The Magic

Thursday kicked off the holiday season for us.  We hosted Thanksgiving, as we have for the past 5 years. We filled the house with delicious smells, cute decorations, loving family and friends.  Every year, I am shocked at how quickly the holidays are upon us.  Don't know why its a shocking revelation, but every year its seems to sneak up on me.  For some reason this year I am hell bent on enjoying all the family friendly activities Austin has to offer.  I think its because,  as I have gotten older the holidays have lost some of its magic.   I want Grace to experience the loudness a house is filled with family and friends,  the blindness of houses lit up with twinkly lights,  the smell of a pine tree in the living room,  the fun of baking cookies, the love the holiday season brings.

I want her to have traditions.  I want her to have memories.  I want her to feel the magic. 

Hoping you all had a Happy Thanksgiving and the start of a magical holiday season.

 

Judge & Jury

After 13 years, I finally got caught....called for jury duty that is.  I received a letter in the mail several weeks ago, went online answered questions and found out I had to report for jury duty on Monday November 17th.

I really had no idea what to expect.  I heard stories of people arriving at the courthouse just to have to turn around and go home because they were dismissed.  I heard stories of people being called and having to wait around for hour before they were realized.  I heard stories of people that had to go back for two days and wait around.  You name it, I heard about it. On top of all the stories I heard, I was also given a lot of advice.....

act racist

act conservative

act like a know-it-all

act dumb

act smart

act liberal

act fill in the blank

I walked into the courtroom, was told to pick up a clipboard and from that moment on I was known as juror #9.  There were about 25 other jurors in the room and as they prosecutor went through the voir dire process, I watched in horror as juror # 20, 25, 5, 16 were all dismissed.

The numbers were dwindling and I was praying that I wasn't going to be picked.  For this trial, it was a jury of 6, so I still had a chance to walk out unscathed.  After roughly 20 minutes of questions, we were told the court was taking a quick recess to pick the lucky 6 jurors that would be part of the trial.

As I sat on the bench waiting in the hallway, I crossed my fingers that I would be dismissed. Out of all the weeks to be called for juror duty this one was the worst - I had to be Houston the next day for work, I was planning an event on Thursday that had roughly 400 attendees...  It was busy week without adding jury duty to it.

"Juror's #1, #5, #7....#9".....I cringed, my number was called...now it was time for the trial.

I think if it was any other case I wouldn't have enjoyed juror duty so much, but it was a young woman defending herself against the charge of:  Public Intoxication.   Being an expert of such thing in my twenties (but luckily never getting arrested for it), my annoyance for serving jury duty melted into enjoyment....

I mean, I was officially allowed to judge someone..err, the facts.

Two hours later - I was walking out of the courthouse with an official certificate for my involvement in my civic duty.

The verdict:  Guilty, Max Fine ($500).........and, I can't wait to be called for jury duty again.