Day 900: Uncanny Balance

In all my previous semesters, I've done my best to have a daily countdown of my final exams. I have reached a point of seriously degenerative Je M'en Fiche. Senioritis at its finest. Seriously.

So...Thursday night I went bellydancing. Spent all day Friday not really studying. Enjoyed my day off. Made lace. Watched Angel and Drop Dead Diva and was generally a slacker. Popped by the office at school briefly to check in with my partner. Went to the Clinic Party at the Boss's house, which was actually pretty awesome. We had tasty food and laughed, enjoyed each other's company. Got to meet everyone's significant others. We girls cooed over Jordan B., because he is totally the sweetest guy in the world and it's always understandable to coo over him, just a bit. It rained a little, but it was generally nice, and the Boss has a lovely house. I'd had a JRCLS lunch with the new presidency and Professor Andrus earlier in the day, which was awesome, only I'd burned the roof of my mouth, so for a couple days after that eating was pretty painful. Grrrr.

The Boss and Milo, the professor for the other half of the clinic, handed out comedy awards. What was my award? Oh yeah - Teenage Lawyer Ninja. I was pretty jazzed, not gonna lie, and it was hella funny. I have ninja certificates in my Geek binder, and I have law certificates in my Geek binder. Clearly this is the bridge between the two. Afterwards I came home and talked to friends and family. Went to bed.

Saturday morning was a baptism really, really early, so I went. Then we went for a service project, which mostly involved me getting owned at poker by a bunch of geriatrics. I noticed, a little too late, that two of my friends are dating, but they're a cute couple, and I'm happy for them, so there you go. Afterwards I went to the Institute and camped out to study. Angela ended up joining me, and she was awesome and brought Subway sandwiches, so that was fun. We listened to a whole lot of Yoshiki's Eternal Melody music (I love that man more and more with every song of his that I hear) and then boosted on out of there later. I went to D&D, where we picked up three new players, including another girl.

Now, I was pretty sure that I'd reached my masochistic limit, and under no conditions was I going to belt test before I head back to Utah to take the bar. I'd put my foot down with Sensei Raymond, and that was that. I was super wrong. Tomie has magical powers of persuasion, and one moment I was explaining how I've hit my limit, and the next I was agreeing to swing by his house tonight for an extra night of training so I know enough half staff to get through testing. Eek.

(On a random note, on Friday night, Angela managed to de-shirt one of the guys at training. In fact that guy was Josh, who also plays D&D. I told Tomie, and he cut up laughing. I bugged Josh about his wardrobe malfunction, which was pretty awesome. On Tuesday night, Mr. Miller, one of the black belts, told me someone should have given Josh a dollar. Dude just needs a uniform.)

Sunday was a long day - church, then staying late for a meeting, then visiting teaching. Although I am teaching Beverly and Abby, who are super awesome. Oddly enough, Beverly was one of the girls I taught when I first moved into the ward, so the full circle aspect was awesome. Also, Bev and Abby offered to host a dinner for the going-away girls before I cut out for the summer, which was super sweet of them, and they are both awesome good cooks.

Monday was...long. I studied for free speech best as I could. Had Angela over for some post-exam Drop Dead Diva and Turkish Delight. Took off for FHE, and we gamed. It was a short game, but still longer than I'd have liked. One of my new gamer girls, Sam, is really enjoying the game. Apparently it makes her feel loved and included. I'm a bit overwhelmed at having nine players, but I love my players, and if they find our gaming circle a circle of friends, then I'm happy. She's worried about being a handful, and I can see where she's coming from, but I'll consider this a lesson in patience.

On Tuesday the free speech exam was...ugh. I'm pretty sure my first answer was totally incoherent, and I used way too many conclusory phrases, but I know I knew the answers, and I did my best. I swung by the office to check on my partner afterwards, and then I went home and called my mom. Tuesday's exam gift was an absolutely beautiful Parker Pen, all fountain and ink and converter and...yeah. I love it. I love pretty pens. It's a partner pen, in Drop Dead Diva lingo, so there you go. I took too long a nap, studied some C&S, and then went to training.

Sensei Raymond was in a pretty bad mood, but then he'd had a bad day, and when push comes to shove, he didn't punish us nearly as much as he could have. I learned that my crescent kicks are weak, and also that I am lame at spinning jumping crescent kicks and even more lame at 360 roundhouse kicks. But whatever. We learned a hip throw, and then Mr. Miller was super awesome and helped me with my side kick, and also with my distance dive (which is still lame and my left shoulder hurts).

Afterwards I went home (and was summarily distracted by online videos of random black belts beating each other up (bonus was a teenaged Sensei Raymond who was only a purple belt at the time and all ickle and sweet-looking and totally getting owned by Sensei Marr) and talked to Sei and Ericka online, and we played cards via interwebz with my pretty new deck of cards.

Random note: Elder Sensei Raymond was off work due to shoulder surgery for a bit, and in his pain med haze he posted fun videos on facebook of various people punching things, and also we ended up commenting on each other's posts back and forth. He was pretty personable online, but in person it was like we didn't even know each other. Oh, the irony. Also, apparently he thinks I am pretty, but he is married and that was the drugs talking.

I studied some more this morning before the exam, and then I went to school and...wow. Kyle and Hoop weren't kidding - that exam was...like repeating myself over and over again. One of the primary tests in First Amendment Establishment Clause jurisprudence is the Lemon Test, developed from the case Lemon v. Kurtzman. Every time I had to dredge up the Lemon test, either while studying or writing, I also saw Mr. Lemmons punching things. It was pretty awesome - not gonna lie. After the exam I checked in at the office and learned that I only have 16 hours left, which with the upcoming trial shouldn't be a problem at all. I talked to my partner some, and then I hung out with Angela.

I went home and, like a good girl, called my mother. Today's exam gift was a genuine white barrister's wig. My mom swore it was a gag gift, but I consider it a nod to my cultural heritage, and I like it lots. It's up on my entertainment center next to the sign that reads: "Lawyers, I suppose, were children once." I took a nap, then woke up and...watched Glee. Made lace. Watched two episodes of Bones. Now I suppose I ought to get ready to head out to meet Tomie for some staff training.

I might have had it in me to study for Native American Law today, but I think I've reached a certain stress level that once, where everything mattered, now nothing matters. I've gone crazy.

So...I'll go train. Maybe I'll study tonight. Maybe catch some Criminal Minds. Who knows.

I will study tomorrow, and study hard, but...this has been crazy.