Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Catch-up

Eight whole days since I last wrote in my blog! How terrible. I blame the turkey (which was really good, by the way. Thanks mom!).

So, what has been up with me? Oh, lots of things! Let's take a look!

1. Heartache for the Holidays
Doesn't it seem to happen around this time of year? People are either still or suddenly alone, and man does that sting. A couple of friends who were suddenly with someone are now suddenly without. It sucks. I wish that the hurting would stop after a good meal of sushi and beer. Or something like that, anyway. Remember those in your life who are sad and remind them what they mean to you, k? I figure that's the only thing that can help.

2. Shots are Shot
I have to stop my allergy shots. :( I never would have guessed that this would make me sad, but I rather looked forward to seeing the shot-giver every week and proving my bravery by not even flinching when injected. Unfortunately, the beta-blockers will save me from having migraines, but could also kill me if I had a randomly terrible reaction to an injection, so the injections have to wait for a while. I'll probably have to start over with my doses by the time I can get back to it. Sad, so sad.

3. Turkey Day!
My family had a wonderful holiday together. We went to our favorite thankgiving day restaurant for Thanksgiving Lunch, saw National Treasure and got pie at Cracker Barrel. As a special added bonus, we actually cooked a turkey and fixins on Saturday!! This is a big deal. We've been eating out for Thanksgiving for the last 15 or 16 years. And, as a reward for my part in helping out, I got all the left-overs!

4. The Migration Continues
In little over a month several more good friends are departing for their corner of the world. Some will be back from time to time, some not. It's tough when so many people leave so suddenly. I'm really happy that they're graduating or moving up in the world and making things work for them, but will miss them all the same.

5. Singing as a Hobby
I love it! I'm singing for my good friend's wedding this weekend, and for Christmas Eve service back home. I still apparently have a working voice, though it takes ages to warm up these days. It's so fun to pick out music, without any pressure, to sing just because I like it, not becuase there is something I have to learn from it or it's in the correct language. That, and I also found a ton of Christmas-appropriate music to sing that is NOT Oh Holy Night or Ave Maria (which were already claimed by the time they asked me to sing). I like being able to sing because it feels good, rather than having to sing up to a standard or because it's my job. Going to law school was such a good decision!

6. Exams on the Horizon
Yep, they're coming. Class ends next week Tuesday or Wednesday. Exams are on the 13th, 16th, 18th and 22nd. They are each 3.5 hours long beginning at 8:30am. All but one constitutes my entire grade for the class for the semester. I'll be studying a lot :)

There you go! Cheers!
~Kz

Monday, November 22, 2004

Busy Busy Busy

So, a holiday is almost here and another one close on its heels. That means most of the population of Madison is starting to freak out. The end of the semester has crept up on us again, and everything we have been putting off finally needs to be done. Fortunately, all I have been putting off this year is studying, which everyone is doing this time of year anyway, so I'm not nearly as bad off as when I put off bigger, more important things. These things have been applications for jobs, applications for schools, research papers, speeches, memorization of songs, and reading entire books. I don't miss my undergraduate years.

For now, I must return to writing about the options my hypothetical District Attorney's office has in charging people related to a terrible death of a woman with cerebral palsy. I am on page 3. Whoo hoo.

Okeydokey.

~kz

Friday, November 19, 2004

Splat

So, I was over at my handy dandy Ikea desk checking my e-mail on my laptop while it was plugged into my big music speakers. I brought Sophie with me and set her on the desk portion while I typed and clicked. I was listening to some neat Iranian pop music on iTunes Radio. It has a pretty good bass that resonates through the desk. I took a minute to look and see how she was doing (as she sat between my elbows), and lo and behold, she had splatted out to enjoy the musical vibrations!


Thursday, November 18, 2004

One of those moments...

Do you ever have one of those moments? I don't mean a moment when you realize your fly has been unzipped throughout your speech, or that you remember that you left eggs boiling on the stove (shout-out to my mom, who has some of the funniest cooking stories I've ever heard). I mean a moment where you suddenly realize the course and direction your life is taking. Not just, oh, I'm in law school so I'm gonna be a lawyer. I mean the moment when you read a bit of contracts, think of all you have to learn about them, and realize that not too long in your future you will have an understanding of this and many other very legally useful concepts; that someday soon you will be able to advise people seeking legal information; that you will be one of the people changing the way the law is understood and enforced.

I just had one of those moments. Maybe it's my coffee.

I'm really excited about my future. I think it'll be fun. :)

On a side-note, I'm really feeling excited about the upcoming holiday season. I think this weekend I'll get out my Christmas tree and squeeze it into my 10x10 livingroom, somehow... I can't really afford to buy Christmas presents this year, so I'm trying to think of a cheap, creative but not terribly time-cosuming way to share the joy of the season with friends and loved-ones. If you have any ideas, let me know.

Ok, back to studying, yep, you guessed it, Contracts! Yay!
Migraines

All week.
Lots of pills and shots and naps.
More later.
~Kristen

Monday, November 15, 2004

Passwords

Sorry for not posting for a few days, but I managed to forget my password! Worst of all, I think the e-mail account I signed up for blogger with has been lost to the empty void of cyberspace. Oops. Fortunately, after a couple shots and doses of pills today (thanks UHS), I was able to remember. Whew!

I had a great weekend with my family. We did fun things, like sit around, talk a lot, and go to New York City. You know, just normal weekend things.



I'm being sarcastic, we really don't normally just jet off to NYC for the day. Seriously. But more about that later.

Yes, and two of those pills today were Vicodin. But don't worry, I won't do a Brett Farve. I'll stop, no problem. Well, one more wouldn't hurt...



Ok, I'm kidding again. They gave me two at UHS and two to take home. I'm really worried that y'all will take me seriously today!

Anyway, more later
~Kristen

Thursday, November 11, 2004

How Christianity Fits My Belief (or vice versa)

Without much explanation, I want to put down in type the ways that my faith meshes with Christianity, how I understand it intellectually. Here is goes:

Prayer - This seems like a sort of meditation, or being very aware of the messages we send ourselves and those around us. I believe it has tremendous power, but maybe doesn't summon literal miracles in the magic sort of sense.

Miracles - Maybe not divine intervention so much as demonstration of the amazing and unknown power we posses, as humans and as a planet. There are lots of forces that we don't understand. Miracles are still very special, but perhaps more organic than we understand.

God - The idea of an old man with a white beard doesn't really fit into the way I see the world. I feel like the idea of God better describes the filament of our world, the source of life and that which connects us all. Higher consciousness, river of energy, karma, these things all kinda fit into it.

Jesus - The person who communicated to people (Jews at the time, Christians now) about God and what is real and important. We are Christians because Jesus is the man who taught us these things. If it had been someone else, we may have been Jews or Muslims or Islamic. Jesus is also symbolic of those unknown powers we posses and the "miracles" that can happen when we believe in something greater than ourselves.

Holidays - Most Christian holidays were first pagan holidays, so the days are really very special anyway. Most of the meaning I find in the various celebrations is symbolic, which I find very inspirational.

None of my beliefs are meant to diminish Christianity or its importance in my life and the lives around me. Rather, it is a way for me to incorporate my life's experiences and the knowledge I've gained into my faith.

It also helps me to reconcile with the blatant patriarchy preached in Christianity (which followed Judaism in direct conflict to the woman God who ruled in early human civilizations, see When God Was A Woman for more info), and, for that matter, the terrible ways in which power-hungry men have used the guise of Christianity to further truly evil aims to horrible ends. As much as Jesus preached peace, Christianity really hasn't followed suit, you gotta admit.

So, that's what I believe. Mine is but one path to the top of the mountain, no better and no less.
How Christianity Fits My Belief (or vice versa)

Without much explanation, I want to put down in type the ways that my faith meshes with Christianity, how I understand it intellectually. Here is goes:

Prayer - This seems like a sort of meditation, or being very aware of the messages we send ourselves and those around us. I believe it has tremendous power, but maybe doesn't summon literal miracles in the magic sort of sense.

Miracles - Maybe not divine intervention so much as demonstration of the amazing and unknown power we posses, as humans and as a planet. There are lots of forces that we don't understand. Miracles are still very special, but perhaps more organic than we understand.

God - The idea of an old man with a white beard doesn't really fit into the way I see the world. I feel like the idea of God better describes the filament of our world, the source of life and that which connects us all. Higher consciousness, river of energy, karma, these things all kinda fit into it.

Jesus - The person who communicated to people (Jews at the time, Christians now) about God and what is real and important. We are Christians because Jesus is the man who taught us these things. If it had been someone else, we may have been Jews or Muslims or Islamic. Jesus is also symbolic of those unknown powers we posses and the "miracles" that can happen when we believe in something greater than ourselves.

Holidays - Most Christian holidays were first pagan holidays, so the days are really very special anyway. Most of the meaning I find in the various celebrations is symbolic, which I find very inspirational.

None of my beliefs are meant to diminish Christianity or its importance in my life and the lives around me. Rather, it is a way for me to incorporate my life's experiences and the knowledge I've gained into my faith.

It also helps me to reconcile with the blatant patriarchy preached in Christianity (which followed Judaism in direct conflict to the woman God who ruled in early human civilizations, see When God Was A Woman for more info), and, for that matter, the terrible ways in which power-hungry men have used the guise of Christianity to further truly evil aims to horrible ends. As much as Jesus preached peace, Christianity really hasn't followed suit, you gotta admit.

So, that's what I believe. Mine is but one path to the top of the mountain, no better and no less.
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Monday, November 08, 2004

My Beautiful Girl

So, it's Monday. Think it's not a good day? How wrong you are, my friend! Tonight, the proverbial "they" are predicting another excellent night for viewing the Northern Lights!! I saw an amazing display last night as my dad drove me from Germantown to Madison. Wow, what a sight! So, tonight, go somewhere dark and look north! Also, I guess there's a pretty good website out there that tracks sightings of the Northern Lights, but I don't know what it is. I'll ask my mom what site she used and get back to you.

Cheers!
~Kristen

Thursday, November 04, 2004

So, after the depression

...comes the very fun and relaxing morning courtesy of skipping my Civil Procedure class. You know, life is better when I don't go to Civil Procedure class.

Television is really kinda calming. I've been watching the Travel Channel. The "Get Packing" show is refreshingly, well, moronic. I just ate a noodle bowl by Simply Asian, which I really liked.

It was just nice to get up this morning, nice and early, eat some breakfast, and go back to sleep with my hedgehog snuggled up next to me. :)

You know, things really are ok. They will be ok.

Can I just say that this commercial that's on Travel Channel, Animal Planet, etc is hilarious? It's for "Life Alert", a little button to push if you fall and you're old. Oh my gosh, it's these people who look like they're from some trailer park and haven't left the house in decades. The best is this goofy looking "doctor" who says, and I quote, "If you fall, the chances of reaching a phone are very unlikely." It makes me smile every time I see it. :)

I'm gonna go snuggle with my hedgehog and eat some string cheese!

~Kristen

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Shock and Heartache

I've heard before that Madison is insulated, that we are an island of liberalism and education. I've heard that academia is it's own world as well, something separate from the "real world." I've been told that I'm young and naive, privileged and lucky. You would think that I would expect to be let down and hurt as reality invades my experience.

It doesn't make it any easier.

Oh, I could be talking about the election. My candidate for president didn't win. Sure, this was a let-down, but really, the choice between two politicians is never that different. Yes, the conservatism of the current administration worries me, but there are many ways to affect change if I feel so threatened. I still have a lot of power as a citizen and a future lawyer. Besides, four years from now we'll have a different president regardless. Life goes on.

What really has injured me today was the realization of the prevalence of ignorance. Not just in my neighborhood. Not just in my state, but everywhere. I am injured that hate and bigotry and prejudice and just plain ignorance permeates our society and lingers even as we claim victories through equal rights amendments and education.

It hurts.

On one hand, I am looking into the developing field of Animal Law, about which I have written before. I actually found a yahoo group on the subject of Wisconsin Law, which is pretty interesting. Encouraged by the existence of such a group, I decided to look up information on feminist groups, since that is also a cause I care strongly about.

What I found, instead, were heavily populated groups on something called Anti-feminism. Here are some excerpts on what they had to say:

"feminism_is_wrong
Do you believe that feminism is the great lie of the last 100 years? A list for those who believe that feminism is WRONG -- that all leaders (in homes, churches, government and schools) should be MALE. If you believe in patriarchy, if you believe that allowing women to vote is wrong, if you think that female preachers aren't right, join us. We'll talk about right relationships in the family, women as keepers at home, male headship, headcovering, homeschooling, and lots more."

"feminism-nothanks
This group is for intelligent discussions on how to counteract the destructive effects of feminism that has already destroyed the American family and is destroying the entire fabric of our society."

"TeenAnti-Feminism
A haven for Teen Anti-Feminists ( youth who are Against feminism, and who are pro-life ) to have a place of their own to come and discuss Anti-Feminists issues. Also to discuss the new Youth for Anti-Feminism the youth arm of the new National Organization for Anti-Feminism"


This exists. This is out there.

it hurts

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

40 Minutes In and Still Awake!!

This is the first time in over two weeks that I can say that I HAVE NOT DOZED A BIT in my Civil Procedure course! Yay!

We're talking about three reasons not to like jury trials. Over 50% of the class said that it was because jurors are incompetent. That was my answer too. I figure it's because I wouldn't want the people I went to high school with deciding my fate. Maybe just my personal prejudice.

VOTE!!

Monday, November 01, 2004

Halloween!



Yes, I was amongst those who flocked to State Street on Saturday, October 30th. It was such a great time, to say the very least. During the hours I was part of the crowd (between 8 and 11), the atmosphere was jovial, friendly and safe. The Madison Police did a fantastic job of remaining a strong presence throughout the evening. The two officers with whom I conversed were in good spirits and seemed to wish only to avoid violence and riots. I could sure agree with them on that!

As you can see, my costume was a home-made version of one of Wisconsin's least endangered animals, the construction barrel. Though most often sighted in large groups during the summer months, the construction barrel can also be seen in small, lingering clumps through the winter months, especially in large cities. Notice the bright orange and reflective coat, perfectly designed to maximize aggravation to unsuspecting drivers. Notice that the two barrels pictured above are juveniles, lacking the distinctive skid and tire marks of the mature members of the species.

Election tomorrow. Don't forget to vote. Hah. The only people who could possibly "forget" that tomorrow is election day have no electricity, access to media, telephones or friends. Thus, no one reading this fits the bill. Unless you have no friends, in which case you should probably shower more.

Goodnight!