The DFL made another budget offer this afternoon. Its key items include adding more poker tables at Canterbury Park and a provision that would link teacher pay to job performance, an idea which Pawlenty has been promoting for some time. If an agreement is reached, the earliest we would be back at work is Friday (the Legislature is adjourned until tomorrow). The last time I was unemployed for any significant stretch was the summer of 1999, so this has been an unusual experience for me. Just between you and me, I have kind of enjoyed the aimless quality of the last few days. There’s a certain kind of pleasure in rolling out of bed and thinking, “Well, what should I do today?” But I’m sure that would quickly transform to anxiety if I had to start worrying about when my next paycheck would arrive.
I’m going to confirm my plane tickets for Europe as soon as I finish this blog entry. The trip is starting to cross that threshold between “Wouldn’t it be fun…” to “This is gonna happen.” There are still a few details to work out, but the plan is to spend six days in Paris and four in Berlin. I think I’ll be staying at the Marriott on the Champs-Elysees while in Paris. It’s a luxury, I suppose, but it’s also a guarantee of an accessible room.
Mark, will you be keeping your blog up to date while in Europe? It would be intersting to read your experience as a traveler with a disability.
I’ll add my vote to blogging while on travel, if possible!