Who would you rather......??

Late at night. Can't sleep. Playing a game with myself: who would you rather take in your fantasy football draft: a game that we often play when it's crunch time at your snake draft, but you weren't prepared for it before (Note: My big league is still doing an auction draft this year, which I still advociate for football over a snake draft. Just sayin').


1. Ray Rice or Jamaal Charles? Oooo.... you start with the tough questions, don't you? An inside source (Brother Mouzone) has told me Ray Rice looks awfully good in the preseason, and I think last year was a sophomore slump. He's my favorite fantasy player this year.

2. Michael Turner or Aaron Rodgers: Air-Rodg without a thought. A-Rodg might become the best fantasy QB ever; Turner the Burner is like a dinosaur in terms of fantasy.

3. Shonn Greene or Frank Gore: Definitely Gore. Greene's had like 6 games of fantasy greatness. Gore's been proven (to be injured) but also good when he's in there.

4. Tom Brady or Phillip Rivers: Tough. For some reason I think Brady gets distracted, gets older, something this year. Rivers is NEVER distracted. And he has a shiny new toy this year: the V-Jax Version 3.0.

5. Greg Jennings v. Reggie Wayne: Beware of players in fantasy who've peaked: Wayne looks ready to pass on the torch; Jennings is 5 years younger and the #1 receiver on a just-as dynamic offense. Plus, I have a man-crush on Jennings so this was a free-bee.

6. Sebastian Janikowski or Mason Crosby: Dude, if you're asking these questions, for the love of god stop embarrassing yourself and quit this game. DON'T DRAFT KICKERS UNTIL THE LAST ROUND!!!! Btw, the correct answer is Mason Crosby.

7. Dallas Clark or Jason Witten: Go with Witten. Sources tell me Clark looking banged up and also on the wrong side of 30. (If you're seeing a trend here, it's true, I'm down on the Colts this season. Brother Mouzone predicts Colts won't make the playoffs.)

8. Ryan Mathews or Jeremy Maclin: I'm high on Mathews even though he burned me to a crisp last year ($38 auction dollars I'll never get back), but I think Maclin just does better. Maclin is rated like 63 or so in Yahoo! Guys, he's like a top 10 WR. C'mon.

Hope you enjoyed this edition. At the end of the season, I predict I will get 5 out of 8 of these "Who would you rather"'s correct. Book it.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

No news is bad news

"No news is good news." - common saying that doesn't always apply. There are definitely times when you're sitting around waiting, waiting, waiting for someone to call you, or something to happen, and it just doesn't. It's always worse waiting for something to happen because as each second ticks by, you know there's less chance that thing is going to happen. Consider the opposite: You don't want any news. You wait it out, and each minute is more hope, the sun gets brighter every second until you get through the clouds. Huzzah.

Here are examples o "no news is bad news":

1. when you're unemployed. When you're waiting for a job, you want things to be happening, things to be in motion, possibilities to open up. Even if you don't get something, at least you tried, and there is hope. Stagnance is devastating.

2. hoping for a date. Waiting for the girl/target of your affections to call you back. Ooo boy.

3. when you own Jimmy Rollins in a fantasy league. Seeing as he's ALWAYS injured, no news on his recovery means he'll be injured for a while.

4. Waiting to be called to your table at a restaurant. The famous Seinfeld "Chinese restaurant" episode comes to mind. You're already hungry, you're becoming testier from being hungry, you want food, no one's leaving their tables, dang it!!!!

5. When on Standby for a flight at the airport. Explains yourself. Has anyone in the history of flights ever taken that "We're overbooked so we're offering you free hotel accommodations" deal?

Anyway. Just a rant. Hopefully Monday brings some news for "this guy," Da Man.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Different faces of the law

Ok I thought I’d actually make myself useful and just all the list of paths a prospective law student can take should he or she decide to go down the lucrative-for-some, right-now-highly-risky-because-of-the-economy, interesting-at-times, difficult-during-the-first-year-of-law-school practice of law.
1. Big Firm: This, in previous years, was the be-all and end-all for law students, and not coincidentally the most lucrative. With seemingly guaranteed salaries of $160,000 to start (not including bonuses), it sure seemed like a golden ticket. And the career path still exists today, just not in the abundance that it did just a few short years ago (when I happened to decide to go to law school). In Big Law, you work at a well-known law firm doing what the firm has a need for, such as transactional work, high-stakes litigation, etc. You may have a “practice area” that you carve out for yourself based on the work that you primarily do for the firm.
Big firms hire law students to be summer associates during the summer after their 2L year, and during that summer the law students are evaluated and usually given full-time offers at the end of the summer (except in 2009, it seems). The hiring process for these summer associate-ships come during the summer after 1L year, which is why 1L grades are SOOOOOO important.
2. Law Clerk: If Big Law was option 1, clerking for a federal judge was option 1a. And probably more prestigious. It’s a huge shining star on your resume to have been a law clerk for a federal judge and opens an inordinate amount of doors in the legal profession, especially in the aforementioned big law firms. You work for one or two years depending on the court and your cycle for a federal judge writing the judge’s decisions, basically being the judge’s right-hand man (or woman) in deciding cases, motions, and others. Great gig if you can get it.
3. IP Law: kind of overlapping, by IP law is a hot sector for a lot of biglaw firms right now that takes a certain type of attorney: those with biology/chemistry/engineering/other hard science backgrounds. What those law students can do is take the patent bar to become a patent attorney, which is a separate specialization that allows the attorney to try patent infringement cases, among other special superhero powers. Quite a good spot to be in, and employment prospects in that sector are a bit better than other legal sectors.
4. Public interest: working for public defender offices, legal aid clinics, this is more of a “service” law sector that promotes helping client who are not as fortunate (nor as wealthy as other clients), and therefore, you don’t get paid as much. Sorry to be blunt, but that’s the tradeoff: it’s actually good work and very necessary in our society, but you’re not compensated real well. Big law firms also have public interest and pro bono public areas, but rest assured that those are not the ones generating the big bucks for the firm.
5. In-house legal counsel: working in the legal department of a major company, this is my dream job. However, most in-house lawyers need like 5, 6, 7, or 62 years of experience (something like that) AT A BIG FIRM to gain the qualifications to be an in-house attorney. Needless to say, kind of a tough gig to get. And big companies don’t exactly like the lawyers taking away from the bottom line, so they’d like to keep the legal costs down, if possible.
6. Mid-to-small-size law firms: Basically the law firms that aren’t the “big law” firms. Not as stringent hiring requirements and they don’t come in a big pack to your school’s on-campus interviewing program during the summer after 1L. This is where the “it’s-who-you-know” mindset comes in, as statistics say 80% of the jobs are filled through internal. Probably how it happens: Firm has about 15 associates. One associate leaves to become a teacher. Firm now has opening for an associate. Firm doesn’t want the hassle of sending out a mass job posting and resume collect. Firm asks one of its remaining 14 associates who they know that might do good job. Associate #11 says, “My friend Larry Lawyer went to Lawrence Law School with me, he’s great.” Larry Lawyer gets brought in for an interview, firm likes Larry Lawyer, hires him over others who they have no familiarity with. Job opening filled.
7. Presidential Management Fellows Program/Department of Justice Honors Program/ Associate Attorneys’ Program: Government programs that hire law students for its cycling program. Don’t know much about this, usually you wind up in the US Attorney’s office or another governmental agency in its enforcement offices. Also pretty stringent on hiring qualifications, etc.
8. Solo practitioner: From all I’ve heard, very difficult to go down this road right out of law school, a straight ticket to a malpractice lawsuit.
9. Immigration: another niche field that some attorneys go into, usually in the small-to-mid-size law firm category. Usually helpful to get some experience in an immigration legal clinic in law school.
10. Professor: this also requires some professional experience, usually at a big firm and/or clerking. O, and a PhD wouldn’t hurt. This is WAY DOWN the road.
11. Judge: This is also WAY DOWN the road. Requires 10 years of being in practice before you can even think about doing it.
12. Consulting: used to be an ugly sister to the big law firm route, now many law students are embracing this route as the law firms clutter up. Have little knowledge of how it works except for, during interviews the recruiters ask many open-ended questions like “how much orange juice is produced in the U.S. every day?” to make you think. Uhh Yea, thinking: Not my strong suit.
13. Document review: Basically well-dressed attorneys in a room with computers reading off their screens and marking documents as “important” or “unimportant.” If not as intellectually thrilling as you thought law would be, neither did I (when I did it in 2010). It can actually be kinda lucrative, though, if you get the right type.
14. Something out of the law: people go back to their old jobs, do something else entirely, switch careers before even getting started in law, etc. (For me, I don’t have a career to go back to…so it’s kind of tough).
So there you have it, 14 great career options for people interested in law. Seriously, at this point I’m a pretty good authority on what jobs there are in the law. During law school, I’ve basically worked some form of 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and definitely 13. I just can’t find one that pays, or is full time (yet). So if you have any questions about these jobs, or more importantly, IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE JOBS AND ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO FILL IT, shoot me a message.
By the way, good tool for networking: LinkedIn. People post their resumes on their, etc. and you can see who got what positions, contact them if need be.


Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Inevitability

"No one wins. One side just loses more slowly." - Roland Pryzbylewski, The Wire


After almost 2 months, Big Brother finally had an interesting episode tonight, as the generals of the 2 remaining alliances were both sent packing within the hour and the final 6 were decided.
Danielle v. Jeff was one of the biggest storylines of the season, a real heavyweight bout between 2 of the more memorable houseguests in Big Brother history, not just this season. Their departure reminds me of one of the biggest axioms in Big Brother: Don't be the leader; power is weakness; weakness is power. If you're at the very head of your alliance and have a great deal of power in the house, you have actually the least power because you're the biggest target, everyone's gunning after you. The person who's the quietest and perceived weakest is usually the strongest in a game like Big Brother and usually comes out ahead (See Adam-BB9, Dan BB10, Jordan BB11, etc., etc.) Jeff, just by being the strong man that he is, was not built to ever win Big Brother. He's ALWAYS gonna be too big of a target because he's always a threat to win competitions. Unless they change it to shortest-person-wins HoH contests or knitting/weaving vetos, Jeff will always be a threat. Danielle- basically same category: won 5 vetos in her first season, won 2 HoH's already this season = HUGE perceived threat.
Therefore, in the battle of Danielle v. Jeff, tonight's result was really inevitable: they both took each other down, victims of each other's strong competitivness.
Adam and Shelly (lowest on the totem in each remaining 3-person alliance) are my frontrunners to win.

...On to Fantasy football. Instead of just stewing in my state of unemployment, I figure I'll write about something I have control over and know something about: Fantasy football. Last year in my preview edition I was right on about Philip Rivers, DeAngelo Williams, and Steve Smith/Randy Moss, and I won my Hinsdale South league with my old high school buddies. For no money. yay!!!! (Seriously, it's getting to be a pretty disheartening trend: If a league has no money on the line, I do great and have GREAT LUCK. The more money's on the line, the worse I get. It's amazing.)

1. My biggest Robert-ism for this year: DO NOT DRAFT MICHAEL VICK!!!!! He WAS like the #1 or #2-rated fantasy player a few months ago, and reasonable minds have finally come down to earth and he's now somewhere around the Top 15. Still too high. Remember, last year at this time you coulda gotten Vick FOR FREE!!!! Buying Vick is like buying a stock at $200 when it was a penny stock last year: I don't care what kind of growth model or magical pixie the stock is sellin' I ain't buying.
2. I have never owned Adrian Peterson, and I'm gonna stay that way. Call me a hater but I give RB's about 3 years; then injuries, legs, etc. catch up. Welcome to the NFL. You have an expiration date; you exceed it, I'm throwing you out.
3. Lovin' Vincent Jackson and Hakeem Nicks. One of those guys could be the undisputed Champion of the WR's by year's end.
4. If I go with any QB this year, it's Tony Romo. Don't need to overreach for him, and he's got the skills, plus the receiving corps to still do it. QB's don't have expiration dates; in fact his years of productivity make him so much more reliable than Vick. Romo> Vick.
5. Still loving Greg Jennings. After a horrendous start, guy was a STUD in the 2nd half. In PPR leagues, make sure you scoop up Wes Welker, the Foot Soldier.
6. Jermichael Finley should be the #1 TE off your board. Seriously.
7. Austin Collie and Jeremy Maclin looking awfully good as deep sleepers in the Top 60 players range: good QB's, high-powered offenses.
8. If you're intent on a 2-RB set to begin with, I'd target Jamaal Charles + Frank Gore: Charles the young beast with wings, Gore the (relatively) old fantasy superstar that can do everything.

Fatnasize on,
Robert Yan

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

On the day that Steve Jobs(!) resigned from his job at Apple, I examine one of the hottest topics in the nation, maybe the world: Jobs, jobs, jobs.

1. How many people actually like their jobs?
Anywhere from around 25-40% is what I hear.......which seems actually a little high to me, given how much complaining goes on, to my ears: although, I've also met several people who enjoy their jobs and really match it up to their passion. Great. I think, for most, however, it's hard to check one or the other, "I like my job" or "I dislike my job." I think most people like parts of their jobs and dislike other parts, so they mostly neutralize each other.

2. Which state in the U.S. has the most jobs?
Well, probably California cuz it has the highest population and the most business (but also one of the highest unemployment rates), but the lowest unemployment rate belongs to that of North Dakota at a puny 3.3%. I like those odds. Just saw interview on Cramer with the Governor of that state; encourages unemployed people to move over to N. Dakota and get a job there. Huh. Interesting idea, besides the obvious question of "What is there to do in N. Dakota?" But do they REALLY have EXCESS jobs to just Give away? Seems highly unlikely.

3. Why are jobs so different?
It always infuriates me when an NFL player or some other sports star "holds out" for more money despite already having an offer on the table for millions of dollars. It's really easy to blame the player or agent in that situation. But you know what's also a huge contributing factor? The fact that jobs are so different. Certain things are very high in demand; others are just not; it's actually kind of patently unfair, but it's the product of a capitalist society where everything is priced according to its value: certain skills, like being able to hit a 95MPH-fastball, are just more valuable than being able to cook a fine casserole dish because they generate higher bottom lines for a company. Supply and demand. (This is also sometimes flawed, as in the case of high-earning CEO's drawing million-dollar salaries despite company bottom lines being in the red. Urg.)

4. What value do people place on their jobs?
Considering there are 168 hours in a week, and only about 112 of those are waking, and work takes up about 45-50 of those hours (give or take depending on the commute), most people are at their job almost HALF the time. And it really takes up the majority of the weekday because those days are primarily spent with your job in mind; coming home and relaxing is just winding down; so really jobs consumes like 5 out of every 7 days. So it's really a big deal. It's the first standard question after people first meet you and get your name: "So what do you do?" It determines what social class you're in; it somewhat decides what friends you have (a lot of friends tend to be co-workers), so a job defines a lot of what your life is about. I think it's probaby 3rd on a very informal list I have: 1. your own life, 2. your family, 3. your job, 4. your friends, 5. your interests/hobbies, etc., etc.


5. What if you don't have a job?
Welcome to my world. It's frustrating, it really is. I've personally had a lifetime's worth of sitting at home on a late Tuesday morning watching daytime television, feeling useless while the rest of society works; I'm ready to work. But it's just the nature of the beast: most people go through at least one stretch of unemployment in their lives. I hope this is my only one. Going with #4, it's also like a big piece of my life is missing: like I don't have all the necessary things in life yet, and it leaves me wanting. I need that part of my identity at dinner parties to say, "I'm a lawyer," without having to explain after the subsequent "So where do you work" that I'm an unemployed lawyer. Sigh.

6. Can you change jobs?
Fortunately, Yes, in America careers are pretty flexible, you can make a big move. But it's still not that easy. And when starting a new career, you get back into that old trap: you gotta have experience to get experience: people ask why you wanted to transition to that new career.

O, a job. Such a simple concept. And so universal. But so complex as well. May the universe allow me to find just the right one.........sooner than later, please.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

3.

Veronica Mars

During the bar I watched (another) great TV show, this one from a few years ago: Veronica Mars, seasons 1 and 2. Very unheralded, relatively-unknown shown that was very smart, very well done. Too bad it was on UPN. Great for mystery-lovers: Coincidentally, during 2004-2005 when the show was at its peak, I was big on Agatha Christie novels for some reason. Might have been better served using my time on this show. Veronica's this high school student in a rich Southern California neighborhood who works for her private detective dad and often proves to be equal if not better then her dad at sleuthing, solving cases and seeing through lies. Very strong, very capable, a little vindictive, very independent. Probably had better skills at age 17-18 than I'll ever have.

Which makes me wonder: Am I much improved than I was when I was 17-18? At that age I was also finishing up high school, top of my class, worked really hard, seemed pretty smart, very active in the community....am I a better person than I was in 17-18.

I considered "No," cuz I was actually at the top of my class during high school, was active in a lot of competitive teams (math, tennis, chess, orchestra) and had so much potential (great PSAT scores, SAT scores). Lots of, lots of potential: But that's just it: Potential doesn't always transfer into actual success. Prime example is sports: How many first-rounders in the NBA, MLB, or NFL drafts flame out each year after getting to the pros? Past accomplishments do not guarantee future success. Fortunately for me, life is a longer process than sports, and you're not just done after a year or two of failures. Life gives you more chances along the way to prove yourself.

Also, over 6 years since high school I've learned that success in life is not necessarily determined by the car you drive, or the job that you do, or the college that you went to: I used to think getting into Yale or some Ivy League school was the be-all and end-all: I know now that it's just a more extensive (and expensive) path to possible success: you still have to earn it. Getting to a great school (or a great job, etc.) doesn't just guarantee success, it's a great avenue for you to be on while on that road, but it's not a definite admissions ticket.

So I still got time left in the road of life to achieve successes. But I think I gotta start doing that pretty soon: Life gives you plenty of chances, but at some point they run out and you actually do become that "first-round bust." Hopefully the plan that I assures that I won't be.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

I love this job!

I've held back from this post for a while now for various reasons: 1. I do this job in the summer, the months when my brain usually turns off, 2. I don't want to sound like a pedophile (this job deals with kids, and there's a stigma in our society for any adults working with kids), and 3. I've been dedicated to law as my career path for 3 years now, and I didn't want to be distracted.

But it's true: I love being a counselor for kids. I've done it for the last 6 summers, plus a few weeks in between for volunteer, and random times when I meet kids at social events, etc. It's exhilarating. I basically get paid to be a big kid an lead kids in games......and for some reason the kids listen to me. It's probably cuz I'm actually cool to them......I'm the big guy they look up to and respect. Selfishly, I love that. Growing up, I was never the most popular kid, never the guy people looked forward to seeing, never the coolest kid in school.


I love games. And over the course of 6 years I've developed some great games. Look Up, the 5 second game, Foxes and Hounds, Catch or Don't Catch, etc., etc......all games I wish somebody taught me when I was a kid. These games are out of the age range of my peers, but perfect when I go to camp.

I think another part of the equation is being able to hang out with probably the best group of people in the world: Young kids. Kids are as diverse as adults are: they vary in race, age, gender, personalities, attitudes, habits, appearance, etc., etc., but there's an important characteristicthey do not share with adults: innocence. Kids, no matter how disrespectful, how angry, how misbehaved, (and I've had a lot of these types of kids), are never evil by nature. They are really good-hearted to begin with, and they naturally have a good heart: they don't want bad things to happen to anyone. It's only later on in life that young adults (teens) and adults form some of the evils of life: lying, jealousy, wrath, hatred, the seven sins, etc., etc. Kids aren't like that: I sense the good in every kid, which is why I like to talk to each and every one of them, see how they feel, what their hopes and dreams are, what they may become in the future. So many possibilities.

Honestly, sometimes I wish I could deal with just kids, instead of going to networking events, or dealing with telemarketers, or attending a party (although, obviously there's some exceptions, I still do have a social life). When you're dealing with kids, there's really no hidden agendas, no prejudices, no stereotypes, no preconceived notions, no jealousies, etc. etc. People aren't getting to know you to try to get a job or vice versa, or not trying to have an ulterior motive, kids just want to have fun. It's good, honest, wholesome fun.

One of the best feelings in the world is helping a kid succeed at something, accomplish something, win something, or just feel good about themselves. It's one of the most gratifying feelings in the world, much better than earning a huge paycheck or any material possessions. For example, today we had our Olympics competition at camp. Almost everyone participated in the Rock Scissors Papers tournament, a 2-out-of-3 competition featuring the most well-known game in the world: everyone knew how to play: and everyone had an equal chance. The look on the little girl's face who beat about 30 other competitors was amazing: she hadn't expected to win the competition or any competition at all, and doing something special like that was a real treat. I couldn't wait to give her one of our REAL GOLD (but actually plastic) Olympic medals signfying her victory. The important thing, also, was that the kids enjoyed the competition (that I created. When kids are having fun, I'm having fun (and doing my job). I love it.

So that's what I want out of my career in the future, regardles, of which career I land up in (law is obviously the frontrunner at this point, and to be fair, I do get enjoyment out of legal jobs, just not the moments of pure thrill I sometimes get from beiga counselor): I get gratification beyond wealth. Sure, I need to get paid to pay the bills, but I value personal fulfillment over high wages. Life is so much easier when you love what you do.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

New beginnings begin in Alaska

             In many ways, this Alaska trip has been the perfect conclusion to a 3-year period for me. Back in August 2008, I knew going into to law school that the next 3 years would be tough, an all-out grind, endurance challenge that would have its ups and downs, twists and turns, unexpected challenges and suprising delights, all culminating in the Bar Exam taken in Late July of 2011. Whelp, that all happened. Law school, as evidenced by my posts, was a challenge, and I am gratefully done with it. Now to what lies beyond: real life.

            This new week in Alaska was the exact opposite of what law school was: a total escape, to put the mind at ease, do something at the other end of the spectrum as law school. No memorandums to write, no tests to study for, no black-letter law to memorize, no judicial decisions to review. No, Alaska has been wildlife, glaciers, natural scenery, back-country roads, bear tracks, all the things that are NOT required in the modern world, that one (especially me) sometimes forgets about while studying hard during law school.                    

There’s a whole nuther world out here, and I’m glad I’m experiencing it. This week I’ve literally felt the law slip away, unclench its tight fights around my head and release, so that I feel like I can breath, my body can relax, and my mind is at ease. I’ve missed this feeling, I hope to have it many times over the course of my life.
This week in Alaska has also allowed me to re-evaluate myself and forecast where my life is headed, adjust my outlook. I would say I’m in a downswing of my life, a valley, if you will, but in many ways I’ve still been lucky and are blessed with some excellent conditions: excellent health, excellent familial support, adequate financial situation (although that may change once my student loans come due), excellent blog, and (I think) still a good attitude. I’ve also taken the time to formulate a few plans of my own, and I plan on springing those into action as soon as I get back to the real world.

So, alas, Alaska, our time together is nearing an end. You’ve been good to me, and I hope I’ve been good to you (haven’t littered, haven’t polluted or anything). I hope I come back to see you one day, under better circumstances, and I hope you will give me everything you’ve given me this week (and more). Thanks.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Losing on Your Home Court

You know that feeling of “I’m supposed to know this stuff, but I just don’t?” Or, “I’m supposed to be good at this, but I’m really doing quite poorly?” That’s losing on your home court. I do it all the time. I’m fine with losing at certain things, like poetry, or art history, or 1970’s musical hits. But if I lose at the things I’m supposed to be good at, like finance, law, fantasy baseball, Chinese, or counseling kids, I am really disappointed in myself.

Which is why I’m so disappointed that I’ve lost at stocks. It’s basically been a wasted year on my etrade accounts: I started at 69 with John Deere Stock in October and rode it until it hit 95, then sold and then inexplicably bought back in at 93…….and watched it go back down the hill and now hit 67 (With no signs of hitting the brakes) Wow. What a roller coaster. (And a financial disaster). How did I do so poorly here? For a guy who claims to be “good at picking stocks,” I truly messed up here. I feel like a fraud; like everything I ever believed in was a lie, like I need to re-evaluate a lot of things; like my life is not as promising as it was; like I’ved peaked; like the future is really uncertain. Sigh.

Living in the Wrong Era

Speaking of the equity markets, what is going on here? Another recession? Geez, my resilience just can’t take it anymore. Going through this economy really makes me feel like I missed the boat. As lucky as I have it, growing up in an relatively affluent family that benefited from the 90’s boom and America’s prosperity in the late 90’s and being part of a 2-parent household, I can’t help but wonder how different things would have been if I had grown up say 10, 20 years ago. If I had entered the workforce around 1995: when all stocks were going up, economy was BOOMING, or in 2001, just after the back-to-back Enron and 9-11 crisis, when America was slowly recovering, or even in 2005, when the housing markets were at its best. I grow up in any of those economies, I’d have a steady job, be solidly in Corporate America, be primed for a very productive string of years in my twenties. (Especially in a Corporate Law department for any big AmLaw law firm). Yet I to come of age in the worst economic climate America has witnessed in the last century or so…….The Great Recession followed by what’s looking like ANOTHER recession of the double-dip variety…..reports of 20-somethings still living with their parents, difficulty obtaining entry-level employment, jobs becoming more and more scarce, stubborn unemployment, and a worsening outlook on the American economy. Sorry, sounds like a huge whine-fest and pity party, but there it is: I really feel like I’m a victim of the times. Bottom line is , I’m a guy just trying to make it in this world, and these times are making it hard on a fella.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

What would I do if were a millionaire

It's weird: When you're in the midst of a VERY busy period, like studying for the bar...all you think about is how much you hate it, what you would be rather doing, how much more efficiently you could be spending your time, how much alcohol you will drink after it's all over (not suggested for readers under 21 years of age; drink responsibly).....

But once you've gotten over that period in your life, oddly you miss things about that time, like the single-mindedness of your efforts, how much you felt like you learned in a day, the sense of achievement....

Eh, who am I kidding. I would rather be on vacation all the time.

Makes me wonder, though, what I would do if money wasn't an issue anymore, I had all the money I needed for the rest of my life.....a very common thought for a lot of folks, not usually a realistic concern for most. Some say they would actually just...go back to work. I say, yes, that might be true for some lucky folks who really enjoy their work and they stumbled into a profession that they're really passionate about, but I don't think that's the case for the vast majority of people. Having never really worked for more than 3 months consecutively at a full-time job, I can't say for certain what I would do.

1. Pro bono legal work: Yea, I could see myself doing this for awhile. Lots of people in need of free legal advice, attorney services who can't afford it. But dunno if it would be a lifelong pursuit.

2. Baseball stadium trip: all 30 MLB stadiums. That'd be exciting, but it'd last for.....like a month.

3. Travel: sure, sure, standard. But that'd get old after probably a year, right?

4. Alternative Spring Break: Ah, yes, here I think I've touched on something: I've done Alternative Spring Break since college began (traveled to faraway places like Seattle, Florida, and Virginia), and I gotta say it's one of the best experiences ANYONE can have. Hands down. I'm pretty sure I would never get tired of Alternative Spring Break because a.) issues are all different....each trip has a different purpose in mind, whether it's children in crime-ridden areas, children with disabilities, environmental aid, etc., etc. b.) you meet lots of great people on each trip...all peers who also have volunteering on their minds...and c.) it really actually makes an impact....you feel like your reachign out to others, as well as doing great things for your self-development. I'd love it.

So yes, 50 Alternative Spring Break trips in 50 weeks (maybe in 50 different states too?) Yes, my idea is motivated by Daniel Seddiqui's 50 jobs in 50 states, but it's really just a good thing to do.

Now if I can only accomplish the first part, of attaining as much money as I could ever need.....

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Greetings from Alaska!!

Yes, I know, I know....long time, long time.

Since last time I wrote (wow, more than a month ago, July 5) a LOT has happened. Let's run it down:

1. 3 more weeks of studying for the bar. Grueling process, do not wish it on my worst enemy. The stress, the 12-hour-days, the practice essays, it was rough. Please, please, PLEASE let me pass!!!!

2. Taking the bar itself. 3 full days, an endurance competition. Basically, 6 full-length law school exams, except all packed into a stretch of 3 days, one after the other. I felt uneasy on some of the essays, rebounded with the multiple choice, and if there was any doubt, I think I salvaged myself on the performance tests. Overconfidence won't affect my score now that the test is over, so I'll say I'm fairly certain I passed, but that doesn't mean I won't be opening my results on Nov. 18th with baited breath.

3. The stock market crashed. Sigh. All those impressive gains I achieved over the past several months, all down the drain. The federal government had a debt crisis and ALMOST defaulted on its loan, which would have been a global disaster. The equity markets responded accordingly by nosediving. Portfolios around the world are hating life right now, including mine ( Why didn't I just stick with Chiptle and Amazon? --- those 2 down but still holding pretty strong).

4. I achieved a W17 streak on Streak for Cash, 2 short of getting $50,000. Kicking myself so hard, although the 17-gamer was no joke and feel proud of myself, also realize I got super-duper lucky just to get that far. Still, the soccer match between Columbia v. Peru (a.k.a. my streakbreaker game) will forever haunt my memories. Columbia should have scored like 7 different times that game, missed a penalty kick, and hit the post twice. URRRRRGGGG!!!!

5. Disastrous month of July saw my fantasy baseball team go 19 games under .500 and currently out of a playoff spot. Murphy's law: anything that could go wrong did go wrong for me (actually, one of the bright spots of the month was picking up Daniel Murphy, who hits everything). Frustrating, to say the least.

6. Dodgeball team riding strong, winning 3 in a row to roll into the playoffs and then won our opening-round playoff match, but now it might be naught because......

7. I'm in Alaska for a week. Post-bar trip with the parents because I'm poor, I don't have a girlfriend to go on a romantic trip with, and I needed to get away. Living in an RV with my parents in blustery, windy Alaska in the middle of summer....... yea, it's the high life.

8. Big Brother stinks. I now see how blinded I was by my eagerness to get on the show....looking at it neutrally now, it's really not even that great of a show and really depends on the casting. Big Brother 11 looking like a perfect storm of great characters coming together....prospects for 12 and beyond look bleak.

9. Reading "50 jobs in 50 states" by Daniel Seddiqui....yea you might remember him, the guy who went around the country doing odd jobs representing those states over the course of a year. I'm more impressed by his story now that I know more about it. He was at an absolute low point in his life: jobless out of college, living with his parents, unsuccessful interviews, no girlfriend (very similar to my situation, by the way) but came up with an original, creative, sustainable, cost-effective idea that propelled him to national prominence and a slice of the history books, and plenty of supporters. Truly, it's a real-life success story that has me pumped up about the future: it IS possible in the world to do something like what Mr. Seddiqui did, to do something that he truly wanted to do and achieve success.
O yea, I also realized it was NOT easy for him to do what he did. Driving across the country by himself, waking up at 4 in the morning to book future jobs in other states, calling all kinds of people and being rejected MANY, MANY times. Sounds like a lot of perseverance was needed, something not everyone possesses. Well done, Dan. And good book.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan