Hello again!
My second full week here in DC has been a good one, and I'll do my best to update you on it and, as always, editorialize a bit.
Work has been a lot more fun and a lot more productive this week. The rest of the intern team has started, and it's been great getting to know them/having peers around the office. Our internship coordinator, Shira, is really fantastic, and she's organized a lot of fun events for us, both in and out of the office. For instance, we have a meet and greet with Administrator Jackson, tours of the Capitol and Supreme Court, and a speakers series over lunch. This week we had our first speaker, Seth Oster, who is the Associate Administrator (AA, ie head honcho) for External Affairs. Like the rest of the higher admin, he is a "political" and he came to the EPA after many years in the private sector. While he was introducing himself, he said "I serve at the pleasure of the President," which obviously gave my chills given my recent West Wing obsession. (Speaking of, Season Two. WOAH NOW. President Bartlet's reelection campaign is stressing me out substantially more than real world news, and I can hardly stop watching. Problem?) Reeling it back in, Seth's talk was great and I'm really looking forward to meeting the other AA's. (AAs? Do you use an apostrophe? #grammarproblems)
In addition to the entrance of the new interns, I also feel like this week brought me much closer to the staff I'm working for. On Wednesday the Public Engagement team (about 15 staff and 4 or 5 interns) a really fun meeting over lunch. The first hour and a half was serious business, and the last half hour was "forced socialization" as our director, Dru, put it. By the end she was showing us videos of her three year old son dancing, and playing youTube videos of Bills, Bills, Bills from Glee because she finds the Warblers hilarious. Solid office bonding experience clearly.
On Friday a bunch of us went to the free jazz in the Sculpture Garden after work, which was really nice/so classy. Besides the crazy hippie protesting alone next to us. . . I left early to meet up with Alex and Eliza who were visiting from Jerz. They introduced me to my new favorite spot in DC.
Freedom Plaza is an open space that is inlaid with a map of downtown DC. When you stand on the blueprint of the Capitol and look down Pennsylvania Avenue, you get the most majestic view of the actual Capitol, flanked by office buildings and the Old Post Office Pavilion. You have to see it, especially in the evening, it's amazing. You will wax patriotic instantaneously. I'm feeling immense American pride right now just thinking about it. My little camera didn't do it justice at all, so I won't even bother posting the horrible picture I took there.
The monuments on The Mall are best beheld at night, and that's all I'll say about that. Oh, and they desperately need to finish this Reflecting Pool construction (I realize I've already kvetched about this, but it bears emphasis. And really, have I ever been one to quickly drop my complaints? #dcinternproblems)
The National Portrait Gallery is probably my new favorite museum, we had such a great time there on Saturday. Besides the actual art, my favorite part is the Kogod Courtyard which is a fantastic architectural wonder inspired by no less the voice of God (just like the music at Alpine, Dukies!) and designed by people more brilliant than I will ever dream of being. The art was great, especially the Calder exhibit which just totally left me in awe of what someone can do with a few pieces of wire. Certainly not your 3-month-old's mobile. The wire, the color, the shapes, the shadows. So cool. I don't think my chatty writing can come close to honoring the place enough. The Presidents and Champions collections were my favorite. I could walk around the place all day. Especially because there is virtually no crap (aka modern "art") like monochromatic abstractionism and other spilled paint formations.
In addition to being touristy and watching too much West Wing when I get home from work, I'm enjoying Dear Girls Above Me, and this ridiculous Metro site, which is about as clever as Did Duke Win?.
Thanks for reading :)
-George
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