Edited to add:

This just keeps getting better and better:

President Bush accused militants Thursday of seeking to establish a "radical Islamic empire" (from Excite News)

Um, empire building...sure, we know all about that here, don't we?

***

President Bush, trying to reverse a slide in public support for the war
in Iraq, said Thursday that Islamic radicals are seeking to "enslave
whole nations and intimidate the world..." (From Excite News)

Um, we could just as
easily say that "American Religious Fundamentalists are seeking to
enslave whole nations (notably the US) and intimidate the world..."

Pretty
sad when ol' Shrub is trying to make "Islamic Radicals" look like the
evildoers, and it turns out he could just as easily be speaking about
his own political party/power base/cronies.

Too bad so much of
the population of the US is so incredibly unaware that they will just
accept any old line of crap fed to them by this administration.
Critical thinking should be a required course in Jr. High (and in High
School, and in College, etc)...but then there could be no political
system like the one we suffer under today, since too many people would
see through the bullshit.

I've heard it said that most attorneys are just frustrated novelists.
That hasn't been my experience, actually, but I think the perception
comes from the fact that there are quite a few authors out there who
are or have been attorneys.

So, this begs the question...am I
a frustrated novelist? I don't THINK so...but then you have to
understand that when I was just a little hippie chick in So Cal I DID
spend a lot of time writing bad fiction and some even worse poetry. And
I did take a few creative writing classes in college. I've still got
some of those stories hanging around somewhere, I think.

Maybe I
am a frustrated novelist, but I don't think that has anything to do
with my career. I came to the law much later than I came to a love of
fiction. I do believe that my creative writing skills, combined with my
extensive vocabulary, allow me to write some quite excellent briefs,
complaints, and letters.

(I had one of my colleagues ask if I
had insulted someone in a letter. Of course I had, but I did it in such
nice language that he had to read it twice before he caught the
underlying meaning.)

This month is outlining/planning month for
NaNoWriMo. (National Novel Writing Month for the uninitiated.) The
actual novel writing takes place through the month of November. I've
never participated, but have considered it seriously the last two
years. So, do I go for it this year? Will I lose motiviation halfway
through as I usually do? Will work get in the way? And do I dare risk
becoming that cliche'd creature - the frustrated novelist-attorney.

And
I wonder just how many actually published novels have come out of
NaNoWriMo efforts? Because, isn't that part of the reason for the
exercise? To get published? Maybe I am missing the point.

Hmmm...things to ponder.

Time again for Tyche's Truth or Dare.  I took a Dare this time...so, here goes:

"Pick up the closest book to you.  Turn to
page 24.  Go to the fifth line and choose the first noun. 
Google the word under google images.  Choose a suitable image on
the first page and write a blog entry on how this was your favourite
toy as a child."

****

When I was a little hippie chick, growing up in the land of sun, sand
and granola, I was given a very strange, rubbery dragon-ish sort of
toy.  I was told that it was the Corporate Dragon, and it would
eat up every one of us, then spit out our bones after sucking us dry.

The Corporate Dragon didn't care about the environment or little girls
who just wanted to play in the park, it cared only for profits, and
making a quick buck.  The only thing to do to avoid the Corporate
Dragon was to exercise constant vigilance, and stamp out greed wherever
it was found.

I, however, had a different view of the Corporate Dragon.  I saw
him as a creature of vengeance.  My Corporate Dragon patrolled the
beach and the park, and my bedroom.  He attacked Barbie Dolls and
Cabbage Patch Kids, keeping me safe from the predations of the mass toy
marketers.  And Corporate Dragon's best friend was my
MonChiChi.  Corporate Dragon and MonChiChi together kept my room
safe from the evil influences of Barbie and her ilk.

Ah yes, Corporate Dragon was my favorite toy for many years.

****

This is what happens when you ask an attorney to turn to a page in a
book on her desk.  (Page 24 of "Florida Trial Objections," line 5:
"...between a corporation's attorney and a..."  Yes, it is a small
book.)  It was either that or Black's Law Dictionary.

1-800-HAY-TARP, and other adventures in Central Washington.

The Foreigner/REO Speedwagon/Styx concert was great!  We had such a good time. 

First, I just have to say that the sound people for all the bands need
to be flogged.  There was something wrong with the sound for every
band.  That wasn't cool.

They had an opening band.  (What kind of idiot schedules an opening band in addition to the THREE major acts that are scheduled to play?  Especially when the show started an HOUR
late?!?!?! The opener was "Clever Bastard" out of Seattle.  They
played 4 songs,. and the vocals were turned down way too low, so we
could barely hear the singer, and thus I cannot tell you if they suck
or are any good, or whatever.

Foreigner was incredibly good - the guy they've got singing now is
quite good.  And he was wearing a really cool jacket - white with
black embroidery.  However, again with the sound guys.  They
had the sound turned up WAY too loud.  As in I could not hear
Hubby shouting (yes, literally shouting) into my ear during their
set.  Not good.  However, they did cover "Misty Mountain" by
Led Zep, since Jason Bonham plays the drums for the band.  And
that was very cool.

REO was not so good.  The sound balance was all wrong, and they
sounded kind of flat.  Hubby said he's been to 8 REO concerts over
the years, and that every time they play outdoors, the sound is wrong
like that.  So, while it was good to see them, I was
disappointed. 

Styx, however, simply rocked the house.  Tommy Shaw has started
cultivating that scruffy look again, and I really wanted to jump
onstage and brush out his hair.  JY has cut his hair off.  It
isn't quite shoulder length.  I was sad about that.  But
these two guys - they just rock.  And the rest of the band was
damn good, too.  They did one original song off their new album,
and I wasn't impressed.  (Uninspired, repetitive.)  They also
did a cover of "I Am the Walrus" by the Beatles.  Apparently that
is the first track on the new album.  Very interesting. 
Still, it was good.

Driving to the venue (The Gorge - it is so beautiful!) was
entertaining.  Central Washington is basically just a huge farming
area.  And they grow a LOT of hay.  And all the harvested hay
is covered in tarps.  Which struck us as funny since down south
the hay is simply left sitting out.  Apparently covering your hay
in Central Washington is a very common thing, since we saw a company
that specializes in hay tarps along the way.

Soooo freakin' tired I am.

Exhausted, in fact, and thinking in yoda-syntax.

I worked 14 hours on Wednesday and 12 hours yesterday.  And I have so much crap left to do yet today.

*whimper*

I had to disappoint some really sweet clients this morning.  And
that was rough.  They are a really nice older couple from a
neighboring state.  We had a hearing yesterday, and it did not go
well.  We lost.  And the client's legal avenues are about
exhausted.  They could appeal, but I had to tell them today that I
didn't advise going any further since it would just cost them more
money, cause more heartache and probably still be unsuccessful.

It made me sad to have to tell them that.  But I feel better for
having been honest with them since they've had a couple of other
attorneys in this matter and in another matter who weren't fully up
front with them.

So, all I really want to do right now is take a nap.  And I have
hours of work sitting on my desk.  I should be working instead of
blogging.  But I'll get to it in a minute.  I need a few
minutes to decompress from that last client meeting.

Hubby and I are going to have some fun this weekend though.  We
are going to the Styx/REO Speedwagon/Foreigner concert.  Ohhh
yeah.  80s fest here come!!!!!  Woo!  Styx is one of my
all-time favorite bands.  (3 faves, in no particular order, for
those who are wondering - Eagles, Melissa Etheridge, Styx).

We saw Styx in Tallahassee a few years ago.  They were quite
good.  I was disappointed that Dennis DeYoung wasn't there, and he
is still apparently not touring with the band.  But the guy they
got to replace him is pretty damn good, too.

Well.  I am going to get some water, go outside and take a few
deep breaths of the nice cool fall air, and then get back to work.

I hope everyone out there in Xanga-land has a great weekend!

The long weekend was nice.  I actually took Monday off.  We didn't do much but lay around the house and relax. 

We did go to the gym on Saturday.  I've been doing Pilates
Reformer for a few months now, and Hubby decided he wanted to try it as
well.  So, he's been going to the classes with me for a few
weeks.  Our trainer worked us really hard this past Sat. and Hubby
has been whining ever since about how much his abs hurt.

So I keep poking him.

hee hee.

Hmmm?  Oh, I am sorry...did you just call me evil?  And yes,
I'd have to agree with you.  Eeeeeevil!  That's me.

We decided to lower the price on our house since we've had just one
offer on it, and that offer was more of a joke than anything.  I
am kind of frustrated with the whole situation.  It seems that the
house is all hubby can talk about right now.  He's driving me
batty.  But it will all be better soon.  I hope.

I keep telling myself that if the house doesn't sell, that we've done
all we could, and that this move just isn't meant to be.  *deep
breaths* 

Work has been busy, as usual.  And my voice mail isn't working
properly again.  That is so frustrating, since I don't have a
secretary, and usually if I am on the phone, then I will just let the
call go to voice mail, but now I am worried about not getting the
message.  Grrrr.  That's what I get for spending $3K on a
fancy-schmancy computer-based voice mail system.  I could've spent
$20 on a damn answering machine.  Grrr.

Actually I guess the money I spent was not just for the answering
system, but also for the whole fancy phone system.  Still -
frustrating!

Ok - I am outta here.  Must go to Costco and Office Depot.  Shopping fun!

Yes, I am going to ignore the tragedy that is going on in New Orleans
and across the Gulf Coast.  No, I am not callous...but if I get
started on a rant about the looters, etc., I might just go buy a gun
and head down that way.  So, I am not even going to start.

***

I got most of the brief written.  The attorney, J, that I've
associated with doesn't work quite as quickly as I do when it comes to
drafting stuff.  He wrote his one section, I did the rest.  I
think it is passable.  Not my best work, but it will do.  And
for the past two days I've been feeling like super-lawyer.  Writes good briefs in a single bound!

Hah!  It is good to feel confident about something for once. 
So, the brief is filed, and has been delivered to the opposing
attorneys.  Our summary judgment motion will be argued on the
15th.  J gets to do that part.  Although he's been acting all
shy about doing it.  Why, I have NO idea.  He's got much more
trial experience than I do.  But I guess he's been a little
over-awed by my enthusiasm.  Hell, research and writing is what I
lived for in law school.  I was definitely in my element these
past few days.

On another case of mine, I got some help from another, more experienced
family attorney, and she suggested a particular course of action. 
After discussing it with my client, we decided to try it, since the
other side was dragging their feet.  I think it may have
worked.  (Although I am hoping I haven't spoken too soon.) 
Opposing attorney B called me today, sounding all hurt and betrayed
that I would file motions on his ass.  Hah!  And he asked,
very humbly, during his second call of the day if my client would still
be willing to consider a settlement along the lines of the one we had
proposed previously.

Hah!  I AM super-lawyer!  Knocking out incompetent opposing counsel with one motion!

Errr.

Sorry. 

I am just a little bit giddy.  And I don't know for sure that my
case against B is going to settle.  But I have a really good
feeling about it.

I've been asked to associate with another attorney on a real estate
case.  I think it is because I love research.  (Yes, I am
sick, but we already knew that.)  I spent yesterday afternoon
doing research, trying to find a way to defeat opposing party's summary
judgment motion.  I think I found it, too.

My friend J, who has asked me to associate on this case, was very
pleased.  He asked today if I wanted my name on the brief as well
as his.  I said sure.  *grin*  Group projects are fun
when you are both highly-trained attorneys (*cough*).  I used to
hate group projects in college because I always ended up doing the
lion's share of the work since I seemed to be the only one concerned
about my GPA.

So, J and I have split up the writing portion of the brief.  And
then at argument, J is going to do the heavy lifting there, but I will
be sitting with him at counsel table.  *grin*

Some days I love my job.

On another of my lawsuits, the opposing attorney essentially called and
threatened me.  This is on the case I was talking about last entry
- where the attorney hadn't called me back.  He finally called on
Thursday and said that his client needed the lis pendens released so
she could refinance her house.  Oh, bummer.  She refused to
settle, and so we aren't releasing the lis pendens.  He threatened
to sue for damages, but that's a tough thing to prove since the damages
have nothing to do with the underlying lawsuit, and the lis pendens was
properly filed.

*grin*

So glad my client in that case is gutsy.  I am sure that some
clients would have folded in the face of the opposing attorney's
threats.

Yep, work is busy, but things are pretty damn good.

We had an open house this weekend.  Not a whole lot of activity, but some, and that is a good thing.

As far as that big ol' storm down south?  Yeah, that sucks. 
I hope everyone comes out of this ok.  But, hey, what WERE they
thinking?  A city that is BELOW sea level, but sits right on the water?  This was bound to happen sooner or
later.  Sure, I am sympathetic to the loss of life, but I don't
want to hear the insurance companies, goverment, etc, whining about the
financial loss.  You can only dodge a bullet so many times before
you get hit.

So sorry for the long time between updates.  Things are absolutely nutty here, as usual.

I filed a new lawsuit yesterday.  I am actually pretty excited
about this one.  (Ok, I admit it, I am pretty damn stoked about
all of them.  Ugh, yes, I am SUCH a law geek.)

I got a payoff request from the title company in another of my
lawsuits.  I filed a lis pendens on the title of the opposing
party's house since our suit definitely affects the interest in
title.  (We are trying to extinguish an easement.)  And
apparently the opposing party has found a buyer for her house. 
Bwhahahaha.  I wonder if this is going to force them to settle the
case?

I've called the opposing attorney twice in the past two days.  He
hasn't called me back yet.  If I don't hear from him by tomorrow I
guess I will have to notify the title company that any purchaser of the
real estate in question will be joined into the suit, since they are a
successor party in interest.  Do you think that will cause the
sale to fail?  Bwhahahah!  Oooo sorry.  It is just that
this other attorney has a rep for being REALLY lazy.  And so far
he's done nothing to change that perception of him.

Plus the Defendant in that case is a true BITCH.

Hubby and I went to a local glass art show last weekend.  It was
great fun.  So many beautiful pieces of art!  I love glass
art. 

We found some really awesome stuff, and got to enjoy wandering around in the sun for an afternoon too.

In other news, we've found a new house.  We made an offer on it
and the sellers accepted.  Woo!  Now we just have to sell our
house.  I hope that doesn't take too long.  The place we
found is so incredibly gorgeous.  It has a large creek running
through the property and everything.  The house itself is a little
small,
but we can add on, so that is all good.  The other house we were
considering had too much wrong with it.  Like $50K worth of
renovations or something.  Yikes!

I am really hoping that we sell our place quickly and can move out to the new place before it gets cold.

It is warm here now, but that won't last much longer, for sure!

Well, the Rules of Civil Procedure are calling my name, so I guess I'd better get back to it.

Hmmm....I don't really know what to blog about today. 

Yep, boring, that is my life.

Well, not too terribly boring, I guess, but still.

It looks like the sale on that land we wanted is not going to
happen.  The sellers are turning out to be real buttheads. 
Not a big deal, but Hubby is disappointed.  And I feel bad because
I am actually kind of relieved.  Still, hubby is not giving
up.  We are going on Saturday to look at two more pieces of land.

In a way, I am excited to look at these parcels of land.  But in
another way I am just so tired of all this uncertainty.  I am
happy in our house.  I like it.  It is comfortable, and we're
happy there.  But hubby really dislikes having people living so
close to us.  And he is bound and determined to move us onto some
acreage. 

I think he is kind of resentful that I am not jumping into this process
with both feel and full enthusiasm.  But (and I know this is
mainly fear and laziness talking) I just DON'T WANT TO move. 

Alright.  Enough bitching about that.

Hubby and I started hypnosis therapy this week.  Mainly for weight
loss/lifestyle changes and encourgaing us to exercise.  We know
what we need to do, but most days the motivation isn't there.  I
have no issues with exercising, in fact I am really starting to enjoy
it.  (And I never though I'd hear myself say that!)  But I
continually make poor food choices, and so I am working on that. 

I like our hypnotherapist, he's a really nice guy, and is very good at
his job.  Thus far it has been an interesting experience. 

That certainly seems like a California-cruncy thing to do, doesn't
it?  *valley girl voice*  I'm like, so stoked about being
hypnotized.  It's, like, totally awesome, y'know?

Ha!  Still, my grandmother, a smoker for 40+ years, managed to
quit smoking through hypnotherapy some years ago, so I am a
believer. 

Alright - I guess I had better get back to work.  I am having
issues with one particular client today (this week, whatever).  I
am tempted to fire him, but he's a long-standing client, and I'd hate
to lose him.

Have a great weekend!