Day 1 down

And now on to the MBE...

Con Law: Ah yes, "The free exercise clause cannot be used to challenge a neutral law of general applicability..." So says the Sup Ct in the "Peyote" case, where everyone in Oklahoma was prohibited from using peyote, not just the Native American tribe. However, if a law is not neutral and targets a specific group, then strict scrutiny will be applied and the law will be struck down.

Property: since we can't talk about fee tails really, "to A and the heirs of his body", then let us speak of the Rule against Perpetuities. A much loved topic for any law student. "An interest must vest, if at all, not later than 21 years after some life in being at the creation of the interest." If there is any chance at all that it could vest outside of that 21 year time frame, the interest is VOID VOID VOID...unless of course you are dealing with a trust that has a perpetuities savings clause, or you are in a state that has the doctrine of cy pres "as far as possible."

Yes, dear friends, it really is THAT boring! And we wonder why lawyers are mean and boring.

I Am (Reposting)

I originally posted this August 25, 2005. In preparing myself for the bar exam this next week, I'm re-posting it.

We call upon God many times in our lives to be what we need Him to be. Nicole Nordeman listed some of his roles in her song, "I Am": Elbow-healer, super-hero...heartache healer, secret keeper, best friend...shepard, savior, pasteur-maker...creator, life-sustainer, comforter, healer, redeemer, Lord and King, beginner and the end. We call Him to be all these things, and He says, "I Am."

Between two thieves, hope was born from suffering. By grace, we can call God, "Abba, Father." When we suffer in our lives, God is right there with us. There is no reason for us to fear, because our debt is paid. Finite and powerless though we are, Christ's strength, that same strength that led him to the cross to die for us, is there to guide us through life's troubling times.

In Genesis 12:1-9, Abram left his home on faith. He allowed the Lord to guide him; by faith, he knew God would prepare a place for him and bless his new home. God calls us to walk by faith. The desire to please Him, does; following that desire, we must go down the path even though we do not know where it leads. Faith is not always comfortable.

But, when we walk that path, narrow though it is, God walks with us. So, when life is uncertain, scary, troubling...when we think we can't go on, that it is just impossible for us to make it, and we say, "God, where are you? Why aren't you here with me...going with me through this?", He will say, "I Am."

Football and What it means to be in America

So, the Beckhams have arrived. I honestly didn't know it until I saw some headlines about the critic uproar against Posh's series-turned-one-hour-special last night. Apparently, the show wasn't very good. I will have to catch the rerun on Bravo this Thursday.

I pitty poor Posh (and by association, Becks). I don't think she read her history very well at all. Setting aside sell-outs like Madonna, we Americans like it our own way. Her husband probably won't be the soaring star I guess he is in other countries. (Bend it like who?) And if Vicki wants to be famous in her own right, she will have to do something else besides be pretty and thin. The BBC, quoting the LA Times, ran this:

Patt Morrison of the Los Angeles Times said that people in the United States had been "underwhelmed" by Beckham.

"If you're looking for a bad driver, we have Lindsay Lohan, who does it better," she told BBC One's Breakfast.

"If you're looking for rich, we've got Paris Hilton, and if you're looking for thin blondes, if you fire a cannon in Beverly Hills, you hit 100 of them.

"It's a very competitive market, even for a Beckham."

Though we find these girls ridiculous, at least they are our own. Much like kids I guess. It is much easier to tolerate the mustard on the new white carpet when it is your own kid that did it.

A fun little quiz from my MySpace page

I need a hobby.
Current mood: amused

90 Weird Ones

90. First off, what is your name?
Elizabeth (Liz to some)

89. What did you do last night?
Um, worked on Oil and Gas I think. Didn't finish, so I had to work on it again today!

88. Do you have the same sex best friend that you talk to 24/7?
Nope. My best friend is not a girl, but I do talk to him 24/7.

87.do you have any siblings?
A brother.

86. Where are you exactly?
Couch in our living room.

85. Favorite color(s)?
Silver and blue.

84. What does the 7th message in your [cell] text inbox say?
"Hi" - my husband being cute.

83. Who sat beside you in math?
Math...like, in high school? I have no idea.

82. What song are you listening to?
Tim McGraw - I Need You

81. Where is your dad right now?
Home I'm guessing.

80. Do you have any kids?
Not that I know of.

79. Who is the 5th person you got a call from?
Mi amiga Jenn

78. Closest black object?
My cellphone.

77. Closest silver object?

The cross around my neck.

76. Have you ever jumped a fence for any reason?
Um, I am sure I have.

75. Do you sing in the shower?
I humm.

74. Do you own any pets?
I wish!!! I want a puppy SO badly!

73. How does your hair look right now?
Like hair.

72. Last time you listened to country music?
Right now. I love country!

70. If you could kill someone, who would it be?
This is an incriminating question, and a bit psychotic, so I won't answer it.

69. What are your fears?
Well, drowning, and like Amy said, The Bar Exam.

68. What do you hear right now?
Music.

67. How many drugs are in ur system right now?
Drugs, um, none? I mean, does tylenol count?

65. What are you wearing?
Sleep pants and a t-shirt.

64. Who was the last person to comment you?
To comment me? I'm confused.

63. Do you sing?
Yep. Like or not!

62. Screamo or Country?
Country.

61. Rock or Rap?
Country.

60. Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate.

59. Who did you last call?
The jewlers...to find out when I would get my wedding band back...had it engraved.

58. Who last called you?
The jewlers, to let me know my ring was ready.

57. What jewelry do you wear daily?
Wedding ring, engagement ring, diamond earrings, and a cross my grandmother gave me.

56. What are you doing right now?
Taking this quiz thing.

55. Who was the last person you said I love you to?
Brandon.

54. Would you die for someone?
Yes.

53. If so, who?
My husband.

52. Are you cold right now?
Nope. Comfy.

51. What do you smell right now?
Nothing.

50. Do you have to pee right now?
No.

49. What did you dream about last night?
The bar exam.

48. What are you doing tomorrow?
Studying, going to the gym, tanning, having a friend over for dinner...

47. If your most recent ex asked you back out, what would you say?
Um, I'm married.

42. Carpet or wood in your room?
Carpet....but I wish it was wood.

41. Someone who always picks on you...
My husband.

38. Can you do a cartwheel?
Yes I can.

37. What's your favorite candle scent?
Vanilla.

36. Ever gone a whole day without eating?
Yeah, and you shouldn't talk to me at the end of it because I will be piiiissssy!

35. America or Canada?
AMERICA!!!!

33. What if you found out you were adopted?
That would explain a lot!

32. Jeans or Sweatpants?
Sweatpants

29. Do you have socks on?
No, I HATE socks. Flip flops baby! (Except in Iowa in the winter).

28. Do you own any big sunglasses?
Yes, just recently got some! I look so cute!

22. Do people call you annoying?
I have no idea.

21. Do you like sneezing?
No, not at all.

20. Whats your record for jumping on a pogo stick?
1, then I fell.

19. Favorite TV show?

Anything with Samantha Brown on the Travel Channel.

18. Do you like 80s movies?
Yeah, they are ok.

16. Last two numbers in your cell phone number?
94.

15. What kinda music do you like?
Country and Christian.

14. Are you a crazy stalker?
I don't think so. Though, I did prank call boys back in middle school.

13. Best city you've visited?
Des Moines...Iowa makes me happy.

12. Been to London?
I wish.

10. Favorite subject at school?
History.

9. Been to college?

Been? I have lived there for 7 years. Still waiting for the studying part to end.

7. Favorite time of day?
Morning. And evening. I just hate the afternoon, that is siesta time!

6. Ever Licked someones cheek?
LoL, that was so funny I just did it.

5. Watch all spiderman movies?
They are ok. I think the cartoons are better.

3. What are you looking forward to?
My wedding ceremony and honeymoon.

2. Ever gotten lost in the dark?
Yeah, in a maze when I was younger. I cried.

1. Do you snore/talk/walk in your sleep?
I talk in my sleep. One time, I woke Brandon up by screaming about ants. LoL, I have no idea why!

Finding God in my Pop-Tarts

I know this post has an odd title, but anyone who has ever struggled with food will understand it. I ran across one of the most personally powerful posts on Boundlessline.org today, and I had post it, if only for my own reference later on. This post was taken from Solo Femininity, Slave to Food.

Here is the post:

A few weeks ago, I posted an entry about the importance of understanding nutrition--how cooking is not just a chore, but it is also a critical component of our health. Not long before that, I was talking to a friend of mine about her recovery from an eating disorder. She made several intriguing comments, so I asked her to write down her testimony to encourage other women who struggle in the same way. Michele never does anything halfway, so her testimony ended up to be a well-written essay! Here's how she starts:

If I mention that I’m writing about worship, most of you will not feel threatened. You know that you worship the true and living God. Maybe it’s a particular worship chorus, a passage of Scripture, or the Sunday-scents of your sanctuary that come to mind. Whatever it is, you know exactly when it is that you are a worshipper. Would you laugh at me if I said that I’ve worshipped a bowl of oatmeal? That I’ve worshipped gods of porcelain, fiber, caffeine, and plastic? If I tell you that I’m about to confess my own idolatry—or misplaced worship—will you keep reading?

I’m a recovering anorexic, a recovering bulimic, and a woman whose life has been dominated by food. Writer Anne Lamott describes the spectrum of her lifelong, eating disordered behavior: “It is a long, dull story. I had lots of secrets and worries about me and food and my body. It was very scary and obsessive, the way it must feel for someone who is secretly and entirely illiterate.” That might be the best description I've ever heard of the pervasiveness of the disease, the shame that accompanies every botched attempt at normalcy, the inevitable realization that normalcy cannot coexist with the problem and the furtive attempts to deny that reality. Shame, greed, economy, desire, focus, attention, caretaking, defiance, independence, luxury, guilt, restraint, preparation, self-control, domination, destruction, distraction—eating disordered behavior has manifested or defined all of these things to me.

Proverbs 9:17 says, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant." Though, in context the passage talks about adultery, it applies well to the sins of anorexia, bulimia, or overeating. For years and years, I have participated in sinful eating habits that damaged my body, depleted my resources, and alienated all of the important people in my life. I can’t go too far into this discussion without asking the obvious question why. I never started these behaviors because they were convenient; neither could I stop them for that reason. Why did I—and do I—do these things? Because I wanted to—because the bread eaten in secret was pleasant. And my “wants” always reflect my heart.

To read the rest, download Apples to Apples: Reflections on an Eating-Disordered Life.

Songs to Study By

Just finished studying "Corporations" for the bar. Yes, it WAS as bad as it sounds...think appraisal rights for dissenting shareholders (mergers, subs, parents...), 2/3 vote by those entitled to vote for fundamental changes, promoter liability until novation. Good faith defense for directors...ugh.

Why oh why did I ever decide to take the bar exam?!?!

On another note, here are the songs on my playlist!

1. Brass Bed - Josh Gracin
2. Alan Jackson - Like Red on a Rose (Wedding song!)
3. Long Trip Alone - Dierks Bentley (going to concert in August on honeymoon!)
4. Just Might Make Me Believe - Sugarland
5. Want To - Sugarland
6. The Secrets that we keep - Sara Evans
7. Be Without You - M.J. Blige
8. Settlin - Sugarland
9. April Showers - Sugarland (Ok, yes yes, I really really like Sugarland!)
10. Hick Town - Jason Aldean
11. Teardrops on My Guitar - Taylor Swift
12. I Need You - Tim McGraw with Faith (this is a FANTASTIC song...)
13. She's My Kind of Rain - The one and only Tim again
14. Angel - Sarah McLachlan (I listened to this song on repeat when I was like 14...I was so dramatic)
15. Far Away - Nickelback
16. Keep Holding On - Avril Lavigne
17. I'm With You - Avril again
18. If Everyone Care - Nickleback
19. Wasting My Time - Default (not sure why, but I have always liked this song a lot)
20. I'm Moving On - Rascal Flatts
21. I Am - Ginny Owens
22. If You Want Me to - Ginny Owens (this is my THEME song during Bar prep...I do it all for God, period.)
23. I will Remember You - Sarah Mclachlan

Ahhh, that felt good...spending time to type out that list instead of write stuff down about...um...businesses...bleh.