Over the Wall

This is my wall of law. I put together colorful flyers of the rules I would forget more often than not no matter how many times I review them. I taped them next to my desk so I could just read them when I'm daydreaming or not being productive. I have 3 full signs on professional responsibility. That class didn't cement anything down regarding specific ethical rules so I had to relearn them even after the MPRE. More than anything, writing rules in crayon and color pens made me think how I would organize the rules so that I would remember them. It also made it easier to read than those tedious black and white Bar/Bri outlines. Here's hoping the wall helped me a bit come Tuesday.

Good luck everyone.

Back Muskels

At the end of my bis/tris and legs workout and I'm on the ab ball doing some crunches. I notice a petite Asian lady walking towards my direction and she's looking at me. She comes forward and says, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to tell you I really admire your back. Could you tell me what you do? I don't lift free weights so I don't know what I should be doing."

That was a first. Totally random stranger coming up to me to ask for workout tips. I told her it probably had to do a lot with swimming, but I wanted to help her anyway. She said she had some wedding to go to in a few weeks and wanted to look good.

I showed her the lat pulldown. She had been doing a machine called the Lat Pull where each arm had a separate grip, but it wasn't doing much for her since she was doing 110 lbs. and it wasn't even hard. Obviously, the machine was doing too much of the work for her. I put her at 50 lbs. for the lat pulldown (keep wide grip and make sure the motion is up and down) and she was challenged.

Then I showed her the one-arm row. It was a first for her so there were a few form corrections (only use your back, not your bicep) but after some pointers she looked great.

Then, I told her to do the seated row, but she already knew that, so I didn't bother watching her form, but now that I think about it, maybe I should've.

That picture isn't the best since the top covers up the muscles, but it was the only one I had.

No Restraint

Rachel Palley Split Back Mini Dress

• Rachel Palley Cape Mini Dress

Loeffler Randall. I didn't get these flats, but the heels I did get were very similar in color and style.

• These were from the last shopbop order.

Coping with Cooking

Waiting is grating on my nerves and I just can't stand studying. I wake up now wishing I had already taken the exam. The restless energy needs something to do besides working out and dancing so I've been cooking more than usual. Baking is so easy since all one really needs are eggs, butter, flour, sometimes milk and vanilla extract and a few other handy ingredients.

Tuesday
1. Whole wheat penne with canned tomato sauce cooked with ground chicken, onion, marinated shrimp, portabello mushrooms, fresh basil (from my plant!), a bit of dried oregano, mushroom powder, and white wine (cubes frozen from old wine). I just put in whatever sounded good to me and it turned out wonderfully; even the roommate concurred.

2. Vanilla custard in 4 custard cups from Deborah Madison's cookbook.

Today

1. Nigella Lawson's corn bread


















2. Chocolate chip cookies from cookie dough I froze from a batch I made last week.



















It was so easy to make the two because the corn bread recipe was very simple and since the oven was already at 400 degrees for the cornbread, I just turned it 25 degrees lower to bake the cookies. Total baking time was about half an hour, and I made it to hip hop class on time.

Tomorrow's planned dinner
Crustless quiche with eggs, milk, ground chicken, portobello mushrooms, spinach, and parmesean cheese

I don't have anymore flour, or else I would bake a crust. I don't want to buy a pre-made one because I've had them before and they just don't do it for me.

Chugging Along

Not having access to the ARC has made going to the gym more of a hassle, but nothing will get in the way of my routine. I have to drive a little further to get to the nearest 24-hour fitness, but it's worth it since it's a 24Hr SPORT, meaning it comes with sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi. I found this was a good cure to my insomnia. After a hard workout and some time in the sauna and jacuzzi, I fell into bed pretty exhausted and more relaxed than the previous nights.

I'm getting freaked out now and then still, but I do know the material. I think a lot of it is to stop freaking out so that I can figure out the issues and write what I down what I know on paper. Sometimes in outlining I will just forget to write down basic application of facts like what kind of lease I'm dealing with in a landlord tenant question. I don't want to throw away easy points.











Wrist Strap Offer for Gym Rats
If anybody needs some new wrist straps for heavy weight lifting you might want to check out ProWrist Straps. They have an offer out right now where if you place any order and put in the code WRAPS when checking out you'll get 15% off the entire order plus a pair of free wrist straps ($12.95 - $17.95 value). These will be 12" wrist straps with 1.5" velcro and 1/4" thumb loops. They just upgraded their wrist straps to 2" velcro and 1/2" thumb loops so they want to get rid of their old models. You have to put in the comments box the type you want (design by name). The only bad part is that you do have to pay for shipping which I think is around $7.

I use them because once I started lifting heavier weights (20 lbs up) my wrists would be fatigued and I would be afraid to lift in case I injured them. These help stabilize the wrists so I don't have to worry.

Time for another workout to try to relax.

Panic

I'm getting scared, really scared that I might not pass. I got 60% on mixed subject questions today. augh, but 82% on the released evidence questions. Feeling better about evidence but still need to solidify the California distinctions.

Freakin' scared about performance test. Tomorrow I'm doing the Donovan v. Bargain Mart, Inc one to compare with Island Girl. It involves fact gathering which I need to improve.

Just frightened in general that I will not remember enough of the rules for all the other topics that I think I know well enough now but will blank on later.

Keeping on Task

I love Hawaii.

My trip was also really productive because I knew I had to get work done before enjoying the island so I always managed to write 1-2 essays a day and review a topic. I went to the beach twice and it was super relaxing just soaking in the sun and reading books. I finished English Passengers by Matthew Kneale finally after having it around for more than a month. I'm onto The High Window, another Raymond Chandler book. Almost finished too after reading to cure my insomnia that last two nights.




















The movie The Brasher Doubloon (1947) was based on The High Window. It makes sense that his books are made into movies since they feature cool characters in LA settings. I want to rent The Big Sleep (1946) starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. That was my first Raymond Chandler book.

The only downside to the trip is that my sleeping schedule has been off and I missed coming into class Monday and Tuesday. (I can't go to bed until past 3 am!) But no big deal since the subject lectures are over and I did the essay simulation at home. I found out I really stink at PR essays but redeemed myself today after hunkering down to really go over all the rules and breaking down the subjects under each Duty.

The Performance Essays worry me because there is always so much to do. I feel like I have to figure out the format of the essay as I'm reading the sources to fit it into my outline because there isn't time to go back and look at them when I'm writing. Augh. Tomorrow, I'm simulating one so I can compare answers with Island Girl to get an idea of how a grader would look at it. I think it will be helpful.

Subjects I'm done studying for the most part:
1. Community Property
2. Wills
3. Trusts
4. Conlaw
5. Contracts
6. Crimes

Need to refine:
1. PR
2. Torts
3. Corporations and Agency
4. Remedies.

Really need to go over:
1. Evidence
2. Civ Pro
3. Real Property

I'll have to start doing MBEs again because I neglected them my entire trip and I'm only getting 72% of the mixed questions right.






















Yes, I bought another pair of shoes, but these are very practical since I haven't bought new tennis shoes in a couple of years and even though I put superfeet insoles in them, I can tell my feet are hurting more than usual after a hard running workout. I finally got a proper fitting where the shoe guy watches me walk and run. I run on my toes which I knew, but I didn't know it was bad until he said that it'll make my shins hurt and that it's bad for my knees. Makes sense because my knees do hurt after running too much. I tried to run by putting my entire feet on the ground instead of my toes first and it was really hard and tiring. These shoes are stability shoes meaning that they'll correct my tendency to overpronate, but I still need to figure out how to run correctly.

Off to Oahu

Off to Hawaii tomorrow for a Fourth of July getaway from BarBri. Of course I'll still be studying. The TEST is only 3 weeks away! But I can also enjoy the island with my man.





I successfully benched 85 lbs two days ago. The form on the first set (6 reps) was decent, but was worse on the second set (4 reps).

Biceps are doing alright. I can curl the 40 lb straight bar for 2 sets x 6 reps.

Happy Birthday to Mish! I love my sis and I think me, my bro, and her will have a great year together when I'm home.

Let It Go

Let It Go Lyrics

I love this song! Keyshia Cole's voice is rich and it has the tight beat from Biggie's "Juicy."
My favorite lines are from Missy's and Lil Kim's rap:

Missy:
(I don't want yo man)
Cause I got it like that
But it ain't even gotta be like that
(Eh he he he he)
Yo man he be callin me back
Cause see I'm fine and a matter of fact
(Eh he he he he)
He asked how I do dat dat
Fit my jeans over baby fat

Lil Kim:
lookin at his cousin
kinda buzzin
loose off the goose
got him on a chase like cranberry juice

Cranberry juice!!! :) So funny.