Day 10 (6/3): Taking the train into work everyday provides a very interesting view of Baltimore, DC and the intervening areas between the two. It’s kind of like seeing the backsides of everything at Disneyland. The people in charge try their hardest to make sure that what you see is the pretty, shiny edifices while keeping the frames and studs holding everything up hidden. There is very little on my commute that would qualify as beautiful, especially when compared with the majesty of the Capitol building or White House. It is however very interesting to watch roll past my window. Depending on which side I sit on, I see a construction equipment rental company storage lot, the back of a building at BWI Airport, a parking lot full of school busses, a swamp, and plenty of graffiti on both sides.
I gave my first tour of the Capitol today. We were helping our Senator’s office because it was a huge group and there were people more than their interns could manage. It was group of middle school students and their parents. We divvied up the groups into smaller groups so they could get a more personal tour. I felt like I gave a good tour, considering it was my first time. They took lots of pictures and seemed to be interested in what I was telling them about the Capitol but they didn’t ask a single question. I suppose I probably wouldn’t have wanted to ask some random Congressional intern any questions when I was in 8th grade either. After the tour, we took them to the steps in front of the Senate so they could get a picture with one of our Senators. Me and the other intern from my office waited around to meet the Senator. While walking back to our office, it started pouring rain on us. That’s what we get for waiting around.
When we got back to the office…well let me take a moment to talk about clocks. Not just any clocks, but the clocks found in House offices. These clocks are designed with the Representatives in mind. Whenever a vote is called on the House floor, all members have 15 minutes to get from wherever they are to the floor to record their vote. To let the members who are not in the chamber know that they are called for a vote, every clock in every office is hooked up to a system that rings every time there is a vote. Today was the first day that there was a vote since I have been here, but everyone had neglected to warn me that all the clocks in the office would simultaneously begin ringing. So, the first time it went off I jumped out of my seat because I assumed it was the fire alarm but the other intern at the desk next to me continued sitting and calmly typing. I looked at her quizzically, and she patiently explained what that startling noise was. It only took me a day and I was already barely hearing these glorified alarm clocks. I have been able to discern that there are several different patterns of rings, but I don’t know what they all mean yet. I’ll get back to you on that.
After the tour, and the false alarm (that is a joke, you’re supposed to laugh) it was a rather ordinary day at the office. After work, I went about gathering signatures for another letter and working on more memos. Memos, always memos.
Today’s question: The government in Washington has a lot on its plate at any given moment. However, it is impossible to tackle every issue at once. What do you think is the biggest issue that Congress or the President are not satisfactorily addressing?
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Day 9 6/2
Day 9 (6/2): It’s interesting. I’m actually beginning to recognize some of my fellow commuters. Not by name, but by face. It’s an odd camaraderie that I feel with them. Maybe that’s just me overromanticizing the 9 to 5 working man but we all share a the shackle that the man has put on us but that we must toil under to provide for our families. (Yup, definitely glorifying the daily commute too much.) Anyway, today was the first day that we had to get fully dressed up for work, and today was also the first day that the dreaded Washington humidity decided to settle in. By 7:30 this morning, it was already unbearably muggy, and me in office clothes. Up until now, the weather has been cool to warm and cloudy or rainy.
Today is the start of the Session! I’m so excited! For me, being in DC is like being in Hollywood for most of the rest of the world. Seeing Patrick Leahy would be the equivalent to seeing Ben Affleck. Yes, I know that I am a total nerd, you do not have to point it out to me :P . I got sent to the Russell Senate Office Building to pick up something, and I actually walked passed Leahy’s office while Sonia Sotomayor was in his office! …Don’t say it. I know. Moving on, today we interns had a meeting to discuss which committee meetings we want to sit in on. I chose a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on US-China environmental cooperation. I’m really excited! Yeah, overall, today was just a better day for me. I was on mentally top of the memos I was writing and I didn’t screw up when I sent through any calls.
Today’s question: Have you ever contacted any of your elected officials? What was the issue you were bringing up? What was your experience? I can tell you from my end that in my short time here I have gotten or heard about every call imaginable.
PS I promise pictures will be forthcoming. There just haven't been many good opportunities to go on a photo hunt. But I promise!
Today is the start of the Session! I’m so excited! For me, being in DC is like being in Hollywood for most of the rest of the world. Seeing Patrick Leahy would be the equivalent to seeing Ben Affleck. Yes, I know that I am a total nerd, you do not have to point it out to me :P . I got sent to the Russell Senate Office Building to pick up something, and I actually walked passed Leahy’s office while Sonia Sotomayor was in his office! …Don’t say it. I know. Moving on, today we interns had a meeting to discuss which committee meetings we want to sit in on. I chose a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on US-China environmental cooperation. I’m really excited! Yeah, overall, today was just a better day for me. I was on mentally top of the memos I was writing and I didn’t screw up when I sent through any calls.
Today’s question: Have you ever contacted any of your elected officials? What was the issue you were bringing up? What was your experience? I can tell you from my end that in my short time here I have gotten or heard about every call imaginable.
PS I promise pictures will be forthcoming. There just haven't been many good opportunities to go on a photo hunt. But I promise!
Day 8 6/1
Day 8 (6/1): I thought today would be a really good day because I remembered to do Rabbit Rabbit for the first time in years. I was so excited for the day even though it was a Monday. I got to the train station early, but that ended up being a bad thing because my train was late getting into Penn. I still made it to work on time, though. And then, once I got to work, I had such a headache and it would not go away. And I messed up on the phones a couple times. And I could not get the addresses entered into our database with any sort of speed. I did sit in on my first all staff video conference call. Nothing that was said actually pertained to me, but it’s still cool to be able to say that I sat in on the call. It was just a very off day. Nothing noteworthy happened. I guess I did go through the Capitol tour route again over lunch and I discovered that I knew way more than I thought I did.
I wish I had more to say for this entry but today just wiped me out.
I have decided to start a new section to my entries though. I’m going to ask you all a question, either for you to ponder yourselves or to comment on here. (There is an anonymous entry option.) Today’s question: In almost every poll taken in the past four years and probably beyond that, Congress as a whole has consistently had approval ratings in the teens and twenties, whereas each representative and senator has had approval ratings upwards of 40% (excluding scandals of course). So what I want to know is, do you fall into this polls extrapolation? If you do, what leads you to the opinion of “Congress is awful, but my guys are OK” ? Or if you have a different take on things, what is it?
I wish I had more to say for this entry but today just wiped me out.
I have decided to start a new section to my entries though. I’m going to ask you all a question, either for you to ponder yourselves or to comment on here. (There is an anonymous entry option.) Today’s question: In almost every poll taken in the past four years and probably beyond that, Congress as a whole has consistently had approval ratings in the teens and twenties, whereas each representative and senator has had approval ratings upwards of 40% (excluding scandals of course). So what I want to know is, do you fall into this polls extrapolation? If you do, what leads you to the opinion of “Congress is awful, but my guys are OK” ? Or if you have a different take on things, what is it?
Days 6-7 5/30-5/31
Day 6/7 (5/30-5/31): I didn’t do much this weekend. I hung around the house for most of the day. On Saturday, I helped my friend’s dad install some rain barrels. That night, we decided to take in an Orioles game. I love baseball so it was fun to be at a major league game, even though the Orioles lost to the Tigers (which stunk for me as a Twins fan). Other than that, not much to tell about my weekend.
Since I have so little in the way of events to impart to you, I will devote the remainder of this entry to my world-renowned “Cultural Observations”. Obviously the idea is to look at the many similarities and differences between life in the Midwest and life in the Beltway. One of the first things that I noticed that was different was the attitude toward mass transit. In the Midwest, where everyone has a two or three stall garage, it is assumed that you drive yourself everywhere and mass transit like buses and the Metro are quietly looked down upon. Not by everyone mind you, but a lot of Midwesterners will look at someone standing at a bus stop and wonder why they can’t afford a car. However, here on the east coast, everyone takes public transportation. Businessmen and women, college students, bag ladies. You name it, you can find it on the Metro.
Another thing I’ve noticed is the greater breadth of cultural foods in the DC/Baltimore metro area compared to the Sioux Falls/Omaha metroplex. On one of the main drags through Baltimore, one will encounter restaurants serving Indian, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Diner, Ethiopian, even Caribbean and Afghani food. It’s not that the Midwest is lacking in such diverse cuisine, it’s more that when an Ethiopian café opens in Sioux Falls, it’s a novelty whereas out here it’s the norm. (But on the same note, I know that nowhere in Washington could I find a place that serves good chislic).
I have encountered some very interesting protestors in my short time here as well. On my walk to Capitol Hill from Union Station every morning, I walk past a very well dressed man wearing a blazer and a boater hat and holding a sign. The message on the sign rotates. My first week it declared “CIA stealing middle class wealth” and yesterday it warned “CIA is the Taliban”. I’m not sure where he gets his information, but he simply stands at the crosswalk that crosses the roundabout in front of the station holding his sign hoping for our sakes to be heeded. I also recently had to make a delivery to a Senator’s office across the hill. Sitting on a corner on my route was a protestor dressed as Santa Claus. Now, I don’t know if you have been to DC in the summer, but it is ungodly humid most days, so he must have been very dedicated to his cause to be standing out there in a whole body furry polyester Santa suit with hat and beard. However, it was rather difficult to discern protest because all his sign said was “They’re all opposed to Jolly Old Herb.” I assume he was Herb, but other than that it was, unfortunately for him, very vague. It’s apparent that there are very clear unwritten rules about being a one-person protest here in Washington. I can only assume that there is some sort of law on the books that makes these two gentlemen’s actions illegal, but as long as you obey the unwritten rules by not being too forward or threatening, then the DCPD will probably decide that they have bigger fish to fry than you.
Well, that’s it for this round of Cultural Observations. Is there anything that any readers want me to find out about, look into, or share my thoughts on.
Since I have so little in the way of events to impart to you, I will devote the remainder of this entry to my world-renowned “Cultural Observations”. Obviously the idea is to look at the many similarities and differences between life in the Midwest and life in the Beltway. One of the first things that I noticed that was different was the attitude toward mass transit. In the Midwest, where everyone has a two or three stall garage, it is assumed that you drive yourself everywhere and mass transit like buses and the Metro are quietly looked down upon. Not by everyone mind you, but a lot of Midwesterners will look at someone standing at a bus stop and wonder why they can’t afford a car. However, here on the east coast, everyone takes public transportation. Businessmen and women, college students, bag ladies. You name it, you can find it on the Metro.
Another thing I’ve noticed is the greater breadth of cultural foods in the DC/Baltimore metro area compared to the Sioux Falls/Omaha metroplex. On one of the main drags through Baltimore, one will encounter restaurants serving Indian, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Diner, Ethiopian, even Caribbean and Afghani food. It’s not that the Midwest is lacking in such diverse cuisine, it’s more that when an Ethiopian café opens in Sioux Falls, it’s a novelty whereas out here it’s the norm. (But on the same note, I know that nowhere in Washington could I find a place that serves good chislic).
I have encountered some very interesting protestors in my short time here as well. On my walk to Capitol Hill from Union Station every morning, I walk past a very well dressed man wearing a blazer and a boater hat and holding a sign. The message on the sign rotates. My first week it declared “CIA stealing middle class wealth” and yesterday it warned “CIA is the Taliban”. I’m not sure where he gets his information, but he simply stands at the crosswalk that crosses the roundabout in front of the station holding his sign hoping for our sakes to be heeded. I also recently had to make a delivery to a Senator’s office across the hill. Sitting on a corner on my route was a protestor dressed as Santa Claus. Now, I don’t know if you have been to DC in the summer, but it is ungodly humid most days, so he must have been very dedicated to his cause to be standing out there in a whole body furry polyester Santa suit with hat and beard. However, it was rather difficult to discern protest because all his sign said was “They’re all opposed to Jolly Old Herb.” I assume he was Herb, but other than that it was, unfortunately for him, very vague. It’s apparent that there are very clear unwritten rules about being a one-person protest here in Washington. I can only assume that there is some sort of law on the books that makes these two gentlemen’s actions illegal, but as long as you obey the unwritten rules by not being too forward or threatening, then the DCPD will probably decide that they have bigger fish to fry than you.
Well, that’s it for this round of Cultural Observations. Is there anything that any readers want me to find out about, look into, or share my thoughts on.
Day 5 5/29
Day 5 (5/29): Just a general note for until I find a place to stay that’s actually in Washington, I have a 50 minute train ride every morning from 7:40 to 8:30 ET so if anybody is awake at that time and feels like chatting I would gladly accept a phone call :)
Today felt what I imagine it must feel like to be a part of the 9 to 5 commuter set. I woke up with my alarm and a very difficult argument with myself about the merits of getting out of bed to be able to get ready for work versus staying in bed and sleeping past my train. In the end the responsible me won out and I rolled out of bed to get ready. Brushing my teeth, I wondered if most people wrestle with this each morning. I never really think about it when I’m at school because nothing is directly expected of me in the classroom. It is entirely up to me to determine my level of input and output in class. At work, however, I am responsible to others who rely on me to get my tasks done so they can complete theirs. And I have absolutely loved every minute since I got here, but apparently even a dream internship in my dream city is not enough to make me into a morning person. Maybe that’s what it is: I’m a night owl by nature so it is difficult for me to transition to early bedtimes and earlier alarm clocks no matter what I am waking up for.
Today was a fairly dull day in the office. I got in and started working on folding and stuffing more letters. After working on that for a while my supervisor asked me to finish working on the memo detailing all the constituent comments in the database for the Legislative Assistant that I was working on yesterday. All in all, it was what I assume to be a typical day at the office. Having only worked in an actual office setting now for a week, I can’t exactly say what that is, but this is what I assume it would be like.
At one point today, I took a phone call from a constituent who was very upset about several issues. I mean really angry. Like yelling at the intern who answers the phone angry. This got me thinking: what exactly do people expect when they call their representatives? This is not meant to discourage you from doing so, but in fact encourage it. But being rude and sarcastic is not going to get the person on the line to give you the answer you want, nor will you be given the opportunity to speak with the official whose office you are calling. Not that anyone gets to do that anyway, but seriously. You are always welcome to call and tell them to support or oppose something or ask questions or share opinions, but being unpleasant is not, believe it or not going to get you better service. Sigh, OK sorry about that. I know that none of you would ever do that. My friends are all models of propriety. That was more just a vent. Most people who call in are very polite and I have actually begun to enjoy answering the phone, but every so often I get that call.
No more whining :) I’m done for Friday.
Today felt what I imagine it must feel like to be a part of the 9 to 5 commuter set. I woke up with my alarm and a very difficult argument with myself about the merits of getting out of bed to be able to get ready for work versus staying in bed and sleeping past my train. In the end the responsible me won out and I rolled out of bed to get ready. Brushing my teeth, I wondered if most people wrestle with this each morning. I never really think about it when I’m at school because nothing is directly expected of me in the classroom. It is entirely up to me to determine my level of input and output in class. At work, however, I am responsible to others who rely on me to get my tasks done so they can complete theirs. And I have absolutely loved every minute since I got here, but apparently even a dream internship in my dream city is not enough to make me into a morning person. Maybe that’s what it is: I’m a night owl by nature so it is difficult for me to transition to early bedtimes and earlier alarm clocks no matter what I am waking up for.
Today was a fairly dull day in the office. I got in and started working on folding and stuffing more letters. After working on that for a while my supervisor asked me to finish working on the memo detailing all the constituent comments in the database for the Legislative Assistant that I was working on yesterday. All in all, it was what I assume to be a typical day at the office. Having only worked in an actual office setting now for a week, I can’t exactly say what that is, but this is what I assume it would be like.
At one point today, I took a phone call from a constituent who was very upset about several issues. I mean really angry. Like yelling at the intern who answers the phone angry. This got me thinking: what exactly do people expect when they call their representatives? This is not meant to discourage you from doing so, but in fact encourage it. But being rude and sarcastic is not going to get the person on the line to give you the answer you want, nor will you be given the opportunity to speak with the official whose office you are calling. Not that anyone gets to do that anyway, but seriously. You are always welcome to call and tell them to support or oppose something or ask questions or share opinions, but being unpleasant is not, believe it or not going to get you better service. Sigh, OK sorry about that. I know that none of you would ever do that. My friends are all models of propriety. That was more just a vent. Most people who call in are very polite and I have actually begun to enjoy answering the phone, but every so often I get that call.
No more whining :) I’m done for Friday.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Day 4 5/28
Day 4 (5/28): I seem to be settling into a rhythm. I wake up; shower; grab a bite if there’s time; head to Penn Station; ride the train in; walk to the Cannon House Office Building; and arrive at 9 in time for work. Today, though, was my first full day in the office. Half the office was out this morning, so I just set to work on memos. These memos are a list of the calls and letters that we enter into the office database. It’s my job to put these into a comprehendible list for the Legislative assistants to work with so that they are then able to discern what issues are getting the most attention from the constituents. Each LA has certain policy areas that they deal with, health care, defense, Native issues, environment, etc.
One thing that I had yet to do was answer a phone. Its not that I’m incapable of answering the telephone, it’s just that I was really nervous about screwing things up. There’s the whole script to remember and there are buttons to push in a certain order and it just seemed very overwhelming. Hover, one of the other interns came over and told me that I was taking the next call that came in and he helped me go over the protocols again. Five minutes later, I heard the dreaded chirrup of the phone. I picked up on the second ring. I managed not to stumble over the congresswoman’s name. It was someone wanting to confirm their House gallery viewing tickets for their visit next week. I took down her info and hung up. But before I even had the chance to feel proud, I got another call from a markedly more heated constituent. She expressed some very negative views of the Representative. It is our policy to take down the comments of everyone who contacts us because what would be the point of only listening to the people who are complimenting you. However, this caller shall remain forever anonymous not because I am contractually obligated not to reveal any personal details (I am though). No this person is nameless because before I could ask so much as a first name, she said her peace and hung up. The rest of the calls I took were very pleasant though.
After working on that for a while, I was sent out once again to hunt for signatures. I was feeling pretty confident, having read the letter, until I got to the first office in Longworth. (For those of you who are not well acquainted with the day-to-day workings of Congress, there are three House office buildings and three Senate Office buildings where the majority of each congressperson’s work is done. All three on either side are connected to each other and the Capitol by a series of underground tunnels. I’m not actually working in the Capitol; I’m working next to it.) Anyway, so the first office I visited in Longworth stumped me yet again. They asked if I had a point of contact. All I could say was which office I was from, and that was not what they were asking. Finally the third office that asked me that asked in such a way that I could tell they were looking at my sheet that had each Representative’s name and their chief of staff or a Legislative Assistant’s name next to it. Then I caught on. I was finally fully armed with knowledge and I completed the signatures.
I returned to the office in the afternoon and was greeted by a stack of 600 letters ready to folded and stuffed into envelopes to be mailed to people have contacted us. Not really much else to say. That pretty much says it all. 600. And I have another stack that size waiting for me on my desk. And lest you think that I got stiffed because I’m the new guy, the other two interns had equal sized stacks to fold and stuff. That’s 1800 letters. My only big accomplishment here was completing the pile and not getting a paper cut. While I was stuffing, my supervisor also asked me to sit at the front desk for the first time while he gave a tour. It was mercifully uneventful: a letter for the scheduler got delivered; a résumé was submitted; the mail came.
The routine has settled nicely for the trip back to Baltimore as well. Walk to Union Station, hop on the train to Baltimore, get back to my friend's house, eat dinner, get on the laptop for a while, and go to bed early.
One thing that I had yet to do was answer a phone. Its not that I’m incapable of answering the telephone, it’s just that I was really nervous about screwing things up. There’s the whole script to remember and there are buttons to push in a certain order and it just seemed very overwhelming. Hover, one of the other interns came over and told me that I was taking the next call that came in and he helped me go over the protocols again. Five minutes later, I heard the dreaded chirrup of the phone. I picked up on the second ring. I managed not to stumble over the congresswoman’s name. It was someone wanting to confirm their House gallery viewing tickets for their visit next week. I took down her info and hung up. But before I even had the chance to feel proud, I got another call from a markedly more heated constituent. She expressed some very negative views of the Representative. It is our policy to take down the comments of everyone who contacts us because what would be the point of only listening to the people who are complimenting you. However, this caller shall remain forever anonymous not because I am contractually obligated not to reveal any personal details (I am though). No this person is nameless because before I could ask so much as a first name, she said her peace and hung up. The rest of the calls I took were very pleasant though.
After working on that for a while, I was sent out once again to hunt for signatures. I was feeling pretty confident, having read the letter, until I got to the first office in Longworth. (For those of you who are not well acquainted with the day-to-day workings of Congress, there are three House office buildings and three Senate Office buildings where the majority of each congressperson’s work is done. All three on either side are connected to each other and the Capitol by a series of underground tunnels. I’m not actually working in the Capitol; I’m working next to it.) Anyway, so the first office I visited in Longworth stumped me yet again. They asked if I had a point of contact. All I could say was which office I was from, and that was not what they were asking. Finally the third office that asked me that asked in such a way that I could tell they were looking at my sheet that had each Representative’s name and their chief of staff or a Legislative Assistant’s name next to it. Then I caught on. I was finally fully armed with knowledge and I completed the signatures.
I returned to the office in the afternoon and was greeted by a stack of 600 letters ready to folded and stuffed into envelopes to be mailed to people have contacted us. Not really much else to say. That pretty much says it all. 600. And I have another stack that size waiting for me on my desk. And lest you think that I got stiffed because I’m the new guy, the other two interns had equal sized stacks to fold and stuff. That’s 1800 letters. My only big accomplishment here was completing the pile and not getting a paper cut. While I was stuffing, my supervisor also asked me to sit at the front desk for the first time while he gave a tour. It was mercifully uneventful: a letter for the scheduler got delivered; a résumé was submitted; the mail came.
The routine has settled nicely for the trip back to Baltimore as well. Walk to Union Station, hop on the train to Baltimore, get back to my friend's house, eat dinner, get on the laptop for a while, and go to bed early.
Day 3 5/27
Day 3 (5/27): As some of you may know, if you wish to visit Congress while you are in DC, you can contact your Representative or Senator to procure tickets. It is then the job of the offices to contact the right people and get tickets for you and then show you around when you get out here to Washington. As some of you also may know, construction recently was completed on the Capitol Visitors Center (CVC) which runs underground on the lawn in front of the Capitol building. So, today I had my orientation to be able to guide constituents through the Capitol and CVC when they come to visit. Training started at 9 AM and went until 3:30 PM. It was actually rather fun and interesting as far as training sessions go. I went on the same tour three different times: the first was to get the logistics of the path to take and the procedures to follow; the second was to get more of the history of the art and architecture and to learn more how to be an effective guide; and the third was to learn the safety measures to take in case of an emergency. So I am now fully capable of giving a tour of Capitol Hill. If anyone happens to be in the area this summer… you know who to call!
After training I went back to the office, was handed a manila envelope and was asked to go get signatures on a letter. So I blithely went on my way, first getting all the signatures from offices in Cannon. The first office seemed to know exactly what I was talking about and signed off. The second however was more cagy. They actually wanted to know what they were signing on to before giving over the John Hancock. This maneuver on their part revealed a gaping flaw in my plan; I had not actually taken the time to read the letter or have its content explained to me. I quickly remedied that and did not encounter any more issues during the rest of the day.
On my walk to Union Station, I was crossing the street and was stopped by a man in the crosswalk. He asked me if I knew where Union Station was. My stomach did a little backflip when he asked because it meant that I was going to be giving directions! He thought I seemed to know where I was going and looked like I knew what I was doing enough to stop me and ask me how to get around the DC. Granted, he happen to pick one of two places that I have gone to every day since I got here, but it still felt like quite an accomplishment.
After training I went back to the office, was handed a manila envelope and was asked to go get signatures on a letter. So I blithely went on my way, first getting all the signatures from offices in Cannon. The first office seemed to know exactly what I was talking about and signed off. The second however was more cagy. They actually wanted to know what they were signing on to before giving over the John Hancock. This maneuver on their part revealed a gaping flaw in my plan; I had not actually taken the time to read the letter or have its content explained to me. I quickly remedied that and did not encounter any more issues during the rest of the day.
On my walk to Union Station, I was crossing the street and was stopped by a man in the crosswalk. He asked me if I knew where Union Station was. My stomach did a little backflip when he asked because it meant that I was going to be giving directions! He thought I seemed to know where I was going and looked like I knew what I was doing enough to stop me and ask me how to get around the DC. Granted, he happen to pick one of two places that I have gone to every day since I got here, but it still felt like quite an accomplishment.
Day 2 5/26
Day 2 (5/26): I woke up in time to go to my first day on the job, but I knew that I would be completely useless and not absorb any information, so I called my intern coordinator. I explained to him everything that had happened and he said it would be fine if I just did a half day for the first day. So I went back to bed for a while longer, woke up a couple hours later, and had my friend take me to Penn Station so that I could hop a train into DC. The ride is about 50 minutes long from Penn Station to Union Station. I then got off at Union and walked the four blocks to the Cannon House Office Building where my internship is. Once I got to the office, I met up with Mike, the intern coordinator, and we went over the basic office procedures and then he introduced me to the rest of the staff. The other two interns that are in the office are both really cool too. Everyone in the office is so nice and friendly and understanding of my “fish out of water syndrome”. I then got my first taste of real work: sorting mail. It may sound dull (OK actually it IS dull) but at the same time it was exhilarating. I wasn’t just sorting anyone’s mail, I was sorting the mail of a member of Congress. OK, that still doesn’t make it sound very exciting, but I’m a politics nerd so leave me alone! Anyway, after that I got acquainted with the office database system that we use to log any and all calls or letters that come into the office. A little overwhelming, yes, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly.
After an (un?)eventful first day, the other two interns told me that they were going to a really good burger place two blocks away and invited me to go with them so we could get better acquainted. We walked over, and I had the best bacon cheeseburger I have ever had outside of the Midwest. (They just don’t seem to know how to cook a burger outside of the heartland ;P ). We ate and chatted for a while, and then, as we were walking toward the door, they gestured to a picture on the wall and told me that the owner of the restaurant was Spike from the show “Top Chef” on Bravo which I thought was cool in itself. But THEN, as we were walking out the door, Spike himself walked in. I guess that’s only cool if you’ve watched the show, but in my mind I’ve already had a brush with fame. After that, I headed to Union Station and caught the train back to Baltimore.
After an (un?)eventful first day, the other two interns told me that they were going to a really good burger place two blocks away and invited me to go with them so we could get better acquainted. We walked over, and I had the best bacon cheeseburger I have ever had outside of the Midwest. (They just don’t seem to know how to cook a burger outside of the heartland ;P ). We ate and chatted for a while, and then, as we were walking toward the door, they gestured to a picture on the wall and told me that the owner of the restaurant was Spike from the show “Top Chef” on Bravo which I thought was cool in itself. But THEN, as we were walking out the door, Spike himself walked in. I guess that’s only cool if you’ve watched the show, but in my mind I’ve already had a brush with fame. After that, I headed to Union Station and caught the train back to Baltimore.
Day 1 5/25
So I suppose I should say a few general things about this blog. First off, I’m not entirely sure how often I will have access to a computer with internet. I do have my laptop, and I assume that I will have a computer in the office. I guess I might be apologizing before the fact for any tardiness in my posts here. Also, let me know if you have any questions that you want answered or pictures of anything in DC. This site is basically a blank canvas; I really have no idea what I’m going to write about yet so ideas will be much appreciated! (But do try to keep it PG since both my grandmothers will probably be reading this lol.)
PS if you want a mailing address, send me an email and I will send it to you. I’d rather not put that information out there on the Internet for just anyone to read!
Day 1 (5/25): Well my trip got off to a very inauspicious start. I went up to my uncle and aunt’s house in the Twin Cities on Saturday morning and spent the weekend there. I had a lot of fun and it was a nice way to sort of unwind before I went off to the hustle and bustle of the capital. So I printed my e-ticket on Sunday night and made plans with my uncle to drive me to the airport the next morning for my flight that I thought left at 9:10am. So I got up with what I thought was plenty of time to get ready and get to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to board. However, when I woke up I had a text message from Orbitz (that’s where I booked my ticket) telling me that I was to board at 7:10am and arrive in Milwaukee at 8:30am for my layover. I was immediately jolted out of my early morning stupor and began frantically throwing my few unpacked articles of clothing in the suitcase. I ran downstairs in a panic and told my uncle that we had to go now. He sat me down and told me “It’s physically impossible to get you there in time.” That was the last thing I wanted to hear right then, but deep down the tiny little voice of logic told me he was right. So my aunt went and got the phone for me and I spent the next two hours checking websites and calling the airlines. (I had to call two because I had booked my flight through one airline but Orbitz does all their business through another, so they each kept telling me that I had to call the other.) We eventually got it all worked out and I got a flight for 4pm from MSP airport with a connection in Philadelphia.
Once I got to the airport (three hours early), I found my ticket counter and I met up with a very helpful ticket counter attendant. She helped me get my ticket and then check my luggage. I hit a bit of a snag at this point because I had overpacked my larger suitcase by 13 lbs. She could have easily charged me the overweight bag fee, but instead she helped me rearrange the clothes among all my bags in the middle of the ticket counter lobby so that it all fit and I didn’t have the fee. I was sooooo glad for that!
After I was finally able to actually board a plane, it was a very smooth, boring flying experience. I got on my plane in Minneapolis just fine. I transferred flights in Philadelphia just fine. We were put in a holding pattern above Philly, in which time I thought I was flying over the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield because I saw us circling around the smokestacks of a nuclear power plant like the one Homer works at. I got into Philly and got on my plane to Washington Reagan Airport. On that flight I talked to a girl who is going to grad school at Catholic University here in DC. Upon landing I collected my luggage and met up with my friend from Creighton that I am staying with and we went back to her house in Baltimore.
PS if you want a mailing address, send me an email and I will send it to you. I’d rather not put that information out there on the Internet for just anyone to read!
Day 1 (5/25): Well my trip got off to a very inauspicious start. I went up to my uncle and aunt’s house in the Twin Cities on Saturday morning and spent the weekend there. I had a lot of fun and it was a nice way to sort of unwind before I went off to the hustle and bustle of the capital. So I printed my e-ticket on Sunday night and made plans with my uncle to drive me to the airport the next morning for my flight that I thought left at 9:10am. So I got up with what I thought was plenty of time to get ready and get to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to board. However, when I woke up I had a text message from Orbitz (that’s where I booked my ticket) telling me that I was to board at 7:10am and arrive in Milwaukee at 8:30am for my layover. I was immediately jolted out of my early morning stupor and began frantically throwing my few unpacked articles of clothing in the suitcase. I ran downstairs in a panic and told my uncle that we had to go now. He sat me down and told me “It’s physically impossible to get you there in time.” That was the last thing I wanted to hear right then, but deep down the tiny little voice of logic told me he was right. So my aunt went and got the phone for me and I spent the next two hours checking websites and calling the airlines. (I had to call two because I had booked my flight through one airline but Orbitz does all their business through another, so they each kept telling me that I had to call the other.) We eventually got it all worked out and I got a flight for 4pm from MSP airport with a connection in Philadelphia.
Once I got to the airport (three hours early), I found my ticket counter and I met up with a very helpful ticket counter attendant. She helped me get my ticket and then check my luggage. I hit a bit of a snag at this point because I had overpacked my larger suitcase by 13 lbs. She could have easily charged me the overweight bag fee, but instead she helped me rearrange the clothes among all my bags in the middle of the ticket counter lobby so that it all fit and I didn’t have the fee. I was sooooo glad for that!
After I was finally able to actually board a plane, it was a very smooth, boring flying experience. I got on my plane in Minneapolis just fine. I transferred flights in Philadelphia just fine. We were put in a holding pattern above Philly, in which time I thought I was flying over the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield because I saw us circling around the smokestacks of a nuclear power plant like the one Homer works at. I got into Philly and got on my plane to Washington Reagan Airport. On that flight I talked to a girl who is going to grad school at Catholic University here in DC. Upon landing I collected my luggage and met up with my friend from Creighton that I am staying with and we went back to her house in Baltimore.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)