I am entering the last month of my LL.M. program at Georgetown — polishing final term papers, prepping for exams, and even starting part-time at my post-graduation job.
I arrived at school early today to record a podcast with the Georgetown’s career center about our awesome externship program. After the podcast recording session I went to the library to prep for tonight’s class, but decided to check my email before studying.
I went to law school immediately after graduating college, so I did not have to make the same jarring adjustments as many of my older peers. Sure, law school is much different than undergrad, but I was used to being a student.
After going back for my LL.M., I’ve experienced many of the strange adjustments that my older law school classmates complained about, like unusual class times, the lack of a real paycheck, and becoming a hermit for finals.
Professor B. recently discussed what to expect on the final exam, and how we can improve our grades:
Professor B: “It’s important to follow the instructions of the exam. When faced with 100 exams, I lose all humanity. So I terrorize you.”
The semester is off to quite the start – my days are filled with Westlaw searches, Tax Notes, and Bloomberg Portfolios.
A few things have changed since my J.D. days in Minnesota – TWEN has been ditched for something called Canvas and I am expected to find all of my assigned readings online, which means that I did not have to purchase any books. (Which is amazing!)
…and there is definitely something different about the younger students.
I was thrilled to finally get asked on a date. We agree to meet at the Bulldog Bar for a drink. I text my date when I park, and he tells me that he got a table outside.
My date is sitting by himself when I get to the side of restaurant. I say hi and sit down. He lights a cigar.
It’s intimidating because my date is a former New York investment banker and a bit intense. The conversation was alright, but after about 45 minutes my date tells me that he has movie tickets and has to run.
I say goodbye, go home, and walk my dogs.
Dates, friends, drag shows, quality time with the dogs, work, snow and unseasonably warm weather.
Technology failed me during these past two weeks. This is how I started the morning:
If you soften your gaze and back away slowly, the fail whale will appear.
Blue screens lit up my work computer throughout the weekend and the beginning of the week. I also caught some version of the plague Saturday night, but meetings and computer repair issues brought my germy-body to the office on Monday and Tuesday.
At times the sinus pressure was so great that my right eye would start pouring as I talked to coworkers. I’m pretty sure they wanted to swat me away with a Lysol wipe.
When I first moved to Minnesota I was told that you’re not a Minnesotan until you drive to Wisconsin on a Sunday for liquor. I guess I’m official now.
It was 10 a.m. and the liquor store was packed with Minnesotans.
Hudson is underwhelming but things start to look better once you cross back over to Minnesota.
Downtown Stillwater is adorable. I could see myself living in Stllwater once our lease expires in Nordeast. The boyfriend will probably be less enthused about the idea…
I’m not sure if I just started noticing local news billboards, but there’s a theme here:
I went to middle school in Kansas. We had no air conditioning and plenty of girls with cheap weave that constantly fell out. The weave formed balls that traveled the hallway floors every time the doors were propped open for ventilation. We called this tumble weave.
I am glad that Minneapolis carries on that tradition.
I was going to grow my hair out and get dreadlock extensions from the Hair Police, but the boyfriend was unamused so I got a haircut at Floyd’s 99 Barbershop in Uptown.
I parked at 4:15 p.m. and I was told that there was a 45 minute wait. I went back to feed my meter, waited, and got my haircut. I went back to my car afterward and the entire street was deserted. No car. I had a quick WTF moment and then saw the sign: “NO PARKING 4-6 PM.”
Towed. This was a very expensive haircut.
I walked the 3-4 miles to the impound lot with images of Parking Wars in my head. I was also worried about the towing fee, which is $300-400 cash in Miami. Turns out that the fee is only just over $100 in Minneapolis, so I was thrilled.
I work from home three days a week, which means I get to overhear the bus stop conversations of the middle schoolers.
Today two of them got into it. We’ll call them Wendy and Rachael.
It’s a full circle moment. Remember how aggravating the housing search was when I first moved to Minnesota? Well, the post-law school housing search with dogs was even worse, and everyone’s over it.
In my bedroom…
Lurcat is Matt’s favorite restaurant, so I just assumed that his birthday dinner was there. It is Friday evening, I am just off of work and completely late to his birthday party. I run across Loring Park clutching an overstuffed birthday bag and I am hot sweaty mess by the time I arrive at Lurcat.
Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar & Grill” in St. Louis Park is hilarious. I throw my cowboy boots on and drag over as many people as I can.
It was a pleasant evening at the Lake Harriet Bandshell. We listened to classic military songs and clapped for the veterans.
…and then things got weird.
