Finals...

Yes, it's that time of year again.... I have been living in the library for the last week and a half... the only good thing about this whole situation is that I am half-way done. I have a total of 4 exams and I already took 2. Next one is coming up tomorrow and then I get a nice "long" 4-day break until my last exam. On Dec. 17, at 1 p.m. I will be feeling very, very happy and relieved!

Anyways, I am just sitting in the corner of the library, trying to figure out how to tab my statute books so that when I am frantically looking for a specific section of the INA during the exam tomorrow, I don't draw blank and spend precious minutes and seconds looking for something really easy. Law school exams are anything but fun, but I gotta admit that it feels pretty darn good the moment you hit the "exit" button on the softest screen after you have been typing for 3 long hours (or 4, depending on the class)... I usually take a long, deep breath and the first thought in my head is: "1 less left!"

I guess this post does not have much content. I just wanted to complain a little and make you feel sorry for me. I hope I have managed to do that :)

Well, back to the INA now.... fun times....

The Importance of Laughter

Today after dinner as I was watching TV I realized something - I don't laugh when I am alone. I was watching a really funny episode of the Family Guy and even though I was laughing in my heart, I did not laugh out loud. But why? I really don't know. For some time I thought that there is something wrong with me, or maybe not. I really don't know. I've heard that laughter is good for you - it actually makes you healthier (Paul used to tell me that he read somewhere that when you laugh, every cell in your body feels "happy"). Anyways, I decided that from now on I am going to laugh when I see something funny, even if I am alone and there is nobody around to share my laughs with.

Today I talked to one of my friends whom I haven't seen in four years. She is in FL and missing the snow, while I am stuck in Minneapolis missing the sun. I offered her to switch places for a while, but I guess it's not going to work because right now both of us are busy with school and finals... Anyways, I guess there is at least one upside to crappy weather - I can focus on my studying better because I am not tempted to go outside...

I want to have a pygmy tarsier!!!!

I know I recently wrote about a Mexican walking fish that is really cute, but today I found another animal which I think is even cuter and I want it so bad! But the unfortunate thing is that I probably will never have it because, first, I don't know if you could actually have one as a pet (although they do look friendly in the pics), and second, they are almost extinct. In fact, for 80 years zoologists thought they were extinct, but as recently as August 2008, a group from one of the universities in TX went all the way to Indonesia to find out whether these animals are still around. And they found them! I think it's super exciting. I don't know what we can do to bring them back, i.e. to increase their numbers, but I do hope that somehow we will manage to save them. They really remind me of this Russian cartoon character Cheburashka. Apparently in the US they would compare it to Furby. I did not grow up in the US so I don't know Furby but I looked up the pics on Google and it does kinda look like the real thing.

Here is the pic of the Indonesian pygmy tarsier!

"Mikvarkhar"

In Georgian language we like to use a lot of words to say the simplest things. E.g. "welcome to the US" is "ketili ikos tkveni mobrdzaneba amerikashi." Long right? However, there is one short word that expresses a whole lot of things, and that word is "mikvarkhar" which means "I love you." I think it is funny that we, Georgians, who love to use a lot of words, have managed to put so much meaning, so much emotion into one simple word. I just realized that Georgians use "mikvarkhar" very, very rarely. In American culture it is very common to say "love you" or "love" when you talk to or write to your family and close friends. In Georgia, we almost never use "mikvarkhar" when we talk to our family and friends. We save it just for that ONE person.

Winter is finally here...

All right, it's time to face it - winter is here, and unfortunately, it is here for good... Say good-bye to those summer clothes until May... Well, I guess that depends on the person too because I have seen a few people wear flip-flops and shorts when its subzero outside (seeing them makes me cold). Anyways, the last couple of days have been anything but pleasant. I have been using the skyway to get from home to school and back, and I am anticipating that to be my daily commute from now on until God knows when. Also, my apartment feels really cold. We have been turning the heat up to 76 and it still feels like 60. I wake up in the morning and I don't want to get out of bed cuz it's freezing in my room :( But there is no other choice but to "(wo)man up" and leave the warm bed.

Anyways, the other day I woke up feeling really weird. My left arm was hurting pretty bad. So I got scared because I thought that I was getting a heart attack or something. Honestly, I thought I was going to die. I know it sounds stupid but I think my brain was still waking up so I was having all kinds of weird ideas. Anyways, I still got out of bed, got dressed, went to school etc. The pain lasted all day long. At the end of the day, I realized that I was not getting a heart attack. I totally forgot that the night before I had been at one of my friends' party and for some reason (please don't ask me to explain, cuz I myself have no idea how it all started) there was a competition at this party to see who could do most push-ups. Anyways, there was a separate competition for guys and girls, and girls' competition was not going so hot. I had to beat a high of 2 push-ups so I was pretty confident. I ended up doing 14 push-ups and that's what caused my pain in my left arm the following morning.

I think that's the most exciting story of the week so far. It's been pretty monotonous lately: school, work, home, school, work, home... And I don't expect it to get any better until Christmas.

New pet ideas

Due to a high popular demand (well, actually, just one person's demand), I am going to write about this new and awesome pet idea. If you are looking for a pet and you really want to have a new friend that is like no other friend you have had before, you should get an oxolotl. What a weird name right? It's also called a "Mexican walking fish" and as you may have guessed already, it's a fish with legs. But the coolest thing is that oxolotl has the best facial expression ever - he is always smiling!!!! I found him totally randomly on the Yahoo main page yesterday and after doing a little bit of research I concluded that oxolotls are one of the coolest pets one could have. It's a fish, and it walks, and it always has a smiley face - what else could one wish for? I'll put up some pictures for your enjoyment, but before you fall in love with this cute animal, you should be aware that they are a bit pricey. According to some outside research, you can get one for $45, plus shipping which could be around $100, and the aquarium which could cost a few hundred dollars depending on how much luxury you want for your new friend.

That's my ad for oxolotls. I personally believe that they are super-cute and I might get one someday... by the way, did I mention that they live in only one lake in Mexico City and they are considered to be endangered species? Yeah, it's kind of sad, but hopefully we will be able to preserve them.

Double Standards

Today I was thinking that double standards are EVERYWHERE - just look around you, you'll see at least a few... Everyone, including myself, has issues with double standards, but I guess the real question is where you put the limit. I suppose we, humans, judge others way too much, and the next thing you know, you turn around and do exactly the same thing you just criticized somebody else for. It's sad but true.

Today is kind of weird because I did a happy hour thing with my "neighbors" which was a little strange since it was in the middle of the day on Monday. I had a shot of tequila and a glass of wine, and then had to do homework. I gotta admit, it did make my reading a bit more entertaining :) Now it's way past my bedtime (I usually got to bed around 11:30 on weeknights) but I don't feel like sleeping AT ALL. Anyways, I will still try to go catch some Z's and see what happens. Good thing I don't have to wake up until late tomorrow.

As someone would say, have a sleepy night :)

Sundays

There is something about Sundays that always brings me down. I have just concluded that Sunday is the saddest day of the week. The funny thing is that the second I wake up and realize that it's Sunday, I get this weird feeling in my stomach... I hate it. The truth is, Sunday is still part of the weekend and I should be able to enjoy it just as much as I enjoy Saturdays. This should be especially true this year since I don't even have classes on Mondays (well, I do have to work but I like my job, so I really can't complain). Anyways, Sundays are weird, or maybe I am weird, or maybe both. Either way, it's Sunday today, and I am glad that it's almost over. The best part of the day today was making dinner... I think that cooking is one of the best ways to relieve stress. I really enjoy it, especially if I am cooking for someone else. I really don't like to cook just for myself, so it's good to have someone to cook for.
Right now I am feeling cozy - lying in bed, listening to some good music (thanks to someone :)) and getting ready to go to sleep. Tomorrow is Monday, and even though I know a lot of people who hate it, I like it much, much better than Sundays :)

Good night world!!!

Fall

Today I realized that trees have really changed colors in the last few days... I love this time of year because of all the color it brings, but at the same time, the realization that winter is coming next is a little hard to deal with :) A lot has changed since I wrote my last post and it has been good. Right now I have a fall break at school which gives me a chance to sleep and rest and catch up on my outlines for finals... Not too exciting but it makes me feel better to know that I will have less to do in December.

I hope that fall is beautiful wherever you are and that you will get to enjoy some sunny days before the winter is finally here!

...

Why do bad things happen to good people? I have wondered about that a few times. I guess if you assume that everything that happens in this life is deserved, then bad things should not be happening to good people. On the other hand, do we really know what is "good" or "bad"? So many times bad things turn out to be good and vice versa... Lately, I have asked this question of myself, and every time I try to reassure myself that everything happens for a reason. Every time something goes bad, I guess you have to ask: why me? How did I deserve this to happen to me? But in the end, you just have to hope that whatever happened will bring a happy ending. One thing I have learned, however, is that you really need to take care of your heart. Don't put your heart in other people's hands, because sooner than later you will discover that they can't take care of it. You are the only one who can take care of your heart, so be careful and don't let yourself down.

About friends

Tonight I got to see one of my best friends from college, Anette, whom I haven't seen in years. We met during our first semester at Augsburg. Throughout the fall of 2004 we spent many, many hours talking about life and other general topics that we both enjoyed discussing. It has been 4 years since then. Tonight, when I saw my friend, I was genuinely HAPPY! I know that 4 years is a rather long time, and a lot has changed in both of our lives during this time, but still, we are the same persons and regardless of how much time goes by, we will remain friends. I don't think that friends necessarily have to talk or write to each other every day. I think that if it is a true friendship, it will last no matter what. I know that because I have several friends whom I haven't seen in years, and yet, I know that next time I see them, I will be genuinely happy and our friendship will feel just as natural and comfortable as if we just talked to each other the day before.
I have never found it too hard to keep in touch with people who are physically far away. I think that generally I am a very dedicated person which helps me to stay in touch. If I see that I really have a lot in common with a person, I will do my best to hold onto it as long as possible, and hopefully, for a lifetime. I remain dedicated through hard times because let's face it, nothing is going to be perfect. I think that it would be too naive to think that something is or should be perfect. Therefore, it is up to us to hold onto the positive and use that to feed our relationships. I know it seems like I am praising myself for being dedicated, but I am really not. I am simply stating how I approach relationships with people and it really works for me.
I hope that each and every person has at least one and hopefully many relationships that will last a lifetime... relationships that endure through hard times, relationships that will make you genuinely happy every single time you meet that person.

Family

I was just thinking how much I really miss my family. I never admit this to myself, but the truth is that I miss them like crazy. My childhood was not perfect but regardless of what it was, I still miss it. And most of all, I miss my parents. So many times I feel guilty because I have chosen to live so far away from them. I know that my parents are glad that my brother and I are both happy doing things we want to do, but at the same time, I know that at the bottom of their hearts, they both wish that we all lived closer together (and by that I mean, in the same country). I was just thinking that it has been 4 years since all four of us - me, mom, dad, and my brother - have all been in the same room! I remember as a little girl, we would all wake up early, but since it was weekend and none of us wanted to get out of bed, my brother and I would go to my parent's bedroom and we'd all lie in my parents' huge bed and talk for hours... It was such a happy time... and I miss it a lot. I know that those times will never come back, and it's really sad, but all I wish is to see my entire family all together. I miss you mom and dad!!!

When you try to do things too fast...

You get hurt! I was making dinner today and I was in a big hurry because I was starving. So, as I was cutting the eggplant I managed to slice a chunk off of my thumb too :( It really sucks to have your finger cut because I need my fingers to type, and it seems like that's the activity I do most these days... Anyways, I guess I will survive...

Other than that, today was a really long day, but it was pleasant (with the exception of the 2-hour evidence class during which I thought I would pass out from hunger). One of the interesting things that happened was that I was talking to someone who was sharing her life with me which was very similar to some of the experiences I have had. As she was talking, I felt that she was reading some of my thoughts. And it made me realize that we, humans, have so much in common with one another. Her story made me look at myself from another perspective so I thought it was really interesting because I realized things that I would not have realized otherwise.

That's it for now. I know that my posts often contain various unrelated ideas but I guess that's how I work :)

Chewing gum "makes me feel good" :)

Today one of my co-workers was commenting how I always have a pack of chewing gum sitting on my desk. So we got into a discussion about chewing gums and he was saying how he hasn't been chewing gum since high school. So in response, I was trying to tell him that I like to keep a pack on my desk because I like to have a piece after I eat lunch because "chewing gum makes me feel good." He laughed at my comment and I remembered that someone (you know who you are ) used to laugh at me because of that too :) hehe... but the truth is that what I meant to say is: I like to chew gum after every meal because I feel that I am going to have bad breath if I don't, so yes, in a way it does make me feel better since I am not self-conscious about bad breath :) Anyways, I thought it was funny that I said that again after a long time without even thinking about it.

Well, I am off to read some delightful cases in evidence law...

Where is "home"?

I was just thinking, is "home" the place where you were born, or is it a place found later in life where you feel completely comfortable? I think that a lot of people associate home with their birthplace, but I disagree. Nobody chooses to be born in a specific place. What if I absolutely hate winter but I was born in MN? Isn't it possible to go find a "home" somewhere warmer? I think that "home" is a place that each person has to find himself/herself, and for some, it may be the same place where they were born, but it does not have to be. I think that home can be somewhere very far away, and once you get there, you will know. It is possible to go to a place you never even thought existed and still feel at home. I have my own idea of what my "home-place" looks like. I imagine a busy place where people of all kinds are living together in harmony. I imagine cobble-stone streets with small shops and cafes where I can walk every day... and mountains in the horizon... When I try to have a complete picture in my head somehow it all gets distorted so I can't quite describe it but I feel that once I find that place, I will know :)

And life goes on...

One day at a time.

From an "emotional disaster" to a normal person :)

A couple of weeks back I wrote a post about being unable to control your emotions and being completely helpless when it comes to the feelings in your heart. The last few days, however, have been filled with some "eye-opening" experiences. The truth is that emotions sometimes bring you really down and you feel as if your life is over and nothing can make it better. Trust me, I've been there and I know how miserable it is. But the truth is, that's just temporary and sooner or later you will get over it, I promise :) I guess it takes some people longer than others, but I think that the most important thing is to WANT to get over it. I just realized that in the past I did not really want to be over something, I think I victimized myself a little and I kind of liked feeling sorry for myself. I started out feeling that way this time too, but a few days ago I realized that it's completely pointless and I really needed to take control of myself and grab onto something positive in my life. Believe me, it works. As I said, the most important thing is to WANT to feel better and then find a way to do it. And there are always ways other there, you just need to pick one and stick with it. Everyone in this life experiences some kind of pain. I feel that I have had my share too, and each time, it is a different kind of pain. Therefore, solution or the way out will be a little different each time. But at the same time, there is one thing in common - you have to remember that you are the one who controls how you feel, regardless of how helpless you may feel at times.

NYC

Well, as I said in one of my previous posts, it's never too early to start planning your vacation. I just bought tickets to go to NYC for two weeks over Christmas and New Year! I am very excited since I haven't seen my cousin who lives there for over 2 years and I haven't even met her husband yet since she got married about a year ago. I think it will be a good thing to look forward to as I try to get through my finals in December :)

Other than that, things are going well. Even though I still have a cold, I actually feel good in other respects... One of my best friends from Norway, Anette, is coming to the US in about a week so I will get to see her and meet her mom and sisters. I am very excited - it's been a long time since I saw her! We are going to make a home-made meal at my place and have a nice "girls night in" :)

Well, that's it for now. My head is still a little heavy from having a cold but I am still going to make something good for dinner and make it all better :)

Contradictions

I know I just wrote a post about being a night person... however, this morning I was out of bed at 6:20 a.m. and I was at work at 7 a.m. even though I could have slept in until at least 8 a.m. The thing is that I have a cold and my head feels stuffed so I could not sleep and I figured I might as well get up, have some tea and do something productive rather than stay in bed and feel miserable :) And it actually worked! The weird thing though was that it was still dark outside when I walked out so you could not really tell - it felt more like an evening. This is the time of the year when you start noticing that days are getting considerably shorter and the nights longer, which I could definitely feel this morning.

Being a "night person"

I have been asked this question many times and there is NO doubt whatsoever that I am a night person (well, I still continue to think so even though I have been going to bed rather early lately). The thing is that at night when everybody goes to sleep, it gets very quiet and I can focus on my homework or whatever else I am doing much better. In addition, more I get done at night, less work I will have left for the next day, which sometimes means that I can sleep in longer. If you gave me a choice to either go to bed at 3 a.m. or wake up at 6 a.m. I would pick going to bed at 3 a.m. even if I am going to get the same number of hours of sleep either way. The thing is that in the morning my brain is not quite functional. However, one good thing now is that when I walk to school/work in the morning, even though it is only a 15 minute walk, it helps me to wake myself up, so that has improved my "morning brain functionality" somewhat. Anyways, I guess it all depends on a person but it is a good thing to know which category you fall into so that you can work your schedule out. So many times I have "promised" to wake up early and do things in the morning - it almost never works. My alarm clock goes off, then I spend 15 or more minutes trying to decide whether to actually get out of bed, and 99 out of 100 I end up staying in bed. So I figured that there is no more point in doing that because it actually wastes my time. The only time I can actually force myself to get out of bed is when I have to catch a flight (although, a couple of times I actually have questioned whether I really needed to catch that flight :)) or when I have a really, really close deadline on something. So I guess I am still "tamable" but it has to be something really important that can't wait.

Sick again!

As much as I hate being sick, I am getting sick again :( I have been taking meds but I don't think they are helping much. I have so much to do and I have no time to be sick :( My throat is sore and it prevents me from sleeping well (I haven't been sleeping well anyways lately) which affects everything I do during the day.
But despite everything, life keeps going on. Fortunately, the weather is nice again which makes things a little more pleasant :) It always makes me feel good when I wake up in the morning and I see clear skies through my windows... except for the winter though, cuz you know that regardless of what it looks like through the windows it's still subzero outside :) I am glad Minneapolis has a great skyway system cuz I plan on using it quite a bit this winter as I walk from home to school and work.
I know it's too early still but the last few days I have been feeling very much like fall already. For some reason I always feel that fall is the saddest time of the year because everything around is getting ready for winter - the trees, the birds, the people... The only thing I like are the fall colors and then everything goes to sleep for a few months (or, if you live in MN, for a looooong time :)) I was just talking to someone who said that the only reason why she likes fall is because her sweater wardrobe is much better than her summer shirt wardrobe :)
Well, this post does not really have a point. Except to say that this might be a good time to do those "summer" things you did not get to do - go for a run, lie/walk on the grass, read in the park, wander around the streets...

sulieri simshvide...

...rasac amjerad vedzeb.

Figuring yourself out...

Do you ever feel like you have a thousand thoughts crossing your head and you are trying to make sense of all of them but you can't? I wish there was a way to control your thoughts. Sometimes I feel that they just come out of nowhere. Sometimes you don't want to think about anything, you just want to rest your mind and relax 100%, but you can't because thoughts like flies keep buzzing in your head. I suppose it depends on what you are thinking about too. If you are thinking about your upcoming vacation and of all the things you want to do then it's not that bad :) On the other hand, if you are thinking about something that is hurting you, then it can be a real challenge.

How often do we practice our values?

I think that the biggest problem in today's world is that people say one thing and then do something completely different. A year and a half ago, as my honors paper at Augsburg, I explored the topic of being able to practice your values in real life. Why is it people preach one thing, and when they find themselves confronted with it in real life, they do the opposite. Or even worse, people judge others and say how they are not like the others, but eventually, they become so immersed in life's circumstances that they becomes one of "the others." I know I have had a hard time being able to practice all of my values in real life. E.g. I am strongly opposed to child labor and yet, I buy clothes that were made in China or India and I know that there is some chance that those clothes were made using child labor. I guess that the most important thing is not to let the society tell you who you are, or how you should be, or what is the way "the others" do things. You have to be true to yourself and stick to your values, even though they make you different from others. I think that the people who are truly able to make a difference in this world are the people who keep their values and practice them regardless of what the society thinks of them. Anyways, it is just a little disappointing to see people change because of the societal influence, and especially when that change is to the worse, not to the better.

To trust, to have faith, and to forgive...

I was watching a movie the other day (the movie is called "Georgia Rule" in case you're interested) and I heard this quote which describes how I feel right now. The main character in that movie said that three things are the hardest to do in life: to trust, to have faith, and to forgive. I think that trusting someone is one of the hardest things to do. How do you know that a person is honest? How do you know that when they look at you and say something to you, they are not thinking something completely different? I guess some people are pretty transparent and it's easy to know when they are hiding something, but others are much better at it. I was just talking with someone who was trying to convince me that I should trust more. He was trying to tell me that I should not jump to conclusions. I guess he is right. In fact, I know that he is right, but at the same time, I feel that somewhere in my heart there is always a little doubt that does not want to leave. So, what should a person do? How do you become better at trusting? Or forgiveness? Can you really forgive someone completely? I obviously do not have any answers, and I don't know if I ever will. I guess that life is a process and you figure things out as you go, and unfortunately, sometimes you learn hard way. But hey, as I said in one of my previous posts, if something goes really, really wrong, that means that it could only get better, right? :) So I guess it's a good idea to focus on the future, and all the good that it may bring, instead of living in the past and allowing past wrongdoings affect your present.

When you are (not) ready...

I was just thinking: is it possible to be ready for anything and everything in this life? In high school I used to have a friend who always said that regardless of what happened to her, she always had a way out of any situation. I knew her close enough to know what was going on in her life and I found that she was right - it seemed that no situation was too complicated for her. The only time I saw her weakness was when she lost someone she thought would be her life partner, someone she seemed to love more than anyone or anything in this world. For a while she became a different person and it seemed that life had lost all color for her. Things that had made her happy before had now lost all meaning. I guess that the morale of the story is that regardless of how strong you are, there are situations you can't prepare for. It is possible to project your future and draw scenarios in your head, and yet, when the time comes, you still won't be 100% ready for it. It is bad when something too unexpected happens and you are caught off guard, but I guess it is even worse when you prepare yourself for something and still, when it happens, you realize that you are not ready for it at all...

Vacation :)

Okay, I know that the semester just started but it can never be too early to start planning your vacation, right? :) Anyways, I am already thinking about Christmas vacation since I doubt I will have any breaks until then. I do get a one-week fall break in October but I will probably end up working and doing homework that entire week. So there are two options for Christmas: one warm and the other cold (not quite as cold as Minneapolis though) - Miami or NYC. There are ups and downs to both. If I go to Miami:
* I would get a real break from Minnesota weather and enjoy some sun
* I would be vacationing with 2 friends
* However, speaking from personal experience, I always tend to get a "post-vacation depression" when I go to a warm place in the middle of the winter. Just imagine, a week in Miami: sun, ocean, fun... and then you come back to Minneapolis and what you see: snow, ice, work, school, etc.
On the other hand, if I go to NYC:
* I would get to spend Christmas and New Year with some relatives and friends whom I haven't seen in 2.5 years, and I would meet my cousin's husband for the first time
* But, NYC will not be as warm as Miami
* I would have to do a lot of exploring on my own because the people I am visiting will be working during the day. However, I know NYC fairly well so I would not mind spending some quality time with myself, at least during the day while everyone is at work.
* Last time I was in NYC on New Year's Eve (2004) I did not go to the Times Square to see the ball drop and I regretted it A LOT, so now I can finally go back and correct my mistake :)

Last but not least, NYC would be much more economical since I have a free place to stay, and most importantly, I would get to eat some food from HOME!

Well, I guess I still have time to play around, but wherever I end up going, I am looking forward to Christmas already!

Random facts...

I was just analyzing my summer job and I realized how many things I have learned since June. I did learn quite a bit during my first year of law school, but at the same time, those things made little or no sense because I did not really get to see how they worked in real life. This summer I had an opportunity to apply the concepts I learned in class to real life scenarios which has greatly increased my understanding of a lot of the topics we discussed in class.

In the course of my summer I also learned a lot of fun facts... You would be surprised how entertaining legal research can be.... for instance, I was researching the laws regarding alcohol sales in Maine when I found out that alcohol sales are permitted from 6 a.m. every day until 1 a.m. the next day, except Sundays. On Sundays alcohol can be sold from 9 a.m. until 1 a.m. the next day, unless you are a police officer - police officers are the only persons who can purchase alcohol between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Sundays in the course of performing their job duties. Now, the question is, why would a police officer need to buy alcohol at 6 a.m. on Sunday morning in the course of his job? Any ideas out there? I also did a fair amount of research on the FDA regulations regarding the labeling of various food products, the use of food additives, etc. Did you know that food additives include lubricants as well? Apparently, whale sperm can be used in some products as a food additive. To be honest, I did not want to know what those products are so I did my best to avoid it. I was already feeling pretty disgusted by all the chemicals they add into the food, so I figured I would just leave it at that. I think that has definitely made me want to eat healthier - thanks God there is a farmer's market on Nicollet every Thursday... Anyways, as you can tell, every job can be fun... Oh, and I almost forgot, Westlaw has this thing called the "headnote of the day" so every day they will send you an email with some kind of funny headnote from REAL cases... for instance, did you know that dogs do not have a constitutionally guaranteed right to travel?

About being busy...

Do you feel like you have so much to do you don't even know where to start? If so, you and I are in the same boat. There is so much going on but I am trying to focus on one thing at a time and so far it's been working, but it is making me kind of tired... Lately my favorite part of the day is when I finally get to go to bed :) However, recently I realized that over the summer I kind of changed my sleeping pattern - last year I used to go to bed around 1 a.m. and I would wake up very tired around 8 a.m. Now I go to bed around 11:30p.m. and as a result I have no problem getting up even as early as 7a.m. in the morning... Plus, now I can walk from home to work/school which is great because it gives me a chance to breathe some clean (well, arguably...) air and wake myself up before I get to class/work... well, this post does not really have any lessons or wisdom in it, but I guess I could just say that if you feel overwhelmed with all the things you need to do, it is a good idea to just focus on one thing at a time, otherwise you will make yourself stressed and your productivity will go down. So make a list, and then scratch things off as you get them done - believe me, sometimes in my head it feels like I have a year's worth of work to do, but once I write everything down, it's not that bad after all...

Everything has an end...

I was just thinking how EVERYTHING in this life has an end... Therefore, when you are sad, it is important to remember that soon your sadness will be over and you will be doing something that makes you happy. I was just talking to someone whom I respect a lot and after talking with her for about an hour I realized how silly it is to spend time fretting about things. Sometimes there are things that you know you can't change, and yet, you keep thinking about it and keep making yourself miserable. The question is: WHY? There is no rational answer. We do it because we are human and we can't help but feel sorry for ourselves every once in a while. That, in my opinion, is one of the most self-defeating things one could do. Thus, my advice for the day: it's okay to be sad sometimes, but don't forget that soon you will be happy again. You are not the first person to be sad, and you won't be the last. Life always has better things in store for you, you just have to stay open and not ignore all the great things life has to offer. I feel that a lot of times we pay attention to the bad, but completely ignore good things that happen in our everyday lives. For instance, look at the media: what do we hear about every day? The war, the hurricanes, the economic crisis, prices going up, people are hungry and homeless, etc. The media almost never talks about some of the great things people do on a daily basis...

If anyone reads this blog (I doubt...) I want you to notice all the good things that happen in your life every day... I want you to remind yourself that even though life may seem tough sometimes, there are better things awaiting you in the future. You just have to keep going in order to get there...

Sorry if this post does not seem very well-organized, I am just writing down my thoughts as they come into my head...

Emotions....

Emotions.... sometimes they can make life more enjoyable and other times they make your life miserable... they can be good, and they can be bad.... but the biggest question is: is there a way to control them? Do we control our emotions, or do they control us? I suppose in some situations we are better able to handle our emotions than others... But what about those situations when you feel absolutely helpless and your emotions are preventing you from making solid decisions? I guess these kinds of situations are very personal, and each one of us has a different way of handling it. What are some of the ways that people deal with emotions? How do we make a choice between heart and mind? When do we listen to the heart rather than the mind, and vice versa? Any good ideas out there?

lodini da monatreba....

I am going back to a topic I started in one of my earlier posts.... why is it that there is always someone we are missing, someone we are waiting for? I have been thinking lately that there are so many people in my life whom I miss on a daily basis, and yet, there is nothing I can do about it. Every once in a while I feel that my life is all about waiting... waiting for someone or something... sometimes I feel that it ruins my present because I am so focused on the future that I ignore what is going on right now, right this moment... I guess another thing that contributes to all this is that I am the kind of person who loves to plan things way ahead of time. I always have an idea of what I will be doing 1 year from now, 5 years, 10 years, etc. I suppose it is good to look ahead and see your future, but I think it is also important not to forget the present because if you mess something up now, your future is not going to be quite the way you planned it. And even though I know all of this, sometimes I still forget that life is not happening in the future, life is happening now and I need to live in the "now."

Priorities

Have you ever had problems prioritizing? Well, I am guessing you have, at least once in your lifetime. Why is it so hard for us, humans, to make a list of things, grade them based on their importance, then go down the list and scratch things off one after another? It all sounds so easy on the paper... I used to struggle with this quite a bit, especially right after I first came to the US. However, over the years, I have definitely made a lot of progress... Currently, I feel that I am way better at balancing my life between school, work and social life. Yes, yes, sometimes school and work do take over social life, but once the finals are done, I usually make up for it by reconnecting with people and taking some time for myself. I have been thinking about all this since the school just started and I already have a ton to do. But my plan is to take one day at a time and get things done.

Well, a little bit about today... today was quite sad and emotional, for a few reasons which I will not name. But the day is almost over, and I am feeling better...

Summer!

The summer is almost over, but today was the most summery day I've had this year! Ingrid, Tina and I went to lake Calhoun and lay on the beach for 2 hours. After we got back, we went up to the rooftop (the building where Tina and I live has a rooftop with a grill) and made delicious burgers. So right now, I am stuffed and trying to stay awake since the day is far from being over. We'll be going out tonight since Ingrid and Killa are leaving us tomorrow - Ingrid is going back to Norway and then to London where she will be working next year, and Killa is going to China for a year to teach English to the Chinese students. And well, Tina and I, we will be staying in Minneapolis, but we don't mind, since we both feel at home here (well, I know I do, and I think Tina does too...). All of this makes me a little sad I guess, but the good thing is that all of us are doing something that makes us happy.

It's been too long...

I have been very bad at keeping up with my writing, but right now I am in the middle of transitioning to a new lifestyle with the school starting up this week, so I will try to make some time every day to write at least one paragraph each day.
This summer went by too fast... each year I feel that time just keeps speeding up, and I really, really wish that it would slow down... A few things happened this summer, some good, others not so good. Overall, I think that it was an important time in my life since it gave me an opportunity to think more about the future and make some important decisions. I got a new job, which I enjoyed very much and which allowed me to learn new things every day. Another thing that happened (or actually, it would be more accurate to call it a "string of events") was that I broke up, made up, and broke up again with my now ex-bf. The truth is that it should have been over a long time ago, but neither one of us was strong enough to do it. Finally, it happened, and I am glad it did because I feel much better now. I am so much more confident in what I want (and what I do not want). Also, my mother came for a visit which was very nice since I hadn't seen her in two years. However, right as she was leaving to go back the war started in Georgia which caused both of us a few sleepless nights. Well, I guess there was at least one good thing about the war - my mom ended up staying here for an additional week. Now she is back home safe and sound and I miss her a lot but I am also glad that she is there with my dad and the rest of the family. And lastly, the summer ended with my Norwegian roommate from college - Ingrid - coming for a visit. I hadn't seen her in 2 years so it was a nice surprise to have her back. The best thing is that even though I haven't seen Ingrid in such a long time, I still feel that it was just a couple of months ago when we shared an apartment at Augsburg... It's amazing how fast time has gone by, but fortunately, it has not managed to cause any damage to our friendship. And now, now I am back to school. I just finished the first week of classes and I am a bit overwhelmed by everything that has been going on lately but hopefully I will get used to my new schedule soon.
Well, that was my summer in a nutshell. I hope that everyone else had a great summer and got to do some interesting things. According to Ingrid, the summer is not over yet - she was shocked by the fact that the temps are still in the 70's in Minneapolis since in London, where she will be living next year, it's only 10C (that's around 50F).

I was just looking through some of my pictures to find something that would describe my mood and I found this one - I took it in Cedaredge, CO, on Christmas Eve 2007. My "mom" Karen and I were driving up a mountain and it was absolutely gorgeous.... We stopped the car on the side of the road and gazed into the distance for a while. The sun had just gone down and it was just absolutely amazing... Right now I just feel that I am doing a lot of thinking, and my mind is searching for peace and quiet, and I feel that this picture symbolizes the peace that I am searching for...

Can You Change People?

I have been thinking about this for a the last couple of weeks... The thing is that up until recently I thought that if you are nice to people and if you really put all your heart into something, you can help people to transform themselves into something better... Generally, I would say that I am more of an idealist who believes that every person's inner self is good and it is the circumstances that make us do bad things. Also, I used to believe that I, one person, have the power to let the people around me to reach into themselves, to reach into that "inner good" and let that dominate over the bad. Recently, however, I started to think that it often takes more than one person to do that. I realized that sometimes, no matter how hard I try, if I am the only one who is trying, then nothing is going to change. You can't really change people, unless THEY are willing to change. I know that I am still going to keep trying, but I won't be as optimistic and as convinced in my abilities as I used to be. It is hard when you see people around you "screwing up" but sometimes I guess there is nothing to do but let them "screw up" and hopefully they will learn from their mistakes, or they won't... I am not claiming to be an expert on anything, but I do know that I have had more life experiences than some of the people I know in my life, but again, those are my experiences, and I guess they have to have their own in order to learn...

Anyways, this has been on my mind for a couple of days, so here it is :)

As for me, I am pretty content with life right now. I have had some hard days in the last couple of weeks, but finally I think that my life is on the right track, and I am excited for things to come, so that's a really good feeling. I am moving into a new place tomorrow, and I am sooooo looking forward to it, mostly because we'll be decorating the house and I absolutely love doing that!!! I am starting a new job in about a week and all I can say is that I think it is as perfect as it can be at this point.

I hope that the sun is shining for all of the people that I know and the people that I don't know too :)

A Sad Story :(

This is my saddest animal story so far.... today I was walking back to work after lunch, and in the street I saw this huge, black crow eating something... I generally don't like crows and try to avoid them, but today for some reason I wanted to see what he was eating... so I got closer and I realized that he was eating a chipmunk that was still alive :( The poor chipmunk was almost dead, I did not know what to do... I got close and shooed the nasty crow off, and then tried to put the chipmunk in a "safe spot" closer to the sidewalk... the poor chipmunk was really flat (and since all of this was taking place in the middle of the road, I am guessing he got run over by a car :( and could not walk, but when I pushed him a little he tried to follow me and keep walking... it was the saddest thing ever... He looked really bad, and I did not know what to do with him. I could not take him along because I had to go back to work, and I did not know if I could call someone - I doubt someone would want to help me save a half-dead chipmunk. So, after deliberating for about a minute, I just made the most cruel decision I have ever made - I decided to keep walking... I was so sad to leave him there to die, but at the same time, I felt helpless, I felt that there was nothing I could do to help the poor chipmunk... I felt so guilty for the rest of the day - I know that the poor chipmunk is not human, but still, it is a life... I have heard a similar story from a friend before, and when she was sad, I did not really understand it and even made fun of her a little. Now I feel bad :(

Well, I guess that is the way mother nature works (or at least that's what I have been telling myself all day)...

What Do You Say to Your Heart?

Have you ever been in a situation where your heart and your mind are battling each other, and you know that your mind is right, and yet, the heart is hurting so much that you finally give up and you go with the heart instead of the mind? And then, once you've done that, then your mind starts playing with you, and it only gets worse... I just wish that our hearts and minds would be a little more synchronized... or at least they could talk to each other and be capable of reaching a consensus :) All of this has been giving me quite a bit of trouble recently, and sometimes I feel that I've got a dilemma, but at the same time, it seems that when your mind knows that you are doing the right thing, you just have to deal with the pain in heart and let it heal itself... I guess that's just the way it works, and there is no easy way out. I can hear my mind saying: "deal with it!" while the heart is pulling to the other side....

Surprises!

This morning an unexpected phonecall woke me up - it was my frined from Canada who was the first person to help me when I got to the United States 5 years ago - he was the person who picked me up at the airport, took me to shopping to get pillows and blankets, bought me my first American dinner.... I was so happy to hear from him! After talking to him, I got out of bed and checked my email, another email, weather, facebook.... and guess what? One of my best friends from Norway whom I met during my first semester in College is coming to Minneapolis next fall! What had started out as a bad morning (largely due to the fact that I have been sick for about a month now, and I am still coughing and sneezing...) all of a suddent turned into a happy begining of the day. Sometimes I just wish that I could get all the people I love and I am friends with in one spot, on some tropical island or something, and we could all live there happily... I am sure I am not the first one to have that idea, so sorry if you feel like I "stole" it from you :) hehe.... Maybe, if you are a nice person, we can live on the same island :)
Well, now I better go and start thinking about the Constitutional Law exam I have coming up tomorrow.... aaaaaahhhhhhhh..... I can't wait to be done - I am exhausted, I really feel like I have no energy left, especially given the fact that I have been sick forever and I was caughing, and sneezing and blowing my nose all throughout the 3 hour Contracts exam on Monday (sorry for those who sat anywhere close to me at that exam - believe me, I did not want to be coughing and blowing my nose every 5 minutes either :)) Anyways, I hope that the weather is nice wherever you are (it's pretty nice here, notwithstanding the fact that it SNOWED last week!?!)

FINALS!

Hey you!
Welcome! I am starting this blog in the middle of my law school finals, but I thought it would be a good way to take a break from Contracts and Constitutional Law =) I will keep this one short, but I will write more once I go back to being a "normal" person again, i.e. no more 16-hour study days... Thanks for stoppin' by!