Posting Via E-mail

Now I’m going to be dangerous. I knew I could do this but I had not looked into it. I am hoping to use my blog as more of a Twitter-type update thing. Although I still use Twitter. I’m kind of all over the Social Maposphere.

Today I have been wasting time shopping online. If you were to visit my Amazon Wishlist, my global shaky-feeling-I-want-it list, you would know the days I am working and the days I am lusting.

While I shop, this commercial, my favorite thing to see during movie previews, plays in my head:

So when I’m shopping, and I want this Prada Patina Satchel (which I could have bought pre-owned and at only $875) but am trying to convince myself that the B. Mak (at $155.60 on sale) is similar enough, I hear “You can get with this / or you can get with that.” My you usually wants to get with Prada.

What would work for me is if I could post my wishes and you guys could come back with reasonably priced alternatives. I’m a busy girl, really. I’ll show you – not how busy I am, but how easy I am to please.

“Shellie. The Prada is ridiculous. The Dooney & Bourke Florentine Vachetta Leather Medium Satchel, however, is close enough, and likely to die for. $345.00, which now sounds downright reasonable, donchathink?” Doesn’t anyone remember when I was dying to have the Judith Leiber Zaria Bag ($1095) which I had found on sale, in person, for $400? What if one of you had said, “You ought to look into the Stuart Weitzman Ruche for $256.50 or the Cole Haan Penny Mini Denney Bag for $131.40 in deep aubergine? Something like that. Or even, really, a Jessica McClintock Pleated Satin Frame ($40.60).

Leather. I mostly want leather. Sometimes I don’t, but I never, ever, want faux leather or PVC. Just sayin’.

Today I’m wanting, badly, this Cole Haan ‘Penny’ Small Denney Suede Satchel in red ($110).

It won’t be there long. Should I just make do with my purple suede, left, from Coldwater Creek that I bought ages ago for, what, $19?

Probably. To be continued.

Sleeping and So Busy

I’m getting enough sleep at various hours of the day / night and I’m busy. That’s my summer. That’s my life. I think I’m so busy because of all the sleep, though. I’m not sure. But, I mean, still scheduling time for Play, Work, Facebook kind of busy. I have thought about waking up at 8a to see how that works out for me, but it’s so bright. And watching Weeds and Dexter at 2a via Netflix streaming always seems the better path.

What I’m up to this summer:

(1) Working with the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, mostly from home I hope. I was not going to work this summer. I was going to “clean my closet.” 2L summer is the last summer of my life to play. And then Coach (Trial Team) dropped this idea on me and I couldn’t let it go. This is the kind of thing that I am passionate about.

The Slover case has been tried, appealed and is now in the post-conviction relief stage. The Slovers filed a petition for relief pro se. The petition survived the first stage of review, and counsel was appointed. I’m a part of the research / work to amend the Slovers’ petition. This is a huge file – 37,000 pages of documents. I spent over 20 hours the first week just trying to get a handle on the status of the case. I spent another three today on Wiki. I will be a lawyer someday. Speaking of, I’m waiting on my 711 license now. More on that when it arrives.

(2) Grading Journal submissions from the 1Ls in the Note-writing competition. Each member of Journal will grade something less than 40 notes (20 pps. each, I think?), we hope. Oh yeah – also updating and re-writing the JLTP webpage as the Journal’s Internet Editor.

(3) I’ve been asked to re-work my own note from 2L (that thing I kept ranting about on here) into a shorter submission, targeting a different audience for probable publication in our Journal.

(4) Learning statistics. My class, The Use and Retention of Expert Witnesses, used a statistician on the last day of class. I had to direct and cross him on electoral voter fraud. Preparing for that and performing those examinations, I realized that statisticians and statistics can Mess You Up if you don’t know what you’re talking about and can’t handle the witness, explain numbers to the jury, or talk to the judge about the testimony. And I was correct – already I’m embroiled in statistics with the Slover case and canine DNA, etc. I’m taking Empirical Methods in Law this fall and am reading Statistics for People Who Think They Hate Statistics and Applying Statistics in the Courtroom this summer to prepare. Numbers and maps are not my strong suit.

(5) Studying for the MPRE in August. Everyone has to take it; I thought taking it before school started would be wise. I think it is, but I still have to study.

(6) Visiting family; sitting in the hot tub; seeing Bon Jovi in concert with the girls I graduated high school with; reading books recommended for the externship experience – Picking Cotton (see the website; take the eyewitness test); Actual Innocence, and Too Politically Sensitive: Since When Is Murder Too Politically Sensitive. And if you, personally, have not read The Innocent Man by John Grisham, I highly recommend it.

(7) And dude. Speaking of statistics: for my fan base – in a completely unexpected and Costanzan move, I ranked in the top 10% of the class for the semester. Just the semester, I note. But you know my outlier has shocked and dropped some top 10 classmate somewhere. Sorry. I was all on top of P.R., Expert Witnesses, and Comparative Law. Better luck next time, gunn-ah.

My Kate

Just got her acceptance letter: transferring into UIUC as a junior, fall, 2010, Psychology.

No clout required. Thank Vishnu.

Indy

How original. I leave for the competition in the morning. Be gone through Saturday. The second draft of the messy Note is in, final due in three weeks.

Yeah. I got nothing. But, I did decide what I was going to wear at competition. Next was the hair but Brittanie tells me I’m more professional with the hair straight not curled although I want to wear it curled. When it’s really messed up, curled is better looking than straight. Enh. I’m just rambling. Must sleep but missed my Interwebs.

(PS) Clearly I didn’t post this before the competition. We did nicely. The kind of thing I’d rather tell you about in person. But I did wear ← this. It was fun. I didn’t remember that I owned suit pants. Oh, and my hair did well. So proud of it.

Later – full week ahead. Sort of. Now that Trial Team is over for my team, I am so happy. I still have Advanced Trial Ad which is the jury trial thing. Pre-trial conference is a week from tomorrow. Goes to trial Mar. 18. I can do this, I think. I should start writing the opening, I’m sure. After Trial Team, though, I’m just not worried. w00t.

Oh and I did clean that mirror! It’s a sick, sick world we live in.

The One In Which I Show You

All right – what happened was that I decided that Out was In (order). So I got dressed today. See – everything that I was going to do was canceled due to snow, including writing my Note.

Aside: The 14-year-old ambled in around 2p. In her pajamas. “Huh. You’re home?” Yeesss. “School was canceled?” Yeesss. That makes sense. There is, like, six inches on the ground. It reminded me of the time Kate was in third grade, probably, and she was waiting on the school bus at the end of our Michigan driveway. Mooomm, I don’t think there’s school today! “What? Of course there is.” Noooo, no one is going to school today. “Well, even if no one else goes to school today, YOU are.” She comes in fifteen minutes later. Seems a lady stopped and told her school was delayed a couple of hours for fog. So hard to believe that state calls themselves Wolverines. Or worse, Spartans.

So I walk outside. Or look outside, rather, from the garage door. I cannot wear these boots. They’re cute and suede. I promptly had to make changes which, because I love (me, you) so much, I’m going to show and tell.

The Slouchy Boots became Kamiks. We all need Kamiks. Smart-looking and weather-proof. Not warm, but you’re not walking a great distance, are you? Love my Kamiks.

The purse was changed after I got home. I noticed water spots on my bag while I was out. Because I adore this Brandy-brown B. Makowsky Rebel bag, this is unacceptable. The snow on my Kamiks melted, my purse touched my Kamiks, and I got to thinking, “What if the snow/melty-stuff/water had … salt in it from the salt-trucks?” I love this bag too much to risk unknown harm. So I’ve now transferred all my worldly goods to this purple suede bag which I picked up for $15.00 when I was Christmas shopping at Coldwater Creek for the older¹ people in my life. Fif-teen dollars. It’s $48.99 at the Outlet right now.

There would have been something wrong with this purse with that outfit, though. It’s hard to see, but I am sporting a purple sweater dress.² I just fill it out more than the woman with beautiful long hair and fifty-nine-inch-long legs. And I don’t wear that ridiculous scarf and not just because a scarf around my hips looks ridiculous. Oh, go have a kid whydoncha. And don’t carry a purple bag with that dress. This Simply Vera Wang ruched clutch in burgundy would have been a sharp choice. Man, I love that bag too . . . .

I don’t know what is up with me today, but maybe it’s passed. I need a new WordPress post category like Something Shiny or Manic Moments.

(PS) Is my “I am supposed to be writing an opening, closing, direct, cross, cross, direct, and Note” showing?

(PPS) I solemnly swear to clean that mirror one of these days.

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¹ There is nothing wrong with Coldwater Creek, per se. But you have to admit that if you are not very, so very I’m unwilling to do it, picky, you will look like you are headed to the nursing home, not as a visitor. I kid, ha ha. <- that is for my dear Gina who loves Coldwater Creek and asked me “What is wrong with Coldwater Creek?” when I saw her at Christmas. Stick with their solids and they have some very, um, solid choices. But all that print old-woman stuff? My own PSA – skip it.

² My gay friend doesn’t like this dress – he’s “not a fan” of the tunic and tights look. “Honestly? It makes your hips look bigger than they are. Andthey’renotthatbig.” Why doesn’t he just shut up and stay out of my head?

What Rocks My (Consumer) World: the one that overuses the word “amazing”

I want to complain out loud, right now, but I’m not. Because I’m going to read at least three articles for my Note and organize my iCal and my Google calendar. I do not have time to complain. About the kid who “has style, it’s just not yours” which is said while she’s dressed head-to-toe in an outfit I put together for her, half of which is mine. Or should be. Lately I’ve been channeling Joan Jett, which goes very well with this child’s style. Sure, she doesn’t like or wear everything I do, but I know her style. She robs my closet.

I let her try on my Victoria’s Secret Blue London pencil jeans (because if I see one more American Eagle swoosh-like thing on a back pocket I will burn my own), and I proceeded to put together her current outfit: the great Miss Sixty faux-leather motorcycle jacket (that I can borrow and I thought would look amazing on her and it does), her long sleeved black tee (I have my own already, thanks), and new (Thanks to who? Me. Yes, me.) short-sleeved Brad Butter tee to go over that. I suggested the black knee-high boots with tucked-in jeans and my burgundy multi-strand necklace. I would wear this outfit – and might I say that we both look good in it.

I similarly brought this child home a white long-sleeved tee with a black “I’m in love with a fictional vampire” short-sleeved tee to go over it (I’m totally borrowing this, I don’t care how ubiquitous it is) and a Tryst brown and aqua long-sleeved tie-dyed tee . . . mmm, no. That is now mine. I look good in that shirt. With my brown scrunch knee-high boots? Give me back the Blue Londons.

Clearly, my point is that I have great style I am the definition of über-hip she’s just unthinkingly reactionary as are all 14-year-olds you don’t define your style as Anti-Mom while you are dressed in your mom’s stuff. Moron. But I’m not complaining. It gives her something to say and sometimes (read: never) she’s just too quiet. I just hope she looks good today and tomorrow. (And I know she will, because I freaking dressed her.)

However, what rocks my Consumer World today is the point of this post:

(1) Sherlock Holmes. This is an enjoyable movie. Do it again, Guy. Do it again.

(2) My new coat. I can’t stop touching it. It is in charcoal and It. Is. To. Die. For.

Aside, from Dinner at Eight, Frasier:

Niles Crane: Oh, oh-oh-oh, the food is to die for!

Martin Crane: Niles, your country and your family are to die for; food is to eat.

And then, like Oprah, I have a few favorite things:

(3) My B. Makowsky Rebel bag. I can’t stop touching it. It’s amazing. The leather. The hardware. I’m bringin’ back big bags. (To my gay friend: “Look, look: I look like Nicole Richie in pencil jeans with a bag two sizes larger than I am!” Gay friend scrunches nose. “This is not a good thing.”) This bag, though? Good thing. He’s an idiot. Beloved, but even so.

(4) My Samsonite Black label Bayamo Doctor’s Bag. You shouldn’t stop touching it. (I did not, however, pay an exorbitant amount for it. But I might have. It’s that amazing.)

(5) Mittens and gloves, fingerless (warm and you can still do things with your phone – what is not to love?) and standard: long winter white fingerless mittens (like these), short black fingerless gloves, sorta long black leather gloves and I’m still looking for the right pair of opera length black leather gloves.

For the love of … It’s about information and affirmation of existing standards. Comforting noises, even.

Oy! Like all Law-Students-Writing-A-Note, I have Law-Student-Writing-A-Note Tourette’s. Halfway through writing this entry, that sentence – the idea really – begs me to write it down and translate it to a page and a half, if I’m good, of quasi-indecipherable language and like every Law Student who is only 17 pages into the 30 quasi-indecipherable ones required, I wrote it down right where I stood, which is here on this very page, lest I lose it. Or right where I reclined. Which is in bed. In pajamas. It’s very, very snowy out.

Oh look. It’s the genesis of Law-Student-Writing-A-Note ADD: something shiny! (Psst – it’s the hardware on my B. Makowsky. Yeah, baby.)

Once Again

Facebook explodes. No one is drinking. I don’t think anyone is g-chatting, even. Law students everywhere frantically study for finals and review their class notes (the night before their Trial Ad final) hoping to find something within that illuminates the whole semester.

The last three Trial Ad class sessions in which I took notes:
(You know, this was a demonstration class, rather than lecture and that means something for our purposes, here.)

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10-16-09
IL Rules of Professional Conduct 2010

3.6 and 3.8

Instructions are an adversary proceeding. Look in pattern jury instruction books. IL: if there is a pattern jury instruction, judge must give that instruction. If not one, judge must be convinced instruction accurately states the law.
Beckett wrote his own jury and trial limiting instruction.

Must have an original instruction and THREE copies. You’ll waive jury error instruction on appeal if you don’t have that “preserve the record” thing at the bottom. God, I hope this is boilerplate somewhere.

Jury gets the packet without the “record” thing. The judge gets the record one.

10/23/09 Free Press stuff:

10/30/09: Tell him who your partner is for Spring, whether you want civil, crim. P/Fail not graded. Jury trial.

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I hope we’ve learned our lesson, boys and girls.

I Want A Lawyer

I have the flu and this is my bed, right now. What is missing from this photo is me, pretty freaking sick, with four-hour-old Pibb Extra and 40-minute-old Shiner Bock to my right. In this photo, I’m partial to the boxes of Benadryl and Actifed, Hint of Lime Tostitos, Kleenex and iPod.

I’d give details on the competition (we won; we lost) but as you can see, I’m supposed to be reading. Apparently Trial Techniques, Criminal Procedure, poetry, a Lexis outline of Crim Pro, and my notes from my first and for my second meeting with a real doctor for my fake Counseling, Fact Investigation, and Interviewing class. Well, the class isn’t fake. The meeting we’re both attending is fake. I keep using that word.

Aside: The best thing I learned all semester¹ was that “You have the right to remain silent” is not the Right You Want. What you really, really want to say is “I want a lawyer.” No “maybe.” No “I should talk to a lawyer.” No. Get serious with this. Feel it: “I want a lawyer.” This is when better protections attach. ← You want better protections to attach. And go ahead and repeat it. Anything special happens, like the police move you to a new room, it cannot hurt to say it aloud for kicks.² Do not mess this up and then come crying to me.³

More later. Srsly. But I have to get better and have so much to do before my first final next Friday.

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¹Okay, in the last week, and far beneath “Sit down and shut up,” of course.

²I’m kidding. It could hurt. And how embarrassing to be known as The One Who Repeats Himself Needlessly. Say it aloud anyway.

³This just makes me homesick for Arkansas. I remember the day my brothers very seriously told me to always ask, “Am I being detained?” If not, then shut up and leave. (The trick you go to law school for is knowing what it means when the cop says, “Why, yes. You are.”)

Trial Team Practice II

Alright, we have sound. But we were dead Friday night. Utterly lame, tired, pained, not in a courtroom. However, this is Conor’s cross of his actual co-counsel playing a hostile witness and she is good at what she does to both Conor and Eric. Conor says, “This is horrible.” Eric: “I feel your pain, man.” Naoshi can destroy either of them with a few sentences.

To explain just a bit – Eric and I are the Defense team for competition. Conor and Naoshi are the Plaintiff’s team. During competition, we four will not face each other, but the Defense team will serve as favorable Plaintiff’s witnesses, and the plaintiff team will serve as our favorable witnesses. The non-favorable witnesses will be played, at competition, by other teams therefore we four give each other a hard time on cross so nothing will surprise us. This leads to the most amusing moments we have, actually.

A few moments from this incredibly poor round:

(1) My response to the judge, which is really in response to Conor: 0:11-0:13. “Any objection, counsel?” “None, Your Honor.” “Except it’s a waste of time.”

(2) 2:19-ish I cannot begin my re-direct. Just blanked. I walk over to Eric and say, “Gimme a sentence.” “A sentence?” “Yes. How does this start?”

(3) 3:29 Naoshi (the witness) lists off a litany of facts favorable to my side, ending with “…scaring employees.” Eric begins clapping. It was a really brilliant moment, there, N.

Trial Team Practices

What we have here is the gold standard in stressed-out procrastination. I won’t fit in a skirt tomorrow after this – I’m moving on to tortilla chips with lime. I wonder if we have beer…

So Magnolia has me thinking I want to intimidate people. If at all possible.

Ha ha*. I kid. Mostly. There are a couple of other Southerns in my sphere right now and it appears that one advantage of the southern charm is that the other side just likes us and begins to spill in deposition, expert interviews, etc., and then we can go for the jugular in the nicest possible way in the courtroom. The two times I’ve needed this advantage thus far this semester, I’ve had it.

At any rate, I was able to edit my trial team videos. (It only required $29.99. Not that I assume anyone other than fam wants to watch videos of me or Trial Team practice, but I’m a gawker by nature, so maybe you are too – my aunts definitely are), and I think two things:

(1) I am more commanding without the voice. And when not pumping up the hair.

(2) I am more commanding when I know the case. In theory. One takes Trial Team more seriously. Apparently not seriously enough to record /sound/, the whole point of the exercise, but whatevs. Watching action and movement in the well of the courtrooom is good too.

What I love about this video is Conor just about to object and then not, me grabbing things from and off of opposing counsel/’s desk (because that is so real), and Eric and Conor’s “Is she still going” poker faces. This was a thirty minute vid.

The next video is Eric cross-examining a witness. We cross up close and personal to both witness and jury. We direct from behind the jury. This video is short and just shows standard practice, really.

This one is really just for us and is therefore not cut down to a reasonable length. Cross-exam / objection mannerisms / laughter. 2:02-3:45 Extended objection by Conor.

You know, I think the whole Nancy Grace thing is coming. Watch for it.

*If, in reading this, you are uncertain as to whether a specific statement is meant seriously or not, simply apply this rule of thumb: If the statement makes you consider filing a lawsuit, I was kidding. Ha ha! – Dave Barry