Busy Busy Semester

I’ve signed up to be a juror for the upper level Mock Trial competitions.  Now that they have the trial times set up, as potential jurors, we could pick which timeslots worked for us.  So I picked two timeslots on Friday, Oct 22nd.  They also had slots on Thursday the 14th, Friday the 15th, and Thursday the 21st.  The 15th obviously doesn’t work, since I’m headed up to see my parents as soon as Civ Pro is over.  The 14th doesn’t work as I’ll spend most of that week cutting down on the amount of reading I have to take home with me.  I’ll have to bring home Crim Law, but I definitely will do my best not to take home any Contracts homework with me.

Earlier in the week, I got an order form from Delta for NIUCOL apparel.  The order form didn’t copy well though so I had a delta member forward me the original email with the order form in color as a PDF.  I’m thinking about getting a long-sleeved t-shirt, and I might get my dad something as his Christmas present.  They have an NIIUCOL Dad design.  I went ahead and forwarded the email to my parents (I cut down the email first, since it had a lot of other Delta information in it).

I mentioned earlier in the week I’ve got a busy week with studying and errands.  It’s now Wednesday and I knocked off grocery shopping from my last.  I’ve also been creating an outline for my Torts class in order to study.  My Torts professor posted a practice exam and the answer on our class website.  Having looked at that, I’m not too concerned about her exam.  Her exam is more about recognizing the individual torts, what’s needed to prove them, and what the defenses to them are.  Her exam isn’t about the attached case law.  Thinking about it that way, I’m not sure how I’m going to form outlines for Contracts especially.  I’m a little concerned about doing my Crim Law outline, but it’s set up into overarching sections better than Contracts is.  Given that I bought a study book for my Civ Pro class, I’m not as worried there.  Plus, it’s open book, open notes, and multiple choice.  Make no mistake, I’m going to study my butt off there but it doesn’t concern me as much.

Looking at the final exam schedule, my exams are in the afternoon, roughly from 1-4 (though the professor can change that).  I’ll have Torts on Dec 2nd, Crim Law on the 6th, Contracts on the 10th, and Civ Pro on the 14th.  For Basic Legal Research, I’ll have an hour long exam in early November and that’ll be it for that class.  In Legal Writing, I’ll have a timed writing assignment on Nov 19th.  My Contracts and Crim Law classes both have review sessions, so I’ll want to have my outlines done (or mostly done) prior to those  review sessions.  The contracts review session is the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and the Crim Law review is Friday the 3rd of Dec, the day after my Torts final.

I’m not sure yet of the days I’ll be home for Christmas.  My last final is the 14th.  I’m thinking about not going up until the next weekend (the weekend of the 17th).  When I leave will partially be based on when the Badgers play their bowl game. The reason I say that is starting this year, BCS bowl games are on ESPN and my Badgers could easily end up in a BCS bowl.  Plus, I want to see Krystal and Megan (and maybe even Sarah L– one can only hope!)  Classes don’t start again until Jan 18th.

Been nearly a year

Hard to believe it’s been nearly a year since I started the process of getting into law school.  It was the last week in October 2009, when I started thinking about law school again.  Since I’d graduated from college in December 2007, every few months I would think about whether I was ready and whether it was time.  I’d thought about it that summer, but at that point I wasn’t ready.  However, that fall I got the news I’d be transferring to Servicing.  So at the end of October, the thought of law school popped into my head and wouldn’t leave.  It got stronger as I started through my first week of training to be on the phones. I realized later that it was an answer to my prayers. That previous summer, things were in flux at work.  It was thought at the time that most of us would end up on the night teams in servicing (something like an noon-8 shift).  I definitely wanted no part of that.  But I trusted in the Lord and asked Him to see me through.  In any case, that first week of November I went out and got an LSAT book (ended up with a few over the course of November).  I spent a lot of November studying for the LSAT.  I took the LSAT the first week of December, and then December 28th, I got my LSAT score (the only reason I remember the actual date is that it was my parents' anniversary).  By the first week of January, I had my first round of applications off.  In mid-February, I was accepted to Florida Coastal School of Law.  It wasn’t my first choice, but it meant I was headed off to law school in the fall.  Due to issues with getting my second letter of recommendation into LSAC, my application at my top choice wasn’t complete until mid-February.  On March 5th, I was accepted into Northern Illinois University – my first choice. 

There was more I wanted to write, but I’m not sure what that was now. Oh well.

Brothers and Love

Last night I had my usual conversation with my parents.  Let me explain.  When my brothers went off to college, my parents made them call every Sunday.  The threat my parents used was that my parents were paying their tuition and they deserved a phone call.  That continued even when Stephen did his year long Master’s program and the parents no longer had the tuition threat.  Interestingly enough, it’s continued with Stephen now that he’s in Seattle and it got passed to me as well, even though my parents have no tuition hold on me. We all call on Sunday nights, usually in the neighborhood of 7pm.  It’s gotten to be a competition of sorts to be the first to call.  Last night, (as last week) I was the last to call.  I tried around 6:40ish, and found my parents talking to Stephen, and continued talking to him for another 20+ minutes (a rarity as Stephen’s not really a talker).  While talking to the parents, Stephen IM-ed me to give me grief about calling last & that he was still on the phone with them.

This week, instead of me calling them, my mom and dad called me.  I talked to them for about 20 minutes.  During that conversation, my mom told me that Stephen might be coming home for Christmas.  I’m not sure why or what happened to cause it, but I’m excited.  The original plan was that we wouldn’t see him for Christmas because he’d instead be headed out to see his girlfriend and that we’d likely see him when we all went out for Jason’s graduation in May (more on that in a minute).  In any case, I’m now really looking forward to seeing my brothers and having us all home for Christmas. Not sure yet how long he’ll be around or when he’ll arrive/leave, but it would definitely be good to see him.

It’s interesting…since the three of us kids started graduating high school and scattering, I’ve been much more aware of my feelings towards my brothers.  While we were all around the house, I knew on one level I loved my brothers, but mostly I didn’t think about it.  I didn’t notice it much my freshman year of college because I was so homesick (I suppose you could argue I was noticing it in away). Then when I came home and started at UW, I had a year with all three kids back at home.  However, when Stephen went away to college at Cornell…that’s when I started to notice how much I loved my brothers.  It was small at the time, but there.  Those two years while Stephen was gone, Jason and I got closer.  Then I had time at home with just my parents once Jason graduated in May 2007 and left for Cornell in August 2007.  When times came for my brothers to come home for a time, I’d always say I wasn’t looking forward to them coming home and disrupting the quiet.  However, it was a shield.  I always looked forward to my brothers coming home, at least initially.  Invariably though I was ready for them to leave again before it was time for them to actually leave.  Since then, the excitement of seeing my brothers each time they came home has grown and I actually miss them.  And it’s funny – I’ve talked to my brothers more since I started law school than I did while my brothers were away from home and in college.  So I’m definitely looking forward to seeing my brothers.  Jason I was always going to see at Christmas since he was coming home for the Christmas break at Cornell.

This next May, Jason will be graduating w/ a B.S. in….something like Applied Engineering Physics.  Something like that. The rule in the house has been if able, everyone attends undergrad graduations (and I think it’s going to be extended to graduations where someone receives a doctorate).  In Jason’s case, he’ll graduate Memorial Day weekend.  For me, finals end the 20th so whether I can go to his graduation will depend on my clerkship or wherever I end up working for the summer.  I suspect it’ll be okay, given that it’s a long weekend.  If need be, I can fly out late Friday and fly back on Monday.  It’s a gorgeous campus too. 

I’ve begun to realize just how busy I’m going to be over the next three weeks before I can head up to see my parents.  Actually, it’s less than three weeks now that I’m headed up.  I’m planning to drive up right after Civil Procedure that Friday, so I’d get in between 4 & 4:30.  I talked to my mom yesterday about checking into getting a flu shot while I’m there in hopes I won’t cost me anything, or cost me less than it would here.  It’s possible that if I get it done at a Dean Clinic, I could get it done free.  Given that I can’t afford to get out for a week+ with the flu, I’m thinking a flu shot for at least the three years of law school is a good idea.  I’ll likely spend most of Saturday studying in addition to likely getting a flu shot.  Saturday night I’ll watch the OSU-Wisconsin game with my dad.  Sunday I’ll go to church with my mom.  I’m actually timing it well – it's Ward Conference that weekend, so I’ll definitely get to see the Nelsons while I’m there.  The week before I go up, I’m also going to email Brianna and see if she’s going to be at church.  If not, I’ll see if I can drop by at some point while I’m home, because I’d love to see her and Elsie.

Little While

It occurred to me this morning that it’s been a little while since I last wrote in here.  My only defense is that I’ve been on the busy side.  I’ve gotta be better about writing though, given that life’s about to start going faster.  Anyway, I slept like crap last night. While my mind says I didn’t get any sleep, that I was awake from 11:30-3:30 I know intellectually that’s likely not true.  If it were true, I’d be dead on my feet right now, even with the Vyvanse I took this morning.  I ended up getting up about 3:30.  I took my iPod into the living room and picked out a movie to watch/fall asleep to. I also set an alarm on my iPod so that I’d be up in time if I did fall asleep. I ended up putting in Something to Talk About (great movie – love it!).  I never did fall asleep, and ended up watching the movie nearly twice.  Eventually I got out my laptop when it became clear to me that I wasn’t going to fall asleep any time soon.

I’ve been reading a lot of JAG fan fiction lately from Legacies Archive.  It’s a great archive.  In the past, I’d only read stories longer than about 40,000 words as I’m someone who likes longer stories.  However I’ve been reading the ones between 10,000 and 40,000.  I’m not reading the ones under 10,000 words mostly because I’ve never been a fan of a short story of vignette.  In any case, I’ve found some great stories between 10,000 and 40,000 words, along with discovering that they added some new stories back in April. 

Let’s see…what else is going on?  I had my med check this week.  For the time being, we’re going to stick with the Vyvanse, and play with the dose some.  I was getting headaches, so we’re trying 40mg again.  If the headaches stop, then I’m to stay at 40mg.  If the headaches continue, she wants me to go up to 60mg. The reason being is that my headaches can be caused by any number of things, including the other thing I now have medication for.  My pdoc suspects I’m suffering from some kind of anxiety, given all the changes in my life.  She likened anxiety to the temperature gauge in a car.  In a car, we don’t usually pay much attention to it until it hits the red, at which point we turn off the car and take it in to get  fixed. Anxiety apparently is the same way.  It’s good for us until we hit that red zone, at which point we need to do something about it.  She also thinks the anxiety may be interfering with how welll the Vyvanse is working, in addition to the anxiety possibly causing the headaches.  So once I finish playing with the dosage of the Vyvanse, I’m to start 50 mg of generic Zoloft.    On a related front, I discovered yesterday that the Schnuck’s pharmacy here in town takes Dean Insurance :) So I’ll get my prescriptions  filled there from now on and when I need a refill of the Zoloft, I’ll get it transferred over. 

My next appointment is the first week of November, since my pdoc will be out of the office for two weeks in October.  It’s Tuesday November 2nd, again at 4:30.  For now while there’s no snow flying, Tuesdays at 4:30 seem to work well.  Of course, that schedule will go out the window come second semester, between a new class schedule and snow.

I also have my first mid-term next week.  It’s in my torts class, so I’m not too concerned.  I do need to do an outline and generally study for it but I’m really not too concerned.  I just need to memorize the legal definitions of the intentional torts and the defenses.  I know the difference between them, but I definitely don’t have the elements memorized for all of them.

3 weeks from today I’ll be headed up to see my parents for the weekend.  I’m definitely looking forward to that and I’m looking forward to going to church with my mom.

Yesterday

Yesterday was so much not fun.  I got up feeling okay, mostly.  Certainly didn’t feel terrible.  Still not sleeping well in my apartment.  That isn’t due to the medication – it was going on before I started on medication.  In any case, I got up at 6:30 as is my habit Mon-Wed and did my usual morning stuff.  Got dressed, took a shower, took my medication with a small bottle of apple juice.  I needed to get to Contracts early to finish briefing a case, so I was hoping to be out the door by 7:30.  I was at the door at 7:30, backpack on, door unlocked when I got the sudden urge to puke.  My stomach when from fine to needing to puke and puke I did.  Definitely wasn’t fun.  I managed to get cleaned up and steady enough and decided I was going to try going to Contracts.  I got through Contracts but decided I was headed home afterwards.  I just had to reschedule my Career Services orientation.  So it’s been rescheduled for 3pm on Monday.  Not thrilled about adding something else to my early week schedule next week, but it was all there was left.  I didn’t puke again yesterday (thank goodness!) but my stomach was still fairly upset for the rest of the day.

In other news, I’m likely headed back on the meds roller coaster. The meds aren’t working as well as they were  two years ago and I’m getting some headaches (one of the side effects – I didn’t get them last time).  I’m not thrilled, but it’s life. 

First day on full dose

Today is my first day on my full dose.  I don’t remember last time if the effect was noticeable immediately or if it took a few days.  Given that I’m not feeling a difference in my focus, I’m hoping it takes a few days to get a high enough dose in my bloodstream to make a difference.  I desperately don’t want to go back on the meds roller coaster, given the number of meds we tried the last time around (not to mention the time it took).

Lots of studying to get done this week and this coming weekend.  There are several reasons for that. First off, there’s simply more studying, plus I’ve gotta finish the assignment for basic legal research.  I have every intention if having it done by the end of next weekend.  Perhaps on Monday or Tuesday I’ll look it over, but probably not.  It’s not due until a week from this Wednesday, but I have my med check on Tuesday after classes.  I’d like to be able to stop off at my grandparents’ on my way home after the appointment, but if I’ve got too much going on, I won’t stop.  I also have my meeting with Career Services office on Wednesday at 2pm.

Thankfully there’s not another home football game for awhile.  It was distracting, to say the least.  The worst part was that at 2am, the lights in the stadium were still on!  From now on, if I need to study during an NIU football game, I’m driving down to the law library to study. 

The other reason I need to get lots done this week and this weekend is because new shows come on next week :)  Castle is on Monday, Criminal Minds is Wednesday, and Bones is Thursday.  This week, I still need to watch the last two episodes of White Collar and the last two episodes of Rizzoli & Isles.  That’s likely going to be mid-week or later before I manage watching any of them though.  Tuesday night is the final performance night of America’s Got Talent and I’m rooting for Jackie Evancho and then of course Wednesday night is the finale and they’ll crown the winner. 

Medication

Today was the first day I upped the dosage of my medication.  Things are going okay.  Not noticing a difference though in concentration/focus.  The side effects are pretty close to the side effects while on 20mg.  I’ll spend six days at this dose and then increase it again.  I’m paying attention to whether I get any headaches.  Apparently the medication can cause strokes and headaches can be a warning sign.  Basically, it plays with blood pressure. 

On a completely different note, it’s strange to hear that some people think Russ Feingold’s in trouble in his Senate race.  I’d never have thought that.  From what my dad says, his opponent is an idiot – he wants to drill for oil in Lake Michigan of all places.  His opponent is a virtual unknown 8 weeks from the election.  I really can’t imagine he’s in trouble.  But if he’s in trouble, so are a lot of other Democrats.  He’s running for his fourth senate term and at least while my family’s been in Wisconsin, he’s been enormously popular and a little bit of a maverick.

I’ve taken to mapping out my assignments on Monday for the next week.  That way if I have a light day but have heavier days coming up, I can do some reading ahead.  Looking at the readings coming up later in the semester that’s going to be important.  I want to get into that habit now while things are fairly light.

First day of medication

Yes, it’s my first day of medication.  I’m on 20mg of Vyvanse for the next 6 days, followed by 40mg of Vyvanse for the following 6 days, and 60mg of Vyvanse after that.  I also have a med check on the 21st to see how things are going there.

It’s interesting that stimulants for ADD patients actually slow them down, whereas stimulants for other people speed them up.  It’s also more likely to be abused by someone without ADD than someone with ADD.

I’ve also gotten my first assignment for my legal research class.  I’ll read through it tonight and likely start it on Friday after classes.  I’ll do most of the work on it next Wednesday during my large break.