working out for Disney

[Sans Souci]

I had no idea jury duty lasted more than one day if you weren't picked for a jury until recently. Maryland it's one day, if you aren't picked, you go home. Specifically in Baltimore County, you may not even have to report. You get assigned a number. If your number is called, you report. If not, you don't report. I've been called twice, but only had to report once. The second time I had to go, they scheduled me for the first week of the fiscal year, which was the absolute worst time for them to schedule me. I purposely rescheduled for a Friday; they had no case for us and let us all go at around noon. I also heard some courts don't let you take electronics into the waiting room...I had my phone and laptop in there so I could work while waiting. I guess Maryland isn't all that bad.

This is new. It wasn't like this the last time I did this. I got an email from the court yesterday with a zoom link, so the first day is done via Zoom. You used to be able to call the night before to see if you were needed, but I guess the zoom orientation eliminates the need for that. My husband was called just before covid took off, but he didn't check the website the night before and he didn't need to be there--so they sent him home. I am not that lucky.

You can bring devices with you, but good luck finding an outlet when the battery is low.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Congrats to K!

Are you still going to quit your gym? It sounds like you've been hitting a lot lately.

You should post a photo your house decorations (only if you feel comfortable).

I'm trying to give it a fair chance, because there are legitimate pros to using it vs. trying to workout at home.

I can share some yard pics and video in a little bit. After adding two more strings of light late Thursday night to properly balance out some trees, I realized that I had my timers all wrong and had to redo some of my power sources. For that reason, I think my mind is still seeing it as incomplete. I haven't put the candles in the window, and may not (since they're more trouble than they're worth). I'm pretty pleased with the display, but don't see it winning any awards. Each village gets awards. The house in our village that usually wins "Best Lights" has every inch of their house and property/lawn covered in lights and lighted animated figures. It's like Osborne Lights, including dancing arches over the driveway. The one that usually gets "Best Traditional" is all white lights, red bows, big pine wreaths and garland, candles in the windows, and a few deer. The handful that have gotten "Best Religious" have life size manger scenes with all kinds of extra elements, so I don't think Hanukkah bear is going to land us anything. I sincerely doubt my pinecone filled lighted pine garland around my mailbox will earn us "Best Mailbox" since people get super created with that one. While the cul de sac in front of us decorates well and blends into our display, our actual block barely decorates...so, no "Best Block" for us. The only one we have a chance at is "Santa's Favorite." Our first few years here, that went to a really over the top display with custom rope light figures, animated to make it look like Santa and his sleigh were arriving on their roof and going down the chimney. In the last couple of years, it has been some more whimsical displays that weren't really anything too over the top.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Happy Saturday!

I got up earlier than expected so I decided to hit the gym. It was a solo trip, but that's kind of nice for a quiet Saturday morning. I'm still pretty worn out and achy from Thursday, so I didn't push as hard. I got 5 minutes into my warmup on the rower and just wasn't feeling it. So, I hopped onto an elliptical for another 5 minutes. I focused on legs today...so, I did leg press, calf press, leg extension, and leg curls... and then ended with the lower back extension machine and one of the ab crunch machines. After a quick 5-6 minute cooldown on the treadmill, I did another hydromassage. I realized a bit too late that I can target it to certain areas of my body, which was OK since my upper back, neck, glutes and legs all needed it.

Waiting on a package to be delivered and then hopefully out to the wood for Christmas campout festivities. Both girls are cranky because they now have social stuff in town that they'd rather do. K is practically foaming at the mouth to officially be gifted my husband's truck. She got to borrow it last night while we were out looking at vehicles. I think she secretly hoped he'd fall in love with something and come home with his new ride last night. At least it was a productive night. We didn't test drive anything, but we eliminated two of his top five options as well as another vehicle one of the dealers wanted us to consider. At least the dealerships were close and only needed to visit two to see the six vehicles in question. There is a clear frontrunner, but we'll see how he feels after he thinks on things for a week and does test drives next weekend. Surprisingly, the dark horse in the top three was my second favorite during my 2021 car hunting. His top choice is probably the better option, but it would be so much fun to have access to both of the top vehicles from my car hunt!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Outside Holiday Display 2022





*after reviewing the pics again, I went out and adjusted both garlands. I usually do a better job on the hedges, so it looks more random and less like curvy ones. I’m just sort of over it. I know some people use net lights, but unless they’re stretched just right, they look too uniform and are a beast to store.

 

[Songbird76]

I never realized how much the jury really misses until I watched the trial for the case I wasn't selected for this past spring. They have a livestream from the courtroom and there was so much that went on inside the courtroom that the jury never hears. I also recall during voir dire that a lot of people had opinions on the tidbits of info they were given, but were constantly being reminded that their opinions didn't align with what the law allows. At the end of the day, a long trial puts significant stress on a juror's life. You want to do the right thing, but when it's impacting your job and family life, it's hard not to just want to get it over and done.

Exactly. And there are so many factors that go into it because of the way laws are written. Like, if someone gives some piece of testimony and the other side objects and it's sustained, the judge just says to strike it and advises the jury to disregard it. But you can't unhear it. I just don't think it's a very fair system. I know it's supposed to prevent corrupt officials from being able to frame someone because they hold a grudge, but it's no better to put it in the hands of people who don't know what they're doing and don't understand laws. How many innocent people have been convicted on very little evidence because jurors don't know what's a "Reasonable doubt" and what's not? They would rather lock someone up just in case, because they can't tell based on the evidence. And that's not supposed to happen. Just look at Steven Avery from the Making a Murderer show. He was convicted of rape charges long before he was ever accused of murder, but he didn't match the description of the rapist, and he had something like 20 people who gave him an alibi, including cell phone or bank transactions in places so far from the crime scene that he could not have committed it. And there were police from a neighboring county who called police in the county where the rape occurred to say that they thought the rape had been committed by someone who they had been watching and who had prior history, matched the description, and had been there in that area at the time of the crime. Even with all the evidence that Steven was innocent, they convicted him. He was exonerated nearly 2 decades later with DNA evidence that hadn't even been introduced at trial. And who was it? The guy who the neighboring county police had said they should look into, but they never did. That's 18 years that he spent in prison when he was innocent, and 18 years that the other guy was out committing other rapes. Well....not quite, I guess, as he was picked up for another rape later. But he wouldn't have been able to do that if he had been investigated before. It's not a perfect system, by far. Steven should never have been able to be convicted, based on instructions that you can not find a person guilty if there is reasonable doubt that he committed the crime. Alibi, DNA evidence, plus another suspect is more than a reasonable doubt, but the jury wanted to make sure he was locked up, just in case. The jury system just does not work.

 

[Songbird76]

I have only sat for a civil trial. Obviously, you can't discuss the case with jurors until you go to deliberate. We all went to lunch together everyday, I never had any idea what these people thought of the trial. When it was time to deliberate, as soon as the door closed, we all simultaneously said the defendant was not guilty. But, we didn't want to tell the manager we were done, because that looks really bad, so we took about a half an hour to discuss why. It was a good thing, because people brought up stuff that didn't stick out to me and I did the same. I would have liked to have been able to take notes, but it was not permitted. This trial went on for nearly three weeks and sometimes we'd show up to the courthouse, only to be told court was canceled, so a lot of time elapsed between the start and the end and it was hard for me to recall everything with weekends and days where court was canceled.

Yeah, I've always wondered about that. Why aren't you allowed to take notes? How are you supposed to remember everything that was said 3 weeks ago? And obviously when you are listening to hours of testimony, even all on the same day, you are bound to miss things.

 

[Songbird76]

Outside Holiday Display 2022



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*after reviewing the pics again, I went out and adjusted both garlands. I usually do a better job on the hedges, so it looks more random and less like curvy ones. I’m just sort of over it. I know some people use net lights, but unless they’re stretched just right, they look too uniform and are a beast to store.

Wow, that's a LOT! I didn't realize how big your yard is! I always wanted to decorate our house and yard when I was little, but we could never afford anything like that. Now I just don't have the energy to go and put up all the lights and then take them down again. It looks so pretty though! You do a great job!

 

[Sans Souci]

Yeah, I've always wondered about that. Why aren't you allowed to take notes? How are you supposed to remember everything that was said 3 weeks ago? And obviously when you are listening to hours of testimony, even all on the same day, you are bound to miss things.

I am not sure. The judge never explained. I think they get worried you might be too attached to your notes and miss the bigger picture. It's not prohibited, but this judge did not permit it. This was a medical malpractice trial dealing with a "wrongful birth." There was a lot of medical terminology and discussions of procedures. I would have liked to have been able to use my notes as reference.

 

[Sans Souci]

Outside Holiday Display 2022



View attachment 682715View attachment 682716View attachment 682717View attachment 682718View attachment 682719View attachment 682720View attachment 682721View attachment 682722View attachment 682723View attachment 682724

*after reviewing the pics again, I went out and adjusted both garlands. I usually do a better job on the hedges, so it looks more random and less like curvy ones. I’m just sort of over it. I know some people use net lights, but unless they’re stretched just right, they look too uniform and are a beast to store.

This is really pretty. It definitely looks like a lot of time and effort went into it. If you guys aren't winning any of the categories, I have to wonder what the other yards look like.

I buy two wreaths from Costco. That is the extent of my outdoor decorations.

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning

Checking in with a lower body circuit workout. It was pretty sweaty.

I'm probably go out for a walk when it "warms up." Other than that, it's just a chill Sunday here.

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning

I decided to make use of an app that I have an annual subscription to. They have different programs, yoga, barre, hiit, pilates, strength training, etc. I did a strength training work out from a program. It looks like a good mix of exercises with cardio thrown in to get the heart rate up. A plus is the program uses equipment I rarely have a chance to use.

Today is my virtual jury orientation. I am hoping if I do have to serve, it's short. My birthday is next week and my husband made reservations for somewhere to eat in Manhattan. It's not the end of the world if I can't, but I'd been looking forward to it. I have lots of fun stuff and travel coming up in the next few weeks to look forward to, anyway. If my husband is up in Manhattan and I have to stay down here, I will just get carry outs for my son and me on my birthday.

ETA: I just checked covid rates in NYC, strike the dining out on my birthday. I can wait for another time.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Exactly. And there are so many factors that go into it because of the way laws are written. Like, if someone gives some piece of testimony and the other side objects and it's sustained, the judge just says to strike it and advises the jury to disregard it. But you can't unhear it. I just don't think it's a very fair system. I know it's supposed to prevent corrupt officials from being able to frame someone because they hold a grudge, but it's no better to put it in the hands of people who don't know what they're doing and don't understand laws. How many innocent people have been convicted on very little evidence because jurors don't know what's a "Reasonable doubt" and what's not? They would rather lock someone up just in case, because they can't tell based on the evidence. And that's not supposed to happen. Just look at Steven Avery from the Making a Murderer show. He was convicted of rape charges long before he was ever accused of murder, but he didn't match the description of the rapist, and he had something like 20 people who gave him an alibi, including cell phone or bank transactions in places so far from the crime scene that he could not have committed it. And there were police from a neighboring county who called police in the county where the rape occurred to say that they thought the rape had been committed by someone who they had been watching and who had prior history, matched the description, and had been there in that area at the time of the crime. Even with all the evidence that Steven was innocent, they convicted him. He was exonerated nearly 2 decades later with DNA evidence that hadn't even been introduced at trial. And who was it? The guy who the neighboring county police had said they should look into, but they never did. That's 18 years that he spent in prison when he was innocent, and 18 years that the other guy was out committing other rapes. Well....not quite, I guess, as he was picked up for another rape later. But he wouldn't have been able to do that if he had been investigated before. It's not a perfect system, by far. Steven should never have been able to be convicted, based on instructions that you can not find a person guilty if there is reasonable doubt that he committed the crime. Alibi, DNA evidence, plus another suspect is more than a reasonable doubt, but the jury wanted to make sure he was locked up, just in case. The jury system just does not work.

In my most recent experience, I heard a lot of people claiming they'd be ineffective jurors because they didn't agree with the laws. I'm sure a lot is people just not wanting to serve, but there were quite a few people who said they don't agree with "innocent until proven guilty." Reasonable doubt was another one that got a lot of attention, because it got people talking about how it's let a lot of guilty people walk free. I just didn't understand why so much of the case was discussed in front of the judge, but not the jury. I felt like I was watching a tv show where the key figure is kept in the dark about an upcoming plot twist that the audience gets to see. Ultimately, we see so many wrongfully convicted people being set free because of modern advances in DNA tech. Of course, it becomes more critical when it's a murder case with death on the table. Back in college, I remember reading a book discussing scenarios where the wrong person was convicted and ultimately executed. Several cases/executions were fast tracked due to political attention. Heavy stuff. When you're brought in to serve, you're always given an earful about us having the best judicial system in the world and how fortunate we are to be tried by a jury of our peers. While it's significantly better than many countries out there, and some would argue that our crime rates are too high for those systems to be effective here...we don't even rank in the top 10. Surely, there are some lessons to be learned and possibly implemented from these other systems.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Wow, that's a LOT! I didn't realize how big your yard is! I always wanted to decorate our house and yard when I was little, but we could never afford anything like that. Now I just don't have the energy to go and put up all the lights and then take them down again. It looks so pretty though! You do a great job!

Thank you! This house has a lot of yard. It was one of my bigger frustrations with decorating our last house. We went from a home with lots of yard, to a home with a very small yard, to this. We've found that older homes in the Houston area tend to have much bigger yards than newer construction. I was also thrilled to be back in a symmetrical house. It's easier to find balance in a display when you have a base with natural symmetry. I think I put just as much up at our last house, but with a small yard, it looked like so much more. Putting it up takes a lot more time and energy than taking it down. What takes 6 hours to put up usually only is 1.5-2 hours to dismantle and stow. We weren't allowed to have outdoor holiday lights when I was growing up. It all tied into my maternal grandparents and religious matters. I was always fascinated with them, so I vowed to have a display as soon as I had a home. Things started out small and I've changed it up over the years, but it brings me a lot of joy.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

This is really pretty. It definitely looks like a lot of time and effort went into it. If you guys aren't winning any of the categories, I have to wonder what the other yards look like.

I buy two wreaths from Costco. That is the extent of my outdoor decorations.

Thank you! It's a lot of work and I still may add the candles to the windows and possibly some bows to the mailbox and driveway gate. Wreaths are nice too. I just like seeing people do something festive. In our last neighborhood, very few people put out anything. So, I'm really just happy if I see anything. The neighbor to my right has one little lit tree next to their front door, the neighbor to my left has two wreaths on their doors, and two doors down has a bow and pine swag over their mailbox and a wooden cutout tree next to their door. The cul de sac directly across from us is where it gets more like mine. I think five out of six homes has very visible displays. As for the other yards, this family lives two blocks over...they usually win Best Lights.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Happy? Monday.

Yesterday was a gym day. We planned it around package delivery and grocery pickup. I rowed for about 20 minutes and then made it an arms/shoulder/back day. I also hit the ab machine at the end and decided to push myself and see how much I could comfortably list for a full set. I made it up to 110, but probably could have gone a bit higher. I did 10-11 min on the treadmill to cool down and then a hydromassage. I think I'm going to try the chairs next time just to change things up. No time for the gym tonight, so I'm hoping to do some walking at lunch and maybe some weights and cardio in my office. I'm about a week into my eating changes and unless I'm imagining it, I am feeling and seeing some little differences. I think the massager and the new seat cushion I got on cyber Monday is also helping.

We had a nice time on Saturday at the annual Christmas Campout Get-Together, although it was a bit different this year. Everything seems to be defined by generations in attendance. The "mature" generation that founded this event in 1976, that is mainly the parents of people my age, didn't have a good turnout this year. We've had a couple pass away over the years and their surviving family doesn't always show. One guy was totally MIA, one had knee replacement, one is dealing with heart issues, and the lead guy/owner of the land was home with bronchitis. Most of the lead guy's family was there, but everyone else's stayed home. It did get me thinking about more family though and prompted me to take some extra time around Christmas. I can't take all of the days I wanted due to staffing, but now I've got a full week during the girls' weeks off. For whatever reason, it's also made me want to try my hand at making homemade figgy pudding!

The campfire was much smaller this year since we were 30-something vs. 70-something, PLUS it was pretty warm. Someone added some powder to the fire to color the flames, which was very cool and extra festive. You can even hear a little bit of the kids' skits in the background

 

[Songbird76]

I am not sure. The judge never explained. I think they get worried you might be too attached to your notes and miss the bigger picture. It's not prohibited, but this judge did not permit it. This was a medical malpractice trial dealing with a "wrongful birth." There was a lot of medical terminology and discussions of procedures. I would have liked to have been able to use my notes as reference.

Yeah, that would be my fear....not understanding things that were said and making the wrong decision because of that. When you are dealing with things like people's lives/freedom, you don't feel like you have room to mess up. You have to take it extremely seriously, and really give it your full attention. I don't think I'd make a very good jury member. I'd be so stressed out.

 

[Songbird76]

Good morning

I decided to make use of an app that I have an annual subscription to. They have different programs, yoga, barre, hiit, pilates, strength training, etc. I did a strength training work out from a program. It looks like a good mix of exercises with cardio thrown in to get the heart rate up. A plus is the program uses equipment I rarely have a chance to use.

Today is my virtual jury orientation. I am hoping if I do have to serve, it's short. My birthday is next week and my husband made reservations for somewhere to eat in Manhattan. It's not the end of the world if I can't, but I'd been looking forward to it. I have lots of fun stuff and travel coming up in the next few weeks to look forward to, anyway. If my husband is up in Manhattan and I have to stay down here, I will just get carry outs for my son and me on my birthday.

ETA: I just checked covid rates in NYC, strike the dining out on my birthday. I can wait for another time.

A's birthday was Saturday, but he and E were both sick, so we couldn't go out. My birthday is Friday, but I have to work and E has a birthday party to go to for her friend Robert, whose birthday is the same day as mine. Then Saturday, A has a chess tournament, and my MIL has this thing where she goes to like....I guess like daycare for the elderly. They do crafts and stuff. Anyway, they are making Christmas crafts this week, and they asked if we could also make sure to get their tree put up and such so when she brings the crafts home, they can set everything up and it's all done. So we're going over Saturday morning, we'll celebrate my birthday and A's in the morning before M takes A to his Chess tournament, and then E and I will set up and decorate their tree, then when M brings A back, we'll have birthday dinner with them. At some point, we'll go out to eat for A's birthday, since we didn't get to go in the weekend, but we don't know when yet, and mine will just have to wait. December is always too busy. Last year, we put mine off until Christmas vacation, but then right before vacation, we went into lockdown, so we didn't ever get to celebrate my birthday last year. But I'd rather that I'm the one who has to wait than that A does, because he gets REALLY upset by those things. He takes it really personally.

 

[Songbird76]

In my most recent experience, I heard a lot of people claiming they'd be ineffective jurors because they didn't agree with the laws. I'm sure a lot is people just not wanting to serve, but there were quite a few people who said they don't agree with "innocent until proven guilty." Reasonable doubt was another one that got a lot of attention, because it got people talking about how it's let a lot of guilty people walk free. I just didn't understand why so much of the case was discussed in front of the judge, but not the jury. I felt like I was watching a tv show where the key figure is kept in the dark about an upcoming plot twist that the audience gets to see. Ultimately, we see so many wrongfully convicted people being set free because of modern advances in DNA tech. Of course, it becomes more critical when it's a murder case with death on the table. Back in college, I remember reading a book discussing scenarios where the wrong person was convicted and ultimately executed. Several cases/executions were fast tracked due to political attention. Heavy stuff. When you're brought in to serve, you're always given an earful about us having the best judicial system in the world and how fortunate we are to be tried by a jury of our peers. While it's significantly better than many countries out there, and some would argue that our crime rates are too high for those systems to be effective here...we don't even rank in the top 10. Surely, there are some lessons to be learned and possibly implemented from these other systems.

Over here, there's a whole panel of judges who will review evidence, just to make sure it's done correctly. And anyone who has committed a crime because of mental disorders or whatever will be sent to an intensive therapy program before there's even a chance of them being released. There have been a few problems in the last few years in which inmates in the mental facility have either escaped or attacked other inmates or personell. There was one guy who escaped and promptly murdered a college student he saw in a cafe. He followed her home. So they have been under scrutiny because they are supposed to be highly guarded, but somehow this guy escaped. And in another facility, an inmate was able to get hold of a knife and attacked someone. But even after someone serves their prison sentence, they would have to go to a mental facility for a number of years to get treatment before being released.

And do you remember the guy from some Scandinavian country....maybe Norway? who went to some youth camp and opened fire and killed a bunch of teenagers a few years back? There was some controversy over that in the US because apparently in that country, they don't have prisons as we know them. They are like spas or something, because they believe people only commit crimes because they are desperate for help and need a time out from life. They don't see jail time as a punishment really....it's a chance for rehabilitation. So while you ARE locked up, it's not a bad place to be. They have TVs, and nice rooms and everything. The goal is that the offender can change their life and become productive in society again, rather than have everything stripped from them and have to live in terrible conditions. It's really interesting.

 

[Sans Souci]

We had a nice time on Saturday at the annual Christmas Campout Get-Together, although it was a bit different this year. Everything seems to be defined by generations in attendance. The "mature" generation that founded this event in 1976, that is mainly the parents of people my age, didn't have a good turnout this year. We've had a couple pass away over the years and their surviving family doesn't always show. One guy was totally MIA, one had knee replacement, one is dealing with heart issues, and the lead guy/owner of the land was home with bronchitis. Most of the lead guy's family was there, but everyone else's stayed home. It did get me thinking about more family though and prompted me to take some extra time around Christmas. I can't take all of the days I wanted due to staffing, but now I've got a full week during the girls' weeks off. For whatever reason, it's also made me want to try my hand at making homemade figgy pudding!

Is the Christmas Campout thing a school thing or is it a community thing? Hopefully as the OGs are unable to attend, you can keep that tradition going. That sounds like a unique outing and I certainly had nothing like that where I grew up and neither did my son. I love campfires when it's frosty outside.

 

[Sans Souci]

A's birthday was Saturday, but he and E were both sick, so we couldn't go out. My birthday is Friday, but I have to work and E has a birthday party to go to for her friend Robert, whose birthday is the same day as mine. Then Saturday, A has a chess tournament, and my MIL has this thing where she goes to like....I guess like daycare for the elderly. They do crafts and stuff. Anyway, they are making Christmas crafts this week, and they asked if we could also make sure to get their tree put up and such so when she brings the crafts home, they can set everything up and it's all done. So we're going over Saturday morning, we'll celebrate my birthday and A's in the morning before M takes A to his Chess tournament, and then E and I will set up and decorate their tree, then when M brings A back, we'll have birthday dinner with them. At some point, we'll go out to eat for A's birthday, since we didn't get to go in the weekend, but we don't know when yet, and mine will just have to wait. December is always too busy. Last year, we put mine off until Christmas vacation, but then right before vacation, we went into lockdown, so we didn't ever get to celebrate my birthday last year. But I'd rather that I'm the one who has to wait than that A does, because he gets REALLY upset by those things. He takes it really personally.

Happy birthday to A! He's still young, so I get why you'd want to prioritize his birthday. My birthday is Monday. That's really nice of E to decorate and put up the tree for her grandparents. I'm not going out for my birthday this year either. The covid rates are creeping up and it's not worth the risk to me. I told my husband that I didn't want to go out anymore. We're going to AZ next month and there is a steakhouse at the resort we're booked into. He booked an outdoor table there, instead. I am fine with that.