Liese, I actually enjoyed it when I was on a jury for a week a while back. Granted, it was a civil suit and I hated my job so much at that point. So much! But don't stress: bring a book, take it as it comes, and be honest. I think it is easy to get caught up in hypothetical moral dilemmas (and I do sympathize on that front), but odds are that the reality will not be so fraught.

Also, as a certified hater of people, I liked everyone else on my jury. And the judge's clerk would give us candy, so there's that. (If you are put on a jury, you should ask for free candy. Just to see what happens.)

Tonight my dear sweet daughter sent my son a text, telling him to check out Taylor Swift's song Stay Beautiful. I may not be able to live with the boy now. He hates Country, but this is his new favorite song.

Right before the first F2F in Chicago, I was in the jury pool for the trial of a man who was accused of killing a woman he had hooked up with on the Internet and traveled across the country to meet him. Thankfully, he copped a plea before it went to trial, or I would have missed the F2F.

Thankfully, he copped a plea before it went to trial, or I would have missed the F2F.

I suppose it would be too much to ask for, but did you get an opportunity to say, "Oh good! Now I'll be able to travel cross country to meet up with people I've only met over the internet!"

I suppose it would be too much to ask for, but did you get an opportunity to say, "Oh good! Now I'll be able to travel cross country to meet up with people I've only met over the internet!"

No, but it was really close. They had started voir dire, but they hadn't gotten to me yet. I would have had to explain that I had already booked tickets to go and meet my invisible Internet friends.

heh. Just as well I guess, but it would have been fun to see their reactions.

I'm sure they would have envisioned a more horrible fate for you than being kept awake by my snoring.

Hee. Okay, thanks everybody. I figure it`s likely to be suitably boring. And I`m sure I`ll be fine. And if I get held in contempt of court at some point, there`s always the Buffista bail fund, right?

Liese, when I was called for jury duty I got to recuse myself from the first case offered because the defendant's brother was the sponsor of a club I spent tons of my free time with in college. The judge clearly thought I was being overzealous in mentioning the possible bias, but I didn't want any doubts that loyalty was influencing my decision.

The case I actually served on was cut and dried, with victims of unfortunate happenstance looking to make a mechanic pay for their bad fortune. Jury to plaintiff: shit happens, deal with it.

The result is just in. Two weeks after the election, the Australian Labor Party has been returned as this country's government. They landed 72 seats on their own, and picked up the support of the only Green member and three of four independents to reach 76 out of 150.