Trying to sell as many of the Cal Bar books as possible - conviser mini-review really selling well! Must sell the new york ones at some point!!
Still in LA for a bit but going back Thursday time... :(
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
I'm alive!!!
Actually ate a little turkey last week - all went fine in that i didnt die or go crazy but did feel the beginnings of an allergic reaction so took a loada anti-histamine - long story short - decided that i shuld prly stay off turkey in future in case it gets worse which apparently such allergy thingys do!
As for everything else - extended my trip by a week cus of several factors such as thinking i really should email a lot more firms/people and try for potential interviews before i go back rather than spending so much time at the accursed GROVE!! lol. So now things looking better - certain 'contacts' coming through could mean things looking up on the whole future/job front!
Just spent last few hours watching bits of the republican debate on youtube followed by bits of the democrat one - some of it kinda interesting!
As for everything else - extended my trip by a week cus of several factors such as thinking i really should email a lot more firms/people and try for potential interviews before i go back rather than spending so much time at the accursed GROVE!! lol. So now things looking better - certain 'contacts' coming through could mean things looking up on the whole future/job front!
Just spent last few hours watching bits of the republican debate on youtube followed by bits of the democrat one - some of it kinda interesting!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tis me first ever thanksgiving actually in the US which is kinda cool! Been sitting around watching Football - now wanting the cowboys to win so that my fantasy team finally finish their 5 game losing streak!
Going to eat fairly soon altho i BELIEVE i may be allergic to turkey as well as chicken... culd suck but i really wanna just make sure i actually AM allergic to turkey. Have been allergic to chicken for quite some time - well since i was working at KFC anyways - kinda eat even a small bit of it and eyes start to itch and throat seems to close up - crazy shit innit? Never heard of ne one else with a CHICKEN allergy. Not sure if thats the same with turkey tho - cuuuld be but last year had some turkey then about 4 hours later i was VERY sick - think that miteve been food poisoning tho so VERY tempted to go back to the turkey this year and see.... we shall see!
Going to eat fairly soon altho i BELIEVE i may be allergic to turkey as well as chicken... culd suck but i really wanna just make sure i actually AM allergic to turkey. Have been allergic to chicken for quite some time - well since i was working at KFC anyways - kinda eat even a small bit of it and eyes start to itch and throat seems to close up - crazy shit innit? Never heard of ne one else with a CHICKEN allergy. Not sure if thats the same with turkey tho - cuuuld be but last year had some turkey then about 4 hours later i was VERY sick - think that miteve been food poisoning tho so VERY tempted to go back to the turkey this year and see.... we shall see!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Onwards...
Well i guess the future now beckons... altho to be fair this process is only just beginning - still gotta complete the moral certification thing, get sworn in and... perhaps more vitally - GET A JOB!!!! Visa requirements are such that you apply in April and get the visa in october i believe so i aint gonna be practicing properly until at least then!
In LA for a bit longer now - been celebrating today in my favorite way lol - watched American Gangster followed by No country for old men! Good stuff! Hoping to see Bee Movie in an hour or so. :)
In LA for a bit longer now - been celebrating today in my favorite way lol - watched American Gangster followed by No country for old men! Good stuff! Hoping to see Bee Movie in an hour or so. :)
Friday, November 16, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
4 days!
FUCK! lol... so last day at work tomoro then flying out to LA on Wednesday and then hopefully stay knackered/jet lagged right up until i get the result so that it all seems to go a bit quick! Jus going out for coupla weeks - never been to america for thanksgiving! Kinda goin thru a rollercoaster of different emotions last few days - most of the time not even realising why im feeling whatever way i am!
2-0!!!!!!!! :) :) :)
(listening to Arsenal game :))
As for all other sport related stuff - dodgers pissing away the league wasn't good but the bringing in of Torre PLUS the possibility of either cabrera or a-rod is always good - looks like the team mite actually be trying to win something next year!
2-0!!!!!!!! :) :) :)
(listening to Arsenal game :))
As for all other sport related stuff - dodgers pissing away the league wasn't good but the bringing in of Torre PLUS the possibility of either cabrera or a-rod is always good - looks like the team mite actually be trying to win something next year!
Monday, November 5, 2007
Not many days left!!!
Crazy! Suddenly thought earlier that in 2 weeks time results will be out - getting serrriously worried now... surely they must have marked everything by now?!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
AGGH!!!
Ok i thought i'd been quite calm so far - immersed myself in just working 6 days a week to get as much money as possible and pay off all these huge debts and pretty much just sleeping the rest of the time (or having plenty of beer/watching movies! lol). But SUDDENLY this morning something hit me - can't be sure why but suddenly I'm having a minor freak out about results! I guess now i got paid for October it's starting to sink in, next pay day i will know results PLUS results day is starting to come into my 'planned out radar' - i only really plan ahead a few weeks at a time mostly! SO now there is issues - everything turns on the result - if i fail im gonna throw myself into studying from early on and stop doing anything else until the exam to ensure i get it 2nd time. If i pass then i will keep working but then have to throw myself into trying to get a job - either way i will be throwing myself somewhere and not feeling all that awake/strong right now!
Friday, August 24, 2007
1 month on...
Can't really believe that it was a month ago that day 1 of the bar exam began! Now exactly too! On the one hand it seems like it was only yesterday and so i can't believe that it's been a whole month but on the other hand I've done so much SINCE the bar that it almost seems strange that only a month has passed! I know that IS very contradictory and i have no idea how my mind manages to reconcile the two... if at all but whatever.. it seems STRANGE!
Lisa has now gone back to LA so i have regained control of my laptop! lol - we visited Ireland early last week and it was great fun - went around Dublin first coupla days then on the last day took a minibus tour up into the 'mountains' and to parts that the huge tour buses couldn't get to... great scenery!
Then this time last week we drove to a tube station outside of London and tubed into London and wandered round most of the day - visited portobello road (kinda boring) and went to this Ice bar that was cool (LITERALLY) - it's kept at -5 (degrees C) and you go in with these huge parka jacket things and get served a drink in what is basically a large ice cube with a hole carved into it. Would definitely recommend it just as an experience if anyone goes to London (just off Regent's Street).
As for bar stuff - have emailed coupla lawyers in the US looking for work - really don't know the best way to start or who to focus on... just playing the law of averages and hoping that if i talk to enough people maybe one of them might 'bite'!
Finally worked out how i'm gonna get fingerprints done for this California moral certification thing - been trailing around police stations here but it seems, unless you commit a crime, they don't do fingerprinting anymore. Found out where the police headquarters is though so gonna head over there once i get back from Denmark... yes i am flying out once again... (last time for a while!) to Denmark on Tuesday - to see my mate.. think i probably mentioned this here before. Looking forward to it actually - should be good break then back home and must start working to attempt to move from being beyond bankrupt to just debt ridden! lol
Lisa has now gone back to LA so i have regained control of my laptop! lol - we visited Ireland early last week and it was great fun - went around Dublin first coupla days then on the last day took a minibus tour up into the 'mountains' and to parts that the huge tour buses couldn't get to... great scenery!
Then this time last week we drove to a tube station outside of London and tubed into London and wandered round most of the day - visited portobello road (kinda boring) and went to this Ice bar that was cool (LITERALLY) - it's kept at -5 (degrees C) and you go in with these huge parka jacket things and get served a drink in what is basically a large ice cube with a hole carved into it. Would definitely recommend it just as an experience if anyone goes to London (just off Regent's Street).
As for bar stuff - have emailed coupla lawyers in the US looking for work - really don't know the best way to start or who to focus on... just playing the law of averages and hoping that if i talk to enough people maybe one of them might 'bite'!
Finally worked out how i'm gonna get fingerprints done for this California moral certification thing - been trailing around police stations here but it seems, unless you commit a crime, they don't do fingerprinting anymore. Found out where the police headquarters is though so gonna head over there once i get back from Denmark... yes i am flying out once again... (last time for a while!) to Denmark on Tuesday - to see my mate.. think i probably mentioned this here before. Looking forward to it actually - should be good break then back home and must start working to attempt to move from being beyond bankrupt to just debt ridden! lol
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Busy Busy Busy...
Can't believe it's been a whole week since i last wrote on here! Been meaning to for ages just ended up being crazily busy - Lisa came back to England with me so have been going out to places I wouldn't normally bother with so she can see places other than my house whilst she's here. PLUS it's my sisters wedding this saturday - still can't believe it - she only just turned 21! I'm almost 23 and not nearly ready for marriage yet! lol
So as you can imagine it has been pretty busy - plus the whole trying to tidy up/organize my room again following the last month of putting things off and piling things up... if i end up retaking i have to make sure i keep track of bills that NEED TO BE PAID and not just putting them in a pile and thinking i'll get around to it!!
The bar-related dreams have begun to ease off slightly - haven't had one last coupla days but they seem to spring up now and then - alll relating to being back in the exam and mostly relating to not having enough time or something!
After this weekend (when the wedding is) me and Lisa gonna fly to Ireland for coupla days - she always wanted to go, i never really thought about it! Might be fun to see someplace different for a bit - considering renting a car to cover a greater area whilst we over there!
_____________________________________
MCQ's done today = 0 :)
So as you can imagine it has been pretty busy - plus the whole trying to tidy up/organize my room again following the last month of putting things off and piling things up... if i end up retaking i have to make sure i keep track of bills that NEED TO BE PAID and not just putting them in a pile and thinking i'll get around to it!!
The bar-related dreams have begun to ease off slightly - haven't had one last coupla days but they seem to spring up now and then - alll relating to being back in the exam and mostly relating to not having enough time or something!
After this weekend (when the wedding is) me and Lisa gonna fly to Ireland for coupla days - she always wanted to go, i never really thought about it! Might be fun to see someplace different for a bit - considering renting a car to cover a greater area whilst we over there!
_____________________________________
MCQ's done today = 0 :)
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Home!
Ok finally home - was back like day before yesterday but obviously had a lot of crap to do - trying to gather up all me Cal Bar books and put them all together in a box and hide it a way somewhere until November time! I still got loadsa new york books which i kinda wanna sell but they are like 2006 books and there really isn't much of a market for them here in england - can't think of what else i can do to them - wonder if you can send it back to them?
Crazily I had a bar dream last night - i believe it's the first one and it wasn't actually a 'postbar' dream but instead was a pre-bar one - dreamt that kept running out of ink and kept being late there - woke up freaking out slightly but then realised ID DONE IT! lol
New football season starts soon! :)
Crazily I had a bar dream last night - i believe it's the first one and it wasn't actually a 'postbar' dream but instead was a pre-bar one - dreamt that kept running out of ink and kept being late there - woke up freaking out slightly but then realised ID DONE IT! lol
New football season starts soon! :)
Monday, July 30, 2007
Thank YOU!!
Wow - been crazy busy last few days since exam... well by busy I mean watching shit loads of films that i wanna catch HERE before i have to fly back home tomorrow :( Since exam i have watched:
- 1408
- Simpsons
- Sicko
- Evan Almighty
... ok that isn't that much really for me but also been to a batting cage to get out some aggression (really not as easy as it looks!) and slept a lot!
But anyway - as it nears time for me to go back home to the horrible country i come from (ok i guess it aint THAT bad...) i just wanted to post on here to thank all of you guys on here! All of your support/advice as well as just your thoughts on the material and studying have been invaluable in the preceding weeks and during the exam... i definitely wanna stay in touch with you guys either via here or (if you are thinking of finishing with this now exam over) via email and i hope you ALL pass! :)
- 1408
- Simpsons
- Sicko
- Evan Almighty
... ok that isn't that much really for me but also been to a batting cage to get out some aggression (really not as easy as it looks!) and slept a lot!
But anyway - as it nears time for me to go back home to the horrible country i come from (ok i guess it aint THAT bad...) i just wanted to post on here to thank all of you guys on here! All of your support/advice as well as just your thoughts on the material and studying have been invaluable in the preceding weeks and during the exam... i definitely wanna stay in touch with you guys either via here or (if you are thinking of finishing with this now exam over) via email and i hope you ALL pass! :)
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Day 3 - Bar-OVER!!
It's done!!!!!!!!!! WOOOO!!!!!!! NO MORE STRESS/STUDYING UNTIL MID NOVEMBER!!!!!!!
So can I be bothered to talk about todays exam?! Well it went alright i think - all the questions seemed doable which is a change from New York where one or two just seemed impossible!
Essay 1 - hmm can't even remember what it was?!? Ohhhhh right - the criminal murder/constitutional one - predictions were REALLY off this time! I heard people say that criminal would likely be a crim pro question cus they been on crimes A LOT recently - seemed alright tho but I wish i had read about mistake of fact/mistake of law - i looked at it the other day and got confused and was gonna look it up and figure it out but decided couldn't be bothered - dammit! Con law was alright - symbolic speech stuff... reasonably ok
Essay 2 - how many issues were in that question!??! I filled a page of scratch paper with the thousands of issues but then when I came down to writing it, seemed to work out ok. Contract/remedies one - kinda predicted this yesterday. Went through formation and stuff - was a bit of agency referred to in q but not especially relevant - i stuck in something i remembered from commercial law at uni about the rule re: undisclosed principals but that's ENGLISH law so unlikely to be right anyway!
Essay 3 - Community property - dunno if anyone else found this.. .could have been I missed something but there really didn't seem a whole lot to write on this one. The rules that I stated anyway kinda cut off any further discussion of anything because it was just like 'that's the rule - it applies here - disposition is X.' I probably missed a load of stuff but whatever!
PT 2 - after yesterdays snoozefest I refilled my caffeine tanks at lunchtime and went in wired... not bad PT to be fair - was expecting some crazy hard document thing but a persuasive letter seemed reasonably doable - again could quite easily have fucked it up but then again - might have got it sorted!
So here ends the saga for now until mid November... gonna try find a film to watch later tonight but right now i could just do with some sleep... altho don't think i WILL sleep!
So can I be bothered to talk about todays exam?! Well it went alright i think - all the questions seemed doable which is a change from New York where one or two just seemed impossible!
Essay 1 - hmm can't even remember what it was?!? Ohhhhh right - the criminal murder/constitutional one - predictions were REALLY off this time! I heard people say that criminal would likely be a crim pro question cus they been on crimes A LOT recently - seemed alright tho but I wish i had read about mistake of fact/mistake of law - i looked at it the other day and got confused and was gonna look it up and figure it out but decided couldn't be bothered - dammit! Con law was alright - symbolic speech stuff... reasonably ok
Essay 2 - how many issues were in that question!??! I filled a page of scratch paper with the thousands of issues but then when I came down to writing it, seemed to work out ok. Contract/remedies one - kinda predicted this yesterday. Went through formation and stuff - was a bit of agency referred to in q but not especially relevant - i stuck in something i remembered from commercial law at uni about the rule re: undisclosed principals but that's ENGLISH law so unlikely to be right anyway!
Essay 3 - Community property - dunno if anyone else found this.. .could have been I missed something but there really didn't seem a whole lot to write on this one. The rules that I stated anyway kinda cut off any further discussion of anything because it was just like 'that's the rule - it applies here - disposition is X.' I probably missed a load of stuff but whatever!
PT 2 - after yesterdays snoozefest I refilled my caffeine tanks at lunchtime and went in wired... not bad PT to be fair - was expecting some crazy hard document thing but a persuasive letter seemed reasonably doable - again could quite easily have fucked it up but then again - might have got it sorted!
So here ends the saga for now until mid November... gonna try find a film to watch later tonight but right now i could just do with some sleep... altho don't think i WILL sleep!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Bar exam - day 2!
MBE day! And i am not allowed to tell you anything about any of the questions orally or in writing but if any of you are slightly telephathic i could send telepathic signals - those are not excluded!!
Well what can ya say - kinda hard q's, got really tired in the afternoon session and left a little early - then took ole metro back to proper LA and now considering the possibility of sleep or study...
One more day! Need to be awake for it tho!
Well what can ya say - kinda hard q's, got really tired in the afternoon session and left a little early - then took ole metro back to proper LA and now considering the possibility of sleep or study...
One more day! Need to be awake for it tho!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Bar exam - day 1!
Um.. ok?! That was a strange day of 'barring!' Got there nice and early, got my seat - front row center - best view in the place! lol
So essays (i'm hoping I got the subjects right anyway - anyone thinking differently - do put me right! lol)
1st one = Real Property - Landlord tenant stuff - ummm ok?! I thought everyone was going on about how unlikely landlord/tenant stuff was gonna be for this one?? I think i did ok... constructive eviction? bit of s/f? commercial lease? Pah i don't care - it's done! lol
2nd = Tort - strict product liability/negligence - nice one - pretty much just went methodically through each one analysing with regards each s/l and negligence... went crazy - reached page 8 on this one - more than the PT!
3rd = Evidence - this was the shocker - what the fuck?! I mean the question itself was fine but I read the instructions on the front where it said 'answer in federal law unless it states otherwise' and the evidence q DIDN'T state otherwise?! Thought this was sposed to be first evidence Cali distinctions?? I wrote the whole question mainly focusing on the whole Federal side but now and then just sticking in brackets something about Cali just in case their quality control is realllly shit and they actually wanted cali law...
Then had a wander around, grabbed some pizza and headed back for Act 2:
The PT! - was a nice ish one - i mean i do mean to place warranties on all this stuff cus it is quite possible that I fucked it ALL up but it seemed to be a nice straightforward objective memo - soooo an essay in memo form?! Well just wrote loads for that one too - was being a full scale SHEEP - listed all the factors from the different lists from different subjects... great fun!
Came out - phoned to check if my lift was gonna happen - wasn't - bailed on me! lol - was too wired/strangely calm to care so i went back in found out where the metro line was and rode it right back to Hollywood!
Now I am tired... VERY tired... think the pro plus wore off - i was gonna read thru my subjects but I may just goto sleep instead...
Hope it went well for everyone else... and hope it actually DID go well for me lol... any predictions on next essays? I dunno for sure but doya think that PR PT was all the PR we gonna get?! Or do you think it's still lurking around? My calculations suggest that the next essay exam should be at least 2 non-MBE subjects - maybe civ pro and community property and then i would guess contract/remedies or something...
So essays (i'm hoping I got the subjects right anyway - anyone thinking differently - do put me right! lol)
1st one = Real Property - Landlord tenant stuff - ummm ok?! I thought everyone was going on about how unlikely landlord/tenant stuff was gonna be for this one?? I think i did ok... constructive eviction? bit of s/f? commercial lease? Pah i don't care - it's done! lol
2nd = Tort - strict product liability/negligence - nice one - pretty much just went methodically through each one analysing with regards each s/l and negligence... went crazy - reached page 8 on this one - more than the PT!
3rd = Evidence - this was the shocker - what the fuck?! I mean the question itself was fine but I read the instructions on the front where it said 'answer in federal law unless it states otherwise' and the evidence q DIDN'T state otherwise?! Thought this was sposed to be first evidence Cali distinctions?? I wrote the whole question mainly focusing on the whole Federal side but now and then just sticking in brackets something about Cali just in case their quality control is realllly shit and they actually wanted cali law...
Then had a wander around, grabbed some pizza and headed back for Act 2:
The PT! - was a nice ish one - i mean i do mean to place warranties on all this stuff cus it is quite possible that I fucked it ALL up but it seemed to be a nice straightforward objective memo - soooo an essay in memo form?! Well just wrote loads for that one too - was being a full scale SHEEP - listed all the factors from the different lists from different subjects... great fun!
Came out - phoned to check if my lift was gonna happen - wasn't - bailed on me! lol - was too wired/strangely calm to care so i went back in found out where the metro line was and rode it right back to Hollywood!
Now I am tired... VERY tired... think the pro plus wore off - i was gonna read thru my subjects but I may just goto sleep instead...
Hope it went well for everyone else... and hope it actually DID go well for me lol... any predictions on next essays? I dunno for sure but doya think that PR PT was all the PR we gonna get?! Or do you think it's still lurking around? My calculations suggest that the next essay exam should be at least 2 non-MBE subjects - maybe civ pro and community property and then i would guess contract/remedies or something...
Monday, July 23, 2007
Day 40 - The Final Reckoning
Wow - really didn't realise that i started precisely 40 days before the bar exam! Crazy stuff!!
My initial plan for today was to read everything twice... literally everything - under the idea that, I managed to read loads of pages of Harry Potter yesterday and thus I could easily just read all my notes etc twice today and finish by 2pm. Didn't quite work - just felt myself getting more and more mired in different subjects, seeing possible questions in every single specific little area of the law that I didn't know too well... I seem to remember in NY bar exam there was an entire question on grand jury proceedings and that was THE criminal question?! Ugh - whatever....
I guess that it is true that to some extent - what you don't know by now, you ain't gonna before tomorrow... hating tomorrow the worse cus I'm alright at MBE's and theres only 6 subjects needed to review the night before... plus the last day should be alright as it's
A. The LAST DAY
B. We should have some idea of what subjects will/won't come up and so less to review.
Problem is - this first day - anything could come up... tried to look at patterns and saw that vaguely more Multistate subj q's on first day but VERY vague pattern...
I think i'm gonna leave it all up to fate now and go watch some film or something, sleep early and get up ready to face my demons/dragon tomorrow!
Good luck to everyone on here!!! :)
My initial plan for today was to read everything twice... literally everything - under the idea that, I managed to read loads of pages of Harry Potter yesterday and thus I could easily just read all my notes etc twice today and finish by 2pm. Didn't quite work - just felt myself getting more and more mired in different subjects, seeing possible questions in every single specific little area of the law that I didn't know too well... I seem to remember in NY bar exam there was an entire question on grand jury proceedings and that was THE criminal question?! Ugh - whatever....
I guess that it is true that to some extent - what you don't know by now, you ain't gonna before tomorrow... hating tomorrow the worse cus I'm alright at MBE's and theres only 6 subjects needed to review the night before... plus the last day should be alright as it's
A. The LAST DAY
B. We should have some idea of what subjects will/won't come up and so less to review.
Problem is - this first day - anything could come up... tried to look at patterns and saw that vaguely more Multistate subj q's on first day but VERY vague pattern...
I think i'm gonna leave it all up to fate now and go watch some film or something, sleep early and get up ready to face my demons/dragon tomorrow!
Good luck to everyone on here!!! :)
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Day 39 - Succumbed....
Ok so I decided that i would in fact read it (new harry potter book) took a while but it's done, it is no longer a distraction, I no longer have to worry about inadvertently finding out what happens in the end and am now 100% focused on the impending doom of Tuesday! (AND the book was AWESOME :))
Did some PR work this morning and gonna review a bit of stuff... recently been worried about getting there and that sorta thing - is anyone NOT gonna work tomorrow? I know they suggest you set a time and finish but I think that will be hard! Plus - is anyone handwriting it? I am and started wondering if the whole 'ball point pen' thing is strictly enforced... I write best with fountain pen so will probably just use that....
The end is in sight :)
Did some PR work this morning and gonna review a bit of stuff... recently been worried about getting there and that sorta thing - is anyone NOT gonna work tomorrow? I know they suggest you set a time and finish but I think that will be hard! Plus - is anyone handwriting it? I am and started wondering if the whole 'ball point pen' thing is strictly enforced... I write best with fountain pen so will probably just use that....
The end is in sight :)
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Day 38 - Temptation..
Not especially productive day yesterday - heat plus boredom kinda took its toll. In the evening actually did go and get the new Harry Potter book, then read first 2 chapters and went to bed. SO hard to just go to bed! Was really tempted to get it out of the way and just read the whole thing and still am this morning but I keep telling myself - PR is SO much more interesting as is a crazy little subject called Community Property!
Ugh!
Kinda want this all just to be over now but also need more time really to cover everything properly!
Ugh!
Kinda want this all just to be over now but also need more time really to cover everything properly!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Day 37 - Final countdown...
Did ok yesterday overall - managed a 40/50 on released MCQ's yesterday and 43/51 this morning - weird... i'm convinced these q's must be easier than what is going to be on the exam... either that or maybe i'm actually peaking at the right time..
As other people have said tho - the essays/PT's are really where the main stuff lies... have received the 'updates' from barbri - panic averted to some extent - they simply sent out the same lecture handout I had since I got the course plus a coupla evidence distinctions and some agency essays and answers - not bad!
Last night, after immersing myself in Civ Pro and Greig, I emerged and went through a list of the subjects to determine which subjects I'm actually still going to work on - it was kinda scary knocking out subjects that I wouldn't look at again, potentially until the exam starts!!
Woke up this morning with the symptoms suggesting an imminent cold - not good but possible - often get one when I first get here after breathing that crazy recirculated plane air for 11 hours!
So on to todays substantive stuff - was gonna do evidence and agency but seeing as agency seems not to have changed much I will turn some efforts towards PR... also have now decided NOT to visit the convention center pre-exam - no time really...
One last thing - anyone taken this exam before know if they are really that strict about digital display watches?!??!
As other people have said tho - the essays/PT's are really where the main stuff lies... have received the 'updates' from barbri - panic averted to some extent - they simply sent out the same lecture handout I had since I got the course plus a coupla evidence distinctions and some agency essays and answers - not bad!
Last night, after immersing myself in Civ Pro and Greig, I emerged and went through a list of the subjects to determine which subjects I'm actually still going to work on - it was kinda scary knocking out subjects that I wouldn't look at again, potentially until the exam starts!!
Woke up this morning with the symptoms suggesting an imminent cold - not good but possible - often get one when I first get here after breathing that crazy recirculated plane air for 11 hours!
So on to todays substantive stuff - was gonna do evidence and agency but seeing as agency seems not to have changed much I will turn some efforts towards PR... also have now decided NOT to visit the convention center pre-exam - no time really...
One last thing - anyone taken this exam before know if they are really that strict about digital display watches?!??!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Day 36 - Up and at 'em...
Spent a part of yesterday evening memorising that opening statement about CP - enlisted girlfriend's help in helping to test me on it and then this morning when I woke her up her first words were 'California is a CP state' :-/ lollol - Crazy bar!
So today I wanna probably reschedule the rest of the time we have left - got email through from barbri - apparently they sent out new agency/evidence stuff through to my home address day before yesterday (day i left england) and this is 'vital' distinctions or something. They seem to have been quite good cus it seems like now it's BarBri themselves doing stuff rather than the English division - seems like they gonna fedex whatever the stuff i need to me here and they emailed me coupla other updates to Evidence distinctions - is there that much changed to Evidence in last few months? or to agency?! Hope not! :(
So today I wanna probably reschedule the rest of the time we have left - got email through from barbri - apparently they sent out new agency/evidence stuff through to my home address day before yesterday (day i left england) and this is 'vital' distinctions or something. They seem to have been quite good cus it seems like now it's BarBri themselves doing stuff rather than the English division - seems like they gonna fedex whatever the stuff i need to me here and they emailed me coupla other updates to Evidence distinctions - is there that much changed to Evidence in last few months? or to agency?! Hope not! :(
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Wow I CAN do something right re: PT's!
Finally got my mark back for that Sunrise PT:
Essay Grade 7/10
In Re: Sunrise Galleria Mall Curfew
Alternative Draft - This candidate’s alternative was properly objective. The level of clarity is more than acceptable. One of the better submission this grader has seen.
Letter - Properly persuasive. Correct level of language. Client’s situation properly presented in best light. Strong points emphasized. Well organized, well reasoned and well argued.
Essay Grade 7/10
In Re: Sunrise Galleria Mall Curfew
Alternative Draft - This candidate’s alternative was properly objective. The level of clarity is more than acceptable. One of the better submission this grader has seen.
Letter - Properly persuasive. Correct level of language. Client’s situation properly presented in best light. Strong points emphasized. Well organized, well reasoned and well argued.
Day 35 - Back in the USA!
Thanks for all the suggestions as to what to do on the plane - decided to listen to as many evidence lectures as I could because actually didn't listen to all of them the first time through - thinking that it would be mostly same as NY. Was definitely worth listening tho - much clearer understanding of hearsay now... altho that doesn't mean i now have a GOOD understanding of hearsay! :)
So flew in yesterday - REALLY HOT here! How is everyone managing to study in this heat?! lol - Was hot back home now and then but been quite lucky recently with relatively cool weather/rain - ideal for studying! Didn't manage much else once I got here yesterday - just went to bed knackered pretty early.
This morning so far - got up early - 8ish and finished evidence lectures, then trecked to 'Smart and final' to buy copious amounts of red bull and have now returned here to turn my attention to some MCQ's. Really feels like the final stretch now that I'm actually here and the exam is very much impending - before flying here it was relatively easy to think the exam isn't until I fly out to LA and seeing as I'm not in LA yet there still this 'buffer zone.' The buffer zone has now gone and so begins 'home stretch' time.
So flew in yesterday - REALLY HOT here! How is everyone managing to study in this heat?! lol - Was hot back home now and then but been quite lucky recently with relatively cool weather/rain - ideal for studying! Didn't manage much else once I got here yesterday - just went to bed knackered pretty early.
This morning so far - got up early - 8ish and finished evidence lectures, then trecked to 'Smart and final' to buy copious amounts of red bull and have now returned here to turn my attention to some MCQ's. Really feels like the final stretch now that I'm actually here and the exam is very much impending - before flying here it was relatively easy to think the exam isn't until I fly out to LA and seeing as I'm not in LA yet there still this 'buffer zone.' The buffer zone has now gone and so begins 'home stretch' time.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Day 33 - Ready to fly...
Literally - spent majority of today (annoyingly work wise) getting everything sorted for flying tommorrow out to LA - making sure I take everything that I might end up wanting on the next week before the exam - MDR/MCQ book and essay book etc! Crazy!
Anyone out there have any suggestions as to what is best to study on board a plane? I'm on there for like 11 hours tommorrow - was gonna do an MPT but kinda thought I wouldn't - would be kinda cramped to do that! All I'm actually gonna take on plane is me BIG folder of goodies so I guess I'll just try and review that shit and maybe re-listen to some lectures on civ pro and evidence... gonna be tempting just to watch movies tho! lol..
Ok so this will be last entry before I get onto LA time! Bye for now!!
Anyone out there have any suggestions as to what is best to study on board a plane? I'm on there for like 11 hours tommorrow - was gonna do an MPT but kinda thought I wouldn't - would be kinda cramped to do that! All I'm actually gonna take on plane is me BIG folder of goodies so I guess I'll just try and review that shit and maybe re-listen to some lectures on civ pro and evidence... gonna be tempting just to watch movies tho! lol..
Ok so this will be last entry before I get onto LA time! Bye for now!!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Day 32 - The BAAH exam
Had good day on this stuff yesterday - got Crim done fairly earlyish and then decided to actually do the Westside PT in the evening so that all the frustration I got from it wouldn't ruin today lol. Just doing the PT workshop 4 now and it just annoys me - the 2nd memo wasn't worth anything?!?! How the FUCK are we supposed to know that?! I know the 2nd memo didn't look like it would be worth much but knowing about the people who set this exam, the fact we are SHEEP and sposed to just follow instructions, the fact that nowhere it stated what percentage each one was worth I kinda just assumed that it must be 50-50 so tried to sort my time like that (with some bias towards first one anyway tho). But that means you end up wasting even more time on the PT - as you may be able to tell from previous entries i find PT's generally a waste of time and then when during that you have spent a good half hour or more on a memo that isn't even worth anything?! WTF is the point?!?!
I just hope I pass this thing so I never have to do one of these PT's again...
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Update - spent most of today 'spidering' PR as seems certain to be on exam - really feels like I'm back at school writing lines as a punishment like 'I will not have sex with client,' 'I will not commingle client money with mine,' I will not run in the corridors' etc etc
I just hope I pass this thing so I never have to do one of these PT's again...
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Update - spent most of today 'spidering' PR as seems certain to be on exam - really feels like I'm back at school writing lines as a punishment like 'I will not have sex with client,' 'I will not commingle client money with mine,' I will not run in the corridors' etc etc
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Day 31 - 'Luckily for you'
hehehe - the immortal words of the essay workshop guy - just been listening to the essay workshop last hour where he was predicting what subjects would come up on the February bar exam - reasonably useful because those subjects that he predicted that didn't come up are even MORE likely this time I'm guessing. Loved the way he spoke of how the Civ Pro and Evidence CA distinctions don't come into effect until the July bar exam (luckily for you) - it's times like these you wish you DIDN'T have the essay workshop lectures from the last February bar exam! lol
Anyway onto work - gonna hit Crim hard today - think I've almost got it sorted out so this may be the last major time spent on it - after today I got MPT workshop 4 tommorrow and then flying out on Tuesday. I need to remind myself that apparently, from someone who went to the ACTUAL last essay workshop lecture for July bar exam, the main subjects that are most likely to be tested (potentially) are:
1. Civil Procedure
2. Community Property
3. Trusts
4. Proffesional responsibility
5. Remedies (I noticed this has been on every summer exam since 1999!)
Anyway onto work - gonna hit Crim hard today - think I've almost got it sorted out so this may be the last major time spent on it - after today I got MPT workshop 4 tommorrow and then flying out on Tuesday. I need to remind myself that apparently, from someone who went to the ACTUAL last essay workshop lecture for July bar exam, the main subjects that are most likely to be tested (potentially) are:
1. Civil Procedure
2. Community Property
3. Trusts
4. Proffesional responsibility
5. Remedies (I noticed this has been on every summer exam since 1999!)
Friday, July 13, 2007
Day 30 - hitting the wall..
Was just listening today to some of the essay workshop for real property and at the beginning the guy was saying, coincidentally enough, that after around 30 days you will be starting to hit the wall but DONT PANIC... you still have the entire month of February before the exam! Lucky for them! lol - kinda began to hit the wall yesterday/today but obviously with less than 2 weeks until the exam it isn't really possible to 'take a step back' so imma gonna do a Beatrix Kiddo on that fuckin wall and smash through even if it leaves my hands bloody and broken! :) (for anyone who isn't a Tarantino fan - this is a reference to Kill Bill Vol 2)
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MCQ's done today - RP Adv 37-66 (13/30)
RP Released MCQ's 1-34 (21/34)
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MCQ's done today - RP Adv 37-66 (13/30)
RP Released MCQ's 1-34 (21/34)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Day 29 - Potter!!!!
Just got back from cinema - actually took time out to see Order of the Phoenix - I liked it! Didn't much remember the book to be honest but the film was pretty cool... can't wait for the final book/the NEXT film!
Anyway... back to reality :( lol - studied till 4am last night trying to finally grasp Evidence/Cali Evidence once and for all... got past relevance and character evidence but I do know there is much more to come before i can say it is completely mastered... anyway as to today - it's Tort day - sooo gonna try and sit myself firmly somewhere within Negligence and work outwards; I do hear though that it is anticipated that if there is a Tort question it is more likely to be related somewhat to defamation/privacy torts so that will also feature highly in todays work - it may be almost 4pm already and so far not started but with a little bit of work (well a lot of work) i should hopefully be sorted on tort by end of day... or at least by the time i go to bed maybe? Think positive!!
Anyway... back to reality :( lol - studied till 4am last night trying to finally grasp Evidence/Cali Evidence once and for all... got past relevance and character evidence but I do know there is much more to come before i can say it is completely mastered... anyway as to today - it's Tort day - sooo gonna try and sit myself firmly somewhere within Negligence and work outwards; I do hear though that it is anticipated that if there is a Tort question it is more likely to be related somewhat to defamation/privacy torts so that will also feature highly in todays work - it may be almost 4pm already and so far not started but with a little bit of work (well a lot of work) i should hopefully be sorted on tort by end of day... or at least by the time i go to bed maybe? Think positive!!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Day 28 - Middle-Aged Giant, Nuclear Irradiated, Fascist Aardvarks!
Fully back in, what I like to call, MCQ-land now - the title of the entry is actually part of Q51, Advanced Evidence questions in the big MCQ book. I actually got that one right! (It's apparently the name of a film that proves very popular).
Ok so as for the All-Star game: (IRAC analysis)
Issue = Should I have bet on the National League winning?
Rule = Never bet on the National League winning (they haven't won in 10 years)
(Exception = national league are due for a win!)
Analysis = WE WAS ROBBED!! Bases loaded, bottom of the 9th! Reyes on form! If only they had left on Brad Penny and then had Saito closing, the bet would have been won!! Ugh
Conclusion = despite my mate comparing me to Krusty from Simpsons betting against the Globetrotters, and all else, the bet was justified under the facts and should have been won - the National League erred in their decision!
In other matters - received through the post today a 'new and updated' Conviser mini review, a huge CA outline, and CD's with June's lectures of Evidence, Civ Pro and Agency. As much as this seems very nice I am slightly lacking on time seeing as the exam is less than 2 weeks away so haven't really got the time to sit down and listen to, in total, 15 hours of lectures! Any suggestions as to whether it's worth listening to them? Or is it worth just checking they havent changed since the January lectures i already listened to?
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MCQ's taken today - Evidence Adv (15/31)
Evidence Released MCQ's (27/34)
Ok so as for the All-Star game: (IRAC analysis)
Issue = Should I have bet on the National League winning?
Rule = Never bet on the National League winning (they haven't won in 10 years)
(Exception = national league are due for a win!)
Analysis = WE WAS ROBBED!! Bases loaded, bottom of the 9th! Reyes on form! If only they had left on Brad Penny and then had Saito closing, the bet would have been won!! Ugh
Conclusion = despite my mate comparing me to Krusty from Simpsons betting against the Globetrotters, and all else, the bet was justified under the facts and should have been won - the National League erred in their decision!
In other matters - received through the post today a 'new and updated' Conviser mini review, a huge CA outline, and CD's with June's lectures of Evidence, Civ Pro and Agency. As much as this seems very nice I am slightly lacking on time seeing as the exam is less than 2 weeks away so haven't really got the time to sit down and listen to, in total, 15 hours of lectures! Any suggestions as to whether it's worth listening to them? Or is it worth just checking they havent changed since the January lectures i already listened to?
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MCQ's taken today - Evidence Adv (15/31)
Evidence Released MCQ's (27/34)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Day 27 - All Star Game
Got on with constitutional law today - didn't get up quite as early as I wanted to but did get on quite well once got up - starting to get to an almost comfortable position with Con Law - did some MCQ's then an essay, then some more MCQ's then watched bit of Rome and got back to just general review of con law/essay workshop.
It's strange - every time I do these released MCQ's they really seem a lot different and the questions themselves seem quite a bit harder but the answers - there seems to be more answers that you can completely dismiss straight off! Was doing the 34 con law q's and felt i did shit but got quite a good result overall!
Now sitting and watching the All Star Game - nice old break :) lol - Go National League! Got a £5 bet on them (feel like they are due for a win!)
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MCQ's done - Con law Adv 36-66 (21/31)
Con Law released MCQ's - 1-34 (28/34)
It's strange - every time I do these released MCQ's they really seem a lot different and the questions themselves seem quite a bit harder but the answers - there seems to be more answers that you can completely dismiss straight off! Was doing the 34 con law q's and felt i did shit but got quite a good result overall!
Now sitting and watching the All Star Game - nice old break :) lol - Go National League! Got a £5 bet on them (feel like they are due for a win!)
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MCQ's done - Con law Adv 36-66 (21/31)
Con Law released MCQ's - 1-34 (28/34)
Monday, July 9, 2007
Day 26 - I can't do essays!
Don't know if it's just me but I been TRYING to do these essays but each one I look at I think - I have no clue how to answer until i actually read the answer. Then I look at another one thinking I'm ok now but that one is COMPLETELY different and have no idea about that either! Ugh! I guess it's the way they have to do it cus it'd be stupid to have 8 or 9 essays on the same part of the same subject - I just realised I hate contracts!
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MCQ's done today - Contract MDR released 1-34 (19/34)
Contract Adv - 37-66 (19/30)
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MCQ's done today - Contract MDR released 1-34 (19/34)
Contract Adv - 37-66 (19/30)
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Day 25 - Worst Bar Exam Ever!
I was just pondering earlier as to what would be the worst possible combinations of questions on the bar exam, for me anyway! Essays would have to be:
1. Corporations
2. Evidence
3. Real Property
4. Civil Procedure
5. Constitutional Law
6. Professional Responsibility
And MPT's would be:
1. Drafting opening statement
2. Brief in support of a motion (including statement of facts)
(hmm is that partially due to the last MPT i did/mock MPT being precisely the above? lol)
Anyone else have different 'worst bar exam' combos? Kinda helps me a bit cus then I can think - even if the worst happened... I'd probably be able to write something for most of the essays...
P.S. That shift and tab thing really worked to get the title in - ty poobah!! :)
1. Corporations
2. Evidence
3. Real Property
4. Civil Procedure
5. Constitutional Law
6. Professional Responsibility
And MPT's would be:
1. Drafting opening statement
2. Brief in support of a motion (including statement of facts)
(hmm is that partially due to the last MPT i did/mock MPT being precisely the above? lol)
Anyone else have different 'worst bar exam' combos? Kinda helps me a bit cus then I can think - even if the worst happened... I'd probably be able to write something for most of the essays...
P.S. That shift and tab thing really worked to get the title in - ty poobah!! :)
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Day 24 - 7 7 7!
Ok so (isn't currently letting me write in the title box for some reason) tackled civ pro today - started out alright, think I've got the jurisdictional stuff sorted but then tried a move on Pleadings and got lost - why do they have to call them different things in California than under the Common law?! Why is the name even that important to warrant them changing it?!
Spent a bit of time looking at the essay subject frequency chart today, as such I now have provisional predictions re: which essays I think may come up:
1. Civil Procedure
2. Evidence
3. Remedies/Real Property crossover
4. Agency/Professional Responsibility
5. Community Property
6. Contracts
I never actually rely on question spotting tho - it always seems a good way to fail but I just kinda feel these subjects could be on their way - surely Evidence and Civil Procedure are dead certain as they both have these new Cali distinctions being implemented as of THIS bar exam... or maybe that's just some mean-spirited bluff by the bar examiners?!
Anyway to make me feel like I'm actually studying by being on here, gonna write out 2 acronym type things and then go back to it:
Temporary Restraining order requires SIN (security for costs, immediate irreperable injury, notice efforts)
The person presenting paper to court certifies that it is ICED (no Improper purpose, legal Contentions warranted by law, allegations have Evidentiary support, Denial of legal contentions is warranted by law)
Spent a bit of time looking at the essay subject frequency chart today, as such I now have provisional predictions re: which essays I think may come up:
1. Civil Procedure
2. Evidence
3. Remedies/Real Property crossover
4. Agency/Professional Responsibility
5. Community Property
6. Contracts
I never actually rely on question spotting tho - it always seems a good way to fail but I just kinda feel these subjects could be on their way - surely Evidence and Civil Procedure are dead certain as they both have these new Cali distinctions being implemented as of THIS bar exam... or maybe that's just some mean-spirited bluff by the bar examiners?!
Anyway to make me feel like I'm actually studying by being on here, gonna write out 2 acronym type things and then go back to it:
Temporary Restraining order requires SIN (security for costs, immediate irreperable injury, notice efforts)
The person presenting paper to court certifies that it is ICED (no Improper purpose, legal Contentions warranted by law, allegations have Evidentiary support, Denial of legal contentions is warranted by law)
Friday, July 6, 2007
Day 23 - It's all Bullshit!
Just did the mock bar exam thing - ugh! So annoying! Woke up - sat down to do the morning session and just sat there staring at the PR question for about 25 minutes before I finally started writing something - just drew a complete blank! (and found out later I missed out the major issue too!)
Then did Wills and Community Property essays - those were a lot better - after reviewing it I think I may have passed Comm Property and possibly Wills but definitely failed PR!
Then came the dreaded MPT - ugh! Started figuring out now why I hate them so much. I just can't see why they need to have them so long?! The NY one was only 90 minutes and that was JUST as hard as you just had slightly less materials and half the time but at least it was way easier to prepare for pre-bar exam. You could sit down and legitimately feel not a waste of time to do 90 mins and do a full MPT - but now with this 3 hour thing - thats most of the day gone reading some irrelevent BS about facts you don't need to know, then trying to write it out but failing miserably cus each time its a different structured thing you need to do and each time I screw it up! Like today - the task memo seemed to tell me to do one thing so I did THAT even though it seemed to conflict with the thing telling you how to write whatever the document was - and shouldn't have! GRRRR! I hate this shit - the sooner it's all over the better!
Then did Wills and Community Property essays - those were a lot better - after reviewing it I think I may have passed Comm Property and possibly Wills but definitely failed PR!
Then came the dreaded MPT - ugh! Started figuring out now why I hate them so much. I just can't see why they need to have them so long?! The NY one was only 90 minutes and that was JUST as hard as you just had slightly less materials and half the time but at least it was way easier to prepare for pre-bar exam. You could sit down and legitimately feel not a waste of time to do 90 mins and do a full MPT - but now with this 3 hour thing - thats most of the day gone reading some irrelevent BS about facts you don't need to know, then trying to write it out but failing miserably cus each time its a different structured thing you need to do and each time I screw it up! Like today - the task memo seemed to tell me to do one thing so I did THAT even though it seemed to conflict with the thing telling you how to write whatever the document was - and shouldn't have! GRRRR! I hate this shit - the sooner it's all over the better!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Day 22 - TS LEGUP over the LOGPIT
Spent all day today doing Wills and Trusts... well mainly Wills - SOOOO glad that we don't have to know that old TS LEGUP over the LOGPIT shit that had to learn for NY wills. Was something to do with Testamentary Substitutes or something - no idea what it was about anymore!
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Day 21 - Live free or die HARDER!
In celebration of the 4th of July thing (which obviously isn't celebrated here... nor is it a day of mourning tho... hmmm) went to see Die Hard 4.0 - just came out today so I was there for first showing! Good fun! Nice escapism to sit and watch things blow up in surround sound! Once I got home I launched fully into Community Property and spent a good 3-4 hours spidering the entire subject - think I get it a lot more now - well... got a vague understanding - not ENTIRELY happy with it. After this my finger began to hurt... to explain - for some reason I write/hold my pen in a slightly strange way resting the pen on my ring finger - this has caused issues in the past as too much fast writing can lead to bruising/swelling on that same finger. Hence today I only outlined 2 essays and flashcarded 4 others on Community property - really wanted to just write one out but I suspect that there may be a community property essay on that simulated exam on Friday so will leave it till then...
Maxed out now - gonna sit and watch a movie with a beer...
Maxed out now - gonna sit and watch a movie with a beer...
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Day 20 - Half Way Point!
Well for me anyway - done 20 days and got approx another 20 days left until the exams and the fun begins! lol. Been crazy weather today - its JULY and for the last month or so we seem to just have had constant rain or thunderstorms like today. Today there was masses of thunder for most of the afternoon, extreme downpours of rain and of course lightning which often seeemed to make my lamp dim for a second. Despite the fun weather - I got on with Professional responsibility today - the last substantive subject for the exam - must say the lecturer and the lecture notes were WAY better than what barbri had last year under the NY course! So much clearer and managed to maintain interest for most of the lecture as opposed to the other guy who just seemed as bored as I was!
In response to the comments with regards community property, I have decided to give it another chance... tomorrow lol. SO tomorrow I will try the flashcarding/boiler points thing for the entire subject (probably AFTER going to see Die Hard 4 which i hear is GOOOOD! :)).
As for all else - from tomorrow I have caught up to paced planner... to some extent. But as I am probably not quite as 'reviewed up' as you would be under the PP I sorted out a different schedule that should take me right through to the exam if it works... it also includes doing an MPT on the plane to LA :-D lol - well gotta waste 14 hours - might as well do SOMETHING!
In response to the comments with regards community property, I have decided to give it another chance... tomorrow lol. SO tomorrow I will try the flashcarding/boiler points thing for the entire subject (probably AFTER going to see Die Hard 4 which i hear is GOOOOD! :)).
As for all else - from tomorrow I have caught up to paced planner... to some extent. But as I am probably not quite as 'reviewed up' as you would be under the PP I sorted out a different schedule that should take me right through to the exam if it works... it also includes doing an MPT on the plane to LA :-D lol - well gotta waste 14 hours - might as well do SOMETHING!
Monday, July 2, 2007
Day 19 - Community Property
What the hell?!?! Kinda assumed this would be a reasonably easy subject - completely wrong - had never seen anything really like this shit before and it's relatively specific to Cali. Hence an additional subject of substantive law of which I have absolutely zero reference to at all so completely new. Took me ages just to get through the lectures - so boring!! Lecturer seemed alright but the subject- AGH!
Kinda feel like one of those people at the circus or whatever where there are like 15 plates spinning on sticks around the place and I'm one having to run around and make sure each one keeps spinning and doesn't fall off! It's like that here - you spend a coupla days focusing in a few areas and suddenly start to panic cus some of the other plates are about to fall off and you have to get back to refresh them!
Btw - has anyone noticed that the final Harry Potter book comes out like 3 days before the exam? Sucks cus I'm REALLY gonna wanna jus read it and find out what happens in the end but unless somehow I know all the material by then (not gonna happen) I don't see how it will be possible until after exam and by then it's probably gonna have been revealed everywhere how it ends! Dammit! I know, I know - exam = more important but these ancillary factors are annoying!!
More work tomoro!!
Kinda feel like one of those people at the circus or whatever where there are like 15 plates spinning on sticks around the place and I'm one having to run around and make sure each one keeps spinning and doesn't fall off! It's like that here - you spend a coupla days focusing in a few areas and suddenly start to panic cus some of the other plates are about to fall off and you have to get back to refresh them!
Btw - has anyone noticed that the final Harry Potter book comes out like 3 days before the exam? Sucks cus I'm REALLY gonna wanna jus read it and find out what happens in the end but unless somehow I know all the material by then (not gonna happen) I don't see how it will be possible until after exam and by then it's probably gonna have been revealed everywhere how it ends! Dammit! I know, I know - exam = more important but these ancillary factors are annoying!!
More work tomoro!!
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Day 18 - E-Stop-el
Ok spent today doing Agency/Partnership - good shit - actually like the lectures that guy does and the lecture notes - really clear and concise unlike some people!
Did another MPT too - crazy - took ages and really didnt do the affidavit quite right - sat there doing it thinking 'Ok - he said that all you have to do is do whatever they describe you should do - you don't have to know anything about the DOCUMENTS' - of course i completely forgot the whole thing about how Affidavits are kinda the exception and you have mandatory first 2 sentences - doubt that affected anything too much but annoying anyway. All else I think I did ok on - just need to get more organised with it but hopefully will be ok - have done a grand total of TWO MPT's fully now - one more on Thursday and another one some other day and I might be ready?
Did another MPT too - crazy - took ages and really didnt do the affidavit quite right - sat there doing it thinking 'Ok - he said that all you have to do is do whatever they describe you should do - you don't have to know anything about the DOCUMENTS' - of course i completely forgot the whole thing about how Affidavits are kinda the exception and you have mandatory first 2 sentences - doubt that affected anything too much but annoying anyway. All else I think I did ok on - just need to get more organised with it but hopefully will be ok - have done a grand total of TWO MPT's fully now - one more on Thursday and another one some other day and I might be ready?
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Day 17 - Captivity!
Just returned from the cinema where I caught Captivity. Fairly shite film but could really draw comparisons and see the parallels to my own life at the moment - kept in a room, tortured by revision and stress... ok she wasn't being tortured by revision but you get my point!
What seems absolutely crazy to me is how tomorrow is JULY - i KNOW it's only the one day closer to the exam but it seems a month closer - now I can no longer say 'next month' because it is quite definitely going to be 'this month.' On the positive side - I guess we are now into the final stretch - time to pull out all the stops and head for the finish line post haste!
(On that note - I reaaally didn't get too much done today - managed Trusts lectures but that was it - from tomorrow gonna get back down to it!)
What seems absolutely crazy to me is how tomorrow is JULY - i KNOW it's only the one day closer to the exam but it seems a month closer - now I can no longer say 'next month' because it is quite definitely going to be 'this month.' On the positive side - I guess we are now into the final stretch - time to pull out all the stops and head for the finish line post haste!
(On that note - I reaaally didn't get too much done today - managed Trusts lectures but that was it - from tomorrow gonna get back down to it!)
Friday, June 29, 2007
Day 16 - 17 Concepts of Wills!
Dammit - why didn't I do this tomorrow or start working one day earlier so today culd have been day 17! lol. Listened to the Wills lectures - seems alright - whenever he mentioned an area that was majorly tested he then went on to say that it was actually quite simple (and it was, fairly) so that's always a good sign!
Really starting to just want to finish the substantive law so I can get onto learning those 'boiler plate' thingys, reviewing everything, doing essays and just feeling like I've covered everything at least ONCE!
Really starting to just want to finish the substantive law so I can get onto learning those 'boiler plate' thingys, reviewing everything, doing essays and just feeling like I've covered everything at least ONCE!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Day 15 - MPT day!
Ok so got up and tried to get on with this MPT that they say you should do after MPT workshop 1. SOO hard to get into it - always seems so boring as much as I tell myself that it is NOT waste of time and it IS VERY relevant. Gave up after spending about 90 mins ish on outlining and moved on to listen to MPT workshop 2 - apparently if I would have written it I would have got around 65% cus I outlined it right but most of the stuff I was going to write was probably shite. Am going to FORCE myself to just sit and do the whole thing as soon as I can but at this stage where kinda freaking that have forgotten some of the early stuff I looked at - focus lies slightly elsewhere. Listening to second MPT workshop now anyway - seems interesting! The outlining thing helped anyway cus i realised that you DO need the whole time to do the outlining and need to work slightly faster...
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Edit - later (around 11pm) decided to tackle that 2nd MPT - the re Sunrise Galleria Mall one. Took the full 3 hours and feeling better about it now. Pretty certain i probably did it wrong though cus that whole 'drafting a policy' thing screwed with my mind - on the one hand you are kinda thinking - I need to be like tha sheep! lol and on the other you are thinking - but there's nothing else in the facts that I can use to just MAKE some stupid ordinance! Whatever - onto real law stuff again tomorrow - starting Wills :oS
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Edit - later (around 11pm) decided to tackle that 2nd MPT - the re Sunrise Galleria Mall one. Took the full 3 hours and feeling better about it now. Pretty certain i probably did it wrong though cus that whole 'drafting a policy' thing screwed with my mind - on the one hand you are kinda thinking - I need to be like tha sheep! lol and on the other you are thinking - but there's nothing else in the facts that I can use to just MAKE some stupid ordinance! Whatever - onto real law stuff again tomorrow - starting Wills :oS
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Day 14 - MBE Practice Exam
Did AM session 9am - 12pm, then watched House and had something to eat before doing the PM session 1.30pm - 4pm (kinda finished early on that 2nd session - had finished and was bored!).
Have remembered the way I sorted out the time on MBE exam for NY that worked really well - basically making sure you do 25 q's in 45 minutes. Splits the exam into 4 manageable chunks, means you have more idea of how you are doing for time and means, if you are reasonably quick, you can either have quick 2-3 minute break every 45 minutes or save it up and use it all at the end! I remember that I told a coupla people i did the NY one with about it and they said they used it and found it worked really well.
Exam wise - my mark is slightly inflated I think because i did pretty much the same MBE practice exam last year before NY bar exam - however I really don't remember the questions conciously and now and then when I vaguely recall something it seems annoying because I don't know whether I am remembering the answer I gave before or the right answer or even a wrong answer that I read about after doing the exam! Whatever... apparently the actual MBE will be easier so I guess that's a good sign... just checked and got 136 last time
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MBE Practice Exam - (140/200)
Have remembered the way I sorted out the time on MBE exam for NY that worked really well - basically making sure you do 25 q's in 45 minutes. Splits the exam into 4 manageable chunks, means you have more idea of how you are doing for time and means, if you are reasonably quick, you can either have quick 2-3 minute break every 45 minutes or save it up and use it all at the end! I remember that I told a coupla people i did the NY one with about it and they said they used it and found it worked really well.
Exam wise - my mark is slightly inflated I think because i did pretty much the same MBE practice exam last year before NY bar exam - however I really don't remember the questions conciously and now and then when I vaguely recall something it seems annoying because I don't know whether I am remembering the answer I gave before or the right answer or even a wrong answer that I read about after doing the exam! Whatever... apparently the actual MBE will be easier so I guess that's a good sign... just checked and got 136 last time
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MBE Practice Exam - (140/200)
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Day 13 - Catching Up
As didn't do a huge amount on monday - today was catch up day! Managed to do quite a bit actually - listened to essay workshop 1 (well most of it - got bored and skipped through a lot of it), then did a load of MCQ's and 3 essays followed by brief review of MBE subjects. Starting to feel like I've forgotten stuff i did at FIRST
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MCQ's done - Tort Int 38-74 (21/37)
Tort Adv 1-35 - (20/35)
Real Property Adv 1-35 (19/35)
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MCQ's done - Tort Int 38-74 (21/37)
Tort Adv 1-35 - (20/35)
Real Property Adv 1-35 (19/35)
Monday, June 25, 2007
Day 12 - last day of 'work'
After studying till late last night - REALLY didnt want to goto work this morning on what is apparently the wettest day of the year here in England (and I heard somewhere - wettest day in 50 years?!?) Just can't get inspired on getting back from work really but doing tort mcq's now so can reduce the strain of workload tomorrow. Got my practice MBE day after tomorrow too!
LOL - love the effort that seems to go into the fact patterns on some of these MCQs (yes - i know I am sad to like the fact patterns! lol). Prime Example: "Cisneros raised his middle finger in the timeworn salute of the impotently angry and shouted a few well-chosen references to LeBeau's anatomy and ancestry." (Tort MCQ Q16 Int). Gotta love it! :)
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MCQ's done - Torts Int 1-37 (25/37)
LOL - love the effort that seems to go into the fact patterns on some of these MCQs (yes - i know I am sad to like the fact patterns! lol). Prime Example: "Cisneros raised his middle finger in the timeworn salute of the impotently angry and shouted a few well-chosen references to LeBeau's anatomy and ancestry." (Tort MCQ Q16 Int). Gotta love it! :)
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MCQ's done - Torts Int 1-37 (25/37)
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Day 11 - One Month Left
Wow - it has rolled around fast - this time next month will be doing Day 1 of exam! Crazy stuff! Went to meet mate today for lunch, nice shortish break - I HAD scheduled for it in advance. Got home and did some remedies lectures - seemed quite useful - i like the fact that, in a way, it's a review of Contract/tort/Real property as opposed to an entirely new subject. When it comes to injunctions/equitable remedies though I prefer my neumonic:
- Equitable remedies are BERPed into existence (Balance of hardships, Enforceable, no Remedy at law, Protectible property interest).
- (this one is COOLER) - equitable remedies are killed by the FLU! (Freedom of speech, Laches, Unclean Hands).
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MCQ's done - Contracts Adv 1-36 (23/36)
- Equitable remedies are BERPed into existence (Balance of hardships, Enforceable, no Remedy at law, Protectible property interest).
- (this one is COOLER) - equitable remedies are killed by the FLU! (Freedom of speech, Laches, Unclean Hands).
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MCQ's done - Contracts Adv 1-36 (23/36)
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Day 10 - Henry NOOO!
I know I know - I shouldn't be worrying about football when a HEWGE exam is fast approaching and i now literally have one month left until it HAPPENS. Problem is - I care about FOOTBALL! lol - last night found out that Thierry Henry, arguably Arsenal's best player (top goalscorer of all time) is leaving us to goto Barcelona for only 16 million pounds. Crazy seeing as we were offered 30 million last year! Went through the various stages - denial, anger... etc and think I am finally now reaching general acceptance - hopefully Arsenal will sign Babel from Ajax (referred to by some as 'the next Henry') and hopefully this will all work out in the end. It's hard to just ignore it all though - he has been with the club for 8 years!
Anyways - back to Calibarland - haven't managed a huge amount today yet and not going to write much more on here cus trying to maintain momentum with short breaks but done 74 Contract MCQ's (Int). Some of those questions are reaaaally long and boring! Most of it seems to be coming back to me though so that's a good sign. Ok off now - may start Tort law tonight! :)
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MCQ's done - Contract Int MCQ 1-41 (22/41)
Contract Int MCQ 42-74 (23/33)
Anyways - back to Calibarland - haven't managed a huge amount today yet and not going to write much more on here cus trying to maintain momentum with short breaks but done 74 Contract MCQ's (Int). Some of those questions are reaaaally long and boring! Most of it seems to be coming back to me though so that's a good sign. Ok off now - may start Tort law tonight! :)
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MCQ's done - Contract Int MCQ 1-41 (22/41)
Contract Int MCQ 42-74 (23/33)
Friday, June 22, 2007
Day 9 - Corporations
Just done/finished lectures on Corporations law - crazy stuff! Was following it all the way until after the fundamental corporate changes bit - that last coupla bits reaaally lost me - and apparently its big on California! Shit!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Day 8 - Hypo Land
Pretty much been living in 'hypo' land all day - with states such as Texlahoma, Wisconsota, West Dakota and countries such as North Koraq! Imagine North Koraq for a minute - that would be an enemy and a half!!
Time to head back to tackle essays/maybe START contract law
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MCQ's done today - Int Evidence 1-74 (52/74)
Adv Constitutional - 1-35 (19/35)
Time to head back to tackle essays/maybe START contract law
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MCQ's done today - Int Evidence 1-74 (52/74)
Adv Constitutional - 1-35 (19/35)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Day 7 - Truth In Evidence?
Ok back on track today - didn't get a huge amount done early in morning but I think it's about time I admit to myself something - I am NOT a morning person! lol - I can sometimes do VERY early morning - say 5/6/7ish but as soon as people are up - I lose interest - dunno why - seems a little crazy!
So what did I manage today? Outlined a few essays, did one Criminal essay pretty much fully (went completely off on the wrong track regarding one issue) - I always seem to get SOMETHING out of an actual essay writing session but it's soooo tempting just to outline it cus then you can grab the substantive trivia and squirrel it away thinking - if only that question comes up on the exam!!
I then spent a while on Evidence - just annotating spider diagrams i done on the federal/MBE stuff with Cali exceptions - anyone out there heard that this exception Evidence stuff has changed majorly very recently?! I'm sticking with my Truth in Evidence... although whether i can actually find any truth in evidence is another matter!
Did a MCQ - did shit (thought I had got Constitutional law sorted! grrr) and did MDR - did okish.
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MCQ's done - Constitutional law Int 36-77 (18/39)
Evidence MDR (11/17)
So what did I manage today? Outlined a few essays, did one Criminal essay pretty much fully (went completely off on the wrong track regarding one issue) - I always seem to get SOMETHING out of an actual essay writing session but it's soooo tempting just to outline it cus then you can grab the substantive trivia and squirrel it away thinking - if only that question comes up on the exam!!
I then spent a while on Evidence - just annotating spider diagrams i done on the federal/MBE stuff with Cali exceptions - anyone out there heard that this exception Evidence stuff has changed majorly very recently?! I'm sticking with my Truth in Evidence... although whether i can actually find any truth in evidence is another matter!
Did a MCQ - did shit (thought I had got Constitutional law sorted! grrr) and did MDR - did okish.
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MCQ's done - Constitutional law Int 36-77 (18/39)
Evidence MDR (11/17)
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Day 6 - Flipping Out
Ok today started... well shit! Got up and tried to get on but reaally tired for some reason... kept trying at evidence and listened to first 2 hours of lectures then decided not to bother with rest of evidence lectures - I got the federal stuff already in notes from last time - it's only the Cali distinctions i particularly need and i KINDA got them in the outline - just highlighted them! Tried to keep going at that, then tried an essay then kinda flipped out - moved the whole room around, got a beer, sat and started re-watching 25th hour followed by simpsons. Hmmm - strange no? After I woke up from a slumber I fell into following simpsons still felt kinda screwed but began gradually to sort room out again and move shit away - seem to have lost the pen i work with though lol. Ok time to try and get back to it I'm guessing - always gotta have at least one flip out! :) More dramatic in previous years though - running off up the hill and lying in the long wet grass for a while in the early hours of the morning - that was a fun one! Other ones have just been walking off to a pub for few shots of intoxicating liquors then returning to it all. This one was mild really lol.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Update - finally found pen among bottles of rum, absinth and JD - yay! lol - never really got on properly today - watched first coupla episodes of the Shield instead then later did one load of MCQ's - shite mark but i'm happy as long as over 50% generally. Hopefully do more tomorrow now I had a break of some kind...
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MCQ's today - Int Constitutional 1-35 (21/35)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Update - finally found pen among bottles of rum, absinth and JD - yay! lol - never really got on properly today - watched first coupla episodes of the Shield instead then later did one load of MCQ's - shite mark but i'm happy as long as over 50% generally. Hopefully do more tomorrow now I had a break of some kind...
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MCQ's today - Int Constitutional 1-35 (21/35)
Monday, June 18, 2007
Day 5 - Studying meets work...
Penultimate day of 'work' work today - work next monday then that's it until after exam!! Took a card with neumonic devices on it so, between customers, I was reading over it and trying to remember what each meant - limited usefulness but whatever! Although not really a BREAK as such - working kinda took my mind off studying for a bit so was probably good!
Got home and started the first performance test lecture - seems quite useful overall particularly the idea that 1 in 6 of the essays will be testing on something not covered by barbri - SO TRUE!! When I did the New York bar exam - suddenly came across a question going into detail about abortion/custody or something which I had done absolute jack shit about - actually almost felt like breaking down in the middle of the exam - I'd spent all that money, studied for weeks, flown out there and now I was gonna completely flunk the exam! Somehow I kept myself from walking out and just got on with the question - made up some crazy rule with 3 parts and applied them all to the facts in the question - dunno how I did on that one but passed the bar exam overall so obviously was right to STAY in the exam! lol.
Just got another coupla hours of this lecture to do now - lol @ 'everyone passes the bar exam' - yeah right!! Really not looking forward to Evidence tomorrow - gonna actually have to listen to lectures I think cus of the Cali distinctions but it looks like it's gonna be one of those where no one has any clue in what way it will be tested... we shall see!
Got home and started the first performance test lecture - seems quite useful overall particularly the idea that 1 in 6 of the essays will be testing on something not covered by barbri - SO TRUE!! When I did the New York bar exam - suddenly came across a question going into detail about abortion/custody or something which I had done absolute jack shit about - actually almost felt like breaking down in the middle of the exam - I'd spent all that money, studied for weeks, flown out there and now I was gonna completely flunk the exam! Somehow I kept myself from walking out and just got on with the question - made up some crazy rule with 3 parts and applied them all to the facts in the question - dunno how I did on that one but passed the bar exam overall so obviously was right to STAY in the exam! lol.
Just got another coupla hours of this lecture to do now - lol @ 'everyone passes the bar exam' - yeah right!! Really not looking forward to Evidence tomorrow - gonna actually have to listen to lectures I think cus of the Cali distinctions but it looks like it's gonna be one of those where no one has any clue in what way it will be tested... we shall see!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Day 4
Was wanting to get up pretty early this morning but kinda failed and with the prospect of (Scheuled) doing 74 odd Real Property MCQ's - ugh that sucked! Really crazy long, boring fact patterns and then I sit there and have no idea what the hell the answer should be! Struggled on with it though somehow and finished that, went through it and did coupla RP essays before 6. Then did bit of Constitutional law (which was supposed to be focus for the day!) - MDR and essay - feel better about that but then I guess RP is supposed to be the hardest one there is on the MBE??
Feeling the onset of a cold - all I fuckin need - got work tomorrow then proper scary Evidence on Tuesday so a cold at this time would not be good!
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MCQ's taken - RP Int 1-74 (43/74)
Constitutional MDR (14/17)
Feeling the onset of a cold - all I fuckin need - got work tomorrow then proper scary Evidence on Tuesday so a cold at this time would not be good!
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MCQ's taken - RP Int 1-74 (43/74)
Constitutional MDR (14/17)
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Day 3
Began Real Property properly today - lecturer is funny but didn't really listen to them cus heard it before so just did spider diagrams on Mortgages, Recording System and Land Conveyancing. Fun subjects(!)
Did around 4 essays (as opposed to planned 3) and 2 lots of MCQ stuff... flagging a bit in evening!
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MCQ's done: Criminal Adv 1-35 (20/35)
Real Property MDR (10/17)
Did around 4 essays (as opposed to planned 3) and 2 lots of MCQ stuff... flagging a bit in evening!
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MCQ's done: Criminal Adv 1-35 (20/35)
Real Property MDR (10/17)
Friday, June 15, 2007
Getting started - day 2
Yesterday I finally received through the materials - books and lectures for the Cali bar exam in July. Crazy isn't it! SO close!!! Spent most of yesterday trying to schedule around barbri's paced planner. The problem is, their paced planner begun May 20th doing approx 2 subjects a week and taking you right up to the exam nicely. However, because they messed me around this time with delays in getting the materials and then delays in sending them out I didn't receive them until yesterday - almost a month into the paced programme they suggest you follow.
Hence - I scheduled it so that I am pretty much doing one subject per day, 3 essays a day, and 2 lots of MCQ's a day until July 4th when the paced planner thing would have just finished the main bulk of the new law stuff and begun proper review of everything. July 4th I basically catch up with the paced planner and join it possibly for the rest of the time until the exam - it worked last time with the NY bar exam so definitely willing to give it a go this time as well!
So yesterday after the whole scheduling thing, I sat and began listening to Civil Procedure lectures - managed to get through almost 5 hours before decided it was pointless going on (too knackered) so hit the sack; Then got up this morning around 7.30 ish, did half an hour, went back to sleep for an hour, then got up and finished the rest of Civil Procedure. After this I got on with what I had 'scheduled' for today - i.e. Criminal law/Crim law MCQ's and CP essays. Going ok so far but the problem always comes with sticking to a schedule after x number of days - first few days tend to be alright - it's a bit of a novelty and you aren't quite tired out yet but after a certain number of days doing the same kinda shit, day in, day out and not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel - that's when it's gonna get bad - and that will probably be around this time next week.
Gonna try to keep updating this thing daily mainly just to keep a record of the 'experience' i guess lol. Back to it!
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MCQ's taken today - Criminal Intermediate 1-74 - Score = 53/74
Hence - I scheduled it so that I am pretty much doing one subject per day, 3 essays a day, and 2 lots of MCQ's a day until July 4th when the paced planner thing would have just finished the main bulk of the new law stuff and begun proper review of everything. July 4th I basically catch up with the paced planner and join it possibly for the rest of the time until the exam - it worked last time with the NY bar exam so definitely willing to give it a go this time as well!
So yesterday after the whole scheduling thing, I sat and began listening to Civil Procedure lectures - managed to get through almost 5 hours before decided it was pointless going on (too knackered) so hit the sack; Then got up this morning around 7.30 ish, did half an hour, went back to sleep for an hour, then got up and finished the rest of Civil Procedure. After this I got on with what I had 'scheduled' for today - i.e. Criminal law/Crim law MCQ's and CP essays. Going ok so far but the problem always comes with sticking to a schedule after x number of days - first few days tend to be alright - it's a bit of a novelty and you aren't quite tired out yet but after a certain number of days doing the same kinda shit, day in, day out and not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel - that's when it's gonna get bad - and that will probably be around this time next week.
Gonna try to keep updating this thing daily mainly just to keep a record of the 'experience' i guess lol. Back to it!
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MCQ's taken today - Criminal Intermediate 1-74 - Score = 53/74
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Trying to Start...
Trying hard to get motivated to actually start seriously studying for this - sucks that the course I am getting for the California bar won't really be through to me until probably the end of next week - it's kinda giving me a bit of an excuse to delay studying properly until that comes - obviously not a very good idea! Did an intro evidence test the other day - got 21/35 - i know I'm weak on evidence but on an INTRO exam to score that low - really need to do more! Only got 2 more months until the exam - after all i paid for this course it's fucking annoying that they are taking so long to get it to me - should get an extra discount for lost studying time. Once i get the course I can properly sort out some kinda revision timetable re: whatever materials I have and whatever time i have left. Guess I should sort out the rest of my life before then - tidy workspace properly, sort other side things out.
At the end of the day I know I will get down to studying and will get down to studying a LOT, I guess because I know once I start I probably won't be able to stop means I'm putting off starting. Whatever - once the course comes - no more excuses!
(Today's excuse = FA cup final!! First football game at the new Wembley stadium. Last game at Wembley was around 7 years ago I believe and this game will be BIG... Ugh!
At the end of the day I know I will get down to studying and will get down to studying a LOT, I guess because I know once I start I probably won't be able to stop means I'm putting off starting. Whatever - once the course comes - no more excuses!
(Today's excuse = FA cup final!! First football game at the new Wembley stadium. Last game at Wembley was around 7 years ago I believe and this game will be BIG... Ugh!
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
First of many...
So far with the whole studying thing I have just began going back over my MBE notes from the New York bar exam. Hoping that the common law hasn't changed too much!! lol. Unfortunately California state bar do not accept reciprocity re: MBE scores so gonna have to face that 200 multiple choice question monstrosity once more! Work so far has entailed going over the spider diagrams I did for the MBE 6 and often re-doing them if they say anything re: New York law on them - bad enough having to learn MBE and California law seperately now - can't start recalling New York distinctions as well!
As for today - did my first mini-test from the old Barbri practice questions book - reasonably impressed to be honest! Did q's 1-35 in around about 45 minutes and scored 30/35 without really going back over criminal law properly pre-taking the test. That seems to be better than I was scoring in the early stages of New York study but then it IS criminal law - one of the ones i always did better on (is it easier?!). So anyway - guess it's a milestone of sorts - first practice q's and start as I mean to go on.
Problem I have though is I HAVE at some point done almost all of these questions before - don't remember doing them but maybe I'm scoring high because my subconcious is remembering the answers? Could be dangerous, if that is the case, in being too positive about early high marks!
Long way to go yet! Am getting a new bar-bri (Cali bar orientated) course coming through to my home sometime soon though so hopefully that might even have a load more practice q's in it. Think I would generally say, from experience last year, that the practice questions probably helped me the most overall - especially going over them after doing the test (including going over the ones I got right).
As for today - did my first mini-test from the old Barbri practice questions book - reasonably impressed to be honest! Did q's 1-35 in around about 45 minutes and scored 30/35 without really going back over criminal law properly pre-taking the test. That seems to be better than I was scoring in the early stages of New York study but then it IS criminal law - one of the ones i always did better on (is it easier?!). So anyway - guess it's a milestone of sorts - first practice q's and start as I mean to go on.
Problem I have though is I HAVE at some point done almost all of these questions before - don't remember doing them but maybe I'm scoring high because my subconcious is remembering the answers? Could be dangerous, if that is the case, in being too positive about early high marks!
Long way to go yet! Am getting a new bar-bri (Cali bar orientated) course coming through to my home sometime soon though so hopefully that might even have a load more practice q's in it. Think I would generally say, from experience last year, that the practice questions probably helped me the most overall - especially going over them after doing the test (including going over the ones I got right).
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
It Begins.... again!
Ok to start this whole thing off - I am studying for and taking the California bar exam in July 2007 (BAR-ring any unforeseen circumstances such as rejection of the application - haha - i love the puns!) I was born and live in England where I went to uni for 3 years to do my law degree which then meant i was eligible to sit the New York bar exam which i sat February 2006. One of the toughest things I have ever done - studying for a few months beforehand all from home using these lectures on CD and having no one at all who I could talk to who was doing the same thing. SOMEHOW i managed to pass that exam which permits me now (hopefully) to sit the California bar exam in July of this year (as technically now I am a qualified attorney in New York, despite still living in crappy England).
Why am i doing all this?! I have always wanted to move to the USA one day and for various reasons decided that law was what I wanted to eventually do - this loophole route whereby I have to take and pass both the New York and California bar exam to become qualified in California so i can actually seek a job in California is long winded but apparently the best way. Added to my desire to move to the USA is the fact that my girlfriend, now of 4 years, lives in Los Angeles which is where I wish to move to and live!
So - on to the California bar exam. I have heard from reliable sources that it is much harder than the New York one so let's see! :)
Why am i doing all this?! I have always wanted to move to the USA one day and for various reasons decided that law was what I wanted to eventually do - this loophole route whereby I have to take and pass both the New York and California bar exam to become qualified in California so i can actually seek a job in California is long winded but apparently the best way. Added to my desire to move to the USA is the fact that my girlfriend, now of 4 years, lives in Los Angeles which is where I wish to move to and live!
So - on to the California bar exam. I have heard from reliable sources that it is much harder than the New York one so let's see! :)
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