Preppy Runner – Theodora Blanchfield

Well, jury duty/my mini-vacation is over, and I went back to work yesterday.

Since a few of you have asked…here’s a little rundown of jury duty.

Monday, I showed up at 9, waited around until lunch, and then after lunch was told that there was a case that needed jurors. A large group of us was summoned to a courtroom, and they gave us a 30-second overview of the case: it was a sexual abuse case. They asked if anyone felt uncomfortable with a case of that matter, and a few people said they did, and they were excused. After that, they started pulling names out of a big drum (like the kind they use in the lottery drawings), and I was the first name called. They seated me and a bunch of people and asked us some basic questions about our background to determine whether we were fit to serve on that jury impartially. Once they’d decided on the six jurors, we were dismissed for the day.

The case was a sexual abuse case where the complainant claimed to have been groped in a store while trying on a sweatshirt.

Tuesday morning, they picked alternates and we heard from the first witnesses. Yesterday morning, they wrapped up testimony just before lunch. After our lovely long lunch, the judge read us the law that we were to use to base our decision on. We retreated to the jury room, where our cell phones were taken away from us while we were deliberating, so that we couldn’t Google things…or Phone a Friend.

We ended up finding the guy guilty, and I got to be the one to deliver the news. As I was the first person called, I was named foreperson. (Forelady? Forewoman?) Even though we were all “certain beyond a reasonable doubt” that he was guilty, I still felt for the guy and felt bad delivering the news.

In a total and complete non-sequitur…

I tried Calexico tacos today for lunch. Tacos have been my random lunchtime addiction as of late. If served on corn tortillas, and without cheese, they’re not all that bad for you. And they’re delicious, obviously. I walk past the Calexico cart every day, but I was nervous that they’d bother my stomach.

Well! They did not, and they are DELISH.

Chicken taco with pico de gallo and avocado.

There’s usually a long line, but I stopped, placed my order, went home to walk Bailey, and picked my tacos up on the way back to work. Serious win. I’m going to attempt to not make these a regular occurrence, but it may take some convincing myself that there’s not actually avocado in the tacos. (The tacos are a delivery vehicle for the avocado.)

What’s your favorite condiment/delivery vehicle for it? Hummus and pita chips are a close second to avocado/guac and tacos for me. Tied with ketchup and french fries.