Thursday, May 3, 2012

Bar Results

I'm so sorry I haven't updated.  Studying got pretty busy and then I took the bar exam.  It was much harder than the first time I took it, and I left knowing I failed.

Results came out today and I have done everything to stay away from the computer.  One of my friends texted me "congrats" so I finally decided to look.

I PASSED THE BAR!!!

Any one who needs Texas results the link is http://www.ble.state.tx.us/Results/pass_0212.htm

Monday, January 30, 2012

Step 4 lectures

I have to admit going into Monday I am not done with all those lectures.  Whose idea was it to make us watch 2-2.5 hours on each subject?  I still have 2 left so I am not in that much trouble.  Professor Guzeman is pretty good too, it is just hard to pay attention for so long.  Oh well, I better get to class.

Good luck studying everyone!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Simulated MBE

Yesterday was the 6 hour practice test so there was really no to do list.  I went and took the exam at the hotel and was rewarded with free lunch because of the hotel's earlier issues with us.  I scored 129 on the practice which is 29 points better than I did last time.

Hope everyone did well!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Consumer Law

Yesterday's To Do list

-  Consumer Law Lecture
-  Review Consumer Law
-  Consumer law essay 19
-  Consumer law essay 20

I stayed home from class yesterday to work mainly because I woke up pretty late.  It wasn't a problem as you can tell by the list it was a fairly short day.  I had no issues finishing the list.  My biggest problem yesterday was with the lecturer.  He was drinking a doctor pepper and taking pretty big swigs of it and the noise was just gross.  It happened numerous times throughout the lecture and by the end I was dreading when he would stop talking because it was time for him to take a drink.  The sound made me want to puke.

He hasn't been the first person to make noises because of drinking during the lecture he has just been the worst offender.

Good luck studying everyone!!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Civil Procedure 2

Yesterday was super productive.  I am completely caught up in the paced program again including all of the optional assignments.  The to do list was:

-  Civ Pro 2 Lecture
-  Review Civ Pro 2 notes
-  July 2010 Civil Procedure and Evidence
-  Evidence Set 3
-  Read Consumer law in the CMR

My evidence set did not go very well yesterday, and I am hoping it is just a fluke because I was doing really well on the evidence questions the day before.

No one showed up to class yesterday, and I can't really blame them the weather made it take me a little over an hour to get to class and I only live 20 minutes from the course location.

Yesterday's "me" thing was celebrating my birthday with my significant other!

Good luck studying everyone!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Civil Procedure 1

Well, I did not go to class yesterday.  I chose to stay at home and sleep in because it was my birthday.  I still started at 9:00 am, but because I didn't have to drive into downtown, I got to sleep late.  I also got caught up on everything but the optional MBE sets in the MPQ1.  I don't think I would have been able to get caught up if I hadn't stayed at home because I was able to take short breaks for lunch and snacks instead of driving for 30+ minutes.  Yesterday's to do list consisted of:

-  Civ Pro 1 lecture
-  Torts set 3 MPQ1
-  Review Civ Pro 1 Notes
-  Evidence Drills
-  Evidence drills video

Time to go to class.  I have to leave early today because it is pouring.  Good luck everyone!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Evidence 2

Yesterday's To Do list was a little longer.  It included:

-  Evidence 2 lecture
-  Review Evidence notes
-  Evidence Drills
-  Evidnece Drills video
-  Crim Law Set 3 MPQ1
-  Torts Set 3 MPQ1
-  Blog

I didn't finish it all because I spent quite a bit of time learning Evidence.  I have stated before Evidence is frustrating because there are so many rules to learn.  It is not necessarily hard for me it is just lots of memorizing.

Good luck everyone!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Bankruptcy

Today's To Do list was very similar to yesterday's.  Pretty much the goal was to get everything done and watch the Bankruptcy lecture.  The to do list consisted of:

-  Crim Law set 2 MPQ1
-  Torts set 2 MPQ1
-  Bankruptcy lecture
-  Review evidence notes

I have finished most of it.  I must say the bankruptcy lecture was really bad.  It was long, boring, and it doesn't help when every other line is This most likely will be tested, if bankruptcy is tested.  Also the professor made transitions with the word "okay".

It is my bed time.  I hope everyone had a good weekend.

Evidence 1

Yesterday's To Do List:

-  Evidence 1 Lecture
-  Review Evidence Notes
-  Crim Law Set 2 MPQ1
-  Torts Set 2 MPQ1

I did go to class yesterday.  That is pretty much the extent of my studying though.  I am glad that Sunday is kind of a day to catch up though.  We have been put in a new room and they need to add more tables to it, but there will not be anyone in connecting rooms now.  Apparently we will move back into the original room for the 200 question practice test, and the hotel is providing us with lunch that day.

Time to get to work on Sunday's to do list since most of it comes from yesterday.  Good luck everyone!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Torts 2

Yesterday was interesting to say the least.  The to do list consisted of:

-  Torts 2 lecture
-  Review Torts notes
-  Torts MBE drills
-  Torts drills video
-  AMP MPQ1 Evidence
-  1/2 of MS Evidence
-  Gym
-  Blog

The lecture had to be the most interesting/annoying feature of the day.  There was a conference going on in the room next to us and the conference attendees kept complaining that our speaker was too loud.  They moved us all around our room and the attendees kept complaining. 

One thing I noticed about the Torts professor was he was extremely boring.  I did not know it was possible to make 4 pages with very little on them take 30 minutes to go over.  I was also a little frustrating that we were 15 minutes behind because of the hotel moving us around and trying to change the sound.

I did not get the AMP Evidence done because I completely forgot about it.  Oh well, it shouldn't take that long to get caught up again.

Good luck studying everyone!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Torts 1

Well, I did not go to class yesterday and instead watched the lecture from home.  The to do list was as follows:

-  Torts lecture
-  Review torts
-  Read second 1/2 of Torts in CMR
-  Blog
-  Gym

I felt like I got through everything faster by not going into class.  This was mainly because I finished the lecture (after starting it on time), ate lunch then started to review.  I'm actually on break from class right now so I'll be getting back to it and blog about today later.

Good luck everyone!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Crim Procedure 3

Yesterday was the last day of Criminal Procedure.  The to do list consisted of:

-  Crim Proc 3 lecture
-  Review Crim Proc Notes
-  Crim Proc Drills MPQ1
-  July 2010 Criminal Procedure and Evidence Exam
-  AMP MPQ1 Torts
-  Blog

I finished everything on the list.  I got my highest drills score so far, and felt that I was doing pretty well with the Criminal law stuff.

I also got my practice MPT back.  The comments were very positive.  I did miss a case that I could have put in the second argument, but it appears I performed fairly well.  I scored a 4 on the MPT which said it was slightly above average.  I am going to assume this is a passing score.  The sheet that tells you what the scores mean did not go into as much detail about the MPT score as it did with the Essay score.

Good luck studying everyone!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Crim Procedure 2

Yesterday's to do list:

-  Crim Procedure 2 Lecture
-  Review Crim Procedure Notes
-  Read Multi State Crim Procedure Outline
-  Read Crim Proc Supplement in the ATS
-  Gym
-  Blog

I finished everything begrudgingly.  I am pretty sick of criminal procedure at this point and have another day of it to look forward to.  This is going to be a short blog because I do not have much to say about yesterday.  Reviewing my notes is going well, and I am not bringing notes with me to the gym on cardio days.

Good luck studying everyone!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Criminal Procedure I

Yesterday we started Criminal Procedure.  It is a good thing the Criminal Law and Procedure guy is interesting and funny because we have to listen to him for four days.  So yesterday's to do list was relatively short, it included:

-  Crim Procedure Lecture
-  Review Crim Procedure Notes
-  Read Second half of TX Crim Proc
-  Gym
-  Blog

I am mostly done with the list.  I have a little more reviewing of Crim Procedure to do.  This is mostly because for the Procedure and Evidence exam you have to have everything memorized and be able to give answers in five lines.

After class yesterday, there was a wonderful essay sitting in my email box.  Barbri had finished grading my property essay.  I did pretty good on it.  They said passing was scoring between a 16 and 18.  Well I scored an 18.  I didn't get anything particularly wrong, I just didn't define some terms of art.

Well, it is time to get ready for class today.  Good luck everyone!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Crim Law

So I guess I should update before I start this new week of bar prep class.  Saturday's to do list was (including what I was behind on):

-  Crim Law Lecture
-  Review Crim Law notes
-  Read 1/2 of Crim Procedure in the CMR
-  Read Evidence in the CMR
-  Read the Procedure and Evidence Supplement
-  Answer and Submit July 09' MPT
-  Real Property Set 4 MPQ1
-  Answer and Submit Property #50
-  Gym

I leave for the Crim Law lecture with time to stop at Starbucks to get their oatmeal and my Earl Gray Tea Latte.  I sit down and in the class and start adding everything to my oatmeal and eating.  I few minutes before the video starts I realize that I do not have my lecture handout (I have ripped all my lecture handouts apart and put them in a binder).  Upon realizing this I ask the hotel staff how much it would be to make a copy.  Because I am not a guest of the hotel it is $0.10 a page.  I said no thank you and went home to watch the video.

Watching the video at home is not too much of a problem.  I do not have anything pulled up on my computer except the video.  The problem comes when people in my family who are home start asking me where the control to the DVD player is.  They do apologize for interrupting me but still it is rather annoying to have to stop the video and go to the living room for them to say as soon as I walk in, "oh never mind we found it".

After the video, I move straight to the Property set.  This seems to be a mistake because my score dropped 3 points from the Property set 3.  This did not make me feel so good and has me  little worried.  I decided to make flash cards to help remember the estates in land...they are my neimsis.

Next I answer and submit the Property question.  It should be interesting when the grades come back because part of the questions seemed to be on community property.  The question talked about a divorce and the judge giving the estate to the wife then the husband tries to sell it by a quitclaim deed.  I honestly do not remember much of community property, but I answered the question as best as I could.

I went the the gym and comedy club that night.

On Sunday I slept in until 8 am (gasp so late).  I had trouble getting myself to start working but eventually finished the rest of my work.  The MPT that I had to submit was actually a little easy, except drafting the headings.  I hated drafting headings in legal writing also.  I am working on the MPT and my parents come in and start trying to talk to me.  I snip at them when they ask one question saying that I am doing a timed practice and it isn't  good time to talk.  I apologized after for snipping and they said it was fine and they didn't realize I was doing something that was timed.

Well, it is time for me to get ready to go to class today.  Hope everyone had a good weekend (or a good day off, weekends consist of 2 days not one)!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

MPT Workhop

I think I am officially burned out and now just need to power thorough it.

Yesterday's To Do List

-  MPT Lecture
-  Answer and Submit July 2009 MPT
-  Real Property Set 4 MPQ1
-  Read Crim Law in the CMR
-  Answer and Submit Property question 50
-  Gym

I went to the Lecture, answered a real property set, and skimmed the CMP.  I also went to the gym.  Looks like I have to get the MPT and the Property question done today.  The Property one is due for grading on Sunday and the MPT is due Monday.

Good luck!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Essay Writing Workshop 1

Today is coming to an end.  3 posts in one day is a bit crazy for me but I really am trying to keep up with posting about each day.  Today's to do list was:

-  Review Oil and Gas (from yesterday)
-  Outline Real Property #49 (from yesterday)
-  Real Property Set 2 MPQ1 (from yesterday)
-  Essay Workshop 1 lecture
-  Answer and Submit Property question #50
-  Real Property Set 3 MPQ1
-  Read p 1-20 MPT Outline
-  Gym
-  Blog

Class was good today.  We practiced outlining the essay questions and it was the same lecture as last time, but it showed me where I am a little weak in property essays.  I finished reviewing oil and gas so now I have a nice set of typed outline notes for it.  I outlined the Real Property Essay #49 and found that I was able to spot the correct law and get almost all the right facts involved.  There was one area that I didn't remember from my property outline so I will be reviewing that on Sunday.

I finished the MPQ1 Set 2 and 3 and am still doing better on those than the book says I should be doing.  I really hope that this will carry over to the bar exam so that I can do well on the Multi-State this time.  I have finished the reading for tomorrow.

I have chosen not to answer and submit an essay today for several reasons.  First it is 11:35 and I am tired.  Second, I had planned on getting caught up today but my body decided that I was not going to get caught up.  I got a migraine that would not go away.  My mom got one as well so I think it was the weather and not stress.  It finally went away around 4:30 so I started studying pretty late.

The gym was not very good today because of how tired I am.

I hope everyone is doing well studying!  Good luck!

Oil and Gas

So as I said in my last post I am behind.  My to do list for today was:

-  Complete Tuesday's To Do list
-  Review Oil and Gas Notes
-  Outline Real Property Question #49
-  Property Set 2 MPQ1
-  Blog

I did go to the lecture today.  I must say Oil and Gas was really boring.  I wish there had been blanks in the substantive part of the outline because I think that would have helped me pay attention.  What I got from the lecture is that Oil and Gas is a lot like property, and if you know your property, you can probably guess the right answer for an Oil and Gas question.

I got part of my list done.  I finished Tuesday's To Do list and started reviewing my Oil and Gas notes.  I probably could have finished everything and been completely caught up, but I have a standing commitment on Wednesday nights.  Oh well, tomorrow is a pretty short day in class and in things to do after class so I should not have a problem catching up.  Sunday is also a day off again so if I can't get caught up tomorrow or the next day then I will be working the whole week through.  I refuse to go into Week 4 of bar prep behind.

Good luck studying everyone!

Property 3

So I am officially a little behind in my bar prep now.  Property 3 was on Tuesday, and I was supposed to review my property notes, work the property drills, and watch the video on property.  I am happy to say that I did finish the drills and reviewing today.  I also went to the Oil and Gas class today.  I feel kind of luck that although I am behind the next couple of classes are short so I should be back on track tomorrow.

Good luck studying everyone!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Property 2

Today was incredibly long and it wasn't completely BarBri's fault.  Today's to do list consisted of:

-  Property II lecture
-  Review Property notes
-  Con law set 3 MPQ1
-  Con law set 4 MPQ1
-  Read last 1/3 or property outline in the CMR
-  Read Texas Property Distinctions in the TX book
-  Gym
-  Blog

So today I went to the lecture and had trouble staying awake.  I will admit I stayed up way too late last night because I was having trouble sleeping.  I have also decided to try and drink more water since I am working out most days, so I am cutting back one the caffeine (hopefully this will make the caffeine more effective come those last 2 weeks leading up the the bar exam).

I get home from class and type up my property notes since that is how I am reviewing.  Did anyone else notice that we covered significantly more on Property day 2 than we did on property day 1 and now are actually 2/3rds through with the outline?

I start working on the Con Law set 3 and my dad comes in to where I am studying and starts talking to me.  Now usually when I am studying everyone leaves me alone, so I knew something was wrong.  My dad says he needs to go to the hospital.  I pack up my stuff and take him to the hospital and am working on the MPQ1 sets in the hospital ER.  I did better than average according to the MPQ1 book in the front, so that made me feel a bit better.  If I can do Constitutional law questions and get them right in an ER waiting room, I should be able to do them and get them right during the bar exam (right??).

The gym was good tonight.  I am really enjoying going and having time to myself to forget about the day and just relax for an hour.  I am also pretty proud that I finished my to do list even with the unanticipated trip today.

I got an email from Barbri that freaked me out a little bit saying that we are close to 1/3 done and that we should not be submitting essays yet.  I want to know who has tried to submit an essay.  The essay writing work shop doesn't happen until after Oil and Gas.

Hope everyone is doing well in keeping up with the paced program and feels like they are learning the material!

Property 1

Class was on a Saturday.  I am not fond of having class on a weekend, and to top it off the one day off did not seem like an actual weekend.  Saturday's to do list:

-  Property 1 lecture
-  Review Property notes
-  Con law set 2 MPQ1
-  Read middle 1/3 of Property CMR
-  Gym

All I did on Saturday was go to the lecture and go to the Gym.  Luckily it was the "weekend" so I finished up the rest of my to do list on Sunday and went to the gym again.  I really like the professor for property.  He has a super dull subject (even says most people don't like it) and manages to make it interesting and make it seem like I can actually learn everything for the bar exam.

Time to go to class.  Good luck studying everyone!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Con Law II

Today was Con Law 2.  My to do list was pretty long, but I am happy to say I got it all done (and before 10 pm too!).  The list today was:

-  Con Law 2 Lecture
-  Review Con Law notes
-  MBE drills Con Law
-  Contracts set 4 (MPQ1)
-  AMP MPQ1 Real Property
-  Read 1/3 of property in the CMR
-  Gym 6pm with trainer
-  Blog

In the lecture today the professor was hard to follow because he was speaking really fast.  There were several blanks it took most of the people sitting around me to figure out what was supposed to go in the blank.  Everyone knew the basic idea of what the blanks were but it was a little frustrating how quickly he spoke.

The Con Law drills were not too bad.  The book gave a number you should be aiming for and I met that number.  I have decided to work all the optional MBE stuff (which is why I did two sets of Contracts questions yesterday).  I did really well on the set of Contracts questions today and they were also optional.

The AMP thing has shown me I'm going to have quite a bit of work to do on Property especially future interests.  Why oh why couldn't the English make the property system easier?

Today's me time was gym time.  Since I am a new member, I got an introductory training session for free.  It was pretty good, and I was told my goals are defiantly attainable in the time period I want to reach them in.  Hopefully I will keep up going to the gym throughout bar prep.  I think I will, it is definitely a good stress reliever.

Good luck studying everyone!

Con Law 1

I'm blogging about yesterday late.  Yesterday's list included:
-  Con Law 1 lecture
-  Review Con Law Notes
-  Contracts set 2 MPQ1
-  Contracts set 3 MPQ1
-  Read Second half on Con Law in CMR
-  Blog
-  Gym

I definitely did not finish my list for yesterday, but am caught up now.  The con law lecture is by a professor from OU.  He was the lecturer in the summer and all I remembered about him was how fast he spoke.  It was hard to fill in the outline over the summer.  Yesterday he slowed down and during one of the breaks he could be heard asking if he was too fast.  I finished Contracts set 2 and did reasonably well on it.  I also got the reading done for today's class and went to the gym.  I finished Contracts set 3 before the lecture that happened today.

Good luck everyone!!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Contracts 2

Today's To Do list consisted of:

-  Contracts 2 lecture
-  Review Contracts notes
-  MBE drills introduction video
-  Contracts drills
-  Contracts drills Analysis video
-  AMP MPQ1 Constitutional Law Set 1
-  Read first half of Con law  in the CMR
-  Read the Con Law Supplement in the ATS
-  Handbells

The contracts 2 lecture was pretty hard to stay awake during.  I did review my contracts notes and watched the Drills introduction video.  The Contracts Drills seemed really hard, and I thought I had a pretty good grasp on contracts.  I got 9 right and according to the front of the MPQ1 book that is what I should be getting right.  In watching the Analysis video, I found most of the time I narrowed it down to the right answer and my answer (which depending on what law is being followed is right).  I read the first half of the Con law outline and did the AMP Con law stuff pretty easily.  The Con Law Supplement in the ATS did not really seem to fit in.  It was all additions/corrections to the big Multistate outline book.

I play in a handbell choir so today's me activity was playing music for an hour.

Good luck tomorrow everyone!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Contracts 1

Well I went to bed last night without posting so I'm now posting before class today.  Yesterday's to do list was rather short compared to MBE Preview Day 5.

-  Go to Lecture
-  Review Contracts Notes
-  Read second half of Contracts CMR
-  Blog

I did everything but blog so I feel pretty good.  The contracts lecture handout was changed so I now have a binder for the lecture notes.  With my luck I would lose the handout if it stayed loose.

Many people in the class were complaining yesterday about how much there was to do for MBE Preview Day 5.  I tend to agree especially when compared to the super small list of yesterday.

I have achieved 5 stars at Starbucks now so I get free same visit tea and coffee refills!

Good luck everyone!

Monday, January 2, 2012

MBE Preview Day 5

I did not miss days blogging for once.  The BarBri schedule said that today was Day 5 of the MBE preview.  With the Paced Program in full swing I have found it helpful to make To Do lists so that I don't forget anything (last time I got a little lazy with keeping up with the Paced Program).  This is what the To Do list looked like today:

-  MBE Preview Day 5:  Constitutional Law Lecture
-  MBE Preview Day 5:  Contracts Lecture
-  MBE Preview Day 5:  Criminal Law Lecture
-  MBE Preview Day 5:  Evidence Lecture
-  MBE Preview Day 5:  Property Lecture
-  MBE Preview Day 5:  Torts Lecture
-  Legal Learning Assessment
-  BarBri AMP MPQ1 Contracts
-  Read Leases in the CMR
-  Read first 1/2 of Contracts in the CMR
-  Gym
-  Blog

I am happy to say that as of posting this blog I have finished my entire To Do list.

The 6 lectures took the better part of 6.5 hours today.  I followed the schedule for them that was supplied the first day of the MBE preview except that I started a little later than 9am.  The lecturer was pretty good, it was the same guy that lectured on day 2.  I felt like I was able to pay attention the whole time, and the breaks were really well timed.  I should remember this when I am doing actual studying.  Every hour of studying gets a 10 minute break and after 3 hours of studying take an hour break.

The Legal Learning Assessment was supposed to help you know what kind of learner you are and what will help you the most in everything BarBri has to offer.  I have a mild preference for Read/Write with my next highest learning preference being Kinestethic which was 5 points lower than Read/Write.  Aural and Visual were not very big at all.  BarBri says that the most helpful things they offer for me are the Outlines, Summary Charts, the Analytical Answers that are included with the practice questions, and the Paced Program software.  I already knew I had a learning preference for Read/Write because that is how I have always learned best.

The next thing on my list of things to do was the stuff that BarBri says to do in preparation for tomorrows lecture.  If you can't guess tomorrows lecture is Contracts Day 1.  Apparently this BarBri AMP thing is going to continue throughout all of Bar Prep.  I liked that what I did in preparation for tomorrows lecture was structured like bar questions.  Reading the Conviser (CMR) was a pain, but I was able to pinpoint areas in my brief reading that I have struggled with (especially after answering a question set).

Today's "me time" activity was swimming at the gym.

Good luck studying everyone.  I think by tomorrow BarBri will have started for everyone in the country.