The Potential Plan

 

Well..... last evening, I called in to the damnable courthouse......

And I DID NOT have to report today!!!!

In yesterday's comments, Pat suggested I could potentially use the Jury Duty Service as a way to have  an option to have another pipe.  It seemed like a WONDERFUL idea!  But, then I thought about it a bit more, and unfortunately, I felt it was a bit too risky.  I could POTENTIALLY have to be there every day for two weeks (or more if I get stuck on a long trial).  I fear that allowing myself a pipe each day I am there would set me up on a repetitive pattern that could ultimately prove to be my downfall.  

But, Pat did inspire in me a thought that I might employ to help this jury duty feel more manageable.  I am considering being a bit "more" of some of my admitted eccentricities while I am there.  I am imagining, considering:

1.  Going in a more "disheveled" than usual version of myself.

2.  Instead of trying to shape my big beard and mustache into a professorial shape, I may let it just be as it is upon awakening, regardless of how skewed it may appear.

3.  I may likely wear my seediest sport coat, and have the other clothes.... shirt, pants, tie, etc.... clash as much as I can figure out.  

4.  I think I will pipe or two or three in the pockets of my coat so they jut out and are more noticeable. And I will have pouches of my more pungent pipe tobaccos in my pockets to also give me an aura.  

Basically, I am going to try to look and act the part of someone not paying much attention, and I will also try anytime I am questioned to tell all that can hear that this is disruptive, especially for the ninth time!  And I will rattle off how many students are affected etc.  

The above may be silly, perhaps.  But, I need to try to do something that a) gives me a bit of a sense of "control" on how I have to spend each day when/if I am called, b) feels a bit "freeing" and not as "anxious", c) gives me a way to (at least in my mind) show I am frustrated with this ninth time of service, d) and it will make my mornings easier to navigate when I may have to have the disruption of service.  

* * * * * 

Also in my familial news, unfortunately, yesterday was a scary, frightening day as my MIL had an episode of rectal bleeding.  My wife spent the day taking her to the emergency room, almost having her be admitted to the hospital.... which changed because the hospital's sole gastroenerologist had apparently quit a few days before.... almost had her transferred from that ER to the other hospital in town.... but the GI doc there said there was no room, and she would have to be seen as an "outpatient".  Eventually, my wife was able to get a late appointment with my MIL's family doc (way out in the outskirts where she used to live).  The general practitioner suggested that the most likely cause may have been ruptured hemorrhoids... and with no continued bleeding that it would likely be best to take a "wait-and-see" approach because of my MIL's significant dementia making an actual hospital stay be very difficult and problematic.... and that she would try to schedule a POTENTIAL colonoscopy if there were signs of any further bleeding.  This DID seem like a wise decision as my MIL would not cope well being in the hospital.  

* * * * * 

With the above chaos and other worries as well, I was a bit behind in running, so today I ran 13.1 miles (~21 km) .... to work to catch up on miles.... and to pound OUT of my body some additional stress.  Keeping fingers crossed today will be calmer.  Also keeping fingers crossed that perhaps I will not be called in to serve when I call late tonight for Friday.  

Life seemed simpler and calmer when pipes were a part of it.  But, perhaps that is only a pipe dream?  Eh, not sure what to think about that.  Onto lots of "big voice" lecturing for the next 5 hours.

PipeTobacco