Clark Gable ~ The Postal Service

I know it's been a while. So, my one reader out there (and you know who you are), I hope you're happy. I'm only doing this because I miss reading your blog--you'd better update it soon.

My journey through law school is continuing. I'm now over halfway done! And with that, comes job applications. Most of the applications will need to be in sometime in May. However, I decided to get in a practice round by applying to the courts. There are a few prestigious spots available for students to do a portion of their articling requirement by working with judges at the courts--I had no illusions (at first) that I would actually get one of the positions, but instead viewed it as a chance for me to update my resume and write my cover letter sooner rather than later, and, if I somehow got an interview, practice up for interviews that would later (hopefully) occur with law firms.

I got my resume and cover letter updated, found a legal writing sample of mine, and got a professor to write me a reference letter. Then, I submitted the applications. To my surprise, I was asked to come in for interviews at both the Court of Queen's Bench and Court of Appeal in Edmonton! I still didn't really hold out any hope that I would get one of the jobs, but I thought it would be good practice for interviewing and kind of cool to meet some judges.

The interview date came. I was nervous, but I thought both interviews went quite well. There were a couple of questions to which I knew I could have had better answers, but I felt like the interviewers liked me. I began thinking that maybe I had a chance after all.

I was told that offers would be made at the end of January or first few days of February. I kept my phone near and charged up at all times, waiting for a call. Yesterday, as I was sitting in an area of the law school, I heard a nearby group of girls talking about how one of them had been offered a job the day before at one of the courts. I thus realized that I hadn't got the job, or would have known already.

So, I just participated in an experience all but the few at the top of the law school pyramid go through at some point in their legal education--rejection. At first I was pretty disappointed, but as I've come to grips with it, I have found that there definitely is a silver lining to this cloud. Articling at the courts would have added 3 months to my articling requirements. Also, I'm a firm believer that everything in life works out the way it's supposed to--so I'm not all that crushed.

The Postal Service--their album "Give Up" has been around for a while (since 2003), but I discovered it about 2 years ago. Ben Gibbard is a part of the duo, but if you're expecting the cheefully melancholic sound of Death Cab you're in for a bit of a surprise. It's upbeat, and electronic, and explores themes such as atomic warfare and heartbreak--typical Gibbard. I would encourage you, if you're a fan of the relatively new Owl City, to check it out.

Free Fallin' ~ John Mayer

Law school has given me many new experiences since I began it just over a year ago. I've had the opportunities to read cases (countless cases), analyze hypothetical situations in order to give legal advice, and have even acted as an appellate advocate for a fake plaintiff in a fake case before a fake court.

But all of these experiences pale in comparison with the one my legal schooling compelled me to embark upon yesterday. I had to finally break down and buy myself a suit. A real business suit...a law suit you might say (please pardon the joke--it was begging to come out).

Why do I need a suit? Perhaps it's already obvious to you. Short-term, I need it because of Career Day on Friday, where I'm going to meet all the big-wig firms and try to shimmy my way into an articling position. Medium-term, I need it for my Student Legal Services volunteer gig throughout the year for any court appearances I'm going to make while representing SLS patrons. And long-term, of course, I've got to have something nice to wear when I hopefully get a nice job at a nice law firm.

I've got to admit, it is a nice suit--but it was quite expensive. It hurt to buy. But at least I'm set for a while.

A little side note about the song of the week. This is by far, in my humble opinion, the BEST cover of any song ever performed. It's done live by John Mayer and you can find it on iTunes. Even if you're not a John Mayer fan, I highly recommend it.

Antarctica ~ The Weepies

There is a saying among lawyers/law professors/law students: "In your first year of law school, they confuse you to death. In your second year they work you to death. And in your third year they bore you to death."

I cannot fully vouch for the truth of the witticism, yet I can certainly say that during my first year there were times I was confused to death. The other times, I suppose, I was just numb to any new information that was being thrown at me. At this point in time, I have no idea whether in the third year I'll meet my demise through boredom.

But as for being worked to death this year...well, I'm a little afraid that I might prove the statement to be correct.

I knew that classes were going to impose heavy workloads upon me--over 70 pages in just one class, assigned Tuesday and due today, for example (thank goodness for case headnotes)--but it's still a nasty surprise when you can never feel totally relaxed because you haven't read that 84-page case on a failed immigration application.

I've also decided to take the plunge and volunteer for Student Legal Services, which will have me doing a shift every other week where I'll be dispensing legal advice to low-income members of the community. Scary, I know. Hopefully that won't involve too much, but sometimes volunteers are required to go to court or appear before different tribunals on behalf of our "clients". I suppose we'll see how that goes.

This is also the year where we all scramble to try and secure for ourselves articling positions with the firms of our choice. This involves preparing applications and researching firms to see where we want to go and who we want to work with. As for preparing applications, who am I to say what a firm wants to know about me? Will they care that I spent two summers packing wedding cake-tops with bubble-wrap or that I accompanied on the piano a bunch of pre-teens in a production of the musical "A Little Princess"? Will Mr. Big-firm Lawyer want me as an articling student if I let him know I can touch my tongue to my nose, and will it be points against me if he finds out I can't fit my body through a coat-hanger? All very important issues to which I'll need to find solutions.

As for where I want to go, it's very difficult to say what my circumstances will be in two years. Right now, I'm single and unattached and able and willing to go really anywhere as long as I'll get paid. On the other hand, who's to say I'll still be in that situation in two years? That's a long time in young adult years. I'm just going to have to ponder it and make it a matter of prayer. And then, maybe I won't get a choice--maybe I'll only have one job offer and that'll decide for me!

Canal Song (End of Sentence) ~ Iain Archer

Back to school means back to blog. For anyone interested, I had a wonderful summer, hanging out with family, reading books, watching movies, etc. My job was pretty relaxing, too, so all in all I feel very refreshed.

Well, at least I felt very refreshed until I decided to wear a certain pair of shoes to school. Not a good day to attempt fashion in footwear. I had to travel from one end of campus to the other a couple of times, in addition to walking to the bus stop and back and rushing around getting books and such. But other than the protests of my feet, I am not feeling the stress with which I ended last year. A good omen. Give it time, though.

How was my first day, you ask, excepting my poor choice in footwear? My first class began at 8 AM...or would have had the professor decided to attend. He or she did not, so my classmates and I just sat chatting until about 8:30, then going off to do our various "first-day errands". My next class was at 9 AM in the same room so I couldn't venture too far.

After my 9 AM class (the professor showed for this one) I headed over to help make/eat some waffles at the Institute of Religion. Following that it was back to the law building to join the Law Students' Association (to get my locker) and buying coursepacks. I finally had my last class of the day, Personal Property Security Law and almost fell asleep in class for the first time this semester! Not that it's the professor's fault--she's great, and the subject doesn't seem too bad, either. Just a bad time of day, I guess.

And now I sit, blogging away while my textbooks sit calling me. Yes, I already have readings, and although you may call me a keener for starting my homework on the first day, I have premonitions of getting behind in them and then drowning in the course material. So to prevent any water/course-related deaths, I shall begin on my readings now! Peace out until next time. Oh, and here's a picture that shows the kind of job I worked at this summer...

Glass of Water ~ Coldplay

I. AM. DONE. I am 1/4 lawyer (if you count 3 years of law school plus 10 months of articling). Exams are complete and I now face 4 months of no law (except for following, I suppose). Perhaps I will now actually have something interesting to talk about on my blog...but probably not.

For now, it is enough that I can just sit down and watch a movie, or read a book for fun, without worrying about those 10 cases I need to read before tomorrow.

Sunshine ~ Matt Costa

Course registration went about as well as it could have--I got all the classes I wanted to take. To be honest, with all that I worried (unneccessarily) about getting certain classes, I had no trouble. On the other hand, other students I talked to later on registration day weren't so lucky. I'm pretty happy though, because the fact that I got all the classes I wanted means it'll be a lot easier for me to do a semester abroad in my third year.

Exams are a-coming, and of course I'm more than just a bit nervous, but I feel like I've done more work this year than in my entire 3 years of undergrad put together, so they can hardly flunk me. I've got to at least pass or else there is no justice in the universe. And it's not the end of the world if I have to take Property Law again (in fact, it might be more enjoyable the second time around, since I would probably actually know what was going on).

Everyone is getting their plans for the summer solidified. Unfortunately, due to the economy (it seems like when anyone has a problem nowadays, they can peg it to the economy) a lot of people in my class at school and who are my age in general are having trouble getting a summer job. I'm lucky enough that I've worked for the government during the summer the past couple of years, so I got priority when they were doing re-hiring. Also, I get an automatic raise for coming back (not to rub it in or anything).

This means that I'll be going back home for the summer. It'll be nice to be with the family again, especially my niece and nephews who are all changing so quickly. It's likely that things won't be too exciting this summer in regards to huge trips or anything like that--but I'm hoping to make a road trip to the west coast at some point (whether it's to Victoria, BC or Seattle, WA depends on how fast I renew my passport!).

Matt Costa, the artist of the week, is one of the many artists to whom I was introduced by one of the roommates I had last year. He has some great acoustic-y music that's nice and cheerful in sound but not always in lyrics. I highly recommend both this song and his album "Unfamiliar Faces" if you like acoustic music with the occasional touch of bluegrass.

Title and Registration ~ Death Cab for Cutie

The semester is rapidly drawing to a close--yet although exams seem to be coming up fast, the days are getting longer. My ability to pay attention in class or while reading long cases is definitely waning. Oh well, I'm almost done. This summer is without a doubt the most highly-anticipated summer I've ever had. I cannot wait for a break.

One of the diseases that inflicts law students, and indeed many post-secondary students in general, at this time of year is registritis. It's when all conversations and thoughts are consumed with what classes to take, when to take them, and how you can somehow sabotage other students' alarm clocks so that they don't wake up in time to be the first to register at 6:00 AM tomorrow. Yes, that's right--registration opens 6:00 AM tomorrow online. The computer system is probably going to crash, and with my luck my Internet won't work, so I'll have last pick of all classes. I guess we'll see how it goes. If I have to take Law of Road Construction because nothing's left, I'll take it.

Wow, this blog was pretty negative. For something a little more upbeat, the band of the week is Death Cab for Cutie--definitely one of my top 5 bands. I discovered them a couple of years ago and am pretty much addicted to them. I have 4 of their albums, and my income tax return (or rather, part of it) is going to be dedicated to rounding off my collection with the rest of their albums and their EPs. Their music is not catchy immediately all of the time--but the more I listen to a given song, the more I love it. It's interesting music with interesting lyrics. I'm sure anyone reading this blog has heard of them, but if you haven't had a chance to check them out in detail, I would suggest checking out their album "Plans" first, then probably "Transatlanticism" (the song of the week, one of my favourite Death Cab songs, is from this album), although "Narrow Stairs" and "The Photo Album" are fabulous, too (those are the 4 that I possess currently).