In Memory

Raptor--Rapture

Several months ago I received a lovely graduation gift in the mail from a friend that lives in NYC. I've written about her before. She's living the most fabulous life of a poet in New York.

She had been telling me of the trials and tribulations of getting this booklet published but finally, it all came together, and there it was in my hands. Her latest compilation of work. I love the play on the words Raptor/Rapture! Certainly, this isn't her first published work. She's been published worldwide and has read her poetry in some of the most celebrated poetry houses such as St. Marks' Poetry Project and The Bowery Poetry Club to name a few.

We've all sat through endless literature classes and poetry classes where the students and instructors could only hypothesize what the author was thinking and feeling. But with Susan's work, I knew the story that developed the poem. I felt like I had discovered a secret.

With Susan's permission, I have chosen a favorite piece from the book to share with you. This poem made me laugh and demonstrates Susan's sense of humor and kind of reveals what a morning in a quiet city park may offer!

Flasher: Passer

My dreamy parkcoffee mornings

have become less pleasant since

I've been hassled by a flasher.

Caught me twice.

I've called the cops and told park authorities.

It's not that I fear death by dick sight

but it is distinctly not cool.

The third time he sat near

I just continued to feed Passer

(a little sparrow) and he turned up his

boombox to get me to look and so on.

Next time he stormed by with an angry look on his face

I suppose because I didn't look.

Passer is so cute, jumps up,

takes tiny bits of bread from my hand

and today she revealed what makes her so cheeky.

She has a baby to feed so cute; that was a better morning.

Told Eric who got quite steamy

wanted details. (The dick was huge,

limp and seemed to be coated with baby oil.)

Eric told me his flashing was not going well,

maybe he needed some baby oil,

I mailed him some baby oil and

he was quite incensed I would do

something so unmaidenly.

I haven't laughed so hard in ages.

I needed a good laugh.

Simply The Best

Around here, going to a restaurant, business or just driving around town you begin to notice these stickers or signs at businesses. As the sign indicates, Harrisburg Magazine takes a Readers' Poll to ask, based on set categories, what the Readers' think is the best.

This poll is an interesting way to find out about new restaurants and businesses in the area. But, one has to wonder exactly how accurate this readers' poll is. I mean, it's pretty easy to say what you favorite diner, Mexican restaurant and club is. But how many people can determine what is their favorite Pest Control, Paper Hanger, Architect, Funeral Director and Auctioneer? Apparently quite a few. I would have no way of determining what company would be considered my favorite for pest extermination.

Doesn't this readers' poll seem to point to simply name recognition? As if some of these categories aren't outrageous enough, they get even better. Readers were asked to name the best: Themed Fundraiser, Volunteer Organization, Accountant, Criminal Lawyer, Family Lawyer and Divorce Attorney. Do you think the people that responded actually used these services or are thinking "well I saw a commercial for these guys" or "I think I passed that listing in the phone book." You know, it's pretty much similar to the way people decide on who to vote for when election time rolls around.

Could This Be Any More Ridiculous?

"Nicole Richie was released from jail Thursday after serving 82 minutes of a four-day sentence for driving under the influence of drugs."

On a more important subject, Happy 40th Birthday to the Big Mac!!!

Being Productive

Don't you just love productive days? I was lucky enough to have one today. I took the day off so that I could be productive. Darned work always gets in the way. I guess if I'd win the Powerball drawing tonight, I wouldn't have to worry about work ever again. And neither would any of my friends!! The jackpot is $245 million!

Anyway, having a productive day is kind of like a recharge of the batteries, getting the cobwebs out or something like that. I got up fairly early since the furnace guy was coming. The furnace needed cleaning. And thankfully it was cleaned early in the day because by afternoon it was downright chilly in the house. I actually turned on the heat! This has to be the early date on record for turning on the heat!

While the furnace guy worked for three hours in my basement, I got dishes and laundry done, changed the bed linens, chatted with friends on line, even organized my wrapping paper containers and checked out the graduate degree requirements on the Penn State website. That alone made me tired. I'll need two letters of recommendation, two transcripts from each school I attended previously and a 1000-1500 word essay why I want to go to school there, plus the initial application, financial aid forms, etc. etc.

What I was looking forward to most was dinner, I was starving and thinking Mexican food was in order. The end of my most productive day was walking to dinner. Though it was kind of chilly, it was a nice walk, didn't take long at all. And when I saw the big, yellow hummer driving through the parking lot, I was glad I had walked and maybe prevented a little less CO2 from going into the atmosphere.

Sympathy Pains

I think the weather here in the northeast is feeling sympathetic for those that are experiencing hurricane Dean, but thankfully on a much less intense level. I hope that Dean doesn't cause too much destruction.

It has been raining for three days, pretty much non-stop. The highs have only gotten to about the low 70's. It makes for great sleeping weather, but they are the kind of days when you don't feel like getting out of bed. And getting from point A to point B can be somewhat of a headache particularly if you have to walk.

I think I need a fake sun lamp to simulate some sunshine. I'm feeling kind of deprived.

Sun Dance by Alfred Gockel

Takin' Some Time To Relax

Is It Full Moon or Something?

Or is it just because Merv Griffin died? Last night was a sleep over for my sister's dog Daisy. They had to return my nephew to school before he was initially scheduled so Daisy was our guest for the night. She was a little nervous and really wasn't sure what to make of things and it was a little warm for sleeping anyway.

What made it even more difficult was that around 2:45 a.m. the new neighbors behind me came home from who knows where. The music was blaring and there was loud talking. OK, I can deal. I fell back to sleep till about 3:30-4:00 a.m. when the neighbors and friends decided it would be a good idea to start setting off firecrackers in the backyard. So, not only can I see the flashing of the firecrackers in my bedroom, but can hear the noise. Daisy isn't a fan of firecrackers so she was up, then Jasmine was up, though she didn't know why since she's pretty deaf, both cats were walking around thinking is someone going to feed them, then Brian and of course, myself were up.

We put up with the fireworks for a little but then quickly became annoyed. We got the phone book out to find the non-emergency phone number for the local police department. Check - called it, the message directed us to call the number for the local dispatch. Called that....the line was busy. Sigh.

Boobapalooza

Today was the first annual Boobapalooza a.k.a. mammogram. I am officially allowed to say this is the first annual since I'll be getting one every year for the rest of my life. I really wasn't sure what to expect. I mean I heard stories about how it feels like your nipple is just going to spring off and fly across the room. I've also heard, it's uncomfortable but not bad. I'd have to agree with that one. It was uncomfortable but certainly something I can live with.


I have to admit I was pretty amazed at the extent to which my breast could be flattened, squished, lifted, and pulled into several Play Doh like shapes. I must wait a few days to get the results of the exam. I do not expect anything out of the ordinary.

Whew!

I am just now breathing a sigh of relief because I just learned the verdict on the trial that I was a juror on this week.

The case was publicized for quite some time on television and in the newspaper. I'm thankful that I missed seeing any of the media attention on this prior to going into the case. The allegations were from a then 16 year old student who accused her drivers education teacher of forcing her to perform oral sex on him while they were out on an after school driving lesson.

My first impression was that this guy must be a creep because kids don't make things like this up nor do false accusations make it as far as the D.A.'s office who represented the victim in this case. But as I heard more of the testimony without any witnesses since there were purportedly only two people involved, the final verdict became quite clear.

The victim had so many holes in her stories. She waited several months to come out with the allegations, which isn't unusal in a sex case, but her stories varied each time she told them. One thing was consistent, the attacker, who in the first version of her story was an unknown man, wore boxers. Then when she claimed it was her teacher that did this to her, he wore boxers during the attack as well. Her driving instructor doesn't have a pair of boxers to his name. Based on that and the many inconsistencies in her stories, the jury found him not guilty. Since I was an alternate, I didn't get to be part of the deliberations. It couldn't have taken them long to come to a conclusion, it was so very obvious to me that this man wasn't guilty.

I think this young girl was truly sexually victimized. I think it took place on the road she claimed it did and on the night she claimed as well. I think it was a male friend of hers that did it. Because she said she was on that road with him later that night, after the purported first attack. She may have consented with her friend and she may not have. And because she had a boyfriend at the time, I think this was a way for her to absolve her guilt for messing around willingly or protecting her so called "friend" if he did really attack her.

One of the biggest shames in this whole thing is that the man she accused of doing this to her is very well liked and respected in both the school where he works and in the community. I found out yesterday during his testimony that his wife was going through cancer treatment just before these allegations came out. That poor family, that poor man. What a senseless waste of time, energy, money and emotion for something that was obviously not true from the start. Both of these people's families friends and relatives will forever have to live with this huge scar that has been made because of this girl's false accusations.

I wish Mr. Frank and his family peace.

Stupid Talk Part II

Ahh, another tough day in court. Yea, I know I'm just a juror but I'm gonna use that line as long as I can!!!

All I can say is that I'm completely fascinated with the judicial process. I have a feeling that I look like I'm watching a tennis match while court is in session between directing my attention from the witness back to the lawyer. Again, I'm thankful to be in the jurors box and not on the witness stand.

The jurors have been spending quite a bit of time together waiting for the judge and lawyers to begin the court session. Mainly, I either try to read which is pretty difficult considering some people need to talk constantly or I just listen in amazement. I rarely say a word. Which for those of you that know me will find difficult to believe. It's true. Today while we were waiting, the conversation among the other jurors got on the subject of recycling. One of the jurors remarked "I don't believe in recycling." She claims she doesn't think it's sanitary because people put all kinds of things in cans and bottles. Oh no, please, not in a confined room, please no ridiculously ignorant people. Then another chimed in that the plastic water bottles and aluminum cans are broken down and reused, it's not the actual bottle or can that is reused. Really? Are you guys like rocket scientists???

Then another person says, "You know you aren't supposed to reuse the plastic bottles. The bacteria collects on the mouthpiece." What bacteria? Mine? The kind that's living in my mouth now? So, if I put what was in my mouth back in my mouth that's going to make me sick? Then, as I knew it would, they got on the subject that the plastic some how leeches into the water if you continue to use the same plastic bottle. I couldn't take any more. I said "That's not true." They kept going. I said "that's not true." And because they couldn't shut their mouths for more than a half second, no one heard me. Can't wait till it's deliberation time for this case. Should be interesting.

Did She Really Say That?

Friday evening we went to Columbia (PA) not South America, to do some work on Brian's place. After an evening of profuse sweating, because it was hot you naughty people, we decided to go to a local sub shop for food.

Brian assured me these were some of the best subs around and based on the smell that was coming out of the place, and the number of cars in the parking lot, it was going to be a reall good sub! We went to the take out part of the restaurant where they had coolers of beer, fourty's, Bud, Coors, the usual. It kind of reminded me of the sub shop I worked in last year.

We were several people back in line to order which gave me some time to decided what I wanted since Brian already knew he was getting a steak sandwich since they made some of the best. Finally, I had decided what I wanted and we anxiously awaited someone to take our order which went something like this:

Cute girl behind the counter (CGBC): "Can I help someone?"
Me: "A tuna sub"
CGBC: "What about it?"
Me: (with an incredibly annoyed tone to my voice) "Can I have one? No tomatoes."
CBGC: Reluctantly getting the tuna out and putting it on the sub roll, not asking what I want on the sub.
Me: "Can I have provolone cheese?"
CBGC: "Mayo?"
Me: "Yes"
CBGC: "Tomatoes?"
Me: (eye rolling) "No."

You couldn't believe the relief I felt when the sub was finally wrapped up and in the bag. That was exhausting. She looked normal enough, and she also appeared to be young enough that she probably hadn't done that much damage to her brain with drugs and alcohol. I guess she got that way naturally.

We The Jury

The last three days have been kinda hectic. I've worked a total of 34 hours in those days. I'm looking forward to a big day off tomorrow with lots of napping in the a/c! It's hot outside!

I guess my rest period will continue next week since I'm scheduled for jury duty. The last time I did it was maybe 10 years ago or so. I remember reading a lot. I have books already on standby for the weeks worth of reading I hope to do.

I am also studying to take a test so I can get my insurance license. I've worked for many years in the health insurance industry and that hasn't nearly prepared me for the kind of questions they ask on this test. I know I'll pass it when I go to take the test for real but for now, there's much studying, which I plan to do in between reading for fun while on jury duty.

Most people groan and roll their eyes when I tell them what I'll be doing next week. I've even heard people say they won't register to vote so they don't have to serve on jury duty. Isn't that a little extreme?? These are probably the same people that sit at home at night and watch re-runs of Judge Judy or have Nancy Grace on speed dial.

I find the entire process pretty interesting. The last time I served, I did make it on to a jury for a nice young man that was accused of making terroristic threats on his girlfriend. I hope to get on a jury again . I'm thankful as well that I'm on the jury side and not sitting in one of the desks in front of the judge with my lawyer by my side!!