Not again!

I finished the California Bar Exam yesterday.  For the second time.

"So Jordan, how do you think you did?"

Well I thought I did well last time, so I'm loathe to make another prediction.  But I felt I knew the material better this time, and last time I only missed it by 6%.  I felt I did a solid job so now I just need to keep my fingers crossed until May.  Yeah, May.

I did, however, go out with a bang.  Some of you may be aware that I had computer problems last time.  Those problems got resolved, but this time I bought a brand new Thinkpad laptop right before the exam.  The exam software only runs in Windows, but I usually use Linux so my Windows installation was in pristine condition, and I was doing all the updates, adware scans, my firewall was on, I didn't run warez, etc.

My laptop ran like a dream for the Tuesday session, morning and afternoon, and again for the Thursday morning session.  The afternoon session was going smoothly, and then with only a few minutes remaining, my fingers somehow brushed an odd key combination on the cramped laptop keyboard.  Some random Microsoft utility popped up.  I've never heard of this thing before but apparently it can read text to blind people.  Well I didn't want my laptop speaking out loud during the bar exam so I just closed the window and kept typing.  It worked fine for several minutes.

Then my laptop crashed.

With 30 seconds left in the exam.

Needless to say they didn't let me get those 30 seconds back.  And I really could have used that time to wrap up the end of the performance test and maybe even add a conclusion.

The good news is the exam saves itself every 60 seconds, so I lost a maximum of 60 seconds worth of work.  I immediately raised my hand and called over the proctor, who of course was no help at all.  He called over the pit boss, who called over the head of the testing center.  She handed me her cell phone and let me call SoftTest.  So as everyone else cheered and filed out of the Oakland Convention Center, happy to be done, I was stuck on the phone with SoftTest, trying to rescue 3 hours worth of work.  By the time I got it fixed I was the last person in the room.  When I got up to leave, the head of the testing center called out to the maintenance guy, "all right, shut 'em off!"

And yes, I did manage to upload all my answers successfully.  With triple confirmation.

It would have been really nice to have that extra time to polish up the ending.  I really that won't make the difference between me passing the exam or failing.

Now I have to learn how to go back to normal life.  I'm really looking forward to going back to work.  Honestly.  It's a great job and I love it.  Working is so much better than school.  And with a little luck, I will never have to study again for the rest of my life.  Now I can come home in the evening and actually have some time to spend with friends and family.  And play computer games, redecorate the apartment, get back to my photography, etc.  And all without the guilty feeling that I really should be studying for a giant exam hanging over my head.  Want to hang out?  Give me a call.

But seriously, computer problems for the second time?  Me, the computer expert???  It especially bugs me that I took such care of my laptop and some random fucking Microsoft program fucked it up for me.  Some of you may be aware that Microsoft and I aren't exactly friends.  But, seriously.  Microsoft might have just caused me to fail the bar exam.

Fuck Microsoft.