Web 2.0 Application: Quizlet

Lifehacker recently posted about a new Web 2.0 application called Quizlet. I've checked it out and I must say, I am impressed. It is really easy to import words into your own vocabulary sets. You can enter the terms and definitions one by one or you can just copy the whole list into the their text box, tell it how to find the end of the term and defintion (e.g. a colon at the end of each term and a new line at the end of each definition) and it does the rest. It even lets you preview the terms and definitions before you import them so you can make any necessary changes. For example, it only took me a few minuters to import this list of 484 legal terms into Quizlet. Once you have your set, Quizlet gives you several ways to learn and test yourself on your terms. You can even share your sets and browse other peoples' sets. For example here is the page for the set I created. This seems like a great resource for students, or anyone who needs to learn a new set of vocabulary.

This Semester

I am participating in Legal Andrew's class action "This Semester..." Although I am not a student yet, I will be soon, and I have some student related goals, so I hope he doesn't mind. So, without further ado, these are my goals for this semester:

• Keep my son alive and healthy
• Keep my son from torturing the dog
• Do my taxes
• Fill out financial aid applications
• Decide which law school to go to in the fall
• Sell our house
• Find a place to live
• Do some reading to prepare for law school
• Go see a movie with hubby

I'm feeling the love

I just got accepted at my second choice school! Woohoo! The envelope came today. Thanks to the folks on the Pre-Law Board at Law School Discussion, I knew exactly what it was when I saw the size and color of the envelope, as the folks who received an acceptance before me were kind enough to describe it in detail. I didn't bother to torture myself this time, I just ripped it right open.

Although it is my second choice school, it is a very close second. In addition, it is the same university that I attended as an undergraduate, which is long enough ago now that I have nothing but fond memories of it. The main reason number one is number one is the public interest focus, but number two isn't too shoddy in that department either and also has several classes in education law, a subject that interests me and which aren't available at number one.

So, basically, if one offers me significantly more money than the other, then that is where I will go. If they offer me about the same money, then I will have a really tough choice. I already withdrew from my fourth choice school and may withdraw from number three now as well, because I don't think the $15,000/yr scholarship they offered me is enough to draw me away from my top two.

Preparing for Law School with Podcasts

In searching for free resources for preparing for law school I have found a number of podcasts that I believe will prove to be useful.

The first is CALI Radio, which has a number of podcasts with advice for law students, as well as podcasts on particular areas of law, like contracts.

The second is Life of a Law Student, whose purpose is "To make as much legal knowledge and information freely available, to as many people, in as many ways, as is possible…" and which has podcasts covering many law school classes as well as podcasts on the "Law School Experience". The podcasts are generally by students engaged in learning the subject themselves and so are not necessarily free from errors or omissions, but this still seems like a good resource.

Finally, many law schools have podcasts or webcasts of their events. Here are the ones I have found so far:

• Duke Law Events podcast
• Washington College of Law Podcasts
• Georgetown Law Webcasts and Podcasts
• Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology, Recorded & Past Events
• Conversations in Law at Hamline (RSS feed)

Mobility and Space

My six-month-old is just starting to become mobile. For several weeks now he has been using his arms to move around his blanket in a (usually) counter-clockwise direction and occasionally pulling himself forward one scooch. Now he has begun stringing several forward scooches together so that I turn around and he is already a foot off of his blanket. I don't know how this is going to affect our dog, who is already feeling cramped by our current living situation. My son is extremely fascinated with both pets and tries to reach out and touch them whenever he gets a chance. After having their fur pulled or their ears pinched a couple of times, both pets try to keep their distance. Once he really starts crawling though, that will be a lot harder. The cat, at least, can escape by jumping up onto the furniture, but there is no where for the dog to go other than outside (where it is freezing cold).