karasone

This article analyzes demographics in most of the cities that are considered to be the most "progressive." The results are not super shocking (they are much more likely to be white) but definitely have a new meaning for me now that I have been living in Fresno, a "less desirable" city for almost a year. The city has a poverty rate of over 40%, the county has the largest concentration of poverty in the nation coupled with extreme pollution, bad water and high unemployment-its also incredibly diverse. I definitely do my fair share of hating on Fresno-but I often find myself in situations where i feel like I have to defend it, especially when talking to people from the Bay Area. I understand why living somewhere like SF, NY, LA would be more desirable (heck i'm already planning my escape), but I'm sick of the inevitable- "i could never live there," as well. Especially when i read stuff like this article calling Fresno "Dumbest City in America" with no analysis of why so few people here have access to higher education.

Yesterday I got officially sworn-in as a CA attorney and it feels completely surreal but awesome.

I am now going home to Buffalo for christmas which I am really happy about but it will involve me doing a lot of traveling by bus. I am flying from SFO to JFK because it was half of the price to fly from SFO to Buffalo (which is bulllshit), necessitating a 6.5 hour bus ride each way. I'll be home the 23rd to the 27th-so Buffalo people call me and save me from my family for a little while.

I have some interviews coming up that I am excited about-but they are both out of the Bay Area. They are both jobs that I would really love to have but the thought of leaving my home of over 6 years makes me really sad (but exscited for a new adventure at the same time).

YO LA TENGO- "Sugarcube"

I found out I passed the California Bar Exam last night!

I woke up in a motivated mood full of good intentions of writing cover letters and sending out resumes. Before I got started I decided to go to wells fargo to check out my balance and I noticed that my savings account is shy of $820 dollars. I click on the account history and see that this money has been transfered to some random person via paypal. I called my bank immediately and file a fraud report. Then I called paypal and before I tell the fraud department person too much he immediately cuts in "wait..do you have a wells fargo account?" When I tell him that I do, he tells me that he has taken a bunch of similar calls all from people with accounts there. He then proceeds to tell me that wells fargo had some computer issue and that they reassigned active savings account numbers to new people. He filed a report and I decided to call wells fargo back. After being hung up on once, getting transferred to the wrong department twice I get this crazy woman on the phone who seems to be speaking gibberish to me. i finally get to talk to her supervisor who says " I'm glad that paypal is blaming us when it is their fault.!" I told her i didn't care how she felt about it or whose fault it was, only that I want my money back ASAP. Supposedly they are going to follow up with me tomorrow but i am planning on calling them first thing tomorrow. This couldn't have happened at a worse time considering how broke I am, but I am trying to stay positive because their is not much else I can do.

Bar exam results come out Friday..I am a nervous wreck

Things that are stressing me out right now:

1. The Bar Exam: Every time I think about bar exam results coming out next Friday my stomach hurts and my heart sinks a bit.

2. Unemployment: Finding a job is constantly on my mind. I now have a part-time thing at my school doing non-law related stuff but I want to use the legal skills I worked so hard to get. There is NOTHING out there right now.

3. Christmas: This year I am not going home for Christmas. This will be the first time in my whole life that I won't be with my family. The funny thing is I dont actually like the holidays that much because of the buying/receiving of so much crap but it is nice to see my family.

4. Relationships: Not being in a relationship-its been way too long since shawn and i broke up and it would be an awesome distraction right now.

5. My living situation: I love my house mates and every thing (and i am so excited to have Kelly and Paul living here) but when I am in a bad mood (which is a lot of the time these days) i have little patience for living with 8 other people.

unemployment is helping me explore my creative side.

I remember being obsessed with the worst witch movie when I was young. I was really freaked out when I saw the rocky horror picture show a few years later..

I am starting to think that this law school thing was a waste of time. There are no jobs right now and its depressing sitting at home not knowing what to do about it. arghhh!

Had an awesome night out which involved hearing this friend of a friends band (who was actually really good), going to ANU for grime city and dancing my ass off, taking the 14 back to the mission cause every cab that went by was full, having the 14 bus be diverted because someone had just gotten murdered on 19th and mission causing the 14 to get more off the hook than usual, going to another party at 2:30 that was still completely full and eating a veggie torta at 3 am while trying not to fall asleep on th table.

Now I'm at this cafe doing work and eating this surprising amazing crepe with mint cucumber sauce (!). When I first got here i asked this woman if someone was sitting next to her (there was a half glass of coffee on the table) and she said "no" so I put my bag down and got in line. A few minutes later, this guy walked up to my seat and was looking like it was his seat so I went over and apologized and said I would take another seat. But he was insistent I take the seat (although he looked annoyed)so I got back in line. Then he walks by and says real loud "if you see a drink on a table don't take a seat-its just common courtesy." WTF? So after I ordered I walked over to him and bitched him out for being a crazy asshole. He was really not expecting it and it was pretty sweet.

I just found out that I am getting this award for leadership and public service at graduation. I was nominated by my professors and the students in my class voted last month between all the nominees. Apparently their was a three way tie-so I'll be getting it with two other people. The three of us and the valedictorian will be sitting on stage during graduation (I am relieved that I don't have to give some sort of speech). It was funny because when the woman from student services came up to me to tell me about it, she just said "i really need to talk to you" and i thought I was in some sort of trouble, maybe that I had missed a unit and wouldn't be graduating.

It feels really nice to be validated-especially when I'm feeling so anxious about so many things.

I've ridden my bike every day this week. I made a promise to myself that I would at least ride my bike to and from school (which is about 7 miles round trip with about 1/2 being uphill-with some really steep ones) every day between now and the bar and also take it around the city as much as I can. Dan used to joke about "bike therapy" but i'm definitely finding it to be a real thing. I've been feeling great this week and given the insanely stressful nature of my life right now is invaluable.

In class the other day we were talking about images of lawyers and someone brought up Eliot Spitzer. This guy raised his hand and said "I bet people are gonna disagree with me but I don't think what he did was that big of a deal." Which I can pretty much agree with-their are definitely much worse things that public officials are doing (although the irony of the situation is kind of hilarious). But then he went on to say " and i think that under some circumstances I might have done the same thing.." WTF? Probably one of the best comments I have ever heard in law school.

The closer I get to finishing school the more I want to finish my left arm half sleeve. I think its me trying to rebel because I know i'll be cooped up studying all summer and that I am about to join what some my think is a more conservative profession. Or maybe its because I'm about to turn thirty.

Nikki McClure emailed me back and gave me the "ok" to use and tweak one of her designs. Anyone want to lend me 1K so I can get going on it already?

Waking up to your house-mates having a screaming fight about breaking up for the millionth time is NOT a great way to start your Sunday morning. I sort of feel bad listening to them talk about the intimate details of their relationship while screaming and crying-but it is my house too. I just want to walk in there and demand that one of them move out already-although I honestly do like them both. I've definitely been in failing relationships that have dragged out forever and wish someone would have intervened-but I guess people have to make their own mistakes.

In other news I had another fabulous weekend where i pretended I have no final exams and that I'm not taking the bar in 4 months. This seems like an on-going theme. Last weekend I promised I would only stay at this party for a half-hour and instead left at 3am. Then I promised that I would only pop-in at the anarchist book-fair-but ended up inviting 10-12 people over to have a bbq afterwards-which turned into a huge slumber party. This weekend was more of the same. The highlights were- last night's dessert at citizen cake where I spent 11 dollars (did i mention im 117 K in debt?) on a "banana split" which involved asparagus foam, chocolate noodles and this amazing ice-cream. We also had creme brulee with rose water-yumm. Then I met up with a huge group of people and went to this party in Bernal heights-which took me almost 2 hours to get home from on the bus. The guys sitting behind me on the 14 were smoking a bowl and the bus-driver didn't bat an eyelash.

I'm really gonna miss my friends while studying for the bar...its like i'm going on a long trip or something.

Oh-and I got a new haircut which I love!

Fidel Castro resigned today. crazy. I wonder how long until their is a "Disney World Cuba?"

I just paid the bar review people 3K! and all to watch a video, such a fucking scam.