It’s kind of like lava.

Having witnessed some of the entrapments and accoutrements of national policy, the last week brought me a few paces closer to the fire. I’ve had the opportunity to walk up to an active lava flow in my life, and it bears some resemblance to drawing near Senate chambers on Capitol Hill. Upon approach, long before its sight, there is a detectable change in the air. Almost imperceptible at first, the outside transformation slowly permeates the senses and suddenly, realizing where you are, the reality of it all hits like a slap across the face. In both instances I found myself confronted with two paradoxical conclusions illustrated best by the same phrase. First, there is the fact: “Wow. This is it.” This is the where it all happens. At the same time, finally seeing firsthand what was so long imagined I couldn’t help but think, “Really? This is it?”

Early in the week, all past and present fellows were invited to a reception held at the US Botanic Gardens. If you haven’t been to that amazing structure, please do go the next time you’re in DC. I frequently and furtively tried to shirk my social responsibilities by slinking off to admire orchids and tropical ferns, but there was no rest for the weary. Lesson learned- when attending parties or receptions described as ‘networking opportunities’ prepare do exactly that. This week I also visited the Senate offices to attend the confirmation hearing of Dr. Jane Lubchenco in a necessary part of her nomination process as she rises through the clouds of bureaucracy toward her new seat as the Director of NOAA (again that’s the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a divsion of the US Department of Commerce). Why did I bother? Well, under President Obama and his as-yet-unappointed Secretary of Commerce, Dr. Lubchenco will be my big boss.  The hearing was described to me as Kabuki Theater, which interestingly was the exact descriptor a colleague noted of a fisheries meeting I attended a few months ago in Alaska. The idea being that everyone knows what is going to happen, and this is just a show to put all of their private comments on public record. While I completely agree with the assessment, it diminishes the notable fact that this show is not for entertainment, it outlines the path of this nation and therefore (in my humble opinion) is worth watching. Of all the notable faces there, two that meant the most to me were those of Senators Mark Begich of Alaska (the newly elected replacement of  Ted Stevens) and former presidential candidate John Kerry of Massachusetts. Having seen, heard, and spoken so much of these two men over the last few years, it was surreal to see them in person, sitting only feet away from me. That was my “This is it. / This is it?” moment for the week.

Before we part, here are a few interesting facts I’ve learned:

-In the most literal instance of bet hedging I’ve ever seen, the president rides in one of 3 large black helicopters with the words “United States of America” scrawled across either side. These helicopters fly in close formation, and I just can’t resist playing a silent game of ‘eeny meeny miny moe’ whenever they pass by.

-Underground corridors connect many, if not all federal buildings in on Capitol Hill. Walking through them is sadly about as interesting as it sounds.