Invasion of the Body Snatchers

It’s 5:27am and I’m laying in bed listening to something chirping elegantly outside my window somewhere, desperately attempting to raise his cheerfulness above the rumble of the freeway. Guess what happened last night: a thunderstorm! A veritable thunderstorm! Flashes of lightning, the whole bit... finally! Maybe we’ve finally hit the storm season!

Yesterday was “2L Appreciation Day,” which meant in the morning they gave out free bagels and coffee, and then in the evening had an ice cream social of sorts. The latter made me think of Florida, and how I panicked there and could have had a fantastic time but was too busy thinking about exams. I can’t believe the night when Dad and Ali went to the park without me, they got to sit in the front of the tram. The ONE night. I guess I was tired, because they said I was sound asleep when they got back to the room, so it was the right thing to sleep, but still... it felt like the moment we arrived, it was time to go home. We didn’t get to explore the Animal Kingdom or anything... and what really irks me is that next year I have to take the Professional Responsibility (ethics) exam in March, which is always held on a Saturday. I e-mailed a guy from the testing center and he said it will probably be the 8th or the 13th - they won’t decide until June or July. Spring break next year is the 13th to the 25th - if this exam screws up our Florida excursion, I’m going to flip (I cannot do the April thing again; it’s not fair to anyone else!!) I love just walking through my apartment and gazing at all my Disney stuff. I have this little statute of the Cinderella Castle that I just adore. I think my favorite part of Florida this year was discovering the different nations at EPCOT; in particular, the little train setup at Germany. It was so cool! But honestly, my favorite part about Florida, the scene I carry around in my head when I’m worrying about school or wishing I were at Disney World, is walking through the lobby of the Grand Floridian, or over to the gym, and back to “our” room, gazing at the grounds or over the Seven Seas lagoon or at the tram rustling overhead or some seagulls rustling past. I love that place. Before I die, if I ever have money, I would love to just go spend a week or two at Disney World and explore ever nook and cranny - all the different hotels, the little rides I’ve never been on, the seldom-frequented corners I’ve always blown past.... maybe walk around with a guidebook.

But all this is just a way to avoid thinking about exams. Everyone at school is walking around like zombies, with massive circles under their eyes and a generally overwhelmed look. Nice to know I’m not alone... it’s like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Someone’s stolen our sanities.

I love thunderstorms.

A car just pulled up outside. At 5:50 am?

I can’t believe I only have three weeks left of school. My endlessly irritating Cyberlaw professor, who would otherwise be a really cool guy, scheduled ANOTHER makeup class tonight - a week before finals, and he’s still teaching us stuff and giving out big readings. Yesterday he handed out this packet of - no joke - about ninety pages of small text. The guy in the row in front of me turned and snarled, “This is BS. A week before finals and he’s handing out another textbook?! I’m not going to do the reading, but come on...” That’s the spirit. Stick to your guns, pal.

Lighting Flashes...

°o° Eight Days until Florida!

“Has anyone here seen the movie Casablanca? Those who have not should run out and see it right away, as it is the greatest movie of all time.” - Professor Maggs (copyright)

Well, it finally happened - I’m sitting in Cyberlaw and the thunder is booming! It’s rattling the walls and foundation of the building; yee-haw!

On Wednesday, we’re going to the Urbana court house to watch a case for White Collar Crime.

I got the strangest e-mail today. Apparently the director of financial aid at the school got a call today from a lawyer in Milwaukee who represents a client that wishes to pay some of my tuition for next year, but wishes to remain anonymous. He needed my permission to confirm I was a student at the law school and begin making arrangements with the business office. Are you kidding? Like I would say no! Who could it be, though? Who in the world? And how do I send them flowers? I could recreate Coming to America, sprinkling rose petals to make a path wherever the person walked.

I guess I shouldn’t count my chickens, because it hasn’t happened yet. It probably will fall through, or the person will forget, or lose their fortune, or something. But it sure would be wonderful.

... and Technicolor Dreams

°o° On this day in 1943, Private Pluto was released. This is significant because it featured the first appearance of Chip and Dale!

°o° Nine Days until Florida!

“Here’s an interesting piece of news: Germany is short of rabbis. Gee. I wonder what could have happened to cause that?” - Jay Leno

Crystal clear outside and 75. That’s the good news. The bad news is I refuse to turn on the AC in my apartment pursuant to our insane energy rate hikes, and it’s going to be hot tonight. Tomorrow we get the mid-60’s, and then dip down to the low 40’s on Wednesday and Thursday, ugh.

But spring has certainly sprung. A ll the cherry blossoms are blooming, bursting forth as though winter had never swept through with its ruthless procession of heinous conditions. The tulips and daffodils are in full force, thrusting proudly through the dirt and the muck and the barren patches left by errant shovels and plows that couldn’t find their way in the depths of the snow. The grass is a bright emerald green, gleaming like the product of a Technicolor assault. Speaking of, did you know Walt Disney held the patent on Technicolor? That’s why he had the monopoly on early color cartoons. Well, he certainly deserved it.

The school still hasn’t issued a class list for the fall semester, and registration is less than a week away. How are we supposed to deliberate and pathologically second-guess ourselves, without sufficient time? Sheesh.