TV-Induced Paranoia and Jury Duty Deferral.

I finally reached a real live person in the Jury Services Department at the Bell County Justice Complex. 🙃

Per "Linda" I have received my first deferral (until Oct 06, 2025). Should I require another deferral, I will need an MD note.

I told her I was sad I had to request this deferral--I'm one of "those people" who consider it an honor, privilege, and grave responsibility to serve on Jury Duty.

Have you received your Jury Summons yet?

By my totally unofficial observations it appears they really are ramping up their rolls:

1) Two of our Collage foursome have received a Summons. (50%)

2) my Home Infusion RN today said she received hers (her trainee had not--50-66% dependent upon if your count the trainee or not).

3) another RN in my VA workgroup of 6 received hers--both of us were to report July 28th [that's 1/3 (33%) of our workgroup told to report on the same day].

4) several casual acquaintances have mentioned they also received their summons.

And it's not just here in Texas--HS friends in Florida report they too have received summons.

AND, the former occupant of my current domicile received something from another Texas Courthouse in my mailbox today.

Are the courts anticipating more cases?

Is this an unofficial way to gauge our off-year census?

Or is it something more sinister...

Most likely it's the fact my remote control is MIA and the TV in the bedroom is stuck on my 6 am On/ 2 am Off schedule--and for some reason the True Crime channel is what was playing when I lost the remote...

(Amazon has delivered two universal remotes--neither of which work, even though it's the same replacement I bought the LAST time I was in need. And yes, I've switched batteries, AND purchased new batteries jic the opened package housed old batteries).

I have managed to manually change the channel--to ME TV which shows all the detective, law enforcement, and first responder shows I grew up watching. Not exactly True Crime--more like "Cozy" Crime (e.g. lightweight, no on-scene blood or gore, resolution by the end of the third act)--like a cozy novel for TV.

Deferred Jury Duty is probably a good idea at this time--my head is too much into true crime and conspiracy theories right now. 😉

TV-induced paranoia might be another reason for a Jury Duty deferral. 😂

'Twas the Monday-est Friday on a Wednesday Before a Holiday.

Let me preface this by saying, back in the day when I primarily covered 2K, it was nothing to have all 33 beds full at the beginning of the shift, discharge 9-13 Veterans, and admit another 5-6 that same shift.  "My" Ward hopped. 

Now that we are Provider-based, I have fewer Veterans and they are located all over the hospital. 

This week I have a Provider and a Teaching Team under another Provider.  Between the two provider lists, my case-load was only 24. Very do-able. 

By our 10:30am Inter-Disciplinary Team (IDT) Meeting they had written discharge (DC) orders for 8 of their planned 10 DCs--some of whom were changed from Thursday DCs because Juneteenth is now a Federal Holiday (it used to just be a Texas holiday until a couple years ago).  

So I was cooking' with gas. This Girl was on Fi-yah! 🔥

Literally. 

I'm always hot natured, so during the summer you will almost always catch me in a tank top. At work I just throw a lightweight sweater or kimono over it. 

Every time I came back to the workspace I was stripping off clothes trying to cool off. 🤭

First Seven DCs went off without a hitch. Number 8 had orders but waiting on the Fam to transport him home. Number 9s plan must have changed as there were still no orders when I left. Number 10: I put a hold on--it went from  Long term rehab or placement (the plan since admission), to  maybe short term rehab vs home with home heath (at 11am), to the latest plan:  home with home heath for skilled care (wound care), and non-skilled care (home health aide to assist the very frazzled Wife with providing all his dressing/bathing etc activities of daily living (ADLs); with  a vender set up and delivery hospital bed, and a few other items. 

And if that little surprise was not jolting enough, when I updated the DC Tracker spreadsheets I found a walkie-talkie (#11) they DCd home without telling me. Luckily he had no identified needs when I interviews him. 

And THEN things got kinda weird. 🤪

A staff member dropped by after work...and sang to me. 🎼

A random guy in the elevator did a full court press flirt...I mean overtly flirtatious. 😉

And one of the residents came by to introduce himself--mind you, we teams message and talk on the phone--and when he shook my hand it was a lingering two-handed 🫱🏻🫱🏻🫲🏻handshake--so much longer than the 2-3 seconds ⏱️ I feel is appropriate for the workplace, I was wondering if he was:  

1) instilling honesty and openness; 

2) conveying comfort;

3) attempting a show of power and domination; or

4)heaven forbid....flirting (I'm old enough to be his "GrammaLou").  

What ever his intention was flopped--what it elicited from me was a deep sense of discomfort. LOL.  

Especially when he said, "Call me (first name)"...which is the custom.

To which I said the same thing I've been telling ALL my docs the last 14+ years, "No. I won't be doing that. It's NOT that I'm your hand maiden--because I'm NOT--calling you by your title and last name is my sign of respect for what you have accomplished."  

The docs really don't want me calling them by their first names, as I only do that when I have lost ALL respect for them--or am livid-- and they are my target. Besides, pretty much everyone knows I will never be a handmaiden. I'm too ornery and opinionated. 

So as I reviewed my day in the Buc-ee's parking lot (the SUV needed a Buc-ee Bath), I pondered "what is so different today?"  

We've already had a full moon, and Friday 13th. 

And the past few months all manner of folk have been reaffirming me as having impacted their lives over my almost 28-year VA career.

If I believed--or remembered half the events they have attributed to me, I've been pretty awesome--even to the point of match-making!!! I honestly don't remember some of them. And ones I remember tell me events I don't recall. And I don't think I've EVER been a match maker!!

Anyway, I keep thinking they must know I'm dying or getting a pink slip and are telling me their goodbyes now before it's too late. LOL. 

And then it hit me. The reason for this Monday-est Friday on a Wednesday before a Holiday....

I bought a calming diffuser that's supposedly species-specific. 

Therefore...

I'm a cat.   >^•^< 

🙀