Cards and Shoes

Almost forgot! Got my bar card in the mail today! It is shiny and pretty and new and now I can go through the special attorney lines at the Friend of the Court! Yippee! The only thing I have left to do now is get sworn in at Federal Court, and I am waiting for them to send the application in the mail.

Oh, and my really cute new shoes came in the mail today! Click here to see them! I got them for shipping only because I had gift cards on Amazon.com to use. They seem really comfy and I may just have to try them out tomorrow at work. Yippee for new shoes too!

First Meeting

**Above picture is of one of the flowers from the plant that my friends Deanna and Brian and their son, Ben, sent me when I passed the bar exam.........Love them and the flowers.

So, tonight was my first board meeting! And boy was it a long one! We had a board workshop previous to the meeting, then the board meeting, and a closed session as well. All in all, I was there from 530 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., but this is was an out of the orindary thing. We don't normally have closed sessions or workshops. Anyway, it was great and I am so excited about being part of it.

Slept in a little bit this morning, which I really needed after getting up so early the previous morning. Work was really productive today, which was great.

I think my first court appearance is going to be Monday. We have a divorce that is ending and are simply presenting the judgment to the court for entry. I am going to start off slow and work up to cases where I need to actually argue things in court. Can't wait. I love how being a lawyer is really testing me with my public speaking skills, since public speaking is not my favorite thing to do.

Anyway, that's about it for today's post.....Night everyone.

In the Paper

**Above is another picture from the fog in our yard last week.....

Whoot! I was surfing the net looking for school boardish stuff today, and found an article that was in the Monroe News after I was appointed to the Board. Click here to see it. How kewl is that?

We had to get to the office SOOO early this morning, it was horrible for me because I get used to a certain amount of sleep and hate change. We were there around 7:30 or so, and losing even an hour of sleep kills me. But, I must say, Kurt and I are a kick ass team. We needed to get a bunch of docs drafted, printing off and organized in a very limited amount of time and we were done with minutes to spare. Phew.

The rest of the day went pretty well. We brought in a couple new clients, and got a lot of paperwork done. Also left the office 10 minutes BEFORE 5, which is like a miracle. We barely ever even get to leave AT 5:00 p.m., but since we were there so early today, I think this was well deserved. Blah on long hours.

I finally scheduled my hair appointment AND Rebecca wants me to come over after so she can try a new hot stone technique on me. Seriously, she is the bestest ever. My mental well being is so much better getting these weekly massages from her. My neck and shoulders rarely hurt, and I am so much more relaxed. Thanks Rebecca! :).

I spent the beginning of the night going over all my board materials for my first meeting tomorrow night. I have a board workshop, then the meeting, and the meeting includes a closed session, so it is going to be a busy night.

We went at lunch today and bought a book re Costa Rica, which I think it where our December trip is going to be this year, although no decisions are yet final. My travel agent has been out of town, and I have been waiting for her to get back before booking anything. I think they said tomorrow she would be in, so I will call and get her thoughts on it. There are so many places we want to go--I was just looking at Rio online too and that looks beyond kewl, but I think we are set on Costa Rica for the next trip.

Off to See Billy......

OK, not quite......I am going to see Movin' Out at the Fisher Theatre tonight. The music is based on my favorite musical act ever, Billy Joel. I have actually already seen the show once, but it is part of my season ticket package again this year and we decided to see it again because I absolutely loved it the first time. I love anything to do with Billy Joel. Yay.

I wanted to blog before leaving because I may be home late, and gotta keep up with my goal of blogging every day......

I had a great morning. Went with the superintendent to visit all 5 schools in my district. We have really nice schools, and everyone I met was really nice as well. The schools seem so organized, and all the kids were really well behaved. That could be because the superintendent of schools was standing there, but hey, it was a pleasure visiting the facilities. :). The high school has so much more than my high school did when I was in school, and they have so many more programs and classes available.

The rest of the day here was insanity! We have been so slammed, I cannot even describe it.

I found out the state bar passage rate for new takers was 91%! That is crazy high! I have never heard of a number like that. In recent years, it has been between 60-75%! So, apparently, the people I was taking it with were extremely intelligent, or the people administering the test were more relaxed. I don't know which it is, but I will go with intelligent! Ha.

Off to dinner.......More later y'all.

You Are Now Free to *Leave* the Country

So, finally, today. After endless years of saying, I am going to get one, I finally ordered it! A passport. Woo hoo. We are running out of places to go that don't require one, so we finally broke down and went to the post office today. Everything done and ordered, expedited. Two weeks and we can go anywhere...we....want. Hooray! We are thinking Costa Rica for our December trip. It looks like Hawaii to me, with more wildlife. So, of course, I will love it! Camera heaven for me.....

Finally, went grocery shopping after work. We had like, ummm, nothing? in the house. Whoops. Well, now we are stocked for a while. I had this awesome $14 off purchase at Kroger's that I got to use. Freaking love Kroger's coupons.

Tomorrow morning should be fun. I am doing a tour of the local schools with the superintendent. I can't wait to see what I get to be a part of. I am beyond excited to get to *do* something that I *want* to do with my spare time. The last 4 years, make that, 7 years of my life, have been so much about studying and school.....

Anyway, off to bed.....

Sleepy......

**Picture above is of our yard last Wednesday morning....It was so foggy here, the schools had a fog delay for two hours.

So, I am sitting here exhausted because of my lack of sleep on Friday night coupled with the awesome Sunday night massage Rebecca gave me........She was here last Sunday night too, and massages my neck and shoulder during Desperate Housewives and my back afterwards......Yay. She tells me I am stressed which is why my neck gets that way. AHHHH. Oh well, guess I can't really fix that...

**Picture above is of Bugsy, in front of the fire, relaxing. He loves the fireplace and getting warm in front of it.

So, today, I was still kinda weak this morning from being sick. So, I stayed on the couch until Rebecca got here in late afternoon. Then, we ran to a couple stores to do some shopping as we both had coupons we needed to use. I had a $10 gift card to use at Kohl's and was planning on buying myself a dress shirt or necklace, but instead, bought Kurt a really kewl Ralph Lauren suit......Grey pinstriped. Love it. And gotta love Kohl's sales. also, got myself new shampoo and conditioner at Bath and Body Works in my favorite scent--Black Raspberry Vanilla.

We all went to dinner after that, and have been home since....heading to bed soon.

I Know Myself.....

So, post from last night? It would have been correct. Shortly after I posted, I vomited. And then proceeded to do so about every hour for most of the night. What was wrong with me, I have no idea. I was up most of the night, and Kurt was worried too....He said that was the sickest he has ever seen me. He said if I had not stopped vomitting by 9 a.m., he was taking me to the doctor's. I hate the doctor's, so I proceeded to stop vomitting, LOL.

So, today, I have pretty much laid on the couch all day and zoned in and out of sleep, which I needed since i barely slept last night. I am up now for a few moments, but, I will most likely go back to sleep after this again. I am glad this happened on a weekend, because I don't have time to be sick during the week.

Kurt was sweet and went to Kroger's to buy me diet Vernors and saltine crackers, so that has been all that was in my diet today. Have been eating a couple crackers here and there, and no more getting sick, so I think that part of my sickness is cured. Although, all day long, I have been really warm and I think I have a fever. Ugh.

Here is some more proof I was sick. I had a massage appointment today and I cancelled! I never cancel spa appointments, ha. And Rebecca, I did it as far ahead in advance as I could (I think two hours).

Because I have been sick and busy, I never posted about my conference on Thursday, which was great. I took a class for beginner board members, and learned a lot. Got to spend the day with another board member who is new as well (he started in May of this year), and learned a lot from him about our board as well. Had dinner after the conference at Seldom Blues with 4 other board members, and my food was yet again, awesome. I love that place.

Dedication

OK, this is how dedicated I am when I commit myself to something........

I am sitting here, blogging on the couch. I truly think I am going to vomit soon (my stomach feels really strange and my face is like a weird shade of white), but I don't want to miss a day of the contest, and thus, I blog. Ugh.

I came home and took a nice afterwork nap, and woke up feeling like I have to vomit. How is that fair? Seriously?

I'm Up At WHAT Time?

Just a quick post to anyone trying to get a hold of me today....I will be gone most of the day, and possibly part of the night, so I will not be online until most likely, after dinner. I *might* get a break during the afternoon to head to the office and catch up.

I am going to be at a conference for my school board gig, learning about school boardish stuff. I actually can't wait, but also can't believe I am up at this unGodly hour. What kind of class starts at 8 a.m.? Seriously.

Will let y'all know about the conference later..........I am hoping I can drive to Detroit without falling asleep. ;).

Jumping Up and Down and Screaming

I am offical! I am official! I finally got the bar number! Maybe the bar read my vents from last night and took pity on me? Or maybe I am just impatient.

**This post was edited to remove the link to my entry on the bar site..........To protect me from stalkers and the like. :). Because Kelsie was worried about me. Thanks Kels! (and Kelly too, who emailed me on this issue).

Election Day--Go Dems!

So, we voted! Just in time. Right around 7 p.m., the polls closed at 8 p.m. We had to vote at a new spot, at the high school. We used to vote down the street at the firehouse, which I loved. It is a historic little firehouse and so cute. Plus, never a line. Tonight, we had to wait in line about 15 minutes, I think.

I had a hard day. See why below.

Vent One: Who takes their kids to go vote? I mean, most kids, fine. But an infant that screams every 30 seconds? Make it stop! People are trying to concentrate. My friends who have kids would never, and I mean never, take their kids to VOTE. Especially when they are young like that. Argh.

Vent Two: Today, work was difficult. I think clients really don't get that every call I answer, is less work I am getting done. Kurt was out most of the day, at court and mediation, and I was in the office alone. So besides trying to draft paperwork, I was answering calls, talking to people stopping in, etc. Ugh. And almost every call, was someone calling to "see again" if Kurt was in the office. Please, please, please, I beg you...LEAVE one message and wait for us to call you back. We are very good at answering calls and will do so. But, there are only so many hours in the day.

Vent Three: It is KILLING me that I don't have my bar number or card yet. I sent in my stuff last Tuesday afternoon. My friend, Kellie, sent hers in on Wednesday. She has had a bar number since Friday. I STILL DON'T HAVE ONE. They are supposed to be processed "in the order received". I called yesterday and was told they had mine, and it would be processed yesterday. Still, nothing. It is exasperating because I need it to go to court. Many of the attys getting their numbers don't even go to court. They should process those apps of people who go to court first. The others don't need their number. Can you tell this is totally exasperating me?

Vent Four: How there are no winners with the outcome of Prop 2. Affirmative action good, or bad? There are arguments to both sides. Kurt and I voted in opposite ways, but I think we both have valid arguments for the side we support, as follows:

1. Here is Kurt's: "poor boy, from Pinconning. (Kurt is referring to himself here). Does awesome in high school, but gets NO assistance with college and turned down from colleges like U of M,, while others he knows who had worse grades, who are minorities or female, get in AND get financial aid. They get this because of affirmative action. How is this fair?"

2. Here is mine, which refers to nobody in specfic: "If affirmative action is eliminated, it allows others TO discriminate, for NO reason. For example, I apply for a job at a large corporation. I am more educated, more experienced, than the other candidates. I lose out because the person who runs the corp is sexist. How is this fair?"

Both arguments make sense. How do we make this right? We don't. We would need everyone to overlook color, and sex, and I truly don't think it will happen in our lifetime, and that makes me sad. It looks like the proposal will pass, which in essence will take back many of the strides women and people of color have made in this state, and that makes me sad for my friends' future daughters, for MY future daughters'.

On a positive note, as of right now, it looks like the Democrats are doing AWESOME in this election. So, that is incredible. Kurt cannot tear himself away from the election coverage......

I am Begging You

Everyone, please vote today. Every year, I am saddened by the poor election turnout. And then to hear everyone (including those who did not vote, really moreso those than others) complain about the outcome! VOTE VOTE VOTE!

And for those of you who have no idea "how" to vote this year, here are my picks. Feel free to use them, and share them with your friends and family! hehe.

Straight Democratic Ticket

Prop 1- no (I am kinda wavering on this one though, and could go either way by 7 p.m. tonight when I vote)
Prop 2- no (this would be a step backwards in the strides women have taken towards equality)
Prop 3- no (killing animals=bad. Especially helpless little birds who are not a food source for the state)
Prop 4- yes (taking MY property for the use of others? Bad. No matter what.)
Prop 5- yes ($$ for schools = good)

Happy Voting!

Early to Bed

At least tonight. I am exhausted, and I have no idea why. All day long, I have just wanted to go to sleep, and it has not gotten any better since I got home. So after this post, I am heading to bed early.

Today was so slammed at work. Mondays, the phone just rings off the hook. It drives me bonkers when people call checking on the status of their paperwork because every call I take, umm, it takes even longer to get paperwork done and printed. But nobody gets that. I am one person, I can only do so much in one day. Argh.

I so so so want my bar number. I got sworn in before most people did, since I happen to know a licensed attorney, wink wink. Sent my stuff in last Tues, and still have nothing. This might not bother me, except for the fact that my friend, Kellie, who sent her stuff in the day AFTER I sent in mine, has had her bar number since last Friday! I called today to check on it though because they "supposedly" process them in the order received. The lady called back and left a message that she found mine, and it would be processed today. Yea. Umm, still don't have my number. Hopefully, tomorrow. It would have been helpful for the morning as Kurt has three hearings and I could have covered at least one for him. Not now.....

Tomorrow is voting day. I think I have finally decided how I am voting. Straight ticket Democratic, as usually. And for the proposals, as follows: 1-no, 2-no, 3- no, 4-yes, 5-yes. I feel the most strongly probably about Prop 4. And I have gone back and forth on Prop 1 and still may change my mind before I vote tomorrow night, who knows. We have appointments until 630, then we will head out immediately to the polls.

I have so many things I need to do, but never have enough hours in the workday. I am going to list a couple here so I can try to remember.

1. Call a heating guy for the house. Our heat downstairs stopped working on Friday night. We have the fireplace on though, which I love, so it has still been fine in the house. If it gets any colder though, we are all going to be hanging out upstairs where the heat IS working.

2. Call Marnie and make a hair appointment. My roots actually do not look bad, but I really need a trim because all my layers are getting to be the same length, which I hate. And maybe I will do something different with color for winter. I heart Marnie. I love how I can get in with her right away too and don't have to wait ages. I am not good at scheduling appointments way in advance.....

3. Call the Federal Courts to get info on getting sworn in there, send in more money. I was sworn in for State Courts, but Federal Courts is separate and of course, more $$. Plus, Kurt does not "know" any Fed Court Judges, so I will have to make an appointment. Blasphemy.

4. Call and change my dentist appointment. They scheduled me for a night I have a board meeting. Must change. One of my resolutions has been to get in there every 6 months, and it has been exactly 6 months.

5. Call and make a dermotoligist (sp) appointment for Kurt. He is out of his shampoo that is prescription, and no longer uses his old doctor.

6. Call and schedule a massage/facial/something with the spa I have a gift card too. I want to finish up the gift card. I love free services.

7. Shop. I really need more workish clothes. I got some great stuff at Kohl's and TJ Maxx a couple weekends ago, but I don't like doing laundry constantly and I will need to if I don't get some more stuff. I would love some more button down cute shirts, and maybe some more dress pants, a couple more suits. And some cute comfy shoes. Any suggestions on shoe brands anyone? :).

8. Call and make the pugs a grooming appointment. They all need baths and nail clippings. I wish they would let us do the nail clipping thing, but no. They hate it and squirm way too much.

9. Catch up on paperwork at the office. I am slightly behind, but hope to remedy that by the end of the week.

10. Grocery shop. We have like, umm, nothing, in this house.

That's about it for now. I will add to the list and cross things out, as done. Maybe this will help me. I am usually organized, but I have so much on my plate, sometimes it's hard to remember everything......

Spinal Snap

Tonight, I had my first spinal snap. LOL. Rebecca was over--we took her to dinner, she massaged me. I like that exchange. During Desperate Housewives, she did myofascial on my neck and shoulders and after the show, she did that same on my back and some other things, including the spinal snap, which was different. I have not yet decided if I like spinal snaps or not.

Before that, we all went to dinner at Red Lobster and had a hilarious time. Our table conversation is so much more interesting than the average table. Even the waitress found us amusing.

The rest of the day, we just stayed in. I was kinda tired from going out the two nights before. I am not looking forward to work tomorrow, I am still exhausted. Blah. Did some laundry, watched some football, slept in. I must have been tired, I slept in longer than I have in forever, like 1145 a.m.! Craziness!

Anyway, off to bed.

Party All the Time

**Pic above is of me, before the party. I love a sparkly silver shirt, black dress pants, Steve Madden heels.........I even kinda curled my hair, which is rare, but I love it that way.......I was trying to get Bugsy to pose, but that does not work so well...I love my kitty. :).

Not really. But tonight, we went to a party for our friend, Tom....It was his 40th b-day party, a surprise. It was a great party....but, we were both tired, so we did not stay too late. I got to talk a ton to Hollie and Jim, as well as Angela and John, so that was fun! Also took a few pics for Tam--she never remembers to take a ton of pics, and always likes when I send her a bunch.

Before the party, earlier in the afternoon, my Mom and stepDad came over for the day. We went to a guitar/drum store in Monroe, then to TJ Maxx, Elder Beerman and some other stores at the mall. Went to lunch at Ruby Tuesday. I really wish my Mom lived down here.......We would do stuff together all the time, I know it. And we are both huge bargain shoppers, so I would have fun looking for deals with her. :).

Family and Stuff

After work today, Kurt and I headed to my Aunt Luann and Uncle Tom's house to hang with family............My cousins Ashley, Tim, and Carolyn were there, my Uncle Tim, Aunt Lisa, Aunt Luann, my Mom, stepDad, sister, her fiance, his two kids, family friends Terry and George..........Lots of people. It was nice to see everyone. I took a bunch of pictures (mostly of Carolyn mugging for the camera) which I will post later because she is such a freaking ham and so cute. Too tired to download right now, but must keep up with the posting every day of November deal.

We had pizza for dinner........My Mom and Ronnie got me a really nice cherry wood letter opener and business card holder (both personalized) for the office as a gift for passing the bar, and Terry and George got me this really cute coffee cup warmer for my office, which is great, because we dont even have a microwave in the office right now.

My sister asked me tonight if she could "have" one of my dogs. We can't figure out yet if she was serious or not, but i think she was, LOL! OK, that is kinda like asking someone if you can have one of their kids....That would be no. Then she asked if I could have Gretel get pregnant so she could have one of the puppies. Sorry, but I think Gretel would be a horrible mother, she is way too high maintenance. No motherhood for my Gretel Olivia.

Day Two of the Challenge

So, I am exhausted, but i will not let the challenge defeat me. I shall post each and every day! Muhaha.

Just watched Grey's, and thought it was somewhat amusing that one of the patients was a girl studying for the bar exam--that had already failed 5 times. Thank GOD that is not me. I am so glad I don't have to sit through that thing again, it really was pure hell.

Bugsy was being super cute this morning. We had our bedroom door closed. He was on one side, Vito was on the outside. Bugsy was lying upside down, sticking his paw under the door and really making Vito jealous and mad because HE wanted to be in our bedroom. Bugsy is such a little brat. Which is why I love him, ;).

So, no family in town. I had this feeling they would not come. Kellie called Kory and told him that they are leaving at 4 in the morning tomorrow, visiting the college, then driving right back up north! They are going to be sooo exhausted. I guess Kendra had to work tonight and on Saturday morning, so this is the only way they could see the college tomorrow.

A friend of mine wrote me today saying she is thinking about going back to school, to law school. I think that is so kewl. A law degree is so helpful in any career, really. Even if you are not a practicing attorney, law school teaches you so much about everything in business. I really hope she ends up getting into Wayne and not Cooley, because Wayne is so much more laid back, which is nice when you are in a stressful environment.

It's funny. I have an acquaintance who is online a lot, but never responds to my emails. It puzzles me. This individual says that they are just busy, but they have not taken two seconds out of their day to write me and congratulate me on my bar passing or board job or anything. It's funny that people who read this blog, or others I know online, have told me they are proud of me, etc., but this particular real life friend has said nothing. I think that says a lot about the state of our supposed friendship, LOL. Sometimes I wonder about the psychological state of people like this. It's almost like they don't want good things to happen to other people--it makes them retreat from conversation/friendship. If bad things are going on, they are all over those emails to help and respond, but if someone else is doing well, it's not worth their time. It's almost like they need constant drama/depressed events, whatever, to exist. It's interesting. I guess I have a hard time understanding because I enjoy my friendships that just come naturally. Which is how ALL of them pretty much work.

Anyway, this post was completely and totally random, but may be telling of how tired I actually am right now and I should get to bed. Talk to everyone tomorrow.

Nancy's Questions

So, in one of my recent blog entries, Nancy asked me some specific questions, which I wanted to answer. :). Sometimes I forget that many of the people that read this are not family or "real life" friends, so lots of you don't know any of the history of "me".

So, this is for you, Nancy!

Question 1: How did you meet Kurt?. When I was 19, I decided to take a year off from college. I had just finished a year at Ferris State University, and was kinda sick of school. So, I moved in with my Dad in Waterford, MI. I got a job at an upscale restaurant called Mitch's II. Kurt worked there too. He was the only male server there. When I started, I thought he was cute, but also thought he was a "player" because the other waitresses there told me how he dated most of the younger waitresses there, and I would just be another conquest of his. LOL. So, I did not pursue anything at first, but then we started talking a lot during our shifts. One night, I was going out with friends of mine to a local dance club/sports bar, and I invited him out. Which was pretty bold of me, because I am not one to ask a guy out. I did not really look at it as "asking him out" though, because I was just asking him out as a friend to meet my friends, have fun. We went to the bar and had a blast! I ended up kissing him at the bar (too much alcohol) and we all ended up at my apartment, where everyone hung out all night. We were totally inseparable from that point forward. :). When I met Kurt, he was finishing up his Biology degree at Saginaw Valley State University. He wanted to either go to vet school or law school, and pretty much picked law school because he could finish more quickly than vet school. We moved to Lansing in May (I turned 20 that month), and I got a job waitressing. I also started back up at school, and started taking classes for my Accounting degree again.

Question 2: How did you know you wanted to become an attorney? Did Kurt influence your decision? This is kinda continued from above. After about a year of waitressing while Kurt was in law school, I got sick of it. At the same time, I had been typing a lot of Kurt's notes and papers for school, and decided that I really liked law and it was very interesting to me. I started applying for jobs at local law firms for any kind of job. I received an interview at Aquilina Law Firm, PLC, for a legal secretary position. They ended up hiring me! I was so excited. Apparently, they really wanted to "train someone". I learned so much at that job, and, it made me see even moreso that I loved law. A year later, Kurt graduated from law school, and I was about half way done with my Accounting degree. I had decided by this point that law school was where I was heading. We moved to the Detroit area, and I worked at a large law firm in downtown Detroit. This firm taught me what kind of law firm I did NOT want to work for. LOL. A year after that, we opened our own law firm in Taylor, MI. I have been there ever since. I worked there through all of law school, and will continue to do so now that I am done. So, yes, Kurt is pretty much the main reason I ended up at law school. He introduced me to the career, and it is almost like I was meant to do this.

So, a lot of stuff happened in between all of that, but I just wanted to stick to the questions asked.

So, since Nancy has opened this up, if anyone else has questions, ask away, or email me if you would rather not post your question on here.

Still Sleepy.

I think it's the weather change. The reason why I have been tired for the past week. Ugh. Cold one day, hot the next. And I choose to live in Michigan for what reason?

Today was a long day at work. Then, I luckily got to come home to cleaning. How fun. Kory's Mom and sister are coming down tomorrow night so Kurt and I get to clean tonight. As you can tell, I am thrilled by it. I almost hate having company, especially company that keeps their own house totally freaking spotless, because then I feel the need to be perfect in my cleaning. I love to see everyone, but I hate everything leading up to it.

Today at court, Kurt was laughing. I guess he was standing in line to give someone to a clerk, and some random person in line said "WOW, whoever wrote that (it was a notice of hearing), has the most perfect handwriting I have ever seen!" I had written out the document. He always laughs because whenever anyone sees my handwriting, they comment on it'ss neatness, but usually random people don't comment......

Sleepy.

So, I have decided to accept the challege, just because Jeannie is. :). Click here to see the site. Basically, the site is challenging bloggers to blog every day of the month of November. I hereby accept the challenge. Click here to find out info in case you want to accept the challenge too.