in case you were wondering

in case you were wondering

Some of you think I just work in landfills and go out to eat, well I do something that at times can be even more stressful and risky than eating out or going to landfills, and that is going to the Legislative Office Building or LOB (for a brief while it was known as the State Legislative Office Building, but for obvious reasons, the first name was dropped).

Below is the building that I have been going into ever since it was constructed back in the late 70's and early 80's when I worked in the State Budget Office.




A Lobby -- yes one of THOSE -- a LOBBY -- a place where nefarious deeds are done. This is either 5th or 6th floor - they both look the same- and elevators to the left, the big hearing room at the end. Therefore what we have is an open space which is the LOBBY - and in it often one can see lobbiests, and yes I have seen them. A result of of recent scandals they now have to wear name tags.




Below is a photo of the interior of Legislative hearing room. plush seats of course for those who are anointed. The speakers stand in the middle is the place from which I have made several presentations over the years. In recent years of course about solid waste, but early in my state budget office days I had one very humbling experience.

In my second or third year in government, I had the assignment of presenting at a legislative public hearing on new federal Block Grants. The room was packed with legislators and visitors area full of visitors from all over the state, hallways full, the place was buzzing with excitement as the speaker before me was speaking on Community Development. As he finished and I was being introduced along with my subject, it was like a fire drill as the place vacated, all those visitors that had little buttons for Burke or Catawba or whatever county got up to leave, and their respective legislator followed them out. I litterally was walking against a tide as I approached the speakers stand, and could not even start above the din of people leaving. I did pause until it got quiet and then there was exactly one person in the visitors section, a co-worker from the budget office, and the only legislator present was the chair of the committee and he was at the podium behind me and said "Go ahead Mr. Crissman". and to an under appreciative (and small) audience I began ....




Dressed and about to enter the doors of doom, note message regarding keeping doors closed. Well they should as few could / should be able to witness the mayhem and madness inside. Also note -- no name tag.




if I can get Patt to take a photo and reveal what really goes on, her work high light one day is on tap