that depends on what exactly you *mean* by 'productive'...

Puppy and I got SIX WHOLE HOURS of sleep in a row last night - that's a two week record! I was very excited.  I bet I won't take as many naps on my desk today :) Also, hooray for the hot dude that walks his dog around the same time of night that i do!

Words/Phrases that Lucy has learned so far: "hungry", "do your business", "Lucy!", "come here!", "dammit", (and my personal favorite...) "Go to your room".  My goal for next week is to get her to understand what "NO" means.  

My sisters baby cat has cancer :(  horrible.

Yay: LSAT class is ooooover!

Thank GOD that I have the day off tomorrow!  I'm gonna: nap, clean, take pup to mom and dads yard, more napping, and more cleaning.  So excited!

So here's the question in my head:  would it look better to a Law School to see that I've been a real estate broker for the 2 straight years after graduation or would it be better for me to have gone to work in some (RE)Law firm for a while to have experience in that too?

Unfortunately, I think its the first one.  I'll seem more like a viable professional trying to get in, rather than a silly indecisive college kid (which, clearly, i am) if I have a consistent job using a state license.  so then that's the next question: do i jump ship here and head over to a commercial brokerage firm where i'd actually be treated well, and paid for what i do, and not have to do bitchwork like picking up my boss's car from the shop?  Cause doing that would take away my pretty excuse of needing 'law firm experience'.  And it would essentially be defaulting to the other team and abandoning my parent's friends/neighbors.  Which i guess i shouldn't care about, but i do.

Something tells me just to wait until I take the LSAT, which might be smart, or might just be me in avoidance.

Wish i could nap for a living.

I'm not pleased to be back at work today.  Even though I got much more sleep this weekend, it's still in only 3-4 hour shifts.  I'm wondering what the balance is between trying to train Lucy to hold it longer and realizing that her baby bladder just isn't that big.  I think it's a good sign that I'm having to actually wake her up to take her out.  Maybe I'll try 5 hours tonight.

G's back from New Mexico - well, back as in Myrtle Beach.  He called literally about 15 times this morning....uuugh.  Apparently he's going to be in Raleigh on Wednesday which suuucks.  I'm thinking of calling out sick one of these days, but I'm guessing that Wednesday would just be too obvious.  Maybe Friday.  I need a day off.

Got my score back from Saturdays practice lsat - up five more points!  Luckily, this is the last week of class - and I've got a month and a half do get it up even more :)

My sister turns 27 today and she's reeeeally not happy about it.  What's the age that you start not liking birthdays? - - cause I freakin love mine.  Any reason for a party and i'll take it.

Seriously, LiveJournal? Did you just erase an entire post that I just finished writing? Sigh.

Well, I've had the puppy for almost a week and I think it's going well.  No more night time whining! As far as I can tell, she's finally starting to trust me - and I'm finally starting to trust myself with her - which is a good thing.  The middle of the night bathroom trips are starting to get to me though, but I suppose that I should get used to it, since it'll be a month or so before that can stop.  I can't wait to give her a bath on Saturday - rolling around in dirt and chewie toy goo is pretty much her favorite activity.  Besides peeing inside and generally being cute, that is.  We're workin on it.  The big accomplishment of yesterday was Lucy going up and down all of the outside steps all by herself. I was so proud!  It's really neat watching her start to understand things and feel more confident.  I can't wait until she's old (and pottytrained) enough to just have roam of the entire apartment!

Some random things:

My sprained ankle is now even *more* sprained.  I think it's ironic that I constantly wear 3-5 inch heels all day long, but as soon as I put on a pair of sneakers, I sprain my ankle.  So last night I took off my brace and promptly tripped over a pair of heels, crunching down right on that ankle.  Sad!

I talked to Morrison today - and I continue to think it reeeally sucks that we can't really be friends because his wife takes such bad issue with the fact that we used to date.  Especially since our best friends are now married to eachother (!!).  I have to say, I don't even really understand her logic; I mean, we dated for all of *one* month - so what does it matter?  Oh well, maybe in a few years she'll come around.

Last official diagnostic LSAT is on Saturday - and I'm hoping for a 5 pt improvement.  I wanna be in the 170's by the end of Sept!

Greg is in New Mexico this week, without real cell reception - hooray!  Which means that next week, he'll have to be in Myrtle Beach a lot catching up.  Bonus.  Okay, so yes, I am very grateful that I've worked here - if it weren't for G, then I wouldn't even be a broker, and there are some things that the Hobbs are VERY awesome and understanding about.  But really, I'm so so so ready to make my way out of here.  In a way, it depends on the law school thing, but if I think about it, no matter if I get in or not, I still don't want to be here.  The difference is, if I end up not getting in law school (or not finding enough money to pay for it), then I'd want to move to a different brokerage firm where I can actually make some real money - without having to mess with all the random bullshit I have to do here.  The major problem with that scenerio, is I would have NO idea how to make a graceful exit out of here.  I have plenty of viable reasons for not wanting to be here anymore, but the fact is, the Hobbs are my parent's neighbors and family friends.  And burning bridges in real estate brokerage is the WORST idea ever.  Thats what's making me think that *before* I apply to L school, I should go ahead and try to find some job at a real estate law firm and make the case to Hobbs that that is the next step for me before Law School.  Ahhk. I don't know what to do.

Well, lots of stuff has happened... 

1.  Cameron got married. Holy shit. It was so so beautiful - the wedding, her...everything!  I was very nervous walking out in front of all 550 guests, but we finally did it, and without incident.  Can't wait to post pictures. They've been on the Alaskan Cruise for a week, should be back later today.   I am so proud of Cameron and Ryan - they've really taken the time to create a relationship that will seriously last and grow.  I'm very lucky to have such a good example of what I should be heading for.

2. I got a puppy!  After 6 years too long of not having a dog, on Friday I got a beeeautiful 10 week old pup named Lucy - half beagle and half....opera singer. And Jesus Christ does she sing.  I'll figure out how to post pictures later - per Ali McGehee, the official Lucy Cotten photographer - (it'll be nice to come back and look once she's big!), but for now I'll just say that shes mostly black with white feet, a white belly, and a white stripe down her nose.  Hehe, oh, and also the veeeery tip of her tail is white.  And though Lucy is ridiculously cute now, I am looking forward to when she's a bit older - after all, she was just *born* in May.  And, without a doubt, I have stumbled upon the single most convincing argument for never having babies out of wedlock - God Almighty is it hard work taking care of a baby - of any species - by yourself.  Those middle of the night bathroom breaks are beginning to take a toll on my sanity!  Even still, Lucy and I have had a big weekend - and between the Potty Training and the Crate Training and the Jesus-Please-Stop-Whining Training, I think she's done a damn fine job.  And I'll get used to only sleeping three hours at a time :)

3. I took another practice LSAT - and got 4 more points added to my score!  Which is a big deal for the LSAT, considering the ridiculously small grading scale.  And the best part is that, as it was the morning after Lucy's very tumultuous first night at home, I *literally* fell asleep during the test and still improved!  Hooray!  I've got another one this Saturday, hopefully I can get more rest and do even better.

So I'm coming to what I suspect will be a dramatic, stressful, emotional, and happy end to the last two weeks - in which absolutely EVERY moment of my time was taken up with something - wedding stuff, work, lsat, etc.

I know that this weekend won't be perfect.  Mainly I just want her to get everything out of it that she can.  Well, that and I want my dress to stay up.  Her mom is really concerned about cleavage, but the way I figure, Dress + Boobs - Straps = Cleavage, simple as that.  Ohh well.

UHHH ALSO - - I decided to get a puppy...in a few months.  Anyone who even knows me a *tiny* bit knows how big that is to me.  So I was just looking around online, just looking at breeds - and DAMMIT did I accidentally apply for a puppy I saw.  She adorable. I'll just have to figure the money out.  

Too sleepy to write anymore...maybe later today?

First off, here's my scene right now: just got in to work - my attempt today is to get to work soooo early that Greg can't *possibly* throw in to a conversation that "he'd thought i wouldve gotten in already" (he must be insane) or that "the people over there at Highwoods get in at ***o'clock every morning!" (a - no they don't; b - pay me a highwoods salary, see what happens.)  In spite of my attempts, I'm sure Greg will figure it out - after all, a truly dedicated Broker just sleeps at the office.  I'm excited for the day when he really keeps harping and I calmly suggest that I start clocking in hours.  Then maybe my 3240723 unpaid hours a week won't seem *quite* so sub-par.

Now for the weekend:
Friday night, Bachelorette Party, Part One:  There was tea, there were sandwiches, there was pottery painting, it was lovely :) With the 2 weeks I'm having, it was really nice to just sit and concentrate on painting.  Plus, I think the girls all had fun, and that was my major concern anyway.

Saturday Night, Bachelorette Party, Part Two:  Was so so much fun - we started at my house with some wine and lingerie opening, then went out for dinner and drinks.  Haha, it all started out so classily - dinner at 518 West then straight to Martini Bar... and then by 2 am we were all trashed - and it was downhill from there; I distinctly remember singing "I've Had the Time of my Life" at the top of my lungs at some Chinese Karaoke Bar somewhere off Glenwood - pretty illustrative of the evening.  Then we all went back to my place and were going strong until about 4.  Very awesome night. But I still don't feel good.

Updates:
The first practice LSAT went fine - I pretty much got an average score, which isn't bad for a cold crack at it. Thought I was going to have to take another one tomorrow, but that's been moved to *next* saturday - which I can't do b/c I'll be at the church sending my best friend off into married life...

Which brings me to the holy-SHIT-cameron's-getting-married countdown, which is now down to 8 days. Holy shit, cameron's getting married.  Honestly, I'm nervous about all of it - EXCEPT for cameron actually being married to Ryan.  Cause I've never know a couple that I thought was better together than they are.  Really I'm nervous b/c I want everything to go right next saturday so that she can concentrate on what's really going on, instead of, i don't know...the flowers.  Also, I want to look good for her pictures - cause those shits are NOT cheap.  Also - and I am aware that this sounds really shallow, so I would never actually say this outloud to anyone - her getting married makes me feel like somewhere down the line maybe I took the wrong road?  Maybe I've been too stubborn or picky or argumentitive or obstanant, but to me, cameron's always done everything pretty much right - so it just makes me wonder, considering I'm sooo not in that place.  It's not that I WANT to be getting married right now or anything like that, it's just....*should* I want that?  OkayOkay, I'll shut up. 

So tonight is Part I of the Bridesmaid's weekend that I've been planning, and I think it'll be fun - tonight's the wholesome girly fun night, and tomorrow's the not-so-wholesome girly fun night.  No man-strippers or Penis straws though (but NOT because I didn't try!).

Greg just walked back into work (I haven't seen him since hmmm...last monday?).  

.......Okay, and now it's two hours later.  Greg is such a trainwreck sometimes.  Not only should he be on Ritalin, but just *looking* at him makes me feel like i should be on pills too.  It's hard to say - would he be less of an overbearing, whiny, frantic, stress-ball if he wasn't in Myrtle Beach so much, or did God just send him there because He knows Greg and I would (littlerally) drive eachother nuts?  Our part of the Myrtle Beach Project will probably be over in December, so either way, i'm not sure I want to be here to find out.  Wouldn't it be lovely if a job in Real Estate Law opened up?  Maybe I should start looking...

(10:34:02) AlisonAtWork83: We begin today with a disturbing escalation in the trend of coffee retailers giving stupid names to cup sizes. As you know, this trend began several years ago when Starbucks (motto: ''There's one opening right now in your basement'') decided to call its cup sizes ''Tall'' (meaning ''not tall,'' or ''small''), ''Grande'' (meaning ''medium'') and ''Venti'' (meaning, for all we know, ''weasel snot''). Unfortunately, we consumers, like moron sheep, started actually USING these names. Why? If Starbucks decided to call its toilets ''AquaSwooshies,'' would we go along with THAT? Yes! Baaa!

(10:34:37) AlisonAtWork83: Recently, at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Death March, Mister Language Person noticed that a Starbuck's competitor, Seattle's Best Coffee (which also uses ''Tall'' for small and ''Grande'' for medium) is calling ITS large cup size -- get ready -- ''Grande Supremo.'' Yes. And as Mister Language Person watched in horror, many customers -- seemingly intelligent, briefcase-toting adults -- actually used this term, as in, ''I'll take a Grande Supremo.'' Listen, people: You should never, ever have to utter the words ''Grande Supremo'' unless you are addressing a tribal warlord who is holding you captive and threatening to burn you at the stake. JUST SAY YOU WANT A LARGE COFFEE, PEOPLE. Because if we let the coffee people get away with this, they're not going to stop, and some day, just to get a lousy cup of coffee, you'll hear yourself saying, ''I'll have a Mega Grandissimaximo Giganto de Humongo-Rama-Lama-Ding-Dong decaf.'' And then you will ask for the key to the AquaSwooshie. And when THAT happens, people, the terrorists will have won. 

(10:34:37) Kate6089 <AUTO-REPLY> : iced double grande 2 pump sugarfree hazelnut skim latte. god i'm american.

Well, the next two weeks may very well bury me alive.  I'm pretty sure that every *second* of the next 11 days is assigned to a specific task. Haha, definitely not my kinda living, but I'll play through it.

The verdict is in from the Doctor (who was hot and nice): Running's out, high heels are in (pretty much as long as i can tolerate them - which, duh, is forever).  so i'll take it.  i've decided to replace running with swimming, so that should be fun too.

Annnnd that's all the time I have - gotta move on to designing some party invitations....that's how the week's going!

It is simply too early to do actual work.  It's 8:54 am, I've been at work for an hour, and already had 2 diet cokes and a sugarfree redbull.  Mmmmsleepdeprivation, feels like highschool!  I'd probably remember a lot more of highschool if I had gotten more than 4 hours a sleep a night.  College was fine, a) I might not have remembered it anyway; and b) there was all the sleeping in the back of class, so that really made up for it.

Good things: 
1. AKoss is home!
2. It's Friday
3. I have successfully worn heels 2.5 INCHES OR LESS for like 10 straight days.  Somebody please, be proud of me.  *Go Spinal Health!*

Not so Good things:
1. G's coming back today. He's probably behind me reading this...
2. I'm now breaking some sort of record for the most unpaid overtime EVER

Things I'm Nervous about:
1. First practice LSAT tomorrow (It's being held at Cary Academy.  Last night I dreamed that I was on my way to it, and this boy that I used to be in looove with who went to Cary Academy crashed into my car in the parking lot, and I missed it....analysis?)
2. Doctor's Appt on Monday: considering I went AMA and decided not to get the $2395729 MRI, I'm hoping he doesn't yell at me and tell me I can never run again.
3. Cameron's Wedding is so so so so very soon! (thats a good thing too, of course.)

just for the record, i'd like to put it out there that i think the guy that my sister met 2 weeks ago is the one that she's gonna marry. i just have a feeling about this one :)

So it's back to work after a freakin WONDERFUL 4 day weekend.  Why isn't that what every week is like? I think instead of all working 349752974 hours a week and trying to be multi millionaires, we should just work 3 days a week - enough for food, shoes, and bills. There's something that feels nice and elicit about being out and about in the middle of a weekday - maybe that's leftover from skipping class in highschool or maybe I have more of that puritan work ethic than I thought...  whatever it is, I love it. 

The next two days will be interesting, and suspiciously alisonless - since she's in Jersey...which rocks for her, and not so much for me.  Come back!

My car's in the shop right now.  Even though I'm essentially always stuck here, I don't like that today I actually am.  Terrifying, actually.

Brightsides: It's already Wednesday; after a few panic-filled boosters this morning, G should be gone for the week; my apartment is SPOTLESS!

Days off are HEAVEN.

Good long weekend so far: Regular night with Ali, Ray, and Tank; some pool+alcohol (mmm) with AKoss; A solid night of pay-per-view Pride Fighting (Dear Cro Cop, please DO ME. thanks.); and a good day with Cameron at her new apartment. So glad she's back, by the way. I can't believe she's getting married and teaching at Enloe next year.  Does that mean we're grownups?

LSAT class starts this week, which makes the THIRD random class I've taken in addition to working fulltime since actually graduating from school.  Interesting...and kinda sick.  Actually, I'm nervous as shit about the class, but really just cause I'm reeeeally nervous about the actual test. and applying to school. and getting in (or not).  and going.  ehhn!

Didn't get to run all week b/c of my back. sucks. This week I'll swim laps...not as fun cause there's no musical background, but at least it's something!  Hoping to JESUS that the doctor will tell me I can still run.  But really I won't be heartbroken as long as the high heels stay!  Not even going to THINK of the (unattractive and flat) alternative. 

i was trying to explain this to ali (mcgehee, not koss) the other day, but i'd feel better writing it down.

the word 'regret' is funny. we all (i'm so included) try to seem so heroic and introspective by saying 'i have no regrets, i've learned something from everything i've done blah blah,' but really i think that's absolutely taking the easy way out - crap, actually. okay, so the socio-economic definition of 'regret' is, "net cost minus the least cost which, in hindsight, would have been incurred by a different decision sequence;" so really the whole idea of regret is the knowledge that you have cost YOURSELF something by some action that you could've done - or not done - differently. So really, all that is (to a normal, sane human) is learning a lesson. Anyone who doesn't experience that shouldn't admit it.

So the tricky - and even close to impressive - thing to think about, is what - through your actions or inactions - you've cost *someone else*. Because that's the real damage; there's only a chance that the other person may have gained insight from the experience. To me, the question shouldn't be 'do you have any regrets,' but instead, 'do you have any guilt?'

no reason, just thinking.

First off, yay for LiveJournal. ONTD is probably the best thing that has happened so far in my professional life.

But much, MUCH more importantly, Alison just won a $500 gift certificate to Starbucks. This blows my mind. $500 of coffee is worth MUCH more than $500 of anything else. Amazing.

I can't believe it's only 2:20. And Thursday. Reeally ready to go home.