Jury Duty and my schedule

Ok, today was the infamous Jury Duty.

They spent about an hour in 'orientation' which was part sign-in, part film, and part court judges and officers telling us how important and appreciated we were. They were very sincere about it, though. Saying, we know this sucks, and we want you to know we know this sucks, and we really appreciate the fact that you're here, both as individuals giving up your time and as citizens participating in the legal process and helping us carry out the work of government. It was very nice to hear, although it came with the message, you're going to sit around and be bored for a while, and you will be hot, and you probably won't like it.

We had a break, and when we came back, I was sitting right in front of this woman who could pass for the stay-puft marshmallow man (which I didn't know at the time, ok?) and she spent the next half-hour in a conversation (diatribe, really) in which she said how all those people who thought they could go around looking wild would 'learn' when they have to go cut their hair and get a real job. She said how they all wanted people to be able to do 'what they want' but they only wanted people to be like them. Then she segued into how people needed Christian values, or at least Moral ones, and somehow got from there into what 'strong' men were and how important THAT was.

I'm the one right in front of her with pink, purple and blue hair, wearing a pentacle ring, skull and spider and frog earrings, a black t-shirt with a bound and blindfolded woman on the front (8 of Swords) and sleepwear pants. I recognize her pattern of behavior as an affirmation and bonding with the people around her. This is how the world is, she said, and those next to her agreed, so she was safe from me.

She did allow that musicians all dress that way, but everyone knows they're eccentric. ;)

After the next break, fortunately, I ended up next to a Ph.D. candidate teaching a summer Intro to Engineering course. He asked about my logic puzzles (and knew what they were) and I gave him a granola bar, and we had a nice chat.

Then they came out and told us all to go home, without question #1. That's right, no one was empaneled, the entire pool was discarded. Were we contaminated? :) Was there an unavoidable delay in the proceedings (the whole courthouse?) -- we heard earlier the air conditioner was out in the courthouse. Maybe they couldn't fix it and thought it would get too hot. The clock chimed 12 as we walked out.

Schedule, because it's getting crowded in here:

Wed., June 26: office day for the kids, 8a-6p
Thurs., June 27: on-call day for the kids 7a to Friday morning.
Fri., June 28: day off.
They Might Be Giants on the bricks, then Shamgod at Nine Lives.
Sat., June 29: moving with Red Turtle
work at Milano's 6:30p-1a
Sun., June 30: Milano's 6:30-11:30p
Mon. July 1: on-call day 7a to Tuesday morning.
Tues. July 2: Counselor appointment, 11a-12p
Hair appointment, cut and dye and Rob: 1-5p
Wed. July 3: on-call day, 7a to Thursday morning
Fri., July 5- Wed., July 10: vacation in Key West! Yay!

So, like, um, bye.