Pączki Day

Since moving to the Midwest, I have come to accept certain quirks. Like the fact that some people say "melk" instead of "milk". That people in my town seem to walk with no sense of urgency, but drive like a bat out of hell. That you have to turn right to make a left.

And then there are quirks that I embrace. Like the fact that it takes 15 minutes to check out at the grocery, because you get into a friendly conversation with the cashier. That I've heard Savage Garden multiple times on our local radio station. That emergency weather alerts call Eastern Michigan "the thumb" in official press releases.

And today, I embrace Pączki Day. Louisianans have a cinnamon roll with a baby inside; Michiganders have a dinner roll stuffed with jam.

No matter if you call it Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, the State of the Union, or Rivalry Week: here's hoping you found a themed confection. 

SOTU

(photograph by Chuck Kennedy)

 This weekend, bars across America were packed with people watching the Packers and the Steelers.  But tonight, bars across DC will be packed with people watching the State of the Union.

It probably seems strange to people in the Fifty Real States, but DC has its nerdy quirks.  I think I’m going to opt for the warmth of my couch, but I like the idea nonetheless.

Speaking of which, have you heard about the seating arrangements?  In a bipartisan gesture, lawmakers are switching up their normal seating assignments.  Some Republican and Democrats will sit together, which means that they’ve been asking each other to be “seat buddies”.

It's like Capitol Hill Prom!