Kleng Meedercher, Risen Iddien

This post should probably be prefaced with the fact that I do not have a TV in my apartment. I own one (two) but do not keep it in my apartment because 1) it would look ugly (unless I bought I flat screen, which I cannot afford); 2) I don't want to pay for cable; and 3) TV has a tendency to hypnotize me.

An illustration of TV's strange powers over me has been going on for the past few days. I bought Gilmore Girls on DVD (season 1) on Sunday. It is twenty two episodes. I have 5 left to watch (last night I did not get home until 7). Basically, for the past two days every moment spent in my apartment has been spent watching Gilmore Girls. I don't go to sleep until at least 2.

It's not that I love the series, or had even really watched it before. It was on sale at Borders, I wanted TV, so I bought it. Currently, I own Seinfeld (1), Sopranos (3), Sex and the City (2) and Gilmore Girls (1). None of these shows are my favorite (I don't think Food Network makes unwrapped DVDs), but I know more lines in them than is really healthy. Within a month, I will have an unholy knowledge of Gilmore Girls trivia.

Just in case anyone was wondering how I have been keeping myself busy since Sunday.

Ciao

This post may be erased in a few hours, because it is an example of me at my pettiest. My current annoyance (very current as in like within the past ten minutes) is that a guy I used to date took me off his gmail chat list. Now I can't see when he is online. I'm not really sure when he did this (because he is not in my quick contacts); I just noticed it. Seriously - is it possible that he did it on purpose? It's a little confusing because he ended it like three weeks ago, and I know he still showed up on Friday. So why remove me now? He would have to take some affirmative action to block me - which is just a weird thing to do, considering the length of time that has passed. If he wanted to block me, why wouldn't he have done it right away?

The most annoying thing about this situation is that I noticed it; noticing brings the whole situation back into my mind and I have to think about it again, which is annoying because I am not all that interested in him, more just interest in why he did this. What could possibly be going on there?

Unfortunately (or not) it's probably a mystery that will never be answered. I'm certainly not going to ask him, and given that he cut me, it's unlikely that he will be forthcoming with any information (about anything). Ah well, just going to have to chalk this one up to random acts of psychosis'.

Ciao.

Si.

My Costa Rican mama - Tati - would have me repeat that after her every morning when I would be yawning as I walked down the stairs. Her children and husband left the house at 6:30 - I got up at 7:15 and left at 8am. Tati didnt even allow me the same excuse that Mdme Grisoni did (that i am a hopeless, albeit pretty, lazy American) because she insisted that my "American-ness" was not the source of my laziness; she and her family are just as American as me.

So, I am still super excited about the foreign service exam. Although now I am just nervous about messing up on some silly administrative thing. Or what if I am not suitable? Oh dear. There always seems to be another thing to worry about. Why is that?

Ciao.

create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

Last night I went to an alnumni event for my law school. It was at the University of chicago club. Don't ask me why, because that is certainly not the school I went to (not even close). The event was under attended and I stayed for under an hour. Some of the people I saw there really surprised me: why would you go to an event as an alumnus when you never attended as a student? And why be SBA president if you are not even going to follow up and go to alumni events? I am pretty sure that the answer is that the uninvolved student has a lot of time on his hands (as he doesn't have a job) and the SBA president is working long hours (making lots of money) at a big firm.

This weekend I am returning to the homestead (again - was just there last week). The baby (blondie) needs a babysitter (or maybe it is a little more accurate to describe my role for the next few days as a keeper/chauffeur). I plan on watching a lot of TV, doing laundry and swimming. It will be fabulous.

Ciao.

PS - Congratulations to D.K., Esq. for passing the NY bar!

The story is that I ended up passing that exam. Suffice it to say that my surprise knows absolutely no bounds. I was so sure that I was not going to pass, that I don't really know what to do from here. Since moving to Chicago, I have pretty much been planning my future as if this would be my permanent home. It makes sense; I really like the city, I think being an attorney will be cool, it's close to my family. There really is not a too much missing from my situation right now.

Except there kind of is, maybe. I think that an attorney who interviewed me during a call-back really summed it up the best (before not offering me a position), when he told me that it seemed like my goal was to have a career that allowed me to do substantive work while traveling (not his exact words - which were actually obnoxious and included rather snotty comments about my aspirations which don't really apply here).

Should I feel bad that, despite everything I have right now, I just can't get over the feeling that something is lacking? Someone told me that it's the people in your life that make it what it is. I agree with this; it just can't be the whole story.

The bottom line is that I am so excited to have passed. I am ridiculously proud of myself (actually telling this poor guy completely out of the blue that "I passed the FSOA - he was confused). This is something I want so much that it seems like cold stone ice cream or the chanel quilted purse - almost immoral to actually attain. Luckily, I won't have to make any binding decisions for at least a year and a half. I guess right now is just the time to bask in the sense of self-accomplishment and day dream about where this could possibly take me.

Ciao

I PASSED!!!!!!!

Me, Esq. FSO (!!)

Need to sleep - can't think - too many steps at once - I love it.

Ciao.

Tomorrow I am taking another test; the second part of my application for the foreign service. I wonder if I will pass; or rather, I wonder what will happen if I do pass. It's something I want so much, I don't even know what I would do if I actually get it. At this point, however it is 11:30 at night and I have to get up in five hours. I am an incurable insomniac.

After the test I am going to the opera. (Oh dear, sometimes I wonder what is going on with me ... the opera? Seriously.) Actually, I am looking forward to it (seriously.) I really want to see it because it is based on a biblical story which I included in my undergrad thesis. (okay seriously. I am a hugely, unforgivable nerd.)

I also have a lot of work to do...at work. Somehow, despite my nearly week off, I have gotten behind.

This is a dumb post. Maybe I will have more to write tomorrow. I'll either be thrilled, depressed or confused. Maybe resigned. Who knows.

Ciao.

Today I was sworn in (the big day). Now I can put 'esquire' at the end of my name. The coolest thing, however, is that I left a court file at my parents' house in McHenry, IL. I am totally prepared to practice law.

The ceremony was okay- actually kind of moving. One of the speakers was a woman my grandfather knows (not really sure of the exact connection). No sure if she realized he was there. Something fairly emabarassing happened, however. I did not wear a suit. In case anyone wants to know, always wear a suit when you are going to an attorney ceremony. Why I didnt think of this is way beyond me.

It was kind of weird seeing all my law school classmates (or rather, some of my law school classmates). I know I look different (okay fatter), which is somewhat embarassing. But hey - at least I dont actually have to live in Lake/Kane/DuPage/McHenry County. SEriously. That would suck.

Another weird thing that happened today was that I ran into someone I knew from highschool. It was weird only in that it has been years since I saw this guy and he looked the same - maybe slightly more substantial and maybe more wrinkled? I don't know. He seemsto be living this freewheeling life, ski/sail bum. And I'm a lawyer - which he seemed to pity me for; which contrasted nicely to my almost instinctual feeling of "oh, well hopefully you will get your life together before hitting thirty." Wonder if he is feeling any of the doubts I am feeling.

Ciao.

Two posts in one day? Yes the things an evening at the old farmstead can result in. Nothing but craziness. Picture: Erin gets off at the second to last station (last stop) on the commuter rail - a full 70 miles outside of the city; is picked up in a suspicious seeming black towncar and whisked off into the night. Nothing but the OC and Laguna Beach episodes ahead of her. Except watching said programs has become essentially uncessary since a certain sibling has decided that she, like Kristin, will leave the McHenry County and take the OC by storm. Or, in the alternative, she simply pretends that Lake Forest is California incognito.

Or maybe I am just bitter that my baby sister is being a hormonal bitch.

And (perhaps because she is currently nuts) slightly bitter that I am going to be back here next weekend to "babysit" her current incarnation.

Seriously. Seriously. Just be nice. I understand that 15 is very cool, that LaCoste is very cool, that boarding school is very cool, etc. ad naseum. But seriously. Be nice. Everyone gets over this phase and if they have any dignity/shame they look back at it with slight embarassment. Seriously.

Ciao.

Several important things have happened since my last post. Since the world must be dying to know, I will update.

First, I started my clerkship. It is awesome - so much better than lawschool. Seriously.

Second, I moved to Chicago. It is awesome - so much better than Champaign. Seriously.

Third, I passed the bar (!!!). It is awesome - so much better than not passing. Really seriously.

Those are the big things. Tomorrow I am going to be sworn in as an attorney; very surreal. The ceremony is in Hemmens auditorium - which in itself is surreal; when I was an only child my mom and I used to go there to see Ella Jenkins perform. It is also right next to my old highschool. It would have never occurred to me that such an adult thing could happen there for me. After the ceremony I am going to Al's for lunch - and I am having a shake.

The best part about the ceremony is that I wont have to go through the metal detector at work anymore. I will go through the super special attorney entrance. It's just one of the perks that goes with spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on your education.

I think that I am going to start updating this more often. No promises (which would only be to myself since I doubt anyone checks this anymore), but I think I have the time and I enjoy it. Also, I am enough of an egomaniac that I really like writing about myself.

Ciao!