(no subject)
I had jury duty today, and I was selected to sit on a jury. This is the third time in the last year or so that I have drawn jury duty. I know you are supposed to be excused for like two years after you've gotten jury duty, but that is only true for that kind of court system. And I've learned that there are at least three types of court systems. The murder trial that I spent three days being part of the selection process (but in the end not actually selected, for which I am thankful) was for the State of Oregon. Then there was the Multnomah County jury duty, which I didn't actually have to go to as it was cancelled the night before. The one I am on currently is for federal court, I think because the civil case spans state lines.
Jury duty wasn't a big deal when I was unemployed... hey, they actually pay you $40/day, which is $40/day more than I had been making. And fortunately for me, my new firm pays me for my time serving on a jury. I know firms have to grant unpaid time off, but I don't think I've ever worked for a firm that actually paid for jury duty time. So I don't mind doing my civic duty. (I think three times in one year really is enough, though. And this is the second time I've actually been a member of a jury.)
I'm not supposed to talk about it in any detail until it's over, but I can say that it involves an airplane engine. Also, I now know WAY more about aviation mechanics than I ever wanted or needed to know. And I'll know a lot more before this is over. One the one hand, it's really pretty boring stuff to me. On the other hand, I have only a rudimentary understanding of how engines work, and so I have to really pay attention to some of the nuances being discussed if I am going to understand the dispute and help make a fair decision.
The woman who sits behind me in the jury box is the loudest breather I've ever heard. I don't think I've ever though to remark on the volume of someone's breathing before. But she is LOUD. I can hear every inhale and exhale that she makes. So maybe it's no surprise that I learned in the break room that she is also the loudest slurper that I have ever heard.
Although it was built before I moved to Portland, the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse is fairly new and was designed by the firm I used to work for. Although I still have some bad feelings about the way I was treated at that firm, the courthouse has always been one of my favorite buildings in Portland, but I'd never had a reason to go inside. When I did, I could instantly see the hand of my former principal at work on the interior as well as the exterior. I'm not a big fan of his for a number of reasons, but I do have a very great respect for him as a designer. It's a very beautiful building inside and out.
In fact, the judge commented several times on just that and urged us prospective jurors to take the opportunity to look around while we had access to the building. He recommended that we check out the water features on the first and second floors, the roof garden on the 9th floor and the tapestries on the 16th floor, all of which John obviously had a hand in. Even the courtroom was lovely, and the curve of the roof was followed in the curve of the ceiling and even the light fixtures. So that was pretty cool.
Jury duty wasn't a big deal when I was unemployed... hey, they actually pay you $40/day, which is $40/day more than I had been making. And fortunately for me, my new firm pays me for my time serving on a jury. I know firms have to grant unpaid time off, but I don't think I've ever worked for a firm that actually paid for jury duty time. So I don't mind doing my civic duty. (I think three times in one year really is enough, though. And this is the second time I've actually been a member of a jury.)
I'm not supposed to talk about it in any detail until it's over, but I can say that it involves an airplane engine. Also, I now know WAY more about aviation mechanics than I ever wanted or needed to know. And I'll know a lot more before this is over. One the one hand, it's really pretty boring stuff to me. On the other hand, I have only a rudimentary understanding of how engines work, and so I have to really pay attention to some of the nuances being discussed if I am going to understand the dispute and help make a fair decision.
The woman who sits behind me in the jury box is the loudest breather I've ever heard. I don't think I've ever though to remark on the volume of someone's breathing before. But she is LOUD. I can hear every inhale and exhale that she makes. So maybe it's no surprise that I learned in the break room that she is also the loudest slurper that I have ever heard.
Although it was built before I moved to Portland, the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse is fairly new and was designed by the firm I used to work for. Although I still have some bad feelings about the way I was treated at that firm, the courthouse has always been one of my favorite buildings in Portland, but I'd never had a reason to go inside. When I did, I could instantly see the hand of my former principal at work on the interior as well as the exterior. I'm not a big fan of his for a number of reasons, but I do have a very great respect for him as a designer. It's a very beautiful building inside and out.
In fact, the judge commented several times on just that and urged us prospective jurors to take the opportunity to look around while we had access to the building. He recommended that we check out the water features on the first and second floors, the roof garden on the 9th floor and the tapestries on the 16th floor, all of which John obviously had a hand in. Even the courtroom was lovely, and the curve of the roof was followed in the curve of the ceiling and even the light fixtures. So that was pretty cool.