A-Typical male's journal.

Hopefully, this will end it. I'd like it to be over, no matter the outcome. I can deal with pretty much any outcome, because I've done everything I can do. My medical papers are with the state, or will be soon. Once they decide, I can go get my license, but that won't happen today.

Some of my decisions weren't the best. I didn't try to deal with this fast enough, and that's a mark against me. Once I decided to deal with it, the court's patience had run out. I won't get a continuance today, I don't think I'll even ask. Or maybe I'll ask, and be denied. I don't really want a continuance. Like I said, I want this to be over.

I don't know what the punishment will be. Probably a fine. Hopefully, my license won't be cancelled forever, or not. I don't have and DUI's, just poorly done paperwork, and late paid tickets. But all my paperwork is done now, and my tickets are paid.

It's just a matter of waiting now -- at least I don't feel the great dread of it today, like I did back in August.

Mom should be getting the WISE house for us today. We had to move our wedding date to May 2nd, in order to have both that day, and the day before at the WISE house. We are probably the first people to have a wedding there--there have been receptions,though. The cost for the two days is about the same as for a tent, but we could still have it outside, if the weather is nice (and move it inside, if the weather is bad)

I was talking with my Mom this weekend about our travel arrangements, and what we'd do if I didn't get my license. I told Mom that we might have to cancel a trip, if it meant I had to drive. Mom approved of this, even if it meant I couldn't go home for the holidays. She reminded me of my brother's stupidity.

He has a revoked license as well (is there somethign genetic?). His problem is that he hadn't told his wife about it. He probably 'forgot' to tell her about the ticket, then forgot to pay it, and now he can't tell her about any of it, since he's waited so long. So, he keeps driving, probably oblivious to the consequences. I need to tell him what it's like to spend the night in jail.

I also need to get his Christmas present. I spent twice what I normally do for his birthday present (which is/was on the 10th), so it might be an inexpensive Christmas. Azura is going all out for his wife though.

Azura came and picked me up around 12:30, we grabbed some Arby's for lunch, and headed downtown. We fed the meter all the coins that had gathered in my car's ashtray (well other than pennies, of course), until we had almost two hours of time on the meter. Then I led Azura to the courtroom.

We got there just in time, which is the right time to show up. The courtroom was open, so we went on in, and found a seat. I tried to go up to the DA (the woman from last time was there) when an obnoxious man sent me back to my seat, and annonced 'not to do that' to the crowd. I was a bit angry, since I'd done that before, I didn't think there was a rule against it. I certainly wasn't in the way, I was just standing, waiting to be recognized.

They called the cases, and I told them I was going to plead "Guilty", which was partly true, and partly a ploy to get hear earlier. I had to fight my urge to go talk to the DA. I just felt so helpless, and informationless. I was really worried.

They called the cases again, around two, and then we waited for the judge to come in. I think the worst part of this whole process was the waiting. They did the lawyer-assisted guilty pleas first. There was one person who was up for "Driving while License Revoked". He'd paid his fines, and his lawyer asked for a PJC.

That, I learned was a Prayer for Judgement Continued. I'm not sure what it means, exactly. I'm not a lawyer. I think it means that they acknowledge you did something wrong (you did plea guilty, afterall) and since you've taken care of it they waive the punishment. I think there is a second component which implies: don't screw up again. That would be the "continued" part of the judgement.

Then they started in on the guilty pleas without a lawyer. They called a black guy, who was also Driving while License Revoked. The judge asked him "How do you plea?" He said, "guilty". The judge commented that he had a prior ticket, which was why his license was revoked. He asked the guy if he had anything to say. The guy said, "No, that's pretty much it." I thought he was a bit surly, but Azura thought he might just have been scared. I don't know. He got 30 days in jail (suspended) with a 24 month probation. On top of that, he couldn't drive in North Carolina during the probation. Ick. I leaned over, and whispered in Azura's ear, "That's as bad as it can get, probably." She nodded.

They called me next. I plead Guilty, and explained to the judge what I had done about it. He coninued my judgement. I was saved by a prayer. We paid the court costs or 80 dollars, and that was it.

It's finally over. It's within my power to not let it happen again. All I have to do now, is wait for the state to process my paperwork.

I took a deep breath, and went home.

Generic Joe's A Typical Male