I have been summoned a dozen times, I guess by now, to be a juror. I haven't had the opportunity…read moreto be selected tho. This was the case last week when I made the journey downtown to serve my summons. This became a very long day. About a 100 folks and it was a murder trail. YIKES. I brought a laptop bag and stuffed it with a sammy and some snacks, glad I did do that. This was a pretty well run machine, I must say. You will go through metal detectors and you check in with another bailiff to be given your juror number. I got to the court 30mins early just to be prepared. I also arranged to be dropped off by the wifey. I would recommend this or perhaps an uber. Very little parking around, but there were some spots we spied on the way. It may have been due to the seriousness of the trail, but we didn't start coming into the court room until an hour or so after the proposed start time. Heard from the Asst DA and the defense team. I would say the Asst DA was a little convoluted with his monologue and the defense attorney was a former judge, so he seemed much more on his game. The Judge, whose name now escapes me, was very clear on the rules, how to address the court, when we could speak and to be honest and speak loudly and hold up our paddle with your number on it when called on. Man, this was an eye-opening experience. Doesn't anybody listen to directions these days? Repeatedly, folks talked at the same time, didn't hold up paddles or whispered. All kinds of super repetitive questions from the juror pool and really idiotic diatribes went on. I believe this created why we were there for almost 9 hrs. The common sense and intelligence of my peers was a "Wow really" moment. It was a self defence trail and comments regarding the "Law" was always being challenged. It's the law, we are not there to question it, cannot change it. There was a lot of emotion, but I truly believe this is due to our country right now and what's happening to our democracy, more then this trial. "Who here owns a gun". So, like 90% of the folks raised their hand. This was especially scary for me. Anyhow, learned about self defense and what was legal and what wasn't. I wasn't selected and I re-connected with a long term friend I hadn't seen in many years. Bring your laptop, they do have decent Wifi for when you are sitting around after Voir Dire is completed. The young offender got 7yrs for killing a homeless guy who was threatening his dogs. That result troubled me once I followed the trail online.

If you're here because you've been selected for jury duty for the 427th District Court and wanted…read moresome insight on logistics, this is my personal experience. Parking: Their email states that if you park at a meter and get an expired meter/pay station ticket, they will waive it for you. I naturally have trust issues, so I didn't park at a meter, but at the end, the Judge took the time to tell my group that they will indeed waive it if you bring it in. I personally prefer the low stress route of not getting a parking ticket by parking at the Capital Visitors Parking Garage and gambled that I'll likely not be picked and will be back within the free 2-hour window. After a nice, quiet 10 minute walk, I made it to the justice center. Location: The location of the Justice Center isn't immediately obvious. You can route to the "Travis County Criminal Court" on google maps, which is on Woodmansee Plaza. Process: Once you walk in, you'll go through security (shoes on, belts off). My email said that it's in Room 3.200, so after getting through security, walk to the back of the building where the elevators are, and take it up to the third floor. I got there right at 9am, but was actually one of the last ones there. No rush though, cause they'll wait for and call any stragglers. They were actually running late that morning, so we checked in and didn't actually entered the court room until right before 10am. It was a lot of standing/sitting around, so never hurts to bring reading material or snacks. In the end, the case was resolved earlier that morning, so we were all told to go home. Overall, the place was clean with bathrooms and free wifi available. All the staff as well as the other potential jurors (about sixty of them) were pretty nice and chill. This was my first jury duty experience, and it wasn't bad at all.

Cool place to visit. Did you know it's taller than the US Capitol? . Today they even let us throw…read morea dance party on the steps. A new Republic Of Dance is taking over the Republic Of Texas and I'm all for it. BTW, they do have tours and a great cafeteria too! I enjoy watching the sessions for the house of Representatives

The Texas State Capitol is massive, ornate, and undeniably beautiful. It's one of the largest state…read morecapitols in the country -- taller than the U.S. Capitol -- and the pink granite exterior looks incredible in the sun. The grounds are equally impressive: wide lawns, old trees, monuments everywhere, and walkways that make it easy to wander without feeling boxed in. As a physical place, it's stunning. But the contrast between the building and what happens inside it is impossible to ignore. Some of the most oppressive elected officials in the state work here, pushing policies that many Texans feel erode or outright erase basic freedoms. A lot of people see the current political climate as one where leaders are working hard to force the population into a narrow religious worldview, regardless of what others believe. The beauty of the building doesn't soften the reality of the decisions being made within it. The Capitol itself has extensive accessibility features -- ramps, elevators, modified pathways, and accommodations that allow full access to the building, including for the governor, who uses a wheelchair. These improvements exist because of decades of advocacy and investment in accessibility infrastructure. Yet some of the governor's policy positions have been criticized by disability‑rights groups as inconsistent with broader goals of accessibility and inclusion. It's a striking contrast: a building designed to be open and navigable to all, while some of the decisions made inside it are seen as running counter to that spirit. As a landmark, the Capitol is worth seeing. As a symbol of the state's political direction, it's harder to admire without thinking about who works there and what their decisions mean for Texans who don't fit their narrow worldview.

Dana B. was extremely helpful with researching some older property information for me. Really…read morerefreshing from a government office! Jim C.

We went to our local post office around 8:05 am and they already had enough people in line to fill…read moretheir passport quota for the day. We decided to drive 30 min to the Travis County District Clerk because there were appointments available all morning. We were in and out within 20 minutes. The employees were helpful and nice and the waiting area was clean and spacious. Next time, I won't even bother going to the post office.

Across the street at the constables office precinct 5 I believe constable JT Armstrong found my…read morewallet outside and found my phone number and called me such an honorable man! Give this man a raise!

So despite being a registered voter since 1977, I've never had an actual jury summons. Till last…read moremonth that is. Figures. The date I was supposed to appear? Monday, March 16 (the first day of the pub's busiest week of the year, & the day before St Patrick's Day). I responded electronically, trying to find a gentle way to say "no fucking way" to the appearance date, & desperately hoping for some form of disqualification. Turns out you can "block out" certain dates you are not available online when you complete the e-response. Unfortunately, I appear to be of (relatively) sound mind, can read & write in English, am not a convicted felon & am not under indictment, so I was still qualified to serve. I assumed my week long block would bump me to next month, or maybe even several months out, but sadly this was not the case. My new appearance date? Monday March 23. I called the recorded infoline at 11am as instructed, hoping to hear I would not be needed, but again, not to be. I was instructed to appear at 1:15 to be sworn & empaneled for jury selection in this august edifice. The building is a gem, at least the parts of it that haven't been refit & crammed full of new stuff. It's a 1930 "Moderne" style building, & our courtroom was one of the original high ceiling rooms from the old days. But I get ahead of myself. When I checked in (part of a motley crew of five dozen of what can only be termed the 'teaming masses') with the avuncular bailiff straight out of Central Casting, I was given a number, & a short questionnaire. It included 4-5 questions on...wait for it... HERPES. e.g. "Have you or anyone you know well been treated for herpes?" & "How much do you know about herpes?" & "Do you think you know more/less/about the same about herpes as most normal people?" This gave me some clue about the trial, obviously a civil matter. This could be interesting. At about 1:30 sixty mostly glum conscripts are ushered into the gallery area of the courtroom, seated in rows & handed numbered foam-core paddles bearing juror numbers. We looked like the lamest Sotheby's auction ever. The process is called "Voir Dire" which is apparently a French phrase meaning "your entire afternoon is shot." The wordy Judge explained that we would be questioned by attorneys for the plaintiff, & for the defense, & they would have the opportunity to disqualify jurors peremptorily or for cause. As he was explaining this & I looked around the courtroom for the first time, three things struck me: a guy in the gallery (actually sitting in what would be the jurors chairs during the trial) was a technology executive friend of mine; the plaintiff was a strikingly attractive young woman; oh, & the defendant was a high-tech entrepreneur I knew quite well & with whom I had had a past business relationship. Oh boy. This could be interesting. I resisted the urge to jump up & down & yell "EXCUSED!" & let the process unfold. What are the odds? Had I answered the summons for the 16th, I would have been in another courtroom. On this date, juries were being empaneled in no less than 8 courtrooms. Of all the judicial gin joints in all the courthouses in Travis, I had to walk into the one where I knew the barkeep. I was questioned early, & revealed my association with the defendant & the fact that it might well color my decision making process in this trial. I thought I'd be excused at that point. No such luck. Juror pleas of economic hardship, sexual squeamishness, medical emergency had to be heard first. Four & a half hours later, I had learned that the lovely plaintiff (25 years younger than the defendant) had contracted herpes, that she & the defendant (and for all I know, others) had had an act of consensual sex, & that the plaintiff was claiming that the defendant knew he had herpes at that point, had not disclosed same, & had in fact been the one that infected her. For this she wanted punitive damages of $3.5 million. Yes. And some compensatory damages too. Yes indeed. And some medical/pharmaceutical damages. Yikes. I also learned that the burden of proof on the plaintiff in civil cases is not "beyond reasonable doubt" but rather "based on a preponderance of evidence." Mercifully, after a sidebar conference with the judge & the attorneys confirming my association with the defendant, I was excused, "disqualified for cause," five occasionally interesting hours later. I got to see the start of judicial sausage being made, but I'm glad I didn't have to wait for the finished product on this one. [Author's Note: I learned from a juror who WAS empaneled that the case DID actually go to trial, and was sent to the jury for a verdict, but was settled before a verdict could be rendered. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.]

So I'm driving back into my subdivision and stop at the stop sign, but not long enough to file,…read morepolish and paint my nails as required by the wonderful officer who pulled me over and gave me a ticket. How embarrassing as the neighbors drive by and rubber neck at me. I'm already a member of the leper lounge because we chose not to procreate. The sheriffs are supposed to be patrolling our neighborhood to discourage naughty crooks from breaking into our cars, but instead have taken to banking on pulling over the people in my hood.I know this, because there are a lot of people bitching about it on the neighborhood Yahoo group. I was so livid, incensed, irate because that just sucks to get pulled over in your own damn neighborhood on Thanksgiving!!!!!! Anyway, I remembered yesterday when I looked at my ripped up ticket which was stuck under my "fuckers" magnet on my fridge that I needed to respond to the court by Dec 25 or they're going to come get me. So I figured they'd be working today right? This is the first 24th of Dec that I haven't worked in like 5 years. But nooooooo, they were closed! Mixing church with state! Now what's going to happen when I call on Dec 26th? Just to play it safe, I faxed them a letter informing them I have attempted to no avail to contact them and they denied me this right because they are all off enjoying their eggnog. Bah humbug.

Leslie Enriquez is by far the most courteous employee there. You can tell she takes her job…read moreserious and is super professional

Austin Central Library is nothing short of magnificent. The…read morearchitecture and interior design are modern with clean lines and elements that accentuate the library experience taking it to another level entirely. This is the type of structure and experience you'd expect in NYC, London, and the likes. Absolute perfection. I love the way the book sections and categories are divided and set up on various floors. Each floor is crazy spacious with loads of comfortable reading areas, tables, areas for rest, etc. There are private meeting rooms, a cafe, gift shop, an art gallery, rooftop deck with crazy good views of the city and Ladybird Lake, a children's library called 'Wonderland', an events center and so much more. The librarians and staff are extremely helpful, friendly, and not bothered if you need assistance locating a book. They have almost everything you could possibly be looking for to read whether for research or fun. Access to laptops and computers. Lots of charging areas for media and phones. The library is a true marvel. It makes me happy to see and know that ALL are welcome, especially the unhoused who would otherwise not have a place to go in extreme temps. The bathrooms and entire library are spotless and meticulously clean. We're so very lucky to have this amazing library in our city.

Most impressive library I've ever seen…read more Highlights: - HUGE: so may floors and so much space to hang out - Looked like a tech company space but a public version for more to enjoy - Roof garden with expansive views and fun colorful seating - A full tech area to create in with computers and installed software - Gallery: full room featuring an artist on the main level - Art: beautiful colored windows, art inside, and cool art installation with words from a snippet of a poem in English and Spanish. - Architecture: actual building was modern with unique angles and lovely. And you cross a butterfly bridge to get there - Bike repair shop below - Restaurant and coffee shop window Midlights: - My home town does not have a library like this Lowliglights: - The elevator is very slow and doesn't smell so clean...

It was a perfect day to visit Boogy Creek Farm. They had a great variety of vegetables grown, the…read morestaff was friendly, and my granddaughter had a wonderful time running around.

What a beautiful experience today at Boggy Creek Farm. I've been wanting to explore, visit, or…read morevolunteer here for so long. Fortunately today there was a community yoga class (Swift Fit Events), plus a succulent class (East side succulents). This allowed us the opportunity to explore and enjoy the property. We brought our mother along to enjoy, and she quickly made friends. There is a lovely market filled with fresh produce, plus other local goods. Everyone was friendly, and helpful. The restrooms are very accessible, and clean! So happy to have this precious gem in Austin! Thank You