On my Birthday and Going to Court

No, I did not go to court on my birthday, it's today, I went to court yesterday.  But I have managed up until this point to never see the inside of a court room in all my 30 years.  And yes, I can say that because technically I wasn't 31 when I went!

It was an interesting experience.  Especially the part where I had borrowed my dad's car (because mine is in the shop for the third time in as many weeks) and on his key ring was something called a P38, which although small could be used as a weapon.  Doh!  That was after I had neglected to take the giant metal heart out of my pocket and walked through the metal detector with my purse on.  In my defense the security guard didn't ask me for it, but she must not have seen it slung over my shoulder.  I hope she at least got a laugh out of the clueless girl going to traffic court!

I was just a bit early so I sat in on the end of the earlier session and then halfway through my session until my name was called.  I kind of felt sorry for the judge.  She seemed to be on auto pilot repeating the same words over and over for various minor infractions.  I'm sure they have to say it in a certain way, but wow, boring.  And she must have been in a good mood because she was reducing everyone's fines (yup, I had to pay, because apparently by law the lowest reduction is still $85!) even for things I would think were fairly major... driving without a license?

Anyway, I was a bit nervous, but so interested in listening and watching that I'd finally relaxed.  Then she called my name and I could hardly think straight!  Good thing I'd been rehearsing what I wanted to say for weeks!  Sum total was less than half an hour in the court room.  Here's hoping next time it's for jury duty or something where I'm not the one facing the judge!

So with that behind me... I plan to have an uneventful day today.  Maybe get some Christmas cards done.  Make steak from the organic quarter of a cow we just bought with my parents.  Perhaps go swimming at the Y tonight and hope it's not snowing when I come out again.

Sometimes I wish that birthdays were still a big deal when you get older.  It seems like such a momentous day and yet, it's really just another day.  Perhaps part of it is because when you're a kid you wait and wait and then you get to have a party with friends and presents and all of these things are done for you.  When you are an adult you have to plan it yourself.  Or maybe that's just me, the family coordinator.  And maybe I'm just way too sentimental for my own good!

What do you think about adult birthdays?