Reflections: the woman I am...

Here I try to create a serious poem but alas! I think I have failed. :(

I am...
A woman
Full of energy, and spontaneity
Somewhere in vastness of this earth...
With eyes not quite of aspen's gold,
Nor am I a blue-eyed soul,
Neither am I, an ordinary brown-eyed Susan.

I sit and wonder
if love is a tale made of dew--
A granting of sweet dreams in their purity too--
A mint leaf of freshness
Covered in chocolate delight.

I listen...
And at a distance I hear a low, gentle whisper
a southing voice, I look around with a hopeful heart,
Imagine a dark, cold night,
The wind is whistling, and it is raining…
Fear overcomes you
Then suddenly, the dawn of morning appears
Drops of light shine through the clouds
And a rainbow appears
Can smell spring flowers in the air,
A racy scent,
Hovering over the summer days
This is love.

I see
A woman, proud, and unyielding,
A bit pretentious, daring
Like a pilot flying through a thunderstorm
Piquant as pepper -- more jubilant than a cheerleaders cheer,
Punchier than a child at play
adding flavor to all withered souls
Like salt, seasoning a gourmet dish...

I want
A measure of tranquility—a certain calmness,
a yodel that echoes in the stillness of the Rockies
A serene smile to find solutions
To the vastness of my problems,
An Indifference to a world of sadness;

I am radiant
A sun that transmits heat, warming…
like a child--filling life with laughter
He gives me strength that which God affords me--
And so, I can persist, I live each day,
Enjoying every waking moment...

My emotions...
Too plentiful-- to be directionless,
Too real to be imaginary, and yet the familiar eyes
Hold much recognition -- only my reflection --
Anchored in place, affixed by the will...

I sense ...
The downy wings of hope, in wonder,
Alone and warming of his 5 wits;
the bald eagle in the belfry sits,
with integrity, self-assured ...

I worry...
Of failed opportunities; that in my longing for success
I have forsaken all -- but oh, what reward,
what divine inspiration should light the journey to accomplishment --
And how can I heed the signs.

I astounded...
For having such strength of character, for holding on like an ironclad,
And then, when by the sweat of my soul, tired
I am lifted, a cup full--not half emptied, and I smile again
For what hard work, and effort, is not lost;
I am a hopeful woman...

With the understanding...
That life is what you make it,
that sometimes, there is a shade of gray,
that marks your triumphs dimly,
Then, suddenly, in a rush there is color
Like a bountiful harvest...
Hold on...

Hold on I say
to a life shaped,
by family & friends--molded and formed--
But as always, the core of us remains,
In a world that is constantly changing,
As the earth remains,
Until rejuvenated
Like a flower blooming
After a cold winter

I am dreaming...
Of the tallest mountain, reaching
Climbing, a step upward--not looking back
Of wolves that wander in the forest with purpose,
pushing me to the top-until alas, I made it.

I try
To persist, determined
that merely the struggle holds power;
a dose of inspiration may last a day, while
a dose of determination spans lifetime.

I hope
That my light carries you through,
that love is meant for sharing, that feeling
Wields influence in the words evoked,
And that my writing motivates you.

I am
a woman,
who is intrepid and free

The Law of Success 2.0: Case 70: Susan Greenfield

The Law of Success 2.0: Case 70: Susan Greenfield: "Click here for her introduction. Haegwan Kim (HK); Thank you so much for your time. Today I’m going to talk with Baroness Susan Greenfield..."

The test of a [wo]man is the fight [s]he makes

The test of a [wo]man is the fight [s]he makes,
The grit that [s]he daily shows;
The way [s]he stands on his (her) feet and takes
Fate's numerous bumps and blows,
A coward can smile when there's naught to fear,
When nothing his (her) progress bars;
But it takes a [wo]man to stand up and cheer
While some other fellow stars.

It isn't the victory, after all,
But the fight that a brother or sister makes;
The [wo]man who, driven against the wall,
Still stands up erect and takes
The blows of fate with his (her) head held high;
Bleeding, and bruised, and pale,
Is the [wo]man who'll win in the by and by,
For [s]he isn't afraid to fail.

It's the bumbs you get, and the jolts you get,
and the shocks that your courage stands,
The hours of sorrow and vain regret,
The prize that escapes your hands,
That test your mettle and prove your worth;
It isn't the blows you deal,
But the blows you take on the good old earth,
That show if your stuff is real.

So with this I say that my boss,a capable lawyer, is testing me for reliability, loyalty, preserverance and other essential qualities that show my real stuff.
I have what it takes.

Personal Growth

It time I update this blog and let you know how I am doing.
I still love my job as a paralegal. I love the challenges the job has to offer.
And I love working with my boss. Though at times, I find that I get unnerved by own failings. I am learning that the harder I try to be perfect, the more imperfect I am.

Learning that I am imperfect is unsettling. I feel the pressure to get things done, get them done right, and carry on with poise and character. I don't have poise underpressure. However, I will learn. I must learn.

Challenges working with lawyers

The challenge a paralegal has working with lawyers is magnified when a paralegal is working for a small law firm.

In small law firms, paralegals may be underutilized doing mostly clerical or secretarial work while the first year associate does paralegal work. Another problem paralegals face is that lawyers may not clearly articulate what it is they want their legal support staff to do. The latter is the problem I face every day.

A discovery I made recently is that paralegals are trained to draft many documents, take intake, organize files, discovery, evidence, etc. We are even able to help lawyers with conducting legal and factual research to help ensure there is enough evidence to support the claim.

In essense, a good paralegal program, ABA Accredited, will give the paralegal much more knowledge than a law student fresh out of law school.

And I am also discovering the joy of law without being a lawyer.

The Big Insight

Being a paralegal is more challenging than I initially thought. I thought that with my past experience as an office assistant (office manager)that it would be a cinch to do the paralegal job. While my past experience helps, it does not transfer over to being a paralegal.

I now realize how invaliable a paralegal with five (5) years experience is to a lawyer; and the value experience provides a lawyer. It took me but a month on the job to realize why the field is so competitive for new paralegals starting out and WHY a lawyer wants to hire someone with 5 years experience.

It does take about 5 years to really learn how to do the things that add value to a lawyer.

Adding value is the pressure I face every day I go to work. I am always asking myself, "Does this task add value to my lawyer?" or "Am I giving the lawyer the most out of my time?" I know I can do this job, I have the initiative and the knowledge and skills to do the job, however, as my husband noted, what I don't have is the time to figure it all out. The job keeps me on my toes. It frustrates me, depresses me, excites me, and makes me nervous as hell!

My wish is that I can come away giving back to the lawyer, and adding value in every way I can and hopefully I can be that "SUPERSTAR" paralegal recognized in the legal community as such. For now, I just hope and pray that I can add some value worthy of my keep.

I love my job and I am very happy I did not pursue law school.

A fresh start

It's time I update my blog on what I have been doing. I recently got hired at a small law firm in my state. It has been a challenging one month as I organize around the law firm.

At first glance, I was a bit timid, for the new job brought challenges, but I quickly got excited at the fact that I would be organizing things my way. I won't lie, I have made a few trial and error mistakes but nothing major or life threatening. And when in doubt, I ask. I am not afraid to ask but I am afraid of asking too many questions.

Litigation excites me. I love analyzing issues and facts and putting legal theories together. Sometimes I wonder if I should go to law school, but I come back to reality rather quickly. The reality that law school offers very little to someone that is knowledgeable and knows how to spot issues and analyze like a lawyer. The cost of law school is much to high for the benefit law school provides.

In my opinion, the benefits just doesn't outweigh the cost of acquiring a law degree. And I would be wasting money I can invest elsewhere like buying a house, a new car, modernizing my kitchen, etc. The only reason to go to law school is to buy a ticket to take the bar.

Nevertheless, I enjoy being a paralegal even if I don't get to strategize and plan arguments. I also enjoy the fact that I am able to offer more than just paralegal help. I am the Spanish guru, the computer wiz kid, the excellent organizer, and the reliable staff member. I work hard and try my best to finish tasks and add value to my employer.

All in all, I am the perfect paralegal for this position. And with God's help, I will prevail and be the superstar.