I have to admit that every time I have a meeting on Capitol Hill in some office in one of the House or Senate or Capitol buildings, I get a bit of a thrill walking up the stone steps, or tramping through the marble halls, looking up at the ceiling, noting the gilded murals, or even going through security and getting lost in the corridors. Any one of hundreds of famous worthies have surely stepped on the same stairs, passed through the same passages, made their case or argument, and spoken a million important words ahead of me. A fun part is sitting in some Member's office waiting my turn and sometimes being given popcorn, or chocolate candy bars, or peanuts, or iced water that some offices give out to guests. Even if the meeting doesn't go that well -- you know some staffers just don't seem to listen, or some Members are not available for very long -- just being in such a significant place affects me greatly. I sometimes joke that "I'm just a girl from a village in the old country and here I am in one of the most powerful places on the planet." But you know, it's no joke!
Ever once in a while I get a chance to visit the National Building Museum and each time I am very impressed by how grand it is inside and how decorative it is on the outside. We went there and had coffee one weekday afternoon when we took a staycation last year. While the coffee wasn't that great, sitting at the cafe tables in the vast hall near the fountains was a terrific experience. And very restful as the space is quiet and airy. And there's always something to see in this building. During our staycation we also played miniature golf there as they had that set up in one room with some rather corny golf holes. Then we also saw an exhibit of buildings made out of Legos, including someone who'd made models of famous buildings in New York City. We also got a chance to make some models out of Legos too, along with all the other children. Such fun!
