Should I go with bi-monthly updates?

Ok, so I haven't been updating regularly. My third year in law school has been uneventful. I spent the first half of my third year engaged in an externship. There I learned a lot about how the law is applied in a real world setting, how to more efficiently do legal research, and how to write a legal memo that is useful to both judges and lawyers. I also learned that being the youngest person in an office full of people who are either married or in long term relationships is not the kind of office you should aspire to work in. Inevitably, your interests will be different than everyone else in the office. Having said that, I thought that overall, my externship experience was well worth it in terms of professional development. 

And on a professional development theme, I enrolled in a trial advocacy course for my second semester in the hopes that it would give me some of the tools necessary to convince a factfinder. I am glad to say that this is one of the most engaging courses I have taken at law school. Everything that is taught in that class is useful and there is really no down time. As an added benefit, all the students are allowed multiple chances to conduct direct and cross-examination techniques to hone our newfound skills. I don't think that as a junior associate, I would get as much structured focus on any trial advocacy skills - its either sink or swim for junior associates.

I also found a job. It's like Biglaw but with Mediumlaw (or maybe Smalllaw) compensation. I am glad beyond relief that I do not have to worry about finding a job now. I am grateful that I have an offer, especially in a time when so many attorneys are already laid off, so many more will be laid off, and so many law students are struggling to find jobs. I wish you all godspeed. 

Hotness increase

So my judicial externship ended last Friday and I am now spending my time at the law school, writing my final paper. I can't help but notice, however, that the 1L girls are so much hotter than when I was a 1L. In fact, the 1L girls this year are by far hotter than the girls in my class or the 2Ls right now. 

And for those of you who think its an age thing, that by virtue of me being older, I assign more "points" to these younger 1Ls, you're wrong. I am probably younger than half of the 1L class, considering that I am about as old as the average entering 1L class. Also, I am not grading on a handicapped scale. These 1Ls are hot, regardless of whether they are law students or not. 

With the bad economy and souring job market for legal professionals, this is truly a horrible time to graduate. It is just an extra kick in the nuts when you realize that all the hot girls entered law school two years too late. 

Bluebook revisited

Mother F&*%$#! I haven't spent this much time looking over the bluebook since my dreaded decision to participate in my school's law review write-on competition. Damn my procrastination! I had to wait until today to start researching for my seminar paper - the rough draft being due this Thursday.

Damn you bluebook, the bane of so many law students.

I respect his acting

So I just finished Delightful Girl Choon-hyang and it was a hilarious drama. It's centers around a high school couple and their quirky arranged marriage and the subsequent third and fourth wheels that try and break them apart. Unlike most other dramas, I was unable to guess what was going to happen. Plus, the drama spoofed Winter Sonata, Full House, and What happened in Bali.

But what really made this drama good was the fine acting of the main actor, Jae Hee. The long close up scenes where the director lets you just read Jae's eyes were some of the most powerful scenes in the drama. Jae's acting starts and ends with this eyes. When he's cheerful and smart-alecky, he squints his eyes and smiles sheepishly and when he's sad or angry or despondent, his eyes turn red and quiver. It's refreshing to find a young actor in korean dramas that can act. I really respect Jae's acting abilities and I hope to find him in other dramas too. 

If you're interested in supporting a good actor, watch Delightful Girl Choon-hyang. If you're have time to spare, you can catch Jae in Witch Yoo Hee. In my opinion, Jae, with his soulful eyes, saved this drama from being a crapfest of bad acting. It's too bad that he's not used in more dramas. I just know that he will be a very successful actor soon.  

Some of what I did over the summer

Ok, so I haven't been on here in a while. In fact, based on my current workload, I still shouldn't be on here. However, I have too much to post about to let my hiatus last any longer. Without further adieu, let me introduce you to the dramas I have watched over the summer and those I am still watching or will watch. 

1. Witch Yoo Hee - Watched this drama before and during my finals period. In retrospect, the storyline was cliched (contract, love develops, etc.) and save for the male lead, the acting was bad. If you're a girl and get your fashion tips from TV, then this drama may be for you. Otherwise, watch it only if you have time to spare and nothing else to watch.  

2. War of Money (or Money's Warfare) - It's a story about loan sharks. I guess loan sharks are big business in Korea. Good acting, good overall storyline, horrible ending, horrible "bonus rounds." On the plus side, the kissing scene is much better than the typical lip-touching-with-camera-spinning-360-degrees-around-the-actors sort of kiss that you see all too often in Korean dramas. 

3. Thank You - Unlike Money's Warfare which was faster paced and slightly awkward, Thank You is a melodrama. Little girl has AIDS and is ostracized from her rural village. To pull on your heart strings a bit more, the little girl doesn't know who her dad is and her great grandfather has Alzheimer's. Aside from the emotional turmoil, the overall storyline and message is good and the acting, especially from the little girl is good.  

4. Dreams Link - Boring. This is a story of a girl who has a secret relationship her older sister's boyfriend. Like the spoiled bitch that she is, she later develops a crush on an older man while the older sister finds out about the secret relationship. The story dragged on and on with side stories and characters that were one dimensional. I barely cared about the main characters let alone the minor characters. 

5. Yi San - This is the story about the life of King Jeong-Jo and his love for a girl named Seon Yeon. It's a very good, well-polished drama with high production values but I can't really say they developed Seon Yeon's character. Her interactions with the King consisted of lines like "Your majesty..." and "I'm sorry." If anything, this drama was more a bromance than a romance. The drama spent lots of time detailing the relationship the king had with some of this most trusted advisors and warriors. I did jot down a nice pick up line from this movie though. 

6. The Ballad of Suh Dong - I'm currently watching this right now. Nothing much to say. 

7. The First Shop of Coffee Prince - I just finished watching episode 5. So far, I'd have to say that this drama is overrated. I still cannot buy the idea of the main character successfully crossdressing as a guy. She has none of the mannerisms of a guy. If anything, she is able to portray a 14-year-old boy more than a 24-year-old young man who has the difficult responsibility of providing for his mother and younger sister. And what the hell is up with most of the guys in this drama? This drama is way to metrosexual for me. I should watch Yi San again; more testosterone. 

8. Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang - In queue. Stars the male lead from Witch Yoo-Hee. His acting skills in Witch Yoo-Hee persuaded me to download this drama. 

2L

Although this entry was drafted on May 7th, it is only today that I have chosen to publish it. Even though this is a published entry, it is an entry that I don't feel is finished - much like how the course of my friendship with a friend from law school feels unfinished. 

-----

I can't help but crack a pity smile when I think back to my last entry of my 1L year. I set out some goals: get in shape, reconnect with old friends, and push myself beyond my bubble. 

Now, after spending a second year in law school, I can say in no uncertain terms that I am in shape. I'm not sure if I am in the best shape of my life (I felt more spry when I was performing musicals) but I am without a doubt, the strongest I have ever been. Not counting the two weeks without seeing a gym floor while studying for finals, I have pushed myself to a point where I did not know I could go. I am stronger, faster, physically tougher than I have ever been. Boundaries? I am no where near any boundary. 

But I haven't found as much success with my other two goals. Reconnecting with old friends is tough when everyone lives far away and you spend 60 - 80 hours a week doing law related work. I did spend a few days of winter break with the Big Mac Crew and it was fun. After six years, we all still do the same things when we get together. The Crew will never change.

Without a doubt, pushing myself beyond my bubble has been challenging. However, my failures make my successes that much sweeter. Plenty of 1Ls know me. I think they see me as this happy, organized, smart and successful 2L. I won't indulge them in the truth. What's more rewarding though is that I have a slightly deeper connection with a few other students in the school. I wouldn't say we're best buddies (nor would I allow myself to fall into that trap) but it helps pass the time. The truly rewarding thing though is stopping for a moment and savoring the kindness of a complete stranger. These people are not obligated to do anything for me. Yet they give what we all need: knowledge that someone cares. 

But I digress. I crack a pity smile because my last entry of my 1L year was themed as being bittersweet. It was bittersweet because I got bad grades. It was bittersweet because I felt alone. It was bittersweet because I had too much to do. It was bittersweet because I learned the law school game a little to late. It was bittersweet because the things that made me happy were far and few in between. 

This year, this last entry of my 2L year is also bittersweet. I succeeded in varying degrees to meet my goals. I am better at playing the law school game. Nonetheless, one constant throughout my 2L year has been...her. I know. I promised myself not to post anything else like this here any further but no "last entry of my 2L year" would be complete without proper treatment of some of my missteps in life. 

Really, where do I begin? So much of this year has gone wrong and I can't help but know that I put all that into motion. Am I angry at her? No. Do I blame her for how she's reacted to my feelings? Not really. Can I understand how she feels? I've tried. However, at the very least, I think I deserve an explanation. It hasn't been fair to me. One moment I thought she was the one friend I can rely on during law school. The next moment, I find our friendship in tatters. 

It seemed fitting that on my last day of law school, I ran into her, not once, but twice. If anything, it was a reminder of how far our friendship has fallen apart. But most of all, it just hurts. It hurts when I think back to all the good times we shared. It hurts that I can't be a part of her life any longer. It hurts every time I think about how long we have spent not being friends. 

If she would talk to me, I wouldn't know where to begin. Again, if you could see me right now, I can only give myself a pity smile. Why? Why treat me this way? Does it make you feel better? 

I can try to understand how you must feel. But if there is one thing I cannot understand, it's how you've been able to, with a flip of a switch, decide that I am no longer your friend. I don't know what must have gone through your mind when you decided I was no longer your friend. Maybe you thought you had too many things to do and I was being a distraction to you. Maybe you thought it best for the both of us that we not be friends. And that's the thing. I don't know what you're thinking. I don't know how you feel any longer. I've never known exactly why you decided we should no longer be friends. You've left me with so many questions but so few answers. 

I don't know what to do anymore. And so I set out on this world, wounded and scarred. You've left me wondering where I went wrong. If I am sitting alone somewhere, looking downcast and dejected, I am more likely than not, thinking about...what could have been. It was as if it was yesterday that we were the best of friends. Suddenly, you had to go. Now, my heart is heavy and all I can think about is what could have been. If only you could see 

But it's time to face the truth, we will never be friends again. 

Clearly their system of government is superior to ours

True or not, it's still good fodder: Putin secretly divorces wife; marries one of Russia's sexiest women?

The transformation is complete. The pigs have really turned into humans. However, I am biased towards the white mares...

/Am I being too obscure with the references?

//Do you even care after seeing the picture?