Where Have You Been?

Everywhere might be the short answer to that question.

I was in New Mexico watching Baby Hepburn graduate from high school (and ROCK her speech!)

I think we clean up quite well.

Afterward we headed to visit Ski Trip Jerry and Dr. Kyra (they are married even though their blog names don't show that very well) where we proceeded to hang out and visit for 2 hours while the men drank Natty Light....Ski Trip Jerry's favorite.  Those two crazy folks are two of my absolute favorite people and I just love that The Boy from Texas likes them so much that he actually suggested the visit! As if I needed something else to add to the "win" column for him.

I also got to enjoy the fact that it rained!  That's right, folks, over three night we dumped a total of 3.10" out of that there rain gauge.  Answered prayers!

I also snapped this picture of these two kunckleheads...Sarge and Buttons.

Next it was off to Clayton for ND Friend and Tiny Dancer's Engagement Party.  This will be getting its very own blog....stay tuned.  It was that good.  Here's a sneak peak.

Dear professional photographer...please don't sue me!

Then I met this sweet little guy in Amarillo....Aunt Tiff is quite smitten with him!  And I had an awesome visit with his mom and grandma!

Please note I held him without any tears from either of us.

Oh, I got sworn in as an officially licensed lawyer in the State of Texas.

Taking the oath...

Me and this boy I know.

The parentals.

Then it was off to Lubbock for an Ag Law Conference.  While I was there I went for a run around the Texas Tech University campus and I have to admit, it is really quite beautiful.  Had someone shown me that when I was in high school, I really think I might have considered going there.  (And the still picked OSU because, who are we kidding here?)

Go Pokes!

After that The Boy from Texas and I headed back to New Mexico for a weekend of fun at Aunt and Uncle Evil Kineval's new lake house!  Fishing, swimming, four wheeler-riding and LOTS of eating made for an excellent weekend.

I do enjoy a boy in a large cowboy hat.

But first, let him take a selfie.

I Confess.....

"You never find yourself until you face the truth." ~Pearl Bailey

It's apparently a really popular thing in blog land right now to do confession posts. So today I'm joining in the fun and linking up with Rissy for I Confess!

I confess......that I have a pretty unpopular opinion about the Casey Anthony verdict. First off, do I think she murdered her child? Yes. Do I think there was enough evidence before the jury to convict her on murder charges? No. Do I think they should have gone after her on child abandnment or neglect? Obviously. But I have to tell you that I take some solace in the fact that a jury can make a decision based on the evidence, and not just on the media and popular opinion. I for one do not want the law dictated by the opinions of the news media and an uninformed public. That's how really bad things happen....can we say Nazi Germany? Phew. Sorry...soapbox over.

I confess.....that even though I said I would have no sweets until after the half marathon (July 31, but who's counting?) I cheated last night. In my defense, it was at church and it was this cupcake that was super fancy---I'm talking cupcake wars fancy here people. I had to try it. Back on the wagon tomorrow.

I confess......that last week on Friday Night Lights when Tim Riggins chased Tyra down in the parking lot and said, "Don't go. Please don't go." I answered for her. Because in my mind he was talking to me. Sigh. I am in love with a fictional ex-con alcoholic. Turns out my love life in my imagination is as ridiculous as the real one!

I confess......my poor hair needs a trim and my eyebrows need waxed. I mean something fierce. Thank goodness for my appointment with Miss Texas this weekend. Yay for no longer looking like a hobo.

I confess....that sometimes when I watch shows like "Say Yes to the Dress" I think to myself, "Wait a minute....SHE'S engaged and I'm not? She's like the most terrible person ever in life and someone wants to marry her??" Great attitude, Tiffany. I'm working on it.

I confess....that I'm a grammar snob. There. I said it. I'm sorry people, but there is a difference between their (meaning owned by other people) and there (meaning a location) and they're (meaning they are) and there is a difference between its (meaning belonging to it) and it's (meaning it is) and there is a difference between your (meaning belonging to you) and you're (meaning you are). Soap box #2 over. I'm really needing an attitude adjustment!

Meet the Cast Monday #25: Georgia Boy

Today I'm introducing another one of my friends from my summer in San Francisco....Georgia Boy. He grew up....you got it....in Georgia and went to college at UGA (a fact that I thoroughly enjoyed when a certain football game rolled around last year!). You'll hear the rest in his answers below. He was totally the most popular person in our summer class--if there would have been a homecoming king for the summer, Georgia Boy would have been the winner. He's one of those people who is brilliant and super sweet and you are never quite sure what they are going to say next. Trying to keep up with his smartass remarks definately kept me on my toes all summer!

Here he is...Meet Georgia Boy!

How does a boy from Georgia end up in San Francisco?

I visited SF with my dad when I was 14 or so and really liked the area. Then my girlfriend (now wife) moved out here to go to Berkeley for law school. That made my focus my post-graduation job search on the bay area, and when I got a job I liked I made the move.

Tell us how you met your wife. (And be honest....can she bench press more than you?)

Ha! No, but that's about the only physical feat I have her beaten in. She can probably squat more than me (which honestly isn't saying much), and her running pace puts mine to shame. I hope our kids get her genes. {Just so no one thinks Georgia Boy is totally unathletic and kind of a wimp, his wife was an All-American pole vaulter at the University of Georgia.}
We met in a linguistics class our freshman year of college. We were friends from then on but didn't start dating until spring of senior year.

Please introduce everyone to Crouton.

Everyone, meet the fiercest 6 pounder out there. I attached his picture to this email. This is him right after killing a wildebeast.

Tell us about your post-bar trip!

We went to Egypt, Oktoberfest, and Tuscany. Needless to say it was fantastic. It was especially cool to see Egypt before the revolution started. Watching all the changes in the past two months has been fascinating.
The best part was the Tuscan countryside. Great pizza and terrific wine.

What is your favorite part of living in San Francisco?

Hmm. The progressive social and political climate.

What was the best part of being a summer associate in 2008?

We had a nucleus of people with great senses of humor. That made it fun. And those were the glory days of lavish social outings. The trip to the Giants game was great, getting coffee and fro-yo everyday was awesome, and the other social events rocked too. {That Giants game is where I feel like my friendship with Georgia Boy solidified. I won a bet on the way over by knowing more sports related trivia than him (between his wife and me, he really does come off sounding like a wimp in this blog....) and he owed me a hot dog. Dude goes in the first inning to buy it, but ended up hanging out in the beer garden with some other people for literally 2 hours. Then showed up to pay me with a cold hot dog. No sir...he had to go back and get me a new one. This was the scene afterwards.}
If you weren't living in SF, where would you be?

Atlanta with the fam.

What was your most embarassing moment?

In preschool I dropped my glove in the toilet and peed on it. Then stood there and cried until the teacher found me. Whoomp - there it is. {Wow....I just never know what to expect in response to these MTCM questions!}

What is one (or more) item(s) on your bucket list?

A house somewhere quiet in Montana.

Expect to hear more about Georgia Boy in the coming weeks....because he and his wife are meeting up with us one night while we're in San Francisco for some serious karaoke action! Videos to follow?? Maybe so....

Family Farm Friday #46: Farm Colored Glasses

"My father asserted that there was no better place to bring up a family than in a rural environment.... There's something about getting up at 5 a.m., feeding the stock and chickens, and milking a couple of cows before breakfast that gives you a lifelong respect for the price of butter and eggs." ~Bill Vaughan

You might remember my blog from a couple of weeks ago about my first 4-H speech, which described what it was like to grow up as a 9 year old kid on a family farm. Well one of my readers commented with a great question. She said that she was curious how my love of agriculture played into my practice of law. (Sidenote....this is why you should comment with questions, because I will answer those babies!)

I thought this was a great question, and after thinking about it, I figured out my answer. My love of agriculture plays into EVERYTHING that I do, the practice of law included. I see the world through farm colored glasses.
I read a quote once that said, "You raise your kids on a farm, and they look at things differently." I think that guy hit it right on the head. Growing up on a family farm and being involved in agriculture completely impacts the way that a person looks at the world. I am not sure if any other lifestyle has such an impact on a person, particularly a child. I've discussed ag kids before here and here and here. How many other kids do you know who are passionate and involved in their parents' careers?
By way of a quick example, Little Brother won showmanship at the State Fair one year, and in the contest he was asked a question about the biggest threat facing the US sheep industry. The judge didn't know what he was in for when he asked Little Brother that question.....what he got was a 5 minute lecture about imports and markets and marketing our product effectively. Afterwards, someone said, "Little Brother must have given a speech on that to have know that answer off the top of his head." My Dad responded, "That didn't come from a speech. Hell he's lived it his whole life." In our family, farming was something we were all involved in, and that included discussing problems, making decisions, and understanding the industry.

For ag kids, agriculture is not just their parents' job, but it is their whole family's way of life. They are connected to it in a way that is just special. That translates to knowing a lot about the industry and to seeing the world through farm colored glasses. (In the picture below, Little Brother and I are docking a baby lamb's tail in case you can't figure out what is going on!)

And when ag kids grow up, nothing changes. I remember being in law school and a lot of times I would have a different perspective or opinion on a case, because I saw it through farm colored glasses. I distinctly remember reading eminent domain cases (this is where the government can come in and take private land for a public purpose so long as they pay just compensation to the private land owner) and being really, really disturbed. Lots of other students commented that these people could just go and buy new property with the money they got from the government. I was beside myself trying to explain to people that they didn't understand. If you have a family farm, one that has been in your family for generations like ours (remember this post), you can't just go buy a new one to replace it. It's more than the fact that you own land, it's the fact that you own YOUR FAMILY'S land--the land where your parents and grandparents and great grandparents worked and sweat and prepared to leave a legacy. I saw this case differently--through farm colored glasses.
Plenty of other parts of my life are seen through these glasses. Growing up on a farm impacts the way I shop at the grocery store (how I look at cuts of meat, etc.), my memories of the State Fair (you read about that here), the way I deal with traffic (I never honk or pitch a fit at a slow moving tractor or grain truck on the highway...I've been that guy!), the way I relate to songs on the radio (you've read one or two blogs on this topic as well)....the list could go on and on.

The bottom line is that agriculture is so much a part of who I am, I truly believe that it plays into every part of my life. I'm proud to have been raised to see the world through farm colored glasses. I hope one day my kids can wear a pair of their own.

Happiness Project Month #6: Grown Up Adult Stuff

"I am old enough to see how little I have done in so much time, and how much I have to do in so little." ~Sheila Kaye-Smith

Fact: this blog is going to be boring. I understand if you want to stop reading right now. But you know, I seem to keep becoming more and more convinced that a lot of things about being an adult are boring, so bear with me.

For this month's Happiness Project goal, I wanted to focus on some adult grown up stuff that I have been trying to tackle for over a year. (See a list of all my goals here).

When I got started, I knew that there were a minimum of four documents that I wanted to create to accomplish my Happiness Project goals: (1) a will; (2) an advanced healthcare directive; (3) a power of attorney; and (4) a list of all important account information.

(Sidenote: Learning to edit my photos--took both of the ones you see here!)

I know this is not exciting, but I wanted to give you a quick summary of the documents that I drafted up just in case you might be interested in doing the same thing. Mind you--I am NOT giving any legal advice whatsoever--and laws vary by state, so be sure you consult an attorney in your state to be sure everything is done in accordance with the law. (My boss would be proud of me for remembering the disclaimer!)

Here we go--

(1) A will. Because I don't have any kids and I don't have that much money or property, having a will was probably not a necessity. States have what are called intestacy statutes that provide who gets a person's estate if she dies without a will. In my case, my parents would get everything, which would be fine. But....I wanted to do a will for two reasons. First, as an attorney, I feel like I SHOULD have one. Second, let's be real.....I sort of like the idea of being able to control a few things even after I've gone onto my reward (as Gran would say!) A will does not have to be complex--mine is pretty simple--it gives a few certain material things to certain people and directs some money to go to certain things, and that's about it. One important consideration is to decide who will be the executor of your estate---the person who will ensure that your wishes are carried out and who is responsible for a lot of the paperwork necessary when a person dies.

(2) An advanced heathcare directive. (Also called a healthcare power of attorney) I think you probably all remeber when this was thrust into the news back in the day with Terri Shivo. Well, an AHD just sets out your wishes with regard to medical treatment in the event that you are incapacitated. At least in my state, you can either make your wishes clear (i.e. I do/do not want life support) or you can have your agent decide for you. Some important considerations: (a) what do you want to make the decision?; (b) does your agent know what you want him/her to do?; (c) will your agent be able to make a difficult decision?; (d) do you want more than one person making the decision (this would be called co-agents)? It's not fun to think about, but it's important.

(3) A power of attorney. Again, all states are different, but here, you need a separate document to allow a person to care for your finances/property than the document providing for your medical decisions. The POA deals with the former. There are a few different kinds of POA's (some that are effective only upon your incapacitation, some that end at the time you become incapacitated) so it is important to understand what you are creating. POA's terminate once the person dies.

(4) A list of information. I'm crazy independent. This could be a problem one day. So I made a list of information that someone might need if I was hit by a bus. I listed out each account that I have, where it is located and the account number. Similarly I listed out any debts/credit cards with account numbers. After that, I listed out all of my insurance information (health, car, house) including the agent names and policy numbers. I also made a list of my monthly bills so that if someone had to try and keep my credit rating in tact, they could do so easily. This kind of list is also important in the event that a person dies because their executor will be responsible for certain things (like taxes) and, in order to complete his job, he will need to locate all of the person's accounts and assets. Along those same lines, I listed out any material assets (car, cows, sheep, etc) that I own.

Okay....boring lesson over! I know you are all bored and are wondering, "How did this make her happier when it made me want to poke my eyes out?" Well, I love to be able to cross things off of a list. Getting this done had been on a list for over a year, so I'm really glad to have it over with! Of all the HP themes I have done so far, I will admit, this was the least fun....but I am happy to know that all of this is in order and behind me! Stay tuned next month and I'll do my best to spice it up a little!

Throwback Thursday #41: 4 Simple Words

“I've yet to be on a campus where most women weren't worrying about some aspect of combining marriage, children, and a career. I've yet to find one where many men were worrying about the same thing.” ~Gloria Steinem

Today we are throwing all the way back to last week when my own actions shocked me.

Here's how it went down.

Recently, a boy (yes, I know that males my age are technically called "men" but I prefer the term "boy" so that's what we'll go with) asked me what I did for a living. Now, in case you don't know, I'm a lawyer and I have been for over a year. Here's a graduation picture to prove it.
My response to this question should have been 4 simple words. "I am a lawyer." But that's not what I said. Instead, I responded with, "I work at a law firm."

It was not something intentional or something that I thought about, but I sure as heck said it. And after I did, I was really mad at myself. I don't work at a law firm...I'm a lawyer. So why did I say that?

Do I feel like I should not really be a lawyer? Am I some closet back-woods "women should be in the kitchen" believer and I don't even know? I don't think so, but heck if I know why I did it. I think that somewhere I apparently worry that a boy will not like the fact that I'm a lawyer.

I think maybe I'm crazy. But apparently I'm not alone. I was talking to another attorney who is extremely successful, very well respected, and even has her name in her firm's title. She told me that she almost always says that she "works at a law firm" when people ask her what she does for a living. She doesn't know why she does it either.

I think this signifies some sort of problem. I don't know what the fix for it is. But what I do know is that if a boy is going to care about the fact that I'm a lawyer, I don't want to talk to him anyway. So I might as well get it out there in the open. So from now on, I'll answer the question with my 4 simple words.

Oh, and to conclude the story: The fact that I said this didn't matter. Dude busted me on the follow up question....are you a lawyer? Sneaky.

October Updates

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.” ~Unknown

Another month down....time seems to be going by like crazy!

Coming Full Circle.
A while back, I mentioned that I attended the Junior Livestock Sale at the State Fair. It was really fun to be there as a buyer--it felt like things had really come full circle for me after having sold animals there for several years growing up.

I still maintain that the 4-H and FFA show programs are the very best activity that a kid can be involved in. I love that the program helped make me the person I am, and I love being able to give back to it now!

My Blog Could Save a Life.

Hopefully you remember my blog from last month reporting on my Happiness Project goal of volunteering. Well, last week I got a great suprise that seriously made my day. One of my friends, Colorado Girl joined the National Bone Marrow Registry after reading my blog!

Now, I write this blog for myself mostly---to get my thoughts out and to have somewhere to look back on my life and see what was going on. But the fact that my blog convinced her to join the National Bone Marrow Registry, and potentially to save someone's life is so exciting and humbling. Thanks, Colorado Girl for making me feel like there is a chance I could make a difference! If you are interested in joining the registry, click here.

Wedding Bells.
Happy news regarding my blog about the 33 rescued miners in Chile. A couple of weeks ago, 5 of them proposed to their girlfriends. You can read the full story here. Apparently sitting in a mine for over two months makes you realize how much you love someone. (Perhaps that's where Mr. Right needs to be hanging out.....)

(Photo by Hugo Infante)

Quote of the Month.
The trend of two quote winners continues. The Blonde Oklahoma Girl continues her reign, but we have a new addition to our list of winners.....Coach McCain. Well, he didn't actually say the words, but he found them and sent them my way, so he gets credit.

First, the Blonde Oklahoma Girl. You may or may not have heard, but there was an earthquake in Oklahoma last month. Insane, right? Well, we were discussing how stressful that was and about whether tornadoes or earthquakes were worse. She decided earthquakes were. First, you have no warning that they are coming. And second: "How's is a doorway or desk really going to help you when the freaking earth cracks open?"

Second, McCain was reading an old brief (legal document where lawyers make arguments to the court) and came across this line: “Defendant's counsel is not behaving like a member of a learned profession, but more like a caged monkey flinging crap.” He claims that this statement was not written about him, but I have my doubts.

(And, in case you are curious, the worst name I have been called so far in a legal document has been a "circus gypsie.") But I've only been practicing for a little over a year. Give it time.

DON'T FORGET.....enter in this month's giveaway....click here and leave a comment by Thursday at 9:00 pm!

Responsibility to Vote

“Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don't vote.” ~William E. Simon

Well, as everyone probably knows, it's just about mid-term election time. If you're like me, you are probably ready for it to be over.....the stupid commercials on tv are just about to drive me crazy.

But, despite my complaining, I will certainly be voting in November. I can remember learning at a really early age--I'm thinking maybe 6 or 7-- about the importance of voting in elections. This came about when my Gran took my brother and me to the County Clerk's office to vote. Now, wat that time, we had a good family friend who worked in the Clerk's office, and she always gave us candy. So, needless to say, we were perfectly happy to go visit Glenda!

Once we chatted with Glenda and got our candy, Gran took us into the voting booth with her. I don't know if voting is like this everywhere, but back home, we had the old school little booths with the little red, white and blue curtain that you closed behind yourself when you went in. So Gran showed us the ballot, explained how to fill in the arrow, discussed party line voting (which she was adament that we never do) and then filled in her ballot. After she was done, my brother and I fed it to the machine.

Well, because Gran helped teach me how important voting is, I am careful to make sure and participate every election. Because I live in a different county now, I vote absentee. My ballot came in the mail last week.

So I sat down with my absentee ballot and pencil in hand. Then I looked at several names and realized that I knew nothing about them. I debated filling them in based on whose signs I had seen or whose name I recognized. And that's when it hit me.....voting is not just a right, it's a responsibility. A big part of that responsibility is to do our homework and vote for the candidates who we believe will do the best job. If we do no research and just randomly pick names, we might as well not vote at all.

I'll admit, when I sat down to vote, I had spent more time researching my fantasy football team than I had the people who would be running our state for the next 4 years. Not okay. Needless to say, I put my ballot away and decided that I would be doing some research before I fill it out and mail it in.
So, with that said, I would encourage everyone to vote. It is a right that we are fortunate to have in this country, and one that many people fought long and hard to ensure we are able to exercise. But more than that, I encourage you to take some time and do some research on the candiates and the issues that are important to you. It's our right and responsibility. If you are in New Mexico and interested in a bi-partisan website with candidate information, click here.

Oh, and sidenote: I surely hope that my research of candidates works out better than my fantasy football research seems to be!

Perspective

"For some moments in life there are no words." ~David Seltzer, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Last Thursday, I flew to Nebraska for the American Agricultural Law Association conference. I hate flying. It makes me extremely car sick, food in airports is expensive, I don't like lugging my bags around, I always seem to get delayed, the bags I check always seem to end up dirty......I could go on. But, as you'll see, that's not the point of the blog. Back to the flight.

On the first leg of the flight, I sat next to a woman named Judy. I noticed that she was periodically crying. I soon learned that Judy was flying across the country to Florida. The reason she was crying, is that she had received a call that morning that her husband had just been put in the hospital after a fall, he was in the ICU, on a ventilator, and would not live. She was trying to get home in time to say goodbye. And just like that....perspective. I was heartbroken for Judy. Although I've never lost a husband, I understand what it is like to lose someone you love and never get the chance to say goodbye. I understood why she wanted to keep talking about the situation--to tell me how it happened and to ask me medical questions--not because I had any answers, but because maybe somehow talking would help her to process the situation. I understood how she could be in the middle of a sentence about her grandson playing fooball, and suddenly have to stop because she was snapped back in to the reality of the situation she was in. I understood how she kept analyzing the last words she spoke to him, and the last words she wished she would have said. I understood and I listened. She said that she could tell, and she thanked me. Suddenly my queasy stomach and heavy bad and half-hour delay didn't matter anymore.

Sometimes God smacks you right upside the head with a little perspective. I don't know if Judy made it in time or not. I just know that I listened, I understood, I prayed. And that was all I could do. Well, that and I used my lawyer voice to be sure that the flight attendants were going to take care of her and get her to her connecting flight and give her some tylenol. (Law degree is useful for something!)

Life is a fragile thing, and we will all, at some point, lose someone to whom we will not have the chance to say goodbye. So be sure that you appreciate the people who you have in your life today; we're not guaranteed tomorrow....

Throwback Thursday #33: San Francisco in a Different Light

"She had no rings on her fingers, she had diamonds in her eyes. She had no money to be reckoned with, she had love within her life. And I heard her singing. Wouldn't you say that life is beautiful?" ~Life Is Beautiful by Michelle Tumes

Last week I caught an episode of "The World of Jenks" on MTV. The show centers around a 24 year old documentary film maker, Andrew Jenks. He travels around living a week at a time with different people to get a taste of their lives. The first episode I saw was about a girl in San Francisco. You know me--if it has to do with San Francisco, I will be watching!
After having lived there, I always recognize places when the city is on tv. They showed the park where I went running every afternoon. The beach by the Golden Gate Bridge where I took my favorite pictures (see above). I even saw my apartment building with the trolley waiting to pick up riders to head to Market Street (see below). The girl on tv was standing in the same places and seeing the same exact things I did. The girl on tv was great. She was funny and smart and insightful. She had dreams and hopes and a desire to make a difference in the world. In a crazy way, she reminded me of myself living in San Francisco two summers ago. I remember experiencing the beauty of the city and the excitment of the people. I remember a sense of hope and wonder about where my life would lead me next and what I would end up doing. She seemed to have the same feelings.

But her life was completely different than mine had been.

The girl who Jenks was living with for the week was homeless. Actually, I learned, that's not the right terminology. She refers to it as "houseless." This makes sense--no one wants to think they have no home. She was 22 years old an had been on the street in San Francisco since she was 13 years old. She had nothing, except the few things she could carry on her back and a dog named Lucy.

So while we may have been similar in our hopes and dreams, we were completely opposite in our situations. She was houseless, living on the streets. She came from a terrible home life and felt like no one in her life really cared about her. I got to live in a beautiful apartment, that was overflowing pretty much all summer with friends and family who loved me enough to come visit. She never had the chance to go to college. I was on a scholarship to law school. She couldn't get a job because she didn't have an id. I was working at a dream job in a sky scraper downtown.

It's so funny how two people can physically be in the same place, and be worlds apart. What was different between that girl and me? I had been given opportunities and chances and people that made my life go own a different path. She didn't get those opportunities. And that sure doesn't seem fair to me.

I don't know why I got the breaks I did and that girl didn't. I do know that when God gives us much more than others, he expects much more from us. Because of what I have been given, I know that I have a huge responsibility to find a way to give back and to make a difference. Seeing the girl on tv sure reminded me of this in a major way.

So...the next time you are in San Francisco, or anywhere else, and you see a houseless girl on the street, remember that she might be an awful lot like you, minus the good fortune and blessings that you received, yet didn't deserve.

I sure hope that the girl can find a way to make her dreams come true. I hope she changes the world. I know she changed my perspective on things. Maybe that's a start.

Red Dirt, Football and Brad Paisley

“If it's not fun, you're not doing it right!” ~ Bob Basso

Phew. I'm exhausted just thinking about everything I did over the weekend. Here's a little taste for you!

Friday

I had my one year review at work. They didn't fire me. I call that success! Below is a picture of what I came back to in my office from my secertary and paralegal. The paper says, "Here's a box to pack your stuff. We'll miss you!" But they did put a cupcake inside, so all was forgiven.

After the review I made mad dash for the Junior Livestock Sale at the State Fair. It was fun to be a buyer....talk about seeing the other side of things! I don't have my picture yet, but I will do an update and include it when it arrives.

Then on Friday night I went to the Eli Young Band concert at the State Fair with two friends....we'll call them the Twins' Girls. Trust me---I needed my Red Dirt fix! I listen to the music constantly on my iPod, but there is just nothing like a good ol' live Red Dirt concert! And Eli Young has some awesome songs---Guinevere, Small Town Kid, Oklahoma Girl (which incidentally I'm pretty sure was written about me...) Great night!Saturday


I got the firm tickets to go to the UNM/Utah football game. My Aggie Friend said she would come along.

Now, let's be real....I'm not a Lobo. I did get a law degree from here, but long before I set foot in that law school it was clear that I bleed ORANGE and everyone knows where my allegience lies. And I wore my OSU shirt--we were in the process of beating up on TU, so I had to support my boys! (And, FYI....I was NOT the only OSU fan in the crowd--another guy had his orange an black on supporting the Pokes as well!)
Anyway, I didn't care that UNM was going to get killed (one of my bosses referred to the game as the slaughtring of the wolves). All I know is that I got to see a top 15 team play college football live.....it was a great night under the lights (until they went out an we had to take a little break). Seriously, I have said for years I will watch any game, any time, any where and have a blast.
We made it through half of the 3rd quarter before making a break for food and better games on tv. We actually saw UNM score once and everyone cheered. That was about the only good point for the Lobos, so I was sure to snap a photo.

Sunday
Sunday afternoon I headed out to the Brad Paisley Water Tour at the Hard Rock. College Roomie, McCain, and Aggie Friend all bought lawn tickets for the show and had a blast!There were so many great acts....Steel Magnolia, Josh Thompson, Easton Corbin, Justin Moore, Daruis Rucker (aka HOOTIE!) and Brad. Because of all of the excitement, I will be doing another post just on this alone....so stay tuned! Let's just say that if a certain singer was not married, we would have very cute children, and I have the picture to prove it! :)

Happiness Project Month 3: Work

“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.” ~ Unknown

It's time to report on my happiness project again! Well, I mentioned before that I spent two months on my work-related projects. Since I spend most of my life at work (they never tell you that when you're a kid or even in college....but it's true so choose that job wisely!), I guess it makes sense I would have a lot to do there. I don't ever talk about work on the blog......I think that is a pretty good policy for me to stick with. But, I'll break it today since there's nothing paticularly juicy going to be shared. Here were my projects....

1. Set up my candle lamp. Those of you who know me are probably thinking, "Wow, this is what a lawyer really has to worry about all day?" And no....I have much more important (although maybe not more exciting) things to think about. But, it's my happiness project so I'll do what I want! I hate being stuck inside all day every week day. I'm a farm girl at heart and being stuck in a stuffy office just about makes me crazy.

So, I decided that I needed to get a candle set up to at least make it smell good in my stuffy office. My mom gave me a great candle lamp for Christmas---you just plug the lamp in and the light melts the candle (without any fire) and your office smells like homeade apple pie (or any other flavor...but I don't know why you'd chose anything else!) I have to admit...it improves my mood when the apple pie scent fills the room!

2. Sign up for an ag law conference. My law firm is wonderful and I love working there. But I am the only one with an agriculture background. So....I'm the only one specifically interested in agriculture law. Luckily, they are very supportive of my interest and have encouraged me to take certain steps to try and make connections and learn about building my own ag law practice. One of those steps was signing up for an ag law conference.

I finally got all my ducks in a row and I will be attending the conference this fall and am looking forward to meeting the people and spending a couple of days learning about the hot issues in agriculture law. Because this is something I'm passionate about and really interested, being able to have my firm support me and encourage me to pursue my goals is wonderful!

3. Organize, organize, organize! You probably remember the extreme happiness boost I got during the first month of the Happiness Project when I organized my life. Well....work was about three times that exciting for me! Let me explain. As a young associate, I always have partners sticking their heads in my office saying things like, "Hey, what's that state court case that says you can't blindside someone in discovery?" or "Hey, what are the elements of tortious interference with an existing contract?" The most annoying thing EVER for me is when I know I've reasearched this issue before, but I don't remember who it was for or what case it was in to find it. So.....I knew that a key to my happiness at work was going to be getting organized and developing a system for this kind of thing!

I ended up doing a few different things. First, I did an email folder called "My Research" that I have all sorts of subfolders with case citations and reasearch I have emailed previously. That way, the next time someone wants to know the elements of something I've already researched, I have them just a click away. I've also decided to build a "brief bank" of sorts. This means I'm going to try and collect everything I've written in the last year and organize it. So when I need to write another Motion to Compel, I have about 15 examples all at my fingertips.

Okay---be honest---this blog was boring. My friends will attest to the fact that my being a lawyer can be pretty unexciting! But....for me, these simple steps really have made work easier and more enjoyable! So....if you've decided to follow the happiness project, maybe this will inspire you to make some changes at work that will increase your happiness level.

Or, if nothing else, it will make you happy that you're not a boring lawyer and your life is more exciting than mine! :)

Well Tiffany Would

“It's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes -- that's why you sometimes need really special shoes!” ~Carrie, SATC

One of the female partners at my law firm was talking to me last week and made a comment that really cracked me up. She had been out of town the week before at a concert with one of our paralegals and one of our secertaries. They were shopping and the partner found a really cute pair of shoes. She told the other women that she really wanted to buy them, but she just didn't know if she could wear them to the office. Their response made my day. The other two women replied, "Well Tiffany would!"

Now, you have to understand four things about me to realize why this is so funny.
1. Growing up, I was the definition of a tomboy. I hated dresses and heels and bows and anything else frilly. I would say that at LEAST 90% of junior high and high school was spent wearing jeans, t-shirts and tennis shoes. The thought that anyone would comment on MY fashion sense is hilarious.
2. I'm cheap. It's true. I can promise you that I have NEVER spent more than $50 on a pair of heels.....or any other shoes with the exception of tennis shoes or cowboy boots. I'll never own a pair of Jimmy Choo's (not becuase I don't think they are awesome) but the bottom line is I would never pay that much money. Instead, I frequent Kohls and Payless and love the fact that people enjoy my cheap-o shoes!
3. I have huge feet. It's amazing really. I was meant to be tall---my feet are a great indication of this. But sadly, something went terribly went wrong and I'm 5'3. With feet that are a double digit size. And this can REALLY make shoe shopping an un-fun experience. In stores organized by sizes, I can never shop with my friens--they are over in the size 7 section--and I'm over on the end of the building with all the tall girls! The worst part is the lack of options for shoes. I rarely go into a shoe store and look first at the shoes---I start by looking at the boxes and see which ones are my size. I don't want to waste time or fall in love with a pair that won't fit.
4. I hate shopping. I know, I know.....I'm not a good female for this. But I do. I don't mind going into a store and buying what I want to buy, but I HATE spending hours looking around and browsing around. My mom could do this all day.....I can't last an hour without getting grouchy. So the fact that I have managed to accumulate a cute shoe connection is pretty darn impressive.

Anyway, I'm quite proud of the "Well Tiffany Would" comment, especially in light of these things. And I'm telling you, I do love my shoe collection! (I realize that this comment could well have been an indication that I need to tone down my shoes for the office....but I'm assured that was not the case!)