Restraint, Refinement, and near perfection.

When ever I sit down to write a post, I have an intended topic, and then after I write the title, about 25 more things that I want to write about come to mind. (I have Pandora on and Greensleeves just came up in the queue, I think that fits the title pretty well.)
So, April was a big month around here: finals, FIRST BIRTHDAY, royal wedding (featuring the WRONG brown-haired commoner with a fashion background (fun fact: KM & I were both in student fashion shows in college, she got to wear see-through dresses & snag a prince, I got to wear foul weather gear especially designed for female sailors (the designer I modeled for did get a job at Helly Hanson upon graduation, I'm sure do to my skillful modeling))), and meet & greet with new nephew Ronan. 

Finals were, of course, torturous (Not tortous, that will be this set (ha ha I have Torts this semester)), but the waiting part this time wasn't as bad. I don't know if I chronicled it last time, but I turned into a horrible cranky beast and developed a knot in my neck the week before grades came out. On the day they were released I actually got a migraine right before checking, which forced me to nix my idea for having a drink ready when I opened them. Last time they were fine, this time they were better. I actually reloaded the grade page because I did not believe I was capable of that score in contracts.
I hate contracts. Yes, it is one of the most valuable courses any person could take because it has practical application in all areas of life, but yuck. I liked both of my contracts professors (even the last one who was 3 years older than me) so I didn't realize quite how much I loathed that class until I finished the final.

Next came FIRST BIRTHDAY, which is apparently quite a political event. Who to invite, who not to invite, do it big, or just a small get together at home?? We tried to do it as small as possible, while having some close friends and family. She got to be with all of her cousins (forgot to take a picture of this :/ mommy fail), some of the important adult-type people in her life, and eat cake and water melon.  Fiona seemed quite pleased with it. Apparently some people were not. My mission was to have a fun party for my baby (and ourselves) with these parameters: 1) not overwhelming said baby (or said parents), 2) not spending a ridiculous amount. Check and check. Party-poopers, pout amongst yourselves.

So, there was this other event that happened in the (in our time zone) wee hours of the morning, which I guess in their family standards was a 'small event' too. I recorded the CNN (I really don't know why, they had the least informative commentators possible (almost missed Chelsea Davey's entrance...) but they did have a really nice studio set up with pretty flower arrangements and drapes) and BBC (just in case something went wrong with one of the recordings). Do you think it is easier, or more difficult to plan that event than a regular wedding (as a bride, not the person who is actually responsible for coordinating everything)? It doesn't seem to me like there was a lot of choices that could be made by KM. Your venues are pretty much locked in, also can check off transportation, music and ceremony.  She was so composed. The only other bride I have seen so composed is CTK. I hope she had a moment at some point that day where she went in a closet and jumped up and down screaming (Yes! ME!), it would hardly be human not to.

Things I liked:
1) that there was such a point made to include her family.
2)that Sarah Burton (designer of THE DRESSES) was on hand at both the ceremony and pictures to style the dress. I think the importance of styling the dress was one of the 950 million take aways from Prince Charles & Princess Diana's wedding (where it didn't happen and the skirt of her dress was a horrible wrinkly mess)
3) KM used the Victorian language of flowers in choosing her wedding flowers & trees. Such a point was made about how much the flowers & trees cost, but wedding flowers are really expensive and that amout didn't seem SO excessive to me (in relation to the size of the event). Also, they are planting the trees so it's not like they're just going in the trash, which I also like (the planting, not the trash).
4) loved the pink wiggly worm in the formal portrait.
5) big fan of Phillipa's maid of honor dress. Won't be surprised if this is top selling JCrew wedding dress of next year.
6) At first I was underwhelmed by KM's dress, it is not a TV dress. Alexander McQueen is not a TV designer. Although he did not do this dress, Sarah Burton is very true to his style and that is beautiful tailoring and great attention to structure and detail. The style is very similar to a dress I considered for a long time for my wedding, so of course I thought it was a beautiful dress, I just didn't think it was a Princess dress at first. It is clear to me she chose this dress for herself and not for everyone watching, that it was one piece for her on a day when she gave so much of herself over to the public. I wish I could see this dress up close, I'm sure then I would think it was marvelous; the waist detail, the different kinds of lace, the way the lace is perfectly matched at the seams, the buttons, the texture of the exquisite silk, very nice collaboration ladies.

Things I didn't like:
1) 950 million comparisons and references to Princess Diana's wedding.
2) Vera Wang's sourpuss attitude about not doing THE DRESS. (are you British? no. Are you the only person on earth that can do a fabulous wedding dress? no. Did you do not one, but several interviews where you said you didn't like the dress and veil just because you were being bitter? yes.)
3) there wasn't enough jewelry. Maybe I've been around the Persians for too long, but if there was ever an occasion to raid the safe, this would be it! Hello, you (all of the royal family, although the Queen did have a pretty stunning brooch on) have access to literally thousands of years of accumulated jewels. The insurance is being paid, ancestors went to great lengths to collect (pillage, extract) them; it is your DUTY to wear that stuff!
3) that it was not me.

One last little bit. There have been a smattering of fashion exhibits at art museums around here (by that, I mean LA) and was so sad to see a banner for a Balenciaga exhibit in San Francisco as we zipped by, lost, and not be able to stop, but this is something that if I had the time and resources, I would build a trip around. I think this exhibition might be as close to perfection as anything I could imagine. Maybe I should max out the credit card and continue on to Paris after dropping Fiona in MN for 4th of July. Anybody want to join?

Just a quicky!

1 exam down, 2 to go. I have Civil Procedure I (terrifying because of my teacher (who is not scary in office hours, but is the stuff of first year nightmares in the classroom) and Contracts II (again terrifying because of my teacher. He is 34 and apparently went to Berkley for LS and had the professor who wrote our text book, so he would like everything to be in his exact prefered wording (which is not the wording in the book (!?!?). I asked him a question in office hours and he actually said "that sounds like it's from your brief, is that from you brief? I just think that could be said more succinctly" (it was a question, not a model answer, for Pete's sake...) He is a likable person, in my personal opinion he is just a little too stiff as a teacher, I think because this is only his 3rd semester teaching.) this Wed & Thurs, so I have been studying a lot (actually I have been studying a lot and not been distracting myself too much with FB, gardening, shopping or baby snuggling). To enable my studying in the library at school (to block out the sound of the speed reader turning pages (I jest you not, somehow he always sits in the same sections of cubbys as me and the page turning is SO LOUD and SO FREQUENT) and at home where I have to block out the sounds of fun (Fiona & Shandiz playing in the living room) or screaming (when Fiona comes to the baby gate by the office & realizes I am home only to be whisked back to playing by Shandiz).  (Longest sentence ever, would get an F+ in Legal Skills)

I love Pandora, I think it is a marvelous service and am so happy to have it (the free one) however, I have these complaints:
1. Jack Johnson does not belong on EVERY station.
2. Iz also does not belong on EVERY station.
( I have had both of them appear on at least 3 different stations (Bon Bebe, Enormous Sunglasses, and Tres, Tres Chic which are TOTALY different)

3. Why can't you thumbs down an artist? I can guarantee that I will NEVER like any Nickleback (this is such a dumb name, it should at least be Nicklebag so there is something clever about it. Maybe there is something significant to them, but I just think of the Jefferson memorial) song that is suggested for my plaid flannel station.

Well, this post got a little longer than anticipated, so might as well keep on going :) That is not quite in the spirit of good studying, but before I end, I would like to broadcast some new babies. (I haven't got permission from their parents yet so I won't do too many details or pictures, but very happy to have them here!) New Nephew Ronan Christopher and new baby friend Liam Curtis are both at home with their parents and doing very well. So glad to have them around, as I know they will grow into excellent people, and I can't wait to meet them both!

Cluttered, cluttered brain (disclaimer: this will be disjointed)

My brain is just too full right now. I need a pensieve (that is the 3rd HP reference this week. 1) My practice property exam is about revitalization in downtown Hogsmead, 2) in contracts someone said that Defenses against contracting was just like defense against the dark arts (lame)). Quite a lot going on right now; good, stressful, agonizing, all highly emotional and mostly not fit for blogland.

Since I am not a wizard or a witch (most of the time, but I do have this really cool ap that 2 people have called magic this week), I guess the blog will have to serve the purpose of a pensieve right now. I should be studying (MORE MORE MORE), but all of these thoughts are just going to bounce around in my head until I get them out, so I think it is better to take a break and banish them to paper (I wrote this in my property notebook on the train yesterday).

I am one week + 1 day from my first final, and we are leaving tomorrow for a cousin wedding in Austin. As I have told many of you, this is not cool. 1) we have layovers both ways and a bossy almost-one-year-old who is getting teeth. 2) I REALLY want to go to Austin, but I will be there for about 36 hours and have to study and go to a wedding during that time (hopefully sleep too, but my hopes are not high for that). 3) it is suposed to be 92-92 degrees in Austin this weekend.

So, I have been seeing some really weird bumper decor recently:
1. "Legalize the Constitution", which leads me to wonder 'what part exactly are you referring to?' I hope its not the 18th amendment. They probably mean sec 8 paragraph 10 (define & punish piracy on the high seas).Point being, there is a lot of stuff in there...
2. Raiders sticker + license plate holder stating the following: Bichons are like potato chips: you can't have just one. Does the Raider's fan eat the Bichons? (for non-CA-ians or football fans/non-dog fanciers) (on a side note: there are far too many pictures of Bichons to choose from this is also worth a peek).

There is more to write about, but I just don't feel like it now.

Lexicon

Now is that scary-end-of-semester-holy-eff-why-haven't-I-been-working-harder-for-the-past-few-months time, so I should be diligently working on my outlines and practice tests, which I am, but I needed a break. What better time than a break from studying to discuss my new and very interesting law school vocabulary. There are some new words, mostly Latin phrases that no one knows how to pronounce and are always paraphrased into something that spell check rejects, and then there are other catchy phrases and previously known words used in *fun* new ways, or just used much more then they should be. Here is just a small selection:

Boilerplate: the part of a contract that is tiny, impossible to read through and slapped on there because it sounds good and professional
Basically: used to preface any statement made in class when the speaker is obnoxiously reiterating what the professor just said (This has decreased somewhat in 2nd Semester, except for Jersey Shore/THE TALKER (this is a person in my classes who does not add value when he speaks in class, he just takes up air and time (when you figure it out, each class costs about $250) so he may be the most hated person at school, also because he is very vain and a club promoter from LA. He is greasy and cheesy, hence Jersey Shore))
Caveat: when you are confidant you know a rule, something will bite you in the butt (No. 1 over used word in my school)
Colorable: that argument has a snowballs chance in hell, but try it anyway
Constructive: you may not know, but you should (If someone is squatting on your property you have             constructive notice because if you bothered to check, you would see them there)
Due Diligence: When your not exactly sure what needs to be done, but you know something needs to be (most commonly used as a scapegoat when something goes wrong: I did my due diligence!!)
Gunners: people who talk in every class (without constructively contributing) 1) because they are so confused they aren't following at all (go to office hours) 2) because they like to talk (shut up) or 3) because they did not read all their material and are stalling (do your reading and don't subject the rest of us to your nonsense)

Not cool John Galliano, not cool.

Dear John Galliano,

I understand that you are a creative mind that comes along once in a century (and apparently, your century is the 18th in more ways than one) but you really must know that everyone has to play by the same rules.

I think the rules can be summed up as thus:
1) be as kind as you can as much as you can

2) love some people a lot
3) don't be a hater*

   
*rule #3 applies to hating on a macro level (general groups of people, whole countries, etc...), hating on a micro level is totally acceptable.

You've broken my heart a little bit and reminded me of something I decided a few years (that self corrected to 'tears', which is also pretty appropriate because this was originally inspired by basketball players who shall remain nameless (if you're wondering; Kevin Garnett is not included - I fully support his move to Boston)) ago: being able to do great things does not make some on a great person.

I know that the fashion world gets a bad rap for being judgmental and bitchy, but it is also an arbiter of change and taste. You have exhibited bad taste.


I just don't think I can get past this.

With sadness in my heart,
One of your ex-biggest fans

Sent from my iPhone

So

Wow, law school is intense.  I bet most people who aren't even in law school or ever lived with anyone in law school could tell you that. Things I was expecting, and that are true:
1) lots of reading dry material typed in small print
2) More time spent trying to or getting ready to study than actually studying (like now)
3) Awesome mispronunciations of my last name (one of my classmates said "After the first time the teacher said your name, I though you would be married to a Japanese guy." I actually stopped raising my hand in this class because it would turn into a 5 minute long ordeal. teacher: Missss...I really almost have it! is it Hitachi?, me: head-y-yacht-e (how many of you are like "oh, so THAT'S how you say it?), t: Hi-dadty? At one point I came home from school and told Shandiz that I wish I never changed my name. Not that anyone ever pronounced "Rau" correctly, but at least I could say it rhymes with cow {or wow wow wow})
4) mean people who will hide books or purposefully lead you astray. (My school is actually pretty friendly and the faculty encourage nice, non-backstabbing behavior, but things got a little dicy the weeks before & after grades came out. Also, there are some weird cliques (tiny-little-girls-who-wear-scarves, the roller bag people, mean-girls-who-sit-in-the-front-row,  Asian-boys-named-Alex, and we're-so-special-because-we're-non-traditional-students (I am not part of this club).  One of my friends said: it's only going to get worse once you are an attorney, it's a very harsh industry.  It's ok, I am prepared, I worked in fashion ;) {So, last night I went to a reception for  first year people who did pretty ok on their grades for the first trimester, and one of my classmates said "I have to say, I am a little surprised to see you here, I mean with your baby & everything. " My response without missing a beat "I was just thinking the same about you John, but you don't have a baby." (I am proud of myself because usually I don't think of those things until hours later) He said, "oh I was just kidding", in a way that people do when they realize that they didn't think out a comment before it left their mouth, I did not. [I think, maybe, people think I am a mean person when I say things like this, but I am not. I simply am not a good bullshitter. Further more, when someone makes an idiot comment like that, I don't feel that I should have to 'play nice']})
5) Socratic Method (I think one professor (who graduated from BU law school in 1953 & is still teaching at my school!) described it as the feeling of someone peeling your skin off with their questions. Chipper!) So, this hasn't been as bad as anticipated. Most of the teachers are pretty forgiving & won't sit on you for too long if you clearly did the reading & are having stage fright or are really struggling, except my Civil Procedure professor. She will sit on you for half the class (33.75 minutes of hot-seat) if she feels like it. In this class, if you start floundering, she will ask the questions faster & faster. This is a class that is based on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (thrilling) so you need to know what rule the material is referring to & what section of the rule off the top of your head. Also, if you are late, leave early OR GO TO THE BATHROOM, it counts as an absence. Yes, they take attendance in law school, apparently the Bar Association requires it. Also, each class period costs about $241, give or take.)
6) People asking me why I wanted to go to law school ({to be a lawyer, duh} although this happens much more frequently than anticipated. The my new stock answer will be: (for anyone who isn't a potential employer/teacher) "because I really like steak, martini's, bad jokes and expensive high heels.")

On another note, it is that most special time of year - fashion week(s). I've really been so pleased with the style.com magic phone app (see No. 2 above) and have been looking at some of the collections while on the train to school. I'm not ready to give my reviews yet, but I think it's cool that Marc Jacobs & some of the other designers did integrated mens/womens shows.
I will say this: Is anyone else actually LOOKING at the clothes in the Chanel shows when they write their reviews (this #14 dress, which is amazing, being the exception)? The last show (think Yetti's on parade) was bad enough, but this one is just weird. I think Karl Lagerfield has transitioned from crazy like a fox to just crazy, or maybe he is just being realistic and following the money trail. To me, this whole collection is geared toward a different Chanel girl, and this Chanel girl lives in the Middle East (please see looks #17, 18 & 27) or is the mother of the usual Chanel Girl (Please see looks #43 & 53). I know, I know; there are a lot of see-through things that you would not imagine Middle Eastern people to wear, but my friends, things can be lined a lot easier than they can be totally redesigned to hide body shape.

Dear Blog,

      I haven't forgotten you (yet), it's just that I have this adorable baby who laughs now (well, not so much this week as she is having a growth spurt, or teething, or has just been stolen by the goblin king and replaced with a baby goblin...) and I just started law school. So, I am getting acclimated to that wacko environment and having to bring Fiona to daycare.
     So, what I am trying to say is: it's not you - it's me. Maybe we can get back together around the holidays?