Those Personal Triumphs No One Else Will Ever Understand

[Gravity Defier]

I finished my first envelope in at least 6 months. I'm even kind of proud of it.

[Luet]

We are in VT this weekend doing an Adventure Challenge. Today we hiked for over seven hours and about 12 miles! Wow, we are both so sore and I have blisters on my feet. The blisters? Well, I got them because my feet (and lower legs) got soaked. At one point, you have to cross a river whose bridge was smashed by a log. The choices were either cross the sideways, smashed bridge (which Mark did) or try to jump from rock to rock. Which I did...fairly unsuccessfully. But we did find some of the challenge objects and a MOOSE! Mark has been dying to see a moose since he moved to NY. I've also never seen one. I also saw a new moth, butterfly, and toad/frog. No birds because we were going too fast. But tomorrow is another 6 or so hours of hiking and much more uphill. Yikes!

[LilBee91]

Someone told me this weekend that my hair, which I had done nothing to but brush it, looked beautiful.

[CezeN]

I really, really love my job.

That is great Syphon. I hope I end up loving whatever law job I manage to get, too.

May I ask: What type of law are you doing? Are you working at a firm or a corporation or what?
Also, have you ever seen Suits? lol

[Syphon the Sun]

I have seen Suits! I really like it, though I turn my brain off throughout most of the show so that I don't pick and pick at it.

My job is... kind of unusual.

I do very little law practicing, per se. I'll write amici briefs, sometimes, but I don't have to worry about billable hours or most courtroom activities.

Most of my time is spent researching and writing policy papers, drafting legislation, following legislation (e.g., testifying for or against certain bills), meeting with legislators, going to conferences and being on panels, etc.

[CezeN]

I have seen Suits! I really like it, though I turn my brain off throughout most of the show so that I don't pick and pick at it.

My job is... kind of unusual.

I do very little law practicing, per se. I'll write amici briefs, sometimes, but I don't have to worry about billable hours or most courtroom activities.

Most of my time is spent researching and writing policy papers, drafting legislation, following legislation (e.g., testifying for or against certain bills), meeting with legislators, going to conferences and being on panels, etc.

What are some of the nitpicky law errors you've seen? I think it'd be cool to be able to see a fictional show misrepresent something in your career, and be like "see, if I was in the show, I'd have sued him for perjury. And his ass would be in jail!"

Oh, so it's a government job.

So, do random interest groups or parties come to you asking for you to write the amici brief for them, or are you writing them on behalf of your own office in support of their interests?

[Syphon the Sun]

Well, the whole premise is based on the idea that you anyone can take the bar exam, which is completely false. No doctorate of jurisprudence = no way to register for the exam. But I don't really keep a tally of the errors, mostly because it completely ruins the show for me. (Trust me. I had to take a long break from Law & Order: SVU because I would nitpick and it just became... not enjoyable.)

And, for what it's worth, I don't work for the government. I work for a non-profit that doesn't accept government money (which is somewhat rare, I suppose). I'm a little bit of everything. Lawyer, lobbyist, academic, blogger, public speaker, etc.

Anyway, if you've got other questions, feel free to PM me. I don't want to take up the entire thread (or delve out too many personal details out here in the open).

[Gravity Defier]

I now have both library card numbers memorized, making for easier signing in to the online accounts. This makes me thoroughly excited.

[elfprince13]

Syphon: You should move to Vermont, the legislators here are much more fun to meet with and educate than in the rest of the country.

Also, I biked 50 miles yesterday for no particular reason. Actually 10 of them were for the particular reason of grocery shopping, but the other 40 were because I was bored. New Jersey is hilariously flat compared to VT.

[Eaquae Legit]

I didn't cry yesterday.

[Luet]

*hugs*

[steph]

My prayers are with you and your family, Ali.

[Gravity Defier]

*Ali hugs*

[Eaquae Legit]

Thanks, guys.

Re-reading what I wrote, I want to specify that I don't cry (or have the urge to) every day. Yesterday had a very challenging supervision followed by a conversation with a kind friend, and it was hard not to let it all loose. Today has been mostly better.

[Eaquae Legit]

The big bag of moong dal is empty and gone! Hooray! Masoor dal, here we come!

[LilBee91]

I won a contest! Not a big fancy contest or anything, but still. One of my friends from middle school is has a photography business (it's still pretty new and small, since she's still in college). She had a promotion this week for a free photo session for one of her facebook fans, and I won!

Admittedly, I have no idea what I'm going to use said free session for. It depends how long she gives me to cash it in, I suppose. Considering we're both going to school in separate states, I feel like I should have a while. She still needs to send me the details. We had to awkwardly re-friend on facebook before she could do so--I don't remember removing her, so maybe she removed me at some point? Or I may did. But she has always met my "I actually talk to them when I see them in public" standard for keeping facebook friends from middle/high school, so who knows. Ah well, friends now.

[Luet]

Awesome! Are you hoping you can wait long enough to use it for engagement/wedding pics?

[LilBee91]

I don't think I can drag it out that long. Or get engaged that fast. Though either would work. =]

The shoot is probably going to be Christmastime. I mentioned to my mom that maybe we could do family pictures or something, but I doubt my whole family will be up there. So I'll probably just get a friend or two and have a heyday. Or somehow get a boy and do sappy couple shots or something.

[Gravity Defier]

I am killing the Nazi librarians with kindness and the meaner of the two smiled, chuckled, and said polite things today like "You're welcome" and "Have a great day; stay cool."

My evil plan is working.

[Syphon the Sun]

Cool? Where you're going you don't need cool.

[Young Val]

Even though I've been baking them for decades now, I never fail to be slammed with pride when my pies slice cleanly and don't spill. It never gets old.

[Luet]

I'm attempting a blueberry custard pie tomorrow (first blueberry pie and first custard pie ever). Hope it goes well!

[starlooker]

I FOUND A BLOUSE TO WEAR SUNDAY
It fits
It was under budget
It works with skirt and shoes I already own

I WIN THE MALL

[buckshot]

Hats off to you fine Girls that bake pies! Ya know the Brown Coats would not have lost the battle if they had more pie.

[Gravity Defier]

I wore a tanktop in public, without a shrug. This is a much bigger deal than it may seem.

[Luet]

[Gravity Defier]

Instead of waiting for my dishes to turn into the next Mt. Vesuvius, I washed the one or two I used today...today.

[LilBee91]

I submitted my poster for the summer student symposium.

And I only spent 4 hours after it was all written and organized obsessively making sure everything was perfectly aligned.

And I have (so far) refrained from caving into the OCD paranoia and triple-checking what I already sent in.

[Syphon the Sun]

I submitted my poster for the summer student symposium.

Very cool!

[Gravity Defier]

I made muffins today, as well as the aforementioned enchiladas and although I didn't make the pineapple, I cut that up, too. There were a lot of dirty dishes and I just finished washing every last one of them.

[steph]

I wiped down my own counters today. (This job has been taken care of by Brian and my neighbor lately.)

[starlooker]

Sent a looooooooooong overdue email.

[steph]

I cooked breakfast this morning!! Yummy sandwiches with egg, bacon, tomato and cheese on toast.

I've never felt better at 2nd trimester before. This is weird.

[starlooker]

Used the cookbook holder we got for our wedding for the first time! It was handy.

Baked pumpkin bread! On the heels of chocolate chip cookies, which followed banana bread, which followed oatmeal cookies. Yay for baking!

[Petra456]

I put away ALL the laundry!

I'm ignoring the fact that the dirty laundry basket is completely full and will probably be clean and ready to put away by the time I get home tomorrow.

But right now, ALL the clean laundry is put away!!!