Quid est mihi faciendum?

At Christmas, I got a Latin Phrase-A-Day calendar to help me get back into the swing of Latin in case I end up taking the LSAT. I guess that was the impetus, but I haven't been exactly diligent about my Latin review - and Phrase-A-Day doesn't exactly lend itself to high academic purpose. Example:

January 1, 2011: Bonum anno novum! - Happy New Year!
                         Typical. I think all the Page-A-Day calendars start this way...
January 8, 2011: Ira furor brevis est (Horace) - Anger is a brief madness
                          Not bad. One of my favorites.
January 23, 2011: Ubi est dies natalis tuus? - When is your birthday?
                            Important stuff! I'd like to ask the Pope his star sign...
February 4, 2011: Hac fine septimanae te vocabo - I'll call you this weekend.
                            I doubt this ever came up in conversation in Ancient Rome...unless the "calling" was over
                            the hill variety...SUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
February 14, 2011: Te amo - I love you
                              For Valentine's Day, and just like in Spanish. See, Latin can be useful!
February 22, 2011: Serus es - You're late
                              At least we know the Page-A-Day people have a sense of humor.
March 8, 2011: Quid est mihi faciendum? - What do I do?
                         Even if the phrase is dumb, I'm getting a good review of the declensions!


So why did I even get this Page-A-Day calendar? What am I doing wanting to take the LSAT? Long story, but I'm good for those.

It all started when I was 13. Yes, really long story. In 7th grade, I took one of those career aptitude tests that's supposed to tell you where your interests lie so you can figure out what you want to "be" when you grow up. Mine told me, based on the questions I answered from a 5-point scale, I should look into becoming:

1. A performance artist (i.e. clown, acrobat, stand-up comic, etc. - I took "clown" pretty seriously)
2. A lawyer (clowns and lawyers are basically the same thing anyway)
3. A clergy member or religious coordinator

These all came as a shock to me, because I didn't really feel as if any of them fit me; the only one that sounded half way fun was clown, which, aside from working at a circus that treats its animals poorly, it probably would be lots of fun. I tried to teach myself to juggle.

I never spent much time juggling, but I did do plenty of performance work in high school. I was a member of the Green Bay Girl Choir, acted in several plays at my high school, and generally became a ham. One aspect of being a lawyer that appealed to me (rather than becoming a clown) is the obvious financial merits of opening up your own law practice. And helping people, of course. But I figure, most lawyers are in it for the money unless they work pro bono, so the whole helping people bit is basically out the window...is this despicably cynical of me? Perhaps, but I guess at the end of the day, I'd rather make people laugh than defend them in court...that is, my 16-year-old self would have.

On to the next phase of my story: I basically forgot about becoming a lawyer and had immersed myself in language study rather than law. In March 2010, I had an interview in New York to do an internship in Berlin - through the DAAD (Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst). Mom and I decided to go together and make a little trip out of the interview, Sunday-Wednesday so we could enjoy some of the city.

I didn't get the job, obviously, but on the way back to the hotel from the interview (it was beautiful out, so we decided to walk), this woman in Gucci sunglasses sitting in a lawn chair on the sidewalk asked me if I'd like my fortune read. I was a little nervous about the interview, so I figured, what could it hurt? $20 for a face reading? Well, whatever that is, sign me up!

We walked up the stairs into the woman's building, up two flights to a little alcove decked out in what you'd imagine of a carnival side show from the 20's - moons and stars on a purple painted wall, posters of the odd and esoteric. No crystal ball, which disappointed me, but a table, two chairs and three decks of tarot cards.

I sat down to my reading. Here's what she told me:

1. I am energetic and hardworking. I am not getting everything I want out of life just yet.
2. I would be traveling far away some time soon (within the next few months).
3. I would become a professional of some sort - she saw me as a lawyer.
4. I would have twins - she saw an odd number of births for an even number of pregnancies, or something like that.
5. I had not yet met the love of my life - but don't worry, he'll be along soon enough.

Take this as you will - with a grain of salt, as this lady's money-making scheme, as inevitable truth, as a glimpse into what may be rather than what will be...it's all up to me to decide how I want to take the information given to me. But, for you skeptics, I'll say this: that is when I renewed my interest in getting into law school!

I haven't signed up to take the LSAT yet, because I'm still on the fence as to what direction I want to take my life. And it's tough doing things remotely (from Austria). I've been hearing lots of things from other teaching assistants about how much they love it here - how they're planning to spend the rest of their lives, if not in Austria, elsewhere in Europe. I don't know if I can say with certainty that I want that, too. Such a decision (made after 6 months in the country) seems rash to me. An Austrian law degree would mean sticking it out in Austria (such things are little transferable) and an American law degree would mean sticking it out in the USA (presumably, though, there are more options there).  Call me fickle, naive, or a spoiled brat, but I want options! I guess I just want it all.