Blind Prophecy

So obviously things have been a bit busy. I thought I ought to post a general update just so I don’t have two of Elle’s automated motivational posters in a row drawing attention to the whole week I’ve been ignoring my blog.

So here’s what I’ve been up to in the last week or so:

Me, VUBOQ and Yuval on Halloween. Photo by goblinbox
• Had an awesome time at Halloween, first hanging out with VUBOQ and goblinbox and Yuval. We tried to go to the Halloween parade, but it started raining and I try to save my melting trick for the end of the evening, so instead we got some Mexican food. We did catch the tail end of the parade, then we wandered around Chelsea/the Village for a while, taking in the crowds.

Me and Josh on Halloween.
• After it got late-ish and our merry little gang parted ways, it became possible for me to identify the whereabouts of Josh. I found him holding court in the back of a straight bar in the village. Eventually, David finished scrubbing the Brigadoon off his bum and met up with us despite having a matinee performance to get to the next day. I got a bit too intoxicated and when we ended up at a super-douchey straight bar where I waited 15 minutes for a drink while every skanky slut in ho-town with boobs and a vajayjay was served promptly, I decided it was time to call it a night. I guess I looked like a mean drunk because David thought I was yelling at Josh, but I was just tired and ready to go home. And by “go home” I mean getting confused by the Subway for 20 minutes before walking from Christopher Street to my dorm on 60th street (it’s about 3 miles) at 3-4am. In a jumpsuit and melted zombie makeup. Yay, Halloween!
• Like most of the LGBT activists I know, I was disappointed with results of the Maine election. Lots of positive polling around things like high-density cities, young voters, et cetera, but it sucks in the meantime. The fight goes on.
• I got my first law school grade last Monday. I knew there was going to be a killer grade curve in law school, but I want to do better. Luckily, this grade only accounts for 15% of a 2 credit writing course. Still, I think its the first ever not-an-A+ from a writing class in my life.

I hate this picture of me, but the rest of the boys look hot. Me, Enrico, David, Josh.
• I got to hang out with Josh again when he and Enrico came into the city midweek. They were staying at David’s place because they had things to do in Nueva the following morning (that’s the story, anyway). We ate, we shopped at Old Navy, Joshrico insulted my taste in music as often as possible and sneered at me like I was dumb when I stopped to look at CDs from artists whose names I knew in Best Buy. I saved Joshrico from certain death and/or buttsecks when a pervy guy on the street started asking them to do some conceptual art and they were being akwardly polite to him then pervy guy asked me what I do and I said, “I’m a lawyer*” and pervy guy got apologetic and ran away. (* I am not a lawyer and I may not represent myself as one for some time, if ever, but I think I was working for the greater good in that moment) They tried to get me to come to David’s place in Brooklyn with them, but I decided it would be time better spent studying for classes. I’m quite certain I was wrong.
• Mom had another knee surgery this week. Like the bad son overwhelmed law student that I am, I forgot this was happening until I got a text from Jasmine letting me know it was over and she was fine. Someone in our family is always in the hospital around November, so I’m hoping this satisfies the curse.
• I had a long overdue personal revelation yesterday about what it sounds like when I argue with people who are trying to compliment me. That’s all.
• Beyond all that, law school is kicking my ass. My professors are speeding up the pace to try and cover what’s left of their syllabus before December 1, the much more difficult long memo assignment in legal writing is due in about 10 days, the Career Planning Center is trying to get us up to speed before the job hunt season begins on December 1, and everyone is starting to become acutely aware of how little we know about finals. I’m also juggling my extracurricular commitments and trying to find time to enjoy it all along the way. As a public interest path law student, it’s important that I do more than just obsess over grades, but finding the right balance isn’t easy because in this market, there’s more competition out there for even low-paying nonprofit careers, so grades will matter. Or not. If I’ve learned anything about law school career advice so far, it’s that everyone has a different take on what is important, how to go about it, and what to expect.
• It occurred to me recently to take stock of how or if law school has changed me in 2.5 months. I think it has. I think I’ve already adopted new ways of thinking about things and seeing issues. I’m certainly more tolerant of rational arguments that I disagree with (“rational” meaning logical and artfully constructed) than I used to be. And I’m becoming a little more confident and assertive in general, although it’s hard to tell since I’ve been mostly isolated from people who have known me since pre-law school times. Ah, but navel-gazing is a trap that is keeping me from learning about title insurance and conspiracy laws!

Is anyone interested in going to the Thanksgiving Day Parade this year? I’ll be in New York and studying for finals most of that weekend, but I think watching the parade live might be worth it, just to say “been there, done that” in future years. Otherwise, I’ll probably just sleep in and be lonely and depressed if nobody wants to come play with me. C’mon, it’s big balloons and not-lonely Jere!

Filed under: law school, miscellaneous, personal by Jere Keys