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With November a mere two days away, thoughts turn to the release of the Bar results. Having been through this before, the feelings really don't seem to change much. I find myself having small bouts of anxiety, which alternate with myself talking through what happens if I don't pass this time. This all adds up to me feeling generally queasy all the time. I so don't want to go through this again. I can't handle this. And with Thanksgiving looming as well, I don't want to have to explain why I'm an idiot...again. I think I need a cup of tea now to settle my stomach.
Today is Halloween at the firm. So what if it's the 27th...we've been building up to this for a month. Decorations went up last night, so when we came in this morning, we were equally scared/mortified/mildly amused. There are ghosts in the halls, bats hanging from the ceilings, and we're not even talking about senior counsel! *rimshot* No, this firm takes the holiday serious...far more seriously than I've ever seen. The party ensues tonight, and the evil part of me would like to see the kids after the trick-or-treating, hopped up on sugar, bouncing off the walls...and know I wouldn't have to take them home. Instead, I might just stick around for a little food and drink and then bolt. So Happy Halloweening for those of you who are partaking early.
Just when you thought it was safe in the Library, I had to reassume my role as a trainer for about an hour. And once again I'm left scratching my head as to what the new person does when I'm not there. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day for them to get the work done...and they work an hour more everyday than I did. All I keep coming back to is the whole "can't see the forest for the trees" analogy. All the stupid questions and hangups about the details are preventing the larger tasks from being done. There's always room to ask why...but when you're under time deadlines, it's best to get the work done and ask questions later. But it never seems to work that way...two additional phone calls today alone after the training, neither of which were of anything even remotely necessary to make a phone call for. I try biting my tongue, but dammit, it hurts. Just leave me in peace with my research and my Megadeth, will you?
I just realized that I haven't blogged since Wednesday. I apologize. Life's been a tad busy. Saturday was spent in a full day CLE session. I know...I'm not an attorney yet, but I thought it might be a good networking opportunity. And even for me, the one who hates to schmooze, it was a good time. I met some great people who work all over the place, actually learned some new things, and actually heard a speaker refer to someone getting dooced for blogging. (I also saw the blank stares on most of the attendees faces' when that was mentioned.) Either way, the weekend seemed awfully short.
It's amazing how much more I enjoy going to work now. I'm doing work I enjoy. I make people happy doing that work. The firm now knows that I can do this sort of work. The dual role thing still rears its ugly head on occasion...namely in the form of phone calls. Why oh why did I give the new assistant my extension? I just know that this feels good. The day flies by, and the next day brings new and exciting things. Life is good.
Review the following:
"Sec. 948a. Definitions
In this chapter:
(1) UNLAWFUL ENEMY COMBATANT- (A) The term `unlawful enemy combatant' means--
(i) a person who has engaged in hostilities or who has purposefully and materially supported hostilities against the United States or its co-belligerents who is not a lawful enemy combatant (including a person who is part of the Taliban, al Qaeda, or associated forces); or
(ii) a person who, before, on, or after the date of the enactment of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, has been determined to be an unlawful enemy combatant by a Combatant Status Review Tribunal or another competent tribunal established under the authority of the President or the Secretary of Defense."
Be afraid...be very afraid. It could be you.
Hello Darkness my old friend...erm, I never really did like that song. It's quiet in the library. That's where I am now. It makes me happy to be here, and will be even more so when I get the hang of what I'm expected to do. I love looking for things, so this should be great. In the meantime I will sit in my comfy chair and enjoy the quietude. Aaahhh...
For a four day week, this has to be the longest week ever. Training has turned into an absolute nightmare. I've developed a headache each of the days I've done it, and no amount of caffinated beverages makes it any more bearable. The worst part is that it seems that nothing that I've taught has stuck...at all. We're on day 4 and I'm still giving directions on using the phone. Time is fluid and all that, but it's like I'm caught in some sort of time dilation thing-a-majig. I want to move at one speed and the trainee, another time zone all together. To say it's frustrating doesn't even begin to describe it. I've come close to hitting my head repeatedly against office equipment. (Except I value my head and the brains contained within it.) At one point today, I began repeating the Seinfeld mantra, "Serenity Now!" I'm not sure it's working.
Today I had 5 minutes for lunch. Why? Because somehow by adding an additional person to my department has caused me to do 3 times the work. I'm concerned about how this training is going. Now, perhaps it's me. I've always tried to train people to do things in a calm, logical manner, but I need to get a certain response in return to make sure I'm on the right page. So far, this is not happening. I'm trying not to be impatient, but more than once I've had to keep from shooting my mouth off. For instance, saying "Where on this green earth could you possibly get such an idea?" is not a good response to a question. Neither is "Dear Lord NO!" So far, I've been successful in not saying either of those things. It's only day two. I can be patient. It's early yet. I'll read this post tomorrow if things get tetchy.
Hope you all had a lovely three day weekend. For some reason, we actually get Columbus Day off. Don't quite understand why Columbus Day as opposed to say Veteran's Day or even Election Day. For those friends to the North, Happy Thanksgiving! Now that's something I can get behind...Thanksgiving in October. Instead, I've been running myself ragged over these last three days, developed yet another headcold, gotten in two rounds of golf, helped the spouse install 5 new windows, and a partridge in a pear tree. Well...not so much on the pear tree part, you can't plant one now that we're getting hard frosts. I need more sleep and the weekend is over. But I get to start to training the new person tomorrow and that's something new and exciting. Hopefully they don't get my cold.
First off, I got a cold call this morning from England. What the hell? Of course, you're so enthralled with the accent that you have a hard time figuring out what's going on. But luckily, they went willingly to voice mail.
In other news, things are changing for the Bean. The replacement starts Tuesday. Yes, you heard me right...Beanie will no longer be Marketing Guru. I will however have to train the new Marketing Guru. But that's okay because...then I become Researcher To The Stars! Well, that's not exactly my title, but I finally get to put those long pent-up researching skills to work. This is very exciting, and a refreshing change of pace. And the sooner I get to pawn off the cold-callers on someone else, the better.
There's one thing that makes Mondays more tolerable. When I came home from work today, the TiVo had a surprise for me. A brand new Harvey Birdman episode! It's been too long. It may only be 15 minutes long, but it's so much fun. And if I ever pass the Bar, I'm so going to say, "I'll take the case!!"
Seeing as how there is so little left of the good weather, we took it upon ourselves to get at least one round of golf in this weekend. Once we were out there though, we got to wondering why we were actually subjecting ourselves to such torture. Without a doubt we had one of the worst rounds we've ever played. I even needed to stop after the first nine for a hot dog...just to clear my nerves. That and I just plain needed a hotdog. And the back nine? Worse than the first. At one point I compared the whole experience to the Bataan Death March, and that's when it started raining. My feet hurt, I couldn't care less what was happening, and the swinging just got worse and worse. This so had better not be the last round I have this year. I can't stand to think that I'd have to go through winter thinking about that round.
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