*Sigh* Fall sure is in the air, isn't it?

'Filed my first story today – an aggravated assault trial that just started. It's a huge weight off my shoulders, having this first day behind me. I've been a nervous wreck the last few days – you could have left a fleet of obnoxious comments calling me a sports jinx and criticizing my football team and I only would have half-heard. Oh wait, you did.

I actually had amazing Yankees-caliber luck with this initial story. The Public Defenders and State's Attorneys offices both told me there'd be no jury trials this month and boom – my first day, there it is: a jury trial. This case could give me two more days’ worth of material if I’m lucky.

I won't go into detail, but suffice to say the case involves an interesting Sept. 11 twist, crossed with a bitter child custody battle, crossed with alleged assault on police officers – all caught on tape. (Um, you still with me? Sort of? )

They showed a DVD copy of the video to the jury, and it involved police storming a vehicle – before they realized there was a 5-year-old kid inside with the driver. So there's a point in the tape where you hear this little girl start to cry in terror. And it only got worse for her from there, emotionally/traumatically-wise. (She was OK, physically.)

Heartbreaking. It seriously gave me chills. I wasn't expecting that.

And it dawned on me – that little girl automatically loses this case, no matter who's proven innocent or guilty of such-and-such a charge.

Mikey's the big winner. Mikey wins!

This situation transpired out of a custody battle that spiraled horrifically out of control, because the parents – at least one of them – were acting less mature than their 5-year-old daughter.

Last night I watched my two roommates, one who's about 35 and one who's about 45, nearly come to blows. Mainly, it's because one of them's a total a-hole who seems to have this rare need to antagonize – but still, grown men acting like they're in junior high. I actually had to step in and move my laptop, in case a fight broke out. (Fortunately, I'm moving in four days. Woo-hoo!)

Look, I don't have any kids.

...

Fine. I don't have any kids that I know of. (Better?)

And I'm sorry, but I'm scared shitless of becoming a parent. Especially after seeing stuff like I saw today. I have no business ruining the lives of my parents' future grandchildren. I have just enough f-d up baggage that I bet I could do it.

How friggin' easy it is for adults to behave like children.