Adieu

Hello interwebs friends.

It's that time.  I've enjoyed this blog - meeting some new people and keeping in touch with some of those who are nearest and dearest to me.  But its time has come to an end.  I've always been a little bit ambivalent about keeping this blog - evidenced by the occasional long hiatuses.  There may be another blog in my future, but I'm leaving that to the future.  Right now other things are drawing me away, and I'm following.

For some of you, hopefully that will mean more time for phone calls and emails.

For others, I'll see you around the interwebs!

Technology is not my friend

Yesterday I tried to reformat my blog.  I feel like I've outgrown my current template, and I was seeing so many other lovely blogs out there.  I just wanted to try something new.  Three hours; many dysfunctional incarnations of the blog including over-sized headers, overlapping text, and random "flickr" images across the screen; and one vanished blog roll later, I'm back to my same template.  I did figure out how to stretch it a little, but before I threw my computer out the window, the babe suggested that I step away for a bit.  I did.  I came very close to stopping the blog altogether, so I think it's a sign of good things that I was able to open the page and look at it today.

I should be creating a new blog roll soon, so if you would like to be added, please let me know.

Also, if you know something brilliant about changing blog templates, you could let me know about that too.  I was trying to use a cool 3-column template from Our Blog Templates.  I've seen other blogs with it, so I know that someone knows how to make it work, but it caused me problems, including the random "flickr" image across the back - like behind the posting area.

Anyway, I figure at this point, I should just let it rest for a bit - the cutesy flowers will remain for the meantime.

"Detox": Day Three

My new favorite thing:  Breakfast smoothies.

The babe and I have been loving them - introducing all sorts of fun ingredients but sticking with that same basic recipe.  We've added in frozen raspberries, ginger, spinach (you can't taste it!), unsweetened apple juice, blueberries, peaches.  Yum yum yum.

Second favorite thing:  Homemade granola.  (Recipe at the bottom!)

The "detox" in general has been going well, though my mom laughed at me today when I told her what we've been eating - You're not really doing a cleanse, are you?  Well, perhaps not in the traditional sense, but I'm not going to spend 7 days eating just cabbage soup.  I'm still sticking to the goals I set for myself, and I think I'm doing a pretty good job of it, if I do say so myself.

I had a wicked caffeine/sugar withdrawal headache the first night and into the second day, but I just kept drinking more water, and eventually it went away - thank goodness because at one point I did think that my head was actually going to explode.  Just goes to show how much my body's gotten used to the caffeine and sugar.  While I can't see myself going cold turkey for any extended length of time, I hope this will help me change the balance a little - more water, less caffeine.

I've been loving all the time in the kitchen cooking up yummy healthy vegetarian meals, though I did buy some chicken today at the farmers market for when I'm back to eating meat.  We had friends over last night, and I made some delicious whole wheat crust for our veggie pizzas.  While the lack of cheese made it difficult for my veggies to hang on to the pizza, it was quite delicious.

Drinking more water has been shockingly challenging - I just forget!  But I'm working on it.  And I've got plenty of energy for cooking, playing the wii, doing yoga, and bathing the Jamster.

And now, for the homemade granola recipe!

Easy granola recipe
Adapted (ever so slightly) from our dear Vermont ladies' granola

7 cups rolled oats
1 cup each:
    toasted unsweetened coconut (I toast it myself)
    wheat germ
    sliced almonds
    pecans
    sunflower seeds
    pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup oil (I use olive oil)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Mix all of the ingredients in a pan (maybe two pans) and bake for 3-4 hours, stirring once every hour.
Your house will smell amazing.

"Detox": Day One

In the last month, I have gotten into bed several nights and realized that the only water I consumed that day had been infused with coffee grounds.  I've basically been living on caffeine, sugar, cheese, and alcohol.  I've been feeling gross and sluggish...and cranky.  So I decided that I needed to gently but firmly pull my hand out of the Lucky Charms box and pry my fingers from my coffee mug to get myself back into some good healthy eating.

I wanted a little kick-start - I think in part to accentuate the end of the law school life and the beginning of the not-law school life, whatever that may be.  I started by browsing the web for "detox diets," but I had a really hard time finding one that was focused on health and not on weight loss.  After struggling with an eating disorder for many years, juice fasts and super calorie restriction plans just don't work for me.  So I was delighted to land on a recent (never home) maker post where she made reference to a detox diet that she did earlier in the year.  She based her gentle plan loosely on Gwyneth Paltrow's, but with more food - which sounded just right for me!

Using Ashley's and Gwyneth's diets, I created a plan for my own 7-day "detox."  The major goal for me is just to reintroduce my body to healthy eating and get rid of some of the junkier stuff that I've been feeding myself.  So, first things first:  More. Water.  I'm trying for the old standard eight glasses per day.  Second, more fruit and vegetables.  I'm making yummy smoothies for breakfast in the morning (and I'm including the recipe for the first one below), and incorporating more salads and fruits and veggies as snacks.  Finally, I'm cutting out some of my....less healthy habits.  That means no alcohol, no sugar, no dairy* (except yogurt), no processed foods - including processed grains, and no caffeine (yikes!).  Because I'm being very gentle about this, I am going to use natural sweeteners like agave nectar, honey, and maple syrup sparingly.

Those who do real detoxes would likely scoff at mine, but I'm pretty excited about it.  After feeling blah for the last few weeks, I'm looking forward to getting back to a happier, healthier me.  Starting with some really good food.  Add yoga, sleep, crocheting, and novels - I should be as good as new in no time at all.


I loved the smoothie this morning - perfect for summer.  The oatmeal in the recipe threw me off at first, but it turned out really great.  I just made the oatmeal last night and then threw it in from the fridge this morning.  It would also be a nice substitute for bananas in a smoothie if bananas don't work for you.

Strawberry Smoothie
From Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health

2 cups chopped strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened soy milk because it had fewer additives)
1 tablespoon sweetener (It's optional - I used agave nectar but probably could've done without)

Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Makes 2 servings.
Enjoy.

*I don't actually think that dairy is unhealthy - just that it's a good thing to cut out every now and then for a little system cleanse.  

Recap

Oh interwebs, I have missed you.  I would like to say that I was kidnapped and held for ransom, and that's why I haven't been writing.  But that would be a lie.  The reasons for my absence are no less exciting, though.

1.  I FINISHED LAW SCHOOL.

2.  After #1, I didn't want to look at my computer anymore.

3.  I went to North Carolina, just like last year, and had a ridiculously wonderful time.  I tie-dyed.  I learned new card games.  I engaged in sing-alongs.  I drank.  I played wiffle ball.  I ran through a sprinkler.  I played in a pond.  I ate tons of yummy food.

4.  I also pulled ticks off myself, my beloved, and the Jamster.

5.  I worked on my bar application.

6.  I GRADUATED.

7.  I GRADUATED.  (In case you missed it the first time.)

8.  I played with my family.

9.  I worked on my bar application.

10.  I cursed my bar application.

11.  I worked on my bar application some more.

12.  I MAILED MY BAR APPLICATION.

So now I can breath again and return to the computer and catch up on all of you and possibly clean my apartment.

Who knew DC was so pretty?

After 8 years in DC, I finally made it down to the National Arboretum.  All I can say is that I'm ashamed and saddened that I never went before.  It was absolutely lovely and incredibly peaceful.

I was tickled by the azalea garden.  In the south, EVERYONE has azaleas in their front yard.  They're everywhere, and I have never really been a fan at all.  They're just sort of messy.  The bushes don't have a shape, and when they're not flowering, they're ugly.  And the white flowers turn brown really quickly, so there were lots of yards with ugly-shaped bushes with brown flowers on them.  Gross.

So I thought it was weird that the National Arboretum had a whole garden devoted to them.  But it turns out that the azaleas were in bloom and actually very beautiful.  I saw some varieties that I had never seen before, which people in Georgia should maybe think about substituting for the white ones in their collections.

And we loved the dogwood garden - so peaceful.  I didn't get very many good pictures, but we thought these two trees had very interesting blooms.

And I enjoyed relaxing on the grass and staring up into the sky.

Then I fell in love with this man.

Probably okay for the babe because I don't actually know who he is.  And he's a man.  But painting out among the trees?  Awesome!

But what was most wonderful, you ask?

The fiddleheads in Fern Valley.  I just adore the little whimsical things.  A whole frond curled up into those tiny little heads.  Love them.

All in all, a completely delightful day in DC.

The day that would never come

Tomorrow morning I take my last law school exam ever.*

I'm so deep in my own crankiness that I can't even imagine what it might feel like when I walk away, but here's hoping that it's something good.

*A little anti-climactic because it's pass/fail, but hey, I still have to pass.

All that's missing is a poodle skirt

I grew up adoring old movies and television shoes.  There were evenings you would have thought that we hadn't moved up to a color television yet, with all of the black and white Lucille Ball and Ginger Rogers and Bing Crosby all over the screen.  I loved the shows themselves, but what really drew me in were the clothes.  The women were so classy and gorgeous, even the comedians.  I longed for that hourglass figure - oh, just give me hips and boobs and please, dear god, a waist! ran through my little 10-year old brain.

My love for splendid clothes expanded - Fanny Brice's gorgeous clothes in Funny Girl, Jane Austen dresses, the bonnets of the Ingalls girls, the voluminous skirts of Deborah Kerr in the King and I, the cleaving bosom of Scarlett O'Hara - oh, how I longed for a cleaving bosom.

No matter what's in fashion at the time, I've always felt that they used to do it better.  When I tried out for The King and I my senior year of high school, I wanted to be on stage and sing, but what I really longed for was a good excuse to follow in Deborah Kerr's footsteps and wear one of those awesome dresses.  It turned out that I was better suited for the role of Lady Thiang (as well as a white 17-year old can be, I suppose), but no worries - the moment I stepped into the costume shop, I was done for.  I got to have 5 costume changes during that show.  I was in heaven.

So imagine my delight when I recently discovered some amazing vintage shops while procrastinating perusing Etsy. It's like these people were building shops just for me.

I should be clear - I'm fashion shy in the day to day. I wear the clothes that happen to be in style at the moment - nothing too fancy or interesting.   I'm not the sort of gal who can pull off a 1940s sailor dress while I'm out getting the groceries - hence, the draw of the theatre.

So, here's a request to anyone out there looking to direct a show and set it in the 1940s or 50s*, please cast me in it (preferably as the lead) and let me wear this:

From Timeless Vixen Vintage 

Or this (it's a bathing suit!):

From Heartsndilly's Shop

Or this:

From Dear Golden Vintage 

Or please please please, for the love of god, this:

From Adelaide Homesewn's Shop 

Am I wrong?  They just don't make clothes like this anymore, do they?


* In the alternative, someone could host a Halloween party where all of the girls are specifically commanded not to dress like hookers.  But that's a whole other post for another day.

Turn Turn Turn

To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.

The babe and I have a recurring conversation about death - or life - depending on how you look at it.  The babe wants to die in her 80s, and I would like someone to come interview me when I'm 110 because I'm the oldest person around.  The babe's reasons make sense - she doesn't want to live long enough to see all of her loved ones die, and she doesn't want to be alive when she can't really live anymore.

It's not that I want those things to happen - it's just that I need the time.  I cling to stories of people who are bopping around, mowing the lawn and gardening when they're in their 90s. There are so many things that I want to do, and I need all those years if I'm going to get to them all.

There are days when I feel just desperate about the fact that I don't have a garden, not even some herb pots by the window.  I wonder how I can dream of having land and a vegetable garden, how I can delightedly buy myself a copy of The Backyard Homestead when I didn't even make it a priority to rent an apartment with a south-facing window.

I'm daily traumatized by the fact that I don't write regularly, that I haven't acted in years, that I'm not in a choir, that  I haven't started my own baking/crafting business spent more time crafting, that I'm not a mom yet, that I've never learned to speak Spanish.

But then I try to calm myself by remembering back to this post I read a couple of years ago.  I don't have to do everything right now - in fact, I can't.  Asking myself to start a backyard homestead while starting a job at a large law firm would be like asking the universe to make it snow while it's 95 degrees outside.  We can't ask for all four seasons at the same time, but just because it's spring now doesn't mean it will be spring forever.

This is my legal season and realizing that it will not go on forever will allow me to really appreciate it for what it is.  Believing that there will be many, many years and many seasons in the future for me to do all of those things that pull on my heart strings helps me in those moments where I feel panicked about the things I'm not doing.

So I'm holding on to all of my dreams and desires and counting on the fact that I'll be around here long enough for their seasons to come.

When I grow up, I wanna be a debtor

We are so very close to the end here.  The babe's last final is today, and I have one more next Friday - pass/fail, though, so I'm feeling pretty relaxed about it.

As we spend our final days in law school, there's much talk of jobs - who has one, who doesn't, who has decided to forgo legal employment entirely.  I feel very very lucky to have a legal job for the coming year (even if I don't know the actual date I will begin), but so many of my friends do not have jobs and are struggling with the fact that everything after the bar seems to be a complete unknown.

When the law school rankings came out last week, the babe and I were shocked by the employment numbers.  With the financial meltdown and rampant layoffs and deferred hiring and law firm closings of last year, we were shocked to see such high employment numbers.  Something just seems...off.  I don't know how the numbers are crunched, but I'm skeptical.

I was glad to read this article about two students who are creating a non-profit organization - and website - to address the lack of detailed, reliable employment information for legal students.  I think what they're doing is so incredibly important.  For most students, law school involves a huge amount of debt.  In the past, many students have gone into law school under the assumption that they would leave with a "good-paying" job that would help them pay off that debt.  Students choosing to enter law school now need to understand what their real chances are of finding employment and what types of employment are available and probable out there.  Hopefully these numbers will help encourage more students to think carefully about the financial decision that they're making.

The recommendation that I see so often for students to go to the best school that they can get into isn't always the smart financial choice, particularly in a job market where there may not be a salary after graduation to pay off all that debt.  Sometimes the smarter choice is to go to a lower-ranked school where they can get a scholarship, or go part-time and work, or it might even be to decide that law school actually isn't the best choice in the end.

I'm excited to see some people addressing the issue, and I'm hopeful for this new crop of would-be lawyers.

The best way to a dog's heart is through his stomach

We've been feeding Jammer by hand.  Our trainer recommended it to address the resource guarding problem, and I've seen it in some guidebooks as well.

I guess the theory is that he'll learn that we're the yummy food ladies we're in charge of when he gets to have things. He gets each piece of kibble when we hand it to him.

At first I thought it seemed really irritating and time-consuming, but it has become one of my favorite things to do with him.

Maybe it's the leo in me -  I love having his adoring little face look at me expectantly, waiting for that next piece of kibble.

Of course, in these pictures, I've caught him giving the same adoring looks he gives to me - but to the babe!

Traitor.

Sigh.  I just can't bring myself to hold it against him, though.

Fiduciary duty from beyond the grave

I just came across this sentence in the corporations outline that I'm using to create mine:

"The burden is on the corporation to prove the decision was made in good faith by disinterred people."

And here I thought they just had to be disinterested.
Corporations just got way more exciting.

Happy Things in the Midst of Finals

Our beautiful orchids (this picture doesn't do them justice). There are three blooming at the same time!

A yummy lunch - tuna sandwich, sugar snap peas, and kettlecorn popcorn. Mmm.mmm. good.

Hanging out (i.e. mutual studying) with the babe close by.

Reward for finishing mediation paper = 30 well-spent minutes at Carpe Librum, the annual mega used book sale.

And of course this guy.

P.S. If anyone can tell me how to post pictures in blogger without it sucking total ass and making you want to stab yourself, I'd appreciate it. Thanks. Okay, back to happy thoughts.

The light at the end of the longest tunnel ever - the one where you have to walk across broken glass the whole time

The law and literature papers are printed and stapled. They're not brilliant, but they also don't suck ass. Most importantly, they are now out of my control, which is - ironically - a wonderful feeling.

It's funny how you can work so hard* on a paper and by the time you turn it in, all you care about is whether it's the right number of words. What does it f-ing matter what it says? Or is that just me?

So now all that remains is the mediation paper, the corporations exam, and the pass-fail commercial paper exam. Seventeen days until freedom. And in three hours and fifteen minutes, I'll walk out of my last law school class ever - except of course for that thing called Bar Review, but let's not think about that. Let's focus: Last. Law. School. Class. Ever.

Yes Ma'am.

* By work so hard, I of course mean: begin writing the paper no more than one week before it's due and then work frantically on it while checking blogs, walking the dog, going to class, sleeping, having dinner with old friends, posting random pictures of your to-do lists, and watching the occasional episode of Jon Stewart.

Can you say high fructose corn syrup?

I had hoped to be in a better position going to bed this evening - with 2 first drafts done and not just one - but it's not to be. I'm halfway there on the 2nd one, so I'm not totally lost.

As my dear friend B reminded me, sometimes what you need in these difficult times is a high ponytail and some double bubble. Tomorrow, getting back to my college roots with Pril, I might also throw in some Doritos and peanut M&Ms. Not my normal snack foods, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Trail mix just ain't gonna cut it. There's work to be done.

The Last Wind Up

Possibly the last to-do list of the semester.

After Wednesday (dear god, please) I should have done all of the things on this list - especially since two of them are due on Tuesday (although I'll likely still be working on my bar application), and all I will have left to do is study for two exams.* And one of them is pass/fail. And then I'll be done. FINISHED.

* Who knew studying for exams could feel like such a Not Big Thing? After writing these papers, it'll be a welcome diversion.

The New Life: I've got a piece of american cheese in my pocket

I pushed fairly hard for a dog, and I was super excited when we were heading down to get Jammer. Nervous, but excited. I knew that all of the struggles of having a new dog would completely fade away in the shadow of my love for him, my complete joy in having a darling puppy in my life. I imagined myself waking up every morning, gleefully hopping out of bed to run over to my puppy and shower him with kisses.

I was wrong. As much joy as Jammer has brought us, he's also brought a lot of stress and some fear and even some regret. That last has been the most painful.

Things like peeing in the house or not walking well on the leash - those things I can relax about. We'll get there. We'll figure that stuff out. But the resource guarding has been really, really hard for me. When I was explaining it to my mom she asked is resource guarding just a yuppie term for biting?

I explained that it's a dog trainer term and that it's sort of a sub-set of aggression. He's not a generally aggressive dog. He hasn't been aggressive with other dogs, and he's not aggressive with us generally. He just gets a little aggressive about his favorite toys and treats. Let's be clear - he hasn't bitten either of us. Or anyone else that we know of. But he makes aggressive moves. He'll get very still, put his paw on his toy and then look up at you like did you think you were going to take this away from me? If we have to, we coax him away with a little special treat. That's now after we've started working with a trainer. In the beginning, before we realized what was going on, he snapped at us a few times.

The first time he snapped at me, my feelings were hurt. I know - he's a dog. I'm not saying it's rational, but all I could think was we rescued you. we're feeding you and loving you, and you're going to try to bite me?! I realize now that it's a normal dog action (not an acceptable one, but a normal one), but somehow I can't help allowing it to affect my relationship with him. This little bit of fear and hurt and disappointment keeps seeping in.

Between that and the kleptomania (which leads to resource guarding) and the separation anxiety (if that's really what it is - there's some question about it), there have been moments where I have wondered if we made a bad choice - Is he not the right dog for us? And then I feel overcome with guilt - this is OUR dog! We love him! I think back to this Dog Whisperer episode that I saw where the woman's dog was aggressive with strangers and had even bitten HER MOM twice, and she was all I guess this is just the life I'm going to have to lead. I mean, that's devotion to your dog.

A moment of clarification again - Jammer is our dog. We love him. That's not going to change.

But this dog ownership business is filled with so many more emotions than I had anticipated. Perhaps that's affected by our close proximity to finals, and perhaps things will settle down a bit afterwards, and perhaps working with our trainer will solve all of these dilemmas. But whatever happens, the last month has definitely been an enormous learning experience - about the difference between expectations and reality and what it means to truly accept another being into your life, faults and all.

Weekend with (In)Sanity Gal

Emphasis on the (in). Things are not sane around here - mostly because I've been crazy this weekend and have not done nearly enough work. But more on that later.

I went to my first meetup group with a knitting/crocheting group in DC. Everyone there seemed to be way more advanced than me, but I had a nice time and really just enjoyed having made the space to do something creative. And here's the beginning of the lovely (hopefully!) bag that I'm making! I'm struggling a bit with the part where I join the different colors, but I figure I can do it this way on this bag and then try it another way the next time.

I headed to the local library and checked out almost every book they had on dog training. Of course, they've mostly been sitting on the table since then. We've scheduled an appointment with a trainer next week to help us with some of the more serious concerns (read separation anxiety and resource guarding). I'm glad to have the books but more excited to have a trainer coming - I'm a person who benefits from a little authority. I think I'll feel much better having someone come in tell us what to do.

And then at some point, I had the painful realization that I have two weeks to write three papers, totalling 45 pages. I have not a single page.

PS - As I was writing this post, the babe came up behind me and asked what I was doing - I pointed to the title of the post. She giggled and, waving her arms wildly in the air, squealed "I SPEND EVERY WEEKEND WITH (IN)SANITY GAL!" What a nut.

Misery LOVES company

A couple of days ago, I left a message for my friend C - who has a 2 year old and another on the way -, apologizing for not having called sooner and relating some of the basics of our first week of challenges with the dog, whining a little bit about how hard it was and about having to clean poop out of his crate.

The message she left back:

(Gleefully) HI! It's C - I was feeling so cranky until I got your message, but now I'm feeling so much better. You're a MOM now! You have to clean up poop, and you can't ever go out with your friends! And of course it's all worth it, but it kind of sucks at the same time! HA HA!

Nice to know I'm part of that club.

Even really dark clouds can still have silver linings

I graduate in 55 days, and I'm finished with finals two weeks before that. This law school adventure is almost over.*

This past Friday night was Barrister's Ball - law school prom, if you will. The babe and I have gone every year and always have a wonderful time. It's like going to a club all dressed up with all our friends. This year, a big group of us squished together to pose for a photo during pre-party festivities. As the little self-timer flash on the camera began to blink and we gleefully yelled at one friend to hurry into position, I thought about how incredibly grateful I am for the wonderful group of friends that I've made in law school. And all of my friends weren't even there.

I have done a lot of complaining while I've been on this journey. A. Lot. And I'm not saying now that all that complaining wasn't valid or that the feelings weren't real - they most definitely were. But as we get closer to graduation and to the start of a new journey which will carry many of my friends far away from me - to California and beyond, I find myself focusing more and more on this particular blessing of law school.

I've done a lot of work, and there have been some really crappy test-taking, paper-writing, forgot-how-much-reading-this-was days. But I've also gone to great dances, had wonderful potlucks, gone camping, played games, enjoyed dinner parties, laughed at lunch time, and spent weekends on vacation together with some of the most fun people I've ever known.

So, thank you, law school. (And enjoy it, because this might be the only time you'll ever hear it from me.)

* Don't speak to me of the bar.

And he looks just like Ellen Page

Meet Jammer.

I apologize if you just fell over and thought you had died from how cute he is. Please know that I feel your pain. It happens to me multiple times every day. He is painfully adorable. And his personality matches. He's just super.

Hold on, though. Before you run out and get one of your own, you should know that I've cried almost every day since we got him a week ago. Having a new dog is HARD.

Go on - all you dog owners out there can snicker away. Laugh at the poor girl who wanted a dog and didn't know how hard it would be. No, seriously. Laugh. I deserve it. I'm not sure what I was thinking, and the babe kept telling me - It's going to be hard. And I was all, we're not getting a new puppy. He'll be housetrained. It won't be that hard.

She's been so good about not saying I told you so.

So we got this little 21 pound guy from a rescue organization in rural Virgina. He's a schnauzer mix of some sort - we've heard various theories about the other part of him, but for now we're just willing to settle on adorable. He's about a year old, and over the last month, he's been with a family that gave him up for economic reasons, in a shelter, with a foster, and now with us. He came to us "crate trained and house trained" and with the name Jammer, which we love. This is what he looked like the night we got him

Still a cute guy, but he smelled like a room full of wet mangey dogs. That grooming was a lifesaver.

So, here are a few of the things I've learned in the last week about adopting a dog:

1. When you stop at petco on the way home, don't give the dog some random treats he's never had before. He'll throw up in the car.

2. When people say that an adopted dog will have a transition period, what they mean is that he WILL DEFINITELY have a transition period. That means YOUR dog, not just other dogs that other people adopt.

3. Transition period does not mean 2 or 3 days. Also, it might involve your dog crying/howling/barking/whining when you leave, which might involve you crying/holding your breath/feeling panicked when you leave.

4. When a rescue organization tells you that your dog is housetrained, plug up your ears and sing la la la la la la so that you can't hear them. If he is in fact housetrained, then you'll be delightfully surprised, but if he isn't, it'll just be what you expected.

5. Your dog being smart may or may not be a good thing. It might mean that he's going to learn to sit really quickly. It might also mean that he's going to learn to move the bottom out of his crate so he can poop on it and shift it out from under him while he's home alone.

6. Not getting a puppy doesn't mean that you're relieved of the need/duty/obligation/compulsion to run home at every possible moment to check on your dog and see whether he's still crying/has pooped in his crate/has peed in his crate/is still as cute as when you left.

7. When you get a new dog who's been in a shelter situation, he might have some issues - like maybe worms. Or an infection on his little man part.

8. You can fall entirely in love with a dog even when you've spent about an hour cleaning his ample poop out of the tiny crevices of a poorly designed crate.

Crotcheting is better than Corporations

This last semester of law school, I'm walking a delicate balance between pretending that I'm not in law school anymore and feeling bad about not doing more work. To be fair, I'm a sort of hard worker in general, so aside from the pass/fail class I'm taking, I do the reading, pay attention in class, and study for exams. I'm just less invested this semester. All of that to say that I'm diving in to some activities that I've really missed while I've been in school - one of which is crocheting. I pulled out my hooks and yarn and started playing with some patterns.

Completely inspired by Lucy over at Attic24, I bought $25 of lovely yarn.


And in the next week or so, I'm planning to get started on this delightful bag so that I have something to put all my yarn in!


PS - For those of you - ahem, Virgin - who have absolutely no interest in all this craftiness, please feel free to skip my crafty posts. But be forewarned, I think (and hope) that there's more to come!

I believe children are the future

Do you remember the episode of Who's the Boss where Tony sang that song in the classroom where he was taking night classes? It was one of the later episodes after most everyone stopped watching because Sam was all grown up, and Tony and Angela were together, so it wasn't fun to wonder whether they were going to get together. The show had jumped the shark. But then last year when I didn't have television, I found old episodes on you tube and watched them incessantly. I don't know. I have a thing for bad 80s/90s television. Anyway, that's not the point.

Here's a little pick me up for your day!

Because looking back is better than living in the present

Even though I was sick the entire time, Spring Break was pretty great. Particularly when you compare it to the first Monday back after Spring Break, when my nose is raw and cracked from blowing, and I seem to have forgotten what it means to be a student. So instead of focusing on that awfulness, I'm remembering a few of the delightful moments of last week:




Later that day, I would parallel ski all the way down a green run. And the next day, I would ski on 3 blue runs. Can you say "(In)Sanity Gal conquered the mountain?" That's right.




This is a sign of the moment while, sitting on the toilet in the hotel, I realized that I must make more of an effort to feed my crafting desires. I really liked the look of the fabric of the shower curtain, and I thought to myself I wonder if anyone would notice if I stole this shower curtain?*

When we came home (and discovered that I had most kindly gifted my horrific cold to the babe), I made a kick-ass pot of chicken soup with whole wheat matzo balls from the babe's mom's recipe, which we demolished in no time at all. We ate it twice a day for like four days. Yum.

* I didn't.