I am enjoying a day off today. I have already been for a walk and thought I would revisit blogging for a treat. For those of you who follow this blog on a regular basis, I have been continuing to re-explore my career (paediatric physiotherapy) and last October took the leap back into working in the public hospital system. Most impressed, BTW, with the public system and the Children's Hospital....much less waste occurring than in the NGO I was previously working for. Currently I am doing an outpatients clinic two mornings a week; oncology, muscle diseases, hydrotherapy (which is officially now termed aquatic physiotherapy). They've also sent me back to a special school for one day a week....this is the very place I started in paediatrics way too many years ago! I have in fact travelled a full circle in my career.
Two weeks ago I flew to Brisbane to do a fabulous developmental paediatrics course at the University of QLD - made me briefly consider doing a Masters but it would have to be distance and I'm not sure I can afford the time. Returning home, I discovered a summons for Jury Duty in the mail. I've had these before so thought that I would not be needed....how wrong I was!!! 200 potential jurors were called in on the Tuesday (my day off work) and we sat in a room for 2 hours until we were escorted into a court room with Barristers, Judge, and accused/defendant. 36 charges were read to which the accused pleaded not guilty and then began the process of reading out the Jurors' numbers for selection. I serously did not want to be picked for this Jury, not only because it was a pretty harrowing case but also because it would have taken 6 weeks. Work would not understand! I suspected I may have had to resign had I been selected. The Court clerk called out the Jurors with the numbers above and below me...not mine. Dismissed for the day, we were asked to call back that evening. Everyone said we wouldn't have to go back the next day...how wrong they were! I had a bad feeling that it was going to be the same case we were called back for...and it was. This time we were placed in a Jurors' room for 2 further hours, then we were called back into Court for a re-selection. The Judge told us that the Jury selected the day before had been discharged "for reasons that didn't concern us"! So what did that mean? I felt I was back in school. This time I was placed on a bench right near the accused so could see his reactions, facial expressions, hands. Charges all read out again and then began the process of picking Juror numbers. The guys on both sides of me were picked leaving me alone on the bench...."please God don't pick me", I thought. By that stage I was resigned to thinking I could do a fairly objective job of being on the Jury but work simply would not understand if I told them I would be away for 6 weeks (despite being told they have to release their employees). The Crown and the Defence rejected three jurors and they began selecting more numbers. Once the last person had accepted the open Bible I knew I was off the hook. Nevertheless the Judge still asked us to call back that evening to check to see if we were needed again. Fortunately I was in luck and my panel had been discharged completely...well there were hardly any of us left to choose. Thus, my first experience of the NSW Court system. It made me grateful that I wasn't on the wrong side of the Law!
I'm continuing to Altar serve up at the Cathedral - taking great enjoyment out of it in fact. It is a good feeling when you are on a team that has a sense of ritual and likes to do things well. (A bit like being in a play in fact ...although unlike actors, we are supposed to make ourselves inconspicuous). Tonight I am serving at an ordination - two more women Deacons to join the growing number of women clergy - I think they are outnumbering the men in our Diocese at this time. On the more irreverant side of things, I can't help thinking of the Vicar of Dibley when I watch some of the proceedings in Church. The series was so well written (thanks Richard Curtis & Paul Mayhew-Archer) that some of the scenes are horribly close to the truth - we even have personalities that could be likened to some of the characters in the show (there is a Frank Pickle-like double on Parish Council, plenty of Davids but no no no Jims). BTW: Our Bishop watched the episode when Geraldine (Dawn French) married Harry (Richard Armitage). I've been scanning the BBC 1 website for relaxation lately (checking outtakes for VOD) and I'm quite amazed by the program websites and the number of blogs devoted to either the actors or the programs themselves.
FINALLY, my thanks to the band McFly who gave a special concert out here in Sydney this weekend. My daughter and her friends are passionate about this band and she wanted to see them for her 18th birthday. The band members took the time to meet the fans, sign autographs and allow photos - result - one daughter in 7th Heaven! We, meanwhile, spent a very pleasant day in Sydney browsing bookshops and looking at the Queen Victoria docked in Circular Quay.
That's enough from me. As you can see, my relaxation from work matters at the moment is the BBC. Looking forward to visiting a few of my favourite blogs!
