Sarah Ann: 1L

I get the feeling this journal is quickly going to become friends-only musings on law school and public entries on things I find outrageous in the world. Because I have two right now.

First, Bush's press conference I'm listening to right now. He wants support for the interrogation bill before Congress, to clarify the Geneva Convention. Which sounds reasonable in theory, but in practice I'm really going to need someone to explain to me how "shocks the conscience" is any clearer than "outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment". I just don't see how they are, and if there's one thing I've learned so far, it's that words are not clear; laws do not provide a whole lot of clarity. Unless you write a list of things you can and can't do, there isn't going to be a lot of clarity. Also, he's arguing with John McCain again on this, which prompts me to ask again: How can you argue with John McCain about torture?
In the end though, thanks to the Supreme Court, to a certain extent the point is moot, because they can't lessen the standards of the Geneva Conventions, just keep them same or raise them.

Second, and this is the one that really upset me, was an article in Fox news. I know, I know, why was I reading Fox news? Well, I was looking for a story about the violence in Chile last week, since I just heard about it, and the Fox news article was the one that popped up. It was the anniversary of the 1973 coup when Pinochet took overthrew Allende and took over the country, and there was a protest that got violent. In the process of giving a brief history of that time in Chile's history, Fox news said this:
"As the march reached the presidential palace, where Allende committed suicide the day of the coup rather than surrender to the rebellious military..."
Bullshit. For those of you who don't know much of Chile's history, this is a hugely disputed fact. The suicide was Pinochet's story about Allende's death during the coup. Nobody really knows what happened, but many people think he was killed. Allende was giving a speech to the people as the palace was being bombed; there's a recording of it.
Fox news does not get to state as fact disputed historical events. Especially not ones that the average American doesn't know much about and will accept as the truth.

I realize I haven't updated in a bit, and I promise more randsom observations about law school and my life in general are forthcoming, but could we just talk about that 9/11 photo for a minute?

Read the article for the general controversery about it, I have a different complaint.

Turns out the people in the photograph are not actually young. The guy who identified himself is 40, and really, we have the best shot of his face. Sorry to those of you who are 40 and are offended I'm calling you old, but let's just say it's fair enough to suppose when Rich was railing against today's youth, he didn't mean you, okay? He meant me. And everyone else in my generation.

And I'm just a little annoyed that when there was a picture that was used, probably unfairly, to show callousness and shallowness, it was attributed to my generation. I really don't think we deserve that. Most of the people my age I know are really great people. They care. And I don't mean that in a "they are liberals" way, but across the board, they care. I don't know, maybe I have a skewed sample. However, there's data, data I don't currently have the time to find and link to, so we'll be trusting my memory here, that shows our generation does more community service than any other recent one.

Maybe I am giving us too much credit, but I really believe that was an unfair conclusion to jump to. Am I alone here?

So, again, I haven't updated in months.
But I have nothing to say during summer. Library, visiting friends, shopping for various things- that about sums it up. Goat meetings every so often. A few trips to EL. A trip to Chicago that never ended up happening. Family in town. Lots of family in town.

I am thinking, though, that I might give this another shot. Make a 'My Life as a 1L' blog. It could be interesting.

In two weeks, I will driving the last few hours of my trip to Virginia. By two weeks from tonight, I will be moved into my apartment. And about a month from now, I start classes.

I really need to clean my room. As part of the whole moving out process, it seems crucial.

If you have not seen me recently, and would like to, I am more or less free the week before I leave (next week). Leave a message or call.

John McCain gave Trent Lott bunny ears during an interview.
It's true, I saw it on Despierta America.

The 1st player of this 'game' starts with the topic '6 weird habits/things about yourself' and people who get tagged need to write a journal about their 6 weird habits/things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says 'you are tagged' in their comments and tell them to read yours...."

1) I'd rather sit on things you're not supposed to sit on- tables, counters, desks, sinks, ect, than in chairs.

2) There's a part of me that now thinks the LSAT logic games are fun.

3) Sometimes I look in the mirror when I'm on the phone- I think maybe so I'm actually talking to a face?

4) Especially if I've run out reading material, I'll bake to procastinate. Or when I'm upset.

5) My little pink stuffed lamb is still on my bed... Seriously, people, I'm almost 22 years old. That is weird. He's really just more a memento though... Can we just all agree it's sentimental and cute?

6) It's not that I can't keep things neat, it's more that I prefer a little bit of a mess. (In my personal space, not common spaces, of course (In case any potential roommates are reading this))


Ok so now I will tag:
-People who read this who have not been tagged.

I'm a little annoyed right now with people not emailing me who should have already. My prof with my grade, the housing office with my extension (this is a big one, I need to make plans, I was supposed to hear a week ago. Please, people).

I'm so in love with Lexis-Nexis. I really don't know what I'm going to do three years from now when I graduate law school and have to pay exoribiant amounts of money for access to it.

I am also in love with Anna Quindlen. This is really nothing new, just a re-iteration of what an amazing and brilliant writer she is. And a recommendation to read her stuff (esp Newsweek columns).

You know how sometimes, when you have two projects to be doing, one is just so much more interesting than the other that you spend way too much time on it? This is why I spent the last two hours reading obits of Betty Friedan rather than revising my philosophy paper. However, I haven't been all bad- I deliberately put off writing my paper on reinventing fairy tales until last, so that I don't spend all my time on it. Also, it means the last paper I'll write is about fairy tales, something I find both delightful and vaguely ironic.

I graduate in five days, which is just strange. It doesn't seem real yet, since I'm all caught up in paper-writing and such. When I pack up my room it's really going to hit me, I think.

I forget if I've posted since I visited Virginia, but if not, I really liked it there, and think I ultimately made the right choice. Or at least I hope so, since I sent in my seat deposit, and didn't send one anywhere else, meaning I'm stuck with it now.

Congrats to everyone else graduating this semester!

So instead of doing homework, like a good student, or going to bed, like a sensible little girl, I'm updating livejournal. Because why update when you have nothing else to do?
I'm sitting at Paul's (Julie's boyfriend) house, curled up in a chair with my laptop, because they have wireless in the house (have I mentioned before that I love wireless? Love it.)
And tommorow, too too early, I fly out to visit University of Virginia Law School. Which is why we are at Paul's, since he is uber close to the airport.
The visit should be fun- I'm pretty set on going there, so they really don't have to convince me of anything. I'm going to meet a potential roommate, which is a little strange. I'm going to have to project normal so she will want to live with me.
And now I'm watching the Daily Show too, and will probably watch the Colbert Report, despite the fact I have to be up in 5 hours. I'm sure those hour cat-naps I can get on my two short flights will fix that (if I even succeed in sleeping, I almost never do when I fly).
Virginia offered me bunches of money, what amounts to half tutition, so I feel better about going there and turning down other places.
Not that I needed to turn down Georgetown, they waitlisted me.
And not that I'd complain if Virginia gave me more. But they've been awfully nice already so I'm not going to push my luck.
Paul has cats. This was bad for a while, even though I took Benadryl right when I walked in the door. It must be kicking in now though (2 hours later) because I don't feel like I'm going to die anymore. My throat feels a little funny though, like maybe it's coated with cat hair. I doubt this is the case though. Hopefully.
I really should go to bed or at least read if I'm going to stay up. I can do that now that my eyes don't feel like they are burning out of my head.
Katie Couric gets paid way too much money. $125 million! I can't even imagine that much, and she's going to get it for anchoring nightly news, which really, I can't see her doing. Isn't she nice? Isn't that her thing? Nightly news does not equal nice, it equals gritty and hard-hitting. Today equals soft and fuzzy.
Enough of Katie Couric, I don't really care that much but Stephen Colbert was talking about it.
I should go to bed.
"Just as Jesus died for our sins, Tom Delay's congressional career died for Jack Abramhoff's sins" - Stephen Colbert
Okay, I think I'm done now. This is long enough for you all to remember why I don't update.

MSU Mock Trial
4th place at regionals
Highest the team has ever placed
Only beaten by Notre Dame's almost unstoppable teams, who took the top three places
Headed to Nationals in March
And one very well-deserved witness award :)

Damn.

If you'd asked me Friday what the very best outcome this weekend would be, I would have told you something very like what I just typed. Amazing.


In other news, the semester is going quickly, and I'm feeling pretty excited about graduating, but more and more nervous about law school. Not that I don't think I can handle it, but it's going to be such a big change.

Anyone going to be up here for spring break? I'm staying until Tuesday night to work, so let me know.

Curiosity killed the cat...

http://kevan.org/nohari?name=Sarah+Ann



but satisfaction brought it back.

My turn

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Sarah+Ann+M

I was riding around on the ADS bus today, and at one point I was pretty much the only person on there. I ended up going all the way around campus to get where I was going, and saw parts of campus I haven't seen in awhile.
I realized I can name just about every single building on campus, and more, that I have memories connected to just about every one. I looked at Jenison, and remembered the Pow-Pow of Love; the Auditorium and rollerskating, and just now I remembered too how much I loved the look of the mis-matched windows when I first came here and lived down that way.
I really love this place, a lot. It's going to be harder to leave than I realized.

So, my letter from UVa came...
and they liked me.

the university of virginia just sent an email to let me know they'd made a decision and are mailing me a letter.
which will be here in 7-10 days.
i'd rather not have known that, actually.

i've started my last semester at msu
i just made french fries, how cool is that
i have about 30 books for this semester, which was supposed to be easier than the last. but i want to read most of them.
i love my iPod but something is messed up with it's capacity. hopefully the apple people can tell me what.
i submitted my application to uva today. i hope they like it.
i apparently have a mono teflon-shield, because everyone around me has it and i don't.
i need a haircut
toblerone are delicious
kathleen got me a candle that smells like spain and now i miss it even more.
my goodness but i love the daily show
i have been working far too much but it will finally slow down now
i don't work tomorrow, i can wear jeans! i think it's very exciting
i wore a sweatshirt today my granny gave me from when msu won the rose bowl in '88, and everybody at work commented on it, it was fun
'the matador' looks entertaining, i'd like to see it

enough of that, i've got room-cleaning to do

i just ate my scrambled eggs with chopsticks. i do this often.

just in case you were unsure if i was odd or not