Archive for the ‘Nonclassified Nonsense’ Category

Today was a milestone in my professional life.

When I first started working as a paralegal, my boss had me apply to be a notary public so that I could notarize his documents.  All you have to do in Colorado is fill out an application on the Secretary of State website saying you’ve read the notary handbook, take a quick test, and send them $10.  If you actually want to notarize anything, you also have to buy a stamp.  You’re also supposed to keep a journal.  I’ve always used cheap spiral bound mini notebooks as my journals and bought the cheapest self inking stamps.

I became a Colorado notary public on December 5, 2005.  You have to renew every four years. I figured in four years I’d for sure be doing something else for a living.

In 2009 I renewed my notary certificate.  All that you have to renew is to send in another $10.  I was pretty depressed about it.  I was still just a paralegal, a job that doesn’t even always require a high school degree.  I was working for a firm that did nothing but foreclosures, which I didn’t really mind at all, depressing as that might sound. I liked all of my colleagues.  I had a nice office to myself. But the boss was crazy and a tyrant.  Berck had been furloughed by the airlines and was on unemployment.  We were lucky I still had a job. And I was still working as a paralegal.

In 2013 I renewed my notary.  By then I was working at a firm that did work comp and Social Security disability.  I enjoyed the work and liked the two attorneys I worked for.  I got along fine with almost all of the staff.  My job was a lot less stressful than the last one.  Berck had since finished his degree and got a very nicely paying job writing computer code.  We’d bought a house the year before and had spent a lot time laying wood flooring and building shelves.  Things were pretty good.

I renewed my notary again today.  You can renew it three months before it expires.  I ordered a new stamp with my new expiration date (December 5, 2021).  I’m on my third journal, I think.  I still notarize a lot of stuff at work.  I’m now with a new firm, since the sole proprietor of the last one died and the rest of the attorneys decided to make a new firm.  I really enjoy my job.  I get to help people instead of taking their houses away from them.  I work for a fantastic boss, and I think we work really well together.  All three of the partners are great and are also good lawyers.  I get along great with the other paralegals. I get paid generously.

I’m still a paralegal.

And I don’t mind.

My foot started hurting on Friday.

“A common area of pain occurs near the middle of the top of the foot, generally a bit to the outside of the foot. In this area of the foot the tendons that go to the toes can become inflamed. This is called extensor tendonitis. One cause of this condition is excessive tightness of the calf muscle. When the calf muscle is tight it places excessive stress on the tendons on the top of the foot that pull the foot upward and against the tightness of the calf muscles. Wearing a shoe with a one-inch heel will help to take the stress off of the tendons on the top of the foot. Aggressive stretching of the calf muscle is also very helpful. Oral anti-inflammatory medications can help.”

Well, I guess it’s official by now, so I can talk about it publically.

Our boss died on the first day of summer.  His work comp law firm is closing.  Three of the other attorneys in the firm decided to form a new firm.  (And one of our attorneys got appointed to be a judge!)  All of the paralegals who wanted to are coming onboard the new firm. Our last day in the old office building was today.  Our first day in our new offices is Monday. We’ve got internet, and hopefully, the phones will be up Tuesday.

We spent most of this week withdrawing from cases we’re not taking with us.  We’ve started filing Substitutions of Counsel (from John Smith of the law firm of Steven U. Mullens, P.C. to John Smith of the law firm of … I’m not going to put the new firm name here, because, if I do, this blog post will immediately become the number one Google hit for it).  It’s a huge pain.

The new law office is two exits south on the interstate from the old one, so it will add to Berck’s commute, who after dropping me off will have to head back to the north end of town to his office.

After we’re finished with the task of churning out all the Subs of Counsel, I think it will be good.  We’re actually going to be working in some unfinished office space until our new suite is built out, which will take 3 to 6 months.  It will be rough interesting.

I’ve been tasked with designing the new letterhead, business cards, and website.  I’ve got one and a half down.

I would be excited, but I’m just too exhausted.

I  think I’ll have a drink.