Thursday, May 31, 2012

Those who have fallen, we honor you

Sorry it's taken me so long to post about Memorial Day. There's so much to do here that it makes me not want to be on the computer as long!

One of my roomies Justin and I got up early and went to the National Cemetery Monday morning. We were hoping to see Pres. Obama lay the wreath on the tomb, but unfortunately they were only letting you go up to the amphitheater if you took the special bus. Stupid, but whatever. We walked as far as we could and laid a couple of roses on graves (that they gave out for free!), and Justin found a tree we could sit under. We happened to be right in the line of sight of the tomb from the backside, so we could see everything going on. We heard the Star Spangled Banner and Taps, but we couldn't hear Obama speak. We also were doing so great until about 15 other ppl came and took our spot, too, so Secret Service freaked out and made us all leave. Half of them were kids, and they were sitting on the headstones. I about lost it. The guardians made them get up, but they just went to another one. So incredibly distasteful and inappropriate. I wish people would learn how to behave in a cemetery - especially when there's a ceremony going on.

We didn't walk around too long afterward because we wanted to beat the rush, but we did see the motorcade on the way out. The Army guy on patrol told us which car he was in (ummm...???), and sure enough he passed by us. He nodded to us since there was a Marine near us, but we didn't get to say hi or anything. Justin and I were literally five feet from the leader of the free world. I don't care if you like him or not; that's cool.

Afterward we mulled around til the Man Cave downstairs had a BBQ.  We had a BYOM and BYOB-style party so there were lots of margaritas and beer and delicious smelling meats to go around. All of us just hanging out together enjoying the weather and the incredible place we're at was the perfect way to end the long weekend.

Our view of the Washington Monument from our tree

Justin laying a rose on a tomb

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Weekend of fun!!

Sorry it's taken me so long to blog about my Memorial Day weekend!  Saturday I was hoping to go to Mt. Vernon but extenuating circumstances kept me from doing so. Oh well. I still have 10 other weekends to do something about it! Instead Angela (an intern from my office) and I went touring the Mall and spent all day in the Natural History museum and the Smithsonian Castle. The Natural History museum, for those of you from Baylor, is like a MASSIVE version of the Mayborn. It's even set up like it, with different hallways dedicated to various sections. They have dinosaurs, bats, live insects, the Hope Diamond, lots of other pretty jewelry, and National Geographic pictures. I about died of cuteness in the NG section. OH! And I almost forgot! They have a forensic science section where you can be Bones and ID a person based on their femur, vertebrae, skull, jaw, and things found with the body. I'd been to the museum before in 2010 with Jennifer, but I forgot how much stuff there was!!

The Smithsonian Castle is there across the Mall, and it's beautiful contribution is the gardens in the middle; they're actually roof gardens! If you cross the gardens and enter the African Art museum (where we were the only white ppl, no joke), you can go deep underground to see African Art and Asian Art - all below the Smithsonian gardens! There are some exhibits that won't open til June, so Angela and I will definitely be making our way back there. She and I have really hit it off since we're in the same office, and I'm glad we got to tour together! We hit up a dive bar that a Capitol Policeman recommended to us where I acquired the nickname Pigtails from the very nice bartender, Daniel. No joke, 15 policemen came in during our dinner...guess it's a popular place! They have this drinking marathon that Angela and I definitely won't be partaking in; you have 3 hours to drink all 15 beers they offer from right to left, and if you complete it, you get a T-shirt. Woo.
...I couldn't
She could touch the top of the Moon Gate...



Sunday I joined Michael and his friend David for church at Capitol Hill Baptist. Holy cow. That was a marathon of a service. The service lasted 2 hours and 10 min!! I have never been to a service that long in my life!! Probably won't be going back if it's that long, even though I did enjoy it, but it's not for sure. This Sunday I'll be checking out Mark Batterson's church National Community Church. They have a campus here in Crystal City, so me and the men from 334 are heading over there.  After church I met up with one of my fave Baylor girls Emily!! We headed out to another Smithsonian, this time the National Portrait Gallery. I had my last trip there interrupted, so we made sure we had enough time this time around. It took us five hours to cover the whole dang thing. It was ridiculous!! I also saw someone there I SWEAR I know - whether because he's famous or I actually do know him...it's been bugging me - but I have no idea who it is. *sigh*  We had fun acting like teenagers and mocking some of the busts in there. 

Crazy Hair!!! (Which President is this?)
Can you tell who this wealthy man is?
I'll leave a separate post for Memorial Day since this one's kind of long and the tone of the Memorial Day post would be very different from this happy-go-lucky one. Stay tuned for more!!                           


Friday, May 25, 2012

TGIF!

Friday, Friday, everyone's gone cause it's Friday!

Everyone except me that is lol.

I got stuck at the office til 1430 today because lil ole intern me doesn't get to leave early. Theoretically, I get to leave 59 minutes before my supervisor. Well, one wasn't there, one left at 1000, and one left at 1200. But they told me they wanted me to stay and work. So I did. I have a lot of reading to do, and some of it can't leave the office, so that's basically what I worked on. One of the captains actually stopped me at 2 and told me to go home and then chatted w/ me about USMC officer stuff and the route he took for 30 min. It was really awesome to hear his story and just be able to relax.

Apparently every Friday is kind of half day, so there will be a lot of ghost days. Every Friday is also dress up day...because Marines have to do everything different! Tuesday should be interesting as I buy my SSgt lunch...I lost a bet... *sigh* I also get to start taking a special shuttle for employees that happens to stop near my apt, so yay for not spending money on metro!! Most mornings I'll probably still walk the whole way if it's nice, but the afternoon is too muggy and gross to walk back.

Michael took me out to dinner tonight (thanks Mike!) since I let him use my place for laundry. Soooo delicious AND I have lunch for tomorrow, too! Woot!

Tomorrow's adventures include: 
  • Getting cable/Internet set up in the apt
  • Possibly but probably not going to Mt. Vernon with other PPIPers
  • Meeting either Stephanie or Emily for touristy stuff downtown around lunch
  • Finishing a paper and reading for work
Can't believe I've already finished a full week! Next week's reward is apparently a beer and ice cream social...in the office...I think...I couldn't quite tell if they were being sarcastic or not...

Anywho, enjoy some pictures of where I live!! First two are Crystal City waterpark and the third one is on my walk to work!



Tuesday, May 22, 2012

I love my job!!

Okay, so I can't talk too much about my job, but I can tell you the basics. I work for the USMC in the foreign language department. The group of guys I work with is awesome. One guy makes fun of me all the time about being Texan in his worst Texan accent. He calls me a hillbilly and tells the whole office I rode a horse named Trigger to school growing up with my cowboy boots and cowboy hat, and now I wear fuzzy pink bunny slippers because I was in AFROTC. He's ridiculous lol. I endured all that from 0845-1030 this morning. And it's only day two! In his and the MSgt's honor, I'm wearing my cowboy boots tomorrow :D  They match my dress so :p

Other than that, not too much to report on work. The building itself is HUGE. I mean, holy cow, GINORMOUS. I'm thankful I found my way to my actual office by myself this morning. Angela and I tag-teamed and nailed it. Tomorrow I'll have my badge (yay!!) and won't have to be escorted around anymore (double yay!)

John and I cooked our first in-home meal of spaghetti and will be headed out around the town tonight. It's not very college friendly, as all coffee shops close at 7!!! I can't believe it! They're basically encouraging us to drink since they're not open any later. Who knows what we'll find around town. Right beneath us, however, is Jimmy John's, BWW, Chili's, Seattle's Best, and nearby are a Chick-Fil-A, 7-11 for Slurpees, and a Coldstone! The restaurants are wonderful :)


  Our apt is sooooo swanky!!!



Sunday, May 20, 2012

We Remember the Fallen...

Today Rachael and I spent the better part of the afternoon at Arlington National Cemetery. With 624 acres of land, you can imagine just how many of our men and women are buried here. Not everyone buried was a soldier, for some spouses and kids have the privilege, too. But all ranks of every armed force has a place here. Rear admirals are buried next to sergeants, four-star WWII generals amongst the dead from the Spanish-American War. It's a breathtaking, beautiful sight, and I really suggest everyone go when they have a chance.

Of course I took pictures of just about everything, but I didn't video tape or take pictures of the actual ceremony part of the changing of the guard. It's too beautiful, too serene and surreal to do. The Army men are absolutely pristine in uniform and the checks of the guards by the Staff Sergeant is like something out of a movie. It really moves you.

Not everything was somber today. Myra helped me move my luggage to the Buchanan, which, btw, is ridiculously nice!! For those who were in Canada with me, think about the lobby of the hotels we stayed in and add a few more crystal chandeliers. You have my building. It's gorgeous! I'm going to be so spoiled staying here, especially basically within walking distance of work!

The last night was filled with paper writing, minor anxiety, and craziness with big sis Rachael when we went to Johnny Rockets for dinner! We obnoxiously sang to Aretha Franklin, the B2s, and the Angels at the 50s diner. Sooo yummy and a perfect night to a great first weekend!

 The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
 Our view from JFKs burial site at Arlington
They gave us a smiley face with our ketchup!

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Day 2: So. Much. Walking!

I am now a Metro aficionado. I have officially been on every line you can be on, switched lines about four times, and have even memorized about 8 or 9 stops. I also have figured out my bearings in some of the places thank goodness! I can get around Columbia Heights pretty well, but central DC is throwing me for a loop! There's a ton of construction going on, so even walking around is difficult.

Speaking of walking around, miss Emily Ward tried to kill me today with all the walking we did! I literally walked about six miles today...good thing I got new shoes (thanks Mom and Dad!). We walked from Foggy Bottom to Chinatown back to Union Station to her apartment and then I walked back to Union Station and back to Columbia Heights. Holy cow I'm exhausted lol.

Lots of fun times, though! Emily and I got lunch at Founding Fathers where we had delicious Ranch popcorn and Frisco burgers and then met up with Michael for coffee at Ebenezer's (which we were dying for after our long walks!) We briefly toured the National American History museum, but we're going to go back when we have more time. Coolest parts that we saw were Daniel Radcliffe's robe from the 1st HP movie, a life vest from the Titanic, and the original Star Spangled Banner and corresponding lyrics! Fun fact of the day: 1. Mary Pickersgill sewed the flag, not Betsy Ross as so many people erroneously think and 2. my cousin wrote the lyrics! 

Enjoy some pictures!!

 Naturally Emily and I did a Sic 'Em in front of the White House. I also took another picture with a thumbs up not a Gig 'Em *cough* Michael *cough* but that one will just stay between me and my phone ;)
 Forgot which building this was but it was really pretty so I took a picture lol
Kids working in the community garden! Myra has a community garden near her apt, and today was a work day, so we harvested some lettuce and planted Brussels sprouts, carrots, broccoli, and peppers! The kids painted signs and planted and were absolutely adorable doing it!  I can't wait to have my own community garden...it's such a fantastic idea!

Friday, May 18, 2012

First Day: Success!

Gooooooooood evening ladies and gentlemen! I'm writing this blog on 3.5 hours of sleep, including the 1.5 hour siesta I took at my cousin's apt....so it's probably a little delirious. Also, if I slip into Spanish, I apologize...I'll try and correct it before I post. We spent a few hours at an El Salvadorean's home and I got a crash course in Spanish. Fortunately, I could understand about 90% of everything I heard, but I could only respond about 40% of the time porque no se tenses other than present and future.

I landed at Reagan at 1130 and thankfully got picked up by my loving cousin, Myra! She and her husband Jason live in DC, so I'm getting to spend a couple of days with them. While Myra went to teach an English class, I spent about an hour in the National Portrait Gallery. IT'S. SO. COOL. I wasn't actually expecting to like much of it, but a friend recommended it and said it was one of his favorites, and I was in the area, so I figured why not?

I only stayed an hour because my big sis Rachael happened to be eating with a couple friends around the corner at a seafood place! They were gracious enough to let me join, and the food was DELICIOUS. Oh my goodness Chinatown does it right. I'm gonna have to learn how to budget meals because tax is higher here, so I spent about $30 on food today...yay...

I'll leave you with two pictures and then it's off to sleep for me! I need to be rested before a possible Nats game tomorrow and seeing wonderful friends!!

 Slightly disappointed in the Texas license plate, but a really cool picture nonetheless!
Becca, Rachael, Sarah, and me at Legal Seafood! Reppin' the homemade RGIII shirt - and got lots of compliments on the Baylor attire from new RGIII fans! :)

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Hello hello hello!! The day is almost here! I leave for DC in 8 short hours.

HOLY CRAP EIGHT HOURS!!!

I'll be updating this blog as I go about my adventures in DC and Qatar (hence the clever name, thank you Mike Flynn!). I'll be away from my beautiful Texas for almost eight months, with a little pause of about a week or two in the middle.

This post is short because I still haven't packed (I know, I know, shocking), so I'm gonna go do that!! Watch for my first post from DC tomorrow!