"It's Still Quite Something to Me."

One of those magical moments when you realize the situation you're in is not mundane, but part of a movement.

We meet with our Criminal law professor twice a week, last class of the day. I've always liked her, she's funny and diplomatic and very instructive on oral advocacy skills. Over the year, I've done spotty research on her, enough to know she's a big woman's rights advocate in Canada. I checked out her webpage and found scores of publications, both books and articles. Also, she's from Northern Ireland, from a large family of girls and over old enough to have one of her former student retire from the bench last month. "How old am I," she wondered aloud one day in class, "when my students are retiring before me?"

Today, while discussing principles of fundamental justice and equality in relation to self-defense, she mentioned that she was one of the first women in the history of the world to get a legal education. "And I always thought it would be wonderful in the 21st Century to have a society where educating girls was just considered normal. It's still quite something to me." Very cool to be a part of that, even cooler to have her as a guide.

High School Drama--Now with More Entrance Exams

Last week was Spring Break (called "Reading Week" in the cheery world of law school). On the Friday before Break, we get an email from the faculty warning us that there has been a serious breach of ethics: people have lied about their word count. So, everyone has to send in electronic copies of their papers to be counted. No prob. But as I prepare to send mine off, I check the word count and notice a six word discrepancy. Six words. These words could have been missed any number of ways, through the final edit, faulty counting, including the heading.
I send a copy of the document to my professor, explaining the six word issue and asking for her advice. I assumed I would be told that the administration was not looking for six words, that I was not the target of the investigation. But instead I got a nasty email back saying I was under investigation and would know more in two weeks. Two Fucking Weeks! I was livid, and scared and confused and ashamed and it ruined my reading break. I mean, I worked (there is no way not to work during Spring Break when you're a first year slave...I mean student) but I was constantly distracted by this unfolding academic issue.
Ten days later I get back to school and find out that that I am in the clear. They are not looking for six word discrepancies but something much more...word on the street (yes, the street) is that some people had huge discrepancies in word count. Like, two hundred words. And as I walked around the school today, I saw many frantic students counting words with professors.
Look, I know that honesty and integrity is vital to the legal profession. And I understand that instructions need to be followed. I get it. Absolutely. What I am asking for as a student is a little more respect. A little less lecture. A little less scare tactics. I get the feeling my law school does not like its law students very much. There have been many, many echoes of this since the school year began, but still I hoped I was wrong. Some students have called our faculty and administion out for terrorizing us. That is a bit strong.
But I do feel held hostage to the whims of this administration: I feel that students are given no voice (we have had some rogue law school publications--pretty awful--crop up this year but I'm beginning to feel like starting one myself. Perhaps it is the lack of outlet given to students that makes some react so explosively?)
The issue is settled for now and we all march on towards exams. Yet, I know I feel very differently about my school than I did my first day of class. Perhaps the admnistration feels the same about us. Who knows? One thing for certain is that everything is different now.

This Post is for my Husband

Another post gushing over my wonderful husband. For the past few years, I have gotten used to weekends where I lounge around in bed while my husband makes and brings me breakfast. This morning was no exception. I slept late--until 10--and was awoken to a tray with my laptop and a cup of coffee. My husband knew I love to look at my blogs first thing in the morning. So sweet. Then he said, "breakfast is in five minutes." Five minutes later, he comes up the stairs with homemade hash browns (delicious, btw), eggs, bacon and more coffee. I contentedly sat up in my bed for another hour or so browsing the internets while my husband cleaned up and then made the shopping list.

I honestly don't know how I found this man. I spent the first 28 years of my life in either bad relationships or no relationships. Being married to M. has been the most fun I've had in my life. Even when things got awful (and they are kind of awful right now--more on that later) he has kept me sane, taken care of me, kept me laughing.

I can't believe how lucky I am to have you, Sweetie, your care and attention and devotion. Thanks for (almost) five amazing years.

This is Where I Study

I love this place. It's the Forestry Building, only twenty steps from our new home in residence. What you don't see are the tables with lamps, free wi-fi, lamps, a coffee shop and comfy couches. Everything a budding law student needs.

Feeling Optimistic

I got a lot of work done this weekend on two different papers. I am about to begin reviewing my first five months of Torts and Monster (his nickname--that is what I actually have called him for years and the way he signs his e-mails to me)is moving us into our new on-campus digs as I type. We got the keys this morning and checked it out. It is tiny, but the ceilings are really, really high and I'm excited about being so close to everything.
Campus is huge (50,000 students attend classes here) and there is a movie theater, lots of restaurants, bars, a forest, mountains, the ocean, grocery stores. We could literally never leave.
I am feeling better about life in general than I have in a long time.

My Picks

My vote would go to Obama. McCain is the best opponent of the Republican bunch. We'll know in two hours!

Happy Super Bowl

I am celebrating this greatest of great days of football by studying Constitutional Law all day. But for those of you hosting parties, inviting friends, watching the commericals (that's really when I perk up) then have at it.
Here in Canada, I haven't noticed a lot of enthusiasm for Super Bowl Sunday, although a few peopel are throwing parties. Mostly, it's just a day when hockey is not on.
Next week we move into our new little townhouse on campus and I can't wait. I have been wanting life to get "back to normal" since last July and I strongly believe this move will be the first step in that direction. Well, the second step. The first was Matt's coming up here in December.
We're on our way.