Work Week

<---- Me After a Month of Late Votes

The work week isn't over for some of us. I wish it were because everyone has been cranky at work.

For six years I have had to deal with every late, past 10:00pm, and weekend votes. Imagine working a full day and at the end of the day realize you have a whole additional 8 hours. Policeman, fireman nurses, any minimum wager who pulls a double shift deserves more pay. What late votes: The infamous six hour vote on the flawed Medicare Part D, Chairman Murtha's midnight 20 minute floor debate of defense appropriations, last year's late night vote every night in July, middle of the night energy bill and every last minute omnibus and now the bailout. During the Medicare Part D vote he slept and i stayed awake to make sure he voted. Saturday votes he is always running late because he drives down from home. Late votes he's at the gym or intel.

The late night and weekend votes are the glamourous part of the job, psyche! it sucks being a staffer sometimes is degrading. However, my boss finally told me today, after six years, "I asked that a schedule be made for the bailout because it is unfair that you do all the late and weekend votes." That was nice of him. Now, every once and awhile the staffer who handles the issue will be there for votes which helps especially because i hate being alone but as the day progresses into night those people are let go and its just me and him.

Most office don't do this and only force the person who handles the issue to stay, but for the bailout it is all hands on deck. Is this shit worth it? For all my travel and fancy dinners i also have to haul a ton of shit. I ask again, is it worth it? Actually, yes I get to brief and recommend votes on the most pressing issues of the day. So what if I look like crap, see above photo, after a month of late votes...I have tried to make a difference. Anyway, I ramble, hats off to people who can pull off double shifts, thanks to everyone who has stayed with me and helped me to cope with late votes, and thanks to late votes for making the work week never end.