Workaholic

I never thought I'd ever be called a workaholic.

When I was young I didn’t know what I want to be when I grow up. 
When I graduated from high school, I looked for something "fun" to study. I looked for a "fun" job. I never ever considered Law. It was a big No for me and totally the opposite of fun.

Here I am. Practicing Law, and not even wanting to end a working day. I could work 24/7 without any complaints. I love it. It's good. It's very important to love what you do. They say, "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life." It's true.

I work overtime, late hours and sometimes, even on the weekends. 
The other day the gate guard said: "tell me, don't you have a life?!" It was like as if someone gave me a slap of wake up.

I enjoy my job and I love it. But for that reason I am forgetting that there is life happening beside work. I am forgetting that there are other things important in this life that I should be considering. I came across a quote that says "Do not deceive yourself by overworking beyond the limits of necessity". I need to remind myself that work will never be finished and I should have time for other things as well.  

I've always been loyal to my work. At the past office, I used to work much less, but if needed, I didn't mind working overtime or take some work home. At this office, work is never over. My desk is always full of things to do. 

Since I started at this office, I became under a constant stress. But that never minded me. It's the office I wanted, the type of work, the place, the people, and everything is so good.

What keeps me going is mostly the people I work with. We are 10. We talk and laugh together, and it's not just about work. We are all friends.

My boss is awesome. I love and admire him. He is like a father. I learn from him work techniques and life lessons. He is a very good-well respected-lawyer. He is a very nice person with a quiet-smart-personality. He makes me want to be like him.

When I go with him to trials and meetings, and I watch him speaking with wisdom, my eyes get bright and my heart gets full of admiration... So much to learn from that man.  

We also have conversations about life and things that go on with me or with him. He seems always caring and interested in knowing more and helping and advising.

How wouldn't I give my all to my work?!  

But yes, I miss out things because of that.

I'm constantly rushing and running. All of a sudden, summer is over! Where did the time go?! Actually, I can't believe within two months I get to celebrate one year in the office! With a blink of an eye, a year is gone.

Enjoy The Ride

"If life is a race, where is the finish? Who are we competing with? Is there a price for first place? Or would we just reach the end a little quicker?"

Watch this video. Slow down, be safe and enjoy the ride.

StopTheWar

My goodness.

I will start this post with a quote by David Harris-Gershon:

"My empathy for the suffering in Gaza does not make me anti Semitic, nor pro-Hamas or anti-Israel. It makes me human."

Where is humanity? Are we human?

I just can't take it anymore. I don't talk about it but I held it for too long already. It is just unbearable. Stop the freaking war!!!!!!

I feel so sad and heartbroken. Everytime I hear the news I feel a sting in my heart.

The situation is very complicated I know, but this is not right, unfair. The numerous number of people killed already in Gaza is insane.

It seems as if we are not talking about human lives. The way they get bombed and shot in Gaza and the way they die, could be compared to anything but to human death. They don't even care to put names to those who die. We are just counting numbers. Seriously, what is this? It is a Massacre.   

I just watched a video of Al Jazeera footage of Shujayea district in Gaza (http://youtu.be/u9DHoN_n2VQ). I cried so much during the whole video.

The yelling and crying of women, children and men... The destruction, the fear, the hell they live in... It's just horrible. Plus, they have nowhere to run to!

For a sudden I imagined myself living there. What fault did these people have, to be living that way? Only being born there, having it their city, living in an open air prison. I didn't choose my hometown. I was born in an occupied territory already. I guess, I was just lucky. (!)

The war is yet ongoing. Been almost a month. Crazy. Almost two thousand dead already. I see sometimes on Facebook and Twitter posts of young people living there under the attack and it tears my heart. They literally wish to die than to see all the things they have to see. 

Right before the war started, on a weekend I was coming home to my family, some policemen were blocking the neighborhood street entrance, because there was a demonstration in the city, nearby, and they wanted less people involved. I told them I need to get in, to my house, which is right there, 70 meters away. The policemen yelled at me that it is dangerous and they can't let me in. I pulled out my ID to show them my address as a proof that I live right here, at this house, but one policeman came to my window, grabbed my ID, yelled that he doesn't care and threw it in my face! He said I needed to go right away otherwise he will give me a ticket. He looked at the others and said "you'all should start giving out tickets!" 

The policemen treated me very badly. They actually yelled at me and threw the ID in my face, while I was quiet and nice. They were full of anger. I felt I want to punch them. I had to go around and reach my home some other way. 

That situation made me think of the people in Gaza. If this is the way I am being treated here, then I can't imagine how they get to be treated there. It's a problem when one side is stronger. Much more stronger.

Gazans are trying to resist the blockage. I know it is not right what they do - the way they are dealing with it, and I don't justify it by any means, but I can understand where it comes from and why...

Some people asked me, "so what is the solution? If we don't fight it, they will keep firing rockets." I don't know what the solution is! Even the biggest politicians don't know. I only know that this has to stop and right now. For the sake of both sides. 

Stop the war! Pray for peace!

God have mercy...

Unsung Hero

I just saw this video and I loved it.

Something to think about.

A Given Responsibility

I can't stop thinking about it.

The other day I had to deal with a difficult case; My client was traveling in the car with his wife, when he suddenly saw a man fall off his motorcycle, 100 meters away, in an intersection. He stopped immediately and then decided to continue with his car, reach closer to him, and stop next to him, to help. 

The motorcycle was on the man while his leg stuck under it. My client helped him raise the motorcycle and free his leg. 

While so, the man called the police notifying that there was a car accident and that my client hit him. 5 minutes later, the area was full of police and an ambulance took the man. All the police started questioning my client about the accident. He was confused and terrified. All he wanted to do is help, when all of a sudden, he turned into a murderer, or at least, this is how he felt and described it to me.

I invited the client for a talk at the office, with all the papers, to prepare him for his trial. Problem was, all the evidence discriminate him, especially what he said to the investigators at that time; the traffic examiner tried to mislead my client (they always do that to get a confession out of the suspect) He was asked questions like this: "The man said he saw you driving fast getting in the intersection without giving him the priority right to go and so he got scared of you and had to stop and so he fell off the motorcycle, because of you. Could that be true?" and/or like: "According to the skid marks on the road, proves that it was your fault. What do you have to say to this?" 

My client thought they know better, because they are professionals, so he followed everything they said; he replied with "yes" and "might be" to almost all the questions. I asked him, why did you say that if it's not true? He said "I don't know. I was confused. Shocked." 

In addition to all that, he only had his wife as a witness, which doesn't help much because at court, a family member testimony is not as strong as if it was a neutral witness on the road (because they assume that family members would help each other and might not give the exact right story of what happened, so they prefer a neutral witness that doesn't have any interest in the case), plus, she doesn't speak the language very well. 

So my client's situation wasn't working for him. But I wanted to get him out of this so much. Out of the accusation. I believed his innocence. 

I practiced him on the hard questions that they might ask him during the hearing. I needed him to talk firmly to the judge. Hesitation will work against him.

I sat for two hours with him. He was afraid. 

In cases like these, I have the option, to go for the full trial or negotiate with the prosecution for a plea bargain. (With plea bargain, the client admits being guilty and gets a lighter sentence.) 

I had to choose, take the deal or take the risk; If we go on with the trial, he might get to disqualify his driving license for a longer period or on the other hand, get out innocent without disqualification and without penalty.

I chose the deal. I went for a plea bargain. He was charged to disqualify his driving license for four months.

I felt bad for that. I believe he is innocent. He wanted to help. You can see it in his eyes what a good man he is. 

I was given a responsibility to make the right choice for my client. I asked him what he thinks and explained the situation to him, but he trusts me more, so the question gets back to me. 

I still think about it whether I did the right thing for him or not. It's so hard.

Usually it is easier to decide for the client and advise him, but this time was different. 

It's just unfair and not right. 

In this case, now, he won't help anymore. He wouldn't dare.

He told me he thought that according to the Law he has to help a person in need and that it is a crime not to do so. But if he helps a man and ends up accused for another crime, makes him never again wanting to help anyone. He said he learned a lesson. To never help again. 

I sat with him for long conversations about being a good person, evil world and believing in God who sees everything. I told him to keep doing good because God sees you and you will be rewarded in the after life. This life here is hard and it is a test, don't fall in it. There are bad people out there, but let's not make them make us bad too with them. 

After all, I think I am making myself the lawyer I wanted to be. I admit it is hard. I wanted to be a good lawyer, good with litigation and good as a person. I wondered if these two things could go together, and I still wonder. But I know I am trying my best. 

With this client, he got out of it thanking me a lot. He actually told me, "the only good thing that I got out of this, is knowing you. Thank you so much."

I promised him to be there for him if he'd need anything in the future; help, advice or even psychological encouragement.

He was happy. 

I wasn't complete with myself but I can be now after at least I reassured him and comforted him.

Social Media

I just saw this video and had to share it! It's a great message and it is 100% right. We need to look up.



Social media is anything but social in the real life.

"We are heard but not seen. We type while we talk. We read as we chat. We spend ours together without making eye contact."

"Give people your love, don't give them your like." 

Happy Easter

#thankyoujesus

Back to Work

First day of work at the new office!!(:

It was great.

It's all new to me. The software they use, the cases they deal with and the kind of work they do. It's all exciting but it's a lot of work! But I love it and I like them.

During the month of January, I was worried about how it is going to be like the first day of work, since for a whole month we were out of touch. On December they accepted me to work and we agreed on the hours and the day I start, which is (more than) a month after.   

We weren't in touch at all for maybe 40 days which is a lot of time. I was thinking would they still be remembered about me or have they forgotten, and if I should just come in the office without a call or anything and what should I say... I don't know I was worried. 

On Thursday, three days ago, I received a phone call from the office. I was super happy they called, I thought Yes they remembered! Heh well, duh, of course they remember.(:

Anyway it was the trainee telling me what to do and where to park when I arrive to work. So I met him first thing when I arrived. He showed me everything and took me to the office with him. 

I stayed with him the whole day. He's really nice. 

It was a little bit odd being new. It's like going back in reverse. 

At my past office I was everything. I knew everything and it was all easy to me. I was the one who taught the trainee, the secretary and the new lawyer who's replacing me, which spent the last two weeks clung to me.

And now, it's my turn. The tables turned. 

The trainee at this office is the one who's going to be teaching me the stuff before he leaves. It is hilarious and weird. But understandable. I am new and he is about to finish (he spent a year there) so he could tell me the basic stuff they work with and the files that need attention. 

I just find it so weird to be in that opposite place. 

It's like when a lawyer is called to testify as a witness in court. 

At my past office, we had the incident where the boss received a subpoena. He was called to testify as witness in a case at court. He told me how weird he felt, to be on the other side, behind the witness stand, being interrogated by a lawyer.

Part of our job, as lawyers, is to call witnesses, prepare them for their testimony at court and interrogate the other party's witnesses. We do the questioning and the interrogation. That's our job. So to be put on the other side, as in a witness position, is so weird. All of a sudden you are there at the witness stand.

This is life, apparently. (: 

But it's good. 

P.S. I still have exams until the end of the month! I hope I can manage both good grades and great impression at work! 

Last Day of Work

Whoa. 

Last day of work, last day in Afula. What a drama.

Saying goodbye to all the people today was pretty dramatic. 

I bought two delicious frozen cakes (a cheesecake and a chocolate cake) to bring with me today, celebrating my last day of work.

I gave out to everybody, my co-workers, the two neighbor offices and some of our clients who came to say goodbye to me. 

It wasn't easy, they didn't want me to leave. They were kinda actually wiling and hoping I won't succeed at the new office I'm going to and so to come back to Afula. I should've taken that as a compliment, but I was kinda offended by it; I am stressed out and really want to prove my self and be great at the new office, and they, in the other hand, are all wishing I won't be. I know they only meant well because they love me, but still. It is not funny or cool when you are nervous.

Anyway, I got chocolates, flowers and gifts. It was awesome and sad. I will miss it despite everything. We went through so many things together in this office, whether it's fights, weird/troubled clients, weird cases...etc. It's been 19 months together. 

My boss (and some others too) had watery eyes saying goodbye to me. He said I am always welcomed back and the door is always opened to me whenever I want. (: He left the office before me so he won't see me leaving with all my stuff. 

On a side note, I am an emotional person. Being put in situations as described above would make me cry my eyes out. But I didn't shed not even a tear. I am really going to miss everybody, the office and everything. It is not going to be the same. But I was also really happy to leave. I have exams and not enough time to study. I wanted to take some time off to sit at home and study quietly. I will have a week at home before starting my new job. So probably that feeling of getting this time off overcame the sad feeling of leaving. 

I probably won't see those people ever again! I am going to a different city as well! But it is exciting for me and I was really looking forward to it as I described in my previous post about it.