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Yesterday Mike and I decided to wander over to the Library of Congress. After navigating a series of underground tunnel wandering from the Cannon House Office Building to the Jefferson Building, we finally emerged before the Main Reading Room. With its soaring ceiling, grand painting, and stack of books stretching toward the sky, it was all a little overpowering. I felt as if great things had to come from whoever sat in that room conducting research. The true joy of the trip, however, came from see a Thomas Jefferson’s collection. The library has gathered up as many of his original donation as possible and then found replacements for the one that had been destroyed. Standing amongst his books, I almost felt as if I was standing inside his mind.

To the top

I climbed to the top of the Capitol Dome today. My chief of staff arranged the visit. I had climbed to the top of dome once before, so the trip did not have the same magic it did the first time. As I climbed to the top, working my way through the metal girders and gazing down to the public far below who did not know we were there, I wondered if I could somehow survive on the Hill. 1,600 lost jobs. Perhaps 20 positions that work for me. I just don’t think it will work.

Long Run

I took a long run near the waterfront today with Donald and Mike. It felt good to get out of the office. I feel that I have applied for all the jobs that I could in the past few weeks. I am now in the “waiting game,” which isn’t very fun. Sitting at a computer with very little to do and anxiously looking at my inbox doesn’t make me feel very good. At least during the run all of that doesn’t matter. There is the simple internal push to keep going that washes over my mind and body. It fills the void where all the uncertainty lives.