The Recession Affects DC Dating Scene...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/24/AR2009022403925_pf.html

Hopefully someone thought to address this in the stimulus package.

Link du Jour

For those of you with an interest in health care reform:

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=320283664692927


Ben Sasse is one of my former colleagues at HHS.

Day X of unemployment, Day X of New Texas Life

I have completely lost track of time. Weeks slip by and I can't give you any explanation of what has happened in the past several weeks. I'm quite sure I haven't been on any job interviews. I haven't gotten anywhere on any of my little "unemployment projects". Let me enumerate:

1. Find Job

2. Paint Mom's condo

3. Work on jewelry

I have made zero progress on all fronts.

Things I've learned:

1. I have no appropriate clothing for the slovenly life.

2. Your mother is still your mother no matter how completely irresponsible she is.

3. My mother has terrible taste in vodka. I've had a headache since I got here. Blaming it on a sinus infection didn't work as well as I had hoped.

4. American Idol is the glue that binds our country together.

Okay, tomorrow I am going to a Fat Tuesday party at the Yacht Club. You know there will be a story. I'll try to write it ASAP.

First Post: Day 21 of Unemployment, Day 13 of new Texas Life

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for tuning in. I have been officially unemployed for 21 days now, and the anxiety is just starting to settle in. I think its because all I do is watch the news and listen to talk radio all day with my mom. I am starting to understand why she is so anxious all the time.

The trip down was uneventful, and I managed to stay ahead of the bad weather. Day one of the drive was gorgeous, I drove through Virginia and Tennessee. I even took the time to stop at a few places, like the Stonewall Jackson Memorial and Appamattox. (Pictures will be coming soon if I can ever figure out how to work my newfangled telephone.) I topped outside of Knoxville. The second day was less fun. It rained all day and visibility was low. Due to this I was forced to skip places I wanted to see like the home of Andrew Jackson, Davy Crockett (or was it Daniel Boone? Can't remember now), Dollywood and Graceland. But I did clear 600 miles that day and stopped in Hope, Arkansas. Lemme tell you, there ain't much going on in Hope, but the people were very friendly. The roads froze overnight so I had to wait until 1oish to get on the road. I passed into Texas around noon on the third day and got a little misty-eyed, I confess. I stopped in Dallas and had lunch with my friend Trina, then pushed all the way south to Rockport. In all, the trip was about 1600 miles. I have to thank Steve Jobs for creating the iPod, otherwise there is no way I would have made the drive in the craptacular jeep with no radio.

So I spent my first five days in Rockport hanging out with my mom and the other Mah Jong Ladies. Its been wild. On day 6 I had to put my foot down and just say NO to another happy hour. The weather has been perfect, 70's and sunny. I have only run into two people I went to high school with, and both encounters were friendly and not awkward. As many of you know, this has been one of my greatest fears... running into classmates and not recognizing them. So far, so good.

I have been to Wal-Mart 5 times since I have been here, and so far I have shown remarkable restraint. However, I have come to the conclusion that if Wal-mart doesn't sell it, you probably don't need it.

I have also joined a cardio class and a yoga class. I am the youngest person by about 30 years in both classes. The cardio is set to 50's music. The classes are "$7 if you aren't a member." So its real cheap livin' here on the South Texas Coast.

Last Thursday I took off for Austin to visit my friend Bonnie and see if I could rustle up any contacts to meet with about employment opportunities.