In my new role as a new 1L, I do manage to do other things than study law. They are law-related, but fun for me.
I recently became published in the Texas Bank Lawyer. To be a member, which I am not yet, one must attend ten meetings and publish ten blurbs for the publication. One of my friends on a message board told me it was quite something to have written on to a journal after the second week of school. It didn’t dawn on me that it was one of my school’s publications until I read the issue when my blurb was published. Duh. I just finished another one. I will have to revise it for sure, but if it is published, it will make me 6 and 2 for meetings and blurbs. I enjoy the technical writing. Thursday after my class ended at 5, I didn’t feel like going home yet, nor studying, so I worked on the blurb. Am I an expert in banking law, absolutely not. Do I have several checking accounts? Certainly, even a joint one with my sister using my money so she can care for Scoot and Hannah in Arizona.
The younger students are amazed by how much fun I think law school is. I thought for sure I would fail (one doesn’t have a clue until the one final exam at the end of the semester; and even then you don’t get grades until well into spring semester after tuition has been paid.)
After taking a practice midterm Thursday night on impulse-get ‘er done- I felt after looking at answers the professor gave to review, that I would certainly pass. Some of the examples were dreadful. I like to write, and 35% of the grade on the 8 hour take home final is on a polished paper. If I got full credit on writing style, this would leave room for being a dummy on content.
The midterm told me I could do it, and while I didn’t think I could apply the rules to the hypothetical, I did, and had fun doing it. Fun on a test, now that’s nutty. I do have that t-shirt that says, “What if there were no hypothetical questions”?
I talked about Sr. Lopez a while back. He’s the gentleman who cleans the library on weekends. I saw him yesterday. We always chat in Spanish. He makes my day. Here’s a guy, going about his business making the building clean, being proud of his work, and taking time to chat with students while respecting that we are working hard. He doesn’t bother those with their noses in books. If our eyes meet, we say hello and chat in a whisper. He puts up with my Spanglish.
I did join the Hispanic Law Students’ Association. I have not a drop of Latin blood in me. However, I tremendously respect the work the organization does, especially the boot camp put on before orientation. I will help next fall.
So Sr. Lopez is one of my heroes. My absolute hero at the law school is not a lawyer, either. Dr. Natalie Tarenko, whom I have written about before, if not here, then on the message board where I get my good advice, is the writing specialist for the law school. She is truly passionate about her work. Some of the students balk at re-learning high school grammar and punctuation, but it is crucial for legal writing, which is a whole different writing animal, pun intended. I am comma-impaired, but I have learned in law school when in doubt, stick in a comma,,,,, Dr. Tarenko is busy doing workshops for the students as she did for us summer entry students. I tell everyone I can to attend every one.
Dr. Tarenko actually reads this blog. She surprised me when I was dropping off my latest blurb for the Texas Bank Lawyer publication of the school, when she talked about my entry titled, Is Everything in Texas Fried? She only has positive things to say. Blog writing is not perfectly crafted, but she takes her busy time to read it. So, Dr. Tarenko, you made my day Friday, just as Mr. Lopez makes my day on Saturdays.
I can’t forget the other one in my life who makes a difference-Kitty Matthew. I wrote earlier how we had a deal about the office. He does not bother me while I am at the desk, and I provide a kitty cup outside the door. Usually I find him dead center in the office.
After I finished the practice midterm at midnight Friday, this time in the dining room, I saw Matt curled up on my briefcase. I never knew he was there. Good job, buddy.
Thanks to all who do little things that in reality make my days brighter.
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