ch-ch-ch-changes

No, not life changes, haha. That's not 'til January. I just decided to try something a little different with my page. I figured that since there are a lot of people who change their layouts, you know, once a week, that probably makes me a little outdated. Relatively speaking.

So I have been on jury duty for a week now. Besides being in downtown Minneapolis during my favorite time of year, the 2-hour lunch breaks, finding the best coffee in the Skyway (the Dunn Bros in 6 Quebec will fill your personal mug for a buck with free refills!), meeting a few new people and feeling like you're fulfilling your civic duty, it kind of sucks. When you get selected to be on a jury, YOU are the first person who goes on trial. Yup, witness stand and all. You get asked personal questions about your life by the judge, the defense AND the prosecution. And after waiting around for hours in a little white room, they decide that they don't want you, the confident, caffeinated, khaki-wearing rube that you are, to be on their case. "Thank you for your patience," they smile and tell you, "You may report back to the basement so that we may or may not randomly select you for another trial." So you shoot down 19 floors to the basement of the Hennepin County Governement Center, the room that shakes because it's directly beneath 6th St, and has a little computer lab full of vintage '95 Compaq Presarios, the kind that are great for playing Solitaire and 3D Pinball, and no internet. But at least I had my coffee and my CityPages.

So here I sit, waiting to be called downtown again, not quite sure when I'll be able to go back to work, yet not allowed to go anywhere. I actually miss work, I wonder if everyone still remembers who I am? I promise I'll be back, guys! Confident, caffeinated, khaki-wearing... just please don't put me on trial.

On second thought, go for it. I'd much prefer it to little white rooms and musty basements that shake with the passing of democracy in action...