Civil Duty

Today I missed out on a day of “OMG I’m like a 7th grader so everything comes with a side of extra drama” because I had jury duty.

This is the first time I ever really have to show up to jury duty. In the past, I was able to get out of it because I was in college and I used to help out at the foster care my mom used to run. But now, I have no excuse. It seems sort of ironic though that the state pulls me out of work and has to pay someone else to do my work because I have to serve on a jury.

Anyway, as luck would have it, I was in the first group of people that were called out. There was a lot of standing around and waiting until we were finally released. As hard as I tried to create the sense of adventure, I couldn’t. First, I was annoyed by the lack of organization. My inner teacher was mentally organizing everything with, in my mind, fool-proof procedures. Then, there were the people who don’t know to stay to the right of the stairs. Then the greasy haired guy who tried to make small talk and the old man who wouldn’t take off his damn boots and when he finally did, put them after my coat so they ended up on top of it when they were run through the metal detector. The last straw though had to be the guy that was trying to pick up juror #2, a late 20’s petite Latina. It wouldn’t have bothered me had they not ended up around me the whole time or had I not over heard him ask her if her purse was truly a Prada and not a knock off like a Prado.

I did appreciate that the bailiff wasn’t a total jerk and that the judge was very conscious of our time. Needless to say, I didn’t get selected for the jury. We were all let go because they were able to work it out before the got around to picking jurors.

So tomorrow, it’s back to work. We have TAKS parent night tomorrow. It sucks because I found out tonight that I have to wear my sausage arm, lame staff shirt and it's the same night Obama will be speaking at the Toyota center downtown Houston. Just my luck. I’m not looking forward to spending the entire day at work tomorrow. Even though I live quite close to work, I never see the point in coming home. Well, really, I know that if I come home, I will have a real hard time going back to work.

I’m off to spend some quality time with my current obsession—Persepolis.

Another Great One Passes on

Going to Austin with Gabi and Caro is always one of my favorite things. The company of course is great, but the city has this vibe to it. One of the last times we were there, I had the privilege of meeting raúl salinas.

Today, raúl salinas has passed on, but he has left behind a legacy that, through our work, should keep on for years.

OK Gambling

“Come a little closer baby, I feel like laying you down…”

Smoke infests the air. It’s hard to breathe. Wedged between fiber glass and aging thighs.

From the back, I hear a twangy voice say, “That guy is hawt!”

Another cigarette is lit. A Milwaukee’s Best is popped open.

“I’m gonna win big tonight baby,” says the twangy voice.

Despite the smoke, the air is thick with anticipation of what could be. Will I win big tonight?