The Maryland legislative session starts the second Wednesday in January of each year and runs for 90 consecutive days (if we are lucky).
The session of '09 was my 8th session with the Maryland General Assembly. Every day someone asks the question, "How's session going?" Ok - I've decided that session is like giving birth... seriously. How's it going? It's tough (and those are very polite terms)!
There is always lots of anticipation for session. Session starts of slow and uncomfortable. Then, the work of session builds and builds until it is synonymous with very hard labor (as we are laboring at work, quite literally). The work builds to a very intense and painful process and comes in waves and then comes faster and harder and it is stressful and YOU JUST DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN TAKE ONE MORE MINUTE OF IT!!!!!!! At that point, managers start cheering you on to "keep up the pace" and only XX more time until.. it will all... be over. And then... it is over... just like that. And there a few loose ends to tidy up (no pun intended): the writing, reviewing, editing, and printing of the 90 Day Report (kinda like delivering a placenta). You can't prepare for the nextbaby session. Each session is a bit different. You never know what you're gonna get until it gets here.
After the printing of the 90 Day Report, life goes back to normal (a 9-5 schedule starts to feel like part-time work). You forget how painful session was. And, you do it again next year.
In my spare time this session, what little there was of it, I was supposed to be taking grad school courses. I played with my kids, laughed with my husband, and blogged instead. Sorry mom. But, it was what I needed to get through it.
Anyways, I thought that I would give you a small glimpse of what the last 90 days have been like for me. For those of you with children, you know it wasn't pretty.
Also, I want to say thank you for a few things that really helped this last week.
Thanks to my family for sticking by me and for all of your help and support. Thanks to my dearest hubby for making me a surprise birthday cake and for staying up to share it with me.
The session of '09 was my 8th session with the Maryland General Assembly. Every day someone asks the question, "How's session going?" Ok - I've decided that session is like giving birth... seriously. How's it going? It's tough (and those are very polite terms)!
There is always lots of anticipation for session. Session starts of slow and uncomfortable. Then, the work of session builds and builds until it is synonymous with very hard labor (as we are laboring at work, quite literally). The work builds to a very intense and painful process and comes in waves and then comes faster and harder and it is stressful and YOU JUST DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN TAKE ONE MORE MINUTE OF IT!!!!!!! At that point, managers start cheering you on to "keep up the pace" and only XX more time until.. it will all... be over. And then... it is over... just like that. And there a few loose ends to tidy up (no pun intended): the writing, reviewing, editing, and printing of the 90 Day Report (kinda like delivering a placenta). You can't prepare for the next
After the printing of the 90 Day Report, life goes back to normal (a 9-5 schedule starts to feel like part-time work). You forget how painful session was. And, you do it again next year.
In my spare time this session, what little there was of it, I was supposed to be taking grad school courses. I played with my kids, laughed with my husband, and blogged instead. Sorry mom. But, it was what I needed to get through it.
Anyways, I thought that I would give you a small glimpse of what the last 90 days have been like for me. For those of you with children, you know it wasn't pretty.
Also, I want to say thank you for a few things that really helped this last week.
Thanks to my family for sticking by me and for all of your help and support. Thanks to my dearest hubby for making me a surprise birthday cake and for staying up to share it with me.
Thanks to my mommy for bringing me a delicious lunch and making my favorite cookies to share with my
Thanks to all my coworkers for being so great through session and during my birthday week (tee hee hee - more on that later). We are all in this together and it is a wild ride every year. While session is very tough, it has been a blessing and a privilege to work for the Maryland General Assembly and with so many smart and fun people - a home away from home.
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