January 30, 2010: Park City Meets DC (But Don't Get Used To It)

My first job when I moved to DC eight years ago was on Capitol Hill. For an untraveled guy from out west who was into politics, moving to DC and working on the Hill right out of college was a pretty awesome experience. In good weather, I'd often forgo the tunnels to walk over to the Capitol Building by crossing Independence Avenue. Nothing beat seeing the Capitol Dome lit by the morning sun. My boss used to tell students that the Capitol Building isn't just the center of the legislative branch, it's a temple of freedom. Every time I walked through the Rotunda or saw the dome reflecting the morning sun, I felt the same way about the place. In fact, I felt very lucky to live and work in DC.

As time wore on, that feeling of "lucky me" was replaced by a feeling of "how did I end up here?" I left Capitol Hill to find a better paycheck, which I found in a much more drab building where I helped hand out millions upon millions of dollars that even the Assistant Secretary for whom I worked said she'd prefer to just give back to taxpayers. When I rode my bike to work nearly every day last year, seeing the monuments lit by the morning sun rekindled some of that "lucky me" feeling I had when I saw the Capitol Dome as a Hill staffer. I haven't done nearly enough pedaling since I bought a motorcycle--it seems like more work now that it's the more time-consuming option. (Pedaling was the fun and healthy option when my alternative was the slow and crowded Metro.) So, the unpleasant weather in DC and the usual stresses of a demanding career, combined with what can often seem like a pretty upity culture, often leave me wondering again, "how did I end up here?"

Today, that changed for at least 30 minutes as I rode my motorcycle into the city in weather that felt as nice as a summer morning in Park City, Utah. I had to pull over, step off of my bike, and see that sun lighting up Old Abe, because I knew that standing in that cool dry air, seeing the sun reflect off of the monument, would make me feel lucky to be in DC again.

July 28, 2010: Efficient Allocation of Labor: Theory Meets Confusion

I'm trying to replace this:

With this:

It's so simple a monkey could do it. That's the theory anyway. It's a hub assembly for the family van, the much maligned "Golden Bear" or "C3PO," depending on the kids' preference of the day, or "the van," or "the damn van," depending on J's. The job I decided to tackle myself literally only requires removing six bolts, a big nut, and a cotter pin, or so I thought. As it turns out, the monkey who does this job also might be required to beat the daylights out of the parts if they're rusted together, and that's probably why the shop wanted to charge me about $220 for labor. Yes, as luck would have it, the old parts are badly rusted together, sealed, it seems, by corrosion for the duration of their earthly life. So what is a guy to do? After beginning what I hoped would be a 1 hour job at 6 a.m., I ran to Home Depot at 7:30 a.m. to get a rubber mallet. By 8:40, the mallet succeeded in pounding the rotor and the hub apart, which is why you don't see a rotor in the picture.  But now the old hub is hanging on to that van for dear life. What's next? Probably a more severe beating for C3PO using some more vicious tools. We'll figure that out later. In the meantime, J is forced to drive our other car, which she's even less happy about than driving our "damn van."

I like to think I have a basic grasp of economics. In the case of fixing cars vs. legal work, I know I have a comparative advantage in producing legal work and a mechanic has an advantage in fixing cars. Theory would therefore hold that the most efficient allocation of labor would be for me to do my job and let mechanics handle theirs. My problem is that I earn a fixed salary, but I pay the mechanic by the hour. Therefore, despite what my billing rate at the office would suggest, from my bank account's perspective, the mechanic's time is worth more than mine, so I do more things myself than I'd like.

If the day comes when I can truly say the choice is to work for an hour to earn $X or pay someone $X-$Y, and $X > $Y, I'll gladly choose the pay $X minus $Y approach. It would be more convenient and result in not just less cursing but also more money in the bank. For now, however, it's a choice of paying $0+$Y or to do it myself for $0. Sure, there are other opportunity costs, but they're not directly monetary, so I'll sweat away for the time being.

July 27, 2010: Telecommuting Rocks!

I worked from home today just because it was one of those rare days when I had a lot to do and didn't need direct access to people, books, or documents at the office to get my work done. I'd like to try to do that every second Friday or so, but the odds of the work assignments lining up perfectly to accomodate that aren't good. I said something about how that would benefit quality of life, and J was quick to point out that it would do nothing for her quality of life, because I'd be working all day either way. Not only that, but I also pretty much lay claim on the basement when I telecommute anyway, so J definitely has a point. The missus and I topped of the day by catching an 8 p.m. flick--Salt. I know it didn't get great reviews, but I found it entertaining enough. Then again, I'm kind of a sucker for action flicks.

July 25, 2010: Pink-Eyed Bubba

I'm actually stealing a pic here from my wife's blog.  One of J's friends came into town for a little girls' break, so I had the kids all day on Saturday.  We ran some errands in the morning, went to the pool for a couple hours, and then hid from the oppressive heat outside by hanging out in our basement watching movies.  My plan was to take the kids to a birthday party in the evening, but Bubba woke up from his nap looking like someone punched him in the eye--the dreaded pink eye had struck--so that plan was off the table.  Bubba's siblings were pretty upset by the cancelled plans, so dad played the sucker and took them to Chik-fil-A for dinner and an ice cream cone instead, doing my best to shield bubba and his stink eye from the view of all the other parents there.  We were spared a trip to the after-hours clinic by our good friend--one of the two and a half people that occasionally looks at this blog--who had some old pink eye drops in her medicine cabinet.  Bubba and the rest of us are grateful! 

July 22, 2010: This Is Why I Can Park My Bike In My Office

Why? Because one of the partners in the office rides daily, and he parks his bike in his office. Sure, his bike probably cost 5 or 6 times as much as mine, but it would also probably cause me more pain to replace mine if it were stolen than for him to replace his. So I park it where I can see it...when I ride, that is. I need to ride it more!  I went to Capitol Hill today to try to help drum up some new privacy work. That would have made for a better picture, but I didn't even think to take one.

July 21, 2010: Nothing to See Here. Move Along.

I've seen a sudden upswing in my "popularity" at the office. We had one guy leave, one on paternity leave, and another who has been assigned to work at a client's offices. Combine that with the usual summer vacations, and it means there are fewer people to do the work. I'd like to complain, but the truth is that it's a very good thing for me, because I was too slow for far too long.

July 19, 2010: Baby C is 9 Months Old? Wow!

J might get grumpy over me putting this on my blog, because the truth is that she took it, not me, but don't worry baby, BOTH of the people who actually read my blog also read yours, so they'd see it either way.  The little guy is growing up quickly.  He's into everything.  He'll be 9 months old in just a few days.  It seems like just yesterday he was 9 weeks old.

July 18, 2010: A Little Evidence of Our Blue-Collar Excursion

L picked up a stick-on tattoo yesterday at Bass Pro Shops. He doesn't know much about the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, but he was sure he knew that picture is an elk, so it's cool. I didn't realize the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation had chapters out here on the wrong coast, but it's cool that they do. They, like other hunting and fishing groups, preserve land for wildlife habitat. Groups like them have spared more land from development than environmentalists could ever dream of "saving." The difference is that environmental groups like open spaces for open spaces' sake--so they can sit in their offices in New York and DC enjoying the knowledge that such places still exist. Sports groups want open spaces so people can enjoy the richness that experiencing those places adds to life. They reach similar ends for very different reasons, but given the common goals, it's a little surprising they don't work together more often. What is it? Is the culture that produce Volvo driving, farmers' market shoppers and so different from the one that produces people who like to grow gardens and hunt wild game that the two can't see eye to eye even when their interests are aligned?

July 17, 2010: If Only All Saturdays Were So Relaxing

We started the day with a little tennis for the missus while the kids and I hit the pool. Here is pic of some spray rash from yesterday's waterskiing.

After the pool, we took a drive up to Bass Pro Shops at Arundel Mills near Baltimore.  The ostensible purpose of the trip was to find L some mean summer footwear, but I really just wanted to admire all the outdoor gear to add to my wish list.  The kids added these machines to their lists.

July 16, 2010: Why I Wish I Could Retire Now

Start 'em while they're young.  Here is my boy getting comfortable with a ski rope at 9 months.  Hopefully we can keep this guy around boats and water enough that he won't be too scared to give skiing a try himself in a few years.  I went in to the office early yesterday and worked late last night so we could tag along with our friends to Lake Anna for a day.  They're down there for a week with their family, but they were able to get the house they rented a day early, so we went down to hang out and get a few turns behind the boat in before the rest of their family arrived.  Good times.

I was very lucky in college in that one of my best buds had a competition ski boat, and we hit the lake as often as we possibly could.  I got a lot of practice.  I also became accustomed to a double booted water ski. It's a lot easier to get into a tight fitting double boot when you're standing on a big swim platform, and it's impossible to get one on in the water.  We improvised on the Ds' boat, because it doesn't have a swim platform. I put it on in the boat, and then Mr. D grabbed the ski and guided it up and out of the boat as I pulled myself to the side of the boat.  That way, I was able to get the ski on and get out of the boat without banging it on anything or anybody.  You gotta do what it takes, right?  I would have had a great video that I might have posted here, but my lovely wife somehow managed to not push the button when she thought she was filming me. Better luck next time. I'm not entirely sure why, but everything I love most seems to really get the blood pumping, and water skiing is perhaps on top of that list.  I can't get enough of it.  A day at the lake is as fun for me as fun gets, but it also makes me wish I could retire today, let alone buy a boat!

July 15, 2010: Tour Buses Block the Way at Night Too

I worked a bit late tonight. You'd think that would guarantee a smooth commute back home in this town. Nope. Tour buses own the road at all hours around here.

July 14, 2010: I'll Have Ribs. Bring a Chicken for the Baby

That way to the much vilified K Street.  I just snapped this on my way back to the office after meeting a good friend I worked with on Capitol Hill for lunch at BlackFinn, which, I discovered, has great lunch specials.

Later, I came home and fed Bubba while mom took his big bro to see a movie. The boy loves meat. It's hilarious. The kid doesn't want to eat much, but he'll always eat meat. Funny thing is the kid only has a total of four teeth, and they're a lot better for biting than chewing. Tonight he ate a few tablespoons of finely chopped chicken breast. Funny kid.

June 13, 2010: By George, I'm Thirsty

I had to get out of the office for a few minutes today, so I took a short walk early in the afternoon.  This is a shot of part of a water feature in front of the IMF that seems to put a smile on the face of anybody who walks by. It has a small pool with fountains that squirt in laser-clean arcs and water that runs down the side of the building. I suppose great architecture is easy to afford when the entire developed world pays your bills and you charge everybody else interest.

The best book I've read on our first president is The Indispensable Man, by Thomas Flexner.  Washington was indispensable because he was the only man in America after the Revolution who had broad enough support from the people to unite the colonies as one country.  Mostly self-taught, he was not as educated as his peers, a fact about which he was insecure, yet he had the wisdom and leadership skills those more educated men lacked.  Those traits literally, according to Flexner, made America possible.  His tenure as our first president "was the triumph of a man who knows how to learn, not in the narrow sense of studying other people's conceptions, but in the transcendent sense of making a synthesis from the totality of experience."  In all history few men who possessed unassailable power have used that power so gently and self-effacingly for what their best instincts told them was the welfare of their neighbors and all mankind."  Rather than exploit his power and popularity to expand his role, he exercised restraint--a notion that has since become scarce.  The man could have been king, but he didn't want a crown.  He consistently said his first preference would be to simply retire to Mount Vernon.  I don't think I'm being partisan when I say we'd all be better off if today's presidents would do more to emulate Washington than to endlessly seek to expand the reach of their office.

July 12, 2010: It's Pronounced Me-hee-co

The flag flying outside the Embajada de Mexico with the IMF building in the background.

Parking on I street, NW.

July 4, 2010: Last Day in Georgia

Baby C was up early, as always, along with his big brother and sister.  The two older kids went and watched cartoons on their grandmother's bed while bubba and I went for a walk.  We saw two bunnies, but he was too busy yelling "dadadada" to care.  We returned to the cabin, and I took this shot as we walked up the drive.  Later, we ate lunch at a little dive in town before heading to Unicoi State Park where the forest rangers had some activities going for the kids.  L and I competed in the balloon toss.  It was a respectable effort, especially for a six year old, but we didn't win the coupons for free ice cream.  We ended the day hanging out at the cabin, grilling some chicken and eating more than our share of watermelon.  No fireworks for us this year, because there is only one road in and out of Helen, and we were told not to expect to get out of there before about 1 a.m. if we stayed to watch the show.  I believe it, because traffic was backed up for a few miles just to get into the little town this afternoon.  We hit the road early tomorrow.

July 3, 2010: We Hiked the Entire [Width] of the Appalaichain Trail

We saw some beautiful country today.  We drove up a steep and winding road that was the perfect example of why motorcyclists are drawn to this area from near and far.  We hiked some switchbacks up to a beautiful overlook on the Appalachian Trail, then we hiked back down and drove just a few miles away to Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia and a frequent leg of the Tour of Georgia. Having driven up that road, I can tell you biking up it would be more than just a bit of a chore.

July 2, 2010: Waterfalls and a Baby Who Likes Grits

The kids with their E-mom (granny) and Papa Kevin (step-granddaddy) at Anna Ruby Falls, Georgia.  And yes, J's grandparents hiked up the hill to falls with us.  Are they amazing or what?  (I use the proper terms granny and granddaddy in honor of the fact that I'm visiting the true SOUTH right now even if I'm sure they're not the labels J's mother would prefer. ;-).)  And just look at this baby boy of mine--we can't resist loving this kid, even if he wakes his mom up four times every night.  The first pic below is him with his mom at the falls, and the second is what it looks like, an 8-month old baby eating his first baby-back rib.  We had a great dinner at Unicoi State Park, where the kids got nearly all the Southern foods they didn't get last night at the Smith House, including: fried trout, fried green tomatoes, hush puppies, and cheesy grits.  Baby C refuses to eat baby food lately, but he was more than happy to eat baby back ribs, trout, and cheesy grits.  Funny kid--smart kid.

July 1, 2010: Thar's Gold in Them Thar Hills

This is the Dahlonega, Georgia courthouse, where an elected official gave a fiery speech to local gold miners, imploring them to stay rather than head to California to join the gold rush.  In his speech, he exclaimed, "thar's gold in them thar hills," which we've all heard a thousand times.  We visited Dahlonega today to wander through a couple of shops and have dinner at the excellent Smith House.