growing up

today was the first day where there was an actual chill in the air when i went to my car. i know its still early to hope that the weather is finally changing, but i figure this has got to be a good sign that we are getting close. i am looking forward to when kris and i can sleep with the windows open. we have been enjoying the illusion of having them open ever since we bought a noise machine that makes what i like to call "bug" noises, but are really more appropriately called something like "night sounds". its a symphony of crickets and cadydids (?) and miscellaneous chirping. as odd as it may sound, it really is soothing to listen to. it makes you feel like you are in the middle of the county, rather than in the city, surrounded by asphalt and congestion.

so far i am settling in quite nicely to my new office. i have hung some pictures and brought in some nicnacs from home to populate the shelves. i also have a new plant. her name is bella. i am trying not to kill her. she was an impulse purchase at ikea yesterday. im baffled as to how they keep any of their plants alive, considering they all live in the lower level of the building and dont seem to come anywhere near sunlight. im hoping that makes bella hardier and i will have a much more difficult time killing her.










what else?... lets see, the other day i participated in a workshop that was organized through equality maryland. i had originally thought that it was being run by them, but it turns out that it was being facilitated by a little, santa-ish looking member of the church congregation where the workshop was being held. so my initial belief that i would just be there to notarize things and maybe answer a few questions was erased when i walked into the room to see two chairs sitting at the front of the room - one for me and one for santa. eek! everything turned out fine, of course. i tend to do fairly well in situations like this. there ended up being about 20 people there and i answered alot of questions. afterwards people came up to me and thanked me and said i was extremely helpful. they congratulated me on graduating (which was announced when i was officially introduced!) and seemed very genuine.

just this week i was forwarded an email from equality maryland that the attorney in my office who sent me to the workshop had received. it was very nice - they loved having me and wanted to know if i'd be available to do another workshop in october! pretty nice! i like knowing that i did a good job. im definitely going to try to do more work with equality maryland - even tho i won't be licensed here, it will be nice to keep up strong connections.

in other news, my diploma arrived this week! i shall leave you with wonderful (and small) pictures of it's splendor. :) it really is nice to finally have proof of my hard work.

let's do this

so, tonight i am going to be part of a workshop that was scheduled by Equality Maryland. i'm supposed to be there to help answer questions about two new pieces of legislation that passed and went into effect on July 1, 2008. One has to do with a transfer recordation tax exemption for domestic partners and the other is health care visitation rights for domestic partners. i've spent the last week familiarizing myself with the legislation and the affidavits that have to be signed by folks wanting to take advantage of their new rights. it's all pretty interesting!

i'm nervous, but excited. i'm just hoping that it all goes well!