So I just got my packet from the state Bar in the mail. I'm happy to get it, in part because now I can actually have my bar number, which lets me access my account and do all sorts of things through the website (like change my home address, for example).
But there are some really amusing things, too. For example, the coverletter that came with my packet begins as follows:
Dear Mackenzie:
Congratulations on your admission to the Wyoming State Bar. Your years of sacrifice and hard work have paid off! Now that you are a member of the Wyoming State Bar, there are several things that you should know:
License Fees
Our fiscal year runs from October 1st [etc., etc.]
Perhaps it's just me, but it's funny to me that the letter basically starts out with "Congratulations!" and moves quickly on to "Here's how much you owe; pay us within a month!" Regrettably, my employer kicks in with paying my bar dues only next year. It's a bit of a bummer, considering that the holiday season is nipping at our heels like a pack of ravenous dogs.
But I may be a bit different because I consider employers paying things like bar fees to be one of those above and beyond things. In other words, I don't expect them to pay for bar fees, ever. It's just a nice thing when they do. That's opposed to things like insurance, which I absolutely expect my employer to provide, or to pay me more to procure.
Anyway, so the exciting adventure that is the practice of law begins. I have my attorney number, and the ability to practice. In a lot of ways, this is what I've striven for since I was a kid. Granted, I didn't know it, and I can well remember MackenzieMom being a bit frustrated at times that my grade didn't match my potential, but it's nice to have a bit of a safety net. I feel confident that I can provide for myself given all sorts of negative circumstances. It's not foolproof, but it's more certainty than most people have.
Maybe my perception is flavored by having finished, today, Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. I read it this weekend for the book club meeting tomorrow. I may blog about it--I actually have a lot of thoughts about the book (I actually took notes!). It was interesting. I probably wouldn't have read it except that it was a book club selection, but I'm glad I did. I recommend that you do, too, if you haven't already. Let me be the first to say that I don't buy Sinclair's position, but it is still relevant today. Anybody who has read Fast Food Nation can attest to that.
That's all the substance I have for now, but one last technical note. I still haven't gotten comments running, and really haven't had leisure to try. But I'll be giving it a go soon, so hopefully they'll be working by Thanksgiving. In the meantime, I can add comments myself, so feel free to send me an email. I know it's a pain in the ass, so I'm unlikely to get any comers, but I wanted to make it an option anyway.
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