Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Farewell, Amanda (1949)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

 

1) The record begins with a long instrumental interlude, and when the lyrics kick in at about the 1:00 mark, they bid Amanda "farewell, adios, addio, adieu." Of course you recognize "farewell" as English. Without looking it up, can you identify the other languages? Spanish, Italian, French.

 

2) Can you say "goodbye" in a language not represented in question #1? Aloha!

3) The lyrics reference a night full of stars. When did you last take a moment to check out the night sky? I glance out the living room window every night. Does that count as "checking out?"

 

4) This song was written for Adam's Rib, a comedy starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The movie is about husband-and-wife lawyers who square off against one another in court. Have you ever served on a jury? Yes. I've gone down to the courthouse four times, been through voir dire three times and was chosen twice. 

 

5) "Farewell, Amanda" was composed by Noel Coward. Though best known as a playwright, he also wrote more than a thousand songs and was a director and an actor. His epitaph reads, "A talent to amuse." How would you like to be remembered? As someone who tried to live a purpose driven life. 

  

6) There's even a book of Noel Coward paintings. It was published after his death, in part because Coward considered himself only an amateur painter. When did you last pick up a paintbrush? About four years ago. It wasn't for the sake of art. I was touching up the floorboard heater in the bathroom.

 

7) In 1949, when audiences first heard "Farewell, Amanda," Americans began playing Clue. What's the last board game you played? Don't recall.

 

8) The best-selling novel of 1949 was Point of No Return by John P. Marquand. Tell us about the last book you finished. Just yesterday I finished an 800+ page biography of J. Edgar Hoover. I learned a lot about America in the 20th century, but little of it was pleasant. 

 

9) Random question: Growing up, did you share a bedroom? No. Unless cats count, I've never shared a bedroom for longer than a vacation.

 

   

Phew! What a relief!

Today I got an email from Cook County Jury Administration. "Your request for a different Location was granted. Please disregard current summons, as you have been rescheduled for a later service date. You should receive a new summons in the mail in approximately 11 weeks from your current service date of 01/19/2023."

The good news is that I'm no longer expected to take a train, transfer to another train, and walk nearly a mile to the assigned Courthouse -- which was silly because there are county courthouses nearer me.

The bad news is that 11 weeks puts us to April 6, and my vacation to the TCM Classic Film Festival begins April 12. I have my flights, my passes, and my hotel all booked. So I may have to go through all this again in three months.

Oh, well. I shall concentrate on the positive: a real-live Cook County employee (instead of a computer) looked at my original summons and my plea for relocation and came to the right conclusion. My local government works. That's a good thing.

 

Bah! Humbug!

I got home from church on Christmas Eve and immediately had my holiday buzz harshed. There it was: my sixth (6th!) jury summons. Just in time for Christmas.

I am patriotic. I was a Girl Scout. My minister just reminded us of duty and service. I was quite open to being a juror.

It's just that I have been assigned to a courthouse that is virtually impossible for me to get to via public transportation. I'd have to take one train into the city, wait about 40 minutes and take a connecting train to a suburban stop, and then take a 17 minute walk to the courthouse. That's 2 1/2 hours each way. Or I could take a $30 Uber. That's $30 each way.

Cook County has, I believe, eight circuit court locations. Three are easily accessible by train. One more wouldn't be too great a hassle. Yet the computer randomly assigned me to the courthouse farthest away.

I followed the directions on the summons and explained in writing (I can't call) that:

•  I don't drive, and worrying about public transportation that includes a connection and a 17 minute walk in unpredictable January weather is causing me great stress (I printed out the Google Maps itinerary for them)

•  I am a retiree on a fixed income and the rideshare cost is prohibitive

I sent all this via UPS, signature required, so that I don't get held in contempt of court if my envelope gets lost. That cost $18. I resent this expense.

You know what else I resent? I had lunch with my friend Elaine yesterday. She's been a Cook County resident and registered voter for more than 40 years. She has never been called. My kid sister is a lifelong Cook County resident and a registered voter for more than 30 years. She has been called once. I could go on and on, listing friends and acquaintances who have either been called once or not at all.

This is my sixth jury summons.

I wish I had this kind of luck with the Illinois State Lottery.

 

Again? Really?

I just received my fifth (5th!) jury summons. I'm a patriotic old gal. I believe in doing my civic duty. But come on!

Over my lovely lifetime, I've already received four of these. After voir dire, I've served twice (the first was a murder trial). I think I've done my part. Especially when I think of all the people I know who haven't been called more than once.

Oh, well. I'm supposed to call an 800 number on Tuesday 2/22 to confirm whether or not I'm truly needed. Maybe this time I'll be dismissed before I'm called. And, if they need me, I won't try to get out of it. I was a Girl Scout, and I guess I'm still one deep inside.

Reflections on Jury Duty

I was called in by The Feds! I was summoned for jury duty at the Federal Courthouse on Dearborn. I've served on two juries, but they were local affairs and this was my first time offering up my wisdom to federal proceedings.

The case at hand was, technically, a bank robbery, which is a federal offense. A man was lurking outside a Chase location before the bank opened. When an armored car arrived to collect cash from the ATM out front, the man used a gun and pepper spray to steal more than $100,000. It falls to the jury to decide if the defendant in custody is the man who committed the crime.

While I was not empaneled, I did sit through voir dire. More than 30 of us were interviewed to get 14 jurors. This gave me, literally, hours to observe my fellow northern district residents and here are my observations:

• Many of my fellow citizens have master’s degrees. I was surprised.
• We were asked what shows we watch, and Blue Bloods is very popular, with people of all ages. Go figure.
• Only women watch This Is Us, and only men watch 2 ½ Men reruns.
• Lots of adult children still live at home
• When asked what the members of our immediate household do for a living, lots of parents and adult children have no idea. As in: “My dad does pipefitting or something, I think” and “My daughter works in an office … and um …”
• I look good for my age. I am proud of that.

They can’t call me again until 2020! Yea! (Wait! That’s less than two months away …)

 

Sunday Stealing

The Controversial Meme

1. Would you try a recreation drug if all were legalized? Which drug are we talking about? Marijuana? Not interested in pot, legal or not. I used to like coke back in day, but it's too dangerous for this old gal now.

2. Are you happy that the U.S. Supreme Court once again upheld a woman’s right to abortion? Of course. What a woman does with her body is her own business. While I personally could never have an abortion, my reasons are all based on my religious faith. And if I may be corny this 4th of July weekend, one of the things that makes America great is the separation of Church and State.

3. Would our country cope any differently with a woman president? We're about to find out, aren't we?

4. Do you believe in the death penalty? No. Emphatically no. My dear friend John was on a death penalty case and the jury unanimously found the defendant guilty. Guess what. DNA proved the jury wrong. Thank God the truth came out in time. Dear reader, you have no idea what this did to John. All he did was his civic duty, and he ended up with a world of hurt and the feel of blood on his hands. It's not fair, it's not right, to put this onus on jurors. If the more vengeful among you insist on a death penalty, then it should be imposed at sentencing by a judge.


5. Do you wish marijuana would be legalized already? Don't much care.

6. Do you believe in God? With all my heart.

7. How do you feel now that same-sex marriage is legalized? Happy. Love is love.

8. Do you think it’s wrong that so many Hispanics are moving to the USA? This is a silly question. Are we talking about the Spanish? Portuguese? Cubans? Mexicans? Brazilians? Argentinians? Colombians? Peruvians? What's the proper term for immigrants of Ecuador? We should include them in this, too.


9. A 12-year-old girl has a baby… should she keep it? I need to know more before I answer this.


10. Should the alcohol age be lowered to 18? No.

11. Should the wars in the Middle East be called off? "Called off?" Were that it was so simple.


12. Do you believe in spanking your children? No.

13. A mother is declared innocent after murdering her 5 children in a temporary insanity case… what do you think? I need to know more before I answer this.

14. Would you want to prosecute someone for burning their country’s flag as a method of protest? If a native of Ecuador burns the flag of Ecuador, I couldn't care less.Why don't you rephrase the question?

Great moment in Cub fandom: Rick Monday saves the flag from being burned.

15. It’s between you and a person who is being kept alive (with NO hope) by life support machines… one has to die? Who? Me, of course. I like me.


16. Are you afraid others will judge you from reading some of your answers? I don't imagine that anyone who reads this blog will be surprised by any of my answers.

A matinee, a cocktail and an apology

Last Sunday our movie group had our summer outing. We saw Double Indemnity on the big, big screen at the multiplex. Because they had a bar, I took a Cosmo into the theater. Fred MacMurray's character, Walter Kneff, would have wanted me to.

Afterward I was going to head to the office to finish up a little in-office brochure. Between jury duty and Long Tall Sally's blabbing, I was behind on The Big Project. But Joanna, my best movie group bud, convinced me to stop for just one drink so we classic movie lovers could discuss Double Indemnity.

I didn't have a second drink. I still had to go back to work. But Joanna did (or maybe it was her first). At any rate, I've never been around her when liquor was involved. Good God, but it loosened her tongue! I couldn't finish a sentence without her interrupting ... or disagreeing ... or just hijacking the conversation.

I found myself snapping at her. I was brusque and sarcastic. When I got to the Sunday-silent office, I felt terrible. She's a warm and smart woman and didn't deserve that. Especially not when you consider that the topics we'd been discussing were Marilyn Monroe's oeuvre and whether there were five Marx Bros. or six.

So I shot her an email, apologizing and trying to explain how raw I felt after such a rough week. She was very gracious, telling me to forget about it because she intended to.

I'm grateful she was so understanding.

I took the high road

I don't drive, so I don't think about potholes very much. I know that, every spring, they are a major issue throughout Chicagoland. But they really aren't anything I consider.

Which, according to the City of Chicago, made me an acceptable juror. The lucky individuals who weren't impaneled were the ones who said they hated potholes and had elaborate, gruesome stories about the damage done to their cars.

The case I got was a woman who sued the city because she fell in a pothole and messed up her knee. She requested $17,000 for medical bills, pain and suffering and loss of ordinary use. We awarded her just over $9,000. As a jury, we felt that her accident was more than half the City's fault, since the law states that maintaining the roads is their responsibility. On the other hand, $17,000 was steep and "loss of ordinary use" felt to me as though she was gilding the lily. She didn't lose her leg, after all.

I feel good about the verdict, the award, and our ability to reach consensus. But I hated jury duty.

Too many people (12 jurors, 2 alternates and, at times, a sheriff's deputy) in one small room while we waited for court to begin and while we deliberated. And some people are such assholes.

The judge told us not to consider the woman's health insurance. It was in writing, too, in the jury instructions. Insurance is a private contract and has no bearing on whether or not the City was responsible for the woman's injuries.

So what's the first question that comes up? "I wonder how much her insurance paid ..." The man who asked made it clear he thought she was "double dipping."

"We're not supposed to consider that," I said.

"I think it's important and so I'm putting it out there."

"And I'm batting it back because the judge said we're not supposed to consider it."

Good, Gal. You just caused tension in this tiny room. I didn't want to, but I couldn't help it.

He also wanted us to do this "in a hurry" so we could "get out of there." After all, we jurors had trains to catch and this wasn't "that big a deal, anyway."

I countered that I was going to take my time. I pointed out that it was a big deal -- this case had taken two years to come to trial -- to the plaintiff. And I reminded him I'd taken an oath. One of the other female jurors actually said, "amen," and that's when I saw I was speaking for the women in the room. Here I was afraid I'd made the high road so high that I would get a nosebleed, and it turned out I was doing something important.

But it took me days to shake how angry I was at that man, my fellow juror. At least I know I'll never have to see him again. (Though actually, I might. He happens to work at the hospital just up the street, the one where I go to get my annual mammogram.)

Shut up!

I am a blabby person. Chirpy, even. I think I use up my day's allotment words at the office, which is why I'm so comfortable being alone evenings/weekends. I've talked enough Monday-Friday.

But Long Tall Sally (aka The New Girl) leaves me in the shade. She's not only verbose, her conversation is always drama laden. And inopportune. And she took an already bad week and made it far worse.

Wednesday was my first day in the office after two days of jury duty (more on that in another post). I had a lot of work to do, many emails to catch up on. And yet, after everyone else had gone home, LTS chose this time to sit down and start taking to me about Life at The Agency. What I like, what I don't like. She asked a lot of questions but didn't do much listening (as we will see later). I told her how claustrophobic our seating is in The Clown Car … how tense the atmosphere among the four of us becomes, and why … how hard I try to keep things copacetic … how tired I am when I get home each night, that I'm too exhausted to talk to anyone … Then she took over and told me about her travails with her boss and Christine the Mole. I know she's lonely and doesn't have a lot of friends, and I do appreciate how supportive she is of me professionally, so I listened. For hours. Until well after 8:00. I'd say I resented the time I put in with her, but emotionally I was too empty to screw up that much feeling.

So what does Long Tall Sally do on Thursday? She brings her computer in to our little Clown Car, parks herself and starts asking one of our coworkers incredibly provocative questions. Questions she knew the answers to, because he's an outspoken RWNJ. About religion (dislikes this new Pope), global warming (doesn't accept it), homosexuality (the choice of the depraved), and rape (all about sex, despite what "they" want you to believe about rage and power). It was so loud, went on so long, and was so offensive that one of our teammates from across the aisle sent me this gif.




I was upset, highly upset. So were two of the coworkers who also share The Clown Car. I told LTS it was unwise and upsetting.

"Why?" she asked. "He's got free speech."

I was beyond exasperated. "I'm not talking about imprisoning him! I'm talking about my right to do my work without listening to his bile!" I told her how I was going to have to spend all evening trying to figure out how to forgive him. After all, this is a man I can reach out and touch for 40 hours/week. I already have to overlook the picture of Obama as a rodeo clown and the cartoon mocking Mohammed he tacked on his bulletin board, in my sight line all day/every day. Now this.

When I tried to explain this to LTS, she said, "So I suck. That's it, right?"

"Why are you determined to make this about you and me?" I asked. And then I went home.

On Friday, the office closes at 1:00. I didn't get out until 3:30. Why? Guess. Go ahead. Guess. She went on, and on, and on ... just wanting to make sure she and I were still OK.

And I had work to do! 

I'm tired. Tired. Tired.

Tired of all of it.

Of the Big Project. Of last summer's Big Project, which has now sprung back to life and is now on my plate. Of my coworkers. Of my friends. (I should do a post about them, too, but I'm too tired and it makes me too sad.)

I won't be able to take any real time off until September. I have a ton of vacation time, but I haven't been able to take it.

Yesterday's mail required a glass of vodka

Thursday evening, I opened my box and retrieved four pieces of mail:

1) Coupons from CVS (yea!)

Thanks, Lisa!

2) A package from the always awesome Snarkela, who surprised me with a pair of my very own, officially MLB-licensed Cubs sunglasses.

3) A summons for jury duty. Yes, it's my patriotic duty and I'm very willing to do it, but I'd be lying if I said I was happy about it.

4) A registered letter. Gulp.

It was #4 that had me mixing booze in with my orange juice. I couldn't pick it up until this morning and I had no idea what it could be. None. And, me being me, I was sure it was bad news. From a lawyer. Probably about my mother's estate. Which would precipitate spending money I don't have and dealing with my sisters -- which is always a galling experience.

I got to the post office and had to both sign/print my name twice while the mail clerk was holding the letter. I was so agitated that it actually took a modicum of self control to keep me from ripping it from her hands.

As I walked away from the counter, I saw it was a letter from a law firm in a far off suburb. Bleh. What could it be? I thought the crap about my mother's house was behind us! Ripping it open I saw my village mentioned in the first line. Condo association drama? I was so nervous and upset, my heart was beating out of my shirt like a Warner Bros. cartoon character.

Oh, for pity's sake! Turns out I live within 300 feet of a proposed ATM that's being built to be especially handicap accessible and I have a legal right to "cross examine witnesses about the appearance of the unit."

All that worry over a piece of paper that's going to go into the recycling bin as soon as I publish this post!

I do this to myself all the time. Will I never learn not to borrow dread?

We're NOT helpless

Naturally I'm upset by the Casey Anthony verdict. Just as I was upset by the Michael Jackson and OJ Simpson verdicts. But I'm not going to slam the jury. Not one of those who deliberated was leaning toward "not guilty" because they grew up dancing to "Thriller" or cheered during that Heismann season.

Nor will I dismiss the defense team as slimeballs. Every one of us is entitled to a zealous defense before a jury of our peers. I watched as much of this trial as I could -- one of the reasons why I support cameras in the courtroom -- and am satisfied that Casey Anthony was treated fairly. That is a good thing, a wonderful thing.

What I'm surprised and disappointed by is all the hand wringing and whining about the jury system. Huh? What? When I'm called for jury duty, just about every person I know teases me about how I'm going to get out of it.

If you're angry about this verdict, or any other one, remember that it was decided by jurors who didn't wriggle out of jury service. Maybe it's because I do go each time I'm called and answer questions honestly that helps me not be as disillusioned as I might be. The system will work if we all participate. Next time you receive a jury summons, try to figure out how to serve rather than how to get out of it.

Is #1319 qualified to judge?

Today I watched the livestream of jury selection for the Casey Anthony trial.* So much drama on so many levels! Today my heart/attention were captured by a potential juror -- #1319. Her face was never shown but we heard her voice as she responded in voir dire. All we know about her is that she is a single, over-50 African-American woman who --

• Says she would have no problems being on this jury despite religious beliefs

• Loves Farmville

• "Hates" TV news, watches only "cowboys and western movies"

• Has "no friends"

• Never thought about the death penalty before

• Could sentence someone to life in prison and "maybe" could impose the death penalty

• Wants to be on the jury because it's her duty "as a citizen"

Incredibly, she was held over and may be seated.

Huh? What?

This woman sounds more than a little odd to me. No friends, "hates" TV news, loves Farmville and Westerns? (Where does she even find that many Westerns to watch in 2011?)

This case is going to include sophisticated scientific and psychological evidence. Can this woman, who (to our knowledge) has no job or close family ties, put them into any real-life context?

Is she qualified to sit in judgment of the infamous "Tot Mom?" But then, what does make a qualified juror? Will Ms. 1319 balance out someone trendier and more social? Just because this woman looks off-center to me, does that mean her moral compass is off?

I am glad I do what I do for a living -- use words to sell shit -- instead of deciding matters of life and death. For while I don't know if #1319 is qualified to judge Casey Anthony, I admit I'm not qualified to choose a jury. I have so much respect for Judge Perry and anyone who picks up the gavel.


*That was on one window, another window had the Cubs kicking the World Champion asses of the Giants. I love my computer!

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is it because I'm a Cub fan?

Reflections on jury duty. It went as well as could be expected today. I got there on time, which was my first big concern. The criminal court house is on California Avenue, a neighborhood I seldom get to (OK, one I only visit when called for jury duty), so I was worried about the commute.

Then my panel was called right away. Even though I don't relish the thought of being responsible for either depriving a fellow citizen of his freedom or letting a criminal go free, sitting in that big drafty jury room all day is cruel and unusual punishment in and of itself.

Of the 40 of us ushered into the court room, 23 of us were called and put in the jury box. Then each of us seated there was questioned. First the judge explained to us that the case was regarding heroin possession and sale. We were introduced to the defendant and the lawyers, and the prosecutor took over.

He was attractive in an overly-muscular, bald-headed, Mr. Clean kinda way. But he wasn't shirtless, he was in a nice gray three-piece suit, and he did his best to be cheery, but I could see how he would be very intimidating.

Here is what he asked me as he reviewed my questionnaire:

Do I rent or own? Own

What does an "associate creative director" do? I work on advertising campaigns

How long have you been in advertising? Your entire career? Practically

So you have served on a jury before? Yes. Right here in the criminal court building.

Was a verdict reached in that case? Yes.

Did anything happen in that case that would have an impact on your ability to be an impartial juror in this case? No.

You were a victim of a crime in the 1990s. Could you tell us about it? It was attempted sexual assault.

Oh. Did you have to testify in the case? No, they never arrested anybody.

Is there anything about that incident that would have an impact on your ability to be an impartial juror in this case? No.
Do you have any hobbies? I am a Cub fan.

That must be rough. It's a way of life, sir. (Much laughter.)

Here the judge interrupts with mock solemnity: "Move along, counselor. She's not the only Cub fan in this room." (More laughter.)

Ms. Completely-Mangles-My-Last-Name, if the state proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty, could you sign a guilty verdict? Yes.

And if the state fails to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is not guilty, could you sign a not guilty verdict? Yes.

Thank you.

I do dig it that I'm the only one who cracked up the judge.

Then we retired to the jury room and of the 23 of us questioned, they chose 14. I was not among them. So I grabbed my check for $17.20 and went home.

Getting off the bus at the wrong stop, it took me an extra 15 minutes (in the rain) to get home, so I rewarded myself with a hot dog. Once I got home, I took a long nap. I was exhausted, because emotionally I really didn't want to serve. But I also appreciate that it's my duty.

I mean, I never served in the military. It's my duty as a citizen to be an informed voter (I did that Tuesday) and to show up and take jury duty seriously. So this week I did the least I could do the best I could.