Inside the digital jar

A Political Promissory Note

2006-11-08T14:14:00.000-06:00

The world is looking oddly brighter today,

I secretly adore politics and what it reveals. ( I rabidly supported Ross Perot in my grade school--including homemade buttons)

What makes it a secret adoration is that I sometimes see only darkness in the politics, and the clunky javelin throwing and spearing of the two party system. As millions are raised and spent, snippings and snappings bitting at the "other side" only leaving blood and decay I cannot help but wonder if it accomplishes anything.

But today it did a great thing, It cuckolded a president and forced a failed leader to step down. The clamors were heard; changes are promised, and now comes the most dramatic moment of all...

Like the debt collector who has finally run the debtor to ground can they now extract all they need? Have they risked too much in the fight that they cannot recoup? Will they become something that they maligned in their struggle now to right the wrongs?

May God have mercy on them all, they need it more than most.

A note on financial matters

2006-10-01T18:50:00.000-05:00

Ok, so money makes the world go round right? And there's no such thing as a free lunch right?

So I had the intriguing experience last week of hearing incessantly about MOHELA and Missouri's child governor on NPR. Then I read an article in the Post-Dispatch by David Nicklaus called "Everybody should belly up to the table for a 'free lunch' " Following this I spent 2 hours working at the library filling updates to the Federal Tax Code.

No connection you say? What is she rambling about you say?

Au contraire mon amies, there is indeed some rather interesting hay to be made of all of this.

1. All the pundits on NPR and guys like Mr. Nicklaus are commenting and stating this and that about the MOHELA deal all over the air waves and in print. What they haven't been doing is a whole lot of explaining about what in the world it means for anyone who might actually be affected by the sell off. I.E. poor graduate students like myself who actually have MOHELA loans.

2. Ok so the law surrounding non-profits, bond caps and private loan companies is little complex to say the least and its always changing. I should know because I have to refile pg 133xxx - 1234xxx of the Federal guidelines for the.... Agency of.... in regards to.... Reporter every Saturday. I'll be honest I try not to read what I'm filing; I'm afraid my head might spontaneously combust from the legalize, exceptions, guidelines and other fun things. There was even a nice picture on the proper formatting for submitting your application last week along with a picture of Mr. Peanut. (seriously I'm not making that up)

But who really understands it? Does the "reasonable person" who daily signs extremely long contract on the internet at just the click of the "I agree" button? How about the reasonably educated thinker who is just trying to pay back their student loans at the best interest rates because they took the low paying but rewarding job as a city public school teacher? What about the tax attorney who spent 3 years at law school and then another 5 years at a firm learning how to use the law? What about the state elected politicians who are pushing the deal?

Who can and should understand all of this? Who needs to ? Who actually WANTS to?

If you do, more power to you. I just want to know that MOHELA will still be around and keeping my interest rates reasonable for the next few years-that's my bottomline.

And here's hoping that the things I so willing file for my federal work study wages aren't changing the law in a way that I won't even begin to comprehend until I take tax next year. Or in a way that will change my financial rights and responsibilities or yours or the "reasonable person's". Because will we know the difference before the IRS shows up on our doorstep? Or before the nice Missouri Loan program suddenly dries up?

Fun Stuff

2006-09-08T14:18:00.000-05:00

So for my roommates birthday this week I made her cupcakes-german chocolate with rainbow chip frosting.

I wrote "HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE" one letter to a cupcake.

As we induldged in cupcake yummines this week Kate and I also indulged in our admitted love of scrabble.

Here is one of the reults:

(it reads PART KATE) Last night it was PARTY KATE (but then I got hungry)

Who know tonight it might be TAR KATE :-)

And sadly some time in the very near future even KATE will diwindle down to ATE.

Law School 101

2006-08-29T14:01:00.000-05:00

Ok so here's the deal one week in.

Lots of Studying-- YES
Scary-- NO
Insane Professors-- NO (just funny and demanding)
Mean Law students--NO (drinking yes, mean no)
Fun- YES !
Boring Legalese- NO (classes are really interesting)
Scared to Death about first semester grades-YES (but its not ruining me yet)

Truthfully I'm having a pretty good time so far, nothing highly untoward happens and the town is nice, its not the city but its nice.

The 2L's have been helpful and friendly and I even met an old high school friend for coffee the other day. I went salsa dancing with some people on Saturday and like my new job in the library. The recplex is really awesome( 50 m pool baby!) and I try to work out a few days a week. I couldn't get a permanent locker though, (year long waiting list yuck!)

There's a really cool trail out behind my apartment complex that leads up to campus so if I can ever get around to filling my tires I can start biking to class.

Lots of stuff that's sort of like high school redux oddly enough
1. lockers are in one room for all of the students ( i had to make old school locker shelves for mine over the weekend)
2. huge textbooks that break your back to carry around (I've had to resort to my laptop back pack no cute little carry alls
for me anymore)
3. preset schedules so that all the 1L's go to class at the same time

I learned that Joe shmoe et ux. means Joe and his wife. Furthermore you can bring a civil assault charge against someone who tells you to "come behind the counter and let me love and pet you and then I'll fix your clock" Kinda funny right?

I'm also in the market for lawyer jokes so leave me a comment and tell me one for fun!

Frying an Egg on the side walk and other fun Summer Notes

2006-08-09T20:19:00.000-05:00

Yes it was hot enough in the STL last week to fry an egg on the sidewalk(we did it at science camp). Favorite counselor comment from summer

Kid to another kid"yeah well your a dork"
Kid back "so, your a nerd!"

Ben(counselor)" You're in ROBOTICS camp at the SCIENCE CENTER SUMMER CAMP you're all nerds--embrace it."

I learned (somewhat sketchily) to play the guitar this summer, everything I play is mournful though especially stuff I started writing during the black out. And I can't get my high E string tuned right without an electronic tuner. Ahh such is the joy of a 35 year old acoustic guitar inherited from my father.

In other excitement I actually lost weight (like 20 lbs seriously).

I camped three times along the Meremac river this summer with middle school kids and had close encounters with raccoons. One even sniffed this kids face! Ironically it was the other tent full of kids who were flipping out the whole time. Picture this :
" Julia, Julia what was that !!!"
"::groan:: (with eye half cocked) it's nothing go back to sleep"
repeat ad lib from about 12am -3 am and you get the general idea.

I had a great send off from my co-workers and friends at the science center. I miss you all already!!! Oh well off to Columbia and Law school in the morning wish me luck!

Ever felt this way? I have.

2006-06-06T10:07:00.000-05:00

Ok so here's the thing about talking at parties. Sometimes when I'm telling stories at a party they're spot on. Everyone laughs and I just keep thinking of something else funny or interesting to keep the mood going. Other times it feels like whenever I open my mouth everyone exchanges furtive looks and tries quickly to change the subject of conversation. And then you get this weird feeling in your head and your stomach that the world is oh so slightly off kilter. Weirdest feeling especially when the whole flip flop happens around the same group of people. Ok maybe your right, maybe it is just the alcohol.

Hello world!

2006-06-06T09:26:00.000-05:00

Ok so I'm attempting to join yet another part of the online community. who knows where it will take me.