Sunday, March 28, 2010

Everyone Needs a Spring Break

This weekend I took the opportunity to visit a friend in the Big Apple. Unlike other interns and all of my friends back at school, I didn't take a Spring Break. There's definitely some merit to the idea of giving yourself a break, even if it's a small one. After the gorgeous weather of the past few weeks I have to admit I was getting a bit of Spring Fever. While I've had my trip planned for awhile, I didn't really get excited about it until I was chan

Not only did I have an absolute blast stomping (at least part of) a new city, it was so great to see one of my really good friends. I spent way too much money, but if I had to do it all over again I would do it all the same. Except I would probably try not to loose my shoe...yes that's singular I only lost one and yes, I still have the other one. Don't worry about it.

We spent all day Saturday (and, let's be serious a good part of the night too) in the Greenwich Village area. I thought about how sometimes I just want to be a starving writing, (if you pass that public option I can do that and still have health care!), living in old clothes, eating Ramen noodles and smoking cheap cigarettes. Every time I get like this I have to remind myself that it's not 1994, the people in Rent probably had roaches as their roommates, and oh yeah, I'm a runner not a smoker.

And living in genteel poverty (my term for what I did this fall) is really not that glamorous. It just makes you hungry.

In the past year I've taken more weekend trips than usual: last summer I went up north (that's what we do where I'm from in the summer) and to the Great Midwestern City, this fall I went with a friend to visit another university for a football game, and now this past weekend. Sometimes a weekend away is all you need to be refreshed and ready to go. And good time spent with people that mean a lot to you--well, that one never hurts either.

Happy Spring Break all!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Rain, rain, go away

It always happens that I forget my umbrella (mittens, boots, winter coat, insert weather-proofing item here) just when I need it. So of course, the day it rains cats and dogs, not only do I leave my umbrella at home, I choose my hood-less fleece jacket over my raincoat. Oh and the wellies? Warm and dry at home.

My idiocy knows no bounds. Hopefully you remembered your umbrella, it'll be rainy this evening.

Fridays are usually quieter at work, there always seems to be less people around. But today, it seems that the recent HCR victory and the rain has kept almost everyone from the office. The metro was so empty this morning, and the halls have assumed an almost tomb-like quietness. It's crazy to see how this place goes from alive to dead one day to the next.

Easter Recess should keep things slow for the next too weeks...

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Bonding with your Boss, Part II

Visit them when they are stuck late at work and probably bored.

HCR

It's been a long time...

...but I had to personally ensure Health Care Reform was going to pass. No really, I did. I think the fact that it didn't get through until I came to DC make it clear just how much this city needed my leadership.

Anyway, all the gossip tells me that when Nancy Pelosi (legit one of my favorite people, my first daughter will be name Nancy. Or Hillary. Nancy Hillary? To much?) took H.R. 3590, aka Health Care Reform to the floor, she didn't have the 216 votes necessary to "pass the damn bill." But with a little luck and a hell of a lot of confidence, she muscled it through what the founders thought of as the more "rowdy" chamber (it was rowdy on Sunday night!).

Today I ate lunch with a CoS. He said he's never had a plan--and here he is senior staffer to a senior member of the majority party. I'm not saying I would ever want to be a CoS, I can only take so much stress. But the idea that it's okay to not have a plan, that it can all work out.

I know a lot of people who don't necessarily have a plan. We might have sketches, or ideas, but we don't have a plan. I dare say we're smart enough not to plan, we know every thing can get effed up in the end.

But if Health Care Reform can fly by the seat of its pants, than there's not reason we all can't either. As long as we keep the what we like in sight, than like Health Care Reform, with a little luck and a lot of confidence, we can make it too.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Ghost in the Room

Does the past ever really let us go? Can we ever truly escape what was once for what will be, or are the two so vividly intertwined we have no idea when we look at the whole grand picture?

Perhaps like first love, our first passion is our true one. Essentially taking a semester off school and starting this blog has reminded me how much I love writing. I'd gotten away from writing (and I don't mean essays and research papers) for so long. But without the daily reading and writing assignments in front of me, the constant stressful factors of my school jobs, I've been able to focus on what I really want: to question and to think--more accurately to stew. And the answer seems to be that I need to write.

Lady Gaga has a script tattoo on her arm, it's a quote from a Rainer Maria Rilke, a German philosopher: "In the deepest hour of the night, confess to yourself that would die if you were forbidden to write. And look deep into your heart where it spreads its roots, the answer and ask yourself, must I write?"

Like most people, I would prefer not to fail. I see so clearly now the path that I could take that would lead to mediocre success. It would be challenging, but I like a challenging. And it would be moderately rewarding, and I like rewarding. But I don't want the challenge without the reward. I don't want to wake up in 10 years and realize that I am nowhere near doing anything I want. I am tired of saying and doing the "right" things because they will potentially get me to where I possibly want to go. I want to say and do what I want because it will take me to where I absolutely want to be, even though I don't know where that is yet. I know the standard business model--big risk, big gain. Big risk can also mean big failure, and that is the one that is super scary.

Okay so we can't truly leave our past behind us. We can cut the line of communication, or shove it in the closet. As much as we try to put away, it will always find a way to lurk quietly in the back of the room. I guess the best thing to do is to embrace it, learn from it, and bring it along for the ride. Big risk, big gain, eh?

Peace out,
Thing Two

The demise of Lazy Sunday

It's been awhile. I apologize. Life got in the way of writing...

Life has gotten busy here. Last weekend was gorgeous, and I decided I would much rather be outside experiencing life than be inside and not. Thing 1 and I both had visitors and then simultaneously realized neither of us have summer jobs (please hire us!)...needless to it's been a little crazy/stressful.

Sundays are best as lazy days, though most of my Sundays here have ended at my second job. I am literally exhausted today and can think of nothing more I would rather do than run and chill. Instead I have to work at 3 which really means I have to leave a little after 2. What kind of sadist keeps things open on Sunday evenings? I know I felt like this when I was a waitress: Sundays should be for chilling at your house and preparing for the workweek. Unless you live on a college campus and then Sundays are for groaning, pulling your ass out of bed and trying to get a seat at the library or coffee shop. And not leaving for 10 hours. I've had far too many of those days to count.

One of my favorite things about Sunday is the Sunday Times. All the columnists are on board for the Week in Review section, and the Times magazine rarely disappoints. I had 3 or 4 Sundays over break where I was able to just sit, run and read and it was absolutely delicious.

Sundays are not meant to be productive, unless being productive means grocery shopping and ironing. I have to say being able to sleep in this morning was amazing. I think back to freshman and even sophomore year of school where the day did not begin before noon and I laugh. I set my alarm for 10:30 this morning and even more important than the fact that I slept in to it completely was the fact that I could have slept for longer.

Instead, I (literally) pulled myself off my air mattress, made some coffee, and started trying to be productive. I'm halfway through at least one NYT column and am going for my run soon...

Have a relaxing day,
Thing Two