An interesting day

Hearings kept me crazy busy yesterday and the medication let me forget about the headache. It was actually a fun morning.

I thrive on days where I can lose myself in work, where time loses meaning. I love working with the Judge assigned to us, an old retired Colonel from the Marines. I enjoy talking to one of the attorneys I work with – a guy who worked as an enviromental engineer with the State Department of Enviromental Protection – before he went to law school.

Late yesterday afternoon, we got a chance to talk to someone enlisted in the Coast Guard stationed in Louisiana, taking part in the Gulf oil clean-up (only here under our special circumstances).

It was a terribly fascinating, and disturbing personal story.

My days often turn on me like that.

What a terrible mess we’ve made. I wonder if we’ll know the full reach of it in my lifetime.

– – –

Later that evening I was trying on a pair of sneakers at the mall, when the salesman hesitated.

“Man, you look down. You look like you could use a break. Let me tell you something. (In a near whisper) Down stairs, they’ve got the next model up from this one and it’s five bucks cheaper. Plus, it’s not quite as flashy looking, and I can tell you’re looking for something a little more understated.”

Turns out I did like the other pair better, but if I find out the same company owns both stores I’m not gonna take it well.

Maybe it’s best if I don’t check, because it felt good knowing everyone isn’t always out to screw you for the quick buck.

It was a nice, if small, contrast to my afternoon – which was a bad and big contrast to my morning.

Happy peaks and valleys to you!

Give the gift of words.