Gone Fishing

While every one else was getting their newly minted law licenses in the mail, I got a fishing license. This past weekend, I put it to use. This was not my first fishing trip with my favorite surffisher, but it was the first trip where I fished with him, instead of sitting in the truck reading the UCC (my law buddies cringe at the thought of the UCC, but for those non-law folks out there, the Uniform Commercial Code gives us the rules for dealings in goods).

Ocracoke, NC is a quaint village on the Outer Banks, accessible only by ferry. The weather was gorgeous, although I had to be vigilant about sunscreen (as always). I am one of those who burns in a few minutes unless slathered in at least a 30 SPF. It was so nice to be at the coast with nothing to do except for fish and drink beer.

So, what did I learn (about fishing)? I learned how to cast out on various rods, how to "set the hook," how to reel a fish in without losing it(the fish, not my mind), and how to put live bait (sea mullet) on the hook. Over the course of 4 days, I caught 2 puppy drum that were too small to keep, a spot that was used for bait, a sea mullet that we ate for dinner on Monday evening, and something else that I can't remember right now.

What else did I learn (about life)? Patience is crucial. With fishing, sometimes you just have to wait and wait and wait....and be OK with that. If you always try to "set the hook" or reel your line in everytime you feel something, you'll probably get tired pretty quickly and you might miss out on catching something. It's hard to just be still and wait, especially if you feel like you might be missing out on something. But, in the end, it really is best to be patient and be still. At least for a few minutes.

I was also reminded of my insignificance on this earth in the grand scheme of things. It was new moon so it was very dark out on the beach. Stars and planets were visible in the night sky and crabs were abundant on the beach. We are all ultimately merely a speck on this great planet. The 6 months in between Bar exams is really an insignificant amount of time in my life. I need to be still and patient and let February come to me....no need to wish that it be here any sooner.

Speaking of February...this is the week I can get my graded essays. I am particularly anxious to see essay #10. I know I wrote *something* about wills, but I still got a "0" on the essay (which we were told never happens unless you don't write anything or don't identify the area of law). Obviously, I should not have even wasted my time on it and perhaps should have spent more time on another essay.

One point. I'm still amazed at the difference one point is making in my life right now. I would likely be wrapping things up at my current job and getting ready to really go out there on my own. But, considering that now is not the best time in history to get a business loan nor any other type of credit, having an extra 6 months to save is possibly a blessing in disguise. Clients will probably be pinched to pay attorneys, especially in family law (what I want to do) where people usually don't put away money just in case their spouse cheats on them or leaves them with the kids. Between paying for food and paying an attorney, I think I'd be last on a list of bills to be paid. I'd be up for bartering law services for gasoline, coffee, beer, and nachos, so at least I'd wouldn't go hungry....especially now that I know how to fish.

I just have to be patient and still and wait for the fish to bite my line.