Wednesday, March 23, 2005
In case you were wondering... you are not allowed to bring knitting needles of any kind into the Middlesex County Courthouse. Yep... nabbed at the metal detector... twice.
The first time I went through, the nice officer commented that I had a pair of scissors in my bag that would not be allowed in. He said that they had to be out of the building. I was heading back to put them in my car (3 blocks away), and saw a post office across the street... so I went in there and mailed them to myself.
Then, I came back in... and now the officer picked out my knitting needles. They were size 2 circulars... hardly deadly weapons... but after a small conference with 2 other officers, it was determined that since they "came to a point" they would not be allowed (C'mon... I'm knitting a SOCK here... how dangerous can I be?) So I hiked back to the car and left my knitting in the trunk (with my parking lot ticket, which I therefore did not get validated, and I had to pay to park)
I might have been the only person in the county looking forward to jury duty--- hey, someone was going to pay me $5.00 to sit in a room and knit? I was crushed.
However, I would not have had much knitting time anyway... they were short on jurors, and I immediately got called for a case. The judge estimated the case would take 2 to 3 weeks-- as a small business owner, I pleaded financial hardship, and was excused.
Within 5 minutes, I was called for another case, and selected for the jury. It was really an interesting process. I enjoyed the court case-- especially interested in the treatment of doctors as witnesses-- and was glad they allowed all of us to deliberate, instead of excluding alternates. What a fascinating study of human nature and group dynamics. Really very cool.
So next time, in 3+ years, I will again look forward to jury duty (and will bring a plastic crochet hook just in case).
I'm working on a baby sweater with the new yarn from the Woolly Lamb... it's from the Rowan Pipsqueaks book-- I think the pattern is called "Pumpkin"
I've done the front & back and am working on the sleeves... should be ready for assembly soon!
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The first time I went through, the nice officer commented that I had a pair of scissors in my bag that would not be allowed in. He said that they had to be out of the building. I was heading back to put them in my car (3 blocks away), and saw a post office across the street... so I went in there and mailed them to myself.
Then, I came back in... and now the officer picked out my knitting needles. They were size 2 circulars... hardly deadly weapons... but after a small conference with 2 other officers, it was determined that since they "came to a point" they would not be allowed (C'mon... I'm knitting a SOCK here... how dangerous can I be?) So I hiked back to the car and left my knitting in the trunk (with my parking lot ticket, which I therefore did not get validated, and I had to pay to park)
I might have been the only person in the county looking forward to jury duty--- hey, someone was going to pay me $5.00 to sit in a room and knit? I was crushed.
However, I would not have had much knitting time anyway... they were short on jurors, and I immediately got called for a case. The judge estimated the case would take 2 to 3 weeks-- as a small business owner, I pleaded financial hardship, and was excused.
Within 5 minutes, I was called for another case, and selected for the jury. It was really an interesting process. I enjoyed the court case-- especially interested in the treatment of doctors as witnesses-- and was glad they allowed all of us to deliberate, instead of excluding alternates. What a fascinating study of human nature and group dynamics. Really very cool.
So next time, in 3+ years, I will again look forward to jury duty (and will bring a plastic crochet hook just in case).
I'm working on a baby sweater with the new yarn from the Woolly Lamb... it's from the Rowan Pipsqueaks book-- I think the pattern is called "Pumpkin"
I've done the front & back and am working on the sleeves... should be ready for assembly soon!
