Bleah

It's been a loooong day.

First, let me say that I am not in prison, or even going to prison. Thanks to the magical medicine I am now taking, I did not rise up and start to kill people in the "courtroom" while I waited two freaking hours for the judge to show up. I basically sat still for most of that time and did nothing. We weren't allowed even to read. This is not easy for me.

First part of the story: the town hall in the town I got the speeding ticket is under renovation, so they've relocated all municipal services to an office strip mall behind CVS. (Not kidding here.) The "courtroom" was the size of a large classroom and was kind of makeshift. Then it turned out that the judge was unavailable, and they brought in a ringer, so to speak, from the next town over. (He was very nice, btw.) But it was supposed to start at 4:00, so I got there at 3:30, of course. The judge got there at 5:15. By this time, I could see that the prosecutor and various police officers were bringing people one at a time into a side room, and that they were calling them in the order they were listed on the court's calendar, and I already knew I was on the second to last page. Hmmm. Guess who had neglected to eat lunch or take her midday meds? Hmm. So I spoke to the clerk and told her I had medical issues and would need to eat before this was over, which looked like it was going to be 8:00 or later, and I got called in for the next plea bargain. They dropped the charge from 51 in a 25 mph zone to 39, which cut the points from 5 to 2 and the fine from $250 to $95. It only took another 45 minutes to get to the judge, who said all the required things and then I got to go and pay and GO HOME. And I stopped at Subway and got a sandwich to eat the second I walked through the door.

So that business is behind me now, too. I actually did go out and buy cheap shoes to wear to court, and I wore nice black slacks and the top I bought to wear to my nephew's couples shower last month, and in truth, I was the best dressed person there. (And I don't get to say that often!) There were women there in sweats and tees and flip-flops, and I mean women my age. Men in shorts. A man sitting behind me, a white-bearded man, kept his baseball cap on until someone told him to take it off. Come on! Men aren't even supposed to wear caps in the presence of the flag, let alone in court!

In other news, R is going to Mexico tomorrow and I'm fine, really, I'm fine, no problems here, I'm fine. (Just kidding.) She's already promised me that she won't get kidnapped, so what else is there to worry about?

The big news of the day today, actually, was an email from the SCM telling me that he has put in his papers, and is retiring as of February 1! Knock me ovah with a feathah! I thought he had the same time to go as I have, but it turns out he's got a lot more money than I have, and he bought a few years into the pension system, which I guess people can do, although I don't understand any of that. It's also possible that he doesn't understand it either and has made a big mistake, which he will have to take back. I may have mentioned before, the holy grail of retirement for teachers in New Jersey is that if you have at least 25 years in the system and are at least 55 years old, you retire with not only your full pension, but medical benefits for life. (Which supplements your Medicare once you start receiving that.) The SCM does not have 25 years in New Jersey, he has ... 16, but he was able to buy credit for his time in New York and I guess, a few years more. So he can get his full pension -- he's 62 -- but I don't think medical. Maybe he's got that from his wife, I don't know. I have rarely met someone who willingly retires before that medical benefit kicks in. I guess I'll find out in September.

Will they replace him? We shall see. I have two former students, both with actual library school degrees, that I'll need to contact if the opening gets posted. I have another former student with a Master's degree in Media who would LOVE to get into my school, so I hope I can keep it hidden from her. Aside from having the wrong background, she would drive me freaking crazy all day, which means a lot when you consider what I've already been working with for 16 years. Very fond of the other two, however.

On to the dermatologist tomorrow, who will no doubt point to some spot I can't ever see no matter how many mirrors I use, and why would I want to, and say "Hmmm .. how long have you had that?"

WATCHING FUTURAMA :: ENTRY #1824
SUMMER BOOK #3: Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson