The Hum Drum Parts in BookThree: Flight Log 2016

Now for something… far more common.

I was surprised today when I woke up without the pain I expected. See, I worked out last night (not hard, but still) and so I expected my legs to “repay” me for that kindness. They didn’t. Awesome.

I am, however (of course) very tired still. Wife didn’t get home last night until late and I’m still doing that stupid thing where I try to spend at least some time with her before I go to bed. Bah.

So I’m tired… got to work. Felt good answering a defense attorney’s questions. He was worried about his client, didn’t know where she was, and was concerned about the criminal trial. It is one of the rare opportunities I get to do what I do best: working with someone to solve an issue in a positive way. Turns out, his client was part of another matter that I had personally given my blessing on… meaning, she needed some pretty severe medical assistance and I told all of the parties involved that her medical care comes first. We’ll settle the piddly fine-only criminal matter later. And it is those things that make me appreciate what I do and make me glad I work in a place that (actively) doesn’t give a fuck what I do. Because I’m able to do just about whatever I want when it comes to most cases (at least, before it gets to a judge). So it allows me to go easier on certain people that a larger county would want to hammer. HOWEVER, I’m quick to remind myself that such privilege comes with a dark side, too. Since it also prohibits me from going harder on certain people that might actually need it. So… there’s the rub. Easy on people who need a break translates to easy on people who victimize the community. Hard on people who victimize the community can lead to being hard on people who need a break.

So, I intentionally wasted most of my morning. Because… while my list of TO DO looks long… that’s only because each individual “E-Mail SoAndSo” is its own line. And considering I type 62 Words Per Minute (typically)… e-mails don’t exactly take a super long time. Instead, I helped out for Cecilia a little. I’m the one who answers the phone (thus why I don’t really call her a secretary) and it was ringing a lot today. Plus, in the vein of printing files and all of that… I did that, too. I significantly don’t wish to come across as an asshole but… this is the way of things. Cecilia is spending her time as a Collections Agent… a job that most Counties hire for (anywhere from one person to nine). Thus, I don’t have a secretary… even though that is what Cecilia’s job title is. And lawyers are known as people who NEED their secretaries. All of the paperwork, the scheduling, the phone calls, etcetera… yeah. Just… more fun for this county. OOoo, speaking of fun for this county… this is a farming community that has a few manufacturing plants left. Thus… periodically, we’ll get people who don’t speak English. Not a problem, something I got used to in Omaha- I can deal. The county, however, cannot deal. None of their paperwork is in any language other than English and they refuse to pay the money to have someone translate the paperwork to the individual. So… you expect a person who has no idea what he’s dealing with to comply with the thing he can’t read? Fucking crazy.
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Blah. Then the afternoon. I figured… five hours… lets see what exactly I can do in that amount of time that might approximate to something that could be passably perceived as “work.”
(1) Walk to courthouse and ask if they need me to do anything. HOT OUTSIDE!

(2) Get back to my office… my boss calls. Speaking with her… infuriates me. I’m just putting it out there. I sent an e-mail to her, as she is the Head of the Department, letting her know that it would be in the County’s Interest if we had some documents in Spanish. She was calling to tell me that I need to take care of that. You’re the head of the department, you’re the checkbook of the department, you’re the native from this area… how about YOU do your job? But then.... more fun, of course. She won’t be in the area tomorrow… and there is a case she was going to do… could I do it? WITH LESS THAN 24 HOURS NOTICE?! Yeah. Way to be professional. You know that Police Officers, Lawyers, and Witnesses have to be called for hearings. And more than 24 hours should be expected notice. Vile bitch. LUCKILY FOR HER… I already took care of informing the officer and asking him to get the witness to come to court. Because… yeah, I have to stay ahead of my boss for these exact reasons. So I told my boss that the officer and witness should be good to show. She scolded me for not filing a formal legal demand for the witness to show up. Bitch, if I hadn’t been as proactive as I was, we wouldn’t even have THAT much since you couldn’t be bothered to know what cases were coming up that you were supposed to be doing. Shit. Her incompetence, her work ethic, and her impending senility… just rile me up! UPDATE Now, she’s asked if I’ve found a document translator yet. Huh? You mean, you wanted me to drop everything and focus on this issue (as opposed to preparing for hearings tomorrow)? I don’t… how do you function?!

(3) You remember that case with the little girl and the teeth? Her attorney is “trying to figure things out” which is to say… he is trying to get the kids back with the mom. I get that it is his job but… yeah, I can’t bring myself to think of that as a good idea. I responded as friendly and professionally as I could… but the whole time I’m screaming in my head: We still haven’t received proof of dental work and your client has not shown up for drug screens in the last 8 months! Thus the reason why TWO FACE is excellent for prosecution… we swallow the “you crime loving, drug obsessed, drain on society, horrid fucker!” and instead say, “I understand your concerns, but the law requires you to comply with this order.” UPDATE: No, apparently it is worse than I thought. Children-based DHS workers are sent from two counties over (because yeah, we don’t even have THAT in our County) and the DHS worker that was supposed to be on this case? HASN’T MADE CONTACT WITH THE FAMILY. AT ALL. And the hearing is NEXT WEEK. Motherfuckingsonofabitchgoddamnedassholebastards! This county is a fucking nightmare.

(4) E-Mail Number One To Officer WVD

(5) E-Mail Number Two & Three to Officer AW

(6) E-Mail Number 4 to Magistrate

(7) E-Mail Number 5 to CCT

(8) Correct Felony Filing Matter for Boss

Super.... just great… found myself on a roll, getting things done and taking care of what I need to… when I find out… oops… they forgot to tell you about a hearing on Friday. Yeah, I need to be prepared to put on evidence as to why the Teeth Children shouldn’t be with their parents. But wait, I say, their Juvenile Hearing is on the fifth! Yeah, apparently, their juvenile hearing is on the fifth… but they are getting another one, too, and that is on Friday. WHAT?! Sonofa… they… you tell me there is Juvenile Court ONE DAY a month and we force children to wait months because of that… but this time, randomly, there’s just… another hearing? I really… sincerely… passionately… would like to see how things are run in a place that GIVES A DAMN. Because if it is this exact way? Fine. But somehow, I have a feeling even if things WERE this way… the other attorneys in the office could help. As opposed to this. Where I am absolutely willing to put in over time and try to learn how to do my job… but there isn’t anyone who can help me learn. So I do overtime trying to teach myself from Google. It’s like I’m Frank Abagnale Jr. over here; pretending to be a lawyer!

So that’s my day. I’m done. Fucking done. Yeah, I had 13 things on my list that I wanted to do. But seriously… FUCK THIS PLACE. God, damned, I’m angry. I get that Boss is on her way out and won’t even finish up the year. But guess what? I’m going to work hard to make sure I’m not too far behind her! I just pray that there is The Right Job out there when that time comes. Because… this County is too corrupt to think I could make a dent (especially as a reviled outsider)… and I need a place that gives a damn about law, order, services for those in need… y’know, that kind of shit. Honestly… cannot stand to be in a place like this for long.
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Why Libertarian Policies in Practice Have Made Me Much More Liberal. If drug addicts and starving children are a good thing; then you’re right… we don’t need government in any way.

Another super fun bitching: My one other family member who is an attorney (happens to be a prosecutor in a VERY different environment) was talking about the Public Defenders Office and how they are friends, colleagues, competitors and rivals. How the adversarial part of the job is like siblings instead of like warring factions. And it frustrates me. Because… there is no Public Defender’s Office in my county. None whatsoever. And the simple fact is… if there were one, ONE Public Defender in this county… 100% of the legal issues here would be infinitely better. There would be a working three way relationship between Defense, Prosecution, and Judicial. We’d be able to work together, even when working together meant working against each other. As it is… everything is contracted out, and 9 times out of 10 that means out of county. So instead of dealing with, “Hey friend, how are your kids?” I deal with attorneys calling me saying, “I’m not driving 45 minutes to come to a hearing.” Just… this fuckin’ county.

(As I was doing this alleged “work” I ran into a few things that flustered and flabbergasted me as they relate to some of what I’ve talked about here lately.
First: I like the idea of sex being something we can discuss. I saw a Feminist Blogger who may disagree. The topic was “sexism” and how sexually enjoying breasts is wrong. Anytime someone tried to suggest otherwise, she did her best to absolute destroy anyone who “believed breasts were sexual.” Lady? Breasts are multipurpose and some owners of breasts consider breasts sexy and/or good for sexual activity… and their partners may also agree that breasts are sexy and/or good for sexual activity. Considering breasts to have a sexual component isn’t something to go full on HATE for. Considering breasts to have no function OTHER than sexual… that I can understand. The bigger issue… you aren’t helping the world any by jumping down people’s throats for discussing sex and sexuality. I understand the desire to defend your gender and to be considered as complete people… but if your response to discussions of sex is to immediately go to “You’re all just cavemen!” then no discussion will happen… which is bad for everyone. Plus… by attempting to paint all people who enjoy breasts as “roid abusing pig headed cavemen”… you’re abusing the people you claim to represent (women) because there are straight women who enjoy their own breasts and lesbian/bisexual women who enjoy breasts.
Second: SO tired of SO many people saying “If Hillary was a man, you’d vote for her.” No. I wouldn’t. You don’t know me, don’t ASSUME my political point of view is due to sexism. Especially since I still plan on voting for a woman for president. I understand that there are SOME people not voting for Hillary because of sexism. My views are predicated on her past voting record, her history of campaign criminality, and her political actions for the last 20 years. If you announce that my views are simply because “she’s a woman”… it becomes very difficult to stay rational and calm and not viciously rip you and your assumptions apart.)

In an accidental bit of interesting coincidence… I later read THIS cracked.com article about Women in Movies. Now I’m not so myopic or full of shit as to think “If movies do it, that is the truth of the world” but I will make the argument that movies tend to reinforce or manipulate perspectives and expectations. Thus… (6) strong females still having significant character details focused around their sex lives makes a statement. (5) Requiring strong women and strong female characters to go Tomboy sets up a tragic stereotype. I see it often when friends of mine who enjoy dresses and makeup are “called out” for not being a strong woman. So men AND women are negatively affected by stereotype reinforcement in films. Because the fact that you like pink or makeup… doesn’t mean you are any less strong, tough, brave, or quality. (4) This point made interesting points: a- male led movies do better financially, so it is easier for studios to back strong women as aids and friends as opposed to the lead; b- even considering that, it is unfortunate that females (even strong females) seem to be dependent on the male character’s story. (3) Strong female leaders NEED to be seen in movies as less “The Bitch” if at all possible. Because showing a strong female leader as The Bitch inspires men to think all women in leadership are cruel, cold, awful people… and it affects how women think they need to behave to BE the leader. It fulfills itself. And it is a big deal that (in movies and life) so many men who follow a female leader are considered “whipped, emasculated, or less manly” simply for allowing themselves to be led by a female. (2) This one is a long lasting issue… men as focus of female movies. It needs to change but #1 is likely why it happens. (1) THIS PART HERE EXPLAINS ALL THE NEGATIVITY SURROUNDING “Ghostbusters” and “Meninists.” Because there ALWAYS seems to be a Zero Sum narrative. If a woman is strong, she has to show herself belittling or besting a man to do it. And it is a message sent so often that it has created a trigger… a woman wants power, she’ll use it against me; a woman wants to lead, she’ll use it against me. I get that films need conflict and everything… but how about we try to make a film where people are people and not exclusively genitals connected to performers.