Jury Duty

Hmmm...I'm in a bad mood today... Maybe it's cos I woke up too early and have already been up for 12 hours, or maybe it's because I went to jury duty, or maybe because I grew superstitiously attached to my ring. I lost it this past weekend, and though I don't consider myself a superstitious person, that ring meant alot to me for some reason. I never left the house without that ring... and now I feel naked without it. Strange. Anyway, back to jury duty.

My initial thought when summoned to jury duty was "oh god...i'd rather put a hole in my head".

Though I still detest it, today wasn't as bad as i thought.

I wasn't looking forward to it at all, since the last experience I had serving jury duty was a nightmare... I got called into a trial about half an hour before everyone was dismissed for the day, and ended up going home at around 7. Traffic was so bad it took me 2 hours to get home. So, naturally, I was a little concerned that today was going to be a repeat of what happened. Though to prevent an exact replica of that day, I decided to take the MetroRail there instead of my car.

Something occurred to me while I was sitting there, in the sardine can that is the jury pool room...I'm starting to think it's not even a bout being a juror. Instead, I think it's one of the government's ways to test the limits and patience of its citizens. HA. Kidding, but that's what it almost feels like when you're there at 8 in the morning, thinking only about how you would be sleeping instead of sitting in the room for the next 8 hours or so waiting for someone to call your summons number.

Luckily, today I got called once and never had to enter a court room. We sat outside the courtroom we'd been assigned to for about an hour, when finally the bailiff came out to tell us we weren't needed for the case anymore.

Around that time I found out that a friend of mine was also serving jury duty, so it wasn't as lonely an experience as it had been the last time. We went to lunch together and caught up on things. Then, it was back to the jury pool room to continue hearing people being called by number. For those who dread getting chosen (like myself and most everyone else), every time they get to your number range, your stomach sinks, your heart beats a little faster, and you cross your fingers that they'll skip right over you. When you're not chosen, you breathe a sigh of relief and carry on with whatever you were doing before (whether that was reading a book, or watching the crappy movies they play for you while you're waiting). This happens about every 15-20 minutes or so.

At about 2:30, someone came into the jury pool room to tell us we were all being dismissed (after which I breathed the heaviest sigh of relief), and I happily made my way back to the Metro station, and was home by 3:45.

After having gone through the ordeal, I was glad I went. I'm on break from school and only working twice a week, and it's bad enough that I'm going stir crazy right this moment from having nothing to do. If I'd stayed home all day I would be bouncing off walls to try to alleviate the boredom. Or something.

It was then I realized why most people work 5 days a week. I cannot imagine working only 2 or 3 days out of the week when I graduate from school (as I would have been doing had I chosen the nursing route). What the HELL am I supposed to do with the other 5 days in the week?

All my friends work regular work weeks, so does my boyfriend... And there's only so many books to read and so many websites to surf through...so many bike rides you can take, so much laundry you can do... and then you'd still have a ton of time left over. To do what? Sit and fry your brain in front of the TV all day? I don't think so.

Humans need to make use of their time. Well, at least I feel like I do. Some may be perfectly OK with sitting in front of a TV all day.

The next two months of working only twice a week are going to kill me. I need another activity, another job perhaps...Hopefully the trip I want to make will materialize. That will give me something else to look forward to.

For once in the entire time I've worked in the hospital, I wish they weren't so well staffed. It makes for some good extra cash andgives me something to do.