I think he has a duty to go to law school if he's going to be a politician. People who aren't lawyers shouldn't write laws.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:56 PM on October 5, 2008

For a resume, definitely note that you passed the bar exam and have submitted all the paperwork to be admitted and the date you expect to be admitted (if you know it). For actual practice of law, you need to consult your local rules of professional responsibility to figure out if you can practice under the supervision of a member of the bar and how you inform clients that your admission is pending,
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 1:02 PM on September 30, 2008

If you consistently get this exact same reaction from many different people, then you have to consider the fact that you are the common denominator here. It's something you are doing, not them. I would suggest that you might be a little over-sensitive to perceived slights. The fact that someone didn't think you beloned to a sorority really isn't, objectively, that big a deal.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 12:56 PM on September 30, 2008

I don't think there's any way to answer this without you or your parents going out there to see what kind of situation she's in and getting a second opinion from a doctor you know and trust. Furthermore, what does your sister want? You may also need a lawyer in case they're trying to involuntarily commit her (which is a legal proceeding).
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 4:58 AM on September 26, 2008

You shouldn't play around with your eyes. Go to the US embassy and get a recommendation for an English speaking doctor.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 4:44 PM on September 21, 2008

You should definitely get out there in DC and do some legal volunteering now. You'll learn a lot that you didn't in law school -- maybe even get courtroom experience. And DC is so chock full of lawyers that you might make some good connections while volunteering and get job leads that way.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 12:33 PM on September 11, 2008

We're at work, so you're going to have to find us via craigslist or match.com or somesuch.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 6:41 PM on September 2, 2008

Just tell her what you told us. Life is too short to lose friends!
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:41 PM on August 24, 2008

Sounds sort of like the caganer, the little pooping man in nativity scenes in Catalunya.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 5:31 PM on August 22, 2008

Gynefix. If you figure out how to get one in the US, let us know!
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 5:10 PM on August 22, 2008

I lived in Spain in the 90s, and I remember being shocked by seeing an ad for airline tickets to Asia illustrated with little men making "slanty eyes" with their fingers. I would chalk it up to ignorance, since despite the Chinese populations in the big cities there just aren't that many Asian immigrants...but Spain is definitely an overtly racist place.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 6:01 PM on August 21, 2008

Everyone here has good advice, but emphatically second the concept behind phunniemee's comment. You have to aggressively pursue each prospect single-mindedly, no delay. As soon as you find a place you like, be ready to write the check on the spot. In a tight rental market, you really have to make up your mind the second you see the place. There's no time to think it over.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 5:31 PM on August 21, 2008

I've never known an optometrist or opthamologist that wouldn't. I always get my glasses elsewhere, and have never had a problem.

I actually had an optometrist (illegally) refuse to give me my contact lens prescription. Actually, he claimed he couldn't write the prescription down because it wasn't finalized or something like that. Of course, he only said this after the full eye exam, and after I told him I wouldn't be ordering contacts from him. I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 3:08 PM on August 3, 2008

Aarrgh, very much bad, bad, incorrect advice on this thread. The only correct answer is to ask a lawyer in your state, if you're really that worried about being prosecuted for this incident.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 4:43 PM on August 2, 2008

Unfortunately, IRAC, IRAC, IRAC. Ugly and boring, but it works. Honestly, it's so formulaic that you shouldn't even have to put that much thought into teaching it. The hardest part will be hitting your poor students over the head with it, repeatedly.

Also, learning to think and write like a lawyer is very similar to new language acquisition. When you're learning a new grammar, one of the most helpful things to do is read in the new language. So, you should give... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 8:15 AM on August 2, 2008

Cognitive therapy for insomnia is said to work. It addresses exactly the kinds of counter-productive beliefs about sleep that you're describing.

I've had bouts with insomnia, and the key thing to keeping one night from turning into 10 is just accepting that I'm not going to sleep that night, or not as many hours as I planned.
Add a benadryl, and a few chapters of War & Peace, and I'm usually good to go.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 3:49 PM on July 27, 2008

In a good relationship, your boyfriend may or may not look at other women, but he will *never* make you feel insecure about your appearance or his fidelity (at least not in the long run). The insecurity may be your fault, or it may be his, but if it's there and not going away, then that's a big problem.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 10:50 AM on July 4, 2008

I think the truth to that book is simply that drastically uneven interest levels often spell disaster.

Couple A are two people who are equally ambivalent/cautious about entering a relationship, and because there's no imbalance they may be able to move into a good relationship without any relentless pursuit at all.

Couple B are two people totally into each other from the get go, in which case there's no relentless pursuit at all because... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 9:13 AM on June 29, 2008

I skipped the big firm route, but I know many people who didn't. But one thing I can say for relatively certain is that choosing a big law firm means that you will go many years without getting to take much responsibility or control over a case, no matter what area of practice you go into. By contrast, I'm only three years out and am basically running my own cases (with supervision at the appropriate points) at my 10-lawyer firm. I can't overstate how happy this makes me!
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 8:33 AM on June 28, 2008

I don't think this has been mentioned yet, but get to be friends with the support staff -- from the doorman to the secretary to the mailroom guy. Even if you are technically support staff yourself, if you graduated from college there's definitely going to be someone lower than you on the food chain who you should befriend.

Support staff can help you out in all sorts of ways if you get on their good side. And depending on the structure of your job, you may very well... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 2:27 PM on June 26, 2008

but don't end up one of those hideously scrawny older women who have dieted themselves down to well-dressed scarecrows.

I second that. Excercize and watch your diet to get healthy and feel better, but not to lose weight.

And all the hetero men on here saying eyebrows don't matter do not know what they're talking about.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 6:37 AM on June 20, 2008

Make a checklist for everything you have to do tomorrow AM (pack back, bring sweater, etc.) Do everything you can do in advance right now and check them off. Do the rest in the morning.

Now, go for a walk, come home, and have a glass of wine and watch TV. Or go to the movies. Or call your best friend.

Good luck!
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 3:16 PM on June 15, 2008

Just treat everyone with dignity and in a way that makes you feel proud of yourself and your character. The rest doesn't matter.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:34 AM on June 14, 2008

Thanks, 4cheese, for making me regret becoming a lawyer instead of an anthropologist, again!
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:08 PM on June 13, 2008

I was wary of anyone who worked for a non-profit of any kind. Yoga afficianados, out. No Congressional staffers, or lawyers, no one self employed. No one who recently quit a high-powered job and was now looking for a "work/life balance." No one who intended to leave DC, either
posted by MrMoonPie at 11:19 AM on June 12 [3 favorites +] [!]

Jeez, MrMoonPie, who did you date in DC then??

I could go on at... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:03 PM on June 13, 2008

I don't know about actors, but I've written a few "fan emails" to writers after I've just finished their books and feel wildly enthusiastic about them. In each case I've gotten a nice email back. I think that writers (especially mid-listers, maybe not so much the big famous ones) do honestly appreciate hearing from readers. But probably not really the kind of personal exchange you seem to be looking for.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 4:24 AM on June 11, 2008

If you're serious about this, you need to get a family law lawyer in the state and city where the child is ASAP. Child welfare laws and practices vary from state to state, and you need an expert. The advice from local practicioners on this thread may very well not be relevant at all to the states you're involved in.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:34 AM on June 5, 2008

cuh-razy! run.

look, you have to understand that, as dumb as it seems, sometimes conventional wisdom about relationships is 100% correct, and you ignore it to your own peril. here, conventional wisdom says "if the first two months aren't basically easy and wonderful, there is no hope, no matter how much chemistry there is when things are not dramatic."

and with respect to the facts, think about it this way. there are two... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:15 AM on June 4, 2008

It may be offensive, insensitive and a bad idea, but unless there's intent to offend or discriminate, it's not "racism."

I disagree. A symbol can be inherently racist, regardless of the intent behind its display.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 3:23 PM on June 2, 2008

If it's on the ground floor, it will be noisy and there will be bars on the window, and there might be more cockroaches/rats as well. That could explain the relatively low price.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 12:52 PM on June 2, 2008

They're poor and they want free candy. It doesn't seem that complicated to me.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 8:41 AM on June 2, 2008 marked best answer

Aw, sorry. Everyone has given good advice, but I'll just add: don't be afraid to recruit friends/relatives in a very practical, physical way to help you actually implement all these plans. Something as simple as meeting them in a cafe to work quietly side by side every night for a week, followed by a nice dinner together, or having them come over and get you out of bed in the morning and to the gym together.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 5:01 PM on June 1, 2008

"how many times he's had sex"

That is a very weird thing to know.

Weirdness of that one detail aside, this question makes me wonder whether you have a broader emotional disconnect or lack of intimacy with him? I think it would be a mistake to become obsessed with this one class of emotional experiences you don't know about (romantic relationships), but I would ask myself if he was being open about his feelings and inner experiences... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 2:43 PM on June 1, 2008

There's something in the way you phrased your question that makes me think that you approach relationships like they're a quid pro quo exchange: I "help" you, and therefore you are obligated to appreciate and then "help" me. You also seem like you might have a idea of "help" that corresponds not so much to what people actually need, but what you think they need and what a "good friend" ought... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 11:44 AM on May 31, 2008

I'm a film neophyte like you, but I'm lazy and can't bring myself to read any theory about it. So what I've been doing lately is watching a movie then reading reviews afterwards to help articulate what I did and didn't like about it. For instance, I just watched Knocked Up, then read Dana Steven's critical review in Slate, which points out a few glaring omissions in character development. Now the next time I watch a movie, I'll be paying a little more attention how well or poorly they explain... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 12:07 PM on May 26, 2008

I have a friend like this. He's a brilliant writer who's one of the few who can make a living off of it. He has in the past and could again if he wanted. But it's a tough, meager living with no health benefits, and the self-discipline it requires to do in any kind of reasonable way is frankly beyond him. He's much happier working a regular job that intersects with his interests (or at least is undemanding enough to allow him to do his 35 hours/week and forget about it) and then coming home... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 10:52 AM on May 26, 2008

That area of Manhattan has a dearth of sit-around-and-work cafes, other than the ubiquitous Starbucks. If you want to venture up to the Columbia area, Saurin Parke cafe is a good place to spend a few hours. Take the 1/9 up to 110th Street.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 12:24 PM on May 25, 2008

Sounds like you have some important things to talk about. How about if you ditch the idea of a traditional surprise proposal and instead speak frankly to your girlfriend about your relationship and the idea of marriage? After you guys talk things through and agree to get married, you can still surprise her with the ring and the mushy proposal. A lot of people do it that way.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 6:52 AM on May 25, 2008

Nobody here can give you the answer. You need to check your lease and your local housing code.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:37 AM on May 24, 2008

Thanks all - it's been sitting in regular tap water since Wednesday, so I'll switch it to bottled water and report back in a few weeks!
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 2:46 PM on May 18, 2008

If your writing is really tiny or messy, maybe the first "T" is supposed to be "B"? In that case, it would be "BBQSTD" -- barbecue at the studio!
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 11:04 AM on May 18, 2008

Taz - Really, everything you wrote there screams "I'm too cool for teh geek girls," not the other way around. You believe that you instantly can "read this sort of language very well" and decide who is and who isn't worthy of your "secret handshake" and then induct those who pass the test into the club of "nice, smart, fun, warm women [who] are making friends with each other." As for the others, you might "take the effort to smart [them] up a bit.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 12:40 PM on May 4, 2008

90K is a WHOLE lotta money. With extremely modest living expenses and some work, you're going to be upwards of $150K in debt after five years of this. That's a completely irrational amount of debt to take on unless you can be sure that you're going to have an adequate salary at the end to both live and pay off your debt. Have you even broken this down on one of the many available loan calculators online? It comes out to a $1000/month loan payment for 30 YEARS, assuming (and this is a big... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 6:06 PM on April 8, 2008

I hate to be picky (especially since I already favorited "audiate"!) but according to the wikipedia page, audiate (as per Prof. Gordon) specifically refers to music. Is there any one word that refers to imagining sounds in general? In any language?
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:47 PM on April 7, 2008

Oops, I mean this page:

"Audiation is the process of mentally hearing and comprehending music, even when no physical sound is present. It is a cognitive process by which the brain gives meaning to musical sounds. In essence, audiation of music is analogous to thinking in a language. The term audiation should not be confused with audition, the mere perception of sound. Audiation is also more than just a musical form of auditory imagery. Developed audiation includes... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:50 PM on April 7, 2008

The Harvard professor George Ticknor pretty much originated the anglophone study of Spanish literature in the early 19th century.
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 8:54 AM on April 6, 2008

Jaqueline speaks the truth. Your girlfriend has the essential passion to be an activist, but passion is useless without building up skills, strengths, and wisdom. She really needs to critically think about whether people like Rachel Corrie/ISM help or hinder the cause.

Maybe your girlfriend could start out by taking an organized tour to the region? Here's one example with the Olive Cooperative.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 5:13 AM on March 11, 2008

Also, probably the best possible thing your girlfriend could do right now is to learn Arabic. Without being able to speak to *regular* (ie, nonpolitical) people on the ground, she'll never be able to come to an authentic understanding of the situation.

Sidenote: I lived in the Basque Country and other parts of Spain for a couple of years. I didn't feel like I really had any sort of understanding of the ETA situation until after I had spent a full two years there.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 5:17 AM on March 11, 2008

Colette
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:58 PM on March 10, 2008

Thanks everyone!
posted to Ask Metafilter by footnote at 7:21 AM on March 9, 2008