01.09.2024 in Whatever Will Be Will Be

Okay, very much OW.
After rehearsal last night, it started to snow. It was expected to be bad. Going home added several more minutes to the route. I even went to bed early because I had a doctor’s appointment in the morning. At 6 a.m., I got a call from the Doctor’s Office that they were not going to open today due to the snow. SO… there is a long running professional debate- who is “better” Doctors or Lawyers? I don’t often engage in that sort of conversation because to me it is on par with asking “Who is better plumbers or mechanics?” Because the answer is- it is better to have a plumber when you need plumbing and a mechanic when you need a mechanic. Of course, the Doctor/Lawyer argument has its people who will say, “Yes, but I can always represent myself in a Court of Law, I certainly can’t prescribe myself medication or perform surgery on myself.” To which I say, “Yes, and I can do my own plumbing… but if I want it done well or at all correctly, I’ll trust a professional.” BUT with the doctors offices closed today and us attorneys being required to come in to work… I will take a moment to chalk a point for our side. Now… as to whether that is intelligent, safe, or fair… that is another discussion. When a majority of businesses around town are closed because they won’t let the plows take care of the streets until it stops snowing? MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A WAY OF CLOSING THE GOVERNMENT OFFICES? But I also appreciate the other side of it. In a small county? We would have been closed. I can say that from previous experience. I would have been phoned by my boss, at least 1 judge, and someone from the County Board to say, “Stay home.” In this county, I get the opposite. Which… grump. “It isn’t efficient or economical to manage road safety until the snow stops; but get your ass to work.”

As should surprise no one, my snow blower refused to do a damned thing this morning. So, I had to shovel. I didn’t even do the entire driveway. And my back is killing me. One of those “My back pain is so bad, had I any options, I would curl into a ball in the bathtub until hot water dissolved me or made the pain go away.” But I don’t have options. I have to get in my car and drive to work. Which… that was a trip. The drive in was not good, as could be expected. Even the police officer driving next to me… in a stacked 4 wheel drive SUV with many modifications… was going slow and losing traction. So, my little undead car was screwed. But I made it in to work. 90 minutes late, but they can bite me. Of course, I am the only one in my hallway who is here. We have a few felony attorneys and me. MOST felony attorneys didn’t show up, NONE of the indictable Misdemeanor team showed up, and none of the Juvenile division showed up. And, of course, frankly- I don’t blame them. The roads are treacherous and the government we work for is choosing to leave them that way for now. So, I’ll do some work while I’m here. Attend my hearings fully expecting nobody to show up and that will be my day.

Except, as I’m responding to the various “Won’t be in” e-mails; our Gang Taskforce Attorney walks by to check on the offices. He’s got a downright disappointed look on his face. Stops at my office and says how he’s glad someone could make it into the office. Then begins to lambast everyone who didn’t make it. Because, you see, he lives out in the country. So if he could make it into work, everyone can make it into work, and it is downright terrible to see how many people stayed home in this. I attempted to point out precisely how many other places are closed (see: all of them) and he hand waived the whole thing, lumping them all in together. After all, of course, if HE could do it, then EVERYBODY should do it. It should come as zero surprise to anyone that he is an extremely politically conservative person. The viewpoint of “screw individual limitations, situations, or circumstances. MY experience is all I need to pass judgment on OTHER people.”

And of course, I can’t help but circle around the other side of this whole bullshit experience. My repeated mantra lately has been how much I need to get done but almost all of that is how much I need to get done OUT OF THE OFFICE. And here we have a snowstorm shutting things down left and right; essentially, providing people 1 extra day out of the office to perhaps be comfy w/snow day rituals, or productive with house chores… and as much as my Snow Day today would have been “Sleep in, do the dishes, run the dishwasher, review clothes, play video games, review script” it is instead, of course, GO TO THE OFFICE. Well, fine. I’ve put my body through one hell of a painful experience to get here… I’m sweaty and uncomfortable and in pain… but at least I can be IN the office in case someone calls my phone? Or… at least I am IN the office so I can justify my paycheck since I’m paid for my Presence in the Office and not my Productivity or Case Load? Or at least I am IN the office so I can determine approximately how many of the 79 hearings today will actually show up? We are expecting around 45 people today. I will count how many show up and report back. BUT yeah… out of 45. Hell! The clerk of court that tells me who on my list is in jail isn’t even in today. But sure… mock the people that didn’t come in today and treat today like a “You’re expected to be here regardless” kind of day. Definitely one of those moments where I can honestly say/think- “Y’know… I don’t get paid enough.”

Did a bunch of paperwork in the morning. Got a preview of the afternoon. 13% of the people expected to be at hearings this afternoon had the responsibility and wherewithal to call ahead and say they wouldn’t make it. I’m very seriously considering leaving early today. I know I got in late. I know there IS stuff to do here. But considering… everything… weather wise- I think leaving early to make sure I get home safe (meaning before Nightfall and the Darkness Descending) is a justifiable argument. THOUGH, I’ll have to wait until after 3:00 because that is when we find out if we still have rehearsal tonight. And… far less easily justified leaving work early if I am going to be required to drive to our sister town after nightfall anyway!

(People are saying that they didn’t expect the roads to still be as terrible as they are this late into the afternoon. Yes. Yes, they are. It is still snowing. We have gusting winds of up to 40 mph. We live in a world of painfully cheap political will so… NOT needing plows prior to the New Year- lots of people were probably ear-marking money for other projects and NOW are less likely to be okay using the Plow Budget for Plowing. Hence, statewide “DO NOT DRIVE” warnings, plows that are doing MAJOR THOROUGHFARES ONLY, and a statewide TOW BAN… so, even though I was forced to come to work by the government- if my car biffs it in the road, I can’t get towed out. Hermia has already referenced the irony of the Traffic Court Attorney being required to be present and hold traffic court on a day where traffic is downright heavily discouraged.)

I must confess I am deeply surprised. If you include the 13% that called in; and add the people that showed up, we had 26 people show up! That’s almost 58% turn out! Which… is a surprising enough number when the weather is nice. Getting that in THIS weather is… a bit much… in a mostly good way, to be fair.

I did get confirmation that we will not be having rehearsal tonight. But that means rehearsal over the weekend. Which- not bitching. I know, I know. “But when will you do/see X, Y, or Z!?” But… lets be real and get down to brass tacks here. Our first actual rehearsal was January 3rd. Our show opens February 2nd. We need to be “Can put the show on, even if not well” by January 20th! Which gives us one week to make sure we can actually do the lines and characters well before we add the hurdles of TECH WEEK. I won’t fault anyone who thinks “We need to work on this more.” Though… that is another of those big differences between Hermia and I. I saw the rehearsal schedule and thought, “Is this really going to be enough time?” And she saw it and thought, “Why would they rehearse so much?” Even if we rehearsed every day- we have a grand total from START to FULL TECH around 25 days. IF we did everyday: 25 rehearsals to go from “Hello New Material” to “Okay, now I have to incorporate all props, costumes, food, lighting, microphones, and be prepared enough on the show that we can seamlessly cover ifever/whenever things go wrong.” AND REMEMBER- we aren’t rehearsing every day! For fuck suck- It is January 9th. We have NEVER blocked Act 2. We’ve never put it up on legs. We’ve read it aloud. We’ve done the little “while the director isn’t here, what would your movements be” kind of reading. But we’ve never done Act 2 on stage. At all. We have ten days to make sure we keep Act 1 in mind (or cram it in there if it isn’t) while learning Act 2… while also trying to reach Expert Level in Act 2 while we’re learning it. So… there’s a LOT going on that we need to snap to for. It’s a hell of an experience. It’s one of the biggest reasons why I’m always and forever ANTI-diva in theater… because there just isn’t time. If your focus isn’t on making the show work together; get the fuck out of my show.

So that should provide me with some time this afternoon/evening. Provided I get home safe. I have some work stuff still to do, then shifting to an evening in. Another sign of “Shit got busy and complicated for you, buddy” is that I was thinking and… a night in… without scurrying over to Hermia’s… has been rare. Even if it was “scurry over to Hermia’s to bring her to my place” it still occupies a different space in my head. Which is one of those things that… does significantly alter the relationship dynamic with her blindness. It will never be something where I can say, “I’m really busy but if you want to stop on over, I’d love to see you.” Hanging out at my place isn’t “in the neighborhood” kind of thing. It requires a 35 minute round trip. Not that I’m complaining or upset. This is just part of the trade off and accommodation for things. BUT there are little moments like that where there is that kind of “this is how things are different.” (She would be quick to say, as I’m sure others might, that this is a person that would like to see me, which is the trade off you want. Better someone who wants to see you that requires a little extra work than someone who doesn’t want to see you who does not require any extra work.)

Meanwhile, I peer into my Friday Calendar (hoping I can re-schedule something for a time I’m not also going to be in Court) and… fucking hell! Friday mornings are usually JAIL COURT and a handful of issues in Magistrate Land. Magistrate Land on Friday? TWENTY TWO hearings. Y’know… typically expect between 3 and 6 but… TWENTY TWO! As I keep saying: This lifestyle this month is definitely keeping me busy!