If I believed in reincarnation (which I don't), I would probably say that I had been either a philosopher or an English teacher in a past life. I get excited about commas, I think Eats, Shoots & Leaves is the funniest book ever (even though there are punctuation errors in it), and I have a shirt that says "Bad grammar makes me [sic]!" I write for fun, and I love philosophy. I could talk about Kant or Aristotle all day.
Unfortunately, in law school, I don't get a chance to read and absorb philosophy very often. However, I did run across some interesting articles this week that I enjoyed immensely. (I don't recall how I found them. Sometimes interesting stuff just finds me as I randomly google things.)
The first one is not philosophical, but it's still a thought-provoking article. It's called Cite Unseen: How Neutral Citation and America's Law Schools Can Cure Our Strange Devotion to Bibliographical Orthodoxy and the Constriction of Open and Equal Access to the Law. It's a bit lengthy, but it's well worth the read. The main point is that championing a neutral citation format for caselaw (i.e. one that doesn't depend on the pagination in West's case reporters) would lead to better access to the law.
The second one brings two of my favorite subjects together: writing and philosophy. It's called The Poetry of Persuasion: Early Literary Theory and Its Advice to Legal Writers. The introduction is a little dull, and I almost stopped reading at that point. I'm glad I didn't, however. (The introduction can easily be skimmed or skipped in order to get to the good stuff.) The rest of the article analyzes what various thinkers (most notably Longinus and Aristotle) have to say about persuasive writing, and what it means for the legal writers of today. I found it helpful, and I'm going to integrate some of the ideas into my writing.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
The First Week of School
After a completely insufficient vacation, I'm back at school. I'm really looking forward to this semester, though. I'm only working 20 hours per week, and I'm taking 5 classes. It's going to be a long few months, but it's going to be great! I feel like I'm really getting toward my goals. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Short Thoughts
Life can get random, so here's a collection of random thoughts/events for the week.
Popcorn Popping (but not on the apricot tree):
What was the inventor of popcorn ceilings thinking? Seriously, they're annoying. On Tuesday, I had to get something from the top of my closet. As I stood on the stepstool to reach for my bag, I bumped the ceiling, knocking little bits onto my head. I stepped down (bag in hand) and brushed the bits out of my hair. I turned to my sister, who was sitting nearby, and I said, "Do I have any of the ceiling in my hair?" Naturally, she burst out laughing, informing me that was the funniest thing she had heard all week.
Job Seeking Advice:
Over the past four weeks since I started working in HR, I have probably reviewed close to 500 resumes. Here's some advice. First, please get a proofreader. I'm not likely to give your resume a closer look if you misspell words like "experience" or "relevant". Second, read the job posting carefully before applying. If you live in Los Angeles and are adamant about not relocating, don't apply for a position in Bangalore. Third, submitting your resume once is sufficient. Submitting it four times in a two hour period will not make me give it extra consideration. It will just annoy me, hurting your chances.
Advice for Corporate Recruiters:
If you want your clients to get hired, don't be annoying. Nothing has changed in the last 10 minutes. I didn't have feedback 10 minutes ago on the interview that ended 15 minutes ago, and I don't have feedback now. When I do, I'll let you know. If you keep bugging me, I'll stop answering the phone when you call. Caller ID is a great boon to productivity. Oh, and cc'ing my boss on every e-mail you send me will not only annoy me, it will annoy her as well. Once you've ticked off the VP of HR, you don't have a chance. Her word is law when it comes to hiring.
Seen on the Way Into Work:
I was driving into work this morning across Highway 237. (For those of you who aren't local, it's the highway that runs between Milpitas and Mountain View.) I glanced off to the right, somewhere around San Jose, and I saw a herd of goats grazing on the grass. I'm totally serious. In the tenth largest city in the US, there was a herd of goats grazing along the highway, right in front of an office park.
The Cat Lady:
I feel like I'm living in an animal shelter. My roommate has been feeding the stray cats, and one of the cats had kittens. So, now there's a box of seven kittens in my apartment. This is in addition to the mother cat, who comes and goes, my cat, and my roommates' chihuahuas. That's a grand total of two cats, seven kittens, and two dogs. If anyone wants a kitten, we'll have several we're looking for homes for in two or three more weeks. Once the kittens and the mama cat are gone, we can go back to normal. (1 cat, 2 dogs)
Popcorn Popping (but not on the apricot tree):
What was the inventor of popcorn ceilings thinking? Seriously, they're annoying. On Tuesday, I had to get something from the top of my closet. As I stood on the stepstool to reach for my bag, I bumped the ceiling, knocking little bits onto my head. I stepped down (bag in hand) and brushed the bits out of my hair. I turned to my sister, who was sitting nearby, and I said, "Do I have any of the ceiling in my hair?" Naturally, she burst out laughing, informing me that was the funniest thing she had heard all week.
Job Seeking Advice:
Over the past four weeks since I started working in HR, I have probably reviewed close to 500 resumes. Here's some advice. First, please get a proofreader. I'm not likely to give your resume a closer look if you misspell words like "experience" or "relevant". Second, read the job posting carefully before applying. If you live in Los Angeles and are adamant about not relocating, don't apply for a position in Bangalore. Third, submitting your resume once is sufficient. Submitting it four times in a two hour period will not make me give it extra consideration. It will just annoy me, hurting your chances.
Advice for Corporate Recruiters:
If you want your clients to get hired, don't be annoying. Nothing has changed in the last 10 minutes. I didn't have feedback 10 minutes ago on the interview that ended 15 minutes ago, and I don't have feedback now. When I do, I'll let you know. If you keep bugging me, I'll stop answering the phone when you call. Caller ID is a great boon to productivity. Oh, and cc'ing my boss on every e-mail you send me will not only annoy me, it will annoy her as well. Once you've ticked off the VP of HR, you don't have a chance. Her word is law when it comes to hiring.
Seen on the Way Into Work:
I was driving into work this morning across Highway 237. (For those of you who aren't local, it's the highway that runs between Milpitas and Mountain View.) I glanced off to the right, somewhere around San Jose, and I saw a herd of goats grazing on the grass. I'm totally serious. In the tenth largest city in the US, there was a herd of goats grazing along the highway, right in front of an office park.
The Cat Lady:
I feel like I'm living in an animal shelter. My roommate has been feeding the stray cats, and one of the cats had kittens. So, now there's a box of seven kittens in my apartment. This is in addition to the mother cat, who comes and goes, my cat, and my roommates' chihuahuas. That's a grand total of two cats, seven kittens, and two dogs. If anyone wants a kitten, we'll have several we're looking for homes for in two or three more weeks. Once the kittens and the mama cat are gone, we can go back to normal. (1 cat, 2 dogs)
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