Financial Hardship and Making Time

Yesterday I was summoned to jury duty in downtown Oakland. I really didn't have the day free, but I thought it was better to serve instead of postponing. I wound up being randomly chosen and upon heading upstairs to the courtroom was told that we were being considered to serve on a criminal case that may last a month. The defendant was there with his lawyer and the prosecutor was there alone since I think the victim is a minor. Anyway, I started freaking out. There is just no way that I could have served that long. Not with Grandma entering hospice, traveling for Thanksgiving (or her funeral) and then there is the whole making money thing. I mean if I don't work, I don't make any money. And there is only so much I can do after business hours.

So after filling out a lengthy questionnaire after how I feel about law enforcement, our judicial system, sexual assault and prostitution I completed the Hardship request form and headed back up to the courtroom. There were quite a few people that came in after me and got excused before me. I started getting nervous that my request would be denied. However not only did the time I waited allow me to feel my heart beat pounding in my chest, but it also have me time to really consider my answers to the questionnaire and to the idea of time. I mean, if my request was denied I would be forced to serve and potentially be selected for the jury. That would mean changing my travel plans, and working evenings and weekends and having to confront issues around sexual assault. Would it be ideal, not really, but it could have been possible. I mean, if we are forced to do something, well, I don't mean forced, but plenty of times we are faced with issues that do not hit us at the most opportune moment. Losing a wallet, getting into a car accident, etc, we just have to deal with it. We are creatures of habit and for me personally I don't like my schedule or my world shaken. It does really bother me when people say they don't have time for things. Like taking care of themselves or having a boyfriend. I can't tell you how many times I've heard that. I just don't have time. But it's not true. Especially in the boyfriend department, if there's someone you want to spend time with you MAKE time. So, honestly, there is time. But for the most part time costs money and that's what many of us don't have right now.

I am in the process of updating Quicken and really seeing what I have. I know that I am making more than I'm spending, but it would be nice to have some next steps in place and make closer to what I'm worth. But living in a new area that will take, um, well...time.