Hey Big Daddy,

Enough already of Capitol love affairs: How about tackling a real issue? Whyis there such a perpetual fight over reapportionment? This is the mostboring subject I can think of, and I can’t understand why everyone in theCapitol gets so excited about it. All this talk about boundaries, censustracts and population shifts makes

Hey Big Daddy,

As an ambitious Assembly staffer, I've been dating a senior staffer in
another office for about a month. He's charming and treats me well. He's
also promised to help me with a promotion, or even
a job in the Senate. I
just heard from a good friend that he saw my "boyfriend" at a well-known gay
bar in mid-town. Big Daddy, I don't want to be anybody's beard, but I kind
of like him and really want help moving up the ladder.
What do I do?

– Capitol Climber

Hey Big Daddy,

I’m a Democrat, sort of, and I work for a Republican in the Legislature.
When I first got hired last year, my political preference was no big
deal–they liked my work and I’ve never been that interested in politics,
anyway. I took a job in the Legislature because it was a good gig, but not
for any political reasons. But now the fact that I’m a Democrat is causing
tension in the office, and I can tell that some of my colleagues are getting
tight-lipped around me. My girlfriend (a Republican) thinks I ought to
change parties, and I’m leaning toward changing employers. So weigh in, Big
Daddy: What should I do?

– Dithering in Davis

Hey Big Daddy,

I’m a senior staff member in the Capitol, and my job description doesn’t include dealing with the press. But I keep getting pestered continuously by reporters who want information and promise to keep it “off the record.” The reporters are loud and noisy and poorly dressed, and I refuse to talk to any of them. My friend says I should talk to the reporters off the record and use them to get my boss’ message into the media. What is meant by “off the record?” Do you think I should talk to reporters?

– Suspicious in Sacramento

Hey Big Daddy,

I work for a high-priced lobbyist who recently asked me for some technical help on his computer. Much to my dismay, I stumbled across personal ads, photos to a national swingers’ mag and his personal inquiries to a swingers’ club in Las Vegas. I can’t help but think he intentionally left this stuff for me to find. I really like my job and the pay is great, but this swapping thing creeps me out. Do I tell my boss and let him know how I feel, or just ignore the entire thing?

– No Victoria Secret

Hey Big Daddy,

I am a young, upwardly mobile woman working in the Capitol. I am involved with two men. One is older, not good looking and flat lines in the sack, but he could be a good ticket to better future employment. The other is a staffer like me who is a hunk and floats my boat in the bedroom. Both have asked me to the same “must attend” holiday function. Should I go for the career move or have a very jolly Christmas?

– Confused in the Capitol

Hey Big Daddy,

So what are St. John Knits? I keep hearing that lots of high-powered women
from both political parties like to wear St. John Knits, and that this means
they are making a special fashion statement peculiar to the Capitol. I
looked up St. John Knits’ on the Web, and saw haute couture models with
skinny hips and pouty lips, but nothing about politics. So what gives?

– Irked in Irvine.

Hey Big Daddy,

I ran into a legislator at the gym the other day who’s been avoiding my
calls for more than a week. I need to talk to him about legislation my
client wants him to sponsor next session. If I’d run into him at a
restaurant or on the street, I wouldn’t have hesitated to stop him and bend
his ear, but I passed up the opportunity to talk to him at the gym. I
wasn’t sure if that’s territory that is off-limits.
-Exercised in Elk Grove

Hey Big Daddy,

I landed my first job out of college last September and find myself in a
position that no college professor or career counselor prepared me for –
babysitting my boss’ kids while he and his wife go out of town for the
weekend. He already knows I’m free this weekend because he asked if I had
plans and I told him no. I’m not being asked to do it for free, but I’m not
sure the extra money is worth it.

-Wondering in Watsonville

Hey Big Daddy,
I went into Tuesday night with some high hopes. I knew that Prop. 76 was
going down, but I really did believe we had a chance with Props. 74 and 75
up until the bitter end. I know I’m not the only one to work on a losing
campaign, but this was my first, and I had never worked so hard for
something, and come up completely short.

Unfortunately, I spend a little too much time drowning my sorrows in the
hotel bar, and found myself a few hours later in, let’s just say, the wrong
hotel room. The experience just added to the self-pity from the night
before. Do you have any suggestions on how to avoid these types of messy
situations in the future?
-Down and Out in Beverly Hills