Not Our First Rodeo

A big part of law school is being called on by the professor all the time. ALL THE TIME. It's part of what's called the Socratic method, and while some professors seem to only utilize it to belittle people, many of them are very good at it. It is a weird, weird way to learn, but you get used to it.

My third year of law school started a couple of weeks ago. This means I have been subject to this interrogation/questioning/whatever you want to call it many times. You go into every class not knowing if you'll be called upon, and if you are, well, good luck to you. Although I don't love it, I've gotten used to it.

All of my classes are comprised of a mix between second- and third-year law students; I know many of the third-year students just from having spent our three years together.

The other day in one of my classes, the professor called on one of my third-year colleagues.

His response: "I wasn't raising my hand."
The Professor: "Yes, but I'm calling on you anyway."

For some reason, I almost laughed out loud. I've never heard anyone say that in a law school class before. Of course you weren't raising your hand -- that's how this game goes!

In many ways, it's crazy to think that this is my last semester of law school. It's very exciting, and only a tiny bittersweet. We'll see if that changes at all in the next couple of months, but so far, things are going very well this semester.

Tread Carefully

I've been back at school for a couple of weeks now. Everyone has been getting sick. There have been a few illnesses circulating.

Now some of my nephews are sick, too.

It's like I'm walking through a minefield every day.

How long until I'm sick, too?

I don't know. But I have to go wash my hands. Again.

Getting in my Face Time

One of my nephews, Moo, recently discovered FaceTime. His mom has an iPod, and I have an iPhone, so we can talk together face-to-face. He and I have video chatted before, but this is easier for him because he doesn't have to go into the computer to do it.

At some point a couple of weeks ago, when we got on the call together (which he had initiated, telling his mother he really needed to speak to me), he said "Hi Tita [his name for me], I haven't Face Talked you in such a time!"

So, so cute.

Yesterday, he wanted to "Face Talk" me again. So we did. At one point, we were discussing my schedule. He's very advanced now, being six years old, and asked me when I'd be coming to visit him. I explained when my next planned trip was.

He asked if had to plan around breaks or take turns with other people to go on trips. I thought this was an adorably brilliant question, and I explained to him that while I'm in school, I have to plan around breaks, but in the fall, when I start my job, I'll just have to take turns with everyone.

He followed up by asking what I was going to do for a job. We've discussed it before, but he really has no frame of reference for it, so it's difficult for him to grasp.

I explained again that I was going to be a lawyer, and he then asked what lawyers do. I explained that lawyers help people solve their problems, sometimes by going to see a judge in court to have the judge make a decision.

He then asked, "is it like a tennis court?"

I burst out laughing and told him that a tennis court was a kind of court, but this one is a court of law. I told him I'd have to send some pictures to explain, and he seemed satisfied. He then carefully marked the date on his calendar when I told him I'd be coming to visit next.

What a cute little guy. I can't wait to snuggle him up when I see him in person!

Busy Bee

I started this year out very busy. I'm in an intensive class that meets every day, all day, for the first two weeks of the year.

So I don't have much time to write about much.

But rest assured, I've got some things percolating.

My class is a trial advocacy class. They bring in judges and lawyers from around the country to instruct the students in small groups. Today, we did a bench trial (which is just a trial with no jury--we'll do one with a jury later).

The judge running my group is an actual federal judge from Florida.

There is something infinitely terrifying about standing up in front of a federal judge to object to some testimony you don't want coming in.

But there's nothing quite like when she sustains your objection.