a clean desk

compare these two pictures.

it's my study/dresser table, before and after the bar. it was quite messy, with all the books, post its, index cards, pens and whatnot i had. then i cleaned up this morning, put my reviewers and papers inside my cabinet for disposal later on, put my books back in the book case, cleared out used pens and papers, and wiped the dust from the shelves.

in a way it seemed like a great purge. a lot of things had to be given up for the sake of the bar exams. i even gave up cleaning my stuff, sweeping the floor only once every 2 days because i had to use up all available time to study (haha, not really, i spent a lot of time online).

and now it's all over. i have to get used to the fact that i don't have to be conscious of the time whenever i have to go online or watch tv or eat my meals because i had to study. now i have all the time in the world to do what i want.

that is, until next week, when training for my new job starts. the HR person sent me an email that i will be signing my contract tomorrow at 3pm. oh, goody. i can get my life back within a short period of time. and i'm going to start earning. great.

it feels so good to be blessed.

My Music: 96.3 WRK
Am Reading: uncle john's legendary lost bathroom reader
I Feel: sleepy

after the bar

it's past midnight and i'm hardly sleepy. this must be a spillover from my days (or nights) studying for the bar.

last sunday, dad brought me to DLSU for the last day of the exams. on the way, i met russ, a classmate of mine from UP law and now a lawyer, and asked me if i already had a copy of last minute notes from ateneo (the so-called blue notes). when i said i didn't, he handed me a copy. i thanked him and went on my way.

at the entrance to the bar site, arellano and san beda were having the send off for their respective bar candidates. i had to endure the long lines and the noise from the drums and whatnot, which made me more nervous than i should be. at the entrance i saw the deans from some law schools, but not atty. valdez of UE, whom i never saw on any of the sundays. my teacher atty. riano was there, and when he saw me he clapped his hands and mouthed, "Good luck!" like he did during the past 3 sundays.

after the last exam (legal ethics and practical exercises), i was met at the entrance gate by my fraternity brods who doused me with virgin cola. which was so bad because i didn't bring any extra shirt with me. so i hung out at the bar site and got doused some more with water. at least it neutralized the stickiness.

at the bar site lex palooza, composed of UE law students, was playing. it was good because the bar candidates were all wet and getting drunk, and the only thing we could think about was to forget about the exams and get on with our lives. or at least i thought that way.

dad and dianne picked me up at around 6pm. i had to beg off from the frat shindig, because i wanted to go home. we had dinner at dencio's in magallanes, where i had a couple of beers and we feasted on sisig, talong chips, calamares and garlic mushrooms. then we picked up mom at the bus station underneath the magallanes interchange.

i slept quite early on sunday night, not having to do or think about anything. woke up at 10am. checked emails and helped mommy set up YM for her and my brother mark to talk. then we went to SM. i had a haircut, the first in 3 months (i normally have my hair cut every month), and for the first time in 10 years, i will be growing my hair out. we had the new pictures of mikee developed, and then we went to pick up dad from the office, because he had his car brought in for repairs.

so now i am still awake.

duh. that was a longish narration of the week-end that was. can't wait to get on with my life.

*****

if i pass the bar, i will throw a big party next year. no kidding. i probably might have to hold it in a restaurant or hotel function room. and i will invite my law school friends, my high school classmates, and everyone else i know who would care to show up.

*****

seriously, i'm just glad the exams are over. truth is, the waiting period for the results to come out (about 6 months) is the most difficult part of it. i just want to start on my new job so that i won't be thinking about it too much. and i will not stop praying, because at this stage it's the only thing i can do.