Getting Started

Today was my second day as an intern and wasn't too eventful. It's taking a little while to get everything all set up for me. I seem to have the computer that likes to have all the problems that need to get fixed as we discover them. For example, we discovered today that my default printer was to the Congressman's office printer (uh-oh), but luckily, it didn't actually print and we quickly fixed that problem. I think my computer should be all hooked up and ready to go - yay!

I've also done a couple of tours (well, I shadowed a seasoned fellow intern). It's not too bad (now), but I bet by the time summer ends, I'll be a little sick of them. The best/worst part is the movie at the beginning. Seeing it once is fine, but watching it over and over again (although, I can wait outside for the group, but sometimes, it's just easier to sit through the 15 minute video and stay with the group) makes you realize how over the top it is. I mean, it's not a bad film - it's a history of the Capitol and Congress and how important Congress is to the nation. Sometimes, the phrasing is a little overly dramatic, but that's to be expected (the goal is to show how great our Congress/government is). The thing is is that they combine the overly dramatic script with equally dramatic music (there's a choral piece, almost like a solemn hymn, playing when discussing the uncertainty of America's future on the brink of the Civil War). And, of course, they gloss over the uglier acts of Congress in our long history of ignoring things like Civil Rights (they recognize the Indian Removal Act and do focus on the changes of the post-Civil War Congress, which I suppose acknowledges that there weren't Civil Rights before such acts). Anyway, it really isn't too horrible of a film, but I've seen it two days in a row now, so I'm looking for little things to pick out. Other than that, the tour isn't so bad, and you get to meet some constituents (there's lots of "oh, I used to work in this city" and "Oh really? I live there.").

I also started on constituent mail. It's not the most glamorous job, but it's pretty interesting (and clues you in on what's going on in Congress/the nation/the world). The form letters (the letters that you send out when you get mass mailings of the exact same letter) are pretty easy to figure out, especially if there's a letter that has already been drafted or approved. I actually haven't gotten the chance to draft a new form letter, but I'm sure that day will come. It's just going to take some getting used to a new computer program (and you know how literate I am when it comes to computers, haha).

I have also discovered the awesomeness of receptions held after work hours on the Hill that offer free food in addition to discussions on selected topics open to staff (including interns, yay). I actually hit up 2 of them tonight and grabbed enough veggies, bread, cheese, and salami to keep me content (thank you, Spain, for teaching me how to live on a smaller dinner and a larger lunch). It's cool on the free food bit (which, come on, we all know gets people to come...all college students understand the free food rule) and on the topic bit. Some of these have really interesting topics and are probably really great places to network. Today, I met a guy who is the chair (I think) of the Texas Medical Association, and he chatted with us (me and the other interns) about life in general. It was pretty cool. Tomorrow, there's a NASA thing going on all day. Definitely going to hit that up.

We were talking about NASA in the office today, and I mentioned how the first time I went to Cape Canaveral (when I was, like 3), I saw a space shuttle take off. Granted, I was in the parking lot and not at the actual site, but I could still see it, and more importantly (and this is what I remember most), I could still feel the ground shake as it took off (which I found really cool). The second (and most recent) time I went there, they had an astronaut signing his autograph on his official NASA photo. I don't know how, but somehow, I managed to end up at Cape Canaveral on days when exciting things were going on. This makes me really excited to take Astronomy in the fall! (Ah, yes, you must love my asides and random trains of thought...since this is something of a journal for me, it's going to be a little random, and maybe not quite so put together. Bear with me.)

Well, that's about it in my glamorous life as a hilltern (as we are so "fondly" referred to on this one gossipy blog about the stupid things some interns do - mostly stories of interns flashing their ID badges thinking it'll make the world stop and revolve around them. News flash guys: we're pretty low on the totem pole. Get used to it. You have to work your way to the top).

Off to bed...my commute is about an hour walking and on the bus (no Metro stop nearby...thank you, residents of Georgetown for not supporting that), so that means early starts to the day (and finishes, haha).