That's not how you say that!

I forgot. I forgot my professor doesn't know how to pronounce things. I forgot how incredibly irritating this is. It's grok. Like, a crocodile with a hard time with the first consonant. Grokster. Nobody here is croaking. I'm dying. I should have skipped class. I'm visible flinching every time he says it.

Oh, and in case you think this an isolated incident, he also thinks Stallone, like Sylvester Stallone (literally Sylvester Stallone; he's the party in the case) is pronounced with an "e" sound on the end. He adds a whole syllable just for the purpose of being wrong! Luckily, that was a short case. But this grokster case is something we are talking about a lot. And it's referenced in other cases. I am never free.

Just to put this in perspective, I sliced my finger open today, and I'm still taking the time and effort to write this. And it's on my pointer finger, so it's not like I can reposition my fingers and press on. Nope, all the pressing on that's occurring is my finger pressing on the keys in sharp pangs of frustration. GROKSTER DAMNIT. (He did it again. I wish I had cut my finger worse so I could be in the hospital right now. Or dying. Either would be preferable.)

In other news, I'm applying for jobs! It is not going well, but it is happening all the same. I've edited a few writing samples, I've redone my resume (many times), and I've written too many versions of cover letters to count. My frustration follows me into this aspect of my life. Even when I sort jobs by "entry level" positions (a sort facilitated by the website), the results returned require 2-5 years of experience. Why are they entry level? This isn't some error on the part of the website, either. It's a thing the company has to fill out! And they choose to advertise as "entry level." And then I click on 30 jobs I might like to do, and am not eligible to apply for any of them.

I talked to a classmate yesterday who said he's just applying to them anyway. So I guess I'm going to start doing that. Grrrrrrr. It would be so much easier if I had already passed the bar exam, because then I wouldn't seem quite so out of my league.

GROKSTER! The girl talking to the professor pronounced it right, then she pronounced it wrong to fall in line with this ancient relic in front of us. Now she's back to just saying it the right way (thank goodness).

Okay, I just had to rant a bit. Now I have to go write about how I will research the definition of
"interstate" for the purposed of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Fascinating stuff, am I right?

Time Management

I stayed up late last night to watch a computer play a game. My decision was rewarded when google's system defeated a world champion go player for the first time ever. Of course, I have never played go (or even seen it played) before, so I was not in the best position to appreciate what was going on, but the premise seemed understandable even if the intricacies and strategy passed over my head somewhat. The series is a best of five, with the next round tonight, so I might tune in again and see if I can understand things a bit better.

Also, I am applying for clerkships! I would really like to work for a judge doing research and writing memos and briefs. Gosh, that sounds boring when I put it that way. Trust me, it's super cool, and I would get to encounter new issues all the time, which would prevent me from getting bored. Also, it's a lot easier to find a job after clerking (from what I understand). Also, I would have an income! Incomes are good. Especially because...

I bought a plane ticket to Virginia! I didn't go to California or Vegas this year, and I couldn't let another awesome tournament pass me by. I still haven't heard back from other teams (cough, Windchill, cough), so I don't know what my future holds as far as frisbee playing is concerned, but it will be fun to go and make a fool out of myself in the sand. Plus, this year my shoulder won't be torn to shreds (hopefully). Of course...

I need to get in shape. So I started running a bit. A small bit. Like, I jogged to a cookie stand. (Just kidding, I'm running 3+ miles a few times a week. But cookies are delicious.) Alternate segue from the previous paragraph:

my shoulder did get injured at the state doubles tournament last year, and that's coming up in a little over a week. It would be nice to get through it healthy so I could play in Des Moines and in the state singles tournament, though. I am doing some rehab exercises my new doubles partner gave me, but I only got them a couple days ago, so the jury's out on whether or not they will help.

It's warm enough that biking doesn't feel like a terrible idea anymore! Of course, the lack of ice means my hopes and dreams of being a professional hockey player are going to have to take a seat on the bench for a while, but I suppose there's always next year.

I still haven't heard from Arizona. This does not stop people from asking me daily if I've heard from Arizona.

Spring break starts next week. This can also be read as "paper writing week" begins after Thursday. I have five papers to get started, and I'm still not quite sure what three of them are about.

I can't wait to graduate. And I get to celebrate graduation by skipping the ceremony and playing frisbee in Virginia! What better way to commemorate all of the valuable education I have received?

Definitely not the right time to blog

It seems Sarah and I are having a competition to see who can go the longest without blogging. Well, for once, I lose.

My life is still hectic. I'm in a good place as far as relationships go, but other than that, everything feels pretty tumultuous. I'm getting by on a day to day basis with respect to too many things, and it's catching up to me. That being said, I felt like writing a bit, just to get my fingers moving before cranking out yet another writing assignment.

Classes:
They are okay for now. In the next month and a half, though, I am responsible for writing five papers and taking two finals, so that's a bit stressful. I am treading water with regards to the daily assignments, but the stuff we do in class has nothing to do with the papers I'm writing. And the papers are our only real grade, so it's quite difficult to stay motivated for class. But if I don't stay motivated for class, I sound like an idiot if I have to talk in class. So I read and prepare for class during the hour before class, and the treading-water cycle continues. I could potentially catch up on my days off but...

Handball
Is going pretty well? I guess? It's a bit hard to say for sure. I feel like I'm in a bit of a slump, but I haven't really lost much recently, so it's hard to tell. I've been playing a lot of doubles recently, which makes it hard to determine exactly how much is my own shortcoming. I won the open division in Colorado, which was a nice consolation prize for losing in the pro division in a match I feel I should have won. Then I (we) got second in the winter carnival doubles tournament, which came with some cash, a free bag, and a modicum of self respect. League has been going... okay. My team isn't fantastic these days, so I've been playing doubles there too in the hopes that if I can carry the doubles team, we can steal a singles match and win the night. This strategy might have a flaw this weekend, though (we are in the finals), as the team we are up against includes 5 open players (Donovan, Quinn, Labey, Hagen, and Hiber). Beating any two of them in doubles will be tricky, and then someone still has to figure out a way to win a singles match against the remainder. But then afterwards...

Prom
My girlfriend is humoring me and making my sixth (and perhaps final) prom a special one. Of course, this particular event is called the "barrister's ball," but we all know better. Law prom it is, and for good reason. Drama, sloppiness, irresponsible decisions... all that's really different from high school is that the booze is legal. Oh, and copious. It seems, this year there will be three open bars at our disposal. What could go wrong? (A lot. A lot could go wrong.) Nothing probably will, though, especially with me at the helm of sober volunteership.

I don't have a nifty segue from the last heading to whatever I'm going to talk about next, but that's okay. You'll tolerate me anyway.

I had a fun time coaching the University of Minnesota players at the national collegiate handball tournament here in town. And I got to be part of a coaches meeting and rub elbows with the people in charge of making some important decisions moving forward. If I move to Arizona, I have some potential contacts! If I stay here, I have some potential contacts! If I move to Alaska... well, I suppose worlds is headed there in a couple of years, so I suppose that's almost relevant? (Why would I move to Alaska, you might ask? Well, I don't really have a job, per se, as of right now, technically, as a matter of fact, so I'm... in the market? Starving to death? What's the right term? Oh right, job-hunting! That's what I'm doing. It's delightful.)

Anyway, I suppose I've demonstrated to adequate effect that my fingers are capable of movement, so I'll head back to my regularly scheduled programming. (Oooh, programming! I'd still like to learn how to code for computers! Back burner sure is getting full these days...)

I'd say I'll write more soon, but maybe I'll condition that on Sarah actually updating her blog of European adventures. That way I know I won't have to, and I won't feel as bad for not writing here!

Genius (as usual)

Thanks for reading!