Reasonable Woman

Interesting Phenomena

2011-04-08T12:32:00.001-07:00

The Wages of Sin

2010-12-11T20:08:00.000-08:00

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (ESV).

Jesus paid it all, but I still seem to be suffering from the after-shock. I need a little reminder that I have been rescued.

I miss this guy.

2010-11-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

I can't wait to see him (and, of course, the rest of the family) in December.

Hiatus

2010-10-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

1L = scared to death

2L = worked to death

3L = bored to death

Being 3E (translate 2.5L), I'm both worked and bored to death. Hence the lack of time to update my blog. I shall return soon with worthwhile content.

Translating Justice

2009-06-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of Law & Order or even just seen some crime movies, you have heard these famous words uttered by the law enforcement officials.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights?"

Being warned of your rights and possible waiver thereof is a positive, but would that do you any good if you did not understand the English language very well?

The Vera Institute of Justice understood this problem, and undertook the task of translating common legal terms into Spanish and Chinese and compiled them into a glossary to serve as a resource for interpreters, translators, and bilingual staff at justice and public safety agencies, courts, and nonprofit organizations.

The Spanish glossary can be found here, and the Chinese glossary can be found here.

Advice to 1Ls - Part IV (Sally)

2009-05-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

[To get a context for this series of posts, see Advice to 1Ls - Part I (Bob).]

Next, we have Sally.

Question 1:
Hey!

I was accepted into the PT program starting this upcoming Fall. I saw your post on Facebook that you would answer a few questions. Thank you, I have visited SMU several times for yours and to sit in on a class, but I have only talked to FT students so I have been looking for a part time student to answer some general questions.

I listed the questions below (I know it's alot! Sorry. Answer as many or as few as you want.) Again, thank you so much.

1.)Do most of the PT students keep their full time 40 hours jobs, or do they not work at all or work part time. Do you have an opinion on what is the best workload?
2.)Are you interning anywhere this summer? Or are you currently employed and will continue working where you are?
3.)If you are interning how did you get the position, did the career services help at all or was it by your own networking? Do you know about the internships of any of the other PT students? Or are the PT students not able to intern until their second summer when they have more classes?
4.)What’s your feedback on the PT program concerning employment/internship opps. Do employers look down on part time programs or do they give graduates from a part time program the same regard as they would with someone from a full time program?
5.)Are you happy at the SMU PT program?
6.)I have heard some people will take summer school and graduate in 3.5 years instead of 4 years. Do you know anything about how that works with employment? Would the person just start working after results from the Feb bar, or do firms and employers just have ppl start after the results of the bar in May/June?

Answer 1:
Sally,

I have always started out my advice to law students with this disclaimer: take every advice with a grain of salt. I have been given a lot of advice that sounded good at the time but turned out to be a sour apple. With that...

1.)Do most of the PT students keep their full time 40 hours jobs, or do they not work at all or work part time. Do you have an opinion on what is the best workload?

I relocated to Dallas from far, far away, so I had no employment at the time I started law school (and still don't). Many in the evening program have full-time jobs: some are legal (which is very convenient for them) but most are not. I have seen some that started out with a full-time job that either had to cut their hours or quit during the first semester. The first semester of your first year is definitely going to be the hardest semester of your academic career. I say that not to scare you but to prepare you mentally for the challenges ahead. It definitely gets easier the second semester. I have seen people take on new part-time jobs during the second semester as they get the hang of things.

2.)Are you interning anywhere this summer? Or are you currently employed and will continue working where you are?

I will be interning at the Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid in Weslaco through the Texas Access to Justice Internship Program. I have been looking for a job since the beginning of the spring semester, but so is 9% of the nation so the competition has been pretty stiff. ;-)

[UPDATE: Last week, I found out that I was awarded a grant to work for another public interest internship during the second half of the summer. It is gratifying to know that there are people out there who will give money for poor law students to do public interest work. Yay for "free money"!!!]

3.)If you are interning how did you get the position, did the career services help at all or was it by your own networking? Do you know about the internships of any of the other PT students? Or are the PT students not able to intern until their second summer when they have more classes?

PT students are allowed to intern after the first year as a school policy, but some employers do look for students that have completed all of 1st year curriculum. In the middle of your fall semester, they will give you the access to school job board. Employers will indicate what level of students (e.g. 1E, 1L, 2E, etc.) can apply. Besides upkeeping the job board, career services office isn't all too helpful, unfortunately. Diligently applying to these posted positions and networking is what will get you the jobs.

4.)What’s your feedback on the PT program concerning employment/internship opps. Do employers look down on part time programs or do they give graduates from a part time program the same regard as they would with someone from a full time program?

Employers do not look down on evening program students as far as I can tell. It is a very difficult program unlike any other "night schools", and if they can see that you were able to keep your job and work through the rigors of law school, they will respect your abilities and dedication. Once you get a hold of that diploma, it looks just like that of a full-time student's.

However, I have noticed that those who have full-time jobs and families to support have difficulty leaving their full salaried jobs to take $10/hr law clerk job or unpaid internship to get the legal experience they need. Experience is needed in order to get the next job, naturally. So there may be a bit of a disadvantage there.

5.)Are you happy at the SMU PT program?

Yes. Every law student will come to a point during their first year to question their decision to attend law school. It's a rite of passage. When you face that question, hang in there; it will pass. Having just finished my first year, I feel relieved and am glad I stuck with it.

6.)I have heard some people will take summer school and graduate in 3.5 years instead of 4 years. Do you know anything about how that works with employment? Would the person just start working after results from the Feb bar, or do firms and employers just have ppl start after the results of the bar in May/June?

It all depends on your situation. If you are offered employment after your 3E clerkship and your employer is willing to take you in January rather having to wait until May, why not? Feb. bar is just as good a bar exam as the July one. But not everyone will be in such ideal boat. It may or may not be advantageous to be looking for employment before May. You might be beating the rush, but, on the other hand, some employers may not even be looking until much later.

Another thing to consider is bar prep. If you graduate in Dec., you have shorter prep time compared to May graduates preparing for July bar unless you plan on being completely anti-social during Christmas and New Years. :-) Something to keep in mind...

Hope that answers your questions. Let me know if you have more.

Cheers,
Yon

Comment to Answer 1:
Thank you so much for your detailed answers. This gives me insight into the program as I have not had the chance to chat with a PT student.

Thank you!

Question 2:
Hello,

I have one more question.

For the Oxford program that is in the summer. Are PT 1L's able to participate in this after the first year? Or do they have to wait until the summer after their second year?

I get different answers depending on who I ask. Thank you!!!
-Sally

Answer 2:
1Es after their first year of curriculum can participate in the Oxford Program without having to wait until the end of their 2E year.

I don't know who all is spreading the false rumors, but you can take this one to the bank. ;-) I know this for a fact because SEVERAL of my classmates are heading that way this summer.

Also, financial aid does apply to Oxford Program.

Hope that helps.
Yon

Question 3:

One more question: when are PT students able to participate in On campus interviews. Do the majority of employers wait until the 2nd year so we have more classes?

Answer 3:
Ah, the on-campus interviews (OCIs)... The topic that everyone loves to hate and hates to love. The good news is that 1Es can participate in OCI after their first year. The bad news is that becoming eligible for OCI at SMU Dedman School of Law is quite challenging.

The Office of Career Services (OCS) tells all OCI-participating firms that they must interview a certain number of top-tiered students (I believe it is top quarter of the class) before they can even look at other students' resumes.

Yet another reason to get good grades. [sigh]

You will receive a lot more information on OCI during orientation and OCS does a separate orientation sometime during the Fall semester.

Hope that helps.

- Yon

Sally's concerns are legit. There lives a career services counselor who tells her part-time evening students that they will have tough luck when looking for internships and jobs because they are "lesser quality" students. BS... @#$%^&* We'll show her...

Advice to 1Ls - Part III (Steve)

2009-05-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

[To get a context for this series of posts, see Advice to 1Ls - Part I (Bob).]

Next up, we have Steve. He wanted to know more about what it is like to be in the evening program.

Question:
Hi, my name is Steve and I am going to attend SMU in the coming year as a Part-Time student. I just wanted to get feedback from a 1L in the Part-Time program. How helpful are the other students? Do you feel its very cut-throat and super competitive? Or are the students more willing to help each other out? How supportive are the professors as well?

Thank you for taking the time to read this, any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
Steve,

I am so sorry for the delay in reply. I actually started writing a very lengthy reply message last week. Then I hit the "back" button accidentally and lost all of that. :-( With that I lost motivation to continue especially in light of the final exam season. Lame excuses. Anywho....

First off, congratulations on your acceptance. The part-time evening program has quite a different feel to it than the day program. We are far from those uber-competitive people. But it will largely depend on the actual composition of your class. There are always those people that can't look beyond themselves and their own interest, but our class has very friendly, cordial people. If you miss a day, you can easily find someone who would be willing to share notes with you.

I have not particularly sought out professors' help, but the ones I had were very much interested in student success and were willing to answer questions in class, after class, via email or hold office hours.

If you have any more questions, ask away. I promise to be a little more prompt in my response next time. :)

Yon S.

Short and simple (since the last post was so lengthy).

Advice to 1Ls - Part II (Jim)

2009-05-27T11:59:00.000-07:00

[To get a context for this series of posts, see Advice to 1Ls - Part I (Bob).]

Next up is Jim, who contacted me while still waiting to hear back from admissions office.

Question 1:
Hey I saw your info on [Law School Numbers] and I'm applying to SMU's evening program with pretty similar #'s [GPA & LSAT score redacted for his and my own anonymity]. I was wondering what you thought set your application apart that got you in [because] SMU is my top choice, any and all help is appreciated.

thanks again.

Answer 1:
Jim,

Sorry for the delayed response. I've been away from Facebook for a few days. I would love to render service in your endeavors in any way I can, but to be honest, I could not tell you exactly what set me apart from other applicants to get into SMU.

As cliché-ish as this may sound, the best advice I could give is (and I mean this in the most genuine way possible) to do what works for you. Don't be so swayed by what others are doing or telling you to do. Law schools aren't looking for cookie-cutter applicants that meet their narrow set of criteria. True, if you have 175 and 3.89, any school would accept you barring a detrimental criminal record, but those of us that fall within the average range of applicant pool stand the best chance by just being who we are. Admissions committees can smell posers a mile away - there are hundreds of them every year. Don't be one of them.

One thing I made a point of is not trying to hide my weaknesses. I told them right out that standardized tests always have been my arch-nemesis, but I have shown them a track record of me proving those numbers wrong time and again. I'm sure I wasn't the first to tell such tale, but I think it's a good idea to make your weaknesses into your strengths.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Best of luck in your application cycle!

-Yon

Question 2:
Hey! Thanks for the info I definitely wrote an addendum about my LSAT score and I hope my essays portray how much I want to go there, SMU is my top choice. Were there a lot of people with scores similar to ours in the evening program? I just want to honestly gauge my chances. Good luck to you this year.

Answer 2:
Hi Jim,

I don't really know the LSAT score ranges of my class, to be honest. All I know is that [my LSAT score redacted; you could probably dig further and find it out if you want, but I'm deleting it from here...] falls right on the 25th percentile line. I don't know if that still holds true for this cycle.

Keep the question coming. ;)

- Yon

[A month and a half later...]
Question 3:
Hey I don't know if you remember me but I found your info on [Law School Numbers] and I sent you a FB message asking about SMU's Part-Time Program. I was wondering if you had any idea the average time it takes to be notified? I applied 10/23, went complete 11/19 and the only reason was because I called them to ask them if something was missing on my application which of course there wasn't.

Are they just slow and disorganized in general? or just with the people they don't really want to accept :-\

Anyways have a happy holidays and an awesome Christmas break!
-Jim

Answer 3:
Hi Jim,

(I just wrote a lengthy reply and was almost done when I accidentally hit the "Back" button and erased it all. Ughhhhhh....)

Of course, I remember our previous conversations. I'm glad to hear that you have already completed the application. The downside of being so on top of your game is that your waiting period is elongated by that much. No good deed goes unpunished. :)

I applied within the early notification period, but SMU was one of the last schools from which I heard back. Early April, I want to say?

Generally, schools reply very quickly in two cases:
1) if you have amazing LSAT and a respectable GPA that they want to snag you before another school does; or
2) if you have dismal LSAT and GPA and have no chance ever of getting admitted.

The rest of us fall into the third category of endless waiting. But look on the bright side: at least you become more certain that they don't absolutely hate your application as your waiting period lapses.

But the direct answers to your questions are:
1) the admissions office can somewhat be disorganized, but the fact that you've ONLY waited a month (yes, ONLY; it could take couple more months before you hear back) doesn't necessarily add to the evidence of their lack of organizational skills;
2) the admission file review process takes very long - once the file goes complete, copies are made, distributed to faculty review committee, they're given time to read it, they deliberate, sort the applicants into groups, and all of this doesn't start until Fall semester courses are over (so that the faculty no longer have final exams on their minds); and
3) at this early stage in the application cycle, they wait for more people to apply so that they can get the "best" people in regardless of when they apply (as long as it is within the deadline).

I know it is hard not to compulsively look at your mailbox three times a day, but take comfort in that it's not WHEN you hear back that really matters but WHAT you hear.

Meanwhile, enjoy the holidays and best of luck!

-- Yon S.

Question 3:
Hey its Jim again.
I don't wanna be a bother but I just wanted to ask a question. I wrote an LSAT addendum to all the law schools I applied to about how my score is really not indicative of my true capacity because I have a big problem with Test Anxiety which lead to a history of low scores on all standardized tests. I wanted to supplement this with copies of my two SAT scores [scores redacted]. Either way I contacted the college board and was unable to get paper copies because it was over 5 years ago so they were archived. The only way that I knew of was to login to my college board account and make a PDF snapshot of the web page that showed my scores and then also a second web page with the scores I sent them to back in high school.

At the risk of looking unprofessional I sent it with an apology and also asked them if they knew of any other ways to get "official score reports" and if so that I'd be happy to go and get them that way.

In any case, I was wondering if you knew if my SAT scores would be sufficient as a means of helping my case with proving the legitimacy of my LSAT addendum.

Answer 3:
Your undergraduate institution should have your SAT/ACT scores on record as well (though this advice seems belated). I sent my scores to some (not all) schools as well. To be honest, I don't really know of any other way to "legitimize" your LSAT score. But do find peace in the fact that admission committees realize standardized tests are not necessarily the best way to gauge a student's abilities.

And, no, you're not bothering me. Drop me a line whenever you have a question. Just no guarantee that I will be able to give you a satisfying answer.

Cheers,
Yon

Comment to Answer 3:
Thanks for the quick reply, I am afraid i'll have to disagree with your assessment of AdComms, call me a cynic but I think they're way more concerned with the potential impact of a "lower LSAT" on their Ranking. But such is life, anyways thanks again and if I have any other questions i'll be sure to send'em your way.

thanks again
-Jim

[About 5 weeks later...]
Question 4:
Hey i'm not sure you remember me cause it's been a looong time but I somehow got your info from LSN or TLS or something and I saw you got into SMU's PT program.

I def[initely] retook the LSAT and got a [score redacted] (not an earth shattering score I know, but i'm hoping with my GPA it's good enough to get into SMU's evening program).I wanted to ask you firstly what you think my chances are with a [number redacted] GPA and a [number redacted] LSAT. and Secondly I wanted to ask you about how (if at all) this economic downturn is affecting law students and their employment prospects in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area. SMU is my top choice because I want to end up in Dallas so it seems like a perfect fit.I appreciate your help and I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks again!
-Jim

Answer 4:
Hi Jim,

My apologies for the delayed reply. As I get older, my memories do start to fail me at times, but it is not quite so bad yet so I remember you very well. Thus you won't have to start any subsequent messages reintroducing yourself.

I applaud your efforts in dragging yourself through another round of LSAT. I know how tough that must have been. Congratulations on your improved score. With such large pool of applicants, showing the admissions committee that you are continuing your efforts to improve and set yourself apart from the rest can only help. I regret to inform you, though, that neither can I give you an assessment of "your chances" nor would my opinion really be of any benefit to you. They gave you the numbers that would be most helpful in gauging your chances, i.e. Median, 25th and 75th percentiles, and beyond that your guess is as good as mine. I apologize that I could not be of more help on that issue.

To your second inquiry, however, I may be able to offer some insight. One does not have to look very hard these days to see just how bad the economy is, and, though people say that Dallas area has relatively been sheltered from the hit, I have definitely seen some changes in the legal employment climate. I keep receiving these news emails saying how large firms are cutting law student clerkship positions, staff and even seasoned attorneys. I myself have been trying to get a part-time job to no avail thus far. But what does this really mean for you?

1) the general maxim that law school applications go up when economy goes down has not quite panned out yet according to the ABA Journal. Either the increase is waiting to hit during the next application cycle or people are applying to different programs. Who knows? But the good news is that your odds are not any worse than it would have been a year ago.

2) if you are currently employed and you like your job, keep it for now as you start school. Some people in the evening program leave their previous jobs thinking that they would like to transition to a legal job while in school. While that would be ideal, competition is very steep nowadays. Wait out the storm for now.

3) if you get admitted this year, you've got 4-4.5 years, so the legal job market will improve by then. I am certainly hoping it would be so for my sake. ;-) If you are staying in Dallas, there is no place like SMU to get your law degree. You've probably heard that there are more SMU law alumni among DFW area lawyers than any other schools. Not only is it so much easier to get a job with such extensive alumni network around, those people tend to come back to their alma mater to find new recruits. Also, SMU has the highest bar passage rate in the state of Texas, even over UT and Baylor. If you know you want to stay here, you're making the right decision to attend SMU.

Hopefully, I've answered your questions and not have scared you off too badly. I wanted to give you an honest assessment rather than sugar-coated answers.

If I have been of any help, feel free to continue asking questions as you encounter them.

Best of luck,
Yon S. Sohn

Jim was very worried about his prospects of getting into SMU Law. His tireless efforts paid off and he was admitted. Congratulations, Jim.

Advice to 1Ls - Part I (Bob)

2009-05-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

I have been approached by several people among the fresh crop of 1Ls-to-be for advice regarding the grueling task that is first year of law school. Most of them are to attend the Dedman School of Law. I have a feeling that the reason why they seek my advice is not necessarily because I am so all-knowing, but because I am one of the administrators for Dedman Law 2012 Facebook Group.

So, here's a small sampling of questions asked by those inquiring minds. I will be posting questions from different people in separate blog posts. Names will be altered to give the these people some degree of anonymity.

First up is Bob.

Question 1:
Hello, I will be entering SMU's evening law program this fall and wondered if you might have any advice, recommended readings, etc. that would be helpful in preparation for 1L success. I realize that you are probably very busy, but any assistance would be greatly appreciated. - Bob

Answer 1:
Hi Bob,

First of all, a very big congratulations to you on your acceptance into a fine program. I think you'll enjoy it once you arrive - well, in a masochistic way. :-) It is true that life as a 1L is pretty hectic, but I am always pleased to offer any advice when solicited.

The most important of my advice would be: don't be too swayed by other people's advice. I, too, sought out advice as I was preparing for law school - former/current law students, books, websites, blogs, etc. Even though a lot of them seemed to be legitimate and sound advice at the time I first heard them, my experience has proven that what matters the most is what works for you. Figure out what attributed to your success in undergrad. Know what among your study habits are a keeper and what you need to fix. For example, I never studied in groups while I was in undergrad. Not that I was anti-social or anything; I still worked with other students on this and that, but never relied on study groups. When you get to law school, everyone will tell you that you MUST get in a study group. While, in my experience at least, there is some truth to this advice, do take it with a grain of salt. I wasted a lot of time trying to accommodate the study habits and schedule of my study group. Don't get me wrong; I dearly love my study buddies, but they despise the silence of the library whereas I cannot concentrate at a cafe or student union. I've come to the conclusion after much trial and error (not to mention the heartache of leaving my friends to go to the library by myself) that sometimes, it might be better to study alone. I have been able to come to a compromise: I would get the reading done alone in the library then meet up my friends for a discussion elsewhere.

That's just one example among many advice that I had to disprove personally. Another would be: don't take notes in class on a computer because you'll be distracted and tempted to do things other than paying attention. That is true: AIM, email, Facebook, and various other websites can be distracting. I tried taking notes by hand. Then mixed it up half way through the semester. While the disadvantages of this was not readily apparent, at the end of the semester, I decided that I will take all my notes on computer in the future. You will come to know and love the process called outlining (basically compiling all of your notes and then some for the entire semester). At that point, you will appreciate the fact that you can just cut and paste your electronic notes into your outline. Saves a lot of time, and 1Ls can always use more of that!

This is one advice that is universally given out, and I wholeheartedly endorse: read all of the assigned cases before class. There simply is no substitute. Commercial briefs, outlines, your friends who are nice enough to share notes or summarize the cases for you... None of those will be even remotely adequate for reading them yourself - before class. At first, the mere fear of being called on will make you read on time. Don't slack off a month into the semester, though. It will be EXTREMELY difficult to catch up once you fall behind. As the professors assign you more than enough reading for each day, it's nearly impossible to read couple weeks' worth of material on the side.

Learn to brief cases well during the first few weeks of school. After a while, once you feel like you have a good hang of the process, save yourself a lot of time by book-briefing. But only after you're confident that you can dissect a case into its little parts without having to write out a separate brief. In that regard, buy yourself a bulk supply of assorted colors of highlighters. Devise a system that works pretty well for you. (I have one; email me if you want more details.)

Commercial study aides can be helpful (hornbooks, outlines, briefs, flash cards, etc.), but don't drain your bank account by purchasing all of them. I have a lot of pretty books on my shelf that I barely touched. You can buy them from me if you'd like. ;-)

I'm writing this on my BlackBerry, so I feel like I've been typing for an eternity. Digest what I've said above and shoot me some follow-up questions. I'd be happy to answer them to the best of my abilities.

Again, congratulations. It seems like you have a daunting task ahead of you, but you'll have help along the way so don't hyperventilate just yet. :-D

Cheers,
Yon

Question 2:
Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed reply :) I found the information very informative and helpful. I too bought all of the 1L hornbooks (Actually called "Aspen Primer Explanation & Answer Series") and exam prep. flash cards...haha. My goal is to get a basic understanding of each subject by the start of fall semester. But with the number of hours I am working right now, that goal may be very idealistic :)

As far as study habits are concerned, mine are very similar to yours. I have always found that studying the bulk of the material on my own and using the study group as a recap is the most efficient method. And yes, when you have time I would love to know what system has worked for you in briefing, etc.

Sincerely,
Bob

Answer 2:
Bob, explaining the book-briefing system would be a lot easier in person, so we can do that.
[meeting & contact information redacted for anonymity]

Cheers,
Yon

Bob is typical of law students. We pay meticulous attention to details. We tend to over-work ourselves. We are anal. :) Rather than enjoying the last few months of freedom before law school begins, we buy study aids and how-to-succeed-in-law-school-books and read them tirelessly. I, too, was in his shoes this time last year. (See other posts tagged "Preparing for 1L.") So I thought his questions and comments would be good ones to post.

Pro Se Negligence

2009-04-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

Is it negligent to represent yourself in a court of law without any special training or legal knowledge? Just how much risk do you assume by appearing before a judge without a proper representation by a counsel? Which is more unreasonable: running up a legal bill or risking losing a suit altogether?

As a New York Times article points out, more and more people are representing themselves in court. Words like bankruptcy, repossession, eviction, and foreclosure have become staple vocabulary in evening news if not in our own daily lives.

I just got my first taste of appellate advocacy this week at school this week through the 1L moot court competition. Appearing before a panel of "fake" judges was nerve-wracking enough. And that is with at least good eight months of legal training and a month of intense preparation. I cannot imagine an average Joe or Jane having to appear before a real-life judge against a licensed attorney hired by the big, bad corporation.

The irony of it all is that the government (and ultimately the tax payers) foots the legal bill for those who defend themselves in a criminal proceeding but not for any civil suits. So those who may be guilty of bigger fault are afforded more help by the government.

At times like these, I wish I was already licensed to give legal counsel to those who cannot afford a lawyer. Alas... I must pass my classes (and eventually the bar exam) first.

Of Destress and Distress

2009-03-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

First semester of law school was no walk in the park, but I managed fairly well. That was both good news and a bad news. Good news: I proved to myself that I've got future in this business. Bad news: I am not giving it 100% this semester, thinking to myself 'I've got this..."

Spring Break has arrived. A time to destress for most college students across the country. A time to unwind and recharge. But not for law students. Not the first-years, at least. It is a time for distress - researching, brief writing, reading, more reading, reviewing, outlining... did I mention reading?

I have come to a perturbing realization yesterday that there are only 6 weeks of Spring Semester remaining. With that, I came immediately out of my "funk" that I have been in for the past two months. Time to buckle down and ensure that I do not get ran over by my colleagues who have been diligently working while I slumbered.

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2009-01-11T12:07:00.000-08:00

The weather is as pretty as can be today.

A view from my apartment. The camera phone does not do justice.

Had I just awakened from hibernation, I would believe if someone told me it was April. (I actually kind of did - slept away the entire day yesterday, and woke up around noon today, but I digress.)

As the warm afternoon sun hits my body, I search for all the possible ways to avoid doing my assignments - hence this long overdue blogpost.

Alas, I must attend to my duties because:
"The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor." - Proverbs 12:24.

Long Hiatus

2008-11-29T01:14:00.000-08:00

It's Thanksgiving weekend. I am not with my family. I am outlining and cramming for finals instead.

Took a short break to distract myself from torts. Came across this and cried.

I hope Newton remembers me when I go home. Counting down the days...

Update - Part II

2008-09-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I know... the update is way overdue. My sincere apologies. Law school has been keeping me off the streets and out of trouble, which is good, but it has also kept me from staying in touch with my beloved fans.

Despite the fact that I am in the part-time evening program, I am at school 10 A.M. until 9 P.M. on most days (at least Monday through Thursday). I've made several friends, two with whom I have been labeled as "partners in crime". I was looking for people with similar study habits as mine, and God has blessed me abundantly in that department.

One thing I've noticed after 5 weeks of classes is that I've never read so much in my life. And it does not help that I'm a slow reader. I've heard rumors prior to coming to law school that law students have this strange affinity for large assortment of highlighters - all the colors of the rainbow and then some. I resisted initially not wanting to fit into the mold, but not too far into the semester I succumbed to the temptations. I never leave home without my yellow, orange, green, pink, and blue highlighters. My textbooks look like coloring books. At times, I feel like I'm back in 2nd grade. Now, if only the reading assignments resembled a little more like 2nd grade... [sigh]

Another observation I've made is that I am surrounded by uber-geeks. These are the best and the brightest students that comprised the crème de la crème of undergraduate institutions across the continent (and some across the globe), who have triumphed over the hazing event called the LSAT and the arduous application process to land a coveted seat in a respected law school. And they're good lookin', too. Some people have it all... I often feel under-qualified to be around these kids. Sometimes I feel like I pulled a fast one on the admissions committee. But I've found some common grounds with my fellow classmates in our ability to make the most obscure law-related jokes. :) I just hope that I don't do this when I go back home and return to the real world.

Other information that may be of interest:

* In undergrad, you were the cool kid if you never read your assignment but still passed the class. In law school, you're revered if you've read ahead for a week, read supplemental study-aid material, and memorized the corresponding law prior to attending class. You may be chastised as the curve setter, but they'll still revere you.
* Texas is like a foreign nation. You can legally shoot trespassers on your property if there is reasonable suspicion that they are engaged in a mischievous activity.
* Summer in Dallas = continual sogginess. Autumn in Dallas = temptation to ditch class and enjoy the outdoors.
* Bugs in Dallas area are very stealth - you don't hear the (INSERT MOSQUITO SOUND HERE) noise.
* Pillow-topped mattress and alarm clock cancels each other out.
* Chick-Fil-A = manna from heaven.
* The broken couch situation has been rectified and I have not had any further problems since. I have not lost all faith in IKEA just yet!

Blog Neglect

2008-08-31T17:08:00.000-07:00

It's been too long. I will go ahead and blame it on law school. And Facebook to some degree.

Since I wasted 2 of the 3-day weekend, I must go read for contracts, yet I wanted to share my thought of the moment with y'all.

When your beliefs, your thoughts, your words and your actions are not in accord with one another, how would you describe it in one word? Hypocrisy. I guess that makes me a hypocrite. Ooooh, that hurts.

Due to Popular Demand...

2008-08-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

...I have obliged to fill y'all in on the nitty gritty details of how Yon is doing in the "Big D."

Move-in date was pretty smooth. Other than having to get up at the crack of dawn...wait, I didn't sleep because I had to finish packing literally up to the last minute. So it would be more correct to say that we left the house at the crack of dawn. Of course my mom cried, Newton (my golden retriever) was devastated that we were all leaving the house when he was still too sleepy to figure out what exactly was going on, and my dad seemed pretty calm but was saddened to see that there was little that he could do to help me. All my luggage passed the weight/size requirement so I didn't have to pay the extra fees. Thank God that Southwest still doesn't charge anything up to two checked bags per person. Yet right before we got on the plane, one of the SW employees decided that one of my carry-ons were not kosher and said it must be checked. It always scares me to check a bag that doesn't have proper taggage (ones with the fancy tracking barcodes). Not to mention that I was to transfer in Vegas and stop at San Antonio. Not to mention the fact that it was my garment bag with all of my suits in it - it would have been devastating to see it get lost in the midst of all of the possible baggage traffic. Alas, by the grace of God, all my bags followed me to Dallas. I rented a minivan to haul all my crap. And realized that we loaded up the wrong vehicle (long story... Alamo has a weird system, at least at the Dallas Love Field location). Re-loaded all my stuff to another van in the 100-degree, 50% humidity, pure hellish weather. Toss in the fact that the route that Google map told me conveniently forgot to mention a construction/detour and we got lost. But otherwise, pretty smooth. :)

As a friend of mine back in Reno mentioned, the highway system in Dallas is...whacked. When it says I-35E, that doesn't necessary mean that you are going in the eastbound direction. If you think the Spaghetti Bowl in Reno is bad, the highways, tollways, and freeways in Dallas have oodles of noodles going EVERYWHERE! By Day-8 or -9, I decided to accept the fate and tried to befriend the extremely chaotic road system. We don't get along all the well yet, but since I am currently vehicle-less, we don't have to fight much.

Speaking of which... I had initially thought that I could survive on public transportation system, but the reality seems bleaker here than I had expected. It looks like I would have to buy a car ASAP. Which means I would have to work. Finding work without a car would be difficult. See the pickle that I'm in? I'm trying to look for a job on campus or a job that pays me well enough that I can afford to buy a car right off the bat. The latter usually means a full-time work, so I'm going to try the first alternative. Keep that in your prayers for me.

I've made some friends on the Facebook with whom I will be starting classes next week. They are all as freaked and petrified as I am, so I have a feeling we will bond well in our mutual misery.

Signing a lease without seeing the apartment was a bit like testing the limits of my nerves, but it turned out very well. The place is more than big enough for one person, and it has all new appliances and carpeting - which I have a story to tell about. I decided to do laundry last night (I know, you're thinking "nitty gritty details are okay, but stories about laundry?" Bear with me for a moment.). Around midnight, my washer decided that it didn't want to stop filling with water. After about 1.5 hours, I thought to myself that the laundry is taking way too long. As I walked toward the washer, I felt a puddle of squishy-ness between my toes in the carpet. I shut the water mains off, called the 24-hr property maintenance hotline, and these people have been amazing. The repair man came out within 10 minutes, determined the problem and said that I would get a new washer and get the carpet fixed first thing tomorrow. I am typing this message with the low hum of a dehumidifier sitting in my dining room. At first it was annoying, but, neverthelss, I am endlessly thankful for the prompt service of the maintenance crew. I think I came to the right place. I haven't met all of my neighbors yet, but the one I've met seemed genuinely friendly. The online reviews of the apartment complex were mixed, but I haven't had any problems with noise, management, or the property itself thus far (keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that I have not just jinxed it).

IKEA has been my lifesaver as far as trying to furnish the new place so that I can make an attempt at civilized living. Disappointingly, though, a friend came over today, sat on the couch, and it broke! I was able to fix it, but I was hoping that things would last a little longer than a week before I start seeing problems. I'm hoping it is not indicative of the lifetime of the rest of my purchases (which is practically my entire household minus the groceries).

The heat is oppressive, but the humidity has been doing a number of my skin for the better. I feel like I've de-aged about five to ten years. ;)

After a long, agonizing wait, my student loans have finally come through. Now, I don't have to file for bankruptcy at age 25. Glory~! They haven't given me nearly enough money, which adds to the reasons for having to find work ASAP, but I am very thankful that I'm not having as much problems as some of my friends and colleagues.

I'll try to keep y'all updated periodically as to how I am doing. So long!

Thought of the Day

2008-07-18T23:55:00.000-07:00

It is always good times at communion services, but it was especially delicious today. Figuratively. Although Judy Frank's unleaven bread recipe is worth killing for (ooh, that's unbiblical). But I digress.

If I weren't so lazy and woke up early enough on Sundays, I would totally make it to Grace morning services to hear Dan's wonderful insights. Podcasts are God-sent, but it's just not the same without the family there. But I guess that makes it so much better when I get to hear him in person, such as today. The epiphany he shared with us truly is something that I haven't heard any other preacher/teacher talk about. (Dude, if you have no-o-o-o-o idea what I'm talking about, you missed out on a pretty sweet communion service. I pity the fool...)

If it is at all possible, though, I would like to further extend what he shared and add in my own litte bit. I'm no theologian, but the following came to my mind as I sat there with the cup and the bread in my hand.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

It was God's intention from Genesis 1 to be our God, for us to be His people, and for Him to make His dwelling with us. He strolled with Adam in the cool of the day, and Adam had direct access to God as he pleased. God only gave one command: don't eat that fruit. One would think that a single command would be pretty easy to follow versus thousands of statutes, but, as we all know, the flesh is weak. "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden (Gen 3:8)." Thus the mankind toils for his food and must offer sacrifices. Oh, and die (thanks, Adam). First mistake.

As Dan revealed for us, God wanted ALL of his people to be priests with direct access to Him as we pleased. "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6a)." God gave them one command: when the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain. After all the displays of His power and glory through the plagues and the whole Red Sea thing, one would be inclined to do as He says. Alas... "The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, while I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain (Deut 4:4-5)." God wanted to speak face to face with His people, yet they drew away from Him. Thus came 613 laws that we could never keep. Second mistake.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

Three is a number of completion in the Bible.
- God is complete in Himself as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- During His ministry, Jesus raised 3 people from the grave to show his complete power over death.
- Peter denied Jesus 3 times, but Jesus gave him the opportunity to repent 3 times.
- Peter had 3 visions to convince him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 11:5-10).
- Christ begun His ministry at the age of 30, completed His work in 3 years, and died at the age of 33.
- There were 3 times that the Father's voice bore testimony of His Son.
* The first time was at Christ's baptism (Mt 3:17) as a testimony to the Jews.
* The second time was for the church leaders (Lk 9:35).
* The third was for the gentiles (Greeks) (Jn 12:28).

God had originally intended to make His dwelling with us: "I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people (Lev 26:12)." He began a good work in the Garden of Eden. He gave us a second chance at Mount Sinai. He has completed the good work at the day of Jesus Christ.

On the Mount of Transfiguration, one of the only times in the New Testament that God spoke audibly to His people (see above list), He gave us one command: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him (Mt 17:5)." [Also Mk 9:7, Lk 9;35, ] (Totally random side note: God likes to give His commands on mountains.) Because we would not draw near to God, He came off His throne to make His dwelling with us here on earth. Better yet, He wants to dwell within us and for us to be in Him (Jn 17:20-23).

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

God has given the mankind a third chance. We can choose Jesus or go back to the 613 laws. But we've seen the pattern of exponential increase of rules as we make the wrong choices. For those who do not choose Jesus more laws that we could never follow await us. If you are completely in the world, you have the laws of the world that fill volumes upon volumes of books. Believe you me, all the law students in the world put together will not be able to read through all of those laws. If you are "in" the church but still have not chosen Jesus, you still face more rules than you could ever keep up with. You can't wear hats or jeans to services. You can only worship on Sundays. You can only sing songs that are at least two generations old. You can never drink alcohol. Need I go on?

God does not ask much of us. He knows we are too broken, weak, and fragile to handle anything on our own. When it comes down to the important moments, i.e. when He is making a covenant with us, He only gives us one command. He does all the prep work behind the scenes. All we have to do is one thing: draw near to Him.

He longs so much to be with His people. He longs so much to be with His people. Yet we continually turn away from him. Isn't it time that we finally make the right choice, to choose God because He chose us first?

Is SMU better than Cornell, Duke, or MIT?

2008-07-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

According to a new ranking system, yes. Forbes Magazine's May 19 edition features the Center for College Affordability & Productivity (CCAP) rankings. SMU was ranked 13th among national universities ahead of Duke, MIT, and Cornell.

The new ranking system has some questionable methodologies, but so does all the other rankings such as the infamous U.S. News & World Report or even Princeton Review or Kiplinger's. Even if it is a bit based on false impressions, it's good to be attending a highly ranked school. ;)

Geek

2008-07-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

It is no well kept secret that I am a big nerd. Enginerd, to be precise. Thus I was excited to hear my pastor use a metallurgy illustration in his sermon past Sunday. The use of heat to purify silver is indeed quite analogous to how God uses trials to purify our lives. God is the ultimate metallurgists, and I felt a slight pride (in a good way) to have been associated with such profession.

And today, I discovered a must-have accessory for March 14, The National Pi Day.

Behold, the Pi Dish:

Now that is just too cool...

To be a geek, I believe, is to enjoy the finer things in life to its fullest extent. Such as baking pies in a pi dish. And thinking that if you had an oven that went up to 962°C or 1764°F you could also enjoy purification of silver in the comfort of your own home.

Newt

2008-07-03T17:51:00.001-07:00

One-upping Supreme Court Justices

2008-07-03T02:19:00.000-07:00

What would you do if you found an error in a U.S. Supreme Court Justice's reasoning? The men and woman (sadly a singular now) who are considered to be the residents of the highest ivory tower. The most brilliant legal minds in America. Those with the final say. Would it make your day, would it stroke your ego to find an error in their reasonings for one of their court decisions?

Well, I will never have such previlege, so you are going to have to ask Dwight Sullivan, a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve who now works for the Air Force as a civilian defense lawyer handling death penalty appeals.

First, if you haven't already, catch yourself up with my recent post regarding a Supreme Court decision on capital punishment for child rapists. Then read on.

Justice Kennedy's majority opinion stated that a child rapist could face the ultimate penalty in only six states — not in any of the 30 other states that have the death penalty, and not under the jurisdiction of the federal government either. However, Col. Sullivan pointed out that the Congress, in fact, revised the sex crimes section of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in 2006 to add child rape to the military death penalty.

The news broke out first on the New York Times on Tuesday. Shortly thereafter, the Department of Justice admitted that the government lawyers should have been aware of the new law and should have informed the Supreme Court. The parties to any U.S. Supreme Court cases can request reconsideration. It will be interesting if such request will be filed and, more importantly, granted.

Men Never Win

2008-06-30T01:41:00.000-07:00

For my male audience out there, this is just for laughs. No harm intended. ;)

THE SILENT TREATMENT
A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM." He left it where he knew she would find it.

The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 8:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, "It is 5:00 AM. Wake up." Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

WIFE VS. HUSBAND
A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position. As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?" "Yep," the wife replied, "in-laws."

WOMEN'S REVENGE
"Cash, check or charge?" I asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase. As she fumbled for her wallet, I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse. "So, do you always carry your TV remote?" I asked. "No," she replied, "but my husband refused to come shopping with me, and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally."

UNDERSTANDING WOMEN (A MAN'S PERSPECTIVE)
I know I'm not going to understand women. I'll never understand how you can take boiling hot wax, pour it onto your upper thigh, rip the hair out by the root, and still be afraid of a spider.

WORDS
A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day - 30,000 to a man's 15,000. The wife replied, "The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men." The husband then turned to his wife and asked, "What?"

CREATION
A man said to his wife one day, "I don't know how you can be so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time." The wife responded, "Allow me to explain. God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me; God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!

WHO DOES WHAT
A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning. The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee." The husband said, " You are in charge of cooking around here and you should do it,because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee." Wife replies, "No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee. "Husband replies, "I can't believe that, show me." So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says..."HEBREWS."

God may have created man before woman, but there is always a rough draft before the masterpiece. So... with that I hope you got a smile or a little giggle out of that.

Supreme Court bans death penalty for child rape

2008-06-26T06:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court made a split 5-4 decicion on Kennedy v. Louisiana that executions are too harsh a punishment for child rapist. (Citation: 554 U.S. ___; 128 S.Ct. 2641; 2008 U.S. LEXIS 5262; 2008 WL.)

It provokes one to think - what is an equitable punishment for a rapist who devastates and ruins a child's life before she has had a chance to blossom? My apologies for the generalization of a female rape victim, but in this particular case, i.e. the Kennedy case, it indeed was a 8-year-old girl raped by her step-father. Justice Kennedy (in no relation to the petitioner) wrote in the majority opinion that "the death penalty should not be expanded to instances where the victim's life was not taken." But what are the chances of the child leading a "normal" life past this traumatic experience? The girl was raped in March of 1998. The past ten years has assuredly been anything but normal for her.

Or consider the second Louisiana defendant, Richard Davis, who was given the death penalty in December for repeatedly raping a 5-year-old girl. As Justice Alito states in his dissenting opinion:
The Court today holds that the Eighth Amendment categorically prohibits the imposition of the death penalty for the crime of raping a child. This is so, according to the Court, no matter how young the child, no matter how many times the child is raped, no matter how many children the perpetrator rapes, no matter how sadistic the crime, no matter how much physical or psychological trauma is inflicted, and no matter how heinous the perpetrator’s prior criminal record may be.
It doesn't make sense to me that child rapists - no matter the degree of their crime - are categorically exempt from capital punishment while espionage and other "crimes against the state" are punishable by death.

Five states — Louisiana Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and (my new home-to-be) Texas — permits death penalty for child rape (Georgia currently sits on the fence on this issue). This decision effectively limits the individual states' ability to apply what their residents deem a fit penalty for the most heinous of crimes. I'm not advocating that all child rapists be put to death, but, in cases where the nature of the crime is so appalling and abominable, the jury and the judge should be given the choice to sentence executions.

I'm not at all a fan of capital punishment. All human life, even those of most detestable criminals, is sacred, and death penalties should not be given out lightly without the sincerest consideration. But I think on this decision, on which the Eight Amendment (the "cruel and unusual punishment" one) and state's rights hang in fine balance, I would have to side with the more conservative justices. (As an aside, I generally do not agree with what Justices Scalia or Thomas say, but this case would be an exception.)

With both presidential candidates disagreeing with this decision, it will be interesting to see the impact of this case on future cases.

When I grow up...

2008-06-22T10:31:00.001-07:00

...I want to work for the United Nations - under any number of it's many entities: UNICEF, WHO, UNHCR, etc. or in any field related to international law and human rights. But there is one little problem. Language requirement.

Great many of positions in UN requires you to be fluent in English plus another official UN language: French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian. Damn. I shouldn't have taken German in high school & college.

So I must prepare myself for my future dream job by learning a new language. I'm thinkin' French. If I had a choice, I would love to learn Italian, but that option has not been presented before me.

I came upon French by process of elimination. Arabic & Russian seem way too foreign and difficult in my mind. Chinese is spoken by over a billion people, but it also has nearly as many characters in its written language. I need to learn a language is four years, and a billion characters (though slightly exaggerated) is too many to memorize.

So I am down to French and Spanish. Hmmm. I could go either way, really. It depends on where I want to work. If I want to work in South/Central American and some Southeast Asian regions, Spanish is definitely going to be more helpful. But I think I prefer African or European regions. But then again, Spanish will come in handy if I want to work in legal clinics while in school. Perhaps I'll pick up some Spanish living in Texas. I don't know... but I'm going with French for now. If I master it quickly enough, maybe I'll add on Spanish later.

Thus I've added Rosetta Stone French Level 1, 2, & 3 on my "Wishlist" (to the right). If anyone has $550 to spare, that's on the top of my coveted items list right now.

Bill Maher & "Religulous"

2008-06-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

My life has been preoccupied with packing for the move lately. But to the much chagrin of my mother, I have been delaying the process and taking up a large corner of the living room with several large luggages, boxes, and piles.

Today, I had the resolve to finish the task I've begun last week, got up at 7:30 am - an ungodly hour for me - and started filling boxes. It's not even noon yet, and I'm back again, on my computer, avoiding packing via blogging. But believe it or not, this is important. I found something so disturbing that I must share it with my loyal readers out there. (Are you really out there, though? Haven't heard from you in a while...)

YouTube, while it can be a fabulous wealth of useful information, can be a detriment to your time. Before you know it, you've sat in front of a computer screen for hours, clicking away at the related videos. Well, that's what I was doing instead of packing. What started with a video about law schoo (go figure), ended up with Bill Maher and his new full-length feature film, "Religulous," scheduled for U.S. release on October 3, 2008. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

Preface

Bill Maher. He's funny. He seems to carry on a very intellectually charged discussions on his show, "Politically Incorrect." Sure he can be offensive at times, but he gets conversations going - sometimes very angry rebuttals. He thrives on controversy, and I had no problem of letting him do what floated his boat; he wouldn't be the first nor the only one - just look at Fox News or Comedy Central.

Back to my story
While perusing the selection of gazillion clips on law school on YouTube, I ran across one in which Bill Maher was blasting the Regent Law School. FYI, the Regent Law School is a part of Regent University founded by Pat Robertson (a televangelist), of whom Maher is not a big fan. You can watch the clip to get a better idea, if you choose.

Then I came across this little clip, entitled "Bill Maher on Religion":
(the first 10 seconds are black screen, it's not your computer)

So I'm a fairy-tale believing irrationalist. Okay...

Then I came the link to this one, Bill Maher's interview on Larry King Live:

A fable written before men knew about the existence of a germ or an atom... Hmmm.

And finally:

Now... I don't even know what to say. Speechless, not necessary dumbfounded. I have plenty of rebuttals; I just don't even know where to begin or if this is even worth my time. I'll have to ponder on this... for now I must go back to packing.

Thoughts on Study Aids

2008-06-11T03:22:00.000-07:00

First year of law school can be intimidating - see me tremble...tremble...

All the students who are used to seeing A's and B's on their exams and transcripts go against each other, fighting to stay alive in the dog-eat-dog world of being graded on those ruthless curves. Law school representatives always say that the atmosphere on the campus is friendly and cordial, but can we really believe them? Don't they get paid to say those nice things about their carnivorous students? Okay, perhaps I'm being a bit harsh.

Yet due to the pressure that amount to apprehension, students often rely on commercial study aids to help them through the rigors of 1-L courses. I went on a hunt to find out which are worth the paper they are printed on and which ones deserve their place in the pit of fire as kindlings. But someone beat me to the hunt.

Professor Joyce Savio Herleth, the Director of Academic Advising at Saint Louis University School of Law, shares her thoughts on the best use of study aids and which ones come highly recommened by both professors and students. These are not just nebulous, beat-around-the-bush type of advice. She offers specific brands and publishers as well as pros/cons of each. Definitely worth your time if you are lost in the sea of study aids available out there.

Good day...

2008-06-05T00:48:00.000-07:00

Just received a letter in the mail from school saying:

Yon Sohn,

Congratulations, you have satisfied all degree completion
requirements. The degree will post to your transcript at the close of the
spring 2008 semester (processing takes 2-3 weeks).

Yee-yah.

Gonna be a Texan

2008-06-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

One of my faithful readers has brought to my attention that I have not posted my final decision as to where I will be attending law school. So here it is...

It is official that I will be attending Southern Methodist University (SMU) Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Texas. I have paid my seat deposit in full, and am looking into relocation details. A pain, I must admit.

Looking back five months, I would have never guessed this application cycle would turn out so well. Of course, I did not get into my "dream" school - the Univ. of Chicago - but I never dreamed that I would get into any Tier 1 school either. Plus offer of money... God can be quite unpredictable in His ways.

People keep asking me when I will be moving. I think that is an indication of how much they are looking to get rid of me. ;) I kid, I kid. I guess I did mention the prospects of my departure way too far in advance (a year ago) to all my friends in Reno, so they have a good reason to wonder why I am still around.

It will be uber sad to leave, so I am trying not to think about it too much right now.

Christ in the City

2008-05-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

A short film by the StoneReel Production - a ministry of Living Stones community at Grace Church.

Judicial Independence

2008-05-28T01:38:00.000-07:00

American Exception
Rendering Justice, With One Eye on Re-election
By ADAM LIPTAK
Published: May 25, 2008
While most of the world tries to insulate judges from popular will, many in the United States are elected.

*******************************************************************

This fascinating article in the New York Times discusses the peculiar practice of judicial elections that are unique to the United States.

Summer Reading List

2008-05-22T02:43:00.000-07:00

With varied levels of enthusiasm, people have recommended several books to be read the summer before starting law school, while others recommend that I should enjoy the free time to the fullest. I have discussed this dilemma once before in a previous post.

Rather than trying to figure things out on my own, I have sought out some help from current/former law students. Here's one of the most helpful, well-balanced answers I've received.

[W]hat's on the list? If they are about history or con[stitutional] law, skim them, but don't expect them to be of any help as far as your grades, the law is a whole new language, there's nothing else is like it. You just have to learn the language as you go. If they are how to succeed in law school books, read them, but with a grain of salt, in the end you'll have to figure out what works for you. And do all the pleasure reading you can! you'll miss it....right now it's summer but I still have to keep updated on legal periodicals, edit articles for the law review, stay informed on the many matters the firm where I'm a summer associate at handles, and generally keep extremely informed as to world events and economics. Pleasure books always seem to come last on the list.

So I intend to heed this advice. I'll do some law school prep reading. But I will first try to tackle a big fatty stack of pleasure reading books that have been sitting on the back burner for the last year or so. Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnina, Einstein's biography, some Shakespeare, the good stuff.

I can't wait to cuddle up with a good book under the shade on a cool summer evening. Throw in a good bottle of chardonnay to go with it all. It feels so incredibly good to be done with school (for now).

This is apparently who I am...

2008-05-22T01:43:00.000-07:00

Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging (INTJ)
The Free-Thinker

INTJs are strong individualists who seek new angles or novel ways of looking at things. They enjoy coming to new understandings. They are insightful and mentally quick; however, this mental quickness may not always be outwardly apparent to others since they keep a great deal to themselves. They are very determined people who trust their vision of the possibilities, regardless of what others think. They may even be considered the most independent of all of the sixteen personality types. INTJs are at their best in quietly and firmly developing their ideas, theories, and principles.

Living
The independent and individualistic INTJ manner appears early in life. As children, INTJs are often inwardly focused on their thoughts of the way the world is or ought to be; they enjoy day dreaming. They can be quite stubborn when information relayed to them by authorities, such as parents and teachers, contradicts what they believe. They are sure of their own belief system. INTJs are compelled to establish their own rules, boundaries, standards, and style.

Often at an early age, INTJs make a commitment to furthering their education. The life of the mind is very important to them. Examples abound of INTJs from economically or intellectually impoverished circumstances setting goals for themselves to continue in education, often earning the highest degree possible.

INTJ teenagers may be seen as serious and reserved young people who are labeled as bookworms by others. They set internal standards of achievement for themselves and often do well academically. Being sociable is a standard that they rarely think is worth their time and energy.

As adults, INTJs are focused on attaining their inner goals and standards. They set a particular course based on their theory of what ought to be. They work extremely diligently to accomplish what they feel is important. They enjoy what they do and see it as a challenge. They are not easily dissuaded and may regard others' needs and wants as an impediment to attaining their objectives.

Learning and Working
INTJs learn best when they can design their won approach and when they are able to absorb themselves in an area that interests them. They tend to focus on systems, theories, and constructs relating to universal truths and principles. They prefer challenging teachers, ones who meet their standards. High grade-point averages and test scores tend to characterize INTJs, who like rigorous academic work. Learning needs to be a creative process. Rote memory can be dull and boring for the INTJ.

INTJs are diligent in pursuing new ideas and thoughts, and they exert effort to master a given subject. This makes INTJs particularly adept in most school situations. Because of their resourcefulness, thirst for knowledge, and inner needs, INTJs tend to find ways of acquiring knowledge. They gravitate toward libraries, public lectures, courses, and other learners and teachers - sources that offer them information and direction.

At work, INTJs use their conceptual strengths to analyze situations and then develop models to understand and anticipate through relentlessly to reach their goals. They will continue on with their plans, even in the face of adversity and data that might suggest to other more practical types that their goals are no longer feasible. By nature, INTJs are independent individualists. They see their visions so clearly that they are often surprised when others do not see things the same way. INTJs are strong at critiquing and as a result tend to notice the negatives. To them, a job well done should be reward enough in itself. They may neglect to comment favorably on others' contributions.

INTJs tend to seek occupations that allow them to change the status quo and to design models to express their vision creatively. They desire autonomy and room for growth. They prefer to work in a place in which the future can be planned and where they can work for change in an organized manner.

Some occupations seem to be especially attractive to INTJs: computer systems analyst, electrical engineer, judge, lawyer, photographer, psychologist, research department manager, researcher, scientist, university instructor, and other occupations in which long-range vision is essential.

Loving
For INTJs, love means including someone in their vision of the world. INTJ men tend to be attracted to partners who enjoy living their lives with and outward vitality and zest. Perhaps it is to compensate for their internal, visionary focus that they often find partners who are more outgoing and may even run interference to help the INTJ deal with the day-to-day world. INTJ women, however, may seek someone more like themselves.

INTJs tend to have a model in mind of how their relationship ought to be. This is less a romantic vision than it is and idea that relates to how the relationship functions in a unique or special way. They tend to withhold their deep feelings and affections from the public and sometimes even from the object of their affections. They can be intensely loyal and caring, even though this is not always expressed in words. INTJs can be generous with their gifts if the gift fits their vision of what ought to be appreciated by their partner.

When scorned, INTJs retreat to their own world and may share none of their feelings with others. They may assume that there is a right way for a relationship to end and look for that. They act on the outside as if nothing has happened to them when indeed much has. They may lash out with criticisms of their former loved ones. It may take them a while to recover.

Relationships
INTJs believe in constant growth in relationships, and strive for independence for themselves and their mates. They are constantly embarking on "fix-up" projects to improve the overall quality of their lives and relationships. They take their commitments seriously, but are open to redefining their vows, if they see something which may prove to be an improvement over the existing understanding. INTJs are not likely to be "touchy-feely" and overly affirming with their mates or children, and may at times be somewhat insensitive to their emotional needs. However, INTJs are in general extremely capable and intelligent individuals who strive to always be their best, and be moving in a positive direction. If they apply these basic goals to their personal relationships, they are likely to enjoy happy and healthy interaction with their families and friends.

INTJ Strengths
• Not threatened by conflict or criticism
• Usually self-confident
• Take their relationships and commitments seriously
• Generally extremely intelligent and capable
• Able to leave a relationship which should be ended, although they may dwell on it in their minds for awhile afterwards
• Interested in "optimizing" their relationships
• Good listeners

INTJ Weaknesses
• Not naturally in tune with others feelings; may be insensitive at times
• May tend to respond to conflict with logic and reason, rather than the desired emotional support
• Not naturally good at expressing feelings and affections
• Tendency to believe that they're always right
• Tendency to be unwilling or unable to accept blame
• Their constant quest to improve everything may be taxing on relationships
• Tend to hold back part of themselves INTJs as Lovers

INTJs live much of their lives inside their own heads. They constantly scan their environment for new ideas and theories which they can turn into plans and structures. Sometimes, what they see and understand intuitively within themselves is more pure and "perfect" than the reality of a close personal relationship. INTJs may have a problem reconciling their reality with their fantasy.

INTJs are not naturally in tune with their own feelings, or with what other people are feeling. They also have a tendency to believe that they are always right. While their self-confidence and esteem is attractive, their lack of sensitivity to others can be a problem if it causes them to inadvertently hurt their partner's feelings. If this is a problem for an INTJ, they should remember to sometimes let their mate be the one who is right, and to try to be aware of the emotional effect that your words have upon them. In conflict situations, INTJs need to remember to be supportive to their mate's emotional needs, rather than treating the conflict as if it is an interesting idea to analyze.

Sexually, the INTJ enjoys thinking about intimacy, and about ways to perfect it. In positive relationships, their creativity and intensity shine through in this arena. In more negative relationships, they might enjoy thinking about sex more than actually doing it. They're likely to approach intimacy from a theoretical, creative perspective, rather than as an opportunity to express love and affection. The INTJ who has learned the importance of these kinds of expressions to the health of their relationship, however, is likely to be more verbally affectionate.

INTJs are able to leave relationships when they're over, and get on with their lives. They believe that this is the right thing to do. They may have more difficulty accomplishing the task than they like to exhibit to other people.

INTJs are highly intense, intelligent people who bring a lot of depth and insight into most major areas of their life. In terms of relationships, their greatest potential pitfall is the tendency to think about things rather than doing them, and their difficulty reconciling reality with their inner visions. INTJs are likely to be in positive, healthy relationships, because they're likely to leave relationships which aren't working for them (unless other circumstances prohibit that).
Although two well-developed individuals of any type can enjoy a healthy relationship, the INTJ's natural partner is the ENFP, or the +. INTJ's dominant function of Introverted Intuition is best matched with a partner whose personality is dominated by Extraverted Intuition.

INTJs as Parents
As parents, INTJ's main goal is to raise their children to be intelligent, autonomous and independent. They want their kids to think for themselves and make their own decisions, and so are likely to give them room to grow, and to challenge their decisions and thoughts at key points in their lives.

The INTJ is not naturally likely to be an overly supportive or loving parental figure. Since their own need for expressions of love and affirmation is relatively low, they may have difficulty seeing that need in their children who have Feeling preferences. If they do see this sensitivity, they may not recognize or value the importance of feeding it. In such situations, there will be a distance between the INTJ and the child. This is a problem area for the INTJ, who should consciously remember to be aware of others' emotional needs.

INTJs as Friends
INTJs are usually difficult to get to know well, and difficult to get close to. Those who are close to the INTJ will highly value them for their ideas and knowledge. Although INTJs are generally very serious-minded people, they also have been known to enjoy letting loose and having fun, if others pull them into it. They also can be really good at telling jokes, and exhibiting a sarcastic wit with a poker face.

The INTJ is not likely to choose to spend time with people who they feel don't have anything to offer the INTJ. They especially like to spend time with other Intuitive Thinkers, and also usually enjoy the company of Intuitive Feelers. These personality types love to theorize and speculate about ideas, and so can usually relate well to the INTJ, who loves to analyze ideas.

Many INTJs believe that they are always right. In some INTJs, this belief is quite obvious, while in others it is more subtle. Some people may have a difficult time accepting what they see as a "superior attitude" or "snobbery". Not to imply that INTJs are snobbish, just that some people with strong Feeling preferences may perceive them that way. And some individuals simply have no interest in the theoretical pursuits which the INTJ enjoys.

Popping Open a Can of Whoop @$$

2008-05-15T14:05:00.001-07:00

Law School Musical

2008-05-14T01:31:00.000-07:00

In the midst of finals season, this ought to cheer you up - at least you're not going to law school...

To all my stalkers

2008-05-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

I've added links to my:
1) mySpace page
2) Facebook page
3) Law School Numbers page (list of schools I've applied to, decision results, etc.)

See the "Distractions" section below (on the sidebar).

Update on the Law School Front

2008-05-04T00:09:00.000-07:00

I received a very light-weight envelope in the mail from the University of Wisconsin today. I've seen enough mail from law schools by now to know whether it is an acceptance, waitlist/deferment, or a rejection. Undoubtedly, this one was a rejection. Sigh. But I'm alright, really. I'm happy to know that I will be going to law school somewhere come August.

Alas, I don't know exactly where yet. We are now down to SMU and Arizona. For all the other acceptances and wait-lists, I have submitted withdrawal letters. But for some reason, I can't seem to let go of the possibility of getting off of the wait-list and onto the admitted list for Arizona. Perhaps it's the prospect of becoming neighbors with one of my best friends again (a nursing student at U of A). Or maybe I really don't want to become a Texan. I have always wanted to travel the world, but Texas never has been among the top of my list of the foreign countries that I particularly wanted to visit. But I got to thinking, Jesus loves Texans, too, right?

I know I will have a fabulous time in Dallas should I decide to move there, but, for now, I wanted to roll my dice and test my luck with Arizona. I've never done well with gambling, but maybe my luck is turning. I've asked (via e-mail; I know, in person would have been better) my environmental law professor to write me a recommendation letter. We'll see if he will oblige.

Keep those fingers crossed for me, all my silent readers! I know y'all (I'm half-way Texan already) are out there, but sometimes it's hard to tell by the lack of comments. It get's lonely folks, so do leave your two cents.

Ciao...

And we're back...

2008-05-01T22:57:00.000-07:00

Thesis: defended & approved, pending some revisions

Graduation: two more weeks to go

Law school: waitlisted by Arizona, still waiting on Wisconsin; at this rate, I may become a Texan (see previous post)

Dog: had some serious inter-digital swelling due to acute moist dermatitis on in his hind paw, spent $450 yesterday, terribly disoriented with a cone around his head

Miscellaneous: started packing my belongings; it will be nice to find out soon where I will be going with all those... things...

36 Hour Count-down

2008-04-27T01:01:00.000-07:00

I am to defend my thesis in approximatley 36 hours. More like 35 now.

I am a bit nervous and anxious. But most of all, I want to just get it over with.

On a more lighter note, I have been accepted to SMU-Dedman School of Law in Dallas, TX, which is now at the top of the list. I am still waiting to hear back from Univ. of Wisconsin and Univ. of Arizona, but should both of them say 'no,' I'm packing my bags for Dallas. I have been admitted to the evening part-time program (which takes four years) with some offer of money, and I must confess I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't admitted to the day full-time program. Not that their part-time program is anything to scoff at, but I was really planning on finishing in three years.

Perhaps this is a sign from God. Take things slow. What's another year? Maybe I'll have more time and energy to devote to lower course load each semester. Perhaps I can work on another degree full-time (e.g. M.Th. or M.A. at one of the Dallas-Ft .Worth area seminaries; M.P.H.; or M.A. in International Affairs). Or I could work during school to lower my debt. I don't know. It's too early to tell.

Begin the Journey

2008-04-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

I had no idea I was in this video. But that's beside the point... Do check it out.

Poor blog - Pt. 2

2008-04-16T21:58:00.000-07:00

It's been twelve days since the last post. Yet I have made very little progress on my thesis. I might as well have been blogging the whole time. What is wrong with me? Where has all my mojo gone?

I'm on about page 20 for all y'all who are wondering where I'm at with the writing process. There is no minimum page limit, but I'm shooting for 50 at least. Which means I've got long ways to go.

As far as deciding where I will be living for the next three years, I am still waiting on five more schools to tell me whether I'm in or out. Should all those schools tell me 'no', I'm down to three schools:
1) University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)
2) Indiana University (Indianapolis, IN)
3) Loyola University (Chicago, IL)

My mother, too, has been worried about hurricanes entirely on her own. I never told her about my fears, but today she tells me "isn't Florida prone to hurricane damages? I better start praying..." Hopefully, I will get in elsewhere so that my mother doesn't have to keep her eyes glued to the Florida forecast for the next three years.

Poor blog...

2008-04-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

...it's been neglected for over a week. Yet I shall continue to neglect it for a while.

"Why?" you ask? Thesis defense: T minus 23 days

And it should probably be finished at least 5 to 7 days earlier so that my advisory committee could read it over. Meaning... Thesis due date: T minus 16~18 days

Yikes! Gotta get to work.

Just when I thought I was beyond rankings...

2008-03-27T00:38:00.000-07:00

The new, 2009 U.S. News & World Report ranking of top law schools in the United States has been leaked. It is to hit the news stands on Friday (Mar. 28th), but the bootleg copy of the "purported" rankings is out on the loose. Here's a PDF copy for the curious.

This leak is beautifully timed since several schools have seat deposits early April. Now I must go decide where to head next fall...

Wishlist: Hurricane Insurance

2008-03-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

There is a man that I long and desire to see every morning. Sometimes, I even dream about him. He is one of the main reasons why I wake up every morning. He is... the mail man.

Today, he left me another present in my mailbox. A big, white envelope from University of Florida - Fredric G. Levin College of Law. Yeeyah~... It was the first acceptance letter from a top-tiered school. I was beginning to yield to the idea that perhaps I wasn't cut out for a school ranked higher than 50. I must disclaim that I'm not obsessed about getting in to highest ranked school possible (refer to a previous post). But I do conceed that it was a nice self-esteem booster to get an acceptance letter to join the Gator Nation.

Univ. of Florida Law graduates happen to be among of the least indebted compared to law graduates across the nation (average total debt upon graduation is approximately $50,000). Now that is what I like to hear... ;)

One problem. Hurricanes. I'm not a big fan of rain. Call me crazy, but I like my belongings to be not soggy, especially after having resided in Nevada for 14 years.

Okay. Two problems. Hurricanes and non-metropolitan location. I wanted to move to a major city for several reasons:

Public transportation: I am cheap and I am green (figuratively...). I wanted a big city where public transit system is developed well enough that I can get rid of my car and not have to worry about insurance, gas prices, carbon footprint, and, most importantly, vehicle maintenance. I have a feeling I'll get ripped off by mechanics without my dad's advice (and his mechanic friend).
Cultural diversity: I love classical music, jazz, and theatres. I want a city with its own symphony and a ballet or opera company. I want to be able to see broadway musicals or independent play productions. I want to be able to chill with some friends to a good jazz jam session. And I want cuisine of every sort at my disposal. What can I say? I like my food...
Church home: I have always wanted to experience what it is like to be in a so called "mega-church." Is it all it's cracked up to be? But more importantly, I want to find a church where I can call home. I'll miss Living Stones terribly, and they will undoubtedly be irreplaceable. But I will have to try my best to find somewhere to belong.
Legal experience: I want a major city where there is a great need for serving the community with their legal problems. Public interest and social justice issues are big interests of mine, and I have a feeling I will have more opportunities to get my hands wet in a big city than a small suburb.

I guess that's more than just two problem, eh?

I'll have to do some thinking. Good thing I have until May 15th for UoF's tuition deposit deadline...

Jesuit Law School

2008-03-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

Pursuit of academic excellence
Acquisition of knowledge for the betterment of society
Care and concern of the individual
Preparation for public service

Sounds like an excellent (yet somewhat lofty) set of aspirations. These are the values cherished by Jesuit law schools. There are 14 of them across the Unites States.

And yes, they are Catholic. And no, I am not. Though I sincerely believe that Mary (the mother of Jesus) was an incredible woman of God, I refuse to believe that she was immaculately conceived. But that's not the point of this post - that is for another time, at another place.

I have of late grown an appreciation of Jesuit law schools, especially for their focus on social justice. I've applied to several of them (Boston College, Loyola Univ. Chicago, Marquette Univ., Univ. of San Francisco, Santa Clara Univ., and Seattle Univ.). I've heard back from three of them thus far - all have been affirmative (praise the Lord!). Loyola Chicago was one of the first responses I've received, and it has since been at the top spot for where I may be heading in approximately four months.

Then Seattle offfered me money. And I'm a sucker. Mainly because I will be attending law school entirely on borrowed money. The less debt I am in upon graduation, the easier it would be for me to take up a low-paying public interest job. Additionally, it would be closer to home (refer to previous post). In my recent conversation with a friend, I had expressed that though the proximity to home is not my primary selection criteria for a law school, it would definitely be a plus. Lastly, I'd be able to attend a church that I have been a fan of for a long time.

So... Chicago or Seattle? I don't know. I'm hoping that Boston College will send me an acceptance letter soon so that I don't have to decide. I think my dog will be more forgiving of my relocation when he learns that I'll be living in Newton, Massachusetts.

Nocturnal

2008-03-23T05:22:00.000-07:00

That'd be me.

All of last week, I operated on a non-human sleeping pattern. I'd stay up all night doing homeowork, go to school/work around 10 AM, come home and pass out at 5 PM, get up around 11 PM or midnight, stay up all night and continue to do homework, midterm exam, work related reading or writing, etc. And the fact that I only have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays adds to my weird sleeping pattern.

I have tried with all my might to flip around my sleeping pattern - from that of nocturnal to diurnal. No success. During the daylight hours, I cannot focus well enough that I have trouble getting started let alone making progress on any sort of productive activities. Only after 10 PM can I muster up enough motivation and the courage to sit in front of my desk for a long duration.

It is now weekend. More so, it is Spring Break. And I am stuck with the ungodly sleeping pattern. And I'm blogging at 5:30 AM - not because I got up so early, but because I never went to bed last night. I think I'm going to now. And tomorrow, I am going to pray seriously about a miracle that is needed to change my sleeping pattern. It has got to stop.

It's Friday... but Sunday's Coming

2008-03-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

It’s Friday.
Jesus is praying.
Peter’s a sleeping.
Judas is betraying.
But Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday.
Pilate’s struggling.
The council is conspiring.
The crowd is vilifying.
They don’t even know
that Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday.
The disciples are running,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Mary’s crying.
Peter is denying.
But they don’t know
that Sunday’s a comin’.

It’s Friday.
The Romans beat my Jesus.
They robe Him in scarlet.
They crown him with thorns.
But they don’t know
that Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday.
See Jesus walking to Calvary.
His blood dripping.
His body stumbling.
And His spirit’s burdened.
But you see, it’s only Friday.
Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday.
The world’s winning.
People are sinning.
And evil’s grinning.

It’s Friday.
The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands to the cross.
They nail my Savior’s feet to the cross.
And then they raise Him up next to criminals.

It’s Friday.
But let me tell you something.
Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday.
The disciples are questioning
what has happened to their King.
And the Pharisees are celebrating,
that their scheming has been achieved.
But they don’t know.
It’s only Friday.
Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday.
He’s hanging on the cross.
Feeling forsaken by His Father.
Left alone and dying.
Can nobody save Him?
O, it’s Friday.
But Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday.
The earth trembles.
The sky grows dark.
My King yields His spirit.

It’s Friday.
Hope is lost.
Death has won.
Sin has conquered.
And Satan’s just a laughing.

It’s Friday.
Jesus is buried.
A soldier stands guard.
And a rock is rolled into place.
But it’s Friday.
It is only Friday.
Sunday is a comin’!

A powerful, profound, yet simple sermon by S. M. Lockridge.
Visually and aurally augmented by the Igniter Media Group.

Midterms...

2008-03-20T00:28:00.000-07:00

...suck. Or at least I do for having waited until the last minute to finish them (they are take-home).

I have to write three essays in 16 hours. 8 hours per essay. Probably do-able. But not the most pleasant.

Must...get to...work... :(

Application Update

2008-03-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

16 down 20 more to go, 12 of which I am really waiting on.

Here are my stats thus far:
3 rejections
1 waitlist (withdrawn now)
1 deferred (until April)
11 acceptances

I am still awestruck at the number of acceptances. Seriously. There is a reason why I applied to 36 schools. I was gravely afraid that no one would like me. I thought 152 on LSAT was a kiss of death to my application. To the contrary, I am now in a happy dilemma of having to choose among multiple schools that I really would not mind attending. A "we love you" letter from one of my top choice schools would make this a lot easier on me. Alas, the waiting game continues.

On Monday, I received an acceptance package that enticed me with an offer of merit-based scholarship. Need-base scholarships were somewhat expected - I am quite in need after all. But I was surprised to hear that they liked me enough to offer quite a selective scholarship. Yay!

At the beginning of all this, I had wanted to move far, far away. Since I must move anyways (due to the lack of a law school in the vicinity of my current residence), I thought I might as well go long. But now, I am growing fond of the idea that I might want to stay closer to home. Like San Francisco, Portland, or Seattle rather than Chicago, Dallas or Boston. Don't get me wrong - an offer from the University of Chicago will have me packing up my stuff immediately. Yet I am increasingly realizing how much I will miss home - my family, my dog, my church, even the town itself.

With the tuition deposit deadlines quickly approaching, I must decide soon where I will be spending the next three years of my life. Hmm... My indecisiveness is going to be the end of me.

Mid-Holy Week Reflection

2008-03-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

"Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:27, ESV)

I own a never-before-used copy of The Passion of the Christ DVD. It was given to me by a dear friend of mine (who happens to be not a Christian) as a present. It was a thoroughly appreciated gift - probably among the best I've received in my life. Yet it remains unopened.

I have not had the courage to watch The Passion of the Christ in its entirety again since the time I saw it in theatres back in 2004. I loved the film, especially for its monumental achievement in realistically depicting all of the gore and the glory of Jesus' final hours. I am forever indebted to Mr. Gibson - however much of a controversial, troubled figure he may be - for his work that helps me wrap my mind around just what the price He paid for me looks like in reality.

I believe the reason why I could not bring myself to re-watch the film was partially due to my fear of becoming desensitized to the true horrors of The Passion. It also may have been due to the fear of puffy, red eyes and stuffed, runny nose that is inevitably associated with the viewing of this film.

Since I could not do it myself, the choice was made for me; we watched the film last night in my small group Bible study. The snot and the tears were definitely there, but also present was a sweet time of brokenness with the realization that I've been on hyperfast overdrive for too long to almost let this Easter season pass me by without a much needed time of reflection.

"If the devil can't get you to be bad, he'll get you to be busy." Cheesey Christianese, I know. But it is true. There was the retreat (which I desperately need to really reflect on before my forgetfulness catches up with me), then a week of being out of commision with flu/cold/allergies. This week has been inundated with trying to play catch-up, two midterm exams, three million things to do at work, topped off with trying to make sure I will be able to graduate in two months. And there was a sudden, unexpected news of a tragedy that I have yet to fully comprehend or process. I had no time to pencil in Jesus.

Last night was a good break from it all. An oasis for my unrestful soul.

I noticed something that I did not before in the film. With so few dialogues in this two-hour film, I don't know how I missed it the first time around. Simon the Cyrene, the man who was ordered to help Jesus bear the cross up the hill says:
"Remember that I am an innocent man, forced to carry the cross of a condemned man!"
Ironic that precisely the opposite is true. Those words should have been that of Jesus. Yet He was never forced.
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

How glad I am to have a friend like Him despite the fact that I too often forget to pencil Him into my daily agenda.

Grammar Nut

2008-03-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

I believe I am a reasonably good writer. I'm not a fabulous creative writer - I won't be writing novels anytime soon - but I think I have a fair grasp and understanding of what goes into a good piece of writing.

Nevertheless, I have not reached the mastery of the language. I have never formally learned the rules of grammar. Normally, the rules of the grammar are taught from 5th to 8th grade (at least that's when I was exposed to them in school). I moved to the States in the middle of my 5th grade year, at which time I knew a handful of words in English. Learning the rules of grammar at that comprehension level is nearly impossible, so I missed out of most of those lessons. I primarily learned to spot grammar mistakes by:

making them myself and being corrected by teachers/instructors
reading correctly written sentences in books, magazines, etc.
trying to emulate well-written sentences and style
picking up few axiom-like rules (e.g. "never end a sentence with a preposition") here and there

I even tried purchasing a grammar book and reading through it. Nothing cures insomnia faster. Thus such book continue to gather much dust on my bookshelf.

I've always thought of myself as a heavy visual learner, but when it comes to learning grammar, I think the Grammar Girl podcasts will revolutionize the way I learn to improve my writing.

I have been trying to expand my vocabulary in preparation for law school.

Getting word of the day sent to me via email from Merriam-Webster.com
Reading the coolest vocab-builder book ever-written
Making a list of words to look up as I read books, news articles, magazines, etc.
Religiously using Thesaurus.com
Trying to use bigger words in my sentences
Practicing my writing skills right here on this blog

The list could go on and on...

But what's the use of all the big words when you make silly grammar mistakes? You will be a laughing stock nonetheless. Thus, I am on a quest to conquer English grammar. With the cool Grammar Chick on my side...

the moment we've all been waiting for...

2008-03-03T23:52:00.000-08:00

There is a cheesey Christian song that I really like - I can be quite cheesey at times - that describes my current mood. It portrays the lyricist/singer as sort of a social misfit in some people's, perhaps even his own, eyes. Part of the lyric goes like this:
I'm not cool but that's okay
My God loves me anyway
I'm not cool but that's alright
I'm still precious in His sight

It's kind of sad when you just read the lyrics by itself; if you imagine an outcast teenage kid writing this, you would consider putting him in a therapy. But when you hear it, the contrary couldn't be more true: it's funny and chipper.

That's kind of how I feel today. I got my first "we hate you letter" in the mail from a law school this morning. I expected it in a way when I applied, but I was afraid I might feel differently when I actually see the rejection letter. Thankfully, it didn't phase me. I wasn't cool enough for them, but I was a-okay with it. I'm still precious in His sight (and in the sight of at least nine other law schools, hehe...).

He says that I am one of a kind
And I don't have to try to be somebody else
He believes in me and says I'm free to be myself
I can be myself.

It's their loss that they are missing out on a "one of a kind" candidate. I have never, nor will I ever, try to be someone other than myself to please an admissions committee, be it from Harvard or some third rate school. (FYI, it wasn't Harvard that rejected me. I didn't even apply there. I know my limits well.) I didn't hold back anything on my application packet - I gave them the full, 100 %, all of me. Against some well meant advice, I made my faith be apparent in my personal statement. Though there were some strong advice against submitting recommendation letters from the "clergy", I asked my pastor to write one because he probably knows me better than most of my professors. Religion being such a touchy, even sore, subject, I admit that I was hesistant to go there. But if a school didn't like me - the whole of me, including my relationship with my Creator - then they can't have me.

Now, I'm not saying that the unnamed school rejected me based on my faith. It is most likely due to my treacherous LSAT score. :( Regardless of whatever part of me they did not like, I no longer feel any sort of attachment to them because they couldn't handle all that I am. Wus. Just kidding... I really don't have any hard feelings toward anyone. Not in a least bit. It just wasn't meant to be.

In case any reader of this post still doubts, I had a very peaceful, productive, pleasant day today. I opened the letter around 11 AM, and, for the remainder of the day, I wasn't brewing over with resentment nor wallowing in self-pity. I had simply forgotten about the letter. Until now. ;) I write this not in need of venting my frustration over the rejection, but as a moment for reflecting, refocusing, and redirecting. I needed to remind myself why I was so okay with the rejection letter. Because my God loves me anyways. Because He would never reject me, and that is the only rejection I fear. Because my ultimate goal is not the admission to a top-tiered school, but to let God direct my path.

9 down, 27 to go...

2008-02-29T02:58:00.000-08:00

It's not about football, so don't try to figure out how that would work (I don't think they give out penalty yards in weird increments, so it's gotta be a sack or a fumble recovery... but I digress...). I'm talking about the number of applications I submitted, and how many I have heard back from. (Oooh... I just ended a sentence with a preposition - such a rebel...)

So far, 7 acceptances (one offer of scholarship), 1 deferred decision, and 1 waitlist (which I declined). No "we hate you" letters in the mail yet, but I am certain they are on their way. This waiting game is draining the life out of me by the minute. I obsessively/compusively check my e-mail and snail mail. I called my sister to check on my mail while I was out of town over the weekend.

When will this misery end...?

I Left My Heart...attack in San Francisco

2008-02-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

Yes. When I saw this hill that I had to climb - in heels, mind you - I about had a heart attack. And when I was done climbing it, I was in painful realization that I am way too out of shape.

Why can I not focus?

2008-02-21T03:58:00.001-08:00

I must summarize National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in its entirety by 7:00 PM tonight. It is 4:00 AM right now - approximately Hour-5 of my struggle to get my mind on track and get this assignment started.

I have long ways to go, but what am I doing? Blogging. Seriously? What is wrong with me?

The fact that my Internet Explorer is not working properly adds to the distraction. I'm running a full virus scan now to see if there are any serious problems. Crossing fingers... Perhaps this is reason enought to make the anathematic switch to Mac.

It would help if the reading was exciting or remotely interesting. But unlike the pleasure I receive from reading and analyzing case reports, reading Chapter 10 of the "Environmental Law Handbook" cannot be more drudging. I hope this is not indicative of the impending pain in law school...

Postmortem

2008-02-18T01:06:00.000-08:00

Speaking in front of hundreds of people is a terrifying task - at least for me - but now I can say that I am a better person for having done so.

The proposition to speak at my church at tonight's gathering (Feb. 17th) came early in the morning on last Thursday from my pastor, Harvey (yes, the same dude on my link below...). He had warned me that he would make me share my story at Living Stones (a peculiar name for a church, eh?), but I expected a little more heads-up before the actual event. Three days... that's not enough time for me to have a heart attack, recover, and be able to speak by Sunday night!

Nevertheless, I agreed to do it. Not because I am fan of being the center of attention. BELIEVE YOU ME... I would have been happy stacking chairs, putting away Bibles, and running Powerpoint slides behind the scenes unbeknownst to most of Living Stoners until I had to part paths with these crazy kids. Yet I began to hear these voices in my head - what was it that you wrote in your personal statement for law school again? I had to do it.

For those who are interested on how I went about making a fool of myself (just kidding... it wasn't that bad), here is a rough transcript of what I said tonight. I'm not sure if it will make it onto the Podcast or not; if it does, I'll link my 15 minutes of fame here. :)

***********************************************************************
Hi. As Harvey said, my name is Yon, and I am a deacon here at Living Stones. And I’m extremely nervous right now… but I’ll try to go on. You know, a few years ago, I had an opportunity to speak in front of about 5000 people. That was pretty intense. But let me tell you: talking in front of you people is at least 100 times scarier. Which is a bad news since I want to make a living being a lawyer which involves a lot of public speaking. But it hasn’t always been so clear what I was supposed to do with my life.

This time last year, I was struggling to figure out what the heck I was supposed to do after I graduated for the second time. I finished my bachelor’s back in 2006, and the thought of real-world scared me – so much so that I signed up for a master’s program to buy more time to figure out “God’s will” for my life. I wanted a clear idea of what I was supposed to do rather than just jumping into whatever came my way, so I was praying constantly about it – almost to the point of nagging Him. And He finally answered me as I was sitting in a conference session for a Christian leadership summit last summer.

During one of the days at this conference, they showed a three-minute video of a typical night for a little girl, living on the streets in Kalkota, India. The camera was silently observing this girl across the street as she laid down her little folded up blanket that she has been carrying around all day in her arms. She laid her head down to sleep in the middle of the street, and before the video faded away you could see a man walking right by her as if there is nothing unusual about the whole situation. It was business as usual. Though this alone was heart-wrenching and shocking, what struck me most was the guy who made this short film. He isn’t a tree-hugging, save the humanity, head-in-the-cloud activist. He has a day job – of making films like Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’ Diary, Love Actually, and Mr. Bean. There is one quote from the interview they did with him at this conference that changed my whole perspective: “There is only one thing I am good at and that is to write comedy and to work with comedians, but I will do it ruthlessly to rectify the social injustice that is happening around the world.” Pretty profound – from a guy who is not even a Christian. This agnostic man was doing more to obey the commands of the Bible more than any of us who call ourselves Christian.

Did you know the word “poor” appears 181 times in the Bible? God wanted His people to know clearly how we are to treat the poor. I was only given 10 minutes to talk so we can’t exactly cover 181 verses, but here are my Top 3 Poor Verses:

3) And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:22)

It seems like He really got down to the nitty gritty details, and there are tons of other verses that look much like this throughout Exodus and Leviticus. I’m sure there are not very many farmers here, so I guess we’re all safe on this one, right? But how many of us live from paycheck to paycheck, spending down to the every last penny on ourselves? How often do you ever give a dollar to a homeless man? This isn’t about money – it’s about our heart and attitude toward the poor.

2) Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse. (Proverbs 28:27)

How many of us, watching the TV late at night, changed the channel when those commercials came on? You know what I’m talking about. Kids in Africa, Southeast Asia, South America… $30 a month is all they need. Nearly 1.2 billion people live on less than a dollar a day, and approximately three billion people – that’s half the world – live on less than two dollars a day. Gives a whole new perspective to “poor, starving college student,” doesn’t it? The five dollars we spend on beer at the Little Wal can feed a child for a week. But we turn our eyes away from them.

Now, I’m not trying to condemn anyone here. I would be condemning myself just as much if that were so. I am sharing with you the journey that He put me on over the past year to help me see a dire need around the world and what I am to do about it.

Last but never least… the next verse has a special place in my heart. Against some reasonable advice of my concerned friends and mentors, I made use of this verse in my personal statement for my law school application. I couldn’t convince myself to abandon the very words that have inspired me to become a lawyer solely because of the fear of a reaction from an admissions committee member who is not a Christian.

1) Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)

The question begs to be asked: what more fitting profession is out there to defend the rights of the destitute than a lawyer? Now, you don’t have to be a lawyer to seek justice and defend the rights of the poor, but being a lawyer will have its advantages in following this command. And I believe I have been called to such path.

To be honest, I am not sure what exactly God wants me to do with a law degree yet. He hasn’t emailed me the detailed itinerary. I’m still waiting on that. But I can’t wait around to heed this command.

That opening of the mouth… it was a scary challenge for me. I believe what I am doing right now, speaking to all y’all, is part of the opening of my mouth for the rights of poor and needy. But one mouth isn’t enough to carry the message throughout the world. We have all been called as servants of God, to carry out His will. To do what pleases Him. So what does the Lord delight in?

We have been reading through a Psalm each week to help us reflect on the ancient truths before going into musical worship. And I think it’s not by accident or coincidence that Psalm 146 has been heavy on my heart lately. So let me read this to you.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The God we serve delights in those who are righteous and those who seek justice. It is my prayer that the community of Living Stones become more like our Lord. That we be known as the people who lift up those who are bowed down, who uphold the widow and the fatherless.

Brevity - Part 2

2008-02-14T04:47:00.000-08:00

It is amusing that I have titled this and the previous posts as Brevity only to write one of the longest posts thus far in this blog.

So it took a while for my instructor to get back to me. He is, afterall, full-time practing lawyer, and I decided to cut him a slack for not responding at my earliest convenience. Surpringly, though, he got back to me as soon as he was off the clock from his day job - at 5:00 PM precisely. At the risk of appearing arrogant, I share with you his response:

You nailed it. A+

Richard Harris

I've had my share of good grades on assignments and exams (and plenty of atrocious ones as well). But this one... I think this might have to go on the fridge door gallery. Hehehe... Now, I must confess something here in order to make a point of why I was so delighted to see his response.

Standardized tests and I never have been big friends. Starting from the IQ test I took in third grade to the SAT/ACT and ultimately to the LSAT, I have never been known as a stellar test taker. I protest that I don't fit in their little boxes, but those boxes seem to matter a whole heck of a lot when it comes to admissions - especially for law school. I, however, am not ashamed of my scores - never have been, never will be- because I have proven those numbers wrong over and again in the long run.

SAT scores said I would be an average college student. I graduated at the top of my class with two honors degrees (I just want all y'all to know that it makes me vomit a little bit to toot my own horn here...). LSAT said that I am no better than the average applicant - a score of 152, equivalent to 53rd percentile - with a slim chance of getting into a school of my choosing. It was going to be a tough one, but I wanted to prove it wrong.

It was a definite surprise when I got the phone call from the dean of admissions at Loyola. I initially thought to myself, "maybe I'm dreaming." Then I realized the experiment I was running at work indeed was real-life one. The next train of thought was "they must have taken a big gamble with my application." And the truth finally dawned on me. For the past three months, the bunch of girls I know and love as my small group have been fervently praying for a miracle. And it came to be. God pull some strings for me with the admissions committee. Good to have friends in the Highest of High places. ;)

All along, I had no doubt as to Gods ability to take me where He saw fit (whether it be Loyola or elsewhere), but I was still filled with the disquiet about my own ability to handle the work cut out for me. Hence the hyperventilative post a while ago about preparing for the 1L storm...

So we have come full circle to the topic at hand - the reason for my elation over the affirmatory comment from my professor. It wasn't about the complements; I actually don't do well with them in social settings anyways. It wasn't even about getting a good grade in a law class to spite the makers of LSAT. It was the comfort and security in knowing that He who prepares the path for me equips me with the strength as well.

Brevity

2008-02-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

After more than a decade of pedagogy leading me to believe that longer is better when it comes to writing, I have been forced to grapple with a new paradigm.

I have been commanded to distill a thrity-page case report down to a two-page brief. Brevity truly is a virtue now.

Having been provided only a single example from my professor of what a case brief should look like, I felt ill-equipped to face the daunting task of writing my very first brief. Scouring the net for a better idea of how to approach this behemoth (ironic, seeing how this is supposed to be a pint-sized writing assignment), I ran across these helpful websites.

1) LawNerds.com - with a wealth of information for the law-students-to-be, the guide to reading a case report was especially indispensible
2) "Writing a Case Brief" by Criminal Justice Education - more a general guideline with some helpful references at the end

A prime example of a procrastinator, I normally do not finish my assignments two days before the due date. This case report was an exception. I needed to do well. The ability to write a good case brief will be the deal breaker, the life-or-death skill I will need to survive law school. This was no ordinary assignment. It was a chance to prove to myself that I am indeed a lawyer material.

It took over six hours for the pre-reading, first reading, second reading along with beginnings of the brief, and several more readings after another to refine the points. I thought it would never end. This was no fifth grade book report.

As I caught a glimps of the pale blue hue of the approaching dawn beyond the blinds of my window, I had finished with a deep sense of triumph. It wasn't all that bad... Yet I lacked the confidence and the assurance that what I have written was necessary and sufficient not only for the purpose of the assignment but for any 1L-level assignment. I knew that my intructor wouldn't brutalize our very first attempts, seeing how there were people from all sorts of majors - civil and environmental engineering, natural resources, political science, English, and who knows what else (with me adding into the hodgepodge a metallurgical engineer)...

After much in-head debate, I decided to e-mail my draft of the brief to my instructor to get some feedback. I know what y'all are thinkin' - a brown-noser. It is true that I have been known to adulate (now, there is a five-dollar word) back in my high school days before coming to know Christ. I have abstained from such shameful behavior since. ;) Contrary to what you might believe, I sincerely wanted some helpful criticism, not flattery, from him.

Prof. Harris,

I was wondering if you could quickly glance through my draft of the "Scenic Hudson" case brief and let me know if what I have is correct sufficient, or more importantly "plus-worthy." [he assigns three levels of grade: zero, check, or plus]

Feel free to be critical if not cruel. It is my goal to eventually reach a level of mastery with these briefs that they would be acceptable in a law school 1L-type course.

Much thans [yes, it's true, I forgot to spell-check before hitting that "Send" button] in advance,

Yon

So it was sent. And I went to bed. At 8:00 AM.

(To be continued...)

Meet Newton

2008-02-10T02:36:00.000-08:00

My dawgg...

I just learned how to post to my blog directly from my cell phone. Exciting times...

Terminal Illness

2008-02-09T02:45:00.000-08:00

It's true. This is going to be the end of me. It is eating away at my body and my soul at an alarming rate.

It is senioritis. A chronic, debilitating one.

I have had few minor occurrences of this before. During the last couple weeks before high school graduation, it was almost encouraged by my teachers to not really engage in any serious academic endeavors. The senior ditch day wasn't really optional; it was mandatory if you considered yourself even remotely cool. Yet the recovery process was fairly quick and painless, so I don't consider high school senioritis to be all that big deal. For undergrad, having had two senior years (it took me five years to finish thanks to two degrees), I had the luxury of spreading out my laziness over a long period of time. Thus the net concentration (such a chemistry nerd) of procrastination did not seem all that harmful at any given time during the last days of undergrad.

But much like a cancer that strikes back harder the second or the third time, I did not expected the potency with which senioritis struck me this semester. I have "checked out" long ago. I no longer feel the desire or the urgency to do go to class or do homework; what I do get done is mostly out of my habit of having been in school for oh... holy cow, 19 years! I have been in school practically all my life - no longer I'm done with it all.

Alas, the show must go on. There is still three more months of school remaining, and I have yet to complete my thesis. There is no rest for the wicked...

But to where can I turn for motivation? I have been asking my friends to pray for me that I would regain the desire and the energy to finish my master's program on a high note. I'm beginning to think that either they have failed me in effectively interceding for me or that I have failed their continual prayerful support. I think it is more latter than the former. My continued defiance of the imminent need to get things done serves as an evidence.

I have once heard that today was the tomorrow that those who passed away yesterday longed to see. A bit morbid, but it's true. I have wasted yet another day that someone no longer in this world was dying to have a chance at. The fact that I am living and breathing right now is a reason enough to be prudent with every hour given before me. Perhaps even the time I am spending on this blog is an unaffordable luxury...

Solomon once said of lazy bums like me "the hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor (Prov 12:24)." Or even worse "slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger (Prov 19:15)." Oh man... me likes my food. I better get my butt back in gear...

Super Duper Tuesday

2008-02-05T23:26:00.000-08:00

It's official. "Hello. My name is Yon, and I am a news-junkie."

For a good part of today, I have been furiously clicking away on various news websites to see the full coverage of the "national primary." I was doing well until 3:00 PM or so. Then I see the headline "Huckabee wins West Virginia." What the Huck? I thought his campaign was dead. I must read this... Then it went downhill from there. Despite the desperate need to do my homework due on Thursday, I could not tear myself away from the influx of news coverage on the poll results.

Now... with the NPR live web-feed playing in the background, I must endeavor to get a start on my assignment (while still at work trying to finish an experiment, sigh...).

Technophobe in Disguise

2008-02-02T01:33:00.000-08:00

People tend to think of me as a tech-savvy person. Seriously. I'm not trying to toot my own horn here, but this preconceived notion against me (and I emphasize "against") has placed in a dilemma.

Until very recently, I had to keep my blogging on the DL because my page looked so plain, dull, even ascetic. And to a certain degree, it still is. But I couldn't admit to anyone that I did not know how to make it look better.

Yet I have come a LONG way because I now have been initiated into the world of (some what quaint) HTML. I no longer shy away from those cipher-esque source codes. (Sad reality considering I took a college-level computer science course...)

Granted I am still only an initiate and not a master, but that first step was hardest to take. Perhaps, one day, my page will look spectacular. Oh, who am I kidding... I'm just glad I know how to make links and embed videos for now.

Speaking of which... here's an amusing clip in light of the American "holiday" quickly approaching us...

If you are interested, all are welcomed to join the Living Stones' Soup or Bowl Party on Sunday, Feb. 3rd, at 3 PM. Not only will it be good times, but you will have an opportunity to experience the culinary excellence of a master BBQer.

Better Get to Livin'

2008-02-02T00:59:00.000-08:00

Dolly always was a cheery woman...

Well, I better stop bloggin' and get to to livin'...

Messed UP

2008-02-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

Mess up. Screw up. Goof up. Foul up. Botch up. Muck up. If you want to be crass, f*** up.

Ever notice how when people describe a situation involving a mistake the word up appears frequently? Why not down? It would make more sense to use down rather than up. Mistakes usually bring down the morale of people, slow down the process, and break down the trust. Messed down. Screwed down. Sounds weird. Something doesn't feel right. Why?

Perhap it is because mistakes get a bad rap more then they deserve. Maybe we have not given mistakes a chance to shine. If we build up their self-esteem, worth, and identity, perhaps they can become contributing members of the society. Oh, but they already are.

Our mistakes are who we are. They are what shape our experiences, perspective, and character. They build us up. If we give them a chance.

We have all seen those people who never seem to learn from their mistakes. They drop the ball over and again. They blow off the lesson from their previous bungle and tragically repeat history. We do not wish to be associated or work with these people. God forbid we ever become like those people...

So let us remind ourselves next time we share the stories of our failures that we have messed up, not down. That we have risen only as high as our mistakes are big. That from the state of tableaux rasa we have messed our way up to the enlightened state of maturity and wisdom. That if we never messed up we would never appreciate the heightened value of accomplishments.

a nugget of gold in a field of rubbles

2008-02-01T00:14:00.000-08:00

So... I have presently decided that blogging is a venturesome addiction. While it can be a tremendously helpful tool for self-examination and reminescence, it can eat away at your free (and more detrimentally, not free) time like no one's business.

But I ran into, stumbled upon, chanced across this brilliant piece of writing I felt compelled to archive and share with those who may visit this corner of the web.

I waste a lot of time reading news on the internet. I excuse myself contending that since I do not watch TV, I must keep up on my current events by reading them online. But the problem with online news is what you normally don't get to do with a dozen sheets drenched in its characteristic smell or a half an hour of your evening over frozen-dinner - clicking on those seductive hyperlinks. And as you next wake, you realize you have spent past two hours reading not only about Clinton versus Obama, but the Hanna Montana sensation, Tom Brady's ego, and the mortgage crisis as well. With an average of three gazillion articles published online daily, the wealth of distraction is enormous.

So as I was reading about the world's most hideous looking skyscraper in Pyongyang, I ran across this literary gem. Of all places, of all the news sources, it was hiding in Esquire - a men's magazine. Who would have thunk that a men's magazine would have a worthwhile bit of reading?

Apparently Tom Junod regularly churns out excellent work at Esquire. This particular one was on Hilary Clinton, pre-presidential material. Esquire pulled up this article he wrote back in October of 1999 as she launched her senate campaign. It is very sophisticated yet readable, and the amount of parallels you see between 1999 and now is uncanny.

Had I more time, I would go through all of his archive and read more, yet duty calls... I can ignore it only so long.

Security

2008-01-31T14:05:00.001-08:00

Knowing that I will be an 1L somewhere come August 2008 is an enormous relief. I knew of the 36 applications, at least one school would take me. What I did not expect was a "we like you" from a school that I really wouldn't mind attending (Loyola Univ, Chicago).

I had set my bar very low so that I would not be terribly disappointed; I did not expect an acceptance from any Tier 1 or even higher end Tier 2 school. I know the numbers are not the only thing that matters, whether it is the schools evaluating me or me deciding which school would be better. But I cannot help but sneak a peak at the rankings, the median LSAT, etc. Such sad reality...

Upon receiving the good news from Loyola, I went ahead and applied to four more top tiered schools with an added boost of self-esteem and confidence. I'm just waiting to see if Loyola was just a fluke or if people really believed me when I told them I'm gonna make a great lawyer.

The calm before the "1L Storm"

2008-01-30T14:38:00.000-08:00

People are freakin' me out. I am well aware that the first year is going to be a killer, but what is up with the summer reading list that has more volumes than my current library all put together?

How far should I go? Do I go all out and hardcore like this guy suggests? Or should I heed the advice of U. Conn. summer reading list:

"Two of the most important things you can do this summer, aside from dealing with real-world obligations such as making money, child care and the like, do not involve reading at all. They include: (1) breathing in; and (2) breathing out! Seriously, you will be much better prepared for the rigors of law school if you have had a balanced, enjoyable and relaxing summer than if you have not."

I'm hyperventilating...

I know I should prepare to a certain degree; I have very little knowledge of the legal system. The environmental law class I'm taking now should be helpful, but it can only go so far.

So far, I've seen a lot of different places that recommend:
1) Acing Your First Year of Law School (ISBN 0837709121)
2) Getting To Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams (ISBN 0890897603)
3) A History of American Law (ISBN 0684869888)
4) The Common Law by Oliver Wendell Holmes (ISBN 0486267466)
5) One L (ISBN 0374226474 for hardback, 0446673781 for paperback) - this one is purely for reading enjoyment; not all schools are like Harvard Law
6) Gilbert Law Summaries (from Amazon)
7) Nutshell Series (from Amazon)
* Especially of note: How to Study Law and Take Law Exams (ISBN 0314065962)
8) Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, 9th Edition (ISBN 0321479351)
9) The Nature Of The Judicial Process by Benjamin N. Cardozo (ISBN 0548761914)
10) Law 101: Everything You Need to Know about the American Legal System (ISBN 0195179579)
11) Reading Like A Lawyer: Time-Saving Strategies For Reading Law Like An Expert (ISBN 1594600325)
12) Introduction to the Law And Legal System of the United States (ISBN 0314158987)

And when I get bored of reading, I can watch these movies:
1) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
2) Double Indemnity
3) The Sweet Hereafter
4) A Civil Action
5) Twelve Angry Men
6) The Thin Blue Line
7) To Kill a Mockingbird
8) Blade Runner
9) Brazil

And if that is not enough, some classic reading on law in literature.

Whew... what I have I signed up for...?

File completions trickling in

2008-01-30T14:24:00.000-08:00

It's such a draining experience to wait for those application files to become "complete." It's really not my fault that they are not complete - it's the admissions offices that are slow. But I am the one suffering for 4 to 5 weeks after having submitted everything.

About half of the files (out of 36) are complete now. I must continue to wait since it may take anywhere from a month to three months before they make a decision. Sigh...

Anger! Frustration! Fists of fury!

Patience... patience...

Should have done this earlier...

2008-01-30T14:19:00.000-08:00

So... I have decided to start blogging about my journey to law school. It is mainly for my own reflection/record-keeping sake, but if someone finds this interesting or helpful along the way...? even better.

I'm going to start blogging about the things that are happening to me now - after having submitted 36 application and endlessly waiting for responses. If I get the time, energy, and the motivation, perhaps I will back-track and write about where it all begin.

I'm kinda excited for this... I'm a geek.

Genesis of a Blogger

2007-03-25T22:00:00.000-07:00

A boy. Could it be a stupid reason to start blogging? Probably. Do I hope to eventually evolve this little corner of the world wide web into something a little more beneficial to me and to the rest of the civilized world? I surely hope so.