chapstick, jury duty and public transport

I've been addicted to chapstick since I was in junior high. I'm very forgetful and I constantly lose them, but that was the cost of my addiction. This past winter, I developed some kind of allergic reaction to all my chapsticks which were Burt's Bees (at least $2.50 ea) and I had to throw them all away. I found a small tub of coco butter lip balm from Lush that didn't seem to bother my lips and I've been using that. I did lose the old one and just yesterday I opened the new one I'd bought when I was in Chicago. And of course, somewhere between my livingroom and bedroom (less than 5 feet) I've managed to lose that one. I woke up around 5am today tearing the apartment up looking for it. Yes, I'm a spaz. I could have a worse vice.

I've been summoned for jury duty since January. I've been able to defer my service twice because of travel. For some reason it occurred to me I should check my summons because I had the feeling I should, that perhaps I got the dates wrong. Boy was I right about being wrong! Turns out TODAY is the day I have to appear and when I called the juror phone line my group number was selected. So I have to be downtown at 8:30. Joy of joys.

I had jury duty a few years ago. It was interesting, until it was traumatic. Cold case. Women committed arson. As a result her two small children die. She wasn't try to kill them. But because the way the law was written, we had to find her guilty of 2nd degree murder. Two life sentences was how the judge decided to handle sentencing. We weren't there for that part. The woman started to sob and wail after we read the verdict. We were ushered out of the court room quickly thereafter and were dismissed once we got in the hallway. It was the strangest experience and I am really not looking forward to this today. At least, not another case that includes the killing of children. Or killing in general. How about a nice drug deal? Or grand theft auto? Insurance fraud?

At least I get to take the trolley into town. I feel like a real grownup taking the T. It's probably one of the cooler things about living south of Pittsburgh, that I'm able to use public transport so easily. Although, I do have this strange fear of taking buses. I just never had to take them since I could take the T. And buses can be late. Trolleys usually never are.

Anyway, I digress. I guess I'll being wearing my juror label today. And I mean a literal label that says JUROR. I'll be sure to take a picture.