After my dad’s surgery, while he attempted to read a magazine, he told me to build a home. I sat at his bedside in the hospital, nodded my head, rose from my chair and gave him a kiss on his bandaged bald head. I then sat down. After he went home to Lake Bluff and we all knew he wouldn’t make a recovery I, for the first time in my life, decided to take his advice. Upon my return to Alaska I began looking at property.
Today I bought a piece of land. Next year we’ll begin construction.
Last December a jury convicted Derrick Wren of murdering his friend Adam Calderon in cold-bold. I worked on that case for several years and was one of the trial prosecutors. During the month long trial I got to know Adam’s family – the Matos family – as they sat through it. Edwin Matos was Adam’s brother. Edwin had a young son. Yesterday Edwin was murdered at a local mall. So sad. Such a sad serious of tragic events.
I feel really awful for the Matos family, for Edwin’s girlfriend, and for his kid.
Finished my trial a couple weeks ago. Jury convicted the defendant on all seven counts. It’s so nice to be in trial again and not have to worry about all the supervisor duties for a few days. Having great co-workers who can step-in and take over the supervisor role for a short period of time is a Godsend.
Now I’m working on my next trial – a lengthy series of armed robberies and thefts perpetrated by two defendants. Got some really good defense attorneys on the opposing side and I’ve been allowed to have a second chair sit with me. She’s a younger prosecutor stuck toiling in the misdemeanor unit because we don’t have the same amount of office movement right now that facilitates promotions to one of the felony units. This will be great to have her working with me because, frankly, she’ll have more time to prepare the witnesses and (more importantly) will be a great resource to bounce ideas off of for opening, closing and protective orders. Two minds are always better than one in my book.
As for the snow; we’ve been stuck in 40 degree temps for the past week and a half. The slopes are nasty and icy so I’ve not been downhill skiing for a month now. Took up skate skiing instead. Finally dusted off last year’s purchase of Madshus skis and had a lesson on Saturday. Went out yesterday too after work by myself (not go well by the way) and have another lesson tomorrow. Super psyched about it.
The better half has now been gone for more than one week. She’s down in D.C. attending the annual American Academy of Pediatrics conference. Since I was unable (thanks judge!) to fly down there after the conference ended two days ago I am still here at home with the dog, KD. While KD is fantastic company she’s not even a remotely close or suitable replacement for actual real-life adult companionship.
I’ve been working very long hours this week preparing for a trial next week (not the one originally scheduled to start this week which required me to miss a trip to D.C.) along with a rather difficult change of plea proceeding which occurred today. Some aspects of the job are so emotionally draining to deal with and walking the dog or commiserating with colleagues brings some solace I do wish I could just drink two or three drinks and fall asleep early. That’s not an option tonight because I just started two weeks of being on-duty after hours. Since someone in the recent past got drunk and was unable to do the job we’ve now been fully advised that drinking too excess or close to excess will not be tolerated.
That’s just too bad in my book. Friends, good food and drinking to slight excess is quite fun for a Friday or Saturday evening.
Beautiful summer day so left work and went for a hike with KD and the wife. Couldn’t ask for better weather. Mid-60s with a slight breeze and not a cloud in the sky.
After two hard days, the deck is finished.
alaska, anchorage, home | operator101 | 
Friday 16 July 2010 6:47 pm | 
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