Tense Day

I need to start getting to sleep at a decent time. My big problem is I'm naturally nocturnal. My most productive working hours are generally sometime after 4 PM and can last until 3 AM or so. If I stay up past a certain point (like around 11:30) I am then up for awhile. For instance, last night I was doing some stuff for my calling until about midnight and realized my eyes were getting progressively heavier and heavier. However, I went to bed and couldn't actually get to sleep until almost 2 AM.

Here it is, though, already 10 PM and there are about 400 things I should work on. I think I should really just go to bed.

Today was weird. First, I'm the President of the Health Law Society, right? There's been a small email back and forth going on between me and this one girl. Last week she emailed me pointing out that there was a diversity event at the same time as our meeting and she thinks that organizations should support one another, etc etc. I wrote back and said thank you for letting me know, I agree it would be nice if we didn't have to schedule a meeting with a conflict, but since there is so little time in the week (2 hours and 15 minutes per week to be exact) within which the entire student body doesn't have class, there are always going to be conflicts. The meeting had already been postponed several times for conflicts and we really just needed to have one.

Well last week in the emails leading up to the meeting and at the meeting itself I asked the members for ideas on topics they would like to have speakers for. Yesterday this same girl emailed me suggesting an idea with a certain professor as the speaker. I emailed her back last night and said thanks for the idea. I asked her if she would like to get in touch with the prof. Then I forwarded her email to the other officers and one of them told me she has a class with that prof and could talk to him. I said go ahead and emailed the girl telling her that the officer would talk to the prof, thinking it would be more convenient since the girl doesn't have a class with him.

WELL, then I got an email from her. First, she expressed how displeased she was about my taking away her duty of talking to the prof. Second, she then proceeded to tell me how the members of the HLS felt excluded from the decision-making process and how she is not the only one who feels this way, but another girl who she went to grad school with feels the same way.

First instinct: tell her to go **** herself.

Upon reflection, realize may be acting hastily.

So I worked on an email for a couple of hours, trying to tweak it just so. I did apologize for usurping the talking to the prof thing and explained that I just thought it would be more convenient for the officer to talk to him than for her to try to seek him out in her spare time. Then I pointed out that we had officer elections at the beginning of the year and in my mind, it is the responsibility of the officers to run things. THEN I discussed how the HLS is brand new this year and we are still working out kinks. Not only that, but working with all different schedules is very difficult, especially considering that both last semester and this semester I am only on campus on ONE of the days when there is a common lunch hour (when no classes are scheduled. It's not even an hour even, but 45 minutes). If she is interested in changing how things are handled, then I recommed she work with the officers and members next year to enact her ideas.

Lastly, I pointed out that I have always solicited ideas and feedback in ALL of the emails I send to the listserv as well as at meetings. I have always made myself very available to the members. I thanked her for her willingness to help and asked her to please bear in mind that this is a fledgling organization.

About 20 minutes after I sent the email, I got a response from her. She was very contrite and nice and gave me the impression that she had been reflecting on her first email since she sent it in the morning. She said she really appreciated my email and my explanations about how everyone is very busy and the HLS is brand new. She said she is excited about helping out with the event and working with the officer on it. So, water under the bridge, but I was very tense about it for most of the day. See, this is the first organization that I have ever started and Health Law is near and dear to my heart. I want to give the members a positive experience, especially those who, like this girl, are interested in a Health Law career.

However, one of the officers pointed out, and I must agree, I am the queen of diplomacy.

Seriously, I should make this a career.

Second, I went out for cocktails and mocktails with a few people from work and found out that one of the other law clerks is starting as a new associate in the fall. Whaaa? OK, I know one of the attorneys will be leaving at the end of the summer when she has her baby. I didn't know if they would be hiring new attorneys or if they'd want someone more experienced. I actually debated asking about it, but I really don't think I want to be in Boston. More to the point, because of some office politics, I don't think I want to work at that firm permanently. It's more about moving to DC, though. So I decided not to inquire

I suppose I'm just a teensy bit hurt that no one bothered to mention to me that they were looking to hire a brand new associate. And I've been there almost a year longer than the clerk they hired. However, I understand it. They know I'm looking at DC. In fact a few of the attorneys are working on hooking me up with contacts down there. The girl they hired is from Mass, her boyfriend is from Mass, she will most likely be here for the rest of her life and be perfectly happy to be here.

But, you know, there's still that teensy hurt part. Yes, I know it's irrational, but when did I claim to be rational?

I am very happy for her though. What a load off her mind!

Now let's just find me a job.