Today was my last day of my internship. Technically I am not done, because I need to finish a project (as it would be a shitty thing to just not finish something). But still, last official day of work. Turned in my security badge and all. Really kind of sad. I have enjoyed this summer, and have enjoyed being a "working girl." Much more fulfilling than being a student. In all, it was a great experience, and extremely eye-opening. I still can't believe some of the things I have seen, that people really act like the (we think--we would be wrong) exaggerated criminals we see on TV. I hope that one day this can be my life. Tiring, a lot of work, but fascinating. Particularly once you get into court, which happens a hell of a lot more often in the public sector than in private practice.
At any rate, I have to finish this project. I probably should have worked on it tonight, but I was just so tired from the week, and staying up late every night. Will work on it tomorrow, hopefully finish. Then I will have to decide what I want to do for the next few days, before I leave New York. Depending on the weather, I think I am going to try to hit Coney Island on Monday or Tuesday. I am a sucker for amusement parks, and it is a fairly big New York "thing" to do (incidentally, I went to Central Park over the weekend to go on the carnival rides, but upon closer look...they really are just kind of kiddie rides. I am more of a throw-em-up-spin-em-around kind of gal, so it didn't really cut it and I didn't go on. Rather disappointing). I may also try to hit up the Bronx Zoo and the Aquarium...but I am kind of terrified of the Bronx. Although, given what has been going on in Chicago lately (namely, violent "flash mobs" of ghetto kids beating up on people in the tourist areas), maybe the Bronx is safer. Except not really.
I got my On-campus interview schedule today. For those of you not in the legal field, OCI is an annual ritual that all rising 2Ls go through before the start of the year, to determine if they will be going to work at a "Biglaw" firm in the summer after their second year (and, assuming a job well done, an offer for permanent employment upon graduation and successful completion of the Bar exam). I exclusively applied to firms in New York and Washington, DC. Which lead to an interesting conversation with my boyfriend. Jesus this thing is basically Sorority Rush, except with suits and not cocktail dresses. As per NALP guidelines (don't ask), I don't think I can (and really shouldn't anyway) go into details at this stage; suffice it to say that there are several days of going to multiple 20-minute interviews with representatives of the different organizations. Which is also basically the definition of sorority rush, at least at Northwestern. Well, at least I have good practice.
Man, I can't believe it is only a few more days. Sad. I really like New York; I am sad to see it go. I am sad to see myself go. I will be updating the blog about my final days in the Big Apple. I will also blog (probably tomorrow) about what I did last weekend; was going to tonight, but too tired.
Anyway, in tribute to the fun (and sometimes challenging), and ultimately rewarding times this city has given me over the last couple months, here is a YouTube video of Empire State of Mind. I listened to this song when I found out I would be in NYC for the summer, so it seems fitting for the twilight of my time here. Enjoy.
I also need to locate a shipping box, packing tape, and some packing padding. I bought some stuff while I was here, but considering I was already maxed out on my weight limits flying out here, will need to send things ahead to Chicago. Plus, I am not sure I could physically fit anymore into what was already in my suitcases. Here's to hoping there is a UPS store or something.
And finally, some random thoughts I had today, that I thought were interesting enough to share:
First, some professor at U.C. Riverside is getting five million dollars to study ("scientifically") if there is life after death. Uh, pretty sure you can't really prove that one there, Skipper (in a factual sense, not talking faith here people). Unless this guy knows something we don't, we don't even have the technology it would take to cross whatever physical and temporal dimensions stand between our life and eternity, if such an eternity or afterlife even exists. Sylvia Brown's contentions aside, there is no real way for us to access the "other side" without croaking ourselves, at which point it would then be impossible to furnish physical (non-ghost-like, which doesn't last anyway) evidence of such an existence to the living. Aka, it's impossible. I am all for humanities getting funding (because it *all* goes towards like, pharma research), but couldn't it go towards something more realistically obtainable?
Second, (and this is real random-- thought of it while I was reading an article about STDs. Don't ask. And no, I don't have any) but have you ever noticed that a disproportionate number of creative geniuses (or "geniuses" in other, non-IQ type ways) back in the day had syphillis? I'm serious. There is a lot of scholarly research that while perhaps already gifted, people like Van Gogh and Beethoven reached the height of their genius while under the peak influence of syphillis' influence. Right before they descended into madness and death. If guaranteed to produce the next Ode to Joy as a side effect of the illness's brain-screwing, would someone willingly get syphillis? Despite people's probable initial reaction of "hell-to-the-damn-no," I don't think it is necessarily as obvious a "no" as people might first think. While somewhat extreme, what's the old saying, "it's not the years in your life, but the life in your years?" Not that I want to run out and get a nasty STD, but it does make you think. Creating a lasting piece of genius, or changing the world, is -- so far as we know anyway-- the only real way to achieve any kind of immortality. Making your mark lets an individual "live on" by having a place in the world's collective memory. Look at the ancient Egyptian pharaohs: they built those tombs now on display for all the world to see, and underwent elaborate burial practices so that they could forever live on after death in a new world. And through our knowledge and study of them through the elaborate and intentionally-preserved artificats they left behind, in a way, they have.
No comments:
Post a Comment