Bar Exam Aftermath

Now that I have finished the bar exam (for the second time) here are my observations.

I feel much better this time and dare I say it--I feel as if maybe I passed this time. That is a dangerous assumption to make regarding law tests. Sometimes you can feel like you aced it and you blew it. Sometimes you feel like you blew it and you did well. A lot of the time you can't tell.

But when I took it in July, I left feeling unsettled. Like I didn't reallly have a chance at passing. That if I passed, it would have been the miracle of the decade.

This time I feel much better, as if the uncertainty meter is more in my favor. That I have at least a decent chance at passing.

I worked harder this time on the MBE questions. Of course, I didn't spend as much time on them as I hoped, but I spent a doggone amount of time. I got to the point where I recognized quickly what kind of answer the question was looking for. And that is where you need to be for the bar exam.

The MBE questions during the morning session were really pretty easy. I felt on top of the world at lunch. The afternoon session was harder--but still easier to me than the MBE questions in July. Of course I was more prepared this time--and I guess that helped. But I had also heard that they were getting rid of stacked answer questions--the kind that asking you a question and then the answers are like this: I and II; I, II, and III, I only, etc. I guess they did get rid of them, because there were no such questions on this bar exam. And immediately makes it easier.

The essay portion is what really did me in last July. I had studied more for it this time, but still fell woefully below my target. I was mad at myself and slightly frantic the morning of the essay portion. What was I thinking? I asked myself. I only know a sliver of the information they could ask me today. I felt again like a lamb going to slaughter.

My feeling of doom only worsened when I saw the first question. It asked about a point of law I knew about, but not much. The question asked me to answer the question fully. Fully? Are you kidding? I barely can tell you what it is. I wrote down what I could, and felt like I should just get up and walk out the door. If the other 11 questions were as bad, I had no chance of passing.

But luckily, they weren't as bad. I am hoping I got a 135 on the MBE, because then I only have to pass seven essays. And I know I got seven right. Maybe even eight. Maybe even nine right. But I am iffy on that ninth one. But I might squeak by even on the ninth.

So all in all I have a fair chance of passing. Maybe even a good chance of passing. I won't know until April 17. So until then, I could use everyone's good thoughts my way.

Learning New Gadgets

Since I have been in law school, I have been slow to adopt new technology. Heck I just recently got my first digital camera, and my MP3 player is still not out of the package. But you don't really have much need for such things in law school. Well actually, I could have used my MP3 player to play my recorded class lectures. But there was never enough time to learn about the technology. You can get an sd card too. I am just thrilled about my digital camera, because that means I can put more pictures on this blog, and I have plenty of other uses for it too.

Falling Down On My Exercise

I am mad at myself, because I got a three month gym membership and did well for a couple of weeks--exercising three or four times both weeks. I tend to lose weight easily and firm up pretty quickly, so I was excited when I looked in the mirror (OK, not too excited--still had quite a way to go) and I was getting looks again from men in the first time in a long time. However, I have not been to the gym in the last week or so. I guess I can't blame myself with my bar study, and the gym is not very convenient to my house. I will get right back on the wagon after the bar exam. I am also still considering diet pills. Or maybe that green tea weight loss plan I keep hearing about.

Grameen America Success: Obama Needs To Tap Muhammad Yunus

Photo from Grameen America Website

Being a Vanderbilt alum, I am certainly aware of Muhammad Yunus. He is an alum of Vanderbilt University too. He went back to his home country of Bangladesh after teaching in the U.S. for a while, and put his education in action, starting the business of microlending. He lends small amounts of money to people, mostly women, so they can start their own businesses and pull themselves out of poverty. They repay the loans promptly, and the success rate is phenomenal.

Today on CNN, I learned that Yunus has now started a Grameen America Bank. I was so proud to hear the anchors talk about him on TV. The last time I heard him speak at Vanderbilt, he mentioned that Grameen Bank might someday tackle the health insurance problem in the U.S. He was only partly joking. I think he should take a crack at it, because I know he could do it. Obama really needs his expertise in the White House.

http://www.grameenamerica.com/

Buying Franchises

I have often thought it would be fun to own your own little business. And if you buy a franchise, you not only have the benefit of owning your own business but the name recognition that comes with the already established brand. This is probably not an idea for me, but it would be a good idea for others. Even in this down economy, people still need services and such, and something like auto parts franchises might be such an opportunity. After all, people may put off buying a new car, but they will need to keep their current car running smoothly and looking nice.

Don't Nag An Unemployed Friend

What do you say to someone who has lost their job? Good advice in this article from msn.com:

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1763-Career-Growth-and-Change-Talking-to-a-Jobless-Friend/?sc_extcmp=JS_1763_msnbc&SiteId=cbmsnbchp41763&ArticleID=1763&gt1=23000&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=6040ff9f3df54801b2b2954c7d3c7007-287970489-J0-5

I Need A New Watch For The Bar Exam

Even though there will be clocks in the room in which I take the bar exam, they encourage you to bring your own watch. It is important to keep up with the time. For both the MBE and essay portions of the test, you are limited to a three hour block of time. Six essays in the morning three hour block, and three essays in the afternoon session. For the MBE, 100 multi-state questions in the morning three hour block and 100 in the afternoon three hour block. You need your own watch just in case the clocks in the room aren't working. You would think the school would have everything in working order, but I know from experience that is not the case. So I will go get a new watch. But I don't think they would want me to bring one of those talking watches. They get freaked out enough about cell phones going off!