Doing my Patriotic Duty

In the last couple of weeks, I have been overwhelmed by doing my duty to my country. Of course, veteran's day was this month. I have not served in the military, but many members of my family have and still do. I made my annual donation to the Viet Nam Vets organization that I support. They send me address labels that, thanks to online banking, I never use, and I send them a small token of my appreciation for their service.

Of course, we also had an election in November. No matter which candidate you were supporting, or which one you voted for, we can all be proud of the fact that elections in America go pretty smoothly. Can you imagine living in a country where the government is taken over periodically by a military coup? And then everybody who supported the other guy is rounded up and re-educated?? We are far from perfect, but I thank God that I live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

As if that wasn't enough patriotism, I got a jury notice in the mail. I had to appear on Nov. 10 for jury instructions and to get my juror number. I'm number 78 of about 120 people who (in the words of the last paragraph) were rounded up for re-education on their duty to serve the community. All I've had to do so far is call every friday evening to see if my number has been chosen to actually serve at a trial. Thankfully, my number has not come up!! Nor has anyone else's for that matter. There have been no jury trials in Logan County this month, and I don't have to call again until Dec. 5.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I got a notice in the mail from the TSA (Transportation Security Administration). Since I have a Class A CDL license with a HazMat endorsement, I am now required to have a background check done before I can renew said license. This involves filling out an application online, paying $89, and going to their office in Charleston to be fingerprinted!! The fingerprint part was kind of interesting. The whole thing is done by computer, not the old ink and paper. You put each finger on this glass plate and it scans the print onto the computer screen. You still have to roll the finger just like the ink and paper days, but at least it's not messy. I say that like I've been fingerprinted so many times!! The only time I remember being fingerprinted was when Todd did a science fair project on fingerprints. Anyway, you will be happy to know that the TSA has determined that I currently pose no security threat under Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.