Retro Shopping

Have you ever bought something on layaway? Didn't think so. I remember layaway being around when I was a kid, but wasn't in a position to use it, though I'm aware of people having done so.

It's an alternative to paying insane amounts of interest on consumer goods that one doesn't really need. Because most things we buy aren't necessities.

I'm still trying not to buy random things and some days am quite successful. I haven't been to the mall once in the last month but have been to Target and Kohl's. I still have some shopping to do; I have one gift to order online, a couple that need shipping and several to buy to stay locally.

I haven't used my credit card for anything except online purchases and am still paying it off immediately that the next billing cycle starts.

Being a Conscious Consumer

There was a really interesting article about consumerism and paying more attention to what you're buying.

When I was a kid, my aunt would buy gifts, but she had to spend the exact same amount on everyone. Which means that people received some random little trinket just to get the bottom line to match up. Crazy.

My Christmas list is small but has expanded this year between the giving tree at my church and adopting a family through the Salvation Army. The presents from the giving tree are basic; pick a construction paper ornament on which is written a request for a certain gift. Return the gift, wrapped or unwrapped, depending on the program it's for, together with the ornament that identifies the recipient. Most of the gifts can be had for $25 or less. I took a few ornaments.

Together with my mom and sister, I have adopted a family from the Salvation Army. For those of you who think you're poor, you're probably not; the family is a single mother with two teenage sons. Their list includes bed linens. Spoiled suburbanite that I am, I view gifts as something I don't need but rather want. Bed linens in my life are a given.

Security

In this day and age, security was everywhere; a few years ago, when I was in law school, we could get in any door. Now the place is in lockdown. The main entrance is open to visitors, who are now asked to sign in; it isn't an absolute requirement, as I have yet to sign in for my class. Technically, I'm not a visitor, since I'm in a class; however, I don't have entrance credentials for other doors. It's card technology, like everywhere else. I don't think there had been security in place the last time I had taken a CLE; however, it was a morning class, so I may not have noticed.

Most reviews on which I have worked have had a card for entrance; one place had a keypad for after-hours entrance, but otherwise nothing, and another place had an old-fashioned lock and key system, in which we carried an actual key. I don't know what the penalty would've been for losing the key though; would they have been sufficiently concerned to re-key the lock and provide everyone with new keys? Not likely in my opinion.

A corporate client used biometrics so we were furnished with a photo id that had a chip and had fingerprint recognition. We had to flash the card at the light and put an index finger on the pad. Sometimes it wouldn't take, especially in cold weather. As a result there were sometimes lines to get in. Especially at peak start times. I never forgot my badge, but someone else found out that you could get a pass three times if you forgot it. After that you had to be escorted in by your manager. Because I'm no longer on that project, I don't know if she's had to be escorted.

Now I'm in a place with different security; we have a photo id and need to flash it at the reader upon entrance. The twist? The badge is also used to make the elevator move and to go to another part of the building. I don't know how many sections are in the building. So far I've only had to go a few places outside of my immediate work area, most of which have been in the next section, so only one activation each way. Someone told me that the staff pass I had on my first day probably had better access than the official ID.

If I lose it? I have the ability to get a day pass but don't know if there are restrictions or whether there's a charge for a replacement badge.

Start Date!

I start my new job on Dec. 15th and so far the time is moving slowly. I'm not nearly as excited as I was when they initially called me; the process has taken so long that the excitement has worn off. At one point I wasn't sure the position would go through; I've known of cases in which an offer has been rescinded prior to the start date due to changes in budgeting. Which is really awful.

In fact, that happened to the woman I sit next to for the job she accepted upon graduation from law school. Yikes!

Hopefully nothing will go wrong; in any case, they like me here and have told me that I should stay in touch and let them know if I'm ever in the market for projects. Which is nice, though not what I want.

Proof of Juror Misconduct

Here's a strangely obsessive story of one woman's attempt to prove juror misconduct in her son's trial.

While I can sympathize with the idea that a mother wouldn't believe her child is guilty, she went to great lengths to call the juror into question.

Good Idea?

Lately I've been reading about kids who are philanthropic, donating money received from Bar Mitzvah or asking for toys to donate rather than toys for themselves for their birthdays. Now this.

While it seems like a good idea to make a donation rather than to give gifts, it would be difficult to retrain people. My mom currently regrets not having children for whom to buy gifts; this desire can be easily satisfied by donating to Toys for Tots or the giving tree at church. This Sunday I plan to pick up a few paper ornaments and provide a gift for a stranger.

Most of my shopping has been done; I only have a few people to buy gifts for and am a year-round shopper, so no problem.

I didn't go Black Friday shopping at all this year. Nice to sleep in.

Lawyers Exported

According to the New York Times, Lawyers who previously wouldn't consider overseas work, other than in London, are now being shipped out to where their firm has available options.

Not that it hurts their resumes!