The Plan

Micromash: I've heard great things about it, and though I loathe the thought of shelling out $800+ for the MBE review, I loathe the thought of failing even more.

BarBri long CA outline for the new subjects. *I know where you can get a photocopy of the new subjects for $100 if anyone's interested! =)

Compilation of the past essays and answers into a ginormous binder. Plan to go through and list the topics tested. I will then break down these topics into concise rule statements for each and that will be my "cheat sheet." I will, of course, also actually do these essays!

Outlines/Flashcards. Fortunately (unfortunately?) I already have these. I need to make new ones for the new subjects using the information listed above.

PMBR lectures on iPod. I hate these. I always think I'll listen to them in the car, but then I find myself switching to Pussycat Dolls instead.

I think I have it in me to do it one last time. I had prepped myself for this, knowing that Feb was not a good month for me (or Jan for that matter) so it was no where near the devastation of last time. But sometimes, I find myself incredulous that one year later, I'm still taking this exam. It's a tough pill to swallow. However, I look at it like an extra year of school. It's like med school, which is also 4 years! And at least I get to work and make some money during it, right? So it's better than 3rd year...kinda.

I plan on working about 20 hours a week, because: (1) I need the money (2) I think it'll be good to get out (3) I tend to whittle away hours doing absolutely nothing productive anyway, and maybe I'll study more if I know that this is the only time I have to do it! I'll take the last couple weeks completely off though.

I've registered with CA Bar, Micromash, and looking into hotel reservations. Any recommendations in San Diego within the SD Concourse center?

Eh.

Surprisingly, I don't feel that bad. I had anticipated it back in February. What with the computer malfunction, marriage problems, and various other problems going on at that time, it would've been a miracle. Plus, everyone I know seems to have failed. It was more difficult than July, so maybe we were all taken by surprise a bit.

I'm in a much better place now, and have psyched myself up for Round 3 for months now (although holding on to the small hope of passing). In July, I failed by 10. Maybe this time I failed by 5. Inch by painful inch, I'm getting there.

Congratulations to all those who passed!! And for those who didn't, misery loves company...

The end of a journey

Finally. It's all going down in 8 hours. After months (really, years) of work, it comes down to this. I was kinda okay this week, and even managed to forget about today for periods of time. It's not the same as last time. I'm so busy this weekend with in laws in town, weddings to go to, and a rehearsal dinner pretty much minutes after results are released that I think I'll just keep going. No drowning myself in alcohol or making phone calls like last time! I don't even think many of my family or friends know that today is the day! Except husband, who pretends it's a day like any other day and knows better than to ask any questions before I'm ready to tell him. =)

Well, where ever you are and what ever you're doing tonight at 6:00pm, know that if the result is not as expected, roughly 50% of all of us are feeling the exact same thing at the exact same time. And if the result is good...well, then you hardly need any advice from me on the ecstacy you will be feeling!

In a message repeated across CA bar exam blogs everywhere today, good luck everyone! And remember: It may take a few times, but odds are heavily in our favor that we will eventually pass. In this case, it's all about the destination, not the journey!

Nerves of Steel

It's been forever since I've written! But fear not -- I have diligently been reading everyone else's blogs! Since my last post, I've moved and started a new job, and have had no private access to internet. Although I know it's unlikely, I'm afraid that somehow, they'll track me down at work so I'm afraid to log on!

But now, I have internet at my own place. It's great. I've been working for about a month now doing general counsel work for small to mid sized companies. No billable hours, no firm, and a variety of different work ranging from real estate, trusts, business, and doing all my own administrative work! I'm even answering phones. It's a medley of stuff, but the pay is good and my hours are super chill...loving that! Will be especially useful should I have something major taking up my time in the next couple of months. God forbid.

I'm actually okay. I'm prepared for the worst case scenario, and these past months have taught me that there are more important things in life and at the end of my life, this is just one test. A test that I can take until I pass it. A test that is absolutely passable. I came so close last time that I am certain that I'm perfectly capable of passing this thing; if not this time, then the next. Yes, it's embarassing and expensive and humbling, but I can keep my job and study at the same time. I have a plan, and I'm in control of my life should this test decide to re-emerge in my life.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying my slew of television shows:

- Grey's Anatomy. Don't even get me started on the absymal season finale.
- Ugly Betty. Always fun, always uplifting!
- Desperate Housewives. Still waiting to see the finale!
- Dancing With the Stars. Please, Apolo, win!
- America Idol. Team Jordin...
- Next PCD. UGH. Asia?! That girl is soooo ghetto. I was all for Chelsea or Melissa... SUCH a disappointment. It also felt like a slutty high school talent show kinda...but I still watched it.

Just in case you think I watch this much tv, I actually only watch the top three and skim the rest. The rest of my time has been spent furniture shopping. I've developed a taste for DWR, Noguchi tables, and Pablo lighting. Not good for the credit cards!

Things I'm looking forward to:
- Harry Potter Book 7 on July 21. I've pre-ordered from Amazon and can't wait!
- Pirates 3. Will probably end up watching some copy from China.
- Weddings galore. Time to shop for dresses!
- Wearing my Chanel sunglasses that I got for 50% off that I've lusted after forever.
- Getting a tan at my new pool.
- Dancing and working out so that I can be the next PCD!

Life is good.

Okay, nevermind!

I had a completely unprofessional moment yesterday. So, you know how I've been looking for non-legal jobs? I had myself fully convinced that I wanted to take a break from law and explore other options while I could. While I do feel that law may not be my ultimate career goal, that perspective has somewhat changed.

I managed to get an offer at a Fortune 100 fashion company, starting at an entry level corporate position. Mind you, it was very unglamorous and entailed doing some retail, but it was a start. I accepted it last week. I was to start on Monday, but then over the weekend, I started to have second thoughts. The salary was pitiful (a little more than 1/3 of what I made at my old firm!!), but I was prepared to take a massive cut in pay due to my lack of experience in any other field. I just started to feel that I couldn't jump to another field yet. My battle with law is not yet complete!! So, in an unprecedented move, I called the company and made up some convoluted reason why I couldn't accept the position. It was mortifying, but they seemed to understand and even said to contact them should my circumstances change.

Did I make the right decision? I don't know. There are those who say that our lives are a tapestry reflecting the decisions we make. We know that we make certain decisions, which leads us down certain roads, which then leads us to other choices that we would not have had we not traveled down that road. I wonder, what doors would have opened up for me if I had gone down that road? It seems that I wonder this a lot lately, with my career, love, and life in general.

Friends think I should have taken the job. It's not something I feel comfortable admitting to people, but I think a major part of the reason is pride. A small part of me feels like I would be taking the easy way out, and maybe my desire to work in another field comes from my lack of success (i.e. not passing the bar) in this field. I explore this in my mind, and think that no, I truly like fashion and would truly like to try other fields, but I want to be sure that this is the reason. I don't want to question myself, nor do I want others to question me. Once I pass the bar, I can do whatever I want to, and I won't have to wonder if it's because I couldn't cut it in law.

But in the meantime, this leaves me without a job. I do not want to go back to my old firm! And so, for the first time ever, I'm taking a break. I'm looking for some temp or part time jobs in law to float me and husband and using the rest of the time to relax. There's also the possibility of doing some work for my old firm on a contractual basis, from home, which would be nice. If anyone has any job suggestions in the LA area, please let me know! :)

Tomorrow, I will go down to San Diego for a mini-break. I plan on hanging out in the gaslamp district and going out with friends. In my contemplative state these past few weeks, I haven't really had a lot to drink (Oddly, I don't like to drink when I'm not in a good mood) but I think I'm ready to get my drink on now!

Hmmm...What to do?

My body still can't really calm down, though I am sleeping better now! I've gotten all caught up in organizing my life. I think it's some kind of subconscious desire to feel in control of my life or something. I have extensive lists full of plans, and it makes me happy to schedule things. Today, I spent 3 hours cleaning. Then I went to the cleaners and dropped off about a month of dry cleaning for my husband and me. I went to the gym. I went to the grocery store and bought food (we had none). I watched Real Housewives and Desperate Housewives. And I sent out resumes.

I worked at a firm before this, but I am seriously tired of the law. I'm tired of always working my ass off in this field. I feel like I'm tired after years of double majors and summer school and tests and simultaneous jobs. So, I've decided to take this time to make a drastic change.

I am looking for non-legal jobs.

Yes, this is tough. It makes me think that I would "waste" all these years of work if I don't pursue law. It makes me scared that it'll sabotage my potential to get a job as a lawyer later. I have also realized how completely unqualified I am for anything OTHER than law, now that I've devoted so many years to it. Unfortunately, all of these years have also instilled in me a certain pay expectation that is difficult to meet when you are unqualified for a job. It's a dilemma, to be sure. I've sent out 4 resumes, and so we'll see what happens.

Tomorrow, I'm considering going to the spa. And then this weekend, I have to go back to Sacramento (the site of the horrible exam!) for a wedding! Can you believe it? I'm still slowly getting back into the swing of things, trying to figure things out.

It's Over.

Hey, so did I call PT B or what? It was a memo to my boss! Except...it said to be objective, but then it said to discuss how we got to our conclusions or something like that, and I took the whole thing to mean that we were to discuss the pros and cons of our case, strengths and weaknesses, likely outcomes, etc. like in the real world. So I did. I hope this is correct. I'm feeling a little weak on the last issue, regarding whether forfeiture violates Section 1600 because I kinda raced through that and said that it did, but on second thought, there's something in the cases that said it doesn't have to be because he could have exercised his options before...or something.

I can think of all kinds of things I messed up on. I can't think of a major one, but I muddled things a bit here and there throughout. This test was ludicrous compared to the last one. I so regret not passing the last time, because if those types of questions had been there this time, I would have kicked ass. On JDjive (a crap site, I know, but sometimes they have some good discussions), people were doing the post mortem on the bar and everyone was kinda all over the place but everyone agreed that this test was very difficult. So I guess that bodes well for the curve. Someone told me that they tested 11 out of the 14 subjects!!!! That is completely insane.

My one big question is whether Question 1 (property) discussed easements, covenants, and/or licenses. People have varying opinions. Overall, I must say that I felt like I didn't get everything perfect, or even close, but that it's going to all come down to the grading and the curve. I simply don't know what you need to have to get a 65-75. I mean, what if you mess up the law? Miss some minor issues? Can you get a 75? I just don't know how they determine it all. If it's "Well, she got the main ISSUES, and she messed up the law a bit, and missed a couple minor issues, okay, 65!" then I'd be okay I think. =)

As for the Sacramento Convention Center...well, I think we all have complaints about our bar sites. Not exactly associated with fond memories. It was my first time in Sac, and the two blocks I saw over the past 4 days makes me forever associate the entire city with trauma. Thankfully, my hotel was like 5 minutes from the test center -- we're talking from my room to my seat in the center! That was fabulous, given the weather and overall stress. The proctors were surprisingly spry -- they weren't a million years old this time, but a youthful 60-70! And of course, there's the nazi proctor who always insisted that my laptop paper lay horizontally, on the bottom and in a perfect 90 degree angle in my ziplock baggie on top of my cover sheets. The only truly horrible thing was the air conditioning that shot out of these massive ducts lined up on the ceiling on the center. It would just blow all this air, so hard that my hair and papers would rustle, and my fingers would freeze, I couldn't breathe, and I was just completely annoyed and cold. Imagine someone blowing a fan on you all day long while you're trying to concentrate. It sucked.

Last night, I rushed to the airport to get home, and looked forward to watching Grey's and Betty with husband. But of course, they were reruns. I thought about drinking, but strangely, the urge was not there. I'm slightly depressed and still wired I think. I went to sleep exhausted around 1:00 and woke up at 6:00. Couldn't fall asleep again.

It usually takes me a couple weeks to get back into the groove. I must now decide what kind of job to take and earn some money. I can't say that I feel good, but I don't feel terrible. I feel kind of...removed from it all. It is nice to not have to study though, and actually do other things without feeling bad. I'm thinking I'll go to the mall and maybe get a mani/pedi. And I have a birthday party tomorrow too.

Life goes on!

No method to the madness

So I'm in between the AM and PM session of DAY THREE, otherwise known as FREEDOM!!! I remember last time, I was so excited to be done during PT B that I kept looking at the clock, thinking, "it's all over in an hour!"

I wrote a quick response to a comment on the MBEs in yesterday's comments as I couldn't log in. Today, I have some free wireless. I'm beyond fazed now with the freakin' bar examiners. I know everyone bitches and groans about the questions each time, but really...EVERY SINGLE QUESTIONS with the exception of Murder was a CROSSOVER. And although Evidence made an appearance as expected, it was unlike anything I've ever seen before. I was prepared for one, maybe two WTF??! questions, but seriously, every single essay was kinda whacked.

Question 4: Wills and CP. Wills again? It's not even an MBE topic! You don't get to test it again so soon! And thanks for throwing in the CP to make our brain go in two different directions at once.

Question 5: Con Law. No freaking way, freedom of speech AGAIN?!! Not only the same topic, but the same issue? I find this conclusive proof that the examiners are trying to f&^k with our minds.

Question 6: Sigh. I'll repeat -- never saw anything like that. Was there a lot of superfluous crim pro info in the beginning?

Now, on to PT B. They may as well give us another P&A. It's all completely random. Maybe a nice memo to my boss. That would be nice.

Good luck, all. The end is in sight.

My, oh my

WTF?? I took one look at question number one and almost threw up. Property. Leaseholds, assignments, covenants, landlord/tenant duties....and a nice little nuisance tort thrown in for kicks. I forgot some stuff in convenants -- namely, notice. And then a completely unexpected Corps questions having nothing to do with what I thought it'd be -- 10b5 securities stuff. But finally, a gift -- murder. I love murder.

As for PT A, I've got to say that I'm generally clueless in PTs. I didn't write about the crimes and frauds exception because I read (over and over again) in the instruction memo to not deal with the obvious issues of professional responsibility. Even though they threw in an entire case devoted to the crimes and fraud exception. I put a little note at the end that I excluded it due to that. I know I'm not supposed to beat myself up over it, and I won't, but I just want to know if anyone else interpreted it this way? To tell the truth, there's no way I could have gotten to it. Without a single break, I barely had enough time to get through it as it was...

I think February is harder. It's not as straightforward. Does it make a difference that it's mostly repeaters when it comes to grading, do you think? Tonight, I'm going to try and do some MBEs, work out, and get some early shut eye.

MBE day, ugh. I'm hanging in there...hope everyone else is doing ok too! It's raining here in Sac, but thankfully, my hotel is mere steps away from the exam. That's something to be grateful for, I guess. =)

Unbelievable.

I missed my flight to Sacramento. Seriously, I'm sitting in the Burbank airport right now in disbelief that I'm putting added stress on myself. The thing is, I had plenty of time this morning and since I checked in online, thought it would be fairly quick to get through security. I hadn't counted on extraordinarily long lines though. And, even though people were kind enough to let me pass, I missed it by less than a minute. The plane was just out of reach, with the doors wide open. The lady just shook her head at me.

The next flight is 3 hours later. Figures. Usually, they have flights every hour, but not this time! So, I'm now worried about my luggage (I had to check a bag because I had all my books in it) and only have MBE book, flashcards, and some personal notes on me. And my laptop. I hate to be parted with my suitcase as it is, but now, I don't even have the security of having it on the same plane as me. It's probably in Sacramento, waiting to get stolen by someone who's gonna get a nasty surprise when they find out its all bar books. And my clear bag with my admissions ticket in it. Please don't let them lose my bag.

So much for the happy little plan outlined below. I've done 10 evidence questions and gotten 5 wrong, read about Britney's latest debacle (actually, I feel really bad for her...she's obviously in a lot of emotional turmoil...I can relate to stress) and eaten an airport pepperoni pizza.

So, will continue to do the MBE questions and flashcards for another 2 hours. Again, this is freakin' unbelievable. Haha..maybe I don't really want to go and take the exam!! =)

No, I do. I want to go and kick some bar exam ass. I really do. So I hope I can get up there soon...

Here we go...

Tomorrow, I fly to Sacramento and check into my hotel. I don't know whether I'll have easy access to internet there, but if I do, I'll try to post.

My last thoughts as I go into this are a sense of panic because I feel millions of little rules becoming murky, and a sense of determination to pass this exam. I'm afraid to shake my head too hard or focus on anything too much for fear that the law will fall out. But, at this point, it's important to remember that we can only do what we can. Regardless of whether you've studied your ass off and feel fully prepared or feel scared and unsure, there is nothing more we can do. A defeatist and negative attitude will only result in attracting the very thing we feel (failure) and depriving us of much needed confidence and sleep.

I plan on reviewing Evidence for a couple of hours and doing some MBEs. I'll go to bed by 12:00 and wake up around 8:30 and pack. Airport at 12:30 and then settling into the hotel. Study for about 3 hours -- general overview of weak areas -- followed by a good workout at the hotel and room service. Pop a Sonata around 10:00, and then -- it's Tuesday morning.

You can do this. We've already accomplished a tremendous amount. Best of luck, everyone!

Things I'm Grateful For

1. People who root for me
2. Strong ties with my family and relatives
3. Resources to take time off work to study for the bar
4. A generally sunny disposition
5. Coke in a glass bottle
6. Excedrin Tension headache pills
7. A light and working Sony Vaio laptop
8. Collection of cute and comfortable clothes that include Juicy, Abercrombie & Puma
9. The gym, pilates, kickboxing, and yoga
10. The ability and opportunity to sit for the bar exam -- the last hurdle to being a lawyer

Oh. My. God.

Today I tried to study Contracts. I went to Peet's for about 4 hours and probably studied about 3. I did about 40 MBEs and reviewed the wrong answers. I read over my outline.

I always get confused when people try to change the terms of the contract. There seem to be many ways -- modification, parol evidence, counteroffer, inquiry... I get confused. I got sad and left. I went to eat sushi at my uncle's restaurant. This was free, so that cheered me up. My little cousins (ages 14 and 10) gave me a good luck card with $20 they pooled together so that I can buy lunch during the bar. It just about broke my heart. I thought, "Oh...everyone really wants me to pass." And yet, my brain refuses to cooperate and learn Contracts.

I hate the damn subject, I really do. Yet, I must learn it tomorrow. It'll cut into substantive Evidence review time though, and this sucks because I hate Evidence too and I'm sure it's going to be on the essays...

Don't you think we can do this if we only had one more week?

I can't sleep

I've been laying in bed since 4:30 AM, wide awake, so I've decided to just get up. UGH! The insomnia and itchiness has begun. I don't know if anyone else experiences it, but I "stress itch." Well, to be concise, I "bar exam stress itch." During law school, before my wedding, and any other potential major and big events in my life during which I experience stress, I don't itch. It's only when I study for the bar.

So here I am, 6:47 in the morning, waiting for the pharmacy to open, because I'm going to have to break down and get some Sonata and give it a trial run before the exam. I've taken it before (last summer) but haven't had any recently. I know I'm supposed to try to get on the sleep pattern of waking up at 8:00 well rested and ready for a day of testing, but that's just not going to happen. My strategy has changed to getting as much normal sleep as possible beforehand so that I can get through the testing with funky sleep patterns.

At least Meredith didn't die yesterday. Not that I thought she would...but you never know. I didn't think Marisa would be killed off on the OC, but she was! Speaking of which, it was the season finale of the OC last night. I've actually liked this season a lot more than when Marisa was around. Not so much crazy drama and angst. Plus, you got to see Ryan relax, instead of running around trying to sort out Marisa drama. It was a pleasant end to the show, with everything being wrapped up, but it was really quick. A lot of information in one hour. They should have put it in 2 hours. Seth and Summer got married after they let each other go to find themselves or whatever, and Julie Cooper went to college! Yay for Team Julie. Ryan went to Berkeley, thank goodness, and seems to still be with Taylor. All in all, a sweet end to the show.

OMG, I am so itchy. This completely sucks. I guess I should start my Torts day now, since I'm up and will probably need a nap later in the day. Hoping everyone else is faring better!

Con Law

What are the odds they'll have it on there again? But then, the bar examiners love Con Law essays...so if they do put it on there, what are the odds they'll put Freedom of Expression on it? Right? I'm thinking Fed State stuff, Dormant Commerce clause stuff...

To that end, I've found Whitney Roberts' Cheat Sheets to be extremely valuable. She really breaks it down in the format we should use on the essays. It's a totally different understanding of the topics. You know when you read an outline, you think you understand a concept, but then you go to write about it in an essay, and it becomes a mess. This book breaks it down, probably too much in detail. That's the difference between this book and Adachi's Bar Breakers -- BB books are like a genuine essay. No crazy headlines or anything! Whitney's are all about the headings and unfolding every little element. I'd have to lean towards Whitney's style, only because we've all heard about how little time the graders spend on our essays, and we want to be sure they understand us. They probably don't want to see long paragraphs that they have to muddle through.

That said, I'm losing momentum here. Must continue with the Con Law, but planning to focus on Fed State stuff. SIGH. At least Grey's is on tonight. Let one thing go right at least -- let Meredith live! =)

Got me a clear bag

After being completely distracted from my topic of the day (Crim Law & Pro) by visions of my zip lock baggie being torn and all my stuff falling out, I made a run to Target to alleviate my fears by buying a clear bag. Alas, all they had were enormous totes with gaudy flower prints on the borders and handles. I wandered into the toiletry section, where I found a small clear bag with black trim. It's not that cute. It was also filled with those cheap looking plastic shampoo bottles and soap holders. Yuck. I hemmed and hawed in the aisle, wasting all kinds of valuable time, and called my friend for advice. Yes, I am completely unable to make decisions these days. We discussed the impracticality of buying a $1000 Chanel clear bag instead, and came to the conclusion that all clear bags seem somewhat tacky. Therefore, buy something as small and discreet as possible. So I bought it.

I am also starting to compile my bar exam outfits. Comfort is key. So far, I have a mix of Juicy, Abercrombie, and Hanes. Still trying to decide whether I want to wear flip flops, Pumas, or Uggs. Depends on whether I want to wear socks and the weather conditions. As for the clock dilemma, I've decided to use my husband's watch, which is large and has numbers on it.

I am also utterly bored by Crim, despite the fact that I can't ever remember all the elements for Larceny, False Pretenses, Forgery, Embezzlements, etc. I think I've got homicide though. Back to studying now...

One less topic to study

Ha ha ha...my Strategies and MBE book "stategy" suggests not studying Future Interests for the bar exam. Now that's what I'm talking about!

It's hilarious. It begins by tentatively suggesting that if we're crunched for time, to just leave out Future Interests because "if you don't know Future Interests thoroughly, you may as well not know it at all." Now, can anyone really say that they know Future Interests thoroughly? Come, now. No one knows this crap that well.

It later goes on to give some tips on Future Interests in case you didn't get their polite hint to just drop it altogether combined with "if you haven't already decided to give up on Future Interests." Translation: "Forget about Future Interests, you idiot! It's way too hard for you!!"

Their final hint and warning says that assuming you decided to study for Future Interests after all, no matter how well prepared you are, you'll probably have to guess.

It's great. But you know what? I'm going with it. Forget Future Interests. I'm just gonna try and master some typical Rules Against Perpetuities scenarios (not the actual rule itself, God forbid), and that's it.

So there you go, one less topic to study!

Please leave a message after the beep...

Now, the “good luck on the exam!” calls are coming. People keep speaking to me. They keep trying to contact me. I can no longer distinguish between normal statements and statements that are designed to upset me. You decide:

“I have complete faith that you’re going to pass this time!”

“Hey, you only have a few more days left!”

“Do you want to hang out this Friday?”

“Just calling to say hi. I wanted to catch up (i.e. tell you everything, in minute detail, about everything that’s going on in my life) so call me back!” Followed by a second message: “Hey, you still haven’t called me back. Call me!”

“How’s the studying going?”

Really, any phone call that requires mustering up any kind of social etiquette annoys me. I think, really, any kind of call that mentions the exam at all by those people in our lives who are (1) oblivious to the world of law and this excruciating rite of passage, and (2) people who have already passed. That only leaves people who are studying for the exam as people I can potentially talk to and not want to hit. Those people, and my husband, who has learned not to bring it up at all and to pretend that it’s not happening. He just leaves me alone and responds to my occasional demands and outbursts. I am not fit to be among people right now.

Where the heck to do you get an analog clock??

I went to Radio Shack on my way home from Pilates:

Me: Hi, do you guys have any small analog clocks?
Sales guy: What?
Me: An analog clock.
SG: You mean, like with the hands?
Me: Um, yeah.
SG: I don't think I've seen one of those in years. Why don't you upgrade to a digital one? Everyone has those now. (Points to some digital clocks)
Me: Yes, I have one of those too. I just need an analog one for an exam I'm taking.
SG: (Incredulous) They only let you use analog clocks? They don't even sell those anymore!!
Me: (Sighing) I know. I just thought I'd try.

I guess I could use a watch, but it has a small face, no numbers, and it's hard to distinguish whether it's 9:22 or 9:25. I don't really want to sit in the exam and stress myself out over that. Among the list of stupid requirements for the bar exam, this has got to be one of the most annoying. That and the clear bag situation. I want to buy an actual clear bag instead of a zip lock so I don't have to worry about my crap falling out, but it has a little bit of writing on it and I'm scared they won't allow it. Again, trying to minimize any possible distractions.

Ugh. As for progress, I'm on Corps and Professional Responsibility today. Got through Corps (although really, what are the chances it's gonna be on there again? And if so, it'll be Rule 10b5 stuff, don't you think?) and about to work on PR. Am also planning on watching Nora Roberts' Carolina Moon on Lifetime tonight at 9:00.

That's right, I'm watching Lifetime.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today is Civ Pro and Remedies review day. I despise Remedies, and have yet to read over it yet. Husband and I went to my parents' house to eat and I listened to PMBR Con Law on the ipod on the way there and back. Thus far, have covered the following subjects in Civ Pro today:

- Personal Jurisdiction
- Subject Matter Jurisdiction
- Joinder
- Supplemental Jurisdiction
- Erie Doctrine
- Venue
- Summary Judgment
- Miscellaneous minor topics

I have yet to do any MBE questions but will hopefully complete 10 before Desperate Housewives starts at 9:00. I've locked myself in my study until then. At 9:00, I will be munching on teriyaki chicken, rice, and iced green tea in honor of Chinese new year, and watching the show. At 10:00, I will return to read over Remedies for 2 hours and then I'll go to sleep.

Speaking of which, I've been sleeping appx. 9.5 hours a night, which I believe is excessive. However, I'm actually able to sleep at night without tossing and turning and sleep through the night these past days. I know from previous experience that this is a major gift. Sleep is elusive in these stressful days, and I'm now saving a fortune in not having to buy Sonata! I shall use that money to get a mani/pedi before the bar in Sac. Some tips on better sleep, suggested by my doctor and proven to work (on me, at least):

- Work out, but not after 7:00pm
- No caffeine after 8:00 pm
- Sleep at 12:00
- Take about 15 minutes before sleep to get your mind off the bar by reading a magazine while brushing your teeth or something
- Some relaxing yoga poses before sleep
- Keep your sheets and blankets clean and fresh! Maybe it's just me, but I start feeling itchy and paranoid about bugs or something...yeah, probably just me
- Wear something clean to bed (same theory as the sheets above)

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