Banter Bites

A Senate “Dream Team”?

OK, without doing a Google search, do you know what the Senate Sergeant at Arms office does?

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: What exactly does "doorkeeper" mean, and will it help Red understand why Black thinks the responsibilities of the Senate Office of the Sergeant at Arm are so interesting?

As much as Red loves history, she's the first to admit she doesn't know much beyond the basics of how Congress works and definitely doesn't know how the Senate operates on a day-to-day basis. So, when Black told her this is the first time since it was created in 1789 that the Senate Sergeant At Arms office leadership team was all women, Red thought, "Cool," especially given it's Women's History Month. But the reality was that she had no idea that the office even existed, let alone what it did. (If it hadn't been for Axios, Black might not have even learned about the historic event.)

Are you feeling the same way? Well, it turns out the Senate Sergeant at Arms and her (yes, not "his" any longer) office has an amazingly diverse range of responsibilities (and "doorkeeper" is part of the official description). It's not only the chief law enforcement officer for the upper chamber but "is charged with maintaining security in the Capitol and all Senate buildings, as well as protection of the members themselves," according to the Senate's website. And if that isn't enough, they're also in charge of protocol and administration for most support services, which would explain why the office oversees a staff of over 800 people!

So, once Red had a better understanding of the specific responsibilities of the office, she was impressed, but then started looking at it from a very different perspective,

Keeping the peace, making sure everyone remains safe, being responsible for things not only happening but happening in a certain way, coordinating people and assignments, and recognizing there are different personalities and perspectives. Wow, as a mom, I relate to so much of this, but obviously on a much, much, smaller scale.

And while Black was bemused at Red's description, especially as she often explained to Red that all her "Mom skills" were transferable to the workplace, she couldn't help but think about the "bigger picture" implications of the office leadership now being all women,

Neither Red nor I had heard of the Senate Sergeant at Arms office until now, but the fact it made history brought it to our attention. The bios of the leadership team, who have been in their respective field for decades, are extremely impressive. But, for girls and women, they represent three more role models with so many more to be found. In all walks of life. Making history is important, but leading the way for others is even more important …

When the news is challenging or life’s stressful, there’s something comforting about Girl Scout cookies. Always has been, which is why we’re rerunning this post from several years ago.

Girl Scouts, though, are about so much more than cookies, as year-round girls learn important life skills, gain confidence, and discover leadership skills. But buying cookies is such a sweet way (sorry, we couldn’t resist) to support the organization. Red’s favorite is the classic shortbread (now known as Trefoils), and Black buys a large assortment and gives them all away.

But hurry! Cookie season ends on March 23.

P.S. - If S’mores and Toast-Yay! are your favorites … make sure you stock up as this is the last year they’ll be available.

Let's play word association. If we say, "Girl Scouts," what's the first word that comes to mind? Ok, what's the second word?

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: When Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low organized the first Girl Scout meeting – hoping to create an organization that redefined what was possible for girls everywhere – there was no way for her to know the difference it would make in the lives of millions of girls and their communities.

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Today’s turbulent times for Jews may overshadow the celebration of the Jewish New Year, one of the holiest of the Jewish holidays. Yet, ironically, we feel it should strengthen its significance, as the holiday is a time for reflection on the past and hope for the future.

If you think today’s politics are ugly … let’s talk about a man who named himself “dictator for life” of the Roman empire, and is then assassinated by a group of senators, including his best friend. (However, there’s a “pretty” part – Cleopatra was his mistress.) Food trivia and leadership lessons aside, the fact July is named after him is the perfect excuse to rerun one of Red’s favorite Banter Bites

Quick! If someone says "Julius Caesar," what comes to mind?

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Almost everyone has heard of Julius Caesar, but how many of us really know much about him, or at least that's what Red starts to wonder when she receives the usual flippant, but still accurate, reply from her sister, after feeling very proud that she knew that July was named after the famous Roman.

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