Anticipation

I am anxiously waiting on my bar results.  I took the July 2011 Illinois bar exam in Chicago over a two day period.  The exam consisted of 9 essays, a longer writing project (called the multistate performance test), and 200 multiple choice questions.  I think there were 18 different ares of law we were responsible for and could be tested on. In other jurisdictions the test is 2 1/2 days (like Ohio) or even 3 days (Alaska). 

I lived in Chicago all summer and study there with a commercial bar prep class.  Taking the bar is bad enough on its own, but I also had food poisoning during the exam.  Tim and I went out to dinner on Saturday to get me out of the house and away from my desk.  We went to our favorite burger place, which is clean and very nice.  It is not a greasy spoon or anywhere I had reservations about eating there. I had my usual, a turkey burger.  Fast forward 12 hours...and I have food poisoning.  I had chills, a fever, aches, and errr, some other stomach problems.  A week later I saw on the news there was a salmonella outbreak in ground turkey! 

The food poisoning lasted from Sunday-Friday.  Tim thought it was nerves, but I knew otherwise.  I could not keep any food down.  Even Gatorade upset my stomach.  The exam was on Tuesday and Wednesday of that week.  I did not eat anything for breakfast or during the lunch breaks.  The first day I drank Gatorade which was a mistake.  But I survived.  I was happy just to make it through the test.  

The weeks leading up to the test I was more nervous than the actual days.  There was no time for nerves or self doubt.  I was so mad that I had food poisoning on top of taking the bar, but I guess it just makes for a better story and kept my life interesting.  

The other two law clerks here that I work with found out their bar results.  They both passed! One took the Montana bar and the other took the Oregon bar.  The Illinois Board of Bar Examiners will release the results between October 1- October 15.  

If I did not pass (I don't like the word failed, if you try it is not considered failing to me) I know that the world will keep on turning and the sun will come up the next day.  There are worse things in life than having to take a test over again.  I'd also be in pretty good company of successful attorneys who did not pass on their first attempt.  John F. Kennedy Jr., Richard Daley, and Hillary Clinton all failed the bar exam the first time.  

I decided  to end each post with a quote that I find inspiring, funny, or applicable.  Hopefully you will as well.  

"Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out." Benjamin Franklin 

Autumn in Alaska

Fall is upon us here in Alaska.  The leaves are yellow and orange and the fireweed has turned red.  Before moving here I had never seen fireweed, but it is a beautiful wildflower or weed that blooms in August with bright flowers and then in the fall the leaves turn red.  From what I've heard, fireweed is common out West.

I miss Vermont a lot right now.  There is no where as beautiful as Vermont during the fall.  The colors are like an explosion.  The air is as crisp and wonderful as a bite out of a juicy apple and the afternoon sun is still warm and bright.  I experienced three Vermont falls, so I'm going through withdraw! I can't wait to go back.  As a student I don't think I did a very good job of enjoying my surroundings as much as I should have.  That is one reason I'm trying to experience Alaska as much as possible while I'm here.

I was fortunate enough to see some caribou today and a moose.  The caribou are not shy or aggressive.  They kept to themselves and pretty much ignored me.  I was able to get pretty close and take some good pictures.  The moose on the other hand quickly darted away.  It was a young moose.  I've yet to see a bull moose.  It is moose hunting season and I was told all the bull moose have gone up into the mountains to hide??

I've been looking for mums and pumpkins, but I haven't found any yet.  And there is no apple cider either! Outrageous!  

Enjoy some pictures I took today of fall in Alaska and the caribou.

Bears

Changes

I will confess I've been horrible at updating my "blog"(if I can even call it that yet!).  Since my last blog post lots of things have happened.  I've settled into my apartment.  This has taken some time and adjustment.  It wasn't exactly homey.  I am renting it fully furnished so I didn't have to buy furniture for one year and then sell it on Craigslist when I move again next year.  I knew the girl who lived here before me, she graduated a year before me at Vermont Law School.  That made me feel better to know she lived here.  But I was surprised when I got to the apartment after my long flight.  After I got the keys to my apartment from the landlord, I quickly went to Wal-Mart in my rental car and bought a memory foam topper for the mattres and a thick mattress cover.  I didn't sleep at all that first night because the mattress was like sleeping in the Grand Canyon.  There was no support at all.  I'm happy to report that I've since bought my own bed and I'm waiting on it to be delievered.  I bought it from the Sears store here, but it is arriving by barge from Seattle! Life is just different up here.  

My landlord has also upgraded my shower and couch since I've moved in.  A furniture store was going out of business, so she bought a brand new matching red couch and love seat.  My bathroom has also been fixed-up.  After a month, the place is finally starting to feel like mine.  I'm slowly decorating and adding my own touches.  

I started my new job since my last post too.  I love my job.  It is so exciting that I'm finally getting paid to do things I learned in law school!  Everyone I work with is wonderful and have been great at teaching me the ropes.  I really only had one day of training.  The outgoing law clerk was there for one day, then I took over the next day.  It was daunting at first, but after a month I'm feeling comfortable and confident.  

There are six judges here, and two other law clerks.  The other law clerks and I have quickly bonded.  One law clerk is from Cincinnati.  It is a small world.  The other law clerk is from Vermont Law School, so I knew here before we moved here.  Speaking of Ohio, I met a relative here to one of my closest friends back in Dayton, Ohio.  We were talking about Ohio and she told me the names of her relatives who live there.  It just so happens that I knew her family in Ohio, and my friend's sister is married to her uncle! Crazy! 

I have also been on some fun adventures in my month here.  The first was a fishing trip to Homer over Labor Day weekend.  The other law clerks and I went out on a charter halibut fishing trip.  It was a 1/2 day trip.  I caught a total of four fish, three halibut and one shark.  It was rainy and cold out, we were about two miles out in the ocean.  But once I had a fish on, the adreline kicked in and it was so much fun! I kept two of the halibut (daily limit) and had them fileted and vacum sealed.  I now have 16 pounds of halibut in my freezer.  I have never cooked seafood in my life, so I need to learn.  

The judge I am working for also invited the law clerks to go bear viewing with him.  It was one of the most exciting things I have ever done.  We observed seven bears in their natural habitat feeding on salmon at the Russian River.  I was very nervous and scared, but once I saw the first bear I knew they were not interested in the humans at all.  The bears were walking down the river playing and feeding on the salmon.  The salmon run is almost over and the fish are slow and easy to catch.  There were fisherman in the river with their backs toward the bears.  The bears could have easily charged, but they didn't.  Perhaps it was a false sense of security, but I was not as scared as I thought I would be.  We did encounter a sow and cubs which can quickly turn into a dangerous situation.  We backed off and waited for the bears to clear the area.  

I have also seen caribou, moose, and bald eagles.  The nature and wildlife is beautiful and very refreshing! 

Although I was extremely overwhelmed and exhausted when I got here, I've settled into my job and apartment and am enjoying my time here.  I know I made the right decision to accept the job and move here. I am going to try and post some pictures.  And I promise to start blogging on a regular basis!