Hello All. Our government did not default. Thanks to the heavens above. I'm back on the west coast now, also thanks to the heavens above. Ehhh it's not as hot here. ALSO I loved DC and would tell anyone and everyone to go there. It's the best. I, myself, will probably be back there. At least, I kept my metro card so I have to go back and use the last $2. Thanks for reading the blog, I'm completely obsessed with blog stats so every visit helps! And if you want to keep up with me more then check out theflipsideofmypillow.blogspot.com. Great thanks.
Surf and Study Both Start with S
So I'm developing this theory. Let me know what you think. Every college age kid who has a healthy study life also has a heightened ability to find humorous things on the internet. Any form is acceptable (blogs, youtube, webcomics, jimmer paraphernalia). But every person that studies for more than like 5 hours a day has a list of their favorite websites they can go to for like a 2 minute break between topics or something. It's not something they set out to accomplish or become, it just comes through the circumstances. Very few people can study for forever long in one day, though it is sometimes required. The person that can study for that long with no breaks would be quite the "human" to behold. As a coping mechanism we surf the internet for comedic gold. Some are better at sifting through the lol's and are able to find the BAHAHAHAHA-I-was-embarrassed-to-read-that-in-a-public-place-because-I-couldn't-stop-laughing-because-I-was-shaking-so-hard. Ya, that is one word. Just say it really fast and blend.
Cemented Glory
So one of my glorious duties this summer is to lead tours of the Capitol. I love it. Every day I walk in and am again blown away but the grander and magnificence of it all. I tell the stories I have heard, most of the are true. There's one story that I'm pretty sure is true but I'll tell you anyway. Outside the Supreme Court Chambers in the Small Senate Rotunda there are cat paw prints immortalized in the glossy cement flooring. A fellow intern told me they were made when the Capitol was used as a bakery and a hospital during the Civil War. Interesting huh? What's even cooler is that there are stories of a demon cat that comes out only before really bad stuff happens. Like 9-11 or something like that. So the security guards see it running at them and they shoot at it and stuff but it, obviously, disappears. OOOoooooohhhhhhh! SpooooooOOOOoooky!!! There's even a website about it. Me and the other intern were looking at it the other day. And don't worry, that totally qualifies as work related research/web surfing.
High Five
As a current resident of the District I have a professional knowledge of our national debt ceiling talks and the cut/cap/balance or budget amendment talks. Just by breathing the same sick humid stifling air the politicians breathe, I gain understanding. And that understanding is limited. Nobody knows what will happen. There's the actual discussion about what the H we're going to do about our debt and budget, etc; then there's the discussion about party politics. The discussion is turning to the dearth of leadership on both the Republican and Democrat side. This discussion is proving the leading party in the House, the Republicans, to be a sort of weak and disunited party. This is an exciting time to be here. Luckily I will be flying out a few miles in front of the proverbial mushroom cloud that could occur if our government fails to do whatever they need to do. New perspectives for sure.
Crazy Hot
OK. The weather right now is UNBELIEVABLE. It's like 102 right now but feels like 121. UNREAL. We walked for 1.5 blocks, part of it in the shade, and I had back sweat. Sorry for the graphic image but it's true. So sweating here is not a big deal. It's like everyone has excessive sweating so nobody is like all embarrassed when they have tacos or anything like that. That doesn't make it ok, but it helps. But mostly we stayed at our table 15 minutes after we paid the check because we didn't want to go outside. This DUBIOUS heat is real and there are extreme heat warnings everywhere you turn. So. This is like a limit your exposure to the outside air kind of heat and air quality. I walked outside and my eyes started hurting because it was so hot.
People I Know
So today I was just thinking about how many amazing people I know. There are some people I meet and I'm like, OK, you're nice I guess, but you're not really going anywhere. See you here, same time, same place, 5 years. Then there are those people who I meet and then get to know because I can see some kind of potential in them. Those are the people who I think, OK, you are going somewhere, you have some goals, you have some original thoughts, call me if you ever want to exchange favors or have an intellectual conversation or want to mutually inspire and encourage each other. Great thanks. I can't wait to see where everyone goes in life and what they become. Should be quite the page turner.
Rope Swing
When we went to Hawaii like 10 years ago we found this super janky rope swing in the middle of a forest at the top of this AMAZING waterfall. Cody lost his glasses there. Shame. But I didn't go on it because you had to cross this river with a strong current and let's face it, I would have chickened out at the top anyway. I had another chance this weekend! After an awesome camping trip we drove out to Great Falls VA and took a 10 minute walk to the banks of the Potomac where some blessed soul has fixed a rope swing to a tree leaning over the cool river. So I went in with every intention of jumping but quickly lost my dedication to it when I imagined all the diverse injuries I could and most likely would sustain. I came out with minimal bumps I am happy to report. I went twice and flew into the shallow water feet first both times. I was working on not getting rope burn, not keeping my feet up. The photo below is an action shot of my first jump but does not include the scream that accompanied it.
Here's another picture for some context:
There was a nice ladder nailed onto the tree for ease of access. There were also a bunch of underaged drinkers and smokers. Can't believe I missed out on the experience in high school. In the middle of the river were a bunch of Yale looking college age kids, also with beers, just chillin' in the surely polluted water. Oh how they need a good beach.
Camping
I am really just eating up all of D.C., it's exactly what I needed in my life. But! This weekend I was reminded what the countryside looks like and what an open space that doesn't have a statue in the middle looks like (All the parks in D.C. are named after some kind of wealthy founding male figure. And they all rode horses). We had purified spring water and did not get sick. Tried to make fires with wet wood and endless tinder. Heard rustling in the bushes and saw a fresh looking paw print from some kind of 4 legged animal. Made friends with Chip, the Appalachian trail hiker 4 days into his 4 month trip who only smelled slightly of body oder. Pet some horses and as many as 12 dogs, all under one owner. This older retired couple walks with their dogs for like 3 hours a day on these trails, love Mormons, offered to bring us some pizza, were a little loopy, and based their life around the 12 rescue dogs and they cooked chicken or beef for their dogs for dinner every night. Absurd. The cabin was basically really great. Best part: no bug bites and no cell phone service!
Literacy
This post is dedicated to J.K. Rowling because A. It's about Harry Potter and B. It's written and Harry Potter made me literate. I watched the last installment of the movies and have, for the time being, closed that chapter in my life. I really can't say enough about how much I have loved this series. My mother forbade me from reading any more books when I was a senior in high school because it was getting just that bad. But I loved them because I could pick up any book and start reading anywhere and it was my favorite part, again. The most excited I have ever been for a Christmas present was when I opened up my very own box set during my freshman year in college. Endless Harry Potter trivia, endless web searching and fan essay reading, so many deep literary discussions. . . :) I didn't like reading before Harry Potter. I owe my literacy to J.K. Rowling, and some other people but really to her. And because I owe her my literacy it is arguable that I also owe her any success I have in this world. Maybe. Regardless my point is I love Harry Potter and will always have fond memories as I force my own children to read the series that had a place in my life from 4 grade to my senior year of college. What a legacy.
Just a Lemonade
So Sarah and I set out for just a lemonade today and ended up getting into this friends and family opening at a new restaurant in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood. We walked up to the owner and told him we would love to try out the restaurant and tell the 40 other people we live with just down the street exactly how good it is. So he asked if we were 21 then said, "Ok ladies. The deal tonight is that everything is free. So be sweet and tip well. Joel, will you find these ladies a seat at the bar." Done. Our night began. After the first 3 virgin drinks we got two amazing appetizers, 2 life changing entrees, and 3 deathly desserts. I thought the best thing we ate was the salmon with pomegranate glaze. But the almond bread pudding with home made pistachio ice cream was a close second. We also made a ton of friends with the servers and the bar tenders, left a large-ish tip, gave a pretty smile, flipped our hair, and walked out with our 4 bags full of leftovers to share with our friends back at the Barlow because they wouldn't believe us otherwise. The owner, Steve, was very gracious and we told them all just how great the food and service really was. Basically I could not stop laughing the WHOLE night. We were so lucky. It's called Circa and is the newest of 3 in D.C. Great service, great food prices, wonderful management, metro accessible, highly recommended.
DOME
So the most prolific phone call of my life came on Wednesday at like 10 am. It was a fellow Barlow intern offering me a spot on a dome tour later that afternoon! Yeah buddy!!! Dome tours are more exclusive because a member of congress "has to" be on it with you. Anywhays. It's amazing. It's only when you're looking from the balcony right under the Apotheosis of Washington that you can truly appreciate just how high Brumidi was when he painted, and it's only when you can look at eye level to the frieze that you understand just how long the 15 minutes was when he was hanging onto the scaffoldings for dear life. It's when you see the exterior of the old dome and 3 of the 13 women surrounding George turning away from the circle that you realize just how crucial the completion of this dome was during the Civil War. It's when you look down at the people below that you can understand how the Statue of Liberty can, in fact, fit inside the rotunda with 30 ft between the top of her torch and the top of the dome.
This is right above the frieze. The first stop is actually in-between the original dome and the addition. When the capitol was expanded the smaller dome looked funny so they built another dome (what we see from the outside now) around it to make the capital building look more proportional.
This is the balcony under the Apotheosis. Really, really, really, really high up.
A cell phone camera shot looking down. So, so far down.
The tour takes you outside the capitol on the roof. It's an amazing view, obviously. This is the National Mall and my excited face because we're on top of the roof. That's what's up. Oh, and my badge is in the picture too. How appropriate.
In conclusion: We went inside just as a storm was coming in; you may be able to see it in the photo above. But we heard the first boom of thunder in the distance and felt the first raindrops then saw our hair start to get static and decided we should book it down the 300+ steps of the completely iron dome.
Low Key
Sometimes all we want to do here is something low key because our days are SO packed with activities. Tonight we got IBC and went to the roof of the Kennedy Center and played cards. Turns out Alexandria was having fireworks so that was lucky. And the monuments are always more monumental at night all lit up.
Peanut Butter Overload
There is this new restaurant in Georgetown called Serendipity, you may have heard of the one in N.Y. or L.V. We split a sunday, the Can't Say No. It's a piece of peanut butter pie with two scoops of chocolate and vanilla, garnished with two sliced bananas, loads of whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and carmel topping. You know how it sounds like a ton of food and a ton of sugar and calories and almost life threatening? Well it's all that. Possibly more. They also have this dessert that's called the Treasure Chest. It's like $77 and feeds 20 people. Think of a chocolate treasure chest filled with cookies, cake, ice cream, etc. You could probably order a stretcher to the hospital as a side.
Huge Deal
So last week 4 of us went to Founding Farmers, great food, slow service, but it worked in our favor this time. Because they took so long and we made a suggestion along the lines of a free dessert we got some gift cards and 4 free desserts! Basically we ate our weight in food but it is an experience I would never trade in. I got the Reuben sandwich, pretty nice. One of our desserts was an apple pie. It came in a SPHERE. Can you believe it? The presentation was the best part. The crust was way flakey but there was too much of it compared to the half puree apple filling.
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