Innocent Until Proven Awesome

I am relieved this week is almost over. Sleepless nights, undue panicking (Batman and Steven are definitely Worst Case Scenario guys) regarding today's court case (I'll get to that in a bit), endless work, allergies, meetings, presentations, teaching, public speaking. I am looking forward to a quiet day in my office spent with my butt firmly in my desk chair, finishing my busywork. Wait, that's wrong... There is no end to busywork.

Couldn't sleep last night and got a terrible cluster migraine this morning - allergies and screwy weather patterns are probably mostly to blame. Where did the sun and the 75 degree highs go? Why is the sky blanketed by gray and yellowy striated winter cloudies? Why are my kitties hibernating? Oh woe is me! The paleness, the lack of freckles! My tattoo is so black against my shoulder blade, it looks wrong. Just a few minutes in the sun last weekend, and I'm still peeling around my eyebrows.

And as for court... I consulted with Batman, the Dark Knight of Law, for a panicky hour while lying on the living room floor last night as Steven rehearsed for Gondoliers. I even helped him run his lines later, which was really entertaining. S had spent his last hour at work researching possible options for me. For the last month, I'd been ignorantly confident that I could just breeze into the courtroom and talk my way out of my troubles without any pre-planned strategies. Batman and S burst that bubble pretty quickly, and their combined worst-case-scenarios had me in a state of anxious preoccupation for the rest of the night. I'm honestly surprised I slept at all, but S, seeking to soothe me, gave me a massage that had me out like a light - for about two hours. That's when the migraine precursors started. Meh!

I basically kept S up for the rest of the night, and woke him up at 5 AM with my chattering. I went home, got ready, went into work, printed my driving record and a summary of my points, told my bosses I'd be heading to court (they were miffed but understanding - I was scheduled to present at a meeting at 10), and left for the courthouse at 8:45 AM.

I got in line with the other criminals, but I stuck out like a sore thumb in my nicest tailored black suit - everybody was dressed down and eyeing me apprehensively. It was great fun. All I had to do was talk to a DA, who must have been having an awesome day, because he reduced a 20-over ticket to 9 over without much persuasion. I didn't understand his chipperness; that was a dour, anxious, grumpy long line of people. I'm still not sure whether or not I made the right decision; I chose a less risky route that may or may not impact my insurance. If I get another ticket anytime soon, I won't be utterly screwed. I paid the cashier and booked it back to work, where I made it in time to speak.

In other news, I accomplished full ustrasana in Bikram for the first time on Tuesday! M, the instructor, cheered. Like so many things, the incomplete, tentative shadow of the pose was so much worse than the full opening and abandonment of the true pose. Maybe someday I'll accomplish this variation. Heh.

Theme Song: DJ Zinc - Casino Royale