Thursday, September 24th, 2009 | General

One of the perks of having a boyfriend who works at Microsoft is the free stuff. I absolutely love getting something free, even if it’s useless. Wait, I should qualify that…I love getting anything free unless it’s a soy candy bar. That stuff just is weird. Anyway, the first major thing Zach got me is a Windows 7 Launch Party! We get to host our own party to celebrate Windows. The best part is that our party pack will be arriving shortly. In it I’ll find a free copy of Windows 7 (awesome, btw), a puzzle, windows napkins, tote bags, a centerpiece, playing cards, and more! I’m so excited!
Now, on to the second bit of awesomeness I received. Can you guess?

SNUGGIE! IT’S A SNUGGIE! It’s even embroidered with an Office logo. Now, I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be so…uh…large, but whatever. I also don’t really get that pocket in the front. I haven’t tested its warmth yet, but I have pretended to be a wizard. I’m truly magical in it.

Microsoft: Please give away shamwows at your next function. I really want one. A lot.

Monday, September 14th, 2009 | General, Law School

QFC is a mean grocery store. In order to get to the aisle that has all of the vegetables, you have to walk past bags and bags of candy. Usually candy doesn’t tempt me to buy it, but today was a different story. Really, how can anyone ignore the rainbow “Value Bag” filled to the brim with smarties? I just don’t think it’s possible. So, I bought the bag. After the fact I had to justify it, but I think I’ve figured how I can do that. I will only allow myself to have a smartie (or is the singular smarty?) if I finish reading for a class. I have ten classes a week so I can have ten packs of smarties. Of course, I have to try one first. Just to make sure they’re not poisoned or anything. You know, it’s a risk!

MMMM.

Sugar is the best. So are candy bribes to get through law school.

Sunday, September 13th, 2009 | General

At about one this afternoon, after a series of hunger pangs, I decided it was time to get out of bed. In my defense, I was working on my Contracts outline (when promissory estoppals come into play, I just get so distracted!).* Thus began a half hour long battle to get Zach to go out to IHOP with me. Why did I choose IHOP when I’m in this bountiful food city known as Seattle? When I have Caffe Presse a few blocks away or fresh farmer’s market foods in the other direction? Because some days, you just want fast, cheap, and mediocre. And today was one of those days.

At first, Zach said absolutely not. He was in denial–he had no choice in the matter and we were going. Then he tried to convince me how horrible it was, upset at the high coffee prices. Then he bargained, causing me to check out half a dozen other places on yelp. Throughout all of this was saddness that I could even suggest such a thing here in Seattle. Finally, the last stage of grief: Acceptance. And we were off!

On the way we passed dozens of women walking for Breast Cancer. Zach made some passing comment about how it would be nice if we had walked. I ignored him, knowing full well that he just wanted to get out of IHOP. He’s sneaky like that.

We made it to the slightly run down IHOP (Zach: “Is this even a real IHOP?”) and were quickly seated by a waiter in an NFL jersey who explained the sports themed specials. We ordered and coffee quickly arrived for Zach. I tried to convince him that it’s wonderful to have your own giant pot of coffee. He did not see that as a selling feature.

When I see this, it reminds me of Droopy:

So, the coffee didn’t exactly win Zach over. Our food came a short while later and was actually pretty good. Zach was especially pleased that the waiter brought kechup AND hot sauce. I must say that pancakes were really tasty, although we both agreed that it was more of a dessert food than a breakfast one.

It is now 2:45 and I am quite satisfied. Now it’s back to Contracts and Legal Writing. And maybe some Civil Procedure, just for kicks :)

*It took me ten minutes to figure out how to do the punctuation in this sentence. I still don’t know if it’s right. Is there some internet guide to grammar? All I found were forums bickering over exclamation points.

Saturday, September 12th, 2009 | Uncategorized

Coming from the Southwest, I expected Seattle to have pretty pathetic sunsets. I’ve since changed upgraded Seattle’s sunsets to decent. Here are some shots from out of my window over the course of several weeks:

Sunday, September 6th, 2009 | General, Law School

I have finished week two of law school and wanted to something interested I learned. It’s not about how to plead cases or the property laws concerning foxes. Rather, it’s the simple phrase “Very truly yours.” We’ve been looking at client letters (letters a lawyer will send to a client informing him/her of the situation with recommendations). At the end of many of them is the phrase “Very truly yours.” While it went mostly unmentioned in class, I found it quite odd and it got me thinking…what is the history of this phrase? Is it a generational phrase?

Hearing “Very truly yours” reminds me of signing a letter XOXO. Also, what’s the deal with the very in there? Is truly yours not enough? I’m not just yours, I’m truly yours…no wait…VERY truly yours. Super duper yours.

Wikipedia says that it’s rarely used in the UK anymore because it can make one appear superior, however it is found in slang, such as “Yours truly.”

Yet someone else claims it was actually used by a subordinate: “Very truly yours, your humble servant. XOXO.” I might have embellished the end on that one.

One internet site rejects it because it’s used primarily by lawyers, claiming they write something cold-hearted and follow it up with a sickly sweet “very truly yours.” I will ignore this one. My heart is warm and loving, so there.

Of the young people I asked (2 people. Yes, I’m the best at taking accurate surveys), all found it odd and informal. I wonder if this comes from growing up with the internet. Chats are often concluded with informal phrases like “ttyl, laterz, brb, l8r, ttfn, bai, ____ has signed off.” These phrases make no mention of one person’s possession of another, they’re simply means of saying goodbye. All of my letters are sent via email, not the postal service. Half the time, I don’t even use valedictions. I wonder if using a means that lacks the personal touch of handwriting and where you frequently correspond with someone you’ve never seen contribute to one’s desire to refrain from any ending that might hint at something personal.

But what makes that ending seem so personal? I think it comes down to the word “yours.” Long ago, did people in love say to each other “I’m yours,” or is this a modern phrase? When did “yours” go from respect and admiration to love in the romantic sense?

How do you feel about “Very truly yours?” Is it respectful or is it too personal? Also, if you don’t mind, how old are you?

Very truly yours,
Emily

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 | General

A bug terrorized me the other day. And when I say terrorized, I mean it was on a wall across the room, not flying or making a noise, clearly just trying to figure out a way to get outside. It was a menace. Anyway, I freaked out for a good half hour until Zach responded to my IM and said he would take care of it when he got home. Unfortunately by that time it had disappeared, however I was smart enough to take a picture before that happened in order to scare Zach with its immense scariness:

Neither of us knew what this was. A friend suggested that it was a beetle. Could be. I googled it but all it came back with was pictures of cars and a few disgusting bugs, none of which were my disgusting bug.

Unfortunately, disgusting scary bug returned. All it took was a buzz to make me run from my computer in fear. Seeing nothing, I decided that I’d best stay away from the computer for awhile. I played wii fit for a bit then returned, thinking I had imagined the buzz. Nope. Icky bug was back in all its glory, although his back leg looked a little worse for wear. I don’t want to even imagine that I might have stepped on him without noticing. Disgusting. But back to the bug. I grabbed the Windex and sprayed him like crazy. Then I shoved him under a glass cup where he now remains. Not two feet from me, I have the captured beast in an overturned coca cola glass. But now I’m feeling pangs of remorse. I know the Windex is hurting him. He keeps flipping over and writhing in what I can only assume is bug pain. When he manages to straighten himself, he walks to the edge of the glass (always the edge nearest to me, clever bug) and gives me the saddest little bug look ever.

Should I release him? I could drop him out of the window, but it’s 11 floors up and that bug is really high on Windex. I don’t even know if he can fly, although Zach assumes so since he managed to make it up here. Gah! He’s looking at me again! All up on his hind legs, looking sullen. He’s going to die anyway, right? I mean, yes, I probably killed him with the Windex, but still, any action I take now won’t help things, right? And maybe my blogging about him gives his little life meaning? He will be forever on the internet! I like justifying my cruel actions.

He’s still looking at me.

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 | General, Law School

Yeah, I said it, Seattle is weird. No, it’s not weird for the random Michael Jackson flash mobs, nor is it weird for all of the naked people that ride bikes here (as opposed to the ones who nakedly walk). No, Seattle is weird because rain falls directly down. It’s as if gravity is calling to her lost love, saying, “Rain, do not dally! Return to whence you came, preferably taking the fastest possible route, a straight line.” It really is quite crazy to me. In Arizona, rain is usually accompanied by wind. It would seem less odd for me to witness it moving parallel to the ground as opposed to perpendicular. And yes, I have referenced math related terms three times in this post. I am smart. 5th grade math smart (I did have to use spell check on parallel and perpendicular).

So I suppose that more than law school, rain perplexes me. Law school simply amuses me. While reading for torts, I encountered several cases relating to children performing negligent acts. While most of the cases were drawn out, there was a small, one sentence reference to a case in which a child, performing in a play as Peter Pan, attempted to fly using his own contraption. I was left to create that mental image and wonder just what happened to that Peter Pan. I then questioned whether he truly believed in fairies. Evidently, as the book would like us to conclude from its lack of details, he did not believe in them enough. Did I mention Zach’s cat will be coming to live with us on our 11th floor apartment? I wonder what her belief in fairies is. I think Zach will believe in closing all of the windows considering this cat is not be the brightest about protecting her nine lives: