Bring it on home

I planned to go to Oakland for the official Cal Bar swear-in. Speeches, loads of people in suits, grip and grin, parents - the whole 9. I felt unsure about it, though, none of the other first years from our office could make it, no one else from my law school was swearing in there, no friends, no family. In short, I wouldn't know anyone there.

I didn't have to hem and haw about it too much as I had the worst seasonal allergy attack in my recent history that morning. I've always watched Claritin ^© ads with curiousity: what are itchy, watery eyes? No longer - now, I know them well. Along with the sneezing. My god, the sneezing. I scared the crap out of Gia. At one point, she looked at me as if she thought an alien life form was trying to free itself from my insides through the sneezing. (Truth be told, that was kind of my theory too.) After an hour of thinking "this will pass soon", I was just plain exhausted. I decided to chuck the logisitics of getting to Oakland, the suit, parking, etc. and just go to work.

At work, I remembered that notaries can swear you in - and, how convenient, my secretary is a notary! So, after spending an hour volunteering, I was sworn-in at 3:45 pm with the Star. (And, of course, we were elbowing each other in the ribs/cracking up the whole time.)

On one hand, this final (FINAL) step was very anti-climactic, but on the other, it was just perfect (for me): I was sworn in by someone I know in an environment I'm very comfortable with alongside a friend, giggling the whole time.

..........

If you live in/near SF, may I recommend Tartine? The bread pudding is divine, dah-ling!! And if you are very, very lucky and all the stars align properly - you may be blessed with company as fabulous as JM and Eve-Marie. Actually, nah - that'll never happen.