All Grown Up

msprsy19 @ 2005-11-14T09:09:00

2005-11-14T15:09:33Z

Your Heart Is Blue

Love is a doing word for you. You know it's love when you treat each other well.
You are a giving lover, but you don't give too much. You expect something in return.

Your flirting style: Friendly

Your lucky first date: Lunch at an outdoor cafe

Your dream lover: Is both generous and selfish

What you bring to relationships: Loyalty

What Color Heart Do You Have?

FRONT ROW BABY

2005-08-05T09:42:56Z

So sitting outside in the cold and wet for 2 hours early in the morning can pay off. Laurie and I got front row tickets to see Ewan McGregor tonight! It also helps that I've seen "Guys and Dolls" and that I love the show!

Unfortunately before then, I have laundry, a paper, and studying to do. Have a great day all!

stupid papers

2005-08-02T20:22:56Z

It is so hard to get motivated to do school work! I leave here at 7:45 am on Sunday morning going home. By then, I have to take my final on Saturday morning at 9am and do 5 papers. Here I sit, notebook right beside me, knowing that I need to get 2 done tonight so that I'll be at least halfway through, but no, I'm talking to Mo and killing time on the internet, and it's 9:20pm. I need to get up early and be across Waterloo Bridge at 8am to get mine and Laurie's tickets for the Lion King tomorrow night. I won't be able to sleep for awhile anyways because I took a long nap earlier, so I better quit my bitchin' and get to work.

After today: 4 full days then we leave Sunday morning! They've already posted the final exam schedule and the departure schedule. It's wrapping up.

Oh yeah

2005-06-25T03:12:45Z

I don't have internet at the house yet, plus Mom and I will be out of town for a couple of days, so I won't be able to update, email, or facebook or anything.

Also, I have updated my pics at, as always, http://photos.yahoo.com/msprsy19

The Washington, D.C. album is the main one to look at, it's got the recent pics, specifically of Rumsfeld and Spencer. To bed I go, to see y'all later!

terminado

2005-06-25T02:49:55Z

One should not type an entry early in the morning after little sleep and some alcohol - there are details that get left out.

After all the cool stuff at work, I went and played my last softball game with the Tequila Mockingbirds. We ended up losing, but we had started off winning. I had a GREAT catch at 2nd base, I mean I had to jump in the air to get it. I drank 2 Tom Collins at Bullfeathers, the 2nd one was bigger than the first. I was bored waiting for the Metro, so I drunk-dialed my friend Crystal. She was drunk too, and we were both like "I miss you." (Which is the female version of "I love you man!") Anyways, I finally made it back, where I crashed.

So this morning I was supposed to take my aunt on a tour of the Capitol, but Matt had to take everybody because of myself and Meredith taking our picture with Gene. We finally got to do it, this morning on the House steps. Meredith and I then had a 1 1/2 hour lunch at Tortilla Coast, which was quite good. We bad-mouthed Matt, and talked about her incident this morning. Bless her heart, a man exposed himself to her on the Metro this morning, and it really shook her up. Some people are just freaks, which cover as well-dressed businessmen. She hadn't liked Matt to begin with, and he pissed me off yesterday, so I joined her ranks. To make a long story short, he told me that because I was close to my family and talked to them a lot, I wasn't independent. FUCK YOU, WANNA BE MARINE! Anyway...
I could tell the staff was up to something this afternoon, and they were. They had a small going away party for me and Meredith. We had......... CANOLI CAKE! Yes, it is made, and it was SO good. They got us each a card, mine has Bush on it (of course, I'm the Republican) and Meredith's was about shopping. They all signed both. Then, we each got these NICE (I'm talking 50 dollars) books all about the Capitol. They were wrapped in House of Representatives paper and ribbon. WE BE HIGH CLASS! I came home, packed most of my stuff, ordered Chinese, and talked some to Maggie and Aunt Eileen.

I guess I should do some reflection here..........
So much of what I learned I don't think I could describe. I mean yeah, I learned so much about the Capitol, got to meet some really great folks, improved my softball skills, and had an incredible experience. I discovered that I can make it away from home if I have to, I am capable of venturing out of my comfort zone. The question is, now that I have ventured out and know I can make it, will I do it for good when the time comes? That, is the question of a lifetime.

last day

2005-06-24T10:26:08Z

So I was totally going to update last night, and my mood was going to be tipsy.

Before I backtrack...today is my last day! Wow.... I'll probably have some deep philisophical thoughts later on, but I need to be getting ready, so I'm going to do a late update of yesterday - WHICH WAS FREAKIN' AWESOME!

Work, did some capcor stuff and answered the phone, put up faxes and mail, no biggie. I did, at least in a small way, fulfill a longtime dream. I got to go inside the White House! I took the tour, on the East side of the building, and only got to see like 5 rooms. BUT I WAS STILL IN THE BUILDIN!!! It was great. Then they were having an armed services committee hearing, of which gene is a member, and the interns were going to rotate out seeing. It was a big deal because it was Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Meyers, the leader of the Multinational Task Force in Iraq General Casey, and another general. When I went in, I was probably 15-20 feet away! I stood in the back, but it was really cool and really informative. I went back so that Meredith could come down and watch and just waited around till time for softball. I got to listen to the hearing upstairs. The committee had to take a break for votes, but they were going to reconvene afterwards, and 4 members would going to be able to ask their questions, including Gene. Randy Edwards, our MLA, was going back down, so I tagged along. While we were waiting, he mentioned some people taking pictures. I RAN back upstairs and got my camera and came back down. I was in the front row, probably 5 feet from Gen. Casey and the others, and I got to watch MY Congressman questions the most powerful military leaders of our country. After it was over, Randy took me over, and I SHOOK HANDS WITH, MET, AND TOOK A PICTURE WITH OUR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE!!!! I'm going to try and post it here, but if I can't, y'all have GOT to go look at it. It'll be in my DC file at photos.yahoo.com/msprsy19

Yeah, good day. I also took a picture with Spencer, my hot guy friend. I'm also going to try and put him in here, but for sure y'all go look at yahoo.

I must go! I've got to get ready because we take pictures with Gene this morning. Bye!!!

Hump day

2005-06-23T01:33:11Z

So today - answered the phone, did the mail, watched the Congressman on C-SPAN (that was soo cool!), sorted about, oh, 200 emails! Took forever! Then I took Marilyn and Charlie and her family on a tour. I missed my picture with Thad Cochran, but they really enjoyed it. I met them after work up at the Cheesecake Factory - NUMMY. And they paid, awesome.
I was supposed to meet Spencer for cocktails, but we both had other plans, which was good. Tomorrow is my last softball game! I've really enjoyed it, I may play intramural. I am tired, so I'm going to be going to bed soon. Later all!

Oh yeah, I saw Tom Delay in the hall today. That was cool. Yesterday, I saw Nancy Pelosi and I was in the elevator with Jane Harman! (I know y'all don't know who these people are. They're members of Congress)

Busy Day

2005-06-21T22:38:41Z

I had a tour today that lasted 2 1/2 hours! Holy shit! I then got to take 3 high school kids to the Rayburn room where I took their picture with the Congressman. Yeah, it was cool. I also folded a bunch of letters to go out, entered a few things into capcor, redid some thank-you notes and answered the phone. Dude, I answered the phone to Eric Clark, the secretary of state of MS, as well as Ronnie Shows, who used to be my Congressman! Anyways, I thought I was going to do something cool after work, but I didn't. I could have gone to this weekly parade at the Marine Memorial, gone to Arlington, or gone to this fundraiser party for a guy from NY who's running for Congress. Oh well, such is life. Oh yeah, I was in the elevator today with Spencer's boss and didn't even recognize her. Oops.

A cool thing I saw, should it come about. While I had my tour in the House gallery, I got to see a bill for a propsed Constitutional amendment being debated. It was about making it unconstitutional to desecrate the flag - wow. They're trying to let us go on Thursday to as HASC hearing where Sec. Rumsfeld will be one of those testifying! I hope I get to go. I didn't get to go to hearings today, and I missed the ice cream social :( Hopefully the rest of the week won't be so crazy. I get to meet Sen. Cochran tomorrow, as well as take some folks from home on a tour!

msprsy19 @ 2005-06-20T21:45:00

2005-06-21T01:50:24Z

Not a whole lot at work today. Answered the phone some, went through the mail, went to lunch. I got to meet Trent Lott, for like a minute. At least there's a picture. And in doing that, I got to see some of the Senate side..I do believe it's nicer. Oh well. After work, Meredith and I waited around for another hour and FINALLY, we had our meal with Spencer. Meredith's sister, A.K. joined us too. She's sweet. She studied at the college in London where I'll be going, and she's going to write down some places for me to see. Spencer is awesome! If he was single...oh yeah. But he's so into his girlfriend, it's really cute. I"m going to take a pic with him this week, so I can share with y'all his hotness :)

Well, I am tired so I must be off. Later!

Vietnam Wall

2005-06-20T00:34:08Z

So yeah, when I was at the Wall today, I noticed quite a few people, and LOTS of roses along the wall. I just realized that it was because of Father's Day. I had called Ken on my way down there, so I knew it was today, but it's never really sunk in. Kinda weird how there's always some unusual coincidence every time I go there alone.
Another coincidence - I scratched/rubbed a name for a friend of mine. I was watching a video special on cnn.com (how I learned what the roses and all were for), and I saw a family scratching the SAME NAME. Weird....

Fun Day

2005-06-20T00:06:20Z

So yesterday was a nothing Saturday. I really wanted to go do the paddleboats in the tidal basin by the Jefferson Memorial, but it doesn't look like I'm going to get to do that. Oh well. I went to my first ever Latin Mass this morning at St. Matthew's Cathedral. It was..interesting. I butchered the Latin, that's just not my accent. I went from there to the Memorials and got to see Korea, Lincoln, and Vietnam. I scratched a name for a friend of mine. I always like being around the Memorials, I'm not sure why. I sat on the Mall for like an hour waiting for Charlie and Marilyn to call, when I finally went on to Dupont Circle. I figured it was close to where they'd be. I called Ken earlier to wish him a Happy Father's Day. He said he missed me and couldn't wait till I got home. I also got to talk to my L :) While I was sitting on the mall, I'm pretty sure that the President flew over. It was one of those green and white helicopters that becomes Marine One when the President is on board, and it was flying low like it was going to land at the White House. It not have been, but it's still cool to think that it might have been.
It was peaceful sitting in the park inside Dupont Circle. I got a book and was reading it, and it was cool watching people sitting on the grass enjoying the weather and all. But then I realized, they have to come there because they don't have grass of their own to lay on! How weird. Marilyn and Charlie finally called, and I walked 10 blocks up to see them. HUMAN COMPANY! Yay! They're in a really nice hotel. I gave them every piece of advice about the city that I knew, and they treated me to dinner. It was great! I'm giving them (and 9 of their family) a tour of the Capitol on Wed. It should be interesting.

6 more days! I'm gonna enjoy this last week, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - and it's name is Mississippi!

Tag

2005-06-17T22:09:37Z

Name five things you enjoy, even when no one around you wants to go out and play. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level? Make your list, post it in your journal, then tag five [5] new people and ask them to post it to theirs:

1. Drive
2. Sit beside a body of water, enjoy the wind that comes from it.
3. Listen to music
4. Sleep
5. Surf the net and try and find something to do.

I don't think I have 5 LJ peeps that haven't already been tagged, so I will spare them the effort.

TGIF

2005-06-17T22:01:52Z

Today was quiet. We had like 4 people out. I had a tour this morning, put up some of the afternoon mail, put up faxes, and typed 2 thank-you letters. One of the letters was to another Congressman, which goes good with having written a letter I wrote earlier this week to MARSHA BARBOUR (First Lady of Mississippi). Yeah, plus the Congressman took us 3 interns to lunch! We were joined by 2 guys from Special Forces Liasion. We were there for almost 2 hours, but it required me cancelling to Spencer. I had called him like 30 minutes before we were gonna go to confirm, then had to call quickly and cancel. Meredith and I went up there to explain what happened. So next week we'll have to go, considering it's my last week!
I didn't get to see Maggie off to her prom :( Hope she has fun. Aunt Eileen and I are gonna go after while to the Cheesecake Factory!!!! Yum!

5 full weeks

2005-06-17T02:33:31Z

I've been at work 5 full weeks today. I discovered how BAD I can be at softball. My second time to bat I had a good hit, BUT I SLIPPED AS I STARTED TO RUN. Fell forward, my sunglasses (that I bought at a vintage clothing ship) fell off my head, and I landed on them - and they broke. DAMN. Work was good. Meredith and I typed a constituent letter, which thankfully Courtney redid. I did some thank you letters and put up the morning mail. I answered the phone a good bit, and several calls were from the Congressman. He said that he was sure my mom was proud, that I was a good intern, and that they'd have to send a good note to Southern Miss. He's so great. I would totally be a Democrat if all were like him. After softball we went to Bullfeathers, and he was there. That was cool.

Possibly itenerary for my last days here:

Tomorrow:
Lunch with Spencer
Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory?

Saturday:
Paddleboats at the Tidal Basin
Korean/Lincoln/Vietnam Memorials?

Sunday:
Mass at St. Matthews (in Latin)
Arlington Cemetery/Eternal Flame
Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns

Monday:
Picture with Trent Lott
Dinner at Hard Rock?

Tuesday:
Marine Memorial - parade

Wednesday:
Charlie and Marilyn here for tour and dinner

Thursday:
Picture with Congressman Taylor
WHITE HOUSE
Last Softball game - BULLFEATHERS!

Friday:
?????

10 days...

2005-06-16T00:10:25Z

..and I'll be home!

Good day. I was supposed to have a tour at noon, but I didn't... at least not then. I had to take a group of 23 to the Rayburn room - that was interesting! I got to see one of the Speaker's dining rooms though, that was cool. I put up the mail and folded a bunch of letters. After work, Matt gave me a ride. We were going to go to the Korean Memorial, but we went to Jefferson instead. I'd seen it from the outside, but never walked into it. It's HUGE! It was so cool. He dropped me off sort of behind Lincoln, and I was just going to walk around to the Korean Memorial. But everything is freaking blocked off, and I was a good ways towards the metro by the time I got around the fence line, so I said fuck this, I'll come back.

I found out - I'm going to get to see the White House! It's only 3 rooms, but I still get to go in! That's next Thursday. I still have to go back to the Korean, Vietnam and Lincoln Memorials, and I'm REALLY going to try to go to a changing of the guard in Arlington. I might try to go to the Marine Memorial again, it's really neat. On Sunday I'm going to go to St. Matthew's Cathedral for a mass in Latin, and I've got to go back to the basin around the Jefferson Memorial because I saw paddle boats today - MUCH FUN!

I finally got to talk to Mom today, after a weekend of no minutes and 2 days without talking to her. Yay! She has a honey-do list for me going, but I'm so looking forward to it. She also sent me a sweet email, saying that she liked my rainbow story. Ah, looking forward to going home after a good trip. I don't regret coming here, I really don't. Today was a GORGEOUS day, and the views that I got to see around the waterfronts were amazing. At one point, I was looking at the Potomac River. I love the sights, but that's about it. I'm glad I'm getting to see and do what I'm getting to see and do, but it'll be nice to be back in the familiar. Ah, just to finish the job now.

Foot pain

2005-06-14T22:38:24Z

Yeah, so on Sunday the bottom part of my heel on my black dress shoes came off, so I sound like a peg leg walking down the hallway. I brought these shoes new for this trip, and I think they're going to have to be retired when I get home. Work stuff: spent most of the day with our Congressional art winner and his dad. They were nice. I was glad I got to do it, because I got to walk him outside of the Capitol to the House steps to take a pic with Cong. Taylor. Then the Congressman walked us through that side into the Capitol, where ONLY Members can go, then through a back passage. And finally, I got to go on the House floor, at least the outside skirts of it. I also got to see the Democratic cloak room. Yeah, then I had to get them to the Capitol reflecting pool, and we walked out the back door that faces it, going around barriers and stuff to get down there. I saw the most amazing view of the Washington monument and the Mall - it was great. Like something you see in a postcard. I then folded a ton of letters, walked the winner back the Capitol, and at the end of the day I typed up names on rolodex cards and stapled the matching business cards to them.
It's warming up here y'all. I'm drained. So I'm going to check my email and all, then do some laundry and take it easy. I need to go buy a book, but it can wait.

I'll have travel minutes again and I can call my mommy!!!!!!!!!! When tomorrow comes, it'll have been 2 days since we've talked. That's not cool.

bad news sucks

2005-06-14T01:46:25Z

I just got an email from my mom. This lady at church, Ms. Kitten, I've known since elementary school. She's like my grandmother. Well yeah, she passed away, either yesterday or today. The funeral's Friday, my mom's playing for it, AND I CAN'T FUCKING BE THERE!

Just when I was feeling peaceful.....

Long entry

2005-06-14T01:30:10Z

So the usual work stuff - answered the phone, put up the morning mail and faxes, did thank you letters. The Congressman was in today, so no sitting on the couch. Tomorrow I'll be babysitting an art winner in the morning, which means poor Meredith has to give a tour to a group of 15. I emailed Spencer and told him that we were having lunch Friday, he had no choice and I would kidnap him if necessary. I'm hoping to get a pick so I can show y'all how HOT he is!
The rain held off until the evening, which meant I got to go see the memorials like I wanted to. I walked all the way down Independence Ave. and met a guy named Bill who was lost. Ended up losing him, but I think he was able to find his way back. I was crossing this bridge which goes over (I forget the name of the lake) the body of water around the Jefferson Memorial. It was cool. I finally got to see the World War II Memorial. It was amazing. It's in between Lincoln and Washington, and it's so spacy. I realized why I liked it there so much, not just WWII, but that whole area, the 2 mile stretch. In a city of crampedness and tight spaces, there was soo much openness! You could see the sky, and distance, and all. It was soo great. I didn't go up the steps to see Lincoln. I'm gonna go back, because I didn't get to see Korea (in the daytime at least, I've seen it at night). I went to the Wall. It was quite emotional. There was a guy taking a picture of a name with his phone. I wanted to cry. I saw the 2 statues that they have, of the soldiers and the Vietnam Women's Memorial. It's so touching. When I was leaving, and walking about 10 or so blocks back to the Metro, I passed a Vet with one leg sitting on a park bench. I smiled and waved. A little while later when I was crossing the street, he crossed with me. His name was Jim, and he asked me for direction, then asked if I'd had dinner. I think he was going to ask me to eat with him, but it was lightening and I said some bs like my aunt had it cooked or something. He was nice, but he's OLD ENOUGH TO BE MY DAD! Yo, my daddy was in that war.

I was sad on the way home. The Wall is moving enough, but I had seen all of these amazing sights, and I had nobody there with me. I've been going through all of my sight-seeing by myself. Then I had, as crazy as it sounds, maybe a revelation. (Beware, the following is strictly from my head. I would never talk like this out loud).
I was sitting on the metro feeling sad and I happened to look in the sky, which was grey and all from the rain. THERE WAS A HUGE RAINBOW! It was so cool and pretty! I haven't seen a rainbow in years! Not a real one anyways, one that might show up from a stream of water or something, but this one was across the sky. And in a way I realized that, I'm not alone. a) I have God, whose always there. b) I think, maybe in a way, it was daddy (no, I haven't lost my mind). I mean think about it, first to be at the Vietnam Memorial, signifying daddy's wound. Then to see this incredible rainbow. All I could do was sit on the train, and smile. I felt very peaceful, amist the rocking of the train. I still am ready to go home, but I think I'll be able to make it through the next 12 days without feeling quite so lonely. Yeah, I'm gonna make it.

sunday

2005-06-12T20:17:04Z

I went to mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception this morning, well at noon. It was so nice, they had the bells and whistles. The choir was great and they had a full pipe organ! Of course, it would have been ten times better if I'd had somebody to go with me, but such is life. I was gonna wait till tomorrow to call Mom, since I'm having to call collect through Wed., but I just had to. There was this guy who was no older than me, and I think his grandmother on the metro. She had come to visit him and wanted to spend time with him today, not just tomorrow (she was already with him) and he kept blowing her off. I'd give my right arm for my mom to be up here visiting me! He was so disrespectful and all, I just wanted to slap him. Geez.

Question of the day: Who likes baseball? Some of you may know, Mississippi has a minor league team to the Atlanta Braves, the Mississippi Braves. They play in Pearl, and there's some games the weekend that I'm home. Mom said she'd go if I wanted to go, but she's not real enthusiastic. Anybody wanna go? Tickets are like 12 bucks, and that's the good seats too. If I don't go, it's ok, but it's a thought.

Dunkin' Donuts

2005-06-12T02:09:26Z

OMG! We so need a dunkin donuts!!!!!!! I've been there once, maybe twice in my life, and I went tonight. So many choices and best of all - they're open 24/7! AWESOME!
I'm going to need to do sit ups tomorrow......and for the rest of my life. So it's Saturday night, and I'm on the computer. But that's ok. I got my irnoning done, I've watched some tv, and I may get some reading done in a little while before I finally go to bed. And, I"m about to upload some more pics in a few, so feel free to check 'em out, even though y'all probably won't find them interesting.
I got an email from my mom, made my day. I'll be on the metro tomorrow, but I'm gonna try to wait till Monday to call, since I have to call collect. It'll make 2 days without talking to her, which didn't used to be that big of a deal, but it is now that I'm a ways away. I'll have so much to tell her, hopefully she'll get the email I sent today. Oh yeah, I'm gonna try and put up the pic of me and the Congressman on my yahoo photos, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to. We'll see.

As always - photos.yahoo.com/msprsy19

sun is good

2005-06-11T17:50:07Z

I've just spent like the past 2 hours out at the pool with Maggie, mostly laying out, but some spent in the water to cool off. Good thing I put on sunblock, as I am now a pretty tan instead of red. Ahh, 2 more weeks folks! This time next week I'll be about 5 minutes from landing in Jackson!!!!!!!! Hopefully that is....

I'm kinda tired though, so I'm gonna check the email and go watch tv. PEACE.

TGIF

2005-06-10T23:33:14Z

Blah - It normally takes me right at an hour to get back to Aunt Eileen's, no more than an hour ten. Today, we got on the metro at 5:10...I got off at 6:40!!! It was ridiculous. The damn thing took forever! After work, where I answered the phone, did mail, and put up faxes. It was a slow day. Cool thing though, I got to meet with Congressman Chip Pickering today. He's in the district above us, Republican, and from Laurel. I took a picture with him, and they did a news release! If they put it in my local paper, I'll post the link.
I've gotten a LOT of info on London. A couple of people in the office have been there before, so they're offering all kinds of advice. Along with my paperwork to read for my class, I now have a book about the city, plus a ton of info on the surrounding places I hope to visit. Also as far as schoolwork goes, I think I know what I'm going to do my research paper on to get credit for my internship. Stephen was asking us about credit and I mentioned a paper. BRAC is a huge thing right now, and Gene had proposed an amendment about providing tricare to reservists. That's what I'm going to do my paper on, and it helps that Stephen gave me a stack of paper to help. It shouldn't be too hard. I'll probably start on it when I get back from London. I'll be reading over it, but I don't wanna start on it yet. I can't concentrate.

So I checked cellular south today to keep up with my minutes, and I have a grand total of.....3... left. After much emailing and freaking out to the people, I learned that my minutes will begin again at midnight on the 14th, which is Tuesday. I only have 4 days to get through. I have a calling card, but it's ATT and not verizon, so they add extra charges and my card doesn't have enough to even make a call. I called my mom collect, because I only got to talk to her for a minute from work, and I'm not answering my phone for the next couple of days - only texts. We talked for awhile, and I'm going to try and wait till Monday to call again since I have to call collect, then Wednesday I'll have my phone back. I hate to call collect, and Mom had asked me not to do it on trips before, but she told me today that if I needed to that it was perfectly fine. Good ole Mom. Of course, I had hung up, told her the phone situation and was walking back, when my phone rang and it was her. GOOD NEWS - I had applied for a political science scholarship, and I got it! It's only $250 a semester, but it'll help with books at least.

I sit here by myself. I guess it's nice, Maggie usually wants the computer when she's here. Nothing big planned for the weekend. Tonight is just laundry, tv, maybe some reading. Tomorrow I have GOT to lay out, maybe I'll get some swimming in (Yay for exercise! - but not before an overdue trip in the morning to DUNKIN' DONUTS!!!). Maggie hasn't seen the movie "Chicago" - which is shocking - so I'm hoping we'll rent it either today or tomorrow and watch it. Tonight, my aunt'll be in later because she's having dinner with some of her friends. I wish I had friends here, but oh well. 2 people that I know from MCADV that work with Mom will be in town next week, and hopefully they'll call so I can meet up with them. And the week after, Charlie and Marilyn, 2 of mom's staff, will be here and we've already made plans. I'm actually giving them a tour of the Capitol! Sunday I'm going to noon mass at the Basilica - the national shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which is the patron saint of our country and the name of my home church! That will be awesome. No crying babies this week, just history and a mass with a choir! Yay for music!

Holy shit, did I just say yay for music? I really am homesick!

pretty good day

2005-06-10T03:10:59Z

So work - put up the mail and answered the phone a couple of times, entered less than a dozen names in to cap cor, stuffed some envelopes, went to the flag office in the Capitol, and went to the supply store (I hope we find the card!). I was supposed to go to see the supply room, but then I was supposed to take a Congressional candidate to the Rayburn room, but Congressman Taylor ended up doing it. Matt and I ended up getting on to when Gene walked in and we were on the couch, but it was ok. Matt has a nice truck, I rode with him after work because he was going to buy softball stuff but couldn't find any. He's quite nice, and cute, but a tad arrogant. Meredith had said she found him a tad freaky. I wouldn't use that word, but there is a little something that I'm not sure about, so we'll have to see. He asked if interns could drive the Congressman to/from the airport and stuff like that. He's very, I guess forward might be the word.
Softball was GREAT! I played catcher for 4 innings and I get told I am so great, usually just because I happen to throw the ball back to the pitcher. One ball hit my shin, and I think I'm going to have a bruise. BATTLE SCAR. My first hit was quite good, but I ended up getting out. My second hit got me to first, then I got on second. Then I rounded third (because the base coach told me to) and knew I couldn't make it home because the ball was there. I ran back to third, and SLID. I have never slid into a base in all my 21 years. Not only that, but I grabbed that bag/base to make sure I was safe..as I slid by/into it. It was great. After diving in the dirt, I stood up and threw my hands in the air in a little pose. They said that they now knew for sure (if they didn't before) that I was from Laurel. They're great. We went to Bullfeathers afterwards (as always). I ordered a margarita and mozarella sticks cuz they were relatively cheap, and our chief of staff, Stephen, paid! COOL!

Oh yeah, I got to work today to discover lots of people, more cars than I've ever seen going into the parking lot, and about 6 fire trucks and lots of cops. There was a fire at Rayburn HOB (my building). It was on the roof, a welding tool had sparked that was being used by construction workers. Probably a good thing we don't have sprinklers in our office. It was weird. I got to work when people were coming back in and was by myself for a couple of minutes. Gene called to check his schedule, and was impressed (I think, maybe) that I was at work 15 minutes early.

Days like today keep me sane. They are fun. Tomorrow I'll take my picture with Chip Pickering, so I have go make sure I get up on time and get pretty and all. At least it'll be a little earlier than last night. Later all!

good day

2005-06-09T03:56:46Z

So the usual work stuff - put up the mail, answered the phone a couple of times, folded and stuffed constituent letters, and gave a tour. Yeah, on the tour, in the basement, we ran into Capitol police with BIG BLACK GUNS - AUTOMATIC WEAPONS! Holy shit! I haven't seen that before, it was weird. I got to go to another Nats game!! I totally heart baseball. The best part - the tickets were FREE. Congressman Taylor had 2 from a friend and he couldn't go, so Meredith and I got to go. We sat by a former Congressman and his wife, who are friends of Gene's. It's Congressman Steinholm from Texas. There's a story about the seat on the House floor, used to belong to Sonny Montgomery, then to Mr. Steinholm, now Mr. Taylor. Anyways, they were both soo nice and sweet! It was a lot of fun. And..the seats were GREAT! Second section, just to the right of the safety net. We were about 20 rows from the field. Ah, to be in danger of flying balls was so cool. Anyways, Meredith and I must write a thank-you note tomorrow.

On the tour that I gave, the gentleman in the group had on a Lowe's shirt. Turns out he works in the Gulfport store, where my buddy Wayne also works. I talked to Wayne on my flight up and one time since, but I haven't seen him in several several months. I miss him. But I have been texting him like all afternoon. From at work, all through the baseball game, right up until I got home a little before 11. Yeah, much fun.

Anyways, it's midnight and I get up before 6. MUST GET SLEEP!

forgot

2005-06-07T23:53:41Z

This is more so for me, since I have to keep up with all tha I do at work. I forgot to post that I used CRS for the first time (Congressional Research Service) at the Library of Congress. I hoped I'd never have to use it, maybe I won't again. We'll see.

*Smiles* I got to talk to my family. Just got off the phone with Mom. Then I got to talk with Crystal, my niece. We're hoping to get to see her in Pensacola. That'd be awesome. I'm gonna see how much it'll cost me to change to an earlier flight. I'm considering flying out the night before, but I'll need time to get my stuff together. We shall see

18 more days!