Recommendation

Most of my week has been spent studying for finals, which means lots of case and law review, lots of screen time on my computer, and lots of sitting in the same position (I can tell when I’m running out of steam by how frequently I get up to stretch).

I have done a few things besides studying. I started my annual reading of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens (which gave me some much appreciated mental relief); worked on a Relief Society lesson; attended the baptism of the newest member of our ward; and participated in our ward choir Christmas program (which went really well, thanks to the talent and passion of those in charge).

Speaking of Christmas music, the Christmas version of Hallelujah by Cloverton is excellent.

Well, time for a stretch…

In Which I Finally Understand East Coast Claustrophobia

I’m sitting at my table listening to Christmas music and thinking about the last week. It has flown by in a hodgepodge of events and emotions. I had two busy days of class and homework and packing, followed by a quick trip home for Grandpa’s funeral, followed by a few days back in Williamsburg that felt as if they were somehow in a separate category than normal weekdays.

It was so good to be home. It lasted for little more than 24 hours, but I needed that day there. I arrived early Wednesday morning after an evening flight and smiled when I saw the snow through the airplane window. (Dear Snow, Please come to Williamsburg this year!) During the drive home it was so relieving to be under a wide open sky. (I now understand why people talk about being claustrophobic on the East coast – it’s not fear, it’s just the oppression of being continuously surrounded by trees.) By the time Dad and I arrived at the house, everyone else was in bed. Dad turned in soon afterward. As it was nearly 4 am EST, I didn’t last much longer, but I stayed up a few more minutes just to enjoy the feeling of being home (and to read the comics).

I awoke the next morning to a bunch of hugs.

If a funeral can be described as fun, then Grandpa Quilter’s was fun. Not that it was tear-less, but stronger and deeper than the feeling of missing him was the same sort of cheerful love that I’ve always felt around Grandpa. There were good stories and plenty of laughs. It was a treat to see so much of the family gathered together. I expect that Grandpa enjoyed it, and I certainly did. What a legacy he and Grandma have built for us.

My trip back to Williamsburg was pleasant. I had a taste of Grandpa Quilter’s small world and large circle of friends: my neighbor on the first plane was a woman who knew Grandpa from his years of teaching seminary where her children attended school and from swimming at the same rec center where he used to swim.

I arrived back in Virginia to 65 degree weather and trotted to my car in the economy lot with my coat hanging uselessly over my shoulder. (I’ve been teasing my family about the temperature. It was 12ish degrees in Salt Lake City when I left. Grand Junction was around 7. Rexburg was something like -5.)

I spent the next couple of days finishing my regular homework and trying to get excited about studying for finals. Friday afternoon I helped set up for my stake’s annual Christmas open house (live music and 100+ nativity scenes, including a live one). Today I pulled out a few Christmas decorations (including a new addition from my kind upstairs neighbor). It’s been so nice to do some things that are completely different and separate from law school.

I didn’t really feel back on schedule until this morning at ward choir practice. Though I’m not sure that feeling will last since I don’t have regular classes tomorrow.

On my to do list for this week: take my Torts final, study for Crim Law and Civ Pro, and squeeze in some Christmas shopping.

Reference Point

My final memo was finished and submitted this week – early on Monday morning. I have never been so relieved to have an assignment finished. (My Monday afternoon culminated in a long nap.)

The Potomac River on Thanksgiving morning.

I spent Thanksgiving up in Sterling with my aunt and uncle. It was a pleasant holiday at a home away from home. I went for my annual Thanksgiving morning run (this time to the Potomac River). We ate a large and delicious meal. We played games (“Citadels” is very fun) and watched movies. Thanks to the Prices for a nice holiday!

Also this week, my Grandpa Quilter passed away. To me it was at the same time unexpected and unsurprising. I’ve been okay. I will miss Grandpa, but mostly I feel so blessed to be his granddaughter.

Several years ago, Grandpa shared a scripture with me:

“For there is a time appointed for every man, according as his works shall be.”

Doctrine and Covenants 121:25

Grandpa, thank you for doing your work so well. I love you!

At times it seems as though all of my reference points are being rearranged, everything from roads to weather to relationships to thinking patterns. However, the Savior is my one reference point that never moves. And that’s enough.

Fifteen Minutes of Trial and the Four Broadway Memo

The W&M 1L class is terrific. The law school has an annual Thanksgiving Basket Competition between the 1L sections. Well, basket is a bit of a misnomer. It’s more of a pile-of-donated-food-in-a-creative-way competition. The previous record was about 4000 cans of food. This year’s 1L class: 7000+ cans of food and some donated cash on the side! (The lobby was very crowded.) I have some great (and very creative) colleagues.

That was the major event at school this week.

A recent, much more minor event took place in Civil Procedure. A class on court rules and procedures would seem to need a lot of time spent on talking about trials. Not so much. We covered trials in 15 minutes and moved right on to preclusion. The part of law that draws the most attention in popular culture is one of its smallest components.

My big project of the week was my final legal memo. For an idea of how much time I’ve spent working on it, I’ve managed to listen to Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Wicked, and The Lion King (Broadway version). And I’ve had some silent work time as well. Happily, it will be done tomorrow morning.

Which is also why I’m going to bed now.

Short Observations

I have twenty-one classes and three finals left of my first semester of law school. (I’ve always enjoyed counting down those sorts of things.) This has felt like the shortest semester of my entire educational experience. I might, however, change my mind about that during finals when my three tests are spread out over two weeks.

My schedule for spring semester was posted the other day. I won’t have any classes before 10:00, which feels incredibly late in the day to get things going. And I thought an 8:30 class was late.

Of course, morning hours are a great time for homework and running, so a 10:00 schedule will be nice in that regard.

Best recent discovery: there is a track about two miles from my apartment. I’m very happy to have a large rubber circle to run on.

Second best recent discovery: the library is deliciously silent on Saturday mornings before it opens (I accidentally left for work half an hour early on Saturday…this is what happens when each day starts at a different time).

Also, the Jamestown Ward loves Muddy Buddies. They made short work of the batch I brought for today’s Linger Longer. Chex + chocolate + peanut butter + powdered sugar = yum.

***

Torts case of the week: thaw causes large chunks of ice to float down river…ice piles up by boat 1, causing it to come loose from post…boat 1 floats away into boat 2, causing boat 2 to come loose…boat 2 drifts into drawbridge, bringing down one of bridge’s towers…boat 1 enters the wreckage and wedges into boat 2, creating a dam…bridge’s second tower falls…banks of river flood for several miles. Petition of Kinsman Transit Co., 338 F.2d 708 (2d Cir. 1964).

It’s like a handy analogy for when life seems to be piling up all around and threatening to engulf you. (No, that’s not what life is like for me right now; I’m just making an observation.)

Scattered

This week I discovered a new joy: running through falling leaves. A long road lined with tall trees (in kaleidoscopic colors) mixed with a little wind makes for an almost magical atmosphere.

I also made the happy discovery that music helps me focus on homework. This was a surprise because in the past I always found music to be a distraction – or at least I convinced myself it would be a distraction and never listened to any while doing homework. But that is not the case with law. When I’m having a hard time concentrating, I turn on some tunes and somehow that works better than silence.

Food also helps.

Cold weather in Williamsburg seems to take a wade-slowly-into-the-pool rather than a jump-in-the-deep-end approach. The temperature has gotten down below 35 degrees once or twice, but then it slides right back up above 60. So maybe it’s more of a dip-a-toe-in-the-water-and-decide-it’s-too-cold-and-come-back-later approach.

My car in the morning. It looks like more leaves in real life.

School news: I forgot to go to class one day. I left Torts with my mind on other things, went to the lobby, and sat down to eat my apple. A bit later it dawned on me that I should have been in Legal Practice for the last fifteen minutes. That was a first for me; I’ve come close to sleeping through a class once or twice, but I haven’t forgotten about class before.

In my defense, the Legal Practice class schedule is constantly changing. Our regular Tuesday and Thursday classes are often cancelled for Library lectures, labs, or individual conferences. And our adjunct class is often cancelled for individual mock client counseling, client interviews, or oral reports.

(No worries: I did make it to the last forty minutes of class, and no problems ensued.)

One of my major homework activities this week was highlighting portions of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, including rules for summons, personal jurisdiction, subject matter jurisdiction, venue, joinder, impleading… I could keep going. Civil Pro is a somewhat tangled topic.

Scattered leaves, scattered focus, scattered weather, scattered class schedule, scattered homework.

Good thing there's music. And food.

Refuge

This week in Criminal Law we discussed a very difficult topic. My homework for those classes constituted the most unpleasant reading I have ever done.

It wasn’t unpleasant because it was surprising; I understand that there is a great deal of evil in the world, and in a law school setting I expect to encounter some of the most abhorrent things in life. Instead, the unpleasantness came from the nature of the topic and from seeing it up close. Being in close proximity to something repulsive touches your mind and emotions in a way that nebulous and undefined evil does not.

I suppose I’ve had a rather sheltered life. I’ve never been subjected to certain ideas. I’ve never had to deal with the difficulties those ideas raise. Some people might view that kind of life as a weakness. They might see it as silly or naïve or out of touch. But I am so, so grateful for it.

I’m grateful I grew up in a strong family and a good home. I’m grateful I was raised by righteous parents who taught me the Gospel. I’m grateful I’ve been surrounded by good influences and opportunities. Because of those things, I still recognize that good is stronger than evil, and that most people still want what it good.

I'm grateful I don’t have to be afraid of the world, because I know how to find the good in it.

***

Quick seasonal report: The trees in Williamsburg are now a bright mix of greens, oranges, reds, yellows, and browns. And thanks to daylight savings time (and our location on the eastern edge of the time zone) the sunset today was at 5:06. I tend to read at nighttime, so maybe that will help me get my homework done earlier…