Reflections after 1L

Almost a year ago I began what has become the most challenging experience of my life: law school. My “1L” year (law students first year of school) felt like an eternity. And yet, in the same thought, was unbelievably brief. While the last year was exceedingly difficult and dreadfully time consuming: it was, in the end, amazing. First year law students typically reflect upon their prior year with much disdain. I actually enjoyed myself, my school, my faculty, and (admittedly most) of my colleagues.

I can easily say that I have never been more challenged in both what I believe as well as whom I want to become. From my (admittedly) brief encounter with the legal profession, it surprised me to realize “law” has much less to do with “right and wrong,” as it does with interpretation. Most lawyers don’t work as agents of change but as agents caught in a frequently broken system of justice. So what, then, does this mean for me? Find any student after their first year and I can promise you they will be tormenting over one all-consuming question: what now? You’ve made it through your 1L year, whether good or bad, you now have a superficial understanding of “the law.” Now, find your way in a maze of life altering choices. Our journey is a constant state of self-reflection.

Where will I come out? Who knows. I think I will be 77 and still not know who I want to be when I grow up. However, while I am feeling the birth pains now (poor analogy, but can’t think of anything better!), I am grateful for the unbelievable support and love I have from wife, family, and friends.

Thus, no answers today. However, keep visiting our blog and I’m sure I’ll figure it out by the time I’m 78. For now, I need to buy a bottle of wine for a good friend moving to Washington DC and meet up with Elisa.

Best,

m

Mike's Subway and Pepperment Baths

I’ve come to understand New Yorker’s love/hate relationship with the subways. From what I can tell, it boils down to most of my experiences today in one horrible subway fiasco.

It’s a cloudy 90 degrees with humidity pushing 75-80%. If you’ve never lived in a humid and populated environment, imagine a continual dirty mist… like sweat hovering everywhere. You feel clean for 10 minutes a day: during your gloriously freezing showers.

I’m excited to get off work a bit early and rush to the F train. The subway stations in NYC are typically underground and my station is no exception. Thus, the temperature on a hot day be nearly unbearable. As I quickly swipe my MTA card (looking like a real pro New Yorker, if I do say so myself) I rush through the toll booth hoping to catch a waiting train. I should of known better.

The subway station was empty. This can mean only one thing: you just missed a train. Sighing, I take a deep breath, loosen my tie a bit, and wait. Slowly the platform becomes increasingly populated. Eventually, there is a slew of tired and hungry people all looking in the same direction. I finally figured out why it’s important to watch patiently for the gleam of the subway lights coming towards the platform: it’s a signal for the cheaters. It doesn’t matter that you’ve been waiting there for 20 minutes… as soon as the subway appears, half the people standing in the back push their way forward. Today was no exception. However, my annoyance was dampened a bit by the realization that a train had finally arrived.

There are usually 9 separate trains connected together to make one train. This is important to know… so just hang with me.

The first 4 trains pass me and I can see each is packed to the brim with people. Catching this train will be a challenge. Bring it on.

The doors open and the cattle are off... everyone shoving desperately to get their elusive admission to a ride we all already paid for: a ride home.

In all the stampeding craziness I make an amateur mistake: I got on the subway that seemed oddly under populated. This means either one of two things: a homeless man is on the train that desperately needs a bath or the air conditioner is not working. For me, it was the later.

This train was at least 110 degrees. Seriously, I felt like glazing ham. Before I can react, the doors close, and I am standing next to hundreds of sweating and frustrated people. A train full of armatures. I can hardly breath as the air is too thin and muggy.

Just when I thought this 30 minute train ride couldn’t get any worse, I realized that my new neighbor, aka BO Man, is holding both arms in the air and shamefully looking down. “Breathing is entirely overrated anyway,” I try to tell myself. I swear I see a little red man giggling with horns and a pitch fork… but that could just be my oncoming heat stroke talking.

We finally make it to the first stop. “Only four more to go,” I think. A few get off to make a run for a new (and hopefully air conditioned) train. As many know, this venture is risky during rush hour as you could get off and there could be no room left on the other. I’m torn, but decide not to risk the maneuver. As our train doors close and we start moving again, I see my more adventurous friends waiting on the platform: bad gamble.

Stop two. An old Hispanic women with a walker squishes her way on, only to realize too late that this train was clearly a replica of the lower levels of hell. As usual, no one gives up their seat as she braces herself against the door. A continual stream of sweat drips down the center of my back. I close my eyes and dream of an ice cold shower… or maybe a bath made with nothing but ice and peppermint paddies. I finally open my eyes and realize BO Man has conducted an unexpectedly bold maneuver: he removed his shirt and is showing the world his sweaty, black haired, and BO reeking chest. KILL ME NOW.

The third stop arrives with a plethora of action. Old Hispanic Lady makes a run for it! “GOD SPEED,” I think as she darts up the platform. Old Hispanic Lady is replaced briefly by Change Man. “Everyone can I you’re your attention….” he says as he enters the train. “I am hungry and was hoping you could… arrgggg (Change Man’s face drops as he finally steps into the train)… forget this (insert profanities)… this car is HOT.” Just then Change Man bolts off the train.

Finally we arrive at 7^th Street. Put a fork in me, this ham is done cooking. The doors open, I rush out, and I am struck by what feels like of cold refreshing air. However it was, in fact, typical 90 degree New York air humid air. However, for that brief moment, it was my personal 90 degree freezer. I made finally made it home.

Goodbye Risky BO Man, Old Hispanic Lady, Change Man, and the little devil I’m sure was in that train. I’m going home to soak in peppermint and ice.

Overdue Update

So I know its been a little while again, but there really has been a lot going on. I’m writing this blog from rehearsal … that’s right, I’m in rehearsal for a musical in NYC! It’s a new musical and is being performed August 1-17th at the Arthur Seeley Theatre in the basement of the Drama Bookshop just a few blocks from Times Square. It’s definitely going to be an interesting experience seeing as there is a large cast, we have less than a month till we open, and the director/producer/writer/lyricist/etc is quite a character… But nevertheless it’s a musical and it means I’m performing in New York City! I’ll try to do my best to keep everyone update with how rehearsals are going.

In other news… the new job is going well and giving me lots of flexibility with my time to go to auditions, take dance classes, and spend more time at home with Zoka and Mike. However, its seems that all that free time that I thought I might have doesn't actually exist. Especially since I am using a lot of it to search for a new apartment. The reason why is a long story which bases around our terrible neighbors who are filthy and have bugs! I promise to write more later but wanted to give a quick updated to keep all my faithful readers ... if they exist ... so if you're reading this, thanks and I promise to be better with updates soon!

P.S. Mike has updated my acting website with some new photos and my resumes ... check it out: www.elisapupko.com

Happy 4th From NYC

From Elisa and Mike.

Look what happens when I take Mike to a photoshoot with me...

I'm not a quitter!

I’ve never been one to quit things ... but I quit my admin job last week. Seeing as how up till now the only job I’ve ever officially quit was for the School of Nursing and that was after working only two days and then finding out I got into the Road Company at Taproot Theatre, quitting my job is a big deal to me. Well, I guess I can now say that I have quit two jobs, yes that’s right, I gave my two weeks notice to my office job last Tuesday. This Friday will be my last day working as an admin assistant and I officially take on my new job next Monday, although I’ve already been in training the past week. I found exactly the job that I had been hoping for, and was starting to believe didn’t exist … I now work part time for an online company that sells different products for “a healthy lifestyle.”

What makes this the perfect job you ask? For starters, I am only working 20 hours a week, about four hours a day, but making my own schedule. Because it is an online company and there is no office, all my work can be done from home, a coffee shop, at a hotel after the kids I’m babysitting have gone to bed, etc. This new schedule will allow me to work a few hours from home every morning and then attend 2-3 dance classes a day, and then come home (or go babysit or tutor) and work a few more hours in the evening. I’m really excited to be able to now completely have the freedom to take as many dance classes during the week as I can afford, on top of continuing my weekly voice lessons (which are going really great!).

To help supplement our income and to pay for my increase in classes I will continue to babysit, also I have just been hired by a company that provides one-on-one tutoring to New York public school children. This is a job similar to the babysitting in that it allows my schedule to remain flexible as I am able to coordinate my schedule with the child I am tutoring. So I now have three different jobs I will be juggling (and I’m actually considering applying for an additional babysitting agency) but for me it will be great because they are all jobs that let me determine my schedule so that I can give as much attention and time to the real reason I’m here … acting!

Everything is currently in transition as I finish up my last week at the office job and finish training for the online job. The tutoring position will begin training this summer but won’t officially start until September so I have a bit of time to get in the groove of my new routine. Mike is also in transition as last week was his first week interning at the Federal Court House in Brooklyn. So far he loves it and feels extremely lucky with the Judge he is interning for. Last week he got to observe several trails and then discuss them with the judge afterwards, something not all interns are lucky enough to do! The weather here is just starting to get really HOT and HUMID and the air conditioner we bought is proving to be well worth the cost!

Pope Family Visits NYC

Last week Mike's Parents, Brothers Dan & Matt, and Dan's Girlfriend Jennifer all came for a visit. We all managed to survive living in our 500ish square foot apartment and sharing one tiny bathroom! For more fun stories from the trip check out his mom's blog (link to it is on the top left of my blog page). I will try and post more photos soon but here is one for now...