The Virgin Islands Can Suck It

I went to the Virgin Islands this week. I posted about it on Facebook. I had mentioned that it was for a hearing, that I'd be there for less than 24 hours (22, to be exact), but my friends (these particular ones are also lawyers) kept giving me recommendations for beaches and shopping and other islands.

The hearing was relatively high-stakes. I need to be careful not to say too much, but we really, really needed a continuance on a pending trial date, because we'd only just been engaged and [redacted]. And by “pending trial date” I mean – if I lost, I'd be flying back within the week.

I won. I was proud of my motion, and I thought it would be effective, so I should be proud. Elated. Relieved.

 

I'm not.

I'm miserable.

Let's take a little diversion, or two:

First:

Lemon is in her junior year of high school. This means PSATs and SATs. It means college research. She decided over the summer that nothing would be better than going back “home” for college. “Home” being the city of her birth, of her first 8 years of life. Meaning she thinks UC Berkeley is her top college choice.

I may or may not think she can get in. I know how competitive it is; I know out of state students are at a huge disadvantage. I know those out of state students are also a counted-on revenue stream, making financial aide harder to come by. And I know that their current budget issues make it a real question as to whether – assuming she does get in and we can afford it – it's actually a wise choice.

But we aren't at the decision-making phase. We are at the exploration phase. We are at the motivational phase. We are at the “world is your oyster” phase.

It was also her 16 birthday last week. She didn't want a party. She wanted a trip. With me. To California. To visit home, to visit my sister, to visit our old friends. We hadn't been back since 2009. And to see UC Berkeley.

As much as she wanted a trip, she also has crew. And AP classes. And stress. So scheduling was an issue.

But we found a weekend. After crew, corresponding with a teacher work day. She'd only miss one day of her AP classes. It was perfect. We bought tickets. The two of us are going 11/1 through 11/6.

Second.

I'm 40 this year. It's a deal for me. Since I started law school, my age has been a deal. Either I'm too old compared to fellow first students/then associates at my seniority level, or I'm too young for the fellow parents in our affluent urbanish community. It feels like a CONSTANT deal. So, about three years ago, I started declaring that I was having a party. A 40th birthday party. I will celebrate my age with those younger than me, and my youth with those older. I've rented a space (my house isn't an open floor plan, I can't have the 50 peeps I plan to have at home). I've sent save the dates. My friends have it on their calendars. My sister bought a ticket to come from CA. We planned to go the day after to get tattoos, and she is going to stay through Monday to hang out. I plan to take the day off.

I turn 40 in very early December. My party is set for December 1st.

Back to the point:

So, I won my motion today. In the stupid, goddamned 9,000 degree Virgin Islands. I wore a suit while lugging a suitcase, a very heavy briefcase, a red weld full of statutes, cases, past discovery, and a binder full of motions and oppositions. In the blazing sun. I went to lunch with my client for the full hour before the hearing, because it's what he wanted to do, and I tried to eat a Caesar salad while trembling at the sheer number of legal issues and pending motions that were potentially going to be raised at the pre trial hearing in 40 – 30 – 20 – 10 minutes. Dispositive motions that I had 2 days to prep for. I dealt with icy stares from opposing counsel (x 3).

And I won.

We got the continuance.

And during my layover, I got the court's notice with our new schedule.

Dispositive motions will be heard on November 8th.

Trial is on december3rd.

As much as I love my job, I am currently questioning my decision to become a lawyer.

 

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