Monday, February 7

Unlike previous Mondays, today was fairly lively.  I arrived at 10:00 and the pages had a Lunch 'n Learn with Speaker Paulsen.  As the speaker, he has the full authority to hire and fire all the staff members relating to the House such as secretaries, Indexing and Journalizing staff, pages, and the Republican & Democrat support staff. He may also keep a bill from being read in/debated/passed.

Anyway, the House convened at 1:00, had the prayer/Pledge, and then the Democrats caucused.  The chamber was strangely busy this afternoon.  I sat in on an education meeting again and they caucused for a very long time. While committees are having a caucus, the Democrats go to another room from the Republicans and that's when us pages sit outside and wait until everyone's done.  Today, I got a good start on a third book.

Tomorrow, I get to go in the well and start the Pledge of Allegiance, all by myself.  I pledge allegiance... I pledge allegiance... I pledge allegiance...