Hmmm.

I am tired of this studying thing. I'm going a little stir-crazy, I think.

This past summer, when I worked at a law firm as a file clerk, I got to a point pretty quickly where I couldn't stand to touch paper. At that point, I had to start wearing band-aids on my thumbs, and every few minutes I'd have to cover the rest of my fingers in that "sortkwik" fingertip moisturizer so I could keep doing my work. I really don't know what the deal with that was, but it was so bad that even when I wasn't at work, I had a hard time touching paper bags and cardboard. That wasn't good because I moved this summer...and several of my friends moved around as well. Moving often involves cardboard boxes.

Anyway, I got over it around the time school started and I wasn't having to handle paper as much. But the paper aversion has started to come back as I have been studying for finals. This involves turning pages in my textbooks, handling my (and other people's) outlines, etc. I'm starting to feel it in my thumbs...

I know, I'm weird. It's a good thing my last final is on Thursday. That's right, on Thursday, I will be DONE with my first semester of law school! And I will not touch any more paper. Except maybe some wrapping paper. We'll see :)

Torts and Texas

I have survived one official "law school exam." It was pretty darn scary, though I guess I survived. I don't like the fact that an entire semester's grade is pretty much based on 4 hours of my life. I also don't like this whole "grading curve" thing. It means that, for some people, this is not going to end well. I really, really hope I'm not one of them.

Guess it doesn't matter for torts anymore. That class is all over with, and I can't do anything about it. I keep trying to not dwell on it, so that I can avoid the forehead slapping moments of "Oh shoot! Why didn't I include that issue on the exam!" It's not really working, though, as my mind tends to wander while I'm trying to study civil procedure.

Only two exams left! Hopefully I can do this without going crazy.

For some reason (well, like I said, my mind tends to wander while I'm studying civil procedure, so that probably explains it), I was thinking today about the Pledge of Allegiance, and how, upon arriving to Texas my junior year in high school, I was kind of surprised to find that tradition in Texas also includes a pledge to the Texas flag. The first time the morning announcements came on and we stood up to say the pledge to the American Flag, everything was going as expected. I finished saying the pledge, and was ready to sit down. But no, then the morning announcement people said, and students around me mumbled, "Honor the Texas flag." And everyone turned, faced the Texas flag, and I heard people say:

"I pledge allegiance to the Texas one and indivisible."

I knew Texas was kind of a strange place, but this pledge seemed pretty weird. I mean, "the Texas"? Is there more than one? It made a little more sense, though, when I found out that the actual pledge is written out like this:

"Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one and indivisible."

Ah, so "Honor the Texas flag" was not an order to at turn and face the flag at that point. It was part of the pledge. And it's not "the Texas," it's "thee, Texas."

I do still find it odd that part of the school day in this state includes a pledge to the state flag. This is the only place I've lived that has such a tradition (and my experience is pretty varied--starting with kindergarten and continuing through 12th grade, I attended eight* different schools in five states). Although now that I've lived here for over six years, I'm beginning to understand. I'm getting more and more used to the craziness that is Texas. And maybe I'm even liking it a little.

*Edit (12-9-06): My mother correctly pointed out that I attended nine schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. I can't count. Law school has addled my brain.

I have not been up to much lately. Mostly studying. Then procrastinating. And more studying. Then a little procrastination. Oh yeah, and studying. With a little more procrastination thrown in there as well. I cannot express how much I'm looking forward to Thursday, December 14th at about 1:30 pm. At that point I will be done!!!! For like a month!!! Hooray.

That's not to say that that month won't be busy. I'm taking a trip to San Marcos/San Antonio with Staci and Melissa right after finals. Then back to Houston for a couple of days, then off to Georgia for about a week. Then back to Houston, and I think Beth will be visiting. Then I'm heading to Waco to see Alicia for a few days, then back to Houston again. At that point, it'll pretty much be time for school to start again. And I've promised people that I will watch some previous seasons of 1) 24 and 2) The Office. And I need to squeeze a few doctor's appointments in there somewhere. And I want to read for fun. Hmm, I'm going to have to work this out carefully. But I think it's possible.

I enjoyed my quick trip to San Antonio this weekend. The Trinity Christmas concert was wonderful, as usual, and I enjoyed seeing (and staying up waaaay too late with) Beth and Anne and other San Antonio people. I was also pretty much able to forget about law school exams for a while. Which was a nice feeling.

Unfortunately, I am in a position right now where forgetting about law school exams would be bad. So. I s'pose I should end this round of procrastination (wow, I've eaten dinner, a snack, played the piano, and created this blog entry--impressive!) and get back to studying.