Last night was opening night for the Lone Peak HS production of “The Curious Savage”. It was a GREAT show and the actors and crew were just fantastic. The performances were funny and touching and the story is really fun. Brian played Hannibal, who needs to lose weight and plays the violin. (It’s a secret, but during the show he actually played his viola.) The show was funny, touching, and thought-provoking about relationships and how we perceive each other. Everyone should make the effort to attend this wonderful show this week! It runs each evening at 7 pm through Friday night.
Do a good turn daily
Yesterday I had an interesting experience that demonstrated to me how we politicos on the Hill are seen by the average citizen.
I had left the Capitol for a meeting downtown and was returning during the lunch break. I dashed into the cafeteria in the East Bldg. and grabbed a wrap and bag of chips to carry to the lunchtime coalition meeting I needed to attend. Because of the timing of my meeting, I was almost an hour late for the coalition, so I was in a hurry. I exited the cafeteria doors, headed for the revolving door to get me onto the plaza, when I noticed an elderly couple standing tentatively near the doors and watching all the people zooming through the doors. Just as my mind registered the fact that maybe they needed help, the gentleman moved to stop me. He politely inquired if I could help them. I responded, “Of course”, and asked what they needed. Turns out they had come to the Hill for a public tour of the Capitol and had no idea where to go. I explained that they were in the wrong building and gave them directions on how to find the tour guides in the Capitol. They were so appreciative and told me they were glad that they had decided to stop me and ask for help.
I smiled and told them “No problem”, but as I raced across the plaza, I wondered how long they had been standing there hoping for help. I replayed in my mind the busy advocates and lobbyists running back and forth and realized that we are an intimidating group. Did they stop me because I was wearing a Utah PTA badge or had a friendly face? I hope it was because of both. I hope I looked friendly and not distracted, and I hope my badge made me seem non-threatening.
Week No. 1 ends
This was the first week of the Utah Legislature. I listened at home on Monday and Tuesday while watching over Brian’s recovery, but on Wednesday it was off to the Hill. Up early, home late. I spent Wed-Fri up there talking to legislators, reading bills, listening to committee hearings, and digesting budget numbers. Same old, same old.
So far, the bills I’m following are flying through committee because several of them were worked on heavily during the interim and were passed as committee bills. This allowed them to be heard first or go straight to the board so I’ve been busy in committee and working with sponsors on details. Most of the bills don’t have fiscal notes which is also allowing them to move quickly. Because of the budget woes, fiscal note bills are being held.
Some of the bills I’m currently following would increase the statute of limitations on felony child abuse homicides, amend the definition of incest, allow a perpetrator of domestic violence in the presence of a child to be prosecuted for separate offenses for each child present, and prohibit a sex offender from requesting, inviting, or soliciting a child to accompany them. This tightens up the current statute. I have several others, as well, and you can see that I get into some interesting testimony.
The 2009 budget amendments were approved in Executive Appropriations yesterday. I was lucky enough to get a seat in the room and not in one of the two overflow rooms. $15 million was added back to public education during the meeting, making the cut there only 3%, instead of the 3.8% of other state agencies. For the most part, they were able to find money to backfill many of the vital human services in the section of the budget that I follow. So most programs will not be cut drastically in 2009. But discussions are going forward in the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee on the fiscal year 2010 budget and programs will have to be cut.
Overall, it’s a grim year up there. One amusing note: it was really weird to be hanging out in front of the House doors yesterday waiting to speak to some legislators and find myself standing by Mark Walker. He resigned his House seat last year amidst ethics allegations in the State Treasurer race, was charged, recently plea bargained to a misdemeanor, and now is a registered lobbyist for some health organizations.
As a volunteer child advocate, I am not a registered lobbyist, which means that I do the same work but don’t get paid for it. On the up side, I have a better reputation than some of the paid lobbyists, so there are compensations. 😉
Brian at the hospital
Brian had a CT scan and hearing test at Primary Children’s Medical Center on January 5 and the ENT surgeon had his surgery scheduled for January 21. Just like that. Brian made arrangements and rescheduled rehearsals and lessons to be ready and off we went last Wednesday.
He looks cheery and confident before the surgery, but then those are two of his normal qualities. The surgeon opened him up behind his ear, removed mastoid bone and infected material, and grafted in a missing section of his ear canal. He’s been home resting and I’ve been playing nurse for the last few days. He’s watched many a DVD since Thursday morning. He’s starting to feel a little more like himself today, but is still quite sore, dizzy, and tired.
Thanks to everyone who prayed for him.
Sue’s thoughts today
1. It’s great to see the sun, but I’m tired of the cold already and this high pressure is causing an inversion in Utah that makes the air quality bad.
2. I feel swamped by my full-time volunteer PTA job, but am trying to work methodically through my list of things to do.
3. I was able to spend Wednesday afternoon with a good friend who helped me see the “big picture” and adjust my attitude.
4. I laughed alot with 2 friends last night in “the meeting after the meeting” and solved the world’s problems.
5. I’m feeling grumpy about some additional assignments, but now that I write this, I see that hanging with friends doesn’t help me accomplish my “to-do” list, but makes me feel better about myself and more able to accomplish things when I get down to it.
6. I’m blessed to have a good husband and two good sons who help me be happy.
So life is a bit of a pain right now, but special people make it endurable and even happy.