Washinton D.C.: Post 1

Eating at Texas Roadhouse was the best thing a man can do right before boarding an all-night flight. With food in his stomach, a man can sleep. A man can think. A man can dream...which is exactly what I would have done if I didn't have two stops with long layovers on my way to Washington. Flying to Denver was not so horrible because it was so short. The worst came with the flight to Houston, in the which I got no sleep and no respect. Baldy, as we will gently call him, was moving around so much in his chair that I couldn't help but think he was about to wet himself. The woman next to me stole my armrest, so my left armpit was sweating more than my right, which I absolutely detest. All that in addition to the impossible task of sleeping while sitting straight up with no leg room.
The flight from Atlanta to the Reagan International Airport was superb. I remember trying to finish a Sudoku while taxing around the runway, then landing. Nothing to fill the void. I slept so well.

Day one was simple. I arrived at my apartment, unpacked my bags, and "hit the town," which was actually just testing the metro and grabbing a Subway (sandwich, not public transportation.) I spent the night alone in the apartment which was actually somewhat fun.

The next morning was my first day on the job at Congressman Jason Chaffetz office. I got very excited very quickly. How many people get an intimate tour of the Capitol Building on Day One of employment? I did. I helped escort a couple around the Capitol which is fascinating and definitely a good way to start.

Yesterday and today were filled with things I mostly expected to be doing: phone calls, desk work, computer files, mail, etc. Surprisingly, doing such things was quite fun. Phone calls, for example, keep me on my toes, and it is rather uplifting to feel like you made someone's day just by being upbeat with them. Even just today brought many such moments after I excitedly asked people how their day was going. The tone from the initial "Congressman So-and-So's office" to "Great! How is yours?" is as different as Dennis Rodman and Gandhi. Yes, that different.

No need to tell me that the excitement and shine will wear off after a few days. No need to tell me not to get my hopes up. My hopes are up. And they'll probably stay up. I have no intentions of getting bored or frustrated, because 4 months really isn't that much time in the end. I've been whole just over two days and I already feel like I'm running out of time.