Beyond ... Tired ... Must ... Rest .... Wretchedly Tired Body.

Well, the end of last week was crazy, I spent a lot of time at school, and my eyes are tired from reading. Went home for the weekend, and pretty much either couched, or worked on my Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) assignment.

Monday was another busy day, and then on Tuesday, I flew to Calgary at 4:30 to surprise my Mom for her b-day dinner. Then ... at 11:00 PM I flew back to Saskatoon (got home at 2:00 AM this morning). Yup ... living like a rockstar thanks to my Air Canada flight pass (but not thanks to Air Canada ... it's almost cliche to make fun of their customer service, but you always afirm the belief in how bad it is each time you fly with them).

Drawback, of course, is that I'm absolutely bagged today. School was great ... I find the tutorials super useful, and I have a secret about the ADR class today. I'm not sure that I want this one out of the bag. I always pictured myself as a tough fighter chick, I ride a motorcycle, I've taken boxing classes, I'm a fighter ... so I thought. BUT ... today in ADR we did a mock mediation, and I was randomly assigned to act as a co-mediator. Here's the secret ... I LOVED IT. I KNOW! I didn't expect it either.

I loved thinking of myself more as the background organizer ... I loved critically thinking on my feet, and having to read people and adjust what you ask them and how you direct the conversation to draw what you need out of them to make the mediation meeting work. I could see how important the preparation is, you really need to be able to foresee the interests and positions that people bring to the table so that you can make sure that they're all addressed appropriately, especially when not all mediation participants will be able to articulate their issues succinctly. I felt a little manipulative, and I could feel myself doing a little bit of leading ... but not to assert my position, just to make people listen to each other.

It was hard, though, to leave my opinions out of it. I definitely felt a certain way about the dispute at hand, and could see how easy it would be as a mediator to lead the discussion with an agenda.

Anyhow ...

I'm in bed now, and I want to put my ADR assignment to bed ... while in bed ... heh heh heh.

Oh yeah ... AND ... AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL was awesome tonight. 2 hour premiere of cycle 8. Loved it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

I Want to Be That Girl ...

... not the girl in the KT Tunstall song "Suddenly I See", which is far too addictive for it's own good ... I want to be the girl that instead of feeling mortified and awkward in an embarrassing situation, rises above with glamour and grace ... yeah ... that's right ... I said glamour.

I went to the gym after school today (insert raucous applause and cheering here), and on my way back to my car I have to cross College Drive on a pedestrian overpass. I wore a skirt to school today, and as I'm walking over rush-our traffic on College Drive, I thought about how horrifying it would be if a gust of wind came up and blew my skirt up over my head. Yeah, I know it wouldn't happen, but how mortifying if it did! I wouldn't be the Marilyn girl that would flirtatiously hold my skirt down and giggle it off, while flashing the crazed commuters that look that said, how lucky you are to have seen my knickers. I'd be the bumbling, red faced klutz that would drop her school bag over the rail and have to watch it be destroyed by all the cars down below.

Sigh.

I Don't Know If My Brother-In-Law Reads This or Not ...

... but ... I just wanted to shout out to him about how much his Xmas Prezzie to me rocked. I'm almost halfway through the Starbucks giftcard that he gave me, and I've been getting lattes whenever I want, not restricting myself at all. It's such an indulgence, such a luxury, and I never have to carry cash for coffee anymore. I'M LIBERATED!!!! Mmmmm .... vanilla lattes in the morning .....

So, As For School Today

First of all, I must pat myself on the back for going at all. While I am not one for skipping school, today it was tempting. I'm not in school mode, one of my roomies threatened to order pizza and watch movies, and the thought of camping out on the couch as opposed to jumping on the bus to get to school (and my car) was less than appealing.

Lucky for me, school won out (or rather, thinking about the sacrifices that I'm making to be here at all, and the sacrifices and support that my Hubby offers me everyday won out). I got back my moot mark, and was more than pleasantly surprised by it. Also, our ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) Prof came into our Crim class today to organize up our mock sentencing circles for Friday.

Friday, our classes are cancelled, and as part of both Criminal Law and ADR we get to head to the Provincial Court House and take part in a mock sentencing circle with a judge and a mediator.

Sentencing circles fall under the resorative justice mandate, bringing community involvement into the sentencing process to foster healing, rehabilitation, and responsibility.

I volunteered to play a role in the mock circle, so I have to prepare to play the girlfriend of the offender (who robbed a 7-11 store). Should be interesting. The Prof said that they don't need you to deliver an academy award winning performance, but come on. I'm going to have to try and deliver the best girlfriend that my class-mates have ever seen. I wonder if I dare dress the part.

Sigh. I miss home already.

Wow, I Loved Being Home for Spring Break

Why does it go by so fast, though?

Saturday, I flew in to Calgary just in time for dinner, grabbed a bite with my Hubby, and then we got to meet some friends for a pint, friends we hadn't seen in a long time, so it was great.

Sunday we met my parents and Joe for breakfast, and then proceeded to motor about Calgary running errands, and sneaked in a little WOW.

Monday was a lazy, relaxing, movie watching, WOW playing kind of day (sigh), and on Tuesday Jason's parents came into town. We met them for dinner, and on Wednesday took Jason's mom cross-country skiing. Thursday we did a little shopping in Kensington, and on Friday we met Joe for lunch at Chili's, and proceeded again to run errands around town like crazy. By Thursday I started feeling the illness, you know, the one that sneaks up on you as soon as you slow down, the one that inevitably makes you feel crappy at the only time that you want to feel good? That's the one. Luckily, my Sister Kristin had made a casserole for dinner, so she graciously brought it over to our house for Julie, Jason and I to partake while we watched Grey's Anatomy, the Office, and the Oilers game.

Saturday was another take it easy kind of day, Sunday we saw Pan's Labyrinth (Wow, is all I have to say), and we took Julie computer shopping, oh ... and Jason got a welder. Monday we had dinner at my parent's house, and here we are. Tuesday, with so much to do that I'm already freaking out about it.

So - gotta go, and start reading. Seeing as I did NOTHING over the spring break. And I mean, NO SCHOOL WORK AT ALL.

I Just Caught Myself Doing It Again

You know, the modern day, non-performance version of the soliloquy. I was standing in the kitchen, thinking about my previous post and the virtues of reading fiction vs. non-fiction (I read both), and started to take the position of fiction, arguing persuasively why you can learn just as much from it.

I talked about fiction representing the ideas and positions of people, recorded at specific times in history, with different events having an impact on the viewpoint that wrote the words. I talked about people's loves, people's hates, the things that bother people, the things that make people laugh. Recurring themes, and what they say about humanity's constance in an everchanging landscape. Yup ... it was getting poetic.

I caught myself in the middle, because the argument was dramatic, it had flair. It made me realize how I only soliloquy when I'm alone ... and maybe I miss that sometimes. It has been a long time since I've spent any real time alone ... living with roommates again ... going home on weekends to visit the hub-ster. And while I value all the time that I spend with people, I sometimes forget the value in spending time with myself. I don't need a lot ... just enough to squeak out a soliloquy or two.

CONGRATULATIONS
CARRIE AND WADE

ON YOUR ENGAGEMENT!!!

I Had Good Intentions

To do some school related reading all day yesterday, but turns out that I got wrapped up in applying for jobs.

I sent out a ton of resumes and cover letters, so hopefully I'll hear back from some of them.

I looked for my Sister, as well, who will be in the market for a new job come Monday ... it's always more fun to look for jobs for someone else.

NOW ... today I've got to get some serious reading done, as I leave this afternoon for my spring break at home. I'm EVER so excited. My i-pod is charged, and I have yet to pack (still finishing laundry).

I think I'm going to get the most cumbersome text-book reading out of the way ... soooo ... looks like today will be a constitutional reading day.

We'll see how far I get (so many distractions).

Calgary, here I come!

OH - and I just read Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. Didn't intend on reading the whole book in two days, but it was that kind of book. LOVED IT. ADORED IT. READ IT if you haven't yet. It's pure magic, and it's going to be rattling around in my brain for a little while (always the way that I rate whether a book is good or not ... if it rattles, it's high up on the ratings list). I also had to Wikipedia Anansi, because of the rattling ... so ... I'm still learning, even if my distractions aren't law related.

I Told You There Was a Revolution

You can click the pic for a big version, or see http://www.thesheaf.com for a pdf version:



Also - if you look closely in the background, behind the Graham Lang high five, you'll see my little face, half cut-off by Graham's arm (the on in the glasses).

Day of Firsts Went Well

I enjoyed the tutorial, although I was rather disappointed at the fact that our timeslot wasn't nearly as exciting as the 8:30 tutorial timeslot. Apparently, there was smoke in the law library, the firefighters arrived, and the building was evacuated. In the emergency situation students weren't allowed to get their coats from their lockers, and were shuffled outside (in -29 degree weather - before windchill) in t-shirts and jeans. Yikes.

ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) was pretty good. We talked about Interests vs. Positions. It wasn't as touchy-feely as I was dreading that it would be, so the next few sessions should be relatively painless (and perhaps even interesting).

This evening I had a classmate over to go over our resumes. We had to primp and update our respective CV's, and were both pleased with the results. So ... if there are any summer student jobs out there in Calgary that anyone wants to offer up, I'm ready to show off a stellar resume. I have so many action words, it's astounding. The best part; my entire resume is true - there are no stretches of the truth, and I'm finally at a point in my life where I'm really proud of what's on there.

Sigh. Of contentment.

I also stopped in at the library today and got two more Philippa Gregory books, as well as another Neil Gaiman book ... so I'm in trouble. Still have to read Children of Men before Feb. 20th as well. YIKES. So much reading, so much school, so much fun to have in the next week that I have off.

How will I manage it all? Prioritization.

Also, two of our classes are cancelled tomorrow, so we only have our one morning class to attend ... then we're officially on spring break (woo hoo).

I even hit the gym today, so I must be feeling better. Hopefully the dreaded illness running rampant through the law school won't get me ... I'm dodging, dipping, ducking, diving, and dodging to avoid it.


The season of change, she is a blowing. Where will it all land? Where will everyone settle? It will only be too fun to see. Full steam ahead, in any case.

Day of Firsts

We have our first Charter Tutorial today with our only new prof this semester. Should be interesting.

We're also beginning the Alternative Dispute Resolution aspect to our Legal Research and Writing course. We even have an assignment that we have to turn in (heavens), but it isn't worth any marks.

I'm going to try and get to my car this morning without wiping out again. I slept for 11 hours last night, and it was awesome.

Where to Begin?

There's so much to tell.

I got my driver's license back. Some kind soul found it and turned it into the information lost and found in upper Place Riel. Thank you, whoever you are! I owe you one, even though I don't know who you are, karma's gonna get you!

First, the fluff.

Missed school on Friday on account of a killer migraine. I won't complain, though, since it's the first one that I can remember having this school year, which compared to when I live in Calgary is NOTHING.

Went home this weekend, was a quicker trip than usual, got to have dinner with the family (siblings and cuz), and got to take some much needed rest. There's a flu going around the law school (seemed like half the class was missing in Torts this morning), and I'm trying to avoid it.

Monday, after class, spent some more time in bed (again, I'm succumbing to the need for my rest that my body seems to be slapping me with).

Today, the roomies left for Cuba, I have the house to myself, and my energy seems to be slightly up ... I'm hoping it's a good sign.

Next, the crazy factor.

Last week I was hit with some kind of hormonal roller coaster, at least, that's what I'm writing it off as. I tried to convince my sister that I MUST be depressed, but she didn't believe me. I guess depression doesn't only last a week, but I tell you, I have some sympathy with sufferers. I didn't want to do anything, I had no energy, I hated everything, and my inner voice wouldn't stop whining. It was awful, and I hated every minute of it.

Lastly, the revolution.

Went to the USSU's AGM today, and watched a real-life revolution unfold. Law students and engineering students united to "take down the man". It was dramatic, it was exciting, and it was enlightening. For me, the people observations were the best part. Watching people get defensive, move into eye-rolling, and get little digs in ... I was reminded of watching Parliament's question period. I'm not sure if that's encouraging ... you decide on that one.

Also - check out http://www.theweaklylawyer.com - I added it to my sidebar.

OH - and PS. I was walking to the door of my townhome after school, and I slipped on the ice. I'm not talking about the meager slip where you look like a fool, but catch yourself and look around to see if anyone saw your stellar moves ... I'm talking about the kind of slip where my feet both shot out from under me, like I was Ritchie on February 3rds game, being hooked by Burrows - see video below. Except, I had no skates, and there was no fierce opponent with a stick buzzing around me. Serious, I landed hard on my hip, and can't wait for that to start hurting. The funny part is that while I was lying in the snow, trying to regain order with myself, I looked around to see where this ice was, and if I could peg negligence in maintenance on someone ... not to sue them of course, but just to see the practice of all this theory that I've been learning ... law in motion if you will - literally.



Click to watch Ritchie getting hooked - notice his feet fly out from under him - just like my feet did today!