From my hotel this week, I have an excellent view of all the active runways at National Airport. And the Amtrak line. And the metro. And the G-W Parkway. And some sailboats and stuff on the Potomac. It’d be like big vehicle heaven if I were a five year old boy; it’s still pretty cool if you’re a 34 year old boy – I’ve been sitting and watching airplanes take off and land all afternoon, and having way too much fun with it.

Speaking of Amtrak, I’m happy (but surprised; I was sure it was going to be Tim Kaine) with Joe Biden as Obama’s VP. He brings some working-class color to the ticket, has some serious foreign policy chops, and isn’t afraid to get a little rough when the campaign calls for it. I occasionally worry about his slightly outsized ego (the man’s never met a television camera he didn’t like), but I’m sure he’ll be pointing it in the right direction.

Speaking of Ego, I had a pretty nice, low-key birthday. A nice family dinner out, a trip to the dinky little county fair (where Catherine made friends with a little rabbit and some ducks), and a brief shopping trip where I found a good bargain on a pair of shoes and some khakis. And, I also got a nice clean upstairs out of the deal; I can’t complain.

Speaking of Birthdays, nobody’s seen any baby fish since Saturday morning. Either only the smart ones are left and are keeping a VERY low profile for now, or the big fishes ate them all. If that’s the case, I’ve gotten a little better set up for the next batch, thanks to a 39 cent two-inch terra cotta pot, a small craft saw, and some files. When cut in half and filed down a bit, the pot became a couple of pretty cool “baby fish caves” that have plenty of room for babies, but are too small for the big ones to get into. I feel clever.

Speaking of clever, well, I’ll let the reader decide that score.