What I've Been Up To

I haven't blogged in awhile, so I thought I'd quickly update. :-) First of all, I am very pleased to announce that I've found a free wireless connection at Bobaloca, a cute little pearl milk tea shop near campus. (I'm actually sitting inside the cafe right now, reading). YAY!

First of all, I have been busy with my legal clinic every Wednesday night. I'm volunteering at a worker's rights legal clinic in El Monte (which is way the heck out there, by the way). It's fun, though, and a nice semi "real world" break during the week. Basically, the legal clinic helps litigants (not "clients" since we aren't respresenting their cases) find solutions to their work-related problems. Usually, the claims are for unpaid wages that employers have failed to provide (typically for janitorial services, trucking, contracting, etc.), wrongful termination, unemployment benefits, and criminal expungements. The volunteers take down the relevant information, consult with the attorney about any next-steps, and then give the litigants "homework" to help them either file a claim, prepare for a hearing, etc. It's pretty interesting, I have to say.

Second, I have been watching the "Biggest Loser" every Tuesday night. Riveting television. I've been rooting for the girls most of the time, but after this week's episode, I think I might like the guy's team better. The guys are much more team-oriented than the girls who can't seem to get along. I think it's so indicative of real life though -- the fact that girls have a harder time getting along with each other. Put a bunch of girls together (in a dorm, in a school, etc.) and conflict emerges. Put a bunch of guys together, and I think bonding and general comraderie is much more likely to emerge. Although, I bet the guys would bond together in a pigsty and at least the drama-ridden female household would have cute decorations and clean floors. But I digress...

Third, I have been learning to enjoy living on my own (in the sense that I'm in a new place without my mom and sister nearby), and taking it for the good and the bad. I love having my own space and figuring out how to do things on my own. I also like all my random little finds, like coffee shops and stores and things with which to make my room cozy (yes, forever a nester). Though, it's definitely hard to feel at home when I still don't really know my way around and I don't have the time to necessarily learn. It's also hard to really connect with people in a deeper way. Law school, I think to a large extent, is a somewhat lonely experience. At the end of the day, there's just a certain amount of reading that has to get done on your own. The understanding and the application has to come from yourself in order to be useful. And although I'm excited for all the things that I'll (hopefully) eventually get to do with my education, it's definitely a difficult process along the way...