The less I bring to the witness table, the more I know about my bill.

If all I have is a copy of the bill, I’m ready to make the case for it and to answer the questions I expect to be asked.

If I bring another witness with me to the table, I expect to depend upon him or her to answer most questions.

Today I brought nothing to the table, or more accurately, my desk at home.

When I left Annapolis last week, I forgot to bring home my bill file.

So with no printer in my house, that meant no copy of my testimony or the bill.

I planned on accessing both those documents on my laptop.

This morning, however, no one could hear me on a Zoom until I shut down all of the other windows I had open.

No multitasking allowed.

The hearing was on a bill I know well.

It would allow a landlord’s compliance with the lead risk reduction standards to be offered in evidence in an eviction case.

I made the points I wanted to in my testimony.  I wasn’t asked any questions.