New Phone number

So I have this new iPhone. I really think that the "new" number they gave me has been used by atleast 6 different people. The first day I turned on the phone I received a text from someone who was asking if he was ever going to see the $700 tuition payment. I told him he had the wrong number.dra
The next person who contacted me was asking about some children's book thing and I told him he had the wrong number. Then he texted me later and said that my number was on the internet linking to a group of children's illustrators??? Then he texted later and said if I ever needed a friend or just someone to talk that I could text him. WTF??? Who does that? He calls me with a wrong number and wants to hook up?
Then someone was texting someone named Mara and asking her for a buddy pass so her son in law could go to Berlin from New Orleans.
A Valery first texted me asking how I was and then sent one of those silly patriotic cartoon drawings. I've had the phone for a least a month now, so they aren't too close.
I also got this long text about the dangers of strawberry quick, a new type of crystal meth that I need to make sure my kids don't get ahold of. And I'm supposed to forward it to as many people as possible.
Isn't there a certain amount of time that has to pass before they re-use a number? There needs to be!

Drake

Drake at the Fillmore, May 24, 2010

What's new

So I was going through things and I saw the link to this blog that I used to keep. It's been so long since I've written anything. I've been having trouble sleeping and one of the things that my doctor suggested was writing things down. Maybe I'll try just by writing on this blog.

A lot has changed since I used to have this blog. I am now living back in North Carolina. I gave up on my grand DC experiment. I was just working so hard and so many hours and I was still living paycheck to paycheck. It was killing me. I decided I had to make a change. I accepted a job in Charlotte with the Federal Defenders of Western North Carolina. It is similar to what I was doing before, but now I work on federal cases.

I still have my condo in Falls Church, VA. It seems like everyone else in the world made money in the housing market. I, on the other hand have a condo that has dropped in value like 30%. I mean, come on! What am I supposed to do about that? I have someone renting it now. That's a help, but it doesn't cover both my mortgage and my condo fees. Thankfully, the cost of living down here is so much lower, I can rent a 2bed/2bath and cover the loss in Virginia. Let's all pray for the housing market to improve.

A Year Later

So it's February 2009. Last year at this time I was in the DR. I miss it so much. I had so many plans to go back, to visit, to live... but I'm still here in DC. Still working hard trying to keep my head above water. I just feel like I owe everybody. Everyone want some money and I just don't have it to give. I don't know how I got in this situation. I still dream of being back in Sosua.
I have to have surgery. It's not that big of a deal, but I will be out of work for about 2 weeks. So I am thankful I have a well paying job that has very good health insurance. I'm thinking that I will have the surgery in early March.

One of my new favorite shows

is Randy Jackson's America's Best Dance Crew on MTV. These kids can dance. I'm so impressed with the talent on this show. When I first heard about it, I wasn't expecting much from Randy Jackson, but they have some real talent. That being said, I just want to remind everyone of the fact that my husband was doing what BreakSk8 is doing now, over 50 years ago. For those of you who don't know, one of my husbands is(was?) Gene Kelly. Back in 1955 he was in a movie where he tap danced on skates. The movie wasn't great, but the scene was mesmerizing. Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aus1PA5-SyI

My DR photos

Here's the link to my pictures from the DR. You don't have to sign up with Shutterfly to view them. Just click View pictures, then I suggest view slide show. That way, you can see the titles and know what you are looking at.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AcOXLlq3YsmLy4&emid=sharview&linkid=link4

MIA

I know I've been missing in action for a few days. I have had the cold from hell. When you have the flu, you expect to be out of commission, but this cold knocked me off my feet. The first two/three days I had a painful sore throat, the rest of the week I was all congested, it was awful. Since Thursday, I have been house/dog sitting for a co-worker. They have these two big sweet dogs, so I got to bond with them. It was fun. I meant to take a camera over there so I could take a picture of the big babies, but of course I forgot.

Good news

NOT GUILTY!! It was so good to hear those words. The jury was out less than an hour before they came back and told us what we already knew, that our client was not guilty. Client was so relieved, he can finally get his life back to normal. I now have to get back to all my other cases that have been ignored recently.

DC Jail

Here's a link to a blog about someone who spent a weekend at DC jail. Imagine what it is like for my clients who can wait up to 2 years for trial. We actually had a case once of a woman who was tried about 3 times before she was found not guilty and she was locked up the whole time. I think she was at DC jail for about 10 years. I can't imagine. Check it out...
http://inthiscase.com/2008/03/03/get-back-to-your-cell/

Trial

I had to testify today. Not about anything serious. I had to go out and drive some routes and then testify about what I drove and how long it took me. No matter how simple the testimony is, I still hate it. I hate having to go into the courtroom. I know logically, some good things happen in court, but my experience is that nothing good happens in the courtroom. I remember once upon a time, I wanted to be a lawyer but now, there's no way. You couldn't pay me enough to be a trial attorney. I'm always begging my attorney to figure out some way that I don't have to testify. He doesn't listen, I think he will probably try to find a way to put me on in all of his trials. His way of torturing me. Anway, we have closing arguments tomorrow and we're done. My other attorney starts a trial on Wednesday, but I'm not really involved too much in that case. Someone else took it over when I was in the DR and she kept it.
I also hate having to get dressed up. I've gotten so used to wearing jeans and sneaks that putting on a suit doesn't seem natural. I guess if all I did was sit at a desk all day I could get used to being in a suit again, but not with all the running around I do. It's more trouble (and pain in my feet) than I want.

Back home

So, I'm back in DC. It's taking a lot of adjusting. I just want to run away back to the DR. It's hardest at night in bed and when I'm freezing walking up to the parking garage. I'm actually in trial now, so I don't have a lot of time to be day dreaming about the DR.
I'm about finished with Shutterfly, that's where all my pictures will be posted. I'll send out that link soon.

My beach..paradise

This is where I would go in the afternoons. It's wonderful. There are no waves at Sosua's beach. If you want waves, there are other beaches to go to. This is the one that was in walking distance from where I lived. This is also the beach that I was walking to when I fell and busted my knee.

Los Charimicos

Los Charimicos. This is where Antonio's mother lives. There are all these little paths between the houses. Antonio also lives here, but down a different path. These are the houses that the government is going to demolish.

Home

So, I'm back in DC. I actually came home a couple of days early. My mistake. I had some stomach issues (I won't bother you with the details) and I knew that I had two trials starting on Monday. Basically that meant that I would not have any recovery time when I came back. So, like an idiot, I came home early so I could get better. Come to find out, both trials have been continued. If I hadn't come home early, I would just now be getting to the airport instead of sitting in the Wales room waiting for a demonstrative exhibit to print. So I'm home early, it is very nice to be in my own bed, but today for the first time in a month, I woke up with a headache. I know now is not the time to be making any life altering decisions, but if I wake up with a headache on the day I'm returning to work, what does that mean?

Villa Liberación

A while back, I wrote about the government's plan to move the neighborhood where Antonio currently lives. These are the new apartments that all of the residents of El Tablón are going to be moved to. I think that each apartment has two bedrooms. According to Antonio, he gets one, his mother gets one and his sister gets one. He has two other brothers that I think live with his mother and I don't think they get their own apartment. I think you have to actually own your apartment in Los Charimicos to get the new place. The conditions that they live in now is nothing like anything I've ever seen before, so you would think this is an improvement. I'm just a little wary when the government decides that everyone is just going to up and move. Especially considering that where they live now is right on the river and will be prime real estate which of course the government will be able to develop. Also, Antonio keeps talking about this guy that keeps coming by and offering to buy his apartment. It sounds like there is money out there, but only certain people are going to get it.