New Digs
Not that anyone checks this anymore, but if you do, and you want the new locale, email me at
jerseyblogs@gmail.com and I will pass on the new address. I know, I know, I could just post the new address, but I want to make you work for it a bit. Indulge me that, 'kay?
When asked...
How I’ve been doing lately, the following is my standard answer:
“You know that expression ‘burning the candle at both ends?’ Well, that’s what I’ve been doing and I am rapidly running out of wax.”
So, yeah. It has been a little crazy.
About two weeks ago, I boarded a plane [with the aid of some good anti-anxiety medication] and completed a half marathon in Vermont. Said half marathon was completed a solid twenty seconds faster than the goal I had set for myself. Said half marathon was also completed despite the abundance of large inclines, humid weather, and with blurry vision for the last few miles as my contact fell out around mile 11. When I went to sit down to remove the computer chip from my shoe, the blurred vision caused me to miss the chair by a few inches and fall over. I then spent about 20 minutes wandering around the post-race area with one hand covering my blind eye, searching for the three people I knew in a crowd of several hundred. But at least I finished that dang race.
And in some weird way, I got addicted to road races and have since signed up for two more. Which means more training. Which means more nights at the gym. After incredibly long days at work.
The jury was finally set in the capital murder case and they are currently deliberating the first phase of the trial, which is just straight up guilt/innocence. Will they go capital murder? Or just first-degree murder? I honestly have no clue. I’ve watched the vast majority of the trial, heard all the witnesses, the arguments, the evidence…and I have no guess as to the outcome.
Well, I did miss part of the trial. Because Judge asked me to take his car to get inspected. And of course, I said yes. Even though he told me I could say no. Could I really have said no? I mean, what would he have said if I said no? How awkward. What was also awkward was that it cost me $28 and I needed to get paid back. Thankfully, he remembered pretty promptly but can you imagine having to remind your boss that he owes you money?
So, that’s pretty much my story for the last few weeks. I sit in court all day long [OH! Point about that. My Judge is an awesome guy who sometimes drives me crazy, but really he is a great guy. He has set me up in court so I am actually sitting on the bench, right next to him. So, I can hear all the bench conferences, see all the evidence up close, and still e-mail during court. The funny part is that there is a sketch artist in the courtroom who has been drawing me! You would think that would inspire me to get up early and actually blow dry my hair, but so far, it hasn’t.]. Besides work, and now running, I don’t have much to report.
I will try and work on that.
People will say just about anything...
to get out of serving on a jury for five to six weeks.
"I need a cigarette every few hours."
Upon reading this, Judge remarked, "Well, I think maybe it is time we help this guy quit smoking." No release for Smokey McSmokerson.
"I am in the middle of planning a wedding."
Upon hearing this, I could only think "Seriously? Do you use that excuse to try and get out of assignments at work?"
"I am planning on going to China."
Upon reading this, the prosecutor inquired as to how serious those plans were. From what I could tell, the plans were made right after the woman read the part about the trial being five to six weeks.
"I need to be in West Coast City on X day during the trial to witness the settlement of a class action."
Upon hearing this, I chuckled to myself and thought this guy was screwed. At least Judge would want to hear why his Big Firm couldn't send someone else in his place. But Judge released this guy without blinking an eye. Lawyers watch out for other lawyers, I guess.
Judge was pretty tough on the potential jurors. The questionnaire required the potential jurors to identify why it would be impossible to serve. And he really harped on that word "impossible." Five to six weeks is a tremendous time committment - talk about disrupting your life. I get it. But at the end of the day, jury duty is important. Our judicial system can't function without the crucial role that jurors play. I guess that is why I can make light of these excuses - from what I learned today, I just need to write some high-brow lawyerly nonsense and I will be released without question. Which is incredibly ironic to me - all the lawyers I know would love to serve on a jury, but very few ever will.
Oh and for those looking to get out of jury duty, the following reasons (besides being an attorney) resulted in immediate release:
1) any invocation of hearing problems
2) any reference to anxiety attacks or depression
3) interestingly enough, only a limited number of other medical reasons - seriously, one person indicated that he/she had knee surgery coming up and the attorneys wanted further explanation as to how invasive the knee surgery was.
4) those who are truly self-employed but again Judge was a bit of a stickler about this.
5) on-call doctor
Yeah, I am cool
I am spending my Saturday evening watching one of my favorite movies. A Time To Kill. Though it doesn’t live up to the book, I do think it is the best book to movie of all of Things Grisham.
Watching this movie is rather appropriate as on Tuesday, my judge begins a seven week capital murder trial. Jury selection should take a few days and hopefully by the end of the week, we will hear opening statements. The case is being tried by the Top Dog from the prosecutor’s office and the defense attorneys are highly reputable. This is Top Dog’s last stand before retirement and only a capital conviction will satisfy him. There will be no last minute plea offers as once the defendant finishes with us, we send him back to California where he will return to death row. Yep, this is not a John Grisham novel where the reader sympathizes with the defendant. I am vehemently opposed to the death penalty and this case presents a rather interesting issue. I mean, the defendant faces a death sentence in California and has come to Virginia charged with a murder that occurred almost 20 years ago. When he finishes the trial in our county, he will go to another county in Virginia and face another capital murder trial. The amount of money being spent by the Commonwealth of Virginia to try and also defend as the Commonwealth is footing the bill for his defense is astounding. I understand that he must answer for every crime he has committed and that the family members of his victims deserve to see him be held accountable for their loss. I just wonder when this will all be over.
In other news, I have made it halfway through the weekend and have not consumed any alcohol. I decided to have an alcohol free weekend for a number of reasons. One being that I am exhausted and going out will just exacerbate that problem. Two was just to test myself to see if I could do it as the last few weekends (okay, pretty much every weekend in recent memory) have centered heavily on alcohol and my body needs a break.
As an aside, while I absolutely love this movie, two things drive me absolutely crazy. One being that everybody is sweating through the entire movie. Dripping in sweat. I realize it is Mississippi and it is July, but I was in Mississippi in July and I managed to keep it together better than these people. The second is the complete lack of Ashley Judd’s southern accent. Everyone else in this movie layers the twang on thick, but not Ashley Judd. I guess since she grew up in the South but doesn’t have a thick Southern accent, she felt she didn’t have to fake it for the film.
Tomorrow, I am taking the two kids I tutor to the Mall. [That’s capital M mall, so not shopping.] Last week, after I accidentally locked the kids out of their apartment and had to drive the boy, O, to get the keys from his mom, he said something about how their last tutor used to take them places. Ouch! I suggested the zoo and O told me that he has been to the zoo seventeen times. Doubtful, but I guess the zoo’s out.
Oh, now Jake Brigance is giving his summation. I must go and get a tissue because I am about to cry. What a great movie.
Without speech
DISCLAIMER: This post is not very well-written. From the title, you can probably guess that I am speechless. The speech I managed to string together in this post is barely coherent and most certainly not eloquent. But I am enraged. Outraged? Whatever – there are not enough words to describe how incredibly angry I am at the ridiculous workings of the Universe. Because frankly, this is all just a bit much.
Yes, I expressed frustration last week about the SK parking at my house. I chalked it up to coincidence and tried to let it go. But, of course, that wasn’t enough. I ran into him on Friday night. The conversation was incredibly awkward. He couldn’t look me in the eyes, mumbled something about my being Catholic, and our connection, while obvious, had been deemed not capable of longevity. Okay, fine. Not the nicest thing to say to a girl, but at least I could put it behind me. My feelings were rather hurt, mainly because in my opinion two dates is not a whole lot of time to invest in a connection before writing off its potential distance. He also mentioned something about having two friends on my street. And my being worthy of an explanation. [If the details of the conversation are rather vague, it is because the conversation took place around 1:15 a.m. and following the consumption of a good deal of alcohol. Hey, it was Friday. That’s how I roll on Fridays.]
Saturday morning, I pieced together what I could from the conversation and concluded, while it sucked, at least I could put this whole thing behind me. If it was indeed a religious difference, that’s fine. If he is just a jerk, then better to find that out now rather than six months down the road.
But this, my dear Universe, this IS THE LAST STRAW. The two people he knows on my street? The two guys who live below me. And so when I got home tonight, I saw his car again parked in front of my house. I rolled my eyes and decided to just let it go. Until I noticed three guys hanging out in my driveway. And, no I am not kidding you. He is hanging out in my driveway with my downstairs neighbors. My mouth drops open to the floor and I can barely contain myself. What are the odds?? What are the effing odds??? I mean, it is just too much of a coincidence. I walk into my apartment absolutely dumbfounded and Roommate and her Boyfriend proceed to find the whole thing hysterical. And it is. Because, really, who does this happen to?
Me, PEOPLE. Apparently it happens to me.
