Where o’ Where Have You Been …

My blog has been anemic as of late. I can count the post I’ve made in the last three week on one hand, at least two don’t even count as full posts as they aren’t more than a simple, unexplored thought. I went on vacation and then, after coming home, was hit with a cold. This one, two punch knocked me off my blogging feet and it’s been difficult to get into a routine. This has lack of blogging will only be further exacerbated by the end of semester that is rapidly approaching (my first test, Torts by the way, is only three weeks from today). I need to buckle down to weather the next few weeks and the blog posts might be the easiest thing to jettison from an already packed day.

There has been plenty to blog about though. I did a job shadow with a Partner in a medium size firm (~6 partners, 30 associates) with offices in Seattle and Tacoma. They primarily do defendant bar stuff, the majority of the business comes from insurance companies who hire them to defend their customers from lawsuits. Although the firm specialized in medical claims (defending Drs from malpractice), on my job shadow I was exposed to lots of different topic in a brief afternoon. We visited a home site that was in trouble with the city due to garage built on a city property (by a previous home owner), we looked over an issue regarding a home that was being foreclosed on by local city for road construction on behalf of the home owner that was being forced out, we read through a contract for the sale of a business, and I was able to join in a meeting where an associate stopped by to talk about a couple automobile accident cases he was thinking of taking on. The lawyer apologized for not being able to show me a trial, or an mediation, or something “more lawyerly”; but I was happy for the content of the day. It was nice to a see a typical day, to see what lawyer do day in and day out. The law, largely, is not trail tactics and elegant arguments, it was nice to see the mundane work I have to look forward to. I also attended a small firm, solo practice career fair and talked to a number of lawyer about their job which is always something someone starting a new career should do. I could have devoted a blog to each and given you more, but this will have to do.

My parent came up for Easter and I gave up the weekend in the library to be with them. We had a great time, it was beautiful weather and I took full advantage of it. We walked the dog in the UW Arboretum, I took them out to West Seattle and watched people play volleyball in the sand and rollerblade along the beach, and we went shopping at Ikea, twice. I didn’t get much done on the school front. There is a nagging part of me that is beating me up for wasting a weekend so close to exams, but I smack that little voice every time it starts to whine. I need to remember that 5 years from now I’ll appreciate the time spent with my folks out on the beach must more than a couple hours in the library reviewing the fundamentals of the parol evidence rule. Law school will so easily devour anything of yourself you give it. If you let it, it will consume any relationship or interest you have outside of school and poop out a grade at the end, it’s just not worth it. I already know of people who have lost relationships because they have been so focused on school to the exclusion of everything, and everyone, else. I won’t be that person.

Finally, I have a beer review. I bought the Summer Honey Ale from Big Sky Brewing (those brilliant people behind Moose Drool) and I am giving it a mixed review. It is a good summer ale, perfect for a hot day after you’ve just mowed the lawn or sitting by the pool. Except for that, I can’t think of another situation to recommend this beer. True, I am biased against blonde ales, but even then it is a little bit light on the flavor. It does have some very sweet notes but they don’t linger well with the hops after the liquid has left your mouth. Overall, I’d give it a five/ten as it’s perfect in a very narrow range of situations, but overall there are much better choices out there for a general drinking beer.