Vanity hurts...literally

I've wanted a Brazilian blow-out for over a year now (get your head out of the gutter, it's nothing dirty, just a hair treatment.) However, the thought of soft-frizzless hair was quite seductive to a girl who has been teased her whole life b/c of having big hair, and has probably spent more money on oils, mousse and hairspray than she did on her law degree (OK, not quite-but close.)

Thanks to LivingSocial, I finally got the opportunity to get a Brazilian blow-out at the low cost of $69!! Maybe that doesn't seem like a deal, but the longer and thicker your hair is, the more expensive treatments get...A Brazilian would normally cost about $325 for my particular mane.

My hair looked great for two days. Day three came and I was finally allowed to wash and blow dry. I was not dissappointed, my heair was soft and frizz free.

Then, I noticed a red spot on my scalp. I've had a small cyst there for years, but it looked really red and inflamed. The next morning I woke up with what I thought was a sinus infection, my eyes were puffy and red and my forehead hurt. The bump had gotten larger too, and I felt like someone was pulling my hair!!

Finally, after calling 19 doctors, with no luck getting an appointment, I drove myself to the Urgent Care.

After a 3.5 hour wait, I was informed that the large bump on my forehead was a sebaceus cyst that had gotten infected (most likely in a salon.) The doc surgically removed the cyst on the spot.

It was quite painful, but in a few short hours I felt major relief in my eyes and forehead. I didn't have a sinus infection but the infection from the cyst had spread to my face!

I will have to see the doc a few more times while the spot on my head heals and I am wearing a very fashionable headband made of gauze for a while but had I not gone to the Urgent Care, things could have gotten much worse. My hair does look great though!

The cone of shame

Our poor baby Frank has been wearing the cone of shame for a few days now. He has a sore on his right leg from where he can't stop licking. That silly boy has actually licked through his fur straight to the skin. We've told him a million times that the only way we can remove the cone of shame is if he stops licking the wound and gives his leg a chance to heal, but that stubborn boy just can't help it!
Frank must get his stubborn-streak from his mother ( that would be me: ruthless-eyes-on-the-prize-obsessive-compulsive-mama.)
Once I get my mind and heart set on something, I don't let go until it is mine all mine. Lately, I have been wearing my own "cone of shame." I fell 5 points short of passing the bar.
That's right ruthless-eyes-on-the-prize-obsessive-compulsive-mama failed the test that would have made her dream of becoming an Esq. come true.
Like my sweet baby Frank, I too have been licking my wounds, wallowing in self-pity, getting angry at my husband every time he brings up what is now known at our house as "that damn test."The more I see Frank struggle to get through the doggie gate between our kitchen and living room(it's actually kinda cute in a really sad and funny way), the more I realize how much I am like that stubborn dog.
The more I lick my wounds, the longer it will take them to heal, and the cone of shame will forever adorn my thick head.
Well, I am licking wounds no more, I am studying- 3 hours on Saturday and Tuesdays with a group and 3 hours Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday by my lonesome. Sundays will be reserved for restoration ( church for restoration of faith, sleep for restoration of sanity and family for restoration of why I am doing this in the first place.)

For Pedro's Sake!

Five years ago, I realized a lifelong dream of buying my own home. It's nothing impressive, just a small townhouse on the Westside of Albuquerque, less than 1300 square feet and over 30-years-old, but that place means so much to me.

My parents weren't able to help me much financially during college. In fact, I am the first member of either side of my family to complete a four-year degree. I always knew that I wanted to invest early so that I would be able to help my children in a significant way. Being the perpetual planner, I thought...hmmm, If I buy a home at 25, by the time my children go to college it will have a significant amount of equity, so that I will be able to make things easier for my kids while they are chasing their dreams.

The first five years of homeownership were pretty smooth sailing. After a massive remodel (new floors, cabinets, paint) - which I paid for all by myself- thank you very much- I moved in with a wonderful roommate who helped with the mortgage for 2 whole years.

Then, I started when I started law school, my roomie moved on, so I decided to rent the whole place out and stay with a friend who had extra space. After I placed the "For rent" sign in the ground and went to the back yard to clean up, my next door from the attached townhouse approached me. She is a retired teacher in her 70's. She had a request...
"I don't want you renting to any Ni**ers, Mexicans, or people with children!" I was appalled and asked her to get off my property because she was making me upset.

Despite the rudeness of my neighbor, I found an amazing tenant who kept my house clean for three years and paid most of the mortgage. Unfortunately she (a hispanic woman) and my neighbor did not get a long, so after three years she decided not to renew her lease. (Insert sadface here)

The search for a new tenant was on, we posted on facebook, craigslist, Section 8 and the Albuquerque Journal.

Finally, one day my husband and I were showing the home to a Hispanic family with small children. They seemed to have liked the home and the mother was ready to sign the lease while the father played outside with the children. I had forgotten all about my mean and nasty neighbor. All of the sudden, the father came to the front door and informed my husband and I that his family could not live next door to such a mean lady.

Apparently, racism reared its ugly head and neighbor lady had shouted at the children. The family left and Joshua and I had a "discussion" with neighbor lady who said that all renters were "slime" especially the ones we rent to- referring back to my Hispanic tenant and the family that was interested in renting that afternoon.

I could not believe my ears. This is New Mexico for Pedro's sake! If you don't like diversity, please move away and we will not miss your (insert your favorite word for ignorant here) butt one bit!

Luckily, we found a tenant ( after about 6 weeks of advertising and dsiclosing the neighbor's "quirks") and neighbor lady should consider herself very luck that we did not have to sue her.

Happy and Healthy!

I mentioned in an earlier blog that my job does not actually start until September 1st. In the meantime, I am staying busy and trying not to stress about bar results. My floors finally got the attention they needed, and while my two puppies will make sure that our floors never sparkle, my home is more presentable than it's ever been... so what's a girl to do with her time?
Stress + Free time usually equals just one thing...pigging out!

Unfortunatley, the sedentary lifestyle of one studying for the bar exam + the passage of time have robbed me of a metabolism that was once very, very efficient.
My hubby and I have been on the South Beach Diet since returning from California, and I feel the need to share my South Beach creations with my family and friends. I've already cooked for my mom and grandma, both were suprisingly pleased.

Even more suprising is how much I've enjoyed making and eating South Beach desserts!
Below are two South Beach desserts that I've enjoyed immensely. Looks like I will be going back to work happy and healthy!

Strawberry Milk Ice!

Chocolate Ricotta Creme

The floors can wait...

What a compact summer. Josh and I headed to California just two days after the bar. In those two days, I accomplished...NOTHING. In fact, I did the worst job packing ever and left the house a mess. Still, we made it to our much-needed vacation in one piece and had fun.
My job does not start until Sept. 1st, so I've found some interesting ways to keep myself occupied to avoid anxiety while waiting for the bar results, however I've been home for almost a week and have not accomplished much on the domestic front other than a few loads of laundry and a VERY organized pantry. My kitchen and bathroom floors are still in desparate need of mopping.
I HAVE managed to start myself and my suprisingly willing husband on the South Beach diet. We are doing pretty well and enjoying the food. It is a little time consuming to home-make all the meals to the cookbook specifications and a bit more expensive than our usual carb-loaded diet, but if neither of us develop diabetes or have a heart attack, it will be well worth it.
Much of my time has been devoted to volunteering at the gubernatorial campaign that is taking place here in NM. I am addicted to politics mostly because I know how much influence political leaders have on policies that affect our every day lives, from schools, to roads to the air we breathe, to how much tax we pay on our tortillas. I think everyone should be active in whichever political group they believe in. I for one think fair, sound public policy is much more important than sparkling floors!

Why Wait?

Hola blogosphere! I am a very blessed woman! In the last 3 years, I was accepted to law school, became an auntie, married my best friend and now I am getting ready to take the bar, become an auntie again and start my career as an attorney! I am excited to share my experiences with whomever finds them interesting, but mostly to keep track of all the crazy changes that life will surely bring.

July 27-28th (four days from tomorrow!) I take the NM Bar. Today I completed 100 practice questions. Tonight I will do another 100 and I am listening to a contracts lecture as I write my first blog-contracts Arrgh!.

It would probably be wise to wait until after the bar to start blogging, but I thought it would be fun to look back someday when I am practicing attorney and see what my state of mind was at the inception of my career. Under the Federal Rules of Evidence, there exist a number of exceptions to the rule against hearsay, including present sense impression, present state of mind and excited utterances(which are declared while still under the stress of a startling event.) The logic behind these particular exceptions is that they are presumed to be accurate because they are fresh in the mind of the declarant and that the declarant would have little if any incentive or time to lie.

I wanted to have a recorded recollection of the summer I spent attending bar review classes for 8 weeks, followed by 2 weeks of studying at school with my buddy Laura, and one final week in sundresses and flipflops- at my house consuming as much "brain food" as my body will hold (yummy avocados, fish and green tea,) absorboing the law and taking breaks every few hours to play fetch with my dogs.

I can hardly imagine what life will be like in the absence of flash cards and bar review notes, listening to music instead of bar review lectures and going to bed before 1am. What will I do with the hours that aren't spent taking practice tests? Only time will tell.