After you get where you're going, take off your shoes and your socks then walk around on the rug bare foot and make fists with your toes

Finals. Are. Over. Good thing to! I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. It was touch and go there for a while. The tests were brutal, but they are over. I'm so happy! And tired. I'm really tired.

Finals, as everything, came with their scandals and gossip. On Friday, after my federal civil procedure final, we got an email from the Dean of Academic Affairs (who also happened to be my civ pro teacher. Anyway). Apparently some people had been caught cheating. You could literally feel the anger coming out of that email. Dean Mayer ended the email by saying that anyone who had cheated should voluntarily withdraw because they do not meet the minimum qualifications to work in this profession. Which is true. If you have "I cheated" on your transcript, the possibility that you will pass the bar are slim to none. Despite what people think about lawyers, we actually do have an ethics code. The bar consists of the actual exam and an ethics exam. You also have to pass an apparently very vigorous ethics shakedown, like a background check but much more personal. At any rate, being a cheater doesn't bode well for passing a very vigorous ethics shakedown. And, though I try to remember mercy and forgiveness and all that, I have to say I think they deserve what they get. Not only did the majority of us work our asses off for these exams, but after the cheaters were caught none of us could go to the bathroom during the exam. They're four hours long!! Oh sigh. I'm so glad they're over. 1 semester down, 5 to go...

Anyway, I'm currently sitting in the Albany airport. Yeah!! It's snowing, so I'm hoping that my flight won't get delayed. It looks like everything is still on schedule, so here's hoping! I can't wait to be home. I'm so excited to see everyone. All my friends were talking about how excited they were to finish finals and go get wasted with their friends back home. I'm sure they thought I was a little dorky when I said I was excited to finish finals and go home and dance around the Christmas tree with the fam. I don't care. There's plenty of time to go party with friends, but I only get to see the fam for three weeks, so we're gonna party Brinkerhoff style! And I'm so excited! I expect much laughing, dancing, playing games, and - of course - dancing. Probably throw some singing in there too. I can't wait to see my sisters and my bro, the kiddies, even the dogs! And of course, my Mom! SG here I come! I hope you're ready; NY has made me a little crazy...

We think of the greatest stuff down here, but then I can never remember any of it later.

Finals week is upon us!! Not really. It actually starts next week, but it feels like it is upon us. My last class is tomorrow, but I imagine it's going to be pretty low key. Most of us have already checked out of the class-mode in favor of the study-my-brains-out mode. I've been waking up early to get a bit of extra study time in, but this morning I woke up a little earlier than I intended. I, and the rest of the neighborhood, were treated to the dulcet tones of two very angry people. Who knew someone could muster enough energy to be that bloody angry at 5:30 in the damn morning. I mean, honestly. I would have almost been impressed except they weren't even clever. So I was just annoyed. Ah well, I got even more time to study than I originally intended (b/c I couldn't fall back asleep) so I guess it's not a total loss.

Law school exams are definitely more intense than any other test I have ever taken in my entire life. The stress level on campus is.... up. On the advice of my mentor, I have stayed away from the library (that's where all the crazies are). It's probably a good thing too. I've had to woosah myself a few times. Yesterday, I even had to take a break from studying negligence and clean my bathroom b/c I was on the verge of freaking out. But my bathroom is nice and clean though, so you know, that's good.

I'm always amazed at the ability humans have to gossip. It's absolutely incredible how quickly information spreads. The latest information spreading about the school, besides who did well on their exams last year and why they did well, is who has dropped out. I knew there were people in my class who were having a second go at law school. Apparently one of those people has dropped out. Right before finals. And apparently she wasn't doing very well, so everyone is upset that she left b/c she would have helped the curve. You see what law school does to people? Plus, I'm not sure how everyone knows how she did on the research exam. If I did that bad, I wouldn't tell a damn soul. Who knows, it's probably all distorted, but she has been mysteriously absent since Thanksgiving. I hope she didn't get sick on bad turkey! If she did, she has an entire torts class to choose from to represent her. Assuming we all pass.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This week I got to fly down to Kentucky and spend some time with my Dad. It was wonderful! It was so good to see him! He did have to work, but we still got to spend a couple of hours together each day. And it was ok; while he worked I studied. I seriously underestimated how long it would take me to do these outlines....

Anyway, Thanksgiving with my Dad was so good. We ate our Thanksgiving feast at the Ponderosa. I had a strawberry Pepsi to drink. They didn't have cherry flavoring, but they did have strawberry. When the waitress read the order, she said "what?" and looked at me like I was crazy, but it was pretty good. So if you ever want to order a cherry coke/pepsi and they don't have cherry flavoring, ask them if they have strawberry flavoring (like for the lemonade). It'll be an adventure for your taste buds!

I'm getting really excited for Christmas. I decorated my house.... I don't have very many decorations to begin with, and apparently I didn't bring them all. So I have like four decorations up, but it's a tiny splash of Christmas, and that's enough. I'm still hoping for a Christmas miracle this year, that Dad will be able to come home, and we can all be together. I should have set up a skype account for him while I was there, so we could skype on Christmas Day (just in case my miracle doesn't come through.) Maybe I'll send him instructions....

Well at any rate, it was really good to see Dad for Thanksgiving. I needed a bit of a break from Albany, and what better place to steal away to then wherever family is? It was a really great Thanksgiving! I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving as well!

Some guy in a wolf costume with a light saber just said hi to you.

I can't decide if time is going too slow or too fast. Hm. I can't believe finals is only three weeks away, but it still feels like ages until I get to come home. I think time is going slowly when I think about home and much too quickly when I think about school. Father Time, I shake my fist in your general direction!

I've been working on my Objective Memo for my lawyering class. Bleh. That's due on Tuesday, and then (hopefully) I'll get to zip down to Kentucky and see my Dad for a bit. That would be wonderful! Then, one more week of classes until the dreaded finals week arrives!! I'm freaking out a little about that, but only a little.

Anyway, I have my schedule for next semester! Assuming I don't fail everything this semester, I will be taking: criminal law, constitutional law, property, and then I continue with contracts and intro to lawyering. I'm excited for criminal law and constitutional law! I think those will be fun courses. I'm less excited for property law, but who knows? Maybe it'll turn out to be my favorite subject. Unlikely.

I haven't had many adventures of late. I have been holed up in my apartment since last Friday. Seriously. I go to class, and then I come home and sit on my futon and study. It's so depressing. My living room is a disaster: textbooks, notes, supplemental materials strewn all over the place. I wonder if this is what a mad lawyer's office would look like? You know, like a mad scientist has a lab with chemicals perched precariously in every inch of the room. I wonder if a mad lawyer's office would be like this, legal texts, memos, and case briefs strewn higgledy-piggledy throughout the office. Well, if that's true, I may emerge from law school a totally crazy super genius with glasses and a tweed coat. Totally crazy? check. Super genius?... Well, I've got 2.5 more years for that. Glasses and a tweed coat?... oh what the hell. Why not?

I'm sorry Professor; I must not tell lies.

It's snowing!! My first snowstorm in Albany. :) I remember in Logan, it would snow like once in November, melt, and then not snow again until late December. I wonder what it will be like here. There is quite a bit of snow out there currently. It's a little ridiculous. I left my house for school this morning thinking it wasn't a big deal. By the time I actually got to school (it takes me like seven minutes to walk to school), it was snowing pretty damn hard. Big fluffy flakes. Bollocks. It's a good thing I always carry my umbrella with me! Anyway, here are some pictures of the winter wonderland in progress.

Sorry they aren't very good pictures, and I obviously have no idea how to organize them on my blog, but still it's snow! I'm actually not that excited about it. It's cold and wet. And I have to walk to school every day. My search for winter boots has moved to the top of my priority list... right after homework, my article, and grocery shopping. Hey, I gotta eat.

Anyway, in other news I chopped off my hair. It was more adventure than I originally bargained for, but it turned out ok I think, so all is well. It's always kind of fun to try a new hairstyle. We'll see how long it takes before I stop doing it.... It looked cute today, at least.

My first final is in less than a month!! I'm kind of excited, mostly because it means it's almost time for me to come home and see everyone! I'm also starting to get a little nervous. Even the professors are starting to address finals more often. It used to be that, generally, the professors wouldn't talk about the finals unless we asked. Now, they bring it up of their own accord. Suspicious.. At any rate, we all have a bit of time left to study our little hearts out. Perhaps that's what I should go do now. Bugger.

Remember, Remember, the 5th of November

I can't believe it's already November! Less than two months til I get to come home. Hurray! I can't wait to see everyone!!

Anyway, in school news, I did ok on my exam. Not as well as I had hoped, but still a decent score. Just means I need to study harder for my next exams. Anyway, I'm writing another article for The Issue, this time about the Arizona Immigration Law. There were a bunch of clubs that co-sponsored a symposium on the issue. That was last night, and it was interesting. I have so much research and information though, I don't know how I'm going to weed through it all. Hopefully I'll end up with a coherent, informative article!!

I signed up to be part of the pro bono project next semester. I was able to be placed in my first choice (International Human Rights), so I'm really excited about that. I have no idea what exactly I'll be doing, but I know I'll be working with a group called Freedom Now in DC that works to free political prisoners, and that it will be freaking awesome, and fun, and I'll hopefully be useful to society. :D Anyway, I'm going to be very busy next semester, but I'm excited!

I Put a Spell on You!

Happy Halloween! I did my Halloween stuff yesterday, and it was good times! I dressed up as Abby Scuito from NCIS. I looked pretty damn good, if I do say so myself.

What do you think? I also had on one of those big ass wristbands she wears, but you can't see it in this picture. Anyway, I think I did pretty good for being on a budget. People even recognized me! I was so excited when people would come up and say "Abby Sciuto, right?" Anyway, I had a lot of fun getting all dressed up and dying my hair. I used the spray dye, and it got everywhere! After the party, I went home and took a shower. I should've taken a picture of my bathroom. There was black everywhere: the sink, the bath, the walls, the floor. I don't even know how it managed to get all over everything, but it certainly did, and it was kind of hard to get off the tile, but it was so worth it!

Anyway, a girl in my class had a pre-game, so I went to that with a few friends. Afterwards we headed to the party at the law school. Yeah! It was so fun. They were playing loud club music, and I got to dance my little heart out. It was so fun! I ended my night way too early though. I was at the school for about an hour, and then I just felt like death, so I went home, so that was kind of a bummer.

Still, I got to do everything I wanted this Halloween. I dressed up as Abby Sciuto, and people recognized me without prompting (in fact, a few people came up to me and said "Abby from NCIS, right?", and I said "Yes!" and we'd talk for a few minutes about the show, and then they'd introduce themselves and I'd say, "My name is Abby. Really. My name is Abby."), and I got to go the school party and dance. So even though I ended the evening being violently ill, it was still a pretty good Halloween. Oh, and I watched Hocus Pocus tonight. I love Halloween.

Aim for the flattop!

Last night I went to a comedy show with Michelle, Mike, and Andrew. We saw Louis CK and some random guy whom opened for him. Louis CK was pretty freaking hilarious. It was good times! The theater was amazing. First of all, it was huge. Second, it was so pretty. It was old school architecture and was extremely aesthetically pleasing. It kind of reminded me of the Eccles theater in Logan only much bigger. Anyway, the show was hilarious. I'm very glad we went! Plus, I got to get all dressed up, which is always fun because I never do it!
It doesn't look like I'm smiling, but really I am! My skin is just glowing too brightly... Anyway, it was a great weekend!

I bet I get a job before Jeff gets out of that coma.

I had my first real test today (and by real I mean it's actually going to be graded)! I'm so glad it's over! Honestly, I wasn't super stressed about it until after I finished it, but it feels like the whole school has been filling up with tension all week. It's ridiculous. Last night I wanted to go to the library and study, but I ended up waiting until like 9:30 because the library was so crazy. There were a lot of people there arguing over the United States Code and Reporters. I went upstairs and hid in a classroom. I didn't want to catch the fever.
Anyway, the test was... I don't know. It's hard to gage how I feel about it. Law school is in love with the curve, so my grade depends on everyone else's grade. I really hate that. Anyway, it's over now! Now I just have to wait to get my score! I think I'm more nervous about that then I ever was about actually taking the test. Is that weird?

Hakunah Matata

This weekend I went hiking. Yeah!!! It was so nice to get out of the city for a few hours. The scenery was incredible. Lots of colors. There are a lot of different kinds of trees out here, I noticed.

We went to a place called Partridge Run. We didn't see any Partridges though. In fact, I saw two sparrows and I believe that was all the wildlife we saw the whole hike. Oh well. It was still beautiful scenery and a nice day.

At first glance, it all kind of reminded me of Logan Canyon. After we started our hike, though, I realized it's not quite Logan Canyon; New York has a lot more diversity in their plant life. Well, in every kind of life, come to think of it, but they also have lots of different kinds of trees, as I said earlier. It was really pretty.

Another thing I noticed that was different from home were these little stone walls. Mike said they were built back in the colonial days, or some far away past, and they were meant to mark property lines. They were kind of cool though. They were quite old, as stated, so they were kind of crumbling and some of them had moss growing over the stones.

This is Arnaud posing on one of those cool little walls. I really liked them; they made me feel like I was walking through colonial farm land or something. Anyway, we also crossed this old bridge that had grass growing over it.

That was kind of cool too.

Aside from our colonial construction discoveries, we had some great adventures. We had to cross this creek a couple of times, but usually there was a log or something we could use as a bridge (or an actual bridge). We came to one particular juncture that had no bridge. And no logs. And not enough rocks. So went down stream a bit to see if we could find a better place to cross. No dice. So Arnaud and Mike decided they were going to build a bridge.

It was great. I tried to post some videos, but they wouldn't play once I had them posted. Anyway, they're on facebook if you want to watch them. So, anyway, this man came to tell us we were on private property (not his). He also informed us it was free range, and Michelle thought that meant in regards to guns, like "it's free range out here, so duck and cover." When I explained to her that it had to do with cattle, and the man told us they had bulls, she wasn't feeling much better about it. But we got out of the free range, and all was well. No one got shot or gored (although, just as an aside, apparently in New York you are allowed to target practice in state parks. I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to do that in Utah. Anyway, just FYI...). There was actually a bridge there, but the man told us a storm had come through a bit ago and wiped it out, so the only way we were going to get across was to wade in the water. So we did. And it was cold. Michelle and I made the guys go first; once we saw that they survived, we decided to wade in ourselves. It was kind of fun watching everyone get across. It was less fun on the way back when we had to cross the river again. My pants were almost dry....

It was a great hike, and I had a lot of fun. I'm glad someone finally agreed to go with me! There are actually quite a few hikes in the area, and the Adirondacks are only like an hour or so away, so I'll have to go check those out someday as well! Anyway, here are a couple of pictures from the hike. Enjoy!

Sorry. Could you come back later? We're trying to escape.

I honked at someone today! I've never honked at anyone in my entire driving life. See what New York has done to me? The light was green, and this schmuck was just sitting there, so I honked at him. I felt so mean, but he moved, so mission accomplished! I can add that to my list of new things I've tried in New York!

This weekend was fun. On Friday, I went down to Massachussetts with a friend to check out this outlet mall. Apparently Massachussetts doesn't have sales tax on clothing. Anyway, it was a little disappointing, but it was still kind of cool to go to another state! They also had this cool clock. Anyway, here's my proof that I went to Massachussetts, bought a shirt sans sales tax, and stood in front of the giant clock!

Michelle and I both agreed that Massachussetts has a different feel to it. Granted, I was only like twenty minutes from the border of New York, but it felt kind of quaint. Albany isn't quaint. It's more.... um.... experienced. Anyway, Boston is only three hours away, so hopefully someday in my three year sojourn here in Albany, I'll make it out to Boston!

This weekend I had my first experience as an attorney! Sort of. I volunteered for the pro se divorce clinic in Mechanicville, NY. I worked with another student, and we filled out divorce papers for clients who couldn't afford attorneys. It was interesting. It was a great experience not only to have to deal with all of that paperwork but also to get to interact with a client and explore that relationship. I've also learned a bit about divorce law, in New York anyway.

It's definitely fall here. My apartment is cold! My landlords control the heat, and they haven't turned it on yet... I am very grateful for the big heavy quilts I have (all of which, by the way, were made for me by a family member. My family is amazing!!!!). I'm so glad my family knows how to make quilts because if they didn't, I'd freeze to death! But I stay nice and warm every night. It's in the morning that I get cold! The library is pretty warm though, so it works out. Anyway, the leaves are starting to change, and it's pretty. Honestly, it kind of reminds me of Logan. I'll take some pictures and post them so you can all see fall in upstate New York.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my driving adventure! I miss all of you!

If I miss that 20 midget free for all, I'm gonna be super pissed.

So last Saturday I went to Lark Fest. It wasn't quite what I expected. My bro-in-law had me thinking it was an all weekend booze fest with crazy characters galore. He was only half right. Well, two thirds.

Lark Fest is kind of like the art fair, only bigger. Way bigger. I made a comment about how many people there were, and someone told me "There's actually not a very good turn out this year."

These were my humble attempts at showing how many people were there. There's this great spot about half way down lark street where the street starts to go downhill that would have been a great picture, but I was too short to see over everyone's heads. Oh well.

Anyway, so essentially Lark Fest is really just a craft fair. There were people there selling all kinds of stuff: jewelry, clothes, food, hats.

This is a friend and I wearing these cute little animal hats. They were actually really warm... Anyway, so there was lots of selling and buying and I had yummy pizza from a little joint called Soho Pizza.

There were definitely some characters there, though. I saw my first ever tranny. That's probably not the politically correct term, but whatevs. I don't think this person was particularly worried about it. When I asked if I could take a picture, they were more than happy to pose.

There was also this guy carrying an iguana around. I've actually seen him before. Seriously, I'm positive it was the same guy. He's a very good pet owner, taking his lil iguana out into the world to see the sights.

This isn't a very good picture. Sorry... Anyway, it actually wasn't a little iguana; it was rather large. And it looked like there was a little leash around his neck, so....

Albany also has this population of bottle collecters. By the way, tangent, NY doesn't have a sales tax on food, but they do on things in recyclable containers, like coke. Five cents extra for every bottle. Supposedly it's to motivate people to recycle so they can get their five cents back. I do recycle, but I don't get my five cents back. Anyway, so there are quite a few people around that collect bottles so they can turn them in for the money. You'll see them walking down the street with a cart full of bottles and cans or a giant trash bag. They were out in full force at Lark Fest because there were lots of recyclable containers being disposed of.

Again, this isn't a very good picture. Sorry. Next time I'll take my camera instead of just using my phone. Anyway, that entire cart is full of bottles and cans. I guess if law school doesn't work out, I can always be a bottle collecter.

Albany has a.. um... horse force? Anyway, there were a ton of cops at Lark Fest, but at a few of the intersections, there were cops on horses!Kinda cool, right? There were lots of people there taking pictures of themselves petting the horses. I'm not sure how the police felt about the photo op... still, it was kinda cool to see horse cops, or equestrian force, or whatever.

So Lark Fest was definitely an adventure. I'm glad I went! It was a lot of fun. I didn't buy any of the crafts, but it was fun to look at what was there. There were a lot of different booths with lots of different kinds of merchandise. And Nephi, if you ever come out to Albany in September, I'll take you to Lark Fest. We can take your picture with the tranny. Or the iguana.

Wee wee! Pee pee!

Some of the first apps I downloaded on my wonderful phone that I love were news apps. I have NPR, BBC, and the New York Times. When I eat breakfast in the morning, I read the news. I should stop doing that because it just pisses me off.
I read an article today on npr that made me exceedingly angry. The CEO of CNN got fired (that didn't make me angry. I have no personal feelings about the CEO of CNN, although it does suck for him that he got fired. Anyway), so the article talked about how all of the news channels had a dwindling audience but CNN's audience was dwindling the fastest because people are increasingly gaining a preference for news that has been filtered through strong partisan biases. What? Are you kidding me? People would rather be lied to than hear the truth? Seriously? I can't even grasp that concept. Why would you want filtered bullshit rather than facts?
My poor mother has heard me rant about news talk show hosts for ages. I really hate them. Both sides. I hate that they portray themselves as journalists when they're really just entertainment and they deliver news that has been filtered through strong partisan biases and, a large majority of the time, is complete and total bullshit. And now NPR is telling me that's what people want? People want to be lied to, they want news organizations to spoonfeed them bullshit to further the agendas of a few wealthy men? Why would you want that? It's not even self-serving.
If a well-meaning politician announces that he's supporting a bill that says, I don't know, all eggs must come from free-range chickens, and then the egg companies funnel money into a particular news organization and then have those talk show hosts tell you that this politician is trying to turn your children into pot-smoking hippies (instead of the true motivation that, I dunno, free-range chickens are happy and happy chickens make healthier eggs), you'd rather hear the pot-smoking hippie spin? Even though it's stupid, supported by no empirical data, and told to you by someone who is paid by someone who has millions of dollars to gain by keeping their chickens in cages?
That's what npr is saying to me. People would rather hear something that doesn't even make sense then hear the truth and support something that might actually make healthier eggs or whatever the case may be. Why do people want to hear news filtered through strong partisan biases? On both sides. Conservative, liberal, it doesn't matter, if your information is being filtered through that partisan bias, you're being lied to. Why would you want to be lied to? How can we hold our congresspeople accountable and be active members of our own democratic government if we don't know what's really going on because our news organizations are lying to us?
We get so angry when we find out about politicians who are lining their pockets with money from corporate donors. Shouldn't we have the same standard for our news organizations? Journalists play an extremely important role in government. Their job is to make sure we know what the hell is going on, to make sure that the government knows that they can't screw around because if they do, we'll find out (thanks to the journalists) and march through the streets with their heads on a stick. Their metaphorical heads.
I'm tired of it. I'm tired of politicians being self-serving ass holes. I'm tired of news organizations allowing themselves to be overtaken by corporations, wealthy siblings, and oil tycoons. I'm tired of news talk show hosts lying through their damn teeth to spread an agenda that benefits two people and screws the rest of us. Most of all, I'm tired of people believing the bullshit. If everyone took the intitiative, or Heaven forbid journalists actually did their job, to research out a subject and find the facts, it doesn't mean we would all come to the same conclusion. What it does mean, is that we would all have the facts, the truth of the matter, and we could come together as a community to find the best possible solution, one that we could all live with and maybe even be happy about. We could work together, stop worrying about party lines and all that bullshit, and actually work together to make our community - our society - a better place, a place we could all be happy living. What a damn concept.

You better lose yourself in..the moment you own it

The other day, I went to the pharmacy to pick up some drugs (legal ones). It's a little, tiny pharmacy like the ones you see in Law and Order sometimes. It's next to an art exhibit and a movie theater that is totally falling apart. I was walking down the street to my car and realized, holy shit. I live in New York. Sometimes I have those moments, where I realize where I am and what I'm doing. And in that moment, I am happy. I am content. I am found. It sounds sentimental, and I suppose it is, but I'm certain I'm where I'm supposed to be. I don't know what it is Albany has to teach me, something fabulous I'm sure.
I just finished reading a friend's blog. She has a little boy and another one on the way. She wrote a blog about how her son is starting the whole potty train adventure. Then I had one of those "I live on a different planet" moments. The type of moment where I don't wonder how my life would be if I had made different choices. I don't wish I could have a different life. And that brings me to the realization moment: I am where I am supposed to be. And I am happy.
I wish I could say that 'happy' in this instance meant jubilance or everlasting joy. I haven't found my calling yet, but it's somewhere and I'm on the right path. Today, happy means being in that moment, the clarity of the knowledge that flutters throughout my mind and my soul. In that moment, I am who I am supposed to be, who I dream of being. The manifestation of that moment, the certainty that I feel, is freeing and beautiful.
It is ironic that I find clarity in moments when I still have no idea what I want to do with my life. I don't think it matters. Today, I'm sure. I'm sure that I'm supposed to be not just at law school, but at this law school, living in this apartment. And that's enough. Today, I'm right where I want to be, right where I need to be. And I'm happy.

Someone ask me during finals week if I still feel happy.... And bring me a bag of candy corn.

Are You A Fan of Delicious Flavor?

I've been venturing into the world of foreign food a lot since I moved here. I guess I figured if I'm going to be in Wonderland, I might as well try the food. Last night I went to a Vietnamese restaurant. It was pretty good. I would definitely eat there again. I got a chicken salad, so it was pretty basic, but I enjoyed it. It was even aesthetically pleasing!

See? It's like a carrot flower. It was great! Tonight during a little study break, I went to a sushi place with some friends.

Here it is friends, proof that I tried sushi. Ok, I didn't really try sushi; I got California rolls, but they have crab meat in them, so that counts, right? I even tried dipping them in soy sauce. They were awful. My digestive system did not appreciate that particular adventure, all though the edamame (I don't know how to spell it...) was really good. I might even try and make that someday. It seemed pretty simple....

Moral of the story: Vietnamese food=tasty. Sushi=not tasty. In my humble opinion, anyway. So those are my food adventures this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes when I finally try curry!

Let it Rock

Hello! Sorry it's been so long since I posted; I've been a little busy, believe it or not. I can't believe I've only been here for three weeks! I feel like I've been in Albany for ages. I think I'm starting to figure life out here. New York is weird. In New Yorkers defense, they all think I'm weird. I still get funny looks, or looks of unabashed shock, when I tell people I'm from Utah. There are some people who are shocked I moved so far away from home, and there are some people who don't try to hide their disdain for someone who is from Utah. I have a friend who went to DC for school and told me she got so tired of the responses she got when she told people she was from Utah. She told me next time she moved out of state she was going to tell people she was from DC. Not me. I'm not ashamed to be from Utah. I love Utah! I'm really enjoying my time in New York. It's such an adventure, everything is so different, but I miss home. And it doesn't matter how far I go, or how long I'm gone, Utah will always be my home. And I'm not ashamed of that. So there.

Anyway, now that I've proclaimed my everlasting love for my home, I can tell you how much I'm enjoying New York. I've always wanted to experience something different from what I've known, and I definitely am experiencing something different from what I've known. I'm used to red rock; I'm not sure these people even have rocks, red or otherwise, just lots of trees. It's pretty though. I'm hoping to get some friends together when the leaves turn and hike some trails in the Adirondacks. In SG, night is quiet and you can see the stars. In Albany, the night is not quiet and everyone gathers on Pearl Street or Lark Street or a few other scattered places around town. Albany is never quiet.

Parking in Albany is atrocious. There is no where to park. Most of the apartments don't even have off street parking. Mostly, that means I walk everywhere. People park on the side of the street, but the streets are so narrow that the parked cars almost make the street into a single lane. Sometimes one car will have to stop and inch over so the other car can get around them. And people just stop in the middle of the road. It's so weird. I've learned not to wait because you never know how long they'll be sitting there. People just go around them, sometimes going into the other lane of traffic (usually there isn't anyone coming). If my car survives my 3 year sojourn here in Albany, it'll be a miracle.

I've had some new experiences here in New York. I went to a gay bar. Not as a patron, I just really had to pee and they had the closest bathroom. I've learned you can't smile at people you don't know here. In SG, I smile or say hello to everyone I pass, you know, just being friendly. Here, though, if I smile at a guy I don't know he thinks I'm hitting on him. They're not super charming. Maybe I'm just hard to please. They say really stupid stuff, and it's just awkward. So, I reserve my smiles for people I know. I feel so unfriendly...

I went to a dance club last night. Admittedly, that's not a "new" experience, but it was my first club in New York. All of the people I went with have either lived or visited New York City, and they all informed me that Jillian's was not a club. We're all gonna go to NYC sometime so they can show me what a real club is. I had fun though. I'm really bad at it, but I love to dance, so I had a blast.

I watched a football game on Thursday night. That was new too; I'm not really into football, but it was fun. There was a lot of excitement in the air. The Saints won, so I guess that's good... Everything here is so much more expensive than it is in Utah (Except internet. Random..) I went to a movie last weekend, and it cost me $10.75! That's $3.00 more than Utah. Holy Shit. And they don't even have a student discount. The nerve.

My classes are constantly offering new experiences. Some of the cases we've been reading are really interesting; some, not so much. Some of them make me really angry, and some fill me with a sense of justice served. In Contracts we read a case where a local union sued United States Steel for breach of contract, among other things (they lost); in Torts we've moved on to false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress (Seriously, you can sue people for that.) We read a case about this poor old man who gets accused of stealing an ascot, but he didn't steal it and sues the store for false imprisonment (he won.) In Civil Procedure, we're reading cases about personal jurisdiction (whether a court has the authority to hear the case based on "presence" or "consent"). We read about a case where Arnold Schwarzzaneger sued some poor schmuck from Ohio for using his image without his consent. The schmuck files a motion to dismiss saying California didn't have personal jurisdiction (He won. Schwarzzaneger then sued him in Ohio. I think they settled).

Anyway, all things considered, I'm really enjoying my time here. I'm meeting new people and trying new things. Everyday brings a new adventure, and I love that. It's hard to be so far from home, though, and sometimes I get really homesick. I love to get news from home! (Translation: Feel free to send me pictures, emails, texts, calls, and/or warm fuzzy thoughts!) In conclusion: I love it here; I really miss home; People think Utahns are weird; I don't give a damn that people think Utahns are weird; I'm gonna rock this city! After it's done rocking me. :)

Mrs. Pickles is her full name. Although, I'm not actually sure if cats can marry outside of Boston

I survived my first week of law school with only minimal injuries, mostly to my pride. Seriously though, it's been a good week. A very full week. I feel like I'm learning a few things. I'm enjoying my classes. I'm still trying to get a feel for them, but so far so good I think.

I only have one class on Fridays and it was cancelled, so today I had zero classes, which was wonderful. I took the time to relax and do nothing. Ok, ok, I did a few things. I got my financial aid check so now I won't starve to death. I'm pretty happy about that. Anyway, I'm sure you're all dying to know what they teach us in law school, so here's a bit about the classes I'm taking (mind you, I've only been in school for a week, so I really have no idea what the hell I'm talking about, but just go with it.)

Ok, in contracts we've started talking about the three basic principles in regards to contract law: bargain, reliance, and restitution. Right now we're reading cases that address, for the most part, the bargain principle. Last class we started discussing the difference between a bargain and a gift. It seems like such an easy distinction to make, but legally it's a damn nightmare. These people are obsessed with definitions. That's one thing I've learned this week, every word counts: how you use them, when you use them, and how you punctuate them. Honestly, even words like 'and' and 'or' can totally change the meaning of a rule. Calls for a very aggressive reading approach. I'm also fairly certain that, upon graduating from law school, I'll have perfect grammar.

Anyway, I'm also taking a torts class. My teacher in this class, Professor Lytton, is very energetic. I really like him. I think he's a good teacher, but he has a very aggressive teaching approach and he gets so animated. It's a little frightening. Anyway, we're learning about the intentional tort of battery right now. It's been pretty interesting. I've been studying for that class tonight, reading the cases for Monday, and I feel like I'm never gonna figure this shit out. But I think I'm starting to understand how to read a case, so that's good.

I'm also taking an introduction to lawyering class. This is the class where we get to take a fictional case from initial client interview to appeal. The first day Professor Queenan sent around a sheet, and we could sign up to represent either the plaintiff or the defendant, without knowing anything about the case. (Not that it would have mattered seeing as that was only our second day of law school). Anyway, I signed up to represent the plaintiff. On Thursday she told us a little bit more about the case. All we know is that it's a case about the whistleblower statute. I'm kind of excited about this and glad I signed up to represent the plaintiff (the whistleblower in this case). I really hope my client doesn't turn out to be an ass hole.

The last class I have is Federal Civil Procedure. Everyone says this is one of the hardest classes your first year. I've only been once, and I can see why. My torts professor has this quote on our class website "The law never is, it is always about to be." Benjamin N. Cardozo. That makes it a difficult thing to learn. There are so many rules: state statutes, federal statutes, case law, and these rules are constantly being amended or reversed. And we're supposed to learn them in civ pro. Whew. It's an exercise for the mind, that's for sure.

All of my professors seem pretty nice, and I've got a study group which will help a ton. Truthfully, I'm enjoying school so far. It's hard. It's kicking my ass, but I feel like I'm learning which is why I'm here, so that's good. I do have to say though, the few cases I've read thus far have convinced me that the world is filled with ass holes and morons. Hopefully next week will read some more encouraging cases.

Report back to me when it makes sense

Holy shit. It's day two and I feel like I've been here for years. If you're wondering how I have time to write on my blog, the answer is... I don't. I'm procrastinating the day of repentence, er.. the day of federal civil procedure case brief. Sigh. I'm learning a ton. Or at least I think I am. Anyway, today I went to a Thai restaurant for lunch with a friend from my section. I've never eaten Thai food before, so that was an adventure. Maybe a bit too much adventure. The food was actually pretty good, but a piece of chicken got stuck in my throat and I spent about five minutes of my lunch puking my guts out in the bathroom. Kinda gross, which is why I'm sharing it with all of you. :D I felt a little silly when I went back to the table, but conversation resumed and all was well. I did; however, save the rest of my meal for later. I got together with a few other students tonight and had a little study group. It was super helpful, and we will hopefully be getting together again soon! Anyway... I really do need to do this case brief. Bloody homework. :P Anyway, just thought I'd tell everyone about my Thai food adventure. And Lukey, when I come home for Christmas, I might actually go to Benjas with you. :)

It is my intention to commandeer a ship of the fleet, pick up a crew in Tortuga, and raid, plunder, and pillage my weasly black guts out.

Well, I survived orientation. I'm pretty sure I survived... It was an interesting three days for sure. Albany Law divides each class into sections during their first year, and then you have all your classes with that group of people. I'm in section 7. We have a pretty good section. Everyone seems to get along really well. We had a little BBQ today, sort of a pre-school get-together. It was fun.

It's been interesting getting to know the people in my section. I've gotten some interesting responses when I tell people I'm from Utah. One of the girls in my section told me she watched Big Love. I wanted to say, I'm happy for you? But I didn't. I assured her that I did, in fact, only have one mother.

Anyway, I learned all kinds of things in orientation. We had alumni panels, mental health professionals (I'm not kidding. We had a panel of people from a group called the Lawyering Assistance Program. It deals exclusively to attorneys and law students who suffer from substance abuse or mental illness. Should I be worried?), deans, upperclassmen, and more deans. It was a lot of information. We also had a sample class, which was kind of nice. Law school is so different from anything I've done before, so it's kind of hard to know what to expect. I was glad for the opportunity to kind of experience it before it actually counts. Which is tomorrow. Shit.

Truthfully, I'm kind of excited for school to start. I worked really hard to get here, and I'm ready to work really hard to get everything I can out of the experience. I've started studying for my classes. Hopefully I'm studying enough! One of the guys on the alumni panel told us we should be studying at least 60 hours a week. Everyone else on the panel said we definitely need to study hard and focus on our work, but that guy needed to chill out. I'm going to listen to them. I don't know. I guess 60 hours isn't completely unreasonable. That's only ten hour days, six days a week. Meh. Hopefully I won't need to study that much. If I do, call me on Sundays.

Anyway, tomorrow I have contracts and torts. I've heard good things about my professors for these classes, so that's good. I'm kind of nervous about the whole thing. Class doesn't start until eleven though, so I'll have plenty of time to wake up and do some yoga before class to help me relax and remember to breath. :P But enough about school. I'm starting to adapt to New York. A little. It's just so damn different, there's a lot to get used to. I've managed to find a few more places around town, but I still have to use my GPS on occasion. Today I even got lost. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and passed my street. When I finally realized it, I was like six blocks from the street I should have turned on. I ended up in the middle of a park, a very strange park. The roads were like a maze. I was never sure if I was even in the right lane or if my car was pointed in the right direction. I'm pretty sure it was though. Anyway, Tady had to rescue me then, and she got me safely home. Yeah for GPS!

I love my apartment. It's a nice little place, quiet. No, I take that back. I don't have AC, so I leave my windows open. Albany has a very active night life. Lots of cars, music, cops, and ambulances. I've already started to sleep through it. :D Anyway, I took some pictures of my apartment, so you can all see where I live.

This is my bathroom, obviously. My landlord put in new tile right before I moved in. Doesn't it look nice?

This is my living room. Someday that little tv stand is going to have a tv on it...

Living room again. I really like that little shelf. This is my dining room. It's more of a dining nook, really.Here is my kitchen. It's kinda small, but it suffices. PS I do have an oven, it's just not in the picture. This is my computer/study/second bedroom. Can you see that giant stack of textbooks next to my chair? Now there's something to look forward too. :PMy bedroom is actually kind of big. It's also kind of empty, so I figured one picture was enough. Ignore the unmade bed please...

So there's my apartment. Isn't it lovely? I think so. I should have taken a picture of the doors. They have those old school locks like you see sometimes in movies, like the chains. I had never seen one until I moved in. I don't have any carpet either which makes it so very easy to clean. Anyway, I way love my apartment.

Tomorrow I, officially, begin my new academic adventure. I'm kind of excited. It'll be fun to find out what my classes will be like. There are a few clubs I think might be kind of fun, so I'll go check those out this week. Hopefully, I'll stay pretty busy. Like I say, I worked really hard to get here, and I intend to get the most out of my experience. And hopefully be smart when I'm done.

A Tom Wallbanger Bloody Sunrise on the Beach

I made it!! I am officially in Albany, NY in my cute little apartment, which I love already. We have had quite the adventure the last couple of days, and I think we are all very grateful to be done driving for a bit. We picked my Dad up in Kentucky, and it's been so nice to have him here. I wish he could stay longer, but alas, work calls and he has to leave on Sunday. I'm glad I get to spend a few days with him, anyway.

Albany is.... bipolar. Or my attitude towards Albany is, rather. I think I'm kind of starting to figure out where things are. I know how to get from my apartment to the school and from my apartment to Wal-mart, so I'm good, right? It can be very confusing, and New Yorkers drive, well, haphazardly. I may drive like a bat out of hell, but I do not stop wherever I like and hope no one hits me. I'll have to learn that fine skill while I'm here. After I learn my way around, of course.

I really love my apartment. A lot. Except that I have no furniture. I'm currently sitting on the floor of my living room, but hopefully tomorrow I'll acquire a couch. I do have a bed. Yeah!! I got a mattress and a frame for $50, and I felt super happy about that, especially because it means I get to sleep in my apartment tonight but don't have to sleep on the floor. Yeah. :) Tomorrow I will be getting a futon and a dresser and hopefully some other stuff. I'm pretty excited about the futon. Now you can all come and visit me and sleep on my futon. :)

Anyway, it has been a full, crazy, very long week. I am exceptionally glad to be in Albany finally. I miss St. George (and all who live there) so much I can feel it in my bones, but I'm glad to be here. It's strange how different everything is, but so far everyone has been nice and I have high hopes that I'll be able to figure out the ins and outs of Albany...eventually. While I'm here, I also hope to teach these fine Easterners what a yard sale is and where it should take place. So I'll teach them some good stuff and they can teach me some good stuff. When it's all over I'll be a glorious mixture of both coasts, I'm sure. Like a Tom wallbanger bloody sunrise on the beach.

Are we there yet?

I'm alive! We made it all the way to Stratton, Colorado. Twelve bloody hours in the car, but still, we're getting closer! We got in this incredible storm. Twice. It's been like armageddon a bit here in Colorado, but it's been... an adventure. The first Twister worthy storm struck whilst I was driving through the Rockies, which was such a beautiful drive. About seven o'clock the rain started pouring again, hard. It was raining so much I couldn't see. (I slowed down. Speaking of which, today was the first time in my entire life I have ever driven the speed limit on the freeway. And it was before the storm! Someone should build a monument.) Anyway, so it's raining the entire Pacific Ocean, and then this lightening bolt strikes between two clouds right above my damn car. Whew. It was kind of loud.

At any rate, it's been a pretty good day. We made it to our goal destination without incident, saw some beautiful scenery, and experienced what it would feel like to drive through the ocean, except without the sharks. Tomorrow, Kansas. Oh hell.

Drink up me hearties, yo ho!

Well, here I am, my last day in SG. I'm anxious to get my journey started, but I really don't want to leave. I love St. George, and I love my family. I'm going to miss them so very much. We had a familiy dinner tonight, and it was a lot of fun. Everyone got to come, which was great. We joked and laughed and hugged and even cried a little. I've been so blessed to be a part of this family. They are incredible. Everyone in my family has been so supportive. Phone calls, visits, emails to tell me good luck. It really means a lot to me. It's nice to know, even if they are 2,400 miles away, that there are people who love me. My friends too, have been so supportive. Friends I've had forever and friends I've made since I moved home. I'm going to miss them too.

Friday was my last day at work. It was an almost perfect last day. My coworkers had a luncheon for me, which was a lot of fun, and I really appreciated. The endo (endoscopy) girls gave me a little mug with candy and a card, which I also appreciated. It's nice to be acknowledged. I really liked my job, and I'm going to miss the lab. Mostly.

All in all, there's a lot I'm going to miss. Occupational hazard of moving to the other side of the country, I guess. But hey, go big or go home, right? I'm really excited for this new adventure. I'm nervous about all the newness, the distance, the schoolwork. But I'm excited to get started. There's a very big part of me that thinks I'm going to start law school and turn out to be a moron, but there's a little part of me that thinks maybe I can do this. It's nice to have so much support for the little voice, makes it easier to hear.

This time tomorrow I'll be.... somewhere else. It's very surreal, going from comfort and familiarity to a foreign land with foreign people and foreign food (you should see the size of their pizza. It's bigger than my head. Seriously, who eats that much pizza?). But it's good. Like I say, I love St. George, I always have. It's my home, and I love the scenery. New York is green and pretty, but Southern Utah has red rocks and Aspen forests, Pine Valley and Cedar Mountain, Snow Canyon and Zions. Beat that east coast. Though my love for this land is everlasting, I still have to leave. And as much as I wish I could stay, I feel pretty good about what I'm doing and where I'm going. I have friends and family who love me, even if they're far away. And I know when I'm ready to rip my hair out, I can call them and they will talk me out of any spontaneous balding episodes. Truthfully, I'm getting really excited to start school, and I'm really excited to move into my new apartment. It's gonna be great! It's a beautiful life, and I intend to live it. This is my next big adventure, and I'm definitely ready for a new adventure.

What do you do with a drunken sailor, early in the morning?

This post has absolutely nothing to do with law school.... But I went on this excellent hike with my bro and my sister, and I thought I should write about it. We went up to Mills Flat on Saturday, up in Pine Valley. It's a beautiful hike. We headed out from Luke's house at about 9:00, and then Katie called, said she had just gotten my text and would love to come. So we jetted on over to her house (side note, if Katie ever gives you directions to her house and tells you to turn left twice, she really means right.) Katie just moved in to this really nice house up behind this really ugly white house. Luke and I have decided that the ugly white house is, in fact, a Scientology compound. Anyway, so we collected Katie and headed out on our adventure.

It's been threatening to rain for like the last four days here in Southern Utah, so it's been a little muggy, and Pine Valley was no different. It was a beautiful day, but it was humid as hell. I guess it was good preparation for moving to the east coast. I told Katie it was a good thing it was so humid and we were sweating so much because that way we didn't ever have to stop and pee. Maybe I shouldn't write that on my blog.... Anyway.... While I may have been preparing for the east coast, I did not sufficiently prepare for our little hike. I decided, in all of my genius, that it was hot and I didn't want to wear hiking boots, so I wore my Chacos instead. I also decided, even though it was hot, I was going to wear pants so my legs didn't get, I don't know, cut by weeds? I'm sure I had a really good reason, but I don't remember what it was. Chacos tend to be worn a little loose, so the straps on my shoes were rubbing against my foot. By the time we got back down from Mills Flat, my feet were totally torn to pieces. I have blisters on my heels, my arches, above my toes, that pointy bone above my arches... seriously, everywhere. On the way down, Luke kept laughing at me because I was kind of waddling down the trail. I'm sure I looked a little funny. It was an awesome hike, but my feet hurt. So, if you ever hike Mills Flat, don't wear Chacos. So that's my warning about footwear.

The hike was really amazing. It was fun to get to spend some time with my bro and my sister, and it really was so pretty. There was a fire up Mills Canyon a few years ago, and it's still pretty burned out. There's a part near the top when you are in the burn zone, and you turn a corner and there are all of these purple flowers by the creek. Purple flowers surrounded by burnt wood. There was something almost hopeful, reviving, about it. It was really pretty. We hung out at the top for a bit and ate lunch. Luke's dogs had a ball in the meadow. Chaco (the dog, not my shoes), likes to play fetch, so Luke was throwing a stick for him. Mocco likes to try and steal Chaco's stick. Anyway, Luke threw the stick right into the creek and Mocco and Chaco went streaking after it. We saw them disappear down the hill and then we heard this big splash. It was hilarious.

On our way back down, it started to rain. It wasn't cold, so the rain really felt pretty good. It did make quite a bit of mud though. All of my pants are too long for me to begin with, so once the bottoms got all wet and covered with mud.... I thought for sure I was gonna lose my pants. I didn't though, so it worked out ok. We were all soaked and covered in mud. I'm sure we looked like hell trudging back to the car with three dirty, tired dogs in tow. And a cow. But we didn't feel like hell. I didn't, anyway. I felt pretty damn good about the whole experience. It was a lot of fun. Here are a couple of pictures of us at the top.

It was a great hike, and I had a lot of fun. Oh, and by the way, you put him in a row boat until he's sober. :D

I feel like I should say something clever..

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a schedule. Yeah! My first year of law school, I don't get to pick any of the classes I take, so I've been waiting all summer for them to tell me what horror, er, classes were awaiting me. Let the games begin! My first semester of law school I am taking: Intro to lawyering (this is a year long class where they, essentially, teach us how to be lawyers. Each student takes a hypothetical case from initial client interview to appeal which is done before actual appelate judges, which we do at the end of the year and sounds very scary), torts, contracts, and federal civil procedure.

I'm starting to get really excited about school. It's gonna kick my ass, but it will be good to feel like I'm going in a direction again, hopefully the right one. I love my job, but I don't want to be a lab assistant forever, and I've always wanted to go to law school, even as a little girl. I was a very strange child, but I've wanted to be an attorney since I decided being a cowgirl didn't count as an actual career. Seriously though, this is what I've wanted to be for as long as I can remember, even predating my cowgirl fascination. Now that I'm finally moving toward that dream, I feel...butterflies. Really big ones. And I love it.

Left leg, right leg. Your body will follow. They call it walking.

So my orientation schedule came in the mail yesterday. My initial reaction when reading through the packet I received was.... well, a lot of expletives. Use your imagination. There are assigned readings for the first week of class. While I had hoped this wouldn't be the case, it wasn't unexpected. However, I didn't expect to have assigned readings for orientation. That's right. Assigned readings for orientation. 37 pages, and that's just the hand out. I also have to read four chapters from a book called Succeeding in Law School. That actually might be a good thing to read...

I've seriously considered abandoning my dream of becoming an attorney and living with my mother forever. Well, maybe not forever. Maybe I'll move out and be a dog lady (I can't be a cat lady. I hate cats.) I'm kind of afraid I'm going to show up at orientation and then everyone will find out that I'm dumb. That would really ruin my weekend.

Truthfully, I think orientation will be good... hopefully. In theory, it's supposed to teach us how to be law students: what to expect, what our professors expect, how to read and brief a case, all that jazz. Plus they have this smarmy swearing in toast scheduled for the end of orientation. So that should be... fun. At any rate, it will give me a chance to meet my fellow classmates and my future professors and learn how to accept a new identity and run with it, as it were. So now that my brain has recovered from all the expletives it was spewing out, I'm getting a little excited about the whole thing. Hopefully I won't turn out to be dumb. If I do, will someone buy me a dog?

Does this make me look fat?

My time in New York was not only productive; it was educational. I like to travel, but I really hate to pack. It's a pain in the ass to pack a suitcase, but then you have get a carry on ready with all of the regulations about size and content. I mean, really, who needs that kind of stress? Anyway, my sister Katie let me borrow a little Mary Kay bag for my carry on. Note: I use the term 'little' liberally.... Anyway, it was perfect. It was the perfect size. I had enough room to carry an extra outfit in case my luggage got lost plus a book and some snacks (My snacks are infinitely better than plane peanuts) without taking up the entire overhead rack. Perfection. However, as nice as my sister was to borrow her bag to me, it was still her bag, and I had to give it back. I'm already planning for my Christmas vacation... so I decided to find myself a little bag like Katie's that I can use as a carry on. Like a big purse. My Mom and I went to TJ Maxx and found the biggest collection of hideous purses I have ever seen. Seriously.

I'll admit, I'm no fashinista, but seriously? This is the purse I bought. Abomination. I can't believe people actually carry these things around every damn day. I'm pretty sure I could sit in it. Anyway, now I have a little bag to be my carry on, so I'm all ready for my trip home for Christmas...after I move out there. I did wonder though, does this bag make me look fat?

Let the Games Begin!

Hey! So, I'm moving to Albany, NY in one month. Naturally, that means I have to start a blog. :) I'm going to law school... wish me luck! I start the 23rd of August. My Mom and I are driving out together... um... wish us luck! Anyway, my adventures haven't really begun yet, mostly just the planning. My amazing sister Anna and her amazing husband Nephi went out to Albany with me a few weeks ago to help me find a place and kind of get acquainted with my new home-to-be. It was an awesome trip, and I'm so glad Anna and Nephi were able to go with me. We did find me an apartment, a cute little two bedroom place not far from the school. I'm so excited about it!

That's a picture of the outside. My apartment is the one on the bottom right. It's gonna be great!

My mother and I have started packing, and I have realized I have a lot of shit. A lot. So if you need any furniture or any other assorted items, let me know. I probably have at least one of whatever you need that I will not be taking with me to NY. :) Anyway, that's all for now. Only 29 days!