View

So I've got 16 hours until my last final begins. I can't tell you how many hours I've spent at this particular table, but it's a lot. So I thought I'd share the view. Lots of books, a computer, more books, and the carrells.

Follow Ups

Moot Court:
Jared and I made it to the Sweet 16, but were knocked out after that. Curiously enough, several of the top speakers came from our section, but none of them made it to the semis. Strange things...
School:
Finishing up the 1L year on Friday. I won't know grades for about a month. Come on Dean's List! I also got an internship up at Legal Aid in the city for the summer. I'll be working under one attorney doing whatever she needs. It sounded like a lot of estate planning and landlord-tenant stuff, which is what I like. I'm geekily excited to take Wills and Trusts, and Wind Law in the Fall. I'll also be taking two classes over the summer, Evidence and Professional Responsibility. The two classes make me a full time student.
Work:
Looking for part-time, evening employment in Norman. Yeah, slow going. I'll probably end up as a waitress somewhere. But I need the money, so I'll take the job.
Church:
I'm still the Enrichment Counselor and we've got some great activities coming up. In June we'll be doing a craft project and focusing on the example of the Savior. And hopefully in August and September we'll be doing a two-parter that is still very much in the planning stages. Camp will be happening in just a few weeks and I'm excited to get out there and get this thing going! We've go a ton of great activities for the girls and I really hope that they jump in with both feet.
Life:
Still playing racquetball. I got myself a partner now so it's been easier to get to the gym and play. So far I'm whomping him, but I think that'll change over the next few months.
I got roped into doing a floor show for a church dance. It's a swing routine with about six couples and a lot of fun. A little more time commitment than I think I was prepared for, but it's sure been a blast and I'm glad that I can do it. The performance is on June 6 if anyone is reading this and wants to come.
There's an OU/BYU football game in the fall that I'm REALLY looking forward to. The tickets are little pricey, but it's totally worth it! And I'm pretty sure the band is coming. WOOT!

I think that about wraps it up. I'll try and remember to put up how things came out with grades and how the internship is going, but I'm pretty sure that no one reads this so I won't feel too compelled to post things right away.

Best CES Broadcast EVER!

So Elder Bednar gave a CES Fireside last night. It was pretty awesome for a few reasons. First, I got to sit with a couple of really great people. One in particular was very handsome. Second, I've never heard the principle of physical reality from the plan of salvation taught in that context. It was incredible. And it made me particularly greatful for the Restoration of the gospel and the guidance of prophets and apostles. Without their connection to a higher power and their guiding light it would be so easy to get lost, to be blinded by the deceptions of Satan. The prophets warn us of pitfalls and dead ends so that we know what they are when we see them. Without those warnings and that instruction we could be trapped in something horrible before we even knew what was happening. And it brought home the importance of sharing that knowledge with others. So here's my first effort- a link.

http://lds.org/broadcast/ces/0,7341,538,00.html

If you didn't see it, go watch it now. His actual discourse is about 30 minutes long. Maybe even less. And well worth the time.

iPhone

I finally got rid of the Dinosaur 2000 and bought an iPhone. It's pretty dang awesome! I've got my calendar, email, text, camera, and anything else I may need all in one little gizmo that I can carry anywhere. It's got some minor problems, but mostly it's the best purchase that I've made in a while and I encourage anyone who's in the market to do some research and see if it's right for you.

Round 1 Complete

I had my practice round on Friday and it actually went alright. I didn't completely choke and the judges gave me some fairly positive feedback about my knowledge of the law and of the cases. I was also told that I'm "charming" a rather nice compliment if you ask me.

My next round is this coming Friday. That one is graded and I'll be switching sides. Basically I was arguing that our hypothetical person Mesha Steele was not barred from seeking withholding of removal and this time I'll be arguing that she is. I have mixed feelings about that. I'm glad because that was the position that I argued in my brief, but unnerved because I have more experiencing arguing orally for Mesha. I'm basically afraid that I'll get mixed up when I'm speaking. But I'm sure that it'll turn out alright.

Moot Court

The next couple of weeks I'll be participating in a Moot Court competition. It's required of all 1L's, so in my mind it's not that big a deal. There are some prizes at the end, but I'd rather not get very far in the competition and have the time to outline and keep up with my church activities. My first round is Friday next. It's just a practice, so I'm not too concerned. And I'm glad of the extra time to prepare my argument. I was under the impression that a list of the cases we would be using for the arguments would be posted as of Monday. It's not posted yet. So going later in the week means that I'll have a little more time with the cases.

TTFN. Ta-ta for now!

Some thoughts

So I survived the first semester of Law School. I actually came out okay aside from the wicked breakout that always follows periods of intense stress. The more intense the stress, the more wicked the breakout. So you can imagine how I looked during Christmas when all the family gathered. Ugh.

Speaking of Christmas... It was great. I really enjoyed the time off from school and a chance to catch up with the family. Maybe in a couple years we can really get everyone, everyone together for a holiday. Or it might be time to start having family reunions. Hal does have two great-grandchildren and it looks like a couple more of the grandkids are moving toward marriage. Michelle's missionary comes home soon. Or he's already home. And JP is dating a girl. I get to see them a lot, too, and that's pretty fun. You know how some people just look cute together? Well, they're like that.

In other news, this semester is moving right along. Our appellate brief is due in about a week. I've got a rough draft about finished, just need to put some final touches on things. I'm especially in love with my withholding of removal argument. It's a bit weird because I'm arguing for the government when I ultimately would like to work for the immigrants, but I've enjoyed seeing things from another angle. It's confirmed to me that I want to work with people and in immigration law. Now I just need someone to give me a job.