Almost halfway there

This marks the end of six weeks in Washington, and for me one of the hardest.

A lot of old demons came back for a visit this week, and I would like to extend a personal thank-you to the friends who took the time to look into my well-being.

You've probably noticed the occasional mentioning of "public bloodletting." That's a reference of how writing was once defined, I believe by Oscar Wilde:

"Writing is easy; just sit down at a typewriter and open a vein," he said. And he was right.

Writing is therapeutic for me, but not just the act of writing it all down is enough. I have a big problem with people who write things down and plan on never letting another human being see their words. Writing was created as a means of communication, of exchanging information about the world around us, and ourselves. To write something down without the full intention of never letting it be seen is a violation of the natural order, in my opinion.

But enough blabbering.

Last night was something else. I went to the National Press Foundation Dinner at the Washington Hilton here in D.C.

This is a big deal, Scripps had one ten-seat table there, and to get that they had to make a donation of $3,000. Do some math, come on, wake the hamster up and get him running.

By now you should have calculated that my seat at this dinner cost Scripps $300. And people wonder why I never speak ill of the organization.

Not that I have anything ill to say in the first place.

Several amazing journalists were honored. The biggest? Tim Russert, for a lifetime achievement award.

All the speeches were great, and the food was, too. I even had wine.

It would've been tacky to card people, after all.

I got a package from home today, and it really made me feel special. My mom put in a bag of chocolates, my copy of Newsweek, and a friendly note.

But what got to me the most was what my little sister put in the package: a valentines gift of a box of Whoppers, one of my absolute favorite things on this earth. Right up there next to pottery and the first amendment.

It really touched my heart to open the little card and find an Andes Mint, another favorite.

Thanks, guys.