This Is Halloween

Boo!  Happy Halloween!  MUA HA HA HA HA!

My Halloween costume: an evil Oregon lawyer.  Bwa ha ha ha ha!

OK, I may not be wearing the most exciting costume, but I’ve been busy this past week with Continuing Legal Education (CLE) events; I just got back from a CLE in Portland (hence the “costume” for today).  In fact, my past week or so has been filled with CLEs in Portland.  As a rookie lawyer, I’m expected to accrue 15 credits by the end of 2020.  Given my dislike of putting off required credits, I’m doing what I can to get a head start this year!

My first CLE event in Portland was last Thursday, where the overall theme was pro bono legal work.  Although CLE credit and information regarding pro bono legal work were good enough motivations for attending, the main reason I signed up was to accept an award from the Oregon State Bar (OSB).  Each year, OSB gives a certificate to the students that worked the most pro bono hours at each of Oregon’s 3 law schools for the last school year.  Over the course of my third year of law school, I accrued a lot of hours working at the Public Defender of Marion County (if anyone from PDMC is reading this: Hi!  Thanks for giving me the opportunity to serve the community through legal means!).  As such, I felt that it would be appropriate to attend and collect my certificate in person (besides, I could use the experience driving to and from Portland).  There were 3 different lectures at the event; I chose to sit through one discussing trauma and self-care when working with difficult cases.  I learned some important techniques, engaged in a little self-reflection, and networked with Oregon’s legal community for most of the night.  Once I had my award and was full of tea and hors d’oeuvres, I drove back to Tillamook in the dark (achievement unlocked: Long-Distance Nighttime Driving!) and slept soundly upon my arrival home.

Me posing with my certificate and the president of the Oregon State Bar.  I first met her at the informal Tillamook bar association meeting and was pleasantly surprised to see her again in Portland.  I went on to see her again on Halloween.  Oregon really does have a small and tightly knit legal community.

Taking what I learned about trauma to heart, I decided to de-stress for the upcoming weekend.  The best way to do so?  Going down to Salem to visit Cthulhu, of course (remember, Cthulhu is the alias my sweetheart requested for blogging purposes)!  On Friday, I took the customary 2–3 hour drive, arriving in my previous hometown.  It was wonderful seeing Cthulhu again, and we even got to attend a Halloween costume party together (so yes, I did actually dress up for Halloween…sort of).  One blissful weekend later, it was time to go back.  I bid Cthulhu a fond farewell, got enough caffeine in my system to last 2–3 hours, and headed back to Tillamook.

My real costume for Halloween: Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth from the Ace Attorney series.

Feeling refreshed, I was all ready for the next CLE on October 30–31.  On the 29th, I drove on down to Portland and checked into a hotel across from the Oregon Convention Center.  In the past, I’ve gone to this particular venue for comic conventions.  This time, the convention there was about business, not pleasure.

The Oregon Convention Center at dawn.

The next day, I suited up, put on my lawyer face (and pin), and signed up for a day of lectures and networking.  All of the lectures were about the basics of practicing law ethically; because the OSB Professional Liability Fund hosted the event, there was an emphasis on preventing and defending from malpractice.  I also got to catch up with some former law school classmates, all of whom were also navigating the choppy waters of starting legal careers.  It was great to see some old friends, though I didn’t have as much opportunity to socialize as I may have liked.  When the day was done, I relaxed back at the hotel before enjoying a night on the town.  Because I felt like treating myself, I sought out a restaurant I used to frequent back when I clerked for the Federal Public Defender (albeit at a different location).  It was on the other side of the Willamette River, so I couldn’t get there on foot easily.  This left me two options: (1) hire a Lyft/Uber driver (the smart option) or (2) drive there myself (the less smart option).  Unfortunately, option (1) did not occur to me until I was across the river and driving around looking for parking.  Whoops!  Fortunately, everything worked out in the end, and I unlocked a new life achievement: Portland Nighttime Driving!

Finally, it was Halloween, the last day of the event (for me, at least—I’ll be too busy tomorrow to attend the final day).  I put on my scary lawyer costume, checked out of the hotel, and headed over to the convention center.  The main focus of these lectures was on how to open and maintain an independent law practice (how appropriate for me).  There were also a few lectures that dealt with self-care regarding trauma; heavy (albeit familiar) topics that were thankfully made digestible over the course of the day.  Over lunch, I got to talk with some other professionals in the field of Oregon criminal law.  I hit it off OK and confirmed what I hoped: I’m going to get along well in this community!  When the lectures were done for the day, I hopped into the Benmobile and drove on back down to Tillamook (fun fact: driving through Portland at twilight is just as unnerving as driving there at night).  Driving through the woods, I did my best to sing along with Bon Jovi on the radio and not get blinded by headlights.  When I finally arrived back at my dung-scented domicile (the smell is starting to grow on me—it’s now the smell of home), I had a bit of an odd experience.  When coming into the house and opening up my room, I inadvertently let one of my landlady’s cats into my room (backstory: my landlady and her husband have 2 cats that wander around the property, inside and out, that provide mouse control and cuteness)!  Not wanting it to get hurt or damage my things, I, a grown-@$$ man in a suit, spent about 15 minutes talking to a cat, trying in vain to keep it out of my closet and coax it out of my room.  Seeing that negotiations weren’t working, I gave up, got changed, and petted the kitty for about 10 minutes while it purred like a little motor in my arms (I would include pictures, but I’d rather get my landlady’s permission before posting a picture of her cat on my blog).  Eventually, I lured it out of my room with some clicking sounds and petted it some more; it purred for a bit, then darted into the shadows of the house, likely looking for food.  Feeling hungry myself (and not feeling like cooking), I ventured into town and got some sushi (where half the waitstaff and customers were in costumes).  As delicious as Portland food is, there’s nothing like some Tillamook seafood for late night comfort.

And so, my Halloween comes to a close.  Nevertheless, the biggest scare is for tomorrow: starting a new job. *gulp*  Here’s hoping things continue to go well!

My cherished Oregon State Bar membership lapel pin, which has I have constantly worn throughout October (and will continue to wear throughout my career).  No one would believe I was a lawyer if I didn't wear it.

Seriously, at the pro bono event, people kept assuming I was a law student until they noticed the pin. XD  Time to start building a reputation!

Into the Woods

The sight from just outside my room.  Nothing reminds a man of him being in farmland like seeing cows from his window when he wakes up.

For me, a man more used to urban environments, life in Tillamook County is quite the adventure.  Every morning, I have new sights, sounds, and smells to deal with compared to my last residence.  I see cows out my window and pastures on the highways.  I hear mostly silence, even when in town.  Most distinctively, I smell cows*** everywhere.  Every.  Where.

Honestly, the smell doesn’t bother me all that much (though I sometimes wonder if I’ve wandered into a bathroom when I’m indoors).  I used to volunteer at a horse stable and read court cases in law school, so I’m used to dealing with all kinds of s***.  Furthermore, I have it kind of lucky.  Based on the position of my residence, I’m high above many surrounding farms (which means having killer views) and just out of range of a methane plant that is constantly emitting fumes.  According to some of my fellow lawyers, the smells from that place makes cow dung seem pleasant by comparison.  Although I don’t look forward to smelling those fumes, it’ll probably happen sooner or later as I reside in this county.

Things that aren’t poop-related are going well, too.  Today, I got the Internet in my room ironed out and took care of some logistics associated with a move (cancelling utilities, notifying the DMV, etc.).  When 6pm rolled around, I didn’t quite feel like cooking (possibly because I’m still a little intimidated by having a new kitchen).  As such, I ventured out to a new restaurant I had read about on Yelp by following my phone’s GPS.  Unfortunately, one thing I had failed to read was the exact location: it wasn’t until I was deep in the woods that I realized that this restaurant wasn’t in town, but out in the middle of nowhere, where shadows tower tall and cell phone coverage is non-existent (but there is limited Internet—weird, I know).  Oregon’s forests are beautiful at night, but they also make you feel that a bear/serial killer/vampire/sasquatch is just around the corner.  Still, I soldiered through and found the diner.  It was a charming little place with amazing food (I should really do a post about Tillamook’s delicacies in the future…), and I had a pleasant dinner.  As soon as I left the diner, I felt dread; my iPhone wasn’t getting any kind of signal, so I couldn’t use a GPS to navigate out of the woods and get home.  And so, there I was, in Ted Bundy’s old stomping grounds, without a clear way back.

Not wanting to be Bigfoot chow, I carefully got back on the road I had taken and drove back the way I came.  Exiting the woods wasn’t too difficult, but I didn’t know where exactly to get off the highway.  As I was contemplating pulling over and rechecking for Internet coverage, I saw it: the fumes of the nearby methane plant!  I knew then that my exit was close by, and that I had to monitor the plant to properly gauge the proper distance to determine where home was.  I pulled off the highway at the next exit, and I was home before I knew it!  I had made it home without my GPS (sort of; I got it on during the last few stretches of road to ensure my safe arrival); I had pulled through yet another adventure in Tillamook County!

I’ll keep this little incident in mind as a parable of sorts.  With some luck, I should be able to keep navigating back anytime I get off course in life.  I just need to keep my eyes on life’s methane plants (but hold my nose)!

I did not take any pictures of the woods, so here is the pasture from before at night, just to drive home how dark Oregon gets in the evening.

The methane plant that helped me out, big time.

Shipping Up to Tillamook

Hello from Tillamook, Oregon, everyone!  I’ve finally finished up my move to where pastures are green, cheese is plentiful, and the air has a…peculiar smell (here’s a hint: when you have a lot of cows about, milk isn’t the only think they regularly produce).  Packing and moving has been a whirlwind experience, and I’m glad to finally have a moment to catch my breath and reflect.

My moving gauntlet began last week, when I began slowly transporting a good deal of my possessions to the house of my longtime romantic partner, Cthulhu (not their real name, they wished to have their name protected when mentioned in this blog).  The room that I’m renting has limited space, so there was a lot I couldn’t take with me.  Fortunately, Cthulhu was kind enough for me to leave many things in their custody.  Because this involved a lot of shuttling items between houses, this gave me plenty of opportunities to test out my new set of wheels, a used 2015 Nissan Versa that I have lovingly dubbed “the Benmobile.”

The Benmobile: she may not look special, but she's reliable and efficient (much like her owner, seen here gesturing proudly).

On Sunday, it was time for the big move.  Cthulhu and I loaded up what I was taking into our respective cars and road—er, rode—up to Tillamook, convoy style (cue the song “Convoy,” by C. W. McCall).  The ride is officially about an hour and a half, but with traffic being what it is and constant roadwork, it’s more like a 2–3 hour drive.  Such a trip is daunting to many, but thanks to modern GPS smartphone technology, even a goof like me can pull it off.   So, 2–3 hours later, we arrived at my new pad, unloaded everything, got some sushi for dinner (Tillamook County is on the Oregon coastline, so there’s some excellent fresh fish in the area), and did some grocery shopping.  After Cthulhu left, I embarked on the last step of any move—unpacking everything into my new home.

However, I wasn’t done yet.  I had several pieces of furniture at my Salem apartment that I couldn’t take with me, but that Cthulhu was interested in taking off my hands (including my queen-sized bed with built in drawers).  As such, I drove down to Salem on Monday morning to tie up loose ends.  After transferring a few other items we missed last week, I worked with some professional movers to get the furniture moved over.  My apartment all but empty, I then proceeded to defrost the fridge, clean the bathroom, vacuum the floors, and conduct the other mundane tasks that one must complete when ending a tenancy with a rental agreement.  The tasks took much longer than anticipated, but they did get done.  Because it was twilight by the time the apartment was empty and locked, I decided to stay the night in Salem than drive for 2–3 hours in the dark.  Fortunately, despite their estate now being very crowded with my things, Cthulhu was willing to let me sleep over.

As luck would have it, Tuesday marked the fourth anniversary of my relationship with Cthulhu!  As such, after dropping off my old apartment keys, I got to spend a romantic brunch looking into Cthulhu’s eyes at one of our favorite dining spots.  My business in Salem completed, I bid Cthulhu a warm goodbye and started the drive back up to Salem.  After 2–3 hours, I arrived back at my new place and unpacked what little I had brought with me.  Despite having run around like a madman for the past few days, I had one final big thing to do: meeting my fellow Tillamook lawyers at an informal bar association meeting.  The meeting was at a seafood restaurant by the coast, which had lovely views and delicious food (as previously mentioned, being on the coastline gives Tillamook County excellent fish options).  I got to introduce myself to the tiny legal community of this rural county, and I hit it off pretty well with them.  I even got to tell my life story to the CEO of the Oregon State Bar, who was impressed with my current ambitions.  When the dining and socializing was done, I drove on home.

And so, I’m curled up in the comfy chair in my new room, jotting down my recollections.  Already, I’ve gotten used to the new place, accustomed to grocery shopping in town, and excited about new potential restaurants and cafés to sample.  It’s only a matter of time before I head down to my new office to get things ready, so it’s nice to be able to take a breather.  Seeing how I’ve been able to do a tremendous amount in the last few weeks (buying a car, packing everything up, organizing a multi-step move, driving cross-county repeatedly, breaking ice, and completely unpacking and furnishing my new room), I feel a little more reassured about the challenges to come.

Here’s hoping things continue to go smoothly!

The view from the Oregon coast.

Introduction: Blogospheric Reentry

I thought I was done…I was wrong…

Now…I’m back…

I’m writing another blog!

Hello, everyone!  If you’re reading this, you’re either really interested in my life or completely lost because you somehow stumbled onto this page while scrolling through conspiracy theories or porn.  If you are in the first camp: welcome, friends!  I hope this blog will give you a sweet fix of Ben-adryl whenever you need it.  If you are from the second camp, I should probably introduce myself and give some backstory:

My name is Dr. Benjamin David Fischberg, B.A., J.D., Esq., but you can call me Ben (or Q…or Admiral…or Dr. Fischberg III; I have several nicknames).  I’m twenty-six, I live in Salem, Oregon, and, as of now, I have been a lawyer for just over two weeks.  Six years ago, I was a pipsqueak college student who spent a semester abroad in Greater London.  I was young, foolish, and excited, but I was also somewhat daunted by the prospect of being in an entirely different country for an extended period of time.  To cope, I decided to write a travel blog, Fisch and Chips, where I recorded my adventures for three months.  What adventures they were: I traveled to Tyburn, wandered through Whitechapel, beheld a murder trial at the Old Bailey, and saw many other sights as part of my criminal justice-themed pilgrimage.  On less gruesome notes, I also watched Macbeth at the Globe, became a pescatarian at the Tower of London’s ice rink, was hassled by Parisian transit cops, was solicited by prostitutes in De Wallen, rode the London Eye, and had all kinds of amazing experiences across Western Europe.  If you want to read more details, here is the URL for the first entry: http://benfinlondon.blogspot.com/2013/08/theresa-half-packed-suitcase-in-my.html.  Blogging was a great experience in and of itself, so I decided to consider it for future adventures.

Less than a year later, I scored an internship with the Public Defender of Marion County.  Working there required that I live by myself in Salem, Oregon all summer.  Feeling a familiar combination of excitement and dread, I poured my heart into a second blog: Ben Around the Block.  While not quite as flashy as my English adventures, my adventures from that summer saw me develop cooking as a hobby, watch four criminal trials, tour the Oregon State Capitol, flirt with a thief, and have similar fun times across the Pacific Northwest.  Again, here’s a URL for the first entry if that sounds intriguing to you: http://benfinsalem.blogspot.com/2014/04/here-we-go-again.html.  When I finished this second blog, I doubted that I would ever find adventures worthy of recording again.

…This brings us to the present.  Since my last blog, I have graduated from college, taken a gap year, endured three years of law school, and survived the Oregon Bar Examination.  Shortly after being sworn in as an attorney, I accepted a job in Tillamook, Oregon with the Tillamook County Defense Consortium.  The past two weeks have been a bit of a blur—between locking down housing, buying a car, and packing up everything in my apartment, it can sometimes be hard to keep track of what day it is!  In November, I will be officially opening up my own law office for solo legal practice (though it will be a while before I get any criminal cases assigned by the state and even more of a while before I get paid)!  I’m moving to a new place by myself, relearning to drive, opening my own law firm, and starting a promising legal career as a criminal defense attorney—I think all of that’s worthy of a blog!

A few things to note: first, this blog will NOT cover most aspects of my job.  Working with clients requires confidentiality, and I don’t want to jeopardize that through my snarky writing.  If my job will come up in this blog, it will only be in a general sense regarding broad aspects of my work.  Second, because of how busy I plan to be, I don’t know how often I’ll be posting.  I mostly plan to write entries when something new and exciting happens.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to stay on top of things!

All in all, I’m about to start a truly exciting time in my life.  I hope that y’all will enjoy this journey with me—I’ll do my best to share every major step!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some packing to finish up.