If you follow me on Twitter, you probably already know that I absolutely LOVE black licorice candy! I guess that makes me a rare specimen because it would seem that only a handful of people in the world actually like it too! I’ll admit, it does taste pretty funky. I honestly can’t eat more than four pieces at a time. So why do I like it?
I love black licorice because it reminds of my childhood. One of my father’s favorite candies is Good & Plenty, which is essentially pink and white, candy-coated, black licorice. Every time my family and I piled into the car for a road trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, my father would always be sure to have a box of Good & Plenty handy and, of course, he’d always share. When I eat licorice, it feels just like going back to my little, 5-year-old self strapped in the backseat, looking out the passenger window with a handful of those pink and white candies melting in my hand. So thanks, Dad, for making me a black licorice fan!
NOTE: Consuming excessive black licorice can be bad for your health! I only eat Twizzlers licorice, which only uses small amounts of licorice extract.
Anyway, nostalgia aside, I finished watching the film, Les Miserables today! I’ve often heard stellar reviews of the novel by Victor Hugo (It was my high school history teacher’s favorite book!) and I’m sure we’ve all heard the song “I Dreamed a Dream,” a song from the musical version, at least once (Thanks, Susan Boyle!). However, I’ve always been wary of reading the book since it’s, like, THIS thick! *sticks thumb and and forefinger apart as far as they will go* So I thought I’d try to watch the movie first, just to see if it would be worth the 1,000,000+ pages of reading. My final verdict:
It was FANTASTIC! I watched the 1998 version with Liam Neeson as the main character, Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who seeks a peaceful life, but must constantly escape the clutches of the relentless police inspector, Javert. The film is on the longer side, a little over two hours, but it’s well worth it. As soon as I can find a copy of the book that divides the book into easy-to-swallow volumes, I’ll likely read it.
So, lovely readers, I ask:
Have you ever read/watched Les Miserables?
And, what was your favorite candy when you were growing up?
Hello lovely readers!
See, whenever an idea for a blog post comes to mind, I usually jot it down in my handy Moleskine notebook. On May 22nd, 2010, I wrote simply: “I don’t understand Tumblr!”
Before I made this blog, I gave Tumblr a shot… and hated it. But I now I finally get it.
Basically, Tumblr is a cross between WordPress and Twitter. You’re not limited by 140 characters, but your text/photo/link/audio/video posts are meant to be short and sweet. So it comes in handy when you want to post something longer than a tweet, but shorter than a blog post.
So, without further ado:
http://itsokidoki.tumblr.com/
At the moment I’m using it as a link-log of sorts. A place to share any cool, interesting things around the internet, but in the future, I’ll probably post photos and videos as well!
If you have a Tumblr, please give me a link! I’m looking for some awesome Tumblelogs to follow! :D
How many lawyers does it take to change a light bulb?
Fifty four. Eight to argue, one to get a continuance, one to object, one to demur, two to research precedents, one to dictate a letter, one to stipulate, five to turn in their time cards, one to depose, one to write interrogatories, two to settle, one to order a secretary to change the bulb, and twenty-eight to bill for professional services.
There are a lot of lawyer jokes out there and most of them accuse lawyers for being cold, heartless, manipulative, and greedy. And yet, a lawyer is what I aspire to be.
I didn’t always want to do this. Over the years I wanted to be a cashier, a nurse, an astronomer, a pilot, an editor, a codebreaker, and many other occupations. My decision to become a lawyer didn’t come until halfway of my senior year in high school, a little over a year ago. Before then, I was determined to work for a government agency, particularly the FBI. I was fascinated by the grim, yet romantic, life of an agent: taking on the big cases and bringing criminals to justice. There was a full-ride scholarship program sponsored by the FBI that I was planning to apply for, but when my father and I made a phone call to the program with questions, we found that what the FBI needed today might not be what they need tomorrow and that job security wasn’t guaranteed. I decided that the FBI wasn’t the place for me.
After the phone call, over lunch, my dad suggested I become a lawyer. By doing so, I’d be on the other side of the justice system: the courtroom. It was a possibility that had never occurred to me, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense. I would have job security, I would work in a professional environment, and, best of all, I would be able to spend my college years studying something I absolutely love: English. Not too long afterward, a letter came in the mail offering me a half-tuition scholarship at a local university. It was like all the pieces came together and formed a clear-cut path to a bright future. I knew for certain that this is what I was meant to do.
Funny thing is, if you knew me in person, I’m probably the last person you’d ever think of being a lawyer. I watch cartoons and gush over cute things. I wear bright colors and see the world with an optimistic view. I’m nothing like the stern, severe women that most people conjure up when thinking of female lawyers. In fact, one of my goals is to break that stereotype. I want to be the attorney who knows all the paralegals, secretaries, and interns by name and remembers their birthdays. I want to be the attorney who makes muffins for everyone in the law firm. I want to prove that not all lawyers are callous snakes.
Being a lawyer is more than just proving something to the world, but also proving something to myself. I’ve always been fascinated by strong female characters in books and movies because that’s what I want to be. Right now I’m a very quiet and passive person. I want to change that. I want to become a powerhouse woman. A girl with gumption. Someone who takes the situation by the reins and makes her own endings. I want to be someone like Megyn Kelly. She works in journalism now, but she was once an attorney. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and kind, but when she gets into a debate, she’s a force to be reckoned with.
I know that the LSAT, law school, and the bar exam will be difficult. Even today, my law classes test my ability and push me to my limits. But I see it as a challenge. I know exactly where I want to be in life and I’m willing to handle anything this path throws at me. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger right?
One more joke for the road:
What’s the difference between a lawyer and a pit bull?
Jewelry.
Damn right.