Christmas

Many of you may have already read this but for those of you that haven't...

One of my favorite things about the holidays is reading all the Christmas letters. So in the spirit of the Holidays (better to give than to receive) I give you my very first Christmas letter.


In January I started interning at the Miami Public Defenders Office, a truly unique experience that provided my roommates with hours of entertaining stories, highlighting the antics of several of my clients. While working in the mental health division, I was able to meet the King of West Africa, the mother of Michael Jackson’s children, Beyonce’s husband (and it wasn’t Jay-Z) and even Jesus himself. I also was able to participate in two jury trials. There was never a dull moment and it was a great place to see our legal system in action.

I was able to make it back to California in March. It was great to go back even if just for a few days. Holly, visited me in April. She was treated to lying out on the beach, her first sushi experience, and the South Beach night life. She even treated herself to one of the paintings on my wall (sisters, have to love them).

The highlight of the year was finishing law school. I graduate December 17th. I’m excited to be done with school. I’m sure my excitement is rivaled only by my mother’s. She has been the lucky recipient of several of my finer legal arguments, as well as being informed of all the different ways she can sue people. Being the considerate daughter that I am, I have of course mentioned several of the different legal claims I could file against her for the wrongs of my childhood. Not that I would ever sue my own mother, I’m simply informing her of these things for educational purposes only.

Up next is the Bar Exam. A fun filled two months of studying and learning everything they don’t teach you in law school, culminating in two days of tests at the end of February. Passing the bar, though, will allow me to charge people for legal advice (a concept I’m sure my mother can hardly wait for). Even better than charging for advice, will be getting paid to argue. I sometimes have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. Paid to argue? Isn’t America great?

Of course completion of the Bar Exam means back to realty and a job. I’m very blessed to have been offered a job as an assistant public defender here in Miami. The Miami office is one of the best in the country and they provide lots of hands on training for young attorneys. I’m looking forward to working there full time starting in March.

As I’m almost an attorney and I can already hear the lawyer jokes coming so I thought I would close with a non-lawyer legal joke for all of you.

Judge: "What are you charged with?"

Prisoner: "Doing my Christmas shopping early."

Judge: "That's not an offense. How early were you doing this shopping?"

Prisoner: "Before the store opened."

HAPPY NEW YEAR

At Long Last!!!

I'm finally back in Miami and it was quite the adventure!


Everything started off just lovely. My trip from Merna to Omaha was relatively uneventful. There was only about 5 miles of bad road conditions (a blessing considering the weather report). I arrived at the Omaha airport over 2 hours early for my flight home. I thought that I was being smart to book the connecting flight through Atlanta. I didn't have to deal with any winter weather or terrorist threats from Detroit. (Silly Valerie).

At 4:45 just 30 minutes before our plane was scheduled to depart the gate attendant announced that our plane was delayed in Detroit but not due to security measures, oh no but due to mechanical difficulties and that are new scheduled departure time was 7pm which means that almost everyone was in danger of missing their connecting flights. She then asked everyone to get in line to get rebooked on to later flights.

There was of course only one person working behind the counter to accommodate rebooking the entire plane. I stood in line for over an hour to be told that the plane is now scheduled to depart Omaha at 8:05 and I too would now miss my connecting flight. But because the delay was mechanical they (Delta) would put me up in a hotel in Atlanta and would put me on the 8:45 flight to Fort Lauderdale.

Sound simple enough right?? (Silly, Silly Valerie...nothing's ever that simple) The plane actually arrived into Omaha around 7:15pm and everyone boarded the plane in a quick and orderly fashion. We were ready for departure by 7:30. But we couldn't push back from the gate until there was a push back crew and runway personnel (The people with the orange sticks) which of course were nowhere to be found. A crew finally showed up to push us back by 8pm. We then taxied over to the de-icing station because we (the passengers) had been told prior to boarding we would need to de-ice. However apparently Delta forgot to tell the de-icing crew we needed to de-ice so we sat on the tarmack until 9pm waiting for a de-icing crew which required the pilot calling Cincinnati to have them call Omaha to get a de-icing truck.

During that time (around 8:30) the Capitan also announced that we had used up all of our taxing and takeoff fuel and were now burning through our travel fuel so we would also need to refuel prior to departure. (But of course we couldn't refuel while waiting for the de-icing truck or even have the fuel truck waiting to refuel us immediately after we finished de-icing) We had to wait until 9:25 for the fuel truck to come and refill our tanks. We didn't take off from Omaha until 9:30. Luckily there were no other planes left at the airport so we were 1st for take-off or I'm sure we would have had to wait for all the other planes to take off first. :)

We arrived into Atlanta at 12:05 pm only to have to sit out in front of the gate while we waited for a gate crew to guide the plane in. (We were told that we surprised Atlanta because they weren't expecting any planes).

I only have 2 questions here?

1. I thought air traffic control was supposed to keep track of all planes at all times, so how could Atlanta not know we were coming?? And

2. There was a whole plane full of people waiting to depart to Syracuse NY on our plane after we arrived so how could they depart without a plane???? (It's not rocket science people)

Once we got off the plane in Atlanta we were told we would have to either pay for a hotel or stay at the airport because our plane was actually delayed due to weather and delta doesn't pay for weather delays....

The gate attended was then faced with 45 very upset passengers.

She accused us of trying to get something from free from the airline. (I suppose she thought that during the hour and a half we were stranded on the tarmac we all got together to make up the exact same story about mechanical problems and a free hotel????) After another 45 minute wait she was able to verify our delay was not weather related and finally agreed to print hotel travel vouchers...

And it gets even better.

The hotel was not one of the 5 hotels within 5 minutes from the airport. Oh no, the hotel was 25 minutes from the airport. The hotel knew we were coming but didn't do anything to advance check anyone in and of course there was only one person working the front counter. I did not get checked into my room until 2:45 am and of course the heat had been shut off so it was freezing and there weren't any blankets on the bed.

I was able to switch my 8:45am flight today to the 11am flight so I could get a little more sleep (5 hours beats 3). When I arrived at the airport to check in via the kiosk (which I verified with a delta skymiles agent that I could check-in via kiosk without issue) I couldn't check in because it showed that my flight (the 8:45am flight) had already left and that I could only fly stand by. Having none of this and not wanting to take the chance of not making it home today because I was assigned a stand by seat I of course spoke to a counter agent. After 20 minutes the counter agent was finally able to print my boarding pass for the 11am flight because I did in fact have a confirmed seat on the flight.

Still not done...

The flight out of Atlanta was delayed by about 30 minutes so I didn't get into Fort Lauderdale until 1:30 (instead of the scheduled 1pm). I made it to long term storage without incident but encountered two accidents on my way home so the usually 30 minute drive took an hour. I finally arrived home at 2:30pm a full 14 hours after my original scheduled arrival time.

On the plus side I didn't have to wait for baggage claim because my bag came in on the 8:45am flight so it was already waiting for me when I arrived. (It's the little things)

Got to love Holiday, winter travel.

Humor in everyday life

I'm spending Christmas at my parents home and I came across a little treasure in my mother's work space.  I hope you find the same humor in it as I did.

Here's the desk in its full splender

And upon closer inspection....

Pretty Sure I'm Never Having Kids...EVER!!!

Its a well known principle that there is an exception to every rule.  I'm no different.  My procrastination has one exception my complusion to have everything organized in every way possible.

My parents are in town visting and let me first start off by saying that I love my parents and its great to get to spend some time with them.

......wait for it........But if kids are anything like parents I'm never having them.  Since my parents have come for a visit my emaculate house is cluttered. The coffee table is littered with magazines and papers.  The kitchen table the same thing.  Lights are on all over the house (even when noone's in the room).  I'll be upstairs studying for the bar and my dad needs the tv fixed so he can watch a DVD.  I'm getting ready to leave for Bar Prep Classes in the morning and Mom needs to print something.   Seriously  I have no idea how parents survive.  Kids making messes, needing help with things,  demanding your attention??   Its all a bit much for an OCD neat freak like myself.  I'm the person who organizes EVERYTHING... my books and DVDs and the spice rack in alphabetical order,  cleaning supplies, the clothes in my closet, the kitchen dishes in style order, shoes.   (Even this list is in alphabetical order.  {books, DVD's and spices are all one entry that is further suborganized in aplhabetical order} I wasn't kidding about the OCD thing) 

In all fairness to my parents they did clean up the supper dishes(which were a disaster) and will of course clean up everything of theirs before they leave but in the meantime I have an incredible urge to clean and organize everything.  I'm pretty sure my OCD can not handle kids or that should I have kids they wouldn't be able to handle my OCD.

And the diagnosis is....

Lupus.  According to the doctor I'm a pretty text book case.  Not a suprise really.  In High school I was diagnosed with an unspecified autoimmune disorder and told it may develop into lupus at some future date.  I guess that date is here.  What it means right now is that I have joint and muscle pain all the time (I take a ridiculous amount of ibuprofen every day).  I also have a fairly constent feeling of nasuasiousness.  (But no worries I don't actually get sick).  The normal course of treatment involves steroids.  A treatment I have polietly refused at this time.  I've been on the drugs before and was not a fan of the side affects.  I've opted for the antimalarial drugs instead.  They take longer to work sometimes 2-3 months but don't have as many side affects as the steroids.  Suprise suprise I'm not choosing the quick fix.  I'd rather deal with the day to day pain than the side affects of the steroids. 

What does this mean for me??
Nothing really, the only thing that's going to change in my day to day life is that I now have more fun medicines to take every day.  I can still do everything else I used to do before.  I'm not going to let some silly chronic illness afect my day to day life. 
Sadly though it means that I have many more 3 hour doctor visits to look forward to in the near future.

Twas the Night before Christmas (the legal version)

Whereas, on or about the night prior to Christmas, there did occur at a certain improved piece of real property (hereinafter "the House") a general lack of stirring by all creatures therein, including, but not limited to a mouse.

A variety of foot apparel, e.g. stocking, socks, etc., had been affixed by and around the chimney in said House in the hope and/or belief that St. Nick a/k/a/ St. Nicholas a/k/a/ Santa Claus (hereinafter "Claus") would arrive at sometime thereafter.

The minor residents, i.e. the children, of the aforementioned House, were located in their individual beds and were engaged in nocturnal hallucinations, i.e. dreams, wherein vision of confectionery treats, including, but not limited to, candies, nuts and/or sugar plums, did dance, cavort and otherwise appear in said dreams.

Whereupon the party of the first part (sometimes hereinafter referred to as "I"), being the joint-owner in fee simple of the House with the parts of the second part (hereinafter "Mamma"), and said Mamma had retired for a sustained period of sleep. (At such time, the parties were clad in various forms of headgear, e.g. kerchief and cap.)

Suddenly, and without prior notice or warning, there did occur upon the unimproved real property adjacent and appurtent to said House, i.e. the lawn, a certain disruption of unknown nature, cause and/or circumstance. The party of the first part did immediately rush to a window in the House to investigate the cause of such disturbance.

At that time, the party of the first part did observe, with some degree of wonder and/or disbelief, a miniature sleigh (hereinafter the "Vehicle") being pulled and/or drawn very rapidly through the air by approximately eight (8) reindeer. The driver of the Vehicle appeared to be and in fact was, the previously referenced Claus.

Said Claus was providing specific direction, instruction and guidance to the approximately eight (8) reindeer and specifically identified the animal co-conspirators by name: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen (hereinafter the "Deer"). (Upon information and belief, it is further asserted that an additional co-conspirator named Rudolph may have been involved.)

The party of the first part witnessed Claus, the Vehicle and the Deer intentionally and willfully trespass upon the roofs of several residences located adjacent to and in the vicinity of the House, and noted that the Vehicle was heavily laden with packages, toys and other items of unknown origin or nature. Suddenly, without prior invitation or permission, either express or implied, the Vehicle arrived at the House, and Claus entered said House via the chimney.

Said Claus was clad in a red fur suit, which was partially covered with residue from the chimney, and he carried a large sack containing a portion of the aforementioned packages, toys, and other unknown items. He was smoking what appeared to be tobacco in a small pipe in blatant violation of local ordinances and health regulations.

Claus did not speak, but immediately began to fill the stocking of the minor children, which hung adjacent to the chimney, with toys and other small gifts. (Said items did not, however, constitute "gifts" to said minor pursuant to the applicable provisions of the U.S. Tax Code.) Upon completion of such task, Claus touched the side of his nose and flew, rose and/or ascended up the chimney of the House to the roof where the Vehicle and Deer waited and/or served as "lookouts." Claus immediately departed for an unknown destination.

However, prior to the departure of the Vehicle, Deer and Claus from said House, the party of the first part did hear Claus state and/or exclaim: "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!" Or words to that effect.

So Blessed

Sometimes I forget how incredibly lucky I am. I have a great life with wonderful friends. I've been fortunate enough to be able to attend a private university for law school when other can't even afford state college. I'm young, health and truly enjoying all life has to offer. My parents are both alive and health and even still married to each other (crazy right). I also got a job offer from the Miami Dade Public Defender's Office on Friday. It a time where many of the people that graduated last May don't have jobs yet and unemployment rates are still high, I have a job. (I of course accepted the job). Miami has one of the best PD offices in the country and I am fortunate to be able to train and work with some of the best lawyers in the country. I soon will have income again, albeit a very modest government salary. But hey I'm getting paid to do what I love. And of course there are all my clients to be thankful for. People always seem to find ways to get themselves in to some sort of legal trouble. There will always be people accused of crimes and our constitution provides that everyone is entitled to legal representation. Soon I'm going to be a real lawyer. That gives me chills I'm truly excited. I can't wait to stand up in court and argue on behalf of my clients everyday that the constitution is not a technicality and their rights matter to.




So in honor of my new job that I don't actually start until March 1, 2010 I have bought myself a lovely new work shirt. (Mother would be proud I resisted the urge to buy matching shoes as well even though they were super cute)

 

shirt I got and shoes I resisted.  I know they are super cute sometimes I amaze even my self

Interviews

I had my Colorado PD Interview today.  It was a phone interview so that always makes it hard to judge.  It went okay but the interviewer only asked my half of the questions I wanted to giver her the answers to.  There is a chance on an in person interview in Denver in January or February (right when I'm studying for the bar) with normal call backs are in March. 

My Miami interview is tomorrow (9:30 am). I just finished my opening statement and I'm already starting to get nervous.  I shouldn't be everyone who works at the office has said I all but have the job so there's no presure but I'm still really nervous.

Both are really great offices with lots of great training and advancement opportunities.  Colorado pays more with a lower cost of living but requires a move. I already know a lot about the Miami office and there won't be as much as a learning curve.....wait why am I'm woring about this I don't have either job yet.

Wish me luck on interview number two.... and that the butterflies will go away before tomorrow.

Procrastination, one of lifes great wonders

Being as amazing as I am, I have a vast many talents. However, none of which I master as well as the art of procrastination. I'm a black belt, gold medalist, chief, queen, master, savant, commander, guru, sultan of procrastination.

To illustrate things I have procrastinated on this week alone:
1. Blood tests
2. Dermatologist visit
3. My 35 page research paper that is due Tuesday and I've had all semester to do
4. Mailing my sister her birthday present which was Nov 6 (I made this gift while I was busy procrastinating my paper)
5. Cleaning my room
6. Washing my car
7. Booking my hotel for the bar in Tampa which was suggested to be done in early September. (But I did do this today so I'm officially no longer procrastinating about this)
8. Writing my Christmas letter
9. Updating my address book so I can mail my Christmas letter
10. Studying for finals
11. Working out
12. Studying for the bar exam
13. Kayaking


And instead of doing any of these things, what might you ask am I doing? Writing this blog of course. So in the spirit of the Holidays I am offering my services to anyone who needs help procrastinating. I will either help you procrastinate or can will allow you to shadow me during any one of my amazing procrastination filled days.

Happy Procrastinating!!

Can someone please explain the concept of a Dr.'s Appointment to me?

I had an appointment with the rheumatologist today. The appointment itself was scheduled for 11:30AM. Like a good little patient I arrived promptly at 11:30. I was then greeted by a receptionist who asked me four times if my insurance was through work. NO my insurance is through my school. (Another one of the necessary requirements to attending the ridiculously over priced University of Miami). First off you asked for my insurance information before you let me schedule the appointment. If you aren't going to write it down or use it don't ask for it. And second listen to my answer the first, second, or even the third time you ask. Four is completely uncalled for. The appointment only got better from there. I then waited in the lobby until 12:30 when I was finally shown back to a room. I then waited in the room until around 1:15 when the doctor's assistant came to talk to me. I then waited until 2pm before the doctor came to talk to me and ask me the exact same questions his assistant did 45 minutes earlier. What's the point of having your assistant talk to me if you are going to ask me the exact same questions yourself? Maybe it’s just me but I'm seeing a way to streamline the process here...Gee I don't know maybe cut out the middle man.



And the question of the day.... Why schedule me for a 11:30 appointment if you aren't going to see me until 2pm??? Followed closely by...Why am I paying you to wait? Shouldn't you be paying me for all my wasted time?


And what you may ask was the result of my 2 1/2 hour doctor's wait??? Only to be handed a lab script to have 18 different blood tests done so I can return to the doctor's office in three weeks to wait some more. Because you guessed it the hospital (note I said hospital not doctor's office) doesn't do lab work on site and the place they referred me too for lab work closes daily at 3pm. What a racket I should have went to med school instead of law school.

 

I don't every want to get old

My pain is back and its worse.  In fact the first time around I didn't have pain I just had brusies.  This time I don't have brusies but boy do I have pain.  Being my usuall difficult self I have stumped the general practicioner and have been sent on to see a specialist.  It must really suck getting old.  Today my hands hurt so bad that it was painful to open up a pill bottle (I don't know how old people do it sometimes).  Enough about the boring stuff...

I have 2 1/2 weeks of classes left and then about 1 1/2 weeks of finals until I'm DONE with Law School!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, yeah I over did it with the exclamation points but I'm really excited about this fact.  I still don't have a job lined up yet but I got some good news from my work yesterday.  The hiring manager said that it is and I quote "highly likely we will be having fall hiring conferences"  That's good news for me.  I can ace any interview I just need them to hold interviws.  So what that means is that I will probably be staying in Miami following graduation.  Don't worry I've made peace with this.  Miami is a really great city, lots of culture, lots to do.  And the office where I'm hoping to work is one of the best in the country so I will get amazing experience and training.  The only down side about staying is the Gosh Darn Miami weather.   Is it too much to ask for some snow????

I also had two interviews in DC a couple of weeks ago and those both went well.  My Navy IV went amazing but I have a sneaky suspicion that my current medical issues will disqualify me for service.  (Who needs a soldier that can move with out sharp pains??  Seriously?)  The other IV was for a position in NYC which I would absolutely adore!!!!  But if I get that job I wouldn't start until September of 2010 and since I went to a private school I gots me some loans to repay now.

If you have continued to read this far, congrats.  I was rambling there for awhile.  For those that are/were interested that is pretty much the major happenings of my life right now.

Oh and the YANKESS WON IN 6.   THERE BACK!!!!