lI have somehow managed to become counsel for a nonparty witness in a federal case. I attended a hearing with her on Tuesday where she testified that she was represented by counsel and gave my name on the record. She was thoroughly examined for over two hours, and we left after her testimony because she was sequestered from hearing the rest of the proceedings.
I'm following the case on PACER and so I knew that the court had requested additional briefing and that another hearing was set for Friday. But nobody contacted me regarding her testimony and, based on the briefings, it did not appear that additional testimony from my client was necessary to resolve the outstanding issues.
And then, this afternoon, one of the parties contacted my client to ask if she would attend Friday's hearing. I told her that his attorney needed to contact me so that we could discuss it. No call. And the more I thought about it, the less inclined I was to allow my client to be put through the cross-examination ringer again.
I came home, had dinner with the kids, watched a movie with DH, and was heading to bed at 10:45 when I saw multiple missed calls and texts from my client starting at about 9:00 tonight. The party's attorney had been calling and texting her about appearing, and was threatening to have her arrested if she did not appear!
OMG, I have never been so angry at another attorney. I immediately called him (yes, at 11:00 tonight, because he was still texting my client when I finally talked to her) and told him to immediately cease all communication with her. He informed me that he is the president of the ethics division of our state bar and that he had committed no ethical breach. Bullshit. It took me all of 30 seconds to find the rule that expressly says you can't contact someone you know to be represented by a lawyer without the consent of the lawyer. Not to mention the rule that says you can threaten people with civil or criminal process unless you have a valid basis for it. Maybe I should have informed him that I got an almost perfect score on the MPRE.
And then he kept going on and on about his 20 years of experience and how [Judge's First Name] would issue a bench warrant the moment he asked for it and that my client was obligated to return to court or be in contempt. I told him that he was awfully confident.
Anyway, I'm meeting him at court in the morning, but my client will not be there. He's pretty peeved about it, but I'm ready to fight this battle. I don't respond well to unethical bullies, and I'll be happy to point out his transgressions to the court.
6/2/11
5/30/11
Thoughts on Disaster
I can see how all of the horrible of weather events lately could lead a non-atheist to believe that the rapture is coming. Hurricanes and tornadoes and floods and wildfires. It seems that there hasn't been a corner of the world left untouched.
I grew up in tornado alley and tornado warnings were pretty common, so I've never gotten too freaked out by tornadoes.* As kids, we pretty much had to be able to see the funnel before we took cover. Once the sirens went off, the whole neighborhood ran outside to look for the tornado. Our neighbors were to only family on the block with a storm cellar, and there had to be an imminent threat to go down there. It was dark and dank and full of bugs and mice and who knows what else.
But the recent tornadoes and horrible destruction in Joplin and Tuscaloosa have us all a little more on edge when the storm sirens start going off. One night last week the sirens were going off for hours. The kids spent the evening hanging out in the closet under the stairs with their bicycle helmets on. (Nerdy!) At one point they had the bright idea to take the dog and two cats in there with them--you can imagine how well that went over. DH and I were sitting on the couch about 15 feet away.
And this weekend, wildfires were taking over our hometown. They already suffered wildfires earlier this year that burned many homes. This time fewer homes were burned, but two of those were in the neighborhood that FIL and other relatives live in. They were all forced to evacuate last night. That was definitely a little too close for comfort.
I don't remember a year with so many adverse weather events. It does leave you wondering what is causing it and when is it going to end.
*I was at a business dinner about a year ago, and my tablemates were fascinated when they learned my hometown. They wanted to know if I had ever seen a tornado (yes, several), if I had ever been in a tornado (within about half a mile), how often tornadoes came along (a lot).
I grew up in tornado alley and tornado warnings were pretty common, so I've never gotten too freaked out by tornadoes.* As kids, we pretty much had to be able to see the funnel before we took cover. Once the sirens went off, the whole neighborhood ran outside to look for the tornado. Our neighbors were to only family on the block with a storm cellar, and there had to be an imminent threat to go down there. It was dark and dank and full of bugs and mice and who knows what else.
But the recent tornadoes and horrible destruction in Joplin and Tuscaloosa have us all a little more on edge when the storm sirens start going off. One night last week the sirens were going off for hours. The kids spent the evening hanging out in the closet under the stairs with their bicycle helmets on. (Nerdy!) At one point they had the bright idea to take the dog and two cats in there with them--you can imagine how well that went over. DH and I were sitting on the couch about 15 feet away.
And this weekend, wildfires were taking over our hometown. They already suffered wildfires earlier this year that burned many homes. This time fewer homes were burned, but two of those were in the neighborhood that FIL and other relatives live in. They were all forced to evacuate last night. That was definitely a little too close for comfort.
I don't remember a year with so many adverse weather events. It does leave you wondering what is causing it and when is it going to end.
*I was at a business dinner about a year ago, and my tablemates were fascinated when they learned my hometown. They wanted to know if I had ever seen a tornado (yes, several), if I had ever been in a tornado (within about half a mile), how often tornadoes came along (a lot).
5/24/11
An update of sorts
We finally heard back from the rheumatologist's office today. All of the tests that they have results for are normal. But some of the tests "were not obtained" so they are sending us a scrip to have more bloodwork done. WTF does the tests "were not obtained" mean? Did you lose some of the 15 bazillion vials of blood that you already took from my kid? Were they broken, contaminated?
TT will be thrilled to learn that she has to be vampirized again.
Meanwhile, my funk continues. It is more than just being worried about TT. It is also because I'm not happy with my job. I have been very slow for several weeks now. It is always unsettling to be low on hours for an extended period of time (although it is good timing with all of the medical appointments and end of the school year activities), because the possibility of layoffs always lies in the background. But I am reasonably certain that I would not be the first to go even if things don't pick up soon.
But besides being slow, I am bored. I work in a specialized niche of commercial litigation--and this particular field just isn't especially exciting. I feel like I do the same thing over and over. I would kill for a little variety, but I am in a true boutique firm (no, a 40 person insurance defense firm is not a litigation boutique, Mr. Recruiter).
I need something exciting, something that challenges me and makes my brain work. I'm not getting that right now, and the days just drag.
But I am hesitant to make a change. I have a level of comfort in my firm. I'm afraid of another crazy boss, and I get along with the attorneys that I work with now. I also have flexibility. I can leave early for a teacher conference or stay home with a sick kid and nobody really notices or cares as long as I am getting my work done. No one has ever made a peep about my billable hours. My billables requirement is low, and I am paid well--especially considering the billables requirement. And I am certain that I am on a 7 year partnership track, if that is what I want.
Besides, the job market is still pretty soft. But I really need some interesting work before my brain goes soft.
TT will be thrilled to learn that she has to be vampirized again.
Meanwhile, my funk continues. It is more than just being worried about TT. It is also because I'm not happy with my job. I have been very slow for several weeks now. It is always unsettling to be low on hours for an extended period of time (although it is good timing with all of the medical appointments and end of the school year activities), because the possibility of layoffs always lies in the background. But I am reasonably certain that I would not be the first to go even if things don't pick up soon.
But besides being slow, I am bored. I work in a specialized niche of commercial litigation--and this particular field just isn't especially exciting. I feel like I do the same thing over and over. I would kill for a little variety, but I am in a true boutique firm (no, a 40 person insurance defense firm is not a litigation boutique, Mr. Recruiter).
I need something exciting, something that challenges me and makes my brain work. I'm not getting that right now, and the days just drag.
But I am hesitant to make a change. I have a level of comfort in my firm. I'm afraid of another crazy boss, and I get along with the attorneys that I work with now. I also have flexibility. I can leave early for a teacher conference or stay home with a sick kid and nobody really notices or cares as long as I am getting my work done. No one has ever made a peep about my billable hours. My billables requirement is low, and I am paid well--especially considering the billables requirement. And I am certain that I am on a 7 year partnership track, if that is what I want.
Besides, the job market is still pretty soft. But I really need some interesting work before my brain goes soft.
5/17/11
Out of Sorts
I have been feeling a bit off lately. Cranky and short-tempered. Not as productive and organized as usual. And I'm pretty sure it's starting to show at work. At least twice in the last week one of my bosses have asked me about something that I either completely forgot about or was slow to complete. That is definitely not my style.
I'm not sure what the source of my off-ness is. I think a lot of it has to do with being worried about TT. At her appointment last week, I expected the rheumatologist to say that the ANA test is an unreliable indicator and that she just needed a recheck in a few months. Instead she ordered a battery of new bloodwork. They are testing for Lupus. TT doesn't have most of the typical symptoms, but she has a few. And it will be another week before we have test results.
Lupus is scary. Definitely not something that I want one of my kids to have to deal with. But I feel like we are too lucky. We have three really awesome kids. They don't have behavior issues. They don't have mental health issues. They don't have health issues (until now). They are smart and do well in school.
It seems so unfair that my kids don't have any real problems when I have friends and acquaintances whose kids have autism and Tourette's and epilepsy and severe behavioral and mental health issues and cancer. And so I'm afraid that it's our turn to have to deal with something terrible.
I felt almost despondent today when I spilled a cup of coffee all over my desk. It didn't hit anything important--so no big deal, right? But it just felt like one more thing piling up on me. I need to shake this off and get over this hump.
I'm not sure what the source of my off-ness is. I think a lot of it has to do with being worried about TT. At her appointment last week, I expected the rheumatologist to say that the ANA test is an unreliable indicator and that she just needed a recheck in a few months. Instead she ordered a battery of new bloodwork. They are testing for Lupus. TT doesn't have most of the typical symptoms, but she has a few. And it will be another week before we have test results.
Lupus is scary. Definitely not something that I want one of my kids to have to deal with. But I feel like we are too lucky. We have three really awesome kids. They don't have behavior issues. They don't have mental health issues. They don't have health issues (until now). They are smart and do well in school.
It seems so unfair that my kids don't have any real problems when I have friends and acquaintances whose kids have autism and Tourette's and epilepsy and severe behavioral and mental health issues and cancer. And so I'm afraid that it's our turn to have to deal with something terrible.
I felt almost despondent today when I spilled a cup of coffee all over my desk. It didn't hit anything important--so no big deal, right? But it just felt like one more thing piling up on me. I need to shake this off and get over this hump.
5/9/11
Alone and Bored
How is that possible? Because I set a speed record in the shower this morning before I had to hop back out and barf my guts up. I'm guessing it's a virus, because food poisoning doesn't make sense. But it doesn't feel like a virus. It feels like a hangover. Or pregnancy. I'm 100% certain it's neither of those, so I guess we're back to a virus.
And so I am lying here, trying to be still. And bored. And trying to figure out how to handle TT's appointment with the rheumatologist this afternoon. It is a 30-mile commute into Big City, and right now driving in a car sounds, well, nauseating. And if it truly is a virus, I don't want to expose anybody else. But it is a really important appointment and I really want to be there. (DH had planned to meet us there, so he could just take TT if I can't make it. But I'm anal-retentive and I know I'll get all grouchy if he doesn't ask the questions I think he should. Yes, this is a personality flaw.)
I've got another hour to see if my stomach settles--maybe it's only a six-hour bug-ha!
And so I am lying here, trying to be still. And bored. And trying to figure out how to handle TT's appointment with the rheumatologist this afternoon. It is a 30-mile commute into Big City, and right now driving in a car sounds, well, nauseating. And if it truly is a virus, I don't want to expose anybody else. But it is a really important appointment and I really want to be there. (DH had planned to meet us there, so he could just take TT if I can't make it. But I'm anal-retentive and I know I'll get all grouchy if he doesn't ask the questions I think he should. Yes, this is a personality flaw.)
I've got another hour to see if my stomach settles--maybe it's only a six-hour bug-ha!
5/8/11
Happy Mother's Day!
I hope all of the law moms are adequately spoiled.
DH and I ran the urban dare race yesterday. It's not a regular road race--it's kind of like a scavenger hunt. We had to solve a bunch of clues to figure out where to go, and then plot out the best route between points throughout downtown of Big City. We finished in the top third which I think was not too bad since it was our first time doing this kind of race, and since I'm still grounded from running. DH definitely could have finished faster without me slowing him down (or maybe not, since I'm a better navigator and more familiar with downtown).
We're guessing that we walked 5 miles (in 2.5 hours). Now I can feel every single muscle from my waist down. Seriously, why does my butt hurt so much? I think I may be more out of shape than I have led myself to believe.
This morning I have been showered with drawings and poems from the girls. I love the things they write, they're so funny. DH got me a GC to Barnes and Noble so I can refill my Nook (although I have no shortage of books--but book buying is my weakness,) and tickets to see Rock of Ages (which I may have dropped a few hints about).
Next week is a crazy one on the kid front. TT finally has her appointment with the rheumatologist and a recheck with the orthopedist. And we have PS's award ceremony, programs by the twins on two separate days, and a teacher conference --all in the middle of the day! I really wish our suburban school realized how difficult mid-day events are on parents who work in the city. My bosses may think I've quit my job, with all of the time I need to be out. And DH's department is in the middle of a huge project with an imminent deadline and they aren't allowing anyone to take time off right now. Good thing I'm not especially busy at work right now!
DH and I ran the urban dare race yesterday. It's not a regular road race--it's kind of like a scavenger hunt. We had to solve a bunch of clues to figure out where to go, and then plot out the best route between points throughout downtown of Big City. We finished in the top third which I think was not too bad since it was our first time doing this kind of race, and since I'm still grounded from running. DH definitely could have finished faster without me slowing him down (or maybe not, since I'm a better navigator and more familiar with downtown).
We're guessing that we walked 5 miles (in 2.5 hours). Now I can feel every single muscle from my waist down. Seriously, why does my butt hurt so much? I think I may be more out of shape than I have led myself to believe.
This morning I have been showered with drawings and poems from the girls. I love the things they write, they're so funny. DH got me a GC to Barnes and Noble so I can refill my Nook (although I have no shortage of books--but book buying is my weakness,) and tickets to see Rock of Ages (which I may have dropped a few hints about).
Next week is a crazy one on the kid front. TT finally has her appointment with the rheumatologist and a recheck with the orthopedist. And we have PS's award ceremony, programs by the twins on two separate days, and a teacher conference --all in the middle of the day! I really wish our suburban school realized how difficult mid-day events are on parents who work in the city. My bosses may think I've quit my job, with all of the time I need to be out. And DH's department is in the middle of a huge project with an imminent deadline and they aren't allowing anyone to take time off right now. Good thing I'm not especially busy at work right now!
5/1/11
This and That
It was a good weekend in the LC household. I accepted the award on Friday and received many nice compliments (and turned many shades of pink). I'm still astonished at how little is required to be recognized. The conference was really good. I was impressed with the quality of speakers at a small bar association's conference and I picked up some good info.
TT and SS, along with the rest of their troop, earned the bronze award in Girl Scouts, which is the highest award they can earn at their level. Yay!
And DH finished his second 5K. But it was not just a regular old 5K, it was one of the new-fangled run through the woods, jump over fire, climb over barriers, and swim through a mud pit kind of 5Ks. We don't have official results yet, but his time was respectable--not too far off from his first 5K, which did not involve all of the obstacles.
It was really interesting to watch the sizes and shapes of the people crossing the finish line. Many flabbier people were well ahead of their skinny-mini counterparts. It just goes to show that thin does not equal fit. And well-defined muscles do not mean that you are automatically prepared for an intense cardio workout.
DH and I are doing an urban race next weekend. Kinda like the amazing race with clues and trivia and obstacles. I'm still grounded from running, but I have been walking, and I think I can handle this. Hopefully our brains can compensate for my lack of athleticism.
TT and SS, along with the rest of their troop, earned the bronze award in Girl Scouts, which is the highest award they can earn at their level. Yay!
And DH finished his second 5K. But it was not just a regular old 5K, it was one of the new-fangled run through the woods, jump over fire, climb over barriers, and swim through a mud pit kind of 5Ks. We don't have official results yet, but his time was respectable--not too far off from his first 5K, which did not involve all of the obstacles.
It was really interesting to watch the sizes and shapes of the people crossing the finish line. Many flabbier people were well ahead of their skinny-mini counterparts. It just goes to show that thin does not equal fit. And well-defined muscles do not mean that you are automatically prepared for an intense cardio workout.
DH and I are doing an urban race next weekend. Kinda like the amazing race with clues and trivia and obstacles. I'm still grounded from running, but I have been walking, and I think I can handle this. Hopefully our brains can compensate for my lack of athleticism.
4/28/11
Well, that was really unexpected
So, I got a call today from my contact at Legal Aid. She informed me that I am being presented with an award tomorrow for performing the most pro bono hours in a certain county. How is that possible? It's not in Big City where I practice, or in the suburb where I live. It is one county over from where I live, and I did pick up a pro bono case there last year. One. And it was not a complex or particularly time-consuming case.
The first thing I asked her, was "are you sure?" And she assured me that she was. Apparently nobody steps up for pro bono work in that county, and it is one where there really is a great deal of need. I interned in the district attorney's office there when I was in law school. As a second year law student I got to work on two capital murder cases (one was a death penalty case, and yes, the D was sentenced to death), a first degree murder, an aggravated kidnapping by a meth dealer (I think I know how to build a meth lab now) and plenty of other drug and child molestation cases. No chance in heck I would have been able to work on those kinds of cases in Big City--their interns worked on DUI cases. But this county is rural and poor and overrun with drug problems--and there were only 4 ADAs
Anyway, I really do not feel like I deserve any kind of award. But the legal aid contact was pushing hard for me to attend. She said that that they already had the plaque engraved and that they had already paid for me to attend the bench/bar conference tomorrow where the awards are being presented. And so I guess I will go and graciously accept an award I don't deserve (and pick up some free CLE credit!).
But I had to reschedule a meeting with a current pro bono client to attend. Can you say irony?
The first thing I asked her, was "are you sure?" And she assured me that she was. Apparently nobody steps up for pro bono work in that county, and it is one where there really is a great deal of need. I interned in the district attorney's office there when I was in law school. As a second year law student I got to work on two capital murder cases (one was a death penalty case, and yes, the D was sentenced to death), a first degree murder, an aggravated kidnapping by a meth dealer (I think I know how to build a meth lab now) and plenty of other drug and child molestation cases. No chance in heck I would have been able to work on those kinds of cases in Big City--their interns worked on DUI cases. But this county is rural and poor and overrun with drug problems--and there were only 4 ADAs
Anyway, I really do not feel like I deserve any kind of award. But the legal aid contact was pushing hard for me to attend. She said that that they already had the plaque engraved and that they had already paid for me to attend the bench/bar conference tomorrow where the awards are being presented. And so I guess I will go and graciously accept an award I don't deserve (and pick up some free CLE credit!).
But I had to reschedule a meeting with a current pro bono client to attend. Can you say irony?
4/24/11
Nice break
Happy Easter to all who celebrate.
We spent our weekend in a little cabin on the edge of a river with the most fantastic multi-level deck that leads town to a fishing dock. Despite predictions, the weather remained clear, and we had a great time.
DH and the kids caught lots of fish while I sat on the deck watching a reading, frosty beverage in hand. I decided to re-read the Harry Potter series. I have only been through the series once, and I started when I was pregnant with the twins--so about 10 years ago. The last book came out the week before I took the bar exam--can you imagine what torture that was? It is fascinating to re-read Book 1 and pick up on all of the hints and bits of foreshadowing. And it is so amazing to realize how carefully J.K. Rowling must have planned to be able to tie it all together. I very rarely re-read book (because there is always something new and unknown that I want to read!), but I'm so glad to have picked this series up again. My goal is to get through it before the last movie come out.
Anyway, we also fit in a short canoe trip and about 5 miles of hiking. We tried to stick with the easy hiking trails because of TT's arm, but at one point she decided to take off running at top speed. The kids were about 20 yards ahead of us, and I heard PS yell "don't run!" and then I heard TT crying. She had tripped and landed face-down, right on top of her splinted arm. She was covered in mud, scraped up her uninjured arm, and had a big gash on her knee. But the splint seems to have protected the broken arm. Lesson learned: don't take kids with broken arms on any trails--or even let them outside--until they are completely healed.
I wish the weekend were longer. I'm not ready to start another week.
We spent our weekend in a little cabin on the edge of a river with the most fantastic multi-level deck that leads town to a fishing dock. Despite predictions, the weather remained clear, and we had a great time.
DH and the kids caught lots of fish while I sat on the deck watching a reading, frosty beverage in hand. I decided to re-read the Harry Potter series. I have only been through the series once, and I started when I was pregnant with the twins--so about 10 years ago. The last book came out the week before I took the bar exam--can you imagine what torture that was? It is fascinating to re-read Book 1 and pick up on all of the hints and bits of foreshadowing. And it is so amazing to realize how carefully J.K. Rowling must have planned to be able to tie it all together. I very rarely re-read book (because there is always something new and unknown that I want to read!), but I'm so glad to have picked this series up again. My goal is to get through it before the last movie come out.
Anyway, we also fit in a short canoe trip and about 5 miles of hiking. We tried to stick with the easy hiking trails because of TT's arm, but at one point she decided to take off running at top speed. The kids were about 20 yards ahead of us, and I heard PS yell "don't run!" and then I heard TT crying. She had tripped and landed face-down, right on top of her splinted arm. She was covered in mud, scraped up her uninjured arm, and had a big gash on her knee. But the splint seems to have protected the broken arm. Lesson learned: don't take kids with broken arms on any trails--or even let them outside--until they are completely healed.
I wish the weekend were longer. I'm not ready to start another week.
4/20/11
At least tomorrow is a fake Friday
Well, yesterday sucked and today wasn't much better.
I spent my morning in a settlement meeting. We were so close, I really thought it was a done deal. And then opposing counsel demanded a term that we just couldn't agree to. Everything fell apart from there. Argh.
Headed back to the office for 2 hours, which was just enough time to resolve another case. At least I accomplished something today.
But bitchy secretary just had to stop by my office and start prodding me: "So, you kid's arm really was hurt, huh? I guess you were wrong about it not being broken. I bet you feel really bad about not taking her to the doctor." I just gave her the evil eye, because all of the responses I was thinking in my head (like "fuck off, bitch") would have been inappropriate from an HR standpoint. (And the only reason she knows any of this is because she eavesdrops on my telephone conversations.)
Left the office at 2:15 to pick TT up at 3 for our 3:45 appointment. Somewhere in there we had just enough time for ice cream. Yay! Waited for 30 minutes to see a doctor for 2 minutes who decided that we only needed a splint, not a cast. That was good news. Casts are itchy and can't get wet. At least TT can take the splint off to bathe...and scratch.
Came home, played a raucous game of Boggle (we're all about the scatological humor) and sent the girls off to pack for our trip this weekend. Then I checked the weather, and it is supposed to storm all weekend. Fantastic. So much for hiking and canoeing. Hopefully we can still squeeze in some fishing (fortunately TT casts with her right hand--it's the left that is broken--because she has been begging to go fishing). And I guess we'll be packing up the Boggle.
After this week I am REALLY looking forward to a weekend in a cabin with a bottle of wine and trashy magazines.
I spent my morning in a settlement meeting. We were so close, I really thought it was a done deal. And then opposing counsel demanded a term that we just couldn't agree to. Everything fell apart from there. Argh.
Headed back to the office for 2 hours, which was just enough time to resolve another case. At least I accomplished something today.
But bitchy secretary just had to stop by my office and start prodding me: "So, you kid's arm really was hurt, huh? I guess you were wrong about it not being broken. I bet you feel really bad about not taking her to the doctor." I just gave her the evil eye, because all of the responses I was thinking in my head (like "fuck off, bitch") would have been inappropriate from an HR standpoint. (And the only reason she knows any of this is because she eavesdrops on my telephone conversations.)
Left the office at 2:15 to pick TT up at 3 for our 3:45 appointment. Somewhere in there we had just enough time for ice cream. Yay! Waited for 30 minutes to see a doctor for 2 minutes who decided that we only needed a splint, not a cast. That was good news. Casts are itchy and can't get wet. At least TT can take the splint off to bathe...and scratch.
Came home, played a raucous game of Boggle (we're all about the scatological humor) and sent the girls off to pack for our trip this weekend. Then I checked the weather, and it is supposed to storm all weekend. Fantastic. So much for hiking and canoeing. Hopefully we can still squeeze in some fishing (fortunately TT casts with her right hand--it's the left that is broken--because she has been begging to go fishing). And I guess we'll be packing up the Boggle.
After this week I am REALLY looking forward to a weekend in a cabin with a bottle of wine and trashy magazines.
4/19/11
Major Mommy Fail
Over a week ago my nanny called to tell me that TT had fallen at school and hurt her arm. The school nurse thought she was fine, but Nanny thought it looked swollen and said that TT was complaining about it a lot. So I left work early so that I could take a look and determine if she needed to go to an urgent care center (of course, it was 4:00 on a Friday afternoon and I wasn't getting in with my doc.) And because I have broken half the bones in my body and nobody (including the school nurse) ever believed I had a break--except my mom. ( And every time she said it was broken it really was.)
But when I got home it didn't look very bad. So I just hung out with her and watched to see if she was using or favoring her arm. I started tossing toys at her to see if she would catch them. And she really seemed fine. So I did not take her in.
Sometime last week, she fell at school (again) and hurt her arm (again). She has been falling a lot and has been getting big ugly bruises, so I called the doc to make an appointment. And they couldn't get me in until this Monday. Yeah, I was annoyed, but she still wasn't acting particularly hurt, so I didn't push it. Meanwhile, over the weekend, TT fell (again) while riding her bicycle and hurt her arm a third time
So Monday she finally got to see the doc, who took five vials of blood (for the clumsiness and unexplained bruising) and ordered an X-ray because she though TT's arm was pretty swollen (but not bruised, despite the giant bruises she has been getting everywhere else).
Today I got the results of both. TT's wrist is fractured and we have an appointment with an orthopedist tomorrow to have a cast put on. Yeah, totally missed that one. Apparently I did not inherit my mother's ability to diagnose broken bones. (I went more than two weeks with two broken feet last summer before I saw a doc, so I really should have know this.) God, I feel terrible. I felt like a mommy failure when PS first had to get glasses because I hadn't noticed sooner that she couldn't read anything. This is about a million times worse.
And while her bloodwork ruled out most blood disorders, her ANA count was very high, which can be indicative of an autoimmune disorder. We have been referred to a pediatric rheumatologist, but apparently, there is only one pediatric rheumatologist in all of Big City. (How is that possible?) So who knows how long it will take to actually get an appointment with this doctor. Meanwhile I am trying not to freak out. WedMD is not helping. But I did get some comfort from reading actual medical journals that seem to indicate a fairly high number of false-positives with this test.
Of course, adding to my worry is the fact that this child is an identical twin. Which means that if she does have something serious, there's a good possibility that her twin could have the same thing. Ugh. It sucks when you can't protect your kids from crap like this.
But when I got home it didn't look very bad. So I just hung out with her and watched to see if she was using or favoring her arm. I started tossing toys at her to see if she would catch them. And she really seemed fine. So I did not take her in.
Sometime last week, she fell at school (again) and hurt her arm (again). She has been falling a lot and has been getting big ugly bruises, so I called the doc to make an appointment. And they couldn't get me in until this Monday. Yeah, I was annoyed, but she still wasn't acting particularly hurt, so I didn't push it. Meanwhile, over the weekend, TT fell (again) while riding her bicycle and hurt her arm a third time
So Monday she finally got to see the doc, who took five vials of blood (for the clumsiness and unexplained bruising) and ordered an X-ray because she though TT's arm was pretty swollen (but not bruised, despite the giant bruises she has been getting everywhere else).
Today I got the results of both. TT's wrist is fractured and we have an appointment with an orthopedist tomorrow to have a cast put on. Yeah, totally missed that one. Apparently I did not inherit my mother's ability to diagnose broken bones. (I went more than two weeks with two broken feet last summer before I saw a doc, so I really should have know this.) God, I feel terrible. I felt like a mommy failure when PS first had to get glasses because I hadn't noticed sooner that she couldn't read anything. This is about a million times worse.
And while her bloodwork ruled out most blood disorders, her ANA count was very high, which can be indicative of an autoimmune disorder. We have been referred to a pediatric rheumatologist, but apparently, there is only one pediatric rheumatologist in all of Big City. (How is that possible?) So who knows how long it will take to actually get an appointment with this doctor. Meanwhile I am trying not to freak out. WedMD is not helping. But I did get some comfort from reading actual medical journals that seem to indicate a fairly high number of false-positives with this test.
Of course, adding to my worry is the fact that this child is an identical twin. Which means that if she does have something serious, there's a good possibility that her twin could have the same thing. Ugh. It sucks when you can't protect your kids from crap like this.
4/14/11
Cranky
I hate Word 2007. Hate, hate, hate it. I have had it on my machine for years, and i have never figured out the stupid ribbon menu. I can't freaking figure out how to do anything.
I have to file a brief with the state supreme court tomorrow. It's done--I just need to do the table of contents and table of authorities. I don't do these very often, and it is always a PITA. And for some inexplicable reason, I am far more tech savvy than my staff, so if I can't figure it out, it ain't gonna happen.
I started playing around with in in Word 2008 for Mac, and it worked ok, but the TOC wasn't picking up all of my tagged titled. And it kept changing the font--which is bad because the rules contain very specific font requirements.
So I thought I would just bring it home and work out the kinks on my PC, because I'm a PC girl and generally blame the stupid mac for all of my problems. But the Word '08 of Mac is about a million times more user friendly that the '07 on my PC.
But I'm about to throw my laptop out a window, so I guess I will have to figure it all out on my mac tomorrow.
It doesn't help that I am seriously hurting right now. I was rear-ended on my way to work on Tuesday. It didn't seem too bad--his car looks a whole lot worse than mine. But I was pretty sore, and by the end of the day, I made an appt with my doc. She gave me some scrips, but I didn't fill them, because I'm not big on taking drugs, and the pain was not unbearable. And then today I woke up and couldn't turn my neck. Now I have shooting pain in my neck and shoulders. I really want to take a muscle relaxer, but I was trying to finish formatting my stupid brief first.
And I had a hearing on a pro bono matter that left me fuming. The prosecutor flat-out refused to consider any evidence that was favorable to my client. Then she said, "my job is to decide guilt or innocence." Hmmm, I thought that was the jury's job. I'm pretty sure the prosecutor's job is to ensure justice is had. To me that means considering all of the evidence--not just the state's version of events. She also said (this is a juvenile truancy case), "I don't consider it bullying when it is many different kids doing it over a period of time. It's only bullying when it is one kid who repeatedly harasses another." WTF? She also refused to voluntarily turn over any discovery because "it's sounds like you are on a fishing expedition so that you can build a lawsuit against the school district." Again, WTF? When I worked in the DA's office we always turned over the entire file upon request. I think she is a bully, and most of the kids she deals with don't have the benefit of a lawyer.
I have to file a brief with the state supreme court tomorrow. It's done--I just need to do the table of contents and table of authorities. I don't do these very often, and it is always a PITA. And for some inexplicable reason, I am far more tech savvy than my staff, so if I can't figure it out, it ain't gonna happen.
I started playing around with in in Word 2008 for Mac, and it worked ok, but the TOC wasn't picking up all of my tagged titled. And it kept changing the font--which is bad because the rules contain very specific font requirements.
So I thought I would just bring it home and work out the kinks on my PC, because I'm a PC girl and generally blame the stupid mac for all of my problems. But the Word '08 of Mac is about a million times more user friendly that the '07 on my PC.
But I'm about to throw my laptop out a window, so I guess I will have to figure it all out on my mac tomorrow.
It doesn't help that I am seriously hurting right now. I was rear-ended on my way to work on Tuesday. It didn't seem too bad--his car looks a whole lot worse than mine. But I was pretty sore, and by the end of the day, I made an appt with my doc. She gave me some scrips, but I didn't fill them, because I'm not big on taking drugs, and the pain was not unbearable. And then today I woke up and couldn't turn my neck. Now I have shooting pain in my neck and shoulders. I really want to take a muscle relaxer, but I was trying to finish formatting my stupid brief first.
And I had a hearing on a pro bono matter that left me fuming. The prosecutor flat-out refused to consider any evidence that was favorable to my client. Then she said, "my job is to decide guilt or innocence." Hmmm, I thought that was the jury's job. I'm pretty sure the prosecutor's job is to ensure justice is had. To me that means considering all of the evidence--not just the state's version of events. She also said (this is a juvenile truancy case), "I don't consider it bullying when it is many different kids doing it over a period of time. It's only bullying when it is one kid who repeatedly harasses another." WTF? She also refused to voluntarily turn over any discovery because "it's sounds like you are on a fishing expedition so that you can build a lawsuit against the school district." Again, WTF? When I worked in the DA's office we always turned over the entire file upon request. I think she is a bully, and most of the kids she deals with don't have the benefit of a lawyer.
4/10/11
Weekend Ramblings
PS and I had matinee tickets to a local theater production, so we made a day of it and headed to the mall for lunch and a bit of shopping. It was a nice mom/daughter day.
Afterward we headed to a nearby running store that I have been meaning to visit ever since I broke my feet. $125 later and I was fitted with a sparkly new pair of Asics Gel Nimbus 12. (Doesn't that sounds like something Harry Potter would wear?) I have definitely never paid that much for a pair of running shoes, but it is much cheaper than a pair of robot boots. Interestingly, I was sized at 7.5. Every pair of shoes in my closet is a 9. Apparently I'm not a 9, I just have super-wide Barney Rubble feet and have been ordering up to compensate for them.
Then we decided to make a quick run into Central Market to grab a particular sauce that I use as a base in DH's favorite dish. Ha! That place is freaking nuts on a Sunday afternoon--comparable to Disneyland on a Saturday in June. There were people every where, and they weren't especially polite. And it's a maze like Ikea--once you're in, there's no leaving unless you find one of their super-secret exit passageways. And the trip was futile, because they no longer carried the sauce that I went in for (although a very helpful employee did help me locate a couple of similar products to experiment with). I definitely won't be visiting Central Market on a weekend again any time soon.
Finally made it home in time for dinner and to help TT out with her research project. Her topic is "volcanoes." Her teacher told me last week that TT was having trouble focusing her research. Ummm, ya think it's because her topic is "volcanoes."? That's pretty dang broad. I told TT that we needed to start an outline of what we are trying to learn about volcanoes. I also insisted that we research with books instead of doing broad internet searches. Stunningly, her research is suddenly more focused.
Meanwhile, I am becoming an expert on volcanoes when I need to be drafting a response to a petition for writ of mandamus that was requested by our state supreme court and is due in a week. I was making good headway on Friday until I got a call from our nanny telling me that TT had hurt her harm and that she thought it might be broken. I rushed home (and after observing TT for half an hour determined that her arm was definitely not broken), and intended to return to my writ response this weekend. But the weekend is almost over and I've made no more progress on my response. I see a late night in my near future.
Afterward we headed to a nearby running store that I have been meaning to visit ever since I broke my feet. $125 later and I was fitted with a sparkly new pair of Asics Gel Nimbus 12. (Doesn't that sounds like something Harry Potter would wear?) I have definitely never paid that much for a pair of running shoes, but it is much cheaper than a pair of robot boots. Interestingly, I was sized at 7.5. Every pair of shoes in my closet is a 9. Apparently I'm not a 9, I just have super-wide Barney Rubble feet and have been ordering up to compensate for them.
Then we decided to make a quick run into Central Market to grab a particular sauce that I use as a base in DH's favorite dish. Ha! That place is freaking nuts on a Sunday afternoon--comparable to Disneyland on a Saturday in June. There were people every where, and they weren't especially polite. And it's a maze like Ikea--once you're in, there's no leaving unless you find one of their super-secret exit passageways. And the trip was futile, because they no longer carried the sauce that I went in for (although a very helpful employee did help me locate a couple of similar products to experiment with). I definitely won't be visiting Central Market on a weekend again any time soon.
Finally made it home in time for dinner and to help TT out with her research project. Her topic is "volcanoes." Her teacher told me last week that TT was having trouble focusing her research. Ummm, ya think it's because her topic is "volcanoes."? That's pretty dang broad. I told TT that we needed to start an outline of what we are trying to learn about volcanoes. I also insisted that we research with books instead of doing broad internet searches. Stunningly, her research is suddenly more focused.
Meanwhile, I am becoming an expert on volcanoes when I need to be drafting a response to a petition for writ of mandamus that was requested by our state supreme court and is due in a week. I was making good headway on Friday until I got a call from our nanny telling me that TT had hurt her harm and that she thought it might be broken. I rushed home (and after observing TT for half an hour determined that her arm was definitely not broken), and intended to return to my writ response this weekend. But the weekend is almost over and I've made no more progress on my response. I see a late night in my near future.
4/8/11
Sum-sum-summertime
It seems like spring has just started, but summer is already moving toward us, full steam ahead. I've signed all three girls up for summer camp--in the same week!!! What are DH and I going to do with a week without kids? We could go for dinner or drinks every night. We could go to the theater, or the comedy club we've been meaning to try, or a baseball game. And we won't have to worry about rushing home to relieve the sitter. It will be like we get our own grown-up camp. And the kids will be having a blast.
I've also reserved a condo on the beach for a week at the end of the summer. We had tossed around a couple of ideas for a summer vacation, but this is the most economical. (I'm trying to reserve vacation funds so that we can take the kids on a cruise within the next year. Unfortunately, a trial just got set on the week I was shooting for, so we'll have to see how that plays out.) I'm so looking forward to a week on the beach--although August seems like a really long way off right now.
And by the end of summer I've got to make some major decisions about what I am going to do with the kids next year. My nanny is going off to college, and I just don't know if we still need a nanny starting next year. The twins will be in the 5th grade. PS will be in 8th--and 13. PS is super responsible and definitely doesn't need a babysitter. I have a little less faith in the twins, but they get home from school only about an hour before PS.
Also, our nanny helps out with the housekeeping and the kids laundry. That is huge. And she's available to run the kids around when they have after-school activities. Maybe I can just replace her with a housekeeper with light child care responsibilities, although in my experience it is tough to find someone who does both. At least I have a few months to figure this out.
I've also reserved a condo on the beach for a week at the end of the summer. We had tossed around a couple of ideas for a summer vacation, but this is the most economical. (I'm trying to reserve vacation funds so that we can take the kids on a cruise within the next year. Unfortunately, a trial just got set on the week I was shooting for, so we'll have to see how that plays out.) I'm so looking forward to a week on the beach--although August seems like a really long way off right now.
And by the end of summer I've got to make some major decisions about what I am going to do with the kids next year. My nanny is going off to college, and I just don't know if we still need a nanny starting next year. The twins will be in the 5th grade. PS will be in 8th--and 13. PS is super responsible and definitely doesn't need a babysitter. I have a little less faith in the twins, but they get home from school only about an hour before PS.
Also, our nanny helps out with the housekeeping and the kids laundry. That is huge. And she's available to run the kids around when they have after-school activities. Maybe I can just replace her with a housekeeper with light child care responsibilities, although in my experience it is tough to find someone who does both. At least I have a few months to figure this out.
4/6/11
Adventures in Babysitting
I answered the call of a friend who desperately needed a babysitter so that they could go visit her DH's mom in the ICU,where babies aren't allowed. It was well timed because I was already taking off early to pick my girls up from school because my nanny needed the day off because her mother was having surgery. And since so many people jumped in to help us out when MIL was sick, we appreciate the opportunity to pay it forward.
So I got to spend the evening with a 10-month-old bundle of adorableness, and my girls got a little babysitter training. They have never spent much time around babies, and none of them ever really played with baby dolls or shown any interest in babies. They still didn't show much interest in this baby. But I made PS feed him and change his diaper and I have a hilarious video of her trying to wrestle him into his pajamas. He was a really good sport during all of this.
I ordered a pizza for dinner, which was an experience in itself because Pizza Hut has the suckiest mobile app ever and would only let me have a pizza delivered to my home address. (I was babysitting at the baby's house.) I couldn't even fix it by logging in directly to their website on my phone, because they have an equally sucky mobile web page that also would not let me change my delivery address. Get with it Pizza Hut--surely you can find better programmers that this. I finally got a pizza ordered by, gasp!, using my phone and calling (although even that took two phone calls).
So the pizza guy rang the door bell and the dog started barking ferociously and the baby started fussing. I handed the baby to PS and squeezed out the front door to keep the dog from eating the pizza guy. Who was a 30-something white guy with a jeri curl and a KISS necklace. Who proceeded to tell me all about his own dog, and then run back to his car to grab his cell phone so that he could show me pictures of his own dog.
Finally got rid of the pizza guy, gave my kids pizza, and fed the baby some baby-cookies that he seemed to really like.
Despite the fact that he refused to go to bed when his mom said he would, he was a really good baby and so very cute. It was nice to spend an evening with a little one, but I'm pooped and so darn glad that my girls are big now. I truly have no desire to go back to having babies. They're just so much work--although it is a heck of a lot easier to chase after one than two.
So I got to spend the evening with a 10-month-old bundle of adorableness, and my girls got a little babysitter training. They have never spent much time around babies, and none of them ever really played with baby dolls or shown any interest in babies. They still didn't show much interest in this baby. But I made PS feed him and change his diaper and I have a hilarious video of her trying to wrestle him into his pajamas. He was a really good sport during all of this.
I ordered a pizza for dinner, which was an experience in itself because Pizza Hut has the suckiest mobile app ever and would only let me have a pizza delivered to my home address. (I was babysitting at the baby's house.) I couldn't even fix it by logging in directly to their website on my phone, because they have an equally sucky mobile web page that also would not let me change my delivery address. Get with it Pizza Hut--surely you can find better programmers that this. I finally got a pizza ordered by, gasp!, using my phone and calling (although even that took two phone calls).
So the pizza guy rang the door bell and the dog started barking ferociously and the baby started fussing. I handed the baby to PS and squeezed out the front door to keep the dog from eating the pizza guy. Who was a 30-something white guy with a jeri curl and a KISS necklace. Who proceeded to tell me all about his own dog, and then run back to his car to grab his cell phone so that he could show me pictures of his own dog.
Finally got rid of the pizza guy, gave my kids pizza, and fed the baby some baby-cookies that he seemed to really like.
Despite the fact that he refused to go to bed when his mom said he would, he was a really good baby and so very cute. It was nice to spend an evening with a little one, but I'm pooped and so darn glad that my girls are big now. I truly have no desire to go back to having babies. They're just so much work--although it is a heck of a lot easier to chase after one than two.
4/2/11
The craziest thing I heard all week
"I'm sorry, but my expert is not available on the day you noticed his deposition because he is going to Mount Ararat to help find Noah's Ark."
Seriously.
Seriously.
Another week, another weekend
It feels a little like I am living for the weekends lately. Not because I don't like my work, but because I am so busy during the week between work and the kids that I don't feel like there is any down time until the weekend.
I'm still busy at work, but not insanely busy like I was a month ago. I haven't eaten dinner at work lately, and that's a good thing.
But Thursday I was in depos in podunkville that lasted until 5:30, and then we had dinner at this fantastic little steak place.* I left my house at 7:30 Thursday morning and didn't start my drive home until 7:00 Thursday night. And I needed to pick up craft supplies for SS and TT to take to a SWAP meet for girl scouts on Friday. So I found a Hobby Lobby along the way, and popped in 20 minutes before they closed to gather supplies.
I got home at 9:00 and proceeded to hot glue millions (ok, 50) tiny swaps while watching the worst Grey's Anatomy ever. (Yes, SS and TT should have made their own swaps, but we were out of time, and they finished up Friday after school).
Speaking of this week's terrible entertainment, I finally watched Black Swan last night. Yuck! I had been so disappointed that I missed it in theaters and was really looking forward to it, and I just did not like it at all.
*Still doing the Nutrisystem thing. Still losing, albeit slowly. Would probably lose faster if I stuck a little closer to the plan, but there have been a lot of client meeting and out-of-office events that require lunch out. And weekends are killer for me, because we usually dine out at least once as a family and we tend to pick up something quick if we are out running around. But I've lost the 10 pounds that I put on this year.
I just ordered another month of food. Hopefully by then I'll be trained to eat healthier. NS forces me to eat more veggies and protein, and I think that lifestyle change is key. I looooove carbs, but they leave me hungry.
As for the NS food, the breakfasts and lunches are ok, but I really don't care for the dinners. I used up all of the breakfasts and lunches that I originally ordered, but I have several dinners left. And a ton of desserts. We've never really been dessert eaters, and when I snack, I usually want salty and NS only sent sweet stuff.
And it appears that I have unintentionally given up sodas. I don't remember the last time I had a Diet Dr.Pepper. I don't even want one any more. Weird.
I'm still busy at work, but not insanely busy like I was a month ago. I haven't eaten dinner at work lately, and that's a good thing.
But Thursday I was in depos in podunkville that lasted until 5:30, and then we had dinner at this fantastic little steak place.* I left my house at 7:30 Thursday morning and didn't start my drive home until 7:00 Thursday night. And I needed to pick up craft supplies for SS and TT to take to a SWAP meet for girl scouts on Friday. So I found a Hobby Lobby along the way, and popped in 20 minutes before they closed to gather supplies.
I got home at 9:00 and proceeded to hot glue millions (ok, 50) tiny swaps while watching the worst Grey's Anatomy ever. (Yes, SS and TT should have made their own swaps, but we were out of time, and they finished up Friday after school).
Speaking of this week's terrible entertainment, I finally watched Black Swan last night. Yuck! I had been so disappointed that I missed it in theaters and was really looking forward to it, and I just did not like it at all.
*Still doing the Nutrisystem thing. Still losing, albeit slowly. Would probably lose faster if I stuck a little closer to the plan, but there have been a lot of client meeting and out-of-office events that require lunch out. And weekends are killer for me, because we usually dine out at least once as a family and we tend to pick up something quick if we are out running around. But I've lost the 10 pounds that I put on this year.
I just ordered another month of food. Hopefully by then I'll be trained to eat healthier. NS forces me to eat more veggies and protein, and I think that lifestyle change is key. I looooove carbs, but they leave me hungry.
As for the NS food, the breakfasts and lunches are ok, but I really don't care for the dinners. I used up all of the breakfasts and lunches that I originally ordered, but I have several dinners left. And a ton of desserts. We've never really been dessert eaters, and when I snack, I usually want salty and NS only sent sweet stuff.
And it appears that I have unintentionally given up sodas. I don't remember the last time I had a Diet Dr.Pepper. I don't even want one any more. Weird.
3/27/11
Weekend in Review
Had dinner and drinks with a girlfriend on Friday night. Yay, girl time is good and its been way too long.
Saturday morning I suddenly decided that we needed to convert the closet-under-the-stairs into a pantry. I have no real pantry and my kitchen storage is grossly inadequate. Especially since I live 2 minutes from Costco and do 75% of my shopping there.
The closet-under-the-stairs had previously been used for coats and suitcases and whatever random crap got shoved in there when company was coming. But because of the coats in the front, and the angled wall at the back, the space wasn't being used well.
So I decided that we would put narrow shelving along both sides, with one large, low shelf at the back to make a walk-in pantry. We've spent about $75 in materials and a few hours. So far it looks great.
But DH is driving me nuts, because he clearly hates watching me use the drill (to screw in the shelves and brackets). I will admit that I am not the most skilled power tool user in the world and I am naturally clumsy. But I am capable, even if it takes me a little longer than it would take him.
I finally gave in and let him take over. But told him that our girls needed to see that women could use power-tools, too. So now he is teaching TT and SS how to use the drill, and they are finishing up our shelves. My new pantry should be stocked by the end of the day--woot!
We took a break on Saturday night to go see Lincoln Lawyer (I got cheap tix via Groupon, and the twins were at a sleepover, leaving the perfect opportunity for a date night.) It was ok, but it is so hard to watch lawyer movies and set aside my lawyer-self and just appreciate the entertainment value. But the Matthew McConaughey eye-candy was definitely worth seeing--even if he wasn't shirtless.
Came home to freshly baked brownies by PS. It's so nice when your kids get big enough to bake you brownies!
Overall, a good weekend.
Saturday morning I suddenly decided that we needed to convert the closet-under-the-stairs into a pantry. I have no real pantry and my kitchen storage is grossly inadequate. Especially since I live 2 minutes from Costco and do 75% of my shopping there.
The closet-under-the-stairs had previously been used for coats and suitcases and whatever random crap got shoved in there when company was coming. But because of the coats in the front, and the angled wall at the back, the space wasn't being used well.
So I decided that we would put narrow shelving along both sides, with one large, low shelf at the back to make a walk-in pantry. We've spent about $75 in materials and a few hours. So far it looks great.
But DH is driving me nuts, because he clearly hates watching me use the drill (to screw in the shelves and brackets). I will admit that I am not the most skilled power tool user in the world and I am naturally clumsy. But I am capable, even if it takes me a little longer than it would take him.
I finally gave in and let him take over. But told him that our girls needed to see that women could use power-tools, too. So now he is teaching TT and SS how to use the drill, and they are finishing up our shelves. My new pantry should be stocked by the end of the day--woot!
We took a break on Saturday night to go see Lincoln Lawyer (I got cheap tix via Groupon, and the twins were at a sleepover, leaving the perfect opportunity for a date night.) It was ok, but it is so hard to watch lawyer movies and set aside my lawyer-self and just appreciate the entertainment value. But the Matthew McConaughey eye-candy was definitely worth seeing--even if he wasn't shirtless.
Came home to freshly baked brownies by PS. It's so nice when your kids get big enough to bake you brownies!
Overall, a good weekend.
3/20/11
Together Again*
We sent PS to her great-grandparents' last week for spring break while SS and TT attended a fantastic day camp sponsored by our city.
PS has spent several summers with my grandparents, but it has been a couple of years since her last visit without us. I don't think that my grandparents realized that she has grown from a sweet 8-year old who was excited to visit with old people and become the Senior Center's mascot, to a moody 12-year old who just wants to hang out with her friends or play video games. She really thought she was roughing it because she had no internet all week.
And my grandparents were quite possessive and did not want to share her. By mid-week my dad had to intervene and insist that she be allowed to spend the night with my brother and his 4 girls. PS had been begging to see her cousins, and she had a great time with them. In the end, she also got to spend time with my dad and DH's dad. Of course, my mother never even tried to get in touch with her, despite the fact that she knew PS would be in town.
PS flew back home Friday afternoon. To celebrate our little family being reunited again, we went to the drive-through animal park yesterday and saw the zebras and giraffes and other critters I can't pronounce or identify, and then the dinosaur park where we walked in real dinosaur tracks, followed by some awesome barbecue and cobbler in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. It was our last, and only spring break hurrah, since my work schedule did not allow any time off, but we had a good time and came home tired and happy. And we have booked Easter weekend at the awesome cabin we visited last year, so we have at least a mini-vacation in the near-ish future. Yay!
*This is what was running through my head when I named this post:
PS has spent several summers with my grandparents, but it has been a couple of years since her last visit without us. I don't think that my grandparents realized that she has grown from a sweet 8-year old who was excited to visit with old people and become the Senior Center's mascot, to a moody 12-year old who just wants to hang out with her friends or play video games. She really thought she was roughing it because she had no internet all week.
And my grandparents were quite possessive and did not want to share her. By mid-week my dad had to intervene and insist that she be allowed to spend the night with my brother and his 4 girls. PS had been begging to see her cousins, and she had a great time with them. In the end, she also got to spend time with my dad and DH's dad. Of course, my mother never even tried to get in touch with her, despite the fact that she knew PS would be in town.
PS flew back home Friday afternoon. To celebrate our little family being reunited again, we went to the drive-through animal park yesterday and saw the zebras and giraffes and other critters I can't pronounce or identify, and then the dinosaur park where we walked in real dinosaur tracks, followed by some awesome barbecue and cobbler in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. It was our last, and only spring break hurrah, since my work schedule did not allow any time off, but we had a good time and came home tired and happy. And we have booked Easter weekend at the awesome cabin we visited last year, so we have at least a mini-vacation in the near-ish future. Yay!
*This is what was running through my head when I named this post:
3/17/11
Sick Day
So I took down my last two whiny posts, because I hate whining.
And I called in sick today because I have been feeling crappy all week (which undoubtedly contributed to the whining) and I'm just totally run down. And because today's project is the doc review, which I can do just as effectively from the comfyness of my couch and the coziness of my yoga pants as I can sitting in a suit at my desk in the office.
Hopefully an easy day and a nap will make me less cranky and whiny. The ability to breathe out of both nostrils would help a lot, too.
And I called in sick today because I have been feeling crappy all week (which undoubtedly contributed to the whining) and I'm just totally run down. And because today's project is the doc review, which I can do just as effectively from the comfyness of my couch and the coziness of my yoga pants as I can sitting in a suit at my desk in the office.
Hopefully an easy day and a nap will make me less cranky and whiny. The ability to breathe out of both nostrils would help a lot, too.
3/13/11
The Gift of a Sunday
We shipped PS off for a week with her great-grandparents. When I booked her 8:45 flight, I did not realize that today was the time change. It was an early morning.
I headed to work after dropping her off to prepare for a mediation on Monday. The first that I would be doing on my own. Despite one of my cases settling last week, my load has stayed heavy and the late nights have continued. I worked until 9:00 Friday finishing my mediation statement, and then took spent Saturday hanging with the kids--knowing that I would go in on Sunday to finish preparing for the mediation.
But as soon as I opened my email this morning I had a message informing me that the opposing party had filed for bankruptcy late on Friday, and so my case is automatically stayed. Bastards. Like they didn't know they would be filing for bankruptcy before I spent most of last week preparing for mediation and the trial that was set for next week. And I was really looking forward to my solo mediation. (And why didn't this email show up on my iphone yesterday?)
So I spent about an hour at the office responding to a few emails that I was too busy to deal with last week, and headed back home.
On the bright side, I now get to spend Sunday with my girlies--at least two of them. Looks like we're going to play laser tag. Nothing says family fun like shooting each other with laser beams!
I headed to work after dropping her off to prepare for a mediation on Monday. The first that I would be doing on my own. Despite one of my cases settling last week, my load has stayed heavy and the late nights have continued. I worked until 9:00 Friday finishing my mediation statement, and then took spent Saturday hanging with the kids--knowing that I would go in on Sunday to finish preparing for the mediation.
But as soon as I opened my email this morning I had a message informing me that the opposing party had filed for bankruptcy late on Friday, and so my case is automatically stayed. Bastards. Like they didn't know they would be filing for bankruptcy before I spent most of last week preparing for mediation and the trial that was set for next week. And I was really looking forward to my solo mediation. (And why didn't this email show up on my iphone yesterday?)
So I spent about an hour at the office responding to a few emails that I was too busy to deal with last week, and headed back home.
On the bright side, I now get to spend Sunday with my girlies--at least two of them. Looks like we're going to play laser tag. Nothing says family fun like shooting each other with laser beams!
3/12/11
Abstinence
I just got am email from PS's school informing me that they are bringing in an abstinence education speaker. For some reason, this just set me off. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, really--we are in an uber-conservative school district. But there has been absolutely no sex ed at all in PS's public school so far. And apparently this is all they're gong to get.
Guess what? Abstinence only programs don't work. Teenagers have been having sex since the beginning of time and they will continue having sex. And I can't with a straight face tell my kids not to have sex until they are married. I mean, what is my response supposed to be when they ask if I waited until marriage? The answer is, "no, but I waited until I was in a long-term relationship with someone that I really cared about, and I took the necessary precautions," which is really the best I can hope for my children.
Besides, I married really young--at 20. I would prefer that my daughters wait longer to marry. Although I don't regret my marriage or my children, I do wish that I had had a bit more time to be "free" in my twenties. If I could choose their paths (and of course, I can't) I'd hope they wait until their late twenties to marry. And is it realistic to tell a kid to wait until she has her graduate degree to have sex?
Of course I will encourage my daughters to wait until they are in the right relationship and mature enough to handle the emotional and physical consequences. And I will educate them about the consequences of having sex. PS already knows she wasn't planned--we were already married, but a baby definitely was not something I wanted in my immediate future--so even grown-ups can make mistakes with contraception.
I'm not naive enough to think my daughters will talk to me before having sex (although I really, really hope so.) But I will pay attention to what is going on in their lives, so that I'll have a clue when we are heading in that direction. And I will make sure they have the information they need to protect themselves and make good decisions. Because telling them, "just don't do it" isn't going to accomplish that.
Guess what? Abstinence only programs don't work. Teenagers have been having sex since the beginning of time and they will continue having sex. And I can't with a straight face tell my kids not to have sex until they are married. I mean, what is my response supposed to be when they ask if I waited until marriage? The answer is, "no, but I waited until I was in a long-term relationship with someone that I really cared about, and I took the necessary precautions," which is really the best I can hope for my children.
Besides, I married really young--at 20. I would prefer that my daughters wait longer to marry. Although I don't regret my marriage or my children, I do wish that I had had a bit more time to be "free" in my twenties. If I could choose their paths (and of course, I can't) I'd hope they wait until their late twenties to marry. And is it realistic to tell a kid to wait until she has her graduate degree to have sex?
Of course I will encourage my daughters to wait until they are in the right relationship and mature enough to handle the emotional and physical consequences. And I will educate them about the consequences of having sex. PS already knows she wasn't planned--we were already married, but a baby definitely was not something I wanted in my immediate future--so even grown-ups can make mistakes with contraception.
I'm not naive enough to think my daughters will talk to me before having sex (although I really, really hope so.) But I will pay attention to what is going on in their lives, so that I'll have a clue when we are heading in that direction. And I will make sure they have the information they need to protect themselves and make good decisions. Because telling them, "just don't do it" isn't going to accomplish that.
3/5/11
Life
My biggest cast settled on Friday. Yay! Now maybe I can get my life back. Or at least only worry about prepping one case for trial this month. Really, I would have much preferred to go to trial, but last week the Supreme Court of the Relevant State handed down an opinion that was directly on point and really decided our case for us. Such is the bane of a litigator's life--getting 3 weeks from trial and having your case go "poof," into thin air.
Meanwhile, I've lost 3 pounds doing the Nutrisystem thing. Not too overjoyed, since I expected to lose the first 10 pretty easily since I gained them so recently and I had otherwise been hovering at the same weight for the last 4 years. But at least I can button my jeans again.
I have learned that I have absolutely no willpower, though. (Ok, maybe I already knew that.) One of our Louisiana clients set us a king cake on Tuesday, and who am I to reject a mardi gras tradition? And then our copy service delivered freshly baked cookies along with my copy job--and I've never met a cookie I didn't like. And DH and I went to a concert last night, and well, we had to pick up dinner beforehand. And I met him for lunch on Thursday at our favorite taco place.
The Thursday lunch meeting was unplanned. But it was the first anniversary of MIL's funeral, and DH was having a rough week. Last Sunday was the anniversary of her death. Really, all of February was hard on the whole family. There were a lot of reminders of what her last month was like. She was in hospice and the rest of us were practically living there. It was certainly one of the most difficult experiences of all of our lives.*
It's hard to believe it's been a year. It doesn't feel like it. "They" say its supposed to get easier after a year. But I don't think its that simple. I'm not sure this mother's day is going to be any easier than the last one. But I guess, eventually, it will get better.
*The only thing that really compares is when I was pregnant with the twins. I was hospitalized with hyperemesis for most of the first 16 weeks, told to consider terminating before I starved to death, then the twins were dx'd with TTTS which has a 90% mortality rate if untreated and the only cure (there are other treatments but only one cure) is in-utero surgery, which at that time was considered experimental and only performed at 5 hospitals in the country.
Meanwhile, I've lost 3 pounds doing the Nutrisystem thing. Not too overjoyed, since I expected to lose the first 10 pretty easily since I gained them so recently and I had otherwise been hovering at the same weight for the last 4 years. But at least I can button my jeans again.
I have learned that I have absolutely no willpower, though. (Ok, maybe I already knew that.) One of our Louisiana clients set us a king cake on Tuesday, and who am I to reject a mardi gras tradition? And then our copy service delivered freshly baked cookies along with my copy job--and I've never met a cookie I didn't like. And DH and I went to a concert last night, and well, we had to pick up dinner beforehand. And I met him for lunch on Thursday at our favorite taco place.
The Thursday lunch meeting was unplanned. But it was the first anniversary of MIL's funeral, and DH was having a rough week. Last Sunday was the anniversary of her death. Really, all of February was hard on the whole family. There were a lot of reminders of what her last month was like. She was in hospice and the rest of us were practically living there. It was certainly one of the most difficult experiences of all of our lives.*
It's hard to believe it's been a year. It doesn't feel like it. "They" say its supposed to get easier after a year. But I don't think its that simple. I'm not sure this mother's day is going to be any easier than the last one. But I guess, eventually, it will get better.
*The only thing that really compares is when I was pregnant with the twins. I was hospitalized with hyperemesis for most of the first 16 weeks, told to consider terminating before I starved to death, then the twins were dx'd with TTTS which has a 90% mortality rate if untreated and the only cure (there are other treatments but only one cure) is in-utero surgery, which at that time was considered experimental and only performed at 5 hospitals in the country.
2/27/11
Fatty
I have been packing on the pounds over the last 6 weeks or so. I have been exceptionally busy at work and there have been way too many late nights which result in my picking up a fast-food dinner at 9:00 at night. Not a good way to live a long and healthy life.
Plus, none of my clothes are fitting properly anymore. My pants are just a little too tight across the ass, the pockets are sticking out instead of lying flat, and my suit jackets won't button anymore. Not to mention that the extra pounds have made my acid-reflux go out-of-control (and my doc won't refill my prescription for Protonix because it is apparently contra-indicated if you have flimsy bones that crack when you go jogging.)
I picked up about 10 pounds after I quit breast-feeding the twins (9 years ago). And another 10 in law school (4 years ago). And another 10 in the last 6 weeks. So, the 20 pounds I needed to drop have suddenly become 30, which just sounds a lot more ominous.
I have used Weight Watchers and SparkPeople and I think they are both good programs. But I just don't have the time (or the desire to make the time) to figure out what I can eat and what I can't, and log every bite that goes into my mouth. Calorie -counting is a lot of work. It gets easier, but the reboot is hard.
So today I signed up for Nutrisystem. Because it is easy. They send me food and tell me what to eat. I don't have to plan it, I don't have to count it, and I don't have to cook it. I know it's not a long term solution--but hopefully it will keep me from gaining any more over the next couple of months. I have two trial settings in March--so there is no break in my schedule coming soon, but life should calm down over the summer. And it's so much easier to eat healthy in the summer when fresh fruits and veggies are in abundance. (I could live on watermelon in the summer.)
Nutrisystem is a little pricey, but not as much as I was anticipating. And not so bad when offset by the amount I have been spending on fast food of late. My biggest concern is the taste. I really dislike processed frozen food. So that may be the deal-killer here. But it's worth a shot, or I'm going to have to start wearing yoga pants to work.
Plus, none of my clothes are fitting properly anymore. My pants are just a little too tight across the ass, the pockets are sticking out instead of lying flat, and my suit jackets won't button anymore. Not to mention that the extra pounds have made my acid-reflux go out-of-control (and my doc won't refill my prescription for Protonix because it is apparently contra-indicated if you have flimsy bones that crack when you go jogging.)
I picked up about 10 pounds after I quit breast-feeding the twins (9 years ago). And another 10 in law school (4 years ago). And another 10 in the last 6 weeks. So, the 20 pounds I needed to drop have suddenly become 30, which just sounds a lot more ominous.
I have used Weight Watchers and SparkPeople and I think they are both good programs. But I just don't have the time (or the desire to make the time) to figure out what I can eat and what I can't, and log every bite that goes into my mouth. Calorie -counting is a lot of work. It gets easier, but the reboot is hard.
So today I signed up for Nutrisystem. Because it is easy. They send me food and tell me what to eat. I don't have to plan it, I don't have to count it, and I don't have to cook it. I know it's not a long term solution--but hopefully it will keep me from gaining any more over the next couple of months. I have two trial settings in March--so there is no break in my schedule coming soon, but life should calm down over the summer. And it's so much easier to eat healthy in the summer when fresh fruits and veggies are in abundance. (I could live on watermelon in the summer.)
Nutrisystem is a little pricey, but not as much as I was anticipating. And not so bad when offset by the amount I have been spending on fast food of late. My biggest concern is the taste. I really dislike processed frozen food. So that may be the deal-killer here. But it's worth a shot, or I'm going to have to start wearing yoga pants to work.
2/24/11
Why I am superior to my male counterparts...
Because I can see the future.
Well, not really. But I can anticipate what might happen in the future and then plan my life so that if the possible becomes reality I don't have my ass in a sling. I can foresee a giant ice storm (especially when the weather guys tell us a week ahead of time that its coming) or that I might have a sick kid in the middle of flu season. I can foresee that one of these things (or any other random event) might occur on the day I have a deadline in a major case. And so I make sure that I do whatever I need to do before the day of the deadline in case one of these random events actually happens.
But the men I work with are absolutely incapable of doing this. I don't think it has ever crossed their minds to serve a document before the deadline--or to at least have it 100% ready to be served.
Last week I asked Partner at least 5 times, "We have a designation deadline next Tuesday, what do you want me to do?" And every single time his response was "I don't have time to think about that right now. We'll talk about it next week." And I said, "OK, but I am in depos all day Monday, so if you need my help, I won't be around."
And also last week I went to Big Boss and said, "We have a meeting on Tuesday with X. What do you need to to prepare for that meeting?" His response: "Nothing, just send the pleadings to X for his review before the meeting."
So guess what happens on Tuesday? At 9:30, Partner finally gives me the designations that need to be served. But this is a case where we represent 10 parties--so I have to prepare 10 distinct designations. Oh, and we have to file exhibit lists, too. So I have to prepare 10 distinct exhibit lists.
And then at 10:00 Big Boss starts preparing for the meeting with X. And comes barrelling into my office every 10 minutes asking me where such-and-such document is. And informs me that I need to re-read all of the memos that I have drafted for this case--(which includes at least a dozen highly pointed and lengthy memos).
And so this continues until 1:00 when the meeting actually starts and where I am held captive for the next three hours.
And then I resume preparation of my exhibit lists (which I had thankfully handed off to my fabulous paralegal before the meeting.) And Partner says, "why are you doing the exhibit lists first, the designations are the most important." To which I calmly reply, "Because the exhibit lists have to be filed and the designations do not. So the secretary can start efiling while I am finishing up the designations, and I won't have to stay here an extra hour waiting for her to file while leaving her twiddling her thumbs right now."
Yeah, the guys have tunnel vision. They work on one task at a time. Layering tasks to promote the most efficient use of time is not on their agendas.
I also gave the secretary a heads up about what we were serving, how big the mailing would be and who it was going to so that she could prepare her cover letters and have her envelopes ready to go. So that the second I had my documents ready, they could be compiled and mailed. I'm 99% sure none of the guys in my office have ever done this.
And so, we got it all done and secretary and I left the office by 9:00 pm. But I really hate scrambling at the last minute, and it all could have been completely avoided if either Partner or Big Boss had let me get started on these tasks last week. I swear they are in a competition to see who can kill me first.
Well, not really. But I can anticipate what might happen in the future and then plan my life so that if the possible becomes reality I don't have my ass in a sling. I can foresee a giant ice storm (especially when the weather guys tell us a week ahead of time that its coming) or that I might have a sick kid in the middle of flu season. I can foresee that one of these things (or any other random event) might occur on the day I have a deadline in a major case. And so I make sure that I do whatever I need to do before the day of the deadline in case one of these random events actually happens.
But the men I work with are absolutely incapable of doing this. I don't think it has ever crossed their minds to serve a document before the deadline--or to at least have it 100% ready to be served.
Last week I asked Partner at least 5 times, "We have a designation deadline next Tuesday, what do you want me to do?" And every single time his response was "I don't have time to think about that right now. We'll talk about it next week." And I said, "OK, but I am in depos all day Monday, so if you need my help, I won't be around."
And also last week I went to Big Boss and said, "We have a meeting on Tuesday with X. What do you need to to prepare for that meeting?" His response: "Nothing, just send the pleadings to X for his review before the meeting."
So guess what happens on Tuesday? At 9:30, Partner finally gives me the designations that need to be served. But this is a case where we represent 10 parties--so I have to prepare 10 distinct designations. Oh, and we have to file exhibit lists, too. So I have to prepare 10 distinct exhibit lists.
And then at 10:00 Big Boss starts preparing for the meeting with X. And comes barrelling into my office every 10 minutes asking me where such-and-such document is. And informs me that I need to re-read all of the memos that I have drafted for this case--(which includes at least a dozen highly pointed and lengthy memos).
And so this continues until 1:00 when the meeting actually starts and where I am held captive for the next three hours.
And then I resume preparation of my exhibit lists (which I had thankfully handed off to my fabulous paralegal before the meeting.) And Partner says, "why are you doing the exhibit lists first, the designations are the most important." To which I calmly reply, "Because the exhibit lists have to be filed and the designations do not. So the secretary can start efiling while I am finishing up the designations, and I won't have to stay here an extra hour waiting for her to file while leaving her twiddling her thumbs right now."
Yeah, the guys have tunnel vision. They work on one task at a time. Layering tasks to promote the most efficient use of time is not on their agendas.
I also gave the secretary a heads up about what we were serving, how big the mailing would be and who it was going to so that she could prepare her cover letters and have her envelopes ready to go. So that the second I had my documents ready, they could be compiled and mailed. I'm 99% sure none of the guys in my office have ever done this.
And so, we got it all done and secretary and I left the office by 9:00 pm. But I really hate scrambling at the last minute, and it all could have been completely avoided if either Partner or Big Boss had let me get started on these tasks last week. I swear they are in a competition to see who can kill me first.
2/20/11
Big kids
The twins returned dirty, exhausted and happy from their camp out this weekend. They have another one in two weeks, and are really looking forward to it. I also asked if they wanted to go to camp this summer and received an emphatic "Yes!"
PS seems a wee bit jealous and has been talking nonstop about her own girl scout experiences and her 5th grade campout with her school. I think this summer we will be sending her to the camp she attended for the 5th grade campout. It's a little pricey, but I think it will be good for her.
I've also been searching for day camps over spring break. I've enrolled the twins in a camp sponsored by our city that they have attended before and love. But PS has aged out. Apparently she has aged out of every spring break camp I can find. Just what are middle-schoolers supposed to do with a week off? I definitely do not like the idea of her sitting home alone playing video games for a week. DH and I both have long commutes and are gone at least 10 hours a day. And taking time off is not an option, because I have two trial settings the week after spring break. Looks like we may be shipping her off to Hometown. She will have a great time and enjoy seeing her cousins--I just need to make sure they aren't leaving town.
PS seems a wee bit jealous and has been talking nonstop about her own girl scout experiences and her 5th grade campout with her school. I think this summer we will be sending her to the camp she attended for the 5th grade campout. It's a little pricey, but I think it will be good for her.
I've also been searching for day camps over spring break. I've enrolled the twins in a camp sponsored by our city that they have attended before and love. But PS has aged out. Apparently she has aged out of every spring break camp I can find. Just what are middle-schoolers supposed to do with a week off? I definitely do not like the idea of her sitting home alone playing video games for a week. DH and I both have long commutes and are gone at least 10 hours a day. And taking time off is not an option, because I have two trial settings the week after spring break. Looks like we may be shipping her off to Hometown. She will have a great time and enjoy seeing her cousins--I just need to make sure they aren't leaving town.
2/18/11
Spring...is that you?
I left work at 2:00 today to pick up the twins from school and drop them off for their first-ever girl scout camp out. It was gorgeous outside! I opened up the sunroof and cranked up the stereo. (I heart Cake's version of "I Will Survive.") According to my car, it was 84 outside--hard to believe we were buried in ice just a couple of weeks ago.
Got the girls picked up and dropped off. They were bouncing-off-the-walls excited, and couldn't wait to ditch me. Meanwhile, I am trying not to think to hard about sending them off into the wilderness all alone (well, except for 22 of their closest friends and their 4 leaders.)
Now we're trying to figure out how to spend a Friday night with our only child. Nothing good at the movies. Maybe bowling. Maybe we'll just order in and play some Super Mario Brothers on the wii.
Got the girls picked up and dropped off. They were bouncing-off-the-walls excited, and couldn't wait to ditch me. Meanwhile, I am trying not to think to hard about sending them off into the wilderness all alone (well, except for 22 of their closest friends and their 4 leaders.)
Now we're trying to figure out how to spend a Friday night with our only child. Nothing good at the movies. Maybe bowling. Maybe we'll just order in and play some Super Mario Brothers on the wii.
2/16/11
Embarassing moments
Yesterday at lunch I made my way to the cafeteria downstairs to find myself in line behind Big Boss. I had called my order in beforehand, so it was ready and waiting for me.
Big Boss joked, "Are you some kind of VIP or something? They just know what you want and have it ready for you?"
I replied, "I don't have time to stand in line because you keep my chained to my desk!"
And he said, "Yeah, I heard you had to stay late on Valentine's Day." (I filed 8 MSJ's on Monday. Same legal argument, but distinct and detailed facts for each.)
During all of this, we made our way to the cashier, who asked Big Boss what he had. He replied, "Chicken spaghetti. I have two."
And I promptly said, "Thanks for picking up my lunch. You didn't need to do that!"
And he said, "Well in that case I won't. Just kidding."
And he paid for my lunch and we went back upstairs. Where my secretary asked me what the cafeteria was serving. "Umm, chicken and manicoti and spaghetti."
Oh crap. Chicken. And Spaghetti. Not chicken spaghetti. Big Boss was trying to tell the cashier that he had two entrees, and I wrongly assumed that he was telling her that he was buying my lunch. So I totally tricked him into buying my lunch. But he never missed a beat, and never let on otherwise.
I'm so embarrassed. I haven't 'fessed up that I figured out my mistake. I don't know how without making an awkward situation more awkward. I'm not usually presumptuous at all. Not sure how I managed to stick my big fat foot in my mouth.
Big Boss joked, "Are you some kind of VIP or something? They just know what you want and have it ready for you?"
I replied, "I don't have time to stand in line because you keep my chained to my desk!"
And he said, "Yeah, I heard you had to stay late on Valentine's Day." (I filed 8 MSJ's on Monday. Same legal argument, but distinct and detailed facts for each.)
During all of this, we made our way to the cashier, who asked Big Boss what he had. He replied, "Chicken spaghetti. I have two."
And I promptly said, "Thanks for picking up my lunch. You didn't need to do that!"
And he said, "Well in that case I won't. Just kidding."
And he paid for my lunch and we went back upstairs. Where my secretary asked me what the cafeteria was serving. "Umm, chicken and manicoti and spaghetti."
Oh crap. Chicken. And Spaghetti. Not chicken spaghetti. Big Boss was trying to tell the cashier that he had two entrees, and I wrongly assumed that he was telling her that he was buying my lunch. So I totally tricked him into buying my lunch. But he never missed a beat, and never let on otherwise.
I'm so embarrassed. I haven't 'fessed up that I figured out my mistake. I don't know how without making an awkward situation more awkward. I'm not usually presumptuous at all. Not sure how I managed to stick my big fat foot in my mouth.
2/12/11
Mommy Fails
1) Both of the twins have had the flu over the last two weeks. I would have sworn that they got flu shots. Apparently not. DH, PS and I had flu shots--how did I miss the twins? And apparently the flu shots work, because DH, PS and I have been perfectly fine despite snuggling with germy flu-carriers.
2) At SS's class Christmas party, I learned that her class had no room mom and that her teacher had done everything herself. I don't know what happened--usually the SAHM brigade is out in full force for all school events. In fact, my offers to help out are usually ignored, or I show up to find myself with little to do. So, I usually just let the others run the show and send whatever money or supplies they request. But I still try to make the Christmas and end-of year parties and help out where I can, just because the girls like to see me there.
So I was a little surprised to find no moms helping out with SS's Christmas party. Down the hall in TT's room, there were so many parents you could barely walk through the classroom. And I assured SS's teacher that she would not have to do another party by herself, and that I would contact her before the next party.
The school doesn't officially sanction V-day parties (because of a stupid state law that only allows food to be brought in for 2 parties per year), but the teacher wanted to do something fun. So I ordered a craft project online and came up with a couple of games (and approved it all with the teacher, because I think they often cringe at some of the ideas over-zealous moms come up with.)
And then yesterday Big Boss asked if I were available for a meeting on Monday, and I said "yes" without even thinking about the V-day party. And I have a deadline in another case, which I have known about, but just didn't connect it with conflicting with the V-day party.
So there is no way in heck I can actually be present for the party. I have planned and purchased everything they need, but I can't be there to help coordinate. Ugh. I feel terrible for the teacher, and I hate going back on my promise to help out. I would send DH in my place, but with the sick kids and ice days over the last two weeks he has missed a lot of work and his boss is getting cranky. Fail.
2) At SS's class Christmas party, I learned that her class had no room mom and that her teacher had done everything herself. I don't know what happened--usually the SAHM brigade is out in full force for all school events. In fact, my offers to help out are usually ignored, or I show up to find myself with little to do. So, I usually just let the others run the show and send whatever money or supplies they request. But I still try to make the Christmas and end-of year parties and help out where I can, just because the girls like to see me there.
So I was a little surprised to find no moms helping out with SS's Christmas party. Down the hall in TT's room, there were so many parents you could barely walk through the classroom. And I assured SS's teacher that she would not have to do another party by herself, and that I would contact her before the next party.
The school doesn't officially sanction V-day parties (because of a stupid state law that only allows food to be brought in for 2 parties per year), but the teacher wanted to do something fun. So I ordered a craft project online and came up with a couple of games (and approved it all with the teacher, because I think they often cringe at some of the ideas over-zealous moms come up with.)
And then yesterday Big Boss asked if I were available for a meeting on Monday, and I said "yes" without even thinking about the V-day party. And I have a deadline in another case, which I have known about, but just didn't connect it with conflicting with the V-day party.
So there is no way in heck I can actually be present for the party. I have planned and purchased everything they need, but I can't be there to help coordinate. Ugh. I feel terrible for the teacher, and I hate going back on my promise to help out. I would send DH in my place, but with the sick kids and ice days over the last two weeks he has missed a lot of work and his boss is getting cranky. Fail.
2/7/11
Grumble
So after a chaotic week of bad weather and a sick kid, TT woke up this morning with a temperature of 101.2. Why couldn't she be sick last week when her twin was sick? And when her school closed down for 4 days because of bad weather? And when I was already working from home for most of the week? I expressly told her that she was not allowed to get sick this week. Dang kids never listen.
I really need to go to work today. I am still super busy, and last week's craziness didn't help. Hopefully my secretary will show up, so at least she can scan me everything I need to work from home. And turn my computer on, because I can't get in via logmein.* I have a lot to get done today and another big deadline on Wednesday.
Grumble.
*Tip o' the day: At DH's insistence, I finally signed up for Dropbox. It's basically web-based storage that allows you to access files from anywhere. I have it on my work computer, my laptop and my iphone. It has been really nice while I've been working from home--much more convenient than emailing myself all of the documents that I have been working on. Logmein is too slow to work directly in the docs on my work computer (not to mention that the shortcut keys on my PC laptop don't work on my Mac at work), but I can log in, move the files I need to dropbox, and then access them on my laptop at home.
I do have some concerns about putting client files "on the cloud," but DH pointed out that it is no less secure than emailing the docs to myself. Still, I don't think I would use this method with anything that was really sensitive. I only use it for pleadings and discovery drafts that will be public record soon enough anyway.
I really need to go to work today. I am still super busy, and last week's craziness didn't help. Hopefully my secretary will show up, so at least she can scan me everything I need to work from home. And turn my computer on, because I can't get in via logmein.* I have a lot to get done today and another big deadline on Wednesday.
Grumble.
*Tip o' the day: At DH's insistence, I finally signed up for Dropbox. It's basically web-based storage that allows you to access files from anywhere. I have it on my work computer, my laptop and my iphone. It has been really nice while I've been working from home--much more convenient than emailing myself all of the documents that I have been working on. Logmein is too slow to work directly in the docs on my work computer (not to mention that the shortcut keys on my PC laptop don't work on my Mac at work), but I can log in, move the files I need to dropbox, and then access them on my laptop at home.
I do have some concerns about putting client files "on the cloud," but DH pointed out that it is no less secure than emailing the docs to myself. Still, I don't think I would use this method with anything that was really sensitive. I only use it for pleadings and discovery drafts that will be public record soon enough anyway.
2/4/11
Sweaters and Suits
I found this article (via Corporette), lamenting the advance of cardigans as appropriate business attire, interesting. Probably because I wear lots of cardigan to work.
My office is technically business-formal, but as the only practicing female lawyer in the office, I have some flexibility with the rules. (I'm pretty sure the boys in the office don't know what business-formal is for a woman--they just know they have to wear a suit every day.) And so I've self-determined that a cardigan with dress slacks or a pencil skirt will suffice. It's kind of like a jacket--more formal than just a sweater or knit shirt. (I have a big problem finding button-shirts that don't gap, so I rarely wear them.)
Also, I can't work in a suit jacket--it's just too constricting. So when I wear a jacket, it comes off as soon as I enter the office anyway. And the shell that is perfectly fine under a suit jacket, may not be ideal office attire without the jacket. Or I end up freezing without that extra layer. So I default to the comfortable, warm cardigan. I don't think that I'm inappropriately dressed, and I don't think my bosses do either.
But...I would never, ever wear a cardigan to court. I also suit up anytime I have a client meeting or deposition. There is still a place for the suit (and I do love a beautiful suit--a well-fit suit can hide a multitude of flaws), but it is not on a day when I have my butt plastered to my chair for 10 hours drafting a motion or reviewing documents.
My office is technically business-formal, but as the only practicing female lawyer in the office, I have some flexibility with the rules. (I'm pretty sure the boys in the office don't know what business-formal is for a woman--they just know they have to wear a suit every day.) And so I've self-determined that a cardigan with dress slacks or a pencil skirt will suffice. It's kind of like a jacket--more formal than just a sweater or knit shirt. (I have a big problem finding button-shirts that don't gap, so I rarely wear them.)
Also, I can't work in a suit jacket--it's just too constricting. So when I wear a jacket, it comes off as soon as I enter the office anyway. And the shell that is perfectly fine under a suit jacket, may not be ideal office attire without the jacket. Or I end up freezing without that extra layer. So I default to the comfortable, warm cardigan. I don't think that I'm inappropriately dressed, and I don't think my bosses do either.
But...I would never, ever wear a cardigan to court. I also suit up anytime I have a client meeting or deposition. There is still a place for the suit (and I do love a beautiful suit--a well-fit suit can hide a multitude of flaws), but it is not on a day when I have my butt plastered to my chair for 10 hours drafting a motion or reviewing documents.
Snow day--for real this time
This week has been insane. Worked until midnight Monday anticipating the ice storm that came through, as promised, overnight. We get an ice storm about once a year here, but this one was a real problem because it stayed really cold and the ice just wasn't melting.
Worked from home on Tuesday, and played with the kids. I ventured into the office on Wednesday, which was a full two-hour commute, only to be greeted by rolling blackouts that wrecked havoc on our elevators, servers, and my ability to do anything without my computer being suddenly shut down.
I had to get discovery out by Thursday--in a case where we represent 10 different parties. (From Chicago--so our little ice storm wasn't getting much sympathy.) Coordinating everything was nightmare that was just compounded by having no staff and moving files back and forth between home and work. I brought my 700 pages of exhibits back home Wednesday night to prepare for copying, and finally had them ready at 8:00 pm--only to find that every major copy center in my little suburb had closed much earlier in the day! Fortunately, I found a tiny FedEx Office Center that happily accepted by copy job.
Roads were better Thursday, but there was still plenty of ice and the kids' school remained closed. Finally had some staff at the office to help get my discovery out.
And then it snowed again last night. Was supposed to be 1-3", but we have at least 4". The bridge that separates my town from the rest of the world is completely shut down, so I will be working from home again.
The kids have been out of school since Monday. DH's office has been closed except for Thursday. It feels like the whole city has been hanging in icy limbo. It is going to be a hard return to reality next week.
Worked from home on Tuesday, and played with the kids. I ventured into the office on Wednesday, which was a full two-hour commute, only to be greeted by rolling blackouts that wrecked havoc on our elevators, servers, and my ability to do anything without my computer being suddenly shut down.
I had to get discovery out by Thursday--in a case where we represent 10 different parties. (From Chicago--so our little ice storm wasn't getting much sympathy.) Coordinating everything was nightmare that was just compounded by having no staff and moving files back and forth between home and work. I brought my 700 pages of exhibits back home Wednesday night to prepare for copying, and finally had them ready at 8:00 pm--only to find that every major copy center in my little suburb had closed much earlier in the day! Fortunately, I found a tiny FedEx Office Center that happily accepted by copy job.
Roads were better Thursday, but there was still plenty of ice and the kids' school remained closed. Finally had some staff at the office to help get my discovery out.
And then it snowed again last night. Was supposed to be 1-3", but we have at least 4". The bridge that separates my town from the rest of the world is completely shut down, so I will be working from home again.
The kids have been out of school since Monday. DH's office has been closed except for Thursday. It feels like the whole city has been hanging in icy limbo. It is going to be a hard return to reality next week.
2/1/11
The Circle of Life
TT got a butterfly garden for Christmas. Best Christmas present ev-ah! We ordered caterpillars online, and then had to wait about a week for them to show up. And then we watched the caterpillars form their chrysalises and eventually emerge as butterflies.
TT has taken better care of her butterflies than she does her furry pets. Every day she cuts up fresh oranges for them, and she carts them all over the house in their little habitat. But, alas, we are down to one survivor, Martha. This morning Martha sucked the orange juice right off TT's fingers, and TT wears her around the house, clinging to TT's shirt. Martha has become TT's constant companion.
I thought that TT would be upset by her other butterflies' passing---but she has been remarkably undisturbed. A couple of days ago she caught a large wolf spider in a jar. Later, I noticed some other objects in the jar, and picked it up for a closer inspection. TT had put her dead butterflies in the jar for spider food.
Martha had better hope that TT doesn't catch any more spiders anytime soon!
TT has taken better care of her butterflies than she does her furry pets. Every day she cuts up fresh oranges for them, and she carts them all over the house in their little habitat. But, alas, we are down to one survivor, Martha. This morning Martha sucked the orange juice right off TT's fingers, and TT wears her around the house, clinging to TT's shirt. Martha has become TT's constant companion.
I thought that TT would be upset by her other butterflies' passing---but she has been remarkably undisturbed. A couple of days ago she caught a large wolf spider in a jar. Later, I noticed some other objects in the jar, and picked it up for a closer inspection. TT had put her dead butterflies in the jar for spider food.
Martha had better hope that TT doesn't catch any more spiders anytime soon!
Snow Day!
Well, really more like an ice day. I'm not sure we have any actual snow--there will definitely be no snowman building. But the whole city is shut down and it is freakin' cold outside.
And I can't even goof off since I have a hard deadline today and a mile-long list of other things to do.
And one of the kids has the flu.
But I did take the opportunity to bake a batch of banana crumb muffins.
Ok, off to work...really.
And I can't even goof off since I have a hard deadline today and a mile-long list of other things to do.
And one of the kids has the flu.
But I did take the opportunity to bake a batch of banana crumb muffins.
Ok, off to work...really.
1/30/11
Week in Review
It's been a heck of a week. I've been putting in lots of long days for almost a month now, and this week we hosted a big mediation, which meant I saw the inside of my house for approximately 8 hours during a 48 hour period. By Thursday I was so exhausted that I fell into bed at 7:30. Exhausted from working, exhausted from the stress of possibly never finding the end of my to-do list, exhausted from dealing with the secretary situation, exhausted from the mom-guilt of not spending enough time with my kids.
By Friday I managed to leave the office at a reasonable hour and we went to dinner together. Yesterday we went searching for a television console. DH used his bonus to finally buy a big ass flatscreen tv, but we can't find a console for it. So we promised the kids that if we dragged them out looking for furniture we'd take them to play laser tag afterward. But SS started to complain that she didn't feel well, and then she developed rosy cheeks and clammy skin. Sure enough, she had a fever by the time we got home. So no laser tag--instead we watched movies and worked on a puzzle.
On the secretary front, we are in limbo. She didn't come in the first half of the week, claiming an injury. When she showed up on Thursday, she was very, very apologetic. There was a lot of crying. The decision is not mine, and I don't know what the powers that be are going to do. There are several legal issues at play. But she knows that she is in deep and was Suzy Sunshine the rest of the week. Still, I am hesitant to give her important assignments if she is not going to be around in a few days, or in case she decides to throw another fit and screw something up. I like my firm, but I am very frustrated by this situation.
By Friday I managed to leave the office at a reasonable hour and we went to dinner together. Yesterday we went searching for a television console. DH used his bonus to finally buy a big ass flatscreen tv, but we can't find a console for it. So we promised the kids that if we dragged them out looking for furniture we'd take them to play laser tag afterward. But SS started to complain that she didn't feel well, and then she developed rosy cheeks and clammy skin. Sure enough, she had a fever by the time we got home. So no laser tag--instead we watched movies and worked on a puzzle.
On the secretary front, we are in limbo. She didn't come in the first half of the week, claiming an injury. When she showed up on Thursday, she was very, very apologetic. There was a lot of crying. The decision is not mine, and I don't know what the powers that be are going to do. There are several legal issues at play. But she knows that she is in deep and was Suzy Sunshine the rest of the week. Still, I am hesitant to give her important assignments if she is not going to be around in a few days, or in case she decides to throw another fit and screw something up. I like my firm, but I am very frustrated by this situation.
1/24/11
The Update
Secretary called in sick today. I was somewhat relieved, as that meant I could deal with the situation without her overhearing.
Big Boss asked what I thought should happen. I told him that if it were up to me she would be fired. I told him that he or one of the other partners had acted that way, I would be looking for another job. I have worked for crazy before, and I won't do it again. And I absolutely will not tolerate it from a subordinate. I said that at a bare minimum she must be written up and it must be made clear that if anything else remotely similar were to happen again, she would be out the door.
I have certainly had enough drama in my life, and I hate dealing with it. When I was a kid, I had no choice but to deal with whatever drama my parents threw at me. And one of the things I value the most as an adult is having control over my life. Nobody can force me to live with their drama. It's one of the reasons I live 400 miles away from my family. It's one of the reasons that I became a lawyer--because I wanted a job with the freedom to not work for someone else if I so choose.
I am sometimes stunned by how classically normal my little family is. I have a 15 year, happy, marriage. I have three really good, happy, kids. I have a house in the suburbs and a houseful of critters. And we have very little drama--which is by design, not coincidence. I have made a conscious decision to cut the crazy out of my life, and I am sure as hell not going to deal with it from my secretary.
Big Boss asked what I thought should happen. I told him that if it were up to me she would be fired. I told him that he or one of the other partners had acted that way, I would be looking for another job. I have worked for crazy before, and I won't do it again. And I absolutely will not tolerate it from a subordinate. I said that at a bare minimum she must be written up and it must be made clear that if anything else remotely similar were to happen again, she would be out the door.
I have certainly had enough drama in my life, and I hate dealing with it. When I was a kid, I had no choice but to deal with whatever drama my parents threw at me. And one of the things I value the most as an adult is having control over my life. Nobody can force me to live with their drama. It's one of the reasons I live 400 miles away from my family. It's one of the reasons that I became a lawyer--because I wanted a job with the freedom to not work for someone else if I so choose.
I am sometimes stunned by how classically normal my little family is. I have a 15 year, happy, marriage. I have three really good, happy, kids. I have a house in the suburbs and a houseful of critters. And we have very little drama--which is by design, not coincidence. I have made a conscious decision to cut the crazy out of my life, and I am sure as hell not going to deal with it from my secretary.
1/21/11
Helluva day
I slept in (until 7) because I'd been battling a relentless headach for the past two days and hadn't slept worth a darn. Should've known it wasn't gonna be a great day when the only clean undies I could find were of the lacy thong variety. Nothing like feeling your underwear up your butt all day to make you chipper.
Work was, like the last two weeks, insane. I have a huge to-do list, and it isn't getting any shorter because little fires keep popping up. And it doesn't help that three of my bosses were out of town this week and they all loaded me up before they left. I've been the only attorney in the office for the better part of the week.
On one of my cases, the opposing attorney wants to turn every single step a battle. For instance, I sent her a request for a privilege log, and she responded by informing me that my request would generate additional attorney's fees that my client would be obligated to pay. (I was tempted to reply back that I admired her optimism, but I just ignored her instead.) I just don't understand why this case is generating so much hostility. Most of the lawyers I work with are pretty decent people and realize that a wise lawyer chooses her battles.
And my secretary has lost her freaking mind. At 2:00 this afternoon I got a Fed Ex containing disks that I have been waiting for and need to review this weekend. I asked my secretary to please make copies of the disks by the end of the day and told her that if she did not have time to get it done to hand it off to someone else (since all of their attorneys are out of town.)
She waited until 5:15 to start burning the disks (after her 30 minute cell phone conversation). Then she ran into a problem. So she called the computer guy and was rude and hateful to him yelling about how she had to leave immediately (she leaves at 5:30). So she finally comes into my office and informs me that I am just going to have to take the originals home because she can't make copies. And I asked her, perfectly calmly, "Did you ask anybody else to help out with this earlier in the day?" And she said, "I didn't have time for that." And I said, "asking for help earlier in the day would have prevented problems late in the day." And she started yelling and said, "I work like a fucking dog and you don't appreciate it and you just think I'm too slow." And she threw the CDs at me and stormed out of the office! WTF???
Besides the complete inappropriateness of her actions, can someone explain how advising her to give part of her work to someone else is accusing her of being slow or overworking her? (And yes, I had already spoken to the other secretaries about helping out this week, so there was no problem with her asking for help.)
And, oh yes, I gave her three things to do today. Two letters that I drafted that she had to cut and paste onto letterhead and fax, and a cut-and-paste depo notice that went out certified. Yep, that's a tough life. I swear I'm getting more pissed the longer I sit and think about it.
So I stayed at work until 9:00 to try to knock out some of my to-dos and then got stuck in traffic for an hour. Dead standstill because there were some flares left in the road from an earlier accident.
Finally made it home by 10. Told hubby that I wish there was a bar where you could wear your pajama pants, because I really needed a drink, but I really wanted to put on my comfy pants. So he volunteered to go to the liquor store to get tequila and a margarita mixer. But apparently you can't buy liquor here after 9:00 pm!! WTF?? I think I knew that somewhere in the back of my mind, but obviously, I don't buy liquor very often.
So poor DH got out in the cold for nothing, and I'm stuck with a bottle of red wine. Or the vodka in the freezer--although I've avoided vodka ever since the Russian wedding.
Work was, like the last two weeks, insane. I have a huge to-do list, and it isn't getting any shorter because little fires keep popping up. And it doesn't help that three of my bosses were out of town this week and they all loaded me up before they left. I've been the only attorney in the office for the better part of the week.
On one of my cases, the opposing attorney wants to turn every single step a battle. For instance, I sent her a request for a privilege log, and she responded by informing me that my request would generate additional attorney's fees that my client would be obligated to pay. (I was tempted to reply back that I admired her optimism, but I just ignored her instead.) I just don't understand why this case is generating so much hostility. Most of the lawyers I work with are pretty decent people and realize that a wise lawyer chooses her battles.
And my secretary has lost her freaking mind. At 2:00 this afternoon I got a Fed Ex containing disks that I have been waiting for and need to review this weekend. I asked my secretary to please make copies of the disks by the end of the day and told her that if she did not have time to get it done to hand it off to someone else (since all of their attorneys are out of town.)
She waited until 5:15 to start burning the disks (after her 30 minute cell phone conversation). Then she ran into a problem. So she called the computer guy and was rude and hateful to him yelling about how she had to leave immediately (she leaves at 5:30). So she finally comes into my office and informs me that I am just going to have to take the originals home because she can't make copies. And I asked her, perfectly calmly, "Did you ask anybody else to help out with this earlier in the day?" And she said, "I didn't have time for that." And I said, "asking for help earlier in the day would have prevented problems late in the day." And she started yelling and said, "I work like a fucking dog and you don't appreciate it and you just think I'm too slow." And she threw the CDs at me and stormed out of the office! WTF???
Besides the complete inappropriateness of her actions, can someone explain how advising her to give part of her work to someone else is accusing her of being slow or overworking her? (And yes, I had already spoken to the other secretaries about helping out this week, so there was no problem with her asking for help.)
And, oh yes, I gave her three things to do today. Two letters that I drafted that she had to cut and paste onto letterhead and fax, and a cut-and-paste depo notice that went out certified. Yep, that's a tough life. I swear I'm getting more pissed the longer I sit and think about it.
So I stayed at work until 9:00 to try to knock out some of my to-dos and then got stuck in traffic for an hour. Dead standstill because there were some flares left in the road from an earlier accident.
Finally made it home by 10. Told hubby that I wish there was a bar where you could wear your pajama pants, because I really needed a drink, but I really wanted to put on my comfy pants. So he volunteered to go to the liquor store to get tequila and a margarita mixer. But apparently you can't buy liquor here after 9:00 pm!! WTF?? I think I knew that somewhere in the back of my mind, but obviously, I don't buy liquor very often.
So poor DH got out in the cold for nothing, and I'm stuck with a bottle of red wine. Or the vodka in the freezer--although I've avoided vodka ever since the Russian wedding.
1/16/11
Surviving
This weekend has not been as bad as I anticipated.
I think that one of the things I was dreading the most were changes to MIL's home. There are some--but not nearly what I expected.
We have been very busy and that has helped to avoid long awkward pauses. And we have gotten to spend lots of time with our siblings, which is a good thing. I got to hang out with my brother and nieces last night, and tonight all of DH's sibs, along with FIL and new wife, (there are 20 of us, total) met up at SIL's house for pizza and a Just Dance Wii smackdown (that was hilarious--we are a most uncoordinated group). FIL and new wife cut out early, and we weren't really sure why. After we got back here, FIL explained that it was the first time that the entire family has been together since the funeral and it was tough having everybody there except MIL. I hope it doesn't set him back again, but I guess it needed to happen.
I also met with my mother. Her life is not going well. I think she was hinting about moving in with me. Not gonna happen. Not even logistically possible since I live in a 2-story house and she has so many artificial body parts that stairs are out of the question.
We leave first thing in the morning. Glad to have this trip behind me.
I think that one of the things I was dreading the most were changes to MIL's home. There are some--but not nearly what I expected.
We have been very busy and that has helped to avoid long awkward pauses. And we have gotten to spend lots of time with our siblings, which is a good thing. I got to hang out with my brother and nieces last night, and tonight all of DH's sibs, along with FIL and new wife, (there are 20 of us, total) met up at SIL's house for pizza and a Just Dance Wii smackdown (that was hilarious--we are a most uncoordinated group). FIL and new wife cut out early, and we weren't really sure why. After we got back here, FIL explained that it was the first time that the entire family has been together since the funeral and it was tough having everybody there except MIL. I hope it doesn't set him back again, but I guess it needed to happen.
I also met with my mother. Her life is not going well. I think she was hinting about moving in with me. Not gonna happen. Not even logistically possible since I live in a 2-story house and she has so many artificial body parts that stairs are out of the question.
We leave first thing in the morning. Glad to have this trip behind me.
1/14/11
Dread
We're heading to Hometown tomorrow--something I've successfully avoided since MIL passed away last February. I am not looking forward to it. I've had a crazy week and there is nothing appealing about a 7-hour drive, a day-and-a half of trying to see about a million different relatives, and a return 7-hour drive. I'd rather stay curled up on my comfy couch reading my nook (or, more realistically, doing doc review).
But mostly, I just don't want to go. I don't want to stay with FIL and his new wife, but DH says we have to or we'll hurt FIL's feelings. I promised to be nice to New Wife, but I truly feel that she is either stupid or manipulative for jumping into a relationship with FIL less than 3 months after MIL died, and I have absolutely no respect for her. (I'm leaning toward stupid, but carefully watching for manipulative.) I don't have a poker face (a terrible trait for a lawyer), so it will be a real challenge to feign nice.
And I don't want to deal with my mother who has her own bag of crazy issues. I try to avoid dealing with her, but she has sucked me in to helping her deal with certain problems for which I am uniquely qualified to help. (Yes, I know that I sound awful, and you really can't understand unless you have a toxic, narcissistic parent.)
The reason we're going is to celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday. My grandparents have always been the rock in my dysfunctional life, and my grandmother wants nothing more than to have her family together. So I will go, and deal with my emotional deficiencies.
And the kids are super excited about seeing their cousins and their grandparents.
And we'll be so busy that I'll have only minimal time to spend with New Wife or my mother.
So, I'll survive. But I'd rather do doc review.
But mostly, I just don't want to go. I don't want to stay with FIL and his new wife, but DH says we have to or we'll hurt FIL's feelings. I promised to be nice to New Wife, but I truly feel that she is either stupid or manipulative for jumping into a relationship with FIL less than 3 months after MIL died, and I have absolutely no respect for her. (I'm leaning toward stupid, but carefully watching for manipulative.) I don't have a poker face (a terrible trait for a lawyer), so it will be a real challenge to feign nice.
And I don't want to deal with my mother who has her own bag of crazy issues. I try to avoid dealing with her, but she has sucked me in to helping her deal with certain problems for which I am uniquely qualified to help. (Yes, I know that I sound awful, and you really can't understand unless you have a toxic, narcissistic parent.)
The reason we're going is to celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday. My grandparents have always been the rock in my dysfunctional life, and my grandmother wants nothing more than to have her family together. So I will go, and deal with my emotional deficiencies.
And the kids are super excited about seeing their cousins and their grandparents.
And we'll be so busy that I'll have only minimal time to spend with New Wife or my mother.
So, I'll survive. But I'd rather do doc review.
1/12/11
Forgetting to eat
I'm not the kinda girl who likes to miss a meal, but today was the kind of day where I didn't eat anything until 4:45 this afternoon.
I had a potential client meeting first thing morning (looks like I hooked a new client--yay!), and then ran back to the office to prepare for another client meeting. In the two hours in between, I was running around like a crazy person dealing with all of the emergencies that popped up while I was out of the office this morning.
And then I had my second meeting that lasted from 1:00-2:30. Then I immediately launched into negotiations with opposing counsel.
It wasn't until 3:30 that I realized I hadn't eaten anything all day. But by then I was on a short deadline to get an agreement in place so that I could call the court to cancel a hearing that was set for first thing tomorrow morning.
Finally had 5 minutes to scarf down last night's leftover spaghetti at 4:45 before resuming negotiations with opposing counsel. We finally had our agreement set and off to the court by 6:00, and I then spent the next hour and half wrapping up other loose ends.
I could have easily spent another two hours in the office, but I'm exhausted. Hopefully, I can put the time I gained from my canceled hearing to good use tomorrow, because I am buried right now. Hard to believe that just two weeks ago I was watching streaming CLE's at my desk because I didn't have anything else to do.
I had a potential client meeting first thing morning (looks like I hooked a new client--yay!), and then ran back to the office to prepare for another client meeting. In the two hours in between, I was running around like a crazy person dealing with all of the emergencies that popped up while I was out of the office this morning.
And then I had my second meeting that lasted from 1:00-2:30. Then I immediately launched into negotiations with opposing counsel.
It wasn't until 3:30 that I realized I hadn't eaten anything all day. But by then I was on a short deadline to get an agreement in place so that I could call the court to cancel a hearing that was set for first thing tomorrow morning.
Finally had 5 minutes to scarf down last night's leftover spaghetti at 4:45 before resuming negotiations with opposing counsel. We finally had our agreement set and off to the court by 6:00, and I then spent the next hour and half wrapping up other loose ends.
I could have easily spent another two hours in the office, but I'm exhausted. Hopefully, I can put the time I gained from my canceled hearing to good use tomorrow, because I am buried right now. Hard to believe that just two weeks ago I was watching streaming CLE's at my desk because I didn't have anything else to do.
1/7/11
The girls are all right
But, OMG, the mammo was as terrible as purported to be. The tech put each boob in a vice and squeezed until I thought she couldn't squish them anymore, and then she gave it one more crank. I can't believe I'm not sporting titty pancakes now. If you had implants, I'm pretty sure they would have popped.
I wasn't really worried about the mammo beforehand, although I did get a wee bit nervous when after the mammo the tech said that I needed to have a sonogram as well. But after the sono they said that I just have a couple of cysts that are completely normal--exactly like my doc said before they tortured my sweater puppies.
BTW, thanks to the commenters who shared your experiences. It was nice to hear from other women who had it done and everything turned out fine.
I wasn't really worried about the mammo beforehand, although I did get a wee bit nervous when after the mammo the tech said that I needed to have a sonogram as well. But after the sono they said that I just have a couple of cysts that are completely normal--exactly like my doc said before they tortured my sweater puppies.
BTW, thanks to the commenters who shared your experiences. It was nice to hear from other women who had it done and everything turned out fine.
1/4/11
Boobie Issues
So I went to the doc today because I have had this weird intermittent pain in my right breast for about a month now. I can't feel anything lumpy or bumpy, but whenever I bump my boob just right it feels kind of like hitting your funny bone.
Google said it wasn't cancer and I should just take an aspirin and get over it, but it was going on long enough and was uncomfortable enough that I finally sought a professional opinion.
Doc said pretty much the same thing as Google--it's probably normal fibrocystic changes. I can take vitamin E if I want to help with the pain. Not much else to do.
Well, except a baseline mammogram "just in case" and because I've never had one. So now my girls are getting squished on Friday. Not looking forward to that one.
And once again I have dragged myself to the doctor to hear the equivalent of "suck it up, buttercup." I go to the doctor maybe twice a year and I swear there is never anything that can be done for whatever happens to ail me. But I guess that's better than hearing that I'm dying of some dreadful disease.
Google said it wasn't cancer and I should just take an aspirin and get over it, but it was going on long enough and was uncomfortable enough that I finally sought a professional opinion.
Doc said pretty much the same thing as Google--it's probably normal fibrocystic changes. I can take vitamin E if I want to help with the pain. Not much else to do.
Well, except a baseline mammogram "just in case" and because I've never had one. So now my girls are getting squished on Friday. Not looking forward to that one.
And once again I have dragged myself to the doctor to hear the equivalent of "suck it up, buttercup." I go to the doctor maybe twice a year and I swear there is never anything that can be done for whatever happens to ail me. But I guess that's better than hearing that I'm dying of some dreadful disease.
1/2/11
I made a nook cozy!
I searched the internet far and wide for a nook cover. I just didn't like anything that was commercially available--and most of them were ridiculously expensive. I don't want the nook in a cover while I am reading, so I was really looking for a sleeve that I could slip it into when I wasn't using it--and the only sleeves I found were icky neoprene ones on ebay.
So I decided to make my own. I spent about $20 on supplies, but I bought way more of all of my materials than I needed. (DH says I should just make up the extras and sell them on etsy to recoup my cost and contribute to my book fund.)
I used this pattern as a guide, but made a few modifications. First, I made a ribbon-loop closure instead of making the two straps. I also added a pocket--mostly just because I needed a reason to include a cute coordinating fabric, but it does hold my book light. Finally, I used flannel instead of fleece to line my cover, but I attached fusable fleece batting to the outside pieces so that I my nook would be extra cozy and protected.
I heart my nook cozy! I'm so happy with the way it turned out, and I think it's about 1000 times cuter than anything I have seen in stores (including the $125 kate spade cover.)
12/31/10
The last day of the year*
Yesterday was our 15th anniversary. Hard to believe. Hard to remember a time when DH wasn't around. We've really grown up together, from 20-year-old broke college students to 35-year-old professionals and parents of 3.
This year was a tough one with the loss of MIL and the emotional roller-coaster that FIL has been through in the aftermath. Really, the last two years have been hell in this regard.
Professionally, the year has been good for both DH and me. I just got a glowing performance review a raise that would be significant under any circumstances, but is even more meaningful in the current economy.
And I think it has been a good one for the kids. I was so worried about how PS would fare in middle school with her nerdy shyness, but middle school has been great. I'm so impressed with all of the opportunities at her new school, and so far there have been no "mean girl" issues.
Here's hoping for a great 2011.
*Oops, this was yesterday's post. I was distracted and never published.
This year was a tough one with the loss of MIL and the emotional roller-coaster that FIL has been through in the aftermath. Really, the last two years have been hell in this regard.
Professionally, the year has been good for both DH and me. I just got a glowing performance review a raise that would be significant under any circumstances, but is even more meaningful in the current economy.
And I think it has been a good one for the kids. I was so worried about how PS would fare in middle school with her nerdy shyness, but middle school has been great. I'm so impressed with all of the opportunities at her new school, and so far there have been no "mean girl" issues.
Here's hoping for a great 2011.
*Oops, this was yesterday's post. I was distracted and never published.
12/25/10
Almost Perfect Christmas
We spent most of Christmas Eve hanging out a home and baking befor heading out to my Uncle's around dinnertime. My mother was there and I had to deal with her snark and complaining, but it was mostly kept in check. (She did make the exact snarky comment I predicted she would make when she opened the gift certificate we gave to her and her husband. It was kind of funny that I had nailed it so accurately.)
We spent all day today at home, just the five of us, as per our usual routine. Santa spoiled the girls, and we spent the day lounging in our jammies and playing with our new toys. The twins got a flip video camera to share and they have been making mini-movies all afternoon. They also got Scribblish and we laughed a lot while playing. It is so nice to be able to play games with the kids that we enjoy.
I got a nook from DH, but I knew it was coming. We both spent a lot of time deciding between the nook and the Kindle. Ultimately, the nook won out because I didn't care for the proprietary nature of the Kindle. (Yes, I know there is a script I can install to convert other formats for viewing on the Kindle, but I'm not sure about the ethics/legality of it. And it just irritates me that Amazon wants to be all Applesque controlly about buying material to run on its device.)
And DH gave me a Neiman Marcus gift certificate that he won at his employer's Christmas party, so I got to spend my morning shopping for this gorgeous bag. I'm hoping I can fit a couple of file folders in it, because the bag I carry to work every day is beat to hell and I really needed a replacement.
Overall, it was a very good Christmas.
We spent all day today at home, just the five of us, as per our usual routine. Santa spoiled the girls, and we spent the day lounging in our jammies and playing with our new toys. The twins got a flip video camera to share and they have been making mini-movies all afternoon. They also got Scribblish and we laughed a lot while playing. It is so nice to be able to play games with the kids that we enjoy.
I got a nook from DH, but I knew it was coming. We both spent a lot of time deciding between the nook and the Kindle. Ultimately, the nook won out because I didn't care for the proprietary nature of the Kindle. (Yes, I know there is a script I can install to convert other formats for viewing on the Kindle, but I'm not sure about the ethics/legality of it. And it just irritates me that Amazon wants to be all Applesque controlly about buying material to run on its device.)
And DH gave me a Neiman Marcus gift certificate that he won at his employer's Christmas party, so I got to spend my morning shopping for this gorgeous bag. I'm hoping I can fit a couple of file folders in it, because the bag I carry to work every day is beat to hell and I really needed a replacement.
Overall, it was a very good Christmas.
12/21/10
So the crappy product of the day goes to...
the Farberware Candy/Deep Fry thermometer.
DH was bummed about missing his Grandma's peanut brittle since we aren't going to Hometown for Christmas, so I promised him that I would make peanut brittle for him. But my candy thermometer was either lost or broken, so I had to find a replacement before the brittle-making could begin.
I did my huge Christmas grocery shopping trip on Sunday, and I figured I would just pick up a new candy thermometer at the grocery store. The only one they had was the stupid Farberware one. Which looks exactly like a meat thermometer. Every candy thermometer I have ever used before looked like a giant regular thermometer with a clip to hold it in place on the side of your pan. I wasn't thrilled, but it was my only option, so I figured I'd make do.
So last night, I commenced with the brittle making, only to discover that my clipless thermometer was a big fat PITA. As soon as I started stirring my brittle, I knocked the thermometer out of the pan and under the electric burner. And it was freaking hot after sitting in a vat of boiling sugar. And my poofy oven mitt left me especially graceless in trying to retrieve the rogue thermometer from under the burner.
Finally, I got a grip on the thermometer only to drop it head-first into my roiling sugar mix. After a few more graceless moments, I pulled it out, only to find the reading window covered in brittle-goo.
DH, hearing the expletives emanating from the kitchen, came to my rescue and fashioned a cardboard holder to balance the thermometer on the side of my pot. It actually worked fairly well. But, unsurprisingly, my peanut brittle came out slightly burned. (DH says its perfectly edible, but I think maybe he's just being nice.)
I'm thinking I have a products liability claim against Farberware. Well, except that my only damages are $1.37 in burned peanut brittle ingredients. And maybe some emotional distress.
DH was bummed about missing his Grandma's peanut brittle since we aren't going to Hometown for Christmas, so I promised him that I would make peanut brittle for him. But my candy thermometer was either lost or broken, so I had to find a replacement before the brittle-making could begin.
I did my huge Christmas grocery shopping trip on Sunday, and I figured I would just pick up a new candy thermometer at the grocery store. The only one they had was the stupid Farberware one. Which looks exactly like a meat thermometer. Every candy thermometer I have ever used before looked like a giant regular thermometer with a clip to hold it in place on the side of your pan. I wasn't thrilled, but it was my only option, so I figured I'd make do.
So last night, I commenced with the brittle making, only to discover that my clipless thermometer was a big fat PITA. As soon as I started stirring my brittle, I knocked the thermometer out of the pan and under the electric burner. And it was freaking hot after sitting in a vat of boiling sugar. And my poofy oven mitt left me especially graceless in trying to retrieve the rogue thermometer from under the burner.
Finally, I got a grip on the thermometer only to drop it head-first into my roiling sugar mix. After a few more graceless moments, I pulled it out, only to find the reading window covered in brittle-goo.
DH, hearing the expletives emanating from the kitchen, came to my rescue and fashioned a cardboard holder to balance the thermometer on the side of my pot. It actually worked fairly well. But, unsurprisingly, my peanut brittle came out slightly burned. (DH says its perfectly edible, but I think maybe he's just being nice.)
I'm thinking I have a products liability claim against Farberware. Well, except that my only damages are $1.37 in burned peanut brittle ingredients. And maybe some emotional distress.
12/18/10
Saturday
So it seems like my blog is becoming a weekly. That's not really my intent--I just don't seem to have any time anymore. Ever. More often than not, I am getting home after 8:00 p.m. during the week. This is not necessarily because of work. Sometimes it is. Sometimes its because I have to go straight from work to watch PS cheer or to take the twins to girl scouts. It just feels like we are suddenly busier than ever. I don't blog, I don't watch T.V., I've been sitting on my latest Netflix for 6 weeks, and I've been promising a friend to meet up for drinks for at least two months.
So today I slept in until 7:30. (Yes, that's sleeping in. On our cruise I never slept past 7 and usually work up before 6, which did not make DH very happy.) And then I sat on the couch in my PJs and finished up my online Christmas shopping until 12:30. DH was sweet enough to go on a Starbucks run. (I heart Peppermint Mochas!) I finally showered, dressed and brushed my teeth at 1:00 pm. It was so nice not to have anywhere to go or anything I had to do.
DH is having a terrible time shopping for me, and I for him, so I ordered myself this lovely pair of leopard-print shoes. (40% off!) He can wrap them when they come in. Then I ventured out with PS to look for boots for her. I am so thankful that I did 90% of my shopping online. We didn't have much luck with the boots, and I tired of the crowds after about 10 minutes.
I am ready to be done with Christmas and the extra business that it adds. I'm hoping that life will settle down after the holidays, but that may be a pipe dream. (BTW, I just figured out today that "pipe dream" is a drug reference--duh!)
Meanwhile, tonight I'm going to a hockey game with the friend-I-am-supposed- to-meet-for-drinks. (I heart hockey!) And so our drinks will be beer at the hockey game, and it will be fun.
So today I slept in until 7:30. (Yes, that's sleeping in. On our cruise I never slept past 7 and usually work up before 6, which did not make DH very happy.) And then I sat on the couch in my PJs and finished up my online Christmas shopping until 12:30. DH was sweet enough to go on a Starbucks run. (I heart Peppermint Mochas!) I finally showered, dressed and brushed my teeth at 1:00 pm. It was so nice not to have anywhere to go or anything I had to do.
DH is having a terrible time shopping for me, and I for him, so I ordered myself this lovely pair of leopard-print shoes. (40% off!) He can wrap them when they come in. Then I ventured out with PS to look for boots for her. I am so thankful that I did 90% of my shopping online. We didn't have much luck with the boots, and I tired of the crowds after about 10 minutes.
I am ready to be done with Christmas and the extra business that it adds. I'm hoping that life will settle down after the holidays, but that may be a pipe dream. (BTW, I just figured out today that "pipe dream" is a drug reference--duh!)
Meanwhile, tonight I'm going to a hockey game with the friend-I-am-supposed- to-meet-for-drinks. (I heart hockey!) And so our drinks will be beer at the hockey game, and it will be fun.
12/11/10
Math
PS is taking the SAT in January. Yes, she's 12. She's doing it as part of the Duke TIP program, which offers the opportunity to 7th grade students who have received qualifying scores on standardized tests. (PS qualified with every test she has taken over the past two years!) I also took the SAT in the 7th grade through Duke TIP. Waaaay back then you had to score in the 97th percentile on a standardized test to qualify, but I think they have loosened up the requirements a bit, as there were three kids in my school who qualified and many kids from PS's school were chosen to participate. Or maybe it's because I grew up in a much poorer school on the bad side of town, and PS is in a very nice school in a much higher income bracket with excellent resources.
Anyway, I have been getting the SAT question of the day emailed to me so that I can help PS prepare. I have correctly answered every single English question without even thinking about it. And I have no freakin' clue how to begin any of the math questions. Today's question had something to do with lines and angles and tangents and circles. Yeah, not a clue. I'm pretty sure yesterday's question required that I employ the quadratic formula. At least I know there is a quadratic formula, but I couldn't begin to tell you what it is.
I guess it's a good thing that I became a lawyer instead of a rocket scientist, because I have never in my adult life needed to know the quadratic formula. Or how to calculate an angle from a hypotenuse connected by two tangent circles. For that, I am very thankful. And dangit, I can calculate how much 30% plus an extra 15% off a pair of shoes is in about 30 seconds flat. That's way more valuable than knowing how to calculate some stinkin' angle.
Anyway, I have been getting the SAT question of the day emailed to me so that I can help PS prepare. I have correctly answered every single English question without even thinking about it. And I have no freakin' clue how to begin any of the math questions. Today's question had something to do with lines and angles and tangents and circles. Yeah, not a clue. I'm pretty sure yesterday's question required that I employ the quadratic formula. At least I know there is a quadratic formula, but I couldn't begin to tell you what it is.
I guess it's a good thing that I became a lawyer instead of a rocket scientist, because I have never in my adult life needed to know the quadratic formula. Or how to calculate an angle from a hypotenuse connected by two tangent circles. For that, I am very thankful. And dangit, I can calculate how much 30% plus an extra 15% off a pair of shoes is in about 30 seconds flat. That's way more valuable than knowing how to calculate some stinkin' angle.
12/8/10
I'm baaaackkkkk
We reluctantly returned on Sunday from our week-long Caribbean cruise. I'll admit to seriously wondering how hard it would be to become licensed to practice law in Roatan.
Cruising was awesome. I wasn't sure if I would really like it, but I loved it. We had 3.5 sea days and 3 port days. I wouldn't want any more sea days, but there was plenty to do on the ship. We went ice skating, rockwall climbing, saw concerts and did a scavenger hunt all on the ship. Any we earned medals for winning classic rock trivia (all that credit goes to DH--and for the guy who decided Nirvana was classic rock (WTF?)).
And I am so glad we went for the balcony. It was awesome to sit outside sipping a cocktail and reading. And it worked out especially well because it was very windy on the pool deck for most of the trip, and the balcony offered more protection from the wind.
I will say that anyone who says cruise ship food is gourmet is just flat out lying or has no taste buds. The food was plentiful but mediocre. Any average chain restaurant has better food. But mediocre food certainly wasn't going to ruin the experience, and our waiters were more than happy to bring us something new if we didn't care for what was served (or three desserts if that is what our hearts desired.)
My only other complaint is that we were about 30 years younger than the vast majority of our shipmates. Maybe because the kids are in school? But we were seated at dinner with two younger couples who were a lot of fun, and we laughed a lot about being the youngest group on the ship.
The port days were the best part of the trip, though. We stopped in Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. My favorite port was Roatan. It was just gorgeous there. We went zipling and snorkeling. Our ziplines had breathtaking views of the rain forest and ocean. (Some friends recently went zipling in Hawaii and their course looked downright ugly compared to ours.) Snorkeling was off a reef in the Blue Channel, and it was stunning. Roatan is supposed to have some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world, and I can certainly believe it.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking a long dirt road known as West End, that is dotted with bars, restaurants and dive shops. I had a cheeseburger in paradise and danced with native schoolchildren.
I was lest impressed with Belize City. The city was very trashy and not pretty, and we had to pass through a security checkpoint manned by soldiers with very big guns. We took an hour-long bus ride, followed by an hour-long boat ride to see the Mayan Ruins at Lamanai. The ruins were amazing. We climbed a huge temple that dates to 100 B.C. I'm so glad that we got to visit this site, although I'm left with little desire to return to Belize (but maybe we just didn't see the best parts).
Our final port was Cozumel. We had pre-reserved at an all inclusive beach resort called Nachi Cocom. The beach was beautiful and the drinks were plentiful. Maybe a little too plentiful. DH got smashed and doesn't even remember how we got back to the ship. It was his first time ever to get drunk--and I learned that my husband is not a mean drunk or a funny drunk, but a horny drunk. I had to keep shushing him as he loudly slurred inappropriate comments.
Overall, I'd rate it the best vacation we've ever taken, and the most relaxed I've been since I had the twins 9 years ago.
Cruising was awesome. I wasn't sure if I would really like it, but I loved it. We had 3.5 sea days and 3 port days. I wouldn't want any more sea days, but there was plenty to do on the ship. We went ice skating, rockwall climbing, saw concerts and did a scavenger hunt all on the ship. Any we earned medals for winning classic rock trivia (all that credit goes to DH--and for the guy who decided Nirvana was classic rock (WTF?)).
And I am so glad we went for the balcony. It was awesome to sit outside sipping a cocktail and reading. And it worked out especially well because it was very windy on the pool deck for most of the trip, and the balcony offered more protection from the wind.
I will say that anyone who says cruise ship food is gourmet is just flat out lying or has no taste buds. The food was plentiful but mediocre. Any average chain restaurant has better food. But mediocre food certainly wasn't going to ruin the experience, and our waiters were more than happy to bring us something new if we didn't care for what was served (or three desserts if that is what our hearts desired.)
My only other complaint is that we were about 30 years younger than the vast majority of our shipmates. Maybe because the kids are in school? But we were seated at dinner with two younger couples who were a lot of fun, and we laughed a lot about being the youngest group on the ship.
The port days were the best part of the trip, though. We stopped in Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. My favorite port was Roatan. It was just gorgeous there. We went zipling and snorkeling. Our ziplines had breathtaking views of the rain forest and ocean. (Some friends recently went zipling in Hawaii and their course looked downright ugly compared to ours.) Snorkeling was off a reef in the Blue Channel, and it was stunning. Roatan is supposed to have some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world, and I can certainly believe it.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking a long dirt road known as West End, that is dotted with bars, restaurants and dive shops. I had a cheeseburger in paradise and danced with native schoolchildren.
I was lest impressed with Belize City. The city was very trashy and not pretty, and we had to pass through a security checkpoint manned by soldiers with very big guns. We took an hour-long bus ride, followed by an hour-long boat ride to see the Mayan Ruins at Lamanai. The ruins were amazing. We climbed a huge temple that dates to 100 B.C. I'm so glad that we got to visit this site, although I'm left with little desire to return to Belize (but maybe we just didn't see the best parts).
Our final port was Cozumel. We had pre-reserved at an all inclusive beach resort called Nachi Cocom. The beach was beautiful and the drinks were plentiful. Maybe a little too plentiful. DH got smashed and doesn't even remember how we got back to the ship. It was his first time ever to get drunk--and I learned that my husband is not a mean drunk or a funny drunk, but a horny drunk. I had to keep shushing him as he loudly slurred inappropriate comments.
Overall, I'd rate it the best vacation we've ever taken, and the most relaxed I've been since I had the twins 9 years ago.
11/25/10
Thankful
For my three beautiful, healthy, smart, funny, well-behaved girls. We are very, very fortunate in the kid department.
For my awesome hubby who has tolerated my control-freak craziness for almost 15 years.
For having a good job in a bad economy.
For having a very normal life despite (or maybe because of) my drama-filled childhood.
For being able to spend today with my hubby and my girlies doing nothing and ordering in.
For weather cool enough to build a fire.
It's been a rough year. This time last year we were travelling to visit the in-laws while MIL was being treated at a cancer center. We didn't realize how dire MIL's circumstances were until that weekend, and even then, we thought we'd have her at least until summer. By January she was in hospice, and we spent the next month traveling back and forth to hometown.
Unfortunately, the stress and drama didn't end with MIL's passing. FIL's sudden return to dating, followed by a marraige less than four months after MIL died put the entire family into a tailspin. And then FIL entered a deep depression from which he still has not emerged.
So we're not really looking forward to this holiday season--but it will be nice to get past it. And I am especially grateful for my drama-free day at home with DH and the girls.
For my awesome hubby who has tolerated my control-freak craziness for almost 15 years.
For having a good job in a bad economy.
For having a very normal life despite (or maybe because of) my drama-filled childhood.
For being able to spend today with my hubby and my girlies doing nothing and ordering in.
For weather cool enough to build a fire.
It's been a rough year. This time last year we were travelling to visit the in-laws while MIL was being treated at a cancer center. We didn't realize how dire MIL's circumstances were until that weekend, and even then, we thought we'd have her at least until summer. By January she was in hospice, and we spent the next month traveling back and forth to hometown.
Unfortunately, the stress and drama didn't end with MIL's passing. FIL's sudden return to dating, followed by a marraige less than four months after MIL died put the entire family into a tailspin. And then FIL entered a deep depression from which he still has not emerged.
So we're not really looking forward to this holiday season--but it will be nice to get past it. And I am especially grateful for my drama-free day at home with DH and the girls.
11/14/10
Fearing for our Future
So a few weeks ago our local bar association put out a call for attorneys to teach law for half a day to middle or high school students. And for some inexplicable reason, I was compelled to sign up for this.
"Don't worry," they said, "We'll give you a curriculum."
Yeah, they gave me a curriculum--covering the 4th Amendment. I'm a commercial litigation attorney. The 4th Amendment NEVER comes up in my practice area. EVER. But I read the curriculum, and did a little brushing up the night before, and got a pretty good handle on what I would be speaking about.
Anyway, I can't say it went well. I was assigned to speak to two 10th grade classes in a not-so-great part of town. There was no diversity--every single kid in both of the classes I spoke to was Hispanic. (I suspect I was assigned to this school because my married surname is Spanish.) The kids were completely checked out and apathetic. I'm not a teacher and I'm not the most engaging speaker in the world, but nothing I did could grab these kids' attention.
I tried to ask questions, find something they were interested in, but got very little reaction no matter what path I wandered down. When it was clear they had little interest in legal issues, I tried talking to them about higher education and getting in to college--but going to college did not appear to be in any of their futures. I've spoken to my kids' classes before, and worked with 6th graders in an inner city school and I have never had this much trouble getting kids' attention.
The only kid who asked any questions was one who made it clear that he had plenty of experience with the legal system and he kept asking me specific crim law hypotheticals, mostly related to when and under what circumstances he was allowed to shoot someone.
I left frustrated and trying to figure out what I should have done differently. And a little annoyed that I had just wasted half my day when my schedule is jam-packed right now. I called my teacher brother to whine, and he said what I was feeling but hadn't figured out how to put into words--this school had already given up on these kids--and nothing I could say was going to change anything.
"Don't worry," they said, "We'll give you a curriculum."
Yeah, they gave me a curriculum--covering the 4th Amendment. I'm a commercial litigation attorney. The 4th Amendment NEVER comes up in my practice area. EVER. But I read the curriculum, and did a little brushing up the night before, and got a pretty good handle on what I would be speaking about.
Anyway, I can't say it went well. I was assigned to speak to two 10th grade classes in a not-so-great part of town. There was no diversity--every single kid in both of the classes I spoke to was Hispanic. (I suspect I was assigned to this school because my married surname is Spanish.) The kids were completely checked out and apathetic. I'm not a teacher and I'm not the most engaging speaker in the world, but nothing I did could grab these kids' attention.
I tried to ask questions, find something they were interested in, but got very little reaction no matter what path I wandered down. When it was clear they had little interest in legal issues, I tried talking to them about higher education and getting in to college--but going to college did not appear to be in any of their futures. I've spoken to my kids' classes before, and worked with 6th graders in an inner city school and I have never had this much trouble getting kids' attention.
The only kid who asked any questions was one who made it clear that he had plenty of experience with the legal system and he kept asking me specific crim law hypotheticals, mostly related to when and under what circumstances he was allowed to shoot someone.
I left frustrated and trying to figure out what I should have done differently. And a little annoyed that I had just wasted half my day when my schedule is jam-packed right now. I called my teacher brother to whine, and he said what I was feeling but hadn't figured out how to put into words--this school had already given up on these kids--and nothing I could say was going to change anything.
11/7/10
If you like Pina Coladas...
Most of last month I just kind of rolled along and wasn't especially busy. And then last week I got hit with motions and discovery out the wazoo. And of course every single deadline falls during the week that I am on vacation. So while I was already cramming 4 weeks into 3 this month, I am now cramming 4 very busy weeks in to 3.
And Boss informed me on Friday that he wants me to file a petition ASAP. A basic petition is usually something I can knock out in a few of hours. Except this one requires a particular supporting affidavit. And there is a newly enacted statute regarding the contents of the supporting affidavit. And there have been at least a dozen opinions in the last 8 months regarding the old statute and comparing it to the new statute. And there is a circuit split on how to interpret the statute--but my circuit hasn't ruled yet. So I have to figure out how to draft the affidavit so that it is enforceable under the new statute and under both sides of the split. Which means I am putting in a ton of hours researching before I can even start on what should be a super-simple petition.
And DH just left for a business trip. So I'm on my own with the girls for half this week--which will make the long hours I need to put in this week more challenging.
I guess the good news is that I won't have any trouble making my hours even though I'll be taking off for a week. And it's a hell of a lot easier to take being in the office at 9 p.m. when I know that in a month I will be sitting on a beach in the Caribbean drinking Pina Coladas .
And Boss informed me on Friday that he wants me to file a petition ASAP. A basic petition is usually something I can knock out in a few of hours. Except this one requires a particular supporting affidavit. And there is a newly enacted statute regarding the contents of the supporting affidavit. And there have been at least a dozen opinions in the last 8 months regarding the old statute and comparing it to the new statute. And there is a circuit split on how to interpret the statute--but my circuit hasn't ruled yet. So I have to figure out how to draft the affidavit so that it is enforceable under the new statute and under both sides of the split. Which means I am putting in a ton of hours researching before I can even start on what should be a super-simple petition.
And DH just left for a business trip. So I'm on my own with the girls for half this week--which will make the long hours I need to put in this week more challenging.
I guess the good news is that I won't have any trouble making my hours even though I'll be taking off for a week. And it's a hell of a lot easier to take being in the office at 9 p.m. when I know that in a month I will be sitting on a beach in the Caribbean drinking Pina Coladas .
11/2/10
Think they did this on purpose?
Just got served with an MSJ and the response is due on the day after Thanksgiving. Which also happens to be the first full day of my cruise. And the response is due the first day after I get back.
Intentionally scheduling a response deadline on a day following a holiday reeks of assholiosis. And since there has been dead silence on this case for months, I can't help but think it was intentional.
Unfortunately for the other side, I am not an procrastinator, so I will have my response drafted by the end of this week. And I am confident that I can obliterate their MSJ.
Intentionally scheduling a response deadline on a day following a holiday reeks of assholiosis. And since there has been dead silence on this case for months, I can't help but think it was intentional.
Unfortunately for the other side, I am not an procrastinator, so I will have my response drafted by the end of this week. And I am confident that I can obliterate their MSJ.
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