Midway through...sort of

As of this week, I am half way through my fellowship. I can't believe it has already been two months!!! I continue to be completely awed by this experience. Washington, D.C. is am amazing place. I think once you start to lose the awe and appreciation for this city--it's history, and the power if wields you no longer need to be here.

Periodically, I am responsible for giving capitol tours. I could spend hours in that building and I genuinely enjoy learning about everything contained within it to share it with visitors. It is unbelievable to walk over where John Quincy Adams desk was or to walk through the same halls as many of our presidents have.

At the same time, my sense of direction continues to fail me. These poor people I take on tours. So often I have no idea where we are going. Oh, you didn't want to see the George Washington statue three times?

Interestingly, I say I am half way through my time here but I really have no idea. I am considering pursuing some job opportunities here which could extend by stay indefinitely. In terms of the fellowship, the Democrats wont tell us when we will be going on holiday break so I may be back as soon as early December or as late as Dec. 23rd.

Congress was originally scheduled to adjourn this Friday. That is clearly not going to happen! We have hardly passed any bills of substance and the Democrats have way bigger plans for us. Health care, cap and trade, and some appropriations bills are all on the horizon.

Recently I have been working on some military family issues. These projects are great. How can you not want to do everything possible for service members and their families who are prepared at any minute to give their lives for this country? Their devotion to America and all that she stands for is incredible.

Other than that, I have included a picture of Mike and I with the Congresswoman from a few weeks ago. Good times.

Getting to know the party

Last week was great. I am beginning to really get engaged with the political aspects of Congress and campaigning. The Congresswoman is really interested in women's outreach and motivating more women to run for office. As a result, I have been brought into the mix. So far my job has consisted of attending fancy lunches and hobnobbing with influential people. How did I get so lucky?

This past week I saw Dana Perino speak--President Bush's press secretary. She was incredible! Beautiful, witty, and brilliant.

Also, much to my delight, I am working on some higher education issues and getting a quick introduction to financial aid policy. It is both incredibly complicated and unquestionably the largest contribution the federal government makes to higher education. Lastly, Congress is beginning to stir with the discussion of No Child Left Behind reauthorization. At this point, it seems like it will be NCLB but rebranded as the Elementary and Secondary School Act reauthorization. And the administration thinks they are being tricky...

Perhaps the icing on the cake was acting as a staff escort on a capitol dome tour. We literally walked up 360 stairs into the dome and then above it and outside for sweeping views of all of Washington, D.C.. Unbelievable. While in the dome we were so close to the fresco of the Apotheosis of Washington that if I were a little taller I could have touched it. Gorgeous. I can't believe I work here.

On the sight seeing front I visited old town Alexandria, VA. It was a gorgeous fall day on the waterfront. In the late

1700's and into the 1800's merchant ships would dock here and just up the way a bit are old cobblestone streets with gas lamps and old row homes where the ship captains lived. Today these homes are still occupied and stand as million dollar historical landmarks. What an incredible place!

One month in

A month in and I think I am finally getting the hang of things over on Capitol Hill. I can get around the house offices pretty efficiently and am starting to manage maneuvering the capitol building. I have also learned that while the majority offices set the committee agendas, they will not divulge that information to the minority staff. And yet, the minority staff still seem to know the agenda. Do we have spies?

Meanwhile, things on the homefront are great. The internet I was stealing from my neighbor seems to have been password protected so I went and bought a tv. I got a steal of a deal on an "open box item." I quickly discovered "open box" is misleading, because what they really mean is no box, remote, or manual. So I put my tv in a bag and carried it around the mall, to dinner, and then home on the metro. It got it's own seat of course.

This past weekend Mike came to visit and we had one of the best weekends ever (with the exception of the beating our football teams received). He got in late friday and then we spent saturday walking around Georgetown and watching college football. Sunday we booked a cruise to Mt. Vernon. We got to the dock just in time to see our ship sail away so we went on a metro and bus adventure to get to Mt. Vernon on our own. It was a gorgeous day and our cruise back on the ship was wonderful. We got back just in time to watch the late afternoon games and gorge ourselves on pub food. It was a good day.

All in all, D.C. has been a great adventure. I suppose it is kind of a mixed blessing that the democrats are dragging their heels on all pieces of legislation unrelated to healthcare. It would be nice to be a little more busy in the office; but, be careful what you wish for, right? With my free time I have just taken on the research for a journal article and will be the coauthor on an upcoming book chapter. Now if only to find a job!