The Saturday Before

Last night, I had a bit of a breakdown.  I did 100 released MBE multis and did quite well, so that allayed some fears.  However, I still am trying to balance the need to feel in control of this beast and the consequential need to know everything.  I know it's not logical, nor reasonable, to know everything that could be tested on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Nonetheless, the more I know, the more in control I'll feel....or so I think.

After the boo-hooing, I poured a glass of wine and got back to studying.  I made flashcards of critical concepts that I either need to know cold or don't quite know so well.  I finished up Torts and Secured Transactions.  This morning, I knocked out Real Property, Criminal Law, and Criminal Procedure.  I am going to work on Evidence and Contracts/Sales while I watch the UNC game.

But, despite the breakdown last night, I feel OK.  I just took a few minutes to clean up the house.  Tonight, I'm heading out to a nice dinner for a work function with the boyfriend.  I doubt I'll get any more studying done after that and you know what...that's quite OK.

 Tomorrow's plan includes flashcarding for Civil Procedure, Family Law, Mortgages, and Professional Responsibility.  Then I'll pour a glass of wine (or a beer) and read over some of those not-so-commonly-tested-but-not-going-to-press-my-luck topics like Trusts, Suretyship, and such. And then more flashcards of the big topics.  And then more flashcards.  And then more wine.  And then more flashcards.  And then....

Monday I will rest.  I'll go for a run, do some yoga, get a pedicure, maybe watch a movie....

There comes a point when you just can't add any more info to your brain's capacity.  Sometimes it's necessary to let it "sit" for a while....like when you open a cellared bottle of red wine.

Monday will be for decanting.

Facebook Statuses

While out running, I started thinking about some law concepts in terms of a Facebook status. Here are some I thought of along the way (a nice, sunny, 3 mile run with my pups):

• Sarah is glad her neighbors don't have a reasonable expectation in the trash and recycling they put out on the curb because she likes seeing who else likes good beer and shops at Costco.
  
• Sarah wonders if her neighbors know that if their dogs (who are on invisible fence) ever attack her dogs while running in the street, they will be held strictly liable for injuries, especially because they've seen the dogs attack others before.
• Sarah would be strictly liable for injuries her cat causes others because her kitty is known to bite.  
• Sarah wonders if running with 2 dogs and an Ipod (not this time, though) would make her contributorily negligent if she got hit by a car.  Surely though, the driver would have had the last clear chance to avoid the accident.
• Sarah hopes she never has to go on to her neighbor's property to protect herself because they have a very nice garden that would cost a lot to repair.
• Sarah thinks that our current president is managing his exclusive powers to handle foreign affairs quite well.
• Sarah wonders if the police ever caught the vandals who stole our Obama signs---they should have been charged with larceny and trespass.
• Sarah thinks people should stop trying to sue restaurants when they find a feather on a chicken wing or a small bone in their fish.
• Sarah will gladly perfect your cash if you give it to her.
• Sarah owns her house in fee simple absolute, subject to her bank's mortgage.
• Sarah thinks Dook players should be held liable in tort (battery) for their flagrant fouls that appear to exceed the scope of consent for a college basketball game.
• Sarah would set up an honorary trust for her dogs, but wonders who she could appoint to enforce it without thinking it was a joke.
• Sarah doubts the Simultaneous Death Act and the 120 hour rule would apply to above-mentioned trust for dogs if the dogs happened to die at the same time.
• Sarah admits she relies on  reliable authoritative texts to make some decisions.

• Sarah's arguments on Tuesday will prevail in "court," unless some unforeseeable, intervening, superseding event occurs.

A trust is....

Those were my first thoughts this morning upon awakening.  My last thoughts before bedtime involved involuntary dismissals and being taxed for the costs of the action.  In a week from today, I will be finishing up lunch before embarking on the last session of the bar exam.

I've gone through essays and written out rules.  I've done multis.  Yet, sometimes I still feel like I can't possibly remember all of this for the bar exam....and then I wake up thinking about the definition of a trust, and I realize I know what it is.  And, just like that came out of nowhere this morning, it will similarly make itself available for regurgitation on Tuesday.

Last night, I was reading some posts on a forum for people taking the bar and was surprised to see how many had unsupportive significant others.  I am definitely lucky in that regard.  Now, if he would just take the test for me, I'd be a happy woman.  I know I'm not alone when I speak for other bar exam takers---the support of family and partners means more than they'll ever know---

Today's plan:

Massage--already done (didn't realize how much tension I've been storing in my body)

Lunch-already done (need to be reminded to eat)

Finish Yellow BarBri book.

Write out important rules for my weaker subjects (Secured Transactions, Mortgages, Sales).

60 PMBR multis.

Tomorrow:

February and July 2007, and February and July 2008 bar exams

Review 2005, 2006 exams that I did yesterday

60 PMBR multis

Friday:

100 Question Timed 2006 MBE (new questions)

Write rules for weak topics.

Saturday:

100 Question Timed BarBri or PMBR set

Review weak topics/concepts

Dinner with SigO

Sunday:

1 hour each major NC topic (review outline, write out rules)

Monday:

Long workout at gym

Long walk with dogs

Dinner with SigO

Long Bath

Glass of Wine

Yoga

Tuesday:

Are you ready to rumble?????

(As a writer, I'll be in the Dorton Arena, home of the Carolina Rollergirls--I think I'll try to adopt a Rollergirl attitude as I knock those questions out of play.)

OK, back to studying....

Brick Walls and Breaks

9 days until the big day and I am just.not.motivated. Maybe it's the prospect of a whole week to memorize NC law ad nauseam and write essays and look at old exams?  Maybe it's the fact that I've now been studying for the bar Exam for about 5 months (adding in my July study time) and I'm just sick of the UCC, the FRE, the NCRCP, the UPA., the MPC, et.al.?  In fact, the only acronyms I am interested in these days are ACC and WTF. 

My dear friend (who passed the bar in July) says that this week before the exam should be best utilized to "manage anxiety."  Somehow I feel like I should study 12 hours a day for the next week, but I just don't think that's a realistic goal.  Last time, with a week to go before the exam, I was still looking at NC topics for the first time since the BarBri lecture (that I hardly paid attention to due to my inability to sit still and watch anything on a screen).  I was still learning about priority in consumer goods, fixtures, defamation, etc.  This time, I've already done that, so the feeling that I need to cram is just not present this time.  I'd like to think that's a good thing.  Still, the prospect of writing an essay for real is still scary, but motivating.  I know I will know as much as I can know come next Sunday and honestly, that's all I can do.  At this point in the game, studying an extra 2-3 hours a day is useless if it causes me more anxiety and stress.

In good news, I'm scoring about 70% on MBE multis and I've improved my timing.  I will still do 30 multis a day until Saturday, when I will do a 100 question set (timed).  I will do all of the essays in the BarBri yellow book and I will write out complete answers for the past 3 years of old NC exams.  I will outline the essays for another 3 years of essays.

I will also get a massage on Wednesday and I will go out to run a few afternoons this week.  I will also make sure to get enough sleep so that I don't get sick before the exam.  I am managing my anxiety.

I did go for a study break beer on Friday night.  I also enjoyed a nice dinner out with the wonderful sig other who is certainly tired of hearing me talk about this test.  He (very politely) suggested that I try to take a break from it for a few hours last night, which I interpreted as him telling me he needed a break from hearing about it.  Nonetheless, it was nice to talk about all the fun things that are coming up after the exam.  Breaks are good.  Relaxing is good. But...

9 days???!!!!   WTF?

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.

70 Degrees and Beginning to Sweat

It's going to be another 70 degree day today and I beginning to sweat.  I am hoping to do some studying in my backyard, in the sun, while my dogs take naps in the grass and dream of squirrels.  I, on the other hand, will see if I can finally understand those rules of law that I haven't been able to get (recording statutes,  third party beneficiaries, privilege and immunity clause of 14th Amendment, etc.).

Property will be done today, as well as about 20 multis in Torts, Crim Law, Evidence, and Con Law. Tomorrow I will start Contracts (my last MBE topic!!!!) Come Wednesday evening, I will be in all review mode.

16 days until the Big Day.  I will be writing the exam in the Dorton Arena, which is alternatively used for roller derby games and concerts for the State Fair.  I am already trying to figure out what I will wear that day because somehow I am guessing that the temperature controls will be wacky.

I am getting a bit more nervous, but also a bit more confident.  I still have 16 days.  I only have 16 days left.