Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder . . . and Mary Kay

Greetings, beautiful people! So, I learned an amazing thing this past week while I was visting friends in TN - Mary Kay makeup and skin-care products are AWESOME!  I recently visited my "pseudo sister," Laura, her husband, and their two boys (my "pseudo nephews"), in Sewanee, TN.  I refer to these people as "pseudo" family members because I have known Laura and her brother, Mike, since I was three years old.  I have known their younger brother, Daniel, for his entire 21 years of life.  Laura has two beautiful, angelic little boys, Jackson (almost 2) and Cooper (almost 2 months).  My husband and I made the trip down south to visit Laura, Nick and Jackson, and to meet baby Cooper (and visit the rest of the Forster clan, of course).

Laura has been selling Mary Kay products since this fall.  She had told me about her new business venture, but, although I wanted to provide more than just moral support, I refrained from any purchases because I assumed that I could not afford Mary Kay.  While we were down there, I asked Laura to do my makeup before we went out one night, and I explained to her what my "skin gripes" were.  Specifically, (the title of my blog is "Quite Frankly," so I am just being honest) my skin is always some shade of pink.  That shade of pink is difficult to cover without a lot of makeup (at least, it takes a lot of makeup that you can buy at Kroger).  I also need to shrink my pores to help get rid of my stubborn blackheads.  To top it all off, law school has left me with puffiness and dark circles under my eyes.  Armed with all of this information, Laura went to work.  I was WOWed by the outcome.

First of all, I wasn't able to immediately see the results of the skin-care products (obviously), but Laura is extremely knowledgeable about all of her products.  She explained the importance of skin care, and recommended the products necessary to solve my skin problems.  Next, she taught me how to properly apply makeup.  This is a skill that many people who are good at it take for granted.  I spent 15 years of my life playing soccer and rolling around in the mud, so I don't know the first thing about what most makeup products are for, and I definitely have no idea how to apply most of them.  Laura explained and demonstrated how to apply the makeup products that she was using.  Needless to say, at the end of the day, I ended up purchasing about 18 things.

I LOVED the results of my mini-makeover.  I looked like a new person!  The best part - it is way cheaper than I thought! I have been using Cover Girl (or comparable brands of) makeup since I started law school.  I just can't afford the department store makeup that I bought when my parents were giving me my "spending money."  I have done a little bit of research, and here is the breakdown:  the roll-on foundation that I used (Loreal) is about $13 at Kroger;  the foundation that I bought to take on my honeymoon from Macys (Chanel brand) was $54; the comparable liquid foundation that I purchased from Mary Kay - $20!!!!!!  The foundation that I used in TN was actually a mineral powder foundation, which costs $18.  I prefer the feeling of the mineral powder foundation because I don't like the feeling of makeup on my face, but I have never found a mineral powder foundation that actually covered the redness of my complexion.  That is, until now.  To continue with the price comparisons, I used to buy Chanel mascara as well - $30.  The mascara that I purchased from Mary Kay (which I LOVE, by the way) - $15.  Now, while I realize that Cover Girl mascara is closer to $7, I definitely feel like the Mary Kay mascara is worth the extra $8.  For one last comparison, I will mention the prices of moisturizer.  The moisturizer that I have been using for years (Lancome) costs $45 at Macys.  I do love that moisturizer, but Mary Kay's equally effective moisturizer - $22.

The moral of the story is . . . I have been completely sold on Mary Kay products.  The products are a bit more expensive than the brands that you can buy at Kroger, but the quality far surpasses that price differential.  It is worth the extra $5-10!  The quality is equal to (or better, I think) than the department store brands, but a fraction of the price.  Plus, you get an amazing consultant (like Laura!) who is extremely knowledgeable and who can recommend the right products.

I am waiting on half of my products to arrive, but when they do, I promise to keep my readers updated on the results.  If the skin-care products don't work, I will tell everyone honestly.  I have used all of the makeup products though, and I KNOW that they are amazing.

I will be hosting at least one Mary Kay party in the Charleston area in the coming months.  Laura will travel from TN to take orders, explain and recommend products, etc.  If anyone is interested, let me know, and I will try to get her up this way again!  Even if you can't make your way to a party, you can check out her Twitter and Facebook page and get advice/submit orders that way.

http://twitter.com/#!/lauraeknight
http://www.facebook.com/lauraeknight.MK

Here is a picture of her work! Be kind, any deficiencies are from my natural looks, not her makeup job! Also, my camera promptly died after this photo was taken, so I don't have any better ones.  I will post results photos at some point! :)

Home is Where the Heart Is

I am home on spring break for a few days, and once again I am reminded how much I miss being home.  Most (not all) of my friends live here, and my brother, Thomas is living at home right now.  He had been living in Africa for about 27 months, so it is great having him around. I also really enjoy having my parents' dogs around! (Don't tell Stewie). Although Stewie acts like a dog (he fetches and he drinks out of the toilet), it is so fun having dogs around.

Most importantly . . . I LOVE the food here. The new Indian restaurant in Charleston, Little India, is amazing.  Jason and I went on Friday with my parents and Thomas and we each got a different entree. Every entree was delicious, and the bread baskets there are great as well.  We had dinner this evening with our good friends Brittany, Chris, Megan, and Chris at Lola's Pizza in South Hills and it was really good as well.  Lola's does specialty pizzas - we got one that was half spicy shrimp and sausage and the other half mushrooms and pesto, both halves with goat cheese. We had originally planned on going to SoHos, which I also adore. Anyone who goes there HAS to get the cajun shrimp pasta. It is the tastiest pasta ever!

I also really enjoy being down here in the summers when we can enjoy the river.  Running/walking on the boulevard by the river is a favorite in the spring and summer. My parents have a boat docked on the river, and it is so much fun to take the boat out for a ride.  The boat has a refrigerator on it, so you can throw some sandwiches and beer into the fridge and make a day out of it! I can't wait until summer!

Most importantly, I love being around my parents and my brothers (whichever ones happen to be in town) and all of my friends who live here. Charleston is home, and home is where the heart it! We are moving back in May, and I can't wait. See you then, Chucktown.

Price of Success

I have wanted to go to law school for as long as I can remember.  When I gave up my childhood dream of being a veterinarian (which I gave up when we had to put my first pet to sleep), and after I realized that it would be difficult to make a living as a freelance writer, "lawyer" was the first and only other profession that I considered.  I am so happy that I got into WVU's College of Law, and it has been an amazing experience. I've done better than I thought that I would, and I have had more fun than I could have ever hoped for. I have been fortunate enough to make the National Moot Court Team, serve as the PR Liaison for the Moot Court Board, work in the Child & Family Law Clinic, and serve as a class officer in my second year.  To top all of that off, I landed a job after graduation as an Associate at an amazing, widely-respected defense litigation firm in my hometown of Charleston.

Unfortunately, all of that comes at a price.  Now, let me preface the rest of this post with a disclaimer: I am extremely fortunate - My parents have helped me in ways for which I can never repay them - I am also incredibly fortunate to have gotten hired by an amazing law firm that is reimbursing me for several of the expenses that I am about to discuss - I am well-aware that many students have had it harder - I also understand that there are thousands of people in world with FAR bigger problems, and I am not insensitive to that fact.  I am just writing this post to address the very real problem that is the cost of college, grad school, profesional certifications, etc.

Now, with all of that being said, I have recently learned just how much law school/actually becoming a lawyer costs the in-state WVU law student hoping to practice in WV.  Yesterday, I submitted my bar application.  I have to send the State Bar a copy of a recent credit report, so I got online and requested one of my three free credit reports for the year.  What I learned made me a little bit nauseous.  I will graduate owing $90,000 in student loans.  To me, that is a lot of money.  As I mentioned in my disclaimer, my parents have helped me a LOT, and I was extremely fortunate to have them pay all of my living expenses in undergrad.  I was also lucky enough to have my entire undergrad tuition paid by the State of West Virginia through the Promise Scholarship. So, that $90,000 debt is just from three years of law school at an in-state, public law school.  Even though this price tag causes me a bit of stress, I cannot imagine what my classmates who are paying out-of-state tuition are facing. I cannot even begin to imagine the stress on my colleagues who are paying out-of-state tuition and ALSO have undergrad loans to tackle.

And that's just the beginning.  To apply to the WV State Bar, the applicant has to send an application to the National Conference of Bar Examiners and the State Bar. Grand total for the application process thus far:  $600.  That isn't so bad, right?  It really isn't that bad, and I am sure that other professions and other state bars require more.

Then comes the bar review course . . . From what I have heard, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pass the bar exam (which is required to practice law) without taking the bar-review course.  For those of you who do not know what the bar exam entails, it requires memorization of every aspect of 13 subjects/areas of law. The WV exam consists of multiple choice questions, essay questions, and practical writing assignments, all under extremely tight time constraints. So, again, the bar review course is basically required.  I enrolled this week - after taxes - almost $2,900.

And I'm still going.  We also had a graduation fair last week at the school. The cost of our "hood" (we don't have caps, we have hoods) and gown, after taxes, $140.  The diploma frames cost $125 - $200.  I didn't even bother looking at class rings or graduation announcements.  My announcement will likely be made by phone call to my friends & family members!

Those are just the fees and expenses that I have encountered so far.  So, when I walk at my graduation on May 14, I will have spent approximately $93,700 to get my J.D. and attempt admission to the Bar.  I'm sure that I am probably on the lower-end of the debt spectrum.  Again, I am so fortunate to have had my parents' help in undergrad and my firm's assistance with bar application fees and review courses. I am also an in-state student. So, I will try to keep my complaining at a minimum.

The main reason that I am writing this post and that I am frustrated with the amount of money it costs to become a practicing attorney is this:  how many more attorneys (and doctors, dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists, etc.) would we have if these costs WEREN'T a necessary evil to overcome in order to achieve our goals?  And for students who will do anything to achieve their goals, especially those without the assistance that I have been fortunate enough to receive, they are rewarded with the daunting task of repaying $100,000 + of loans for the next however many years.  Also, this isn't the greatest job market to be graduating in. Jobs are difficult to come by, and I think that there is a misconception that all lawyers make a lot of money right out of the gate.  That is not the case for every attorney.  However, no matter what your starting salary, your debt is the same.

I am only talking about law school because that is the only experience that I have had.  I am sure that it is the same for any profession that requires more than a four-year degree.  For that matter, people are forced to undergo a great deal of debt in a shaky economy and questionable job market to get their four-year degree.  To people who take on this debt because they want to better themselves and achieve a personal career goal, kudos! We need that determination in this country.

I guess, as my dad would say, "the bottom line is" we need our lawmakers to do SOMETHING to help the youth of this country attend college and professional graduate programs without digging themselves into a hole that will take a lifetime to fill.  We need more scholarship opportunities.  More loan-forgiveness programs. We need more companies to offer certain services, so that students can choose a less-expensive alternative. While I understand that Universities are businesses, too, I really wish that I understood how tuition has risen as much as it has.

At the end of the day, it is all worth it.  To bite off of the credit card commercials: J.D. and Bar Admission, $93,700.  Achieving my life-long goal of becoming an attorney, priceless.

In Memory of Scott Robert King

Two years ago today, I was woken up by a phone call bringing terrible news.  I thought that, surely, this was just a twisted dream, and that I would wake up and everything would be back to normal.  The reality, however, was that So Chas had just lost another of our own.  I spent that entire day sitting in my parents' basement in a sort of daze.  I don't think I spoke more than a few words.  I didn't cope particularly well - I drank a lot of beer that day (and week) and ended up passing out in my Ugg boots on three different nights that week. I wasn't alone, of course.  His family, friends, and the entire community of South Charleston (and people from cities around the country) mourned the loss of a bright, loving young man.

News spread quickly, so I knew that I had to call Mike.  Mike and Scott had been best friends since we were about four years old, so I didn't want him to hear about this tragedy on Facebook.  Mike, his family, and two of his friends from TN (who had spent some time with Scott in recent years) headed up from TN the next day.  Scott's family was extraordinarily kind and open to his friends, and I was touched that they welcomed me into his grandmother's home soon after to pay my respects.  Surprisingly, we were even able to have a couple of laughs during that visit.  One was when Mike tried introducing himself to Curtis, Scott's "little" brother, who had grown up so much that Mike didn't recognize him at first. We also laughed, and one of Scott's other best friends, Justin, gave Scott's mom a hard time over some hilarious pictures everyone was looking through of Scott when he was young. Some of the outfits he was wearing were priceless! And it is in this way that I want to remember Scott today - by looking back on all of the ways he made me laugh during our roughly 18 years of friendship.

Scott and I went to school together from Kindergarten on.  I had a crush on him pretty much throughout my entire childhood.  I laugh now thinking of playing "MASH" with my girlfriends, usually Sara Musgrave.  Come on! You remember that game.  You would list a certain number of boys, a certain number of car choices, etc., draw some random swirly circle to determine some arbitrary number, and then use that number to somehow figure out who you were going to marry, what car you would drive, how many kids you would have, etc.  Clearly, my memory of the details and my ability to explain them coherently have faded with time, but one thing I remember clear as day is that I ALWAYS put Scott's name down, ha. I would always secretly (or probably not-so-secretly) hope that I would land on his name.  I get such a kick out of it, looking back now, because throughout our teenage and adult years we were always just strictly friends.

Scott was another member of the original King Cobra Kickers little league soccer team.  We played soccer together all of the way through Jr. High, and I am pretty sure he was rocking the pineapple haircut that entire time.  I get a lot of laughs looking back at old pictures and ALL of those boys had the pineapple haircut! Ha.  During most of the years that we played soccer together, I was the only girl on the team.  I always knew that he had my back, and I appreciated how supportive he always was.

For those who didn't have the pleasure of knowing him for several years, Scott was lanky until sometime during his college-age years, then he was "buff"!  In more recent years, I mostly only spent time with Scott over the summers when I was back home in So. Chas.  Another memory of him that always makes me laugh is of a night one summer when I was in undergrad that he came over to watch TV and hang out with me and Sara.  Here he is, this big macho-looking guy, and he rolls into my basement with a big bottle of Arbor Mist Blackberry-flavored wine.  That was a funny sight. We also had a great trip to TN together in the summer of 2006.  Mike got married that summer, and Scott rode down with Jason and I for the reception.  We had SUCH a blast and made some memories on that trip.  We joked and laughed about some of the stories from that trip up until just a couple of months before he passed away.  I am thankful to have had those times with him.

I could go on forever with stories about times spent with Scott - there were so many.  Maybe I selfishly wrote this post to cheer myself up during this week of the year, which is now so difficult for so many of us. But I also wanted to post some funny/silly stories and memories in the hopes that all of his loved ones who are missing him today (and everyday for that matter) will smile and do the same.  I pray often for and everyday think of his family, his boys/brothers, and the girls with whom he always remained close.  Much like Shawn, Scott was a loyal friend, a loving and funny person, and I'm sure an amazing brother & family member.  I miss him, and I think of him often, as I'm sure so many of us do. I can only imagine what kind of trouble he and Shawn are getting into up there, but I'm sure that, when it is my time to join them, they'll welcome me with open arms.

Think of him today and everyday and remember the ways in which he touched your life. Think of all of the times he made you laugh, smile, and remember him that way.

We miss you, Scotty-too-hotty.

In Memory of Shawn Lee Boggess

I have been thinking about my dear friend Shawn a great deal lately.  For those of you who did not have the honor and pleasure of knowing Shawn, he passed away on November 30, 2008.  His birthday is March 17, and, if he were still with us, he would be turning 25 this week.  His passing devastated our entire home town of South Charleston (forgive me, "Sooooo Chasssssss"). I wasn't able to make it home for his visitation services because I was taking my first law school final, but, if I remember correctly, the street leading to the funeral home was shut down because he had so many visitors.  That was Shawn - if he was going to do something, he was going to do it big! But, on a serious level, that really was Shawn - so nice to so many people that everyone who knew him wanted to pay their respects.  So many people came to his funeral (which I am thankful that I was able to attend to say goodbye) that people had to stand in a separate room.

He has been gone for a little over two years now, but I still haven't fully come to terms with it.  I just keep thinking that I am going to run into him at a bar in Charleston or Morgantown.  It was still difficult this summer, after nearly two years, to see his grandmother at my wedding but know that he wouldn't be there. I've known Shawn since I was six or seven years old.  I played soccer with him for almost 10 years. I went to elementary, junior high, and high school with him.  We also both attended WVU for undergrad.  As we grew up and studied different areas in college, we hung out less and less, but every time that I saw him, we hugged and laughed and it was as if we'd been hanging out all along.

Unfortunately, I am not a stranger to death.  I had lost several family members by this point, but Shawn's death truly affected me.  I had never lost a friend.  I had never really known anyone my age who passed away - Sure,  I knew of acquaintances and friends-of-friends my age who passed away, but never someone that I had such a long history with.  It was confusing, devastating, and unbelievable.  My heart broke for his family and his friends.  I don't even know that I should separate those two categories of people, because Shawn's friends, especially his boys, were his family.  Anyone who knew Shawn knew that he was extremely close with his mother, Dawn.  He wasn't like most boys - embarrassed by their moms.  They were best friends, and he wasn't embarrassed by that.  I remember seeing them at a tailgate in college, and he stayed right by her side the whole time, partying and joking around with his friends and his mom.  Part of what made Shawn's death so difficult for me was the thought of the extent of Dawn's loss.  But, in true Dawn fashion, she was the picture of strength.  She wanted to make sure that Shawn's friends were OK.  I am ashamed to say that I stayed away after the funeral.  I just didn't know what to say, and I didn't know if she would want to deal with any more visitors.  When I was home over Christmas break, she actually called my house to see how I was doing and asked me to stop by and see her.  She sat me down in her living room and asked me if I was OK.  Since I didn't really know if I was OK, I just said what I had been thinking.  I explained how I didn't really know how I felt and said, "I know this is weird, but when I was in the shower the day after he died I caught myself wondering 'Oh crap - can Shawn see me right now?"  I immediately felt like an idiot, but Dawn laughed and told me she had thought the same thing.  The fact that, despite the tragedy that she was going through, she wanted to make sure that I was (and that all of Shawn's friends were) OK is something that deeply touched my heart and something that I don't think that I have ever properly thanked her for.  I know where Shawn got his good heart.

Shawn was an amazing man.  He was a loyal friend, an adorably loving big brother & son, and just a genuinely wonderful person.  The world is a little less bright with him gone.  He always treated me like "one of the guys."  I still laugh when I think about him playing little league soccer with me on the King Kobra Kickers, running around the field with that goofy smile of his. I wish that he were still with us, and that we would be celebrating his upcoming birthday by going out on the town, but I know he is in a better place.  Everyday I hope that his boys, and his girl friends that he remained closer with, are OK.

So, in closing, I ask that everyone please close their eyes on the 17th and wish Shawn a happy birthday and drink one for him!

Happy (almost) Birthday Shawn - you are loved and missed more than words can say. I hope that you are in Heaven yelling "Sooo Chassss!" I'll be seeing ya  . . .

Praying for Safety . . .

I was extremely shocked to wake up this morning and learn of the earthquake that rattled Japan and all of the damage it has caused - namely, the tsunami that is wreaking havoc throughout the world. Hundreds are dead and the death toll is continuously rising. Thousands of people have lost their homes, their businesses, and loved ones lives. Thousands more are stranded in airports and train stations, including my friend Liz's sister (please send prayers and positive energy her way!). And still more are waiting in terror and uncertainty, unable to reach loved ones to determine if they are safe. I am thinking of all of those affected, and I hope that the tsunami loses momentum before it harms the 20 countries that it s anticipated to affect. I am thinking of those with friends and families in the affected areas.

So please, for at least today, have some respect for the genuinely tragic event that is currently claiming hundreds of lives and shattering thousands of others.  Show this respect by appreciating what you have and being grateful that you are alive, that you have not just lost a loved one, that you have a warm roof over your head, and that you can go to sleep tonight knowing that you will wake up tomorrow (if that is the case - which I hope it is for all those reading). Don't complain about the snow.  Don't complain about your day or your schedule, and don't dedicate your Facebook status and Twitter post to jokes about Charlie Sheen. I believe that we can all learn something from the realization that it could be worse . . . and praying for or thinking about those for whom it couldn't get worse.

New Blog Title b/c, Quite Frankly . . . I use the phrase a lot!

Good morning bloggers!!! I haven't had a lot of time to blog recently, but I did want to hop on here and change my blog title.  I realized that I preface every other sentence with "quite frankly. . .," so I wanted to change it to my blog title.  Martin's Musings is the least original blog title on Earth! Not that "Quite Frankly . . ." is Earth-shatteringly original, but it's true that all of my posts will be extremely blunt, or, "frank." I need to tackle my to-do list though, so have a great day!!!

Today's Supreme Court Ruling - Fine Line Between Protected Speech and Fighting Words

I really should be studying, but I felt that I needed to take a brief study break to blog about this.  As I am sure many people have already read, the United States Supreme Court today ruled in favor of Westboro Baptist Church, holding that the First Amendment protects the church's hate-filled anti-gay protests at military funerals.  Again, I am extremely liberal on all social issues, so if you think that my comments might offend you, now is the time to exit this post.

I do not think homosexuality is a choice, and I do not think that it is a "sin" that will send homosexual individuals to hell.  Forgive me for being Gaga (Lady Gaga, that is), but I think that "God makes no mistakes" and that gay, lesbian, and transgender individuals were born that way. Some of the kindest and most amazing people that I know are gay. So, needless to say, I find the views and actions of Westboro completely deplorable and, quite frankly, anti-Christian.

I confess that I am not extremely religious.  I believe in God and Jesus Christ, but I don't agree with everything about the Christian faith.  However, I do know, and believe, that Christians are supposed to forgive. I definitely do not believe that God nor Jesus would want people to purposefully and permanently hurt other people in their names. This church disgusts me. For those who do not remember, the church also boycotted Elizabeth Edward's funeral with signs saying "God Bless Breast Cancer." WHAT?!?!  Even if those people do not believe in the things that Elizabeth Edwards believed in, how could you say that?  I am sure that there are faithful Christians who are kind and loving people, and who also disagree with homosexuality.  I in no way think that that belief makes someone an unkind person, and people are entitled to feel that way.  However, to say "God Bless Breast Cancer" is ridiculous from a logical perspective, as members of the Westboro Church could easily be inflicted by the tragedy that is breast cancer, and I would be willing to bet that they wouldn't want their loved one's funeral picketed with such disgusting signs.

There really are just no words to describe how disgusting I think these people are.  To say such things to people who are grieving the loss of a loved one - it makes me truly wonder if these people have souls. Not to mention, I despise the "Thank God for Dead Soliders" signs as well.  How dare these people?  They are thanking God for killing the very men and women who have fought and lost their lives to give the members of the church the very rights that they are so happily exercising today - the rights to freedom of speech and religion.

With that being said, I do not entirely believe that the Supreme Court made the wrong decision today. Of all of the rights guaranteed to American citizens through the Bill of Rights and the United States Constitution, freedom of speech is one of the most important guarantees. The Constitution has always protected free speech, no matter how socially or morally repugnant that speech may be.  To prohibit any one form of speech or expression is to create a slippery slope down which we may lose even more rights.

But there is a chance to prohibit this conduct in another way.  For those of you who are not familiar with Constitutional law, there are four types of speech that are not protected: 1) Fighting Words, 2) Words that Incite Violence, 3) Defamatory Speech, and 4) Obscene Speech.  While many people, myself included, likely feel as though the actions of Westboro are "obscene," from a Constitutional standpoint, the obscenity exception to First Amendment protection only applies to speech/forms of express appealing to the prurient interest (dealing with sex). The "incitement" exception essentially requires a direction to another to commit violence or other lawless conduct (i.e., Sarah - go kill X).

I believe that the exceptions to protection pertaining to "fighting words" and "defamation," however, could be broadened to encompass the protests by Westboro.  "Fighting words" are those which the person uttering them should expect to incite a violent response. Racial epithets and ethnic slurs have been included in this category of speech and have thereby been found to be unprotected. I believe that the actions and language of the Westboro protestors should be included here.  Granted, I am a white woman, so I do not know what it would feel like to be attacked by racial epithets and ethnic slurs.  However, I feel as though I would be more inclined to violently respond to someone picketing my brother or parent's funeral than to someone attacking me personally.  I think that the contested speech and actions should fall outside of First Amendment protection because such conduct and language should be considered "fighting words."  Also, some of these soliders whose funerals the protestors are picketing are NOT, in fact, homosexuals. To imply otherwise could be considered defamation.

So, while I understand in some ways why the Supreme Court held in the way that it did, I am hopeful that, in the near future, the Court will reconsider and hopefully find a Constitutional way to prohibit such hateful and tasteless conduct.

Here is the link to the story -

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/02/supreme-court-rules-for-westboro-baptist-church-funeral-proteste/?icid=maing|aim|dl1|sec1_lnk1|47753

It's the Simple Things in Life . . .

I don't have a much time to blog this week.  I am taking the MPRE on Saturday, and I am really behind on studying!  I do, however, feel compelled to post a quick note about my reenforced appreciation for the simple things in life.

1.  Sunshine:  Living in Morgantown can be downright depressing.  It is gray for approximately November-March.  Today, although it is fairly cold, the sun is shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky!!! Even though I have nothing but studying to look forward to today, the sun puts me in an excellent mood. Happy Tuesday, everyone :)

2.  Patience:  I admit that I am not the world's most patient woman.  I try, and I improve everyday.  However, so many people in this world are in such a hurry.  I need my latte RIGHT NOW, or I need you to return my call in FOUR MINUTES!!! I met with some clients today who made me greatly appreciate the world's patient people.  They are so appreciative that we are helping them, and they constantly let us know that, even if the case might be slow-moving. So, thank you to those who give meaning to the words "Patience is a virtue."

3.  Small favors:  I really needed my RX re-filled this morning, but I am constantly running late.  My husband dropped it off at the pharmacy for me on his way to work.  Although it only took him a second (because he went through the drive-thru), it was a huge help to me and it made my morning so much better to have one more thing out of the way. So, thank you, Jason!

Well, I need to get to my homework and studying.  Hopefully those who take the time to read this post will take a moment to be thankful for the simple things in life that we take for granted everyday.