Mail Order Lifestyles: LeTote

A few weeks ago, my sister recommended LeTote, calling it "Netflix for clothes." Since my curiosity was piqued by the description, and because it sounded like an interesting concept, I decided to give it a shot.

I've been feeling a little bored and dissatisfied with my wardrobe for a while. Some outfits get worn all too often, or are worn out, or looked good when I tried them on but pose unanticipated problems when I'm wearing them out in the world (flimsy buttons, for example). Still, the prospect of going on a shopping spree to find replacement outfits is daunting, and likely to be expensive. Plus, even if I like a piece of clothing well enough in the store, it's difficult to predict whether I'll want to incorporate it into my regular wardrobe.

LeTote helps to alleviate this problem, since it essentially gives you a rotating wardrobe for a $50 subscription fee. If there's an article of clothing you like particularly well, you can buy it (at a discounted price) by holding on to it or ordering it at the website later.

The Anatomy of a Surprise Party

In addition to having a creative side, I am fond of putting together puzzles and crafting things in general. Likewise, I have a tendency to throw myself into various elaborate projects. So, naturally, when I realized that Andy's birthday was coming up, the idea of putting together a special surprise was irresistible.

When I had settled on the basic idea for a surprise party, I gradually started pulling things together: approaching friends, figuring out a good party date (May 4), and doing my best to secure Andy for the party without giving up the game. Matt and Chrissie provided invaluable assistance in figuring out the logistics and streamlining the party plans when things became a little convoluted.

Of course, I wanted to add my special touch to the surprise party. So, before the party even started, I set the tone by putting together a scavenger hunt, complete with rhyming clues and even a couple of fakeouts. I worked on an introductory collage and poem, found a bunch of postcards, figured appropriate hiding places for the clues, and wrote little poems (including a sonnet and a poem in terza rima) to serve as clues.

Sunny: 6/10/93 - 5/28/07

My dog Sunny passed away on Monday. He was two weeks shy of his fourteenth birthday.

I met Sunny shortly before my thirteenth birthday. Weeks of research, manipulation, and begging had paid off, and I had convinced my parents that I should get a Golden Retriever puppy. After looking at some newspaper ads, we contacted a veterinarian whose dog had recently given birth to a litter of puppies. By the time we scheduled a meeting, only two dogs were left. Sunny and I bonded quickly; I remember how he kept untying my shoes by tugging at my shoelaces. After being introduced to his mother, we went into the car, clutching Sunny so he wouldn't run into the street.

Happy New Year!

2006 has been full of exciting developments, and, similarly, 2007 should be a very busy year. In particular, a lot has happened over the course of the last few months.

First, Matt proposed to my sister Chrissie in late October. They are planning to get married on December 8th, and have already picked out a lovely wedding site. They have been dating for over four years and have a great relationship, so it will be wonderful to see them get married.

In addition, I did pass the New York and New Jersey bar exams. This January, I will need to go to Albany in order to get sworn in to the New York State Bar, but I am otherwise in good shape.

I have also been doing some contract work while I have been searching for a more permanent position. Once I do find a permanent job, I will be able to search for an apartment of my own; I haven't been able to commit to an apartment before, as I wanted to tailor the apartment search to the area where I would be working.

Anyway, I hope that everyone has a great 2007!

Hello Again

I was able to get my business cards fixed in time for the conference, although I didn't end up handing them out to any of the attendees. However, I did give a few cards to friends later. The conference itself was interesting, although I was pretty tired by the end of the day.

After the conference, I attended Chrissie's birthday party, which consisted of mini golf and a meal.

Things have otherwise been relatively slow, although I am planning a trip to Disneyland this weekend.

Can't Believe It's September

Given the heat and the lack of a school structure, it doesn't feel like it's already September.

A few things have happened since I last wrote. I took the New York and New Jersey Bar Exams between July 25th and July 27th. The first two days of the exams took place in Albany, while the third day of the exam took place in Secaucus, a New Jersey suburb which is across the river from New York. The first day's exam consisted of five New York essays, 50 New York multiple choice questions, and a Multistate performance test. The second day consisted of 200 multiple choice questions dealing with general legal principles; this portion of the exam is graded in both states. The final day was comprised of seven New Jersey essays. I'm glad that I made the effort to take the exams, although I'm also glad that I won't have to worry as much about the outcome of these exams as I did for the California one; my career won't be "on hold" if I don't pass.

Just Dropping In

I have been relatively busy lately, although I haven't really had any major responsibilities in the past few weeks.

I finished A Tale of Two Cities a while ago, and am thinking of following up with The Sound and the Fury if I have the time.

On Saturday, May 6, my parents and I went up to the small town of Lincoln, CA, where we visited members of my dad's family and saw the local "Feats of Clay" exhibit. The exhibit centered on the town's clay factory, which is the economic heart of the area, and was more interesting than I thought it might be. The factory produces, among other things, terra cotta figures for public buildings, and it was fascinating to walk through rooms which were filled with a random assortment of classical-style statues and architectural details; in an odd way, it reminded me of the final scene in Citizen Kane.

On May 7 and May 14, I went with my family to matinee performances of The Rover, in which Chrissie played the courtesan Angellica Bianca. She did a very good job in both performances, but I'm glad we saw the earlier performance, as the final performance contained interruptions by a renegade pigeon and the world's most clueless cell phone user. I was also able to get Chrissie flowers that matched her costume, a gesture which was greatly appreciated.

In other news, I am beginning preparations to take the New York and New Jersey bar exams in July. Although I may want to stay in California, I would still like to keep my options open, and applying for another state bar will become increasingly difficult as I begin to specialize. Fortunately, I can take both states' exams concurrently, and I wouldn't have to study any new material for the New Jersey exam. However, New Jersey's application process is annoyingly byzantine and full of red tape; I half-suspect that the state is trying to weed out potential applicants through the application process itself rather than its examination. I would also like to get admitted to the Washington DC bar, but that is comparatively simple, as I would only need to send my California scores to join.

My Whirlwind Life

First, I should mention that Chrissie is playing the part of Angellica Bianca in a production of Aphra Behn's Restoration-era play The Rover, and that the play will be performed at the John Raitt theater on Hollywood Boulevard this May (with performances on the 5th, 6th, 12th, and 13th, and matinees on the 7th and 14th).

Easter was fairly pleasant. Chrissie, Matt, my grandparents, my aunt, my uncle, and my four young cousins came to my parents' house for a low-key celebration.

Briefly Popping In

I wanted to congratulate my aunt for giving birth to Robert Hughes and Stephen Russell on Tuesday, November 29. Tangentially, congratulations to Emily for winning the informal twin-naming pool, and to Robert and Stephen for... being born. The new twins seem to be doing well, and I look forward to seeing them grow.

Also, congratulations to Chrissie for booking several commercials in the past months, including ads for Ford, Ebay, and Starburst (even if Ford's demented casting directors did cast her as the mother of an 11-year-old).

Miscellaneous

I have finished moving into my summer apartment. Because I won't be staying long, I've kept things relatively simple, with a minimum of furnishings.

For the first week after graduation, I was able to relax a little, which was nice. I was also able to see Chrissie's new apartment, which is very cute (and right beneath the Hollywood sign).

However, my Bar review program has started this past week, and the schedule is pretty rigorous. Naturally, it is taking some time to get used to the program, but I will have to be conscientious about the study schedule; the exam is less than two months away. The week has been full of non-academic events as well, as I was able to see a few friends and watch my sister perform in a staged reading of "Hotel Chicago," a new play.

My laptop's screen has been acting up since the fall. Because I have constantly needed my computer since then, I have been making do with an external screen for months; however, I am finally in a position where I can send my computer away for a few weeks while it is repaired. As a consequence, I won't be online very often for a while. However, since I really do need to study, this is probably a good thing.

My Week (What an Original Title)

Classes are winding down, as there are only a few sessions left before exams.

On Wednesday, my Trial Practice class began earlier, as there were two full trials to cover over the course of the session. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the end.

I was finally able to choose my classes for the coming semester at 1:00 on Thursday. It was a really late time slot, but I was able to take the most important classes I was interested in. However, I did get a little frantic after I had gotten the first few classes and needed to round out my schedule. Fortunately, I was able to put together a workable schedule eventually. I think that next semester will be a bit more rigorous than this one, especially since one of my professors is known for giving out copious amounts of reading. I don't think that this is necessarily a bad thing; if I know that I absolutely <i>can't</I> slack, I tend to be more motivated to do my reading as quickly as possible without rationalizing or procrastinating.

On Friday, I visited Chrissie at the editing lab before going over to see Natasha. She worked on a musical arrangement for Chrissie's film, which I recorded on my computer and later put on a CD.

After a late start on Saturday, I drove out to Santa Monica and did a decent amount of reading becore meeting Chrissie and Laura. We had a bite to eat and wandered around the Promenade before going to a screening of <i>Love Actually</I>.

Today, I was able to drive over to Santa Monica and get some more reading done. All in all, this has been a pretty productive weekend, and I'm hoping to keep it up for the rest of the week.

[Insert Witty Title Here]

I had my trial on Wednesday. I think it went well; I got a few compliments at the end, and I think that the powerpoint elements worked rather well. I'm glad that I got done with it early as well. Since I was in the first group, I don't have any work to do for the next few weeks' sessions in the class (aside from watching others' trials), and this will allow me to focus more on my other classes.

On Friday, I met with a professor to discuss my NAALJ paper; I will probably be discussing the paper with him more once I've made more progress and have my argument fully put together. I also took a look at the classes that were being offered next semester. I'm one of the last people who can sign up, so I'm just hoping that the classes I want won't fill up too quickly.

Later that day, I drove by to see Chrissie. I was only there for a short time, but I got to see the final version of her last movie as well as some other videos. Later, I visited Natasha; we went to the movies and drove around a bit before I headed back home.

And It's Finally the Weekend...

I have been pretty busy this week.

On Monday, I went out to lunch with a couple of friends from school. We haven't gotten the chance to see each other very often, so it was good to have the chance to reminisce a bit. Later, I drove over to USC and saw some of the work that Chrissie had done on her latest movie.

My watch band broke on Tuesday; it's frustrating to not have a watch on, especially since I'm so used to wearing it all the time. Hopefully, I'll be able to fix the problem soon.

After my Thursday classes, I had a meeting with my student articles editor regarding my outline. I'm on the right track at this point, so the meeting was pretty quick and painless. Later, I drove to the nearest dealership to get a few repairs done on the car. I was also able to rent a car for Friday's interview. Once things had been taken care of, I went to Natasha's to prep her for her witness role. Unfortunately, there were some communication errors and she won't be able to make it to the class on time. I've made some efforts to recruit people, but I haven't found anyone who can go without changing their schedule.

I spent most of today in the car, as I made the trek to and from Indio for my follow-up interview. I think the interview went fairly well, but it's always hard to tell. The trip itself was an ordeal, partially because of misleading internet directions and partially because of the sheer length of the trip. My back was definitely in pain once I got back (at around 7:00).

Long Time, No Write

On Friday night, I went to the house in Northridge to help Chrisse with the filming of her next student production. It went pretty quickly, even though there were quite a few people involved and I was a little bit tired.

I was supposed to see Brother Bear at the El Capitan with the twins, but my tire was flat, so I couldn't make it. I had to wait around for the tow truck to fit the temporary tire on my car, drive down to the closest gas station, and rent a car for the weekend while a new tire was ordered. I was disappointed, and I know that the twins were sad that I couldn't come, but I'm going to try and meet with them later on.

On Sunday, I drove to USC and helped Chrissie's friend Laura with her student mockumentary. It was fun, and there was naturally a lot of improv from the cast members.

As I'm a Moot Court Board member, I've been looking at participants' briefs for the upcoming entertainment law competition. I was assigned to look at the citation form, which isn't the most engaging thing; however, extracurricular assignments like this and journal subchecks are good for helping me develop a 'sixth sense' about Bluebook form, and that should help me in the future.

Busy...

I've been a bit busy lately, so I haven't gotten around to updating. I've still got a lot to do tomorrow, and the next week will be pretty work-intensive.

My sleep habits have generally gotten better this week, and I'm hoping to keep it up. I think it's helpful to have the extra time in the mornings. Of course, it's difficult because I'm typically most productive late at night, but I should be able to figure other efficient ways to study.

On Wednesday, Chrissie came over to show me some footage from her latest student film project. However, she coudn't stay long, as I had a class shortly after she came.

Friday's Corporations class was more laid-back than usual, as it was largely review; the teacher even brought Krispy Kreme doughnuts to class. After class, I met with my "witness" for next Wednesday's Trial Practice class, where I'm conducting a direct examination. Later, I picked up Natasha and went to a "cast screening" of Chrissie's Murphy Colfax movie, which also included screenings of movies by Matt and Jeremy (aka 'Murphy').

In other news, I recently learned that I will be having a follow-up interview for the Riverside DA on November 7th! I still have to schedule the interview itself, keeping the (2+ hour) travel time in mind. Hopefully it will go well, since it seems like it would be a good experience with some interesting hands-on work; if I remember correctly, students even get to handle a misdemeanor trial over the course of the summer.

Since I Last Posted (Yes, I Am Original)

I discovered that I have many more case summaries to do than I originally thought; due to a communications error (the prof. was sending emails to my deserted school email address, which I didn't know to check), I hadn't received the last few batches. Naturally, I did a couple batches as soon as I could so that I could start to catch up.

I also have an idea for the piece I'll eventually be writing for the NAALJ journal, which I approached my professor with. I've done a little preliminary research, just to make sure that there was some case law on the subject, and it looks like there's enough to make an interesting paper. I'm probably going to write about art in the administrative law context, and the issues that come up with NEA grants. I think that there's an interesting conflict, since art is inherently subjective and would seem difficult to regulate, and the topic brings up some issues that are unusual in the administrative law context, mainly First Amendment rights. I have to turn my topic in on Monday, so hopefully it will be well-received.

I had to give an opening statement for Trial Practice on Wednesday. I don't feel that great about it, though I don't feel absolutely horrible. I think I had a few problems because the person I was 'representing' was fairly reprehensible, even without considering the allegations.

Aventuras en la Escuela

I got called on in Tuesday's Evidence course. Because of the work I had done Chrissie's film, I didn't have much time to read and was a bit underprepared despite having done some reading the previous night. I was able to make my way through, at least. I think it appeared more like I was nervous or shy than underprepared, which I suppose is one of the few benefits of being introverted. Afterwards, I had Admin. Law; as the professor was at a conference, the class was taught by a guest speaker. He spoke on the subject of education and the disabled rather than giving a lecture on the curriculum, which was a good change of pace. Later, I had a Moot Court Board meeting, during which some of the members' duties were laid out.

I didn't get much sleep last night, so I was pretty groggy for a large portion of the day. I survived this morning's Corporations class and a mandatory Westlaw training session before getting some coffee and going to a lecture session of my Trial Practice class.

The Tab Variations

Late this morning, I left the school to help Chrissie with her movie. After picking up Natasha, who I had recruited for the film, I drove over to the University Village near USC. A few scenes were filmed during the next few hours, including ones in which Natasha and I blocked Jeremy while moving along an endless line of clothing racks (we changed our outfits between shots). Later, we had a 'cast lunch' over at Subway.

Chrissie still had some shots to do, but she had come up with the idea of doing some sort of instrumental version of the 80's Tab jingle (the commercial is a major plot point) in the closing credits. As Natasha is musically talented, she offered to do one, so we drove over to my place, got a copy of the jingle and my computer's recording equipment, and left for her house. After some practice, she was able to put together an improvised jazzy version, which I gave to Chrissie.

And now I have lots of work to do...

Murphy Colfax Takes on the World

Here are some of the things I created for Chrissie's film.

It's too Late to Think of a Good Title

As I was up late helping Chrissie out on Thursday, I was rather tired on Friday morning. After my class, I took a long nap before going to a Bluebook review session. After the session, I headed over to USC, where Chrissie was shooting her film. She wanted to use my car; in the movie, the protagonist attempts to drive to the post office but the car won't start. Anyhow, I parked outside Chrissie's apartment building and 'offered moral support' as the shoot went on. I also helped out with one shot where the main character's shirt gets caught in the car door. After shooting was done for the day, Chrissie, Matt, Jeremy (the actor, who is also a professional film actor), and I saw the 'dailies', which included the car scenes and early sequences of the character eating chips on the couch. After Jeremy and Matt left, I stayed at Chrissie's apartment while she filmed various shots of the room, which was made disgustingly messy for the movie. Finally, we had some pizza and cake with Jenny, Chrissie's roommate, before I headed back to my room.

I spent most of today doing relatively little. However, things picked up after I got a call from Natasha. She invited me over to listen to a band that was playing at the Roxy theatre on Sunset (she knew the mother of the base player from her volunteer work). Though we weren't there for a long time (a little less than an hour), we both had an enjoyable time, and even got copies of the band's CD. Since we were both a little hungry afterwards, we went over to Jerry's Deli for a late dinner afterwards. I think we both had a pretty good time, and I'm glad that I got to go.