That weird middle place

In tug-of-war there are two teams pulling on one rope in opposite directions. In that center of that rope is a knot. The first team to get that knot over the line on their side wins. I feel like I am that knot, caught between the past and the future. My time in D.C. has been interesting. I have had my ups, meeting some new people, a great job, and embracing a city that represents everything I've spent the last four years studying, but I have also had my downs. Getting my credit cards, cellphone, and security badge stolen, and a few other things I won't go into detail here. I find that every time I have one of those bad experiences I want to run, run back home to New Hampshire where my life is safe, simple, and happy. In the end the reality is I can't run, I just have to pick up the pieces, learn from the experience and move on. During the ups I can see myself coming back here and potentially living here. So here I am, the knot, stuck in the middle as each side takes turns pulling me in one direction or the other. While I know I don't have to decide this today, or tomorrow, the fact remains I need to make some decisions about my future and the path I will choose to walk. If I choose New Hampshire I will never have a place to run but also no reason to run, as I am always surrounded by good people and have people to lean on. The ups here are great though and the city is exciting and so different then everything I've ever known. I just don't know if I am cut out for city life, I don't think I am naive, rather just trusting, an attribute I've always thought was good, but here trust is something given sparingly. So I don't know! I apologize for the rambling just contemplative I guess.

Work is going great. I love working for the EPA! There is so much environmental policy coming out I have been getting tasks left and right. Lately I have been working on some questions for our Deputy Administrators confirmation hearing, creating some cheat sheets for the Waxmen-Markey bill that's being marked up in the House, and about to tackle the new energy bill. So basically I have been doing lots of reading haha the Waxmen-Markey bill is about 1100 pages and I have read it front to back. The roommates are still going great. PJ and I have been getting along great and have had some really good conversations. The day-to-day here is going very well. The overarching questions of my future will take some more time to figure out. I have always been driven and focused and for once I am at a loss for what I want to do and which avenue I will pursue. Coming home in a few weeks will be a well needed break. Hope everyone back home is enjoying the rain :-P It has been very nice weather here. Hope all is well!

-Ross-