Getting More From Less

I spent a big chunk of this week at an off-site work meeting down at the U.S. Department of Transportation's new facility down near the Navy Yard of the District of Columbia, on the Anacostia River.  This area used to be one of the worst places in the city.  It is receiving a huge face lift which started with the building of the Washington Nationals baseball Stadium, and continues with a huge amount of development along the waterfront.  There are fantastic restaurants, parks, fountains, trendy apartments and condos, and the whole area look great.  My boss actually lives in the neighborhood and she brags about it regularly.  Having grown up in the DC area, I know the reputation of this part of the city for years was not very good.  It was a crime-heavy part of the city, the river was a mess, and rumor has it that many bodies were dumped here.  That's all gone now.  However, it is important to note that there is still a lot of crime only a about 10 blocks away, and that's unfortunate.  But it's a great start to rehabbing a rough area.

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Your Federal Government is hard at work developing new ways of doing things, all while shrinking rapidly.  Capitol Hill seems to have declared war on the government workers, creating a much leaner workforce, so the government workers have to redefine how we do what we are tasked with doing.  For us, it's maintaining and creating aeronautical information, charts, products, and procedures for the National Airspace System.  Safety is our priority, and the challenge is to provide the same level of safety with fewer resources.  Fortunately, technology is helping to meet this challenge, so despite the obstacles our elected officials keep throwing at us, we will maintain a level of quality expected of the Federal Government by the flying public.  Please don't confuse Big Government with what this organization is providing, which is quality and safety.  These people care.  I know firsthand.  Support your local aeronautical information specialists.

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My daughter begins middle school next year, so I attended the new school's parent information meeting tonight.  I came away impressed.  While the school does not have good reviews at a few of the pertinent websites that look at such things, the administration and staff said all of the right things.  I went from being concerned (as I think just about any parent of new 6th grade students probably feels) to be encouraged by what I saw and heard.  I'm intrigued by the challenges that will be presented to my daughter, but I trust that she, being such a mature and intelligent little girl, will make the transition easier for herself than it will be for me.  I can't help but think that good students will thrive no matter the environment, and I'm excited that she will have such a great opportunity.  Next year just got very exciting.

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I miss my daughter a lot this week.  We've been apart all week because of the late meetings I've had, and as I've mentioned many times, I don't do the bachelor life very well.  It came up again among my colleagues as we spent a lot of time together.  The area we were in, and the restaurant we ate at for dinner, were all places where I went on my last date, over a year ago.  The young lady and I actually only dated twice, but we parted amicably when it appeared we had lost interest in each other.  There were a lot of logistical concerns I had, too, with the distance being too much (she lives in that area of DC, just like my boss, but I live way out in Howard County), and I just couldn't see myself pursuing a relationship with someone who lived in DC.  I hope she found love.  She deserves some happiness.

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I'm watching the NFL Draft and hoping for a cornerback for my Pittsburgh Steelers.  While football is far from my mind, I remain impressed by how the NFL is able to keep their brand in the sports fan's eyes despite being over four months away from any meaningful games.  And it really is a show.  The draft is split up over several days, with the 1st round getting one night all to itself.  The focus on so many young athletes about to become millionaires with what is going on in Baltimore is not lost on me, and is kind of sad.  I can't help but feel like our priorities are out of whack.

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Looking forward to Friday!  Have a great evening, everyone!