APRIL 7, 2014

Unlike other days, I didn’t have a million options for my 100 Happy Days picture. I spent the morning in a Santa Ana courtroom shooting the opening statements on a very odd case about a man who hit his wit’s end with a bank after five years of trying to get answers to what happened to the contents of his safe deposit box. In frustration, the man in his fifties walked into the bank with a sawed off shotgun and pipe bombs, took the bank manager hostage, and demanded for her to call the bank’s VP so he could at last get answers, after which, he said he would kill himself. According to his defense attorney, he had no intention of hurting anyone other than himself. He just wanted answers. Not a lot of “happy” opportunities there, and even if there were, we’re not allowed to use camera phones in court.

From there, I dashed to another courtroom, this time in Westminster for an arraignment on a guy accused of evading police, crashing into a van and killing a passenger, a twelve year old girl, then fleeing the scene. Ew. There is NOTHING happy about that.

Days like this are exactly why I decided to take on the 100 Happy Days challenge, to remind myself how even when I’m bombarded with yuck, there is still an opportunity to find happiness.

Like this afternoon when I looked in the mirror and remembered what shirt I had put on: my Bentley Rules shirt. Yes, I fell for one of those Facebook mass ads to everyone named Bentley, and actually bought one. I wore this shirt for you today, Daddy, and thoughts of you always make me happy, as does being a proud BENTLEY.

Until tomorrow’s happy moment…

Later gators!