Friday

Hello lovelies! I've been and still am at an air law symposium. Promise to share next week!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom {Link Up}

Take advice in whatever form it comes in. Don't get discouraged, or upset when someone offers words that are only meant to make you better. It is easy to get defensive when people offer words of wisdom or simple ideas that can impact your world.  In a world that demands perfection we are quick to anger and take defense when someone offers constructive criticism. So, the next time someone pops in from next door, or your mother calls "just to talk," don't automatically go into Charlie Brown mode (you know where when the adults speak all you hear is mah, mah, mah?). Take a deep breathe, listen to what they have to say, more often than not, its good advice.

And remember, the best advice often comes when you are not listen.  Link Up with me and share your words of wisdom with the world! ~The Illegal Blonde

A Few of My Favorite Spring Things {Link Up}

Ok, so I know its a little lazy to link up again, but I was totally going to blog about some of my fav things about Spring eventually so why not now? Linking up with Neely & Amber today to reveal my favorite things about pre-Summer Spring (or in Texas that brief period where its only 80 degrees during the day).

The flowers in front of my alma mater! Seriously we have an endowment to beautify the campus, so its always lovely this time of year!

SUN! I have finally  moved from so pale I'm blue to a light pinkish tone! I also am sporting a nice sports bra tan from planning flowers Saturday.


 The sun is still out when I get home! For someone who works long hours it was kind of depressing there for a while when the only sun I saw was from the window in my office. Now I can walk the pup while its still sunny outside, hello vitamin D intake!

this was taken last summer while studying for the bar, she is not amused

Patio dining. Last Friday I headed to lunch with some of the ladies in the office and dined al fresco. Not to mention that the Fort has some great patio spots. If you're in FTW try Riscky's downtown, Cristina's in Southlake, or for those of you more into ambiance than good and a killer margarita Joe T. Garcia's (also the place where I met hubs, but that's a story for another day).

Engagement photo @ Joe T.'s, seriously gorgeous place!

So as the song goes, these are a few of my favorite things! about SPRING. Link up and share yours. ~The Illegal Blonde

Miss/Mr (?) Canada

Miss Canada contestant, who is not a natural born woman

As an ex-pageant girl, pageant news sparks my interest. So when I heard about the D/Q of a Miss Canada Universe contestant I was intrigued. A contestant in the Miss Canada pageant was recently disqualified because she is not a natual born woman, Vancouver’s Jenna Talackova was born a male and underwent gender reasingment surgey at age 19. When pageant officials found out they disqualified her. Not only was she not born a woman, she lied about the fact in her application.

Now, I am a pretty liberal, social right person, and normally this would outrage me, but for some reason I find that I am ok with this. I do do belive the people should be treated equally regardless of race, creed, sex, etc.. but I can see another side of this issue. Not so much because I think that she is not good or pure enough to hold the title, but more because I have been there and done that... competed that is.

It is pretty well-known that men can lose weight and tone more than women. And for those of you who have never competed before, swimsuit competition is not just strapping on heels and doning a bikini. Pageant girls spends months preparing for this phase of competition. Strict diets, personal trainers, dedicated workout routines, all for 30 seconds to look your best.

Now imagine competing against a man instead. Who can burn calories faster, and gentically tone muscle more than a woman. A wo"man" who has perfect breast due to cosmetic surgery, not sure good padding in your bra top. I often joke with my husband about this very issue: how he can eat a cheeseburger and fries and burn the calories off in a day and I struggle to burn them in a week.

So, for me this is not about discrimination because of her gender reassignmnet (though I'm not saying pageant officials didn't have discriminatory intent), this is about the inherent fairness of the competition. Especially for the Miss Universe pageant which is basically a beauty/bathing suit pageant. Yes the women still have an interview, but they win more of a modeling contract then Miss America where you get scholarship money. Miss Universe is built on the premise of the beauty of the body. So is it inherently fair to allow a genetically-altered wo"man" to compete with natual born women?

This is not an attack on LGBT individuals. To me this is about a fair opportunity. This is also about the rules. The competition rule clearly state that a contestant must be a certain age, never married, pregnant, and a natural born woman. She should have disclosed her past before she lied about it on her application as well. I do applaud Jenn for being honest and open about her surgery and her life. She is a role model for young people everywhere and should be commended; however, she does not meet the qualifications for this particular pageant.

Just my two cents. How do you feel? I'd love to hear your comments and feedback. ~The Illegal Blonde

Confessional Friday {Link Up}

Linking up with Leslie today for good ole confessionals!

1)When my friend had to work through our lunch date, I totally went with our secretaries to get yummy & cheap Pad Thai from the local dive, and I ate the whole darn thing!

2)I cheated on Lent... I know I was supposed to give up sweets, but I was literally dying the other day, and caved.... I'm sorry Lord, but I am confessing my sins!

3)I'm in love with Kate Spade at the moment. In fact, I just scored these two pretties:

4)There's a 99% chance I'll be making my first trip to NYC!!!!! suggestions of things to do, eat, etc.. needed! Ok, so not technically a confession....

5) I like Chick-fil-a chargrilled and fruit salad almost more than the original sandwhich

6) I'm addicted to DrawSomething on my iPhone. It has taken me over, eaten my time, now pondering how to bill those hours to someone....

What do you need to confess this Friday? ~The Illegal Blonde

 

It's OK Thursday

• to leave work right at 5pm on Wednesdays to head to hot yoga
• to not cook on Tuesday & Wednesday nights because I can't miss kickboxing and yoga!
• to paint my nails light green and go to work because let's face it I don't see clients
• to get in bed at 8:45pm 3 nights a week
• to buy oh so cute baby items for all my friends from Over The Moon Baby Boutique and secretly wish they were for me.
• to hate my job one day and love it the next, or hate one minute and love the next
• to facebook stalk plaintiffs
• to facebook stalk an ex, I mean its kinda fun to see who what he is "doing" now
• to be so excited to go to Lowe's & Calloways to buy flowers this weekend!!!!
• that the guy at Starbuck's knows my order... grande non-fat latte w/ 2 splenda and a dash of cinnamon!
• to chat with my best friend at work via gchat.... yes I can bill hours & chat at the same time!
• to leave it in His hands sometimes

Link up your Ok Thursday! What ok with you today? ~The Illegal Blonde

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

I do not believe in coincidence, luck, or happen-stance;
I do not believe in meant to be, or even merely chance.

Things happen for a reason;
He puts angels in our lives
They come in every color, shape;
They arrive in every size.

With every door that closes, a window opens
A breeze brings winds of change;
He asks for nothing in return for love,
He wants nothing in exchange.

The Lord knows just what you need,
even when you are lost,
Answers come from up above,
often with no cost.

So make plans for life and write them down,
but let frustration subside;
for when those plans take an unexpected turn,
God will be by your side.

What do you believe in? What are your words of wisdom this Wednesday? ~The Illegal Blonde

When It Rains, It Pours

Ahh yes, its the first day of spring here in sunny, dreary Texas. I know it should come as no surprise that the weather is less than desirable for this time of year, I mean it is Texas. Texas is notorious for our rather fickle weather patterns. It can go from sunny to rainy in 2 minutes flat, and it is not unsual to see a 20 degree temperature drop over the course of a few seconds. Often just as you decide to put away the sweaters, the heavens open and in comes the snow! Yes, that is Texas weather!

Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good rain, and Lord knows we need it here to recover from the excessive days of 100+ temperatures in the summer, but on the first day of spring? And to make matters worse, when it rains here, it tends to pour. I mean monsoon! Flash flooding, crazy drivers, overflowing waterways.... come on Noah bring on the Ark. So much for April showers. (Though I did get to wear my cute Banana Republic Trench!)

So, happy Tuesday all, if you need me I'll be treading along, trying to keep afloat. ~The Illegal Blonde

P.S. I am also wondering how many people's homes are being attacked and whether this means more insurance claims....

My laws v. the In-laws

I definitely have a case of the Mondays! 5am came way too early for my workout today, and honestly, it may be a 2 cup day!

How was your St. Patty's Day? Did you drink a lot of green beer, shake your groove thing, get some green beads? I may not have done all that but I have a great weekend full of family! Attended my sister's bridal shower & lingerie shower, and D's birthday! Which leads me to my topic today: my laws versus my in-laws.

So, Saturday was D's birthday so we headed to the house for his birthday celebration. Got to see the "niece & nephew" and lots of V & D's friends.... might I add they have the coolest friends. We talked, drank, and ate the evening away. They caught up on my life as a newlylawyer and protruded about when babies would arrive in our household. (hubs slightly cringes at this topic). I learned about flowers (did I mention these ladies are bona fide members of the garden club?), wine, life, and love! Their house is always full of people, good wine, and yummy food. It's like a game of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?!

How can you not love that face?

Post party, we headed over the the in-laws to spend the night. Now, don't get my wrong, I have great in-laws... and they LOVE Chloe (the closest thing to a grandchild they have), but they are the furthest thing from my family. No parties, no wine-induced giggles, no hummus & pita, shrimp, or omelets in the morning. The in-laws are pretty routine people, they go to the same places, order the same thing, and keep it pretty safe. The house is usually quiet, and you do not have the random neighbor dropping by.

It's just quite different the families that my husband and I have, but how theses different backgrounds have managed to bring us together. We have both learned new things, and hope to meld two worlds into one. Though we have had our moments of who's family is better than whose (which normally revolves around Holiday food), we both agree each has its pros and cons. Ah, marriage and families, ain't it grand?

Have a Marvelous Monday all! ~The Illegal Blonde

P.S. In law news, my email has been dinging all morning in a game I like to call, "what case is this?"

Friday's Letters

OK, OK, so I know its Saturday, but here would have been my letter from Friday:

Dear Chloe: Thank you for being a sweet pup this week and NOT digging any new holes in the yard, thus avoiding the wrath of Daddy Man!

Dear Hubs: Thank you for letting me snuggle in bed on Thursdays and watch Grey's Anatmoy and Private Practice every week even though I know you think the shows are silly and dumb, and I confess they are, but I love it! Also thank you for yummy date night dinner!

Dear DFW Drivers: You drive on the same highway everyday to and from work, so please let's remember that the road has not changed, the sign still says exit only, so do not drive on the exit only lane and then get extremely mad that no one will let you squeeze over!

Dear Skin/Hormones: Yes I know I am nearing thirty. Yes I know its humid and muggy outside. Yes I know that my skin will not look like it did when I was 12, but seriously this dry one day oil slick the next must stop! I am running out of patience, moisuirizer, and concealer!

~The Illegal Blonde

P.S. Mr. Parnter at work, thank you for saying thank you for all my work! Made my little day.

Awkward/Awesome Thursday

Awkward

• getting hit on a 5am at the gym - There I was, sweaty, no make-up blasting away on the elliptical, when man interrupts me to introduce himself....
• competative men doing hot yoga - Guys, its ok that your cannot master Tree or Eagle
• spilling Thai chicken soup all over yourself at lunch, and then smelling like it all day
• drinking tons of water pre-yoga and subsequently passing the same secretary on your way to the bathroom like 12 times

Awesome

• sister's bridal shower & bachelorette party this weekend!
• St. Patty's Day and D's birthday!
• warmer weather (not a fan of the humidity though)
• finally liking my haircut once I learned how to "fix" it!
• Spending last weekend with some of the most awesome women I know! They are mentors, friends, sisters, family!

Have a great Thursday all! ~The Illegal Blonde

Loving What You Do

Someone told me recently that you if you love what you do, then it's not work. Well, I can't say I love what I do everyday, but I do love the challenge of what  I do. I get asked what kind of law I practice, or what my specialty is almost everyday. Newsflash: I'm an associate, I practice whatever law the partners give me, but that is what I love! When someone walks in my door to give me an assignment or task I never know what I'm going to get. (It's like the law grab bag in my office).

Walking into my office is like going through the salad bar of law: a little wrongful death here, a helping of discovery requests, sampling of insurance defense, the little taste of business transactions, and the odd research assignment thrown in for pizazz. Do I necessarily love all these helpings, no, but who can honestly say they love everything, everyday of what they do. I do love, however, that I never know what I'm going to get. Each day brings a new project, challenge, and learning experience. I have gotten to explore so many avenues of the law in such a short time. So, as much as I may not love drafting discovery, I do love the feeling when I come up with the perfect RFA that gets to the heart of the element of the cause of action (without copy & paste).

So, while you may not love every single thing that you do everyday, I do believe that if there is something about what you do that you love, its job work! ~The Illegal Blonde

Sports Widow

It's that time again ladies: March Madness. Husbands disappear from after dinner dish duty, the trash will magically walk itsself to the curb, and every question you pose gets the same garbled answer: "ah yeah sure." You become a sports widow.

Though I have only been married for a little over a year, I knew this was coming. After you date someone for 5 years you tend to see a pattern. August - early January and mid-March are those sad times when your man is MIA, and he can be found in front of a TV... for hours! In the past I have tried to fight this syndrome they have, one year I even gasp ... suggested he DVR a game (you would have though I asked him to get a vasectomy!)

So this year ladies I vow not to fight it. I will embrace widowness for a few short weeks this month and use it to focus on myself. Uninterrupted naps, running the dishwasher, and long runs! I will enjoy the break from the hubs while he takes in endless hours of basketball because I mean how often do I get to shop and have no one asking me why, or how much? ~The Illegal Blonde

P.S. For you ladies that say you love basketball... you are probably not married because believe me at one time I "liked" it too.

An Apple A Day: Childhood Obesity

I literally eat an apple everyday. Yup, that's right, every single day. (at my old job, my co-workers laughed that you could set your clock by my apple snack time) Whether its my morning snack or a part of my lunch, I adhere to the old adage, you are what you eat. I've not always been a huge health, but, for the most part I was a good, healthy eater as a child. Even when we did not have much money, my mom had to feed my fruit and veggie habit (I was the child who could eat a whole can of green beans for dinner). So, it shocks me when I see children today hopped up in caffiene, sugar, and fast food.

In 2008, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese, and the number is growing. This is evidenced by my recent early morning coffee run where I witnessed two teens order something akin to a milkshake paired with muffins and cake. Seriously, their dailey caloric intake was right there disguised as coffee. Not only was I annoyed by the amount of time it took them to decide what they wanted and realizing it had coffee in it, and "oh I don't like coffee..." (THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE!!!! I screamed in my head), but I was shocked that a parent would allow their child to eat this crap. I mean its one thing if you as an adult eat it, but your kid has a chance!

Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.  One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults.

Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

I was again shocked this weekend while judging a competition. Here are athletes, honing their sport, while chugging down sugary sports drinks, redbulls, and pretty much junk food! I have never seen more candy bars, energy drinks, and inhalation of stuff in my life. How are you supposed to fuel your body to perform your sport if you are feeding yourself junk? Crap in, crap out.... (no pun intended).

Now, I'm not saying that we need to teach our children or teen girls that they need to be on a constant diet and starve, but they do need to be taught to eat healthy. They need to learn that eating right now, makes it easier to eat well later and avoid those pounds when your metabolism slows down. It may seem easy to pull through the drive-thru or microwave dinner, but what are you teaching your kids? I know its hard, I know kids are picky, and stubborn, and would rather die than eat something green, but something has to be done.

Eating right, and healthy can be just as tasty as fast food, and you feel much better after an apple than an apple pie! Eat right, get fit, live longer. ~The Illegal Blonde

5 Things

I'm teaming up with my friend Jessika over at Stand Still Look Pretty and giving you 5 things I'm loving right now!

#1 So I have up sweets for Lent, so that means no flavored lattes. I'm loving a nonfat latte with 2 splendas & a dash of cinnamon!

Love that my name is spelled "lin"

(I'm not loving the annoying high school girls who come to Starbuck's 

and have no clue what they are ordering and take 10 minutes to order some ridiculous "dessert!")

#2 Hot Yoga! Can't really show you a picture of this one... sorry guys!

#3 That is got cold for a couple more days in Texas.

I know blasephmy, but I feel like I was cheated out of winter!

Note that it will again be warm come Monday!

#4 Daylight Savings! Spring forward everyone!

#5 That Kris Humphries would like to be his own attorney in the divorce proceedings... I mean come on! Oh to be a fly in that courtroom.

Happy Friday all! ~The Illegal Blonde



Thoughtful Thursday

• Today is International Women's Day - Did you know that Wyoming was the first state to allow women to vote in 1869? Although women have made great strides in the workplace and education, they are still oppressed in many countries. So celebrate being a woman today, celebrate women's empowerment, and celebrate life.
• Hot yoga - Yes I know I blogged about it last week, but let me tell you, its wonderful. Its perhaps the only 90 minutes where I am concentrated on nothing but me. Remember, everyone needs me time. Try to take at least 90 minutes a week to clear your head, take a deep breathe and marvel in all that is you.
• KONY - I noticed an influx of Kony videos on my facebook feed. So I did a little research. I know that the Invisible Children campaign has been alive since about 2005, as I remember the flyers and such on my college campus. However, have you seen how the organization actually spends it money? I am all for supporting charities and non-profits, but I want to know where my money goes. Look into Invisible Children and how much they actually put towards the cause.
• And my inspiring quote this Thursday:

Relax. Breathe in deep. Hold it. Let it out. Loosen your shoulders. Smile. Close your eyes. You'll be surprised at how many voices you'll hear, whispering sweet encouragement into your ear. ~ Mike Dooley

Have a lovely Thursday all. ~The Illegal Blonde

 

 

Chocolate Covered Katie

FYI - I am obsessed with her blog and recipes, you should check her out!

TV v. Reality

Often people ask me what I do all day, or someone asks me how to avoid jury duty, get out of a ticket, etc... They want to know what its like to be in the courtroom and make deals with prosecutors. I smile, with a sly little smirk and say wow, TV has taken over.

Yes, I'm a lawyer, no I'm not the kind you see on Law & Order, CSI, Drop Dead Diva, or Harry's Law. First of all, I do civil litigation, not criminal work. I do not deal with prosecutors, police, or medical examiners. Second, trials in civil land take a long time, and most do not end up in trial anyway. TV has blurred reality for so many. People get frustrated when the judicial system does not run as quickly as they see on TV. Cases are not disposed of in a week, they drag on for months, and often years.

For example, in complex litigation an "injury" may happen in 2007 and here we are in 2012 just now taking depositions. Or, someone may wait and file suit 2 years after the supposed injury, so that makes the case seem light years removed from the incident. People do not see what really goes on.

It takes time in civil cases to gather information (evidence) through "discovery."  Imagine mountains of papers, files, CDs of info, pictures, or imagine getting a response in which some lawyer uses really big words to  pretty much say we're not going to play nice will drag this out. ARGHHH. There are litigation holds, and banter about what is or is not "responsive" to a request. It can be like a giant game of hide and seek!

Thus the march to the courthouse ensues. Much of what civil attorneys do is writing motions in which they complain about things such as the oppsing counsel who refuses to play nice. So, if you walk into a courthouse, its probably not a trial you see, but a hearing. Its judge, no jury, and attorneys duking it out over paper. Crazy you think, well these hearings can make the difference in a case. Whether or not certain evidence will be allowed in or out can drastically impact the stage set at trial.

Then it takes time to schedule depositions, which may lead to more discovery to get more evidence.  Complex cases are governed by scheduling orders from the judge that lays out exactly when different stages of the suit are to begin and end. But just because there is a "schedule" does not mean that things do not make this schedule change. Lawyers need continuances for numerous reasons stemming from personal things to awaiting discovery from third parties who are not within the court's jurisdiction. Thus, the trial scheduled for next week, ends up being put off for 6 months.

Then you have the illustrious lawyer who puts things off just to draw it out. They rack up fees for seemingly minuscule tasks, and we wonder why lawyers have a bad name. Yes, TV has killed reality of the legal world. Now, I can only speak for civil cases, but even criminal cases take time. Remember this next time you get upset with your lawyer for things "taking too long." The legal process is not necessarily a fast moving sports car, but rather a steady moving locomotive.

Oh, and FYI & BTW, most lawyers will never be in the courtroom or be first-chair in a trial (let alone walk into Congress demanding a law be signed). The only reason I've stepped in the courtroom is to watch. A girl can dream though! ~The Illegal Blonde

Lost in Translation

The Office deposition

I have been reading lots of depos lately. For those of you who do not know what that is, its a deposition. Basically its testimony before a trial but its normally in a conference room and just the lawyers, a court reporter and sometimes a videographer are present. Either way, its considered testimony and its taken under oath and can be used later at trial. Depos are used in suits to help each side get better idea of the facts and circumstances of the case as well as develop a sense of what each witness will be like in the stand. In insurance cases, you can take what is called an examination under oath, which is basically just like a deposition, but its normally taken before a suit is filed and is used to help an insurance company figure out what happened when a claim is made.

But you would be amazed at what people say in these things, on both sides. The best part about reading depos and EUOs is that I get to make believe. I can give the people voices, personalities, and imagine what they look like. It's like reading a really juicy detective novel one day or a sci-fi book the next.

Think about if every conversation you had was recorded on paper and imagin what it would be like to read that back to yourself. You lose the tone, inflection, facial expressions. You cannot rely on body language or verbal cues. Sometimes the answer given does not match the question asked and vice versa. Other times you read the question asked and wonder how on earth anyone would answer it.

The best part is how things read out. The exchange on paper is nothing like how it played out in reality; things literally get lost in translation. So in lawyer land, depos are my tragedies, my comedies, and my love stories. For your viewing pleasure, here are a few examples of depositions. Happy reading. ~The Illegal Blonde

Sunday Funday

The weekend was glorious! And by glorious I mean sunny, 75 degrees, and a light breeze glorious! Saturday began with yog and cardio, and then off to Hobby Lobby and the plant nursery. I love Hobby Lobby,  btw.... I got some great home decor to spruce up the home. I got some vases a couple weeks ago at Pottery Barn, but did not want to spend the money for their flowers, sooooo 50% sale at HL! Then we headed to the plant nursery to look at some spring planting. I decided on begonias and geraniums for my flowers beds, and a mother-in-laws tongue for the giant pot in the dining room.

 

Sunday I did a quick 5.5 mile run on the sunshine and took the pup for a walk! Then we finally put together the grill I bought hubs in October for his bday. Yes I know only a couple months late... But the best part, SHORTS! Yes you heard me I put on shorts, sat in a beach chair and read in the driveway. I looked so chic I'm sure. reading depos are way more fun, in the sun, in a beach chair with lemonade! I even managed to get a little color on my face and legs, which was much needed. I was so place I was blue.

This week: depos, depos, depos! We literally have depos in our office everyday for like the next month! I'm hoping to maybe sit in on one or two, but if not at least I can people watch. Have a great week everyone! ~The Illegal Blonde

Trial Tales

Some of the partners in our firm have been in trial all week. Yesterday another associate and I ventured down to the courthouse hoping to see a little action. Well, not so much action to be seen, but funny and interesting observations nonetheless.

It was nice to get out of the office and see the product of so much hard work by the lawyers in our firm. Sometimes as an associate you work on different pieces of cases and where your work fits in sometimes gets lost. It easy to not see how what you do fits into the bigger picture. Although I didn't work on this case, it was awesome to see the partners in action. To see them in this light is proof that I work with some amazing people. The ease with which they questioned witnesses, the instant recall of testimony from days before, and even just the knowledge that pops into their heads inspires me. Knowing that I get to learn from these individuals is what keeps me going on those days when I'm not sure how I fit into the grand scheme of things. ~The Illegal Blonde

It's Getting Hot in Here

Or hot in the yoga class I took last night. Yes I jumped onto the Bikram or Hot Yoga bandwagon. I had heard friends rave about it, my sister was loving it, so when some of my sorority sisters found a groupon for a new studio, I took the plunge, literally. When I stepped out of class last night I was drenched. For those of you not on the yoga train, Hot Yoga is 80-90 minutes of yoga in a 105 degree room that is 85-90% humidity. Add in about 25 bodies and its steamy. You move through different series of poses and moves all while sweating it out next to people you may or may not know (I took one of our paralegals with me, haven't seen her yet this morning...).

Now, I've done some yoga in the past, dry of course, but this was different. I had to focus so much on my breathing so I wouldn't pass out that the time flew by. As I told a friend, I was relaxed and exhausted all at the same time. Needless to say, but it also made me ready for bed! ( I apologize to whomever I sleep texted last night).

So, I'm hooked. Another trip to Lululemon for some more gear (aka absopring sweat towels) and remembering to bring a hair thing and a change of clothes for afterward. I warn you, if you do not like hot tubs, saunsas, lots of sweaty people, or heat in general, do not try this. However, for someone who has been an avid runner and kickboxer and doubted this would be a good workout, I admit my fault. And if you are an overworked, stressed out lawyer, its a MUST! ~The Illegal Blonde