficulty of saying goodbye increases ten-fold.  Maybe because the more I live, the more I realize that friends don't stay friends for ever.  It's not a lack of desire to remain friends, it just happens.  Time and distance can't help but increase and amplify our changing lives.  And facebook does nothing to help, I actually feel farther apart from people as I read their updates.  Sure I'm in the know, but being in the know doesn't involve me and makes me feel sad for not being there to have fun with dear friends.  Being in the know doesn't do anything but curtail conversation when I do meet up with people.


Friend:  "Guess what I saw yesterday?!?"
Me:  "A mime, walking an iguana."
Friend:  "yeah..."
Me:  "I read it on facebook"
Friend: "oh"


So I guess the lesson is...people grow up and move on, and social networking media is actually making us all anti-social.


Ironic to post these unbelievably obvious revelations on a blog and then link it on my facebook.  Your welcome.


PS:  This post is brought on by the birth of my nephew and saying goodbye to Christy.

100 Pushups!

Ok, I am trying this again.  Given the number of things I've accomplished this year, (also my flagging commitment to accomplishing things) I thought this the ideal project to re-invigorate myself.  For one thing, lugging around pounds of law books doesn't have the same effect as tossing around countless boxes of books, and consequently my arms are re-flabbing themselves.  And for another, this is a relatively small time suck.  Just three times a week.  Join me won't you!  Here's the website...

http://hundredpushups.com/

On a hilarious note, as testament to my non-existent sense of commitment to a challenge; when I was searching for the push-up website I came across a website called 100 layer cake, which was actually a wedding blog.  But not to be un-distracted I searched for the World's Largest Cake, which may or may not have been the birthday cake made for Las Vegas' 100th birthday, there's some debate on the subject.

Also, I found this picture of a giant pumpkin pie.

Summer at Last

A terrifically beautiful, sunny day.  70, glorious degress.  I told myself, that if I got through 2 days worth of reading I would let myself go outside for a run.  And then I thought, you idiot!  Get out and enjoy the sun right this minute!  So I did.  I packed up my Torts book and a towel and jaunted down to the park for a sunny, 2-hour, study session.  Fantastic.

How Would Jesus Drive?

Last week I was reminded why I am happy to not drive.  While house sitting for Carrie and Trish, I was granted car privileges.  What a luxury!  To be able to hop in the car and jet off to the store, or my house to check on my own cats.  I will also admit to some fast food drive-thru.  But above all, having wheels meant driving out to Lake Forest Park for a lunch date at Third Place Books. Seven miles may seem a short jaunt, but on the bus it can take upwards of an hour and a half. 

So, off to see Wendy I went.  Except, just minutes from the house I realized I had forgotten the little something I had for her.  I was first in line at a rather busy intersection, and I decided loop around by turning right.  But the light was red.  And among other things, I wasn't sure that I could turn right on red;  I couldn't see completely clearly, and since it's not my car, I'm a little hesitant to involve it in accidents; and I am very conscious of blocking crosswalks given my penchant for pedestrianism (new word, just invented it). 

So I sat and waited.  I had the windows rolled down, the music blasting.  I was enjoying the breeze and the timid sunshine, and the freedom to go and do as I chose. 

Imagine one of those blissful moments when all you have to look forward to is a delicious lunch and the company of a good friend... also maybe a compulsive book purchase. Can you picture it?  Okay, now imagine you hear a weird noise, like shouting.  You glance around, but see nothing amiss.  Then you turn down the music and realize it is shouting.  Pretty pissed off shouting, and it's coming from right behind you.  There's a man leaning out of his car window, screaming.  And turns out he's screaming at you.

Now, I'm not sure you get the picture when I say screaming.  This man seriously wanted to murder me.  Because, in essence, I was stopped at a red light, and he was stopped behind me.  I would not have been surprised if he had had a heart attack from the fit he was throwing.  And it was a fit.  Like when a preschooler has had too much sugar and not enough sleep, and just melts down because they can't reach the light switch (Autumn would call this the sneaky, hate spiral).  There was nothing rational about the incident.  Nothing that connected the sheer vehemence of his rage with the one minute he had to sit there waiting.

One minute.  That's all it was.  Maybe less.  I was mortified, because it wasn't as if we were the only people on the road.  And more than a little worried, because how rational can a man be who reacts so disproportionately?

There were so many things I wanted to do.  Starting with screaming back at him; childish.  Staying put when the light changed; but there was the fear he would just ram the car.  Part of me wanted to walk calmly back to his open window and advise him that the doctrine of turning right on red is simply a suggestion, not an obligation.  And, that embryonic lawyer in me wanted to stomp back there, get him to punch me, and then sue the asshole for battery.

But, I did none of those things.  I just drove off, out of sorts, and thinking; I can't imagine getting that worked up over something so small.  Over nothing essentially.  I thought I'm so glad I'm not like that, and what a trial it must be to be him.  I'm not sure if that's compassion or self-importance.  At any rate, just a few thoughts for the next time you unload some road rage.  Maybe you're pissed at some girl that's just out enjoying life, and you being an asshole is going to ruin her day.

Won't You be My Neighbor?

I have new neighbors.  I don't like them.  Here is a comprehensive list of why I don't like them (in no particular order)

• They smoke: Okay, whatever, kill yourself, do what you want.  Except when doing what you want means your second-hand smoke wafts into other peoples' basement apartments, which let's face it, don't have a lot of ventilation to begin with.
• They are philosophical:  Which, judging from the weed smell permeating the building (when not enveloped in a cloud of tobacco smoke); and the snippets of conversation I have been blessed to hear ("I mean, people should be terrified of other people, but they shouldn't be cowards...d'ya know what I mean?"); I'm guessing they're just high.
• They have a dog:  Now, don't let anyone tell you I'm anti-dog.  Sure dogs are needy and smelly and dirty and dumb; but I love dogs.  Okay...maybe call me pro-cat.  But when your dog runs around the building, leash-less; peering into every ground-level window (which happen to be the basement apartment windows); thus scarring the shit out of any feline inhabitants of said basement apartment.  Then yes, maybe I am a bit anti-dog.
• They're artists:  I'm not certain what exactly is their medium of choice, but I can say with somewhat certainty, that they consider themselves to be woodcutters.  Hence, the terrifying Yoda-like statue, carved from a tree stump that graced the driveway earlier this week

I can't wait for the next building potluck!

Hairdo Joy

Behold.  The magical wonderment of the Mohawk Mullet.  

No, it's not a mythical being.  It lives and breathes.  

Like a wild unicorn prancing on the meadows of Atlantis.

This is just an artist's rendering of the magic witnessed by Carrie, 

Trish, and myself.  We saw it at our favorite Mexican Eatery, 

ironically named...El Chupacabra.

Getting Schooled

I'm still not adjusted, but I will venture to say that I am adjusting.  Of my five classes, I have two favorites, one that baffles my mind, and two that I find aggravating... though I'm on the lookout for improvement.  But even the trying classes feel like a blessing.  At least I have emotions about them, whereas the first week, it was all I could do to bring the right books to class, let alone form any sort of corresponding opinion.

I'm surprised to find myself enjoying Torts and Civil Procedure.  The subject matter in itself is engaging but it's also the professors who make it so interesting.  I'll even go so far as to say, my Civil Procedure Professor makes due process seem pretty damn sexy.  Who could have imagined I would get so wrapped up in the ideas of proper notice and equal representation.  Each day in these classes leads me to believe I made the right choice.  Every time I sit down to study their giant books, I find myself giddy at the concepts I am able to tug out of the endless paragraphs, and how easily I am  comprehending them.

But if Tuesdays and Thursdays in Torts and Civ. Pro. (that's cool law school talk) are my haven, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are a barren wasteland.  A wasteland filled with mind-boggling Contracts theories and vocabulary; a Professor/Overlord demanding I sign up for a twitter account; and 50 minutes trapped in a class where it turns out, I don't know anything about writing...at least not the kind of writing they want me to know about.  It's quite the set down.  But as I said before, at least I am functioning enough in these classes to realize I loathe them.  Strange to take comfort in that.

Tasmanian Lament

I'm not sure that you are allowed to lament the death of a Tasmanian Devil if you are the asshole that injected it with face cancer.

This article talks all about Cedric, a famed Tasmanian Devil that may have been immune to a facial cancer that is wiping out the species.  Sad, right?  Didn't know Tasmanian Devil's suffered from a contagious face cancer transmitted through their bites, did you? 

Turns out he wasn't immune to face cancer after all...oops!  Too bad, they didn't figure that out before injecting him with the disease.  But really, how are you gonna know if any of them are immune until you inject every last one of them.  Seems like good science to me.  RIGHT?! 

Where exactly is the logic behind injecting an at-risk animal with the disease that is putting it at risk.  And now you're sad that he's dead...BOO-EFFING-HOO!  What did you think was gonna happen, you morons?!?  Here's a tip, why don't you turn your astute minds to pandas next, save us all a lot of grief.

Rant, complete.

Do Over

Starting off on the right foot means, starting off in a pair of shoes that are all your own.  I chalk my horrible first week of law school up to the fact that I wore one of my shoes, and one of Christy's shoes on the first day (for those that don't know, my good friend, Oxford-bound Christy, is couch surfing at the Casa de la Ball until October)  And yes, I really did put on two different shoes that first day... though in my defense they were both black Chuck Taylors, only 1 size different.

Transition is hard.  I always forget that.  I get so impatient with waiting for the transition to come, that the difficulty of it always blindsides me.  When I moved to Seattle, I was hung up in my past life and I forgot to settle into my new life.  I wasted months being unhappy in a place that now I am so sad to be leaving behind.  So, I will learn my lesson.  I will not mope and mourn.  The classes may be hard, and the work never-ending, but schedules will be created, and assignments will get done.  My classmates may be last year's  Fraternity alums, but there is a Women's Caucus to join, and a Boy's Club to upstage.

Week two seems off to a somewhat less rocky start, or at least more well-weathered as I make sure I am wearing the right shoes everyday.

Greatest. Text. Ever.

 "Your cats hate Tennyson.  

They run away when I read him out loud"

                                                       -Christy

Thoughts on Transition

My first official day of law school is over.  I only had 2 classes, which were filled with lots of first day stuff.  I was the first to get called on in my Legal Writing class.  Luckily the answer I made up seemed close enough to being right that the professor let me off the hook relatively quickly.  After class I came home, tried to do some reading, which boggled my mind...and I took a nap, with my cats, among the various books strewn about the bed.  Books, and cats, and naps.  Happens to be the subtitle of this blog.  Which I initially started as a way to keep friends and family back home informed on the goings on in my life.  But it seems to have evolved, as I think most blogs and lives do, and probably should.

So the cats are the same.  Still Brody and Opal.  Still troublesome.  Still my favorite animals on the planet, and one big reason why I haven't gone insane yet.

Clearly the napping is still happening.  I love naps. I can't help it.  So decadent and fantastic.  Plus some one had some first day of school jitters and didn't get much sleep last night.

And that leaves the books.  Sure, I'll be reading...a lot and even if I have officially deemed bus time, pleasure-reading time, I still feel like I am losing my right arm.

Christy asked me last night if I was nervous, and I said I was, but upon reflection, not because of the first day, but more because today starts a completely new life for me.  No more work.  How strange to not be working.  I've only been working a little over 10 years now, still it feels like forever.  I worked through school, I worked in the summers, I've worked 2 jobs at a time more than I ever want to do again.  But more than getting over not working, I have to get over that I won't be working with books.  I have been employed or volunteering in libraries or bookstores since I was 16...almost half my life.  My AmeriCorps service, and the big reason I'm going back to school, was with a literacy foundation.  I love books, I love readers, I love bookstores.  And I think this is what is weighing me down as I completely change direction.  How do you remain yourself, when something you identify with so completely, is suddenly stripped away?  Even with the cats and the naps...without the books, am I still the same me?

Go West Young Woman

Just finished re-watching West Wing Season 6. I check the DVDs out from the library whenever my spare time and their availability happen to coincide. It's been about a year now, one more season to go, and I can't believe how good this show is. In fact I would say that I love West Wing as much as I love Sports Night, or even The American President. Huh. Funny how they all happen to be created and written by the same genius. Aaron Sorkin; funny, smart, and compassionate, writing funny, smart, compassionate entertainment. I could watch these shows over and over again; in fact I do watch them over and over again. I love Aaron Sorkin. I LOVE HIM! I love that he constantly uses the same actors. Same snappy dialogue style. And I can even forgive him for using the same jokes and occasional episode formats in the 2 totally different television series. It's all just as good the second time around with different actors!

The writing never fails to move me in some way. Crying, or laughing, or simply by provoking thought. There's a character in the earlier episodes of West Wing, Ainsley Hayes, a Republican who comes to work in the very Democratic White House. In this one episode which brings up the Equal Rights Amendment, that doomed bit of legislation pushed by the Feminist movement in the 70s, another character is shocked that Ainsley doesn't support it, because even if she is a Republican, how can she, as a woman, disagree with it? And her response resembles something to the tune of, "I don't need a law telling me that I am equal to a man. I am equal simply by being a citizen of this country. Nothing could be more patronizing." Of course it's much more eloquent, and I'm not sure I entirely agree, but still, food for thought.

I love the idealists Aaron Sorkin champions, the decent politicians he creates. I adore the men he writes. They are all decent, and sensitive in some way. All flawed, but striving to be better. Funny, kind, vulnerable, and genuine. It's hard not to look for these men in all men.

But as much as I love the men he writes, I love the women more. It's not easy writing a smart, strong, funny woman in a leadership role, who maintains her femininity without cliched damsel in distress moments. These women have it together and even when they don't have it together, it's not the men who save them. And the actresses who play them could not have been cast better...Annette Benning as Sydney Wade, Felicity Huffman as Dana Whitaker, and my favorite, Alsion Janney as CJ Cregg. No they aren't real, but it doesn't mean they aren't admirable, and it certainly doesn't mean I can't strive to be like them.

So I'm having a West Wing love affair. Excited to finish up the last season, and start stalking Aaron Sorkin on IMDB to see...in the words of Jed Bartlett..."what's next."

Here's a great clip from season 6 which also features my new theme song...enjoy!



I have only one tip for Aaron Sorkin improvement...let's see a little more racial diversity in the main characters.

What I Found Under the Fridge This Weekend

15 assorted cat toys. This time I know it was Opal, as those leopard-print,
feather balls happen to be her favorite toy.

What I Found in the Toilet This Morning

I love my cats. I'm guessing this was Opal as she's the klutzy one, but you can bet Brody didn't do anything to stop her.

Directorial Finale

For those who haven't seen it, my last video at Third Place Books. And you wondered why I
was sad to leave!

The Great Purge of 2010

On a bit of a cleaning blitz. Yesterday was under the bed and the closet. I've take so many things to Value Village, the apartment feels lighter. Among the cast-offs were several old books I was going to make into shelves, an old VCR (why I carted it here from AZ, I have no idea), clothes, never-played games, cat toys that failed to interest the cats, and my hockey gear. I had held onto my gear because up to this point I couldn't dream of giving it away. I was surprised how easy it was to do this time around. Perhaps I'm just at the point where after dealing with so much junk it doesn't matter how meaningful it is, if it takes up space, and has been unused for over 3 years, it's out. Of course the big benefit has been moving a lot of things from the closet in an orderly manner to under the bed. Meaning the closet is no longer a dangerous mountain of precarious piles, and while the space beneath the bed is packed, it's an organized packed.

Before & After of the bed:













The closet:

















Today I worked on my plants including the indoor ones and my container garden. Pruning, planting, sweeping. I didn't take before pictures, but here's the finished product...







































Next up is the kitchen.

! Siesta de los Gatos !

Los mittens son muy contentos en el bano de mi casa. !Que adorable!

Bountiful Harvest

With my wee container garden, it seems to be a rather wee harvest. Though, I think the weather wasn't exactly on my side. Cilantro is happily growing away, and my tomato is crazy huge, just waiting on the fruit. Now for round 2 of lettuce and green onions. Maybe someday, I will have enough room and enough sun for more than 3 green beans at a time...until then, looks to be a a bit of an eensy, spaced-out feast.

So Long

It seems at last, after years of work (and it has been years), and years of waiting, I am off and running toward that ever-present goal, while not always solidified at least tugging somewhere in the back of my brain, "Erin, this is what you want... this way." I find myself exhilarated by the new changes coming; buzzing with electric, terrified anticipation. But with new beginnings, come endings, and saying goodbye to Third Place Books was very hard for me. At times, I found myself joyful & energized, loved & embraced, and thrilled about new possibilities. But at other moments, there lurked the toxic pull of darker emotions; I felt bereft, broken, mortified, and unsure. Certain never to recover. But new horizons will always emerge, and tonight's outlook appears slightly more cheerful.

-Strengthening friendships both old and new can't help but lift the spirits.
-Physical challenges, while immense and frightening, invigorate me and spur me on.
-An interminable transition period finally comes to a close, and I feel a freedom; an exhalation of a long-held of breath

So, while I may be sad to be moving on and saying goodbye to dear friends and coworkers; and I may be frightened of what next comes 'round the bend; it is these other empowering forces that drive me on, and leave me with a light heart and clear head.

Ice Cold Beverage Economics

Driving down 65th today, we chanced upon a handwritten, poster for lemonade. You know, one of those little driveway operations little kids get up to. Carrie awwwed for a split second before gasping, "ONE DOLLAR!?!... Effing inflation." High-larious.

High-lights

I think I can with confidence begin to report on the quailty of high-lighter brands. I would have to say, the Zebra brand Zazzle high-lighter far surpasses the Sharpie Re-tractable, or the Papermate Intro. I high-light...a lot.

Mark suggests instead of high-lighting, I black out the parts I find unimportant. I'll consider it Mark.

Moonlighting

Just in case you don't know, I spend most of my blogging time over at Third Place Blog nowadays...here is what I think constitutes some of my better work...

We got a new author events podium yesterday...and wouldn't you know it, as soon as it was put together Stuffed Toy Horse King just had to make a speech about it.

That's right people, they pay me for this...and guess who put that podium together? You guessed it! Yours truly. Also guess who initiated the Stuffed Toy Horse King Prank. That's right...they pay me...actual money.

KRAKEN!

My most recent film effort (for those of you not friends with Third Place), I guess this is my directorial debut!
That's Steve releasing the Kraken, Jason with special effects, and Mike as the frightened citizen...I'm camerawoman.

Study Hall

The cats have really taken a liking to this studying business...Momma's Boy, Brody especially. I think it might be the extended amounts of time that I'm around now, or the stillness while I'm home. There isn't a lot of movement or cleaning or vacuuming, just lots of sitting and reading and typing. While I lay on the bed, or at my desk, or on the couch; the cats are there trying to jump in my lap or sit on my books. They are a welcome distraction. Here is Brody attacking my pen. I charge him with adorableness in the first degree!

Just Two Things

Of the many, Many, MANY things I have crammed into my brain in the past 3 weeks, one thing sticks out as being the most sanity securing idea ever...
Pick two things that you enjoy that you want to continue doing during law school, and continue doing them.

When I first read that I thought, don't be ridiculous, I'll have time for more than two things. Um...further reflection leads me to say, no, not so much the case. I'm not speaking in hyperbole when I say I have put more effort into the last three weeks than I did my entire freshman year of undergrad. I'm not sure if that's depressing or simply a testament to my seriousness about this lawyering thing. In any case, it's a lot of work, and this is just one class.

But even with just one class, I realize the importance of balance. Are we seeing a bit of a coincidence with my self-professed year of balance? (while not widely reported on, a huge success on most accounts)... I spent the entire first half of this year working on balancing myself to get ready for this "adventure", and I'll be damned if I give up on it now. The last three weeks may have careened wildly out of control but I chalk that unbalance up to, working & school, out-of-town visitors, and basic terror. I've got three more weeks of class, and then three weeks of freedom before it starts for real. I plan to get the equilibrium back.

And based on what little I have learned at this point, I say that one of the things I'm not giving up...reading...I will continue to read for pleasure. There's not going to be a lot of pleasure reading, but there are few things in the world that bring me as much joy as reading, and I think giving it up would be a severe detriment to my sanity.

The other thing I am not giving up is a little more intangible. Me... I'm not giving up myself.

These last few years; in Seattle especially, I feel like I've really come into my own. I know who I am, what I want, what I like, and what I don't. Maybe it's cheating, because there are a lot of things I can roll into the idea of not giving up myself, but I'm gonna try. Using the balance I have tried to perfect in the past few months, I will not give up juggling, knitting, puns, Battlestar Galactica, playing with the cats, blogging, cooking, laughing, running, friends, journaling, trying to garden, James McAvoy, discussing Harry Potter, naps...I will not give up the things that make me, me.

Sounds like a tall order? Well, if all goes as planned, you'll be able to mark my success in future blogs.

Um...

So, here is my first official law school textbook. Looks riveting, doesn't it? Well, I think it looks terrifying, and Carrie says it looks like a cliche. I wonder if they make Cliff's Notes for these?

My first class starts 3 weeks from Monday, called Criminal Law, of course. It seems unbelievably surreal to think I'm taking a class called Criminal Law...crazy.

These next three years are going to be; well, to speak plainly, fucking expensive. And if I may not know what kind of law student I will be, I do know that I am nothing if not frugal. So I thought I might keep a tally on all the money I'll be saving. The computer the school suggested (the best, most expensive computer they suggested) is $1200. I got a better computer at a better price and saved about $400. And this beautiful book bought new is about $150, used from the college, about $100. I got it online from a place called Better World Books for $64 (including shipping). So far the tally is at -$486. I'll keep you posted on my future money saving adventures!

Not too bad.

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I'm Number 2!

Some of the fantastic goings on at the bookstore. The rap video isn't quite ready, but it will be soon!

Tremors

I know it's just jitters, but I don't want to go to law school. This morning I think the truth really hit me for the first time. It's Saturday, and I woke up at 8AM, and couldn't go back to sleep. If you know me at all you must know this is practically unheard of. If there is anything I do well, it's sleeping in, but I couldn't. I tossed and turned, thinking about how soon my summer class will start. One month from Monday. One month. I am running out of time to enjoy all the things I'm able to do without worrying about tests and homework and grades. And what about all the things I wanted to get done before the first day of school? So I got my nervous self out of bed and went for an hour-long walk. It worked to stave off the panic for awhile, but now I'm back at it.

A big part of my reticence about school is in leaving behind Third Place Books. I know it's not often that people find something they love to do. And while, of course there are days where I want to scream and burn the place down; I count myself lucky that those days are few and far between. On the whole, I am genuinely happy at work. And things are going really well right now. I love all my new responsibilities, and I feel like I've hit a creative stride that's been transferring into my personal life. Leaving that sense of security will be hard, but I'm mostly afraid that leaving will mean saying goodbye to all the fabulous people I've met. After moving to a city where I only knew two people; this bookstore and my lovely, kind, hilarious co-workers, feel like home. I don't want to start all over again. I feel like I just did this.

So there it is. I'm incredibly nervous, and while everyone keeps telling me to 'calm down,' 'don't be nervous,' 'this is a great time in your life!'; I will continue to be nervous until I set foot in that classroom and finally get this interminable waiting game over with.

Under Construction

Clearly, there has been a bit of a shake-up. Things aren't looking too pretty right now, but in my defense, I did get side-tracked by District 9. Can I just say, "Wow, what a movie!" Anyhow, hopefully things will be back to normal, or at least greatly improved, in no time.

Wow.

White Rabbit Syndrome

Remember that Year of Balance I was going for? Well I have made some good changes, and failed spectacularly at others. Some things, I find, will just be forever and always out of balance.

I cannot go to bed on time. And I cannot wake up in the morning. I will hit the snooze button countless times. On all three alarms. Yes, three alarms. Needing to leave the house at 8:35AM to catch my bus, I will always be rushing out the door at 8:38AM, and consequently always running to catch my bus.

In fact, my bus driver has noticed my nearly ritualistic morning dash. He asked me if I was transferring from another bus, and I lied and said yes. I couldn't stand the shame from his accusatory stare if I were to tell him that I just have trouble getting out of bed. And also, I think if I told him the truth, he would be less likely to wait for me when he sees me running. I can picture him driving off, leaving me in the dust, maniacal laughter swirling amongst the bus exhaust, as he curses me, "Just get up 5 minutes earlier!"

So in trying to break my habit, I have learned that I am a creature of habit. I am habitually late. Constantly three minutes tardy. Perpetually unpunctual.

Opal Acrobatics

Here is Opal doing what Opal does best. Note: the basket she is trying to extricate herself from is wedged under that wall outcrop. So, the opening she has to navigate through is less than 3 inches wide. I'm not sure how, or why she does the things she does, but I can pretty much guarantee an accidental dunking in the toilet just below the shelf where the basket sits. I'll post pictures when it happens.

An Albatross Around One's Neck

While commencing The Great Purge of 2010, I stumbled upon a blurb in an old Mother Jones magazine about photographer Chris Jordan, and his study of albatross chicks on Midway Atoll. Maybe it's because I have a strange urge to see an albatross in real life, or maybe it has to do with the Great Purge of 2010 and the unavoidable feelings of waste and guilt, but these photographs had me near tears. Taking a tour around his website is admittedly, depressing and gruesome, but I think it's terribly important stuff. You can argue all you like about the scientific veracity of Global Warming and climate change, but does it seem right to wreak this kind of damage if we don't have to? Anyways, these are just thoughts, not condemnations, but I think the age of me buying anything with a plastic, screw-top lid is over. Incidentally, the secondary definition of albatross in my copy of Webster's reads as follows...

2. a seemingly inescapable moral or emotional burden, as of guilt or responsibility. Often in the phrase an albatross around one's neck.

Greetings...Again

Praise be! I have the interwebs!

After an excruciating 2-hour visit from the cable man, in which I needed to use the restroom desperately (incidently a 2-hour visit which caused me to miss the May Day Immigration March, though it's my own fault for scheduling the appointment on May Day), I am once again connected to the outside world. It's not as if I am a Luddite; though I do think computers and eventually robots will mean the destruction of the human race. So, I'm not quite sure how I lasted the better part of the year without internet. But make it I did, though I will say that towards the end of this sad technology drought, the walls were beginning to close in on me here in my comfy little hovel. So with my apologies for the blog-out, please check back for future posts about the cats, law school updates, craftings, and my general egomaniacal musings on things that you probably care little about.

Dear UPS,

I understand that you are attempting to deliver a package to my place of residence. Unfortunately all of your efforts will be in vain considering that my workday, including commute, lasts from 8:30AM until 7:30PM. And because you choose not to deliver on Saturdays, or to leave a package unsigned for or with a neighbor; I fear you may not be able to fulfill the task that was assigned to you.

It is also my understanding that I could collect my parcel at your warehouse, but as your warehouse is in the industrial district, south of downtown, I do not foresee myself attempting a 3-hour bus ride to pick up a package for which you were paid to deliver to me. Perhaps I could be tempted to journey to the industrial district, south of downtown, if you would agree to pay me the cost of the shipping, because really wouldn't that mean that I am doing the job that you were paid to do. However, because I doubt you will agree to this, I will have you deliver it to a different address; an address that I will actually be at between the short hours that you operate your mail delivery service.

Incidentally as I completed the form to have you redirect my package to my place of work, I discovered that you would be requesting an additional 4 dollars. Correct me if I am wrong, but you are asking for 4 dollars on top of the shipping charge you have already been compensated for? So really it's as if you have been paid twice for something that thus far you have failed to accomplish once.

In closing, I think you may need to re-evaluate your business model, and oh yeah...you suck.

Sincerely,
Erin Ball

Yikes.

I am currently suffering from a bit of OMT (Olympic Mascot Trauma).