Marching into the semester

I probably should have started in September if I wanted to document the full experience, because that's how long I've been working on my application. (In Maryland, you need to file a mile-long application at some point after you enter law school, and then an "original petition" a few months before the exam. The former is mostly character and fitness evaluation, and the latter is primarily to affirm that you graduated from law school.) But really, you didn't miss much because most of the posts would have consisted of me bitching. Suffice it to say, the application was a pain in the butt, but I mailed it off in the last week of December. Wahoo.

Two days ago, again thinking ahead, I started casting about online looking for study materials. By some bizarre trick of fate, I located a complete set of 2005 Maryland Barbri books on ebay. After much furious bidding, I nailed them for $275. (And in the process, reminded myself of why I hate ebaying.) I have read (and I don't know if this is true) that technically you are licensing the books from Barbri when you purchase them and are not supposed to sell them. The first sale doctrine under US copyright law would seem to make this bs (although it's clever bs), and besides, when you cut a deal to illegally divide the market and preserve your monopoly you lose your right to any sort of moral high ground.