Admissible Under 701.

Ok, I only got to 73

2010-01-21T16:09:00.000-05:00

Phew! It takes more work than it seems to come up with 101 things you want to do in 1001 days. Maybe I'll finish the rest in time for tomorrow?

56. Read 3 classic novels.
57. No cursing for one month.
58. Go on a cruise.
59. Make sushi.
60. Take multi-vitamin every day.
61. Become CPR certified.
62. Answer the '50 Questions that will Free Your Mind'
63. Dress 'nicely' at least twice a month for school/casual outings.
64. De-clutter closet once a month.
65. Host game night.
66. Dance.
67. Try a new recipe once a month.
68. Stay at a Bed & Breakfast.
69. Take WM on a surprise trip.
70. Only eat veggies and fish for a month.
71. Try 5 things I think I hate.
72. Take reusable bags to the grocery store and actually use them.
73. Spend one day a month with WM with no cell phones, TVs, or laptops.

The First 55 of My 100 in 1001

2010-01-20T08:13:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the Day Zero Project and Nerd Girl, I've decided to create my own 100 things in 1001 days list.

Here's the deal:

The Challenge: Complete 101 tasks in a period of 1001 days (2.75 years)

The Criteria: The tasks have to be specific with a measurable or clearly defined result.

Why 1001 days? It's realistic.

Start date: Thursday, January 20, 2010
End date: Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Here we go!

1. Graduate from law school.
2. Pass the bar exam.
3. Get a job in 2011.
4. Get a paid internship for summer 2010.
5. Buy an iPod.
6. Finish reading Weird Like Us.
7. Read the 4-Hour Work Week.
8. Perform 10 random acts of kindness.
9. Take a dance class.
10. Try yoga.
11. Get new glasses.
12. Get back into kickboxing and/or running.
13. Host a dinner party 1x every two months.
14. Buy a new car.
15. Adopt a puppy.
16. Watch Gone With the Wind.
17. Volunteer 1x every three months.
18. Call sister 1x a week.
19. Plan a surprise birthday party.
20. Take a vacation.
21. Go camping.
22. Have a romantic night with WM at least once a month.
23. Go on a road trip.
24. Encourage someone else to start a 100 in 1001 days list.
25. Buy a bike.
26. Go bike-riding with WM.
27. Go on a picnic.
28. Buy new clothes.
29. Buy brown pumps.
30. Get my concealed weapons permit.
31. Buy new sandals.
32. Rent new apartment.
33. Cook a healthy meal 3x a month.
34. Go to Epcot.
35. Plan WM and my renewal ceremony.
36. Send Christmas cards.
37. Leave love notes for WM once a week.
38. Buy new bath robe.
39. Sell sofa.
40. Eat 15 new things.
41. Make 5 new friends.
42. Get dog-child's teeth cleaned.
43. Blog about 1 thing I am grateful for every week.
44. Learn something new every day (even if I have to wikipedia it!).
45. Complete a 1000+ piece puzzle.
46. Tell WM I love him at least 3x a day.
47. Donate blood twice.
48. Spend two weekends without the internet and phone.
49. Order new contacts.
50. Lose 5 pounds.
51. Create a 5-year plan with WM.
52. Set short-term goals with WM.
53. Watch the sunrise.
54. Go to at least one festival a year.
55. Attend 3 different churches.

Tomorrow, I'll post 56-101.

The dinner party

2010-01-19T09:07:00.001-05:00

Last night, WM and I hosted a small dinner (see Ways to Help Haiti) to raise funds for Haiti. Eleven of our wonderful friends came over to enjoy lasagna, cheesy garlic bread, potato salad, meatballs, strawberry-spinach salad, shrimp, brownies, and carrot cake and cheese cake. Believe it or not -- most of the food is GONE.

We had a good time -- it felt like Thanksgiving. We went around the table and everyone said a few words about how they felt about Haiti's severe situation. It was very touching to have our friends join us in being socially conscious, and the fact that they genuinely want to help -- well, it left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

One friend was collecting canned food for her friend whose family is in Haiti and she made a good point -- it's vital for people to continue donating anything they can after it's no longer the news of the day.

Another friend brought cans for her and instead of just giving what he had in his pantry -- he actually went to the grocery store and bought canned food specifically to donate. He said he wanted to donate something he thought people would enjoy and was healthy. This kind of care and attention is really admirable.

WM and I didn't expect to raise that much money. More than anything, we wanted to come together with our friends for a good cause.We raised over $700. Incredible.

We'll be making a donation on behalf of 'the dinner party' today.

Big-Law =/= Golden Ticket

2010-01-18T10:11:00.001-05:00

I read a piece in the New York Times this weekend that, like most law-related articles these days, described the dismal state of my future (very near future) ~~depression~~ profession.

The article, through thorough investigative journalism, uncovered the hidden truth about big-law: it's not half as glamorous as it's made to seem on the telly, new associates hate their lives (or lack thereof) and attorneys do not make $160,000 right out of the gate anymore.

I've never had aspirations to work in big-law -- it always seemed too sterile and impersonal for me. Consequentially, these truths don't have the same impact on me as they do on some people I know who only went to law school to make the big bucks.

The part that concerns me about the state of the legal profession is that attorneys are realizing what's really important in life (actually having a life -- this realization is their a-ha moment, while it's been the standard for people like me) and as a result, are moving into my public sector.

They are becoming more interested in "the people" and starting to work for a) the government, b) non-profit organizations, and c) legal services organizations. They are taking up my jobs (yes, they are all mine!). What then? What happens to the good-from-the-start law students who enter the law school journey to come out on the other side to do the not-so-profitable work?

At my law school welcome banquet, a former public defender and local National Lawyers' Guild chapter president spoke and asked my class two questions: 1) Who is here to make money? and 2) Who is here to make a difference?

These were two very simple questions but they left me with the most complicated feeling in the pit of my stomach -- I was utterly disappointed that my proudly raised arm was joined by less than a handful of other idealists in answering affirmatively to the second question. But more disturbing was the overwhelming and shameless response to the first question by most of my classmates, which left me horrifyingly unsure of my decision to attend my particular law school. I remember thinking -- what the hell have I gotten myself into?

I've stayed true to my public interest goals, even with the fierce pressure to join big-law (you know, that underlying patronizing tone in people's voices when they say, "oh, public interest law, that's nice"). It's just not me.

My day in traffic

2010-01-15T08:56:00.003-05:00

You know, with all these great technological advancements we've made in the last 150 years or so, you'd think we would have a better way to get from point A to point B.

Look, I get it -- I live in Miami and will be forced to endure traffic here and there, but it took me over an hour to get to my class, and that was with me taking the "faster" route. I don't even want to speculate how long I would have been stuck had I ventured onto a highway.

The bigger -- more pressing -- problem than getting to point B late, is the hour, one of my scarce and precious 24, that I was blatantly robbed of and as a result -- will never see or experience again. Yes, that sounds a tad bit dramatic -- but it's a fact. I will never get that damn hour back. So at the end of the day, while I'm lying in bed reminiscing about my day's activities -- annoyingly, memories of the old Chevy Blazer that was driving at 15 miles an hour and the big-shot BMW from Carmax will be among memories of having a nice lunch with WM and my first day at my new internship.

How much of our time is completely wasted in the car driving to point B? Why do we endure these long drives anyway? What are we really working towards? What is really important in our lives? Work or quality of life?

One of my professors said something ~~intelligent and thought-provoking, finally~~ that clicked with me -- efficiency is anti-waste and we need to be efficient towards a goal, not just efficient.

Efficiency towards living -- that's my goal. I don't want profit or power maximization. I want to eliminate or at least minimize waste in my life -- including long driving times, watching ~~Jersey Shore~~ brain-drain TV shows (Note: I actually have never seen an episode of Jersey Shore, thank goodness), and any other activity that sucks up my time unapologetically.

Ways to help Haiti

2010-01-13T14:54:00.003-05:00

My heart goes out to the people of Haiti and their friends and families, and WM and I are compelled to help in any way we can. I am really struggling to understand why mother nature has been so merciless to Haiti.

We've already donated through yele.org (Wyclef Jean's initiative to help his home country, but also see American Red Cross, Center for International Disaster Information for more ways to donate) but we will be involving our family and friends by hosting a dinner party where I will make a fabulous dinner and our friends will bring donations to pool together and send to Haiti as a group.

This is a great opportunity to act in a socially conscious manner and I encourage everyone to host their own fundraising dinner party. Let's come together and raise money for people who are truly in need after a horrifyingly strong earthquake decimated a country undeserving of such devastation. If you do, please share your experiences.

We have spent way too long ignoring Haiti as a nation and we need our humanitarian spirits to step up. You can even use the e-mail I sent to my friends as a template:

Hi friends,

In an effort to help Haiti and the people who are suffering from the disastrous earthquake, WM and I will be hosting a dinner party on Martin Luther King day - Monday, January 18. Here's the deal:

Every other day we'd get together, go to a swanky restaurant and spend at least $50. So, instead -- let's come together, enjoy a great dinner prepared by moi, and help Haiti. All we ask is for you to bring a donation that we can pool together and send on our group's behalf.

Please let me know if you're in -- which I hope you all are. This is a great opportunity for us to be socially conscious while still enjoying each other's companies.

Here are the deets one more time:

What: Dinner party to raise money for Haiti
When: Monday, January 18 at 6:30 PM
Where: Casa de ....., 1010 NW 10 St Miami, FL 10101

Rainy day blues

2009-12-18T11:44:00.002-05:00

It is nasty outside. It's so dark and all I've wanted to do is sleeppp. This will be a short post because while I would love to stay in bed -- I have a lunch date with my friend and have to journey out into this bad weather! Her car is in the "shop" and she didn't bring lunch because of our date -- wonderful. Otherwise, I would have taken a rain check. Yes, I did just say that. Wish me luck and send me positive vibes!

Commercialize me

2009-12-17T13:27:00.007-05:00

When I applied to college, I checked the "advertising" major box. Of course, I changed my major and ended up with public relations, communication studies and criminology. However, I loved (and still love) ad campaigns -- I love the creative process and coming up with unique and effective ads really fascinates me. I love seeing an ad and recognizing exactly who the ad execs are targeting, how and why. Don't get me wrong though, some ads are really bad, even deceptive but aside from that -- just taking the commercial for what it is -- they're interesting. My all-time favorites come from Target. Especially when they first came out with their great ad campaign that seamlessly blended practicality and fashion in a fun way.

So, since ~~I wish I hadn't gotten a degree in criminology-(thanks, mom)~~ I'm not in advertising, here's a list of my current faves (and not so faves) for your enjoyment. Tell me what you think!

My faves

1. Amazon Kindle Commercial (also see Target's Australia commercial)

2. Mac Broken Promises.

3.Toyota Prius Harmony.

4. Intel Rockstar. LOVE this ENTIRE campaign.

5. University of Florida - When did you become a Gator. Maybe I'm a little biased, OK - I'm very biased, but I love this ad spot. It always brings back great memories of my undergrad days, which is exactly what they want. LOL.

*I'm in between with this one. It's neither on my faves or not-so-faves list. I get what they're doing but it might be a little too much for me. D&G Time.

Most commercials are mediocre. They come and go without you realizing, but then there are others that you watch and the only words that come out are "what.the.hell."

Not-so-faves

1. Sears Blue Crew. Too confusing and just awkward.

2. Jim Beam Guys Never Change. Call me conservative- I can't stand this commercial.

3. Charmin Ultra Strong Bathroom tissue. Just plain weird.

Productivity up 70%

2009-12-16T08:20:00.003-05:00

Now that social media and networking rule the world, how do you ever get anything accomplished?

I haven't had a Facebook account in almost six months. And while I went through nasty withdrawals at times, it has been for the best. I haven't had a Myspace account in over a year. Once Myspace became the Amsterdam of the Internet, I was out. However, I was inclined to keep it just to check up on my younger brother and sister -- my sister's myspace told me she's 17 (my, how time flies when you age by two years at a time), narcissistic, and in love with her "besties" NyNy and Sony. I mean, really? I'm pretty sure my brother has almost altogether abandoned his Myspace account since he turned all new age, grew out his hair like the Beatles, and sings about peace and love while playing his guitar-- he's got other things going on.

I walk through the library at school and people are just shamelessly clicking through Facebook pictures. When I canceled my account, my productivity level went up about 70%, seriously. I only focused on my work and it was a nice not feeling the urge to refresh my Facebook homepage to see who was ~~taking a shit at that moment~~ making chicken enchiladas or putting their pants on to go to RueBar.

My productivity seemed almost too overwhelming -- so, I opened a Twitter account. It seemed like just the right amount of social interaction. It's easy and quick. I can update, read updates and that's it. Simple. Plus, it's just not as fun as Facebook so it's not as much of a distraction.

Some people have an account at every social networking website. How do they do it? How do you keep up with real life while you're keeping up with virtual life? And when is too much? Is there a 'too much'?

What Would Jesus Buy?

2009-12-15T08:39:00.006-05:00

Last night, we watched this documentary. It follows the Stop Shopping Church a few weeks before Christmas as they tour America trying to spread the word about evil consumerism. They finally reach the "promise land" AKA Disneyland and sing to the visitors about not buying ~~Mickey and Minnie plate sets and spinning light sabers with Princess Jasmine on top~~ unnecessary junk. While Reverend Billy, who wears a white suit and has slicked back golden blond hair, is over-the-top eccentric, the message is on-point. It's like what WM said last night, sometimes you need a spectacle for people to start thinking.

Especially during the holidays, people are willing to buy gifts they can't afford - no matter their surmounting debt. One woman in the film was taking out credit cards without her husband knowing and maxing them out in days! Her husband doesn't believe in credit and thinks they are debt-free. First, that's scandalous to do behind your husband's back and second, he's in for the surprise of his life.

I agree with Reverend Billy and his ~~clan~~ choir. People have forgotten that what truly matters during the holidays is being with family and friends, making unforgettable memories and giving in real way - not "giving" in the I-have-to-buy-you-the-hottest-and-newest-fad-toy/electronics/fashion ~~that will most definitely be out of style or outdated in 3 weeks~~ kind of way. I mean (or, Rev Billy means) giving of yourself - giving your family, friends or those who are in need, some of your time, attention, and compassion.

No, your children, my siblings included, do not need the latest version of Guitar Hero. No, they do not need a kid-size Hummer. No, they do not need a third laptop just because it's pink and fits in their pocket.

And no, I do not need the XXL Mahina Louis Vuitton shoulder bag. And no, WM does not need Clive Christian perfume.

Catching Up

2009-12-13T13:44:00.004-05:00

It has been a longggg time since I wrote my last post (well, my last public blog post).

Here's a quick update:

1. I'm married now. To a wonderful man. When something is meant to be, it will be.

2. I'm in my second year of law school but I'm visiting at FIU Law in Miami for the year until August 2010. I'll go back to UF Law to finish my last year.

3. I live near Brickell in Miami, which has been an... interesting adjustment from living mostly in Gainesville, Florida since 2004.

4. I have two more finals until I close out this semester (Immigration Law and Wills & Trusts).

5. My husband (from now on he'll be referenced as WM, see #1) and I love to go out and find great places to eat in Miami. Check out Yelp if you want some suggestions!

6. I've been inspired to take up blogging again because ~~I need a distraction from law school and am a major procrastinator~~ I recently saw Julie & Julia and because of my favorite and fabulous blogs: Mama Law, Ask Wifey, Pajamas and Coffee, Viva Fashion Blog, Midtown Chic-a, The Broke Socialite, and My Husband is Annoying. (I'll have a proper blog roll as soon as I figure out how that works.)

That's pretty much it. Hang around, we'll be chatting soon!