The Wayward Celt

Just got home from work. The day its self was busy, and my next few days will be even busier. This made my ride home extra nice. Cruising through the canyon on my VFR, not a soul in front of me, I was leaning into the curves and having the time of my life. It is for this reason that I commute on my motorcycle; it clears my head and makes me happy.

Of course, I end up passing the point in the road where I got my last ticket which I fought as a “Trial by Declaration”. This got me to thinking, “I SHOULD be getting my judgment in the mail soon”, but it only stayed as a passing thought as I threw a knee out into the next corner.

When I get home, I check the mail. A letter from the Superior Court. Hey hey, today is the day of reckoning. Did I win? Was the ticket just tossed out? Am I going to have to actually appear and fight the ticket?

I get inside the house. Open the letter. Read the Judgment:

CVC 22350- NOT GUILTY

CVC 21460- NOT GUILTY

Yes my friends, this ticket wasn’t just thrown out on a technicality like lack of documentation by the officer etc. (which I played on by the by), rather, my case was ‘heard’ or actually read by a judge who in turn found me NOT GUILTY based solely on my declaration as submitted in lieu of appearance. My declaration was also counter balanced by the citing officer’s declaration, so this is even bigger than just getting the ticket thrown out. Sometimes the system DOES work. And now, I get my $425 in bail money back, and the ticket wiped from the system!

If any of you happen to get a traffic ticket from the California Highway Patrol (not sure about the OC Sheriff), I will be happy to explain how I have won my past two cases by fighting it in a “Trial by Declaration”.

In response to plumerai’s journal entry poll here: where she asks the age old question: “It is decreed that the only music you will ever hear from this point forward comes from 15 albums of your choice. You will not be able to hear any other music, anywhere, ever. However, if you agree to have two toes amputated, you can regain access to your entire music collection and will hear any and all music as you do now. The toes are also of your choice, but they must be removed from the same foot. You: Amputate your toes, or amputate your music?”

I chose to amputate my toes. Then I started thinking, “which albums would be on my top 15, IF I could even narrow it down that far?” So, as an exercise in futility, I though it would be fun to actually try and figure out what 15 albums would comprise my top list:

On to my Top 15 Desert Island or Amputated Toe Albums

As promised, following are a few pictures from the Johnnie Walker Journey of Taste event which Raz and I attended last week:

Cut to hide pictures