TONS to post. WAY too tired. Fiona was AMAZING.

I've got stories galore. I just took a long weekend off.

Ok, so one of my favorite parts of this job is getting there early. This morning, the girls by my desk were looking at the brand new list of the "50 Most Beautiful People on the Hill" (http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/50Most2006/index2.html) and discussing how they knew some of the people on there. I heard a lot of "Well, I can tell you she's NOT one of the 50 most beautiful people on the inside! Did I tell you when she..." Then I watched as Kate took the first sip of coffee she's had in 10 days...she was on one of those lemon juice-molasses-cayenne pepper liquid fast things that everyone's been doing...yuck. Then, with 15 minutes until 9, I heard about the drama that went on in Mariah's apartment and learned how to work the coffee machine ALL BY MYSELF! Man, talk about progress.

Other than that, everything was pretty routine. Ooooh, except that the smile story happened to me today. Like that story about how a smile was passed along all day and then eventually saved the world...ok yes, it sounded stupid to me at first, too. But the mailman told me I looked pretty today (a little creepy, yes) which then made me tip my cab driver a bunch of moolah, who then told me to have the best day ever. I'm sure he's off somewhere giving that money to charity...or something. Anyway, it made for a cheerful afternoon.

Well, I've also started listening to a lot of talk radio since I've been here. Randi Rhodes is my new inspiration. If anybody finds a way to listen to her speak for 10 minutes, they will have done something productive...and that might actually give this blog some worth.

tooda.

Ah yes, today was another excellent day.

I began my morning by sitting in on a conference call about scripts for some TV spots that have to do with September 11. I had no idea so much editing and effort went into that kind of stuff. sheesh. of course, after thinking i couldn't speak during the entire call, they asked my opinion and i blabbed on forever. I couldn't exactly remember the last time I was asked for my opinion on something important. wooohooo!

I spent my afternoon sitting in on the huge conference about biological warfare. Representatives from the UK, Kazakhstan, Ireland, etc. all sat around a table from 9 until 5 talking about issues and problems they want to educate certain people about. Some of it went way over my head, especially when they started talking in acronyms ("Well, the DOD told me that KHSI really wants to work on a project with the YLJ but alright, I'll just have to call the FRT and schedule in a WNS...") but most of it was really interesting. Mainly, everyone's pretty pysched about fusing bioscience with biosecurity and helping educate the next generation of scientists so they'll be able to make sure their products aren't misused. A man named Jean Paul, who had some sort of Scottish-Russian accent, liked to interrupt everything about every 6 minutes and state his problems with whatever was just said. He made me laugh and was very clever, he reminded me of my pops.

What did I do the rest of the day, you ask? Well, whenever I got bored in meetings, I strolled back to my desk and talked to Elizabeth on gmail while I slowly worked on my project. We spoke of kittens (anybody want 6 indiekittens? message liz, i hear they're adorable!), a certain show i missed out on (one word for ya-titanmoon), and certain places we like to visit in Dallas (hey salim, we're moving in next door. sound good?) Ok, I'm beat. Woohoo for Wednesday!

First day.

I walked into 1747 Pennsylvania Ave. this morning at 8:45 am. I was greeted by a woman who looked very official. I went to her desk and she told me the procedure of signing in, visitor's pass, and such. She asked me my point of contact and as I said my new boss' name and told this woman it was my very first day of work her scowl vanished. She burst into a southern accent. "Ooooooh honey! Well aren't you going to have a WONDERFUL day!! They are sooo nice up there!!! Now, you look for a woman named Lucia and you tell her you know Ms. Shirley from downstairs and she will take good care of you, alright hon?...Aren't you excited?!?! Oooooooh my!!"

So, after becoming best friends with the security guard in the lobby, I ran upstairs just in time for my first meeting. The first person I met was a model-like woman named Mariah. MARIAH!!!! I'd never met a "real" Mariah before, I've just spent the last 8 years of my life obsessing over a goddess-like wonder named Mariah Carey. Yup, that was my first sign that work would be good.

After a tour, we went straight to the conference call. Senator Sam Nunn was on the phone in the middle of the table and Mr. Curtis went around asking everybody what they had to report for the week. After listening to people talk about events that had raised thousands of dollars and Senators that might be dropping by, I was introduced as the new intern. "The rising junior at Episcopal School of Dallas....all the way from Texas. Some of you might have worked with her grandfather...Jim Reeder" Well, everyone starts chuckling and the Senator says "Did he give you any jokes to tell?? Eh?? ...Did you bring any of his jokes to the office with you today??? Man alive, that Mr. Reeder is notorious for being the best storyteller in town! Phew, his own granddaughter. You are one lucky lady, glad to have ya."

Hmmm...so, I found my desk to be near the biological warfare research committee. Yes, you're right, that means I am one corner away from the other intern, James. The British college student aka Pretty Boy. I began an organization project and made more copies than any human can count. My "boss" took me out to lunch and we talked about politics and my brothers. She's my new favorite person.

I'm pretty sure I'm known as the baby in the office. The high school kid who doesn't use a cart to carry the videos back to her desk...don't ask. I have to keep a notebook so I can remember names of people I've just met. Hannah, blue Carolina Herrera suit, big office, small nose...

It's nice to do mind-numbing but helpful jobs and have free access to any conversations or meetings held in the office. So far, so good is all I've got to say.

washington, d.c.

just arrived. white picket fence. green acres. downstairs, 5th door to your left. the guest room. that's where i am.

first business meeting tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. what i'll be doing? i have no idea. wish me luck!