Catching Up

A blog update is long past due, I know. I got so caught up in finals, and then moot court, that I haven’t had a chance to sit down and record anything. Finally, however, I am beginning to surface once again – and I even spent this whole past weekend doing nothing!! Yep, that’s correct – no homework whatsoever. The beginning of a new quarter is always so glorious. :)

Well, first things first – I have survived my 4^th set of law school finals – and only have 5 left!!! I haven’t decided whether they get easier are harder. In some ways, they’re easier. I know my limits, and I don’t try to push myself to do 10 hours of studying a day anymore. Additionally, I’ve got a great study group, which makes studying so much more enjoyable. However, since we had all new professors this quarter, there’s always the fear of the unknown regarding how hard the test will actually be. But overall I feel good, and it’s one more thing I can check off my list.

The weekend after finals, our group got together and decorated my Christmas tree. I know…it was well before Thanksgiving – but it was either that, or do it 2 weeks before we broke for Christmas. I decided to indulge early this year and put it up so we could enjoy it. Plus, there’s something about the horror of finals that just makes you crave Christmas. :)

We also watched “Home Alone 2,” which is one of my favorite Christmas movies. I know the trap scenes are sooo unrealistic, and yet they’re hysterically funny.

Three and a half days into the new quarter, I left for Malibu with my moot court team. We competed in Pepperdine’s National Entertainment Law Moot Court competition. I had to argue a copyright issue – as a musician, I enjoyed getting to learn about this area of the law. I’m not sure that I’ll ever end up practicing it (only big firms, mostly in California, where I refuse to live), but it was neat to get exposed to it. Additionally, we lucked out on location. I ate so much seafood last weekend…it was fantastic!! Since I rarely ever eat seafood at home, it was a nice change in diet.

Although I was really nervous going into the competition (think piano senior recital all over again), I loved the actual presentation part. Moot court is a simulation of arguing before an appellate court. At the competition, we were pretending to argue before the Supreme Court of the United States. It’s pretty cool when the judges come in and the bailiff says, “The Supreme Court of the United States is now in session.” And yes, I know I’m a nerd. :) My partner and I ended up competing all the way until the semi-final round, which was really exciting!! While I would have loved to have competed in the final round, I was very pleased with our results.

And now, to give a brief overview of my classes this quarter. My schedule got shifted around a little, so I’m taking all electives this quarter (instead of taking Constitutional Law and Remedies). My classes are: Estate Planning, Individual Taxation (blegh), Advanced Legal Research, Arbitration, and Bankruptcy. While doing my reading for Bankruptcy, I’ve decided that I will like basically any area of law that involves property. :) However, since dabbling in Bankruptcy isn’t really an option, I don’t think I can be torn away from my love of writing wills to actually make a practice out of it – but we’ll see.

This past weekend was glorious – after a crazy couple of weeks with finals and moot court, it was WONDERFUL to be able to relax and do absolutely nothing. On Friday night, the gang came over and we watched “The Christmas List,” which is my favorite Christmas movie of all time. On Saturday night, AnnaGrace and I made a stuffed crust pizza (second time in 2 days!!) and watched “Just Go With” with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. Despite a good bit of crude humor, it was actually really cute. Both of us were in the mood for something mindless and funny, so it fit the bill. :)

Well, that’s all for now…I have grand plans of blogging several times this weekend (Thanksgiving!!) to keep you apprised of all my grand adventures. Here’s my list of planned activities (along with some I’m still hoping about!):

• Believe! 5K on Saturday
• More stuffed crust pizza (Dad’s pizza crust + my addition of cheese = gotta be perfection)
• Cinnamon rolls (I’m really craving these and hoping I can convince mom to make her “Christmas” breakfast dish a little early)
• Driving through neighborhoods with lots of Christmas lights
• Christmas shopping – I’m itching to start buying gifts!
• Make frosted wine goblets – I’m testing out a DIY Christmas gift idea on pinterest – and I need new goblets to drink eggnog out of (it’s almost a crime to drink eggnog out of a regular glass in my book)
• Watch lots of Christmas movies – “Elf,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Polar Express…” and any others that I am forgetting (maybe “Home Alone 2” and “Christmas List” round 2???)
• Eat until I’m stuffed…run it off…repeat multiple times…

Wise Words

Hello, this is AnnaGrace. I just thought you might like to know that this is not Katelyn...although I am extremely thankful that she lets me hack into her blog and post to my heart's content - or discontent. Hmmm...anyway, I thought I would post some wise words.

"I wish Thy way.

But when in me myself would rise

And long for something otherwise,

Then, Holy One, take sword and spear

And slay." - Amy Carmichael

“Just keep fighting”

So easy to say. 

I am tired. 

I am bowed down

Beneath the weight

Of life. 

The weight 

Of me. 

I am surrounded by others. 

I am painfully alone. 

Life moves, lives, 

Breathes around me. 

The earth swallows me 

In solitude. 

The hard ground 

My pallet. 

Its coldness numbs 

My aching heart. 

My mangled spirit 

Disfigured 

By the brutality of life 

The weight of my weapons 

Renders me motionless. 

I can’t keep fighting. 

All I can do is lie here 

Beneath my shield. 

Being. 

Breathing. 

Living. 

I lie here. 

Not fighting. 

Cast upon the Rock. 

Inextricably entwined 

In His everlasting arms 

In Him, there is no need. 

No need to fight. 

For He has already won. 

The victory is mine.

"O Thou, who art my quietness, my deep repose
My rest from strife of tongues, my holy hill,
Fair is Thy pavillion, where I hold me still. 
Back let them fall from me, my clamorous fees.
Confusions multiplied;
From crowding things of sense I flee, and Thee I hide.
Until this tyranny be overpast,
Thy hand will hold me fast; 
What though the tumult of the storm increase,
Grant to Thy servant strength, O Lord, and bless with peace." - Amy Carmichael

..."to the glory of His name let me witness that in far away lands, in loneliness (deepest sometimes when it seems least so), in times of downheartedness and tiredness and sadness, always always He is near. He does comfort, if we let Him. Perhaps someone as weak and good for nothing as even I may read this. Don't be afraid! Through all circumstances, outside, inside, He can keep me close" - Amy Carmichael

"Bare heights of loneliness...a wilderness whose burning winds sweep over glowing sands, what are they to Him? Even there He can refresh us, even there He can renew us." - Amy Carmichael

Hacked

I have my own blog. I am writing on this one. Stating the obvious? Yes. All I can manage right now? Again, yes. My brain and intellect are on absolute overload. Thus, this post is inevitably going to resemble a stream of conciousness post. Perhaps one day, I will give you a more thorough stream of consciousness post rather than merely a collection of a few random sentences. Okay. Ready? Go.

I do not remember receiving the Dictionary word of the day in my email this morning. Hmmm....


I love words.


Eating cereal from a giant mug is the best...and thanks mom for buying the chocolate Puffins when you were here last week. They are scrumptious!

Mahler - you have captivated me. I think I am in love.

I wish someone were here to play Scrabble with me.


I just wish someone were here. Period.


Is it bad that I started crying today when I saw a dead cat on the side of the road?

I wonder if I have the ingredients to make scones for tomorrow.

Grading and attendance records take up an inordinate amount of time. 


Crayola window crayons = one of the best inventions ever. 


I love photography. I need to do it more often. 

Taken at a monastary in Austria

Monteverdi. Boo.

Why did I decide to work while having 20/20 on in the background? As a single gal who lives alone, watching a documentary about mass murderers and rapists was not a wise life choice.

Moot court! Boo-yah! Get it Ridenour! You are awesomesauce! :)

The suit jacket. :)

I love trail running.


I am lonely.

This hurts.

My footsteps are erasers and as the miles pass by, so too do my anxieties.

When my heart is overwhelmed, O Lord, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I....and Lord, my heart is really overwhelmed. :(

"Depression hurts. Cymbalta can help" - (help you feel better, or help hurt you?) gotta love commercials for medications...the side effects sound awful!

"You are my hiding place. You fill my broken heart with songs"

"Let me learn that the cross precedes the crown, to be low is to be high, that the valley's where You make me more like Christ. Let me find Your grace in the valley. Let me find Your life in my death. Let me find Your joy in my sorrow - Your wealth in my need - that you're near with every breath... in the valley."

That's all for now. 

There is so much in my fluff-filled head, that it is probably best if I stop the stream of consciousness now. 

All my loving,

AnnaGrace