jury duty

I didn’t sleep well last night. I was jittery about court today. Being a juror is a huge responsibility.

I made sure to leave the house at a proper time so I wouldn’t be tardy to court. I had to catch the bus at turner field, across the street from where I used to live. Of course if I still lived there, I could have gotten at least thirty minutes more sleep. Oh well.

On the packed bus, I noticed that I was one of very few males. Many women, obviously, and several of them were in sheriff uniforms. I found that interesting...

At the courthouse, about twenty minutes early, I smoked before walking in. With security, as I’m used to at airports, it takes forever to get in. The person in front of you always forgets the metal coins they have in their pocket or something to waste a bit more of your time.

Inside, I checked in, just about eight. Searching for a place to sit in the extra large waiting room, I spotted an acquaintance, j travis. We chatted and read the ajc and magazines before a generic ‘this is how jury duty works’ video was played. Small world, too. We discovered that – whenever my loft was ready – I’d be living in the same building as he.

We were separated shortly thereafter, though. I was called in the first group of potential jurors, number ten.

A bailiff escorted us to the fifth floor into a small courtroom. There were thirty of us who had to be dissected into twelve.

On the back of a large laminated number we were handed, were five questions. Felt like the dating game: what part of fulton county did we live, single, occupation, ever been in court or on a jury and did we remain residents of the county.

After thirty people doing such, we were sent to a different room while the attorneys decided who’d they seat on this civil trial jury.

It was already obvious that this would be an interesting case. The plaintiff was a young black female whose attorney couldn’t have been much older while the defendant was around forty and his attorney double that, maybe. Not far from it but definitely a barnaby jones.

When brought back into the room, I was lucky number six. I had been chosen to hear and decide the case.

It was interesting a very fun, really. I wish, though, that it wasn’t so one sided.

Obviously, the young girl was driving one rainy morning about three am when she changed lanes in front of the gentleman, causing her car to spin into the retaining wall on the side of the road. No one was charged in the accident.

She decided to sue for pain and suffering but brought no evidence other than a few generic bills: some from a chiropractor and more from an ambulance service. They also introduced four polaroid pictures of the car.

Not too convincing.

Her attorney was painfully green. He lost his case in my book when he allowed his client to purger herself on the stand. Her father testifying later that she had never lied also didn’t help.
Ten of the jurors felt the same as I. They also thought enough of me to nominate, then elect me as a foreperson of the jury.

After a brief bit of deliberation, they came into our way of thinking and we found unanimously that the plaintiff should not be awarded any money for pain and suffering.

Gotta go...

still in boxes... or out of them?

So much for moving into my new loft today. It was not ready as promised so this day off I have, well, it’s wasted. Not much to do. I’m all packed with nowhere to go. Of course, I still have a home but living out of boxes stinks.

loft-y woes

I’ve served my country by always voting but I get to serve in a different way: tomorrow is my first day of jury duty. I have to serve, for how long I am not sure, on a trial in fulton county. I’m excited although it couldn’t have come at a worst time.

My loft was supposed to be ready today but won’t be until wednesday. It was the most awesome surprise ever on monday morning. I have jury duty beginning tomorrow... then am scheduled to work the remainder of the week should duty end. That leaves me no time to move at all.

And, on top of that, haha... I’m late on my student loan so my federal income tax check is being held for two weeks. Damn government interesting day.

I did, however go and buy paint for my new loft. It’s gonna be interesting. Let’s see... the bathroom will be royal blue and a silverish white. My bedroom is in brown tones: mudpie is the main wall with other colors complimentary to it. My bedroom suite is mocha so it should be rather pretty.

In the living room, I chose racing green for the huge column and tennis court green for the walls. The entry wall is going to be saffron, continuing with the tennis theme. We’ll see how it turns out. I’ll even post some pictures to my site at some point.

I’ll paint the kitchen some other time. I don’t use it anyway so there’s no use in it being all pretty and stuff, right?

I should be packing but with nowhere to go, the sense of urgency has escaped me and I just want to be lazy. Besides, it has stormed all day and the rainy weather has made me tired. So there. I don’t have to.

Oh! I’m off probation (at work, silly)!! that means that I am now a legal employee of airtran airways and my pay increased by two bucks. More importantly, though, is the fact that I now will know my schedule a month in advance rather than being yanked around by crew scheduling all the time. Yay for me!

I want money. Lots and lots of money. I wanna fly in the sky. I wanna be rich.

ramblin' 'bout nothin'

This has been a fun weekend, my first full one off work in a while. I paid a deposit on a new loft. It’s at ford factory, an old building in midtown adjacent to city hall east. They tell me model t’s were made there way back when. Neat, huh?

It’s a one bedroom, just about seven hundred square feet. Nice size kitchen and a wall full of windows in both the bedroom and living room. Twelve foot ceilings. Finished concrete floors. Secured entry.

There’s a kroger, package store, gym and chinese restaurant in or beside my building. All the things I need although not necessarily in that order. Haha.

I also had my income taxes prepared... let’s say being a flight attendant has it’s priveleges. My check is hefty!

Jamie came up from albany so we went out to eat at casa grande then met friends at hoe downs.
Hah. That was a trip. Very fun, though.

Saturday, I was lazy all morning but wendell and I went to zocalos for some margaritas. After a pitcher, we drove home and napped before we met jamie at burkhart’s then went to see gary, a pilot friend, off at blake’s for his last night in atlanta. He just bought a house in nashville and is being transferred to seattle as I understand it. That was brief, too, since gary had obviously been there for a while.

Tony moran was spinning at jungle so we got there about midnight or so and didn’t leave the dance floor until they turned off the music at four. Seemed like everyone was there. I saw tina, brent, nicole, kenton... the whole town basically.

Sunday morning found us at einstein’s waiting the normal hour for a table for brunch. We had danny... walker.. serve us, which turned out to be very pleasant, as usual. If you go, get the towering chocolate cake. It’s fifteen dollars but worth it. It’s served on a platter. Hope you’re hungry. Oh, for brunch, definitely choose the chicken and gouda omelette... no asparagus. It’s wonderful.

After all that excitement, I had to do a la guardia turn. I worked with a nice girl and a seatbelt nazi. Proved to be interesting but fun nonetheless. It helped that stephen and will were on the flight up and both the girls and boys basketball team from emory was on my return flight. Whoever knew they had a basketball team? Hmph...

Tomorrow is the big day! I move into my new loft. I’m so excited. It’s been three years since I’ve had my own place. I went and bought paint at midnight. I have eight different colors and that’s just for two rooms. It’s gonna be nice, though, and I already have some ideas about artwork as well.

Once I get settled, I’ll have a party. Right now, I’m sick of partying, tired and ready to hit the sack.

a bunch of nothings...

well, where do i start? i'm in fort lauderdale right now on an overnight. went to boston, then baltimore and here. i have to go to atlanta in the morning, then philly and back. i'll be off then for the next three days!!! yay.

kassy and i are buddy bidding for what we hope will be our first hard line, meaning we'll actually be off reserve and know what we're doing a month in advance rather than anywhere from a day to five minutes now. pray!

hmmm... i think i will be moving this weekend and next so if you are reading this and are really eager to move furniture, you know my cell. volunteer, damnit.

i just talked to leslee. seems she is single after a couple years and wants to move. out of georgia. who doesn't? i told her i couldn't do that now so i think she may come stay with me in atlanta for a while. jessica will be staying with me come summer for her internship so i may just have a brothel up in my crib. haha. what language! i'll keep ya posted.

much unlike that, i watched the passion of the christ last night. whoa! it was very painful to watch... very emotional. in the beginning, it's a movie with characters. it's in arabic so it's sub-titles make it a bit difficult, too. but as you get into it, you become absorbed in the movie and your emotions run wild. i'd reccommend it to any christian or non-christian for that matter, maybe to those more.

i had an idea on the plane today as i was thinking... the book about my life that i'm writing: well, i hit a dead-end. but, today, out of nowhere i thought, why not write it with my dad telling the story. it all goes back to his death anyway? it may work. we'll see.

it's really tough writing about some things. i have bad dreams. i get depressed when i relive some moments. but, it's my life and the mold that has shaped me into what you all know and, i hope, love. all of those close to me will reads it's pages thinking, i knew this. but, there are some that'll make ya cry. and laugh. and vommit. haha.

jamie and his friend chris are coming up this weekend. i'm excited to see him. haven't in a while. he's probably gotten fatter. that's what albany does to ya. nah. it'll be fun to see my favoritest ex-roommate.

wendell's birthday is next week, the 26. we were going to have a party but since i'm moving... it's changed. more on that later but hold that date open if you want to do something. he likes whips and handcuffs if you get him anything. haha. we'll probably end up at the cabaret so meet us there. there'll be 75 of us, i'm sure.

hmmmmnmm. it's almost midnight. i guess i should get going.

if you're reading this, thanks! you don't have a lot to do in your life, either.

in the windy city...

sure enough, just when i got to sleep good, crew scheduling called. i hate them sometimes. at 6:30 am, i was told to be at the airport at 8:44. such is the life of a flight attendant.

i had to go to d.c. and back, then here to chicago where i will be for the next 15 hours. tomorrow i'm going to orlando, then atlanta. not such a bad trip.

i am feeling much, much better although i think i'll go to bed early tonight and not even attempt to go out. i tried to drink a beer last night and couldn't get past the neck of the bottle. i'm over it for now... now doesn't have to be a long time, either, so don't hold me to that.

ummm... nothing really exciting to talk about. i watched friday night lights last night. was very good. very cute actors. i had read the book so it was even better seeing it onscreen. i still have to finish the grudge but am having trouble: it's so weird and jumps back to the past so much. besides, i don't do horror movies so that's not helping either.

i'm tired. later.

n'awlins... and the hangover from hell

joshua, a fellow flight attendant and friend, and I decided to go to new orleans for the night. it’s not uncommon for flight attendants to do that. to any city, for that matter. we fly for free so it costs basically the same as going out in atlanta. it just takes a plane ride and a few hours more to get there.

regardless, after having got my hair cut at 10:45, I hopped on marta to catch my 12:10 flight. I made it just in time as marta decided for some reason the train needed to stop to catch its breath every few hundred yards… onboard, I had a few cocktails. three to be exact. at noon. no breakfast or lunch yet.

at the airport in new orleans, we hail a cab and make the trip into the french quarters. it’s not a huge distance but their traffic is just as bad as atlanta’s. we stayed at the ambassador on poydras. it’s right across the street from harrah’s casino, which we never made it into, which was probably a good thing.

we were only there for the night so we immediately left the hotel room to wander the district to find food. we decided pat o’briens would be good so off we went. it was a bit windy there and, of course, I had not packed a jacket. wasn’t too bad, though.

the food was awesome, the rainstorm drink left a little to be desired. their shrimp creole was absolutely mouth watering. literally, but still good.

after lunch, we paraded around bourbon street although all the official mardi gras parades were over. we went into a few shops but mainly just took in the sites and sounds of the city.

around three, i suppose, we went in to the cat’s meow, a karaoke bar. there were actually some good singers inside as well as great drink specials: 3 for 1! yep… you pay three bucks for one beer, the chick brings ya three. gotta love it. and that we did.

after sharpening our claws at cat’s, we headed deeper onto bourbon street and into oz for bitchy bingo where i was the first winner and proud recipient of $10. two drinks in atlanta… nine in new orleans.

after bingo was over, we strolled across to the bourbon pub. the kicker in this bar is the fact that my budweiser was neither bottle nor draft… it was a twelve ounce can. hadn’t seen that since statesboro and even there, it was just pbr or natty light.

but, the people were fun although the bar staff left a little to be desired. oh well, the people later made up for it.

about eight o’clock, we were rather wasted and honestly ready to call it a night. Joshua had to keep reminding me that we gained an hour from atlanta and had been drinking since we left. not a quitter, I hung in there although my drinks went from suds to water.

back at the bourbon pub – we left to go somewhere – i met an pilot with american. rather nice, introduced me to the bar owner who suggested i get onto the bar to dance with the dancer already up there. attempting to be modest, i said no but eventually made $34. i was strongly encouraged to get into their student body contest later, too.

meanwhile, since that didn’t start until midnight, we head back to oz and dance a bit over there. throughout the night, we met many cool people and even had a camera but it’s still in new orleans somewhere.

at midnight, i was back for the dance contest. there were five guys, including me. two were professional dancers (one would later proposition me to work for him), one was a cheerleader and the other an attorney.

the strippers were obviously talented but I think the judges were not ready for the butt shots they got… in fact, the guy I thought should have won got two “f’s”. (we were graded a-f by four judges) i ended up winning, which gave me $100 and a free drink, which ended up being a bottled water. i had too much already.

we all went back to oz at this point…. all meaning the different people we’d met and had been hanging out with. joshua was pretty tanked so he sat near me while I danced my ass off. i was having a blast.

at some point, i believe around four am, i noticed joshua was not near me yet his drink was sitting there still. knowing joshua, he doesn’t leave a drink full nor unattended. my search took me around the club, upstairs, in the bathroom and eventually outside to where i found him leaning against a post. obviously, he’d been thrown out but didn’t know for why.

at that point, one of the guys we met took us back to out hotel where joshua immediately passed out and sawed a whole damn forest snoring. i’m surprised windows didn’t shatter.

an early wake-up call aroused us about nine am… not too long before our 10:30 flight out. we wouldn’t have had to leave so early but joshua had to go see his brother in virginia…

i felt – and up until about two hours ago – felt like dog shit. ugh. i drank a gallon of water before leaving the hotel… bought a sprite downstairs… dramamine in the airport… ginger ale on the plane. nothing helped. it’s the worst I’ve ever felt the morning after.

i passed out shortly after take off and didn’t wake up until i was jarred by the landing. i went back to sleep while taxiing and woke up to walk off the plane. i rode marta back to midtown, retrieved my blazer from the metropolis and headed for mcdonald’s for some salty french fries. i thought that might help.

at home, i ate and passed out. wendell told me at some point a realtor came by to show the house and walked in on me asleep. i had no clue. it’s a good thing i was under cover, too… i’ll leave it at that.

around nine, wendell woke me up to eat with jeremy at nikimotos. grant was there eating with a friend. he had called earlier today while i was asleep but i missed his call. it’s funny how i never hear from him the for a week, i can’t get away from him. it happens every few months… weird.

anyway, dinner was awesome but i was terrible company. i was tired, irritable and extremely quite. i smoked my first cigarette of the day before dessert and almost passed out.

home again, i took a long hot bath and watched a movie. i feel better although not good. it’s now almost five am and i’m sure ill get called into work sometime soon. it always happens when you least want it to.

i’m ready to go back to new Orleans… just next time i’ll make sure it’s for more than one day… and definitely will not be on the early flight out.

my web site is up!!!

if you're reading this, then you know my web site is now online. happy? i am! there are some kinks to it, i know. email with any you might find. also, if you have an idea to improve, something to add or otherwise, let me know. i'd appreciate it.

i'm in minneapolis right now. it's 3:40 am. that's their time. in georgia, it's almost five. i won't get home until noon and then i am going with kassy to look for an apartment. speaking of which, i hope to be back in midtown soon. i think i will move to the ford factory lofts off ponce. rent is decent and the loft is amazing. it's in a decent area, too. we'll see.

work is going well. other than these stand-ups. it gets old spending the night alone in a hotel room awake. on a stand-up, i'm only on the ground for about four to seven hours, so there is no reason to go to sleep. i'd never wake up anyway.

OH! i met kevin allen last night on the plane. his name would sound familiar if you watched the apprentice, season II. he was very pleasant in person and seems to be just like he was on television. he didn't win but told me he does continue to be in contact with mr. trump as well as other contestants. in fact, he and ivanna are piloting two reality tv shows and he is writing a movie about his world war II veteran grandfather and his grandmothers love story... sounds fun.

kevin also has a background in political science so we chatted about politics a bit, too. was neat to meet him. you can learn more about him on his web site at www.kevallen.com.

the night before, i met cameron from real world. not sure which season she was on. some of my friends recognized her. but, she was much less pleasant to meet as well as her way too tall and rude friend.

i've been able to spend a lot of time with raven lately. i took her to the show in birmingham since he wrecked his truck during the ice storm. that was a treat! very fun. charlie brown's is doing phenomenal in underground, too. if you haven't been, you need to go! i'll probably be there if i'm off. haha.

hmmm... i'm bored and awake so i'm rambling. watching fried green tomatoes. it never gets old watching this movie. i love it.

until next time, it's me. later.