6/9/12
Well, as you may or may not have noticed, I have not posted form Friday. After careful consideration, I have deemed a blog post unnecessary for Friday. I'll give you a quick synopsis: I went to work, I read, I came home, I Skyped for somewhere around 2 hours, and I watched a couple episodes of How I Met Your Mother before calling it a night. A group of us were going to go exploring on Saturday, so I wanted to make sure I was well-rested for our adventure!
And that was my Friday, very chill, but very nice.
Now, on to the exciting stuff: Saturday. Now that I actually have individuals from KIP reading my blog, I guess I can't reveal my true feelings toward my fellow co-workers (only kidding, they are wonderful people!).
Our designated meeting place was the Smithsonian Metro Station by the USDA. This was a terrible life decision on all of our parts. While we had a rough idea of the day's agenda, we had neglected one very important aspect: planning for the crowd. If this had been the regular, touristy, DC crowd, this would not have been an issue. We were fully prepared for a DC crowd. We were not, however, prepared for the 45 million Girl Scouts that descended upon the Capitol.
I started out my trip by driving to the Court House Metro stop (again, they Metro is doing line work between East and West Falls Church, effectively cutting me off from fully and efficiently utilizing the metro) and then riding into the city. Being a Saturday, this business-district stop was not very active. I was quite happy with the empty train. I had a seat, not a lot of loud individuals, it was going to be a good day. All was calm and quite until I reached the next stop-that is when, like the locust swarming Egypt, the Girl Scouts swarmed the train. It was madness. My quiet, roomy car became a madhouse filled by green-and-brown sashed-and-vested girls. And this was just the start. Our day would be filled with long lines at turnstiles as troop leaders handed out day passes to giggling girls, crowds of loud and silly merit badges were seen no matter which direction you looked. It was quite the experience.
Well, on to the fun stuff--unless you find girl scouts fun, then more power to you. Not exactly my cup'o'tea, believe it or not.
Like I was saying, to the fun stuff. We started off the day with ideas of touring the Smithsonians. After meeting up (we had planned on meeting up at 11, but because of all the girl scouts, etc., we ended up all finally getting together around 11:30, oh well!), we headed towards, what I like to call, Museum Row. There was not a very rigid itinerary for the day--or more truthfully, a set itinerary at all--so the group just started wandering. Upon arrival at the Castle (the Smithsonian Castle is the "base" of all the other museums), we diverted to one of the art galleries next to it--believing it to be under the Girl Scout's radar. Our assumption was correct, as the art gallery was very quiet and mostly empty.
While the art was interesting, the group was a little preoccupied with getting to know one another. Certain individuals (who will remain anonymous, *coughcoughcoughjeffcoughcoughcough*) were continually discussing life events and simply neglecting the art. After about 30 minutes of mindless wandering--I refused to start doing any in depth reading, as I would just want to stay and read everything (do not go to a museum with me unless you really want to appreciate the history!)--the group decided that maybe it was best to meander elsewhere.
Apart from loosing 2 or 3 members of our group in an attempt to use the restroom, we made it back out to the mall safe and sound. By this time it was after noon and a number of us started lobbying heavily for food (myself being a ranking member of this group). After a nice little stroll through the Statue Gardens (or something like that) and a side-trip to the large water fountain, the group headed towards Chinatown.
I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting when we headed to Chinatown, and maybe we just didn't get very far into the area, but I was a little disappointed. The only difference between the Mall area and Chinatown was the Chinese Characters underneath the regular characters on restaurant signs. Oh well. Maybe I need to adventure to Chinatown sometime.
In China town we did what any good group of American interns would do--we ate at a chain sandwich shop, Potbelly's. The food was good, I thoroughly enjoyed my sandwich, that's for sure. Since our group actually picked up a member, we had to divide and conquer--that is, sit at different tables. It was nice to just be sitting in the AC and eating, it was starting to warm up outside.
Upon the completion of our meal, it was time to wander back to the Smithsonians. We had every intention of seeing the American History museum (since it has lots of fun things in it like the Ruby Slippers and Kermit the Frog, crucial points in American history). We wandered through the Smithsonian Castle (which really was just a hodgepodge of miscellaneous stuff) and then headed to our next target.
The arrival at the American History Museum was as far as we got: the line was out the door and around the corner. It was hot, the sun was intense, and we were not going to spend our afternoon standing in that line. We wandered down to the Natural History Museum, which, in it's defense, had a shorter line, but still a line too long for our tastes.
Group deliberation took place. Garrett pulled out his handy-dandy map ("I'm a map, I'm a map, I'm a map...Thanks Emily, that's still stuck in my head) and we decided to head to the National Gallery. If I had to guess, I would say this is where we spent the majority of our day, at least in comparison to all the other places we visited. The gallery was awesome.
As we went through the museum we hit the Dutch and Italian artists...or at least a small portion of them. I thoroughly enjoyed the older (1300-1600) Italian artists. Every piece that I saw was centered around something religious. Christ, the Saints, the Holy Family-all of it was beautiful!
In addition to the amazing pictures of Christ and his followers, there was a picture of de Vinci on display. Apparently it was the precursor to the Mona Lisa. I really enjoyed the art gallery. One of these days I need to go with a small group or on my own so I can have a little more time to appreciate the art and the museums.
After the museum, we lost a couple members and it was decided to go somewhere we could all sit down and relax. We headed over near the Navy something Metro stop and went to a sportsbar to watch the Germany-Portugal soccer game (and whatever else was on, which included a baseball game, a basketball game, and a horse race, lol).
After about an hour or a little more of hanging out at (I wish I could remember what the name was) the sportsbar, I decided I was hungry and I wasn't feeling sportsbar food. I was hoping for something a little more restaurant like. (By this point, we had lost another part of our group, but we gained a couple other guys).
So, we jumped on the Metro and headed to DuPont Circle, which just happened to be a very exciting part of town. There was a LGBTQ event going on. It was quite the site.
After an eventful walk around the circle, yes, DuPont Circle in a circle, we stopped at the Front Page. It is a really snazzy restaurant with old front pages of newspapers all around the restaurant. The food was good and the conversation was incredibly interesting. The only downside: our food took awhile because of the rally outside. Even this couldn't dampen the atmosphere of our conversation. In fact, until the waiter came to mention that he was sorry our food was taking so long, I hadn't even realized it had been awhile.
When we finished up dinner, we lost all but 4 of us, and went to Claredon to hang out. We were going to meet-up with some other interns, but after hanging out for awhile, and with the Metro taking so long, we finally decided to call it a night.
Since I had to drive to Court House earlier in the day, all that was left to do was run a couple of my friends back to GMU and then I called it a night. After a long day of adventuring (which was far more detailed than what I recorded, because I'm lazy!), it was time to call it a night: especially since I would be getting up too early for my tastes on a Sunday.
Well, there ya have it, my second Sunday as an Intern!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
A Painful Policy
6/7/12
Today was the day. The culmination of all my hard work and sacrifice. Years of...Ok, so maybe it isn't quite that dramatic, but it was still very exciting. Today I began the actual interning experience of the Koch Internship Program. And, let me tell you, it was a very exciting day!
I began the day bright and early (7:05 was a tad early, so I crawled out of bed at 7:15 instead). There was a slight downside to my morning: I had left my coffee cup in a friend's string-bag. So, sadly, I did not start my day with coffee. But no worries, my office has coffee. And not just coffee, a full kitchen. Equipped with a Starbuck's coffee machine, that freshly grinds your beans before brewing them. So, every cup of coffee is literally a fresh cup. AMAZING!
My day was extremely fascinating, at least to me. I started off by logging on and going through my computer and setting up all the sites and such that I would be using (ie, my electronic time-keeping site. Cha-ching!). After going through my email (which took quite awhile), I was able to begin reading, which would take up my entire day.
I started reading on cronyism. I started out with articles but moved onto reading a book that details how the American society has become a society of moochers. I'm not going to lie, the readings were a little (or a lot) depressing. I'm fearful for the American society. The growing debt, the crazy amount of subsidies and the ever growing regulation leading to continually increasing debt is daunting, at minimum.
However, depressing statistics aside, the day was interesting. We had a couple short meetings, one to go over, one final time, proper office procedures and the other to take a tour of the building. There are roughly 15 interns from the program at the Institute/Foundation. Just based off of the looks we received from the other office staff, I think this is the largest number of Interns that have been placed CKI. I'm not going to say that for sure, but just a guess.
Along with the short meetings we had, for lunch the entire policy team met for a lunch meeting to go over the basics of the team. They are a fascinating group. I am really looking forward working with the group for the summer.
After I got off, I took the metro back, which was jam-packed. I guess I had better get used to being in a can of sardines! Oh well. On the upside, I was able to talk with a fellow intern about our first day and just some various other topics.
The biggest downside of my day--my dress shoes have not fully been broke in. Needless to say, I now have blisters on both of my pinky-toes and one on each of the back of my ankle/heel --whatever you call the place where the back of your shoe rubs (the right one has burst).
While this may not sound like the most exciting day, it was incredibly interesting for me. Tomorrow will be another day in the office reading and researching, but on Saturday, a group of us are going out to explore DC. All I can say is: Watch out DC. Here come the Interns!
Today was the day. The culmination of all my hard work and sacrifice. Years of...Ok, so maybe it isn't quite that dramatic, but it was still very exciting. Today I began the actual interning experience of the Koch Internship Program. And, let me tell you, it was a very exciting day!
I began the day bright and early (7:05 was a tad early, so I crawled out of bed at 7:15 instead). There was a slight downside to my morning: I had left my coffee cup in a friend's string-bag. So, sadly, I did not start my day with coffee. But no worries, my office has coffee. And not just coffee, a full kitchen. Equipped with a Starbuck's coffee machine, that freshly grinds your beans before brewing them. So, every cup of coffee is literally a fresh cup. AMAZING!
My day was extremely fascinating, at least to me. I started off by logging on and going through my computer and setting up all the sites and such that I would be using (ie, my electronic time-keeping site. Cha-ching!). After going through my email (which took quite awhile), I was able to begin reading, which would take up my entire day.
I started reading on cronyism. I started out with articles but moved onto reading a book that details how the American society has become a society of moochers. I'm not going to lie, the readings were a little (or a lot) depressing. I'm fearful for the American society. The growing debt, the crazy amount of subsidies and the ever growing regulation leading to continually increasing debt is daunting, at minimum.
However, depressing statistics aside, the day was interesting. We had a couple short meetings, one to go over, one final time, proper office procedures and the other to take a tour of the building. There are roughly 15 interns from the program at the Institute/Foundation. Just based off of the looks we received from the other office staff, I think this is the largest number of Interns that have been placed CKI. I'm not going to say that for sure, but just a guess.
Along with the short meetings we had, for lunch the entire policy team met for a lunch meeting to go over the basics of the team. They are a fascinating group. I am really looking forward working with the group for the summer.
After I got off, I took the metro back, which was jam-packed. I guess I had better get used to being in a can of sardines! Oh well. On the upside, I was able to talk with a fellow intern about our first day and just some various other topics.
The biggest downside of my day--my dress shoes have not fully been broke in. Needless to say, I now have blisters on both of my pinky-toes and one on each of the back of my ankle/heel --whatever you call the place where the back of your shoe rubs (the right one has burst).
While this may not sound like the most exciting day, it was incredibly interesting for me. Tomorrow will be another day in the office reading and researching, but on Saturday, a group of us are going out to explore DC. All I can say is: Watch out DC. Here come the Interns!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Greek Life-Literally
6/6/12
Today, I woke up at 7:05 am, my new wake-up call for the rest of the summer. Welcome to the real world I guess. After a semester of 10am and 9:25 classes--where I woke up at 9:15 and 8:40 respectively--this is just a wee bit earlier then what I would prefer. heehee.
I am really starting to get used to riding the Metro. It is quite the experience. People from all walks of life ride the metro. My stops are in fairly safe neighborhoods, which makes me feel quite safe. However, I have not ventured out at night on the Metro. I'm sure the first time I do, you'll hear from me!
After arriving at CKI we went over some more HR and other trainings. We are almost done, with only next Monday left for the "training" part, and then it will just be the Tuesday Seminar days, while the rest of the week will be the actual intern work. I'm quite excited. I've enjoyed the days up to this point, but I am ready to really dive into my work with the Institute!
Today was a half-day. We finished up around 12:45. Since today we were on our own for lunch, a few of us decided to go adventuring. We deemed Dupont Circle as our target. We jumped on the orange line, road to Metro Center, jumped on the Red line, and before you knew it, we were at Dupont Circle. After walking around for about a block, we decided to try a little restaurant that was in a blue-and white little building. The architecture of Dupont is really quite neat. The streets are narrow, winding, and confusing. The buildings are older, build side-by-side and only a few stories high, but well maintained. Old and new intertwined. A historic feel in a modern society--much like the rest of DC.
I will say, the escalator coming out form the Dupont metro station was HUGE! I'm spoiled here at Vienna/Fairfax with an above-ground station and just a short little walk down our short escalator. But, I digress.
The little restaurant was interesting. I think I would enjoy Greek food more if I liked vegetables more. I'm really working on it, but it's quite the uphill battle! I've come to the conclusion I HATE shredded lettuce. I can stomach lettuce in leaf/salad form, but the shredded variety just is too "yuck" for me.
I tried a Greeksub burger. I thought I'd start off simple. Didn't want to dive into anything too radical. I kept the lettuce on, but asked for no mayo or tomato. (One step at a time, I'll work my way up!) The burger was interesting, not a patty so much as smaller pieces of meat that had seasoning and such rolled into them. The bread was really good, but it was difficult to down the shredded lettuce. Oh well! Luckily, I wasn't all that hungry.
After we all finished our lunch, it was time to head back. We have assigned readings for each week, with time allotted for designated reading, so that is why we were getting the afternoon off. Right at Dupont we lost one member of our group and Metro Center saw me depart the other 2 guys. Jumping back on the Orange line gave me time to read a solid 20 pages before walking home.
I'm not entirely sure why, but I had a terrible time falling asleep/staying asleep last night. I'm pretty sure sometime around 3 am I was jerked from my sleep by Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me, Maybe. Since I live in the basement of a townhouse, I have the unfortunate luck of being able to hear the two floors above me, along with the noises of the next door neighbors. I'm not entirely sure where the music was coming from--upstairs or next door--but I was unhappy with being ripped out of my slumber! The point is, I'll be throwing in the towel early tonight--especially since I am up-to-date on these posts and have finished close to have of my reading for Monday!
I'm quite excited to begin my actual duties tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day. My first day as an actual intern. My Beginning.
Today, I woke up at 7:05 am, my new wake-up call for the rest of the summer. Welcome to the real world I guess. After a semester of 10am and 9:25 classes--where I woke up at 9:15 and 8:40 respectively--this is just a wee bit earlier then what I would prefer. heehee.
I am really starting to get used to riding the Metro. It is quite the experience. People from all walks of life ride the metro. My stops are in fairly safe neighborhoods, which makes me feel quite safe. However, I have not ventured out at night on the Metro. I'm sure the first time I do, you'll hear from me!
After arriving at CKI we went over some more HR and other trainings. We are almost done, with only next Monday left for the "training" part, and then it will just be the Tuesday Seminar days, while the rest of the week will be the actual intern work. I'm quite excited. I've enjoyed the days up to this point, but I am ready to really dive into my work with the Institute!
Today was a half-day. We finished up around 12:45. Since today we were on our own for lunch, a few of us decided to go adventuring. We deemed Dupont Circle as our target. We jumped on the orange line, road to Metro Center, jumped on the Red line, and before you knew it, we were at Dupont Circle. After walking around for about a block, we decided to try a little restaurant that was in a blue-and white little building. The architecture of Dupont is really quite neat. The streets are narrow, winding, and confusing. The buildings are older, build side-by-side and only a few stories high, but well maintained. Old and new intertwined. A historic feel in a modern society--much like the rest of DC.
I will say, the escalator coming out form the Dupont metro station was HUGE! I'm spoiled here at Vienna/Fairfax with an above-ground station and just a short little walk down our short escalator. But, I digress.
The little restaurant was interesting. I think I would enjoy Greek food more if I liked vegetables more. I'm really working on it, but it's quite the uphill battle! I've come to the conclusion I HATE shredded lettuce. I can stomach lettuce in leaf/salad form, but the shredded variety just is too "yuck" for me.
I tried a Greeksub burger. I thought I'd start off simple. Didn't want to dive into anything too radical. I kept the lettuce on, but asked for no mayo or tomato. (One step at a time, I'll work my way up!) The burger was interesting, not a patty so much as smaller pieces of meat that had seasoning and such rolled into them. The bread was really good, but it was difficult to down the shredded lettuce. Oh well! Luckily, I wasn't all that hungry.
After we all finished our lunch, it was time to head back. We have assigned readings for each week, with time allotted for designated reading, so that is why we were getting the afternoon off. Right at Dupont we lost one member of our group and Metro Center saw me depart the other 2 guys. Jumping back on the Orange line gave me time to read a solid 20 pages before walking home.
I'm not entirely sure why, but I had a terrible time falling asleep/staying asleep last night. I'm pretty sure sometime around 3 am I was jerked from my sleep by Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me, Maybe. Since I live in the basement of a townhouse, I have the unfortunate luck of being able to hear the two floors above me, along with the noises of the next door neighbors. I'm not entirely sure where the music was coming from--upstairs or next door--but I was unhappy with being ripped out of my slumber! The point is, I'll be throwing in the towel early tonight--especially since I am up-to-date on these posts and have finished close to have of my reading for Monday!
I'm quite excited to begin my actual duties tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day. My first day as an actual intern. My Beginning.
KIP Summer Camp--Or something along those lines
6/5/2012.
Adventure Challenge: Constructing a bridge, underwater, with you eyes closed. Reassembling a precious statue surrounded by a force field. Working with a partner, while blind, to avoid a deadly mine-field.
All in the day's work of being an Intern during KIP. No big deal. Confused yet?
The Interns did not start their day out in dress casual and at CKI as they had on Monday, but at a local park in athletic gear!
Today, as a team builder, we were assigned into 5 teams, of 12 people, and set to complete (or at least do our best to complete) six tasks. I have given a quick summary of some of them; however, it very well may be a little dramatic. Our group started out at a task where you had two people blindfolded and linked by their elbows. They were receiving directions to various objects laid out in the field. This, however, was not the end of the confusion. The blindfolded individuals were receiving directions from two individuals: One who had the exact instructions and could see where the blindfolded individuals were going, the other was looking at the person who had possession of the instructions. The individual who was capable of seeing the blindfolded individuals had to, without speaking, convey the instructions to the person opposite of them. Our 4-person group managed to complete the task, twice. Compared to the other groups 3, if not 4, times of completion. We required some time to warm up.
The tasks throughout the morning continued to be challenging. Our 2nd task of the day involved using PVC pipe-gutters that had 4 strings attached to them. You had to keep the "gutter" at least one foot off the ground and at least 1 foot away from your body. There were 4 or 5 of these gutters. The object was to transfer different types of balls (a ping-pong ball, a racquetball, and a small soccer ball) from one spot to another. It involved having 2 people manipulate the gutters to move the ball from one bucket to another. There were additional rules that made things more difficult, of course. For example, once the ball was in your gutter, you were unable to move your feet. You simply had to wait for the next gutter to be ready and carefully tilt the ball into the next gutter.
We managed to complete this task-mostly. We may or may not have skipped the part where we navigated around a tree.
Our third task was a total jam. We were assigned 2 sets of numbers in a half circle, 1-6 with an orange circle in the middle. We had to stand on the circles and with only moving one person at a time, and only crossing a person who you were facing, while never moving more than 2 spaces at a time (still following?) rearrange the half circle so everyone on the yellow side (1-6) ended up on the red side (6-1), while pretending the ground was lava and not stepping off a circle. Our group thought we had successfully completed the task, until we read the rules. In which case, we eventually gave up.
Our fourth task, another tedious one we didn't finish, but managed to actually make progress on, was one that even the directors of the day said was virtually impossible. We had to stack 6 cups in a 3-cup pyramid style and then place a PVC-gutter on top of them. However, we had to devise a contraption that would go through the "force field" that prevented human flesh from entering. We were the first group that was able to actually make progress on this event. We were very excited!
The fifth task was quite entertaining, and one we all completed successfully! A rectangular minefield was set-up with a large number of "mines" (water balls). A partner was blindfolded and then had to be told how to navigate by their partner outside of the minefield. Of course, there was a catch. You could not use a commonly known language: English, French, Spanish, etc. In essence, you had to create your own. My first time through, my partner and I utilized (nerd alert) Harry Potter Spells (or variations of them). Accio meant move forward, Wingardium Leviosa was a large step, (I split this one) Avada-left, Kedavra-Right. Prego (I was trying to think of Protego, but we improvised!) was stop. It was quite humorous. After everyone successfully navigated through the field, you had to find another partner and combine your languages. This made for some interesting variations!
The sixth (and thankfully final task) was to reconstructed a bridge, based on a picture our team leader had taken previously in the day, while "under water." Of course, no one was actually submerged (thankfully, because it was a cool day for DC standards). You had to stay outside of the roped off area unless you closed your eyes and held your breath to find and construct the bridge. Your bridge was only completed once you could roll a ball off of it over the "river" (which you also had to assemble). It was quite the adventure, but our team was very effective and managed to complete this task as well!
After all our team-builders were successfully (for the most part) completed, it was lunch time! We stayed at the park and had a choice of turkey, ham, chicken, or pesto (I think) boxed lunches from Corner Bakery. I'm not entirely sure where this place is at, but a lot of our food has been from there, and it's quite yummy!
Upon finishing up our lunch, we returned to the Institute where we watched The Smartest Guys in the Room, a movie discussing the rise and rapid fall of Enron. It was an interesting movie, which we then discussed. It was quite an interesting discussion.
At the end of the day, I was exhausted. By the time I got back to my apartment it was around 6pm. I went to my room and attempted to blog, but gave up. After vegging out and working on some small projects, I decided to watch an episode (or 3) of How I Met Your Mother and called it a night. I was now prepared to take on my third day--the final day of training for the week and the day before I start in as my role as a Regulatory Policy Intern.
Adventure Challenge: Constructing a bridge, underwater, with you eyes closed. Reassembling a precious statue surrounded by a force field. Working with a partner, while blind, to avoid a deadly mine-field.
All in the day's work of being an Intern during KIP. No big deal. Confused yet?
The Interns did not start their day out in dress casual and at CKI as they had on Monday, but at a local park in athletic gear!
Today, as a team builder, we were assigned into 5 teams, of 12 people, and set to complete (or at least do our best to complete) six tasks. I have given a quick summary of some of them; however, it very well may be a little dramatic. Our group started out at a task where you had two people blindfolded and linked by their elbows. They were receiving directions to various objects laid out in the field. This, however, was not the end of the confusion. The blindfolded individuals were receiving directions from two individuals: One who had the exact instructions and could see where the blindfolded individuals were going, the other was looking at the person who had possession of the instructions. The individual who was capable of seeing the blindfolded individuals had to, without speaking, convey the instructions to the person opposite of them. Our 4-person group managed to complete the task, twice. Compared to the other groups 3, if not 4, times of completion. We required some time to warm up.
The tasks throughout the morning continued to be challenging. Our 2nd task of the day involved using PVC pipe-gutters that had 4 strings attached to them. You had to keep the "gutter" at least one foot off the ground and at least 1 foot away from your body. There were 4 or 5 of these gutters. The object was to transfer different types of balls (a ping-pong ball, a racquetball, and a small soccer ball) from one spot to another. It involved having 2 people manipulate the gutters to move the ball from one bucket to another. There were additional rules that made things more difficult, of course. For example, once the ball was in your gutter, you were unable to move your feet. You simply had to wait for the next gutter to be ready and carefully tilt the ball into the next gutter.
We managed to complete this task-mostly. We may or may not have skipped the part where we navigated around a tree.
Our third task was a total jam. We were assigned 2 sets of numbers in a half circle, 1-6 with an orange circle in the middle. We had to stand on the circles and with only moving one person at a time, and only crossing a person who you were facing, while never moving more than 2 spaces at a time (still following?) rearrange the half circle so everyone on the yellow side (1-6) ended up on the red side (6-1), while pretending the ground was lava and not stepping off a circle. Our group thought we had successfully completed the task, until we read the rules. In which case, we eventually gave up.
Our fourth task, another tedious one we didn't finish, but managed to actually make progress on, was one that even the directors of the day said was virtually impossible. We had to stack 6 cups in a 3-cup pyramid style and then place a PVC-gutter on top of them. However, we had to devise a contraption that would go through the "force field" that prevented human flesh from entering. We were the first group that was able to actually make progress on this event. We were very excited!
The fifth task was quite entertaining, and one we all completed successfully! A rectangular minefield was set-up with a large number of "mines" (water balls). A partner was blindfolded and then had to be told how to navigate by their partner outside of the minefield. Of course, there was a catch. You could not use a commonly known language: English, French, Spanish, etc. In essence, you had to create your own. My first time through, my partner and I utilized (nerd alert) Harry Potter Spells (or variations of them). Accio meant move forward, Wingardium Leviosa was a large step, (I split this one) Avada-left, Kedavra-Right. Prego (I was trying to think of Protego, but we improvised!) was stop. It was quite humorous. After everyone successfully navigated through the field, you had to find another partner and combine your languages. This made for some interesting variations!
The sixth (and thankfully final task) was to reconstructed a bridge, based on a picture our team leader had taken previously in the day, while "under water." Of course, no one was actually submerged (thankfully, because it was a cool day for DC standards). You had to stay outside of the roped off area unless you closed your eyes and held your breath to find and construct the bridge. Your bridge was only completed once you could roll a ball off of it over the "river" (which you also had to assemble). It was quite the adventure, but our team was very effective and managed to complete this task as well!
After all our team-builders were successfully (for the most part) completed, it was lunch time! We stayed at the park and had a choice of turkey, ham, chicken, or pesto (I think) boxed lunches from Corner Bakery. I'm not entirely sure where this place is at, but a lot of our food has been from there, and it's quite yummy!
Upon finishing up our lunch, we returned to the Institute where we watched The Smartest Guys in the Room, a movie discussing the rise and rapid fall of Enron. It was an interesting movie, which we then discussed. It was quite an interesting discussion.
At the end of the day, I was exhausted. By the time I got back to my apartment it was around 6pm. I went to my room and attempted to blog, but gave up. After vegging out and working on some small projects, I decided to watch an episode (or 3) of How I Met Your Mother and called it a night. I was now prepared to take on my third day--the final day of training for the week and the day before I start in as my role as a Regulatory Policy Intern.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The Rise of the Interns
It begins.
Today, 6/4, was the day
the Interns took over. Fifty-three twenty-plus year old's swarmed on the
Charles Koch Institute to overthrow the current staff and declare a regime
change...
Wait, that's not right.
Wrong story. Today was the first day of the Koch Internship Program
(KIP), and there were 53 interns-making this the largest KIP class in history;
however, we did not come to over throw the current staff, but to learn from
them!
Let's back track.
I woke up, quite bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to be honest, this morning
at 7:55. After a quick shower I assembled my "business casual
attire." I deemed that my grey suit with a solid black shirt, open
collar, would be business causal. Not too casual, not too business.
Again, must like at Mass, I fell right in the middle of the spectrum.
Some guys were in full suits, some were in khakis and and open collar.
Perfect.
The only downside to my
morning was my walk to the metro took longer than I expected. For some reason,
I had it in my mind it would only take 5 minutes, but it took more like 10.
Not that it was a huge problem, since I was able to make it to the CKI
with time to spare, but I'll make note of that for the future! After just
missing (literally, I tried to step onto the train as the door closed) the
first metro, I jumped on one that was still in the station. The
Vienna/Fairfax/GMU stop is the beginning (or end, depending on which direction
you are headed) of the Orange line, so I was able to not only have a seat, but
pick where I wanted it to be. It was quite splendid.
The walk from Court
House Metro to the CKI is only like 3-5 minutes, so that is another perk of the
metro. I thoroughly enjoy not having to pay any attention to where I'm
going, except to know when they call my stop. It is much more relaxing
than driving (and much quicker in my case!).
Our first day began with
breakfast and paperwork. Of course, not at the same time, that would get
messy! Part of us went through and worked on our paperwork (I9's, all
that legal stuff) while another group munched on fresh fruit trays (they had
pineapple, YUM) and a variety of bagels and other breakfast breads-I didn't pay
them any attention, I just ate a bunch of pineapple and grapes!
We kicked off our morning
at 10am after all our paperwork was finished. From here on out the day
would be filled with Seminars with nifty names like HR Intro, Koch
101, and Careful Communications. Basically, we were
going over all the basic procedures and such that were required by law.
Maybe not the most fascinating topics, but the staff was extremely
friendly and positive, and my fellow Interns made it much more entertaining.
Around 12:15 (I think we
were ahead of schedule) it was lunch time. We broke our group into half,
since neither of the two classrooms could hold all of us, and divided by last
names. It felt a lot like elementary school, but hey, it's efficient!
At lunch, much like at
breakfast, we were able to mingle and get to know our fellow interns. The
KIP places people at a variety of think tanks in the DC area, but on Tuesdays
we all congregate at the CKI and will do KIP programming. However, M-W
and M and Tuesday of next week we are just going through training and team
building. Side note aside, I'm excited.
But back to lunch.
At lunch it was amazing to be able to discuss politics, sports (yes, I
discussed sports, more along the lines of how I don't follow them, etc, but
still!), DisneyLand vs. DisneyWorld, various state and local government issues,
and a medley of other issues. While we are all similar in our mindset, we
are not all the same. Each individual is exactly that, an individual.
We believe in a similar "big idea," but it's our route and
other ideas that add the flavor and excitement to the group. If I can base my
summer on the breakfast and lunch small talk, then I am in for a very exciting
and splendiferous summer!
After lunch it was more
programming until we hear from our guest speaker. I don't remember how to
spell his last name, but he works for Institute for Justice and was
a phenomenal speaker. The topic was on economic freedom in the
court system (the entire CKI is for advancing economic freedom) and through the
legal process. He (I have his card, I'm just too lazy to get it. I'll post
his name or edit this post at a later date) was humorous, full of energy (to
the point I wish he would have stood still once in awhile, I was starting to
experience motion sickness from watching him walk around) and had such a
vibrant personality and presentation style.
Upon the completion of
the guest lecture, we received our summer reading: 8 books and a binder.
I had a small flash back to the start of the semester, but I feel like
I'm going to really enjoy these readings. These are various economists
and other economic authors. It should be very interesting--and a little
outside of what I normally read. Each Tuesday, I presume, we will be
discussing a different book/author/idea. I love learning, but when I'm
learning in seminar style, I enjoy it ever-so-much more!
Receiving our reading
for the summer concluded our day at the Institute. It was time to jump
back on the metro and head back to Fairfax. Unlike this morning, I was
unable to even find a seat--I barely had standing room--but I was able to get
on the train. I did not have service, for some odd reason, in the
building, and once underground I really didn't have any. However, about 3
stops into the ride, all 9 emails, 2 voicemails, and a handful of facebook
notifications and texts all hit my phone. I just had it on vibrate, but I
thought it was going to explode!
It was a nice day-around
75 degrees-but after caring the 8 books and a binder, plus my portfolio and
empty coffee mug, I was ready to get out of my suit and put some shorts on!
I ran down to Best Buy,
since one of the voicemails was from them, to pick up my laptop with all my
data backed up on it (yeah!). I made myself some dinner of Campbell's
Chunky Vegetable soup, a Pb&J, grapes, about 10 Pringles, and a handful of
Cashews. It was yummy. I'm not entirely sure why, but I've actually had
the urge to eat a little healthier (hence the fruit I've been eating at every
meal) and I think I'm doing quite well. I mean, I'm no star eater, but
I'm at least on the correct path!
The rest of my evening
has been spent blogging. I'm about ready to post this final blog,
complete some online forms due for tomorrow and the rest of the week, put on an
episode of HIMYM and head to dream land. We are headed
to the park tomorrow for team building. Exciting!
So, maybe the interns
didn't take over the Institute on the first day, but I definitely had a
wonderful first day! I'm pretty sure everyone else did too, but I can't say for
sure...I'm just an Intern.
Monday, June 4, 2012
The Historic Beginning
Shall we begin day one? I think so. Bear with this post. I'm writing this on my tablet because my laptop is currently at best buy having the data switched over from my old laptop. Oh well.
This morning I refused to set an alarm. My travels had worn me out, so I called it a night around 11:30 after attempt/ing to start A Knight's Tale. I made it all of half an hour before I shut down my computer and zonked out. Without an alarm my body slept soundly until around 9. I laid in bed, flirting with the idea of more sleep until 9:30. At this point, I decided to hop up and shower. The water pressure is grand and the shower is practically the exact same as the one I have at school. The only down side is the faucet handle only goes to half-way...this resulted in a slightly-warm shower. I meant to talk to Joe about this...and I still should. [Update. I discovered on Sunday that while my shower does only go half way, the cold side is actually the warm water. As I was trying to force the faucet further to the left, I noticed the water kept getting colder. Mildly frustrated, I gave up, but bumped the handle closer to the "C" etched in the metal. To my surprise, the flowing water went from lukewarm to warm. Turns out I no longer have anything to complain about!]
After showering, I started planning my trip to Arlington with my handy-dandy app (Having a smart phone is quite helpful!) but it said the route was unavailable. I ruled this was a problem with the app and jumped on my computer. Unfortunately, I received the same message online. It was time to contact the expert, so I went upstairs. I told Joe about my little problem. He pulled up the website and investigated the issue. Apparently the Orange line was down in our area for major work on the tracks. I could take the bus and the trip would take around an hour, or I could drive it in 15 minutes. Needless to say, I ran downstairs to retrieve my keys. After 14 hours in a car, I was pretty sure I could handle another 15.
So my adventure began. I jumped on 66 (the two big highways around me are 66 and 55) and it was pretty much a straight shot to Arlington. When I arrived at the address that was noted to be the metro station, I was utterly confused. So, I did what any logical man would do and drove round until I came up witha better idea--whih only took a few blocks. The area I was in was incredibly neat. I reprogrammed my GPS to take me to my internship building. I had originally planned on going from the metro stop near my apartment and doing a "test run," but I ended up doing it backwards. I found my building, with only minor setbacks. There was a street festival or something going on so a couple blocks were closed off. I found a parking lot that looked like free parking (Joe said on the weekend it should be, and since there were no tickets awaiting my return, I assumed he was corrected) and walked to my building. The Institute is on one of the upper levels, with a cafe, a lobby, and an Office Depot making up the bottom floor. (Sidenote: I bought a portfolio from the Office Depot. Wanted to make sure I was prepared on Monday!)
It was now time to find the Metro station...so I pulled out my handy-dandy Skyrocket (which I have affectionately named Skyra), used my metro app, and then walked the three minutes to the station that was .literally one block away. Dang, tough life! I meandered down the escalator and bought a metro fare card...which was moderately expensive, but not as much as parking!
After waiting a couple minutes I stepped onto the orange line and headed to the Foggy Bottom/GWU stop (nice name, huh?). GWU is a gorgeous school, for the record. Maybe I should look into their grad programs? After a quick glance at my National Monuments app, I started walking towards the Lincoln Memorial. It was about an 8 minute walk, so not bad.
I have come to realize the secret to not looking like a tourist involves a handful of very basic points. 1) Do not walk around with a huge camera around your neck (check). 2) Do not always consult a map of the metro or of DC, at least, not the free paper versions they hand out everywhere. 3) Act like you know where you know where you are going-even when you don't (check and check). 4) Do not, I repeat Do not Gawk. Period.
There is nothing wrong with looking like a tourist, except there may be an increased risk of robbery, and you look like a dork, but otherwise, there isn't much else wrong with looking like a tourist. I seemed to have mastered the anti-tourist look, since on the Metro a gentleman spoke with me about the red line and a few people asked me about the line we were on. I was able to answer all of the questions, since I had consulted my app regarding many of the same ones!
When I reached the Lincoln Memorial, I was speechless once again. I had forgotten how breath-taking the memorial actually is. I also noticed, I think for the first time, that all of the state's names and year of statehood-in roman numerals- lined the top of the momument. Being a pleasant saturday in June, the plaza was packed. The enthroned Lincoln, always vigilant, surrounded by his famous words (The Gettysburg address and [I believe his] Second Inaugural Address) is truly an amazing scene to behold.
I took numerous pictures and then moved on to the bridge that is across from the Lincoln Memorial. The bridges are flanked by 4 statues which were gifts from the Italians in 1950. They stand for Valor, Sacrifice, Music and Harvest, and Aspiration and Literature. I do not know the history behind these statues (something I plan on looking up), but they are beautiful.
It was time to meander to the Korean War Memorial. I cannot say why, but this memorial is one of my favorites.
It is a beautiful memorial, dedicated in 1995 and made up of 19 larger-than-life military men moving in patrol formation through low-growing junipers. These men represent the Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy. While the Vietnam Memorial Wall is probably the most sombering, this memorial really is quite touching. Lining one side is a granite wall with faces etched into the wall. These lead up to the end of the wall where "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE"is inlaid in the wall. The other side of the triangular memorial includes all the Nations that assisted in the conflict and then the USA and UN numbers of Dead, Missing, and Wounded soldiers from the war. It is a beautiful site--one I recommend you really spend some time seeing and reflecting on if you are ever in DC.
(At this point, I gave up writing my post on my tablet in frustration, and decided to hold out until my laptop was returned to me).
From Korea, I went to the WWII memorial. For those that don't know, the WWII memorial is a circular memorial with a large fountain in the middle. The side closest to the Washington Monument is open. The side opposite of this is closed off and has a reflecting pool and bronze stars. The other two sides represent the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, with each state and US territory having a pillar to signify their involvement. This is probably my second favorite memorial
There was a special ceremony that had numerous vets from WWII. I'm not entirely sure what organization was hosting the event, but men and women, all in their later years, stood side-by-side in two rows. The sight brought tears to my eyes. As children ran around and international tourists snapped photos of the memorial, I had to pause to thank these men and women that risked it all so I could spend my summer looking at memorials and interning. God Bless each and every one of our Veterans.
After getting a picture of the Illinois Pillar, I walked around the Washington Monument. You can no longer get up next to it, as it is closed due to an earthquake (I believe around a 5.8?) last September. Having seen quite a few major landmarks, I was wearing out. However, I did notice a small memorial I had not seen on my first trip to DC. Standing in the middle of a split highway, was a memorial to John Paul Jones (1747-1792) who was the "First to compel Man-of-War to strike colors to the Stars and Stripes." It was a neat statue.
From the Washington Monument (I actually noticed the John Paul Jones statue right before heading the Washington Monument. Improper recall). I felt like just adventuring. I started walking, with purpose, to no where. It was quite fun (and I heard a tourist or two say, "Watch out, let that man through"). I ended up walking by the United States Department of Agriculture. According to the blue banners, the USDA is celebrating 150 years this year. 150 years of increasing farm regulations and restrictions (oops, I'll avoid that topic...no subsidies discussions here).
I'm not sure if you have seen the USDA...but it's HUGE! I was walking next to the South Building. This building, according to Wiki, was the largest office building in the world until the completion of the Pentagon. It is something like 7 stories high and has somewhere around 4500 rooms. It is connected to the Administration Building by two impressive arches that span the entire road. It is quite the site. I'm happy I was able to see it!
By this time, I was starting to realize I had not consumed any sustenance. I deemed it necessary to return to Arlington. The odds were in my favor, as there was a metro station right at the corner of the USDA building. And it happened to be the Orange line. I had to wait around 10 minutes for a train to arrive, but in those 10 minutes, I was able to sit for the first time. It was quite lovely.
After reaching Arlington, I stopped in at Jerry's Subs. It's a local chain (I guess?) that has subs and pizzas. The special of the day was a cheese pizza and a drink for 6 bucks, so I said why not (however, I upgraded my drink, something I would not be able to do in New York any more!). The pizza was a little greasy--it certainly wasn't Alfonso's--but it filled an empty stomach!
After walking around the aforementioned street fair, I decided to head by to Fairfax and maybe get some groceries. I wasn't sure where the nearest Walmart was, but I was lucky enough to find a Target on my way back off of 55. It was time to buy my own groceries. This was my first shopping experience where I was buying food that would keep me alive, not just in addition to my meal plan at school. It was heart wrenching to see those digital, cash-register-green numbers total something that seemed all too high for what little I was buying; yet I knew there was no error. Food is expensive. Ugh. I miss my meal plan already. This whole "growing-up thing," well, I think I'll pass!
Oh well.
After unloading at my apartment, I ran to Best Buy to deliver my laptops and get this one fully functioning! Too much old data that I could not afford to lose on my previous lappytop!
After Best Buy, I ran to Goodwill to track down a cheap-o TV stand. I had originally thought the plastic drawers I bought to house my shorts and skivvies would serve as the stand, but since I opted to get the cheap set of drawers (and therefore narrow) I didn't want to risk balancing my 32" baby on cheap plastic.
So I found cheap pressed-wood to balance my TV on. It has a nice open stand which my (provided) microwave sits on.
I finished a Knights Tale, attempted to blog, gave up, and read for a bit. I tried to start another movie, but after surfing Netflix for almost 30 minutes, I gave up and went to sleep!
I'm going to post Sunday's events as well, since it was a pretty laid-back day.
On Sunday, I was faced with my first challenge. How to decide which of the 30 Catholic churches to attend in the 5-8 mile radius of my apartment. Since I didn't want to have to get up early, I decided to set a time restraint this first week. 11 am mass was my target. It was determined by the first Church that had an 11 am mass time: St. Leo the Great.
The church was GORGEOUS! It was in a 4-point star design. You walk in to this snazzy glass entry way before entering the actual church. The church is a nice mix of modern and older. The interior looks to be fairly new, but with absolutely lovely stained-glass windows on the two points to the left and right of the entry. The fourth point is the Altar, with a huge Crucifix hanging on the wall and a-surprisingly-simple tabernacle. I prefer bronze Crucifixes, but this one was wood and had the flesh-colored Jesus hanging. Still lovely.
After Mass I ran back home and changed (I was happy I put on slacks and a dress shirt. I would have been fine in jeans, but there was such a range that I felt comfortable being in the middle of that range!). From home I had a few more things I needed to retrieve.
I found my local Walmart--after driving past it and not realizing it. My GPS took me past the Walmart, around a circular Subdivision, back out to the Highway, and then back by the Walmart. I'm thinking it's time to update Susan. She must not have known the light was there. At Walmart, I purchased the life-giving machine known as a coffee pot and a couple other small items. I believe I have everything purchased that I need! At least, until I run out of food.
Upon returning to my apartment (or my basement dwelling, as I'm coming to refer to it) I decided that I really didn't feel like going out. I was still a little travel/toured out from the previous days. Instead of going out, I began a How I Met Your Mother marathon. It was a lovely afternoon/evening of peace and quite.
When I went up to retrieve an apple for a snack (for some reason I wasn't feeling very hungry...I suppose my body was conserving food for me!) I ended-up talking to Joe and his family for like an hour. We discussed being from a small town, his upbringing in LA, and a plethora of other ideas pertaining to small and large areas of population. It was quite enjoyable. I popped back down into my hole (another name), finished another episode of HIMYM and called it a night.
After a long drive and a fun weekend, I was ready for the next step--becoming the Intern.
So my adventure began. I jumped on 66 (the two big highways around me are 66 and 55) and it was pretty much a straight shot to Arlington. When I arrived at the address that was noted to be the metro station, I was utterly confused. So, I did what any logical man would do and drove round until I came up witha better idea--whih only took a few blocks. The area I was in was incredibly neat. I reprogrammed my GPS to take me to my internship building. I had originally planned on going from the metro stop near my apartment and doing a "test run," but I ended up doing it backwards. I found my building, with only minor setbacks. There was a street festival or something going on so a couple blocks were closed off. I found a parking lot that looked like free parking (Joe said on the weekend it should be, and since there were no tickets awaiting my return, I assumed he was corrected) and walked to my building. The Institute is on one of the upper levels, with a cafe, a lobby, and an Office Depot making up the bottom floor. (Sidenote: I bought a portfolio from the Office Depot. Wanted to make sure I was prepared on Monday!)
It was now time to find the Metro station...so I pulled out my handy-dandy Skyrocket (which I have affectionately named Skyra), used my metro app, and then walked the three minutes to the station that was .literally one block away. Dang, tough life! I meandered down the escalator and bought a metro fare card...which was moderately expensive, but not as much as parking!
After waiting a couple minutes I stepped onto the orange line and headed to the Foggy Bottom/GWU stop (nice name, huh?). GWU is a gorgeous school, for the record. Maybe I should look into their grad programs? After a quick glance at my National Monuments app, I started walking towards the Lincoln Memorial. It was about an 8 minute walk, so not bad.
I have come to realize the secret to not looking like a tourist involves a handful of very basic points. 1) Do not walk around with a huge camera around your neck (check). 2) Do not always consult a map of the metro or of DC, at least, not the free paper versions they hand out everywhere. 3) Act like you know where you know where you are going-even when you don't (check and check). 4) Do not, I repeat Do not Gawk. Period.
There is nothing wrong with looking like a tourist, except there may be an increased risk of robbery, and you look like a dork, but otherwise, there isn't much else wrong with looking like a tourist. I seemed to have mastered the anti-tourist look, since on the Metro a gentleman spoke with me about the red line and a few people asked me about the line we were on. I was able to answer all of the questions, since I had consulted my app regarding many of the same ones!
When I reached the Lincoln Memorial, I was speechless once again. I had forgotten how breath-taking the memorial actually is. I also noticed, I think for the first time, that all of the state's names and year of statehood-in roman numerals- lined the top of the momument. Being a pleasant saturday in June, the plaza was packed. The enthroned Lincoln, always vigilant, surrounded by his famous words (The Gettysburg address and [I believe his] Second Inaugural Address) is truly an amazing scene to behold.
I took numerous pictures and then moved on to the bridge that is across from the Lincoln Memorial. The bridges are flanked by 4 statues which were gifts from the Italians in 1950. They stand for Valor, Sacrifice, Music and Harvest, and Aspiration and Literature. I do not know the history behind these statues (something I plan on looking up), but they are beautiful.
It was time to meander to the Korean War Memorial. I cannot say why, but this memorial is one of my favorites.
It is a beautiful memorial, dedicated in 1995 and made up of 19 larger-than-life military men moving in patrol formation through low-growing junipers. These men represent the Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy. While the Vietnam Memorial Wall is probably the most sombering, this memorial really is quite touching. Lining one side is a granite wall with faces etched into the wall. These lead up to the end of the wall where "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE"is inlaid in the wall. The other side of the triangular memorial includes all the Nations that assisted in the conflict and then the USA and UN numbers of Dead, Missing, and Wounded soldiers from the war. It is a beautiful site--one I recommend you really spend some time seeing and reflecting on if you are ever in DC.
(At this point, I gave up writing my post on my tablet in frustration, and decided to hold out until my laptop was returned to me).
From Korea, I went to the WWII memorial. For those that don't know, the WWII memorial is a circular memorial with a large fountain in the middle. The side closest to the Washington Monument is open. The side opposite of this is closed off and has a reflecting pool and bronze stars. The other two sides represent the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, with each state and US territory having a pillar to signify their involvement. This is probably my second favorite memorial
There was a special ceremony that had numerous vets from WWII. I'm not entirely sure what organization was hosting the event, but men and women, all in their later years, stood side-by-side in two rows. The sight brought tears to my eyes. As children ran around and international tourists snapped photos of the memorial, I had to pause to thank these men and women that risked it all so I could spend my summer looking at memorials and interning. God Bless each and every one of our Veterans.
After getting a picture of the Illinois Pillar, I walked around the Washington Monument. You can no longer get up next to it, as it is closed due to an earthquake (I believe around a 5.8?) last September. Having seen quite a few major landmarks, I was wearing out. However, I did notice a small memorial I had not seen on my first trip to DC. Standing in the middle of a split highway, was a memorial to John Paul Jones (1747-1792) who was the "First to compel Man-of-War to strike colors to the Stars and Stripes." It was a neat statue.
From the Washington Monument (I actually noticed the John Paul Jones statue right before heading the Washington Monument. Improper recall). I felt like just adventuring. I started walking, with purpose, to no where. It was quite fun (and I heard a tourist or two say, "Watch out, let that man through"). I ended up walking by the United States Department of Agriculture. According to the blue banners, the USDA is celebrating 150 years this year. 150 years of increasing farm regulations and restrictions (oops, I'll avoid that topic...no subsidies discussions here).
I'm not sure if you have seen the USDA...but it's HUGE! I was walking next to the South Building. This building, according to Wiki, was the largest office building in the world until the completion of the Pentagon. It is something like 7 stories high and has somewhere around 4500 rooms. It is connected to the Administration Building by two impressive arches that span the entire road. It is quite the site. I'm happy I was able to see it!
By this time, I was starting to realize I had not consumed any sustenance. I deemed it necessary to return to Arlington. The odds were in my favor, as there was a metro station right at the corner of the USDA building. And it happened to be the Orange line. I had to wait around 10 minutes for a train to arrive, but in those 10 minutes, I was able to sit for the first time. It was quite lovely.
After reaching Arlington, I stopped in at Jerry's Subs. It's a local chain (I guess?) that has subs and pizzas. The special of the day was a cheese pizza and a drink for 6 bucks, so I said why not (however, I upgraded my drink, something I would not be able to do in New York any more!). The pizza was a little greasy--it certainly wasn't Alfonso's--but it filled an empty stomach!
After walking around the aforementioned street fair, I decided to head by to Fairfax and maybe get some groceries. I wasn't sure where the nearest Walmart was, but I was lucky enough to find a Target on my way back off of 55. It was time to buy my own groceries. This was my first shopping experience where I was buying food that would keep me alive, not just in addition to my meal plan at school. It was heart wrenching to see those digital, cash-register-green numbers total something that seemed all too high for what little I was buying; yet I knew there was no error. Food is expensive. Ugh. I miss my meal plan already. This whole "growing-up thing," well, I think I'll pass!
Oh well.
After unloading at my apartment, I ran to Best Buy to deliver my laptops and get this one fully functioning! Too much old data that I could not afford to lose on my previous lappytop!
After Best Buy, I ran to Goodwill to track down a cheap-o TV stand. I had originally thought the plastic drawers I bought to house my shorts and skivvies would serve as the stand, but since I opted to get the cheap set of drawers (and therefore narrow) I didn't want to risk balancing my 32" baby on cheap plastic.
So I found cheap pressed-wood to balance my TV on. It has a nice open stand which my (provided) microwave sits on.
I finished a Knights Tale, attempted to blog, gave up, and read for a bit. I tried to start another movie, but after surfing Netflix for almost 30 minutes, I gave up and went to sleep!
I'm going to post Sunday's events as well, since it was a pretty laid-back day.
On Sunday, I was faced with my first challenge. How to decide which of the 30 Catholic churches to attend in the 5-8 mile radius of my apartment. Since I didn't want to have to get up early, I decided to set a time restraint this first week. 11 am mass was my target. It was determined by the first Church that had an 11 am mass time: St. Leo the Great.
The church was GORGEOUS! It was in a 4-point star design. You walk in to this snazzy glass entry way before entering the actual church. The church is a nice mix of modern and older. The interior looks to be fairly new, but with absolutely lovely stained-glass windows on the two points to the left and right of the entry. The fourth point is the Altar, with a huge Crucifix hanging on the wall and a-surprisingly-simple tabernacle. I prefer bronze Crucifixes, but this one was wood and had the flesh-colored Jesus hanging. Still lovely.
After Mass I ran back home and changed (I was happy I put on slacks and a dress shirt. I would have been fine in jeans, but there was such a range that I felt comfortable being in the middle of that range!). From home I had a few more things I needed to retrieve.
I found my local Walmart--after driving past it and not realizing it. My GPS took me past the Walmart, around a circular Subdivision, back out to the Highway, and then back by the Walmart. I'm thinking it's time to update Susan. She must not have known the light was there. At Walmart, I purchased the life-giving machine known as a coffee pot and a couple other small items. I believe I have everything purchased that I need! At least, until I run out of food.
Upon returning to my apartment (or my basement dwelling, as I'm coming to refer to it) I decided that I really didn't feel like going out. I was still a little travel/toured out from the previous days. Instead of going out, I began a How I Met Your Mother marathon. It was a lovely afternoon/evening of peace and quite.
When I went up to retrieve an apple for a snack (for some reason I wasn't feeling very hungry...I suppose my body was conserving food for me!) I ended-up talking to Joe and his family for like an hour. We discussed being from a small town, his upbringing in LA, and a plethora of other ideas pertaining to small and large areas of population. It was quite enjoyable. I popped back down into my hole (another name), finished another episode of HIMYM and called it a night.
After a long drive and a fun weekend, I was ready for the next step--becoming the Intern.
Friday, June 1, 2012
And I'm off! (Looks like I made it!)
Well, as you may have noticed, my blog has been a little bit dormant. That's because I was home for about 3 weeks--and my laptop decided to die somewhere between Louisville and Rockbridge. Drat! Oh well.
Let's get up to speed before I dive into my DC escapade! My weeks at home consisted of lots of work. I painted and power-washed my dad's house. He happens to live in an old two-story farm house. It took the better part two weeks to accomplish this task. Nothing like a little bit of hard labor before starting an internship.
As exciting as painting was, let's get to the fun stuff: traveling to DC!
On Thursday, I had planned on leaving between 9-9:30, so of course it was around 9:45am when I finally got on the road. Typical start. Roughly 35 minutes into the the drive, my car was beeping at me. Apparently, one of my tires was low. So, I had to pull over at a gas station before I got too far into my journey. It had been raining lightly the entire time, so of course, when I pull over to fill up my tire, it decided to pour. I quickly popped open my back hatch and grabbed my umbrella. After checking all of my tires-and airing up one-I was back on my way. Within the hour, my car was beeping again. I apparently had a tire sensor fault. After a quick (and slightly frantic) call to my brother, a ford mechanic, it was ruled that this was not an immediate problem. So down the road I went.
Mind you, throughout the entire day it was raining, at least until I got within an hour of Dayton. Luckily, there were no other issues for the majority of the trip. I'll spare you the minor details.
When I arrived in Fairborn, OH, I was greeted by my enthusiastic host. Jim is a 72-year-old retired fireman. He's a wonderful guy. We went his local "watering hole" the Quaker Steak & Lube, or just "the Lube" for short. The Lube is a sports bar themed (surprise) with cars and motorcycles. There are numerous old vehicles hanging from the ceiling and a few just on display. The waitress were friendly (and Jim liked to point out, quite cute) and the food was great! I had started discussing politics on the way over, but I quickly caught myself and told Jim I would avoid the topic. And I did, for the first 30 minutes. In my defense, however, he brought it up with the bartender/waitress! So, we then proceeded to discuss new and old politics, welfare (and the need for reform), and a plethora of other politically-loaded topics.
After leaving the Lube, Jim took me on a mini-tour of his neighborhood. There was a Five-and-Dime store that I would have loved to go into, but unfortunately, it was closed, along with all sorts of other nifty shops! It would be a neat place to visit again.
Upon arrival back at Jim's home (where I had my own, comfy bed and private bathroom), Jim decided coffee was needed. He has a snazzy coffee grinder/pot combo and we enjoyed nice warm cups of freshly ground-Starbuck's coffee. It was grand.
After a few hours of rest, I was up again at 6am to prepare for the day. By 7:11 I was driving into the raining morning. As I traveled through Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, W. Virginia again, and then Maryland I stopped for gas once. I refused to stop unless I absolutely needed gas. The drive was wet. I was hoping I was going to be able to drive out of the rain, but it must have picked-up some gusto because it rained for all but about 30 minutes of my drive. It was quite awful.
I have decided that each state I drove through had some very redeeming, or at least, notable, qualities. Indiana, for example, is an incredibly historic state. I swear, every exit I drove by was boasting about "Historic Town X" and "Historic Town Y". I never fully realized the true historic value of Indiana. Ohio was, by far, less historic. Dayton and Columbus were pretty easy to get through. I hit a small blip with morning traffic in Columbus, but nothing too terrible. However, once I left Columbus, the countryside was beautiful. Ohio is so green and lush with trees. Oh, and the most important part of Ohio: The 400+ Country Music Stations that exist outside of Columbus. There was an hour time span when every time I scanned my radio, a country station popped up. I had to utilize the tune button quite a bit in that hour to find something other than country to listen too.
West Virginia...well, the best I can say about this lovely little state...well...Ummm. To be honest, what I noticed about WV was how terrible the air smelled. It, quite literally, smelled like coal fumes. And I swear the clouds above WV were 2 shades darker grey than any other state.
I didn't spend much time in PA. I dropped down on 68 to avoid the turnpike and skirted the very, very outer edge of Pittsburg. It seemed to resemble a flatter version of Maryland, at least the part I was in.
Maryland was gorgeous-horrifying, but gorgeous! The rolling hills (or mountains, if you want to call them that) topped with low clouds made for a gorgeous scene. I kept trying to take pictures, but it was just too damp and hilly for my to effectively (and safely) drive and capture my surroundings. In the end, I gave up on trying to get a good picture every time I popped over another hill.
As I got closer to the DC-metro area, the traffic increased, exponentially! However, I was still able to make exceptional time. I arrived 30 minutes earlier than I had planned to my new apartment!
I will be living in the basement of a brother and sister's home. Their parents are currently visiting from California (where they are originally from) and will be here all summer. Joe, my host, is a wonderful guy. He showed me where the metro stop was and the basic area that I need to know (shopping center, gas, etc). My room is about the size of my dorm room, if you include the hallway. However, my bathroom is quite a bit smaller, but it's mine. So it will be just fine! The area I am in (Fairfax) is extremely safe. Joe says that within the past two year lots of new homes (and by homes I really mean townhouses) have gone up. He pointed out a construction site that was all forest 2 years ago.
I was wanting to go exploring once I finished unpacking (and by finished, I mean I have the majority of my stuff unpacked. I need to invest in a set of plastic drawers to keep my skivvies and shorts in), bu the weather was not cooperating. There were tornado warning out for DC and our area. So, alas, I continued rearranging my room and decided that I should probably update my blog (since my Internship begins on Monday and all).
The weather has died down and I think I'm going to see about venturing out into this intriguing city. Most importantly, I am going to get food. I have not received any additional sustenance since my original Cheerio's I had for breakfast at 6:45 with my cup of coffee. (I told ya, I only stop when I absolutely have too...and food is not a necessity on a day like today).
Well, I'm off to appease my grumbling tummy. I'll let you know how exploring goes (if I don't get blown away). I'm sure I can figure this place out--after all, I am an intern!
Let's get up to speed before I dive into my DC escapade! My weeks at home consisted of lots of work. I painted and power-washed my dad's house. He happens to live in an old two-story farm house. It took the better part two weeks to accomplish this task. Nothing like a little bit of hard labor before starting an internship.
As exciting as painting was, let's get to the fun stuff: traveling to DC!
On Thursday, I had planned on leaving between 9-9:30, so of course it was around 9:45am when I finally got on the road. Typical start. Roughly 35 minutes into the the drive, my car was beeping at me. Apparently, one of my tires was low. So, I had to pull over at a gas station before I got too far into my journey. It had been raining lightly the entire time, so of course, when I pull over to fill up my tire, it decided to pour. I quickly popped open my back hatch and grabbed my umbrella. After checking all of my tires-and airing up one-I was back on my way. Within the hour, my car was beeping again. I apparently had a tire sensor fault. After a quick (and slightly frantic) call to my brother, a ford mechanic, it was ruled that this was not an immediate problem. So down the road I went.
Mind you, throughout the entire day it was raining, at least until I got within an hour of Dayton. Luckily, there were no other issues for the majority of the trip. I'll spare you the minor details.
When I arrived in Fairborn, OH, I was greeted by my enthusiastic host. Jim is a 72-year-old retired fireman. He's a wonderful guy. We went his local "watering hole" the Quaker Steak & Lube, or just "the Lube" for short. The Lube is a sports bar themed (surprise) with cars and motorcycles. There are numerous old vehicles hanging from the ceiling and a few just on display. The waitress were friendly (and Jim liked to point out, quite cute) and the food was great! I had started discussing politics on the way over, but I quickly caught myself and told Jim I would avoid the topic. And I did, for the first 30 minutes. In my defense, however, he brought it up with the bartender/waitress! So, we then proceeded to discuss new and old politics, welfare (and the need for reform), and a plethora of other politically-loaded topics.
After leaving the Lube, Jim took me on a mini-tour of his neighborhood. There was a Five-and-Dime store that I would have loved to go into, but unfortunately, it was closed, along with all sorts of other nifty shops! It would be a neat place to visit again.
Upon arrival back at Jim's home (where I had my own, comfy bed and private bathroom), Jim decided coffee was needed. He has a snazzy coffee grinder/pot combo and we enjoyed nice warm cups of freshly ground-Starbuck's coffee. It was grand.
After a few hours of rest, I was up again at 6am to prepare for the day. By 7:11 I was driving into the raining morning. As I traveled through Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, W. Virginia again, and then Maryland I stopped for gas once. I refused to stop unless I absolutely needed gas. The drive was wet. I was hoping I was going to be able to drive out of the rain, but it must have picked-up some gusto because it rained for all but about 30 minutes of my drive. It was quite awful.
I have decided that each state I drove through had some very redeeming, or at least, notable, qualities. Indiana, for example, is an incredibly historic state. I swear, every exit I drove by was boasting about "Historic Town X" and "Historic Town Y". I never fully realized the true historic value of Indiana. Ohio was, by far, less historic. Dayton and Columbus were pretty easy to get through. I hit a small blip with morning traffic in Columbus, but nothing too terrible. However, once I left Columbus, the countryside was beautiful. Ohio is so green and lush with trees. Oh, and the most important part of Ohio: The 400+ Country Music Stations that exist outside of Columbus. There was an hour time span when every time I scanned my radio, a country station popped up. I had to utilize the tune button quite a bit in that hour to find something other than country to listen too.
West Virginia...well, the best I can say about this lovely little state...well...Ummm. To be honest, what I noticed about WV was how terrible the air smelled. It, quite literally, smelled like coal fumes. And I swear the clouds above WV were 2 shades darker grey than any other state.
I didn't spend much time in PA. I dropped down on 68 to avoid the turnpike and skirted the very, very outer edge of Pittsburg. It seemed to resemble a flatter version of Maryland, at least the part I was in.
Maryland was gorgeous-horrifying, but gorgeous! The rolling hills (or mountains, if you want to call them that) topped with low clouds made for a gorgeous scene. I kept trying to take pictures, but it was just too damp and hilly for my to effectively (and safely) drive and capture my surroundings. In the end, I gave up on trying to get a good picture every time I popped over another hill.
As I got closer to the DC-metro area, the traffic increased, exponentially! However, I was still able to make exceptional time. I arrived 30 minutes earlier than I had planned to my new apartment!
I will be living in the basement of a brother and sister's home. Their parents are currently visiting from California (where they are originally from) and will be here all summer. Joe, my host, is a wonderful guy. He showed me where the metro stop was and the basic area that I need to know (shopping center, gas, etc). My room is about the size of my dorm room, if you include the hallway. However, my bathroom is quite a bit smaller, but it's mine. So it will be just fine! The area I am in (Fairfax) is extremely safe. Joe says that within the past two year lots of new homes (and by homes I really mean townhouses) have gone up. He pointed out a construction site that was all forest 2 years ago.
I was wanting to go exploring once I finished unpacking (and by finished, I mean I have the majority of my stuff unpacked. I need to invest in a set of plastic drawers to keep my skivvies and shorts in), bu the weather was not cooperating. There were tornado warning out for DC and our area. So, alas, I continued rearranging my room and decided that I should probably update my blog (since my Internship begins on Monday and all).
The weather has died down and I think I'm going to see about venturing out into this intriguing city. Most importantly, I am going to get food. I have not received any additional sustenance since my original Cheerio's I had for breakfast at 6:45 with my cup of coffee. (I told ya, I only stop when I absolutely have too...and food is not a necessity on a day like today).
Well, I'm off to appease my grumbling tummy. I'll let you know how exploring goes (if I don't get blown away). I'm sure I can figure this place out--after all, I am an intern!
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