Entry 20: Vigilant Observation in Much Ado About Nothing
- Jan. 23, 2025, 5:32 p.m.
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- Public
So, yes- by naming scheme this should be called Entry 19 as WHAT was not a Title Format Fitting Title. But WHAT replaced Entry 19: A Funny Thing and so I’m honoring the Spirit of the Naming. While also being vigilant. I don’t see any evidence right now of a CAPTCHA requirement anywhere on the page but… until I have confident confirmation, I’m writing in Notepad again and transferring the substance later. I did leave a note for Josh to inform him of the issue but haven’t heard back. As ever, my largest complaint is easy to mistake as elitist. I support and understand any effort to combat the Spam Bots. But I am a recurring lifelong paying member of this site. I highly doubt that Spam Bots are paying for the privilege as the payment goes to the listed Author. So “ankush.v.hottubs” would have a separate membership fee than “ankush.v.hottub” would have a separate membership fee than “ankush.v.p.hottubs”. Now from a technical aspect, I understand the practical and ethical concerns of having massive differences between the FREE version of a site and the PAID version of a site. But… forgive the capitalist in me, paying for something that isn’t a charity should come with privileges (like no advertisements and less “prove you’re a human” hoops to jump through.)
I suppose the primary elements of the entry from yesterday that are good to remember generally:
(1) I had another 100% sleepless night and realized only at 5:04 a.m. that I hadn’t taken my medications. So, I did Wednesday on ZERO hours of sleep.
(2) Despite my best laid plans, I wound up needing to work through lunch, so NO SLEEP plus NO FOOD made my body UNHAPPY.
(3) Wednesday Hearings had an absolute psychopath… deeply clinically insane and violent. My time in Omaha had me face to face (and sometimes one on one) with some of the most insane and violent people I have ever encountered and while THIS defendant isn’t in the same league as the Omaha people; she certainly reminded me of them. As ever, if you want a brief reminder (or a first glimpse) I was working in Omaha during the murder spree and subsequent trial of Nikko Jenkins (and associates). Though, the Wiki leaves out that his sister was pregnant with his child and was, in court, one of the most violent women I have ever met.
(4) All told yesterday, I came in a little early (the sleeplessness), worked through lunch, and left after 5 pm… so just Tuesday & Wednesday alone, I worked 20 hours on zero sleep and 2 meals. Certainly not a BRAG but important information to track to demonstrate work in this environment.
Last night after work, I went home and got a lot done. Re-filled expired Scents around the house (hadn’t done that in months), realized that without a blind woman constantly around- I could put the lamps back up and did so. Placed the LARGE ROOM humidifier in the living room (just need to now get a SHIT TON of distilled water as it can hold 10 gallons). Cleaned the kitchen and did two loads of dishes including handwashing. Reviewed some recipes, looked through the pantry, and wrote a grocery list. Gave Nala some Treat Filled Kongs (filmed it for TikTok if you want to see her). All in all, it was a very productive evening. And I really need to start taking account of productive evenings and sitting in the feeling of “you got a lot done” to try to combat the persistent “there’s so much still left to do!” Because… you read me… you know how much my brain screams that all the time! Yeah, taking care of the kitchen and the house smells and the lamps and the dog are all… “doing things”… but it isn’t replacing lightbulbs that have been out for months, it isn’t repairing the two broken sconces in the basement, it isn’t reviewing the large pile of random shit that built up on bookcases last year, it isn’t scheduling an appointment to secure a beneficiary for my life insurance, it isn’t so many things that still need to be done and never leave the TO DO list.... and it is so easy for my mind to focus, and panic, and feel angry and disappointed about!! So, I do really need to start taking time to say, “You were productive and accomplished a lot last night” when it’s true.
Which provides a semi-appropriate segue into discussing today (Thursday). Today on the paper schedule should be swimming in things to do. It is a trial day and I have SIX things on the Court Calendar! Not to mention today is a Jury Trial Pretrial Conference Day and I know I have some jury trials coming up soon!! And yet? Reviewing the actual items set for trial?
AM Trial One- Defendant has never showed up for a hearing, unexpected to show up to trial. If they do (and surprise us), unlikely to actually go today ANYWAY.
AM Trial Two- Defendant has already filed a Guilty Plea
PM Trial One- Window Tint… you can fight it and lose; or show proof you removed the tint and it gets dismissed
PM Trial Two- Defendant has already filed a Guilty Plea
PM Trial Three- Defendant has already filed a Guilty Plea
PM Trial Four- No Insurance… you can fight it and lose; or show proof of insurance and it gets dismissed
So… not really a situation where I have to pour over dozens of hours of video and edit evidence for 36 hours. Literally the two that might actually happen are “Dark Windows. Tint-o-meter. No exceptions in Iowa.” and “Person did not provide proof of insurance when pulled over.” That’s… as complicated as those cases get. And as for Jury Pretrial stuff? It’ll hit at some point, and probably at the least convenient time, but… nothing today! So my schedule, as it exists in reality today includes
Court Appearances to handle Trial Issues; (after final trial) Docket/Subpoena February 6th; stay up on E-Mail and Voice Mail as it comes in today; (if desired) begin working on Evidence and Trial prep for next week. So… it is a rare “slow day”… at least… is supposed to be.
Which provides me an opportunity to be more participatory in Office Conversations. So, here’s an interesting social element involved in work. I tend to be, or try to seem, very professional but personable. As a facade. It’s rarely “Here are my interests, lets be friends” and always more “I’m here to do a job. How can I help?” Which means that there are people in the Theater and people in my job that… really don’t know how much of a geek I am, lol. Even missing otherwise subtle clues to it. Someone in our office today quoted from one of the Pete Holmes Batman Skits, saw I was the only one laughing, and followed up to see if I was familiar with the whole series. Because these people don’t know I like Batman… if you, reader, are unaware of my feelings towards Batman- my very Prosebox name is a Batman reference. What makes THIS exchange so particularly noteworthy, however, is that this surprise and follow up over BATMAN media was done today. January 23, 2025… when I am wearing a Batman Branded necktie! NOW… I wouldn’t go to court in a black tie with the batman symbol or anything… that’s too on the nose. This is a gray tie with “purple designs” so it is easy to not instantly think “BATMAN.” Except when you stop to actually look at what the purple designs ARE? The purple designs are various sizes of a repeated string of “HAHAHAHAHAHA” and “HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE”. It is a JOKER tie. It’s a great example of who and how I am. I have wanted (and strongly considered buying) some artwork to spruce up my office. But I wouldn’t put up a BATMAN poster in my office. I have been considering putting up a HALY’S CIRCUS FEATURING THE FLYING GRAYSONS poster in my office. Like I wouldn’t have a giant Bat Symbol hanging in my office but an artistic rendering of Gotham Harbor might be cool. AS EVER my desire to be clever while not being ostentatious results in people thinking I’m too subtle, lol.
In ENTIRELY different news: My back left heel has been hurting for a while. I can walk on it; but it hurts, so it has altered my walk and… I don’t know. Part of me is wondering if this is hold over from Gout… part of me is wondering if this is just my foot’s way of saying I need new shoes… part of me is wondering if this is because the foot doesn’t like the added weight. Then I think, “It’s hard to lose weight if I can’t use my foot! So way to go creating a catch 22!” And I think, “I have so many pairs of shoes and boots that I need to go through and either throw away or donate; does it make sense to buy new shoes right now? If that isn’t the issue, it’ll have been a waste of money!” It, too, is a good example of Metaphors in my Life these days. This is a minor pain that can be worked around but is impossible to ignore entirely. It is impacting my every day life in noticeable ways. But unsure of a path to take, I tolerate it instead of addressing it.
I haven’t written much about the Elon Musk Salute issue and that is for a good reason. A few, actually.
(1) The more we engage in focusing on that and getting caught up in debates about is it/isn’t it… we’re expending a valuable resource we’re going to need for more important things. Whether Musk is a Nazi or not is not The Issue of Greatest Importance. So, when we expend energy and time arguing about it or discussing it over and over? That is energy and time and discussion NOT focused on actual policy shit. Remember, this is PRIME Trump playbook bullshit. While the popular arguments are about “Was this very surface thing evil, stupid, or both?” the policymakers are bankrupting the Country and selling the health of the planet to the highest bidder. What’s worse is that anyone out there saying “NU UH! IT WAS NOT A NAZI SALUTE!!!” cannot be reasoned with or persuaded to see it as the way the majority of the world saw it. So, to set it as a visual example… what does it benefit you to attempt to destroy a titanium wall with your own head? It impacts the wall very little and impacts you very much.
(2) IF ELON MUSK WANTED TO ABSOLUTELY HANDLE THIS MATTER BETTER he would acknowledge that (a) the majority of the world saw it as a Nazi salute; (b) other Nazis saw it as a Nazi salute; so (c) he would apologize; (d) explain why/what he was doing; then (e) intentionally and unequivocally condemn white supremacists and white supremacy. AND HERE’S THE SIGNIFICANT POINT: if you are unwilling to condemn white supremacy, you are in favor of it. If you are not willing to say, “This is disgusting. Vile. Born of hatred and antiquated thought, perpetuated by fear and ignorance.” Then you are saying “This is not a problem. I am okay with this. Hopefully, these people will give me power and money and continue to support me.”
So at the end of the day? There is no REASON to argue over whether it is what many prominent Neo-Nazis said/tweeted/celebrated at the time. We don’t need to argue over it. Because we need to focus on this now recurring issue that Trump and the people closest to him seem to somehow have a problem with directly condemning and distancing themselves from Racists and Racist Movements. Yes, we’ve heard Trump say, “I’m not a racist” in spite of many comments (and even law suits) that prove otherwise. But when he’s pushed on these things? I know the far Right says, “Let it go! You’re misinterpreting!” but honestly NEVER FORGET “Stand Back and Stand By”… and then 99 days later… they stormed the capital and killed people in his name. And this week, he pardoned THEM ALL. Including (and especially) the ones that were convicted of TRYING TO BRING GUNS to the event and the ones that maliciously, violently beat, injured, and killed. So, when your actions and associations continue to say, “We won’t condemn them because we want their support”… that is support. That is a willingness to be associated and co-mingled. Consider a business like a bar. Regular bar, regular patrons. Then Nazis start showing up. You’ve been going to that bar for years, you’re not abandoning the bar. Then the place becomes the weekly meeting place for your local Nazis. But you see the place as YOUR bar, so you’re not going anywhere. The Bar is recognized by the community as a NAZI Bar. It doesn’t matter that YOU don’t see it that way, it is a NAZI Bar. And the fact that you keep going there disrespective of that fact waives your right to be upset if people think maybe you’re a Nazi.
I feel terribly compelled to talk about some ridiculous work things because my trials this afternoon DEFINE ridiculous.
Trial One: If this man shows me he has financial liability for his vehicle, I will dismiss the ticket. He refused to show that to the officer when requested as required by law… but if he shows it to us eventually, we dismiss the ticket and Defendant pays court fees because… you violated the law, but it’s okay, but you used up Court time unnecessarily. So the deal is essentially: You broke the law, but you fixed it, so we dismiss, but you pay Court fees. This guy? Rejected the plea. I explained, “You literally JUST showed me evidence of financial liability. This can go away and you won’t be convicted of a crime.” To which the man said, “I ain’t showing a cop no ID or shit. Fuck them guys, no. I want my trial.” You… you want a trial, after admitting to the exact violation you’re charged with… because you don’t like cops? And I did- I actually sat with him and tried to help him reason through his bullshit. “Whether you like the police or not is not an element of the crime; I am required to prove the elements of the crime… you were asked to present insurance, you did not present insurance, that’s it… that’s all I have to prove.” He wanted his trial… but on a different day. SO… the matter has been re-set… so that he can tell a judge how much he hates the system… where he will be found GUILTY… when he could have had the whole damned thing DISMISSED.
Unfortunately, Trial Two is… almost identical.
Trial Two: If this man shows proof that he removed the illegal window tint, I will dismiss the ticket. He had illegally tinted windows, violating the law… but if he shows us that he has corrected this issue, we dismiss the ticket and Defendant pays court fees because… you violated the law, but it’s okay, but you used up Court time unnecessarily. So the deal is essentially: You broke the law, but you fixed it, so we dismiss, but you pay Court fees. This guy? SHOWED ME evidence that he removed the illegal window tint AND THEN rejected the plea!! I explained, “You literally just showed me evidence that you have cured the illegal tint. This can go away and you won’t be convicted of a crime.” To which the man said, “But I shouldn’t have been pulled over. There was no reason for them to pull me over. I want my trial.” You… you want a trial, after showing me that you were in violation of the law… because you don’t think you should have been pulled over? And I did- I actually sat with him and tried to help him reason through his bullshit. “Whether he agreed with the officer’s reason to pull him over or not is not an element of the crime; I am required to prove the elements of the crime… your car had illegally tinted windows, the windows were tested and were in fact illegally tinted, that’s it… that’s all I have to prove.” He wanted his trial and wanted it now. SO… okay. We have a trial. Officer establishes that she saw a vehicle with illegal tint approaching her on the road, she stopped the car. The windshield had tint (which is illegal) and the Driver and Passenger side windows had tint (18% opacity in a 70% required State). That’s… it. That’s all I needed to prove. Get on the record how the testing device works, is calibrated, and is tested and… we’re done. Defendant takes the stand. Opens with, “She shouldn’t have pulled me over. I know my window tint is illegal, which is why I drive with my windows down. So she couldn’t have pulled me over for illegal tint, my windows were down.”
Dude? DUDE?! You just took the stand… admitted to the charge… and then said, “But she couldn’t have pulled me over, because I don’t believe she actually SAW my dark windows” when it was the stated reason for the stop and sole charge of the stop. And remember… THIS… instead of allowing me to dismiss it. At the end of the trial, the Magistrate himself was desperately trying to figure out WHAT THE HELL. And not in a “Chris, what happened?” kind of way. In a “The Defendant Is Still There and the Magistrate Is Asking Him Questions” trying to figure it out. The answers to the judges questions were basically “Yep, the State made me that offer. They actually made me that offer several times. Yep, I rejected that offer. Y’know, I should not have been pulled over. Yeah, the State said that it wasn’t an element of the crime, whatever that means, but I thought… I shouldn’t have been pulled over. That’s enough. I rejected their offer several times.” So… not surprisingly… he was found GUILTY because… no duh. BUT YEAH. That was my Trial Afternoon! People with zero training in the law and zero experience in the Court… rejecting my offer to dismiss their case because they “know better.”
Last thing I’ll say about work today… I know the emotional maturity versus intelligence has gotten… fucking dismal… like… the subject of Homeric epic poetry dismal. So examples of the same aren’t probably needed. But… cop came to talk to me. Two sisters. Both over 50. One literally AT SEA (so very out of the state) the other one in town here. The local one keeps going to social media to say things like, “My sister is so exhausting! She’s not the hero people think she is. She can be a bitch.” And y’know… saying things like that OFTEN on Social Media. Because the two are fighting over Dead Mommy’s Estate. So, the At Sea sister calls the cops because her sister is “harassing” her. By speaking ill of her on Social Media. Which… is not in fact against the law! But At Sea Sister tells her local sister, “I called the cops, so cut it out!” Thus also showing the local sister that she was “winning” by “getting to” her At Sea Sister. So… the Facebook posts continue and the situation spirals. Local calls the cops, “My sister is harassing me! She calls and leaves messages telling me to stop posting on social media!!” Which… is not in fact against the law! And my officers are just sick of dealing with Sister V. Sister when it is essentially High School Level Bullshit. I understand how it can be upsetting if the most popular Senior Girl in school keeps talking about you on social media. But in order to constitute Harassment as a criminal offense, they have to be in contact WITH YOU. It is literally the difference between, for example, Oscar Holland writing on CNN “Zendaya was not stunning in her red carpet ensemble” versus Oscar Holland calling Zendaya personally to scream “You were ugly on the red carpet today!” As to the response? The sister calling and saying “Stop posting about me on social media!”? That isn’t harassment according to the criminal code EITHER. Because contact, even repeated or annoying contact, has a significant legally articulate exception. The contact has to be WITHOUT LEGITIMATE PURPOSE. So… is the local sister posting stuff about At Sea Sister to social media? Yes, though not illegally. So is it legitimate or expected for At Sea Sister to call and tell her to stop doing it? Yeah. As far as a legal exception to the harassment laws, yeah- that is a legitimate purpose. So… the ADULT THING TO DO would be for Local Sister to stop being a petty brat on social media and/or for At Sea Sister to be the bigger person. For them both to just constantly call the cops, instead, trying to get each other arrested and charged with a crime? emotional maturity versus intelligence… and significant gaps and absences in both.
This evening I have scheduled an absolute metric shit ton of things to do so… I guess- wish me luck?
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