With Daylight Savings Time coming up (or to an end?) today, I'm glad my cell phone and computer automatically change to the right time. If they didn't, I'm pretty sure that I'd be early or late to everything for a day.
I didn't end up going tack shopping this weekend, but I plan on doing so next weekend. I didn't do anything fun for Halloween either. There really wasn't much that I could get into since I'm not quite 21 yet. If I was 21 I could get into a lot of events and have a more fun time here in DC. I also could join my co-workers when they hit happy hours after work. The downside to that is that I'd also spend a lot more money while I'm here, so either way it's somewhat of a lose-lose situation. There really aren't many under 21 people in the program since a college junior standing is needed to qualify, but I have met a few.
Tomorrow (or really today) I'm doing a volunteer project though Greater DC Cares to serve food to homeless women. There are so many homeless people in the city and also a great number of "feed the homeless" programs that it seems like the popular place for homeless people to travel/hitchhike to and hang out.
My yearling Flagmount's Trademark, or Mark/ pee-wee, measures at 15.2 currently and he's turning 19 months old tomorrow. I'm thinking and hoping this means that he'll finish out at 16.2hh, the maximum I'd like him to be. The fuzzy half-ton guy gets so pissed when he's the one left behind. Today Blitz went for a follow-up vet appointment for his hoof and I was told that Mark ran himself into a sweat while they were gone. Mark of course does no mind if he's the one to go places, it's just that he gets so jealous when he's not the center of attention. Oy! Just what I needed-- another redheaded horse with only child syndrome.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
So far...
On Monday The Washington Center scheduled a meeting with White House Press Secretary Dana Perino in the Eisenhower Executive Building of the White House. She spoke a bit about her job and how she got where she is now, and then she did a Q&A with us. This was a very cool event that I'm glad I got to go to.
Tuesday I go an e-mail that Congressman Boozman may not be coming back to DC until January so I probably won't get to go out to lunch with him unless a "lame duck" session of Congress is called.
Class on Wednesday was interesting. We discussed how the media is conforming more to the government's wishes instead of challenging it as much nowadays. I've decided to write my term paper on equine violence (as approved by my professor) and next week we are going to be discussing animal violence, so it should be interesting for me.
I'm going to try and get tickets to the White House tree lighting in December. The tickets are free, but they are only given out in certain locations starting this Saturday, so I'm trying to figure out how to get one.
I think I'm going to go hit up a couple of the amazing tack shops in the NoVA area this weekend. I love how horsey some of the areas here are-- another reason to move here!
Blitz is almost all better from his abscess and I'm told he has an insatiable appetite. Mark is the same as always.
Tuesday I go an e-mail that Congressman Boozman may not be coming back to DC until January so I probably won't get to go out to lunch with him unless a "lame duck" session of Congress is called.
Class on Wednesday was interesting. We discussed how the media is conforming more to the government's wishes instead of challenging it as much nowadays. I've decided to write my term paper on equine violence (as approved by my professor) and next week we are going to be discussing animal violence, so it should be interesting for me.
I'm going to try and get tickets to the White House tree lighting in December. The tickets are free, but they are only given out in certain locations starting this Saturday, so I'm trying to figure out how to get one.
I think I'm going to go hit up a couple of the amazing tack shops in the NoVA area this weekend. I love how horsey some of the areas here are-- another reason to move here!
Blitz is almost all better from his abscess and I'm told he has an insatiable appetite. Mark is the same as always.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Major activities of the past week
I finished filling out my election ballot yesterday and it will be going out into the mail tomorrow.
The programming on Monday was horrible! The president of the Ford company was supposed to come and speak, but since his company is currently disastrous, he sent this crazy lady to talk about "networking" to us. I put the quotes around networking, because she did not help at all with educating us on how to network, but rather we were tortured for a couple hours by meaningless stuff.
On Wednesday, instead of normal class, we met in the morning at the American University campus and were given a talk by a man who spent 14 years on death row, was 15 hours from being electrocuted, and was found to be innocent of his crimes. He walked us through how he spent his days locked up without human contact and how he kept sane through it all. I was very impressed by the talk and was glad I got to go to it.
Friday night I met up with some horse people I know in the area to see the Washington International Horse Show. We got to see terrier racing, a Combined Driving exhibition (which was VERY cool), and the puissance event (high jump competition). In the puissance event there were only five riders entered, but all of them were very impressive. The winner jumped 7'1" and then made an attempt to break the current record at 7'8" unsuccessfully, his horse fell down after he hit the jump hard and dislodged the rider. I still very much enjoyed it.
I went back to WIHS on Saturday night to watch the Equitation finals and the Grand Prix. I purchased a pair of Polartec riding gloves for $12, and was very excited by getting cheap but high quality winter riding gloves to keep my fingers warm. Surprisingly, I was only impressed by a few of the top ten riders in the Equitation finals instead of the majority of them. The Grand Prix was stuffed in a very small arena with lots of tight turns. It wasn't anything I would have ever done on Blitz since I think I would be dragged around the course, missing turns and hitting rails. Mark, on the other hand, may have a future as a WIHS GP horse (which is a qualifier for the World Cup Jumping Competition) if he has a powerful and high jump and is fast to react. The horse that won, McLain Ward's Sapphire (on the Gold Medal USA Olympic Showjumping team this year), was the beefiest horse out of the bunch, built quite a bit like I expect Mark to end up.
Poor Blitz has an abscess on his coronary band that's made him ouchie walking around for the past couple days. It's a very treatable thing, but can be especially painful when it pops at the coronary band. Luckily, I've been told he's doing much better, but I still miss him.
The programming on Monday was horrible! The president of the Ford company was supposed to come and speak, but since his company is currently disastrous, he sent this crazy lady to talk about "networking" to us. I put the quotes around networking, because she did not help at all with educating us on how to network, but rather we were tortured for a couple hours by meaningless stuff.
On Wednesday, instead of normal class, we met in the morning at the American University campus and were given a talk by a man who spent 14 years on death row, was 15 hours from being electrocuted, and was found to be innocent of his crimes. He walked us through how he spent his days locked up without human contact and how he kept sane through it all. I was very impressed by the talk and was glad I got to go to it.
Friday night I met up with some horse people I know in the area to see the Washington International Horse Show. We got to see terrier racing, a Combined Driving exhibition (which was VERY cool), and the puissance event (high jump competition). In the puissance event there were only five riders entered, but all of them were very impressive. The winner jumped 7'1" and then made an attempt to break the current record at 7'8" unsuccessfully, his horse fell down after he hit the jump hard and dislodged the rider. I still very much enjoyed it.
I went back to WIHS on Saturday night to watch the Equitation finals and the Grand Prix. I purchased a pair of Polartec riding gloves for $12, and was very excited by getting cheap but high quality winter riding gloves to keep my fingers warm. Surprisingly, I was only impressed by a few of the top ten riders in the Equitation finals instead of the majority of them. The Grand Prix was stuffed in a very small arena with lots of tight turns. It wasn't anything I would have ever done on Blitz since I think I would be dragged around the course, missing turns and hitting rails. Mark, on the other hand, may have a future as a WIHS GP horse (which is a qualifier for the World Cup Jumping Competition) if he has a powerful and high jump and is fast to react. The horse that won, McLain Ward's Sapphire (on the Gold Medal USA Olympic Showjumping team this year), was the beefiest horse out of the bunch, built quite a bit like I expect Mark to end up.
Poor Blitz has an abscess on his coronary band that's made him ouchie walking around for the past couple days. It's a very treatable thing, but can be especially painful when it pops at the coronary band. Luckily, I've been told he's doing much better, but I still miss him.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Reflections on my election ballot, volunteering, and McCain rally
I received my absentee ballot in the mail on Friday and have been trying to fill it out. I think I need a translator for the proposed constitutional amendments since they don't seem to be written in layman's English. I'm a third party supporter, but I've nearly lost faith in the Green Party for their crazy presidential candidate nomination (google Cynthia McKinney if you don't know what I'm talking about). I still haven't made a decision of who I'm going to vote for President yet.
I think it would be incredibly easy to run for office in an Arkansas general election looking at the immense number of unopposed candidates on the ballot. There are only four positions besides President (Senate, Congress, County Judge, and District Court Judge) that have multiple nominations-- and by multiple I mean TWO people competing against each other for office. UNBELIEVABLE!!! Maybe I should run for an office in the future :).
Yesterday morning I volunteered for CANTER by travelling to a horse racing track and finding horses people were trying to get rid of. Since it was such a busy racing day (state breeder's cup), we only found two horses on the track to get photos and descriptions of.
I then drove down to Woodbridge, VA to attend a rally in support of John McCain. I found out about this through work and thought it would be fun to see a presidential candidate speak in person. Despite the long periods of waiting around, it was a super fun event. There were media people going down the line looking for people to interview. I was asked to do an interview with an Australian radio show because I was a college student, and since I support McCain more than Obama (yet I will probably end up voting for neither of the two), I decided it would be fun to do it. I also got to meet with the Virginia Governor (now running for Congress) for a few minutes while waiting to get through the security.
I ended up getting a very good spot in front right by the rail to the pathway McCain exited on. There was a ton of energy from the crowd supporting the Republican candidates for office. McCain was running pretty late, so he added at least half an hour to the waiting period. His speech was nothing people hadn't heard before (though he talked about more recent events), but everyone in the crowd still loved it.
I have pictures from the rally I'll try to get up later!
I think it would be incredibly easy to run for office in an Arkansas general election looking at the immense number of unopposed candidates on the ballot. There are only four positions besides President (Senate, Congress, County Judge, and District Court Judge) that have multiple nominations-- and by multiple I mean TWO people competing against each other for office. UNBELIEVABLE!!! Maybe I should run for an office in the future :).
Yesterday morning I volunteered for CANTER by travelling to a horse racing track and finding horses people were trying to get rid of. Since it was such a busy racing day (state breeder's cup), we only found two horses on the track to get photos and descriptions of.
I then drove down to Woodbridge, VA to attend a rally in support of John McCain. I found out about this through work and thought it would be fun to see a presidential candidate speak in person. Despite the long periods of waiting around, it was a super fun event. There were media people going down the line looking for people to interview. I was asked to do an interview with an Australian radio show because I was a college student, and since I support McCain more than Obama (yet I will probably end up voting for neither of the two), I decided it would be fun to do it. I also got to meet with the Virginia Governor (now running for Congress) for a few minutes while waiting to get through the security.
I ended up getting a very good spot in front right by the rail to the pathway McCain exited on. There was a ton of energy from the crowd supporting the Republican candidates for office. McCain was running pretty late, so he added at least half an hour to the waiting period. His speech was nothing people hadn't heard before (though he talked about more recent events), but everyone in the crowd still loved it.
I have pictures from the rally I'll try to get up later!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I'm going to be on TV!
Set your TiVo up to record C-SPAN 2's "Close-Up" on Friday (10/17 and 10-31) at 6pm C/7pm EST. I'm going to be in both episodes of the TV show. We recorded at the Newseum today and I had a great time. After the recording, I was able to walk around the Newsuem exhibits (I got in free for the filming) and see some really awesome stuff. This is a must-see for anyone visiting DC. There were newspapers and books on display dating back to the 1400s along with a printing press. The Pulitzer Prize photo section was very moving. Some of the photos nearly brought tears to my eyes. I wanted to buy the book with all the photos in it, but I wasn't willing to spend the chunk of money needed. While there, I went with a couple other interns to see the 4-D short movie on the history of journalism and it was pretty interesting. 4-D means that you see the movie on all sides of you in 3-d, the seats move, and you also get water and air squirted at you.
My weekend was very non-eventful. If I got bored of my apartment, I spent time working out in the fitness facility. I didn't go to work on Monday or Today. Yesterday Dr. Green from TCU did a visit to my workplace and then took me out to dinner at Old Ebbitt's Grille (where presidents have eaten out for a long time) where I attempted to eat back my tuition payment on TCU's budget. Needless to say, I hardly made a dent in eating back the amount of money I've spent on my college tuition, but at least I got all the good food I wanted!
I went to a TWC debate watching party after class tonight. I got some great free food and a leftover pizza and snacks to bring home and eat the rest of the week. The debate was probably the most interesting Presidential one I've seen so far. I got to see Bob Schieffer as the moderator for the debate. If you remember, I got to go to a small honorary luncheon with him and authoritative figures from my school a couple weeks ago. It was so amazing that he took time to meet with me and I see him do such a great thing a couple weeks later.
I was thinking today how amazing it would be to tell my (possible future) children that I was IN Washington DC when the Stock Market crash and economic crisis bill took place and also when (either a black man President or a woman VP) made history in being elected into the White House.
My weekend was very non-eventful. If I got bored of my apartment, I spent time working out in the fitness facility. I didn't go to work on Monday or Today. Yesterday Dr. Green from TCU did a visit to my workplace and then took me out to dinner at Old Ebbitt's Grille (where presidents have eaten out for a long time) where I attempted to eat back my tuition payment on TCU's budget. Needless to say, I hardly made a dent in eating back the amount of money I've spent on my college tuition, but at least I got all the good food I wanted!
I went to a TWC debate watching party after class tonight. I got some great free food and a leftover pizza and snacks to bring home and eat the rest of the week. The debate was probably the most interesting Presidential one I've seen so far. I got to see Bob Schieffer as the moderator for the debate. If you remember, I got to go to a small honorary luncheon with him and authoritative figures from my school a couple weeks ago. It was so amazing that he took time to meet with me and I see him do such a great thing a couple weeks later.
I was thinking today how amazing it would be to tell my (possible future) children that I was IN Washington DC when the Stock Market crash and economic crisis bill took place and also when (either a black man President or a woman VP) made history in being elected into the White House.
Friday, October 10, 2008
This past week
The timber races and NA Field Hunter Championship were so much fun. Out of the top 7 fieldhunters, I think three of them were purebred Irish Draughts and at least one was part-bred Irish. I got my fill of Irish Draughts from both the championships and the IDHSNA inspection I went to on Tuesday.
On Monday, Majority Whip James Clyburn came to speak to TWC interns. He was a very inspirational speaker in speaking about determination in following dreams and obtaining goals. I also went to a tour of the Capitol building on Monday with a group of TWC Political Leadership interns.
At class on Wednesday night we had a "free" man come in to speak about himself and play us music. When he got sick and tired of being a businessman, he sold his business and left town. For the past 13 years, he's given up all materialistic possessions to live on the streets in order to promote his spirit. He has travelled all across the country with just a bike, a guitar, and whatever other instruments he makes along the way. He never puts his hat out to beg for money, though people sometimes give him money or necessities when they see or hear him playing music. He is very involved with the Rainbow Family and attends all the gatherings (including national ones) that he can to pray for peace. Through Steve is spiritual, he doesn't believe in the conformity of religion so he isn't involved with a certain church. He writes and plays spiritual music instead, living with minimal material possessions, not even a watch.
The past three days (including today) I've gotten off work early. Today we had a small birthday celebration for the office secretary since we won't be working on Monday when her real birthday is. My boss was funny today when he was talking about the movie Office Space and as he was walking off we heard him say "I want to be a gangster." That gave us all a good laugh. He also has a wall of framed cartoons with lobbyist themes that he found another one in a newspaper and added to today.
I don't have any real plans for the three-day weekend yet. I'm planning on getting together with some friends tonight, but I'm not sure what we'll be doing though.
On Monday, Majority Whip James Clyburn came to speak to TWC interns. He was a very inspirational speaker in speaking about determination in following dreams and obtaining goals. I also went to a tour of the Capitol building on Monday with a group of TWC Political Leadership interns.
At class on Wednesday night we had a "free" man come in to speak about himself and play us music. When he got sick and tired of being a businessman, he sold his business and left town. For the past 13 years, he's given up all materialistic possessions to live on the streets in order to promote his spirit. He has travelled all across the country with just a bike, a guitar, and whatever other instruments he makes along the way. He never puts his hat out to beg for money, though people sometimes give him money or necessities when they see or hear him playing music. He is very involved with the Rainbow Family and attends all the gatherings (including national ones) that he can to pray for peace. Through Steve is spiritual, he doesn't believe in the conformity of religion so he isn't involved with a certain church. He writes and plays spiritual music instead, living with minimal material possessions, not even a watch.
The past three days (including today) I've gotten off work early. Today we had a small birthday celebration for the office secretary since we won't be working on Monday when her real birthday is. My boss was funny today when he was talking about the movie Office Space and as he was walking off we heard him say "I want to be a gangster." That gave us all a good laugh. He also has a wall of framed cartoons with lobbyist themes that he found another one in a newspaper and added to today.
I don't have any real plans for the three-day weekend yet. I'm planning on getting together with some friends tonight, but I'm not sure what we'll be doing though.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Another Couple Firsts!
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the VP debate Thursday night. There were quite a few instances at which Katie and I laughed at. She pointed out that Palin made eye contact with the camera while talking, something not many debaters do, that made the millions watching on TV feel as if she was talking directly with them instead of down to them.
Class on Wednesday night was great. We had a very long and fruitful discussion on the death penalty. Not everyone agreed on everything, but we did agree that the entire criminal justice system needed to be modified greatly.
HR 5714, The Army Commemorative Coin bill we've been working on since the beginning of my internship was passed in the house on Friday morning. This is the first bill I've been apart of that has been passed. It had a record number of 348 Cosponsors for being a commemorative coin bill. I feel great knowing I had a big impact on the number of Cosponsors obtained for this bill. There were 83 Cosponsors in the Senate (Its titled S 2579 there), so it was passed there as well. Now it's on its way to get the President's signature. When the coins are minted in 2011 to fund the National Museum of the US Army, I may have to get my hands on a couple.
Friday night I went to see the Professional World Hunter Championship Rider Finals and enjoyed it quite a bit. It's a very prestigious event, yet the stands were not even half full at the arena (and it's free!). It was being shown live on the Internet so many people could see it, but I was only 20 minutes away and decided to see it live. When I was in the checkout line for my souvenirs (a poster and sale T shirt), the woman in front of me was talking to the cashier and I heard her say that she fox hunted. Well, since I'm from an area where hunters are very rare, I decided to start a conversation with her. One thing led to another and soon I was in a group of people part of a hunt club located in Upper Marlboro, MD being invited to go hunting with them. I was nearly jumping up and down when we exchanged phone numbers and I was told that they should be able to find a horse for me. They are cubbing right now and I was invited out for tomorrow, but I already have plans...
Tomorrow, Katie and I are going to the Virginia Fall Races in Middleburg. The North American Field Hunter Championship will also be held on the racing grounds tomorrow, so I'm expecting to have a lot of fun. The races are timber races (like steeplechasing) with Thoroughbreds racing over fences. It's going to be like a fancy tailgating party with racing and vendors (<--my parents can't that). I'm expecting tons of fun!!!!
I may just stay in this area forever! There are so many horse things nearby that I feel like I'm in a dreamland. I don't want to go back to non-horsey areas.
Class on Wednesday night was great. We had a very long and fruitful discussion on the death penalty. Not everyone agreed on everything, but we did agree that the entire criminal justice system needed to be modified greatly.
HR 5714, The Army Commemorative Coin bill we've been working on since the beginning of my internship was passed in the house on Friday morning. This is the first bill I've been apart of that has been passed. It had a record number of 348 Cosponsors for being a commemorative coin bill. I feel great knowing I had a big impact on the number of Cosponsors obtained for this bill. There were 83 Cosponsors in the Senate (Its titled S 2579 there), so it was passed there as well. Now it's on its way to get the President's signature. When the coins are minted in 2011 to fund the National Museum of the US Army, I may have to get my hands on a couple.
Friday night I went to see the Professional World Hunter Championship Rider Finals and enjoyed it quite a bit. It's a very prestigious event, yet the stands were not even half full at the arena (and it's free!). It was being shown live on the Internet so many people could see it, but I was only 20 minutes away and decided to see it live. When I was in the checkout line for my souvenirs (a poster and sale T shirt), the woman in front of me was talking to the cashier and I heard her say that she fox hunted. Well, since I'm from an area where hunters are very rare, I decided to start a conversation with her. One thing led to another and soon I was in a group of people part of a hunt club located in Upper Marlboro, MD being invited to go hunting with them. I was nearly jumping up and down when we exchanged phone numbers and I was told that they should be able to find a horse for me. They are cubbing right now and I was invited out for tomorrow, but I already have plans...
Tomorrow, Katie and I are going to the Virginia Fall Races in Middleburg. The North American Field Hunter Championship will also be held on the racing grounds tomorrow, so I'm expecting to have a lot of fun. The races are timber races (like steeplechasing) with Thoroughbreds racing over fences. It's going to be like a fancy tailgating party with racing and vendors (<--my parents can't that). I'm expecting tons of fun!!!!
I may just stay in this area forever! There are so many horse things nearby that I feel like I'm in a dreamland. I don't want to go back to non-horsey areas.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Sorry for not posting in awhile
On Saturday I went to an orientation so that I could volunteer helping refugees accustom to life in America. Sunday, since the weather was questionable, Instead of going to Mount Vernon, I went to one building of the National Art Gallery and saw famous artwork. I was surprised how much I remembered from my High School AP Art History course, as I was able to identify quite a few works by looking at them. I’m hoping to see the other half of the National Art Gallery’s collection. After the art museum, I went to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and it was packed full! I browsed through the sections and saw as much as I could without waiting in crowds, but I wasn’t able to see the new Ocean exhibit that opened this weekend. It’s free to go to the Smithsonians, so I guess I’ll just have to go another time.
The Monday programming wasn’t the most interesting I’ve been to. There was a person representing Democracy Now speaking to us about the program (I haven’t decided how I feel about it yet). Then a speaker from Greater DC Cares came to talk to us about volunteer opportunities in the area. I have already chosen an agency to volunteer with, but it might be interesting to do this program since each volunteer opportunity is a one time commitment. After the speakers, my team that won the scavenger hunt at the beginning of the program got our pizza party prize. I love free food!
Work is pretty much the same, but the work load is a bit less than before-- I’ve just been working on the projects given to me.
I started a new workout plan and healthy diet today since I was appalled at how out of shape I’ve gotten. I really need to go to the store to get food since I don’t want to live on the spaghetti, pancakes, and almonds left in my food stash. I’ll probably get some stuff at Costco and my other stuff at Shoppers grocery store. Dad’s Christmas present is probably going to be some Costco coffee since he can’t get that in Arkansas.
I have class tonight. I’ve been brainstorming topics to write my term paper over and so far have a couple ideas, but I’m not set on any one yet. Speaking of class, I think it would be a lot of fun engaging in a protest or rally while I’m here. I know there are some going on at Congress currently, but I don’t think I can get off work to join them.
The Monday programming wasn’t the most interesting I’ve been to. There was a person representing Democracy Now speaking to us about the program (I haven’t decided how I feel about it yet). Then a speaker from Greater DC Cares came to talk to us about volunteer opportunities in the area. I have already chosen an agency to volunteer with, but it might be interesting to do this program since each volunteer opportunity is a one time commitment. After the speakers, my team that won the scavenger hunt at the beginning of the program got our pizza party prize. I love free food!
Work is pretty much the same, but the work load is a bit less than before-- I’ve just been working on the projects given to me.
I started a new workout plan and healthy diet today since I was appalled at how out of shape I’ve gotten. I really need to go to the store to get food since I don’t want to live on the spaghetti, pancakes, and almonds left in my food stash. I’ll probably get some stuff at Costco and my other stuff at Shoppers grocery store. Dad’s Christmas present is probably going to be some Costco coffee since he can’t get that in Arkansas.
I have class tonight. I’ve been brainstorming topics to write my term paper over and so far have a couple ideas, but I’m not set on any one yet. Speaking of class, I think it would be a lot of fun engaging in a protest or rally while I’m here. I know there are some going on at Congress currently, but I don’t think I can get off work to join them.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Watching the Presidential Debate on TV
Right now I'm watching Presidential candidates Obama and McCain battle in Mississipi on my apartment TV. The first topic on the floor was about the current economic crisis, "the worst economic situation since the Great Depression" and what the candidates' stance is on the matter. I'm not going to share my opinion since I'm sure most people would find fault with it since I hold different political ideologies than most Americans (I hate how bipartisan the gov't is). I was very offended when Obama just now said "we should not hesitate to use military violence." My class on nonviolence must be rubbing off on me (which is going great if you must inquire).
Yesterday, I met with the Congressman from Arkansas 3rd district, John Boozman. The Congressman has quite a unique background leading up to his political career, so there is obviously not a set path to becoming a Congressman. He and the LA (Legislative Assistant) we met with were both very nice (like a typical Arkansan). He invited the three of us that met with him to lunch when he comes back in December (or if they call a highly likely "Lame Duck" Congressional session).
Congress lets out this weekend. What does this mean for me? I'm not quite sure, but since it is letting out, today I had ton of calls to make to find the last few Cosponsors needed for a Congressional bill. I have no idea if we got the amount of Cosponsors needed to get it to the floor tomorrow, but I'm crossing my fingers since I worked so hard to get them. I have quite a few projects at my desk at the moment, so I'm not worried in the least about not having enough to do, rather I'm wondering if it's going to be different than before. I'll keep you informed on this topic.
Tomorrow morning I'm going to a volunteer orientation with the Arlington Diocese, Office of Migration and Refugee Services. After many calls and e-mails placed to the office, I finally was able to get information on volunteering and an orientation scheduled. I love the feeling I get when I help people, so for my Civic Engagement project I want to help refugees accustom to like in the US.
The weather this weekend is supposed to be pretty crappy (as it was today and yesterday), so if I want to get out and do something I'll probably go visit a couple Smithsonians. Next weekend is supposed to be nice weather though, so I've already scoped out an event I want to go to. I'll tell you more details later if I decide to go.
Yesterday, I met with the Congressman from Arkansas 3rd district, John Boozman. The Congressman has quite a unique background leading up to his political career, so there is obviously not a set path to becoming a Congressman. He and the LA (Legislative Assistant) we met with were both very nice (like a typical Arkansan). He invited the three of us that met with him to lunch when he comes back in December (or if they call a highly likely "Lame Duck" Congressional session).
Congress lets out this weekend. What does this mean for me? I'm not quite sure, but since it is letting out, today I had ton of calls to make to find the last few Cosponsors needed for a Congressional bill. I have no idea if we got the amount of Cosponsors needed to get it to the floor tomorrow, but I'm crossing my fingers since I worked so hard to get them. I have quite a few projects at my desk at the moment, so I'm not worried in the least about not having enough to do, rather I'm wondering if it's going to be different than before. I'll keep you informed on this topic.
Tomorrow morning I'm going to a volunteer orientation with the Arlington Diocese, Office of Migration and Refugee Services. After many calls and e-mails placed to the office, I finally was able to get information on volunteering and an orientation scheduled. I love the feeling I get when I help people, so for my Civic Engagement project I want to help refugees accustom to like in the US.
The weather this weekend is supposed to be pretty crappy (as it was today and yesterday), so if I want to get out and do something I'll probably go visit a couple Smithsonians. Next weekend is supposed to be nice weather though, so I've already scoped out an event I want to go to. I'll tell you more details later if I decide to go.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Programming and special luncheon at TWC!
For Monday programming, I went to a panel on environmental conservation and then to a lecture by Ryan Coonerty, Mayor of Santa Cruz, CA and TWC alumni. Between the two events I got to visit the National Geographic Museum and see some amazing photographs. The environmental panel's purpose was to enlighten TWC students on ways to become involved in environmental conservation activities. The panel was made up of well-respected people in the field, as most of our TWC programming activities are. The lecture from Ryan Coonerty reaffirmed my belief in a life path to take after graduating with a Bachelor's degree: do everything you want to before falling into a career path, run away to Europe to complete a 1 yr Master's degree program(though I'm not sure I would come back if I moved there), then do a long-term career path (which may mean professional degree programs depending on the chosen career).
After I got back from programming, I decided to start working out again. I thought/dreamed that I was in better shape than I actually am, so my whole body is still sore from yesterday. Walking around Capitol Hill (both House and Senate buildings) nearly had me in tears from the pain from my knee (the one I had surgery on early this year) and exhaustion.
After I got back from programming, I decided to start working out again. I thought/dreamed that I was in better shape than I actually am, so my whole body is still sore from yesterday. Walking around Capitol Hill (both House and Senate buildings) nearly had me in tears from the pain from my knee (the one I had surgery on early this year) and exhaustion.
Today I had a ton of fun. I was one of three TCU TWC interns to go to lunch at TWC today to give an award to Bob Schieffer. Though he didn't speak for long, he was really an amazing speaker... but I guess he has to be as a TV national news anchor. There were an impressive number of TCU staff attending the luncheon as well, including the Chancellor and the Provost. I was impressed by the number of purple ties worn at the luncheon. Even Bob Schieffer wore one (and I REALLY loved his tie)! I felt like a very important person with cameras flashing around me constantly and also since I got to interact with quite a few very important people in such a small setting. Everyone seemed to know who my boss was ("THE John Chwat?" I was asked more than once) and they gave VERY positive feedback about the man and his internships. I got little souvenirs from the luncheon too: a TWC pin and an autographed copy of Bob Schieffer's America. I was very glad that I got my own free book, because after I heard the excerpt read from the book in Mr. Schieffer's introduction, I knew I had to somehow obtain the book. The inscription in the book reads "Happy to be in the same family!" which may be a bit sappy, but since I'm also in his TCU family, it makes me happy. The picture posted above includes proud TCU Horned Frogs: Me, Chancellor Boschini, Megan Vroman, Bob Schieffer, Jennifer Cecil, and Provost Nowell Donovan.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Crab!!!
I just finished eating some amazing crab legs I picked up at the grocery store for just over $4 a lb. I realised how close to the coast I really am, and I'd how much fun it would be to go. I want to go before it gets cold, so I need to plan a trip for sometime soon if I do go. It would be so much easier to eat crab legs if I had one of the cracker tools, but I managed to successfully get all the meat out without the tool.
My back has been hurting the past two days, so I haven't been doing anything very fun this weekend. I hope that my stretching will help it so that I can get back to seeing the area. Because I wasn't feeling up to going anywhere, I made a giant list of places I want to see in the area and other places within short driving distance. The list is pretty long, but I think I'll be able to do most of it.
On Friday night I went out with Nicole and her sister Samantha. We ate at the Warehouse on King Street and had a lot of fun there. Then we stopped by an ice cream parlor that makes its own ice cream... YUM! They have a large variety of flavors to choose from, but I chose to try Lemon Cheesecake this time and loved it.
I've already started my Christmas shopping and have most of my siblings' presents completed. There's so much cool stuff in the area that I don't think I could find anywhere else.
My back has been hurting the past two days, so I haven't been doing anything very fun this weekend. I hope that my stretching will help it so that I can get back to seeing the area. Because I wasn't feeling up to going anywhere, I made a giant list of places I want to see in the area and other places within short driving distance. The list is pretty long, but I think I'll be able to do most of it.
On Friday night I went out with Nicole and her sister Samantha. We ate at the Warehouse on King Street and had a lot of fun there. Then we stopped by an ice cream parlor that makes its own ice cream... YUM! They have a large variety of flavors to choose from, but I chose to try Lemon Cheesecake this time and loved it.
I've already started my Christmas shopping and have most of my siblings' presents completed. There's so much cool stuff in the area that I don't think I could find anywhere else.
Friday, September 19, 2008
My first Congressional hearing today!
Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I've been sick and overworked, so I haven't felt up to updating this when I get back to my apartment. I'm feeling better now though.
I went to my first Congressional hearing at the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight (what a mouthful). The topic was the Cuban-American travel restrictions trying to pass H.R. 757 to allow Cuban-Americans to visit family members more often than once every three years (a restriction put into place in 1995). The panels were very interesting and I decided that I wouldn't have minded getting an internship on Capitol Hill either on a committee or in a Representative's office so I could go to more hearings. I wasn't able to stay for the last panel of speakers since I needed to grab lunch and head to work for a couple hours. I got some food from the cafe in the Rayburn Congressional building and was very impressed with how eco-friendly everything was. There was a recycling bin for everything imaginable (lunch comes in recycled/recyclable containers) and very little goes into the waste bin. I ate my lunch out in the courtyard by the fountain since it was such a beautiful day outside. Congress lets out next week, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to go to another hearing during my time here.
I completed my final draft of my Learning Objectives Statement and will turn it in to my advisor on Monday with a signature from my supervisor that he got a copy of it. I now need to do a resume revision and turn that in on Monday along with the LOS.
The activities on Monday were interesting. Neither topic was one that was important to me, but they were still interesting. I didn't enjoy sitting down and staying still and awake for so long during the talks. The Israeli-Palestinian Peace talk featured a native Israeli-Ori Nir- and a native Palestinian-Ziad Nasali. For the talk on the Iraqi war, Dr. Lawrence Korb, Assistant Secretary of Defense during Reagan's Administration, gave his views on resolving the conflict and answered questions from students. Personally, I'm not sure how much I would trust the opinion of Reagan's defence people (and I wasn't even alive at the time).
It took me 1.5 hours to commute to class yesterday. I was livid! Of course I ended up getting to class later than my normal lateness because of Yellow Line issues on the Metro (class starts at 5:30 and there's no way I can get there on time). The transfer took forever too, which it shouldn't have during "rush hour." I really like my class, but getting all the way to the Washington Center is a PITA with a lot of walking involved.
I think my calendar for next week is going to be crazy hectic, but I think I'll manage (if I make it to the store sometime to get food sometime before the end of next week). My (second) cousin, Nicole, is coming into town tomorrow and I'm going to go out with her and her sister (another cousin I've never met) to King St. for dinner at The Warehouse. It will be fun seeing her again!
I've started to become a bit "horse-sick" since I've been in withdrawal from horses and riding ever since I left. I have a feeling that I'm going to have to visit one of the amazing tack stores in NoVA to satiate my horsey appetite.
I went to my first Congressional hearing at the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight (what a mouthful). The topic was the Cuban-American travel restrictions trying to pass H.R. 757 to allow Cuban-Americans to visit family members more often than once every three years (a restriction put into place in 1995). The panels were very interesting and I decided that I wouldn't have minded getting an internship on Capitol Hill either on a committee or in a Representative's office so I could go to more hearings. I wasn't able to stay for the last panel of speakers since I needed to grab lunch and head to work for a couple hours. I got some food from the cafe in the Rayburn Congressional building and was very impressed with how eco-friendly everything was. There was a recycling bin for everything imaginable (lunch comes in recycled/recyclable containers) and very little goes into the waste bin. I ate my lunch out in the courtyard by the fountain since it was such a beautiful day outside. Congress lets out next week, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to go to another hearing during my time here.
I completed my final draft of my Learning Objectives Statement and will turn it in to my advisor on Monday with a signature from my supervisor that he got a copy of it. I now need to do a resume revision and turn that in on Monday along with the LOS.
The activities on Monday were interesting. Neither topic was one that was important to me, but they were still interesting. I didn't enjoy sitting down and staying still and awake for so long during the talks. The Israeli-Palestinian Peace talk featured a native Israeli-Ori Nir- and a native Palestinian-Ziad Nasali. For the talk on the Iraqi war, Dr. Lawrence Korb, Assistant Secretary of Defense during Reagan's Administration, gave his views on resolving the conflict and answered questions from students. Personally, I'm not sure how much I would trust the opinion of Reagan's defence people (and I wasn't even alive at the time).
It took me 1.5 hours to commute to class yesterday. I was livid! Of course I ended up getting to class later than my normal lateness because of Yellow Line issues on the Metro (class starts at 5:30 and there's no way I can get there on time). The transfer took forever too, which it shouldn't have during "rush hour." I really like my class, but getting all the way to the Washington Center is a PITA with a lot of walking involved.
I think my calendar for next week is going to be crazy hectic, but I think I'll manage (if I make it to the store sometime to get food sometime before the end of next week). My (second) cousin, Nicole, is coming into town tomorrow and I'm going to go out with her and her sister (another cousin I've never met) to King St. for dinner at The Warehouse. It will be fun seeing her again!
I've started to become a bit "horse-sick" since I've been in withdrawal from horses and riding ever since I left. I have a feeling that I'm going to have to visit one of the amazing tack stores in NoVA to satiate my horsey appetite.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Back in D.C.
I got back from Georgia on Thursday around noon. After dropping my stuff off and eating lunch at my apartment, I went into work for around three hours. It turns out that my boss hadn't expected me to come in to work, even though he had put it on my project schedule.
On Friday, I was assigned a new project to work on. I ended up making a lot of calls for it and getting quite a bit done. The building where the office is located had an ice cream social in the afternoon catered by Baskin Robbins, and the ice cream was SO amazing (not for my diet though). I'm hoping they have these quite often so I can get some great ice cream.
Friday night I got together with Allie and she brought me to see Burn After Reading at a theater in Georgetown. The movie wasn't at all what I was expecting from the previews, but it ended up being quite interesting (though maybe not as great as I had anticipated).
I think I've been coming down with some kind of illness in the past couple of days. I'm hoping it's just a minor thing that will go away soon.
Tomorrow I'm planning to go to the Art Festival on King Street in Alexandria, one of the top art festivals in the United States. I think my Mom would be jealous of me since she loves art festivals.
On Friday, I was assigned a new project to work on. I ended up making a lot of calls for it and getting quite a bit done. The building where the office is located had an ice cream social in the afternoon catered by Baskin Robbins, and the ice cream was SO amazing (not for my diet though). I'm hoping they have these quite often so I can get some great ice cream.
Friday night I got together with Allie and she brought me to see Burn After Reading at a theater in Georgetown. The movie wasn't at all what I was expecting from the previews, but it ended up being quite interesting (though maybe not as great as I had anticipated).
I think I've been coming down with some kind of illness in the past couple of days. I'm hoping it's just a minor thing that will go away soon.
Tomorrow I'm planning to go to the Art Festival on King Street in Alexandria, one of the top art festivals in the United States. I think my Mom would be jealous of me since she loves art festivals.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Weekend Continued....
After both my horses decided to have issues last night, I received bad news this morning that my Grandmother passed away. I will be flying out to the funeral tomorrow afternoon and returning at noon on September 11. After coming into the apartment to my roommates watching United 93, I'm being paranoid about the flight back to the D.C. area on the year they're opening a memorial at the Pentagon for those who died seven years ago. I'm going to be missing the TWC tour of the Newseum and my second class with Colman McCarthy while I'm gone, along with a couple days of work.
I've been working on my Learning Objective Statement all weekend since it's due tomorrow. The LOS is a description of the company I'm working for, the description of the position I have within the company, and the academic, professional, civic, and personal goals I want to achieve while completing my semester here. The paper should end up being around three pages long, and I've finished just under two pages so far. I'm going to send in the paperwork due tomorrow in with either one of my roommates or in the mail.
I probably won't post until Thursday or Friday since I'm going to be out of town.
I've been working on my Learning Objective Statement all weekend since it's due tomorrow. The LOS is a description of the company I'm working for, the description of the position I have within the company, and the academic, professional, civic, and personal goals I want to achieve while completing my semester here. The paper should end up being around three pages long, and I've finished just under two pages so far. I'm going to send in the paperwork due tomorrow in with either one of my roommates or in the mail.
I probably won't post until Thursday or Friday since I'm going to be out of town.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Starting the Weekend
Yesterday was a lot of fun. The morning at work was extremely slow as there was absolutely no work to do. After lunch we went to Capitol Hill to hand out packets and letters to congressmen looking for support for new bills. I got to deliver to the Rayburn building (named after Former Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn) and I wasn't keen to the layout of the hallways that caused me to do a large amount of walking.
I planned to meet up with friends at 5pm to eat and see The Dark Knight on iMax at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Since I finished delivering packets at 3:30, I decided to walk around D.C. until I went to meet up with my friends. I walked around the Botanical Gardens next to Capitol Hill for awhile and then went to the area where all the major federal work buildings were located. I was really glad when I walked past a Bank of America ATM and was able to withdraw some money to spend on groceries.
At 5pm, I met up with Allie,
Brian, Dan, and Kevin at Hawk 'n Dove, a bar with a super cheap happy hour ($2 beer specials plus free tacos) that all the legal people enjoyed. They allow underage people into the establishment too, so Brian and I got to sit and visit with friends while we ate (I had fish and chips).
As we started leaving to head to the movie and meet up with Katie, it started to rain. We were still able to slowly make it over to the Smithsonian and I magically ended up staying fairly dry compared to the others who were soaked. I got a student discount for the movie at $10 a ticket, saving $2.50, and seeing the movie in iMax was AWESOME! I hope the next
movie they play in the theater is a good one so I can have another fun experience.
Katie and I were dead tired last night and were eager to sleep in this morning. We're currently experiencing heavy rain from Tropical Storm/ Hurricane Hannah, so we ended up not going out to sight see today. I did need to go food shopping sometime this weekend and ended up going to Costco with Katie to stock up on food items. I'm going to go to Wal-Mart tomorrow to get some non-bulk food items and medicine to complete my shopping.
I talked to my parents this morning and got to see my boys on web cam. Since the picture from it was so pixilated, I had a harder time differentiating Mark from Blitz since they're nearly the same color and getting to be around similar sizes. The only reason I could really tell the orange blobs apart was by their normal behaviors. I think Blitz loves being a pasture puff with a lawn mowing job.
Posted are a few pictures of the Botanical Gardens and other places I walked by yesterday.
I planned to meet up with friends at 5pm to eat and see The Dark Knight on iMax at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Since I finished delivering packets at 3:30, I decided to walk around D.C. until I went to meet up with my friends. I walked around the Botanical Gardens next to Capitol Hill for awhile and then went to the area where all the major federal work buildings were located. I was really glad when I walked past a Bank of America ATM and was able to withdraw some money to spend on groceries.
At 5pm, I met up with Allie,
Brian, Dan, and Kevin at Hawk 'n Dove, a bar with a super cheap happy hour ($2 beer specials plus free tacos) that all the legal people enjoyed. They allow underage people into the establishment too, so Brian and I got to sit and visit with friends while we ate (I had fish and chips).As we started leaving to head to the movie and meet up with Katie, it started to rain. We were still able to slowly make it over to the Smithsonian and I magically ended up staying fairly dry compared to the others who were soaked. I got a student discount for the movie at $10 a ticket, saving $2.50, and seeing the movie in iMax was AWESOME! I hope the next
movie they play in the theater is a good one so I can have another fun experience.Katie and I were dead tired last night and were eager to sleep in this morning. We're currently experiencing heavy rain from Tropical Storm/ Hurricane Hannah, so we ended up not going out to sight see today. I did need to go food shopping sometime this weekend and ended up going to Costco with Katie to stock up on food items. I'm going to go to Wal-Mart tomorrow to get some non-bulk food items and medicine to complete my shopping.
I talked to my parents this morning and got to see my boys on web cam. Since the picture from it was so pixilated, I had a harder time differentiating Mark from Blitz since they're nearly the same color and getting to be around similar sizes. The only reason I could really tell the orange blobs apart was by their normal behaviors. I think Blitz loves being a pasture puff with a lawn mowing job.
Posted are a few pictures of the Botanical Gardens and other places I walked by yesterday.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Upcoming Excitement!
I feel like I accomplished a whole bunch today at my internship. I worked really hard and in return feel really great about the work I did today. Tomorrow I get to go to Capitol Hill after lunch and hand out the packets and letters I worked on today to Congressmen.
Today I emailed a shelter in the NoVA area that helps transition refugees from other countries to life in the USA. I really want to work on this for my civil engagement project this semester, so I'm hoping I hear back from them.
I'm very excited about my weekend plans! Tomorrow evening after I finish with my lobbying, I'm going out with some friends to see The Dark Knight on iMAX at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. We may go out and get dinner afterwards if we aren't feeling too poor.
My roommate and I are planning on going out and seeing some of the major DC attractions this weekend so we can cross them off our Must Visit lists. Very few of the things we plan to do cost money (besides the metro), so it's perfect for penny pinching interns.
Today I emailed a shelter in the NoVA area that helps transition refugees from other countries to life in the USA. I really want to work on this for my civil engagement project this semester, so I'm hoping I hear back from them.
I'm very excited about my weekend plans! Tomorrow evening after I finish with my lobbying, I'm going out with some friends to see The Dark Knight on iMAX at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. We may go out and get dinner afterwards if we aren't feeling too poor.
My roommate and I are planning on going out and seeing some of the major DC attractions this weekend so we can cross them off our Must Visit lists. Very few of the things we plan to do cost money (besides the metro), so it's perfect for penny pinching interns.
Yesterday and my First Class
Last night I was exhausted from going work and then to my first class. In the morning, the other Chwat interns and I went out to complete the scavenger hunt on Capitol Hill. We went through the congressional buildings to certain points of interest. I received my Library of Congress reader’s card in the Madison building, so now I have access to the items in the library to use in research. We didn’t complete the scavenger hunt as we ran out of time before we needed to be back in the office, but we finished the majority of it.
I think my communication skills will definitely improve through this internship. Yesterday I spent most of my time at work calling people on the phone, so all the practice I’m getting should have at least some kind of positive effect.
My class is going to be amazing. The professor, Colman McCarthy, former editor of the Washington Post, has an unbelievable record of people he’s interviewed. He listed off all the Nobel Peace Prize recipients he’s talked to (Gandhi, Mother Theresa, MLK Jr. to name a few), and nearly caused my jaw to hit the floor. His knowledge of the topic is probably one of the best in the world. I can see now why the class came so highly recommended by former interns. The class is relatively small (under 20 people, including 2 other TCU students), so I am extremely honored to have made it into this amazing class. The assignments I have for this class include keeping a weekly journal to write our thoughts on violence and a 1000 word term paper analyzing pretty much any subject dealing with violence and/ or peaceful problem solving. I can only imagine the amount of useful knowledge I’m going to obtain from this course.
I think my communication skills will definitely improve through this internship. Yesterday I spent most of my time at work calling people on the phone, so all the practice I’m getting should have at least some kind of positive effect.
My class is going to be amazing. The professor, Colman McCarthy, former editor of the Washington Post, has an unbelievable record of people he’s interviewed. He listed off all the Nobel Peace Prize recipients he’s talked to (Gandhi, Mother Theresa, MLK Jr. to name a few), and nearly caused my jaw to hit the floor. His knowledge of the topic is probably one of the best in the world. I can see now why the class came so highly recommended by former interns. The class is relatively small (under 20 people, including 2 other TCU students), so I am extremely honored to have made it into this amazing class. The assignments I have for this class include keeping a weekly journal to write our thoughts on violence and a 1000 word term paper analyzing pretty much any subject dealing with violence and/ or peaceful problem solving. I can only imagine the amount of useful knowledge I’m going to obtain from this course.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Back From My First Day!
This morning Jenna and I took the shuttle from the metro station to work. Even with missing the correct bus stop, we still ended up being over thirty minutes early on our first day of work. We had orientation before lunch and were thrown right into doing research for projects after we returned from lunch. Instead of being labeled as an intern, I get the title of Research Assistant to sound more esteemed. I'm very impressed by the internship so far and I am really glad that I chose to work at Chwat and Co. Mr. Chwat is very nice and brilliant, so I am very happy to be working for him.
The other three interns in the office are great too! Most of the people I've met in the Washington Center program have been very nice and personable. I'm not going to want to leave here! Tomorrow morning Mr. Chwat is sending the other interns and I get to go on another scavenger hunt in order to become more familiar with available resources for research (libraries) and with Capitol Hill.
I haven't made any plans yet for tonight, so I'm not sure what I'll be doing.
The other three interns in the office are great too! Most of the people I've met in the Washington Center program have been very nice and personable. I'm not going to want to leave here! Tomorrow morning Mr. Chwat is sending the other interns and I get to go on another scavenger hunt in order to become more familiar with available resources for research (libraries) and with Capitol Hill.
I haven't made any plans yet for tonight, so I'm not sure what I'll be doing.
Pre-Workday Excitement
Here's a picture of my small group during the scavenger hunt in front of the capital building. We were a bit drier during this picture as the rain had let up for a brief moment.
I enjoyed the ice cream social immensely. I had the chance to talk to people I met previously and I was also able to meet new TWC interns living in the same apartment complex as I am. I don't think I've laughed or smiled so much in a long time! I will definitely go to all the TWC social events that I can in the future. I'm having so much fun making new friends with the great people here. I think some long friendships may sprout from my time in this program.
The amount of activities to do and places to visit in this area is overwhelming. I plan on going out with some people this week to wander around the city and start crossing things off the list (rainy scavenger hunt visits will not be crossed off). Maybe I'll leave a little early for my class on Wednesday night and see some of the embassies close to TWC by Dupont Circle. Speaking of Dupont Circle, I was in that area on Thursday night with my friend that transferred from TCU to GWU. While I was waiting for her, I go to see some of the main attractions at Dupont Circle and nearly get attacked by pigeons- they started to jump next to me on the park bench since the girl sitting next to me was feeding them. Allie and I ate at an Indian restaurant right off the main circle that I can't remember the name of right now. The restaurant was probably the fanciest Indian restaurant I've ever been to since it had elaborate decorations (and menu prices) instead of being a hole in the wall. The food was good but pricey and in smaller than the average American portion size, not that it wasn't big enough for a meal. The tapas there are half price on weekdays, which could fit my budget if I ordered a few of them instead of an entree.
I get to start my internship tomorrow like the majority of TWC interns. So far I've met two of the three other interns I will be working with and will be accompanied by Jenna tomorrow on the journey to Chwat and Company. The internship is supposed to be a very hands-on one, allowing my to apply my research and other skills learned in the classroom in projects for the company. I'm hoping this internship will help to enhance my professional communication skills and allow me to get a taste for a career in the political science field (my degree). My dream job is to coach an NCAA equestrian team, but back-up careers are always helpful.
While I was at the ice cream social, my mother called me to inform me that Blitz wasn't eating his food. I'm not sure if he's going on a food strike (not including grass and clover consumption) because I'm not there or because my father also left this weekend to go visit my grandmother in Georgia, but this situation was quickly solved by using molasses to tempt his undeniable sweet tooth. My boys are hoping that horse fly (aka B-52 bombers) season is coming to a close VERY soon. They both hate the vile creatures that leave giant, painful welts on their hindquarters.
Monday, September 1, 2008
My First Days in the Nation's Capital
My drive through West Virginia and Virginia was absolutely breathtaking! Move-in was fairly uneventful and I was relieved to find out that my roommates are amazing. We're definitely going to have some great times together.
My first Political Leadership session met up at the Lincoln Memorial on a very rainy Thursday morning. We were fed, separated into groups of eight, and sent off on a scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt consisted of a packet of places to visit and things to do that we took pictures of as proof that we did them. The group that visits the most places receives a prize. I had some great people in my group and was able to make friends with them. I also discovered that one of the girls in my group will be interning at the same company I am. During the scavenger hunt, my group was able to become thoroughly soaked from the rain (even with our umbrellas). We were able to cross off at least 20 places from the list during our trek. For lunch we went to Metro Center station and visited the giant food court on the bottom floor. I thought the food court was a very cool place, so I'll try to be going back there again sometime.
Thursday evening and Friday morning consisted of sitting in a room and going over TWC program information and assignments. The Thursday one was located in the Washington Center building and on Friday I dressed up and went to the National Housing Center along with all the other interns enrolled in TWC programs.
I went to Trader Joe's in Alexandria, VA on Friday evening with Gingger (my roommate from Puerto Rico) and was very excited to be reunited with one of my favorite stores. Trader Joe's really needs to expand to the DFW area so I can shop there when I'm back at TCU.
I stayed in the apartment most of Saturday and Sunday since the Metro is closed going north from the station close to me Friday night to early Tuesday morning for track work. I find the metro to be fairly expensive for what it is ($39 for a weekly pass), so I'm glad I don't have to ride it to and from work everyday.
I walked to Chwat and Co. today with Jenna (another Chwat intern). The area it's in is extremely pretty and only a short distance away from the Potomac. Across from the building Chwat is in is the Salvation Army National Headquarters (I thought this was interesting). I'm planning on going to TWC ice cream social at my apartment building tonight.
My father is planning on setting up a web cam for me to see my horses at home so I can see them since I'm away from them so long. I can't wait to see my fat and happy horses at home. HRH Blitz has never been apart from me for more than a few weeks, though I'm not worried about him since he absolutely loves ruling his pasture (and his minion Mark) and gets grumpy when he's asked to leave.
My first Political Leadership session met up at the Lincoln Memorial on a very rainy Thursday morning. We were fed, separated into groups of eight, and sent off on a scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt consisted of a packet of places to visit and things to do that we took pictures of as proof that we did them. The group that visits the most places receives a prize. I had some great people in my group and was able to make friends with them. I also discovered that one of the girls in my group will be interning at the same company I am. During the scavenger hunt, my group was able to become thoroughly soaked from the rain (even with our umbrellas). We were able to cross off at least 20 places from the list during our trek. For lunch we went to Metro Center station and visited the giant food court on the bottom floor. I thought the food court was a very cool place, so I'll try to be going back there again sometime.
Thursday evening and Friday morning consisted of sitting in a room and going over TWC program information and assignments. The Thursday one was located in the Washington Center building and on Friday I dressed up and went to the National Housing Center along with all the other interns enrolled in TWC programs.
I went to Trader Joe's in Alexandria, VA on Friday evening with Gingger (my roommate from Puerto Rico) and was very excited to be reunited with one of my favorite stores. Trader Joe's really needs to expand to the DFW area so I can shop there when I'm back at TCU.
I stayed in the apartment most of Saturday and Sunday since the Metro is closed going north from the station close to me Friday night to early Tuesday morning for track work. I find the metro to be fairly expensive for what it is ($39 for a weekly pass), so I'm glad I don't have to ride it to and from work everyday.
I walked to Chwat and Co. today with Jenna (another Chwat intern). The area it's in is extremely pretty and only a short distance away from the Potomac. Across from the building Chwat is in is the Salvation Army National Headquarters (I thought this was interesting). I'm planning on going to TWC ice cream social at my apartment building tonight.
My father is planning on setting up a web cam for me to see my horses at home so I can see them since I'm away from them so long. I can't wait to see my fat and happy horses at home. HRH Blitz has never been apart from me for more than a few weeks, though I'm not worried about him since he absolutely loves ruling his pasture (and his minion Mark) and gets grumpy when he's asked to leave.
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