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Some thoughts for 2008

By 4L

As is often the case at the end of a year, one contemplates the past and looks toward the future. These "looks" are better known as "resolutions."

Since my main goal in 2007 was to pass the bar (and in 2005 and 2006 to put myself in a position to pass), I can now look toward 2008 to make new goals. I think the main one is to prioritize things differently. For the past three years, most of my free time has been spent working toward the bar exam and landing as high up as I can on the so-called "lawyer totem pole." Between this clerkship, my post-clerkship job, and soon being able to afford to pay off this massive law school debt much sooner than later, I think I landed just fine. So, given that these priorities were self-centered (sort of), I can now shift my priorities toward more important things, like planning a vacation to Europe or buying a house.

I realize how arrogant this may come across, and I certainly don't intend it this way. Plenty of my law school friends had much different priorities and were able to balance many more complex issues than my simple and mundane ones. But since I didn't have to balance important things such as a wife or kids or a job or whatever (other than my work and school, really), these priorities tended to fall by the wayside. Not anymore past 2007. Because most of my career and professional goals are in order, it's time to create more personal ones. Hence, I have decided to give this online dating concept another shot. After all, it seems that all the other people I meet nowadays are other lawyers, and those conversations can sometimes leave a lot to be desired in terms of variety.

As I wrote about once before, I made some marginal effort at online dating with poor results. And, granted, I probably handicapped myself because most of the time I had some test or paper or law review crap to work on. And, as a matter of priority to achieve certain goals, those types of things had to come first. And now they can fall a distant eighth or ninth (if not lower).

So, I think I'm going to spend some of my free time going on a series of first dates (which, hopefully aren't all bad). While I may eventually write up my thoughts on this issue, I don't exactly want my blog to turn into some sort of dating review, nor would I want to write something and have it misconstrued as mean spirited. (On that note, there is a blog that basically posted a bunch of fake ads to Craigslist to elicit funny responses, which he posted). However, if I find something noteworthy, I'm sure I will mention it if it's worth mentioning.

In addition to taking suggestions about the pros and cons of being a future lawyer tackling the online dating world, I'm also taking suggestions as to where I should go on my post-clerkship vacation. I've been to most of Europe, but obviously there is plenty left to see (or see again).

In the meantime, I'm going to read some briefs and watch some tv. Some more thoughts on the writers' strike, my current tv shows, etc. will be posted throughout this week.

Full post as published by The Once and Future Lawyer on December 26, 2007 (boomark / email).