How to Eat an Elephant - Part 4: Check Please!

And now the final chapter in my discussion about Bar Exam 2008.

Sometime back I promised to point out the positive things about bar review. Looking back at my blogs its easy to think it was all bad, but there were several people that stepped forward and, without any obligation to do so, gave of themselves to help me keep it together and make it through.

I want to say thank you.

My Aunt Maxine has always driven me - sometimes to the point of anger and resentment. She always saw my potential and never accepted my half-assed performace as good enough. When nearly everyone else said I should aim lower so I am not so disappointed when I miss, Maxine always insisted I aim as high as my imagination would allow me to. When everyone else wrote me off, she stayed supportive and never let me quit.

Without Maxine I would never have even started law school. I left a comfortable existence to begin this journey: playng hotel and running a very successful business was satisfying and I had more than enough. I closed those doors and moved to Arizona and tried to not look back.
Maxine provided the financial assistance I needed to transition from Hotel Manager/Business Owner to broke but eager law student. Without her I would not be where I am today. She has given so much of herself to so many people that the only way I can show my gratitude is to pay it forward.

It is her generosity that has forged my belief in giving back to the community I live in. My practice will always have room for another pro bono case and I never tire of reaching out to someone who is reaching back. Thank you Maxine.

My son's mom, Erin, doesn't have many reasons to be supportive of me. In fact, she has plenty of reasons to not be so supportive. Several times during bar review Erin somehow sensed my readiness to give up and never failed to call me on it. Erin reminded me of conversations we had in the past about my dream to become a lawyer and that the biggest reason I had to succeed - my son - was cheering me on. Thank you Erin.

Ashley somehow managed to place a hedge around me and made it so I could focus more on bar review and less on the office. Those extra hours of focus often turned out to be the most important. I was able to keep working while I lived and breathed bar review only because of her insight and protection. It may not seem like much, but without it I would not have made it through. Thank you Ashley.

I found myself slipping and stressed as the bar exam got closer. Corbie created an environment of calm and harmony that kept me focused those last few weeks. I never had to think about meals, laundry, or anything other than studying. Thank you Corbie.

When I left for the bar exam I was met at the airport by Cami. We went to dinner and talked about anything that was not bar exam related. She dragged me out to watch the fireworks and stayed with me until I was ready to sleep. I easily could have lost focus and freaked right out that night before the bar exam but with Cami there I never even thought about the three days that were to come. Thank you Cami.

Following the bar exam Speedy and Clutch retreived my weary soul and took me to a rather nice watering hole enroute to the airport. We celebrated Wardog style. There is something about the vision of a friend as you emerge from a struggle that makes everything OK. I found that day I have many such friends. My coin was a constant reminder that I have teeth and I don't freakin let go. Thank you to my Wardogs.

Most importantly, without my son I would never have acknowledged my dreams. I would never have fought this battle. Without Owen none of this would have been worth anything. I would have drifted through life as I always did, content in my mediocre existence. There is simply no price that I would not pay to put a smile on his face and make him proud. For giving me life again, thank you Owen.

There are so many other people that gave their time and love to me through law school and the bar exam. Ronda, Rita, Frank and Adam, my cadets, Mad Max, my Mom and Sister, Danny, Paul & Shawna, Kelly (RIP), and so many others.

According to the State Bar of California's website there are now 46 days until bar exam results are released. No matter what the results are, taking the California Bar Exam has been a rewarding experience that has shown me the true value of friendship, love and loyalty. Because of these people I went to war with not only the dragon of the bar exam, but also my own personal demons. Those demons are dead and gone and I look forward to the "Better Days."

My friends and family, con todo mi ser, thank you.