Popetastic!

You may have heard the news that Pope Francis was in DC over the past couple of days. Out of concern for the massive transit backups likely to be caused by visiting Catholics come to see the Pope, most of the federal government was encouraged to telework or take liberal leave. (If you're unaware, "liberal leave" means you use your own annual leave and don't come in to work.) Unfortunately, my staff can't telework because our work is confidential and can't be taken from the building, so we've been almost fully staffed yesterday and today.

So how was the commute, you ask? Wonderful. Enough federal workers stayed home that the influx in tourists didn't make up the difference, resulting in better commutes than usual. Trains were plentiful and half empty, so commuting was a great treat for those of us who do it every day. And my building, occupied by six federal agencies, was also half empty, which meant shorter lines in the cafeteria and a generally more relaxed atmosphere.

Thanks, Pope! Come back any time.