26 October, 2008

The view from my office

Unlike yesterday's monsoon-like weather, today is perfect. The temperature is a mild 60F/15C and the sun is shining brilliantly. But it's also the kind of autumn day that makes it challenging to dress. Sit in the sun and it's too warm to have a sweater or a coat on. Walk in the shade and it's too chilly to be in a short sleeve shirt. Ah how I want everything to be just perfect!


This is a view from my office looking out. It's not a very good quality photo because I only have the webcam on my laptop. But since I spent so many years in Washington, I owe it to posterity to capture my experience here. This is one of them.

But how I have learned to dislike my profession (politics and lobbying)! I know democracy is suppose to be messy and it's still the best form of governance humankind can devise. But Buckley v. Valeo or not, must America spend so much money on the process, especially when such givings are directly linked to political and policy decisions? I cannot imaging that James Madison, author of Federalist #10, would be very happy about the divisiveness of today's American government.

Ten years in Washington, DC and I feel like I have lost my way. As my friends from Down Under say to me, time to go on a walkabout.

But it is a lovely view.

3 comments:

Baino said...

TCL Public service is the same everywhere I think. I worked for NSW police in an IT dept years ago and the waste, time, process . . .I'd do minutes for meetings quarter after quarter where the same old guff was dredged up. Hope you can keep posting whilst on walkabout . . I've only just found you and travel vicariously!

Anonymous said...

Ok - not about your most recent post but ... Brass Monkey! I've seen it. I'll definitely check it out. Yeah, I'm just looking for people who are fluent English speakers that I can hang out with. And that are hopefully somewhat close to my age. Like, I'm not trying to hang out with the owner of the bushiban I work at or anything...

TCL said...

Will do Baino. Blogging will be one of my principal ways to keep up with the outside world while I'm on my walkabout.

Hang with me. I'll get to Margaret River yet.