"Good evening, Clarice..."

Today was one of the best days at work I've had in a long time. I was busy all day. I didn't even finish all of my work. In fact, I'm going to have to go in on Monday to finish, even though I was considering taking it off to do some serious packing, organizing and homework (because Tuesday I go to Ohio, and directly when I come back, I've got a paper due). I felt satisfied today.

I started off in Motley's courtroom. He had a heavy criminal calendar again, for some reason. (Maybe he was helping out another judge?) It was a sentencing hearing. The defendant had been convicted of assault with intent to kill, assault with a deadly weapon, and carrying a deadly weapon. It was interesting to hear the government and the defense making abbreviated versions of their cases. Apparently, the defendant had gotten into a fight at a club, had pulled out a double sided knife and sliced 6 people. Motley sentenced him to almost 8 years. It was sad to hear the defendant speak; he was a good guy, he had an 11 year old daughter, it was one night full of mistakes, etc. I felt bad for him. But then, he had also taken the stand and denied stabbing anyone, despite the overwhelming evidence against him. I ran a file across the street for Janese, then came back to court to listen some more. Before I left for lunch, a marshall wheeled in a defendant for the next case. She was in a wheelchair, strapped in. Despite the only similarity being the wheeled apparatus, it made me think of Hannibal Lecter, when he was being transported from prison, wearing the mask, strapped in like a live mummy. What a character he was.

Anyway, then I went to lunch at ABP, and happened to run into my section. After that it was back to the courthouse to pull some files from Probate and some other stuff for Janese. Then I went across the street to the office to put together a case history for Janese. I tried to fit in some work on the other cases I was working on. I didn't get to stats today, which is what I'll have to do on Monday, so I can be caught up before I leave. I'm going to have a bunch to do when I get back, but it won't be so bad if I work Monday, besides the fact that I have to do more follow up on my other cases. I was so happy to be running around like a crazy person, trying to get 27 things done at once. It reminded me of working at switchboard during the day. I like the busyness. I think I work better under pressure. At least then I can concentrate better on the task at hand. I have an unrelenting tendency to daydream when I don't have enough to do.

The commute home was the most sardine-like I have ever experienced here. When I got to Metro Center to transfer to the orange/blue line, there were a lot (I mean, a lot a lot) of people on the platform. I waited a train, so as not to be as crammed. Then at GWU, the stop before mine, a bunch of people from Eastern Europe, it sounded like, got onto the train, pushing their way on, as many as possible. There was some definite bubble-invasion. I didn't mind so much, though, surprisingly. I came home and checked the mail. Then I cleaned up. I was suddenly energized, despite my long day at the office. I did my nails and watched "Braveheart." (That movie makes me cry still, though I own it, have seen it countless times to the point where I've got it nearly memorized. Wallace's screaming "Freedom!" is a guarantee to elicit tears from me.) I really should get to bed, though. I have to wake up at 6:30 tomorrow so I can go to Ft. Belvoir to finish my community service hours. Then I hope to catch one of the "8 Films to Die For" this weekend. I heart horror movies.