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RipStar07
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Name: John
Country: United States
State: California
Metro: San Diego
Birthday: 8/20/1984
Gender: Male
Interests: God, Country, Politics .... and roller coasters!
Expertise: God, Country, Politics
Occupation: Student
Industry: Legal
Message: message me
Member Since:
3/31/2003
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| This year is finally drawing to a close for me. I'm sitting here in the law library (with some slight sun glare) and I am preparing for the first of four final exams over the next 2 weeks. My last one is May 18. And then I'll officially be a 2L instead of a 1L. Unbelievable.
A year ago I still didn't even know where I would be going to law school. I was wrapping up my final months at UCSD and trying to live it up as a senior. It's funny how things turn out. The people I have met, the friendships I still maintain, the stuff I've learned. All in one year.
I have argued an appeals case in 4 full-scale rounds of oral argument, with the last one taking place in the Los Angeles County Superior Court (Hon. Stanley Mosk Courthouse) in downtown. I've drafted an appellate brief and I have drafted a Memorandum of Points and Authorities.
I'm considering running for the Presidency of the Southwestern Federalist Society. If I get it, I would get to travel (for free) to Washington DC in the summer to meet the US Supreme Court justices.
I've learned that I want to do Civil Litigation at this point, though transactional work might be interesting too. I have decided that I want to pursue healthcare and medical malpractice law as a career (hopefully).
I've met individuals who will become the movers and shakers of Los Angeles one day. Maybe me too? Who knows. I sit in class looking around the room and I realize there are judges, trial lawyers, business brokers, and politicians surrounding me... they just don't know it yet. What the heck will I be someday? Who knows. I don't know it yet, either. That's the irony of all this business.
Have I forgotten where I came from? Nope. I'll always be a Walnut High School alum, class of '02. And I will most certainly always remain a UCSD Muir College Alum, class of '06. It's the past that's what always makes us what we are. I once hear somebody say the present is just a pleasant interruption to the past. I suppose the future has to be worked in there somehow also.
Anyways, these are just some reflections on my life thus far. I'm not even sure if it's more so for me to document for myself, or to broadcast to the wonderful world of Xanga. Well, even though so many ppl seem to have let the dust collect on their Xanga's (including me), here it is. For old time's sake.
Darnit, I hate finals.
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| So I graduated UCSD 6 and a half months ago. Wow...
Now I'm in law school in beautiful downtown Los Angeles, at Southwestern. Beautiful place. One of our buildings used to be a Bullocks, which catered to the Hollywood elites ever since 1929. It's an Art Deco monument, even listed on the national register of historic places!
Law school sure is tough. I just finished my first semester. Grades are still coming back, but so far, so good. I'm not failing! Not even in any danger of that. Which is great. Hey, I already made it into law school, so who do I need to impress? All I need to do (if you REALLY break it down) is simply pass the Bar Exam, and get a good job! So grades ARE important, but I am pretty content for now. I still need to see what Torts turns out to be.
I'm really not sure what type of law I want to practice, but I am very interested in Medical Malpractice or perhaps Products Liability. Still, I am a second-semester 1L, so that can and probably will change at some point in the future, hehe. Ironically enough, I got my highest grade from my Criminal Law class, after I swore I would never pursue that as a career. Story of my life.
By the way, now that Xanga seems to keep track of "footprints" on one's page. And even though it's been 9 months since my last update, I seem to have a(n) admirer(s)! Thank you to whoever you are. I'm sure you know who you are, lol.
Enjoy this update!
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| I am back. I've been through Hell, but I'm back.
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| - Bad Luck
I must say, I am beginning to like my workplace more and more. I
mean, I always loved working at the Blue Bayou, but there are just some
things that are freaking awesome. Like seeing Katie and Megan
today. It was really really awesome to see some familiar faces in
the restaurant (with a WATER table too!) and to just chill out on
company time, hehe. Thanks again for coming guys, I hope you had
an awesome day.
Pirates of the Caribbean broke down tonight. To the point where
they had to evac the entire ride!! I was downstairs on my first
break today, eating some pasta in front of the West Side Diner (the
employee restaurant under New Orleans Square) and I see guests walk
past me by the BOATLOAD being directed to go upstairs (which leads out
to the restrooms in New Orleans Square by the train station).
Most of them were gawking at the Diner and us Bayou folks sitting in
front of it. It was funny since they were like, "Oh wow the
employees have a restaurant!" As if we don't need to eat or take
breaks! Pretty funny thought, actually. We kept shouting
"Yeah, we're human beings too you know!" Good times.
You wanna know WHY Pirates broke down tonight? According to one
of their cast members, they seated two ridiculously obese women in the
front row of a boat, and it apparantly "screamed like a bat outta hell"
down the drop chutes and because the boat was too heavy (because of
THESE two women) the motor on the chain lift at the end of the ride
BURNED OUT!!!! Can you imagine having an added 600lbs on the
front of the boat? i'm surprised it didn't SINK! There's
definitely a lesson to be learned here. Isn't that absolutely
hilarious though??
We have a new special at the Blue Bayou, which is barbecue chicken and
ribs. I must say, it's quite tasty. Our kitchen people are
freaking awesome. Tonight was the THIRD time we decided to
"sample" and "demo" the special, as a staff. You know what that
means? They set a BIG plate of ribs and a BIG plate of chicken
out for all to delve into as the night winds down. Ahhh, the joys
of working at a 4-star restaurant. The fact that we recently
acquired a boombox for the kitchen and crank up some techno music while
we work is even more awesome. They used to have it before, but
the management took it away because they had it up too loud and guest
were complaining about hearing blaring rock music while they ate in our
peaceful tranquil restaurant. Whoops! Anyways, the boombox
is BACK and so it's a party in the kitchen every night now! Man
it's fun to close.
It's also cool to have friends from work come into the restaurant and
sit in YOUR station. Last week I managed to acquire Station B,
which is dead-center along the water. And of course two other
cool Bayou people happened to be coming in that day. Well, they
felt bad for me since I had a lousy tipping server on their station, so
they called me close, and before I knew it, they stuffed $12 into my
pocket, as a tip!!! I laughed so hard because they were like,
"yeah this is like half of what you'll get from Denise for the entire
shift!" Which was slightly off, as I actually managed to pull $28
from her that day, which is really good for having her as a
server. Add the $33 I got from my other server, Charles (Katie
and Megan, this was they guy you had when you came), so added up, I
pulled $73 on a day shift, which totally rocked. I love my Bayou
friends.
Anyways, it's funny.... I came into this job HATING it. I dreaded
going to work in the morning last summer. I felt really distant
the whole time I was there since I was the "new guy". But after
being the new guy (AGAIN) when I got sent to California Adventure for
the first two weeks of this summer, I realized that the Blue Bayou was
home and that I actually really ENJOY my workplace. I mean, free
expensive food, loud music in the kitchen, chilling with friends who
actually TIP you... where else am I going to get this? Heck, I
somehow got into a conversation with two servers tonight about orgasms
(okay, I KNOW it's random) but it was sooooo funny talking about that
stuff and then watching the servers head out and talk to families about
their day at Disneyland! It's soooo wrong, I know. But I
laughed so hard when the conversation came up.
Anyways, it's late and I need to get to bed here really soon.
Katie and Megan, it was awesome to see you! Meg, nice to see you
before work today also! We gotta hang out, I know! Later,
everybody!
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| - Something Real
Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I updated this thing.
I have been working at Disneyland since literally the Sunday after
move-out. The Food Services department has been ridiculously
understaffed and so as a result, I have 6-day work weeks. I spent the
first two weeks in California Adventure also, although I ran into a few
other displaced Blue Bayou workers, which was nice to see. Anyways, it
was cool to work over there for a little bit, and I was glad when they
finally started scheduling me back in the Blue Bayou.
HOWEVER.... there has since been this ridiculous change in the way we
are scheduled. Before, it was a simple rotation of the bussers,
as far as where you work every day. Since some duties are tipped
(i.e. when you have a station on the floor) and others are not (i.e.
stocking the restaurant) it was fair... when you stock, you get a
station in the next day or two (which means you make tips).
Anyways, now its been changed so that it is seniority-based.
Which sucks, because I have some considerable seniority since I was
hired over a year ago, but I am only Seasonal status. That
automatically places me and all of the other Seasonal people on the
BOTTOM!! Sooooo to make a long story short, I've been stocking 6
days a week (52 hours this past week). Ridiculously unfair,
especially since there are people on the floor (EVERY DAY, MIND YOU)
who have been working at the Blue Bayou for only a few months. I
swear.
The good news is that I have been somehow blessed over this past
week. Through skillful manipulation and generosity of other
bussers, I've landed FIVE stations and kitchen once. I can't
believe it! This is just like the good old days, that's for
sure. So on these stations I have made: $80, $84, $73 (that was a
day shift), $92, $82, plus $57 when I was the runner on a day
shift. Luckily I've had all night shifts, which means a lot more
money. I was always a day busser last summer, which was much
better hours, but meant that I made a lot less. Anyways, my rage
at being a status-stocker has died down considerably, in the wake of
this past week since I've managed to land all these stations.
Hopefully this holds out for me for the next four weeks.
With the exception of going into the park with my good friend Amanda
Jordan once, I haven't had a chance to hang out with friends, which
sucks. I wish I could, but working 6 days a week doesn't leave
much flexibility for seeing old friends. Besides, everybody is
either in San Diego or at work also, so that doesn't work too well
either, hehe.
In less than a month I'll be 21!!! I still can't believe
it. It's that final year that something actually happens, you
know? Well, except for 25 when you can rent a car or something...
but that's just kind of anti-climactic I think. So here's the
deal: my last day of work is technically going to be on my birthday,
since it's a Saturday. That means it's time to put in for that
day to be off/ call in "sick"!
The Monday after my birthday, my family is going to fabulous New
Orleans!! I haven't been there in a couple years. I can't
wait to see it again. And all of my usual hangouts. And
time to go enjoy a Dixie beer in the Napoleon House. Ooooo
yeah. Anyways, I think we're returning the day before I have to
go down to San Diego to start HA training.
I'm looking forward to seeing all of my HA pals again and to getting
the HA ball rolling. And then it's off into my final year of
UCSD.
Anyways, I hope all is well for all of you guys. Sorry I'm not
online more (Jessica C, that's for you). I get home at like 1 am
and I'm too physically exhausted to physically turn my computer on,
lol. So take care everybody, and know that I really do wanna hang
out and chat (even though it's almost August). See you later!
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