Hhhhhhappy birthday!

I tried to call you, Jared, but apparently, I can't tell time. It's 4:55 here, and for some reason, to me that translated to 2:00-ish in Texas. It's been one of those ... weeks ... Not just a day.

My trip to Memphis was okay. It rained the whole time I was there, and I never left the hotel. If I wasn't in some committee taking notes, I was in my room being miserably congested. Good things from the trip - the conversations were productive for what we're doing at work (interesting - sorta, something to share - not so much), and the restaurant in the lobby had really good minestrone soup. Based on my wanderings through the book section in the gift shop ... I have no desire to go to Graceland (and you all know what a touristy freak I am). The outside is a beautiful Southern mansion with fabulous landscaping. The inside is gaudy and garish and obnoxious. The colors make me want to vomit. Elvis music is great - the song that Adam and I danced to at our wedding reception was Elvis. But good night! Were the 70s really THAT bad? Or is Elvis and his taste in interior decorating just "super-special"? Either way, I'd like to go to Memphis with Adam and go to the jazz clubs on Beale St. It's a lot cleaner than Bourbon St. in New Orleans which has gone the way of the strip bar.

I stayed home on Mon and Tues sick - I'm still fighting my way out of it by eating cough drops all day and using lots of throat spray. But I had to be back at work yesterday because it's been a blitz week. I was on the Hill yesterday and today for meetings. I've worked on 4 different letters that have all been sent to members of Congress in the last 2 days. Next week, there's more fun coming. I'm going to the office early tomorrow so I can get myself organized. With 3 bosses and at least 10 subjects per boss, I have to have a Master List to prioritize and make sure things don't fall through the cracks. That, and I just feel better with a list. It's my work security blanket.