FLS

This week involved the first significant assignment we have done thus far. I spent the previous weekend working full steam ahead in an Organizing and Outlining assignment that required briefing 13 authorities, those are published court cases from around the country, state statutes, and law journal articles, and fabricating an outline that addressed our given clients concerns. It was anywhere between 30 and 40 hours of leg work total. Honestly I stopped keeping track. I am sure that will need to change if I ever make it out of here alive! I finished a whopping day and a half early and had time to do a little bit of editing. Not much really, but some. It was important to me to go over the given grading criteria checklist one more time, and I still have no idea if I got any of it right. We will recieve our critiqued papers back in just over a week. That is precious time that I could really use to start on the next phase which is working the outline into a draft memorandum. I know, fun stuff right! I actually had a solid moment of elation as I typed out the final paragraph though. It was the strangest feeling I have had in a long time. It was part euphoria and part will this suck ass, lol. But alas it was done and all 30 pages were turned in electronically. Ah that final click on the keyboard.
This was the week I went without sleep, I mean really went without sleep. I put in in 14 to 16 hour days all week, and because I didnt have the weekend before to stay ahead of the daily class assignments I spent most of the week just trying to stay above water with current class content. By the end of the week I was behind and had to use canned briefs to follow along. Oh I went back this weekend and caught up on the ones I missed just because I dont want to be that kind of student, but it was a blistering pace overall. I managed 4 1/2, 4, 3 1/2, and 6 hours sleep from monday through thursday in that order. I was a walking zombie on Thursday and still couldnt stop.
I did my best to Skype with my boys this week, but I just couldnt do it every night with the schedule I was running. I didnt think anything was up, but I was getting edgy and cranky after two nights without talking to them. Of course I didnt realize this until after I got back to my regular schedule of talking to them. Hard to get this paragraph right. But there was other "issues" that I found out about back home. It didnt bother me as much as I thought it would. One door closes and another opens up. also I hit the 100lb mark in the weight loss department and so that was pretty cool. Nothing fits me anymore, but I dont care, I just tighten the belt a little more each day :-) It is important to note here that my nights would have been much harder for me over the last month, especially this last week, without the help of some awesome friends during the day and those whom I confide in in the wee hours of the morning. You know who you are, and I hope you know that I am greatful. Probably more than you actually do know.
Friday was supposed to be a huge day of release. Had big plans to go to the local bar and just let off some serious steam, but of course our wonderful professor surprised us all with his friday morning lecture. He decided to show a timely piece on alcoholism and lawyers! Perfect timing. This was a cold splash of water on my concious plans for the evening. It was pointed out that somewhere in the neighborhood of 25% if all lawyers suffer from alcoholism. Dare I say a sobering statistic. I went out with friends anyway. It weighed on my mind though - mission accomplished professor!
Saturday was pure bliss. Slept in - actually got about 8 hours of sleep. Yay me! I did no work related to law school - I did feel a bit guilty a couple of times throughout the day though. Watched a movie and did some chores and running around - errand stuff. Ended the day with a fantastic little gathering at a friends house. We watched some college football and each of us made a mexican dish to share. The ladies termed it a "fiesta" and oh my god wasnt it awesome to have some relatively home cooked food. I slept for about 8 hours and then hit the library for another 10 hour workday at the library on Sunday with the "ruckus room" crowd. I know I am leaving some stuff out, when it comes to me I will put it down. Getting ready for a great week!

Lesson learned this week courtesy of Professor K : The study of law is not an individual thing, you are most successful when you surround yourself with like minds and collaborate and discuss the issues.