shopping stress and technical vindication

I went to the mall with Tina and Sally today. I hate going to the mall. Shopping is stressful. Online shopping is so much faster and less stressful. We were on a mission to find a dress to wear for APALSA's annual banquet, Origins (buy a ticket!). I was so tired by the end of the shopping trip. I hate hate hate shopping. Shopping with a mission is also too too too stressful. I found a dress! Actually Tina found me a dress. Sally found me the shoes. I rarely try on things...but since I was shopping for dresses...I tried them on to make sure I didn't look like a hog. I was not in an ideal outfit to try on different clothes. Ugh.  Changing in and out of my clothes was a major hassle. I wish I could love shopping!

Back to e-mails. I wrote an e-mail to a professor who I don't know...to ask for money for his APALSA banquet tickets. I know he's a busy man...but it makes me feel insecure when there is no reply! Because I get so insecure about not receiving e-mails, a lot of times...I try to write e-mails where it could be a conversation-killer (last e-mail) or could be a conversation-starter...depending on the receiver's mood. But the e-mail I sent to this professor...was definitely..."PLEASE E-MAIL ME BACK OR I'M GOING TO FEEL INSECURE" type of e-mail. Oh wells. I'll never take a class with him and he'll never really have an effect in my life. Or...will he? 

I got fired up in Japanese Law today when the topic of "comfort women" came up and...I might have been a little on the offensive side to a guest lecturer. Actually, I think I was semi-offended by his casualness but as Sally said...how can I change someone's mind/consciousness about something? But, it was all in good fun...hopefully that man doesn't hate me. I regret getting all heated up about it...but what can I do. I want technical vindication. Is that too much to ask? Prof. West said, "good luck on that" when I proposed to the guest lecturer what my ideal solution would be (in the guest lecturer's words..."final solution"...this is because he doesn't know what connotation the term "Final Solution" carries) to this human rights issue. Technical vindication. Or..just wait until everyone who is still alive and was affected dies. It's only a few more years.

the e-mails I didn't receive...

So, I discovered today that I was not on the e-mail list for Professor Kahn's class (Partnership Tax...the one I'm always "fighting" with material-wise). I never received an e-mail from him and I wrongly assumed that...maybe this professor didn't use e-mail. Little did I know...that this man is an e-mailing machine. He e-mailed the class with so many explanations of what was discussed in class...and other administrative matters such as cutting down on reading...what's on the exam and such. SO SO IMPORTANT. Thankfully, a classmate has forwarded all the e-mails Prof. Kahn sent to the class. Now, I must go read them...out of context. Boo.

How did I figure out that I wasn't in sync with the rest of class?

I raised my hand today when he skipped the material I read and the problems I solved. I was so confused as to why he was skipping the material I spent five hours...(while facebooking, gchatting) learning.

Me: Professor! I do not understand how your syllabus works...I did a lot of the reading...that you're not covering in class...

Prof. Kahn: Ms. Kim, did you not get my e-mails?

Me: No....

Prof. Kahn: (kindly) Too bad! You should check your e-mails!

Me: ...

Prof. Kahn: Come see me after class!

MESSED UP. UNCOOL TO THE MAX. Actually, he was gracious about it...and understood where the problem came from. His secretary had failed to add me...because I added the class late.

Lesson: never assume that your professors over age sixty do not know how to use e-mail. Apparently, they're e-mailing machines. Prof. Kahn sent the class more e-mails than Prof. Logue! (And Prof. Logue...definitely is a spamming type).

hellos and good-byes

I just finished watching a Japanese one-episode deal thing. It is about "graduation" but the English word doesn't quite capture it. It's more like..good-bye...finished, next stage in life...etc. The storyline was rather blah...but it made me think. There's a couple...and the boy is leaving for Africa for two years (he's a photographer). He tells her rather last minute...and she gets very insecure and tells him that she's not up for long-distancing. Later, she discovers a box full of prepaid phone cards and a letter asking her to wait for him for two years. She runs and catches up to him...and to my surprise, tells him she won't wait for him. She tells him that he'll grow mature...and worldly during the two years in Africa. She can't pause her life and wait for him while he experiences life and becomes a newer him. She'll root for his success but she won't wait for him (when my English sounds awkward...it's usually because I'm translating my thoughts from either Korean or my limited Japanese).

I LOVED that. It was really sad but I loved it. It made me think of my life. Every time I am yearning to get of my comfort zone...to experience life and ready to say "good-bye"...there's another "hello" in my life that keeps me back a little. I get closer to friends...my life becomes less bleak. I rather enjoy life in Ann Arbor right now. I'm finally enjoying the people that are in my life. However, I must say good-bye. I can't pause my life. I have to keep going.

I love Ethan Hawke and most movies he's in. This is a quote from Gattaca (1997):

It's funny, you work so hard, you do everything you can to get away from a place, and when you finally get your chance to leave, you find a reason to stay. 

run!

전력 질주 수있는 시간은 의외로 짧다

全力疾走ことができる時間は意外に短い 


the time you can run with all your power is shorter than you expect (think)

-  it was originally said in a Japanese drama...I read the subtitles in Korean...and asked Sally for help in translating it into English. Google Translate was perfect at translating the Korean to get the original Japanese...but failed in it's attempt to translate it into English.


Google's attempt: Time can be surprisingly short sprint.

I'm in my twenties. I need to start sprinting.

my wednesday woes I forgot to blog about

These are gifts from J. Lafond. He came to Ann Arbor for the weekend. He gave these to me when I picked him up from the airport on Wednesday. POTUS playing cards and a shot glass that says, "Don't bother me. I'm crabby." He obvi bought them last minute from the airport. However, I still appreciate his thoughtfulness. Actually...I told him I expected a gift. :)

 I forgot to blog about what happened after I dropped him off. As I was backing out of a private road...I hit a red fire hydrant. Liz said..it was the red apple to my Snow White. Woes. Her humor doesn't impress me either.

Sally was utterly unimpressed. She said, "maybe...you shouldn't drive."

for the win...for the "children"

Losing was never an option. I did not plan on losing. I had a solid group who committed a lot of money. I was willing to up my commitment if there was a need. Losing was not an option.

We won! Professor Mark West will enthusiastically (?) bowl with us and buy us beer. Refer here for a discussion of my strategy. Because my own sister turned irrational on us...and hyper, I also saved some money! Sally abhors gambling but she was totally into the bidding. Loved it. We won the item for $700. Tina also blogged about it.

Professor West continuously told us that he was afraid that no one would bid for his item. However, this was clearly a misrepresentation. There was a 1L who was told the same thing he told me! Hah, he told me he didn't know who was on the other side of the bidding war. That was a lie!  Everything he says is suspect from now on...except things related to law! He totally drove the bid price up! For the "children" (according to him, the "children" are those law students who will work in public service).

Side-note: There is something I really appreciate when it comes to friendships. N. Chang and J. Coburn made me feel all warm inside the past two days. Even though one on one, they give me a hard time...when they are speaking with someone else, they speak so highly of me. I always notice it with Nick. He always praises me so much in public (it's almost embarrassing). Joe does the same. He is always willing to speak about me...give me credit...when speaking to others. I was pleasantly surprised when he spoke about my reserve price to Prof. West. Total <3

I took a picture with a very drunk and happy Ms. Hernandez after the auction.

P.S. I checked with the Professor. He has cleared his name. He did not know until an hour before the auction. :)

"people are so fickle!"

...said Professor Kyle Logue. He was talking about a poll in USA Today that said that a majority (small) is satisfied that Obama signed the health care bill. Before it was signed, there was a majority that disapproved of such a thing happening. People changed their mind so quickly! Or so Professor Logue said.

I love how Professor Logue starts each day of our corporate tax class. He spends about 5-7 minutes talking about anything but corporate tax. He sort of gave me a wake-up call today because I am clueless as to what is happening with health care. I haven't kept up. I must go do that now. It's really nice to have a smart law professor give summary points of what happened and discuss it casually with his editorial comments. This is the kind of learning environment I dreamt of! He said the takeaway from his mini discussion is this: lawyers will now pay more taxes. He is kidding, obvi (about the takeaway...not the taxes).

I think he's right about people being fickle. One day...they hate something...the next day, they love it. For me, the usual pattern is...I love something so much...and hate it the next day. I guess I'm a lover and then a hater...rather than a hater...then a lover? I like to get off the bandwagon rather than get on it even though I stay on the bandwagon for a little longer than I should. I also try to avoid getting on the bandwagon...even though I want to get on it so badly.

Forgive my fickle nature. But, I make it up with passionate (yet fleeting) adoration?

p.s. I still have some beef against Barry Obama...but I do sincerely love him. He's a good man.

Yoshida

I heart Stephanie Yoshida. That is all.

greener grass and forbidden apple

The grass is always(?)  greener on the other side. Also, the forbidden apple isn't that delicious. It just looks really delicious because I'm not allowed to have it.

new goal

word limit on all entries.

gunning obligations

Maybe it's because I'm Asian. I don't like raising my hand when someone else is speaking. It seems rude. I also don't like to compete with people to get the attention of the professor. That was why it was so hard for me to participate in Criminal Law last year. Everyone was dying to participate and they for sure did not care if their hands were raised when someone else was speaking. I for sure was not dying to participate. I also didn't want to be rude and raise my hand with a scowl when someone else was sharing their valuable (?) opinions/perspectives.

Today, before class started, I told Prof. Kahn that I was unprepared because of a take home exam. He was extremely nice about it. But a little too nice. It started getting really really awkward...when he had called on everyone but me. Every moment was so awkward...as he looked at the seating chart...and paused...and tried to find anyone but me (he really was trying!). He had to start calling on the same people over again. And then...later he called on me for an easy one...prefacing it with..."I know you haven't prepared for class today...but Ms. Kim!" Ugh, I wanted to die. But I was relieved that he called on me. You feel terrible not carrying your weight when a class is so small. Now, I must be prepared tomorrow. He was so gracious about the whole deal. But I can't ever let him down again. I will become excellent. Hopefully.

I also have to gun in Japanese Law tomorrow. For some reason, every single other person participated last week. I don't understand how that happened. Usually, there are a few kids who refuse to speak in any given class. I'm not usually one of them...but it turned out that I was the only one in the class who hadn't spoken last Wednesday. Japanese Law is actually a really hard class to gun in. Especially since I take that class with my blood-related sibling. Too hard to be impressive older sibling!

I have gunning obligations for tomorrow. I hope I know when to start talking...and stop talking. I hope the material I'm about to read is relatively intuitive. I hope I won't hate me after tomorrow for being a bad gunner...or a really good one. I just need to be mediocre. That will be sufficient.

TAKE HOME EXAM OVER. 1 class down...5 more classes to go!

wake up call

Do not trust me with nice white things. Also, what the frick. Why do things like this happen at the very moment...when I'm sure it's not going to happen? (Last time I ruined a white as snow good was my sister's nice bag...).

As I was backing out of my driveway, I was thinking to myself...there is no way I can hit any of the cars parked on the street because of the angle. Well, as soon as I felt sure...I hit the car. Surprisingly, I was very calm.

I should probably get a car wash. My car is too dirty to illustrate what actually happened. I chipped the paint in several places. This white beauty is...less than 3 weeks old. WOES.

So what happened to the other car? (Do you see the white paint of my Snow White on this person's car?)

I am not sure if I should let the car owner know. I should...right? Woes. I went to church and then came back...and then went to dim sum with Gene and Tina. This is the third day in a row where I'm third-wheeling. I had dinner with them on Friday. Lunch with them on Saturday...and dim sum with them today. I will chronicle my third-wheel experience at a later time. However, one hint to those out there...become friends with both so that it's actually a hanging out with friends deal...not a crash someone's date deal.

Back to the story. As soon as I hit the other car...I realized...wow, wake up call. I needed that from above. I went to church after the hit...and was so preoccupied with the little bump incident. However, a strange line struck chord with me during worship.

"All that I delight...is in You Lord."


I can't say it's true. I wish it was but I delight in myself, in the praise of men, and in material possessions. And world peace.

Here is my fortune:

You're absolutely right fortune cookie. Absolutely right. Sally's flight got delayed. It is kind of messing up my sync...with what I wanted to do today. Woes. Lies. Actually, it's probably that hit...that has rattled me from inside. And my take home exam.

winter of my discontent

Now is the winter of my discontent...

Waking up to a take home exam is uncool to the max.

This is my breakfast:

"mark it zero"

One of my biggest regrets (well...that's a little bit of an exaggeration) from last year is that I did not engage in this narcissistic exercise of blogging about my life. I wish I had captured my 1L sentiments/moments/woes/wows. 1L year is all a fuzzy memory. I would have definitely blogged about watching J. Coburn lose his common sense (and marbles and lots of money) bidding for a stuffed animal owned by our retiring Property professor, A.W.B. Simpson, for an obscene amount of money...$900? Our law school has an annual auction where students/alumni can bid for events/things professors offer. The money goes to support law students who plan on working in public interest...I think. Minor detail for me. Anyway, this year, I plan on bidding for the following item:

Your Foot Was Over the Line, Smokey.
Mark it Zero.
“I’ll buy the beer. But nobody is allowed to blow smoke
in my face. And only 1Ls get the gutter guards.” You’d
be crazy not to take Professor Mark West up on this
offer to make an hour of cosmic bowling at Bel-Mark
Lanes even better (includes two lanes for one hour, plus
shoe rental, two large pizzas, and two pitchers of pop,
up to $94 value). Beer courtesy of the professor. Bowling,
shoes, pizzas, and pop courtesy of Bel-Mark Lanes.

Unlike J. Coburn last year, I will be cool-headed and calculated in my bidding strategy. I have recruited six other students who have varying levels of desire to win, risk profiles, and etc. Thus, I borrowed from what I learned in Stern and what I learned from Professor Kahn in Partnership Tax to create a spreadsheet in order to align our risk preferences and resources in the most fair and efficient manner. Some of us will operate like general partners and engage in more risk...while some of us will operate like limited partners. The limited partners are definitely necessary for this venture because they provide the foundational basis to allow the general partners to engage in risky behavior. Haha, did that make sense?

We should probably win this since (1) we're super organized, cool-headed, and rational; (2) some of us are irrational when it comes to winning and losing; (3) J. Coburn is on our team (except he is engaged and has become an adult); (4) I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person; and (5) many other reasons that will not be disclosed. However, if we lose...then (1) Prof. West is too popular for his own good; (2) we deserve to lose; and (3) the 1Ls or others are too wealthy and/or unwise and have lost their marbles.

I cannot show you the spreadsheet (since that would reveal our strategy and our max amount)...but here is a picture of it.

I was working on it alongside my APALSA treasurer duties. I should actually be preparing for my 72-hour final exam that starts at 4pm today. Woes. I was debating whether to pass/fail it...but my law school angel (J. Lafond) said the following: Jason: one day you're going to have to take a class for a grade.

Touche. Have a beautiful weekend. I will be taking an exam and learning a lot about Taxation of Financial Instruments. Woes.

letter from tina

click here

you pay when you press the "snooze" button

I only had one class today but it happened to be a 9:05 class. I have 9:05 classes from Monday through Thursday. I usually "wake" up to 4 alarms: 6:00, 6:40, 7:17 and 7:30. However, on some mornings, I set a fifth alarm to 8:00. Today was such a day and I had to pay for the 1/2 hour of sleep I stole from my morning "preparation."

My usual routine: I usually like to get to class 10-15 minutes earlier. Thus, I must leave my apartment by 8:40. It takes me 15 minutes to wake up from my wake up because I play with my i-phone. So I'm usually in the shower by 7:45-8:00. It takes me 15 minutes to shower and dress, 10 minutes to dry my hair, 10 minutes to straighten my hair. So I'm already at 8:20 on my best days after these steps. It takes me 10 minutes to disguise myself (i.e., put on contacts and apply makeup). 8:30? I have to pack my bag and turn the heat off and put my breakfast (pouch of Capri-Sun) into my bag. I leave my apartment by 8:35ish and make it to my classroom by 8:50.

Today I had to skip all the steps after drying my hair from my regular routine because I woke up at 8:00 and managed to get into the shower by 8:10. So my hair was clean but was flying everywhere! I skipped putting on contacts and applying makeup and had to wear my thick glasses which make the size of my eyes look like tiny little peas to others. I wore my crappiest clothes and set out to learn the magic that is Corporate Tax.

Today, Prof. Logue said so many witty things. I jotted them all down but unfortunately left my notes in my locker (I will become better about this). He brought us bagels from Panera and posed the question, "is this a taxable event?" Yes...he's a tax geek(god). People rushed to get the bagels and said "no, de minimis"! He said, "you can't go to de minimis first. Lets say...it's a tiny refund of the tuition you paid." I thought that was hilarious...but now that I typed it up...I realize, I have a very low threshold in the morning when it comes to finding things funny. I didn't eat a bagel because not only was I very ugly for class...I am an ugly eater. I don't like eating in front of strangers and people I admire. I eat fast...it looks like I'm shoving food into my mouth. Also, I'm very sloppy. So I try not to eat in front of people I'm unfamiliar with. That's why I lose weight when I have to eat with strangers (lawyers club dining hall - 1L year) or in front of people I may be attracted to in some shape or form.

At the end of class, there was some discussion about a recent decision that allows tax professors to testify in court about the law, and he said another witty thing like..."if I was able to make $1,000 an hour, that would change a lot of things. If my wife asked me to vacuum...I would be able to say...do you really think that is a good use of my time to vacuum for 20 minutes?" Haha, loved it. Again, my threshold isn't that high. I find Prof. Kahn funny on Monday and Tuesday mornings.

So, since I was looking very ugly today...as soon as class ended, I rushed home to avoid running into anyone I knew. And of course...since I live off of a popular street, I ran into everybody and their moms. I met Barry and Linda...who recognized me...and it might have been my imagination but they so smirked at ugly me. I smiled and hurried away. And then I saw Matt Veenstra. But the sad thing was he didn't recognize me and walked past me! So even though I was very ugly, I turned back and called him (I call him "ajuhshi"...his Korean is very good). He was like..."oh, it IS you! I didn't recognize you. You're in disguise!" Oh no...fail. Without straightening my hair, putting on contacts, and putting on makeup...I am in disguise?! Hahaha. I must go drop Sally off the airport and proceed to disguise myself from my disguise.

Random thought: blogging is invading my thoughts. I no longer think to myself...but to a blog audience. I am constantly blogging in my mind throughout the day. I literally ran into my room to blog and Sally was unimpressed.

model citizen

The US Census forms came in the mail yesterday! I am a model citizen. I promptly filled it out and mailed it out this morning. I am typing in green in honor of St. Patty's Day.

There was a mention in the envelope that filling out the Census was required by law. Something about that statement irked me. What does that mean? Give me more details. What will they do if I don't fill it out? What if I don't believe in the Census? (Not that there is anything to believe or not believe in...). So, I googled it like all good law students do. 

Apparently, I can be subject to a penalty of $100 under 13 USC Sec. 221 for not answering the Census and up to $500 for giving false information. Okay. I guess if I don't fill it out and I'm subject to a fine...it means the government will get my information anyway for Census purposes. So either way, I will be counted. Okay then...count me (in).

Being prepared for class is a glorious thing. You understand what the Prof. is saying and can actually contribute during discussion. However, I forgot that I was only prepared for Corporate Tax and had failed (as always) to prepare for International Tax. Why why why did I forget that I did not read a single page in that book and proceed to participate (when I had no freaking idea what was going on)? Ugh, brain freeze? But the International Tax-God was amazing and did not mind that nobody read the case. Amazing man.

sparta?

I apologize to my faithful and needy reader for not posting yesterday. I had a really bad day. I slept most of that day away so I had no time to blog or read for Partnership Tax. I never read for International Tax so that is not new news. I am officially more than 270 pages behind in my reading for that class. Woes.

I was lucky in Partnership Tax and was not called on. I don't know if I would have said (1) Professor...I didn't get to the problems or (2) Well...since this is a blahblahblah (proceed to read off old outline) if he had called on me. Probably the latter.

As I'm taking mostly tax classes, I am in the same class with the same old people. There are two girls that really irritate me and I can't control my eyes from rolling due to their same old lameness. They are always without fail late to class. They are always without fail unprepared for class. I don't know why Professor Kahn keeps calling on them. I guess he sort of enjoys the awkwardness that follows after their "I didn't get to the problems"? What a sadist. On the other hand, the two girls make every other person in the class look amazing. This was a hater-entry on my part.

I am in the reading room at 7pmish on a Tuesday! That is why the hater in me has come out. Why?! It is Sparta-time. I must must must read.

Random thought: God is a genius for having created the maternal instinct. I can't imagine how I would ever care for anyone in that loving (slavish?) manner when I can't even get myself to boil hot water or make my bed. Genius.

how do you like them apples? (Good Will Hunting)

I made the switch to the dark side. I now own a Mac. I just couldn't deal with my laptop any longer -- it took too long to boot. However, I am blogging from my PC. Umm...I'm a little scared to really use the Mac. Woes. And most of my activities will still be from my PC until I master the Mac. I'm also a little stingy about investing time and energy learning a whole new platform. Just not in the mood right now.

I actually had a lot of deep stuff to talk about but I'm feeling a little lazy after having listened to the Mac store employee yap for an hour to me about the beauty that is the Mac. Even though I said yap...I actually appreciated how much he tried to deliver great customer service. While I can be cheap about certain things like free lunches and current & free textbooks (refer to previous entry), when someone really tries to deliver good service, I pay ... as in, I nod my head to those additional things they are trying to sell me. I have what Koreans call "thin ears." It might be the professional student side of me...where I tolerate people taking (wasting) my time if they're really trying to teach me something. I am a professional listener. I also think my one year at PwC taught me more about the importance of client service than anything else (i.e., how to be a good auditor).

Daylight savings suck. However, I woke up early enough to make it to church (this sounds like a bad thing...huh?). As in, I woke up 10 minutes before service. I had a cosmic debate with myself about the legitimacy of skipping church today since I had only woken up ten minutes prior to the start of the service and I would be not presentable for church. However, I remembered the thought I had last week. Last week, my mom and I went to church to attend the 11:11 service -- however, because U-Mich was still on break, there was apparently only one service...the 9:30 service. The relief I felt after having 1) tried to go to church; 2) stepped into the building of the church; 3) finding that there was no service to attend (out of my control) ... was definitely illegitimate but so clearly present. I confessed to my mother the state of my heart and she agreed about the feeling of relief except she added that this kind of heart was exactly what God doesn't want from me. He wants a heart of worship not mere sacrifices. I get that. On the other hand, I also believe that sometimes doing the motion/drill is very important. Even when my heart isn't quite there...sometimes forcing my body to be there is a signal I am sending to my heart to speed up-- and sync with my physical body!

In The Screwtape Letters the eponymous devil tells his nephew Wormwood that “One of their poets, Coleridge, has recorded that he did not pray ‘with moving lips and bended knees’ but merely ‘composed his spirit to love’ and indulged a ‘sense of supplication.’” He continues: “That is EXACTLY the sort of prayer we want; and since it bears a superficial resemblance to the prayer of silence, as practiced by those who are far advanced in the Enemy's service, clever and lazy ‘patients’ can be taken in by it for quite a long time.” Coleridge should have realised that the kneeling is one of the prayer’s formal, structural concerns. His act is judged unfitting by that physical standard. The combination of the physical and the verbal by which communion occurs (that becoming part of God) functions in such a way that it reminds the worshipper that the physicality itself is part of the word.

Now, I must go to an APALSA eboard meeting, learn Partnership Tax, and learn how to use an apple (computer).

explanation of why I'm taking the classes I'm taking

Hello girls and boys. A lot is on my mind but instead of sharing those thoughts, I will explain what classes I am taking and why. I am taking the following classes:

Partnership Tax
International Tax
Corporate Tax
Income Tax Treaties
Tax for Financial Instruments
Japanese Law

The simple explanation is that I want (?) to be a tax lawyer and since I am going abroad (losing out on a semester at Mich Law), I needed to take as many tax classes as possible. I am taking Japanese Law because I wanted to go study abroad at Waseda. The preceding sentences probably explain most of my motivations behind taking the classes. The Financial Instruments class was chosen because it was being co-taught by a person high up in EY. However, there is another (compelling) reason why I'm taking some of these classes now. It has to do with a part of me that is semi-uber-cheap. Please refer to this entry to read about what I do to receive free lunches.

I inherited some of J. Lafond's tax books. I inherited both his International Tax and Partnership Tax texts. In order to avoid the textbooks expiring on me (ie., a new edition being published), I was compelled to squeeze Partnership Tax into my schedule despite warnings that it would be the hardest class I would take in my life (I had dropped an elective with Prof. Avi-Yonah since I was already taking two of his classes...and taking three classes for the same semester with Prof. Avi-Yonah is definitely OVERKILL).  Partnership Tax is indeed the hardest class I've taken in my life that I could legitimately get a C- putting in much effort!

Also, even though I was planning on taking Japanese Law from day 1 of law school (or before, since I mentioned interest in my law school app), I inherited (or borrowed) it from the APALSA collection! Yay for textbooks that are current and free! Income Tax Treaties has no textbook! Yay!  I did end up buying two textbooks...one for Corporate Tax and one for Financial Instruments. It killed me a little when I had to purchase the two books.

The real reason why I'm still taking the Financial Instruments class is the book return policy of Ulrich's. I had purchased the book and opened its shrink wrapping before attending the first class. I hated the first class and desired to drop. Never ever take a class that is front-loaded and meets for 3 hours per session. Also, even though I don't think I'll follow my advice, don't purchase the textbook before attending the first class. Ugh. I am currently studying for a take-home final for this class which will begin next Friday. Because the book cost about $200 and was not returnable, I ended up just taking the class. Woes.

Anyway, after next Friday, I need to attack these babies published by Foundation Press. Wish me luck! I really really need it.

learning

I should probably take a stab at learning all the material I was supposed to have learned the past 2-3 months. I can't afford to not learn the stuff I'm taking or else...I'll become a pretty shabby lawyer in the future and/or intern over the summer. I feel so behind in life but I know I shouldn't. I should learn to be more thankful with what I have. That is all for tonight, faithful reader(s).

around 40

I had a chit chat with one of my professors today (it was an awesome experience). He is around 40 years old. I have no idea how he evaluates his progress in life but on paper, he's definitely a high-achiever. All my professors are on paper (at the very least)...high achievers. I think I look up to them a lot. I wonder what the correlation is between paper achievement and off-paper achievement. Some may say there is none but I don't think that can be quite right.

I wonder where I'll be in life around 40. Will it be my kids that preoccupy my mind/day? Their academic achievement? My career? My husband's career? (If and only if he runs for political office...hahaha) Religion? Meeting ends? Will I achieve much both on paper and off-paper?

I just had a battle with bugs in my room. I sprayed a lot of bug killing spray. My room smells like bug killing spray and a lot of it (sorry this is an ambiguous pronoun! haha, the spray) spilled onto my bed. Oh no.

Also G. Kim is mad at me for not going out to bar night. He dared call me a party pooper when he is one 22/7! Anyway, faithful readers...have a beautiful Thursday night.

logue v. west

I really can't decide who's my number 1! (Tad "oppa" sang BoA's song today).

e-mails

When it comes to e-mails, I am extremely anal. As soon as I send someone an e-mail, I keep refreshing my inbox to see if they've replied back. I treat e-mail responses as if they were im-chats. I want instant gratification. Instant replies! This OCD-ness (is this OCD?) is especially acute when I have emailed people who have some control over my life (ie., professors, recruiters, etc). I sent a harmless e-mail to Professor West but I think I might have been a little sassy. I don't think I was too sassy but if he's in a bad mood, he could possibly roll his eyes. Ugh. Why did I risk this? I must stop writing this entry and go back to refreshing my inbox to see if he has responded and is not a tiny bit annoyed. Please, please, please. My heart keeps jumping when I see that I've received new mail. My heart drops when I discover that it's spam. Woes.

so much, so young

I decided to make my blog private. I'm allowed to invite 100 people to read (access) my blog. I don't know 100 people who would be interested in reading my blog. Out of the 40-50 people I invited (with 30 acceptances so far), I think there's maybe 7 (I exaggerate...2? 1?) who would read my blog religiously. But I wanted to give access to people I consider non-creepy.I don't think there were any creepers reading my blog but I just didn't feel comfortable since I tend to say a little too much.

I had a semi-panic attack realizing that there are some people in the world with whom I do not want to share my babbles. I loved the response I got from two people after I had invited them. They expect risque material now that the blog is private. That wasn't my intent but maybe I will. Hah.

I am watching Dean Sarah Z walk across the reading room while texting! She once held the keys to my entry to Michigan Law. That little woman has so much power. Ok. I must now do the little things in life that matter for less than 1 hour but do matter during that 1 hour.

 Until next time...have a good one, faithful readers!

+

While doing my Waseda application, I had to figure out all my schooling from my elementary school years. I had to lie a little because there were only 8 slots and I attended way more than 8 schools since 1st grade (I moved around a lot). After the 8 slots, the application asked me to count the years I've been in school since first grade. I counted...and it was 16 when B. Houston was with me. I counted again...and it was 18 (I was never a math whiz). After 3L and potentially my LLM...I will have 2 decades of schooling under my belt (without counting the important years I wasted in preschool and kindergarten).

I tried to cheer G. Kim up by telling him how well educated he'll be by the time he finishes his med schooling/internship/residency/fellowship. He'll have close to 3 decades of schooling/training!!

We are such useless beings in society! LOVE education.

mining old thoughts

In Buffalo, I went on a treasure hunt through my old stuff. I found so many journals...where I had written entries in a sporadic and inconsistent manner. I found a journal that I used when I was studying abroad in London. It's fun to read old entries because you are in a sense reminded of what troubled you at that time. Even though I had to piece my entries together like an archaeologist with less than 100% material, my thoughts and preoccupations were well preserved in my journals. Tina mentioned something along the lines of this today...saying that she deliberately documents some of her thoughts onto her blog for herself later down the road. I think this is true. We are such forgetful creatures and thus leaving a trail of our trials and tribulations is later going to be a reward to our future self.

I should start keeping a journal again. Even though this blog helps, I'm definitely less than 100% candid on this thing. I have NO idea who is reading so I have to be a little careful and can't disclose my every thought. It has to be filtered a little. Theoretically, anyone who has my gchat info and/or is my facebook friend has access to this blog. But only those who care to read about my babbling will really be here to read my thoughts so I take comfort in that fact.

What I discovered from my old journal was that the same types of things bother me and stress me out. But sometimes, there are some rare jewels! Here is a moment that I think is precious:

The audience of my journal is God. It would be weird to thank myself or the spirit of a diary for Liz, wouldn't it? Anyway, that line "and thank you for Liz" on January 31, 2005 is left as evidence of how I was feeling five years ago. I must have just met her a few weeks prior to that entry. I had to cover portions of the journal entry because it revealed some problems in my life dealing with other people (not Liz since she was a newbie).

Mining old thoughts and hitting jackpot is priceless. Mining old thoughts and finding that little changed...is comforting but at the same time frustrating!

the "right" man?

"But what does it mean the right man? The love of your life? The concept is absurd; the idea that we can only be complete with another person is EVIL!! Right??!!... You know, I guess I've been heartbroken too many times. And then I recovered. So now, you know, from the starts I make no effort because I know it’s not going to work out, I know it’s not going to work out."

Hello girls and boys! The quote above is from one of my favorite movies, Before Sunset. I went to see it with Suah when it came out in theaters...and we hadn't seen the prequel. I think my entry will be somewhat related to what Julie Delpy said but I'm not going to refer to it or force the connection. I hope my huge readership is doing well. I am doing well. I came back from Toronto yesterday. I saw my aunt and my eighteen year old cousin. Seeing a mother-son relationship while they're bickering back and forth (about clothes and studying) was interesting. I told my mother what I would do if I was in my aunt's position and upon hearing that, she thinks I'm going to be a really strict mom. Haha, we'll see. Maybe I'll update my huge readership on that years later when my son/daughter is being too naughty and sassy for me to take.

Anyhow, I got rejected from Washington, DC because I am not excellent enough. Well, to be more precise, a government agency in DC told me I was not excellent enough. Now, I don't have to be all confused about whether I want to do tax work or not. I will do tax work! Decision made! Why are rejections so hard to take? Even dings that shouldn't matter piss me off. I was probably not going to be able to say yes due to a prior commitment anyway but it still hurt. But to make things better and sweet,  Kim & Chang told me that my wagamama arrangement of working for them in the later weeks of the summer for five weeks is "acceptable." YAY.

When my aunt heard that I'll be in Korea and that I would interning at Kim & Chang, she got very excited and called her buddies. She is looking for someone suitable for me to marry. I have no idea if she is joking or not. But after I told her I was 26 in Korean age, she had the look of panic. So, if she was joking, she is probably no longer joking. The guy that she scoped out is in Hong Kong right now working in finance. He graduated from Harvard and is apparently amazing but short. He wants a tall woman. So I am not tall enough. Hmph! He is not tall enough for me too! Did you hear that whole analysis? This arrangement thing to meet up with people your relatives/parents set up is so shallow! I have four aunts and two of them will probably be very active in the search if they become serious about the matter. Haha. My mom was very excited about the prospect of my aunts playing matchmaker to her now old enough daughter. I am just right for the "match-making market." She thinks starting at thirty is too late. Also, she said since I'm not competent enough to find someone on my own, I should get help. She said it more nicely than that with lots of love. Strangely I don't hate the idea of being forced to meet eligible(?) bachelors. Why not? 

In the Korean dramas I've watched over the years, girls and boys were always forced to go meet people their parents or relatives thought would be suitable matches. They always whined...and wanted to find true love on their own (in the plot, they already had a significant other that their parents thought was not excellent enough). They behaved shabbily at those arranged meetings and brought shame to their family. Haha, so the idea that I should have is that these arranged meetings are bad and I must find true love on my own. Maybe I'm much more skeptical about the idea of finding true love or maybe I'm just lazy. But the idea that someone who you can trust arranging a meeting with someone whose specs look good at least on paper does not seem ridiculous to me. If my family thinks these eligible bachelors are potentially suitable to be my match...I should trust their judgment and at least be a polite, well-mannered and presentable girl at those cafes in the hotel when I meet those men (in the dramas, these arranged meetings always take place in a fancy cafe in the lobby of a hotel).

On the other hand, going on these dates after sifting through one's family background, education, and career (and face! since you probably provide a photo) is probably a very shallow exercise even though I suspect that this weighing thing happens in the context of finding true love on your own as well. I get why it's sort of wrong and is distasteful to those lovebirds in Korean soaps  And getting a ding before I even get to see the guy's face because of my so-called "qualifications" would be hurtful. I was not tall enough for the hypothetical boy in Hong Kong. I was not excellent enough! Bahs! Anyhow, if I do end up going on these arranged blind dates, I will blog about them. Hahah.

That is all for today. I must go open a textbook in order to be excellent enough for all those eligible bachelors! Or...to be presentable in front of Professor Kahn.

buffalove v. buffawoe?

It's been awhile since I last blogged in a serious manner! I apologize. E. Cha knows this but when I go to Buffalo, I become completely disconnected from the world. Did you miss me? I know one person did. She kept on ugh-ing. (Yes, I'm talking about you).

I don't have much to say. I have some random pics I took during the past few days! Here are some pictures plus commentary.

This is my fob-style picture with my cool glasses. I went to see Avatar with my family. I vow never to watch an IMAX movie again. Watching it 3D almost gave me a <3 attack. I once almost got a heart attack watching Star Wars with Tina and Gene. I think I have a weak heart for visual stimuli. Never again.

 J. Lafond sent me this picture. I don't know what the store sells but kind of cool.

Everyone should purchase this dish-washing soap. I thought I was taking a bath while using this soap. It was scent-fabulous! A really awesome experience.

Remember one of my February goals? Well, I gave up on keeping them polished. Also, for full disclosure, I did not accomplish my "go to the gym seven times" goal either. I only accomplished the  "give blood" goal and the Red Cross hasn't sent my blood back yet,  N. Chang and M. Choi. I wonder where these two are...they're on a road-trip, I think.

I found my sticker book! I guess I was a Pochacco fan. Strange. I hate real dogs. Well...hate is a strong word. I like dogs that are not needy (as in, dogs that stay away!).

Y. Kim (my mom) got an I-Phone! She is playing with her I-phone and ignoring me as we wait for our food. I guess this is how others feel when I do this.

Food at P.f. Chang's. I love Chinese junk food and junk food.

 

This is a picture that didn't make the cut last time.

In other news, I got an offer from a Korean firm for their summer program. (They had rejected me last year! WOES).  I asked them if I could work for them later in the summer for a shorter period of time before I go to Japan for my program at Waseda. I can't accept the offer as it is because of my gig at EY. They haven't replied back yet. I hope they let me. It will be cool to spend a few weeks in Korea. :)

I am going to Toronto, Canada for a beautiful haircut. Also, I get to see my cousin and my aunt.

That is all. Until I return to Ann Arbor, take care! I must now go catch up on all the blog action I missed out on and leave my valuable opinion (ie., comment like crazy).

dear readers

Forgive me. I am in the land of sparse opportunities to connect to the world wide web.