Greg Nickels and his wife enjoying New England.Greg Nickels returned from Harvard this weekend with a new beard, a workout routine, and, as of this morning, a new job. He’s a “Distinguished Urban Fellow” at Living Cities, a DC-based non-profit that connects foundations and their billionaire backers to cities and neighborhoods that need new schools or job training centers. Nickels, who has always been more appreciated outside the city he ran, is charged with helping Living Cities add an environmental bent to its projects. The new gig allows Nickels to stay in Seattle, says Living Cities spokesperson Andrea Martone, he’ll just have to make regular trips back to DC to meet with staff and the Board of Directors. She won’t say how much he’ll get paid, but the job is only part time–20 hours a week. It leads to the obvious question: What will he do with the other 20 hours in the traditional work week? We found his iPhone on the bar at the Alki Tavern and have the answers. Here’s how Nickels’ schedule breaks down:The Price is Right. Nickels secretly thinks Drew Carey is way better than Bob Barker, who had a pretty creepy tan: 5 hours.Hanging out with Sharon (wife). When you hold elected office, you’re married to your job. If the photographic evidence on Facebook is any indication, the two are reconnecting. Aw. 3 hours.Keeping up the beard. We were skeptical when he started growing it out, but it’s filled in nicely. 1 hour.Sounders games. Turns out Nickels is a big futbal fan, a much better choice than the again-abysmal Mariners. 3 hours.Gloating over Mike McGinn’s struggles at City Hall. The new mayor has angered the Governor, the legislature, the city council and city staff, earning vicious editorializing by Joni Balter who calls him a stumblebum. Ouch. Nickels can hardly be blamed for spending some quality time thinking to himself “bet you wish you had a Chicago-style heavy getting things done in Seattle now, don’t you, voters!” 7 hours.Reviewing invitations for his next impressive out-of-town gig after this fellowship ends. 1 hour.
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