Where the Moose Does Dwell

While writing in to a local listserv to respond to a question about people blocking the sidewalk, I gave some advice about the section of DC code that lets the police break up the impromptu gathering, and ended it with this sentence, which I didn’t catch until after it was published:

So if a group is blocking the sidewalk or road, either physically or by their behavior, the police may disburse them under this section.

I guess you can take the fiscal lawyer away from the money, but you can’t get the money away from the fiscal lawyer…

Managed to get up for the club bike ride again this morning, despite being up a touch too late the night before, and having a wee bit to drink while out with friends. The ride went well, despite being a tad cooler than Tuesday, and definitely more windy. The wind was coming up river, so each time we crossed down toward the Awakening it was like hitting a wall of wind when we came out of the trees down near the parking lot.

Long day today. Did finish up, I hope, a project which has been haunting us for several months now. Now I can move on to several other projects that have been on the back burner for far too long. At least they’re interesting ones that I feel like I can dig my legal teeth into. Payment for services we provide to the public (and the rates therefor), and the funds we receive for work we do for other federal and state entities and how that’s accounted for. We suspect some of our field offices have been playing fast and loose, so my accounting folks and I are digging down into the authorities there.

Boring to some (most), stock in trade for me.

Crashing early here tonight, up tomorrow for a run. Still on track for the races coming up, but watching it to make sure I’m careful about injuries. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Nothing quite like a false fire alarm at 9:30 p.m. to get the blood flowing. At least, since the last one, they managed to turn the volume up on the alarm (last time I could barely hear the thing in my bedroom - this time it was clear). Got all dressed, but neighbors were coming back up the staircase to let us know it was a false alarm by the time I popped out to say hello to folks. And thankfully it was while I was still awake and not in bed like the last one.

As yet no word on whether we’ll be out or not tomorrow because of the sleet/freezing rain/snow/whatever the heck it’s doing out there now. They let us off early today, something of which I was happy to take advantage. Traffic, even leaving almost an hour after the dismissal, was insane. I was on a bus, but it took us an eternity to get home. Had it not been ugly out I’d have just walked and gotten home faster, but as it was I enjoyed the warm bus far more than I would have enjoyed getting away more quickly.

Been helping an Australian law professor whose acquaintance I’ve made online do some research this afternoon before MG came over. Was fun to do some basic research that was law related, but not work related. Also, the Australia constitution is an odd affair. Not that the US constitution is a perfect work, but there are marked differences between the two documents. Was interesting to compare the two on the subject of (sovereign) immunity.

I can’t tell if it was a sign of how long it had been since I had last been out doing serious wine shopping or if I’m just a wino, but with J’s help I just picked up three cases of wine from Pearson’s (one mixed, two complete). Probably a little of both. But now I’m set for months. Or at least I hope it’ll last months.

I found it quite nice to be able to shop for spirits on a Sunday. Normally shops that sell both wine/beer and harder liquor have to close on Sunday in DC because of our antiquated Blue Laws. The place was hoppin’, about as busy as I normally see it when I’ve gone in the evening during the week or on a regular Saturday. The clerk allowed as how they’d been that busy all day. Anyway, because Xmas day and New Year’s Day are on Mondays, DC’s liquor laws allow liquor shops to stay open the Sunday before. There’s no real reason they can’t be open 7 days a week normally (aside from outdated hopes for moral suasion), but one lives with the law one has, not the law one wishes one had. Nonetheless, it felt like a bit of a stick in the eye to those ridiculous laws to buy alcohol until my heart was content.

Managed to forget my wallet this morning (d’oh!), which wouldn’t be a big deal, but my monthly haircut is this evening, so I kind of needed it. So, told my team leader I was headed out for lunch today (I normally work through lunch at my desk), and biked back home. Much nicer than doing a veggie burger at work, and it’s nice to come back and check email on a real computer (as opposed to my cell phone). Hopefully the pasta will be done shortly and then it’s back up the hill to try and fix a (hopefully not too) big goof by one of our program offices with regards to their budget. Fun, fun. One of those times when I actually have to put to paper all of the ‘truths’ that folks ‘know’ about how the federal budget gets executed, which means some folks are not going to be happy…

Been swimming a lot the past week. My skin has been exuding chlorine like mad, even after a post-swim shower. Up to today it’s been random stuff, just doing the occasional 100 repeat or a skill drill or the like. Tonight I hauled out my “Swim Workouts ina Binder” and did an actual form drills workout. Was nice to have some order, and I think I definitely benefitted from doing more organized drill work.

I wanted to note this article from the Washington Post this week - it’s about teens who go vegetarian, so as a veggie it caught my eye, but the opening paragraph was what really caught my eye:

When Leslie Calman’s 16-year-old son, Ben, came home from school one day last year and announced he was going vegetarian, Calman and her partner, Jane Gruenebaum, did what few families do when a child decides to stop eating animals: They immediately supported his decision.

Now, this was just a run of the mill article about families dealing with a teen going veggie, but I had to stop and re-read the paragraph a couple times to make sure I didn’t miss that they had just named this woman and her partner in such a matter of fact, normal presentation. How Freakin’ Cool. It’ll be better once it’s “Calman and her wife,” if they choose to get married, but I was just so happy to see an article in the paper that just presented this type of family portrait without any real fanfare, and as exactly what it is - normal.

Did a short run this morning, less than 2 miles, and no knee pain. The stretching and what not has helped. Have to figure out my gym schedule for weights now, to strengthen the joints and what not, but I’m confident that it’ll work out (no pun intended).
I’m hearing now that the half iron race I was looking at for next fall puts the run on gravel and not pavement, and I’m thinking 13.1 miles on gravel isn’t such a fun idea for me. So I’m back to looking for another one. I’ve also managed to get a bunch of the attorneys at work all psyched about running the Lawyers Have Heart 10k race in June. Should be fun, and I’m hoping we’ll get some of the non-runners hooked on it, too.

Had to take a break from the more serious stuff I’ve been reading lately, and picked up a fantasy novel I’d picked up at some point to use to fill time, and even to my mostly-non-critical eye the author is beating us over the head with the central story - Camelot. Ugh. Subtlety seems to be lost on this guy, and his Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot characters are exactly playing to type. It’s a bit disappointing, I prefer if someone’s going to tell a story over that they do it a tad less obviously, or at least with a better or more interesting retelling. Might have to dump it in favor of some more modern Chinese fiction in translation if this keeps up.

And there goes “tattoo” at the Fort, so it’s time to shut down for bed.

It’s hard not to feel bitter this morning since I’m not out there racing the Marine Corps Marathon. The knee did not improve sufficiently over the week to feel comfortable doing a race of this length, and discretion is the better part of valor, or however that goes, and so I’m skipping the thing this year. There will be other races, and my ego was not so invested that this is a crippling event psychologically, but it’s still disappointing after all the training.

Not helping the mood is that I just paid out the ass so I can not listen to/watch a bunch of useless Continuing Legal Education courses so I can keep my law license. One does like to stay employed, but one wishes it weren’t so expensive, nor such a waste of time (there are no CLEs in my practice area).
Did sit down this week and look at next season’s races. I’ve picked several that I think I can do. Unsure as to whether I’ll sign up for another marathon (did put a half marathon in the mix, early in the season), but picked out a couple of triathlons, and I’m seriously considering doing a half ironman toward the end of the season (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run).  Added into the mix this year has to be more serious weight and core training. The IT band troubles I’ve had this past week are the proof of that, and I’d really rather avoid this sort of thing again if at all possible. The weights and core work will help stabilize stuff, and I’ve known that (intellectually), but not really felt the need for it (emotionally). Well, now I can’t afford to neglect it, so back to the weight room I go.

Thankfully, for the runners, it’s a gorgeous morning here in DC, and it looks to stay that way through the entire race. You couldn’t ask for better conditions. Which will make going out to watch pretty nice, too.

As much as I love what I do (most days), I really hate the end of the federal fiscal year.

Everyone’s hair seems to be on fire, and unfortunately for them I am the Only Attorney That Can Save Them (or so they think - I try not to disabuse them of the notion, as it means more job security for me). Which makes me both popular and loathed.

Whee.

So, I’ve been stress eating instead of my slightly better normal routine (it’s not perfect, but it’s better than it has been this week). My stomach is starting to complain about the treatment. I don’t blame it, but it’s getting annoying. And building on the stress.

Oh, and to top off this lovely week of stuffing myself with every bad food I can lay my hands on, I was told today that the powers that be have offered me up as a sacrificial lamb to go to the Congress next week and help explain why what we did a month or so ago didn’t require notifying them or asking permission. Not like, bright lights and subpoenas, but in a less formal setting, a meeting with our appropriators and their staffs. The staffs I’ve so far managed to avoid meeting in person. I trust and hope this means a grade promotion is on the way this fall.

The new shoes have helped the knees. Biking up to get the shoes has also helped get me out of my “I’m walking to work” groove and back on the bike. I do like that it’s quicker, it’s the whole changing clothes at either end part that’s not particularly fun.

But it definitely felt better to bike in and back today.

Work’s still crazy busy. Wish I could talk about some of it, but alas, the cone of silence continues as I do like keeping my mostly-comfortable job. Two more weeks and we get to move on to the next set of craziness, also known as the continuing resolution period until after the election. It’ll go at least until then, and possibly later depending on which way the electoral pendulum swings. One house gets lost, they’ll likely ram the budgets through ASAP. If the current majority stays in power or gains, they may just punt the decisions to January. Either way it’s bad budgeting. Too bad the typical voter doesn’t care about whether they put a budget in place or not.

Otherwise there’s not much to report. I’ve become even more boring than I was, but most days that’s just fine by me.

I bought a signed copy of a memoir about breast cancer written by a lesbian this evening. I’m not sure why I did this, except that it sounds like it will be interesting reading (lesbian relationship drama!), and perhaps it might help me deal with my mother’s own survival over having had breast cancer a decade ago. An odd way to learn about it, but one does what one can.

No running this week after Tuesday morning’s run. My knees began to hurt, which is a sure sign that New Shoes Must Be Purchased, so I will do that this weekend. The race last weekend went well, despite evidently needing new shoes. I ran it under 30 minutes, as was hoped (28:10), but not under my PR (27:33). I did have to remind myself that the PR was set on a very, very flat course and that this one had two slight hills at either end, so that was some slight bit of consolation. That said, I was still happy with the results. If only the marathon would go so well.

Otherwise the silence has been merely busy. It’s the end of the U.S. Federal Fiscal Year, and since fiscal law is what I do for my Big Government Agency, it’s a relatively busy time of the year for me. I still enjoy it, thankfully, but it has kept me somewhat occupied of late. I also purchased a new game for the DS, Lost Magic, and am enjoying that thoroughly. It’s horribly distracting, but I have put it down every now and again.

Still seeing MG, and that continues to go well. He makes me happy, I enjoy the time we spend together, and I look forward to more time spent with him.