March Madness

I am a college hoops fanatic (or a junkie, as someone affectionately called me). I love this time of the year. It helps that my favorite team, UNC, is generally a good team, and that the ACC Conference is also generally good each year. But lest you think I limit my fanaticism to just one team, I'd like you to know I just love watching a good college hoops game, no matter the team. I grew up watching college sports and one of the reasons I chose UNC was because I wanted to go to a school with a successful sports program, or at least one where students and alumni are big fans. I loved watching UNC games in Mexico City with other fans who were on vacation (but obviously they didn't plan well, because who would leave the country during March Madness!?)

So my addiction leaves me tired and with no fingernails. I can't sit still when there's a good game on. Last night, I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning to watch Syracuse beat UConn in SIX overtimes. I watched the entire game, considering Syracuse is the team I support after UNC and the other ACC (except Dook) teams. There was no way I was going to go to bed until the game was over!

6 overtimes. The best players fouled out by the 3rd overtime, so the last players on the court were players who hardly played during the regular season. That game seemed to be a prime lesson on the importance of sticking it out and the true meaning of working as a team. Sometimes I wonder what the benchwarmers think while on the sidelines the whole season, as they watch the top players get the glory. But, this game proved that those players are just as important to the team as the starting 5.

I love college sports because of games like these. The emotion involved is almost palpable. I read a neat article about the game and how certain sports moments are unforgetable and how that's what keeps so many of us hooked. There are certain sports moments I'll never forget: when Roy Williams spoke after Syracuse beat Kansas for the national championship, Henderson bashing Hansbrough's nose, Chris Weber calling a time-out he didn't have, Kay Yow's last game coached....

However, one thing I don't like about March Madness is imminent feeling that the end of the basketball season is coming. It's always a bittersweet feeling to know that I won't be riding this sports-induced roller coaster for at least another 9 months or so. Sure, I enjoy other sports, but college hoops is in a different league for me.

In an ideal world, I'll get my passing letter the same weekend that UNC advances to the Final Four. But, I'll also admit that I'd be thrilled even if just one of those things happened. Yes, I admit that UNC winning a national championship is nearly as important to me as passing the bar.

GO HEELS!!!

Windfall-bound

So so so so excited to finally get away for a few days! I'm heading to a small town on the coast of South Carolina, where I'll spend 3 days with my best friends and my honey. We don't do much of anything except eat, drink, and be merry. Well, there's usually a slack game of bocce ball and an occasional jog around the property. The main event is the UNC-Dook game. I'm picky about watching big games, but this is the perfect environment---I think between the 8 adults, there are 9 UNC degrees (one more in progress). It's not too loud (unlike a crowded sports bar) yet provides the feeling of a party when we win. Since I had to go right back to work after the exam, I didn't have the opportunity to get away and relax. This will be good for me.

Only about 25 days or so until results come in....

GO HEELS!!!!!

I studied hard today so that I could watch the UNC-Duke game without (much) guilt.  I knocked out 8 hours of studying and finished Contracts.  

I then allowed myself to enjoy a Foothills Sexual Chocolate beer (love this stuff!) and then  Merlot Aged Belgian Brown Ale, aged in a Merlot barrel, at Horniblows (Big Boss).  

And, most importantly, UNC WON!!!!!  101-87!!!!!!!!!!   Go HEELS!!!!

Tomorrow, it will be time to get back to the books (must finish Sales, Secured Transactions, and Civil Procedure).

But, at the least, it was nice to feel like something was more important than the bar exam today.  Even if I had stayed at home and studied, I probably would not have gotten much done.  One thing that's hard to do while in the home stretch of studying is balancing the need to relax with the omnipresent need (compulsion?) to study.  I'd like to think a 90/10 balance is healthy...at least for the next 2 weeks.  

The good thing is that I will be done with the Bar exam by the time the next UNC-Dook match-up rolls around.  And, in my ideal world, the Heels will be playing for the Final Four the weekend that I get my passing results.

GO HEELS!!!!!

You Know You're in the Bar Exam Study Zone when...

• Cleaning the house brings you an odd sense of comfort...or stress (sweeping the floor seems so easy and I see results immediately)

• You get flustered at even the slightest challenge in the real world because you just need to know that you can be right about something (after studying a topic all day and then only get 50% of multis right, and that's "normal")

• You eat the same thing for dinner most meals because you've already figured out how to prepare it and because it provides some nourishment (nachos are healthy, right?)

• You'd rather go grocery shopping than do another essay about archaic doctrines and rules about Shelley, Wild, Pullman, and M'Naghten

• And when you *do* go grocery shopping or out to eat, you wonder if the boss has negligently hired or retained the cashiers who are possibly embezzling (or just stealing) the money that you're giving them for that can of Diet Coke that might explode and harm you and the sweet old lady next to you who might have a heart attack and die and as you go to help her, you slip on a wet spot on the floor caused by a leaky roof that the manager knew about when he entered into the lease to rent the building....

• You desperately want to spend time with your significant other and know that it would be a good thing to relax for at least a few minutes, but you also know that it's easy to get distracted when you're not studying...and, if you think going through this hell is bad once...try going through it twice. ;)

• You repeat to others your study schedule not because they care, but because it soothes your nerves.

• You feed your pets scrambled eggs because you can't seem to remember to buy food for them.

• You find yourself enjoying things you don't usually enjoy, like watching reality shows.  Or, you start doing new things that you don't really have time for, but provide some respite from statute memorization.

• You miss being with your friends and family, but you also know they understand.  You call them up on purpose just to hear "You'll do fine!" even though you get a little perturbed when other people tell you that.

• You are constantly amazed at how much crap can fit into your brain and likewise, constantly amazed at how quickly you forget 99% of that.

So, 14 more days. Two weeks.  I finished up Property today, leaving only Contracts to finish by Wednesday.  I will take a break to watch the UNC/Dook game and I will also allow myself to not worry about getting much done during the game.  And, I am taking Valentine's evening off from studies.  One thing a friend reminded me is that during this time, us bar-takers become self absorbed.  She didn't say that directly, but it's true...it's another way you know you're in the "zone"...it's all about me right now, which means I'm not being the best friend, the best daughter, nor the best partner.  I have learned during this process of re-taking not to take those important people for granted.  So, if it means listening to my friend talk about her work issues, or listen to my sig other talk about beer and politics, or listen to my mom talk about her family challenges, I do it with pleasure and without regret that I maybe should have been studying instead of chatting.  But, in the end, I need those conversations as much as they do...to remind me of what is important...love and friendship definitely trump the Rule in Shelley's Case.

Post-season play

The Phillies are heading to the National League Championship Series!!!!  This will be their first time since 1993  Next up for the Phils: the Dodgers.

And, in other sports news from the weekend:  UNC beat previously #24 UConn!!  UNC made it into the AP Top #25 for the 1st time since 2001, coming in at #22.  I hope the winning trend continues and takes UNC to a post-season bowl game.

So, Phillies made it to the post-season.  UNC will likely make it to post-season play.  Perhaps I should consider the February bar exam as my post-season?  A championship of sorts.  Not sure I want a Gatorade shower in March when I find out that I passed...

Great Losses by One Point

I am a big sports fan.  I love UNC.  I grew up watching sports (the Braves, Giants, and Syracuse were always on the TV or radio while I was growing up).  I always wondered how it must feel to be the one who misses the game-winning free throw or drops the winning hail Mary pass in the endzone at the last second of the game.

Somebody has to win and somebody has to lose.

Here are some memorable one point/last inning/last second losses:

1957: UNC beats Kansas by 1 point in 3 overtimes to win the NCAA championship.

1993:  Toronto Blue Jays beat the Philadelphia Phillies on a 3 run homer in the bottom of the ninth to win the World Series in Game 6

1997: Florida Marlins beats the Cleveland Indians by one run in the 11th inning to win the World Series in the 7th game

2005:  UNC loses to Dook 71-70 (but later beat Dook 75-73 and then went on to win the NCAA Championship.)

2008:  New York Giants beat undefeated New England Patriots on a pass with 35 seconds left on the clock to win the Super Bowl  (This game was particularly fun to watch in the heart of Patriot country---I kept my mouth shut as a Giants fan.)

Surely there are more (feel free to share your favorites)...

I am not the only one to lose by one point.  Next time, I'll do a better job of scouting my opponent and hope that my half-court shots are nothing-but-net and that I catch those hail-mary passes and that my 9th inning home run comes with bases loaded.

Better yet:  It will be a blow out.  Sorta like UNC's game last year against N.C. State.  That would be nice.

Roll Call

Today is the day that the results will be posted online for everyone and their grandmother to see (assuming granny gets online or is even around). However, it should be noted that there will be some names missing from that list other than those of us lucky enough to have not passed. Some people may have passed the bar exam but had not taken (or passed) the MPRE (ethics exam) before sitting for the bar exam. Also, some people may still be pending a character and fitness interview for whatever reason (drugs, prostitution, shoplifting, kicking a cat in middle school). So, I am preparing myself for a few emails and/or calls from some folks when they don't see my name on that list.

Yep, I passed the MPRE in November. Yep, I passed all of my character and fitness stuff (which reminds me---will I have to keep amending my application until March? Grr.) But, no, I did not pass the bar exam. Shucks.

I went to UNC-Chapel Hill for undergrad. I am a huge UNC basketball fan. Failing the bar exam is possibly like UNC losing to Kansas in the Final Four last year. They had the best team, the best player, had practiced a lot....yet still got beaten. But, everyone came back for this season and now we all think there is no possible reason we won't win the NCAA Championship....of course, unless we get beaten again. I make this analogy to comfort myself and maybe comfort others who felt that they would win against the Bar Exam, but who, unfortunately, lost.

For those who say or think I may not have done enough....in my mind, I did. I did Invest in Success (a program at my school geared towards bar prep), BarBri classes, PMBR, over 2000 multiple choice questions (maybe even more---I lost count after awhile), at least 3 full-length timed practice MBEs, a poster for every NC subject, notecards, post-it notes, listened to PMBR CDs...you name it, I tried it.

And I still lost.

But, hey.......there's always next year.