I love field trips

It is snowing again. Finally where it sticks on the ground a little- not like the last brief shower. I drove home in them, lightly fluttering about, wetting the road that held the drivers frantic from the holiday anxiety back in the shopping center.

I got to go "in the field" today. To see the survey in action. Grand conclusion, it's really hard to get people who are home, available, and willing to take a survey. How else shall we estimate poverty, disability, or any other problem? How else do we gather national data about these things without you telling us. We have to ask you. But people are suspicious, as would I be.

Take home point. If a fed employee one day shows up at your door and tells you that you're part of a probability sample that needs to be fulfilled if we are to tell you anything about the people of America, please do help them out. We're out there. Seriously, where do you think this information comes from? You know how people say that there's a small group of people out there who have been examined by aliens in strange and probing ways to understand humanity. Well a small sample of America also gets surveys. And we too are probing and invasive, but we won't hurt you. And it's important for you, too. It's important for all of us. How else are we to know?

But do you think that could discourage me. Hah you would be mistaken. It was a lovely experience and gave us both ideas on how we could improve the process and it was completely interesting and worthwhile. A new thing I never thought I would/could do/perform/be. Which is nice. Which isn't half bad really.