Hard to Admit

I realize I have had a severe lack of posts going on.

There are a million factors for my blank thoughts, but I guess the biggest is the hardest to admit.

Life in the city is always moving, last week was as full week at work, with deadline, having a byline (yay!) and then the spring arts preview happy hour at the Daily Grill in Georgetown.  The other intern, Shelle, and I checked people in as important person after important person filed in, dropping their business card for a raffle, then mingling around the appetizers with wine in hand.

Shelle and I split a cab to Foggy Bottom, and I had felt like my first night as a young professional had gone better than I could have hoped.

Gretchen's best friend Amy came up for the weekend.  Although nothing seemed to go right the entire weekend, we still managed to make the best of it and have a good time.

Saturday morning I served lunch at N Street Village with Greg and J.J.  The village is a homeless shelter for women, focused on programs helping the women with drug and alcohol problems, but also assisting in finding the women jobs, and making sure they keep those jobs.

Today Anthony Debarros of USA Today lectured in our morning class.  He is a data reporter, and has been involved in a lot of investigative journalism.  He broke my heart in a number of ways.  He started out telling us that the industry was spiraling away, then he went on to say that journalists need to know math.  No two other statements have ever depressed me more.

One of his stories was investigating school cafeterias, and well the article speaks for itself.

I have always struggled with admitting failure, but at no other time in my life have I felt as defeated as I do now.  (No this is not because I might have to use math at some point in my profession) Why its nothing blog worthy (I have always hated people spilling their feelings via internet), it is something I need to talk myself though, and writing is the only way I know how to organize my thoughts.

I have always considered myself a slight perfectionist, but more importantly have alway had the highest expectations for myself.  When combined, I set myself up for major disappointment and unneeded stress.

An alumni tonight reminded us to never compare ourselves to others, or other's internships.  I'm not too proud to admit that it was something I needed to hear.  I also needed to hear my daddy on the other end of the phone when I called him in an emotional frenzy.

Once again the theme of the semester seems to creep back....

I'm not perfect, and no one expects me to be.

I am surrounded by people that love me and believe in me.  

A New Blog?

Today's lecture was all about blogging.  Which has sparked an interest in making this blog more, well, interesting.  It started out as a an excuse for me to write everyday.  Then turned in to a way to let those I left this semester be able to read what I'm up to.  Now--in keeping up with the fashion of this digital world--I'm thinking about changing the format again.  Im searching for a topic I care about, but more importantly, other people would care about reading.  While I search for the perfect topic (open to suggestions) I'll keep fillin the blog with my daily doings.

The weekend was pretty relaxed.  The progressive dinner I planned Saturday night was fun. The massage  I treated myself to Sunday morning was soothing.  I came home and fixed an early dinner.  Then Sarah, Gretchen and I went to Grace DC for church.  On the way home I picked up a Red Bull and worked on my article for class.

Today was unexciting and full of pizza.  Pizza for lunch and pizza for dinner.  I spent most of the afternoon in front of the tv.  Probably  because of the clouds and freezing temperatures that lingered outside.

Speaking of the stupid weather.  Were supposed to get maybe six inches of snow tonight.  I sincerely hope not, I hate combination of  snow and public transportation.

Today Was a Fairytale

Nothing new here in Washington.

Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

But a lot more fun than it may sound.

Despite an ongoing headache (which will hopefully be remedied on Sunday by the means of a deep-tissue massage) this week has been great.

While I have tried my hardest to slow down these days, somehow tomorrow is Friday again.  (Not that Im complaining, we're all working for the weekend.) But seriously, February is flying.

Today was a great day.  Did I already mention that?

Well it started at 12 am, all days do, but today was perfect from the start.  At midnight I ordered my Jimmy Buffett ticket.  Thats right, bringing back the old family tradition of some good ol JB.  So speaking of good starts, summer 2011 will be kicked off as it should:  Buffett and Best Friend.  Not sure if STL can handle the combination of Cassi Sams, Corrie Dyke and Jimmy Buffett, but were gonna find out.

As much as I can't stop thinking about May 3, I have to continue with my obsession of February 17.

Spent the morning in Barnes and Noble.  Then reluctantly went to work.  Not because I didn't want to work, I just didn't want to be in the office on a day that the sun was shinning and it was about 70 degrees.

A miracle happened around 1:30.  The internet crashed.  My editor told me to go home and work, and I was as ecstatic as a child on the last day of school.

I walked out the door and the warm air smacked me in the face.  I wondered what the heck I was doing in a winter coat as I stuffed it into my bag.

I could have walked and window shopped for hours, but remember I still had work to do so I hopped on the bus and headed home.

Actually getting home before the sun was far gone was refreshing.  I grabbed a diet coke and my mac and got to work on the roof.  Happy Thursday!!

No Rush

Lately I have had to remind myself to slow down.

Missing my family and friends, I've been in this weird mood to hurry the day along and get closer to March when Momma, Daddy, Wes, and Nikki come to visit.

But yesterday I went out for a run, and as I looked around I realized I'm living in our nation's capitol.

I may never have this opportunity again.  I live with great people, and feel like the world is outside my door step, yet I'm wishing it away just to be home and in the safe routine I will only become bored with after a couple weeks.

Today Abigail made a bold statement at dinner.  "February is half over."

What.

As I search for a pause button, here's what happen this weekend--

Friday I covered a poetry night at Baked and Wired for a story.

Saturday I got up early with Gretchen and Merv and went to Obama's house.

Then I went to the American Indian Museum with Sarah, Ben, Robby, Brady, and Zach.  After that we went to the American History Museum.  I was in love.  It made me wish my Daddy was out here.

We're only on this Earth for a short time.  College is shorter than that.  And a semester in DC even shorter. There's no rush for the next two and a half months.

Finding My Smile

In general, I am a very happy person.  But we all have our moments, right?

Well the beginning of this week was a whole cluster of those moments.

Do you ever go into something carrying high expectations, and when the slightest of those expectations aren't met its as though your whole life is crashing down?  Hmm. Maybe a little dramatic.

I don't enjoy dwelling on the past, so lets do some summarizing and get to the good part.

Monday night I was mess.  Job, school, missing family, the works.  I cried myself to sleep, which somehow always seems to relax me, and woke up ready to face deadline.  Work was crazy (deadline).

I spent Tuesday night working on my events planner job.  It was a nice, needed relief from writing.  Okay here comes the good part....

Today totally turned the week around.  I talked with my editor, figured out some story ideas, and got to work.  Maybe my life wasn't ending.  It gets better...I got an email informing me I had reached Gold level at Starbucks.  If you know me at all, you know this would have been enough to make my week.

To top off the night I had an awesome dinner at Nooshi http://www.nooshidc.com/ with Mimi, Emily, Amanda and Jenny.  My life became complete when my two favorite things in the world came together as my dinner.  I had the Hawaiian Roll which was spicy tuna, pineapple, and cucumber. (the two favorite things being sushi and pineapple)

 I was also introduced to edamame.  How did I miss that delish, yet healthy food?
Us girls took the metro back together, and I walked in the door just in time for Modern Family.

All is right the world again.

I just needed to learn that not everything is going to be perfect, because Im not perfect.  And no one expects me to be.  Im out here to learn, and instead of worrying about getting it right, I just need to get it.

I also learned I have an amazing support system, and even if all of them are in some state that starts with an I and half way across the country, they're still there.  And when I'm feeling down, I always have this

And to correct the above statement, I also have some love in the south.  Got a really helpful call from this best brother ever.

Family and friends are so important.  Cherish each and every moment with the ones you love.

When situations take a turn, take the time to learn a valuable life lesson.  You will be better in the end for weathering the storm.

Exhausted in Every Sense of the Word

As if a lack of keeping up on here isn't evidence enough, this week was crazy busy.  Whoever thought school and work went together was seriously mistaken.  But I'm here to suck it up and make the most if it.

The first week of internship was fun.

The two papers for class on Friday were not.

Not having to go into work on Friday was nice.

Sitting in class was not.

Okay, you get the point.  There is no escape from the life ruiner known as getting a degree.  Every night after work this week I came home to sit down and have a date with my desk.  As I searched my brain for any remaining pieces of creativity and desire to write even more, I did my best to pound out these papers for class.

They were finished by afternoon lecture, where I left with a nice present for the weekend, another assignment.  I went back up to the apartment, ready to be a diligent student (like always) and sat down to knock out the weekends work.  An hour of reading big words and finding incoherent sentences running together, I finally closed my mac.

I'm not sure how long it was but the next thing I knew Gretchen was waking me up to head to the press club for free tacos.

Later we explored Chinatown.

Unproductive is a one-word sum-up of today.

Gretchen and I got up and went to Eastern Market for breakfast.  Then we came back and literally did nothing.  It was much needed.

Later in the afternoon we got our nails done, and went to NCC for church.

We found a small Katie, Erica, Caitlin, Heidi, and Matt at church and we all stayed after for pizza and time to get to know some of the staff of NCC.  It was a lot of fun.  I'm excited to get connected to a church.

Amanda, aka Emma Stone's twin, told us of a coffee shop having a free expresso tasting tonight, she also told us of her favorite bakery/restaurant in Eastern Market.  Of course we had to hit up both.  The espresso tasting was quite an experience.  I thought Gretchen was going to puke.  But it was good, very different, but good. http://peregrineespresso.com/

We walked another block to Ted's Bulletin http://tedsbulletin.com/
They have famous homemade poptarts and twinkies.  And really good shakes.
The restaurant was very 1940s.  We will definitely be going back.

Time for a movie and some more relaxation, before the procrastination comes to kick me in the butt tomorrow.

Evidence I Survived Day One

This week marked the start of real life here in DC.

I have to admit the first couple weeks have felt like a vacation. I was staying somewhere new.  Trying different food. Shopping. Hanging out with new friends (and an old one!)

Then there was class.  But lets be real, learning more about journalism, I don't see the problem.  I mean am I supposed to be missing the liberal arts of TU?  Dear math come back to me; I don't think so.

So Monday after class I got a library card.  Now I just hope I have the time to use it.

Monday night was family dinner, followed by everyone getting dressed up and going to the National Press Club to sit in the audience of The Kalb Report.  Bill Keller, editor of the New York Times was grilled most of the night about his paper. It was really enjoyable and fun to be a part of.  The show aired on CSPAN so I was emailing my brother the whole time while he watched.  At the end J.J. got up and asked Mr. Keller a question.  It was neat to be a part of such a big event in the journalism world.

Speaking of the journalism world.  Today was day one at The Georgetowner.  http://www.georgetowner.com/

A real job I think I could really do.  It was a great day.

I'm certain I could have crawled right into bed when I got home from work.  But I needed dinner and to write two papers...

Which reminds me, I should probably start those papers.