Bar Review Day 5

Everything is going pretty well as far as studying goes. I am just slightly behind with what I am required to accomplish at this moment, but I think I can make it up today.

My day consists of the following: First, I read 30 - 60 pages of in depth material meant to refresh my memory on a subject. Then I listen to a three hour lecture on the subject, taking notes and filling in a workbook that BarBri has provided. After lecture, I turn these materials in a condensed outline for studying purposes. After I finish the outline, I do a few practice tests on the subject. Then I'm done for the day!

Its been pretty grueling so far, but my spirits are as high as the stakes. Let's hope they stay that way.

The OMG Moment

I finally had that OMG moment where I realized how much work it is going to be to study for the bar. Barbri expects 8 - 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, right up to the bar.

After the moment passed, I am sort of bracing myself. They are the experts, and I am confident that I can do it if I put my mind to it.

The logistics of today were more of problem. The bus is an hour each way. The lectures are online, so why am I going? Tomorrow I am trying out staying home. There is no one home during the day at my folk's house, so i figure its as good of as office as any.

On a lighter note, does anyone remember property law? I love how quirky it is. Its the hilarious old uncle of law subjects.

Below: Lewis and Clark through the forest. I saw robins eggs, a rabbit, and a giant banana slug today.

Back in the Northwest

What a week! I had a great road trip with my lovely girlfriend and from Socal to the Great Northwest. And it truly is great.

Tomorrow is my first day studying for the Washington State Bar Exam. I am taking a Bar prep course with BarBri of Washington, even though my actual classes are at Lewis and Clark College in Portland.

My dad and I took a trip there to see the lay of the land, and to see whether I would be able to take the somewhat elaborate bus ride from Vancouver, Washington.

So the plan is, I will essentially ride to and from the Vancouver park and ride with my dad every weekday. We will ride the bus together to his work in downtown Portland. From there I catch another bus, and walk about half mile through a path in the woods to the law school. Sounds like a little much. I will let you know how it was tomorrow. If it is indeed too much, I see a car in my future.

Ultimate Man Cave

Now that I am moving, I keep dreaming about have a really awesome recreation room or man cave. Of course, women would be welcome and enjoy it too-- who wouldn't enjoy this stuff? This is a brief indulgence in materialism, and the things listed are considered as if money is no object.

1. Heavy Metal Meltdown Pinball Machine (video here and here)
2. Shuffle Board Table
3. Beer Pong Table
4. Ms. Pacman Cocktail Table
5. 55 Inch HD TV
6. Best Couch Ever from Restoration Hardware
7. Kegerator
8. Coolest Furnace Ever

So come on over any time! Well, any time in the not so near future...

Mise En Place: Preparing with Books and Classes

I would love to own my own business. The safe and boring cocoon that is law school only encouraged me to day dream of ideas for start ups and solo firms as is planning my escape.

To prepare for my Steve-McQueen-esque lurch to the real world, I took as many business law classes (and entertainment with business applications) as my schedule would allow and I read books about solo firms and business (basically as much reading outside of law school as the reading inside law school would allow). Let's take a look:

Classes:

• Business Associations
• Federal Income Taxation
• Business Planning
• Taxation of Business Entities
• Music Industry Contracts
• Copyright Law
• Defamation, Privacy and Publicity
• Entertainment Law
• Adv. Entertainment law
• Aviation Law (Final on Start-Up Airline)

Books

• The E-Myth Attorney
• The E-Myth Revisited
• Rework
• The Reluctant Rainmaker
  
• Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive
• The Four-Hour Work Week
• All You Need to Know About the Music Business
• Solo by Choice
• The Monk and the Riddle

Social Entrepreneurship and Business Model Flexibility

I really love this new post about Social Entrepreneurship by Inc. Magazine -- It's really got my imagination working on overdrive. Social entrepreneurship marries the thrill of starting your own business with the gratification of doing something worthwhile for the betterment of the world.

I wonder, however, if seemingly bloated and bulky requirements of 501(c)(3) can commiserate with the agility, flexibility and ability to improvise I see as necessary for a successful business model.

Keep It Simple, Stupid. It worked for building airplanes, and it works for business.

Write Less & Improve Your Grades

I just finished my last law school class. Ever. Wow.

Anyway, that means that finals time is here. The following is a short check list of tricks I have picked up over my law school career (nearing its end, btw) that can help you with those law school (or college, etc.) writing assignments.

1. Be a Minimalist.

When you are given a reading assignment, which do you prefer: 20 pages, or 10? 10 pages or 5? I know your answer: the shorter the better. How much more likely are you to read something if it is short? You are probably much more likely to read a short article.(See http://www.useit.com/ for a discussion on the cost/benefit ratio of long and short articles)

Professors are people too. And like the rest of us, they get bored. For this reason, it is advantageous to write as little as possible while still getting you complete message across. If you can say something in 5 pages, why do it in 7? My general rule: if there is a page maximum, aim for around 70% of it. If there is a minimum, hit it on the nose.

2. Put Your Best Arguments in the Beginning.

If professors DO get tired of your writing and decide they can make a grade determination before finishing your whole work (which is lazy, I know, but I'm sure it happens even if no one admits it) wouldn't you want your A material in the beginning?

3. Use Big Font.

Kids books aren't written in big font because their eyesight is bad. Big font simply makes comprehension of the text easier. Also, large print is easier for people with diminished eyesight. So increase comprehension and decrease frustration by keeping your font around 12.5 or 13. Same can be said for double spacing over single spacing. Some people go as far as bolding or italicized key arguments and phrases, but this is only for the truly punk-rock rebel.

4. What Font to Use?

I am no typographer, and so I am not sure about this. I am considering writing one of my finals, which is in the form of a client letter, in Georgia. This could through the Professor off, however, and so the question is: How dangerously should I choose to live?

Song Lyrics Don't Reflect The Personality Of A Generation

So, a psychology professor, Dr. Nathan DeWall at the University of Kentucky, analyzed hit songs between 1980 and 2007 and found a correlation between egotistical song lyrics and increasing narcissism in society. (see http://www.npr.org/2011/04/26/135745227/study-narcissism-on-rise-in-pop-lyrics)

I don't buy it. Statistics alone can't derive the meaning of song lyrics. This study ignores the nuances of song writing like metaphor, sarcasm and irony. (Although I will admit that pop music isn't known for subtlety. See e.g., Rebecca Black - Friday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0) For example, the Prof. Nathan DeWall cites Weezer's song, "The Greatest Man in the World" (see e.g., http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYrz-M2Zc8E) as one such narcissistic song. Sure, without even hearing it, it sounds narcissistic; and that would be the case if Rivers Cuomo wasn't being sarcastic.

To analogize, this study is like a regular computer playing jeopardy compared to the IBM supercomputer, Watson, playing Jeopardy. It might give us some interesting results, but they are not going to be correct.

If anything, I think the increased frequency of narcissistic lyrics is a reflection of the music industry itself, rather than of the personality traits pop musics listeners. The record companies today are hit machines (see http://www.thejazzlawyer.com/2011/02/25/you-want-a-fucking-record-deal/) and don't particularly care what ridiculous garbage is on the radio so long as it makes money. This is especially true since record companies don't make money selling records anymore. Today, record companies sell image not music. (see 360 deal, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/arts/music/11leed.html)

So maybe superficiality rather than narcissism is the real culprit here. But hey, that's pop music for ya.