Sunday, August 14, 2011

Silly Grown-Up, School is for Kids

My dad is desperately hoping this was the last time he had to load up a U-Haul with all of my flea market "treasures" and move me to another city. He's safe for at least another 27 months, if I can handle going straight through this crazy thing called law school with no summer breaks. My apartment is mostly put together, with a few minor exceptions of course, so pictures will be up soon!

I knew this would happen. This big move wouldn't really sink in until I was sitting alone in my own apartment, realizing that I have none of mom's leftovers for dinner and I'm the one responsible for calling maintenance to fix my broken toilet (oh yes, best move-in ever). I'm not sad or lonely, I just kept myself so busy painting this summer that I hadn't quite processed this transition from being home with family and being the teacher to being on my own and a student again. Fortunately, I've done this before (although longer ago than I like to admit.) So, once I shake off the dust I know this is going to be awesome.

Orientation is Wednesday-Friday, and I'm working on the reading assignment I was given to be prepared to discuss first thing. I have been encouraged by the fact that reading a 6 page case about an oil supply company suing ex-employees actually interested me instead of putting me into into a boredom-induced coma. This is a good sign. Another positive omen? Students in my entering class seem eager to make friends as soon as possible. I guess we all know that we are going to need someone to talk us off the ledge at some point in this journey.

I'm excited to see what I can do with what I learn here. It's a beautiful thing to start something completely new and have a front row seat as it all unfolds into something greater than you could have possibly expected. It feels like I am supposed to be here right now, and you can't buy a feeling like that. All of the crazy experiences I have had the fortune of living through--moving to the ghetto in New York, teaching English and Reading to eleven-year-olds, coaching sports I didn't even play and surviving with the help of Google and improv class at ACU, and now law school--are creating a unique collage of a life I never saw coming. And it's so much better than something I would have come up with.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Jack of All Trades

If there are any typos in this post, it's because my keyboard is a little bit rusty. It happens when you don't post in over a year. It's a little embarrassing that 2010 did not see one single update from this blogger, but here is my attempt at a comeback. Fingers crossed that it's as successful as Bon Jovi's.

My last year-ish... abridged:

After moving home from New York in December of 2009, I began searching for the answer to that age-old question-- not "How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?", although that question does still eat at me sometimes. I asked myself, "What am I supposed to do with my life now?" Apparently I'll be asking this question well into retirement. But since I had to make some sort of decision, I started doing research. I thought about going to graduate school and was wait-listed for A & M's George Bush School of Government and Public Service. Then I had a change of heart and decided to get my teaching certification and take my LSAT (Law School Admission Test). Here is where things get a little crazy. I am a teacher. They leave me alone in a room with 60 kids and want me to make them smarter. On top of that, I am also a coach. Volleyball, basketball and track are my newest areas of expertise. Sometimes I still wake up and wonder how this is all possible.

I ran a 5K with Benay, read some great books, did more studying than I ever did in college, and dyed my hair red. I spent my summer between teacher school in White Settlement and the swimming pool, wrote a lullabye for Beau, and lost 10 pounds due to my inability to handle the stress of the first few weeks of school. I got a little better at cooking--no exploding cakes this year.

I've adopted my old college sleep schedule just to get everything done, so I'm tired but I'm learning a lot. And if you know anything about me, you know I love to learn. I got to spend Thanksgiving at home for the first time in 3 years, and my family is all within driving distance. Tyler (yep, I'm dating someone, and he's got everybody impressed) moved out to Paducah for the next five months, but as long as he doesn't get hacked up by the Texas Chainsaw Massacre folks in nearby Childress or eaten by one of the 400 pound wild hogs around town, he'll be back this way too. My nephew calls me LuLu, like actually says it. I used to hate it when people called me LuLu growing up, but it's not so bad when he says it. There's no place like home.


I've missed writing. Sample essays are not quite as therapeutic or enjoyable as this. Maybe I'll be a writer when I grow up. And a teacher, a lawyer, a babysitter, a sister, a self-proclaimed chef, an actor, a daughter, a photographer and a runner. I am not someone who likes to limit myself to one or two talents. I guess you could say my love of learning causes me to have commitment issues. Hey, if you don't know where you're supposed to be going, might as well give every open door a chance. I'll get where I'm supposed to be, even if I take the long way around.

I know I skipped some important and exciting things, and didn't go into too much detail. But I've heard it said that it's good to leave 'em wanting more.

Happy 2011