Keep Calm and Carry On

Roommate has (possibily only temporarily) moved out. It is an extremely complex situation (with no fault or ill will from either side.) And I miss her terribly. Because she is my most bestest friend ever ever ever and I love her. While we still hang out at work (more on this), I miss having my friend at home. Sister, really. That's what she has become. Roommate's mom has been doing a lot of chatting with St. Jude lately, let me tell you. The whole thing came on suddenly, so I'm feeling like the rug was pulled out from beneath my feet. Except there are no rugs in this house. Coco thinks they are porta-a-potties.

Also, I can not live by myself. I'm a very independent person by nature who loves the idea of living alone, but in reality...I do better with another person around. I have the downstairs apartment rented to two guys (I live in a rowhome duplex), and that does help. Just knowing that there is someone around in the event of an emergency is a great thing, but I still lie awake wondering if the plumbing always sounded like that, or if someone is trying to break in. I lived by myself for one year in New York. It did not go well.

Let me just say it was a very good thing my New York apartment did not allow cats.

That said, the possibility of me finding a roommate is kinda tied up with the complex Roommate situation as she may or may not return and she may or may not leave her furniture. Not going to happen for a while. And if it does need to happen, oh man. Who in their right mind will live with 2 dogs? One yappy and not averse to peeing on the bathroom floor, and the other pushy and not averse to stealing your hat and waving it in front of you?

So that's that.

Then there is the wee matter of employment.

My firm split up. I knew this was coming, I was just hoping it would not happen right now, when there are gazillions of attorneys out of work. Breaking up a law firm is a process more gut-wrenching and emotionally-charged than any divorce. I know. I've been through it once before. (Firm split, not divorce). The process gets infinitely more complicated when contingent fees are involved. I was invited to join both sides in a new venture, and I chose my side. Very easy decision. Then, massive drama on the new side. One heart attack. One major accident - he will be ok, but it was a wake-up call that made him re-think his life direction.

So. The split-up process takes a long time and, if it goes to litigation, waaaay longer. For now, I am doing legal consulting work and interviewing for law practice positions. I don't know if it has hit the papers or anything, but now is not the best time to look for a job.

The problem is that if you look at my age and compare it to my resume, I look like a big fat liar. I worked in a law office as a student throughout law school, and by my third year I was basically doing what a lawyer would do: meeting with clients on my own, handling a case from beginning to end, stuff like that. My way old-school firm had never trained a new lawyer, and they just threw me into it. Sink or swim. No hand-holding. Minimal supervision. Very scary for me, but it meant that I have significantly more significant experience than my peers. If that makes sense. Most new lawyers spend their first few years doing research for other attorneys, and writing in piecemeal: one brief for this case, one motion for another, and not handling anything from beginning to end. Not to brag or anything, but the way that I was thrown in to some very complex cases made me into a very good litigator in a very short time. I've been in contact with a lot of recruiters, so I'm not at the point where I need to dumb down my resume. Yet.

For now, legal consulting (for Roommate's company) is pretty cool. It is definitely a standard 9-5 gig, which I haven't had since...ever. And the fact that these people pay for my advice (as opposed to "fix my problem") is just ducky. But instead of spending the sudden influx of free time doing something fun, I'm (1) anxious about getting back into law, (2) chatting up recruiters, (3) interviewing like mad, (4) crying because I miss my best friend, and (5) studying for yet another bar exam. July 29 and 30 for all your prayer warriors.

And two of my dear friends are going through an awful break-up. Please pray that God will continue to soften S.'s heart and move it back towards A, and that she will give A. a chance. I see S. softening a little! Thank you, God.