Early in my career I billed a lot. A lot, a lot. I don’t even want to put the number here. A lot.
I couldn’t do it. It made me sick. If billing like that makes *you* sick, stop doing it. It doesn’t make you a lesser lawyer, or weak, or show you’ve failed.
I know, this is my long running hobby horse. But it’s true. If your body and brain tell you to stop, you gotta stop. Just right away. Don’t let your ego make you continue.
I know of what I speak. I’m talking to you, striver person. You!
It took a lot for me to get over the fact that Dude/ette X, who I thought I was as good as, loved the grind and enjoyed it, and I didn't. But just get over it. You'll be way happier.
Oh, and it doesn't matter if your "can't do it anymore" number is 2000, or 2200, or 3000. You can't will yourself to do it. Just find something else.
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I want to tell my best Judge Reavley story, that I think I've told before. Each Fifth Circuit law clerk gets a turn at robing the judges before argument. They mostly robe themselves, so this amounts to making sure they have their materials, but also.. "knocking them in" 1/
You knock on the big brass ring in the robing room to alert the courtroom that the judges are coming. I had heard through the grapevine that Judge Reavley liked a very loud knock. He thought it was important. And that he'd be disappointed if I only managed a wimpy one. 2/
So I hauled off and legit threw the ring at the door with all my force. The knock resounded in the courtroom - my fellow law clerks told me some people jumped. But it was *also* really loud in the robing room. /3
As I suggested it might be, this is a cold, clinical dismantling of the Trump campaign's claims and absurd legal strategy. Haven't yet finished the whole opinion, but it's a biting read.
An #AppellateTwitter side-note, Judge Bibas is a magnificent writer. Just wonderful. He uses all of those gifts here - so clear, so crisp.
My mom and I are splitting the T-day cooking duties. I claimed the Turkey, the pie, and the rolls. Roll time!
The base for my Turkey stock is working now.
Some advice for you less experienced cooks from one 6 weeks in culinary school years ago. Work clean! Clean your board after each ingredient. It saves so much heartache later.
I’m a pretty indifferent baker - I’m a cook - but I can be roused to a couple of pies.
It’s just a regular pie crust but with the slightly whole wheat flour I ordered from a mill at the beginning of the pandemic.