I flew into a snow covered DC last night, a city that I’ve long had a love affair with. With the political structure, the museums, the culture, the universities… I’ve always been swept up by the conversations you can find in a coffee shop or at the bookstore. If you know the right places, merely keeping your ears and eyes open can bring you face-to-face with some of the most respected and powerful people on the planet. To top it off, the city is an incredible congregation of 20- and 30-somethings. I grabbed drinks with a friend (and DC blogger) from a former life last night, chatting about politics, the district, policy, etc. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of things about this city that irritate me (local government, the ideologues, etc)… but it will always have a place in my heart.

As I landed, I couldn’t help but wonder what could have been? Instead of Knoxville, why not DC? Instead of UT, why not American, George Mason, or GW? Instead of venture capital, why not public policy or legislative affairs? Of course, I know the answer to those questions. In the long-run, I’m just a country boy that likes a simpler life. And I don’t have the patience for bureaucracy.

So, I’ll sip my fancy organic (and complimentary) coffee while watching CNBC in my fancy hotel room (provided by my employer) right off Capitol Hill. I’ll attend my conference and meet with House members and the new SBA administrator. I’ll keep my mouth incheck as my more liberal colleagues share their opinions on the new administration and congress.

While I’ll love my time here, I’m already missing The Pup and The Girl. Besides, how can Washington, D.C., in all its splender, compete with football season in Tennessee? Or mountains? Yes, I think three days is long enough.