It just hit me

I'm working on a paper for my Mediation Advocacy class, and I have just now realized what I have gotten myself into. As a part of my paper, I am actually looking at the legal/mediation themes in a play about a woman who meets her daughter's killer. It's a really moving play, and in reading it, I felt almost as much, if not more, compassion for the killer than for any of the other characters.
And then it hit me.
If I go into Criminal Law, and if I work for the Crown, I will be dealing with all the people that love and happiness forgot. The people that will stand accused in court are often products of a life lived without love, patience or compassion. They are often people who were victimized themselves at a young age. I don't believe that this excuses those who victimize others and I still believe that offenders should be appropriately punished. But I have realized that everyone of them is a human being and I can't imagine what it will be like to meet people who've been dealt such an unfair, sad hand in life.
I don't know what to hope for. That I can do the job without my heart breaking? Or that my heart breaks a little every time?

Little Bastards

Signs of spring. Also the cause of incredibly itchy eyes and a head full of snot. Kind of pretty, I guess.

Shepherd's Pie

I'm on a tight budget for the next few weeks until my summer job starts, so I spent a few pennies on carrots, dug around in the cupboard, thawed out some deer and voila! Whipped up two casseroles of Shepherd's pie. I used a can of gravy someone gave me, some instant mashed potatoes from the back of the cupboard and some seriously freezer burnt peas. And it was delicious. Which is good, because I made enough to eat it for a week.

Subtly Funny

Photo a Day Challenge

For the month of April I am going to try to post a photo a day. Ideally I am going to try to TAKE a photo a day to post, in an effort to use a little of the left side of my brain each day while I am super-busy cramming law junk into the right side.
Today I forgot to take my camera with me when I left the house, so I have to put up an old photo.
You can guess what day it was.

Um, yes please.

My roommate has a coffee maker that is programmable, so that you can set it to brew while you sleep and wake up to a hot cup of coffee immediately. Best thing ever.

Elephant Story

At this time of year, I like to read short stories before I go to sleep at night. I find that I need some light fiction to get all the law out of my head, and I like the short story format, because it doesn't keep me up all night turning pages like a good novel would. Last night I read a really odd and funny one, and this morning I managed to find the text of it on the internet to share.

Enjoy!