A Day In A Life of Devra or How I know when I've got too much going on...

I don't know about you, but when I've got too much going on, there are signs and I have learned to heed them. Like yesterday for example. Having parked my car at a meter, I ducked into a store to get change for a dollar. After being given 4 quarters, I dutifully went back to the meter. Fortunately it only took one quarter before I realized I was feeding the wrong meter. So if you were parked on Connecticut Avenue yesterday at 12:00 Noon and you got an extra half hour on your meter know it was on me, Devra Renner, the woman who has been doing too much this week.


Next I took me and my overtaxed brain up the elevator to a monthly meeting where I am a rep for MomsRising. I'm not the only rep, the other one was going to be there too, but a big tadoo over at The Momocrats was happening, so she bailed on me. But do not hate on her. Do not! Look if I had Barack O'boyfriend answering questions on my blog, I'd be bailing on me too. We were just talking about something weren't we? What were we talking about before I became distracted? Oh right, my inability to keep myself out of embarrassment when I have too much going on causing my brain to misfire.

Being that I had a half hour before the meeting was to begin, I figured it was as good a time as any to visit the loo. I asked the receptionist for the key, she pointed to a basket sitting on the counter. I grabbed one of the many keys. Got to the door, put the key in. Hmm, doesn't work. Think to myself, "What's that all about?" Suddenly the cloak of darkness is removed from my head, the fog lifts, angels sing and I realize I've got the key to the men's room. Niiiiice. Back to the receptionist, where I explain the key mix up as well as the meter experience that preceded the key debacle. Like she even cares. I know. Shut up. (But know I still heart you, even if I used the S word. It's in jest.)

Finally I make it to the conference room to hear staffers from Pete Stark and George Miller's offices discuss the "Family Leave Insurance Act of 2008" On the one hand, it was affirming to hear the staffers discuss the bill and bring up their own struggles with figuring out the life/family/work dynamic. But at the same time it was frustrating because it's difficult to determine how seriously the higher ups on The Hill consider this type of legislation because it's up against economic policy, foreign policy and a whole menu of other items which often are taken far more seriously by our nation's leaders. However, like a wild ride, another upward turn is this is the second FMLA inspired bill to be introduced in a very short period of time (we're on Federal Government Time, this means anything less decade) with the other being the "Family Leave Insurance Act of 2007" This is more congressional action we have seen in the 15 years since our country gave birth to FMLA on February 5th, 1993!

Call your elected officials, let em know you want more legislation supporting care-work in our country. It only takes a minute to say, "Please help my family and many more. Thank you." Do it. I'll wait right here for you to come back and tell me all about your call and what you said, and what they said.

I'll also wait right here because I need to slow the hell down!

Cross-posted on DC Metro Moms Blog