Yesterday, the weather was fantastic, with a high near 80 degrees and plenty of sunshine. Yet I still managed to force myself into the law school library to study.
Once there, I went to a relatively empty part of the library and sat down close to a cute girl whom I know. She too had lots of school work to get done.
When I study, I have a habit of looking up frequently, just for the purpose of refocusing my eyes. Usually, I look up from my book and simply stare at a far wall or out a window for a few seconds. I did not realize, though, that every time I looked up on this day I was actually staring at the girl. After about 15 minutes of this, she finally looked back at me with a puzzled expression. It immediately dawned on me what I had been doing.
I apologized to her and explained my trick for refocusing my eyes. I also told her that my eyes must subconsciously go to her, as she is much prettier than a wall or what I can see out the windows of the law school library. She smiled when I told her this.
She also told me the same thing happens to her. The book cases in the library have signs that stick out, identifying various collections. She pointed down one of the aisles.
"You see that sign?" she asked.
I did. It read "Fla. Stat. Annotated," which stands for the annotated version of the Florida Statutes.
"When that sign becomes blurry, I know that I've been reading too long," she said.
We continued studying quietly, though now I made a conscious effort not to look at her when I raised my head from my book.
But after another 20 minutes or so, she suddenly closed her laptop computer and announced, "This is too depressing. I've got to get out of here."
It felt a little like a needle going into my chest, that she would think sitting close to me and studying was "depressing," but I quickly recovered. I could not blame her. The weather was gorgeous outside. I did not want to be studying myself.
After she left, I spent another half-hour in the library. I looked out the windows and saw how bright it was outside. I then looked down the aisle at the tag marked "Fla. Stat. Annotated." I imagined that it was beginning to become blurry, and I took that as my excuse to get outside.
I do not regret the decision. After simply walking around the campus for a while, enjoying the warm day, I went with some friends from the law school to the old intramural fields to hit and field some softball. After an hour or so of that, I watched the second half of a women's lacrosse match between FSU and Miami on the fields. The 'Noles trounced the 'Canes, and I got to watch a beautiful sunset during the match.
The view of Tallahassee from the old intramural fields is surprisingly impressive. To the east, you look all the way down St. Augustine Street. The Executive Building where the governor works is clearly visible, including most of the other tall buildings of the city. The setting sun changes the color of these buildings from how they appear during the day.
To the northwest is Doak Campbell football stadium and the baseball stadium. The sun setting behind both of these structures is also a striking image.
To the south is a picturesque postcard of what "The South" looks like in many places: "Bob's Body Shop", a garage garnet and gold in color, sets across from the fields with a huge Seminole logo on the front wall. Behind the body shop and set against the sky is an old grain silo with "USA" painted in red, white and blue on top.
After the sun went down, I walked over to the baseball stadium to catch the last four innings of FSU's game against Maryland, which the Seminoles won 12-5.
Yesterday was a great day to be outside, and I did enjoy being outside for much of it.
Today, though (and after taking time to write this blog), I must remember why I am in law school and focus on getting some studying done.
Until Next Time,
Nathan Marshburn
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
A Thank You to Our Political Leaders
Last night, the House of Representative passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act.
It appears as though President Obama's health care reform plan is going to become law.
This is a great moment in American History. This Act is the most important piece of domestic legislation to pass Congress in my lifetime. In my humble opinion, our leaders who drafted it and passed it have put forth one of the most courageous efforts in the annals of American politics.
I thank Representative Allen Boyd of the 2nd District of Florida for his vote.
I thank Senator Bill Nelson of Florida for his vote in December and for his efforts in the push.
I thank House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for their tireless efforts against incredible odds to make this change happen.
Most of all, I thank President Barrack Obama. He promised this sort of change in his campaign in 2008. To use his own words from this morning: "This is what change looks like."
This is a victory for all Americans. It is a huge step toward giving affordable health care access to all citizens. Because of this legislation, we may one day soon be able say that no one dies in America because they can not afford health care, and no one goes broke in America just because they get sick.
To the leaders mentioned above, you have certainly earned my support for the next election. Most probably, you have earned my support for the rest of your political careers.
Thank you.
Nathan Marshburn
It appears as though President Obama's health care reform plan is going to become law.
This is a great moment in American History. This Act is the most important piece of domestic legislation to pass Congress in my lifetime. In my humble opinion, our leaders who drafted it and passed it have put forth one of the most courageous efforts in the annals of American politics.
I thank Representative Allen Boyd of the 2nd District of Florida for his vote.
I thank Senator Bill Nelson of Florida for his vote in December and for his efforts in the push.
I thank House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for their tireless efforts against incredible odds to make this change happen.
Most of all, I thank President Barrack Obama. He promised this sort of change in his campaign in 2008. To use his own words from this morning: "This is what change looks like."
This is a victory for all Americans. It is a huge step toward giving affordable health care access to all citizens. Because of this legislation, we may one day soon be able say that no one dies in America because they can not afford health care, and no one goes broke in America just because they get sick.
To the leaders mentioned above, you have certainly earned my support for the next election. Most probably, you have earned my support for the rest of your political careers.
Thank you.
Nathan Marshburn
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Seasoned
I will remember Spring Break 2010 as the week I spent hammering out the rough draft of my upper level writing requirement, over 30 pages worth of text and footnotes. This paper marks the first time in my life that I have composed a work of this length or importance without first writing out my thoughts by hand. I hope my professor likes the result. My eyeballs still feel like they are bouncing around inside my skull from staring at my laptop screen so much this week. It took me three tries over three days before I regained the equilibrium to sit down and type this blog entry.
The students on law review here would have no sympathy for me, I'm sure. They have to write at least two papers, one for the graduation requirement and a different one for the law review. In addition, they are constantly editing the footnotes and text of articles submitted by scholars for publication in our law review. While it is a great honor to be on law review, I do not know if I would be happy having to do that sort of work all the time, even if I did qualify for the job- but more power to them. . .
We had a patch of warm weather earlier this week- finally a taste of spring from the (unusually cold, as the natives tell me) Panhandle winter. The warm air on my short sleeved arms, the sight of flowers in bloom, bees flying around, and the smell of the green plants reminded me of where I was this time two years ago.
Two years ago, spring was also starting in Cullowhee, NC. I was a graduate student at Western Carolina University, trying to decide what to do with my future. By mid-March I had already made up my mind that I was going to law school in the fall, I just did not know where, yet. Having been accepted to three or four schools, I became comfortable with a choice in my home state of North Carolina.
Then the acceptance to Florida State Law came through. Interestingly enough, I did not learn that I had been accepted via a letter in the mail. Rather, I received a cryptic email from the Student Affairs Office at Florida State Law encouraging me to complete a scholarship application for admitted students. I immediately called the Admissions Office and told the nice lady on the phone about the email. She checked the computer system and confirmed that I had indeed been accepted. The official letter was probably already in the mail, she said. I thanked her very much.
The next phone call was to my parents. I remember standing on the breezeway outside Hunter Library, feeling the warm sunlight on my arms as I made the call. They did not answer, so I left a message saying that I had been accepted to Florida State, and that this school just might knock off my first choice in North Carolina. I wanted them to call me back with their opinion.
That evening, I got back in touch with my parents, and I had a nice conversation with them again while I stood on the breezeway outside the library. It was a good moment, talking to my parents about a significant accomplishment, discussing options that were only great ones.
My parents, much like myself, were anti-debt in their views on where I should attend school. The cost of out-of-state tuition at Florida State Law bothered me and was the only reason I would choose not to go there. To my surprise, without much hesitation both my parents told me to go to Florida State- “but only if you are sure you want to be a lawyer,” they said.
At that time, I was not absolutely sure I wanted to be a lawyer, and I spent the next weeks talking to over 50 people about where I should go to law school. Less debt meant that I was not locking myself into a legal career, and the school in North Carolina had offered me a scholarship package where I could graduate with no debt.
Ultimately, of course, I decided to go to Florida State. I do not regret the decision at all. That spring and summer prior to enrolling, I tried to imagine what it would be like. I looked at maps of Tallahassee and saw Jefferson Street, where the law school is located. I looked at pictures of the students and professors on the web site. I did not have time to make a personal trip to the school, and I actually showed up in Tallahassee only the weekend before classes began.
But I’ve been in Tallahassee ever since. I like it here, and with the warm weather this week it occurred to me that I am now a “seasoned” law school student. Two years ago at this time I was imagining what my life would be like in two years, if I would be enjoying law school and if it would change me significantly. The answer to the first question is yes, I am enjoying law school. As for the second question, law school has changed me somewhat, though not in a major way. At this point I feel like law school is giving me a new and practical body of knowledge to use in this world. It has also given me a new lens with which to view the world- though by no means do I feel like I must wear that lens all the time.
Two years ago I was trying to imagine some of the things I would be doing in law school. Specifically, the answer right now is: Taking the Multi-state Professional Responsibility Exam as part of being admitted to the Florida Bar, and working on a 30 page paper to meet a requirement for graduation. I am a seasoned law school student.
Universal Health Care Now,
Nathan Marshburn
The students on law review here would have no sympathy for me, I'm sure. They have to write at least two papers, one for the graduation requirement and a different one for the law review. In addition, they are constantly editing the footnotes and text of articles submitted by scholars for publication in our law review. While it is a great honor to be on law review, I do not know if I would be happy having to do that sort of work all the time, even if I did qualify for the job- but more power to them. . .
We had a patch of warm weather earlier this week- finally a taste of spring from the (unusually cold, as the natives tell me) Panhandle winter. The warm air on my short sleeved arms, the sight of flowers in bloom, bees flying around, and the smell of the green plants reminded me of where I was this time two years ago.
Two years ago, spring was also starting in Cullowhee, NC. I was a graduate student at Western Carolina University, trying to decide what to do with my future. By mid-March I had already made up my mind that I was going to law school in the fall, I just did not know where, yet. Having been accepted to three or four schools, I became comfortable with a choice in my home state of North Carolina.
Then the acceptance to Florida State Law came through. Interestingly enough, I did not learn that I had been accepted via a letter in the mail. Rather, I received a cryptic email from the Student Affairs Office at Florida State Law encouraging me to complete a scholarship application for admitted students. I immediately called the Admissions Office and told the nice lady on the phone about the email. She checked the computer system and confirmed that I had indeed been accepted. The official letter was probably already in the mail, she said. I thanked her very much.
The next phone call was to my parents. I remember standing on the breezeway outside Hunter Library, feeling the warm sunlight on my arms as I made the call. They did not answer, so I left a message saying that I had been accepted to Florida State, and that this school just might knock off my first choice in North Carolina. I wanted them to call me back with their opinion.
That evening, I got back in touch with my parents, and I had a nice conversation with them again while I stood on the breezeway outside the library. It was a good moment, talking to my parents about a significant accomplishment, discussing options that were only great ones.
My parents, much like myself, were anti-debt in their views on where I should attend school. The cost of out-of-state tuition at Florida State Law bothered me and was the only reason I would choose not to go there. To my surprise, without much hesitation both my parents told me to go to Florida State- “but only if you are sure you want to be a lawyer,” they said.
At that time, I was not absolutely sure I wanted to be a lawyer, and I spent the next weeks talking to over 50 people about where I should go to law school. Less debt meant that I was not locking myself into a legal career, and the school in North Carolina had offered me a scholarship package where I could graduate with no debt.
Ultimately, of course, I decided to go to Florida State. I do not regret the decision at all. That spring and summer prior to enrolling, I tried to imagine what it would be like. I looked at maps of Tallahassee and saw Jefferson Street, where the law school is located. I looked at pictures of the students and professors on the web site. I did not have time to make a personal trip to the school, and I actually showed up in Tallahassee only the weekend before classes began.
But I’ve been in Tallahassee ever since. I like it here, and with the warm weather this week it occurred to me that I am now a “seasoned” law school student. Two years ago at this time I was imagining what my life would be like in two years, if I would be enjoying law school and if it would change me significantly. The answer to the first question is yes, I am enjoying law school. As for the second question, law school has changed me somewhat, though not in a major way. At this point I feel like law school is giving me a new and practical body of knowledge to use in this world. It has also given me a new lens with which to view the world- though by no means do I feel like I must wear that lens all the time.
Two years ago I was trying to imagine some of the things I would be doing in law school. Specifically, the answer right now is: Taking the Multi-state Professional Responsibility Exam as part of being admitted to the Florida Bar, and working on a 30 page paper to meet a requirement for graduation. I am a seasoned law school student.
Universal Health Care Now,
Nathan Marshburn
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