Adventures of Andrea

I feel like a lot of times on here, I try to be creative and write about different things or topics I care about, but today I'd just like to rant.

A couple of weeks ago, I got the dreaded letter saying that I had to report for jury duty. I actually got called last year, but as I was a student at the time, I didn't have to serve. They called me back a year to the day (the state of Illinois does not kid around), and so off I went to Chicago.

I decided to drive, which was my first mistake, and I'm sure you city kids are shaking your heads at me, but I wasn't sure what time I would be dismissed, and the train times in my little suburb suck. So I sat in Chicago traffic for two and a half hours and jogged into the Daley Center half an hour later.

I tried apologizing to the lady in charge when I got there, but I couldn't even get a word out before she pointed off to the side and handed me a slip of paper with my panel number.

If you haven't ever been called to jury duty, this little slip of paper can make or break your day. As the day passes, they call different panel numbers and those people who have that number line up and scurry out to go to a courtroom.

Spoiler alert: my panel number was not called.

Three panels were called immediately after watching the orientation video, and then for the next seven and a half hours...I sat.

To be honest, I don't really remember much of the day. The heater was running, and it made me feel like I was on an airplane because my ears had popped going up the elevator to my assigned room. It's all a daze.

I definitely did a couple Google searches the night before, looking for how people may have gotten out of jury duty; but I pretty much found that if you call in sick or say you can't make it, you will get called again.

My advice would be to suck it up and "do you civic duty," as I was told repeatedly throughout my day of jury service.

My top 3 favorite moments of jury duty:

• After some of the panels were called, the people in charge opened up the other side of the room for sitting and there were literally hundreds of chairs open, and a man chose to sit right. next. to. me. Ugh. 
• The security guard yelled at me as I was entering the building, because I carried my water through security. I think he felt bad because he then told me, "have a nice day, sweetie..." No. 
• Lastly, as I walked into McDonald's for lunch, I was greeted by two homeless people screaming at each other. They then tried to get everyone in the restaurant to participate in their political debate.

Disclaimer: I am a huge fantasy nerd. It's always the genre of books that I want to recommend (probably comes from growing up on the Harry Potter series).


"A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. "

My friend (thanks Jade!) gave me a writing prompt journal for Christmas, and I stumbled upon a really interesting prompt.

What traffic signal best reflects your life right now?

I think this is such a cool way to think about life. For me, my mind immediately jumped to a green light. I have so many options in my life right now, and while that's a little intimidating, I am glad the light is green!

I also think it's important to recognize that sometimes the light may be yellow, and sometimes you might be sitting at a stop sign.

Life changes. Fast. It might seem scary to zoom into the intersection and fly through the green light, but it's just a part of life.

Even when you are sitting at a red light, it's important to know that the light could change to green at any time. I know so many people, myself included, that get so down when life doesn't seem to be going their way, but it's so important to remember that that could change.

The light may be yellow; and maybe that means you have some important decisions to make before things can slow down and stop or go back to full speed ahead. I just think it's a really cool analogy for life and how goals and aspirations can change.

Where is your traffic signal at right now? I feel like for most people my age it's probably at the green, like mine, but I would like to know what you think and why you may have a yellow or red light.

:)

Andrea