Walking on marble floors for eight hours does not a comfortable girl make

Imagine my surprise this morning as I noticed a very fresh blanket of snow on the ground. The weather always calls for snow flurries -- well, this time they meant it. I felt an odd mixture of childish wonderment and terror as I navagated the 2-inch layer of puffy, frozen water in three-inch heels. Naturally.

Walking to the Rayburn building (of the Senate) I could feel people within a ten foot radius making bets as to when I'd fall over completely; the non-existant amount of traction on my shoes let me slip a little on the sidewalk, or crossing the street, and people began to pull out their wallets in anticipation.

Suckas, I'm a pro.

And thanks to the somewhat subversive underground subway system that connects the House, Senate and Capitol buildings, I didn't step outside for another eight hours. Instead, I watched Secretary of Defense Robert Gates testify in front of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, wherein I saw John McCain. When he reads to himself, he reads from his lap so it looks like he's asleep. It's adorable.

Then, I situated myself in the Senate Press Gallery like a baller real journalist and wrote a story. I bought a five dollar cheeseburger from one of the Capitol kitchens (to answer your inevitable question: good, but painfully small.)

Showing up a half an hour early to the House Rules Committee was a good idea, because there were like, 20 chairs. I was one of the only media people able to get in. There may have been MAYBE two other journalists. Suck it.

I won't bore you with the details of the meeting, which dealt with desired amendments to the $825 bailout package, but a killer story should be out soon.

It should also be noted that politicians like to compliment each other. A lot.
No, really. A lot, a lot.