Isn't life funny...

Just when I thought my head would explode if I had to go to work one more day I was called to jury duty.  Turns out I was selected (or not dismissed) for a criminal trial that will last about 5 weeks!  Good news?  Bad news?  Most people would say bad.  I'm jumping for joy!  Court starts at 10am, you get a 1 1/2 hour lunch break, and you're out by 4:30.  And the courthouse is literally within walking distance of our house!  No 2 hour commute each way to work every day.  No working through lunch.  No rushing out the door at 6:30 in the morning.  Yes, on non-court days I still have to go in - so most Friday's, but I can handle that.  And, last but not least, this will take me to the middle of May, I go back to work for 2-3 weeks and then I'm on maternity leave that can last until Thanksgiving!  Yay!

Seriously though, I was in a not great place at work.  Projects were frustrating.  People were frustrating.  My computer was frustrating.  My boss was cut because of the budgets.  Another team member left abruptly.  More budget cuts and bumping (where someone with more seniority gets cut and gets to take the job of someone less senior) are sure to come in the next few months.  Morale is super low.  Stress is super high because we have less people to do more work.  It's just a crap time at LAUSD right now.  Not just for me or my project, but the whole of the district. 

While serving on a jury, of a criminal trial no less, is nothing to take lightly, it serves as a welcome break for me.  It's a life experience that one can learn from (you know, not to commit crimes), something different, something to shake up reality, something to compare against all those books and episodes of Law and Order.  It's a little scary but it's exciting.  It means more time with Kayla, more time at home, time to let go of all the crap at work.  I feel bad that what I was working on now has to be taken over by other people, all of whom are overburdened themselves, but there's nothing I can do about that.  All I can do is make the opportunity count, make it mean something, not only in the life of the defendants but in mine as well.  And I plan to take full advantage of the opportunity. 

I obviously can't talk about the trial until it's over, but stay tuned, it should be interesting.  And, who knows, maybe I'll have some insights I can share prior to the end.