They Grow Up So Fast: Hail, Gen X

New grown-up job: representative of the 20th Congressional District in Upstate New York.

Benchmarks: the first-ever Kirsten elected to Congress!

She's SO young that. . . : Okay, so despite looking as dewy as a Tri-Delt president, she's not actually that young for Congress -- among House freshmen there are a half-dozen who are even younger. Yet that name, which came into vogue only in the late '60s, is a potent sign of the times. (Ditto for Congress's first Amy -- Democratic Sen.-elect Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.) By our estimate, we're now just a decade removed from a Brandon or Ashley on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a Brittany or Shane on the Supreme Court.

Adrian Fenty

Age:35

New grown-up job: mayor-elect of the nation's capital.

Benchmarks: born just months before Marion Barry won his first election (to D.C.'s school board); elected to the City Council at age 29.

He's SO young that. . . : He keeps his radio preset to hip-hop station WKYS 93.9; uses the word "awesome" even when talking to other big-city mayors.

Then again: Comfortably wears those classic old-man fedoras.

Cathy Lanier

Age:39

New grown-up job: nominated by Fenty to serve as the city's first permanent female police chief.

Benchmarks: started her police career in 1990; has already served as city's head of homeland security.

She's SO young that . . . : She can still get away with wearing her blond hair in a sporty ponytail.

SORRY, YOU'RE NOT ON THE LIST

One in an occasional series of dispatches from parties you should have crashed.

Guest of honor: Sen.-elect Jim Webb

Hosts: Friends from his Lake Barcroft neighborhood, near Falls Church.

Site: Peking Gourmet Inn (known as a favorite restaurant of President Bush 41)

In attendance: Webb's very pregnant wife, Hong Le; oldest daughter Amy; and 73 neighbors from the tight-knit community.

Minor controversy: Some wanted to hold Tuesday's party on the Barcroft beach; vetoed because of late-November temperatures.

How they pulled this off: Organizer Connie Lawn bypassed the new senator's handlers and simply knocked on his door and asked him.

Roots: Webb's parents rented a house in Lake Barcroft in the '60s; he bought his house in 1985.

Local pursuits: He fishes on the lake and tends his vegetable garden.

Good neighbor policy: Webb schmoozed for an hour, autographed books, posed for pictures and thanked everyone for supporting the local guy.

Overheard:"It's like 'Mr. Webb Goes to Washington.' "

New-reality check: The busy Senate freshman-to-be had to dash off before they served the house specialty, Peking duck, but left with a VIP bag of Chinese takeout.