Crazy Hours at the Statehouse

I thought I'd take a post to talk about the work hours in government.  They are pretty much just nuts, but I think I like it that way.  Let me explain myself.

In no way can this ever be described to be a regular 9-5 type of job.  We would all expect it to be a little crazy for legislators and top staffers, but this pretty much applies to everybody who works here, from the Governor all the way to the people whose main purpose is to make copies.  During the most busy times of the year (the passing of the state budget, for example) everything is especially up-and-down.  The first week that i worked here, I was at work from 8 in the morning until 11:30 at night on some days.  When session is called, they will keep going until they're done, so sometimes it can run until 3am, or even all night long and through the next day without time in-between for sleep.  They will actually sit in session in the statehouse and argue about a bill all night, depending on how much they care about the issue, how close the vote is, and, of course, whether the Speaker of the House decides to end discussion and call a vote or let it continue.  Other days, especially on days when there is no session or caucus or committee, people might arrive at work at 11 am and leave at 2 or 3.  I guess it suits me since I already have such varied sleeping habits.  It's a little strange, though, to be up at 11pm going over the specifics of a certain bill, or sitting in a couch in a room at 10pm after 5 hours of listening to a caucus disagree about which amendments should be introduced and which way they should vote.  It's not really what I think most people would look for in a stable, predictable profession, but I think it makes for a really interesting, dynamic environment.  Plus, you see a different side of these professional politicos late at night than you get to see early in the morning when they're much more awake and poised; it makes everybody seem a bit more human and easy to relate to.