Some things still work

Some good news from the Capitol today: my press pass still works to get into the building, I can walk most of the way under cover from the League of Women Voters office to the Empire State Plaza, the woman who makes sandwiches in the Capitol Deli remembers me, and some people read blogs.

The latter is probably most important since I am about to become a more serious blogger: I am going to help the League of Women Voters with communication, possibly with a new blog to keep its membership up to date with what's happening at the Capitol and on other political matters.

Since the league seems to be in the middle of the debate over a new Albany ethics bill (not an oxymoron) seems like there will be plenty to write about, at least for a while. Also have the weekly column for nysnys.com as an excuse to keep up on things.

Parking is a huge deal in Albany where there isn't much, so being able to get from the league office (maybe a half-mile away) to the Capitol mostly protected from the weather is a big plus.

Had a long talk with league lobbyist Barbara Bartoletti in the Capitol Deli, where I had my first delicious chicken-salad wrap from that establishment in more than seven months. Don't believe the bad stories you hear about the food there. Got some warm welcomes, which is always nice.

Also stopped by the Gannett bureau and found that they, sigh, seem be getting along without me. The desk calendar in my office is still on last June, and virtually everything else there is just as I left it. I threw out some old mail.