It Depends....

Hey ya’ll,

So I was once again needing to find yet another reason to procrastinate and step away from studying for my finals and it hit me…BLOG!!! So here I am, in my official study attire of UGA baggy sweatpants, comfortable hoodie, and snuggy sock NOT doing my outlines. Rather I am writing to you, those who believe in me or those who are also procrastinating on their outlines and saw this on their Facebook feed, but anyway I digress

I am almost finished with my first semester and I am in the dreaded Thanksgiving zone of studying for my first set FINALS!!!!! So you wanna know how it is going, “it depends, what would a Reasonable Person think?????”

You are probably thinking what kind of answer is that??? Well let me tell you it is the beginning of almost every answer in the practice of law.  The main thing I taken away from law school thus far and perplexes me is that I HAVE NEVER MEET A REASONABLE PERSON!!!!!  Oh sure, before law school I thought I knew plenty of reasonable people. I even had the blissfully ignorant misconception that I, myself, was reasonable.   That was until they threw me in a room with 60 other “reasonable” people and a professor, and my thoughts and opinions started to seem less reasonable.  

Key Example

"Reasonable people" know they have an a lot of exams to study for so they study and take break but don't procrastinate and find their own distractions. Well that ain't me here is a list of ten (but there where others)  “unreasonable things” I have did during my studying week....

1.   Bought a butt load of crap on Amazon that I don't remember, but if I don’t like it they will become Christmas gifts.... btw Amazon’s 1-click checkout is the DEVIL

2.   Went to my rival high school football game in Atlanta (really was that important, it wasn’t even my high school playoff game and I graduated 11 years ago)

3.   Baked a Red Velvet cake - haven't baked a cake in at least 3 years

4.   Eating about 7 meals a day plus 3 desserts (yeah, after Finals imma be in somebody’s gym & yoga studio)

5.   Left the library to window shop downtown 

6.   Twisted my hair in about a thousand different buns

7.   Watch you tube video’s on how to twist my hair in a thousand buns

8.   Did a full face of makeup just to wash it back off.....trust me I "red carpet world premiere beat my face", smoky eye and all !!!

9.   Incessantly watched my Facebook and Instagram feeds looking for something really anything interesting

10.                 And of course my usual talking to myself while staring into space ~~~ don't judge me, and if you know me you know this happens more than I can admit without being committed to an institution

I mean don’t get me wrong studying has been happening so no one needs to come to Athens to stage an intervention or anything.

The reality of my life and this "law school thing" is that no situation and no person is actually ever reasonable . And that is was what makes life, and law so difficult yet so intriguing.  Nothing is ever the same. Just as every case brings about a new distinct issue, everyday brings about new obstacles, challenges, victories, defeats, and of course growth. We as people are expected to make sense out of whatever comes in front of us, “ as reasonable people”.

Yet these perfect reasonable people don't exist and they have all the answers and solutions and always make the right decisions.

When I was a child, I strived for perfection, as I got a little older I strived for excellence. Now as a future attorney, I am striving for reason.

To make the best possible choices to yield the best possible results…so with that in mind now…I’ll write you guys later…Time to study!!!!!!

Look. Feel. Be. She-Nomenal.

C. Anise

Can I get a delay of game, a time-out, or heck a Kit Kat Break?

Today was one of those days when I just felt overwhelmed. My son's eighth birthday was today and it’s the first time I haven't had an organized party for him EVER. I knew it was coming but I just didn't have TIME.  

This seems to be the theme of my 1L life so far.  Its mid semester, we are not afforded the luxury of the undergrads (who btw don't need it) of a fall break. We are in the process of doing some type of sadistic hazing activity created by the law gods called the "law scavenger hunt."  Which means we are spending an additional 10-15 hours a week searching for obscure law and materials within the massive body of Internet and hard copy law. Which in and of itself could be kind of fun, but not when you are already devoting 5-6 hours a day to studying.

Well I was delusional for about 2 weeks and was like okay I’m sort of getting the hang of things its not so bad, then BOOM, teachers starting talking crazy; by this, I mean they started scheduling practice exams.  Pump the brakes, flag on the play, illegal shift!!!!

I ain’t gonna lie today, this week has been rough and this morning in particular because I just wished I could have went to my son’s school and passed out cupcakes or at least planned a little something. I just kind of felt dislocated and guilty.

I know I am not the only one and God must have been looking out for me, because my Contract professor spent about 30 minutes in class giving what I like to call a “come to Jesus speech” where he gave me the perspective that I needed to know that I have made progress and my journey is a process. 

It is just sometimes hard to see the forest because currently I’m not even looking at trees; I’m somewhere inspecting the blades of grass.

Anyhow, perspective is restored. No, Isaiah didn’t get cupcakes at school, but I found a way to let him see his dad this past weekend while they played New Orleans. I am not a horrible mom; I’m just a busier one.  I am capable of being a lawyer and it does suck learning to be one. So let the games continue…

Thank You Jesus...Its Labor Day Weekend

Hey Friends,
So I'm 3 weeks inside of law school and it is let me tell you I am so excited to have a three day weekend because I need a to catch up on sleep, reading, and family time, wait a minute, I'm really need an additional Labor Day but we know that is not gonna happen.
Anyhow, let me tell you how it is going....

SCHOOL LIFE
Socially:
The most SURPRISING thing about law school is how it is so much like High School, so I now refer to to it as UGA Law High.
Being thrown together with the same 60 people everyday in class and then seeing the same people everyday for lunch, breaks, and social activities makes for a lot of gossip and petty talk. I don't know if it comes from sheer boredom or what. But it is probably the thing that I surprised me because I graduated from high school 11 years ago and actually for a nerd like me, high school sucked.  But the good thing is that at 29, it is just funny seeing how people act and react.  I actually wanna try to be a voice of reason at times and say "you know what in 5 years, this won't matter"

Another shocking thing that happened to me socially, for whatever reason, unbeknownst to me, I decided to run for Class President,  Woo Hoo!!!!!!! I think I did this because I've secretly wanted to always run for an some kind of office and this was the perfect student office for me to run for because it provides a voice  for the students and provides social activities. And we all know I am social and I definitely have a voice, usually a loud one.  So for the last week, I went against all the odds and campaigned my fanny off, to the point where I almost disgusted myself.  I guess it paid off a little because I am in a run-off election next week!!!!  So wish me Luck if you can....
-------->inserted shameless plug (for classmates reading:)), VOTE CAWANNA!!!!! UGA LAW Class of 2015 Class Prez:  the POPPIN' Candidate

Academically:
The Burning Question: Have I been called on and if so have I been utterly embarrassed?
The Answer: Yes and Yes,
I've been called on numerous times, mostly because my strategy is to volunteer the information I know so that I don't have to be called on for something I do not know.
This strategy works in every class except one, Contracts.  Mainly because my class is taught by one of the most distinguished professors we have and I NEVER know what he is talking about!!!!!! So I am always relentlessly trying to scribble down every word out of his mouth.
Yes I am old school and handwrite my notes, while all of my classmates have out their macs and feverishly type throughout every class.

So the professor calls on me and all the knowledge that I was thinking and I thought I knew,  seeped right out of my ears and drained on the floor and something completely stupid and unintelligible came out and he completely shut me down and before I got 6 words out he said, "that is not how you answer the question, and proceeded to promptly call on another student.  So I hurriedly picked up my face and all that worthless knowledge that had seeped out my brain and carried on scribbling.  Epic Fail :(

HOME LIFE
My kids are also finishing out their third week of school, and this has been an interesting transition.  I have to give props to my boyfriend who has willingly taken on a multitude of home activities, i.e. taking and picking up the kids from school, laundry, dishes, cleaning, and errands.  He even manages to pack my lunch most days (my lunch of choice btw, bologna sandwich, honey BBQ chips, and grapes :)
Some days I feel bad because I see them hardly ever, I have been trying to make an effort a couple of days to do game night with them.  Both have questioned numerous times, "why do you have to be in the library so much, Mommy"
I have to keep reminding them, and myself simultaneously, that this is a short time of discomfort for a long-term goal.  If we can just get through this year, I honestly believe we can get through anything.
Also "shout-out", to the a family in my apartment complex, with two high school aged kids who are always available to babysit  to make a couple of dollars.   One thing I learned from being a NFL wife and having to be away from my family is that it takes a Village to raise a family and the larger the Village the better. And that mentality has allowed me to have a whole lot of Villages everywhere, Thank you Jesus!!!! And the church says.....

I think that is it for know, hopefully didn't take up too much of your time. Until the next time when I am rested up enough to write you another update hopefully before Christmas.

She-Nomenally Yours,
C. Anise

HELLO: I'm new to blogging so be nice:)

Hello friends, family and acquaintences, and everyone else

All of who know me usually know a few things about me I don’thold any punches and I’m crazy as hell. With those who I am close to I am, I ampretty much an open book nothing is off bounds to discuss; but for thoseoutside of my circle my mouth is as tight as a nun’s legs.  But I felt compelled to attempt to start a blog for two reasons: If one more person asks me “are you anything like the women on the Real Housewives of Atlanta?” I swear I am gonna break out a NeNe’esque rant and slap them Sherie style…. just kidding.
And the second and most important reason is that I somewhat feel like a real portrayal of a considered lifestyle should be at least available for people to see because  the NFL wife lifestyle is over-dramatized for purposes of entertainment and ratings.  Of course my story is all not inclusive of ALL NFL (ex) wives….but it is a story of one NFL ex-wife. More importantly, it is a story and a journey of a woman finding herself, struggling and juggling to accomplish her dream, and attempting to reach her full potential. In that respect, this is a story of ALL women.

My name is Cawanna McMichael, and I am divorced mother of two, Isaiah (7) and Kai (5).  My ex-husband, Randy McMichael, to whom I was married a little over 6 years, is entering his 11^th season in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers. BOLT UP!!!!  We have been divorced for over 2 years but remain very close and supportive friends and co-parent very well. (Sorry,no courtroom mess and “he ain’t shit” drama here). 

Next week, I am entering my 1L year at the University of Georgia (UGA) Law School. My son, Isaiah will be entering 2^nd grade and my baby girl, Kai, is going to “big school” and is entering kindergarten at a public school in the Athens Area. 

 So why law school?

As a child it was always my dream to "numero Uno":be a BULLDAWG!!! And I always saw myself being a lawyer or some executive businesswoman,who kicks butt and takes names.  So I did what any other “smart” girl does with those type of aspirations, go to college.  I was lucky enough to go where I wanted to as a child “THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.”

I met my ex-husband (or rather I should say my ex-husband “met” me) in the end of my freshman year at UGA in 2002, while he was training for the NFL draft…and we married at the end of my sophomore year and the summer after his rookie season,with the Miami Dolphins.  I left UGA moved Miami and to make a very long but quite interesting story short, “life happened”.  


I eventually finished my BS degree at Nova Southeastern, gave birth twice, and twiddled around getting my cosmetology license and being a make-up artist and stylist for a while for kicks.  One day I just was not happy with the direction my life.  My ex-husband and I were literally kids when we married and as a result we had many rocky times trying to mature, be married, and deal with distinctive struggles of a NFL couple. We decided our marriage was not working even though we got along so Randy and I divorced in a very amicable fashion.  

Post divorce: I made a very intense attempt to be the kick-ass businesswoman and started my own music label.  While on the business side things were great; managing and depending on the talents of another person for success proved to be detrimental to the entire operation. So once again I was stuck with the extremely depressing task of reinventing myself.

I went to several life coaches, shrinks, and of course mama, and then I said a whole bunch of “dear sweet baby Jesus, 7lbs, lying in amanger….what am I supposed to do with my life?” prayers. The answer becameclear to me go to law school.  When I told everyone my decision, it waslike everyone, including Randy said, “Duh, that was what you were always supposed to do.”  To which I responded, “if you knew it all along, why in the heck didn’t you tell me?”

At any rate I did the work (LSAT, applications, essays)  and now I am here. I just finished week one of the law early start program at UGA which is basically for “old heads” like me who need a little practice run before the real race starst next week. You know, to clean out all the cobwebs from our brains.

Let me tell you what I feel now…..

1)  EXTREMELY Tired…I slept about four hours a night in order to keep up with the workload of just two classes and I will have to take 5 classes when school starts

2) Excited: It feels so invigorating being back ina collegiate setting and the varying personalities, cultures, backgrounds, andoutlooks you encounter on a daily basis.

3) Scared:  the fear of the unknown is scary for anyone and with the time commitment being so consuming especially with me having two kiddos I still need to be "mommy everything" -  especially with their dad being ALL THE WAY across the country in California preparing for his season…I sometimes worry “can I do it all?”

4)  FOCUSED  in the words of the Nutty Professor and loosely translated Obama campaign slogan “YES I CAN”

So I am hoping to be able to update this blog periodically to make is somewhat of a journal of my progress in learning to balance my life asI knew it to be and the life that I want it to be. 

DISCLAIMER:

·     This blog is merely for my enjoyment and to beFUN.  Therefore you will see typos,grammatical errors, pity parties, fun party pictures, and angry disjointed rants.  Since I am clearly in law school with two kids and not getting paid to do this, I will not be proofreading,editing, and formatting.  So you may have to read through a few errors but the benefit is that you get a blog written by me and not one as told to another person.

·     Secondly, because I am a closed off person; Iam already trying to decide what things I want share and what things I want to keep to myself.  Such is the benefit of NOT being on TV.  So basically whatever I write is for your knowledge…if you want or need to know more call or text me…if you do not have the ability to call or text me “STOP BEING NOSY…. in ‘aint none of your diggity darn business….but I still love you tho

With this being said feel free to leave comment, encouragement, advice, relevant questions, and even complaints (but expect to be cursed out if you do…. just kidding)

I am not promising to be super “jonnie on the spot” about updates but I will be trying to explain the various avenues taken, support systems built in order to get done what needs to be done and offer sarcastic commentary of my journey of going through law school.

Hopefully, this blog will give another perspective to that which is seen of TV that portrays a class of women to whom I am a member.

As well serve as some form of entertainment or even information for someone considering choosing the law school path.

Look. Feel. Be. She-Nomenal
With Love,

C.Anise