A Conversation with Elizabeth
1999
Tuesday

From:          Elizabeth 
To:            LMixson@PEC.com
Sent:          Tuesday, March 2, 1999 12:20 PM
Subject:       Tuesday
 
Yesterday I had jury duty and had to report at 8:15.  It was quite a circus with almost 150 people jamming into the city parking garage and then into a large room to fill out paperwork. I almost gagged out from the carbon monoxide in the garage walking to the elevator. I don't know if you have ever had jury duty.  I never have, ever, which is quite amazing. Yesterday was the preliminaries, filling out info about yourself and getting assigned to a "panel."  One of the questions was which three t.v. shows do you watch the most (that was easy as I only have two--X-files and The Practice). Another asked about bumper stickers on your car.  Another about which magazines do you read the most.  That was easy as I don't read any (lately I have laid off Wired, because it has gotten so commercial), but I did put NYT online, because it said "periodicals" as well and all newspapers in library lingo are periodicals. The whole morning was also an enormously inefficient process.  I read the whole paper (thank God I took it with me) while the court got things sorted out. I have to call a voice mail system after this Friday to see if my panel has to come on Monday.  Then I have to call every day to see if will come in the next day.  I do that for a week. I didn't think anyone would ever put a law student on a jury, but last night I told my prof that I might be late for class (or not be there at all--God forbid) because I might have jury duty, BUT that I didn't think I would be used.  She said SHE was on one a year or so ago, and never imagined that would happen to her, and she has been a practicing attorney for oh so many years, so she said I would not be exempt.  I wrote all over my application--HAVE TO BE OUT BY SIX--but she said they won't pay any attention to that, and that sometimes they do run over.  She said she hoped I would get to serve, as I do (I just don't want any major interference) because it is such a beneficial experience.  Otherwise, I woke up with ANOTHER marginal corneal eye ulcer this morning--the last one I treated myself with left over drops from the last time this happened. I decided I better go to the "doctor."  This time he did a mini-operation and punched a probe into the "punctum" of my eye--that's the little tiny hole in the lower eye lid corner through which the tears of your eye drain.  He said there is also one on top, but most tears go through the bottom.  He said mine was very tiny, so perhaps that is why my eye is tearing so much, and consequently I'm always dabbing it, and consequently inadvertently it gets infected eventually.  I hope the probe works as my eye drives me crazy.  Some mornings, the tears are running down my face.  I've said before, I would love to do woodworking.  Right now I really want what is called a "sofa table."  It's a long, not very deep, usually high legged table that sits right behind a sofa (if you have your sofa out in the middle of a room).  Cheapies are 125, and I keep thinking, I could make one IF.  How is your pond and do you have fish?  Right home and garden is different.  Julie sort of dropped out of your e-mails lately.  I was cleaning out some papers the other day and I ran across your "This has been the worst weekend e-mail," when she decided to move out.  OH--the X-files.  I thought it was very interesting, and something I think about all the time--how events and time connect, or how our lives can change by simple choices (going to the bank, etc.)  BUT, you know I thought the show was over--I didn't look at the clock--and I was trying to find THE PRACTICE and couldn't, and then realized the X-files still had 20 minutes left. 
Long note, slow day.  Elizabeth

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