Tuesday, April 27, 2010

To Do Lists

"You have a lot on your plate and you are eager to accomplish as much as possible today. But you may get tired of chasing after one too many goals. Instead of spreading yourself thin, set your priorities and focus your attention on the most important tasks first, letting the others go. Don't panic, even if you run into unexpected problems. The calmer you can remain now, the more effective you will be throughout the day."

This was my horoscope on Sunday, April 25th and I don’t think this is just applies to one Sunday but my entire life. I’m a planner who has ‘to do’ lists for everything from laundry, planning weekly menus to even calling my friends. It borders on obsessive but it’s the only way I know how to function. I think this horoscope might have to become my new mantra because I’m very capable to running myself into circles regarding my ‘to do’ lists, just as my Mother. I then end up too frustrated and exhausted to even accomplish the smaller of the tasks. So, this time I mean it—I’m going to remember that Rome wasn’t built in one day, my life won’t end if I don’t accomplish everything on my list and I need to take time to really put effort in the major projects and learn to let others slide.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

My reflection on jury duty

I really wanted to have an in-depth review of my time on jury duty but as I sit here trying to write a reflection I can’t actually express how I feel in written words. So I’m just going to reflect on the one part of the whole process that really made an affect on me, the very end.

Once we had made our final decisions on the fate of the Defendant the judge came into to the jury room to address us. She said that she found this a difficult case for us to judge the law on and she wasn’t surprised by our final decision. We learned the background of the case, the history of the Defendant and the circumstances under which she was originally arrested and charged. She was so open and willing to listen and answer all the questions we had expressed to ourselves in the jury room and in the back of our minds. Now I feel like I made the right decision.
The judge informed us of her mandatory sentence for being convicted guilty and that she is allowing her to be on bail till she must return to court to be sentenced, but IF she gets caught even with the most minor of crimes, like jay-walking she will be sentenced to the maximum penalty under the law. And I kinda hope she totally fucks up and gets put away, just because of what I know now.

I wish I had the ability to express more in writing about how I feel and think, but I’m consistently finding it difficult, so if you are interested in my thoughts/opinions on it give me call, I’m sure my reflection will be more colorful too.

On the really bright side, I can’t get called for jury duty service for another 6 years, so take that suckaas!!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

What I learned yesterday

In the afternoon: People are stupid, like really stupid. While waiting through two rounds of jury selection (I was on the third and was chosen) I discovered that the average NYC citizen does not have a college degree and/or does not know how to answer simple questions. For yes or no answers you get a brief story and for a question that needs a more descriptive answer you find out someone is going on a safari in two weeks and he was almost kidnapped when he was 5. Who the fuck cares? I sure didn’t sitting in a courtroom all day long hearing over 50 people tell the judge their life stories.


In the evening:
At the gym men with tiny bird legs tend to overcompensate with their upper bodies. They overly bulk up on their shoulders, chest and arms and then I wonder if their legs can even hold up all that extra weight on top. Do they seriously think looking like a lolli-pop is attractive? Its not as if they are nicely ripped, no they are ‘roided out and its disgusting. Does this guy think he’s at the Jersey shore on the UES. Another fun thing I learned at the gym last night is that guidettes work out. This tiny little guidette with long acrylic nails, tiny purse and flip phone decided to elliptical next to me. She had it on level 2 and would elliptical really hard then get a text and slow down to text then speed up again. This cycle went on for 30 minutes and I don’t think she even broke a sweat. I was very impressed with her multi-tasking skills and the fact she was actually in a gym.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

An Easter Reflection

So far I have not properly celebrated any holidays in this New Year.
January: 2010 started off with a BANG! falling asleep on my couch around 11pm totally missing the New Year. I had the opportunity to go to my Aunt & Uncle’s for a small celebration but opted out since at Thanksgiving I got so drunk I somehow broke their toilet seat and I wasn’t quite over that embarrassment yet.
February: I never really celebrated Valentine's Day (so don’t know if that counts).
March: St. Patrick’s Day was spent deciding between going out and staying home, I opted to stay home. But I did go “bar hoping” that only involved making it to two bars the weekend before in the pouring rain.

April: Now comes Easter, I’ve spent the day doing homework, making lunches/dinners for the week, hitting the gym (for Jesus), and watching a ton of movies. This was my first Easter that I wasn’t with some family member and it sucked.
Easter use to be one of my favorite holidays as a child; maybe it was because the night before I got new pjs, there was always a new dress involved, it was the only other holiday besides Christmas that Dad would come to church (he’s not Catholic) and the best part was chocolate in the morning and Grandma’s ambrosia salad at Easter supper that should would make just for me.
When I got to college Spring Break would always end on Easter Sunday so family dinners were never a possibility, so my Brother would pick me up from the airport and we’d go to Outback for dinner.
Now In New York I’ve been very lucky to spend the holiday with my family but this year was the first that it was just not feasible. So currently my immediate family is having my Father’s family over for Easter supper, which is always an event in mass amounts of alcohol consumption (for my immediate family only, the other members aren’t big drinkers). And thus far one of my cousin’s arrived 3 hours early, needless to say no one was prepared. They’ve had a 6.9 earthquake and after shock with I sure some fun events in between. But luckily Mom and Dad’s best friends are in attendance along with my brother’s college roommate to help add some normality. Usually when I’m with my Mom’s family in Jersey I don’t miss those crazy family dinners and when I’m there I wish I was somewhere else, but being all alone today I wish I was at home helping my Mom with dishes, rolling my eyes with my sister-in-law after someone says/does something totally retarded, and consuming copious amounts of wine while eating my Dad’s amazing ham, green beans and Paula’s potato au gratin.

May: The next holiday is Memorial Day and I know I’ll be celebrating and in style with people. People like my best friends in a place called Vegas. And this year I will not miss my flight and have a breakdown in the airport. I will finally enjoy a holiday in 2010 there is no doubt!