Paul Harvey in BookThree: Flight Log 2016

1- My contact at the Prosecuting Attorney’s Training Counsel said that (1) as to the ex-parte issue; provided I disclose the communication to the opposing attorney, that fixes everything… and (2) as to GIVING MY PHONE NUMBER OUT; the State says that is a matter that should be contained to the county department… translation… I need to yell at my boss and The State wants nothing to do with “writing policy” in these matters.

2- Looks like my Jury Trial will not be going ahead. Thus, I will not have a jury trial this year… thus… I may, honestly, not have a jury trial. Because, seriously, I want to get the fuck out of this nightmare sooner than later. I’m applying to anything I see and crossing my fingers. I get that “God put me here for a reason” but if The Faith says it isn’t to punish me and it isn’t because I need to superstitiously do certain things… then certainly, God is going to help me either do this job or get out of this job. Though… that being said… God was with my friends recently. The Cubs and their thousands of Iowa fans, obviously. But also one of my old friends. Her son has a heart condition… only 5 years old… and his chest was open ALL WEEKEND as they tried to help. Things look good for him. So… even though it goes against my notion of an omniscient, omnipresent, and/or all powerful deity… if God needed to ignore shit recently to focus on some other stuff… clearly, that was a better use of time. But… seriously. I’d like some divine help anytime now, buddy. Neither one of us thinks I should be a pastor… I’d do too much damage to a church’s congregation. So help me find what I should be doing, where I should be, and/or help me figure out how to do what I’m doing!

3- (OH! And… how’s this. We were going over budgetary bullshit today for the county. DHS has been told that they are not allowed to purchase Facial Tissues for the office anymore. Even though DHS deals with Crime Victims and Child Victims. Meanwhile, the DOC buys video games for the prisoners. WHAT?! Yeah, straight from the Auditor’s mouth. So… staff budget? Nope. Freaking kleenexes? Nope. But video games for prisoners? Yup! I’d call this place a joke but the only reason I’m laughing is to keep from crying.)

4- Iconic Beauty Looks From The Year You Were Born. To keep me from succumbing to my rage at my boss, disappointment in the Board on funding, and despair at feeling like I’ve been abandoned out here.

Favorite or Preferred Looks (by year)
1941: Gene Tierney
1943: Veronica Lake
1944: Merle Oberon
1945: Lauren Bacall
1958: Sophia Loren
1960: Pascale Petit
1965: Jean Shrimpton
1966: Natalie Wood
1969: Jane Birkin
1979: Carol Kane
1981: Carol Alt
1986: Cindy Crawford
1987: Paulina Porizkova
1996: Kristy Hume
1997: Faye Wong
2001: Charlize Theron
2003: Angelina Jolie

And looking over that list, I notice some commonalities and a lot of differences. And it is what happens whenever I view and judge beauty or aesthetics. Hell, if you take a list of my favorite actresses (based solely on Beauty) or my favorite Adult Film Stars or any list of “I prefer this to that”… I’m fascinated by the process. Entirely and wholly fascinated by the process. WHY do I prefer something? WHAT ultimately creates a sense of “attraction” in humans? These things fascinate me. Just… randomly throwing that out there.

5- Interviews today. I find it… interesting… that the board made us cancel the interviews we had set up; the rescheduled them on their own. Sounds like some petty bullshit power move. So.... exactly like them. But the two candidates we like the best are the first two interviews of the week. Not sure how to interpret that but knowing the Board, I think they are doing this… “Here are the two that are most wanted; do they want full time and/or high pay? If so.... can we get a similar candidate for less?” Bah. JUST HIRE A COMPETENT QUALITY PERSON I get that it would interrupt a strong 30 plus year stretch of an unprofessional incompetent but IT’S TIME!

6- FACEBOOK POST: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Okay… but if you just use lemons, that lemonade is going to be bitter and awful. What you’re saying here is… if life gives you lemons, put in time and effort to squeeze those lemons for a still bitter outcome.
At the very least you should get some sugar, maybe some water if you are going to make lemonade. Otherwise, the suggestion translates into “Work hard. It won’t make the situation better; but at least you worked hard.”

7- My Plan:
With everything going on; and how shitty stuff is… I think what I’m going to do with my the remainder of my day is… Dismiss a Case where I would have to ask an officer to perjure themselves. My boss thinks I should do it anyway (fucking unethical cunt); but I won’t. If the sheriff or citing officer give me a hard time about it; I’ll inform them that matters of this nature can be addressed further at the start of the new calendar year. Then, I’ll really pour over my cases and my To Do lists. I’m not kidding. As badly as I want to get out of here… and as much as “WE LEAVE ON OR BEFORE X DATE” is in effect… I will not leave this place as my predecessor did. Just continue all of your cases until they have to be dismissed and walk out? That is unacceptable. If/when I leave… I intend to not only have been actively working on all of my cases but I also plan to leave brief summaries of each case so that whoever takes over will at least have some where to start.

Oh… and Wife has to work a lot this week. It made her mad. That plus hurting herself while packing on Friday night made her so angry that she slammed a cabinet door so hard it broke the magnetic mechanism that keeps it shut. That kind of anger is an interesting part of A Perfect Storm. When she gets so mad that she has to express it (usually violently)… added to my admittedly Still Not Quite Healed from my abusive relationship.... and tension, stress, and arguments increase.

But… what I was going to say… Wife works a lot this week. So I’ll have the house to myself. Which I anticipate will mean that… either a lot will get done… or nothing will. It will depend on my end of work moody a bit.

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At the end of my day I can say the following:
1) I am still incredibly angry that my boss gave out my personal cell phone number to an individual with an active Mental Health Commitment. The lack of professionalism and respect infuriates me.

2) I do still very much want to leave this area. Very much. I want to be back with friends and family. And I don’t feel a need to defend that desire. Many people who live in Tiny Town and Up North County live here to be close to family and friends. Many attorneys intentionally set up practices where they can be close to family and friends. I don’t owe anyone an explanation for why I want to be closer to family and friends; nor should I feel defensive about that decision.

3) That being said… there is some hope in the abyss of this place. The Sheriff’s Office will be getting a new Sheriff after November 8th. The Auditor’s Office will be getting a new Head Auditor after November 8th. The County Attorney’s Office will be getting a new County Attorney after December 16th. Thus… provided the Board doesn’t fuck it up as badly as they possibly could… there is a chance (however slight) that not only would we get a capable and competent County Attorney (which we’ve sorely been lacking) but may actually get an attorney that understands the benefits of having a functioning office (which would be a gigantic step up!) Thus, while I would sincerely appreciate the ability to flee from this poisoned area… trapping someone else here that may actually be able to help could be an acceptable alternative. Though, in order to discover that… I still have to survive the next 100 days. A sort of irony. If I can’t escape this place… I’ll know if I’m okay or irreversibly fucked near my 305th day of living in Tiny Town. Roughly two months shy of a year.