Thanks be to the gods

Back in April I entered an intersection near CalArts to make a left .48 seconds after the light turned red. In Southern California they place cameras on a lot of major intersections to take photos and video of people like me so they can send them a $500 ticket in the mail two weeks later. Seeing as I am not making enough monthly income to even go beyond rent and car payments, this was an issue. I went to court and talked to the judge:

Dodo: "I ain't got no skrillz"
Judge Reinhold: "Ok, you can do community service."
Dodo: "...o...k?"

While waiting in line for the clerk after my little discussion with the judge I start to get concerned. What the hell did I just sign up for? I struck up conversation with a girl who had done community service in the past. She started out picking up trash on the side of the freeway until she asked a judge to get transferred to the pound, thinking she'd be able to just play with puppies and kittens all day. She told me about the harrowing government-run pound experience, which included witnessing the decapitation of a captured mountain lion that had ventured into a residential area. All I'm thinking is "holy shit" at this point. I get through the line and tell the lady I don't live in Santa Clarita -- I live in Atwater Village. I need something close to where I live! I don't want to pick up trash! What are my options??

I'm giving 56 hours of my life to Out of the Closet, a gay friendly non-profit/funky thrift store that is about a mile from my house. Everyone there is nice. I am counting my blessings.