That Empty Feeling

There are days I love my job and a few days when I wonder what the hell possessed me. Last week was really slow and then I got monstrously sick (the hurling kind). So this week was a not so lovefest. About three weeks ago it was a fabulous week.

Still slow, having a hard time getting through assignments. But I came across an interesting
word - Sprezzatura. It's an Italian word that means “to hide conscious effort and appear to accomplish difficult actions with casual nonchalance." The way to make an impression at work is to adopt the attitude of sprezzatura.

How do you do this? Making it look easy means over-prepping. Over-prepping in law is keeping up with case law after hours, reading the bulletins on the Federal Register (that, my friend, takes a chunk of time), and noting the types of assignments I am getting to create a master list of what is required for the repeaters (and keeping track of the unusuals too). In sum, to learn everything possible to be able to pull what I did a few weeks ago. In discussing a client and a patent application, I mentioned a program at the PTO the others were unfamiliar with. After some digging, I put together a way for the client to be a part of this program and the client liked it. Not bad for me, the slow one :)

Off to finish a really old assignment. Gack.

Working Through Molasses

Is it possible to repair an impression?

I have found that I am slow. I take forever to get research done. It's a remnant from being a researcher and feeling the need to make sure all avenues are investigated. No one said anything, my hours are fine, but I heard a bit from a secondary source. And so I talked to a couple of people. And sure enough, there is a feeling that I take too long for research.

So now I have to repair my reputation. Is it possible to alter this impression? Any advice would be appreciated.

And I know I am a first year, all first year's are slow, etc. But this is beyond that. At least two people have told me that they were reticent about giving me a project (even though they did) because of the time I take.

Thanks.

What's there to say?

I can't talk about the work except in generalities. I am tired most of the time and would prefer to sleep. And I am focusing on losing weight. And taking over the world. Or at least my corner of it.

Eventually, I am going to start posting again. Stay tuned.

Movies_Pshaw

So how many of you have stopped going to movies, instead looking them up on The Movie Spoiler or Wikipedia? I have. My patience has recently undergone a vast reduction. I wasn't all that patient to begin with and now I can't even go for 2 hours in a movie theater unless there are tons of explosions (or animated..WTH?).

What has my life become? What next, 30-sec synopsis of TV shows? Reading the end of books first (yeah, okay I have done that)? Oh well, I would rather read the movie most of the time any way. I just saved myself from watching the entirety of "He's Just Not That Into You."

On the work front, I am learning that people make some initial assumptions about you when they find out you are an attorney. I am a complete science geek. I am interested in everyone's work and can think of nothing better than spending the day listening to a scientist talking about their research. When they find out you are an attorney, some get suspicious about motives. That's okay and not everyone is this way. I would say 1 out of 5 people I talk to are this way. And it's not a bad thing. They don't immediately kick me out or anything. It's just going to take a while for me to convince them that my first interest is their work. There business is secondary.

People have also been very kind as well. People I know I will not likely work with them have been really great.

Now to drop tons of weight and become an athlete. Almost every damn attorney in my office (and ALL the women, including the staff) is thin, healthy, and athletic. It's my own self-consciousness, but I would like to not be the odd man out.

English is beyond me today

I must have spent over an hour reading a paragraph in a restrictive covenant. It wasn't even legalese. I couldn't focus.

So does anyone have any ideas on how to deal with focusing issues? I have moments like this and there are days I don't want to record billing because I am unsure if me attempting to relearn English qualifies as work for a client (kidding).

Sleep for a couple of days please

I want to sleep for a few days. I am pathetic. I have been working for only 10 weeks (approximately). And I already want a long vacation weekend to sleep. I need more exercise.

Remember all those people yelling about nutrition and exercise, etc. It's especially important for a young associate.

And I have a neighborhood full of kids, but no trick-or-treaters yet (7:15). I bought gobs of candy so all of it is going to the office tomorrow.

The downside to this job

I am working at home instead of going to a Halloween party. It's kind of my fault. I was so scattered last week that I am behind in a couple of things that I need to get out by Monday. So weekend working is the way to go.

Alternatively, I am in PJ's and not showering. So all is not lost.