Sratim Metzuyarim Forum

[Matokah]

I meant to start one of these weeks ago, but I got antisocial. And then I had a car accident (well, I didn't, but I was in a car that was in an accident, and. . .nevermind). Work made me grouchy, too. Can't forget that.

My cycle, with the exception of a deferral at University of Minnesota, is over. 7 admits, 2 waitlists, 5 rejections (at schools I really had no business applying to with my LSAT score), and 1 deferral. It was a pretty fantastic journey for me. I originally applied to schools 2 years ago but due to a health problem, I withdrew from all of the schools to which I was accepted and decided to take a few years off. I've never had to deal with my own finances with my own hard-earned money before. It did me some good.

I actually don't feel much like talking about law school right now. Figure skating's been on my mind most of the day. I skate 3-4 days a week. It used to be more, but ice is expensive, and my boots are breaking down. I don't have the money to replace the things, and I also don't want to break an ankle over-practicing in soft leather. At $650 for the boots alone, I doubt I'll be buying a new pair any time soon. Then tack on $45 for sealing them, $550 for orthotics (my current ones are broken down), and $450 for new blades, and I'm beginning to think I should've married rich. Or something.

I actually just got back from the Adult National Figure Skating Championships (see: http://adultnationals2007.org) in Chicago, IL. I hadn't really prepared for my event very thoroughly (see the no money lament above). I skated decently. I think my performance at the Midwestern Sectional Championships was better, but then again, I didn't manage the double-double combo that I did in Chicago, so who knows? I ended up 2nd in Chicago and have a pretty little medal to show for it.

This morning was my moves in the field lesson. Field moves are an evil necessity of figure skating. They test basic elements of increasing difficulty the higher you test up. You can't take the freestyle test with all the fun jumps and spins at one level until you pass the moves test. Moves tests, however, can be passed all the way up without doing any freestyle tests. Oh, the injustice.

There are 8 tests: pre-preliminary, preliminary, pre-juvenile, juvenile, intermediate, novice, junior, and senior. All those cool skaters you see on TV have passed senior moves and free. I'm working on junior moves and novice free, so I'm slowly yet surely getting there. I'll be taking my novice free in May. And today I learned that my moves coach wants me to try junior moves in May, as well. Good lord.

I've been pretty distracted from skating this Spring. My current job's exhausting, and law school visits have taken a lot out of me, as well. 2 weeks ago, I made the decision to attend University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law out in Sacramento. I feel great about the decision, but I'm nervous, too. None of my family lives in Northern California, and I am a bit worried about the financial burden 3 years of law school is going to put on me. Sometimes I wonder if becoming a skating coach would be a better idea. Most good coaches here in Minnesota make between $40-60 per hour. California coaches are more in the $60-80 per hour range. My moves coach has to be making over $100K/year on lessons alone (not to mention he has a second job). That's pretty lucrative.

Law just seems to call to me, though. There are so many aspects of it that intrigue me. Business immigration has been something I've been pondering lately (to help pay back loans while doing pro bono immigration cases on the side to fulfill the civil duties desire I have, as well). I know McGeorge has an immigration clinic, so that might be a good place to start. I suppose if something horrid happens and law doesn't work out for me, I'll have a decent skating career to fall back on. There are rinks in the Sacramento area; I checked.

I meant this as an introduction to myself, but I've started rambling, and I know it's because I'm tired. Maybe I'll come up with something more interesting tomorrow. I would like to talk more about my admissions cycle and how I think it went (scholarship negotiating, school choices, etc), but I think that'll have to wait for later.

ve'im mishahu po yodeya et ivrit, ohmer ahlan li, beseder? ani mepohedet she'eshach et ha'ivrit sheli ki ani lo medeberet et zeh harbeh ackshav. gam mishahu yodeya et ha'seret "Knefayim Shavurot"? "Sratim Metzuyarim" hu ha'shir ma'seret ha'zeh. ani col cach ohevet et ha'seret ha'zeh ve'ha'milim ba'shir. ani margisha she'ha'chayim sheli hu cmo ha'shir ha'zeh lifamin. (yes, too lazy to use the real alphabet. . .maybe I'll change it later to the correct letters)