1. There are plenty of parking lots near the Lawrence Superior Court. There are not, however, a lot of attendants at those lots at 8:15 so I was quite surprised that a local officer didn't pull me over for violation of entering and exiting too many parking lots in a state of confusion.
2. People snore. Especially the ones that fall asleep in the jury waiting room. They snore loudly.
3. When they tell you to shut off your cell phones, that's not for everyone. For example, the super important lady in the pink shirt and the preppy guy in the plaid shirt don't count. They get to keep theirs on...while the rest of us suffer through offline time itching to tweet "He looks guilty" as we enter the courtroom.
4. I crack under the pressure of a court room, judge, attorneys, stenographer and microphone. Even I didn't understand my answers. Do I or don't I support drinking and driving? Yes, I have...wait, what?? I DON'T KNOW!? Can I phone a friend?
5. I secretly wanted to get picked. And was quite pissed when I wasn't...still feeling rejected even though the judge told me not to feel that way. Sniff.
6. Court Officers can be funny...and nice...and accommodating. And they don't all look like Bull from Night Court...just a few of them do.
7. Our judge played tennis this weekend. He told us.
8. I secretly didn't want to get picked. And was quite happy to walk out the door and turn my cell phone back on. Disregard #5
9. You can hook a DVD player into an old VHS player connected to a 1982 TV on a 1974 metal TV stand from the local elementary school to watch the orientation DVD. It was amazing.
10. I am in awe of our judicial system. It could have been my abundance of American pride with the kick off of the Olympics occurring the same week as my jury duty, but I wanted to lead a sing along of God Bless America in the court room. Plus that would have guaranteed my dismissal. But I refrained.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
I didn't forget about you
Thought I forgot about you, right? No....I didn't. I just went on a little vacation with the family. It's our annual pilgrimage to the White Mountains of NH. We've been heading north for 6 years and when asked if they wanted to try something new this year, the kids gave us a resounding "NO!", so off we went to bear country (sadly didn't see any bears this year).
But now that I'm back I thought I'd look up the word "vacation"...see what is says.
I was extremely pleased to see that there were several words missing from the official definition, such as "stress-free", "relaxing" and "peaceful". It did not read "extended period of joyful, tear-free recreation", much to my delight.
You see, I love getting away and letting someone else cook my meals and make my bed, but nothing about vacation sends me into a relaxed state. I seem to worry more when I'm away with the family than I do when we are home.
Where will we eat breakfast?
Where are we headed next?
Have they had enough water to drink?
What time does that park close?
Do we need dinner reservations?
Who will share a bed with Alex, the world's most violent sleeper?
And trust me, the list of worry doesn't end there.
I will say that our vacation definition does include words the official one forgot, like "fun", "spontaneous", "memory-making" and "priceless"! Because after all the bickering, worrying and a few tears, we are so fortunate to be together exploring new places and revisiting some old. And in the end, the time "spent away from home" as a family is what makes it so special.
Now, in the words of a Mom right after a vacation, go pick up your dirty clothes and clean your room - vacation is OVER!
But now that I'm back I thought I'd look up the word "vacation"...see what is says.
va·ca·tion/vāˈkāSHən/
| Noun: |
|
I was extremely pleased to see that there were several words missing from the official definition, such as "stress-free", "relaxing" and "peaceful". It did not read "extended period of joyful, tear-free recreation", much to my delight.
You see, I love getting away and letting someone else cook my meals and make my bed, but nothing about vacation sends me into a relaxed state. I seem to worry more when I'm away with the family than I do when we are home.
Where will we eat breakfast?
Where are we headed next?
Have they had enough water to drink?
What time does that park close?
Do we need dinner reservations?
Who will share a bed with Alex, the world's most violent sleeper?
And trust me, the list of worry doesn't end there.
I will say that our vacation definition does include words the official one forgot, like "fun", "spontaneous", "memory-making" and "priceless"! Because after all the bickering, worrying and a few tears, we are so fortunate to be together exploring new places and revisiting some old. And in the end, the time "spent away from home" as a family is what makes it so special.
Now, in the words of a Mom right after a vacation, go pick up your dirty clothes and clean your room - vacation is OVER!
Monday, July 9, 2012
The lovely ladies in my life!
We had drama last night with little guy but he's over it. He had a fun day at camp and loves his life again. Sadness averted for now!
But it really got me thinking about my girlfriends. And ironically, one of the women who inspires me to be the type of Mom that I am today recently moved to Arizona and is back for a visit and we had dinner tonight - and I realized how much I missed her!
As women we come across those straight shooters that tell it like it is;
"That shirt makes you look fat."
"What were you thinking with that hair cut?"
"Time to use face cream."
But she isn't one of those shooters, she's the type of shooter that supports your decisions, encourages you to achieve and makes you believe you're doing the best you can, given what you are handed in life. And I love that! Because that's the type of girlfriend I want to be.
I would never want to be remembered as the friend that points out your weaknesses, but rather the friend that reminds you of your strengths.I'd want to support your decisions no matter how hard they are for you, or how different they are from the decision I'd make. Because at the end of the day, friends are there to lift you up, make you laugh, remind you of the beauty you often forget is there, and support your dreams...no matter how crazy they may be. I hope each day I can give that back to the women I know.
And with that, I want to thank the lovely ladies in my life that laugh at my silly stories, tolerate my insecurities, and remind me that no matter how much I doubt myself that I'm doing an okay job. YOU keep me grounded and help me get through the crap. And whether we've known each other 40 years, 20 years, 10 years or 5...there is a special place in my world for all of you and that is so freaking cool!
xo
But it really got me thinking about my girlfriends. And ironically, one of the women who inspires me to be the type of Mom that I am today recently moved to Arizona and is back for a visit and we had dinner tonight - and I realized how much I missed her!
As women we come across those straight shooters that tell it like it is;
"That shirt makes you look fat."
"What were you thinking with that hair cut?"
"Time to use face cream."
But she isn't one of those shooters, she's the type of shooter that supports your decisions, encourages you to achieve and makes you believe you're doing the best you can, given what you are handed in life. And I love that! Because that's the type of girlfriend I want to be.
I would never want to be remembered as the friend that points out your weaknesses, but rather the friend that reminds you of your strengths.I'd want to support your decisions no matter how hard they are for you, or how different they are from the decision I'd make. Because at the end of the day, friends are there to lift you up, make you laugh, remind you of the beauty you often forget is there, and support your dreams...no matter how crazy they may be. I hope each day I can give that back to the women I know.
And with that, I want to thank the lovely ladies in my life that laugh at my silly stories, tolerate my insecurities, and remind me that no matter how much I doubt myself that I'm doing an okay job. YOU keep me grounded and help me get through the crap. And whether we've known each other 40 years, 20 years, 10 years or 5...there is a special place in my world for all of you and that is so freaking cool!
xo
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Seeking Best Friend for Little Guy
I am a girl. I love my girlfriends like they are my sisters. That's the way it has always been. I have bonds that go back almost 40 years and that simple fact amazes me every time I think of it.
I am not a boy. I don't completely understand the role that boys play in each others lives. I do know that my son is capable of inserting himself into most groups without hesitation and will emerge with a "friend" or two by his side.
Take baseball camp last month, for example. It was 1,000 degrees out when a group of kids, ages 6 - 12 were thrown out onto a scorching hot baseball field to learn some basic drills. Within a few minutes of learning how to karaoke (a dance-like skill I mastered quickly myself, but I'm sure I'm calling it by the wrong name) he was laughing and chatting with the boys in his group. For me, that was mission accomplished! He is capable of making friends and creating bonds. Or so it seemed.
Flash forward to tonight, when I found him fixing a Lego in his room and I quietly reminded him, "It's bed time, not time for Legos" at which point he dropped his Lego and exclaimed in tears, "I hate my life!"
Ouch. It's just a Lego. You can fix it in the morning. With a few questions and some gentle coaxing, the real underlying issue is that he doesn't feel like he has any friends. A best friend, to be exact.
It never occured to me that something like that would be important to him at 7 years old. He had a play date with a boy from his school today, and other than the adrenaline kicking into overdrive to the point I had to remind him that basketball on rollerblades is a sport for outside the house, they seemed to have a lot of fun.
He rides off on his bike every afternoon to play with the kids in the neighborhood (which is a pretty even mix of boys and girls all near to his age) and never mentions being left out or left behind. But his sister has a BFF...someone that comes to the door looking for her. Someone that schemes about sleepovers, the next time they'll see each other, and how much they'll miss each other when they're apart. He doesn't. And it just became clear how important that could be for boys, too.
Now what's a mother to do? Seeking a best friend for my little guy. Inquire within.
I am not a boy. I don't completely understand the role that boys play in each others lives. I do know that my son is capable of inserting himself into most groups without hesitation and will emerge with a "friend" or two by his side.
Take baseball camp last month, for example. It was 1,000 degrees out when a group of kids, ages 6 - 12 were thrown out onto a scorching hot baseball field to learn some basic drills. Within a few minutes of learning how to karaoke (a dance-like skill I mastered quickly myself, but I'm sure I'm calling it by the wrong name) he was laughing and chatting with the boys in his group. For me, that was mission accomplished! He is capable of making friends and creating bonds. Or so it seemed.
Flash forward to tonight, when I found him fixing a Lego in his room and I quietly reminded him, "It's bed time, not time for Legos" at which point he dropped his Lego and exclaimed in tears, "I hate my life!"
Ouch. It's just a Lego. You can fix it in the morning. With a few questions and some gentle coaxing, the real underlying issue is that he doesn't feel like he has any friends. A best friend, to be exact.
It never occured to me that something like that would be important to him at 7 years old. He had a play date with a boy from his school today, and other than the adrenaline kicking into overdrive to the point I had to remind him that basketball on rollerblades is a sport for outside the house, they seemed to have a lot of fun.
He rides off on his bike every afternoon to play with the kids in the neighborhood (which is a pretty even mix of boys and girls all near to his age) and never mentions being left out or left behind. But his sister has a BFF...someone that comes to the door looking for her. Someone that schemes about sleepovers, the next time they'll see each other, and how much they'll miss each other when they're apart. He doesn't. And it just became clear how important that could be for boys, too.
Now what's a mother to do? Seeking a best friend for my little guy. Inquire within.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
The mojo has returned
You know what's awesome? I figured out how to login to Blogger with my new persona without having to keep logging in and out as the old persona - which is what was really preventing me from blogging!
Ok, which was deterring me from blogging.
Ok, ok...which was my excuse for not blogging.
It feels great to be typing so I'd just like to wish you and yours a Happy July 4th and I'll be seeing you on the Blogger!
Ok, which was deterring me from blogging.
Ok, ok...which was my excuse for not blogging.
It feels great to be typing so I'd just like to wish you and yours a Happy July 4th and I'll be seeing you on the Blogger!
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