Life has been a little intense lately. I work on an events team, planning a national conference at the end of may. My life has pretty much been devoted to this conference--even when i'm not at work, i'm sometimes thinking about it. awhile back my supervisor mentioned "keeping me on" to work until the conference. My hopes soared.
Today I made it happen. I get to go home for a few days and then return to DC and finish planning the conference...and then attend it :)
I've been saying for so long that i feel like an integral part of the team. I love this organization, and every task i've been given I've tried to do my best at. And it's paid off. And it's a great feeling. I absolutely cannot wait.
Seattle here I come :)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday updates
Hello world. The week at work was really good. Our execs as well as one member of the events team (there's only 3 of us) were away on international travel so we had a lot to keep up with -- and again, I feel like an important part of the team. Watching this conference come together has been so so amazing. this has been one of the best experiences ever. Even though I'm completely broke, and I miss my family & friends, it's totally worth it.
The weekend has been a rollercoaster. Friday was awesome; we went to Philadelphia as a group and it was awesome to bond like that. We had so much fun. It was great to see where the Founders debated and signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It was also cool to see the Liberty bell. AH. loved it. I also loved the city itself; the atmosphere was awesome. Not mention it was a beautiful day outside. We went to this area called South Street, and it was sooo fun. Definitely very culturally diverse--reminded me of Dupont or something, but way more fun. People watching there was really cool. That night we got back and just crashed -- 5ish hours in a packed fan can make you sleepy!
Saturday Jamie & I went to ben's chili bowl with her coworker. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it back one more time before leaving. They showed us this video while we were there about all these historical moments & BCB being on the news. The Pres has eaten there :) I just love that place. The weather yesterday & today has been crazy. 90 degrees both days! I love it!
Last night I logged on to facebook and was greeted with some shocking news. I found out that my ex-boyfriend's freshman year roommate, Rob, was killed in a car accident. Rob was only at Simpson for a short amount of time, but while he was there, we all loved him. My roommate and I spent a lot of time with the boys of Kresge 7 and we always talked about how we missed Rob and wished he would come back to visit. He was just driving along on Friday night when he was hit head on and killed. The driver of the other car was not killed; nor was his passenger. It's so tragic and it really caught me off guard. Rob was exactly my age...which makes me think: if I were to die today did I fit enough in? It doesn't ever seem like a real possibility but when someone is taken from you so unexpectedly like that it really makes you think. RIP RK 4/24/09.
We also went out to Adam's Morgan last night, which was fun because there were a LOT of people and I got a Jumbo Slice piece of pizza :) I didn't feel too well, however, so we came home. While we were waiting for the metro, we experienced something I hope I never have to witness ever again. A man who was obviously mentally disabled, drunk, or both, ran down the escalator and threw himself onto the tracks. Luckily, Jamie saw this happen and screamed for help. The guys around us grabbed the man and helped him up onto the platform..the scariest thing was the pair of headlights coming in our direction from the tunnel...ugh, I shudder when I think about it. Had we not seen him, however, I think it would have been fine because the approaching train slowed down dramatically. The driver must have seen some kind of ruckus happening. I'm so grateful. That was probably the scariest thing I have witnessed in awhile; I dont know what I would have done had that man succeeded in his suicide mission. My thoughts and prayers are with him.
Today we went to the Eastern Market, as it may be one of our last opportunities :( . Finally got some chips & salsa that I always sample and love but never buy. I love that place; definitely going to miss it. I have a sinus headache today but I'm trying to get papers done. 2 done, 3 to go.
Hope everyone is doing well. Shout out to my girl Emily who had her 21st birthday this weekend!
The weekend has been a rollercoaster. Friday was awesome; we went to Philadelphia as a group and it was awesome to bond like that. We had so much fun. It was great to see where the Founders debated and signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It was also cool to see the Liberty bell. AH. loved it. I also loved the city itself; the atmosphere was awesome. Not mention it was a beautiful day outside. We went to this area called South Street, and it was sooo fun. Definitely very culturally diverse--reminded me of Dupont or something, but way more fun. People watching there was really cool. That night we got back and just crashed -- 5ish hours in a packed fan can make you sleepy!
Saturday Jamie & I went to ben's chili bowl with her coworker. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it back one more time before leaving. They showed us this video while we were there about all these historical moments & BCB being on the news. The Pres has eaten there :) I just love that place. The weather yesterday & today has been crazy. 90 degrees both days! I love it!
Last night I logged on to facebook and was greeted with some shocking news. I found out that my ex-boyfriend's freshman year roommate, Rob, was killed in a car accident. Rob was only at Simpson for a short amount of time, but while he was there, we all loved him. My roommate and I spent a lot of time with the boys of Kresge 7 and we always talked about how we missed Rob and wished he would come back to visit. He was just driving along on Friday night when he was hit head on and killed. The driver of the other car was not killed; nor was his passenger. It's so tragic and it really caught me off guard. Rob was exactly my age...which makes me think: if I were to die today did I fit enough in? It doesn't ever seem like a real possibility but when someone is taken from you so unexpectedly like that it really makes you think. RIP RK 4/24/09.
We also went out to Adam's Morgan last night, which was fun because there were a LOT of people and I got a Jumbo Slice piece of pizza :) I didn't feel too well, however, so we came home. While we were waiting for the metro, we experienced something I hope I never have to witness ever again. A man who was obviously mentally disabled, drunk, or both, ran down the escalator and threw himself onto the tracks. Luckily, Jamie saw this happen and screamed for help. The guys around us grabbed the man and helped him up onto the platform..the scariest thing was the pair of headlights coming in our direction from the tunnel...ugh, I shudder when I think about it. Had we not seen him, however, I think it would have been fine because the approaching train slowed down dramatically. The driver must have seen some kind of ruckus happening. I'm so grateful. That was probably the scariest thing I have witnessed in awhile; I dont know what I would have done had that man succeeded in his suicide mission. My thoughts and prayers are with him.
Today we went to the Eastern Market, as it may be one of our last opportunities :( . Finally got some chips & salsa that I always sample and love but never buy. I love that place; definitely going to miss it. I have a sinus headache today but I'm trying to get papers done. 2 done, 3 to go.
Hope everyone is doing well. Shout out to my girl Emily who had her 21st birthday this weekend!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
April 21st, 2009, how did you get here already?
SO I'm horrible at keeping up with this blog thing. It's not that exciting things aren't happening, its mostly that I'm lazy and I have other things to do than write in here. Oops!
Things have been good at work. Things were really stressful the week I got back (from my week at home) and for the week after that. Now things are coming down to the wire, but for some reason I'm slacking off a little lately. It may be because my executives are gone, OR because I see the end in sight and I'm not going to the conference... who knows. Today I was a little busier, but last Thursday and yesterday all I did was look for a job for the summer. :-/
I gotta say though, it doesn't feel like I have to leave. It just feels like I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing. It's a big part of my life! Plus it's been awesome getting to know the other interns. I just adore T and M (who may or may not be a couple..!) and it'll be tough to not be around here anymore!
I really think I want to move out here for grad school should I decide to go. I want to be a real student out here and have a real community -- while getting a Masters (or something). We'll see. Maybe I'll live with T... :)
Class has been going pretty well, too. I don't really like the dynamic of the class because I just feel like everyone is better than me or he values their opinions more; however I did do really well on my last presentation so I will at least hopefully get a good grade.
J's birthday was last weekend, which was awesome. Her sister was in town and we went out both nights. It was fun to be out on the town. Hopefully we'll hang out next year at school, too. We're trying to figure out a way to take a trip to NY before our time here ends..fingers crossed!
We went to Mt. Vernon last Friday and it was just so awesome to see where our first President actually lived. So beautiful and definitely surreal.
This Friday we're going to Independence Hall in PA. Should be a fun little road trip. Going to see Independence Hall.
I think that's all I got. More later.. (as always)
Things have been good at work. Things were really stressful the week I got back (from my week at home) and for the week after that. Now things are coming down to the wire, but for some reason I'm slacking off a little lately. It may be because my executives are gone, OR because I see the end in sight and I'm not going to the conference... who knows. Today I was a little busier, but last Thursday and yesterday all I did was look for a job for the summer. :-/
I gotta say though, it doesn't feel like I have to leave. It just feels like I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing. It's a big part of my life! Plus it's been awesome getting to know the other interns. I just adore T and M (who may or may not be a couple..!) and it'll be tough to not be around here anymore!
I really think I want to move out here for grad school should I decide to go. I want to be a real student out here and have a real community -- while getting a Masters (or something). We'll see. Maybe I'll live with T... :)
Class has been going pretty well, too. I don't really like the dynamic of the class because I just feel like everyone is better than me or he values their opinions more; however I did do really well on my last presentation so I will at least hopefully get a good grade.
J's birthday was last weekend, which was awesome. Her sister was in town and we went out both nights. It was fun to be out on the town. Hopefully we'll hang out next year at school, too. We're trying to figure out a way to take a trip to NY before our time here ends..fingers crossed!
We went to Mt. Vernon last Friday and it was just so awesome to see where our first President actually lived. So beautiful and definitely surreal.
This Friday we're going to Independence Hall in PA. Should be a fun little road trip. Going to see Independence Hall.
I think that's all I got. More later.. (as always)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Good Day, Bad Day
Yesterday was an awesome day.
It was great to go back to work, and see everyone.
The first awesome thing about it was that I had to prepare for, and lead, a meeting in front of the President & CEO. They said I did well--and the project I'm in charge of is so far successful. It's an amazing feeling.
I also just got a LOT done yesterday. So much that my bosses thanked me profusely when I left work. It felt good to have a week off because it refreshed me; now I'm back at it and as efficient as ever.
There's also going to be an intern video clip that I will be appearing in, to be posted on the intern part of the web site. should be fun! :)
Today was a little less awesome, but hey, that'll happen. I had a headache and was cold all day, and then my phone died. My charger was supposed to be coming in the mail, but I got one of those slips of paper instead that told me to go to a post office...so i walked there, waited in line for 45 minutes, just to be told that it "wasn't there yet." I live four blocks from the post office! How could it not be there? And it was express mail...whatever. So, problem solver that I am, I went to Union Station and the verizon there charged it for me while i walked around....temporary solution anyway.
Just a long day. But already Wednesday tomorrow, and no classes this week. So that's good.
Dad's recovering well, which I'm thankful for. My heart goes out to the Zimmerman family who lost a family member this week. If you read this, please take a moment to pray for these amazing people.
It's ten o'clock and it's definitely already bed time!
It was great to go back to work, and see everyone.
The first awesome thing about it was that I had to prepare for, and lead, a meeting in front of the President & CEO. They said I did well--and the project I'm in charge of is so far successful. It's an amazing feeling.
I also just got a LOT done yesterday. So much that my bosses thanked me profusely when I left work. It felt good to have a week off because it refreshed me; now I'm back at it and as efficient as ever.
There's also going to be an intern video clip that I will be appearing in, to be posted on the intern part of the web site. should be fun! :)
Today was a little less awesome, but hey, that'll happen. I had a headache and was cold all day, and then my phone died. My charger was supposed to be coming in the mail, but I got one of those slips of paper instead that told me to go to a post office...so i walked there, waited in line for 45 minutes, just to be told that it "wasn't there yet." I live four blocks from the post office! How could it not be there? And it was express mail...whatever. So, problem solver that I am, I went to Union Station and the verizon there charged it for me while i walked around....temporary solution anyway.
Just a long day. But already Wednesday tomorrow, and no classes this week. So that's good.
Dad's recovering well, which I'm thankful for. My heart goes out to the Zimmerman family who lost a family member this week. If you read this, please take a moment to pray for these amazing people.
It's ten o'clock and it's definitely already bed time!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
It's Routine Surgery, Really
But nobody can deny that heart surgery is serious. Any kind of surgery is, in my book! I know this blog is supposed to be about my adventures in DC, but as long as I have a blog, I might as well write it all down so I remember the experience. I have this sad habit of not remembering significant happenings in my life--so I'm making it a point to remember this one.
For the faint of heart or easily bored, I suggest skipping the following 2 paragraphs. What I'm going to do is describe the surgery, how it went down, and what's happening now.
What dad has is mitral valve regurgitation, which caused the blood to flow in the wrong direction in part of his heart--making his heart work harder & causing swelling, as well as an irregular heartbeat. The doctors thought they may be able to fix everything with medicine, but that didn't work, so my dad elected to have the surgery. They were unable to repair the valve, so they instead inserted a bovine valve (pig!) which is the closest option to the real thing. This is better than a metal valve, the other option, because now he can be on fewer meds that cause him discomfort. They hooked him up to a heart-lung machine, which keeps the blood circulating throughout the body and provides necessary oxygen to the heart, lungs, brain, etc. all while the heart is stopped so they surgeons can work on it. Amazing, I think!
The next part of the surgery was called maize--which was a procedure done by making burn marks and hopefully shocking the heart back into a normal rhythm. Irregular heartbeat was what brought on this whole problem. It's a 50-50 chance that the maize will keep his heart in a regular heartbeat.
Lastly, they had to cut off an appendige (sorry about the graphics) in order to reduce the swelling. I have always said he has a big heart.. :) But literally, a swollen heart has to work harder--this will make it more efficient and relieve stress.
The surgery itself is routine, like I said, but it's invasive and painful for the most part because they have to break the sternum bone--which is the thick bone protecting your heart. This is where dad's at right now--in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU), waiting to get better enough in order to be able to remove all the tubes and things that are connected to him.
Again, I'm sorry if I bored any of you. Just good to have it down on "paper."
It's amazing to me how much support my family has gotten throughout this process. I'm in awe. My dad is a hero; I know he'll pull through this well. I'm glad that the surgery part is over and now we can focus on the healing process. It will be hard to go back to "normal life," but I feel better knowing that we have a good support system at church, at the hospital, and in the community.
It's like I just kind of pressed a "pause" button on my life the past few days. It's been in and out of the hospital, not much sleep, making our own lunches and getting quite cozy in the surgical waiting room. I've found it as a blessing-- my dad gets his heart fixed, and it brings us all together as a family. It's been awesome.
Work and Washington will be there waiting for me when I return. I will have just a month left in the city when I get back.
Thanks for reading. I hope you all have a wonderful day. <3
For the faint of heart or easily bored, I suggest skipping the following 2 paragraphs. What I'm going to do is describe the surgery, how it went down, and what's happening now.
What dad has is mitral valve regurgitation, which caused the blood to flow in the wrong direction in part of his heart--making his heart work harder & causing swelling, as well as an irregular heartbeat. The doctors thought they may be able to fix everything with medicine, but that didn't work, so my dad elected to have the surgery. They were unable to repair the valve, so they instead inserted a bovine valve (pig!) which is the closest option to the real thing. This is better than a metal valve, the other option, because now he can be on fewer meds that cause him discomfort. They hooked him up to a heart-lung machine, which keeps the blood circulating throughout the body and provides necessary oxygen to the heart, lungs, brain, etc. all while the heart is stopped so they surgeons can work on it. Amazing, I think!
The next part of the surgery was called maize--which was a procedure done by making burn marks and hopefully shocking the heart back into a normal rhythm. Irregular heartbeat was what brought on this whole problem. It's a 50-50 chance that the maize will keep his heart in a regular heartbeat.
Lastly, they had to cut off an appendige (sorry about the graphics) in order to reduce the swelling. I have always said he has a big heart.. :) But literally, a swollen heart has to work harder--this will make it more efficient and relieve stress.
The surgery itself is routine, like I said, but it's invasive and painful for the most part because they have to break the sternum bone--which is the thick bone protecting your heart. This is where dad's at right now--in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU), waiting to get better enough in order to be able to remove all the tubes and things that are connected to him.
Again, I'm sorry if I bored any of you. Just good to have it down on "paper."
It's amazing to me how much support my family has gotten throughout this process. I'm in awe. My dad is a hero; I know he'll pull through this well. I'm glad that the surgery part is over and now we can focus on the healing process. It will be hard to go back to "normal life," but I feel better knowing that we have a good support system at church, at the hospital, and in the community.
It's like I just kind of pressed a "pause" button on my life the past few days. It's been in and out of the hospital, not much sleep, making our own lunches and getting quite cozy in the surgical waiting room. I've found it as a blessing-- my dad gets his heart fixed, and it brings us all together as a family. It's been awesome.
Work and Washington will be there waiting for me when I return. I will have just a month left in the city when I get back.
Thanks for reading. I hope you all have a wonderful day. <3
Sunday, March 22, 2009
keepin up
Jamie and I have been running. Ok, actually Jamie has always been running, but i've taken up going with her. I can now officially run to the washington monument and back..quite the accomplishment seeing as Capitol Hill (the actual hill) is killer.
Work is up and down. On the best days, I feel like an integral part of the staff, and I feel accomplished, and I do important things. Other days, I'm updating a spreasheet for six hours...and likewise, some days I love it and it goes by quickly, and other days it's dragging on and I can't stay awake.
The recent arrival of our new Executive Team Assistant, M, has made an already positive work environment even better. M and I really get along--and we enjoy being "newbies" together.
I'm midway through my internship, and I have mixed feelings about that. I love this conference...and I also really miss home. Both homes. Formal looked like so much fun!
My dad's surgery is getting closer- I'm going home on Saturday. My entire immediate family will be home..first time since I graduated high school. (almost 3 years!) Should be nice to see the hippie brother.
:)
<3
Work is up and down. On the best days, I feel like an integral part of the staff, and I feel accomplished, and I do important things. Other days, I'm updating a spreasheet for six hours...and likewise, some days I love it and it goes by quickly, and other days it's dragging on and I can't stay awake.
The recent arrival of our new Executive Team Assistant, M, has made an already positive work environment even better. M and I really get along--and we enjoy being "newbies" together.
I'm midway through my internship, and I have mixed feelings about that. I love this conference...and I also really miss home. Both homes. Formal looked like so much fun!
My dad's surgery is getting closer- I'm going home on Saturday. My entire immediate family will be home..first time since I graduated high school. (almost 3 years!) Should be nice to see the hippie brother.
:)
<3
Sunday, March 15, 2009
just another sunday
So C's visit was awesome. It was so nice to have someone here from home. Sad to see her go!
Friday night was a lot of fun, too, except I swear this bar we go to, McFaddens, is cursed. C lost her coat and phone (which I later found..on the curb outside. wtf?) and managed to chip her tooth on a beer bottle. I think she had a good night, overall though...haha.
Saturday we kicked back and took it easy and today we went grocery shopping and completely cleaned the entire apartment. I also did three loads of laundry, which is like, my entire DC wardrobe. good times!
I'm having some troubles with the Metro..delays on my train for tomorrow so I have to go early..and my smarttrip deactivated so i have to mail in some form to get my money back..AND some guy jumped in front of a train the other day, which is like my worst fear everrrr.
other than that..life is good. Dad's doing well. Going home soon. :)
<3
Friday night was a lot of fun, too, except I swear this bar we go to, McFaddens, is cursed. C lost her coat and phone (which I later found..on the curb outside. wtf?) and managed to chip her tooth on a beer bottle. I think she had a good night, overall though...haha.
Saturday we kicked back and took it easy and today we went grocery shopping and completely cleaned the entire apartment. I also did three loads of laundry, which is like, my entire DC wardrobe. good times!
I'm having some troubles with the Metro..delays on my train for tomorrow so I have to go early..and my smarttrip deactivated so i have to mail in some form to get my money back..AND some guy jumped in front of a train the other day, which is like my worst fear everrrr.
other than that..life is good. Dad's doing well. Going home soon. :)
<3
Friday, March 13, 2009
...
Wow, i haven't been so good about writing in here lately. i used to write every day! oh well. Chandra got here on Tuesday night, and we went out with our other old coworker schutter. it was awesome to have a little reunion.
Dad was in the hospital this past week. His leaky heart valve didn't get better last time with medicine and it was acting up again. He has surgery scheduled for March 31st to replace it. I'm going home because my sister is awesome and paid for a plane ticket for me. It'll be so nice to see everyone. i miss them.
Work has been good; kinda busy. I've had a couple days off since C is here. I don't think there are any other big updates...going to a museum today. we went to the air and space museum last weekend but it wasn't too impressive.
that's all i can think of at the moment--hope everyone is doing well
Dad was in the hospital this past week. His leaky heart valve didn't get better last time with medicine and it was acting up again. He has surgery scheduled for March 31st to replace it. I'm going home because my sister is awesome and paid for a plane ticket for me. It'll be so nice to see everyone. i miss them.
Work has been good; kinda busy. I've had a couple days off since C is here. I don't think there are any other big updates...going to a museum today. we went to the air and space museum last weekend but it wasn't too impressive.
that's all i can think of at the moment--hope everyone is doing well
Sunday, March 8, 2009
catch up
Friday we went to our first speaker, which I think we were all a little apprehensive about. The organization we went to was called APCO Worldwide, which is a public affairs firm. Doug told me to apply there and I didn't and now I'm kicking myself..but it's okay. Anyway, the guy we met with was some senior executive, and he was really awesome. We learned a lot about the public relations industry and lobbying and a bunch of other stuff. The building was really awesome, too. He gave us a lot of insight about job-hunting and resume-writing, too. It was nice to hear it from someone who actually interviews people and makes these decisions. Then we explored the area of town around Metro Center, which was fun.
I then met up with my fellow NGLCC interns. It's exciting to have peers at work, even though I don't really fit in with them. They all know everything about this town and have their little niches. They're all really nice though. M even shares my love for Hillary :) We had Thai food at Nooshi which seems like a really popular place for the college-age set. I loved it! And I ran into one of my old coworkers. This town is soo small..
Last night we had people over then a few of us went out to a bar in Dupont. It was awesome except for the whole daylights saving time thing.
I can't believe it's 8pm already!
C comes to visit on Tuesday, and I have Wednesday off. I'm SO excited.
Til later <3
I then met up with my fellow NGLCC interns. It's exciting to have peers at work, even though I don't really fit in with them. They all know everything about this town and have their little niches. They're all really nice though. M even shares my love for Hillary :) We had Thai food at Nooshi which seems like a really popular place for the college-age set. I loved it! And I ran into one of my old coworkers. This town is soo small..
Last night we had people over then a few of us went out to a bar in Dupont. It was awesome except for the whole daylights saving time thing.
I can't believe it's 8pm already!
C comes to visit on Tuesday, and I have Wednesday off. I'm SO excited.
Til later <3
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
i've been neglecting this..
life has been busy again!
Since the last time I posted:
1. The plague of 3F (first robin, then kelly, then robin's boyfriend, now me...)
2. Blake visits 3F (Robin's BF). He's cool!
3. Crime & Punishment museum - awesome
4. work- gooood.
5. Armands-pretty good. should have had pasta. next time.
6. Homework- press conference- HARD! ugh.
7. No more energy to type more!
Since the last time I posted:
1. The plague of 3F (first robin, then kelly, then robin's boyfriend, now me...)
2. Blake visits 3F (Robin's BF). He's cool!
3. Crime & Punishment museum - awesome
4. work- gooood.
5. Armands-pretty good. should have had pasta. next time.
6. Homework- press conference- HARD! ugh.
7. No more energy to type more!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Snow in MN; Rain in IA; glad I'm HEEERE :)
Where the weather is BEAUTIFUL. unfortunately it's not going to stay that way, buuuut oh well!
Slow day at the office today. Only four of us are here! Everyone else is either in Puerto Rico or Miami (I know, right?!) I mean they're there on business, but still..haha. So today I got to work in a different department (under the chief of staff..and I think I impressed her!) and I got to work with J and F a little. I <3 them!
Also a new intern, C, started today. It's so fun having other students around! :)
Although I was a little sad that I was the only one who took the Starbucks break today, it has been overall a good day. I love Thursdays, first of all, because they are like my Friday. And as I was walking into my building I saw a Minnesota license plate. It made me smile a little... Reminded me of home.
One hour and fifteen minutes til the weekend. We're supposed to go up on top of the Washington Monument tomorrow, but it's supposed to be rainy :-/. Let's pray for good weather-- I hear the view is amazing.
I'm off to go sip my Venti Shaken Iced Tea and wait for the clock to strike 6. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Slow day at the office today. Only four of us are here! Everyone else is either in Puerto Rico or Miami (I know, right?!) I mean they're there on business, but still..haha. So today I got to work in a different department (under the chief of staff..and I think I impressed her!) and I got to work with J and F a little. I <3 them!
Also a new intern, C, started today. It's so fun having other students around! :)
Although I was a little sad that I was the only one who took the Starbucks break today, it has been overall a good day. I love Thursdays, first of all, because they are like my Friday. And as I was walking into my building I saw a Minnesota license plate. It made me smile a little... Reminded me of home.
One hour and fifteen minutes til the weekend. We're supposed to go up on top of the Washington Monument tomorrow, but it's supposed to be rainy :-/. Let's pray for good weather-- I hear the view is amazing.
I'm off to go sip my Venti Shaken Iced Tea and wait for the clock to strike 6. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
at the starting line of the rest of my life..
..yes, i do have a miley cyrus song stuck in my head.
Yesterday (and today) I have been conquering my fear of the telephone.
It's fine. It really is.
The phone is my friend.
What's the worst that could happen?
It's really not that bad.
...Yeah. :)
Yesterday I ran into my Iowans for Hillary boss! AH, this city is SO small, I swear :) He gets his hair cut at the salon on the first floor of my building. Love it. Exciting to see a familiar face every once in awhile :)
I also went to my first happy hour, ever, yesterday, with a guy (we'll call him G). It was a good time. :)
Then that address--that was something else. I loved it. Especially when he focused on energy for a significant portion. YAY!
Hmm what else is new...I'm calling Seattle now. Then Puerto Rico. The language barrier is difficult but it's a really good learning experience.
Love from DC!
Yesterday (and today) I have been conquering my fear of the telephone.
It's fine. It really is.
The phone is my friend.
What's the worst that could happen?
It's really not that bad.
...Yeah. :)
Yesterday I ran into my Iowans for Hillary boss! AH, this city is SO small, I swear :) He gets his hair cut at the salon on the first floor of my building. Love it. Exciting to see a familiar face every once in awhile :)
I also went to my first happy hour, ever, yesterday, with a guy (we'll call him G). It was a good time. :)
Then that address--that was something else. I loved it. Especially when he focused on energy for a significant portion. YAY!
Hmm what else is new...I'm calling Seattle now. Then Puerto Rico. The language barrier is difficult but it's a really good learning experience.
Love from DC!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Minnesota is Warmer...
Okay, I'm just kidding. But it does feel like it, on days like today, because it's windier here. Also, in MN and even Iowa, I rarely need to be outside for more than few minutes at a time in the winter. This is because of a general understanding among citizens of these states..that a warm building should always be located conveniently!
While I'm sure some people in these Midwest states do have to make a trek outside to get to work, I certainly never have had to. That's a big adjustment coming here--the commute. For the first few weeks I was excited--good exercise, yeah, and the scenery! But now it has become just a tad mundane--and the five blocks from the metro station seem to be getting longer. I am only pointing this out, however, not to complain, but rather to hope--that once the spring weather arrives (in a month!) hopefully I will enjoy my commute again. I tend to be happier the warmer I am (no joke).
Today I slammed my finger in the door, which hurt like hellll. It woke me up a little bit though. I've been having some trouble staying awake today.
Our office is designed in a unique way such that every person in it can hear every conversation going on. Today, this includes interviews. For some reason, I am actually nervous FOR these people! It's the strangest thing. I find myself holding my breath while they answer questions...awkward. Like right now...silence. awkward, awkward silence.
On another note, the Oscars last night = amazing. Kate Winslet was so cute, and Halle Berry (sp?) and Jennifer Aniston win as best dressed in my book. Also, how weird was it that when J.A. was presenting, they kept cutting to brangelina? Holy awkward.
Anyway, I hope everyone has had a good Monday!
While I'm sure some people in these Midwest states do have to make a trek outside to get to work, I certainly never have had to. That's a big adjustment coming here--the commute. For the first few weeks I was excited--good exercise, yeah, and the scenery! But now it has become just a tad mundane--and the five blocks from the metro station seem to be getting longer. I am only pointing this out, however, not to complain, but rather to hope--that once the spring weather arrives (in a month!) hopefully I will enjoy my commute again. I tend to be happier the warmer I am (no joke).
Today I slammed my finger in the door, which hurt like hellll. It woke me up a little bit though. I've been having some trouble staying awake today.
Our office is designed in a unique way such that every person in it can hear every conversation going on. Today, this includes interviews. For some reason, I am actually nervous FOR these people! It's the strangest thing. I find myself holding my breath while they answer questions...awkward. Like right now...silence. awkward, awkward silence.
On another note, the Oscars last night = amazing. Kate Winslet was so cute, and Halle Berry (sp?) and Jennifer Aniston win as best dressed in my book. Also, how weird was it that when J.A. was presenting, they kept cutting to brangelina? Holy awkward.
Anyway, I hope everyone has had a good Monday!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Catch up
I haven't blogged in awhile, I need to catch up! Work has gotten busier...I have more responsibilities now. People talk to me more..it's exciting, and also a little stressful. This week I had to make phone calls...I feel like i JUST got acclamated to answering the phone. I'm not sure why it scares me so much, but I suppose I will have to do it the rest of my life, so I need to conquer the fear now. The funny thing is, I have always been able to make phone calls while I'm by myself, but in the presence of authority, I can't do it. Like, I'm afraid I won't have the "right" conversation--because you can't prepare for that! AH, so I feel like I will be judged. It's ridiculous.
Thursday night was one of our roommates' 21st birthday. We went out to Union Pub and it was actually really fun. UP is really close, too...very convenient.
I haven't been feeling well lately--had a lot of random stomach pains, to the point where I dont want to do much. And this morning I woke up with a sore throat. I'm hoping it goes away because I have all these fun things I want to do today and tomorrow.
We're off to the Eastern Market right now. Maybe the fresh air will make me feel better...
Tonight I'm supposed to go out with one of my old hollister coworkers who goes to GWU. Should be fun (if i make it!)!!!
Hope you are all doing well :)
Thursday night was one of our roommates' 21st birthday. We went out to Union Pub and it was actually really fun. UP is really close, too...very convenient.
I haven't been feeling well lately--had a lot of random stomach pains, to the point where I dont want to do much. And this morning I woke up with a sore throat. I'm hoping it goes away because I have all these fun things I want to do today and tomorrow.
We're off to the Eastern Market right now. Maybe the fresh air will make me feel better...
Tonight I'm supposed to go out with one of my old hollister coworkers who goes to GWU. Should be fun (if i make it!)!!!
Hope you are all doing well :)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Fabulous Tuesday
Hey hi!
So today was an awesome day. The 930 postcards from last week turned into 1400, but for some reason, nothing could shatter my good mood today. My ex even tried to pick a fight with me on facebook, and i just..wasnt angry! It was great. I wish I had this much positive energy every single day.
Today started with a staff meeting, where I got to talk..and was assigned things to do by the chief of staff. I also answered the phones today, which makes me feel important...I'm not really sure why, but I like it. Anyway, I'm starting to feel like a more integral part of the organization...I have responsibilities and things I have to get done, and it's great. I feel like I have a purpose now! And an intern starts tomorrow..so I won't be the new kid anymore :)
The day went fast, too. It was probably since I was so frickin happy. I wasn't tired, either. Which was nice...I'm always dragging, no matter how much or little sleep I get. Maybe today is the start of a change in things, and I'll feel more well rested from here on out. I can hope!
I also went for a run today. All that positive energy carried over after work and I ran past the capital onto the mall and then back...uphill :) and then around the park a few times. Felt sooo good!
Then a couple hours of American Idol and some laundry...all in all, a good day!
I hope everyone else had a fabulous Tuesday as well!
<3
So today was an awesome day. The 930 postcards from last week turned into 1400, but for some reason, nothing could shatter my good mood today. My ex even tried to pick a fight with me on facebook, and i just..wasnt angry! It was great. I wish I had this much positive energy every single day.
Today started with a staff meeting, where I got to talk..and was assigned things to do by the chief of staff. I also answered the phones today, which makes me feel important...I'm not really sure why, but I like it. Anyway, I'm starting to feel like a more integral part of the organization...I have responsibilities and things I have to get done, and it's great. I feel like I have a purpose now! And an intern starts tomorrow..so I won't be the new kid anymore :)
The day went fast, too. It was probably since I was so frickin happy. I wasn't tired, either. Which was nice...I'm always dragging, no matter how much or little sleep I get. Maybe today is the start of a change in things, and I'll feel more well rested from here on out. I can hope!
I also went for a run today. All that positive energy carried over after work and I ran past the capital onto the mall and then back...uphill :) and then around the park a few times. Felt sooo good!
Then a couple hours of American Idol and some laundry...all in all, a good day!
I hope everyone else had a fabulous Tuesday as well!
<3
Monday, February 16, 2009
le weekend
So four day weekends are pretty much amazing!
Thursday night was pretty chill, no one really felt like doing anything so we just stayed in. Friday we were supposed to have CHIP speakers come in for class, but they ended up being too busy because of the stimulus bill to come in. Instead, we went to the Spy Museum (Free!) and it was pretty cool. Very interesting stuff!! I really liked it. Then we met up with Tricia, who works at Simpson, to talk about our internships and catch up.
Friday night was a fun time at 510C, I made us some friends, then we went out. :) It was pretty fun...Saturday we went out to the National Mall and saw the White House and the Monument and other tourist-y things like that. Definitely got my own I <3 DC shirt!!! Haha and we took a gazillion pictures. That was awesome. Saturday night I went out with some girls to my first DC bar ever..McFadden's. Good times!
Sunday we ventured out to Georgetown with the sole purpose of finding a Georgetown Cupcake. This is the big deal in Georgetown, these cupcakes. Apparently people come from miles to get one! We didn't end up getting a cupcake, oops (the line was a block long!) but we did run into some great deals shopping! I got two shirts for $15 at express..that does not happen! I've been trying to only spend money on necessities, but it's a challenge.
Speaking of spending money, I got my groceries delivered for the first time yesterday. On Peapod, the prices are actually a little better than Safeway, and the delivery charge isn't that bad. It's really convenient since I don't have a car out here!!
Last night, Jamie, Nick, and I went to see "He's Just Not That Into You." I thought it was a pretty good movie, although I wasn't too keen on one of the storylines.
Today I slept in to celebrate Presidents Day..and we're about to go take a Simpson picture and run some errands. Ta ta!
Thursday night was pretty chill, no one really felt like doing anything so we just stayed in. Friday we were supposed to have CHIP speakers come in for class, but they ended up being too busy because of the stimulus bill to come in. Instead, we went to the Spy Museum (Free!) and it was pretty cool. Very interesting stuff!! I really liked it. Then we met up with Tricia, who works at Simpson, to talk about our internships and catch up.
Friday night was a fun time at 510C, I made us some friends, then we went out. :) It was pretty fun...Saturday we went out to the National Mall and saw the White House and the Monument and other tourist-y things like that. Definitely got my own I <3 DC shirt!!! Haha and we took a gazillion pictures. That was awesome. Saturday night I went out with some girls to my first DC bar ever..McFadden's. Good times!
Sunday we ventured out to Georgetown with the sole purpose of finding a Georgetown Cupcake. This is the big deal in Georgetown, these cupcakes. Apparently people come from miles to get one! We didn't end up getting a cupcake, oops (the line was a block long!) but we did run into some great deals shopping! I got two shirts for $15 at express..that does not happen! I've been trying to only spend money on necessities, but it's a challenge.
Speaking of spending money, I got my groceries delivered for the first time yesterday. On Peapod, the prices are actually a little better than Safeway, and the delivery charge isn't that bad. It's really convenient since I don't have a car out here!!
Last night, Jamie, Nick, and I went to see "He's Just Not That Into You." I thought it was a pretty good movie, although I wasn't too keen on one of the storylines.
Today I slept in to celebrate Presidents Day..and we're about to go take a Simpson picture and run some errands. Ta ta!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Do you know what 930 postcards looks like?!
Welll, yesterday I didn't blog, because i was busy all day.
Busy doing "real intern work," as the president told me.
Busy stickering 930 postcards.
Yep, good times.
Weekend :)
Busy doing "real intern work," as the president told me.
Busy stickering 930 postcards.
Yep, good times.
Weekend :)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Lunch Hour Ramblings
So, today has been fun, and as you can observe from the title, it's not even over yet! The morning hours absolutely flew by today at work, and then I got to sit in on a seattle meeting! Ah, it was fabulous. I finally get to be involved in the actually planning process--I at least get to know what's going on with the details of the conference. I even offered input (just once, I didn't want to overstep any boundaries). So exciting!
I'm still reeling from that, so hopefully the last few hours of busywork will go quickly (I will be very busy making CD covers for the photo albums from past conferences...good times).
It's also 69 degrees outside, so I'm thinking about going for a walk. Although it will be strange to walk without purpose...everyone knows exactly where their destination is here!
Tonight we have life lessons with Mr. Tucker (class!) so that should be interesting. He has a LOT to say..hopefully I will say something intelligent and get on his good side. Crossing my fingers!
:) Have a great day!
I'm still reeling from that, so hopefully the last few hours of busywork will go quickly (I will be very busy making CD covers for the photo albums from past conferences...good times).
It's also 69 degrees outside, so I'm thinking about going for a walk. Although it will be strange to walk without purpose...everyone knows exactly where their destination is here!
Tonight we have life lessons with Mr. Tucker (class!) so that should be interesting. He has a LOT to say..hopefully I will say something intelligent and get on his good side. Crossing my fingers!
:) Have a great day!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Observations
Interesting Observations about this city:
1. I find myself rushing, but I've noticed that I don't really notice it..because EVERYONE is rushing during the morning commute. I fit in very nicely. :)
2. There are more sirens in one day here than I normally hear in MONTHS at home.
3. There are no children. Like, anywhere (at least that I see).
4. There are more well-dressed men in this city than any other city I've ever experienced. It's a little bit amazing.
5. The black women are all stunningly beautiful in this town.
6. You can get anywhere you need to be by taking the Metro. I love love love the metro.
7. Life is expensive! Really expensive.
8. On my morning commute, I have three opportunities to buy Starbucks coffee without going out of my way.
9. Instead of being open 8-4:30 like every normal office in the Midwest, offices here are all open 9-6.
10. Lunch break is at 1pm, not noon..culture shock! Dinner is later, too.
11. There are beggars everywhere and it breaks my heart. If you're wearing your headphones, they're less likely to talk to you. :(
12. The days FLY by except for the hours between 2pm-6pm. Everyone I've talked to about this agrees with me.
13. People argue, in public, a lot. And there is no "the customer is always right."
14. It seems like everyone and their mother owns a dog.
15. I can see the capitol from my house! (WAY better scenery than Russia...:)
More to come, I'm sure...
1. I find myself rushing, but I've noticed that I don't really notice it..because EVERYONE is rushing during the morning commute. I fit in very nicely. :)
2. There are more sirens in one day here than I normally hear in MONTHS at home.
3. There are no children. Like, anywhere (at least that I see).
4. There are more well-dressed men in this city than any other city I've ever experienced. It's a little bit amazing.
5. The black women are all stunningly beautiful in this town.
6. You can get anywhere you need to be by taking the Metro. I love love love the metro.
7. Life is expensive! Really expensive.
8. On my morning commute, I have three opportunities to buy Starbucks coffee without going out of my way.
9. Instead of being open 8-4:30 like every normal office in the Midwest, offices here are all open 9-6.
10. Lunch break is at 1pm, not noon..culture shock! Dinner is later, too.
11. There are beggars everywhere and it breaks my heart. If you're wearing your headphones, they're less likely to talk to you. :(
12. The days FLY by except for the hours between 2pm-6pm. Everyone I've talked to about this agrees with me.
13. People argue, in public, a lot. And there is no "the customer is always right."
14. It seems like everyone and their mother owns a dog.
15. I can see the capitol from my house! (WAY better scenery than Russia...:)
More to come, I'm sure...
Monday, February 9, 2009
The coolest thing about today...
...is that I ran by the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, and the Capitol. Because they're in my neighborhood..just a few blocks away. Being that close to things that important is so surreal to me. It's like I can't even really grasp completely that I'm actually in the presence of all of these important things.
That was really the highlight of my day, although my acid reflux flared up (since i didn't eat breakfast) so i couldn't run for very long.
Work was good, especially for a Monday. Everyone was either sick or out of town last week, so it was great to have everyone back. Everyone (not just me) found it hard to wake up today, so we ended up taking two group trips to the starbucks on the corner.
Also,I got praised today, multiple times, for work I've done. That made me feel good, like I have a distinct purpose here. Love it.
Our office hired a new intern today! He'll be working in another department, but on the same side of the office as me. How fun it will be to not be the "new girl!"
I also got to leave a half hour early, which has made the evening seem a little longer :)
That was really the highlight of my day, although my acid reflux flared up (since i didn't eat breakfast) so i couldn't run for very long.
Work was good, especially for a Monday. Everyone was either sick or out of town last week, so it was great to have everyone back. Everyone (not just me) found it hard to wake up today, so we ended up taking two group trips to the starbucks on the corner.
Also,I got praised today, multiple times, for work I've done. That made me feel good, like I have a distinct purpose here. Love it.
Our office hired a new intern today! He'll be working in another department, but on the same side of the office as me. How fun it will be to not be the "new girl!"
I also got to leave a half hour early, which has made the evening seem a little longer :)
Sunday, February 8, 2009
First Weekend in DC!
OMG, the 3-day weekend is AMAZING. Here i was complaining about being at work too much..I will definitely love this 4 day on, 3 day off cycle.
Thursday night we went over to the guy's house (they live in overflow housing since there's only 2 of them). That was fun, we just kinda hung out as a group since we hadn't been able to really socialize at all together yet. It is SO much fun getting to know these people! Everyone is doing something AMAZING and it's great to hear about. I love being with these people.
Friday we slept in, then we had our class with Doug...he just kind of introduced us to the city..which seemed kind of backwards since we were basically thrown into it on Monday with a "good luck!" Not that I'm complaining, I've LOVED getting to know my way around this city. Anyway, we talked about what each of us were doing in our internship. It was pretty cool. Then we watched a DC video..then we had the afternoon and rest of the weekend off!
Friday afternoon we went to Dupont Circle to see the really really high up escalator..sometime I'll get a picture of it, that station is SO far underground! It's insane! We got Starbucks and wandered around..there's a Krispy Kreme over there...dangerous. From there we took the Red to the Green and stopped in Columbia Heights to go to Target. Here we got some (more) essentials. I accidentally left a bag there, but when I went back today to get the stuff they were very nice about it!! I'm so glad.
Friday night we went to a movie at Union Station..we tried to meet up with the 1st floor girls (Jessica and Hannah) to see "He's Just Not That Into You" but it was sold out! :( It actually worked in our favor though, because we saw "Taken" instead, and it turned out to be a REALLY well-done movie. It was totally badass. After that we decided to take it easy at home for the night..The movie theater, by the way, was a little sketch. We'll definitely be finding a new one..
Saturday we got up early and ventured out to the Eastern Market. It's really only a few blocks away (well like 7) and it is the cutest little market. Jamie and I bought hats (definitely a necessity) and they got some fresh produce, too. We will definitely be frequenting that place.
Saturday afternoon we walked to Chinatown and explored that area a bit. SUCH a cute part of town. I love it. We got dinner at a cute restaurant that we thought was going to be Chinese but was actually..Mexican, ish? Anyway, it was cute.
Saturday night a lot of us hung out together, which was great because I live with all these people but I feel like I never see any of them (besides the roomies). Then we ventured out to Hawk and Dove, which is basically intern city on the weekends. It was REALLY crowded, but we had fun. The walk home was horrible though, in heels..since we've been walking literally EVERYWHERE this week! I love the walking we do..it makes me feel healthy. :)
This morning we slept in...ah, it was fabulous. Today we took the metro to the Pentagon City mall. This mall was built exclusively for Pentagon workers. Crazy, huh? Fortunately for us, it's open to the public, and a lot closer than I had imagined it being! And super easy to get to of course. One of my roommates, Robin, had to drop off her computer to get fixed, so we had fun exploring the mall. Then we stayed on the train to stop off at Target to get my stuff that I left. All in all, it was a great day!! we also cleaned up today, which was much needed--my momma would be proud.
My feet HURT..but it's definitely worth it. Back to work tomorrow!
Thursday night we went over to the guy's house (they live in overflow housing since there's only 2 of them). That was fun, we just kinda hung out as a group since we hadn't been able to really socialize at all together yet. It is SO much fun getting to know these people! Everyone is doing something AMAZING and it's great to hear about. I love being with these people.
Friday we slept in, then we had our class with Doug...he just kind of introduced us to the city..which seemed kind of backwards since we were basically thrown into it on Monday with a "good luck!" Not that I'm complaining, I've LOVED getting to know my way around this city. Anyway, we talked about what each of us were doing in our internship. It was pretty cool. Then we watched a DC video..then we had the afternoon and rest of the weekend off!
Friday afternoon we went to Dupont Circle to see the really really high up escalator..sometime I'll get a picture of it, that station is SO far underground! It's insane! We got Starbucks and wandered around..there's a Krispy Kreme over there...dangerous. From there we took the Red to the Green and stopped in Columbia Heights to go to Target. Here we got some (more) essentials. I accidentally left a bag there, but when I went back today to get the stuff they were very nice about it!! I'm so glad.
Friday night we went to a movie at Union Station..we tried to meet up with the 1st floor girls (Jessica and Hannah) to see "He's Just Not That Into You" but it was sold out! :( It actually worked in our favor though, because we saw "Taken" instead, and it turned out to be a REALLY well-done movie. It was totally badass. After that we decided to take it easy at home for the night..The movie theater, by the way, was a little sketch. We'll definitely be finding a new one..
Saturday we got up early and ventured out to the Eastern Market. It's really only a few blocks away (well like 7) and it is the cutest little market. Jamie and I bought hats (definitely a necessity) and they got some fresh produce, too. We will definitely be frequenting that place.
Saturday afternoon we walked to Chinatown and explored that area a bit. SUCH a cute part of town. I love it. We got dinner at a cute restaurant that we thought was going to be Chinese but was actually..Mexican, ish? Anyway, it was cute.
Saturday night a lot of us hung out together, which was great because I live with all these people but I feel like I never see any of them (besides the roomies). Then we ventured out to Hawk and Dove, which is basically intern city on the weekends. It was REALLY crowded, but we had fun. The walk home was horrible though, in heels..since we've been walking literally EVERYWHERE this week! I love the walking we do..it makes me feel healthy. :)
This morning we slept in...ah, it was fabulous. Today we took the metro to the Pentagon City mall. This mall was built exclusively for Pentagon workers. Crazy, huh? Fortunately for us, it's open to the public, and a lot closer than I had imagined it being! And super easy to get to of course. One of my roommates, Robin, had to drop off her computer to get fixed, so we had fun exploring the mall. Then we stayed on the train to stop off at Target to get my stuff that I left. All in all, it was a great day!! we also cleaned up today, which was much needed--my momma would be proud.
My feet HURT..but it's definitely worth it. Back to work tomorrow!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
TGIT(thank God it's Thursday)
Last night we started class, Politics and Communications. It started at 7:30 instead of its normal time, 7, so Jamie and I had time to make a quick dinner before it started...Wednesdays are normally going to be a rush, though! If you could eat on the metro, that would be convenient, but oh well. I will figure something out. I could ask to leave early from work..we shall see. It's already so weird to eat after six, instead of at 4:30-5 when I'm used to eating.
Class is going to be amazing, I can already tell. There are only six people in our class, including two of my roommates. The professor's name is Mike Tucker, and he owns his own media production business. It's pretty sweet. He likes to talk, a lot, and while I find him a bit intimidating, I think I will really learn a LOT from him. This first class period was basically a tutorial on Washington, DC..and how to benefit from being here. It was awesome, and totally a lot of what we had to hear. It'll be interesting. I also got some cleaning and organizing done last night. I finally feel settled here now that I have clothes in my closet and shoes to wear :)
OOH and my camera cord came in the mail, which means I can finally take pictures and share them with my friends. Today is Thursday, which is our last day of work for the week. I think we might go out tonight. The boys have an apartment down the street, so we might go hang out with them (since not everyone can get into the bars). I'm just so excited to do some form of a social activity!
Doug hasn't said yet whether we have a field trip planned for tomorrow..it's supposed to warm up a little, so if it does, I hope we do go somewhere. I want to explore this city! There is SO much to do...
Speaking of the weather (kinda), it was SO COLD today. Like, the tears in my eyes were freezing over cold. It's tricky because when you look on the weather sites, it will say 22 or 25 or 29..but that does not account for the WIND! It's been 16 mph wind lately, which is much harsher than the 5-10 mph wind I'm used to..I'm also not used to having to walk long distances in cold weather...or long distances at all, but that part I'm enjoying. It's like a mandatory work out every day, just to get to work! Anyway, I'm really hoping that the cold weather goes away soon..
It's 1pm now, which means its my lunch break. I love being a part of the organization I'm working for, but I am not enjoying sitting at a desk from 9-6. I'd much rather be running around...that's another thing, I'm so used to being busy, that it's very odd that ALL i do is work, commute to work, eat, and sleep. It's like, don't I have to be somewhere else or do something else? VERY strange.
Alright, the PB&J and soup is calling my name. Til next time! <3
Class is going to be amazing, I can already tell. There are only six people in our class, including two of my roommates. The professor's name is Mike Tucker, and he owns his own media production business. It's pretty sweet. He likes to talk, a lot, and while I find him a bit intimidating, I think I will really learn a LOT from him. This first class period was basically a tutorial on Washington, DC..and how to benefit from being here. It was awesome, and totally a lot of what we had to hear. It'll be interesting. I also got some cleaning and organizing done last night. I finally feel settled here now that I have clothes in my closet and shoes to wear :)
OOH and my camera cord came in the mail, which means I can finally take pictures and share them with my friends. Today is Thursday, which is our last day of work for the week. I think we might go out tonight. The boys have an apartment down the street, so we might go hang out with them (since not everyone can get into the bars). I'm just so excited to do some form of a social activity!
Doug hasn't said yet whether we have a field trip planned for tomorrow..it's supposed to warm up a little, so if it does, I hope we do go somewhere. I want to explore this city! There is SO much to do...
Speaking of the weather (kinda), it was SO COLD today. Like, the tears in my eyes were freezing over cold. It's tricky because when you look on the weather sites, it will say 22 or 25 or 29..but that does not account for the WIND! It's been 16 mph wind lately, which is much harsher than the 5-10 mph wind I'm used to..I'm also not used to having to walk long distances in cold weather...or long distances at all, but that part I'm enjoying. It's like a mandatory work out every day, just to get to work! Anyway, I'm really hoping that the cold weather goes away soon..
It's 1pm now, which means its my lunch break. I love being a part of the organization I'm working for, but I am not enjoying sitting at a desk from 9-6. I'd much rather be running around...that's another thing, I'm so used to being busy, that it's very odd that ALL i do is work, commute to work, eat, and sleep. It's like, don't I have to be somewhere else or do something else? VERY strange.
Alright, the PB&J and soup is calling my name. Til next time! <3
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Tuesday and Wednesday
Yesterday was exhausting. I got up for work extra early, because it was time to conquer the train system to see if i could actually make it work via the metro. Turns out, my experience with the Hiawatha line in MPLS must have helped me..I made it here relatively unscathed..and a half an hour early. Also, no one walks into the office until 9:00 on the dot...Oh well, now I know. Yesterday was great at work; I'm learning a lot and being here is stimulating my passion again for working on LGBT rights. I think this is going to be really great. I also met Ace, the puppy from down the hall, who comes over and makes himself at home whenever he sees fit. I love it!
After work, Jamie and I went to Target, which is conveniently just one metro stop away from my work stop. Following a minor fiasco involving Jamie and the red line (the green line is the right train..) we eventually made it to Target. At this point in the day, both of us were a little grumpy...it had been hours since lunch, and navigating a new city is actually extremely exhausting! So there we were, debating about hangers and toothpaste, all the while just wanting to go to sleep. We were also a little upset because the obscene price we paid for groceries at safe-way was WAY more expensive than the food at Target; which is so odd because usually Target is the more expensive option. It's another one of those, "hey, now we know" experiences I suppose...
SO many learning experiences. It will be so nice once we actually know what we are doing... anyway, after Target, we got dinner at Potbelly's, which was by far the cheapest meal we've had since being here. Getting home was fine, except that 1/2 mile walk from Union Station can be a doozy when tired.
We got home, watched Rachel Maddow, and hit the sack. This morning came WAY too soon, even though I got more than seven hours of sleep. I was still too early for work, but only ten minutes this time. Eventually I'll get it right...
Today is a slow day at work, which is why I am writing this now. I start class tonight, and by looking at the syllabus, it seems like it will be pretty interesting. Politics and Communications is the name of the course, and it is going to focus on the 2008 election. I'm excited.
peace out from U street
After work, Jamie and I went to Target, which is conveniently just one metro stop away from my work stop. Following a minor fiasco involving Jamie and the red line (the green line is the right train..) we eventually made it to Target. At this point in the day, both of us were a little grumpy...it had been hours since lunch, and navigating a new city is actually extremely exhausting! So there we were, debating about hangers and toothpaste, all the while just wanting to go to sleep. We were also a little upset because the obscene price we paid for groceries at safe-way was WAY more expensive than the food at Target; which is so odd because usually Target is the more expensive option. It's another one of those, "hey, now we know" experiences I suppose...
SO many learning experiences. It will be so nice once we actually know what we are doing... anyway, after Target, we got dinner at Potbelly's, which was by far the cheapest meal we've had since being here. Getting home was fine, except that 1/2 mile walk from Union Station can be a doozy when tired.
We got home, watched Rachel Maddow, and hit the sack. This morning came WAY too soon, even though I got more than seven hours of sleep. I was still too early for work, but only ten minutes this time. Eventually I'll get it right...
Today is a slow day at work, which is why I am writing this now. I start class tonight, and by looking at the syllabus, it seems like it will be pretty interesting. Politics and Communications is the name of the course, and it is going to focus on the 2008 election. I'm excited.
peace out from U street
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Another day of firsts...
There's definitely something to be said about finding your way around a new city...
Today was my first day of work. I woke up on time, had my outfit planned out, got ready, and was out the door on time. Walked to my bus stop, and the bus that was supposed to arrive at 9:12am actually arrived at 9:25. I went to call my work to tell them I would be a little late, and I realized that the work number wasn't saved in my phone...wonderful. So i texted a bunch of people to see if someone could look it up (thanks Marg!). I got the number, and called, and it was fine..but then I got off the bus at the wrong stop and had to walk an extra 7 blocks. In heels. Because I didn't wear my boots, because it was warm out (34!). Only time I think I've ever cursed warmer weather....
First day of work was good. Bosses are all awesome, as is the other intern. Work should be pretty exciting; I'm planning a huge conference in Seattle and doing a lot of other sweet, intern-like tasks. :) Bosses took me out to lunch, which was amazing. My one boss even showed me how to use the metro..thank God! That will be my preferred method of transportation from now on.
After work and the metro expedition, we went grocery shopping. I spent $100 on food, and that was with the discount! It was insane. I've never ever had to grocery shop for myself before. what an experience. We got home, unpacked everything, and now here I am.
I can't believe how late it is already...not used to the time change yet, I guess. I'll be up in less than seven hours to do it all again!
Today was my first day of work. I woke up on time, had my outfit planned out, got ready, and was out the door on time. Walked to my bus stop, and the bus that was supposed to arrive at 9:12am actually arrived at 9:25. I went to call my work to tell them I would be a little late, and I realized that the work number wasn't saved in my phone...wonderful. So i texted a bunch of people to see if someone could look it up (thanks Marg!). I got the number, and called, and it was fine..but then I got off the bus at the wrong stop and had to walk an extra 7 blocks. In heels. Because I didn't wear my boots, because it was warm out (34!). Only time I think I've ever cursed warmer weather....
First day of work was good. Bosses are all awesome, as is the other intern. Work should be pretty exciting; I'm planning a huge conference in Seattle and doing a lot of other sweet, intern-like tasks. :) Bosses took me out to lunch, which was amazing. My one boss even showed me how to use the metro..thank God! That will be my preferred method of transportation from now on.
After work and the metro expedition, we went grocery shopping. I spent $100 on food, and that was with the discount! It was insane. I've never ever had to grocery shop for myself before. what an experience. We got home, unpacked everything, and now here I am.
I can't believe how late it is already...not used to the time change yet, I guess. I'll be up in less than seven hours to do it all again!
Monday, February 2, 2009
First Day!
ITS FINALLY HERE!
My semester in Washington, DC, has finally begun! The day began extremely early, with a 4:32 a.m. phone call from American Airlines announcing that the second of my two flights had been bumped to a later flight. Not the best news, but it definitely could have been much worse! I wasn't planning to get up until 5:00 am, but I was up, and excited, so 4:32 it was! We left for the airport at 5:30 and arrived by six. Check-in went smoothly so the 'rents and I were able to eat a leisurely breakfast at the new airport Houlihan's. I arrived at the gate at 7:15 and was on the plane by 7:20. The first flight went extremely quickly, and I arrived in Chicago earlier than expected.
I picked up Jamie at the O'hare airport in Chicago. The view of Chicago from the plane is simply amazing. On our flight to DC, we made small talk with the flight attendant, who asked us where our school was. At this point, both Jamie and I had our mouths full, and a voice from behind us said "Simpson is in Indianola." Turns out, a former president of our college was on our flight with us--on his way to some presidents' conference in DC. Small world :)
Our flight arrived on time, and flying into the city we could see the capitol..our new neighborhood. We managed the baggage claim/hailing a taxi with relatively little trouble! Fortunately we made it to 510C with plenty of time to spare before our orientation meeting.
We got our keys, unpacked a few things, met our roomates, and then proceeded to have our orientation meeting. I'm excited for the group of people we have--I think it's going to be great. Not to mention our apartment..it's like a loft! We have the best view..we can even see the capitol right from our window. Doug, our program coordinator, said a house like ours would go for $1.6 million on the market. Crazy!
We had a little superbowl party, and then Jamie and I found my bus stop. Thankfully it's very easy to get to. The weather was shockingly warm today--55 degrees this afternoon, and still warm while we were out walking.
It's only 10pm here now, but it's definitely time to call it a day. Big day tomorrow!!!
My semester in Washington, DC, has finally begun! The day began extremely early, with a 4:32 a.m. phone call from American Airlines announcing that the second of my two flights had been bumped to a later flight. Not the best news, but it definitely could have been much worse! I wasn't planning to get up until 5:00 am, but I was up, and excited, so 4:32 it was! We left for the airport at 5:30 and arrived by six. Check-in went smoothly so the 'rents and I were able to eat a leisurely breakfast at the new airport Houlihan's. I arrived at the gate at 7:15 and was on the plane by 7:20. The first flight went extremely quickly, and I arrived in Chicago earlier than expected.
I picked up Jamie at the O'hare airport in Chicago. The view of Chicago from the plane is simply amazing. On our flight to DC, we made small talk with the flight attendant, who asked us where our school was. At this point, both Jamie and I had our mouths full, and a voice from behind us said "Simpson is in Indianola." Turns out, a former president of our college was on our flight with us--on his way to some presidents' conference in DC. Small world :)
Our flight arrived on time, and flying into the city we could see the capitol..our new neighborhood. We managed the baggage claim/hailing a taxi with relatively little trouble! Fortunately we made it to 510C with plenty of time to spare before our orientation meeting.
We got our keys, unpacked a few things, met our roomates, and then proceeded to have our orientation meeting. I'm excited for the group of people we have--I think it's going to be great. Not to mention our apartment..it's like a loft! We have the best view..we can even see the capitol right from our window. Doug, our program coordinator, said a house like ours would go for $1.6 million on the market. Crazy!
We had a little superbowl party, and then Jamie and I found my bus stop. Thankfully it's very easy to get to. The weather was shockingly warm today--55 degrees this afternoon, and still warm while we were out walking.
It's only 10pm here now, but it's definitely time to call it a day. Big day tomorrow!!!
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