In Principio

Today, in this town, a part of the world begins anew. Its prelude was yesterday...

At the Cathedral of St Matthew in DC, there was the annual "Red Mass," presided over by Archbishop Weurl, attended by prominent members of the legal and judicial community, Catholic or not. It traditionally precedes the "first Monday in October," which is when the US Supreme Court begins its new session.

Also yesterday, the US Government began its new fiscal year. We spent all last week at this agency, in a frantic effort to process any outstanding funding requests and/or voucher reimbursements under "the old money." Thankfully, I have my schooling at the Institute paid for through the Winter Quarter. As to the Spring... well, they tell me that training funds will be very tight, if they exist at all. So I'll have to find a way. In my nearly twenty-six years of civil service, there usually is when someone influential enough wants something done badly enough. Whatever happens, we won't know squat for much of the first quarter, as Congress passes one "continuing resolution" after another while trying to settle on the current Federal budget. It's the same damn thing every year. More on that later.

My piece on "Playing Priest" got a moderate number of comments, but at least three links of which I'm aware. Another piece is being completed for this week, which will be of similar magnitude.

Now, if you'll excuse me, we've got a job going to press tomorrow. Duty calls...