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| Outside the law school |
I indulged last night, albeit it not in meat or potatoes. Curry pad thai with calamari and evil jungle curry instead. And champagne. Woo hoo!
First to the basics and then elaboration. BP 124/85, HR 71. Since starting with consistent exercise in December, my resting heart rate is down over 15 bpm. Of course, it will probably be elevated for my next doctor's visit, as it always is. I seem to need to meditate in a chair for a few minutes after checking in. Maybe I should meditate before I check in. Hmmm.
The soreness and stiffness of yesterday morning is gone, so it appears that it was back to the gym, and not flu, related. Consistency in working out is probably going to be my friend. I also don't have the foot pain intensity of the past several weeks this morning. I wound up getting a plantar fasciitis brace for my foot in the mail yesterday, plus a night brace, and wearing the night brace appears to have had a positive benefit in managing pain levels.
Now, why celebration, you ask...I received a phone call yesterday morning near the 10 am hour from Elizabeth Steele Hutchison that made me scream like the girl that I am. She is the Director of Admissions and Special Projects, and her call, she told me, is the best part of her job. Where is she the Director of Admissions, you ask???
Drum roll here please...................
The William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii Manoa!! I got in!!!!! I'm going to be a 1L student!!!!!! Oh my freaking Gawd! I have been wanting to get in and go to school for family law since I first stepped foot into the Family Law courtroom in July last year. We had to observe a half day of court sessions as part of the CASA program, and when I stepped out, I realized I wanted to be a lawyer. And that I could be a lawyer. I talked with Wayne about it that day and night, and he started doing some google searches about the school itself. It's a small class, LSAT scores ranging from 154 to 159, less than 20% acceptance rate into the program, grade point average (undergraduate) of 3.5. Now, the GPA as an undergrad gave me some worry, and I started listening to LSAT and law school prep podcasts. The podcasts all agreed that the LSAT and the personal statement were the two most important parts of the application, and that the GPA and resume were less so, so I breathed a little easier with my 2.96 undergrad (plus 3.6 and 3.8 graduate) GPA. I asked for and received two wonderful letters of recommendation from Sandie Kato, who taught me Social Work and the Law and got me started in the CASA program, and Joel Fischer, the president of the NASW Hawaii PACE committee (where I serve as secretary/treasurer). Amphay Champhathong, my practicum instructor and the CASA program manager, gave me excellent advice on my personal statement, which I tucked away in my mind. Have a theme, he said, tell a story. You will be a very viable candidate, but tell your story. He also offered me a letter of recommendation (which I wound up not needing, the school accepted me yesterday, but I would have loved as he now knows me well and is an alum himself).
So that left the LSAT. The UH Alumni Association sent out an email that they were hosting a prep LSAT test in September. I ignored it at first, but then Wayne (who is on UH staff) forwarded it to me, and I took it as a sign to take the prep test. I registered and took it, and got a 152. I knew it was starting to look like it could be possible, so I got some prep books and started to study in late October for the December LSAT.
I was sick the week prior, really sick, and tired and worn down the day I showed up at the UH Business School to take the exam. 4 1/2 hours later, I didn't know how to feel, I was just tired and glad it was done. All the prep books went to the library (I'd get another set if I had to take another LSAT, and go to a prep class), and I waited. I went to Costa Rica with Wayne for Christmas and New Year with our daughter, Darien (check out the blog and pictures at http://www.thebatzers.com). Results were (in theory) due in 3 weeks, but by the end of 4 weeks, they had not arrived.
On our second to last night in Costa Rica, January 2nd, I received my score. 157. I was in the race!!! I didn't expect word back until March, so I have been butterfly stomach since the 2nd. I even talked with Wayne about applying again in September for admission in 2014, getting a year's experience as a social worker, and another letter of recommendation in the packet.
All along Wayne, Darien and my Dad kept resounding that I was getting in just by looking at my resume. I didn't have the same level of confidence for first time acceptance, especially since I was "suiciding" by only apply to one school (it's all we have in HI), but I knew I would know in March.
And then yesterday I got the call!!!!
I'm now officially enrolled in the fall 1L term, and going to the school's acceptance day in March to meet the dean, the staff, and my fellow classmates.
It's been a bumpy ride, but baby, I'm here! Bring on that champagne.
Oh, I did!
Have a wonderful day everyone!!!!
p.s. 11 days meatless, 94 to go.
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