Posts from the “Question Emporium” Category

Ask AAL: Acing the MBE

Posted on January 30th, 2013

Reader Mike sent in this question: Hi, long time reader of the site and big fan. I remember a little while back you were doing a sort of “ask me anything” type column on your website. I am a third year law student getting ready to graduate. Basically, I suck at multiple choice questions. I’ve done a lot of practice in the past three years, but it seems every exam I have reviewed with my professor, I did fairly well on the essay part, below average on the multiple choice part. Now, with the MBE coming up this summer, it’s on my mind more than ever. Care to give your take on how to improve your MC test taking? I am also taking a…

Categories: Advice, Law, Question Emporium

Ask AAL No. 5: Spitup Edition

Posted on November 29th, 2012

Dear AAL: How do I get this baby to stop barfing down my back? YOU’RE MY LAST BEST HOPE. It’s been a long time since I had to worry about spitup, but I don’t remember this happening to me (it’s entirely possible I’m deluding myself and/or that in my sleep-deprived state, I didn’t form a long-term memory of it happening). With Pea, I didn’t burp her on my shoulder because it didn’t work well, and also because I was grossed out by the idea of barf down my back. Instead, I’d sit her up, one hand supporting most of her weight on her chest (holding a spit-up cloth), then pat and massage her back with the other hand. Good luck!

Categories: Advice, General Parenting, Question Emporium

Ask AAL No. 4 — Work/Life Balance Edition

Posted on November 28th, 2012

Dear AAL, I am currently 26 weeks pregnant and am taking the Florida Bar Feb 26 and 27, at which time I will 39 weeks preg. I am very determined to take on the exam so long baby stays in. Any recommendations for studying while pregnant? Also, I am so scared to go back out in the market once I get back to work in June (hopefully as an attorney and not as a paralegal). Any recommendations to make myself more marketable as a new attorney? Thanks!! When I took the bar, there was a woman about that far along taking the exam, too. This was before I was pregnant, and I thought at the time, that is one heck of a chance. Then,…

Categories: Advice, Question Emporium

Ask AAL No. 3 — Family Edition

Posted on November 28th, 2012

Dear AAL, Can a romantic relationship survive and flourish when one person comes from a completely cruel and crazy family and the other from a (gag-inducing) loving, functional, healthy family? Sincerely, Mere I think so. In fact, I think that’s the best person for the person from the dysfunctional family to settle down with! That said? Therapy. For the person from the dysfunctional family (for all the usual reasons) and also for both to go through couples’ counseling so the person from the happy family knows what his or her partner has gone through. Your question reminds me that for years I didn’t believe there was such a thing as a loving, functional, healthy family. I assumed they were all faking or covering up…

Categories: Advice, Question Emporium

Ask AAL No. 2 — The Punctuation Edition

Posted on November 27th, 2012

Punctuation questions! Yes, ask me about punctuation. I love punctuation. Question: I have an editing question for ya. I’ve always been told that there should be two spaces at the end of the sentence. Recently, I read somewhere (and I can’t remember where) that having two spaces at the end is outdated and there should only be one space. Thoughts? Answer: It’s true. Just one space now. It’s possible to train yourself to switch to one space (I managed it easily, which surprised me), and now the only time I use two spaces after a period is when I’m texting (so that my iPhone will automatically add the period). If you don’t want to bother with retraining, finish your piece and in final edits…

Categories: Advice, Question Emporium

Ask AAL No. 1

Posted on November 27th, 2012

Thank you for everyone who asked questions! I had such a ball reading each comment as it came in, and I hope to make this a regular part of the blog. I’ll be dividing these into a couple of posts, roughly by topic, to keep each post from being too long. Dearest AAL, I am struggling with what to share on my blog. I have become totally paranoid about being found online – work is contentious enough as it is, and writing about my frustrations with opposing counsel or judges would make everything worse in a hurry. Also, pretty sure I’m not allowed to talk about Fight Club in any but the vaguest of terms. I also worry that talking about my feelings…

Categories: Advice, Question Emporium

Monday’s Question Emporium

Posted on November 26th, 2012

Last night, I got about as much sleep as I did when Pea was three months old. First I couldn’t sleep. Then I couldn’t stay asleep. Then Pea climbed in bed with us at 2:30 and kicked and flailed and I finally kicked her out at 5:30, and then the alarm went off at 6:30. I dragged myself out of bed, showered, put on makeup, and got dressed. My sweater and my hat match! Hooray! But…I can’t get anyone else to wake up. (Pea and I do have the beginnings of a cold, though.) So, in the absence of being able to write anything coherent, I’m opening the floor (or my comment area) to questions. Blogging is great for selectivity. I don’t pretend this…

Categories: Question Emporium