It's Monday and Bill's taking the day off so it's Spedwybabs reporting in from beautiful downtown DC. I'm not one to toot my own horn but I'm here on business and I have some really exciting things to report and cheer today... but keep in mind, the reason for the cheers isn't on my own behalf but on behalf of bloggers and Progressives everywhere...so follow me below the fold for Beth & Neal's DC Adventure, January, 2011
This trip started off in beautiful Pittsburgh, PA where we participated in PA Progressive Summit Version 2
I'd like to say a huge CHEERS to everyone who worked on the Organizing Committee with me, most especially Mike Morrill of Keystone Progress.
The Cheers from Pittsburgh are many but they include getting to spend some time with former Congressman Patrick Murphy, old Lancaster friends like MP and Fox, DFA Chair Jim Dean, DFA staffers Matt & Dan and making new friends like Paradise Gray and pictured here with yours truly the only guy around who could turn this country gal into a hip hop fan...@Jasiri_X
From Pittsburgh we got in the car and headed to DC. The phone call we received from my friend Cliff should have warned us of the week ahead, but it didn't quite prepare us as it should have.
The week began with some meetings w/the amazing staff at ProgressiveCongress.org who have done so much for us and Progressive Congress News including doing the shopping for the Staff Happy Hour we hosted Monday night for Hill staffers. The highlight for me was talking to so many young and energetic staffers that give me hope for our future. The highlight for Neal were the long anticipated DC Cocktail Party Weiners that Markos always talks about...
Tuesday was spent in interesting meeting after meeting culminating in attending the #BarackTalk event at NOI headquarters with long time friend and social media mentor Alan Rosenblatt and meeting up with Jasiri X and Paradise Gray again.
Wednesday the main course arrived. We spent the day holed up with a client on the hill, plotting and planning and conniving and generally doing what we do best...making sure the voice of bloggers everywhere is paid attention to in DC
Then the snow came and on the spur of the moment Neal decided we should attend one of the great DuPont Circle Snowball Fights while we could. While it was a great time indeed, I'm pretty sure it's safe to say it will be Neal's last as he discovered that kids half our age can kick his ass at a snowball fight :)
Alas, Thursday I spent the day in bed sicker than the proverbial dog. But Friday I was back to normal (well for me normal) and out and about causing mischief and mayhem everywhere I went. Friday culminated in the infamous Shoe Safari, part 3 with my Twitter sister Debbie and the ultimate joy of purchasing a pair of shoes!
Then it was off to dinner at my favorite DC area dining establishment, Parkland Deli in Silver Spring for pickle bar, deli and good times with good friends.
Saturday found us pretending to relax in between getting caught up on work and spending time with the ever amazing Darcy Burner, plotting for Progressive Congress News and assorted other Progressive ventures. Today we hit the air and space museum then came back to the gorgeous condo on loan to us by a Kossack to be named later (who also has an amazing collection of boots) and working on things Netroots Nation panel submissions, Knight News Challenge Grant application part 2 and of course Cheers and Jeers for today.
Originally we were supposed to head home yesterday but then Friday happened.
Bigger CHEERS to staffers and legislators who want to engage with us in the netroots. Friday Neal and I were honored to be invited to speak to an eager group of about 30 house staffers to teach them a bit about how to talk to us bloggers and put us to work on their behalf. I think in the coming weeks you'll be surprised to see who starts to show up and I, for one, welcome them all. That presentation wasn't about me or Neal being blogging experts...it was about us being everyday bloggers like you who just happened to be in the right place at the right time to encourage staffers and legislators to come here and talk with not at all of us. Call us blogging ambassadors. Don't thank us...just welcome them when they arrive :)
So now it's Monday morning and we're heading into DC adventure part 3, week 2... and while I look forward to this week with genuine fear and anticipation there's a part of me that can't wait to get home to my pootie who I'm sure has peed on my bed for a week now for leaving him alone except for twice daily visits by the cat sitter.
That's my Cheers...No Jeers from me today...What are you cheering today?