Tales of the Socially Awkward

As a former charm school graduate (when I was seven, thanks!) I can schmooze pretty well at work events. I'm good on the phone, good at business related conversation. 

I suck- suck!- at anything else. 

Social interaction and I have never been good friends. I suffer from foot in mouth syndrome, constantly saying the wrong thing, interrupting, being insulting without realizing it, and overall being awkward. I usually handle this by drinking precariously whenever I'm expected to be social in groups.

I'm now trying to test my ability to survive groups of strangers. I started by going to little events for area crafters and Etsymongers. Now, I'm actually going to more events, trying to be better. Less weird. Less... I don't know. Less of a spaz.

I think this is why I so rarely make it out to things- it's easier to avoid than to go and deal with my supreme dorkdom. There is no delete button in real life. But I'm trying, because the people I meet out are pretty damn cool. 

I can't be the only socially awkward blogger out there (I mean, hi, we are bloggers). Anyone have any advice? Mutual feelings of trepidation? Should I just start pregaming again and give up on any hope of not being the most awkward turtle of all?

Cooking with Liz: Spaghetti Puttanesca (Soy/Dairy-free)

Spaghetti Puttanesca

I love pasta, I really do. One of my primary problems with pasta, however, is that when you're eating dairy free, you're limited to thick red sauces that don't sit well on hot, humid summer nights.

Italy's whores had a great answer to this: spaghetti puttanesca, or, Whore's Spaghetti. If that's not a name to catch your attention, I don't know what is. But this delicious meal is hearty enough so you aren't left wanting, but light enough to keep your stomach happy and quick enough to be whipped up after a long day of work. Best of all, it's soy free, dairy free, and rice/corn free, which is good- you'll have leftovers and you can eat this as a pasta salad the next day.

Ingredients
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 white onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
4 large ripe tomatoes, diced
4 tablespoons of capers, rinsed
1 can of pitted, sliced Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley (fresh)
1 box of spaghetti
*Traditional Italian recipes also call for a can of drained anchovies, chopped. I have yet to do this and they are just fine without.

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat, and set another pot filled with water up to boil.
2. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and chili flakes, give it a few seconds to warm itself in the pan and give it a good stir.
4. Add tomatoes, capers, and optional anchovies- simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
5. Put the pasta in the boiling water in your pot at this time. Cook until al dente, then drain.
6. Add the olives and parsley to the sauce right as you're draining the pasta.
7. Add the sauce to the pasta (put it back in the pot or in a bowl, if you feel fancy). Season with pepper, or a squirt of lemon juice. You can add feta or goat's chevre to it too (like I did, as goat's cheese is my only friend).

You can also play with this recipe- Nick and I added too few tomatoes, but the original recipe I adapted this from calls for 6 tomatoes, which was far too much. Two being too few, six being too much, I'll go with four and call it even. Let me know if you have any fun variations of this dish, or if you've made it with anchovies- I'd be interested in hearing how it is!

Adapted from the Essential Mediterranean Cookbook

A call for guest bloggers!

I promise this won't be my only post today, as I'll be back soon to expunge a new recipe upon you. However, I just realized I leave in a week for California, and I need guest posters. So, fellow bloggers, readers, etc- got something to say? Want to blog between Aug. 4th -12th to say it? Please, shoot me an email (liz at lizinlife dot com) and we'll chat.

In the meantime, I'm going to continue marveling at my car and it's working speedometer. Woot!

Hitting a brick wall. Again and again and again.

My novel is not coming along.

Either of them.

I don't know what's wrong with me. If I'm anywhere but at a computer, I have ideas. I'm sitting there thinking, "I should go write right now." And I trot to the computer, sit, and... Muse gone. I just stare, end up on Facebook, or reading blogs and lurking on Twitter. It's frustrating. I've had one story going on for two years. Another one for almost as long. And I keep stopping, starting, throwing away, starting over, and ignoring.

I'm half tempted to break my One Coffee Out a Week rule and drag myself to the Buzz around the corner. I couldn't even get coffee there, as there is nothing I could put in it that is df-sf. But, maybe in that environment, I'd get to work?

I don't know. Writers, people who work from home, all of you, what do you recommend. How do you get the proverbial juices flowing when it seems impossible?

The Crafty Law Student: Wine Cork Centerpiece

Wine Cork Centerpiece


As I am home alone with nothing to do but fiddle with my blog layout, learn AppleScript, and knit, I have been avidly decorating the apartment. Of course, decorating is a lot harder when you're saving your pennies for the long road of  law school ahead, trying not to have a nervous breakdown over your last steady paycheck for a long, long time.

So, I've been putting my crafty energy to good use, and lo and behold, a new blog category appears! Currently, this is more apartment design-y for people with a (very) limited budget, but I plan on incorporating gift ideas, etc, into this. If I have the energy.

Part of the decorating issue, of course, is Nick's leery sense of my style, which is like Anthropologie and IKEA mated. Because of this, the apartment is modern, but I'm adding splashes of color to the earthy beige that engulfs me. Erm, makes up our color palette?

After searching high and low, I decided upon this centerpiece, which I'd seen variations of floating around. On our glass table, with our IKEA bamboo placemats, it would work perfectly and add a burst of blue. Yay! Plus, the supplies were easy- wine corks (I have those, thanks, alcoholism!); candle (5 bucks, IKEA) and hurricane vase (9 bucks, IKEA). Not too bad, eh? Below are directions on how to make your own, though it's not hard. At all. Have fun gathering the materials!

How to make this yourself!
1. Obtain wine corks- I used six for this, but you might need more if you buy a bigger vase and don't need/want to cut them down to size (cause the small vase was completely intentional, I swear!). You can do this two ways- go to bars and restaurants, make nice with the bartender, get corks (or ask your friends for corks). My preferred method was to drink the wine myself and collect the cork. Wooden corks work best for this, fyi, and if you're worried about stains, stick with white wine.

2. Okay, so, grab your candle, your hurricane lamp, and your corks. Place the candle in the center of the vase. Obsess over what is center for a bit, then drink more wine.

3. Place a cutting board down. Make sure you are sober enough to do this with a boxcutter. Or maybe skip the wine I just mentioned. Carefully slice the cork into halves or thirds, based on the amount of fill space you have. Cutting the cork sucks, and I would usually get 75% of the way through and pull it apart by hand.

4. Fill the spaces- two or three layers of cork is good.

5. Ta da! You did it! You're awesome. Now, go admire this, pat yourself on the back, and pop open more wine. You deserve it.

All done! Please ignore our '80's tastic mirrors.

Disclaimer: I don't encourage playing with sharp things and drinking. Also, don't drink all six bottles at once, drink responsibly, and don't drink if you're under 21. If you hurt yourself during this project, it's not my fault- I never said I was a role model. I CAN'T BE TAMED!!

Thinking About Law School?

I've been getting tons of questions since my interview with the National Law Journal a couple weeks ago from friends, friends of friends, and people generally curious about law school. What would I recommend, being the pessimist I am about law school. What would I advise people who are considering law school? Being as how I've been inundated by often unsolicited advice (which was valuable and was awesome, seriously, and I love every commenter and friend who has been like "YOU ARE INSANE!"), I figured I'd cast off my anger over lettuce for a moment and talk law school with you.

So, considering law school? Great. First question you should ask yourself is: Why the Hell would you want to put yourself through three years of backbreaking work, rack up potentially 100k (or more) in debt, only to enter a highly unstable market where you'll be hated and broke for years to come?

More accurately, are you entering law school because you think it will: help you make 100k a year upon graduating (If so, I have a fabulous bridge in Brooklyn to sell you...)? You want the courtroom glory, man (cause Law and Order is soooo accurate)! What about how you think it'll help you in your business career (which is like going to med school to become a fashion editor. Now, a law degree just makes you overqualified)? Or, finally, because the economy really sucks and it's better than Starbucks (take the Starbucks, you fool!)?

The only people who should be going to law school right now are the ones who love law. The ones who are 100% sure they want to be a lawyer, screw the debt and the prospect of ramen for the next five years. If you're one of these rare gems, continue reading. If not, and you just want money/glory/financial stability... you don't belong in law school.

Okay, so, you're 100% you're sure you want to go to law school. Now, start saving. Really. The best advice I have is take a year or two off if you can and save. Unless you're truly lucky, chances are your parents cannot shoulder the entire cost of law school. Loans are awful and, yes, you will have to take them, but working to minimize the debt is something I recommend. Take a year off, get a job somewhere (law firm work if you can, but the point is to gain a little experience and save money), and study for the LSATs while saving every bit you can. At the least, try to punch a hole in any undergraduate debt. Also, this lets you become financially independent, meaning you might be able to declare yourself separate from your parents and get more financial aid-- very helpful if your parents aren't able to help you, as without proof that you live independently (ie, paystubs), often the Gov will still assume you're living off them.

If you've already taken time off, or you've decided that's not your approach, you're doing your LSATs, and now it's about deciding on a school, here's a quick rundown of what to consider when applying:
1. Treat picking a school like buying a new car. Would you buy a new car without researching it first? Didn't think so. Research, research, research while creating your short list and long list.
2. Apply in areas that have actual legal markets (and the markets are rebounding). I love California, and hope to move there one day. However, after watching the economy there... I wouldn't go to a California school right now, unless it was a T14 and I could get a job elsewhere. Same with some other awesome areas that looked nice but, well, the markets suck. Look, the legal market is already down- and will likely drop again as the recession continues its roller coaster ride of doom. Don't make it harder on yourself to moving to a place with no legal market.
3. Look at the cost of the schools, and the cost of living in an area: Again, minimize your debt. We all might dream of landing a Biglaw position upon graduation, but I'm a "0L" and I know that ain't happening. Try to minimize your debt by going to schools that are affordable, and plan ahead for the cost of living so you don't get sticker shock when you realize that Seattle is more expensive to live in than the small college town in Kansas you've been in.
4. Back to Legal Car Shopping: While you're looking for economy, just remember a cheaper car isn't always the better car . You're looking for the Subaru of Law Schools. A school that is affordable, reliable, will go forever, and still looks good. I got into an incredibly cheap law school that has a horrible work-placement and bar passage rate. Sure, I could have graduated law school for around 40k, but I would have a degree that would hurt more than help. Make sure the school you go to is ABA and AALS accredited (and not provisionally), look at bar passage rates, job placement rates, clinics, and clerkship placements. All of these factors, with the costs and reputation of Baltimore Law in Maryland made it my "Subaru".
5. Scan the Yahoo "transferapps" Group : But, Liz, you say, I don't want to transfer! No, but it tells you a lot about the school. If you see waves of students scrambling to get out, you might want to worry. A lot. But if you can't find records of anyone transferring out of a school on there at all- and no one knows anything about a transfer there- you should be worried (this prereq alone knocked four schools off my safety list). But if you see your school getting kids transferred into a T14, you know it's got a strong reputation.
6. Apply early. This might be more of an application thing, which will be another post, but if you're set for the September LSAT, get your recommendations by early October. Have your transcripts and personal essays done. Use that gap between the LSAT and when your score is reported to have everything ready. Get all your applications in by Thanksgiving. Why? Two reasons: schools are rolling admissions, and you're more likely to make it in (especially if you're a slight reach) then. You also are more likely to get magical scholarships. Scholarships are good, my friends. So apply super early, sit back, and relax.

Okay, I know I have more readers than me (CO? Lady CO? Cat? UVA?) who are actual law students and not just blowhards like me who like to take the rose colored glasses off your faces and crush them beneath my awesome stillettos. I know there are also a fair amount (M?) who are going to law school this Fall. What advice do you have for anyone considering law school? How did you choose where to apply? What did I miss? Other than the "What are you thinking, law school??!? You're insane!" part.

Here endeth the lesson!

Friday Fives: 5 People That Are Pissing Me Off

Here's the continually revamped Friday Fives. Five "miniblogs" compiled into one post, with the last post always being a shoutout or recommendation of a good blog (or Twitterer) of your own. You can choose any other four topics, you can make a theme (like I do)- total freedom. If you choose to do it, post your link in the comments and I'll put it up and Tweet it and make you my new favorite. Sound good?

1. So, this might be the PMS talking, but I've been feeling pretty darned stabby lately. Like, stabbier than usual. Stabby to the point of me actually being a danger to the world. Especially DC area drivers. I don't know why in God's name people in this freaking area cannot use a turn signal, but really, you should. The next jackass that cuts me off without one is going to get one shoved up his behind.
2. The over zealous lettuce guy at Subway. No, I don't want the lettuce (or the cheese), as I've stated twice already in my order. Yet you still throw it on and then stare when I say "NO lettuce!!". Not everyone likes lettuce. Please, for the sake of my lackluster tuna sandwich, stop with the lettuce.
3. That stupid guy with that stupid billionaire song. You don't deserve a billion dollars, or a million, on account of that awful song which WON'T STOP PLAYING. Hot 995 is banned from my ears because of the over prevalence of that song, and I swear, if I ever meet that singer, I will have to stop myself from stealing his credit cards, ruining his credit forever, all so he will never be a billionaire. Rawr!
4. Morning news network tv shows. Stop with your fake peppiness and treating of the newest #twittertrend as news. I don't care how adorable the penguin is. I want headlines, in easy to manage clips, given to me straight. Is that so much to ask?
5. My cat's inability to let me sleep in. Because no one on their sabbatical should still be getting up at 7:30 every day.

So I'm cranky and stabby, clearly; but what's pissing you off, dear cupcakes? What makes you raise your stake, Buffy Summers style, towards some dumb jerk who is really asking for it? And could we bring back the stake as a valid weapon? I'd appreciate it. At least then I wouldn't look so weird when mine falls out of my purse at the Bronze in front of that bitchy Cordelia girl. Gosh.