Policy life
I like being home. I've got the 70s/80s/90s station on XM playing, but it's nothing compared to the melodious timbre of Daisy's soft palette vibrating as she lies snoring on the floor.
Well, I guess did a good job in DC. One of the most difficult things I did on the trip was this dinner I went to. I was just excited because it was at The Palm, so I dressed up in this black dress from the Limited and got to wear my sparkly earrings and sparkly black shoes. (But as I was telling Scott, it was also kind of weird because you get all dressed up, and then you go downstairs to the hotel lobby, and it's your boss waiting to go with you... not your husband... cuz it's a work thing... not an actual enjoyable thing.)
Anyway, when we arrived, the organizer of the dinner had assigned people to tables in order to bring together these industry executives to the state public utility commissioners those executives sometimes have to schmooze and placate to persuade regulatory actions to turn in favor of their business models. And me and Tom were there representing an organization that hates regulations. Fun times. But neither Tom nor I was expecting for them to assign me to a different table without Tom-- Tom the actual policy person.
I was seated at the New York/Connecticut/New Jersey table alone. So somehow I made it through a 3 hour dinner with cable executives, all who were male and twice my age, and liberals! Hmm, what to talk about...?
When dinner came to an end, Tom and I were getting in the cab, and he asks, "Did you have a good time?"
"If I can do THAT for 3 hours, I can do anything!"
Turns out, Tom was pretty interested in certan people I was sitting next to and we debriefed at the hotel. He genuinely thanked me that night and at the conclusion of the week to let me know how well I was performing, which meant a lot. The next day, I attended more sessions, and we met back up at another policy lunch with more of our 'friends' in the movement. Tom had me sit next to Ralph Reed, saying he thought I would enjoy meeting him (Reed was the first president of the Christian Coalition.) I passed out more World IP Day event invites at the lunch, some to Hill staffers, some to FTC officials.
Afterwards, my mission was to go downstairs to the exhibit hall in a lightning round before my plane left to collect trade show trinkets for Betty, our den mother. Cable shows are great places for trinkets. I got a bunch of DVDs from Showtime, and Tom insisted I take a picture with a storm trooper at Turner's booth. Danny Devito was also there signing autographs at the Fox booth.
So, when it was all over, I was exhausted and Scott took me to Chili's after he picked me up at the airport. I drank a big margarita and rested my head on his shoulder trying to unwind from it all.
Back in the office today, at a staff meeting, Tom praised all my efforts (including the executive dinner) and said I held my own in the midst of all those industry gus. He also said I was a tremendous help to him personally, being able take on his role and be at the things he wasn't able to be at. I'm very grateful for such an affirming and encouraging boss, and I think he's really taking an active role to mentor me in the ways of the policy world. I'm really thankful.
Well, I guess did a good job in DC. One of the most difficult things I did on the trip was this dinner I went to. I was just excited because it was at The Palm, so I dressed up in this black dress from the Limited and got to wear my sparkly earrings and sparkly black shoes. (But as I was telling Scott, it was also kind of weird because you get all dressed up, and then you go downstairs to the hotel lobby, and it's your boss waiting to go with you... not your husband... cuz it's a work thing... not an actual enjoyable thing.)
Anyway, when we arrived, the organizer of the dinner had assigned people to tables in order to bring together these industry executives to the state public utility commissioners those executives sometimes have to schmooze and placate to persuade regulatory actions to turn in favor of their business models. And me and Tom were there representing an organization that hates regulations. Fun times. But neither Tom nor I was expecting for them to assign me to a different table without Tom-- Tom the actual policy person.
I was seated at the New York/Connecticut/New Jersey table alone. So somehow I made it through a 3 hour dinner with cable executives, all who were male and twice my age, and liberals! Hmm, what to talk about...?
When dinner came to an end, Tom and I were getting in the cab, and he asks, "Did you have a good time?"
"If I can do THAT for 3 hours, I can do anything!"
Turns out, Tom was pretty interested in certan people I was sitting next to and we debriefed at the hotel. He genuinely thanked me that night and at the conclusion of the week to let me know how well I was performing, which meant a lot. The next day, I attended more sessions, and we met back up at another policy lunch with more of our 'friends' in the movement. Tom had me sit next to Ralph Reed, saying he thought I would enjoy meeting him (Reed was the first president of the Christian Coalition.) I passed out more World IP Day event invites at the lunch, some to Hill staffers, some to FTC officials.
Afterwards, my mission was to go downstairs to the exhibit hall in a lightning round before my plane left to collect trade show trinkets for Betty, our den mother. Cable shows are great places for trinkets. I got a bunch of DVDs from Showtime, and Tom insisted I take a picture with a storm trooper at Turner's booth. Danny Devito was also there signing autographs at the Fox booth.
So, when it was all over, I was exhausted and Scott took me to Chili's after he picked me up at the airport. I drank a big margarita and rested my head on his shoulder trying to unwind from it all.
Back in the office today, at a staff meeting, Tom praised all my efforts (including the executive dinner) and said I held my own in the midst of all those industry gus. He also said I was a tremendous help to him personally, being able take on his role and be at the things he wasn't able to be at. I'm very grateful for such an affirming and encouraging boss, and I think he's really taking an active role to mentor me in the ways of the policy world. I'm really thankful.