An IM conversation with my sister: ((thanks to Slowly Going Bald for the idea))
me: OK
So, dad is bringing heavy bags, he said, so we should get off as close to your place as possible, right?
Sis: yeah. and i can come pick you up at the metro
me: Coolio
Sis: yup. Columbia Heights is the closest metro to me
which is perfect since it is on the yellow line
me: Yeah
I knew
Sis: and wtf is dad bringing?
heavy bags?
me: tortillas
Sis: haha
mmmmmmmm
tortillas
It’s amazing how minuscule your normal traffic appears when you have one day with more than 40,000 visits:
I used to joke that writing for a daily newspaper was like drafting a news story over and over and over: the names, dates, and places may have changed, but very often the narrative stayed the same. It could be very formulaic, and try as I might to shift things, to make the tale more engaging, etc., sometimes it just felt like a routine.
Routines have been on my mind lately, prompted by an observation during my morning commute. Everyday, as the shuttle pulls away from the apartment complex on its way to the Metro station, the gal who sits across the row from me (how’s that for routine) works to attach a bracelet to her left wrist.
She’s getting better.
It used to take her almost 3/4 of a mile to work the clasps. Nowadays, she has it on within a half-mile, tops. I guess that’s one of the perks of routine: practice makes perfect and what not.
The commute, for me, is a strange routine. I just changed jobs, and, considering the size of D.C., it amazes me that the new job is like 5 blocks from the old one. I used to be two blocks east of my sister’s office. Now, I’m three blocks west. I switch trains now on the Metro (I used to stay on the Yellow Line the entire trip, now I need to hop on the Red line), but I don’t have a 4 block walk from the station to the office. Now, I walk one block. Overall, however, I’m still leaving at the same time every morning, and I still get home at the same time each night, mostly via the same route I took a month ago.
It’s interesting to settle into a routine—to become accustomed to a daily occurrence, to expect things to play out a certain way. My routine is very different than I envisioned when I moved to D.C. Some differences are great and welcome (I cook more often than I expected) while others are not. Such is the way of life, I guess.
I’ve fallen out of the routine of blogging. So much of my work (OK, yes, 100%) is focused on politics, and I’m in an office filled with people who talk about the latest news and events. Maybe I don’t have the need for this outlet anymore. I don’t know.
My sister and I have been preparing to see the Decemberists this weekend during their four night stint at the 9:30 Club. Of course, that was before this:
The Decemberists have canceled the rest of their fall tour, citing an illness to an undisclosed band member.
After performing in Chicago earlier in the week, the Portland-based band canceled 28 remaining shows, including concerts in major markets such as New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Washington, D.C.
A band member is ill, so it’s hard to find fault, but that doesn’t mean I’m any less bummed. Now, I have no plans for the long weekend. I guess I’ll have to come up with something.
Sorry about the lack of updates, I’m still trying to find a groove with the new job and all.
So, I guess I can let the word out: I’m the new assistant managing editor for Congresspedia.
“But wait,” you say. “Didn’t you just start a new job?”
Well, I did, but I applied for the Congresspedia position at the same time, and I think it will work out better for everybody involved. The Studio Theatre is an incredible organization, rightfully known for wonderful contemporary productions, and I’m already missing the staff there. Their newest production, Shining City, will probably leave you breathless.
So, what’s Congresspedia? It’s a joint effort between the Center for Media and Democracy and the Sunlight Foundation. Basically, we’re trying to promote a knowledge base founded on citizen editors — that means you! Anybody can register, and anybody can edit. It’s my job to help those who do. We have a couple of projects going on right now, so head on over and give it a try. We provide an preview of hearings and votes on major or controversial legislation, headlines throughout the week, and a recap of issues on Fridays, so there’s always something to learn if you drop in.
I’m a Sunlight Foundation employee, something I’m immensely proud to say. This is an organization that’s trying to increase transparency and openness in everything our government does. The staff bio page reads like a who’s who of open government advocates and investigative journalists.
The Sunlight Foundation hasn’t been around long, but it has some great accomplishments thus far. Take a look at PopUp Politicians (which is running on this site), for example, or the cool work we’re doing with the Punch Clock campaign.
I know a lot of people feel disillusioned about government and politics and the media. Congresspedia is a great way to not only take meaningful action, but to help others become involved as well. Every entry, every edit, is another bit of information that citizens and journalists can reference.
If I know my readership, you probably do quite a bit of reading online, and you’re likely interested in news and politics, and you’re tech-savvy to a degree. Why not check out New Mexico’s portal on the 2008 election, and make some changes? Add a candidate that’s running if we don’t have him or her listed yet. Check for endorsements. If you’ve been following the debate on SCHIP, why not record how New Mexico’s congressional delegation voted on the bill?
In closing, I’m incredibly excited to be part of this. It brings together so many of the things I’m interested in: new media, investigative journalism (though that’s not really my department at Sunlight), transparency in government, citizen participation and Congress itself. In other words, it’s just about my dream job.
So, head on over and poke around (be sure to do some editing) and, while you’re at it, add the Sunlight Foundation blog to your bookmarks and/or your feed reader.
