Gov't Shutdown - ahhh!

I've been happy living in Denver but I have never been so happy to NOT be living in DC. Apparently its madness with the impending shutdown. My buddy Tommy has already reserved a keg for Monday for his "Get Down with the Shutdown" house party. He also sent me an article of the drink specials for the bars on the Hill, including penny beers for those with a congressional ID, to help them afford to drink during the furlough.

My old roommate Lauren, however, has learned she is apparently an "essential" employee and will not be getting any time off, regardless of the budget. She is a background investigator but I wonder - how can she do her job when there is no one at federal offices to help her investigate??

As a federal contractor, we were curious to see how this would affect us. We just had our government shutdown meeting and learned we do not get a paid vacation courtesy of Berger and the federal government. We can continue working on our existing projects and contracts, so long as we are not at a point where we need government feedback. We should have enough work for a week or two, but if this shutdown lasts as long as the 1995 shutdown did, I'll be looking at some free time around my apartment.

I find it a little ironic that the potential shutdown could occur during National Park week - the one week a year where all parks are free to get into and enjoy. Instead they will all be closed. For the larger parks, it was interesting to read that the shutdowns would be gradual, not immediate, as it takes a few days to make sure everyone is out of the backcountry and wilderness areas of the park. I cannot imagine being on a 14-day backcountry camping trip and coming back to civilization only to find the government has thrown a tantrum and shut down. I think I'd turn around and hike right back in.

Also in peril is the 150th celebration of the first shots at Ft Sumter - why we are celebrating the Civil War I'm not quite sure, but that is definitely an event that cannot be postponed. The trickle down effect from people planning vacations, to concessionaires in the parks, to services provided in the towns adjacent to parks is staggering.

Its amazing how big an impact one decision, or lack of one, can have.